Chapter 2172

The sun tilted slowly toward the west in a leisurely manner. The pale golden light it emitted was soft and warm, like a mother's gentle hands, gently embracing all things in the world.

The sky in the west at this time was like a canvas being painted. The fish-scale-like clouds were initially just slightly flushed, like the faint, imperceptible blush on the face of a shy young girl.

And as time passed, this blush gradually became richer, and the color gradually deepened, until the entire half of the sky was dyed a bright and eye-catching red.

Looking from afar, that half of the sky seemed to have been ignited by some mysterious and powerful fire, burning fiercely. This fiery red sky was like a magnificent, grand, and imposing painting, displayed before the world without reservation.

And the small white building of the farm factory department located on the hillside was like a pearl in this gorgeous painting, dyed with a layer of faint golden light.

Looking from a distance, the small white building looked particularly eye-catching. Under the reflection of the sunset, it gave people a dreamlike feeling.

The motorcade entered Tanghezi. Zhou Andong opened the car window, looked at the scenery in the western sky, and couldn't help but praise.

"Today's sunset is so beautiful. If I had a camera, it would be even more beautiful if I took a picture."

Wang Wentian said with a smile: "Look at the small white building on the hillside. I think today is also very special."

Zhou Andong took out cigarettes from his pocket, gently pulled out two, and handed one to the weathered old soldier beside him.

The old soldier hurriedly took the cigarette. Zhou Andong took the lighter and helped the old soldier light the cigarette. Then he lowered his head slightly, brought the cigarette in his mouth to the flame, and with a wisp of smoke rising, he took a deep puff.

"Whoosh!"

Zhou Andong slowly exhaled the smoke from his mouth, and the smoke seemed to drift away slowly with his heavy thoughts.

"Senior, don't be restrained, and don't be nervous. No matter who they are or what their status is, you must firmly remember everything they possess today."

"Whether it's high official positions and generous salaries, or glory and wealth, none of it was exchanged for the price of blood and life by you and countless fearless predecessors like you."

Speaking of this, Zhou Andong turned his head slightly, his gaze fixed straight on the weathered old soldier beside him, and the expression on his face became very serious.

"Once, the backbone of us Chinese people was broken, and the entire nation fell into deep suffering and humiliation. It was precisely because of you, and thousands of predecessors like you, who followed one after another, using hot blood and unyielding lives, who forcibly reconnected the broken backbone."

Zhou Andong's voice gradually lowered, but it was clearly audible in this narrow carriage. Both the old soldier beside him and Wang Wentian who was driving could hear it clearly.

"They, including every Chinese person including me, and even all Chinese descendants, can stand tall in the world at this time, hold their heads high, and speak loudly with justification."

"So, as long as they are descendants of China, every one of us owes a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, and the creditor of this debt is you and all the predecessors who dedicated everything to the country and the nation!"

The old soldier's hand holding the cigarette trembled a little. When he was a soldier fighting in the war, he didn't actually think that much. He just hated the little devils, and there was only one thought in his heart: kill all the little devils.

Even if one of his legs was blown off by a shell, even if his life was very hard, he still didn't think that much, and didn't have a word of complaint. Because compared to those comrades-in-arms who slept underground, he was already very lucky.

And he was even more used to being forgotten, and believed that being forgotten was normal. But hearing Zhou Andong's words at this time, he knew that he and those comrades-in-arms had not been forgotten, and that there were still people remembering them.

In the courtyard of the farm factory department, the smell of roast meat and stewed meat drifted into the sky with the smoke from the bonfire and the stove fire, and then spread in all directions.

Zhou Andong's cheap eldest nephew, Zhou Fuyun, handed over the canteen to his son. At noon, he took people to slaughter sheep and cattle.

They started roasting sheep at three o'clock, started stewing beef, steak, and beef offal at four o'clock, and then slaughtered a few geese and stewed them.

"Old Zhou!" Zhang Chaoming came out of the office building: "The Chairman and the others will be here soon. Is everything stewed?"

Zhou Fuyun wiped his face with an apron and said with a smile: "It's ready. We'll start serving as soon as they arrive."

Zhang Chaoming lifted a pot lid. A large pot of steak was still bubbling, with a layer of butter on top, making him drool just looking at it.

Zhou Fuyun took a spoon and scooped a piece for Zhang Chaoming, then put it in a bowl on the stove.

"Manager, taste it and see how it is."

Zhang Chaoming picked up the bowl, pinched the steak with his fingers, blew on it with his mouth, and then carefully took a bite. Even so, it scalded him so that he bared his teeth and grimaced, but he didn't forget to nod and say it was delicious.

Zhou Fuyun grinned and laughed: "My craftsmanship is not bragging."

Zhang Chaoming ate the steak and threw the bone into the stove: "Are the cold dishes all mixed?"

"It'll be in time when my uncle arrives to mix the cold dishes."

Zhou Fuyun took out a cigarette and gave it to Zhang Chaoming, then stuck his butt out, took a burning one from the stove, and lit the cigarette.

At this time, more than a dozen little girls wearing farm work clothes came out of the factory department.

"Manager, when will the Chairman and the others arrive?"

"They'll be here soon."

Zhang Chaoming took the wooden stick Zhou Fuyun handed him to light his cigarette, and then threw the wooden stick back into the stove.

"Today, besides city leaders, there are also provincial leaders coming. When you are working, please pay close attention to the soup and water, and don't get it on the leaders."

"Don't worry!" a little girl said: "We are not children."

A van drove into the courtyard. It was the farm's official vehicle. The professors from the Agricultural University got off the car, among them Zhou Andong's teacher, Jiang Gengping.

Because every time Zhou Andong had guests, no matter who they were, he would invite his teachers and other professors from the Agricultural University to eat together. Therefore, even if Zhou Andong didn't give instructions, Zhang Chaoming had people pick up the professors.

"General Zhang Zong!" Jiang Gengping walked over with a smile: "Hasn't Zhou Andong arrived yet?"

"They'll be here soon."

As soon as Zhang Chaoming's voice fell, he saw Zhou Andong's car enter the courtyard, followed by a line of small cars.

"They're here, Old Zhou, prepare to serve the food!" Zhang Chaoming shouted and walked over quickly to greet them.

Cheng Zhanjun and Deng Zhangli had been to the farm more than once, but it was Chen Wenqi's first time. It wasn't that he didn't want to come, but he had only arrived in Jiangzhou to take office before the year, and there were too many things to do to find time.

When he got off the car, he saw two roast whole sheep on two bonfires, and several large pots steaming, and the smell of roast meat and stewed meat rushed toward his face.

Then there were two large rows of long tables placed in the courtyard, with tableware, wine, and drinks neatly placed on them.

"Secretary Chen, this is your first time at the farm." Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Regardless of spring, summer, autumn, or winter, roast lamb chops, stewed beef, and drinking in the courtyard have become the tradition of our farm."

Chen Wenqi also smiled: "This should have a unique flavor."

Zhang Chaoming walked over and said enthusiastically: "Secretary Cheng, Secretary Chen, Mayor Deng, warmly welcome all leaders to visit the Blue Sky Animal Husbandry Company to inspect and guide the work!"

He hadn't met Chen Wenqi, but he often saw the other party's figure on the Jiangzhou news, so he could accurately recognize the other party at just a glance.

Zhou Andong introduced: "Secretary Chen, this is the general manager of our farm—Zhang Chaoming."

Chen Wenqi immediately reached out his hand, his face also filled with a kind smile: "General Zhang Zong, hello! Actually, I have long wanted to come to your farm to take a look, but I haven't been able to find time. Today, thanks to Secretary Cheng's light, I have finally fulfilled my wish!"

Zhou Andong said: "Let's go, let's sit down and chat if you have anything to say."

"Professor Jiang, Professor Chen—"

Cheng Zhanjun greeted and shook hands with Professor Jiang Gengping and the other professors from the Agricultural University, and then personally introduced them to Chen Wenqi.

"Comrade Wenqi, this is Professor Jiang Gengping from the Agricultural University, and also our Chairman Zhou's teacher."

"Professor Jiang, hello!" Chen Wenqi respectfully shook hands and greeted Professor Jiang Gengping.

Then, Cheng Zhanjun introduced him to the other professors.

After the courtesies were over and everyone sat down, Zhou Andong held the old soldier's hand and said.

"I solemnly introduce to everyone, Feng Shuanzhu, an old soldier of the War of Resistance. Many of his comrades-in-arms lie in our Jiangzhou Martyrs' Cemetery."

"So, I promised him to arrange for him to watch the night at the cemetery, guard his comrades-in-arms every day, and chat and talk with his comrades-in-arms when he has nothing to do. As for the salary, it will be borne by our Yugong Group."

The post-disaster reconstruction work was mainly the responsibility of the Civil Affairs Bureau, so the director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Guo Xuequan, was also lucky enough to follow.

Originally, he was quite excited to have the opportunity to come to the farm for dinner with the old secretary and the class monitor and deputy class monitor, but when he heard Zhou Andong's words, he was even more excited, and almost jumped up.

"Chairman Zhou!" Guo Xuequan stood up reflexively: "Not to mention that the cemetery was built with funds donated by you, just because the old senior is an old soldier of the War of Resistance, and he wants to guard the comrades-in-arms who are sleeping there every day and accompany them to chat and talk, I will definitely arrange it properly."

"As for the old senior's salary, if you pay it, isn't it slapping our Civil Affairs Bureau in the face?"

Deng Zhangli pointed at Zhou Andong in the void and said with a smile: "You are not only slapping the Civil Affairs Bureau in the face, but also spitting on me, the mayor."

Zhou Andong's mouth curled into an imperceptible smile, and he pulled the old soldier to sit beside him.

"I just introduced the old senior to everyone. As for the salary, that's a small matter. It's fine if I pay it. If you think it's inappropriate, I naturally won't force it."

After speaking, Zhou Andong suddenly saw Gu Bing acting sneakily, pulling Wu Huilin to sit in a marginal position.

"Chairman Gu, as a director of the group and the factory director of the Brave to the End of the World Brewery, what does it mean to sit over there?"

Because there were too many people and they didn't take the same car, when they got off the car, Gu Bing pulled Wu Huilin and hid behind the crowd with his head shrunk, so Cheng Zhanjun hadn't noticed Gu Bing.

Now, with Zhou Andong's shout, everyone turned their heads to look, naturally including Cheng Zhanjun.