Chapter 30: with translation of chapter title

On the first day he had basically arranged everything, and he couldn't stay in the Courtyard House watching the house repairs all the time, so he should go to work; as for this noon meal, it's actually quite simple.

After it's fixed, just take them to a good restaurant for the next meal.

He Yuzhu had just entered the canteen when Ma Hua rushed over, saying the Factory Director was looking for him about something important, and he looked quite anxious.

What urgent matter could there be at the factory? He Yuzhu went to the Factory Director's office with a puzzled expression.

Zhuzi, take a look at this.

He Yuzhu glanced at it; it was a notice sent from one of their sister units, actually their downstream factory, and the letter itself didn't say much—just that there was a slight problem with the materials.

That doesn't have much to do with the canteen.

Could it be that they want to restore Yi Zhonghai and the others' ranks? But with just the two of them, it wouldn't warrant a letter from a sister unit.

"Factory Director, what does this have to do with me? You should go see the workshop director."

The Factory Director shook his head, pointed at the words above, and said, "The material issue isn't the main problem; I've learned that they came mainly to have our factory receive them."

Such a letter with hidden meaning between the lines is indeed not He Yuzhu's forte; only after the Factory Director's guidance did he understand what was going on. However, this practice is not uncommon nowadays, though I didn't expect to see it now.

Receiving them isn't a big deal; although the workers have run out of meat and vegetables, the reception doesn't require meat—there's still fish and chicken, etc.

"Factory Director, stop beating around the bush and tell me what the big issue is."

"The desk lamp! To be honest, do you still have any left?"

As it turns out, the leader of that sister unit knows the Factory Director, having seen the desk lamp given to the Factory Director, and took a liking to it at first sight. He didn't intend to take the Factory Director's favorite.

He planned to buy one for himself.

That day the Factory Director drank too much, slapped his chest and promised he could make an identical one.

These are minor matters; although standardization is difficult now, with some bicycle parts not interchangeable, such a situation won't exist in the future.

If they say it's the same, then it is the same.

"That's simple; just send them to my grocery shop to buy them, and I'll give them a discount," He Yuzhu said with a smile, "Any number is fine."

The Factory Director smiled and let him get back to work.

The canteen work remains somewhat tedious; meat products are still insufficient, so He Yuzhu can only try to arrange some dishes with good oil and water.

After finishing a day's work, He Yuzhu came to the grocery shop and plopped down on a stool.

"Hello, are you Master He from the Steel Rolling Mill?" Two middle-aged men in black Mao suits stood at the window, "I'm here to buy a desk lamp."

He opened the door, welcomed them in, and pointed to the two desk lamps on the table to show them.

He examined them carefully, his expression turning greatly delighted; he hadn't expected such a shabby little grocery shop to have such exquisite desk lamps.

Upon closer observation, he found that the shop still had plenty of goods.

They have cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, and tea.

A few strings of sausage hang in the corner.

"Is this also for sale?" he asked, pointing at the sausage with some curiosity, "And there are calcium milk biscuits too—these are a fine product from Lu Province; if you want to grow, you should eat these."

The two made a purchase at the grocery shop; besides the desk lamps, they took away stuffed sausage and a box of biscuits.

If those two hadn't lacked sufficient tickets, He Yuzhu estimated they would have needed to purchase more.

After seeing off those two gods of wealth, He Yuzhu was just about to rest when San Daye came over sighing; he came to the window and asked He Yuzhu to pour him two fen's worth of liquor.

"Do you have any small pickles or something? I'd like to have a bite with this drink."

"There's nothing here; just drink it in one go."

He Yuzhu was a little curious why San Daye would come out to buy liquor; this old guy is famously stingy, and he looks somewhat dejected, maybe he lost money.

"Zhuzi, your days ahead won't be smooth."

Not giving him pickles—this is practically cursing himself.

"San Daye, what are you talking about? Getting drunk on just a little liquor?"

"What I mean is, Old Yi and Old Liu have been reinstated to their positions."

These two are just ordinary workers; they don't hold any official posts, but from San Daye's words He Yuzhu also understood that they have again become the first elder and the second elder.

It seems the street office is letting them continue in those roles.

San Daye's dream of advancement has been shattered.

"What does Director Mi mean?" He Yuzhu was a little doubtful.

"Director Mi has left, and a new Director Zhang has arrived."

San Daye's information is still reliable; Director Mi is an old revolutionary who asked the organization to send him to the harshest place, so he finally went to the great northwest a few days ago.

A new director has been assigned here.

Perhaps to stabilize things after his arrival, he learned of the factory's bulletin and continued to let them serve as the first elder and the second elder.

For me, this isn't good news; the first elder will likely continue to oppose me in the future.

But as long as they don't remove the hat of moral corruption, they won't be able to defeat me in the future.

"Aren't you still San Daye? Why the sighs?" He Yuzhu asked with a smile, "Are they planning to deal with you, or with me?"

San Daye's eyes rolled, and he had He Yuzhu pour him a bowl of liquor, then he spoke to him carefully.

"Do you have the drinking capacity for that? If you have something to say, say it; if not, don't waste my business."

The first elder's target is neither San Daye nor He Yuzhu, but Xu Damao this kid.

After the previous general assembly of the courtyard, Xu Damao was handed over to the factory; this kid really has some skills, gave a big gift to the security department, and besides, his tongue is indeed tough.

He somehow turned danger into safety.

After that, whenever he had nothing to do, he'd go running to the street office—today helping to lift a table, tomorrow bringing some food over; this kid wants the street office to agree to let him serve as the first elder of the Courtyard House.

If Director Mi weren't about to be transferred, he would really have found this loophole; the newly arrived one seems to prefer older people, thinking they are steady and dependable.

So Xu Damao has no chance.

The first and second elders also know that Xu Damao hasn't stopped reporting on them; now they have regained supreme authority over the Courtyard House and are planning to take action against him.

If Xu Damao runs into bad luck, then later it'll be our turn, He Yuzhu—you'd better think of a way.

I'm not on the same side as them; I never wanted to be any kind of elder, I just want to marry a wife and then live peacefully until the 1980s.

Whoever prevents me from marrying a wife is my enemy.

"Let them fight it out there." He Yuzhu tidied up the grocery shop, "If you're scared, you can help Xu Damao—it'll be two against two, evenly matched."

San Daye remained silent; he didn't intend to do anything that wasn't beneficial.