Go back to the past to plant trees

"Erqiang, this is our captain, Zhao Tianshan. He's a retired soldier. You can contact him if you need anything in the future."

"Zheng Erqiang, from Shaquan Brigade, is a childhood friend of Jinquan. He's a very hardworking young man."

The next day, after Zheng Erqiang arrived, Feng Cheng introduced him to Zhao Tianshan.

"Hello, Captain."

Zheng Erqiang bowed deeply to Zhao Tianshan.

Before he came, Zhao Jinquan told him that this was the camp leader, the one in charge of them. Whether he could continue his job and whether he would have a chance to become a full-fledged employee depended very much on his impression of him.

"No need to be so polite. We're all in the same boat. I'm a recent graduate and don't know much about farming. I still need to learn from you."

"Alright, stop chatting and get to work. We can chat all night."

"Jin Quan, did you bring the seeds back? Did your mother say what to plant first?"

Zhao Jinquan said, "I brought some seeds of cabbage, green beans, cucumbers, peppers, corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, and winter melons, which can be planted immediately. I will go back to get more if I need to plant more later."

"How much land can these plants cover?" Zhao Tianshan asked.

"If we plant them all, filling this vegetable patch won't be a problem."

"That's quite a lot."

The vegetable garden has been expanded several times, from the initial two rows to sixteen or seventeen rows, covering about one acre. It doesn't grow many vegetables, but mainly corn, soybeans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, because these are in high demand for making vermicelli, tofu, and the like.

"Let's get to work then. Let's try to finish the work in this vegetable garden today, so that it doesn't delay the work in the nursery," Zhao Tianshan said, picking up a shovel and starting to till the soil.

The four big men were incredibly strong and worked very quickly. Zheng Erqiang, in particular, had just arrived and was eager to show off, quickly leaving the others behind.

Seeing this, Zhao Tianshan was not to be outdone and also sped up. Seeing that the two were competing, Zhao Jinquan had no choice but to increase his speed as well.

In the end, only Feng Cheng was left lagging behind. Feng Cheng naturally picked up his pace, but he didn't go as fast as the others.

"You two are good; you'll definitely be good soldiers if you join the army."

During the lunch break, Zhao Tianshan couldn't help but praise Zhao Jinquan and Zheng Erqiang, as he couldn't shake off the two of them during the morning's work.

"Feng Cheng, you're really struggling. Look how far behind you've fallen. You'd better step up your game this afternoon!"

Feng Cheng waved his hand: "You should forget about it. I'd be better suited for a clerical job in the military than someone like you."

“Brother Feng is different from us. He still needs to study at night. When we’re tired, we just go home and sleep. But when Brother Feng is tired, he still needs to study. He can’t concentrate on studying when he’s too tired,” Zhao Jinquan explained to Feng Cheng.

"I hadn't thought about that," Zhao Tianshan realized. This was a college student, an intellectual, a technician, not a roughneck like himself.

"Feng Cheng, you don't need to work so hard in the future. The three of us can do more. Don't overwork yourself."

"I'm not that delicate. I still have to work. You don't need to worry about that. I know what I'm doing."

After returning home, Zhao Jinquan and Zheng Erqiang went to the kitchen to prepare food.

Zhao Tianshan also went over to take a look and lend a hand. Actually, there wasn't much work to do; he just boiled a few potatoes and made some pickled vegetables.

"I think we need to hire a chef to come back a little earlier at noon and in the evening to prepare the food. That way, we can eat as soon as we get back, and we can digest the food without having to go back to work right after eating."

During the meal, Zhao Tianshan suddenly brought up something.

Feng Cheng nodded, "That's good. More people will be coming later, and with so many people, we'll definitely need to arrange a dedicated chef."

"Jin Quan, why don't you be the chef?"

"Brother Feng, if I become a chef, does that mean I'll have to cook every day?"

"That's for sure!"

Zhao Jinquan shook his head and refused: "Cooking for a day or two is fine, but cooking every day is out of the question!"

"So you're cooking every day now?" Zhao Tianshan asked.

“That’s different. Before, it was just me and Brother Feng, and we could easily do it. But with more people, we’d have to be busy in the kitchen all day, and I can’t handle that.”

"Erqiang, are you coming?"

Feng Cheng looked at Zheng Erqiang, who was standing to the side.

“I,” Zheng Erqiang paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, “I’m not a good cook.”

Feng Cheng glanced at Zhao Tianshan, and Zhao Tianshan looked back at him. Both of them conveyed the same message: Don't look for me.

Looking away, Feng Cheng turned his attention back to Zhao Jinquan. "Here's what we'll do, Jinquan, you hold the fort for a few days. The bureau will bring in more people later, and then we'll let them do this."

Zhao Jinquan countered, "What if the people the bureau hires can't cook, or what if the food they cook is terrible?"

"Then let the bureau hire someone who can cook. Old Zhao, this is up to you. You should report this to the bureau chief and find someone who can cook."

“Okay, I’ll go down to the dam tomorrow. I’ll go down and apply for funding. I’ll talk to the director about this issue and ask him to find someone who can cook and cooks well to come up here.”

As long as he doesn't have to go to the kitchen, everything will be fine. He's a veteran who fought on the front lines, not a cook in the mess hall. Besides, how can a team leader lead his troops if he's always holed up in the kitchen? What kind of prestige can a cook have?

Zhao Jinquan said, "If it's just for a few days, then I have no problem."

Hearing this, Zheng Erqiang breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that Zhao Tianshan and Feng Cheng would eventually force him to take on the job. He was actually good at cooking, but he didn't want to stay in the kitchen. Only by working in the fields could he build a good relationship with Zhao Tianshan and Feng Cheng. Only by building a good relationship could he keep his job and have a chance to become a permanent employee like Zhao Jinquan.

Just like this morning, as long as I work hard, Zhao Tianshan will see it immediately. Once he sees it, his opinion of me will improve.

Zheng Erqiang's thinking was somewhat mercenary, but he had no choice. He really needed this job. He was the only one in his family, and no one could help him. He could only rely on himself. His grandmother was getting old and needed money for medical treatment. He himself was also of marriageable age, and he needed to save money for his wedding. If he didn't have this job, he would be like those old bachelors in the village, remaining a bachelor for life. He didn't want to be a bachelor, and his grandmother also hoped that he could get married.

Therefore, Zheng Erqiang definitely cannot do the job of a cook, at least not at this stage.