Chapter 8

Zhou Andong walked into the factory gate, looked at the cold and clear factory, and sighed silently. The year he first entered the factory, the end of the year was a time of great activity, with cars lined up to pull liquor. It had only been a few years, and it was completely finished, already in a state of semi-stoppage.

Originally, they were counting on a wave of sales at the end of the year to pay the staff. But hope was beautiful, and reality was cruel. In October, they produced eighty tons of liquor, and not much had been sold so far. This also indicated that the countdown to the big sorghum being eliminated by the market had begun.

"Isn't this our college student, Comrade Zhou Andong?"

Zhou Andong was going to the workshop to find his best friend Yao Jun, but didn't expect to run into three former colleagues from the Quality Inspection Section halfway. The one speaking was Liu Zhiguang, who was about the same age as Zhou Andong but had worked for several years longer.

"Damn it, it really is enemies on a narrow road." Zhou Andong muttered, with a helpless face.

In his junior year, his father had an accident. If it weren't for his two aunts helping out, he wouldn't have been able to finish college. After graduation, he was assigned directly to the Provincial Department of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade. But the family situation didn't allow him to stay in the provincial capital, so he returned to Jiangzhou.

Originally, he was assigned to the Education Bureau, but when he went to handle the procedures, people told him it was a mistake and he should have gone to the distillery. He wasn't stupid; how could he not understand that he had been squeezed out?

He, Zhou Andong, wasn't a kind person, but people told him very bluntly: don't make trouble; if you dare to make trouble, even this job at the distillery will be gone. Thinking of the situation at home, he could only swallow this anger and report to the distillery.

And Liu Zhiguang had a technical secondary school degree, which was also a hot commodity in this era. But when Zhou Andong, this college student, entered the factory, his salary was more than ten yuan higher than Liu Zhiguang, who had years of seniority, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

And those female workers, who would gather around Zhou Andong for no reason, especially the object he secretly loved, who always had a straight face when talking to him but was all smiles when talking to Zhou Andong, and often brought food to Zhou Andong at home.

Therefore, he was really envious and jealous of Zhou Andong, and behind his back, he hated him to the bone. But this guy had a very deep city, calling Zhou Andong brother on the surface and making all kinds of jokes. Behind his back, he always ran to the leaders to put eye drops on Zhou Andong and wear small shoes, constantly looking for trouble and making things difficult.

Zhou Andong also knew that this guy often stabbed him in the back, and just when he was preparing to clean him up, the factory suddenly spread news that he was going to be promoted to deputy section chief. For the sake of his future, he could only let Liu Zhiguang go first.

But if a person is unlucky, even drinking cold water will get stuck in their teeth. He went to the warehouse to wander around for no reason and happened to run into deputy factory director Zhang Deyou and a female worker hugging, kissing, and biting inside. Next, his deputy section chief position was gone, it went to Liu Zhiguang, and then he was transferred to the Broadcasting Station.

Actually, Zhou Andong knew very well in his heart that this was Zhang Deyou warning him not to talk nonsense. If he dared to talk nonsense, since he could take down his deputy section chief position and transfer him to the Broadcasting Station, he could kick him to death and kick him out of the distillery.

Another colleague, Qian Wei, said with a cheeky face: "A while ago, at the all-staff meeting, the factory leaders made an important speech: 'Work together through thick and thin, work together to overcome difficulties,' calling on us staff to participate in sales, and for every bottle of liquor sold, a bonus of 20 cents is given. Liu Ke has already sold more than 120 boxes, and by the end of the year, he will get at least 300 yuan in bonuses. You are the only college student in our factory, with high culture and strong ability; you must have sold more than Liu Ke, right?"

Zhou Andong raised his eyelids and was about to walk away.

"Don't go!" Qian Wei grabbed Zhou Andong's arm and smiled unkindly: "Don't tell me, you haven't sold a single bottle?"

Zhou Andong nodded very honestly: "Yeah, I haven't sold a single bottle."

Liu Zhiguang sighed, his leadership style full, looking like he was hating iron for not becoming steel.

"Zhou Andong, oh Zhou Andong, why aren't you motivated? The factory leaders value you so much, and this is how you repay them? You say, you've been sent to the Broadcasting Station, why don't you reflect on yourself? You're idle all day, what do you look like? Still a college student, I really doubt if your graduation certificate was bought with money."

"The villain succeeds and becomes arrogant." Zhou Andong smiled and pointed at Liu Zhiguang: "This sentence is perfectly reflected in you."

Liu Zhiguang's face sank instantly: "Zhou Andong, you're such a big person, can't you understand good or bad words? I said these things for your own good, why are you so ungrateful? It's really a dog biting a good person."

"Liu Zhiguang!" Zhou Andong took out a cigarette and lit it: "No matter what, you are a leader now. Just sold a hundred boxes of liquor, and you still have the face to show off in front of me. Come, tell me, what are you thinking?"

Liu Zhiguang's face flushed red, suddenly turned iron-blue, and then smiled again, looking at the water-filling steamed buns in Zhou Andong's hand.

"You are hopeless, really rotten mud that can't support the wall, no wonder your wife is arguing with you about divorce. Your father is paralyzed, your younger brother and sister are so young, and they can't even eat their fill, yet you don't think about selling some liquor to earn some bonuses, but you're still eating and drinking outside. To be honest, I look down on people like you. If it weren't for a college degree, you'd be nothing."

Zhou Andong took a drag of his cigarette and pointed at Qian Wei: "This bastard is right about one thing: I have high culture and strong ability. If I were to sell liquor, let alone 120 boxes, even 1,200 boxes wouldn't be a problem."

Zhou Andong's words made the three of them freeze, followed by a burst of wild laughter.

"Hahaha..."

Liu Zhiguang held his stomach with one hand and pointed at Zhou Andong with the other: "You used to brag a little bit, now why are you bragging without limits? 1,200 boxes, that's seven tons. If you can sell it, I'll call you Dad."

"Right, right, right, if you can sell 1,200 boxes, I'll also call you Dad." Qian Wei laughed until he was out of breath, looking very exaggerated: "Ouch, ouch, laughed to death."

Zhou Andong had a cigarette in his mouth, looking at the three of them laughing, with a calm face: "I don't have unfilial sons like you. However, we can make a bet. If I can sell seven tons of liquor before the Lantern Festival, you guys will learn to bark like dogs here and crawl to the main gate."

Liu Zhiguang stared at Zhou Andong's eyes without blinking: "What if you lose?"

"Same thing!" Zhou Andong pointed at the ground: "Right here, learn to bark like a dog and crawl to the main gate."

Liu Zhiguang's small eyes narrowed, completely invisible: "Since you want to play, I'll play with you. I hope you keep your promise when the time comes, and don't damn well renege."

Zhou Andong threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped on it: "Whoever reneges is born from a dog."

"Good!" Liu Zhiguang's smile became even brighter: "Let's go."

Zhao Yugu, who hadn't spoken, said after walking a distance: "Liu Ke, he won't really be able to sell seven tons, right?"

Qian Wei sneered: "If he had this ability, the Sales Section Chief would have been him long ago, and he wouldn't be huddled in the Broadcasting Station reading newspapers."

Liu Zhiguang smiled sinisterly: "After going back, promote the bet, let everyone in the factory know that our college student, Comrade Zhou Andong, is going to sell seven tons of liquor before the Lantern Festival to pay wages to all the staff."

Qian Wei rolled his eyes: "Boasting without that ability, giving people hope and failing to realize it. Especially those staff members who are living in difficulty, waiting and waiting for him to sell the liquor to pay wages, and in the end, it wasn't sold. What do you think their mood will be?"

Zhao Yugu also smiled: "Hitting him is not necessary, but his halo as a college student will stink in our factory."

The three of them looked at each other and laughed heartily, knowing what was in each other's hearts.