Training the Heavens

Chapter 91 New Semester, New Tasks

Since Huang Zhicheng wanted to do a favor, he made it happen. So when the staff of the Power Bureau started working after the New Year, they came to Gaojia Village and began to survey the power lines. At this rate, Gaojia Village would soon have electricity.

It is very close to the start of school now, and even if it is faster, Gao Jialin will not be able to use electricity before leaving home. However, this does not affect his decision to buy electrical appliances for his family in advance.

They called Gao Jiawang and went to Yinxia City together to bring some local specialties to Section Chief Xie of the Post Office and Section Chief Liu of the Education Bureau. They both enthusiastically invited Gao Jialin to have dinner with them. In the end, Section Chief Xie won the competition and kept Gao Jialin at his home. He also called Section Chief Liu and his family over.

At the dinner table, Section Chief Xie spoke of Gao Jialin's glorious deeds with envy. "The other day I saw Jialin's article in Reference News. I couldn't believe it at first. I thought it was written by someone with the same name. Only after asking did I find out that it was written by Jialin!"

"I was shocked, too." Section Chief Liu felt the same way. "Jialin can write articles like this now. He'll definitely be assigned to a good unit when he graduates, maybe even move to Beijing. If that's the case, in a few years, we'll both call Jialin our leader."

They now feel more and more that they were right to provide convenience to Gao Jialin. Otherwise, they would not have had the opportunity to be promoted so soon, and would not have met a potential stock like Gao Jialin.

"If it weren't for your help, Uncle Xie and Uncle Liu, I would probably still be herding sheep in the mountains of Kuanzhou County. Come, let me toast you two uncles." Gao Jialin picked up his glass, clinked it with them, and then drank it all in one gulp.

After a few rounds of drinks, Gao Jialin directly explained his purpose. "The power bureau is now providing electricity to our village. I want to buy some electrical appliances for my family. I have enough money, but it's hard to find coupons for TVs and washing machines. Could you two uncles help me introduce them?"

The supply of goods is much better now than in previous years, but some popular commodities still require tickets. Gao Jialin didn't have any, so he asked them for help. After so many interactions, Gao Jialin became familiar with them and didn't need to be too polite when talking to them. He could just say whatever he wanted to say.

"It's a small matter, leave it to me." Section Chief Xie and Section Chief Liu patted their chests and said in unison.

Section Chief Xie looked at Section Chief Liu, and Section Chief Liu looked at Section Chief Xie. They were both stunned for a moment, and finally Section Chief Xie reacted first. "I know someone at the Yellow River Factory. If you want the TV, I'll take you to him tomorrow. You can buy it without a ticket."

"Leave the washing machine to me. Our unit just issued industrial coupons some time ago. Some people must be reluctant to buy electrical appliances. Just spend some money to buy the coupons from them." The TV was snatched away by Section Chief Xie, so Section Chief Liu had to settle for the next best thing.

After eating and drinking, he slept at Section Chief Xie's house that night. The next day, he took Gao Jialin to find the staff of the Yellow River Factory stationed in Yinxia area.

The full name of the Yellow River Factory is the State-owned Yellow River Machinery Manufacturing Factory (Factory 786). It was one of the 156 key projects of the country during the "First Five-Year Plan" period. It was originally the country's only artillery-aiming radar manufacturer, and gradually expanded to other military industrial fields.

Since the reform and opening up, the Yellow River Factory, like other military-industrial enterprises, has begun to enter the field of civilian products. Just when Gao Jialin went to Shanghai to study at university, the Yellow River Factory introduced a foreign color TV production line.

Soon, the Yellow River color TV became the first choice for newlywed families in Xi'an and even in Shaanxi Province, and its popularity in the Shaanxi market was unparalleled.

Such a popular product must be hard to buy, and the salesmen at the Yellow River Factory were very arrogant. They ignored ordinary people who came to them to buy color TVs. Gao Jialin was able to enter the warehouse to make a selection only with the introduction of Section Chief Xie.

After looking for a long time, Gao Jialin chose an 18-inch color TV. It was not that he didn't want to buy a bigger one, but this was the largest one in the warehouse.

"How much is this one?" Gao Jialin asked, patting the box. He'd buy it and use it for two years, then upgrade when he got a bigger one. "The original price was two thousand and eighty. Since you brought it to Section Chief Xie, I can give you a hundred off. Two thousand and seventy, take it!"

Last year, the average annual salary of employees across the country was 1148 yuan. A TV set was equivalent to two and a half years' salary for an ordinary employee. Gao Jiawang was shocked to hear such a price, but on second thought, it didn't seem expensive. With his income, he could just save a little and it would be enough.

"Jia Wang, do you want it?" Gao Jialin asked, turning around.

"I'd better forget it now. I've used all my money to build the kiln. I'll talk about it next time I come back."

"I can lend it to you first."

"I just paid back the money I lent you, so let me take it easy for a few months." Gao Jiawang shook his head and refused again. It was not that he was afraid of getting into debt, but he felt that he could make money thanks to Gao Jialin, and there was no need to steal his limelight. He should let Uncle Yude enjoy himself for a few months, and then it would not be too late to buy a TV for his own family.

"Okay, then I'll take one first." Gao Jialin took out money from his bag and started counting.

"You're not a stranger. Next time you want to buy something, just come to me and I'll bring you here again." Section Chief Xie patted Gao Jiawang on the shoulder and said.

After paying the money, he lifted the TV onto the tricycle and took it to the post office to wait. Then he went to the department store and used the industrial coupons given by Section Chief Liu to buy a washing machine. He then bought a tape recorder and some opera tapes. Everyone in the village liked to listen to these, and Gao Yude was no exception.

When I got home, the whole village came to watch the fun. The TV and washing machine were out of power, but the tape recorder could be used with batteries. I pressed the power button and the song "Going West" started to play, "Brother, I am going west, little sister, it is really hard to keep you."

"Hey, listen to this singing, it's really good!"

It's natural that it sounds good. This is a tape of Wang Xiangrong, the king of singing in northern Shaanxi. He has performed in the Great Hall of the People and has performed abroad many times. He is now the most popular singer in northern Shaanxi.

On the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Gao Jiawang took Gao Jiasuo, Ma Gui and several other young people with him and left first. They were all eager to go to Shanghai to make money as soon as possible.

Gao Jialin continued to stay at home and spend the Lantern Festival with his family before leaving Kuanzhou. He still took the shuttle bus to the mail bus, and then the mail bus to the hard sleeper train. It took more than three days to return to Shanghai.

We first went to the furniture factory to take a look. The newcomers such as Gao Jiasuo and Ma Gui can only assist the old workers at present. However, they are learning very seriously. Not only do they learn the skills, but they also learn Mandarin and even Shanghainese with Gao Jiawang after get off work.

Gao Jialin doesn't want them to be just ordinary workers. He will have to add more responsibilities to them in the future. It won't do if they can't even speak Mandarin.

After visiting the factory, Gao Jialin returned to school to register, clean up his dormitory, and pick up his new books for the semester. Before he finished all the messy things, Zhang Changqing called him over and said, "The Student Union has sent a notice saying that there is a very important task for you."

(End of this chapter)