Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 46 is a real man
After walking up a slope, you arrive at the open space outside the brigade headquarters office.

Zhang Wenliang pointed to the four people sitting in the doorway basking in the sun and said, "The one wearing a blue cotton jacket and a hat is the brigade leader Zhang Changjiang, who is also my uncle."

One sentence was enough to make Chen Fan withdraw into himself.

Zhang Wenliang was still enthusiastically introducing, "That guy in the military overcoat is Deputy Captain Xiao Liewen. He's a retired veteran who came back in the 1950s. I heard he was commended, but I don't know the specifics. He won't tell anyone who asks him. But no one suspects it because he didn't report to the work assigned to him by the Prefectural Party Committee's Armed Forces Department and went home instead."

It wasn't until Minister Cao personally came to find him that everyone learned about the matter, but he still refused to go. Later, when Mr. Li advocated for the establishment of more militia divisions, he finally came out of retirement and became the deputy captain, mainly in charge of politics and public security, while also being responsible for training the militia.

The man in the gray cloth jacket is the deputy team leader, Ye Shubao. Team leader Ye is in charge of production, but usually, everyone discusses things together.

Secretary Yang of the team's Party branch went to a meeting at the commune these past two days, and the women's team leader is also not here, so now the three of them are in charge of the brigade headquarters.

The last one is our team leader from squad 5, who is also my dad.

Chen Fan fell silent. This family only had two officials, not counting others?

Then he asked, "Brother Sanhu, what about you?"

Zhang Wenliang grinned and said, "I'm the militia company commander of the brigade."

Well, the whole family has positions.

Chen Fan suddenly became curious, "Does the militia company commander get a salary?"

Zhang Wenliang was about to say how could he not even know this, but then he remembered that there was something wrong with his head, shook his head repeatedly, and laughed out loud.
“The militia is just the militia, meaning it’s an army organized by the people themselves. Who pays their salaries? Let alone the company commander, even when the militia divisions were established more than ten years ago, the division commanders didn’t get paid. The advantage was that they could fire bullets and shells at will, and sometimes they could get some uniforms, shoes, gloves, and first-aid kits from the armed forces department, but not much. They could only be given as prizes to the advanced individuals.”

He paused for a moment, then added, "However, I am also a member of the brigade leadership team, so I am considered a semi-full-time cadre. When I organize training, I am counted as working full hours, and I also receive 300 work points a year as a supplement."

Chen Fan had another question: What is a part-time cadre?
However, they had already reached Captain Zhang and his group. Zhang Wenliang quickly took two steps forward and introduced them to Zhang Changjiang and the others, "This is Master Chen. He just came from Team 6. He has Captain Yang's letter of introduction with him, which I have checked."

Zhang Changjiang and the others had already stood up. He switched his pipe to his left hand, extended his right hand, and smiled, "Welcome, welcome!"

Chen Fan respectfully extended both hands to shake hands, saying, "Hello, Captain Zhang."

Then he shook hands with the other bigwigs one by one.

Especially Xiao Liewen, whose eyes exuded a murderous aura, even though he was smiling, Chen Fan felt a chill run down his spine.

This guy must have taken a lot of lives!

However, Chen Fan wasn't afraid. Since he was a retired veteran who had rendered meritorious service, he was a combat hero. The lives of combat heroes were the lives of the enemy, and the more they killed, the better.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Changjiang smiled warmly and said, "Master Chen, why don't you take a break, have some tea, and then teach them?"

Chen Fan quickly replied, "No need to rest, I'm available anytime."

He paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's getting late. The sooner I finish teaching everyone, the sooner I can go back and avoid walking home in the dark."

Hearing this, Xiao Liewen's smile deepened. "Decisive and straightforward, a real man."

Chen Fan grinned, unsure how to respond.

These past few days, Captain Yang and the others have been treating him like a kid, and this is the first time someone has praised him as a real man. It's not easy for them.

Ye Shubao also laughed and said, "Since Master Chen wants to finish this quickly, let's get it done faster."

Then he winked at Zhang Guangwen.

Zhang Guangwen immediately turned around and shouted in a loud voice, "Listen to Master Chen's arrangements today!" He then pointed at Zhang Wenliang and said, "Master Chen doesn't know anyone, so you can help direct the team."

Zhang Wenliang nodded, then turned to Chen Fan, "Master Chen, how should we prepare?"

Chen Fan thought for a moment, silently calculating what he would need. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he tentatively asked, "Do you have any of those things used for slaughtering pigs here?"

Zhang Wenliang was stunned for a moment, "Slaughter a pig?"

Then he nodded, "I have everything. I have two pig-slaughtering knives, but I'll have to borrow an iron hook and a machete."

At the same time, I was wondering to myself, is killing a turtle as big a commotion as killing a pig? That's quite a spectacle!

Chen Fan quickly waved his hand, "No need for a butcher's knife, a kitchen knife will do. The main thing is to have a few large basins, a pot to boil water, and a cutting board to cut meat."

Zhang Wenliang suddenly realized, "I understand, it will be done within half an hour."

He then turned around to find someone to make arrangements, "You, you, you go and build two earthen stoves, bring over both big pots, you two go and prepare two cutting boards, you go and carry the big basins..."

Soon the arrangements were made in an orderly manner.

As the head chef, Chen Fan only needed to sit on the side.

When Zhang Wenliang went to coordinate the inspection, Zhang Changjiang and three others accompanied him and talked with him.

Zhang Changjiang chuckled and asked, "Did Little Chen go to the pig slaughtering ceremony this morning, Captain Yang?

Chen Fan was busy politely declining the cigarette Ye Shubao offered, saying, "Thank you, thank you, I don't smoke this."

Ye Shubao forced the cigarette into his hand, saying, "If you don't know how to smoke, then learn."

Xiao Liewen laughed from the side, "How can a man not smoke or drink? Have a smoke or two."

Is this thing even playable?
Chen Fan couldn't refuse and was forced to take one. Zhang Guangwen then lit it for him himself. After only taking one puff, he coughed several times.

The four people next to him burst into laughter.

Holy crap, what kind of cigarette is this?

Chen Fan grimaced. This stuff was incredibly pungent; he really didn't understand what was so good about smoking it.

At this moment, a teenage girl brought him a cup of hot tea. Chen Fan thanked her first, then looked at the teacup. Fortunately, it was clean and contained genuine green tea.

Zhang Changjiang smiled and said, "This is green tea grown locally. The provincial leaders all said it was good. You should try it."

Chen Fan smiled and nodded, blew on the air a few times, took another sip, and immediately felt a lingering fragrance in his mouth. "Mmm, it smells delicious."

Seeing his expression, Zhang Changjiang and the others burst into laughter again.

Xiao Liewen pointed at Chen Fan, then turned to Zhang Changjiang and said, "Doesn't he look like those educated youth from Shanghai ten years ago?"

Zhang Changjiang's expression changed, and he nodded with pursed lips, "You know what, it really does look like it."

Chen Fan stared blankly, somewhat confused, but since they didn't explain, he couldn't say anything either.

At this moment, Zhang Changjiang asked that question again, "Captain Yang slaughtered the New Year's pig today, did you go?"

(End of this chapter)