Chapter 220: Letting the Tiger Return to the Mountain

"That works then. Grandpa, Grandma, are you thinking of staying in the old home for a while?"

"Hahaha, good grandson, I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Your grandma and I still prefer life in the village; it's free and easy, and all our friends and family are here too."

"Alright then, I'll leave this pork at home. I'll send some grain over when I come back."

When they set off in the morning, they had only brought twenty catties of five-grain flour and some vegetables. Everyone still needed to eat a meal at noon, so the remainder would likely only last them two days.

"Fine, just don't send too much. Your grandma and I can't eat that much anyway."

"Mm, okay."

After lunch, Zhang Laohan learned that his parents wanted to stay in the village, and he could understand it; if he didn't have a job, he would certainly choose to stay in the village too.

"Father, Mother, how about I quit my job too and come back..."

"Talk nonsense! Ping'an went to such trouble to find you that job, how can you just say you'll quit? Do your mother and I need you to take care of us?"

"Alright, old man. Eldest is just doing it for our own good. But Eldest, your father is right too. Come back when you're tired."

"Mm, okay."

Zhang Ping'an went to find Zhang Tiezhu and the other two. They still spent most of their time in the village; the house in Sijiucheng that Zhang Ping'an had prepared for them was just a dormitory to them.

Moreover, these three fellows had gone through another growth spurt and were now dark-skinned and sturdy. They had long since married and each had children of their own.

"Tiezhu, my grandparents are going to stay in the village for a while. You guys help look after them when you have time."

"Alright, Big Brother."

Zhang Ping'an thought for a moment and then gave each of the three a Bicycle ticket.

"You guys go buy a Bicycle; it'll be more convenient for coming and going."

"Big Brother, this..."

"Take it. Consider it payment for your help. You can't keep riding the factory's Bicycles forever."

"Okay, thank you, Big Brother."

"Mm."

In the afternoon, except for his grandparents, Zhang Ping'an's family of ten returned to Sijiucheng. After all, everyone except Zhang Ping'an had to work tomorrow.

The next day, Zhang Ping'an made another trip back. Besides some food, he also brought back the radio his grandfather loved, and bought two extra sets of batteries as spares.

"Hahaha, this is good."

"Good grandson, you bringing the radio back is just right for your grandpa to go show off."

"Ahem, what showing off? That's called sharing."

"..."

In the afternoon, Zhang Ping'an cleared out the two-fen plot of land in the courtyard, and Grandma planted some vegetables in it.

"Good grandson, you'll have vegetables to eat when you come back in two months."

"Grandma, don't work too hard. Drink your Milk Powder, and eat your rice and white flour."

"Yes, yes, yes, Grandma will listen to you," the old lady looked at her grandson with doting eyes.

At one in the morning, Zhang Ping'an produced one hundred thousand catties each of sweet potatoes and potatoes. He handed them to Daoba, then changed his disguise and traded another batch with Tong Siye.

A week later, Liu Feng arrived at the Pig Farm with a large truck.

"Factory Director Zhang, we're here."

"Factory Director Liu, sit, have some tea and rest. We received your call yesterday, so we had the piglets and hay ready on our end."

"Hahaha, good. Factory Director Zhang, why don't you come with us to take a look later? This ten mu of pasture is growing quite vigorously."

"Mm, taking a look is fine."

Two hours later, four hundred piglets had been loaded into two trucks. The hay could only be delivered by the Rolling Mill's Transport Team.

"Not bad, not bad. As the weather warms up, the pasture is growing faster and faster."

"Indeed, Factory Director Zhang. I feel like it'll be ready for harvest in another month or so."

"Mm~ that should be about right. Once the hay arrives, just chop it up to feed the pigs. They're all piglets now; four hundred pigs only need at most six or seven hundred kilograms of hay a day."

"Yes, yes, yes." Liu Feng had brought ten tons this time, enough to get through the transition period.

"Factory Director, someone is here asking where to put the hay."

"Just have them bring it all over."

"Alright, Factory Director."

After getting off work, the Rolling Mill workers also came over one after another to see the piglets. Each of them was full of joy, their eyes filled with anticipation; they would be able to eat meat by the end of the year.

Zhang Ping'an gave them some simple guidance at the Pig Farm before heading back with the factory truck.

Back at the factory, before Zhang Ping'an could even catch his breath, he was called to the office by Li Huaide.

"Ping'an, there's an urgent mission. You need to make a trip to Beijiang to handle the coordination. Lao Wu from logistics is getting on in years, so it has to be you, the Deputy Director, who goes."

"Alright, Factory Director. When do I set off?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. Go back and prepare now. Here is the train ticket; just set off directly tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay."

Zhang Ping'an first went to the Pharmacy.

"Master, can Xiao Ling take extended leave?"

"Is something the matter? How many days do you need?"

"Uh..."

Zhang Ping'an calculated quickly in his heart. There had been trains to Beijiang since October of last year, but one had to transfer midway, and a one-way trip would likely take five or six days.

"At least half a month?"

"Fine, go ahead. I can fight for twenty days for you at most."

"Yes, yes, yes, that's enough."

Upon returning home, Zhang Ping'an told his mother quickly about the matter of going to Beijiang.

"Really?" Dong Dani was quite excited; it had been nearly eight years since she last saw her grandmother and grandfather.

"Yes, I'll go find Wang Shu in a moment to get the train tickets sorted out."

"That works, you go ahead quickly."

"Alright."

Twenty minutes later, at the office of the Chief of the Xicheng Branch Bureau.

"Alright, it's settled. Just go to the window tomorrow afternoon to pick them up. You should wear a Public Security Uniform; it will save you a lot of trouble along the way."

"Alright, Wang Shu, I understand."

"Mm, give my regards to your grandmother and grandfather."

"Alright, I will certainly pass them on."

That evening, at Zhang Ping'an's small courtyard.

"Brother Ping'an, my grandfather said he's giving me twenty days off, saying you have something going on."

"Yes, I'm going to Beijiang on business, and I want to take you and the children to see my grandmother and grandfather."

"Beijiang? That's wonderful!" For a girl from Sijiucheng who had only ever been to Jinmen, she was dying to go out and see the world.

"Father, and my little brother..."

"You should all go. The train is crowded and full of all sorts of people; I wouldn't be at ease with you taking the five children alone."

"Alright."

Zhang Laohan's leave request was the easiest to handle, as he could approve it directly himself; as for his little brother Zhang Xile, he just had Yan Bugui ask for leave for him.

In the early hours of the morning, Zhang Ping'an delivered another 300,000 jin of corn cobs, ten Wild Boar, and five hundred wild rabbits to the Black Market. After settling the accounts with Daoba, he found Tong Laosi.

"Brother Si, I'm going to go get a large shipment of goods. It will probably take ten days or half a month. I've brought quite a lot of things this time; see if you can take them all."

The weather was slightly warm now, so the items Zhang Ping'an brought this time were all easy to store; there wasn't much fresh meat or fresh fish, just smoked goods or dried goods.

"Done."

"Good heavens, that really is quite a lot. Since you've brought them over, brother, I have to help you take them off your hands."

"Brother Si is straightforward. Here are two soft-shelled turtles; take them back to nourish yourself, Brother Si."

"Hahaha, good."

Tong Siye was very satisfied; although they weren't worth much money, this gift truly hit the spot for him.

The next day after lunch, Zhang Ping'an changed into a Public Security Uniform and stepped out of the small courtyard, immediately stunning everyone in the courtyard.

"No way, Zhang Shu, you are...?" Liu Guangtian was dumbfounded.

"Heh heh." Zhang Ping'an just smiled and said nothing.

Lao Jia and Xiao Jia pedaled the tricycle to take Zhang Ping'an's family to the train station.

"Father, Mother, Ping'an, be careful on the road."

"It's fine, no worries." Just relying on this Uniform, no one would come looking for trouble.

After Zhang Ping'an left, the courtyard exploded with chatter.

"Guangtian, is Ping'an a colleague of yours?"