60s: I have a store

Chapter 630 Measurement
Zhou Yimin glanced at the sun; it was almost noon, and he felt hungry.

He tiptoed into the inner room, intending to tell his grandparents that he was going to cook, but found the two elderly people still fast asleep in bed.

Last night, when they learned that he was going back to the village, the old couple were so excited that they couldn't sleep for half the night. Later, when they heard that he was busy transporting grain until the early hours of the morning, they were even more worried and couldn't sleep. Now they can finally catch up on sleep in peace, and even their breathing is steady.

Zhou Yimin couldn't bear to wake them, so he quietly slipped out and went straight into the kitchen.

On the stove were the bowls and chopsticks that Grandma hadn't finished cleaning up that morning, the water vat was full, and in the corner of the wall were a few radishes and cabbages that had just been pulled from the ground yesterday.

He rolled up his sleeves, first wiping the stove clean, then scooping two bowls of millet from the rice jar, rinsing them clean, pouring them into the pot, adding an appropriate amount of water, and lighting the firewood in the stove.

The flames crackled and licked the bottom of the pot. Zhou Yimin took out two potatoes, peeled them, and cut them into chunks. He washed the cabbage, tore it into large pieces, and took out a small piece of cured meat from the jar, slicing it into thin slices.

If Zhou Yimin hadn't come back, Grandma would usually save the food for him, something she wouldn't have eaten herself.

Once the oil in the pan was hot, he first poured in the slices of cured pork and stir-fried them. The oil sizzled and the rich aroma of meat quickly wafted out.

Next, add chopped green onions and sauté until fragrant. Then add potato chunks and cabbage, stir-fry quickly over high heat, and finally sprinkle with salt and a little soy sauce. A fragrant stir-fried cabbage and potatoes dish is ready to serve.

Then he cracked two more eggs, scrambled them in the pan until they turned into golden pieces, and put them on a plate.

At this moment, the millet porridge in the pot was also cooked. The thick porridge was filled with the fragrance of millet, and a thin layer of rice oil had formed on top.

Zhou Yimin brought the food to the square table in the main room. Just as he set out the bowls and chopsticks, he heard his grandfather coughing from the inner room.

"Awake?" Zhou Yimin greeted them with a smile, only to see his grandparents slowly sitting up and rubbing their eyes.

As soon as Grandma saw him, she quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed, muttering, "Oh dear, what time is it? Why didn't you wake us up to cook?"

She walked into the main room and saw the food laid out on the table: golden scrambled eggs, glistening cabbage and potato stir-fry, and steaming millet porridge. She immediately became anxious, grabbed Zhou Yimin's hand and said, "Yimin, you rarely come home, you're here to rest, why are you cooking for yourself? Sit down, Grandma will do it. Look at you, your hands are all oily."

Zhou Yimin smiled and patted his grandmother's hand, helping her to sit down in a chair: "It's alright, Grandma, it's just cooking a meal."

"I do it quite often."

He served his grandfather another bowl of porridge and handed it to him, saying, "Grandpa, please sit down and eat while it's hot. The porridge was just cooked and it's still warm."

Grandpa took the bowl of porridge, took a sip, and sighed contentedly, "Hmm, this porridge is well-cooked, even thicker than your grandma's."

Grandma glared at Grandpa reproachfully, but still picked up her chopsticks and put a big piece of scrambled eggs on Zhou Yimin's plate: "Eat more, you're so thin, you need to nourish yourself."

Zhou Yimin smiled and agreed, picked up a steamed bun and took a bite. Watching his grandparents eat with relish, he felt a warmth in his heart—more comforting than delicacies, a family sitting together and eating a hot meal was the most down-to-earth happiness.

Before we knew it, it was noon. The sun was high in the sky, making Zhoujiazhuang feel warm and cozy.

In front of the village's main dining hall, the old Party Secretary walked over with his hands behind his back, still wearing his old clothes that were covered in dust from yesterday's grain transport, but now he looked relaxed after his fatigue.

As he approached, he saw the canteen cook squatting by the stove adding firewood, with something bubbling away in the pot, emitting a faint aroma of rice.

"Master, you must make a more lavish meal today," the old Party Secretary said, his voice a little hoarse. He had been busy transporting grain until late last night and had only slept for a few hours before getting up.

The cafeteria worker looked up and wiped the sweat from his brow: "Okay."

He didn't ask why; as long as he did as instructed, he wouldn't go wrong.

However, the cafeteria staff knew why. It was simply because everyone had worked hard all night, and they wanted to treat everyone to a good meal at noon today.

The canteen cook stood up and called to the women who were helping: "Hurry up! Peel the potatoes, chop the cabbage, we're making cabbage and potato stew for everyone today, and steam two baskets of mixed flour buns, and make the porridge thicker too!"

The women responded and busied themselves, some peeling vegetables, others chopping them. The flames in the stove burned brighter and brighter, the oil in the pot sizzled, and when the cabbage and potatoes were poured into the pot, an enticing aroma instantly filled the air.

Before long, the two baskets of mixed cornmeal buns were ready. Lifting the lid of the steamer, the steaming buns were soft and plump, with a lot of wheat flour mixed in with the yellow and white dough, making them much more refined than the usual pure cornmeal buns.

At this time, many villagers who had helped transport the grain yesterday had just woken up.

They were exhausted after a whole night and slept until noon. When they woke up, their stomachs were growling with hunger, so they put on their clothes and headed to the dining hall.

As soon as I reached the door, I smelled a rich aroma of food, much stronger than usual.

"This smells so good!" A man rubbed his eyes, somewhat incredulous.

Upon entering the canteen, one sees large bowls of glistening cabbage and potato stew in front of the food serving window. The potatoes are stewed until soft and tender, and the cabbage is soaked with oil, making it look incredibly appetizing.

The steamer next to it held steaming hot steamed buns made from two kinds of flour, and the porridge in the porridge bucket was thick and sticky, with a layer of rice oil floating on top.

"Why is the food so plentiful today?" someone couldn't help but ask the cafeteria worker serving the food.

"The old Party Secretary specifically instructed that we should give everyone a little something to make up for the hard work of transporting grain yesterday!" the canteen cook said with a smile, his hand holding the spoon steady as he ladled a full spoonful of cabbage and potato stew for each person, and then handed them two soft steamed buns.

The villagers received the food and their faces lit up with joy.

Although there wasn't much meat in the dish, it was very oily. Taking a bite of the steamed bun and then a bite of the cabbage soaked in oily flavor, I nodded with satisfaction.

"The old Party Secretary really cares about us!" an older woman said while eating.

"I was so tired yesterday that my back was about to break, but after eating this meal today, I feel so much better!"

"That's right, these steamed buns are much more fragrant than usual, and the porridge is thicker too!" The man next to him chimed in, taking another big bite of the steamed bun.

The dining hall suddenly became lively, with the sounds of bowls and chopsticks clattering and villagers chatting and laughing, and everyone wearing a satisfied smile.

The old Party Secretary stood in the corner, watching everyone eat heartily, and couldn't help but smile. The grain had been delivered, and everyone could eat in peace, which was better than anything else.

After all, having surplus food in hand means you won't panic!
The next day, just as dawn was breaking and the roosters in Zhoujiazhuang had crowed for the second time, Zhou Yimin got up.

After a quick wash, he told his grandparents, who were still preparing breakfast, that he was going to Shangshui Village to find Village Chief Wang. He then got on his motorcycle and headed towards Shangshui Village.

The morning mist in the countryside had not yet dissipated. As the motorcycle drove along the ridges of the fields, it brought with it a damp, earthy scent. Dewdrops clung to the roadside weeds, shimmering in the morning light.

In less than half an hour, Zhou Yimin arrived at the entrance of Shangshui Village.

He slowed down and drove along the village path. Just as he arrived at the gate of Village Chief Wang's house, he saw Village Chief Wang squatting on the threshold brushing his teeth, his mouth full of foam.

Village Chief Wang glanced up and saw Zhou Yimin's motorcycle. His eyes lit up instantly. He quickly spat out the toothpaste foam in his mouth, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and hurried over. "Yimin! Why are you here so early?" Village Chief Wang's face was full of surprise as he warmly pulled Zhou Yimin's arm and led him into the yard.

"Have you had breakfast yet? My wife is making porridge. If you don't mind, you can have a meal here!"

He knew in his heart that Zhou Yimin's family was well-off, and Zhou Yimin was able to get grain and meat, so their daily meals were not bad.

He had the good fortune to eat at Zhou Yimin's house twice when he went to Zhoujiazhuang on business. He still remembers how delicious the food was.

The reason for inviting Zhou Yimin to dinner was twofold: firstly, to genuinely want to treat him, and secondly, to try and build rapport so that the discussion about plastic prices would go more smoothly later.

Zhou Yimin hadn't eaten breakfast. He had rushed out of the house and only drank some cold water. His stomach was growling with hunger.

He didn't stand on ceremony and nodded with a smile: "Then I'll trouble you, Village Chief Wang. I'm hungry too."

"No trouble at all! No trouble at all!" Village Chief Wang smiled so much that his eyes narrowed into slits, and hurriedly called into the house.

"Old woman! Add another set of chopsticks and a bowl! Yimin will have breakfast at our house!"

A response came quickly from inside the house. Village Chief Wang's wife came out of the kitchen carrying a pot of porridge. When she saw Zhou Yimin, she greeted him warmly, "Yimin, you're here? Please sit down. The porridge is freshly cooked, and there are also some cornbread buns that were steamed yesterday. They're still warm!"

Zhou Yimin sat down at the table, and Village Chief Wang's wife served him a full bowl of millet porridge, handed him a soft steamed bun, and also brought him a plate of pickled vegetables and two boiled eggs.

"Eat more, young people have big appetites," she said with a smile.

Zhou Yimin picked up a steamed bun, took a bite, and ate it with millet porridge. The porridge was soft, sticky, and sweet, and the steamed bun also had a faint corn aroma.

Village Chief Wang sat opposite Zhou Yimin, barely eating anything. He would occasionally put some pickled vegetables on Zhou Yimin's plate, but his eyes betrayed his eagerness. Several times he wanted to ask about the price, but he was afraid of interrupting Zhou Yimin's meal, so he could only wait patiently.

Zhou Yimin finished his breakfast in no time and put down his chopsticks.

Village Chief Wang immediately handed over a towel, rubbed his hands together, and could no longer hold back, his voice tinged with nervousness: "Yimin, you said yesterday you were calculating the price, now... how much will it cost now?"

After he finished speaking, he stared intently at Zhou Yimin's face, not daring to blink, his palms slightly sweaty.

He felt both hopeful and afraid, hoping that Zhou Yimin could offer a reasonable price so that the greenhouses in Shangshui Village could be built smoothly.

But they were also worried that the price would be too high and exceed the village's affordability, which would dash all their previous expectations.

He even secretly planned that if the price was too high, he would discuss with the villagers again, asking for a smaller share of last year's profits so he could invest more money in the plastic greenhouse.

Looking at Village Chief Wang, who was so nervous he barely dared to breathe, Zhou Yimin couldn't help but find it amusing, yet he also understood his predicament.

He took a sip of the tea on the table and slowly said, "Village Chief Wang, there's no need to be in such a hurry."

Upon hearing this, Village Chief Wang's heart sank, and his eyes dimmed instantly. Could it be that the price was too high and Yimin was too embarrassed to say it?

He clenched his fist, about to say, "Even if it's a bit expensive, we can scrape together some more."

Then Zhou Yimin continued, "To determine the exact cost, we'll need to personally measure the size of the plastic greenhouse you're building. Without a precise figure, the quoted price won't be realistic, right?"

Village Chief Wang was stunned for two seconds before he realized what was happening. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly sank back into his stomach, and even the sweat on his back felt half-cooled.

He slapped his thigh, a smile returning to his face, his tone full of relief: "Hey! I thought it was something serious! You're right, I was too hasty. Without a precise size, I really couldn't calculate the price!"

The tension of those few seconds had made his back break out in a light sweat, but now that he's relaxed, he feels light and refreshed.

"Let's go! Let's go measure right now!" Village Chief Wang said, standing up and shouting into the house without even bothering to clean up the bowls.

"Old woman, you clean up the dishes, I'm taking Yimin to the field to measure the greenhouse," she said, pulling Zhou Yimin outside.

After the two left the courtyard, Village Chief Wang led Zhou Yimin toward the east end of the village, familiar with the area.

There was a flat open space there, which was the site for the greenhouse that the village had chosen long ago.

As soon as they reached the edge of the field, Village Chief Wang called out to a few households not far away: "Old Chen! Old Li! Come over and lend a hand! Take the measurements for the greenhouse!"

Soon, two men carrying hoes ran over and greeted Zhou Yimin warmly.

"Village Chief Wang, how do we measure it?"

"Measure the length and width, and remember the dimensions of each greenhouse!" Village Chief Wang said, taking a roll of measuring tape from his pocket and handing it to Old Chen.

Zhou Yimin took out paper and pen from his bag and stood aside to take notes.

Old Chen and Old Li, each holding one end of a measuring tape, carefully measured along the edge of the open space.

Village Chief Wang wasn't idle either; he walked back and forth with the measuring tape, offering reminders from time to time.

"Tighten it a little more"

"Don't tilt."

Zhou Yimin kept writing with his pen, carefully noting the length and width of each greenhouse on paper. He also made a point of marking the curvature of the corners, and that the plastic should be made with more allowance than the actual size, so as not to run out of space.

After quickly measuring the dimensions of the three greenhouses, Zhou Yimin spread the paper on the ridge of the field, squatted down, and began to calculate.

"Each greenhouse head"

After a simple calculation, Zhou Yimin calculated the price: "Village Chief Wang, the cost is about three hundred yuan. I'll set aside a little extra in case we don't run out!"

Village Chief Wang took the paper, brought it close to his eyes to examine it carefully, and repeatedly stroked the numbers with his fingers.

Three hundred yuan was much less than he had expected. He had thought it would be at least four or five hundred, but he didn't expect to save so much.

His smile grew wider and wider as he looked up at Zhou Yimin, his voice filled with excitement: "Okay, we'll do it your way, and the price is within our village's budget! Yimin, thank you so much!"

Zhou Yimin replied with a smile, "It has little to do with me; it's just that Village Chief Wang has great courage."

For an ordinary person, they definitely wouldn't dare to invest so much money in this plastic greenhouse, and without any connections, they wouldn't even be able to get one.
Village Chief Wang patted Zhou Yimin on the shoulder, his eyes full of gratitude: "Yimin, you've really helped Shangshui Village a lot! Once the greenhouses are built and the vegetables grow, I'll let you have a taste first!"

(End of this chapter)