Chapter 3: Cadre Establishment

"Welcome host to the world of the Siheyuan" — at midnight, Li Qiang's mind heard a mechanical sound.

"Who are you?" After years in the army, Li Qiang's vigilance was very high.

"I am the transmigration system" — Li Qiang's mind heard the mechanical voice again.

"What functions do you have?" Before transmigrating, Li Qiang had read many transmigration novels, so he knew about the system. He spent the day after arriving catching up with family, forgetting that transmigrators usually have a system.

"I used to be very powerful, but because there are too many transmigrators, many functions are no longer usable and need updating," the system replied.

"Damn, that's basically saying nothing. What can you give me? Others have newbie gift packs — you don't even have that?" Li Qiang thought to himself.

"This one exists, and there's also a reward: the system space, fifty mu in size, suitable for breeding and planting. I'll also give you a ten-mu stagnant space for storage," the system said somewhat embarrassedly. Honestly, for the system this is a bit lacking.

"Fine then, what's in the newbie gift pack?" Li Qiang didn't insist; having something is better than nothing. With this space he could farm and breed, and even if natural disasters struck in the coming years, at least his family wouldn't go hungry.

"Newbie gift pack distribution in progress — please check for receipt."

Li Qiang used his will to arrive at the storage space, which was stacked with supplies.

"System, what's in the newbie gift pack?"

"To help the host survive better, the newbie gift pack contains supplies: ten tonnes each of white flour and rice, two tonnes each of beef, pork, and mutton, two tonnes of edible oil, plus a reward of a Grand Master Level Eight Extremes Fist set, ten Body Tempering Pills, and 2000 yuan in cash."

"Nothing else?"

"None."

"At least give me some seeds for planting and young animals for breeding; otherwise what's the point of giving me the breeding and planting spaces? Where am I supposed to get seeds?" Li Qiang complained. Actually just having one space plus 2000 yuan in cash already satisfied him — knowing that a regular worker's monthly wage in the 1950s was only twenty to thirty yuan. (For reader convenience, unified use of the second series of renminbi.)

"Alright, consider this compensation from the system: here's a seed gift pack containing grain and vegetable seeds, plus watermelon and strawberry seeds; also a pair of piglets, a pair of calves, and a pair of lambs. I've specially opened a pond for you, stocked with various aquatic fry — satisfied now?"

"Not bad, I'll reluctantly accept" — Li Qiang was actually thrilled inside.

"Alright, I'm going to do the update now" — after saying that, the system fell silent.

Li Qiang used his will to take a Body Tempering Pill and swallow it; as the medicine entered his belly, his whole body warmed up, feeling extremely comfortable. Li Qiang took out the Grand Master Level Eight Extremes Fist; before his hand even touched it, a flash of light shot into his mind.

"Is it really this miraculous?" Li Qiang exclaimed, then lay awake, tossing and turning from excitement.

After finally staying up until dawn, Li Qiang hastily put on his clothes, tiptoed to the courtyard, and practiced the system-rewarded Eight Extremes Fist once; although the first round was a bit rusty, by the second he was very fluent, and after five rounds in a row he stopped.

"Qiangzi, why are you up so early?" Li Bin stood at the doorway and asked.

"I'm used to it from the army — brother, why don't you sleep a bit more?"

"I'll get up and make you breakfast," Li Bin said with a smile.

Breakfast was ordinary cornmeal porridge, with leftover steamed buns made from half-and-half flour from the night before; there were hardly any vegetables left, just some pickled vegetables. The so-called half-and-half flour buns are made by mixing a large amount of cornmeal into white flour; ordinary families are reluctant to eat pure white flour, so even these half-and-half buns are something many families hesitate to eat. Most families eat cornbread steamed buns. Li Bin and his wife are both double-income workers; they eat lunch at the factory canteen, where meals are free, saving a considerable amount of expense, which is why they can afford to eat the half-and-half flour buns.

"Brother, sister-in-law, how do you handle the kids while you're at work?"

"They all bring the kids to the factory; Lou LaoBan is very nice, and many factory workers who have no one to watch their children bring them to the factory, where they play in an open space by the canteen entrance. Don't worry — they never leave the factory grounds, so it's very safe," Li Bin explained.

"Oh, that's good — I'll go to the Military Administration Committee later to sort out my job and household registration."

"Fine, I'll leave you a key; rest when you're done. At noon I won't come back with your sister-in-law — just fix yourself something to eat at home."

"Alright, go to work; don't worry about me — I'm not a kid anymore," Li Qiang said with a smile.

After breakfast, Li Bin and his wife took the kids to work; Li Qiang stored everything except his luggage in the space, then locked the door and left the Siheyuan.

"Comrade, I'm here to sort out my household registration and job," Li Qiang said to the guard at the Military Administration Committee gate, handing over his documents.

"Comrade, go to the first room on the first row inside the gate and ask for Director Li," the soldier said after checking Li Qiang's documents, pointing him the way enthusiastically.

"Thanks," Li Qiang said, then entered the gate of the Military Administration Committee.

Thud, thud, thud.

Please come in.

"Are you Director Li? I'm Li Qiang, just returned from the front lines and transferred to civilian life; I've come to sort out my household registration and job," Li Qiang said to the man in his thirties as he entered.

"Welcome back to serve the nation's construction — we're all former soldiers, so don't stand on ceremony," Director Li said with a smile. Although they served in different units, from the moment you put on that uniform you became comrades-in-arms, a bond only those who have served can understand.

"Comrade Li Qiang, when you transferred out you held the rank of Full Regiment Level. Now you have two options: become chief of the Red Star Police Station, or Section Chief of the Security Section at Red Star Steel Mill — which was formerly Lou Family Steel Mill and is now undergoing public-private joint venture; the Security Section there needs a capable comrade to take charge. The two jobs are similar in nature and both hold the rank of Eleventh Level Cadre Establishment," Director Li said. In the 1950s the Cadre Establishment used a rank system, unlike later grades of section, division, bureau. The Eleventh Level Cadre Establishment that Director Li gave Li Qiang corresponds to a later section level, which is already quite high considering Li Qiang is only twenty-one.

"Director Li, I'd rather go to the Yagangchang," Li Qiang said. "In the army I picked up an injury that made continued service impossible, so I transferred out. I'm worried I couldn't handle the workload at the police station." Actually he didn't know that after taking the Body Tempering Pill his hidden injuries had fully healed. Moreover, he chose the Yagangchang because workers' status was very high in the 1950s, and his older brother and sister-in-law work there; as Security Section Chief he could look after them and dare anyone who mistreats them.

"Alright, I respect your choice — wherever you go you're serving the nation. I'm processing the paperwork now; take it to the Yagangchang to report in. Since you're in the Cadre Establishment, housing will have to be arranged by the Yagangchang," Director Li said apologetically. Cadres in the Establishment live in tube‑style apartments, and the Military Administration Committee really can't help with that.

"Alright, thanks for the trouble, Director Li."

"What's with the formalities? Besides, we're all former soldiers, and we all share the Li surname — we were one family five hundred years ago," Director Li said with a smile.

Li Qiang took the introduction letter from Director Li and, dust‑covered, headed to the Yagangchang.