60s: I have a store

Chapter 656 A Strong Invitation

The atmosphere in the meeting room became lively again, and everyone's heart was pounding like a rabbit's.

They knew that being able to receive an award alongside Zhou Yimin, whatever it was, was a recognition of their hard work by the factory.

Factory Director Hu cleared his throat and continued reading, "Next is Comrade Li Chongguang."

Upon hearing this, Li Chongguang straightened his back, a hint of anticipation on his face.

"As the head of the research lab, Comrade Li Chongguang played a crucial role in overall coordination throughout the entire research and development process, and his contributions are invaluable," Director Hu said slowly, looking at him.

"The factory has decided to reward Comrade Li Chongguang with two jin of fatty pork, thirty jin of grain, and a watch voucher."

Although this reward is indeed slightly less than Zhou Yimin's, it is still quite considerable.

A satisfied smile appeared on Li Chongguang's face. He secretly calculated that thirty catties of grain would be just enough to solve the family's immediate problem, and he could also spare some for Master Gu. Although Zhou Yimin had promised to help, he couldn't rely on others for everything.

A watch ticket is an even rarer item; it's enough to buy a watch for your wife so she can keep track of time while working.

He stood up and said solemnly, "Thank you for the factory's reward. I will definitely work harder in the future."

Everyone looked at Li Chongguang's reward with envy.

Watch coupons were very scarce at the time and not easy to obtain; thirty catties of grain were enough to feed a family for quite some time.

Factory Director Hu nodded and continued, "The rest of the research team members have all put in a lot of effort in the research and development and production process, and the factory will not forget you."

He paused, then announced, "Each person will be rewarded with two catties of pork and ten catties of grain."

Upon hearing this, a chorus of joyful whispers erupted in the conference room.

Xiao Zhang was so excited that his face turned red. He has many younger siblings, and these two pounds of pork and ten pounds of grain would greatly improve his family's meals.

Old Wang also smiled with satisfaction. Ten catties of grain would be enough for him and his wife to eat for a while, and two catties of pork would be just enough to make braised pork for his grandson.

Although the rewards for each person weren't particularly generous, they were quite good for everyone at the time.

You should know that even if you had food coupons, you might not be able to buy this much meat and grain normally.

Seeing the satisfied expressions on everyone's faces, Director Hu was also very pleased: "These rewards will be distributed by the logistics department later. I hope everyone will continue to work hard and achieve even greater success for our steel plant!"

"Okay!" everyone responded in unison, their voices full of enthusiasm.

The atmosphere in the meeting room became even more lively, and everyone's face was filled with happy smiles.

This reward is not only a material reward, but also an affirmation of their hard work, making them feel that all their previous efforts were worthwhile.

When the meeting ended, everyone walked out of the conference room in twos and threes, still excitedly discussing their respective rewards, and their steps were much lighter than usual.

Sunlight streamed onto the factory roads and into everyone's hearts, warm and bright.

The group returned to the research lab chatting and laughing. As soon as they entered, Xiao Zhang couldn't help but throw his notebook on the table and rub his hands excitedly: "This is so exciting! Two pounds of pork! My mom can definitely make a big pot of braised pork. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water!"

Old Wang smiled and took off his glasses, wiping the lenses with the corner of his clothes: "That's right, ten pounds of grain is quite a lot. If we eat it sparingly, it'll be enough for your aunt and me to last until the end of the month."

As he spoke, his eyes curved into crescent moons: "I didn't expect the factory to be so generous this time, it's a pleasant surprise."

The research lab suddenly became lively, with everyone gathered around, discussing the topic amongst themselves.

Some people were planning how to cook the pork, whether to braise it or make meatballs, while others were thinking about how to distribute the grain, whether to send some to relatives in the countryside.

Some people looked at Zhou Yimin and Li Chongguang with envy, saying that their rewards were too tempting.

"Section Chief Zhou, you'd better use your bicycle voucher quickly. Bicycles are in high demand right now, and if you wait too long, you might not get any good models left," a young technician said with an envious look.

Zhou Yimin nodded with a smile: "I plan to go and take a look this weekend. If I can get a bicycle, it will be more convenient for commuting to and from get off work."

Although he already has a motorcycle and a bicycle, how can one ever have too many bicycles?

If all else fails, you can give it to Zhang Yan; that way, she won't have to walk so much to get to and from school.

Li Chongguang was surrounded by several people asking about the watch voucher. Some were curious about what brand of watch he planned to buy, while others suggested which store had the latest and most stylish watches. Li Chongguang responded to each question, his smile never fading.

The once quiet research lab was now filled with laughter and joy, and everyone's face was beaming with undisguised happiness.

The blueprints and instruments on the table were temporarily set aside; no one was in the mood to work anymore, and everyone's attention was drawn to this unexpected reward.

Sunlight streamed through the windows into the research lab, falling on everyone's excited faces, and the air seemed to be filled with a joyful atmosphere.

The immense joy brought by this reward was like a warm current, flowing through everyone's hearts, allowing them to temporarily forget the fatigue of work and immerse themselves in this happiness and satisfaction.

It wasn't until lunchtime that everyone's excitement subsided a little, but they were still talking about the reward as they walked briskly towards the cafeteria, as if even the food there tasted better because of their joy.

Even in the afternoon, the atmosphere in the research lab still carried a lingering sense of excitement.

Although everyone tried to focus on their work, the smiles in their eyes and brows were impossible to hide.

Xiao Zhang sketched a few lines on the blueprint, then couldn't help but exchange a glance with his colleague next to him. The two secretly chuckled to themselves. Lao Wang, measuring parts with calipers, also had a slight smile on his face.

Everyone felt like they were carrying a piece of candy in their hearts, sweet and looking forward to the end of the workday so they could share this joy with their families.

The wall clock ticked away, each second seeming to test everyone's patience.

Zhou Yimin pretended to organize documents, but in reality, he kept looking up at the time. Li Chongguang took sips of tea, his gaze always unconsciously drifting to the window, as if that would make time pass faster.

Finally, the crisp sound of the end-of-get off work bell came over the factory's loudspeaker, like a pardon, instantly igniting the long-suppressed enthusiasm in the research lab.

"It's time to get off work!" Xiao Zhang was the first to react. He jumped up from his chair with a "whoosh," hurriedly stuffed the drawings on the table into a folder, grabbed his coat draped over the back of the chair, and threw it over his shoulder.

Old Wang didn't hesitate either. He slowly packed his things, but his movements were noticeably faster than usual. As he put his glasses into their case, he muttered, "I need to tell my wife as soon as I get back, so she can go to the grain station early tomorrow to pick up the grain."

Others also sprang into action, the sounds of drawers being opened and closed, chairs scraping against the floor, and people saying goodbye mingled together, creating a lively atmosphere.

Everyone wore eager smiles and moved with incredible speed, as if every second wasted would diminish their joy.

Zhou Yimin locked the documents in the drawer, picked up his bicycle keys, smiled at Li Chongguang, and said, "I'll go first and tell my wife the good news when I get back."

"Go on, go on, I need to hurry back too. My son is definitely waiting for my pork." Li Chongguang picked up his briefcase and walked out briskly.

The people in the research lab left quickly, leaving only an empty room and blueprints on the table that hadn't been cleaned up yet, as if the lively atmosphere just now was nothing more than a sweet dream.

On the factory road, workers walked home in twos and threes, each with a smile on their face. The group from the research lab stood out; they hurried along, excitedly discussing their newfound reward and joy, eager to share it with their waiting families. Zhou Yimin returned to his courtyard house. As soon as he opened the gate, he remembered his promise to Li Chongguang to help buy grain.

He ate a simple meal, sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, and watched the sunset fade away, pondering how to get enough food.

When it got completely dark, the surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional bark of a dog.

Zhou Yimin pushed a slightly worn motorcycle out of the storage room, checked the fuel tank, and started the engine.

The motorcycle's deep roar broke the silence of the night.

He put on his helmet, drove his motorcycle out of the alley, and headed towards a remote corner on the outskirts of the city.

The road is full of potholes and overgrown with weeds, and few people usually pass by it.

Zhou Yimin drove carefully, the motorcycle's headlights cutting a path of light in the darkness. About half an hour later, he stopped beside an abandoned warehouse.

He turned off the engine, and the surroundings fell silent, with only the rustling of the wind through the weeds.

He took a flashlight out of his pocket, shone it in the direction of the warehouse, and then waited quietly.

After ensuring the safety of the surrounding area, Zhou Yimin bought 500 jin of grain at the store. Although it was not high-quality grain, in this era of food shortages, having something to eat was good enough, so there was no need to be picky.

Zhou Yimin carefully checked to make sure the grain bags were securely tied before restarting the motorcycle.

With 500 pounds of grain weighing down his back, the motorcycle struggled to move, but he felt at ease.

This grain is enough to cover Master Gu's wages and can also help Li Chongguang solve his immediate problem.

He turned the motorcycle around and drove it towards Li Chongguang's house.

The night wind was a bit cold; it was still winter, and it stung my face when it blew against my skin.

The motorcycle's headlights shone through the night, as if guiding him.

He imagined Li Chongguang's expression when he received the grain, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

Soon, the alley where Li Chongguang's house was located came into view.

Zhou Yimin slowed down and carefully parked the motorcycle outside Li Chongguang's courtyard gate, then pounded on the gate of the courtyard house.

With a creak, the courtyard gate slowly opened, and Li Chongguang poked his head out. When he saw Zhou Yimin standing at the door, a look of surprise flashed across his face, followed by a warm smile: "Yimin, it's so late, come in quickly!"

As he spoke, he stepped aside, preparing to let Zhou Yimin in.

Zhou Yimin didn't rush inside. Instead, he turned around, pointed to the back seat of the motorcycle, and said, "Section Chief Li, let's move these in first!"

Li Chongguang's gaze naturally fell on the two large bags of grain, and in an instant, his eyes shone as brightly as stars twinkling in the night sky.

He knew in his heart that this grain must have been obtained for him by Zhou Yimin.

But he never expected that Zhou Yimin would be so efficient; the matter was brought up during the day, and so much grain was delivered that very evening.

His mouth dropped open, speechless for a moment, his heart choked with gratitude, and after a long while he finally managed to stammer, "Yimin, you... you're amazing!"

Zhou Yimin smiled and didn't explain much, but urged, "Don't just stand there, hurry up and move it, this thing is very heavy."

The two men stood beside the motorcycle, each bending over and gripping the bottom of the grain sack tightly with both hands.

Zhou Yimin shouted "Get up!" and the two of them, in one go, hoisted a bag of grain onto their shoulders.

The heavy weight made them both unsteady on their feet, and their shoulders ached with every step.

But no one said a word, and they supported each other as they moved step by step into the yard.

After a great deal of effort, the two bags of grain were finally moved into the yard.

The two straightened up, their hands supporting their aching shoulders, panting heavily.

While catching his breath, Li Chongguang said with emotion, "If it weren't for your help, I really wouldn't know what to do. This grain has solved my urgent problem."

Zhou Yimin waved his hand, indicating that it was nothing. Only then did he have time to look around the yard.

In one corner of the yard, there were piles of wood and tools for renovation, and there were traces of chiseling on the ground. There were also brand-new tiles standing in the corner of the wall.

It seems that Master Gu's construction team has already started work. Although it was late and the site was quiet, these signs indicate that the renovation work is proceeding in an orderly manner.

Li Chongguang also noticed Zhou Yimin's gaze and explained, "Master Gu and the others arrived early this morning and are working very quickly. At this rate, it shouldn't be long before they finish."

Zhou Yimin nodded, looking at the traces of construction, and felt happy too: "That's good. Once the renovation is finished, your old house will be completely transformed."

It seems I was overthinking things; Li Chongguang didn't even ask where the grain came from.

Zhou Yimin dusted off his hands, straightened up, and said, "The grain has been delivered, and I should head back now; it's getting late."

"No, Yimin!" Li Chongguang grabbed his arm with considerable force, his face showing genuine urgency.

“It’s so late at night, and you’ve come all this way to deliver food. How can you go back on an empty stomach? You have to eat something here, no matter what. My wife just steamed some buns and has some pickled vegetables. That should be enough to tide you over.”

Zhou Yimin turned to look at him and saw the determination in his eyes, so he waved his hand and said, "Really, it's not necessary. I'll just make something when I get back. It's no trouble at all."

He really didn't want to cause any more trouble for Li Chongguang, after all, Li's family was busy with renovations and had a lot to do.

But Li Chongguang wasn't about to let him go. He grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house, saying, "What are you saying? We're like family. This little thing is no trouble at all. Besides, you've helped me so much, shouldn't I treat you to something hot?"

As he pulled, he called into the house, "Wife, quickly heat up two more steamed buns, Comrade Zhou wants to eat here!"

A rustling sound came from inside the house, and soon footsteps approached.

Zhou Yimin stumbled a couple of steps as Li Chongguang pulled him along. Seeing Li Chongguang's stubbornness, he felt both warm and helpless.

"Alright, alright, I'll stay, okay?" Zhou Yimin stopped, both amused and exasperated.

"With your strength, it's a shame you're not a porter."

Upon hearing this, Li Chongguang immediately let go, a bright smile spreading across his face. He patted Li Chongguang's shoulder and said, "That's more like it! Come on in, it's warm inside."

(End of this chapter)