The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 91 Finalizing the Hiring of Helpers [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Zhiqiang, we have a guest! Come out and see!"

Weekend, a day for rest.

While Zhou Zhiqiang was drawing structural drawings of parts in his study, he heard his wife, Guo Yuting, calling him from the front yard.

Today, a neighbor from the next courtyard came to borrow a sewing machine, so Guo Yuting learned how to use it. She wanted to make some clothes for her child by hand.

Zhou Zhiqiang placed the sewing machine next to the storage room in the front yard, so that neighbors wouldn't have to go to the backyard to borrow it.

Now, almost every weekend, neighbors from the next courtyard come to their house to borrow their sewing machine, and Zhou Zhiqiang never refuses. Sometimes, when the neighborhood office issues a notice that Zhou Zhiqiang and his wife are not in the area, the neighbors will send someone to inform them.

It's mutually beneficial, and the sewing machine can be repaired if it breaks down. Zhou Zhiqiang is a mechanical expert, so repairing this thing is a piece of cake for him.

"Who?"

Zhou Zhiqiang came to the front yard upon hearing the noise and found that the people who came were the old village chief and Zhao Tiandong's family.

Zhou Zhiqiang then smiled and said, "Village chief, why are you only arriving now? I remember Tian Dong said he sent you a message a few weeks ago, and it's been more than a month."

When the old village chief saw Zhou Zhiqiang, he smiled happily and said, "Ah, it was the busy farming season at that time, and that silly boy Tian Dong went to the city and forgot about the village."

During that time, the whole family was busy, so we had to make him wait a while. Tian Dong's father and I were only able to go to the city after the farm work in the village was finished. Zhiqiang, these are mountain products from the village, specially brought for you. Daguo, quickly bring them over.”

The old village chief immediately told Tian Dong's father to get the things, and then Zhao Tian Dong's father handed over the things he was holding.

A bunch of small wild mushrooms, clearly picked from the mountains; and a lean pheasant, which would surely make a delicious soup.

Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "You're too kind, Village Chief. Please stay for lunch. By the way, do you have a place to stay?"

"Yes, yes, Tian Dong's rented house is all set up. The three of us can definitely squeeze in."

The old village chief said with a smile that after they entered the city this time, they first went to the house rented by Zhao Tiandong.

The old village chief's family also found out that Zhou Zhiqiang had borrowed two hundred yuan from Zhao Tiandong; however, the money was not fully given to the family, and the old village chief did not want it. Even though his other children urged him, the old village chief did not give in.

He gave his family forty yuan, which was to be used for a simple wedding banquet in the village. The rest of the money was what Zhao Tiandong had given his family.

The remaining 160 yuan was what Zhao Tiandong and his wife lived on. Now Zhao Tiandong has bought some second-hand furniture and renovated his small home to look decent.

After the official recruitment began in August, Zhao Tiandong and Wu Xiaojun were among the first batch of recruits, transitioning from temporary workers to formal apprentices. He has already started paying back the money, but for now he can only pay back five yuan a month.

He plans to start paying back eight yuan a month once he becomes a first-level worker, and then pay back more as he advances in rank.

"Tian Dong, could you ride my bicycle and run an errand to buy some cooked meat near Dongdan Market?"

Zhou Zhiqiang took out a pound of meat coupons and two yuan, and handed them to Zhao Tiandong.

Even when he's very busy lately, Zhou Zhiqiang still makes time to go to the pigeon market to buy tickets. He buys whatever tickets are available. Money isn't a big deal for the couple, but tickets are really scarce.

"Zhiqiang, there's no need to spend money. You've already helped our family enough."

"It's alright, village chief, it's just a meal. Besides, it's not like my wife and I don't eat."

Zhou Zhiqiang waved his hand, bypassed the old village chief's obstruction, and handed the money and tickets to Zhao Tiandong.

After taking the ticket, Zhao Tiandong immediately said, "Okay, Brother Zhiqiang, I'll be back soon."

After saying that, he pushed his bicycle out, and the old village chief told Zhao Tiandong to run after him so he wouldn't fall off the bicycle.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "Don't worry, village chief, Tian Dong can ride. I saw him riding a bicycle with his girlfriend nearby last time."

After Tian Dong gets married, you might soon be able to hold your great-grandchild, and then it will be four generations under one roof.

The old village chief smiled upon hearing this, for four generations living under one roof was a sign of good fortune, which was why he wanted Tian Dong to get married soon and have a great-grandson. A little while later, Guo Yuting also saw her neighbor off and came to the backyard to greet the old village chief.

Knowing that the old village chief's family had helped Zhou Zhiqiang many times before, Guo Yuting thanked them with a smile and then chatted with the old village chief's family for a while.

Without saying much, Zhou Zhiqiang got up to prepare to cook, and Guo Yuting came to help.

The old village chief and his son Zhao Daguo also wanted to help, but Zhou Zhiqiang persuaded them to sit down and rest at the stone table in the courtyard.

After quickly stir-frying two dishes and stewing chicken and wild mushrooms, Zhao Tiandong returned with the cooked food.

I simply chopped some vegetables and plated them, then served two small dishes of pickled vegetables. It was a pretty good lunch.

The pheasant and mushroom soup will be ready in a little while. They should eat slowly, and they can drink the soup when they've almost finished eating.

The old village chief was a little embarrassed. They had originally planned to visit Zhou Zhiqiang and bring him some gifts, but ended up getting a free meal instead.

Fortunately, he had given prior instructions not to let his son and grandson eat as much as they wanted. Each of them ate a steamed bun made from two kinds of flour and drank two bowls of soup before stopping.

Vegetables are okay to eat, but staple foods really shouldn't be eaten in large quantities. In their village, no one goes to other people's homes to eat their fill of food.

After the meal, the old village chief told Zhou Zhiqiang that his family planned to get married in half a month and would hold a wedding banquet in the city.

The two families are relatives, and the old village chief hoped that Zhou Zhiqiang could also go, since Zhou Zhiqiang had helped them a lot. If he didn't invite Zhou Zhiqiang, the old village chief would feel bad.

Zhou Zhiqiang readily agreed, since it was nearby, on the same street, just a short walk away.

After finishing their meal and chatting for a while, the old village chief saw Guo Yuting yawn a few times and prepared to say goodbye and leave.

Zhou Zhiqiang had other things to do, so he didn't try to persuade the old village chief to stay. He just told him to come to their house again when he went to the city.

However, before Zhao Tiandong left, Zhou Zhiqiang called Zhao Tiandong aside and asked him about asking his girlfriend to come and help.

It costs six yuan a month to come to their house between six and eight or nine in the evening and help with cooking and housework.

Zhou Zhiqiang has also started working overtime at the factory recently. This overtime was decided by the factory's Party Committee. Ordinary technicians in the technical department take turns staying until nine o'clock, but Zhou Zhiqiang, as the department head, cannot take turns; he has to work overtime continuously.

We've recruited too many apprentices, and we need to get them to learn the production process as quickly as possible. This important task has fallen to the technical department.

Overtime is almost impossible to refuse, and he can't ask for leave either. One or two days is fine, but if he asks for too many, many people will probably have a problem with him.

So Zhou Zhiqiang thought of Zhao Tiandong's girlfriend, Guo Yuting, who could help him out after she got off work that evening.

After hearing this, Zhao Tiandong immediately agreed. However, after agreeing, he scratched his head and said somewhat embarrassedly that he did not know Mao Pingping's thoughts. But he told Zhou Zhiqiang to wait a moment and that he would go and ask her right away.

Before Zhou Zhiqiang could even speak, Zhao Tiandong turned and ran; the Mao family was also in Nanluoguxiang, just a few minutes' walk away.

Not long after, Zhao Tiandong came running back, panting, and said to Zhou Zhiqiang, "Brother Zhiqiang, Pingping said it's no problem, but she doesn't want any money; your family has helped us a lot, it's really unreasonable for her to ask for money."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "Please thank your partner for me, but you still have to give her the money. Listen to me, this won't be a matter of just one or two days, it might take three or four months."

"And as for the money, it's best to keep it a secret between our two families and not tell anyone else."

Zhao Tiandong initially wanted to refuse, but in the end he couldn't resist Zhou Zhiqiang's insistence, so he scratched his head and agreed: "Brother Zhiqiang, I originally wanted to help you, but it turns out you're the one helping our family."

For such a small amount of work, earning six yuan a month is really too much; his girlfriend doesn't have much education, she only attended a literacy class, and now she does odd jobs every month, earning only four or five yuan on good days.

Compared to the money contributed by Zhou Zhiqiang, it's far less.

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)