1952: Walking through Nantongluo Alley

"But... he's a little ugly, and not very tall."

Tingting was a little hesitant at this time.

"Tingting, I've introduced you to quite a few young men from the countryside over the past two years. What's the result? Have you ever found a man you're satisfied with?"

Matchmaker Sun's words made Tingting lower her head.

She knew that others looked down on her because she was fat, but even though she was fat, she still had a dream of Cinderella, the ugly duckling, turning into a white swan.

She doesn't want to be a rural woman all her life.

Now she has the opportunity to become a city dweller, which may be a compensation given to her by God.

After another struggle, Tingting finally chose to accept Jia Dongxu.

"Aunt, I am willing. Is it not okay if I am willing?"

"That's right. When you marry into the city, all the girls in the surrounding villages will envy you. What's the use of good looks? Only money and life are the most real."

"Come to Jia Dongxu's house with your aunt tomorrow. Isn't she shy? Let's come a few more times to save his face."

Tingting nodded and said.

"I understand, Auntie. Don't worry. After what you said, I finally understand. No matter how ugly you look, it's the same when you turn off the lights at night."

Phew, Matchmaker Sun couldn't help but laugh.

"What nonsense is this kid talking about? Isn't he afraid of being heard and laughed at by others?"

……

Chen Xiao bought a few meat buns from the Old Drum Tower Street, and this time he also bought a bowl of steaming mutton soup.

With these, Chen Xiao rode his bicycle back to the courtyard.

After closing the door, Chen Xiao placed the mutton soup and meat buns on the dining table, then picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.

A bite of meat bun and a mouthful of mutton soup, life is so wonderful.

Next door, Sha Zhu put the lunch box he brought from the steel rolling mill on the dining table, and then heated up a few steamed buns.

A serving of boiled Chinese cabbage and a few steamed buns – this was the brother and sister’s dinner.

He Yushui drooled at the aroma of mutton soup and meat buns coming from Chen Xiao's house next door.

"Brother, I want to eat meat buns and drink mutton soup."

He Yushui tilted her little head and looked at Sha Zhu pitifully.

Sha Zhu picked up a steamed bun from the table, stuffed it into He Yushui's mouth, and then patted her little head.

"Brother already asked for a meat bun for you this morning, how can you ask Chen Xiao for another one in the evening?"

"Eat steamed bread today. The food at the steel mill will be improved tomorrow. I'll see if I can bring you two pieces of fat meat then."

He Yushui wrinkled her little face and picked up the steamed bun and started to chew it unhappily.

"Brother, this is what you said. If there is no fat meat tomorrow, I will be angry."

"Don't worry, when has my brother ever lied to you?"

After dinner, Sha Zhu lay in bed and couldn't fall asleep for a long time.

All he could think of were his father He Daqing and the White Widow.

If He Daqing had not run away with the White Widow, Sha Zhu and his sister would not have lived such a miserable life.

……

There was nothing to say all night, and it was early the next morning.

Chen Xiao did the same thing as usual. He first bought a few meat buns on the Old Drum Tower Street, and this time he bought a bowl of mutton soup.

I returned to the compound and sat at home eating breakfast.

Looking at the two small houses in his home, Chen Xiao sighed.

Sha Zhu and his sister occupied such a big house, while he only had two small side rooms.

This gap is a bit big.

"Let's see if we can talk to Sha Zhu about switching rooms later..."

Then Chen Xiao shook his head.

"Shazhu isn't really stupid, how could he possibly be willing to trade houses with me?"

After breakfast, Chen Xiao went to the steel rolling mill to work.

As soon as I walked into the workshop, I saw Yi Zhonghai and a group of master craftsmen gathered in front of the workbench.

With curiosity, Chen Xiao walked over.

At this time, they were staring at a spiral knife in Yi Zhonghai's hand and discussing it.

"Is this a special tool for 7.62mm internal threaded pipe?"

"The workmanship is really fine. I heard it's imported."

"Is it real? Or is it a foreign product?"

"What else? If I let you make it, can you make a knife like this?"

……

"Chen Xiao, get out of here! Is this the place you're allowed to be? If you accidentally break the knife, can you afford to pay for it?"

An annoying voice sounded in Chen Xiao's ears.

It’s that annoying Jia Dongxu again.

At this time, Jia Dongxu's palm was pushing towards Chen Xiao's shoulder, but Chen Xiao dodged it with his quick eyes and hands.

Jia Dongxu almost fell to the ground because of his unstable center of gravity.

"Ouch... Chen Xiao, I'm not done with you! How dare you push me!"

"Fuck you, keep your mouth shut! Open your dog eyes and see when I pushed you."

Faced with Jia Dongxu's constant provocation, Chen Xiao couldn't help it. If he was outside, he would have beaten him up long ago.

"Chen Xiao, you! Try to curse me again? Believe it or not, I will hit you to death with a hammer." Jia Dongxu was also anxious. He didn't expect Chen Xiao to start with a verbal attack.

He simply picked up the hammer from the workbench.

Seeing this, Chen Xiao smiled and stretched his head towards Jia Dongxu.

"Come on, come on, don't you want to hit me? I'm holding my head out for you, hit me if you dare."

"Chen Xiao, don't think I really don't dare. Don't force me!"

As he spoke, Jia Dongxu raised the hammer high.

"Dongxu! Put down the hammer immediately!"

Yi Zhonghai carefully placed the knife on the workbench, then ran over to persuade Jia Dongxu.

At the same time, he sighed inwardly, wondering why he had accepted such a troublesome apprentice.

"Don't pull me! If anyone pulls me today, I'll never let him go!"

Jia Dongxu waved the hammer in his hand, and the other masters stepped back one after another for fear of being affected.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai had already hugged Jia Dongxu's waist.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai coming to stop the fight, Jia Dongxu swung his hammer even harder.

At this moment, an accident suddenly happened. The hammer in Jia Dongxu's hand accidentally slipped from his hand and hit the knife squarely.

Suddenly, the knife was smashed into two pieces by the hammer.

All the masters present gasped.

It's over, it's over now.

Jia Dongxu is finished!

This is the knife that was just delivered, and it is the only one in the entire Red Star Steel Rolling Mill.

It was originally given to Yi Zhonghai to debug the internal spiral tube.

Unexpectedly, it was broken by Jia Dongxu's hammer.

"Dongxu, you!!!"

The knife was broken, and Yi Zhonghai slapped Jia Dongxu directly.

Jia Dongxu covered his face with his hands, looking like a child who had done something wrong.

"Master, I didn't mean to do that. I didn't mean to do that..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yi Zhonghai slapped Jia Dongxu again.

"Will saying 'I didn't mean it' be enough? You know this is the only knife in the whole factory."

"Now it's broken by your hammer. Dongxu, you really disappoint me."