Chapter 154: Rewards of the Rolling Mill 2.0

After the meal, the children were left with their parents, and Zhang Ping'an and his partner played cards in the room. After a long while, they stopped, and Wang Xiaoling noticed Zhang Ping'an's wound, where the faint traces of stitches could still be seen.

"Does it hurt, Brother Ping'an?" Wang Xiaoling blew on the wound, which made Zhang Ping'an feel a sudden surge of heat.

"Ahem, it doesn't hurt."

Sensing Zhang Ping'an's restless stirrings, Wang Xiaoling cast him a charming, sidelong glance. With just that one look, Zhang Ping'an could no longer hold back, and he galloped away on his steed.

"Giddy up, giddy up, whoa, whoa."

... V. I. P. Content...

The next morning, Zhang Ping'an woke up feeling refreshed and stretched his body; his shoulder had almost recovered after the night.

He fed the two lynx, which were now nearly the size of small local dogs—all the result of Zhang Ping'an sneaking them food morning and night. By the time everyone else was up, Zhang Ping'an had already prepared the meal.

Zhang Laohan nodded in satisfaction; he no longer needed his wife to get up early to cook.

"Dad, from now on, I'll teach you a set of Taiji Health Technique every morning. It can strengthen your body and prolong your life. When you go back, you can also lead Grandpa and Grandma in practicing it."

"Deal."

Seeing his son's energy, which was like a perpetual motion machine every day without ever getting tired, Zhang Laohan agreed decisively.

After sending Wang Xiaoling to work, Zhang Ping'an returned to lie down like a corpse, his consciousness sinking into his space. Aside from the two hilltops being a bit empty, everything else was flourishing.

In recent years, Zhang Ping'an rarely grew grain, only three or five crops a year, just enough to satisfy his usual needs for brewing wine; the grain planted previously remained untouched.

However, after the New Year, Zhang Ping'an planned to plant all ten mu of land with high-yield crops like sweet potatoes, pumpkins, corn, and potatoes. The space harvested every ten days, so these could yield several hundred tons a year.

The meat stored in the Thatched Cottage had piled up into a mountain after years of accumulation, especially pork. Including the Wild Boar and black-skinned domestic pigs, there were over 2,500 tons, and the rabbit meat was not far behind, nearing 2,000 tons.

There were also one or two hundred tons of other chickens, ducks, fish, and geese, and about ten tons of seafood. There were fewer vegetables, but plenty of fruit: apples, bananas, oranges, figs, cantaloupes, and so on, all totaling two or three hundred tons.

The wild horses, wild sheep, wild deer, and roe deer had never really developed, and Zhang Ping'an hadn't had the heart to kill them. There were quite a few hazel grouse, but they were just chickens anyway.

There was also a huge pile of old soft-shelled turtles, about thirty or forty tons. Zhang Ping'an had only eaten them twice in total; he had to get one to taste for this year's New Year.

Zhang Ping'an fell asleep unknowingly while taking inventory. When he woke up, he felt a heaviness on his chest. Damn, these two dead cats (the lynx) were sleeping and purring away.

"Go, go, go, go sleep in your nest."

Zhang Ping'an checked his watch; it was already ten in the morning. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was home, he fed the two little guys some meat.

He washed his hands, rinsed the rice, and started cooking. Zhang Ping'an intended to make some rice, as he was getting a bit tired of Steamed Bun every day. He would also make braised venison, garlic oysters for a boost, stir-fry an egg, slice a sausage, and stew an old hen soup to finish it off.

Dong Dani returned from visiting neighbors with the children, and the house was already filled with the aroma of meat.

"Mom, where's Dad?"

"He's at the entrance watching those old men play chess."

"The food is ready, so I'll go pick up Xiao Ling to eat, and call Dad back to eat at the same time."

"Mm, go ahead."

Zhang Ping'an passed by the entrance and saw his father still watching with great interest. Zhang Ping'an didn't disturb him, waiting until he picked up Wang Xiaoling to call him home for dinner.

"What did your mom cook?" Zhang Laohan smelled the fragrance as soon as he entered the courtyard.

"All hearty dishes."

After the three of them washed their hands, four plates of food and a pot of soup were already on the table.

"Ping'an, did you make this?" Zhang Laohan knew his wife wouldn't be so extravagant unless it was a holiday.

"Hehe, I did."

"Alright, since it's made, hurry up and eat before it gets cold."

Zhang Ping'an only went for the venison and oysters; he had to make up for last night's deficit.

"If it weren't for the garlic covering it, how fishy would this be?"

Zhang Laohan complained every time he ate oysters, but ever since Zhang Ping'an told him their purpose, he ate plenty despite the complaining.

"How is it fishy? People by the sea even eat them raw."

"Go on, do you think your dad doesn't know anything? Eating them raw, indeed."

"Dad, people by the sea really do eat them raw."

"....."

"Ahem, eat, let's eat."

The next morning, Zhang Ping'an went to work with the main group from the Siheyuan. Before he even reached the Procurement Section, he was pulled away by Li Huaide's Secretary, Liu.

"Secretary Liu, what's the matter, so urgent?"

"Good news. Anyway, the Director told me to bring you to his office the moment I saw you."

Zhang Ping'an guessed it must be the result of the Factory Committee discussion that Nie Haiquan had mentioned. Sure enough, when Zhang Ping'an arrived at the office, Li Huaide was already brewing tea.

"Ping'an, come, sit."

"Director..."

"Drink some tea to warm up first."

"Alright."

After a while, Li Huaide finally spoke.

"Ping'an, you've been doing big things in silence. After discussion by the Factory Committee, you are first awarded a cash bonus of 100 yuan."

"Also, as the country's demand for steel increases day by day, the Rolling Mill will be expanding recruitment after the New Year. Your Procurement Section will also establish a Third Section, and you will be the Section Chief of the Third Section."

"However, this hasn't been disclosed to the public yet, so remember to keep it confidential. Also, if you encounter danger in the future, run first. No supplies are as important as your life; if you lose your life, you lose everything."

"Understood, Director. I will follow the factory's arrangements."

Li Huaide could be said to be speaking heart-to-heart with him now, explaining everything clearly. This made Zhang Ping'an feel a bit moved; this Comrade Li was someone worth associating with.

"Good, good, sit down and talk. There are no outsiders here."

Afterward, the two chatted briefly. Before leaving, Li Huaide stuffed some snack and non-staple food coupons into Zhang Ping'an's hand.

On the way back, Zhang Ping'an kept thinking that after the New Year, when the Procurement Section Three was formed, he would probably have two or three spots. Who should he give them to? Forget it, he'd think about it then. If not, Uncle Zhang Laiyuan and Fang Dahu could both be considered.

Returning to the Procurement Section, Zhang Ping'an took the tricycle and left the Rolling Mill; he prepared to deliver one large Wild Boar each to Wang Weiguo and Li Baoguo at their respective Sub-bureaus.

Turning into the alley, Zhang Ping'an covered the Wild Boar tightly before setting off.

"Li Ge, time to receive the goods."

"Hahaha, good, good!" Li Aiguo lifted the burlap sack and saw at a glance that it weighed at least two hundred jin.

"Ping'an, you wait a moment, I'll go weigh it, and I'll give you some good things later."

"Alright."

Before long, Li Aiguo finished weighing it, took the receipt to Wang Weiguo's office, and then ran to Logistics to collect two pairs of military boots.

"Here you go, Ping'an, these are the sizes for you and your wife. The Wild Boar is two hundred and sixty jin, that's one hundred and fifty-six, plus some vouchers I got from Bureau Chief Wang," Li Aiguo stuffed everything into Zhang Ping'an's hands all at once.

"Done, then I'll be off; I still have to deliver one to your second uncle."

"Good, good, good, go on, go on," he was just worrying about whether he should notify his second uncle.

As soon as Zhang Ping'an left with a big pile of things, Li Aiguo made a phone call to notify his second uncle.

"Second... ahem, Bureau Chief Li, a young comrade is currently delivering a Wild Boar to you. Besides the money, our Sub-bureau gave the young comrade two pairs of shoes and some vouchers."

"Mm, I know."

Hanging up the phone, Li Baoguo pondered what to give Zhang Ping'an, since the person had delivered the goods to his door without him even asking.

"Clothes, the Sub-bureau already gave shoes, right, his wife—I'll give his wife a coat. Ping'an's clothes seem to be torn too, oh well, I'll give him a set too."