The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 115 There's an art to gift-giving, and there are vacancies at restaurants (Please subscribe)
The setting sun cast its last rays on the red fish-scale tiles of the Western-style house, giving them a rusty color. It was sunny today, but very cold.

As evening fell, the water flowing through the cracks in the stone slabs froze.

A tabby cat peeked out from the entrance of the state-run grocery store.

Qian Jin and Qiu Dayong rode by on their bicycles, startling it so much that it leaped over the slogan wall next to it, quickly climbed up the wall to the eaves, kicked off a few icicles, and disappeared without a trace.

The faint sound of ship horns from the fishing port drifted into the streets, while a loud broadcast blared from the loudspeaker at the intersection:
"The meeting pointed out that the education sector, like other sectors across the country, is in a very favorable situation. The vast majority of cadres and teachers are enthusiastically responding to the national call, and their enthusiasm for cultivating talent for building a modern socialist country is at an unprecedented high..."

"Millions of young people studied cultural and scientific knowledge for the revolution, and are about to step into the examination hall to be tested by the motherland and the people for the needs of national development..."

Qian Jin asked, "Our province is about to have its college entrance exams soon. How are your comrades doing with their preparations?"

"Huh?" Qiu Dayong suddenly came to his senses. "I...I didn't hear you clearly. What did you say, Brother Qian?"

"Hey, do you think it'll be okay for us to go see the leader this time? Will we be able to get the gift in?"

"I heard that Section Chief Cui of your unit's labor and personnel department is an old revolutionary, the most impartial and incorruptible. Several times, people have given him gifts, and he threw them into the street."

Qian Jin laughed and said, "I'll definitely get it in. Just watch me."

"Gift giving is an art, just like treating an illness requires the right medicine. You also have to give gifts to the right people."

He rushed to leave work early tonight because he had to see his boss again.

Meet with Cui Hu, head of the Labor and Wages Section of the Municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

Hu Shunzi's team was short of people. Since Yang Shengzhang had agreed to fill the gap, he wanted the labor and personnel department to fill the gap from the educated youth transport team.

He inquired about Cui Hu's situation, made some targeted purchases, and found Qiu Dayong to go visit Cui Hu together.

Qiu Dayong brought his own gifts, tightly tying a small bag around his waist, saying it was a treasure he brought back from the old forest farm.

However, he estimated that he wouldn't be able to deliver it, just as he said, he had already inquired about the leader's temperament.

It was rush hour.

The sounds of bicycle bells, the creaking of coal carts, and the clanging of tin menders hammering tinplate all blended together.

Boys in cotton-padded coats spun their tops across the stone path, the cracking sound of the wooden whips startling the sparrows pecking at the ground.

Qian Jin's eyes lit up when he saw a wooden plank tied to the front of the three-wheeled coal truck with the words "Building No. 12, Wutaishan Road" on it.

He then gave Qiu Dayong a wink, signaling him to wait, while he rode his bike to find the children spinning tops.

They were given a handful of candies, and the boy in the lead thumped his chest loudly.

Then they sped up and turned onto Wutaishan Road.

Just as the coal truck was turning at the intersection to enter Wutaishan Road, they suddenly darted out.

Because the children ran so fast and suddenly, the coal cart swerved to avoid the oncoming children and ended up overturning!
The children ran away laughing and joking, which angered the coal deliveryman, who then launched into a tirade of curses.

The coal basket fell to the ground, the red paint on it peeling off and becoming even more blurred. The coal balls rolled around, turning into black pearls scattered on the ground in the twilight.

Seeing this, Qian Jin quickly called Qiu Dayong to help: "Comrade, don't worry."

The two men lifted the cart, each with a basket, and quickly put the coal briquettes back on and then loaded them back onto the cart.

The workers were extremely grateful and shook hands with each of them, saying, "Thank you both so much! Which company are you from? I need to write a letter of commendation!"

Qian Jin waved his hand and said, "Look at what you're saying. Do we young people need a letter of praise for doing something casually? This kind of awareness is laughable."

"You go ahead with your work, we still have to meet with the leaders."

The worker felt terrible seeing the coal grime covering the two men's hands: "Oh dear, how are you going to face the boss now? I'm so sorry, it's all those bastards' fault..."

"Kids are just reckless like that. There's no need to blame them. Anyway, they didn't cause any losses to the country or your company." Qian Jin smiled magnanimously.

"Goodbye, comrade, we're leaving now."

He led Qiu Dayong forward with light steps.

Qiu Dayong asked in confusion, "Those children?"

"I told them to jump out and knock the car over," Qian Jin said with a sly smile.

Qiu Dayong was even more puzzled: "What's the point of this? How are we going to take him home with our hands so dirty?"

Qian Jin winked mysteriously and said, "I have a brilliant plan."

The main reason was that he wasn't sure if his plan would succeed, so he didn't dare to say it in advance, otherwise Qiu Dayong would laugh at him in his heart if it failed.

This coal truck was delivering coal to several units in Building 12 on Wutaishan Road. Coincidentally, Cui Hu lived in Unit 1 of Building 12.

He noticed that the coal truck was delivering rather precious anthracite briquettes today, so he guessed that they might be intended for Cui Hu.

Cui Hu was indeed highly conscious; unlike Lin Hai, he didn't live in the better-equipped staff quarters of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but instead lived in an old dormitory building.

However, Qian Jin felt that this was, after all, a leader with great power in the unit, and the unit should not withhold cadre benefits just because he was highly motivated.

High-grade smokeless coal briquettes were specifically allocated to cadres of all ranks in the supply and marketing cooperative. Qian Jin knew this because he, as the team leader, had also been allocated a certain quota.

Building No. 12 is right in front of us.

A female worker riding a bicycle turned into the inner courtyard, ringing her bell. In the net bag hanging on the handlebars, salty water was dripping from the tail of a ribbonfish through the hole.

In several apartment buildings, the coal smoke drifting from the windows weaves a layer of gray silk over the community.

The smell of smoke mingled with the aroma of steamed buns, the spiciness of chili peppers, and the smoky fragrance of someone frying salted fish, all colliding and clashing.

Qian Jin found the mottled vermilion door of the head of the labor and personnel department's house, where the flames of a honeycomb briquette stove were licking the bottom of an aluminum pot outside.

A basket of smokeless coal briquettes was placed next to it.

This put Qian Jin at ease.

They knocked on the door, and a dull thud was heard from inside. Then a man in his fifties opened the door and looked out warily.

"Who?"

Qian Jin said, "Section Chief Cui, I am a soldier under Minister Yang. I have come to you today to ask for your advice. I would appreciate it if you could help us new recruits and give us some guidance on our work."

He had met Cui Hu, or rather, Cui Hu had met him and held a small commendation ceremony for him.

But worried that he wouldn't be able to get into Section Chief Cui's house with this kind of face, he brought out Yang Shengzhang.

Qian Jin always thought that Yang Shengzhang had never been a soldier, but was just a civilian worker who supported the front lines, but had made meritorious contributions and received awards, which is why he entered the supply and marketing system.

Now that I've just learned that Yang Shengzhang was not only a soldier but also a high-ranking military officer, he'll naturally refer to himself that way.

Because Cui Hu was the same; he was a military veteran who had actually served in the army and killed enemies.

The two are at the same rank, have similar personalities, and interact frequently at work, so they have a good relationship.

Upon hearing Qian Jin introduce himself and mention an old friend, Cui Hu frowned, opened the door, and let the two into the house.

Seeing that the two were carrying a lot of things in large and small bags, Cui Hu wanted to close the door again, but the two had already come in.

His expression turned sour; he kept frowning and glancing sideways at people, which made Qiu Dayong chuckle sullenly.

Qian Jin quickly glanced around the room.

Cui Hu's house was completely different from Lin Hai's house; there were very few appliances and furniture, but many cats!

The whitewashed walls were scratched into abstract patterns by cat claws. Just inside the door, next to a coal pile in the corner, stood a faded tin biscuit tin—filled with cornmeal batter mixed with fish entrails, emanating a fishy smell.

The living room has almost no furniture other than tables, chairs, benches, and cabinets, let alone appliances.

On the table were lunchboxes and stacks of various bound volumes of newspapers and magazines. This seemed to be the only place in the house without cats; there were many cats in other places.

The wooden chair, upholstered in faux leather and wrapped in a military blanket, had two tabby cats fast asleep in the hollow.

This is an office chair provided by the company. The red paint on the armrests bearing the logo "Haigong XX" has peeled off badly.

There was also a tabby cat occupying a tattered sponge cushion on the ground, and a kitten curled up in a wicker thermos cover, which seemed to have been converted into a cat bed.

There were also a few old white cats tearing at old military uniforms on the wooden plank bed, and with a few cats hiding, there were probably more than a dozen of them.

Qian Jin looked at the cats, and the cats looked at Qian Jin, with a few even tentatively trying to get closer to him.

Cui Hu let them in but didn't offer them seats, let alone water.

He stood there with his arms crossed and asked the two men, pretending not to recognize Qian Jin, "What kind of soldiers are you under Minister Yang? What do you want to ask me?"

Just as Qian Jin was about to speak, a large black cat jumped up and nimbly slipped into his briefcase.

Cui Hu quickly went to catch the cat.

As a result, the other cats all swarmed around Qian Jin, leaving Cui Hu speechless. He could only wave his hands and stomp his feet, shouting, "Go away, go away, get out of here!"

Qian Jin stroked the little calico cat and laughed, "It's nothing, it's probably just smelling my cat scent."

Cui Hu was somewhat surprised: "You keep cats too?"

Qian Jin has always been a liar, and lying comes naturally to him: "I don't have one, because I have a dog and can't keep a cat."

"But there are a lot of stray cats now, and nobody takes care of them. Sometimes I get them something to eat. After feeding them for a long time and a lot of times, they are willing to get close to me, and they may have left their scent on me."

"By the way, I know Section Chief Cui also likes cats, and he even brought some gifts for your cat."

He opened his briefcase, which was full of dried fish that had been taken apart.

Special times call for special images.

These dried fish are all scraps, and they're very cheap in the mall, practically free.

But the cats that pounced on them weren't attracted by the dried fish. Qian Jin first took out a bunch of dried fish wrapped in newspaper, and then a ball of hay that he had crushed and then vigorously crushed together again.
Cat grass balls!
But it's not just made from cat grass; it also contains catnip, valerian, and gall berries, which are very appealing to cats.

Catnip, in particular, is extremely attractive to cats.

Of course, not all cats are interested in catnip, so Qian Jin peeled the packaging off several catnip balls and carried them around, but only a few cats came up to him.

The cats were very interested in the cat grass ball and kept climbing on Qian Jin's body, tearing at his clothes with their claws.

This was the first time Cui Hu had seen his cat so proactively seeking things out of someone, and his interest and curiosity were piqued. He asked:

"what is this?"

Qian Jin explained, "It's made from some grass powder that has been squeezed very hard. It contains valerian, which is a traditional Chinese medicine that can relieve stress, calm the nerves, and relieve pain."

"Cats like this grass because, as you know, Section Chief Cui, cats are easily agitated, so they like valerian, which can calm them down."

"The most abundant substance inside is cat grass. Cat grass can induce vomiting in cats. If they don't eat well or have an upset stomach, they can eat cat grass to induce vomiting and defecation."

Cui Hu suddenly realized: "Oh, that's right, my cat often runs out to eat grass."

Qian Jin said, "You didn't notice, but they vomit after eating the grass because they often ingest things like hair, and cat grass helps them vomit to stay healthy."

In fact, cat grass is important to cats for more than just that.

But saying too much is useless.

Some knowledge is outdated.

Qian Jin handed the catnip ball to Cui Hu: "Section Chief Cui, you need to keep this safe. When you're not using it, seal it in a plastic bag."

"Because it contains a kind of grass that makes cats happy and excited. If you have one cat at home, it's fine, but if you have more cats, they are more likely to fight."

"But it's very effective if you occasionally take this out and let your cat lick or chew on it. It contains Chinese herbal medicine that can cure diseases, such as loss of appetite, lethargy, or bad breath."

Looking at these grass balls, Cui Hu was momentarily at a loss.

He never accepts gifts.

Qian Jin further explained: "Section Chief Cui, these are all made from weeds he collected himself. He didn't buy them or ask anyone for them."

"I just looked at what kind of grass cats often eat and what its uses are, and then I came up with this thing."

He had processed the catnip ball twice, and the processing marks were very clear. Even the seasoned veteran Cui Hu couldn't spot the problem.

When the cats saw that the ball had been transferred to Cui Hu's hands, they started climbing onto Cui Hu again.

They were not afraid of Cui Hu and became even more arrogant in their robbery.

Seeing this, Cui Hu reluctantly accepted the gift. He invited the two men to sit down and offered each of them a cigarette.

Harvest cigarettes without filters.

Cui Hu explained, "We don't have any good cigarettes at home, so I usually smoke this."

“This is good, let’s smoke this too, it’s strong.” Qiu Dayong was an honest man, and he actually lit one and started smoking.

Upon seeing this, Cui Hu smiled.

Qian Jin put down a large number of dried small fish and dried shrimp: "These are worthless scraps I collected when I went to the fishing village of Hongxing Commune to support agriculture."

"Nobody wants this in the fishing village; it's used to feed cats, but it's definitely a good thing to feed cats."

"I asked them to dry some of it and bring it back to feed the stray cats. The stray cats really like it."

He grabbed a handful of dried fish and put it on the ground. This woke up even the sleeping cat, which pounced on him and started fighting over it.

These scraps are not the usual freeze-dried fish, but rather naturally sun-dried items.

Compared to freeze-dried fish, it has a chewier texture, and in this day and age, no one will notice anything wrong with it.

Upon seeing this, Cui Hu muttered a couple of words, but Qian Jin couldn't hear what he said. It was probably something like saying that he was being too polite.

Then the section chief was even more hospitable, bringing over an enamel plate filled with melon seeds, peanuts, fruit, and candy.

Qian Jin thanked him repeatedly.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and a familiar voice called out from outside, "Old Cui, I've brought you some coal briquettes!"

Qian Jin was overjoyed.

All the effort I put in on the journey wasn't in vain!

He gave him a wink, and Qiu Dayong immediately went to open the door.

The old coal briquette deliveryman looked up at him and immediately smiled: "Oh, it's you, comrade?"

Qian Jin and Cui Hu also came out.

The old worker pointed at the two men and laughed at Cui Hu, "Are they your underlings? Well done, lads!"

Cui Hu asked, "What happened?"

The old worker recounted how his vehicle overturned while swerving to avoid a child, and how the two of them rushed to help pick up the coal briquettes:
“Old Cui, you didn’t see it at the time, but there were quite a few people passing by on the road, many of whom were from our street. I usually deliver coal to their homes, and they always call me Master Zhang and thank me.”

"I crashed on the street, and they just rode away without even looking. I know they were afraid of getting their hands dirty and their clothes dirty, and I understand."

"That just goes to show how high your standards are, you've taught them very well!"

The old worker was also very kind-hearted.

He remembered that Qian Jin had said they were visiting a leader's home, so he praised the two of them to the skies in front of the leader.

Cui Hu was genuinely pleased to hear this, and patted the two men on the shoulder, encouraging them with, "Well done."

Qian Jin and the other man quickly helped unload the coal briquettes and clean up.

Finally, the coal deliveryman waved goodbye and left, giving the two men a pep talk: "Work hard at your job!"

Both of them agreed.

When we went back inside this time, the atmosphere was much better.

Cui Hu said without any politeness, "Your name is Qian Jin, right? The newly appointed captain of the Jia Gang area."

Qian Jin secretly thought that while he was a master liar, his boss was no less of a drama queen. "You held an awards ceremony for me, how could you not recognize me?"
Cui Hu asked, "What do you want with me?"

Qian Jin was straightforward; he first laid out the situation of Hu Shunzi's team, and then introduced Qiu Dayong's identity as the captain of the educated youth transport team:
“I know Qiu Dayong’s situation very well. His moving team is full of outstanding educated youth, which perfectly meets our unit’s recruitment needs.”

“The labor intensity in places like Jiagang is high, and most educated youth can’t handle it. So I believe that we should recommend him to join our team, regardless of personal relationships!”

A cat jumped into Cui Hu's arms, and Cui Hu slowly petted the cat.

He looked at Qiu Dayong's hand.

His palms and fingers were covered in black coal ash, but the thick black color couldn't hide the layers of calluses on them.

After considering for a minute or two, Cui Hu said, "Send me the street and personal information to my office tomorrow, and I'll discuss it with my colleagues."

“The leader is right. Young people should go to where they are needed to fight. If the porterage work in Jiagang is suitable for you, the organization will not stop you from moving forward.”

For a leader with his personality, it's already quite rare to see him keep his promises to this extent.

Qiu Dayong was overjoyed and quickly got up to express his gratitude.

Cui Hu waved his hand: "I won't help you. The organization gave me this job, and I will only do what I can to live up to it."

There's not much to talk about with such a pure person.

But to just leave like that would be going too far.

Fortunately, Qian Jin was prepared, and Cui Hu's love of cats could be put to good use at this time.

Qian Jin started by talking about the cats' usual activity range, and learned that these cats often went out to play. He then took out a small bottle and handed it to Cui Hu:

“There are so many parasites outside, like fleas and ticks. Some are in their fur and some are in their bodies, so Section Chief Cui, you need to make sure to deworm them.”

“I went to the countryside in Qiongzhou. As we all know, there are so many insects there. I learned some deworming formulas from a veterinarian at the fish farm. They can be used on dogs, cats, pigs, horses, cattle, and sheep.”

"You can use your fingernail to pick up some of this powder and feed it to them; that's enough for one big cat. And this liquid medicine, you can apply it to the back of their neck fur to get rid of parasites..."

Bayer, Germany: a miracle insecticide.

Cui Hu accepted the gift; he was quite pleased: "Hey, Captain Qian, you're really capable, you know a little bit about everything!"

Qian Jin said to Qiu Dayong, "This comrade knows more. I've only learned some strange skills and tricks, while Comrade Qiu Dayong knows all the practical skills."

Qiu Dayong explained, "I'm good at repairing doors, windows, tables, chairs, and benches. Otherwise, Section Chief Cui, do you have anything at home that needs repairing? I can show you my skills."

Cui Hu laughed at his straightforwardness and said, "It's a coincidence, I'm also good at this, so I've fixed everything in the house."

He added, "Your Minister Yang is also very good at this."

Upon hearing Yang Shengzhang's name, Qian Jin asked, "Section Chief Cui, wasn't our Minister Yang a commanding officer in the military before?"

After a brief silence, Cui Hu replied, seemingly unrelated to the question, "Minister Yang has a rich life experience and is a capable person with ambition, awareness, and ideas."

“You can find out by asking the old workers. He used to work in the capital's supply and marketing system. A few years ago, something happened, and he was implicated and sent to the grassroots level for training. He chose to come to this old place where he fought.”

“He is now the Minister of Warehousing and Transportation. He worked his way up from your position, so you must learn from him.”

After saying this, Cui Hu lost all interest in chatting. He pursed his lips tightly and turned the corners of his mouth down.

Qian Jin, understanding the implied meaning behind the song, glanced at his watch and said, "It's getting late, we should go now and not disturb you any longer."

Cui Hu didn't try to stop the two, but he gave Qian Jin a bag of candy before they left.

After all, everything Qian Jin gave him was a necessity.

The moon is high in the sky.

The last few withered leaves on the sycamore tree swirled in the wind.

A cold wind blows, and fallen leaves tumble about.

Qiu Dayong's hands, clutching his briefcase, trembled like leaves. He felt no cold at all; instead, his back was sweating profusely.

"Brother Qian!" He suddenly ripped open his faded work jacket, revealing a red cloth bag tightly tied around his waist.

"Actually, I also brought an old ginseng with me this time. It was a genuine century-old ginseng that my friend found with great difficulty in the forest farm of Xing'an League. I saved his life, and he gave it to me because he couldn't bear to give it to his family or sell it to the purchasing station."

"I originally thought it would be very useful, and I could give it to my superiors when I returned to the city. But it turned out to be completely useless. It's a good thing I didn't take it out, otherwise I think we would have been kicked out."

Qian Jin said, "Yes, I told you this a long time ago. Listen to me and don't do anything on your own."

“I had investigated the situation thoroughly before I came. This leader got married early and had children early. As a result, in 48, the White Dogs launched a counterattack, and because of his identity, his wife and children were all killed by the White Dogs.”

“After that, the leader stopped paying attention to his own family issues and started keeping cats for companionship.”

"So giving him a gift won't do any good, you should give the cat a gift!"

Qiu Dayong nodded: "Yes, that's definitely true."

“Then I’ll give you this old ginseng, but I’m not giving it to you as a gift, I’m giving it to your brother.”

Qian Jin was stunned: "My brother? You know my brother?"

Qiu Dayong laughed and glanced at his groin: "After you marry Teacher Wei, with Teacher Wei's charm, you'll need this sooner or later."

"I'll also get you some deer antler and stuff like that."

Qian Jin said, "Don't talk nonsense, my firepower is as fierce as a heavy machine gun."

"Soaking ginseng in alcohol will upgrade your heavy machine gun to a rapid-fire cannon!" Qiu Dayong's words convinced Qian Jin to accept the ginseng.

Qian Jin then feigned concern, saying, "We're all family here, don't put on this act. Do you think we're in 'Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy'? Do we have to give Third Master something when we go up the mountain to pay our respects?"

"From now on, when you start working, you'd better work hard at the docks. That's more effective than any ginseng—hey, did we really kneel down?"

As he was speaking, Qiu Dayong suddenly knelt down on one knee.

This sight startled Qian Jin.

This isn't how you express loyalty; it's more like a marriage proposal.

As a result, Qiu Dayong carefully examined the deflated tire of the bicycle, then suddenly jumped up and shouted excitedly:
"Damn it, who was the shameless bastard who punctured both of our tires?!"

Qian Jin went over to take a look and found that the bicycle tire did indeed have a puncture.

Qiu Daqi was about to start cursing.

This is a brand new bicycle that he redeemed. He cherishes it more than himself. He wouldn't have ridden it today if he weren't here to see his boss. Yesterday, his younger brother secretly rode it for a while, and he beat him up.

Now, the brand-new tires have been slashed.

Looking at the tires and inner tubes that had been ripped open by a knife, and at this bicycle that was clearly unusable.

The young man, who could carry a 200-pound sack and walk with a brisk pace, was suddenly so angry that tears welled up in his eyes:
"Which son of a bitch dared to scratch my car? You'd better step forward if you dare..."

Fearing that Cui Hu would overhear, Qian Jin could only swallow his anger and pull him away.

The cost this time was considerable.

All four tires were punctured; both the outer and inner tires were punctured, making them unusable.

The two pushed their cart home with grim faces. Qiu Dayong tearfully vowed that he would take a knife and cut off the perpetrator's leg to avenge him after finding him.

Qian Jin comforted him, but they couldn't get the perpetrator's identity out of him no matter how they talked on the way.

Completely bewildered, he pushed open his own green-painted door.

Suddenly, the aroma of mutton launched a surprise attack.

He was taken aback to see a fat figure busy in front of the stove.

Guan Dabao placed a wire mesh on the stove, and on the mesh were plump lamb ribs and spare chops.

Oil droplets kept falling into the charcoal pile, and the sizzling sound was reminiscent of a campfire burning on the grassland.

"Hey, brother, you're here?" Guan Dabao turned his head and smiled at him.

Qian Jin went up and shook hands with him happily: "Brother Da Bao, what brings you here? Why are you so busy right away?"

Liu Sanbing, who was waiting at the door smelling the aroma, hurriedly said, "Uncle Qianjin, Uncle Guan came shortly after you left. He said he's going to cook you a good meal tonight."

As he spoke, he sniffed hard.

Really fragrant!

"Kid, keep peeling garlic. Eating meat without garlic is like missing half the flavor!" Guan Dabao's apron was splattered with oil, looking like an abstract painting.

He picked up a large iron mesh and turned the lamb chops over; the caramel-colored gravy coated with cumin seeds emitted an irresistible aroma as it sat over the charcoal fire.

The stove from next door, 204, was also brought over. Lamb was simmering in a cast iron pot, and the milky white lamb soup was bubbling away. Guan Dabao took a moment to check the heat between grilling the meat and sprinkled in some goji berries.

Qian Jin stepped forward to help, but Guan Dabao waved him away, saying, "You go ahead with your work, I'll let you try my roasted lamb chops later."

"To tell you the truth, ordinary leading cadres don't get to eat this!"

Qian Jin laughed and said, "That's for sure. I've hardly ever seen this delicacy before."

He went inside and saw that a dish of pickled vegetables had already been set on the table: dark purple pickled garlic soaking in aged vinegar, and the red oil of spicy cabbage contrasting beautifully with the emerald green of pickled mustard greens.

Guan Dabao brought an aluminum lunchbox: "It's filled with mutton fat. Your wife is a good cook; she'll definitely be able to make pancakes."

"When you have time later, ask her to make you some mutton fat pancakes; they'll be absolutely delicious."

Qian Jin nodded in agreement, then asked, "What good news is there, Brother Da Bao? Why did you pull this stunt on me tonight?"

Guan Dabao chased the child away, then lowered his voice and said excitedly, "Brother, the spray you gave me was amazing!"

"To tell you the truth, I used to be unable to last long in front of your sister-in-law, but since I got this thing, I can last for ten or thirty minutes every night!"

Qian Jin suddenly understood.

That's what happened.

He chuckled, speechless: "Brother Da Bao, do you really have to go this far?"

Guan Dabao said seriously, "How could it not be? I'm not good at anything else in my life, I only care about two things: food and sex!"

"I can take care of my own food, but this lust is truly my inner pain..."

He later told Qian Jin.

It turns out that Guan Dabao's first wife passed away a few years ago, and he only married a pretty waitress last year.

As a result, Guan Dabao himself was a disappointment, and he could never hold his head up in front of his young wife.

The young wife took advantage of this to manipulate him, always finding fault with his parents and children.

Guan Dabao was a powerful figure at work, but a complete coward at home.

Qian Jin really helped him out of his immediate predicament. Today he was off the night shift and had time to express his gratitude immediately.

Naturally, his way of expressing his gratitude was to cook a sumptuous dinner.

As luck would have it, Qian Jin took Qiu Dayong to deliver gifts to the leaders, but when Qiu Dayong learned that Qian Jin hadn't eaten, he simply gathered all the necessary tools and got to work himself.

That's just right.

When the money came back, the dishes were almost ready.

Guan Dabao brought half a sheep and prepared stewed lamb leg, roasted lamb chops, cumin lamb, and stir-fried lamb offal.

Qian Jin quickly went to call Wei Qinghuan and Wei Xiongtu back. Qiu Dayong was lucky; he could stay and enjoy a meal.

These days, it's not a privilege that ordinary people can enjoy, as state-run restaurant chefs provide private meals.

Guan Dabao's mutton stew is very good.

Wei Qinghuan took small bites of the meat close to the bone, the mutton fat coating her lips, which shimmered and flowed under the light.

The sizzling, oily roasted lamb ribs are the most popular.

Qian Jin picked up a piece of pork rib with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, rolled it in coarse salt, and handed it to Xiao Tangyuan. Xiao Tangyuan hugged the rib and ate it with gusto, her mouth dripping with oil.

The four children were all slurping mutton soup, and they challenged Zhang Aijun to a contest to see who could drink the most. Zhang Aijun fought against all four of them and held his own.

Qian Jin added water to the mutton soup for the five of them, explaining that the soup was too hot and would burn them.

He gave Wei Qinghuan authentic milky white mutton soup.

The female teacher sipped the milky white mutton soup, but suddenly choked on the goji berries floating at the bottom of the soup, causing her face to turn red.

Qian Jin hurriedly patted her back, which made her feel embarrassed, and her cheeks flushed red.

On such a cold day, drinking mutton soup and eating roasted meat made Qian Jin sweat profusely and feel warm all over after the meal.

After eating and drinking to their hearts' content, Guan Dabao switched to Nine Treasures Tea. He slowly sipped his tea and said:

"Brother, do you remember when we first met I told you that the government thought there were too few state-run restaurants and not enough chefs, so they asked us to train apprentices to expand our business?"

Qian Jin nodded subconsciously: "I remember."

Guan Dabao asked, "Brother, I need to take on eight new apprentices, and I have some influence in the restaurant. Our Party Secretary has given me two freelance candidates."

"I've given you a relative who's a candidate. Do you need one?"

Qian Jin was taken aback, then overjoyed: "This is exactly what we need!"

Where's the chef?!
If we can train a chef, we definitely should.

It wasn't for the sake of working in a state-run restaurant.

He knew that after the reform and opening up, privately owned restaurants would spring up everywhere, and the business of state-owned restaurants would soon decline. Going in as a chef at this time was like joining the National Revolutionary Army in 48; there wouldn't be many good days left.

However, their mobile canteens will inevitably transform into restaurants in the future. In this case, having a chef from a state-run restaurant in charge of the kitchen would greatly facilitate the initial publicity work.

Furthermore, regardless of what has happened since the reform and opening up, all positions in state-run restaurants are currently considered good positions.

Because every household has barely managed to feed themselves, the common people are struggling to eat well.

That's why there are still many people who want to work in state-run restaurants.

Being able to secure a spot in this situation is a remarkable achievement.

Moreover, Qian Jin didn't need to pay any price or even pull any strings; the chef had already come to his door with an invitation.

He definitely has to seize this opportunity.

After the meal, when Guan Dabao was about to go home, Qian Jin gave him a return gift.

Guan Dabao was about to refuse.

Qian Jin gave a knowing smile.

Guan Dabao immediately responded with a knowing smile.

Qian Jin prepared pills and small granules for him. This time, he didn't give him anything random; they were all tonics that he felt Guan Dabao needed.

"This is a liver-protecting pill. You eat a lot of greasy food, so you probably have fatty liver. Taking a liver-protecting pill is good for your health."

"These pills are a good thing. They are a secret kidney-tonifying medicine made by an old Chinese medicine doctor. Use this small spoon to scoop out one spoonful at a time. It is specially used to nourish kidney yin and strengthen muscles and bones. It has a miraculous effect on kidney deficiency and lower back pain!"

This medicine is good.

Originally capsules, Qian Jin had the four children twist open each one, pour out the pills, and repackage them in a medicine bottle.

Qian Jin had originally prepared some for himself as well.

However, now that he has the old ginseng, he probably doesn't need this medicine anymore, so he gave it to Guan Dabao.

(End of this chapter)