1968: Started from breeding

Chapter 288 It's just a meal; if I can get one, I'll make a profit!
noon.

After Su Wenchen and Jiang Li finished their meal at the leader's house.

When they left, the old man simply picked up his briefcase and went out the door with the two of them.

At the entrance of the courtyard, the old man's car was already parked there. Just as he was about to get in, the old man turned around and said to Su Wenchen.

"I'm going into the yard, do you need a ride?"

Su Wenchen glanced at his wife, then smiled and politely declined.

"No need to trouble the leader. We'd like to take a stroll around Beijing while we still have some time!"

"I've been to Beijing, but I haven't had a chance to properly explore the capital!"

Hearing Su Wenchen say this, the old man was not surprised, so he smiled and waved his hand.

"Alright then, you two go have some fun by yourselves!"

"Take advantage of these two days of Chinese New Year to rest well. You'll have a lot to do after the holiday! Remember to come to the department on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. I'll be waiting for you!"

Su Wenchen nodded.

"Okay, boss, don't overwork yourself. I won't keep you any longer."

The old man immediately became annoyed upon hearing this.

"Don't overwork yourself, isn't it you who's making me so itchy?"

"Alright, you two can go explore on your own now!"

"It's just a pity for this old guy; I have to start working overtime on the first day of the Lunar New Year."

After saying that, he turned around and got into the car!
Upon hearing this, Su Wenchen scratched his head, a little embarrassed.

He was just trying to give the leaders a heads-up so they would be aware of the situation, and then go to the department after the New Year to discuss the specifics of how to proceed with the work.

He just didn't expect the leader to be in such a hurry; that was something he certainly hadn't anticipated!

This might mean that the higher one's status, the less free time one has.

After all, when he first came here, he stayed at the site after the New Year and rested until after the Qingming Festival before he went to Shanghai to pick up piglets.

Now he can only rest for three days during the Chinese New Year.

Jiang Li looked at Su Wenchen's somewhat lost expression and asked, puzzled.

"Ah Chen, what's wrong?"

Hearing his wife's voice, Su Wenchen squeezed her hand and spoke with emotion.

"It's nothing, it's just that I've noticed that the higher your status, the less time you have."

"Looking back now, the easiest time was when you were the Party Secretary and I was the Deputy Party Secretary in the brigade."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Li immediately covered her mouth and chuckled.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"The world is fair by nature! Back then, we had fewer people to manage, so things were naturally easier for us."

“Right now, the entire Blue Water Farm has over a thousand people to feed at the main farm alone, and your branch farm will have to incorporate the population of three communes.”

"There will be at least twenty or thirty thousand people by then!"

“These people all need you to find a way out for them, so it can’t be the same as when they were in the brigade.”

“I’m only in charge of our Beiwan Commune now, and I feel like there’s a ton of things to do every day.”

"This is even with Secretary He helping me out. When we get back to your branch farm, I'll tell you, you'll still have a lot to do!"

Su Wenchen shook Jiang Li's hand.

"I'm not too tired, but I feel a little sorry for you. I guess I can only be with you for a few days after the New Year."

"I won't even be able to be by your side during your postpartum period."

"Why don't you come to my branch?"

After saying that, Su Wenchen shook his head again.

"Forget it, the conditions at the branch farm are still not as good as here, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you go there."

Jiang Li nodded in agreement.

“I would only be a burden to you in the past. Besides, I have my mother and two sisters-in-law at home who can help me.”

"It's even more inconvenient to go to your place."

"Even if we do go there later, it will be when the children are older and can go to school on their own."

“At home, my mom can help take care of me at lunchtime, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving her with someone else over there.”

Su Wenchen thought about it and agreed. Children at this age are generally not as well cared for as they are later in life.

Once they're a little older, able to run, jump, and talk, they play with the older kids in the family.

Now, my second brother's little Tie Tou is already running all over the village following behind my eldest brother's Shi Tou.

So when his child is born, his mother can lend a hand.

So he said it directly.

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you. I'll try my best to come back and be with you."

Jiang Li shook her head.

"No, I was actually prepared for this a long time ago. When my mother was pregnant with me, our country had just been established and everything was in ruins. My father was in the army at the time, and he was suppressing bandits in the southwest!"

"At that time, I lived with my mother in the hospital's staff quarters, and I didn't meet my father until I was three years old!"

"Later, my father got injured and was transferred to the Ministry of Railways."

“Only then did he have time to spend with us often, but even so, he was often sent on business trips to other places, and it was common for us to not see him for one or two months.”

"It wasn't until I grew up and my dad's position gradually improved that he was able to come home for dinner most of the time."

"My mom told me a long time ago not to complain about my dad!"

"Because she has free time, she often takes me to visit some of her patients' homes to check on their recovery."

"But I've found that many working families, even if their parents are always by their side, are not necessarily happy."

"They would even argue fiercely over money at the drop of a hat. I've noticed that the tighter the living conditions of the residents in the family compound, the higher the probability of conflicts in their families, and some of them even came to blows."

"So I gradually came to terms with it. Whenever my dad came back, I would keep bothering him and asking him to play with me. Complaining won't change anything; it will only increase negative emotions on both sides."

"It's better to make the most of the limited time and cherish it."

“I think if my dad really gave up his job and stayed by my side, I don’t think I would be happy. At the very least, I have been able to live a life of comfort since I was a child thanks to my father’s hard work.”

"So don't worry, I understand you, and I believe our child will understand too!"

"Because your efforts are also to make our lives better, aren't they?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wenchen was immediately moved.

He recalled that whenever he had to go on a business trip, Ali never complained about why she had to go.

But usually, in the last few days before leaving, he would cling to me and even want to do everything with me.

Thinking of this, Su Wenchen immediately embraced Jiang Li and buried his face in his wife's beautiful hair.

He whispered in the other person's ear.

"Ah Li, you're so kind!"

Hearing Su Wenchen whisper in her ear, Jiang Li instantly felt a tingling sensation in her ear and her body went weak.

However, she still forced herself to continue.

"It's good that you know this. You can't abandon me in the future, otherwise you'll never find someone better."

Su Wenchen gently kissed his wife's earlobe to give her a sense of security.

"Don't worry, our love child is about to be born, what are you still worried about!"

After her earlobe was touched, Jiang Li felt as if she had been electrocuted.

She quickly pushed her man away, because she was afraid that if she slowed down even a step, she wouldn't have the strength to walk.

She said, her face flushed.

"Don't talk in my ear, it's embarrassing!"

"This is still in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's staff quarters! It would be so bad if someone saw it."

Su Wenchen walked over and shook his wife's hand.

"Don't worry, no one saw it."

"And so what if they see it? Can't couples even have a private conversation?"

Jiang Li quickly told Su Wenchen to let go of her hand, and said apologetically.

"That's not good either. Whispering is something you do at home, not on the street!"

Su Wenchen teased.

"Who has time to whisper at home!"

Seeing her man acting inappropriately again, Jiang Li tidied her hair, which Su Wenchen had just messed up.

"I'm leaving, I'm not going to banter with you anymore."

As he spoke, Su Wenchen quickly followed.

"Ah Li, be careful! You have a child with you, why are you walking so fast!"

Just after the two left, by the window of the red brick building behind them.

A disappointed voice rang out.

Why did you leave?

"Little Su is too timid! She's not even as timid as the old man used to be."

After saying that, he watched the two people walking closely together towards the door in the distance, shoulder to shoulder, and a look of nostalgia appeared on the old man's face.

She seemed to be reminiscing about her youthful days.

At this moment, a little child looked at his grandmother with a puzzled expression.

"Grandma, what are you looking at?!"

"Do you want to see your uncle and aunt kiss?"

Hearing his grandson's words startled the old man.

"You brat, what nonsense are you spouting! You scared me half to death."

"Where did you learn those words from?!"

The child asked, puzzled.

"Xiao Zhi and I often see Da Zhuang and his wife secretly kissing in the room."

The old man quickly said.

"Don't look at these things anymore. Dazhuang too, how can you kiss someone casually in the house when you're dating!"

After thinking about it, the old man felt that there didn't seem to be any problem staying indoors.

The child blinked.

"But Grandma, didn't you just want to see Uncle Su and Aunt Li kiss?"

The old man's face immediately darkened, and in the end, he could only say helplessly.

"Okay, Xiaoyu, Grandma was wrong too. From now on, we can't peek at other people, okay?"

The child nodded.

"Okay, Grandma, then I won't peek through the window to watch Big Zhuang kiss anymore."

The old man could only say this after hearing it.

"That's my good grandson! I'll make you something delicious tonight!"

"Really? Grandma, can we still have the smoked chicken you made for lunch?"

"That was brought by Uncle Su. We already ate it at noon. Besides, we can't eat meat every day!"

"Grandma, let's make potato stew with glass noodles tonight!"

Ugh! Potatoes again!

The old man immediately tapped his eldest grandson's forehead in an annoyed tone.

"What do you mean, 'eating potatoes again'? Some places don't even have potatoes, and you're being picky, you brat."

"But isn't this the Lunar New Year?"

"Yes, the New Year is over! Didn't I make you some pure pork dumplings last night?"

"Your grandpa ate his entire monthly ration last night! A whole ten pounds of pork, and you still haven't had enough!"

"Besides, I also ate smoked chicken today, so I haven't been able to eat meat this month."

The child could only pout.

"The year goes by so fast. If only every day were New Year's Day, then we could eat pure pork dumplings every day."

"You're always thinking good things, and you're eating pure pork dumplings every day. Didn't you get enough yesterday?"

Upon hearing this, the child immediately looked aggrieved.

"My dad snatched all the dumplings; I only ate a small bowl, while he ate this whole plate."

As he spoke, he even spread his hands out to measure it.

Seeing his grandson's aggrieved look, the old man chuckled.

"Okay, okay, he ate a lot last night, so we won't give him any more next month."

You should be content!

"Most families only have one to two pounds of pork per month!" "The ten pounds of meat per month was allocated to your grandfather by the government, but it all ended up in your and your father's mouths."

"Grandma, Brother Dazhuang said that my grandpa can manage pig farming. Why doesn't he let others raise more pigs? That way, everyone will have pork to eat."

The old man sighed.

"You think the pig will grow up just because your grandpa says so? It's not that easy. Pigs need to eat too, and they can't grow up in a day!"

"However, there will definitely be more pork in the future. Uncle Su, who came today, studies pig farming. He has developed a fast-growing pig, so pigs can be ready for slaughter six months earlier than before, and there will be more pork than before!"

"Uncle Su is so amazing! I want to raise pigs in the future, lots and lots of pigs, so that everyone can have pork to eat!"

"Grandma, I'll cook meat for you every day!"

"Okay, okay, when Grandma gets old, she'll eat the pigs raised by my eldest grandson."

"There's still some oil left at home. Since you don't want to eat potato stew with glass noodles, Grandma will fry you a potato pancake for dinner!"

"Okay, Grandma, the potato pancakes are delicious! They're so fragrant and crispy, I love them the most!"

"Of course, how could something with so much oil not taste good?"

Su Wenchen and Jiang Li walked out of the family compound.

Looking at the crowds coming and going on the street outside, Jiang Li looked at Su Wenchen and said.

"Where do you want to go? But I grew up in the West District, and in the East District, I only know Donglaishun Restaurant and Cuihualou Restaurant."

Upon hearing this, Su Wenchen stroked his chin.

"I remember Nanluoguxiang is located in the Dongcheng area, isn't it?"

Do you know number 95 Nanluoguxiang?

Jiang Li blinked and asked curiously.

"Nanluoguxiang? Do you have any friends around here?"

Su Wenchen shook his head.

"We're not friends, but I've heard a lot of stories about Nanluoguxiang, so I'm just curious if there's such a place."

"By the way, have you heard of Lou Bancheng in Beijing?"

Su Wenchen wanted to confirm whether this was the world of the courtyard house. Although he didn't want to deal with those people, if it really was that world, he could still go and satisfy his curiosity.

Jiang Li was a little confused when she heard this.

"Lou Bancheng?"

"Who dares to call that?! He's insane! You mean he can own half of Beijing?"

"How is this possible!"

"Besides, I've never heard of this person before. If what you're saying is true, then I definitely wouldn't be unfamiliar with them."

"If there really were someone who could influence half the city, then everyone in Beijing would know about them!"

Su Wenchen felt a little disappointed.

"It seems that story was indeed false. Oh well, let's go look somewhere else!"

However, Jiang Li's curiosity was piqued.

"What story is it? Tell me about it!"

"I've never heard of a story like this happening in a hutong before!"

"Speak up, speak up!"

Su Wenchen scratched his head.

"Are you sure you want to hear this? I reckon your blood pressure will definitely rise after listening to this!"

Jiang Li, however, spoke with absolute certainty.

"Impossible, how could a story cause high blood pressure?"

"Come on, the bus is here. This bus happens to pass by Nanluoguxiang. Let's go take a look. You can tell me the stories you've heard on the bus."

As they were talking, Jiang Li pulled Su Wenchen along and quickly squeezed onto the bus.

Su Wenchen never expected that Jiang Li would be so curious about something he had just mentioned casually.

Nanluoguxiang.

As soon as they got off the bus, Jiang Li hurriedly pulled Su Wenchen off the bus.

He was muttering to himself.

"How can you bully people like this!"

"If you can't have children of your own, how can you expect others to support you in your old age? Why don't you just adopt one?"

"He calls himself 'Grandpa in charge'? He's just the head of a residents' group who assists with neighborhood affairs, yet he's openly calling himself 'Grandpa in charge'!"

"And that so-called ancestor, I dare to call her that, let's see if she dares to answer."

Seeing that his wife's blood pressure had clearly risen, Su Wenchen said helplessly.

"I already told you, this is just a story, see how anxious you are!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Li took a deep breath.

"Who's in a hurry? I'm just curious. What you're saying sounds so real, and the public water taps, coal stoves, and courtyards are all real scenes from our area."

"You couldn't have made up a story like this if you'd never actually lived there!"

The two then walked in following the house numbers and indeed found a courtyard with the number 95 in the southern section.

Since the two arrived on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the people at the gate assumed they were visiting relatives, so no one stopped them.

However, once inside, Su Wenchen realized that he had indeed been overthinking things.

This is a typical courtyard house.

Jiang Li was still somewhat disappointed when the two walked out of the courtyard.

"You spoke so convincingly just now, I thought there really was such a lively place!"

"It seems it really is a story."

"Where shall we go later?"

Su Wenchen wasn't disappointed to hear this, because it actually showed that this was a more realistic world.

If he were to actually encounter characters from his previous TV dramas, Su Wenchen would feel somewhat uncomfortable.

But before Su Wenchen could say anything...

A joyful voice rang out from afar behind them.

"Comrade Su?"

Upon hearing the sound, Su Wenchen looked in the direction of the sound.

It was the enthusiastic colleague who processed his conference attendance pass when he attended the meeting.

He remembered that the other person's name was Guo Xiangyang.

Upon seeing Su Wenchen turn around, the other party immediately walked up excitedly.

"Comrade Su, it really is you!"

"I thought I was seeing things!"

“I went to the guesthouse to look for you last night! They said you went to your father-in-law’s house for the New Year.”

"Is this your partner? Are they from around here too?"

So seeing that the other party was still so enthusiastic, he smiled and shook his head.

"Comrade Guo, what a coincidence!"

"But my wife doesn't live here; she just happened to be here for a stroll!"

Upon hearing Su Wenchen's words, the other party immediately patted his chest.

"Would you like me to show you around if you're just passing by?"

"Putting everything else aside, my home is in a hutong right next door, and I know this area of ​​Dongcheng very well."

Upon hearing this, Su Wenchen thought for a moment and then replied.

"Then thank you, Comrade Guo."

Upon hearing such polite words, the other party immediately waved their hand.

"Don't mention it, I just wanted to say a few more words."

"If you're looking for a place to eat in Dongcheng, you could go to Donglaishun Restaurant or Cuihualou Restaurant. Cuihualou especially has a dish called 'mock crab' now."

"It's made with eggs to imitate crab meat, and it's very popular. I heard that you have to make a reservation several days in advance for the Lunar New Year!"

"Although the price isn't cheap, it's still a good place to try something new once in a while!"

"By the way, Cuihualou changed its name last year. It's now called Beijing Flavor Restaurant, but we locals still call it by its old name."

"If you want to have some fun, you can go to the Capital Theatre. They've resumed performances this year, including the chorus 'Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman' and the stage play 'The Sentinel Under the Neon Lights.' You can go check them out,"

"Also, there are revolutionary model operas to watch at Dongdan Stadium, but now only old model operas like 'The Red Lantern' and 'Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy' are left, which are already quite old."

"Also, there's a militia league every week at the Dongdan basketball court, but it seems there won't be any during the Spring Festival."

After hearing Guo Xiangyang's introduction, Su Wenchen realized that as expected of the capital, even at this time, the entertainment options were still more abundant than in other places!
Although they are all entertainment dramas with a very obvious main theme, such as "Sailing the Seas Depends on the Helmsman".

However, it is clear that compared to other places, there is more spiritual life.

Guo Xiangyang then added.

"Comrade Su, how about I show you around?"

"How about I invite my wife and we go to Cuihua Restaurant for dinner tonight?"

"Don't worry, I know people who can help us reserve a spot by letting me know in advance!"

Su Wenchen thought for a moment, then decided to speak directly.

"You can treat me, but I'm arranging a table the day after tomorrow, so I'll treat you then."

"There are no other people, most of them are colleagues from our system and some colleagues from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences."

"I wonder if Comrade Xiangyang will have time at that time?"

Upon hearing Su Wenchen's words, Guo Xiangyang immediately nodded in agreement.

"Comrade Su, you're treating. Just tell me a specific time, and I'll definitely be there."

Guo Xiangyang was well aware that ever since the news of the successful breeding of white pigs spread...

There are countless people queuing up to have dinner with Su Wenchen.

He certainly wouldn't miss such a great opportunity organized by the other party!
Su Wenchen nodded with a smile.

"Alright, Comrade Xiangyang, you're busy. We'll go visit the places you mentioned."

"I'll just reserve a table in advance too."

"Come over at six o'clock the day after tomorrow, brother."

Guo Xiangyang smiled broadly when he heard Su Wenchen's way of addressing him to build a closer relationship.

"Okay, I'll definitely be there. If there are a lot of people making reservations, just mention my name, and I guarantee we'll have a table reserved for us."

Su Wenchen waved his hand.

"Don't worry, if there's a real need, I'll definitely mention your name, brother."

After they finished speaking, they exchanged a few more polite words before parting ways.

Jiang Li asked with some curiosity.

"What other ideas do you have?"

"In my memory, you're not someone who particularly enjoys organizing dinner parties!"

After all, in Jiang Li's memory, her man never held any dinner parties except for necessary ones.

Organizations generally have a purpose!
Su Wenchen replied with a smile.

"As expected, my lady understands me perfectly!"

"It's not easy to come all this way to Beijing, it would be a waste not to bring back some talent."

"This time, we mainly invited people from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. They have quite a few talented people there who make my mouth water!"

"Whether it's agriculture or animal husbandry, you can't do without talent."

"I'm quite good at animal husbandry, but agriculture is my weakness."

"Currently, our farm only has one type of alkali-tolerant alfalfa. The sooner we start training talent to develop alkali-tolerant crops, the sooner we will benefit."

Su Wenchen knew very well that there were still quite a few capable people at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences at that time.

He even wanted to bring Comrade Yuan over if he could!
However, he felt that the Academy of Agricultural Sciences would definitely not release him, because by then, naturally male-sterile wild rice had been discovered and some research progress had been made.

At this crucial moment when the harvest is just around the corner, the Academy of Agricultural Sciences would never release someone under any circumstances.

But he felt that others still had some chance.

Especially for those with expertise in animal husbandry, as the business expands, Su Wenchen has realized that he simply cannot manage it all on his own.

Especially at the branch farm, where there are even more people, he is very eager for talent.

For Su Wenchen, the more talented people the better!

He organized this dinner party hoping to attract some talent.

In the agricultural sector, Su Wenchen is already a rising star.

He believed that someone would want to come, and besides, it was just a meal; if he could bring one over, he would make a profit.

(End of this chapter)