Chapter 64: Yang Qing Enters the Factory

The next day, Yang Qing arrived at the steel mill.

The factory is huge; the gate can accommodate several trucks side by side.

At the gate there is a guardhouse; in front of the guardhouse is a security post and a rifle‑holding guard standing ramrod straight.

Yang Qing did not dare to be presumptuous; he cautiously approached the guard and gave a salute.

"Comrade, I am a temporary canteen worker assigned by the Jiedao."

"This is the introduction letter."

The guard ignored him, and instead a person walked out of the guardhouse.

Wearing the same uniform, but without a rifle.

"He's on duty; let me see it."

Yang Qing obediently handed the letter to the person.

"Yang Qing?"

The person asked.

Yang Qing nodded.

"Yes."

"Red Star Siheyuan?" (The steel mill is called Red Star Steel Mill; the family quarters are called Red Star Siheyuan inside the mill, right?)

Yang Qing nodded again.

"He Yuzhu from the Second Canteen and Yi Zhonghai from one workshop—we're in the same courtyard."

Wu Feng continued reading down.

"You're here to wash vegetables?"

This surprised him; this job is casual labor, and normally factory workers' families would also be given temporary worker treatment.

The good thing about temporary worker treatment is that after others finish their work they have to leave, but you might stay.

Some temporary workers eventually became regular staff.

He had no hope at all.

Yang Qing nodded again.

"I heard that the factory has gathered a lot of wild vegetables, and the canteen Household Chores can't keep up, so they requested some temporary workers who know how to handle them."

Wu Feng knew about this; recently the supply of vegetable dumplings had increased, and many people suffering from edema due to malnutrition gradually saw it subside after spring arrived.

It can be said that spring gave hope to many people's lives.

Wu Feng accepted Yang Qing's reason and handed him the letter.

"Go forward to the second intersection, turn left, and go to the Logistics Department."

"Don't run around; if caught, you'll be shot."

After receiving the letter, Yang Qing finally entered the steel mill, a place that had appeared countless times in the Siheyuan world.

Here there is Factory Director Yang, and Factory Director Li—no, actually he should still be Director Li.

Also there were Liu Lan, Pangzi, Ma Hua, and Guo Da Piezi, these extras.

But these have nothing to do with him now.

According to the instructions, Yang Qing came to the Logistics Department, but no one from there had arrived yet, so he waited off to the side.

Soon after, a few more people arrived, both men and women.

Yang Qing didn't say much, but the others started chatting.

"You can work here for half a month; after half a month, some vegetables will be edible, and we won't be needed."

"Hey buddy, do you have any connections?"

"What connections could I have? I'll keep looking; if that fails, I'll go haul sacks, earning whatever I can."

"In these days, just not starving to death is already a blessing."

"I heard that many refugees died this winter."

"Who would say otherwise? Fleeing the famine, they brought nothing; the government just gives them gruel to keep them alive, but clothing isn't guaranteed either."

"I heard that in some places, people even eat each other."

"Ah, staying alive is no easy feat."

"The outskirts of Jingcheng are still okay, but elsewhere who knows how many people can only flee the famine, leave a path of survival for their families, and then collapse on the road."

…………….

When lower‑class people chat, most of it revolves around the word 'eat'.

……

Soon someone from the Logistics Department arrived; Yang Qing stood up and followed the person in to register.

The Logistics auntie, after counting heads and reading the introduction letter, brought the person to the canteen.

"Squad Leader Han, you asked for two vegetable washers."

Squad Leader Han wore an apron and arm guards, with a big head and thick neck—a typical cook's appearance.

After glancing at Yang Qing and the woman beside him, he didn't ask for their names and gave orders directly.

"Soon the wild vegetables will be delivered; your task is to have them all washed by ten o'clock."

"If you delay the work, you don't need to come tomorrow."

Yang Qing didn't think the other's high‑handed attitude was a problem; people always have some who feel superior because of their status.

The woman was dressed head to toe in rags, and she lacked the spirit to talk back.

The two of them obediently put on aprons, put on arm guards, and set out the basins.

Then they just waited for the wild vegetables to arrive.

Not long after, the vegetables arrived: a big bag of gray-gray vegetable, a big bag of dandelion, a big half bag of purslane, a big bag of shepherd's purse, a big bag of broom vegetable, a big bag of elm seeds, a big bag of locust flowers, a big bag of willow buds, a big bag of Chinese toon.

Added together, they probably weigh several hundred jin.

Yang Qing gathered the broom vegetable, elm seeds, willow buds, locust flowers, and Chinese toon together.

He also gathered the gray-gray vegetable, dandelion, purslane, and shepherd's purse together.

Then he said to the thin, weak woman.

"Let's first put the hard-to-wash ones in the pool to soak."

"First wash the easy-to-wash elm seeds."

Wash them first, so it won't delay the kitchen staff's work; we can't keep others waiting for you.

This is what having good eyesight means.

After seeing Yang Qing's actions, the woman knew what he was going to do.

"Listen to you, the broom vegetable, elm seeds, etc., don't need picking; just rinse them twice with water."

"First rinse them out, then we'll handle these."

Both are the type of people who work efficiently; with a plan, they execute it very swiftly.

Watching, Team Leader Han kept nodding, muttering.

"Two hassle-free ones have arrived."

After over half an hour, they finished washing.

They carried the vegetables over to hand to the kitchen helper, who had also finished processing the potatoes and cabbage.

After receiving the vegetables they brought over, they continued processing.

Yang Qing and the others turned back again to process the remaining vegetables.

After soaking for over half an hour, these vegetables became easy to clean.

After rubbing them a few times and rinsing twice, it's done.

Afterwards they found two stools, sat down, and began picking the vegetables.

The wild vegetables brought back still have weeds, dry leaves, some mistakenly picked, inedible, even poisonous plants, which also need to be picked out.

Otherwise, if some poisonous wild vegetables get mixed in, it could cause an accident.

This is why they were hired: they work efficiently and can identify vegetables.

Let Yan Jie Cheng come over; he's a muggle.

Team Leader Han watched the two people's hands, like butterflies weaving through flowers, nimbly picking out debris.

The mountain-like pile of wild vegetables was disappearing quickly.

9:50, Yang Qing and the two others perfectly completed the task.

By rights, after finishing the work they could leave.

But Yang Qing didn't leave, and Xiao Li didn't leave either.

After cleaning up, they went on to help the kitchen helper with work.

Performing well might possibly get them retained; if they don't work hard, it's absolutely impossible to be retained.

Even though the opportunity was very slim, they still did it.

However, Yang Qing's purpose is different; he is there to learn skills, boost his substitute-shift competitiveness, and expand his customer base.

Every kitchen helper here could be his future customer.

"Brother, is this purslane supposed to be used for soup? I know how, I'll handle it."

The famous longevity soup, purslane.

"Brother, these elm seeds are for steamed vegetables, right? Hand them over to me……"

Northerners love to eat it, especially tasty when mixed with garlic.

Xiao Li is diligently helping out.

Meanwhile, Yang Qing shamelessly goes to grab work.

Team Leader Han watched Yang Qing's vegetable-handling technique in awe.

He is a head chef, so of course he can see that this person has some skill.

It's just that his cutting-board practice isn't very good.

But this is a cafeteria, and no one nitpicks that; still, without good knife skills, there's no future.

Haven't you seen people who spend their whole lives in the cafeteria and are still just kitchen helpers?