The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 112 Common Prosperity, Driving Industrial Support (Please Subscribe)
The barking of dogs and the shouts of children attracted some elderly people who were sunbathing. They looked on with curiosity when they saw the small truck.

Cars are rarely seen entering the production team throughout the year.

It was quite cold today, the sun wasn't out, and the leaden clouds were lower than the rooftops of the commune members' houses.

Although Qian Jin had driven there, his hands, which were gripping the steering wheel, were already blue with cold.

He rubbed his hands and stomped his feet after getting out of the car.

The wind was so strong today. I'm so glad I didn't ride my bicycle, or my face would have been blown into shape.

These days, cars are really hard to drive.

Because of his breathing, spiderweb-like ice flowers had formed on the windshield, and the fact that his visibility was obstructed was also a reason why he couldn't drive fast earlier.

He greeted the elderly people.

Some children had already run towards the production team office.

Their cotton hats flapped like startled bird wings, swaying rapidly back and forth: "A car is coming! A car is coming! Uncle Qianjin is here in his car!"

The office doors and windows were closed while a meeting was being held.

Liu Wangcai was surprised to hear that Qian Jin had arrived in his car: "Xiao Meng, did you see clearly? Is that your Uncle Qian Jin driving?"

The lead child, panting, said, "There's no mistake, he's already stopped the car and gotten out..."

"Because my brother Mengzi fell while jumping off the car, Uncle Qianjin was worried he might get hurt, so he stopped the car, hehe." The boy in the back wiped his nose with his sleeve and laughed happily.

Xiao Meng was more mature; upon hearing this, he realized something was wrong and turned to run away.

Liu Wangcai grabbed a cotton hat and threw it at him, yelling, "Wang Xiulan, catch up with him and give him a good beating!"

Liu Youyu picked up the cotton hat and handed it to him. The two of them, with their hands in their pockets, went to the village entrance against the wind.

Seeing the green-painted truck in the distance, the two quickened their pace.
"Why did Qian Jin drive here this time?"

“His family has connections with leaders and is well-off; getting a car wouldn’t be a problem for him.”

Before the two could even greet Qian Jin as they approached, they first noticed the neatly stacked piles of cloth bags in the truck bed.

Each bag had the words "Hailiang Stored Grain for Sale" written on the outside in red paint.

The handwriting was just dry.

The two of them gasped.

The north wind howled and filled my mouth.

Liu Wangcai pointed to the truck bed in surprise and asked Qian Jin, "What's in here?"

Qian Jin climbed onto the truck bed and struggled to stand the bags upright, saying, "Five hundred catties of millet, five hundred catties of sweet potato flour, and one thousand catties of cornmeal."

"It's all old grain, but the quality is fine, so you can eat it without worry."

By this time, thirty or forty people had gathered to watch.

Upon hearing his words, the elderly people who had been pointing at the car and discussing it fell into an eerie silence.

"You brought this to us?" Liu Youyu couldn't help but climb onto the car to take a look.

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Yes, it's grain that was brought to our team to support our rural socialist construction work."

Liu Wangcai told him to drive to the production team office first.

Starting a car in this freezing weather is quite a struggle, but Qian Jin started the car with a roar, and several children climbed onto it, singing songs as they did so.
"The sun is about to set in the west, and Weishan Lake is quiet. I play my beloved pipa and sing a moving song."

"Climbing onto that speeding train is like riding a galloping steed; the station and the railway line are our best battlefields for fighting the enemy..."

Qian Jin gestured for the old team leader and the accountant to get into the car.

Liu Wangcai climbed into the passenger seat with a smile, while Liu Youyu didn't get in but helped an elderly man of high seniority into the car.

The old man chuckled, "I've never ridden in a car in my entire life, and now that I'm almost in my grave, I'm riding in one..."

Seeing that no one was climbing onto the car anymore, Qian Jin stepped on the gas and slowly drove off: "If you want a ride, I'll drive you around for a bit later."

"But it's not very interesting. Riding in this truck is not as good as riding in an oxcart. It's shaky and hurts your butt."

Liu Wangcai said, "No need, no need."

“I read in the newspaper that the country is facing a shortage of oil. We must use our best resources wisely. This truck is a freight truck, and its diesel fuel should be used to haul goods. We can’t waste it on our commune members.”

The car pulled up and stopped in front of the office.

Qian Jin beckoned Liu Wangcai to go up and check the grain.

A cloth bag was opened.

Inside were golden millet grains.

An elderly woman in a cotton-padded jacket couldn't resist climbing up to look. Her rough hands clutched a brand-new grain sack, her nails digging deeply into the coarse cloth.
"This bag is good. The city is really nice. The bags for storing grain are made of good cloth. I could sew a nice set of clothes with them."

This is true.

The grain that Qian Jin bought in cloth bags could also be given to the production team to be cut and used as cloth.

Liu Wangcai also wanted to open a cloth bag to take a look, but Liu Youyu next to him had already opened one and said in surprise, "Captain, look!"

"How is the cornmeal ground in this city? It's so fine, just as fine as wheat flour!"

Qian Jin said, "They use an electric grinder. Once that thing is plugged in, it grinds very quickly."

Liu Wangcai carefully picked up a bit of cornmeal and put it in his mouth, then smiled and said, "Good, really good."

"This electric grinder is great; the cornmeal it grinds is even sweet!"

The corn varieties of 27 years ago are completely different from those of today, and the quality of cornmeal has improved considerably.

Qian Jin has eaten cornmeal as it is now.

It's coarse and not very sweet; it's just enough to fill your stomach.

Liu Youyu asked the two men, "Leader, Captain, what should we do? Send the grain to the warehouse?"

Liu Wangcai scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed: "Boss, you're going to give us this? As the old saying goes, you can't accept a reward without merit."

Qian Jin said, "First of all, please don't call me 'leader,' just call me Qian Jin."

"Secondly, you have made great contributions, you have made tremendous contributions!"

"Finally, after you move everything downstairs, do you expect me to drive it all back? That would consume a lot of fuel!"

Liu Wangcai licked his chapped lips, waved his hand and said, "Let's get moving. We don't do anything pretentious. We'll accept whatever the leaders give to our team."

"Unload the truck! Call a team of laborers over to unload the truck!"

There wasn't much food actually.

Soon, several young men were called over from nearby. Some carried carrying poles, some carried hemp ropes, and a boy of about ten years old held a red-tasseled spear—Liu Wangcai slapped him on the back of the head to tell him to stop causing trouble.

As the grain was unloaded, exclamations of surprise rippled through the crowd: "This is so fine! It's even finer than the grain we sieve three times at home!"

"The grain here in the city is ground so well. How could such fine cornmeal irritate your throat? Absolutely not."

"Tie up the bags of millet carefully; don't waste a single grain!"

Qian Jin was ushered into the office.

The women's team leader took out an oil paper package from the drawer. Inside the three layers of wrapping was a piece of acacia honey coated with beeswax: "This is all the sweet stuff we farmers have. Let's make some water for the leaders."

Qian Jin, you're welcome.

He took a sip of hot water and showed Liu Wangcai a collective purchase certificate: "This is what I bought with this."

“They are all well-stored old grains. The grain bureau wants to exchange this year’s new grain for the old grains, and the price is low. I thought our production team would definitely be short of grain for the winter, so wouldn’t it be perfect if I bought them?”

"If anyone finds out that your team has received grain and asks how it came about, just say that your production team entrusted me to buy it."

Liu Wangcai, rolling a cigarette, said, "Our team should pay for it ourselves. How much did you spend, leader?"

Qian Jin waved his hand: "It's not about the money. You guys eat without worry. Don't be so polite with me."

Liu Youyu took the collective purchasing certificate and looked at it with envy, saying, "This is a good thing. I've seen it at the commune meeting."

This purchasing certificate was obtained by Qian Jin from the condiment store; it's indeed very useful and a good thing.

Qian Jin then showed them his new armband: "If the team needs anything in the future, just tell me. Don't be shy, we have a very strong relationship."

The writing on this red armband is numerous and small.

Liu Wangcai took the red armband and squinted as he read: "Captain of the Jiagang Brigade, Warehousing and Transportation Department, Haibin City Supply and Marketing Cooperative—Wow, you're now a brigade captain at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative?"

Qian Jin nodded.

Several cadres in the office looked at him with awe.

awesome!
The head of the supply and marketing cooperative—that title alone suggests a high-ranking official.

Wang Xiulan asked, "What kind of official are you?"

Qian Jin waved his hand modestly, "It's not very big, I only have a little over a hundred people under me."

Exclamations of surprise erupted.

Qian Jin figured that now no one in the team would suspect that the goods and supplies he brought were problematic, let alone question their origin.

Wang Xiulan said to those around her:

"The sales clerks in our commune's supply and marketing cooperative can only take care of themselves. They are just lowly soldiers, but when they see us farmers, they look up to us with their eyes on the top of their heads. They scold and laugh at us all the time."

"Look at Leader Qian. He's a high-ranking official with over a hundred subordinates. When he first came to support agriculture, he was just like us old farmers, working in the cornfields and sitting with us all the time. He had no airs at all. It's true that the higher the official's rank, the closer they are to the farmers."

Everyone nodded in admiration.

Liu Youyu said, "Is that even a question? Those people have absolutely no awareness whatsoever. What do they know?"

"Who is Leader Qian? What is his family background? How can their level of awareness be the same?"

Qian Jin chuckled.

I come from an orphan family...

A white mist rose from the courtyard behind.

Wang Xiulan led several women to the production team's warehouse to withdraw sweet potato flour and bean flour, intending to mix them with the newly milled corn flour from the team this year to give to Qian Jin to make pancakes.

Wang Xiulan returned quickly and whispered to Liu Wangcai, "Why did the leader bring us fine grains?"

Liu Wangcai was startled.

Qian Jin said, "A bag of rice and a bag of high-gluten flour are my personal donation to our team."

Liu Wangcai didn't stand on ceremony and said to Wang Xiulan, "If you mix it with Fuqiang steamed rice cakes, it'll definitely taste delicious."

Qian Jin now has a lot of money and coupons, and even overseas remittance certificates, but the production team doesn't need the overseas remittance certificates. What he brings to the team is still money and coupons:
"I'll need to buy some vegetables when I go back this time. Let's buy them at the prices in the city's farmers' markets."

Liu Wangcai waved his hand: "How could that be? We can't..."

“It was us who supported the construction of the production team,” Qian Jin interrupted him. “Actually, what happened was that our comrades in the labor shock brigade set up a small collective enterprise, similar to running a restaurant.”

"Business is good and the profits are considerable, so you don't need to worry about anything."

"Buying some vegetables is nothing. I came here to talk to you about something: could our team build a tofu workshop?"

He pointed to the collective procurement certificate:
"This can help you get soybeans, and our neighborhood committee can also help."

"So you see, all you need to do is provide the venue, the people, and the equipment, and then you can produce tofu and bean curd sheets."

“When our small collective enterprise comes to buy it, I’ve calculated it. After deducting the cost of soybeans, your team can easily make three to five hundred yuan a month.”

Liu Youyu immediately said, "That's a lot of money!"

Qian Jin nodded: "It will definitely reach that number, you can rest assured."

After thinking it over for a moment, Liu Wangcai said, "We have to do this business, because we've done it before!"

Upon hearing this, Qian Jin was overjoyed: "You used to make tofu? Why did you stop?"

Liu Wangcai sighed: "When we first started working as a collective, our team ran a tofu shop and a vermicelli factory, but we couldn't make it work in either of them."

"Making tofu requires soybeans, which are scarce here. In addition, tofu is still expensive, so not many families can afford to eat it."

"Several production teams were operating vermicelli factories; one commune had four or five vermicelli factories, and they were hardly making any money..."

He shook his head repeatedly as he spoke.

Qian Jin said, "Let's get started now. Our company will provide the soybeans and buy the tofu. You just need to get to work."

Liu Wangcai began to plan: "We have a stone mill ready, and we also have a large stove and pot for boiling soybeans. Tofu cloth is easy to make, but we don't have a wooden millstone to hold the soy milk, right? No problem, we'll have the carpenter make a few sets."

"Are you still keeping the jack and the tofu-making press? I remember seeing them in the warehouse?"

Wang Xiulan hurriedly went to the warehouse to check again, and when she came back, she nodded happily and said, "Yes, we have everything, including two sets of wooden millstones."

Liu Wangcai laughed and said, "Now all that's left is to make the brine. How could we, people living by the sea, lack brine?"

"This business is viable; it can be started in just a few days!"

Qian Jin said, "Okay, then you can do it without worry. I'll go back and buy some soybeans and have the driver deliver them to you. You can start making tofu right away."

"I need fresh tofu, frozen tofu, and tofu skin. It would be even better if we could make dried tofu!"

Both parties agreed that there was no need to sign a contract, and the business was done.

Qian Jin hadn't been to the team for some time, so the commune members prepared some old items for him.

He first approached the couple who had sold him the patina-covered bamboo pen holder and said, "I've had someone examine it. Your pen holder is an old item, but it's definitely not worth a bicycle."

“I can give you a hundred yuan, and I can help your family get a bicycle voucher. Then your family can save up some money and buy a bicycle.”

Qian Jin thought the couple would be dissatisfied, after all, they had repeatedly said they wanted a bicycle.

Upon hearing his words, the two were quite pleased: "It's worth a hundred yuan?"

"Boss, we don't want to buy new bicycles. What kind of family can afford a new bike? We mean, we just want to get a replacement bicycle, an old one is fine too!"

Qian Jin suddenly understood.

You can indeed buy a used bicycle in ordinary condition for 100 yuan these days.

He saved the money and said, "Next time I'll have someone deliver soybeans, and I'll bring you a bicycle too."

"Great!" The couple was very happy.

The pricing is still on-site, and payment is made directly.

The old items Qian Jin acquired from the team this time were not of much value, totaling less than 20,000 yuan.

The Liu family production team in Hongxing has run out of water...

After finishing the important business, it's time to eat.

Lunch was great.

Liu Wangcai insisted on killing another pig no matter what, and Qian Jin couldn't dissuade him, so he could only go home with him.

The north wind in December, carrying moisture from the sea, made the Liu family's mud-brick house whistle and rattle.

"Cadre Qian has finally arrived!" Liu Wangcai's wife lifted the cotton curtain of the kitchen door, and a cloud of hot steam mixed with the aroma of meat wafted out.

A woman came to help; she was squatting in the corner, peeling potatoes with a knife.

Frozen red fingers flew through the earthenware basin, the scraping sound of the kitchen knife mingling with the crackling of firewood being chopped in the stove, creating a lively scene.

The fat pigs raised by the production team for a year are the most delicious.

Qian Jin inhaled the simple, meaty aroma, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He has plenty of meat to eat, but it's really comforting to have a couple of bites of stewed meat in this freezing weather.

Liu Wangcai led him into the house and introduced him, saying, "This pig is good today. It's picky about food. While other pigs grunt as they eat grass, this one has to eat acorns. It was raised by the kids in the team who went to collect acorns."

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Then I have to thank the kids in our team. Next time I come, I'll bring them two pounds of fruit candy."

Liu Wangcai poured hot water from a tin kettle into an enamel basin; the red double happiness symbol printed on the bottom of the basin had long since faded to a pinkish-white.

Qian Jin washed his hands and said, "I'm going to the kitchen to take a look, not to lend a hand, but to sneak a couple of bites."

Hearing him say that, Liu Wangcai chuckled and had no choice but to let him in.

The large iron pot on the kitchen stove was bubbling loudly, and thick white steam was causing the wooden lid to vibrate.

Occasionally, I would lift the lid to check on the stewing meat, and every time I did, steam would rise into the air like a dragon.

Liu Wangcai's wife skimmed off the foam with an iron spoon and said, "You brought some spices home last time, and today you've given us plenty, so the meat will definitely be delicious."

Qian Jin said, "We need a lot of spices at the end of the year, so I'll bring some back for you later—don't worry, we have a restaurant now, and the government provides us with a special supply of spices, we can't even use them all!"

The women in the kitchen all looked on with envy after hearing this.

Qian Jin wanted to lend a hand, but the food was almost ready, so he helped bring the dry rations to the table; that was the only task left.

Today's rations are cornbread, golden-brown cornbread stacked into a tower, steaming hot and exuding the aroma of grain.

After entering the house, Liu Youyu happily hummed a little tune: "Snowflakes fall in the twelfth lunar month, workers and peasants are of one heart..."

"It's not even the twelfth lunar month yet," Liu Wangcai joked, then said to Qian Jin, "Our accountant's already got his eyes on money."

"He's been worried about our team's financial problems, and you've brought us a great business opportunity that can make money. He's overjoyed."

Qian Jin said, "Then he'll have a lot of fun in the future. I know a lot of people and have contact with a lot of organizations now, so there will definitely be other business opportunities that I can introduce to our team." Liu Wangcai took a puff of his cigarette and said conservatively, "One is enough. Doing too much might make people jealous and report us. These days, if we catch someone with capitalist tendencies, we still have to cut them off."

Qian Jin smiled but said nothing.

We won't cut it next year.

The stewed meat was served quickly.

Everyone in the room swallowed hard.

Liu Wangcai's wife swirled her spoon in the large basin, where dark red chunks of meat bobbed in the oily broth, and cabbage leaves coated in fat unfurled like magnolia blossoms.

Several rough porcelain bowls were arranged in a circle, and Liu Youyu prepared to add more wine.

Qian Jin firmly refused: "Don't drink and drive, that's a rule set by the state for us drivers!"

Despite others' earnest attempts to persuade him, Qian Jin resolutely refused.

He finally pulled out his trump card: "I might be getting married in a few days, so of course I'll go get the marriage certificate first."

"I can't afford any accidents at this time, and I absolutely cannot drink and drive!"

The conversation quickly shifted.

The cadres all inquired about Wei Qinghuan's situation.

Qian Jin was finally spared the drinking session today.

The stewed meat in the enamel basin in the middle trembled and steamed, while the freshly fried ribbonfish exuded freshness.

"Come on, boss, you start eating first!"

Liu Wangcai used the tip of his chopsticks to pry open a piece of fatty meat with skin on. The honey-colored skin rippled out in three waves, revealing the snowflake-like fat underneath.

He respectfully invited Qian Jin to take a bite: "This stuff is sturdy; one bite will make you gain two ounces."

Qian Jin didn't need to gain weight, so he chose a piece of lean meat.

Just as Liu Wangcai's wife said, today's meat was made with plenty of ingredients, and since it was good quality meat, it was so delicious that people couldn't stop eating.

Pigs raised on acorns are indeed different; their meat carries a fresh, wild flavor that other pork lacks, and is a taste that 27 years of pork cannot match.

Not only is the meat delicious, but the vegetables are delicious too.

The cabbage had soaked up all the meat juices, and the scalding liquid seeping from its veins made people exhale and nod, saying, "Delicious!"

Seeing Qian Jin eat with great satisfaction, the old captain also smiled with satisfaction.

He tapped the rim of the bowl with his rough knuckles: "Our leader loves this kind of food. Next year, we'll get all the kids out there to collect acorns, and we'll feed them a lot more!"

Qian Jin said, "Next year, let the children study hard so they can all go to university."

The north wind was fierce, the curtain was lifted, and the aroma of meat wafted out and filled the whole courtyard.

The speckled chickens scavenging for food outside were suddenly startled and flew up onto the haystack. It turned out that several dogs had been attracted by the smell of meat and were circling around in the yard.

After a delicious and hot meal, Qian Jin packed his things and prepared to leave.

He's not only coming to Liu's production team, but also to visit another team; he has other business to attend to.

Qian went inside to drive, and Liu Wangcai's wife insisted on stuffing two aluminum lunchboxes into his bag. Inside, one contained pure white lard, and the other golden pork cracklings.
"This is homemade pork crackling, nothing fancy, but I'll give this to your girlfriend to try. You must tell her that all the people in the Liu family are looking forward to her coming to visit."

Qian Jin took out a piece of fried lard and put it in his mouth.

The crispy fat bursts with rich aroma between your teeth; this is practically the most precious food these days.

A group of people came out to see him off, and Qian Jin told them to go home, but no one listened to his instructions.

This means he has no choice but to floor the accelerator.

The roar of the old engine startled the crows on the withered branches by the roadside, the aluminum lunchbox in the satchel jingled, and the car wobbled away.

Qian Jin first went to Gaoping Production Brigade and visited Lin Hai's cousin, the head of the Comprehensive Management Section, again.

Lin Hai played a role in his becoming the brigade leader this time, and he must not forget his roots.

He sent some peanut oil, sugar, biscuits and other scarce supplies to Lin Hai's cousin, and also sent some local specialties back to Lin Hai.

While setting aside the local specialties, he saw a coarse cloth bundle in the passenger seat.

This is not his.

Curious, Qian Jin opened it and found six hard-boiled eggs inside, which were being protected.

There was a cigarette box underneath, with crooked pencil writing on it that read: "This is to help the leader who drives the 'Iron Bull' recover his health, and to thank him for tolerating the child's naughtiness."

This made him sigh.

He thought it was just novelty and fun for the children to run around in the car, but he never expected that someone would thoughtfully prepare a gift for him.

With the weather getting colder, chickens are laying fewer eggs. These six eggs will probably take half a month or even twenty days to accumulate.

He put away the eggs and drove to the blacksmith's shop.

In winter, the blacksmith's shop becomes a great place, like a large, panting furnace, with hot air billowing out as soon as you push open the door.

Old Huang huffed and puffed as he swung his hammer, sparks flying onto the mute man's shiny apron, burning many new holes in it.

Qian Jin walked in, stepping on the coal dust scattered on the ground. Cai Laoliu, who was humming "Shajiabang" in the middle of the song, was overjoyed: "Oh, the leader is here?"

"Quickly bring out the six newly forged steel crossbows and show them to the leader; he'll definitely need them."

"Thank you, Master Cai. Are you still busy?" Qian Jin slapped the letter of introduction bearing the red seal of the Taishan Road Neighborhood Committee onto the anvil. "Hasn't the letter from the organization inviting you masters to visit and learn from the city arrived yet?"

When someone was making the gold box for him before, he had suggested that he invite the blacksmiths to come to the city for a visit.

Now that he has been promoted to head of the transport team, he needs to invite the blacksmiths into the city.

It's not just about eating, drinking, and having fun; we need to get something serious done.

He needed the help of the old blacksmiths to start his first fire in Kaohsiung.

He had made preparations for this when he first took office, and even asked someone to deliver a message to Huang Laotie.

"Boss, don't joke around with us roughnecks." Old Huang wiped the coal dust off his beard, revealing rough skin scorched by sparks. "Are we, with hands that wield sledgehammers, going to the city to tarnish socialism?"

Qian Jin took the crossbow and then pulled out a pack of Blue Gold Deer cigarettes, handing them out: "What you're saying is a disgrace to our socialist country. The worker-peasant alliance is the main body of our country, and you are the masters of the country!"

"I sent you a message through someone, didn't you read it?"

The group burst into laughter: "We're all illiterate bumpkins. We've long since returned the few words we got from the teacher in the literacy class."

"Only the mute boy studied hard enough to learn to read, but what good is it for him? Words are like dumplings in a teapot—they have a mouth but can't be poured out!"

Qian Jin said helplessly, "You've ruined my important plans!"

Seeing this, Huang Laotie became serious: "Boss, you're not just taking us into the city for some food and drinks, is there really something else?"

He further explained, “We couldn’t understand the letter, but we definitely had to carry out the instructions in the letter you sent, so we asked the commune clerk to read it for us.”

Qian Jin said, "If I really need your help, I will definitely not make things up!"

Upon hearing this, Huang Laotie immediately began to take off his leather apron: "Alright, comrades, hurry up and get ready when you get home. Let's not waste time and cause trouble for the leaders."

Qian Jin laughed and said, "It won't delay you. I drove here. We'll just step on the gas and head into the city in a bit."

The blacksmiths were even more excited when they heard that they could take a carriage into the city.

Qian Jin said, "Bring your wife and children along! I promised you, and I must keep my word!"

The blacksmith shop was immediately thrown into chaos:

"Why take those women and children along?"

"Not enough to cause trouble for the leaders."

"What help can they possibly provide? They're really good at making things worse for the leaders."

Qian Jin said firmly, "Take them with you, so the ladies know that you brothers also have cadre friends in the city!"

The blacksmiths also longed to take their families to the city.

They just didn't want to trouble Qian Jin, who had been helping them all along; these honest men felt they had let Qian Jin down.

Now that Qian Jin had laid it all out, the blacksmiths chuckled and went home.

Wash your face, wash your hair, and change your clothes.

However, after years of blacksmithing, coal ash and iron filings had seeped into their calluses.

Looking at his four old buddies who seemed much the same as usual, Huang Laotie sighed and said, "Unless we peel off our own skin, we won't be able to make a new impression."

Qian Jin didn't care at all, and went up to put his arm around his shoulder, saying, "The calluses and scars on your bodies are not dirty things, but medals of the working people!"

Their families were quite numerous; everyone except the mute had wives and children. However, the mute had brought his older brother and sister-in-law, who were taking care of him, so there were quite a few people in the family.

Fortunately, Qian Jin arrived by car, and the truck bed was spacious and roomy when opened.

"Boss, there's a lot of pork here," said Old Dog's wife, who had boarded the car first, after pulling open a straw mat.

Qian Jin was startled; he knew it without even looking.

Liu Wangcai slaughtered a pig, and apart from the meat he stewed for lunch, he put the rest in his car.

He should have been able to guess that.

There was no way to go back now, so Qian Jin cleaned up the pork, put the children in the driver's seat, and squeezed the adults into the truck bed.

This is by no means shabby nowadays; in fact, it's something to be proud of, especially for the blacksmiths' wives.

At the commune intersection, people came and went, and they greeted acquaintances warmly when they encountered them:

"The city leaders invited my family to come to the city for a visit..."

"Let's go into the city and see how tall the buildings are..."

"Today I'm getting a treat from the boss, we're going to eat at a restaurant in the seaside city..."

Huang Laotie glared at this and said, "A bunch of disgraceful bastards! You're like pulling a millstone naked—making a fool of yourselves in circles! Get up there now!"

Qian Jin laughed heartily: "No rush. We'll go into town this afternoon, have dinner at a state-run restaurant tonight, and then we won't be coming back to stay. I'll treat you to a guesthouse."

"Tomorrow I'll take you to my workplace for a look around, and then I'll find a car to take you back..."

Now even the blacksmiths couldn't resist showing off.

They frequently interacted with staff from the commune and county agricultural machinery units.

As far as they knew, even commune cadres would try to return to the city on the same day, reluctant to eat at state-run restaurants or stay in guesthouses in the city.

The small truck sputtered into the city, and Qian Jinxian led them to the department store.

A group of people were freezing in the back of the truck, their hands and feet numb, but when they entered the city and saw rows of buildings, a constant stream of bicycles, and buses that they had never seen in the countryside, they were immediately filled with excitement.

When Cai Laoliu learned that they were going to the department store, he felt embarrassed: "Boss, aren't we on official business? Let me get you what you need done first. Do you need any ironware repaired?"

Qian Jin shook his head: "No, we'll talk about serious matters tomorrow. I need to take you to my workplace first."

"Let's go to the department store now. I see the ladies have brought their tickets. We'll see if there's anything we need and then buy it!"

Qian Jin is now so famous on Taishan Road that he is unparalleled.

He single-handedly controlled the labor shock brigade and the public security shock brigade, personally organized large-scale study classes, and, more importantly, spearheaded the work of the former director of the neighborhood committee. All of these things brought him great fame.

His presence was different from that of a department store.

As a grassroots unit of the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, the notification of Qian Jin's promotion was sent over on the same day. They had read the reasons for Qian Jin's promotion in the notification, as Qian Jin was particularly famous here.

As soon as he entered, the sales clerks, who had previously been indifferent to the customers, all broke into smiles.

Bai Jie's attitude towards him was the most exaggerated.

Because Qian Jin tripped up Zhang Hongbo, who had harassed her, she always wanted to thank Qian Jin.

So when Qian Jin entered today, she greeted him directly from the north entrance where the bicycle counter was located: "Hey, Captain Qian, what brings you here?"

Qian Jin pointed to the timid blacksmith and his family and said, "I went back to my hometown and brought my relatives to the city for a visit."

"Dude, I've made it big now, I can't forget the people from my hometown who helped me."

Bai Jie would usually roll her eyes at the sight of country folk, but this time she gave a thumbs up: "Captain Qian is a real man."

She thought for a moment and said to the women, "A batch of defective fabric just arrived at our building today. It's scrap fabric from the No. 2 State-owned Cotton Mill, but there aren't many scraps."

"Would you like to buy some? No tickets needed, and the price is half price!"

The women's eyes lit up when they heard that.

Huang Laotie's wife was straightforward: "Don't worry about the yarn, even if it gets dyed black, we can still make cotton-padded jackets and trousers!"

This flawed fabric is considered a good commodity and is in high demand even in the city.

After all, it's free and much cheaper.

Bai Jie led them to the textile counter, where the walls and tables were covered with all kinds of fabrics, making the women dazzled and drooling.

Bring out the defective fabric.

The women displayed a fighting spirit comparable to that of harvesting wheat as soon as they touched it.

Huang Laotie's wife clutched a piece of navy blue khaki cloth tightly, saying, "This tuft of fabric is in a good spot. It can be used to cover up the underarm area when making clothes, even without dyeing!"

The saleswoman at the textile counter tried to smile, but Bai Jie winked at her and subtly pointed at Qian Jin.

The saleswoman's smile immediately lit up: "We also have corduroy, which would be great for making a lining for a cotton-padded jacket. It just has some mildew spots, but if you air it out in the sun for a few days, the mildew spots will turn into clouds!"

As she spoke, she brought out some more cloth.

The women spent all their money on cloth...

The blacksmiths stared wide-eyed at the hardware counter.

When Cai Laoliu first saw an electric grinder, the salesperson's demonstration startled him so much that he took three steps back: "Good heavens, are there still such technological products now?"

Old Dog was unconvinced. Taking advantage of the salesperson's inattention, he tapped all the displayed anvil samples: "Our hand-forged ones are still the most solid!"

He said to Qian Jin, "Boss, if your unit needs anvils, just tell me, and I'll make some for you!"

Qian Jin smiled and said he definitely would.

He led children of all ages around the grocery store, giving each of them 50 cents to buy candy.

The naive child actually bought the hard candy, while the cunning child gave the money to his mother and then shared the hard candy with his friends.

Qian Jin handed a cigarette to the young man behind the counter: "How's the study room?"

The young man went to study after get off work; he's also taking the college entrance exam this year.

He respectfully accepted the cigarette and said, "I think I've made great progress, thank you Principal Qian."

"What kind of principal am I? Don't make a fool of yourself." Qian Jin quickly shook his head.

When the child's parents arrived, the young man took out several bags tied with red string:
"Comrades, buy some of these for your elderly parents and children. They're all crushed biscuits, and our unit is clearing them out cheaply. They're usually 50 cents a pound, but now they're only 10 cents. Isn't that a great deal? You can eat them yourself too, it's just as good."

Upon hearing this, the women reached into their pants and socks, and took out their treasured money to buy broken biscuits, melted sugar, and other defective products.

When they left the department store, everyone, big and small, had a satisfied smile on their face.

Huang Laotie and the others became even more respectful towards Qian Jin.

They realized they had underestimated the leader's status and abilities.

Qian Jin didn't care at all: "You've misunderstood something. The comrades inside are my colleagues. They think I brought relatives from my hometown and are just giving me face."

Huang Laotie and the others smiled obsequiously, "Yes, yes, yes."

The mute brother glared at his wife and muttered to himself, "I told you to be nicer to my brother, but you're always so arrogant."

“Let me tell you, don’t look down on people. My grandfather’s generation was also a skilled craftsman. Back then, he worked in this city, and all the wealthy families had to go to him to make silverware.”

"Also, be good to my younger brother and don't look down on him. Who knows when he'll meet a benefactor?"

The mute woman shrank back and said weakly, "I cut a piece of work cloth today, so I'm going to sew him a new outfit for the New Year."

The mute brother nodded in satisfaction.

The other women and children were very satisfied.

The newly acquired cloth was inspected again and again, and its dimensions were even measured with outstretched arms.

This made Huang Laotie furious: "The sales clerk used a ruler to measure it, how can your palm be more accurate than a ruler?"

The women chuckled and quickly gathered up the cloth.

The children wandered around, wanting to break up cookies and melt candy, never having a moment's rest.

Qian Jin greeted them, "Now that you've finished shopping at the department store, let's find a place to sit down."

"Later I'll have someone take you to see a movie, 'The Long March,' it's a color feature film, it's good."

"It's time to eat after the movie. Tonight, I'll treat my brothers and sisters-in-law to a state-run restaurant!"

Huang Laotie was flattered: "Don't look at this and that, boss, if there's anything, just lead us. We're all destined to work, we can't enjoy ourselves!"

Qian Jin said, "The work starts tomorrow. You need to go to my workplace. You need to combine our work environment with my requirements to create a batch of very important tools for me."

"Don't worry, this job won't be easy, but you'll be a great help to me when the time comes!"

(End of this chapter)