Chapter 37

After listening to Old Dong's praise, Qin Hengzhi walked into the workshop to find Master Lu. A few minutes later, he and Old Lu stood behind a machine in the workshop.

Qin Hengzhi said in a low voice: "... We held a meeting to discuss it and decided to reward you, Master Lu. Based on your family's actual situation, we are prepared to give you a recruitment quota..."

Old Lu's expression gradually became serious.

After thinking for only a moment, he refused decisively.

"No, that's not according to the rules."

Qin Hengzhi explained gently: "We will issue a document. Old workers like you, with such long seniority, above level seven, and who have won the title of provincial-level labor model or higher, all have a care quota."

After a pause, Qin Hengzhi added: "Master Lu, I have always admired your character. You made a great contribution in the Red Star Lake incident this time. It's a pity it cannot be publicly commended. Now that my task is completed and I will be leaving soon, I hope to do something for you, Master Lu, before I go."

Old Lu looked at the handsome young man and hurriedly asked: "You are leaving? When?"

Compared to his own son and those he knew, Qin Hengzhi before him was truly the best among the young people.

He was the kind of person who made people admire him in every aspect.

Qin Hengzhi: "I will leave once the new military representative arrives to take over."

Old Lu sighed with regret. Qin Hengzhi's status was unusual; even if he left, the place he was going to was not something he could ask about casually.

Lu Qiaoge, who had come out of the department store, still had one yuan in her hand; she prepared to go to the scrap collection station to see if there were any suitable textbooks.

Not just for herself, but also for her younger sister Lu Qiaoling beside her.

They hadn't studied properly for years, and now it was time to pick it up.

She didn't know when the clingy tabby cat had followed her again.

Lu Qiaoge scratched Huahua's chin a few times and let it follow behind. It had to be said that Huahua's ability was very strong; it could always find her location.

When they arrived at the scrap collection station, Lu Qiaoge heard the messy sounds coming from inside.

【This is my book, you are not allowed to eat it.】

【I will eat, eat, eat. I will even eat the food coupons and meat coupons tucked inside the book.】

【When do you think the secret in the bookcase will be discovered?】

【That's no secret; it's just the bad thing done by Worker Tao's narrow-minded wife.】

【Humans are fun; they talk about harmony on their lips, but in reality, they are the most ruthless.】

【Run, that big blind cat is coming.】

Then came the tabby cat's sinister voice: 【Which rat brat called me a big blind cat? Why, do you want to be a dead rat?】

The tabby cat arched its back, assumed an attacking posture, and kept meowing in its mouth.

Lu Qiaoling asked Lu Qiaoge in surprise: "Second Sister, what's wrong with the cat?"

Lu Qiaoge said: "Nothing, maybe it thinks there are too many rats here."

At this time, the tabby cat had already stopped the rats that were about to escape.

The tabby cat asked Lu Qiaoling: 【Do you want to let them come and pay respects to you, little master?】

Lu Qiaoge hurriedly denied this proposal in her heart. One or two were barely cute, but a whole group was completely unnecessary.

Thus, the tabby cat jumped into the scrap pile with one leap.

Old Zhong, who was in charge of the scrap collection station, shouted: "The old books you want are in the northwest corner; don't rummage through the others."

In an era of material scarcity, there were still families living well, so there were quite a few old cabinets and old chests here.

But the most abundant thing here was scrap iron.

Iron lumps, screws, frost-cracked radiators, broken stove covers, etc.

These all had to be returned to the factory for secondary use.

Therefore, the scrap collection station belonged to the military factory; although there were few employees, there was actually quite a bit of profit.

Lu Qiaoge glanced at Old Zhong, who was sitting in a chair listening to the radio, and then took her sister to the northwest corner where the old books were placed.

A shed had been set up here.

Inside were books piled up in a mess. Lu Qiaoge also saw a small mouse standing shivering in front of a book.

Its fleshy little paws were resting on a book.

Inner voice? None, just a blank slate.

The tabby cat jumped over, triumphant: 【There are food coupons, meat coupons, and money in the book the little rat is pointing at.】

Then it anxiously pointed to a dilapidated bookcase placed in a corner: 【There are things there too, definitely the same as the dressing table at Zhou Li's house.】

Lu Qiaoge glanced at the corner, and sure enough, there was a broken cabinet leaning against the wall.

Lu Qiaoge warned the tabby cat not to go to places with a lot of trash.

Then she pulled Lu Qiaoling over, not letting her see the shivering little mouse that was making marks.

And she bent down to pull out that book.

This was a thick and very famous Soviet book.

The title was "How the Steel Was Tempered."

This was a book that influenced several generations, but during those years of tense relations, this book was still affected.

Lu Qiaoge opened the book and saw the paper coupons tucked inside at a glance.

Cash 36.89, food coupons 18 jin, meat coupons 1 jin.

Was this someone's monthly salary?

After flipping through it a few times, Lu Qiaoge didn't find any names or marks on the book.

Lu Qiaoge had wanted to hand the book over to the workers at the scrap station, but she looked around and didn't recognize anyone except Old Zhong.

And Old Zhong didn't look very reliable.

Lu Qiaoge took out the money and coupons and put them into her bag.

Then she put the book aside, let the shivering little rat hurry away, and she continued to pick out textbooks that could be used.

Just at this moment, a man in his forties walked in, greeted Old Zhong with a smile, and said he wanted to see if there were any usable cabinets.

He also walked in Lu Qiaoge's direction.

Lu Qiaoge had been organizing books and then heard someone say they wanted to find a cabinet.

Lu Qiaoge straightened up and looked at the only two cabinets in the scrap station that were still relatively intact.

The bookcase the rats mentioned looked barely okay; the other one was even more broken, with no door.

Was there a secret hidden inside?

Should she get involved or not?

Sure enough, abilities weren't given for nothing.

Lu Qiaoge called Lu Qiaoling: "Qiaoling, come here."

Lu Qiaoling hurriedly stepped forward.

Lu Qiaoge took Lu Qiaoling to the corner: "Buy this cabinet back and tidy it up; I'll use it as a bookcase."

Lu Qiaoling didn't mind, but still said: "Second Sister, this costs money, and we don't have enough. Let me state in advance, I only have five jiao in my pocket."

Lu Qiaoge waved her hand: "We'll talk about payment later; move it to the old books side first."

Lu Qiaoge could actually do it herself, but it wasn't easy to move, mainly because there was too much dust on it.

She let Lu Qiaoling follow and lend a hand; the two sisters lifted the cabinet to the shed.

"Just help me pick out books and textbooks; I still have to go to the lake to catch fish later."

The tabby cat meowed happily several times.

Lu Qiaoling glanced at Huahua: "Second Sister, I feel like the cat eats better than I do; it's either meat or fish."

Lu Qiaoge ignored her; she couldn't not go, as she had promised the tabby cat she would raise it.

Now it loved eating wheat-ear fish, so she had to catch some for it from time to time.

But now that she was working, time was tight, so Lu Qiaoge decided to get some palm-sized fish without inner voices to dry into fish jerky.

Lu Qiaoge placed the selected books on the cabinet.

At this time, the man also walked over, saw the cabinet at a glance, his eyes lit up, and he said to Lu Qiaoge: "Qiaoge, my nephew just started high school and wants a bookcase. Would you mind letting Uncle Wei have this one?"