Chapter 116: Li Huaide

When Zhang Ping'an heard his eldest brother-in-law and eldest brother mention Huaide, he had already made a guess; plus, since his eldest brother-in-law was named Li Huaijin, this Li Huaide really could be Director Li. Once he came out to see, it was indeed so.

"You are..."

"Director Li, this is my eldest brother-in-law's home."

"Oh, oh, oh, by that calculation, we are actually relatives. That Zhang Ping'an..."

"Director Li, you can just call me Ping'an."

"Alright, Ping'an. Then you don't need to call me Director Li either; call me Li Ge. I have a meeting this afternoon and need to rush back."

"Alright, I'll take you."

"Good, good, good. That Brother Huaijin, thank you for making the trip, I have to leave as soon as possible."

"Alright, you go ahead and get busy."

"Father, Mother, Eldest Sister, Eldest Brother-in-law, Second Sister, Second Brother-in-law, I'm heading back first."

"Good."

Zhang Ping'an rode fast with Li Huaide. This was a bicycle he had just bought, and there was no cushion on the back seat. Li Huaide sat behind, frowning, his buttocks aching from the jolting.

"Ahem, Ping'an, it's not that urgent; arriving before three o'clock is fine."

"..."

"Alright, Li Ge, then I'll slow down."

"Mm, I heard from Section Chief Zhu that your trip to Jilin Province this time exceeded the mission requirements. Very good. I have also approved your position as team leader; you will be able to earn thirty thousand more in wages starting next month."

It was only then that Zhang Ping'an remembered Li Huaide was the Logistics Director, and their Procurement Section also fell under logistics. This was now not just a matter of a direct superior, but a guarantee for the next twenty years.

"I must thank Li Ge for the cultivation. By the way, Li Ge, I brought some local specialties from Jilin Province; I'll bring them for you to taste when we're at work."

"Hahaha, alright."

With Zhang Ping'an saying this, Li Huaide also guessed that he had gone to his hometown, Li Family Village, likely to deliver Jilin specialties to his eldest and second sisters.

Li Huaide himself had appreciated Zhang Ping'an from the start, and now that they were relatives, and the Procurement Section needed his own people, he didn't mind building a good relationship with Zhang Ping'an.

The two chatted happily along the way, and at past two o'clock, Zhang Ping'an stopped at the main gate of the Rolling Mill.

"Ping'an, thank you. I've delayed your rest."

"Director, what are you saying? It was on the way and just happened to work out."

"Mm."

The look of appreciation in Li Huaide's eyes grew stronger. Zhang Ping'an did not call him Li Ge in front of the Security Department to take advantage of the connection. He patted Zhang Ping'an on the shoulder before entering the factory area.

Zhang Ping'an didn't linger. This chance encounter with Li Huaide had left a good impression, and now that they were related, he could surely thrive under this "thigh" in the future.

In his past life, he had read on Red Persimmon that Lao Li was a leader who actually got things done if you paid him, but after all, it was just in a book and might not be true. Zhang Ping'an decided to ask his eldest brother-in-law to find out more before deciding. Forget it, since he had nothing to do, he might as well go back for a trip.

One hour later at Li Family Village.

"Ping'an, are you saying that Huaide is your direct superior?"

"That's right, Eldest Brother-in-law."

"Mm, Huaide is my third uncle's son, ten years younger than me. He followed us around playing since he was little, but he snuck away when he was in his teens. Later, I heard he joined the revolution, and he sent letters back from time to time. I only knew he was doing well."

"I didn't expect him to become a leader at the Rolling Mill now. Huaide was a very good kid when he was young, though I haven't been in touch for over ten years. But my eldest brother just came by to say that Third Uncle's family is moving to the city."

"He seems to have a few worker quotas for the Rolling Mill in his hands, and he's coming back in a couple of days. I wonder who will get them."

Li Huaijin didn't care about this; his three children were already workers, and he and his wife were just right taking care of their own little plot of land at home.

After Li Huaide finished his meeting at the factory, he also remembered what Zhang Ping'an had said on the road. He had five job quotas in his hands and had originally intended to arrange them when he returned to his hometown, but his car broke down and he couldn't make the time, so he had to return in a hurry.

But this was also fine; he could understand more indirectly. He had originally planned to give three to his own eldest brother, and the other two to his eldest uncle's and second uncle's families, one each.

It was also through Zhang Ping'an that he learned his second uncle's son's child was also at the Rolling Mill. He wouldn't have known otherwise, but now that he did, he had to take care of them a bit; after all, his second cousin had taken good care of him when he was little.

Li Huaide wrote and drew in his office for a while and finally decided to keep the quotas as they were, but to look after the kid from his second cousin's family at the factory.

Zhang Ping'an got the answer he wanted and got up to go home. It seemed this Li Huaide was at least someone who repaid kindness, and with Zhang Ping'an's own favorable impression, he could indeed be treated as a "thigh" for the future.

Back home, Zhang Ping'an rubbed his buttocks. Three round trips in one day—the fatigue was fine, but it had really jolted him quite hard.

Zhang Ping'an slept at home for a night, finished his workout, and ate breakfast. He went out early in the morning.

Deep in the Back Mountain, Zhang Ping'an released the Huangmao Eagle. With an eagle's cry, a tiger's roar responded.

Before long, the eldest tiger cub brought over a wild sheep in its mouth—it should be a blue sheep, right?

"Drink."

Zhang Ping'an accepted the wild sheep, took out a large basin of water, and took a few wild rabbits out of his space to feed it.

"Are there any other tigers nearby?"

"Ao."

The eldest tiger nodded its massive head. According to the age calculation in the space, it was already three years old and almost mature. It would probably be able to mate by next year at the latest. With its current size, even if there were other tigers on the nearby mountains, they would be no match for it.

After petting it a few times, Zhang Ping'an left, and then went to visit the second and third tiger cubs; the situation was about the same.

It was past eleven in the morning when he returned to the Siheyuan. Zhang Ping'an had lunch at his master's place and whispered with Wang Xiaoling for a while before going home.

Back home, he locked the door and entered the space, preparing to soak the Tiger Penis Wine. He had already prepared the medicinal herbs: Velvet Antler, Epimedium, Cistanche, Morinda Officinalis...

As Zhang Ping'an put in the herbs one by one, he clicked his tongue. This was a secret recipe for an old general in ancient times to remain vigorous even at eighty.

A man in his prime had to be careful when drinking it. Zhang Ping'an planned to dilute it with wine after it was soaked—perhaps one jin diluted into twenty jin.

Mainly because whether it was the herbs or the wine, they were all products of the space and were inherently powerful. Combined with the Tiger Penis and the herbs, it wasn't as simple as one plus one equals two; it might equal five, so diluting it more wouldn't hurt.

Ten years later, when the winds of change blew, he would give a bottle to Li Huaide to help him regain his vigor. He would at least get a team leader position out of it, and then Zhang Ping'an would have more room to maneuver.

"Whew~ This wine smells potent."

Afterwards, Zhang Ping'an also soaked most of the Tiger Bone he had bought. This was all a blessing for men in the future.

The next morning, the appointments for Zhang Ping'an and Jia Dongxu as team leader and deputy team leader came down. Li Huaide had already mentioned it yesterday, so Zhang Ping'an didn't feel surprised. Zhu Jianshe and Li Weiguo also became the team leader and deputy team leader of the second team.

"Congratulations... everyone, clap, clap, clap."

Everyone saw the performance of Zhang Ping'an and Jia Dongxu, and the members of the first group had long since accepted them, so there was no melodramatic power struggle.

At noon, while everyone else went to eat, Zhang Ping'an took a black cloth bag and went to Li Huaide's office.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in."

"Director, everyone has gone to eat, are you still working?"

"Oh, it's Ping'an. There's no help for it; the shipment that arrived this time is quite large, and I have to organize it."

"Director, health is the capital of revolution; no matter how important work is, we can't let it tire out our bodies."

"Hahaha, you."

"Hehe, Director, these are local specialties I brought back from Jilin Province. This tea in particular is refreshing and stimulating; I guarantee you'll feel full of energy if you have a cup when you're tired."

"Oh? I happen to be tired, let me have a taste."

Li Huaide walked out from behind his desk, took the tea leaves, and headed straight for the guest sofa, where a tea set was laid out.

"Sniff~ This tea fragrance, it's simply amazing."

"Slurp, ah~ Comfortable."