Siheyuan: Game of Red Dust

Chapter 2 Return to Organizational Relationships
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw a middle-aged woman carrying a basin coming out of the house. When she saw Li Weidong, she paused.

"Weidong? You're back! Is this graduation?"

Li Weidong smiled and nodded.

"Graduated, Auntie, you haven't changed much in these years. You're still so young!"

"You're still so sweet. You haven't been back since college, and you've already graduated in the blink of an eye! Time flies!"

The third aunt said with emotion with a smile.

"Weidong, have you been assigned a job? Do you want your uncle to go to the street office to ask for you?" Auntie said with a smile.

"Thank you, Auntie. I've got a job. I'll go to the street office to handle the paperwork after I pack my things," said Li Weidong.

I'll just listen to Third Auntie's words. Third Uncle Yan Fugui is notoriously stingy, even calculating against his own children. How could he help you for no reason? However, in Li Weidong's opinion, apart from his love of taking advantage of others, Yan Fugui doesn't have any major flaws related to principles.

It's much better than other people in the compound.

"Hey, Third Aunt, isn't Third Uncle at home?"

"It's a day off today, your third uncle went fishing again." Third aunt said with a smile.

"Well, Third Aunt, I'll go back and clean up first. If Third Uncle is free tonight, let him come to my house for dinner and we can have a drink together."

"Okay, Weidong. I'll tell him when your uncle comes back."

After Li Weidong finished chatting with the three aunts, he went straight to the central courtyard without staying for long.

As soon as he entered the middle courtyard, Li Weidong saw a charming woman washing clothes in the courtyard.

This is the love-filled heroine, the white lotus Qin Huairu. At this time, Jia Dongxu had not yet been hung up on the wall, and Qin Huairu had not yet evolved into a white lotus. At this time, Qin Huairu was only twenty-four or twenty-five years old, and she was at the peak of her beauty, charm and integrity.

Qin Huairu may have felt Li Weidong's gaze, and turned back by chance, and their eyes met.

As a man, Li Weidong was undoubtedly the envy of countless men. With his tall stature and masculine and handsome appearance, even in his past life, when young and handsome men were prevalent, he would have been considered a male god. Qin Huairu couldn't help but widen her eyes.

Jia Zhang, who was sitting at the door sewing shoe soles, also saw Li Weidong coming in.

Seeing her daughter-in-law staring at Li Weidong, Jia Zhang's face darkened.

"Qin Huairu!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu quickly lowered her head to wash her clothes.

Li Weidong ignored Jia Zhangshi and prepared to go straight to the backyard. At this time, Yi Zhonghai came out of his house. When he saw Li Weidong, his face froze and he said in a somewhat unnatural tone: "Weidong, why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"

Li Weidong glanced at her lightly and did not answer. He pretended not to hear and continued walking towards the backyard.

Returning to the backyard, Li Weidong came to his door.

There were large spider webs under the eaves at the door, and even grass grew on the roof.

Arriving at the door, I took out my key and unlocked the rusted copper lock. Pushing the door open, I saw an eight-person table nestled beneath a long altar. Two memorial tablets sat on the altar. The tablets were also covered in cobwebs, and the tabletop was covered in a thick layer of dust.

He didn't rush to clean the house. He first wiped the memorial tablet, lit three sticks of incense for his parents, and kowtowed three times. Then he started looking for a broom to make a simple place to stay for the night.

The house was already in a state of disrepair. Li Weidong planned to go to the street tomorrow and find a house repairman to fix it up. Just having a place to sleep tonight would be enough.

It took two hours to finally clean up the main house. Li Weidong didn't even have time to rest. He took out the letter of introduction from his backpack and hurried out.

When he walked out of the backyard, he saw Yi Zhonghai, Sha Zhu, Liu Haizhong, Jia Zhangshi, and some neighbors gathered at the Jia family's door. They were all mumbling to each other, but the moment they saw Li Weidong, the chatter stopped abruptly.

Li Weidong pretended not to see them, walked straight past them and left the yard.

Looking at Li Weidong's leaving back, Jia Dongxu in the crowd had a sinister look on his face.

"You've already left, why are you coming back?"

A few beasts gathered together, muttering to each other, clearly harboring ill will towards him. However, Li Weidong didn't have time to deal with them for the time being. He had just returned and had a lot of things to deal with as soon as possible.

First, I transferred my relationship from Harbin Institute of Technology back. Now that I have returned to Beijing, I have to transfer my organizational relationship back so that I can live and work here with peace of mind.

He prepared to clean up his house and go to work at the steel mill. His job had been arranged long ago. Although the relationship had not been transferred yet, he had already contacted the steel mill when he was at Harbin Institute of Technology. The director and secretary of the steel mill were very welcoming to his arrival. Because Li Weidong was a level 7 engineer, and a factory as large as the steel mill only had one level 8 engineer and two level 9 engineers, and the rest were technicians. A level 7 engineer coming to the steel mill was like a golden ingot falling from the sky. You have to know that at the level of the steel mill, a level 7 engineer is already the top. If a level 6 engineer joined the steel mill, the Ministry of Industry would immediately send someone to transfer him away. These days, not to mention a level 7 engineer, even a level 9 engineer is a treasure.

The work matter was just an idea between Li Weidong and the steel mill. These days, finding a job isn't as easy as applying for one in later generations. Harbin Institute of Technology also played a role in the matchmaking.

Entering the steel rolling mill, Li Weidong was assigned to the Ministry of Industry. Although he has not yet started work, the procedures are already underway.

Not to mention the steel mill, even the Ministry of Industry was very welcoming to Li Weidong's arrival.

Even though the procedure had not been completed, the Ministry of Industry issued an instruction that once Li Weidong joined the company, he would immediately become the director of the technical department of the steel rolling mill.

Not only does he have a salary of 133.5 yuan, but he also receives a level administrative allowance as the director of the technical department, which is yuan per month.

These were all agreed upon, so once Li Weidong started working, his monthly salary would be as high as 148.5 yuan. After deducting the monthly party dues and 2.5 yuan of construction bonds, he would still have 146 yuan left.

Now Li Weidong only needs to transfer his organizational relationship to the street in Nanluoguxiang, and then go to the steel rolling mill to complete the employment procedures.

Naturally, the people in the courtyard were unaware of all this. Even in the steel mill, only the director and the secretary knew about it; not even the deputy director knew.

After leaving the courtyard, Li Weidong went to the street office immediately, explained his background, and was then taken to the director of the street office.

The director of the subdistrict office, a woman in her forties, was surnamed Wang. It was Director Wang, then deputy director, who arranged for Li Weidong's university membership.

Seeing Li Weidong walk in, Director Wang immediately closed the documents in his hand, warmly invited Li Weidong to sit down, and said: "Weidong, I knew you would have a bright future. If it weren't for the connections, I really couldn't believe it. A level 7 engineer at only 18 years old, there is probably no one else like him in the entire Huazhong family. I am sincerely proud of you..."

Director Wang was very enthusiastic. Li Weidong had been a well-off child since childhood, a well-known fact in the area. What pleased Director Wang most was that when Li's mother was seriously ill, the neighborhood provided a monthly subsidy of 15 yuan. This amount was enough to support Li Weidong until he graduated from university. However, less than a year after entering university, Li Weidong voluntarily gave up the money and transferred it to needy households in the neighborhood. Furthermore, Li Weidong requested confidentiality, so this matter was known only to a few people in the neighborhood. Those who knew about this all admired Li Weidong's noble character.

"Your organizational relationship has been processed. From now on, you are back on our side. This is proof!"

After exchanging pleasantries and receiving the certificate brought by Li Weidong, Director Wang immediately completed the procedures for Li Weidong, including household registration and food grain registration, all in one go.

It took less than five minutes to complete the whole process. Li Weidong also felt the efficiency of this era.

However, Li Weidong also understood that this was also because of himself, otherwise it would be impossible for ordinary people to be so fast.

Director Wang handed all the certificates to Li Weidong, and the certificates from Harbin Institute of Technology that Li Weidong brought were kept for archiving.

"Weidong, what are your plans for the future? As a level seven engineer, you can participate in some large-scale projects. Do you want us to help you check it through the higher authorities?" Director Wang asked.

"Director Wang, regarding the work, before I came back, the school had already coordinated with the steel mill, and the relationship has been transferred. I can start work at any time!" said Li Weidong.

"Don't call me Director Wang. It sounds too distant. I watched you grow up. Just call me Aunt Wang." Director Wang said.

"Okay, Aunt Wang." Li Weidong did not refuse. Director Wang was indeed a very nice person and helped him a lot.

When his mother was seriously ill, it was Director Wang who helped him apply for the martyr's subsidy, and he also frequently visited his mother. Li Weidong also remembered all of this.

"It's good for you to come back to work. You are not young anymore. Do you have a partner? Auntie Wang will introduce one to you," said Director Wang.

"Thank you, Aunt Wang, but let's wait a little longer about finding a partner until I settle down."

It's not that Li Weidong doesn't want to find one. In this age of almost no entertainment, without cell phones, computers, or televisions, he really doesn't know what to do after get off work. Finding a wife would at least keep him from being bored alone and give him a warm bed at night. But Li Weidong is still young, and even if he finds one, he can't get married now. He'll wait until he's settled down; there's no rush.

"By the way, Aunt Wang, as you know, no one has lived in my house for four years. It leaks, it's overgrown with grass, and the walls are peeling off, so I want to renovate it. I wonder if the construction team on this side of the street has time!" Li Weidong said.

"No problem. I'll have the captain of the engineering team come to you tomorrow. Just tell him what you want to do."

Upon hearing this, Director Wang immediately agreed. These days, the subdistrict office holds immense power. The area under its jurisdiction is a miniature society, with specialized engineering teams, numerous workers, and even its own businesses. When it comes to renovating a house, it's natural to look to the subdistrict office. Not only are the prices low, but the quality is also guaranteed.

"Do you have any money on you? If not, I can lend you some." Director Wang asked.

"No, I have money. Although I haven't officially graduated in the past two years, I am still affiliated with the school, have a job, and have a salary. Besides, I don't spend much money in school, so renovating the house is more than enough." Li Weidong rejected Director Wang's kindness. He really was not short of money.

Two years ago, he started receiving the salary of a ninth-level engineer, 102 yuan per month. Last year, he was promoted to eighth-level engineer, and his salary also increased.

Over the past two years, Li Weidong had saved a considerable amount of money, including a large amount of bills. Add to that the martyr's allowance from the neighborhood committee after his mother's serious illness, and the subsidy from the steel mill, and the total amount was nearly two thousand yuan. Add to that the profits Li Weidong made selling things on the black market, and his total savings came to over five thousand yuan. He had a lot of bills, including numerous national grain coupons, cloth coupons, industrial coupons, meat coupons, cabbage coupons, oil coupons, snack coupons, bread coupons, coal briquettes coupons, and even bath coupons...

Before returning, Li Weidong specially exchanged for some local food coupons to be used in the capital.

After saying goodbye to Director Wang, Li Weidong took the food and meat coupons that had just been issued by the street office and turned to go to the vegetable market.

(End of this chapter)