Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

The next day.

Li Xiangdong suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Yuqin, who was tidying up the house, and asked, "What time is it now?"

Zhou Yuqin asked with a smile, "It's 7 o'clock. I was just about to call you. Are you alright?"

"I am fine."

Li Xiangdong shook his head.

Yesterday, Li's father was still angry, so under the guise of celebrating for him, he cut up a plate of pickled radishes after dinner and insisted on getting the three brothers drunk.

Li Xiangdong asked, "Where are the children?"

Zhou Yuqin laughed and said, "They're all in your sister-in-law's room. Our daughter used to not let anyone hold her, but now she wants to play with her older sister as soon as she opens her eyes."

"Yes, Xiaomei and Xiaolan are both thoughtful and kind-hearted. Xiaoqi will definitely like being with them."

Li Xiangdong nodded, rolled off the kang (a heated brick bed), grabbed the clothes beside him, and put them on.

Today is his first official day at work, so he needs to get there early. Once he becomes a seasoned veteran, he can comfortably clock in on time.

Holding a few sheets of scrap paper in his hand, Li Xiangdong dashed out in a flash.

One downside to living in a hutong is that you have to time your trip to the toilet carefully in the morning.

Li Xiangdong jogged toward the public restroom. From a distance, he could see seven or eight young men, about his age, queuing outside the men's restroom.

Older people usually get up earlier in the morning, so those who come to the toilet at this time are almost all young people who like to sleep in.

Some of them were tucking their crotches together, some were stamping their feet, and some had chamber pots beside their feet, but it didn't stop them from smoking and chatting at all.

Seeing this scene, Li Xiangdong knew he was too late, so he slowed down and began to walk slowly forward.

The people queuing outside the men's restroom greeted Li Xiangdong, who was wearing a railway uniform.

"Dongzi, are you here to use the restroom?"

Good morning, Dong-ge.

"Brother Dong, aren't you in a hurry? Don't be late for work."

Oh~

They've even started calling me "brother"...

Faced with the sudden surge of enthusiasm from the crowd, Li Xiangdong was momentarily taken aback. He responded with a smile while his heart pounded.

He used to be a nobody in the alley. People would just nod at most when they saw him. When has he ever been so enthusiastic?

Moreover, they weren't curious at all about Li Xiangdong going to work in the railway system.

It seems that Li's mother's boasting yesterday had a great effect!

Indeed, a good job can improve one's social status.

At this moment, the burly young man at the front of the line came over and pulled Li Xiangdong, who was about to join the back of the line, forward, saying, "Brother Dong, you stand in front of me."

Faced with the man's burly physique, Li Xiangdong couldn't resist, nor did he really want to. He just felt slightly uncomfortable.

"Huai Zi, is it inappropriate for me to stand in front of you? Everyone is queuing up, what am I supposed to do?"

Huai Zi said nonchalantly, "What's the big deal?"

He turned to the group behind him and asked, "Guys, you guys don't mind Dong standing in front of me, right?"

"No problem, I'm not in a hurry."

"I'm not in a hurry."

"It won't make a difference if it's just a little while, Dongzi, you can rest assured."

Li Xiangdong smiled and thanked everyone, saying, "Thank you all. This is my first day officially at work, and I am indeed a little anxious."

Although he had only taken a few steps forward, why did he feel that his status had risen again?

Li Xiangdong, standing at the front, accepted the cigarette offered by Huai Zi. Although he didn't really want to smoke, he couldn't refuse Huai Zi's kindness.

The main reason is that he was in a hurry when he left and forgot to take his cigarettes, so he'll need them to keep out the smell when he goes to the bathroom.

“Someone’s out. Brother Dong, let me light a fire for you.”

Li Xiangdong took a puff and went into the toilet, bringing the product right under his nose.

Pants off, a moment of leisure.

Aside from the strong smell and the abundance of flies and mosquitoes, this place is the most relaxing place for the mind and body.

Come out of the toilet.

Li Xiangdong greeted the last few people in line with a smile.

He rushed home, washed up, and ate.

Back in the west wing, he put his unpatched clothes into his satchel and carried the rain boots he had worn the day before.

Everyone in Li Xiangdong's family knew that today was his first time riding in a car and that he was going to Tianjin, so they all came out to see him off.

"Everyone, go home now, no need to see us off."

Li Xiangdong bent down and patted Li Xiaohai's head, then walked to Zhou Yuqin's side, kissed her daughter in her arms, and said to his wife, "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. You stay home and take good care of the children."

Old Li instructed, "Dongzi, be careful out there."

Grandma Li said, "You must eat well and sleep well."

"I understand, Grandpa and Grandma."

Li Xiangdong looked at the crowd at the door and smiled, "We've come a long way to see you off, but we must part ways eventually. Everyone, go back now. I will definitely hold Hill 9527!"

After he said that, he turned and left.

Grandma Li watched her grandson's retreating figure and asked in confusion, "Old man, what did Dongzi just say?"

Old Li didn't speak, he just shook his head and smiled.

Li's mother saw her eldest and second sons' families laughing, especially her three grandsons, who were giggling and laughing.

She retorted angrily, "I brought you this pot and pan unwashed, and you can't even speak properly? You little bastard, you need to be taught a lesson!"

Mr. Li said with a dark face, "You're just a kid, spouting nonsense."

Li Xiangdong hadn't gone far when he heard his parents scolding him, so he quickened his pace.

hum~

If he hadn't seen that his grandmother's eyes were red and she was about to cry, would he have said those witty remarks?

Without stopping, Li Xiangdong pushed open the office door and saw a middle-aged man sitting at his desk, calmly drinking tea and reading a newspaper.

When the middle-aged man saw Li Xiangdong come in, he put down his newspaper and asked with a smile, "You're Li Xiangdong, the new guy in our group, Comrade Li the Loudmouth?"

"Um...it's me. What's your name?"

When Li Xiangdong heard Li Daba's voice, he paused for a moment before putting down his rain boots, walking over, and extending his hand.

"Wang Dahai".

Wang Dahai stood up and shook hands with him.

Li Xiangdong smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, please call me Dongzi."

Wang Dahai waved his hand and said, "Dongzi, call me Uncle Hai. There are more than just me with the surname Wang in our group. Don't end up with a big and small Wang."

Li Xiangdong readily agreed, "I'll listen to you then, and I'll call you Uncle Hai from now on."

Wang Dahai nodded, glanced at his watch, and said, "Dongzi, you're here quite early."

"This is my first day of work, and I want to make a good impression on my boss. Uncle Hai, please rest, I'll go put my things down."

Li Xiangdong picked up his rain boots, walked to his locker, and put them inside.

When Uncle Hai saw Li Xiangdong carrying a kettle to pour water, he asked, "Dongzi, would you like some tea? Uncle Hai has some good tea here. You've never had pre-Qingming Longjing before, have you? Would you like to try some?"

He can even drink pre-Qingming Longjing tea; it seems Uncle Hai is quite capable.

"Thank you, Uncle Hai. I'll try your fine tea."

Li Xiangdong stopped what he was doing, picked up his teacup, and walked over.

The Tieguanyin tea he took from Hou Jianshe's office was split 30/70 last night.

Old Man Li gave seven, Father Li gave three, and he wasn't even left with any tea leaves.