Chapter 174

Back in the city, Zhang Ping'an handed over wild rabbits as usual, along with two pig hind legs. At the same time, Zhang Ping'an prepared to visit all the familiar villages over the next few days; after all, there were many people slaughtering year-end pigs at this time of year.

The following afternoon, Zhang Ping'an went to Li Family Village again. Having collected several hundred catties of pork from the village last year, he headed straight for the village head's house.

"Uncle Li, are there many people slaughtering year-end pigs in Li Family Village this year?" Zhang Ping'an asked while handing out cigarettes.

"Quite a few, actually. I heard that you're paying two cents more for acquisitions in Zhang Family Village this year, so they're all waiting for you."

Upon hearing this, cold sweat broke out on Zhang Ping'an. If the Commune were established after the New Year, and someone were to investigate this later, wouldn't he be screwed?

"Ahem, Uncle Li, to be honest with you, my procurement quota has already been met. This..." Zhang Ping'an said with a troubled expression.

"So that means it can only be the original price?" Li Zhiyuan said, somewhat disappointed.

"Fine, Uncle Li, just this once. Don't let the people in your village spread this around. If anyone asks, I certainly won't admit to it."

"Good, good, good. I will also keep them in check."

"Like this, Uncle Li, here is one thousand yuan. You handle the acquisition. At seven o'clock in the evening, pull it to the woods at the entrance of the village, and our Rolling Mill will send a vehicle to pick up the goods."

"This... alright then."

Li Zhiyuan thought for a moment and agreed. Firstly, since Zhang Ping'an trusted him, he couldn't back out. Secondly, he also wanted to increase his prestige in the village; wasn't this the perfect opportunity to secure more benefits for the villagers?

"Good, I will come over at seven o'clock in the evening too."

After the deal was settled, Zhang Ping'an had no desire to continue. He found a deserted spot, slipped into his space, and waited quietly for the time to come.

At 6:30 in the evening, Zhang Ping'an arrived with his Wolf dog. Li Zhiyuan and a few villagers were already waiting on the side.

"Uncle Li."

"Ping'an, the pork is all here. It's one thousand seven hundred and fifty catties in total. It's still eighty-five yuan short. You check the scale first."

"Good."

After a simple weighing, there was even half a catty extra. Zhang Ping'an counted out eighty-five and handed it to Li Zhiyuan.

"Uncle Li, here." Zhang Ping'an handed over the eighty-five yuan and passed out cigarettes to everyone.

"Good."

"Uncle Li, you all go back first. The vehicle will be here in a moment."

"Don't you need us to wait with you?"

"No need, my colleague will be here soon."

"That works."

Li Zhiyuan looked at the Wolf dog beside Zhang Ping'an and signaled for everyone to leave. Zhang Ping'an waited until they were far away, then waited another ten minutes or so before collecting all the meat into his space.

Since word had already gotten out, Zhang Ping'an didn't intend to keep this meat. He would hand it over in batches upon returning; after all, the weather was cold, and the meat could be preserved for two or three months if left outside.

Upon returning, he would first give four hundred catties of pure meat to the two Sub-bureaus, along with some Big Bone as a gift. It wasn't easy for the Public Security comrades to patrol in the freezing cold, and drinking some meat soup could warm them up.

After grabbing a bite in his space and sleeping for the night, Zhang Ping'an set off for the Xicheng Branch Bureau early the next morning, carrying four hundred catties of pork and over thirty catties of Big Bone.

"Li Ge, big shipment is here."

"Hiss~ Ping'an, this pork..." Li Aiguo took one look and estimated there was at least three hundred catties.

"This is four hundred catties of meat, all procured. However, it's two cents higher. These Big Bone are just a bonus."

"Hahaha, alright. Go find Bureau Chief Wang; he has something good for you."

"Good."

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in."

"Uncle Wang."

"Mm, you're here. This is for you." Wang Weiguo threw a badge directly at him.

"Uncle Wang, is this a Work Permit?"

"Mm, but there's no salary. It's just a symbol of status. You get two sets of clothes every year. You are always procuring supplies for our bureau; we can't give you a salary, but holding an honorary title is fine."

It was truly an unexpected joy. From now on, he could be considered Public Security. Although it was logistics, Zhang Ping'an felt it was worth it. Coming to deliver meat every few days hadn't been in vain.

"Uncle Wang, this isn't against the rules, is it?"

"What rules would this break? You deliver supplies from time to time; not giving you this would be the one that's improper and unjustifiable. Don't worry."

"Good."

"Ahem, give me a cigarette to smoke."

"..."

This old guy was eyeing his China cigarettes again. Ever since he found out Zhang Ping'an had China cigarettes, every time he came to deliver goods, he would get fleeced.

"Uncle Wang, at our level, shouldn't we have China cigarettes to smoke too?"

"What do you know? It doesn't hurt to smoke someone else's."

"..." Holy crap, that makes so much sense. I actually can't refute that.

Zhang Ping'an left the office, and Li Aiguo gave him the money and the Uniform.

"They were all made according to your size."

"Alright, thank you, Li Ge."

"Don't be so polite. We're all colleagues from now on. If you have more meat, send it here."

"Sure."

Afterwards, Zhang Ping'an went to the Eastern City Branch. The same meat and bones earned him another honorary title, though there was no Uniform this time.

"From now on, you're also a member of the Branch Bureau. If you have meat, feel free to send it here."

"Mm, good." As expected of uncle and nephew, their lines were exactly the same.

Back home, Zhang Ping'an planned to return to his hometown once more before the New Year. He wouldn't go anywhere else and would just slack off in the office.

Over the next few days, Zhang Ping'an began to clock in and work seriously, handing over ten wild rabbits and ten catties of pork every day, consistently keeping his procurement weight on par with the Second Section.

With one week left until the Lunar New Year, Zhang Ping'an went back again and was stunned when he saw the Butcher Knife in his space; he had actually forgotten it during his last trip, so Zhang Ping'an took it out and placed it in the tricycle to avoid forgetting it again.

"Second Uncle, Second Aunt."

"Come in quickly, it's cold outside."

"Alright."

"Second Uncle, this is the Butcher Knife; I brought it last time but forgot about it."

"It's fine, it's a good knife. By the way, we collected less than three hundred catties of meat; here is the remaining money."

"Mm, alright."

Time blinked and it was New Year's Eve; the bells of 1958 rang out, and before he knew it, he had been in this world for nearly ten years, and Zhang Ping'an was now twenty-two years old in reality.

The snowfall this winter was less than in previous years, but it was exceptionally dry and cold.

"I'm afraid the weather this year isn't very good," Zhang Ping'an's grandfather said.

"Yes, in previous years the snow would at least reach our ankles, but this year it's rare, and it's exceptionally cold," his grandmother also said; in winter, the elderly are particularly sensitive to the weather.

However, the only ones who probably didn't feel the cold in this day and age were the children; there were still sounds of them calling out to their friends outside.

"It's okay, Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma, my dad just bought two cartloads of firewood, we won't be able to burn it all this winter," the two little ones said, thinking their great-grandparents were afraid of the cold, and spoke up to comfort them.

"Hehe, good grandchildren," Zhang Dadan said, patting the two little ones on their heads.

"Grandpa and Grandma, since it's cold, let's wait until spring to go back."

"That's fine too."

After the family finished their New Year's Eve dinner, they cleared the table and started wrapping dumplings; once wrapped and placed outside, they would be frozen solid in no time.

After his grandfather and grandmother went to sleep, Zhang Ping'an asked his father:

"Dad, have you discussed it with Grandpa and Grandma?"

"Discussed what?"

"Moving to the city to live."

"This... I haven't mentioned it yet," Zhang Laohan said, feeling a bit guilty; after all, he didn't want to stay in the city for a long time either, it was too boring and not as steady as the village.

"Then I don't care, anyway, at the latest, my younger brother will be starting school next year, and by then your daughter-in-law will surely be pregnant, so my mother will definitely have to be here."

"By then I'll have to go to work, and my mother will have to take care of Xiao Ling and the whole family, how tiring that would be; if you don't come over often, Weijun and Weidong will grow distant from you."

"Alright, alright, I will discuss it with your grandfather before spring."

Zhang Ping'an was also deliberately pushing his father, otherwise, given his father's temperament, he would surely procrastinate as long as he could.