The golden age began in 1977

From Chapter 122 onwards, you must listen to Brother Qian.

Song Hongbing is wasting his talent by working in logistics.

He should go into human resources or become a spy.

The file folder was full of personal files, and all eight foremen had their places inside.

In addition to the hundreds of porters, there were more than sixty of them.

The information recorded in the files varies, with some being as little as that of an honest man like Lao Guai, whose file simply records that he took a certain item from the unit as his personal property on a certain date.

There were mostly a few foremen like Du Feng.

They had embezzled many collective assets, and upon closer inspection, Qian Jin also discovered even more serious criminal activities:

Du Feng participated in the nighttime use of sampans and small boats to transport smuggled frozen beef, tripe, and other goods. He also participated in the flow of some foreign agricultural products into the black market by driving fish rafts.

Liao Yiqiangjun took advantage of his position to steal more than 300 kilograms of building materials, including steel bars and iron plates, from the construction site while the dock was being repaired in Jiagang. He then transported the stolen goods by sea and sold them.

Gu Jiashuai went even further. He was in charge of nighttime loading and unloading work in the summer of 75, and then colluded with a port gatekeeper to steal a lot of things by forging exit permits...

Qian Jin was stunned after reading it.

No wonder these people were manipulated by Song Hongbing; no wonder they said things like "we'll wipe them out" when they confronted Qian Jin today. It turns out his men are all villains!

To say that everyone in the group is a villain would be an exaggeration.

Many movers have disciplinary issues, but only a minority have committed illegal acts.

Five of the eight team leaders were suspected of serious violations of the law, but to Qian Jin's surprise, Hu Shunzi, that greedy fellow, had not committed any serious violations.

Song Hongbing's records of him included things like occupying a foot of cloth on a certain day, stealing a few cans of food on another day, drinking a few bottles of beer on a summer day but claiming that the beer bottles were broken, or stealing a few eggs from the canteen at a company dinner on another day, and so on.

Anyway, he's always petty thieves, but he doesn't commit any major crimes.

Petty theft is something that cannot be completely eradicated from the ranks of porters.

Take Qian Jin and Wei Xiongtu for example; the two of them once owned a pair of Warrior shoes.

Not to mention the two of them, even Li Chenggong, who had only been working for less than a month and was still a temporary worker, took these shoes.

Qian Jin had a headache after looking at this file.

If all the information were sent up, his team would probably collapse.

After thinking it over, Qian Jin immediately rode his bicycle to find Yang Shengzhang.

Even if the sky falls, it should be the tall ones who hold it up.

Let Yang Shengzhang decide how to handle the specifics; if there's a headache, let it be the minister who has it.

As for the foremen's future?

This money is beyond our control.

Who allowed them to break the law?
It's one thing to break the law, but why did they have to go against Qian Jin?

Qian Jin was simply doing what a law-abiding citizen and a legitimate leader should do.

In the minister's office, Yang Shengzhang was holding a large steamed bun and reading the newspaper that had just been delivered.

Qian Jin handed the file bag to him.

No need to eat steamed buns anymore, and no need to read the newspaper.

Yang Shengzhang was furious.

His eyes were wide open like saucers, and his lips were trembling as if he had a stroke.

Ultimately, after reading someone's record of illegal activities, he slammed his hand on the table in a fit of rage:

"These sons of bitches!"

"How dare you!"

Qian Jin remained silent, his hands hanging limply.

Yang Shengzhang glared at him angrily and asked, "You've already seen it, haven't you?"

Qian Jin nodded and then shook his head: "I only looked at a very small part. I was so scared when I saw it that I quickly sent all the materials to you."

Yang Shengzhang's eyebrow twitched, his face full of anger: "Is this what Song Hongbing secretly recorded?"

"Song Hongbing clearly discovered his subordinates' illegal activities, but instead of stopping them or reporting them, he actually recorded them himself and used them to threaten his employees into doing his own work?!"

"How could he be so audacious? Is this the kind of cadre who is supposed to serve the people?!"

Yang Shengzhang got up angrily, walked back and forth with his hands behind his back, and at one point even wanted to take down the carrying pole hanging on the wall to hit people.

This put Qian Jin in a very awkward position, so he quickly went up to persuade the old worker to stop.

"Boss, please calm down. Don't get so angry."

“The matter definitely needs to be resolved, but beating them up won’t do any good. Forgive my bluntness, but never mind, I won’t be blunt.”

Yang Shengzhang pushed him away and went back to sit down behind his desk.

He lifted the enamel mug and took a big gulp of water, but then choked and coughed violently.

Qian Jin patted him on the back.

He shoved Qian Jin aside and asked, "You little rascal, let me ask you, you're the captain now, what do you do when something like this happens?"

Qian Jin immediately said, "I might not still be the brigade leader."

"You dare to challenge me?" The old worker slammed his fist on the table in anger.

But he was a truly enlightened and pure-minded people's cadre, and his rewards and punishments were always based on the matter, not the person.

After calming down, he frankly said, "I was too angry yesterday, and I was impulsive in my words and decisions, almost making a big mistake."

"I apologize to you for this, Comrade Qian Jin, I wronged you!"

Qian Jin did not expect Yang Shengzhang to apologize on his own initiative.

This is a veteran cadre who has made great contributions and worked hard, but I never expected him to be so humble!
He was speechless: "Boss, you're exaggerating. It's just that there are too many scoundrels in our unit who have joined forces to harm you."

Yang Shengzhang sighed and slammed his hand heavily on the brown paper bag.

After calming down from his rage, he began to realize the seriousness of the situation.

If all of them are prosecuted, then the Jiagang Brigade will be essentially rendered useless, as if its bones have been broken.

Even if they are brought to justice, what about the other brigades in the warehouse department? And what about the transportation department?

He was constantly worried that the drivers in the transportation department would make mistakes, and his attention was mainly focused on these people.

Unexpectedly, the warehousing department was the first to run into problems.

Perhaps the Department of Transportation is also experiencing problems.

He silently told himself that young people these days are very quick-witted and can easily fool an old man like him.

What should we do?
He noticed that Qian Jin was staring intently at him, clearly waiting for his decision.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Yang Shengzhang lifted the glass panel on his desk and selected a photo from the ones underneath.

That's an old photo of him standing at the Jiagang Wharf in 1949 as a cadre in charge of the takeover.

Yang Shengzhang, who had just turned thirty, was wearing a cadre uniform with four pockets, with the newly raised national flag of the People's Republic of China behind him.

At this moment, the middle-aged man in the photo is also staring intently at himself thirty years later.

Never forget our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind!
Yang Shengzhang said, "Comrade Qian Jin, you did a very good job on this."

"I want to ask you, what do you think should be done about this?"

Qian Jin resolutely said, "If you're sick, you need treatment; if you break the law, you need to be arrested!"

"Minor mistakes can be corrected, but major mistakes must be dealt with according to the law!"

Yang Shengzhang tapped his index finger on the table with great force, causing the water in the enamel teacup to tremble slightly.

He then asked, "But treating an illness requires addressing the root cause. Arresting them is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. Who can say that those who come after them won't do the same thing? Isn't that right?"

"And those who come up later might do even worse!"

"So I'd like to test you: do you have a way to completely solve the crime problem in the warehousing and logistics chain?"

Qian Jin shook his head: "This is human nature, and there's no way to completely solve it."

The old worker was very disappointed.

Qian Jin thought for a moment and then said, "But we can think of some ways to control similar criminal behavior."

He guessed that his superiors would ask this question after he made the decision to submit the document.

This is standard procedure.

Therefore, he was prepared.

Yang Shengzhang became interested and asked, "Then tell me about it?"

Qian Jin pretended to think, counting on his fingers as he paced around the office, then asked for paper and pen and started writing and drawing.

This piqued Yang Shengzhang's interest, and for a moment he forgot to scold his incompetent subordinates, looking at Qian Jin with great anticipation.

Qian Jin stopped and said, "Sir, I'm going to report now..."

"Forget all that nonsense, just tell me your strategy." Yang Shengzhang slammed his hand on the table.

Qian Jin said, "I will start from five points. The first point is called job background check and authority classification."

“You are very familiar with this background check; it’s what we call checking one’s background and class.”

"But the investigation needs to be more rigorous. We need to check whether there are any registered illegal or criminal activities, and we need to ask around to find out about their usual credit and sense of responsibility. After taking up their posts, they need to sign something like a 'Law-Abiding Commitment' or a 'Clean Conduct Commitment,' which will specify the consequences of committing a crime."

"The so-called hierarchical authority system means that the job positions should be more detailed and the operational authority should be divided according to the responsibilities. We should not be like we are now, where everyone is a porter and all the work is the responsibility of the porter."

“For things like warehouse entry and exit, you need to assign a separate person to be in charge, and every time you enter or exit the warehouse, you need two people to count and record it.”

Yang Shengzhang had only intended to listen, but Qian Jin explained in great detail, and his eyes grew wider and wider until he couldn't help but slam his fist on the table and ask:

"This is the first point? There are four more points after this?"

Qian Jin said, "That's right."

Yang Shengzhang opened his notebook and said, "Then speak slowly, let me write it down. First, we need to check class and background, and then what?"

Qian Jin had no choice but to repeat it again.

After repeating himself, he said, "The second point is that our unit needs to standardize its operating procedures from now on..."

"Don't rush, let me see if my record is accurate first." Yang Shengzhang waved his hand without looking up.

He scanned the notebook with his pen and nodded in satisfaction: "Yes, that's the point, the second point."

"What's the second point? What standards do you want our unit to follow from now on?"

Qian Jin coughed after hearing this.

Yang Shengzhang thought he had talked too much and his throat was sore, and he didn't care about hygiene or privacy—old revolutionaries like them didn't care about these things.

Anyway, he simply handed over his enamel mug: "Take a sip of water to moisten your throat."

Qian Jin declined, and continued, "Our department must have clear regulations, such as something like 'Handling Operation Standards'."

"At that time, we will clarify the things that must be checked during the handover of goods, and sign them after checking. Ideally, this signature should also be subject to lifelong responsibility. If any problems are found in the future, no matter where the person is, as long as they have not left the country, they will be held responsible."

Yang Shengzhang nodded in deep agreement.

Qian Jin said, "The key point here is standardization. Everything and everything needs to be standardized to reduce the space for individual discretion."

“That makes sense, go on.” Yang Shengzhang’s pen flew across the paper, more attentive than the elementary school students listening to the lecture.

Qian Jin said, "The third point is the oversight mechanism."

"A dedicated inspection and spot check process should be set up, with the person in charge conducting random checks on the goods at unscheduled times for surprise re-weighing."

"If conditions permit, multiple such inspection and supervision officials should be appointed. By cross-referencing data, the occurrence of violations of discipline and law can be minimized."

Yang Shengzhang hesitated for a moment, then said, "Do we need to increase manpower?"

Their department already has some redundant staff.

Qian Jin said, "There's no need to increase manpower, leader. Do you remember those new labor tools I prepared?"

"I can assure you that once those tools are adopted, the demand for labor can be drastically reduced, or individual labor capacity can be greatly increased."

Yang Shengzhang nodded.

Love the house and the bird.

He is no longer so opposed to reforming the tools of labor.

"Go on, go on."

Qian Jin said, "We can no longer have a system of equal pay at work; we need to implement a reward and punishment system, preferably a tiered system."

He thought for a moment and shook his head: "Forget it, the step-by-step approach is too complicated. We have to take things one step at a time. Let's just implement a reward and punishment system first."

"Those who have no abnormal records during the entire month of random checks will be rewarded, while those with abnormal records will be punished, including fines or suspension for reflection."

"The fourth point is to conduct training, such as a professional ethics training session every quarter or month. During the training, those individuals who have violated laws and regulations should be shown to deter and warn them."

"The fifth point is to make the work environment transparent. At this point, we need to establish a reporting channel, allowing conscientious comrades to report violations of discipline and law, and rewarding them..."

Upon hearing this, Yang Shengzhang couldn't help but shake his head: "Isn't this encouraging infighting? We working class can't do that."

Qian Jin said, "Yes, leader, you're right, but the problem is, are those lawbreakers still considered part of our working class?"

"The working class must unite as one and never fight amongst themselves; anyone who violates the law or discipline will be expelled from the working class!"

Yang Shengzhang smiled wryly: "There's a voice in society saying that we older comrades are too radical, while you young comrades are too slick."

"I think you're even more radical than us."

"But these parasites, these leeches that drink the blood of the people, must be dealt with radically!"

Yang Shengzhang got angry again when he thought about those illegal and disciplinary violations.

Since Qian Jin had finished his report, he remained silent and listened attentively.

Yang Shengzhang scanned the recorded content again, becoming more and more satisfied with each scan.

I'm not satisfied with the content, but with the young man, Qian Jin.

They're quick-witted.

They have principles.

He's a good comrade!
Yang Shengzhang closed his notebook, stood up, looked at him, and said solemnly, "Qian Jin, I am very glad that I did not arbitrarily suspend you yesterday to make you reflect on your actions, otherwise I would have made a big mistake."

"However, given that the perpetrators of violations of discipline and law are right under our noses, as your leader and a veteran comrade and worker, I must warn you to never forget your identity and responsibilities, and never use your position to do anything illegal or unethical!"

Qian Jin solemnly said, "Please rest assured, leader, I will not put any of the company's belongings into my personal pocket. I will only take my own things and will never touch other people's or public property."

The old worker nodded: "You must keep your word, and not only must you do it yourself, but you must also supervise your people and make them do it too!"

Qian Jin said, "We will definitely supervise it well."

The old worker then asked, "How many people are in your educated youth transport team in Jiagang?"

"Tell me responsibly, what is their character like? Can you manage them?"

Qian Jin said, “There are more than sixty of them in total. Their character varies, but I can definitely manage them, or rather, I can manage them with rules and regulations.”

"Leader, we can't just rely on individual awareness to get things done; we also need to rely on rules and regulations to keep us in check!"

Yang Shengzhang said, "Okay, I understand. I've looked at the information on Qiu Dayong and the other comrades. Section Chief Cui just came to discuss this matter with me yesterday."

"According to Section Chief Cui's idea, two people should be selected for employment based on their merits, but the situation is special now, so be prepared to revamp the team."

After saying that, he grabbed the handle of the red telephone, his knuckles turning white from the force.

The turntable rattled and clicked, and soon his firm and powerful voice rang out:

"Security Department? Go to Jiagang Brigade immediately and take control of the following personnel: Gu Jiashuai, Du Feng..."

Starting with the foreman's name, they read out a string of thirty or forty names.

Qian Jin sighed inwardly.

Veteran revolutionaries are truly extraordinary; field army cadres who have fought in battles are simply different.

They are not afraid of offending people or losing their composure; they are decisive and courageous, and they will take drastic measures when necessary.

But making this decision is not an easy task for any leader.

Yang Shengzhang also has to take responsibility for the state of his subordinates.

He stood at the window and opened it.

The biting wind made his gray hair sway.

Qian Jin quickly dodged to the side.

Dude, I still have a low-grade fever!

Looking out the window towards Jiagang, the buildings are now low, while the office building of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is tall. He can see the masts in the direction of the dock.

Whether he was speaking to himself or to Qian Jin, Yang Shengzhang said, enunciating each word clearly:
"That coastline was carved out with the blood of countless good comrades. We who are still alive cannot let their blood be shed in vain! We cannot let them sacrifice themselves for our own selfish reasons!"

After gazing at Jiagang for a while, he turned around and took out a tin box from the bottom of the filing cabinet. Inside were neatly arranged photos of outstanding workers from previous years and his group photos.

He picked out one of the cards and gave it to Qian Jin: "Song Hongbing was once an advanced worker. I never thought he would end up like this."

"And Gu Jiashuai, I have a good impression of this comrade, he's alright. Hu Shunzi stopped, he was the one I was most worried about just now."

"This kid is a good worker, but he's also good at petty theft. Every time I talk to him alone, he either takes a pack of cigarettes or a box of matches from me before he leaves..."

Yang Shengzhang laughed as he spoke.

Qian Jin thought to himself, "This really is Hu Shunzi's style. This guy is a real scoundrel."

Yang Shengzhang gave him a day off: "You just recovered from a bad cold, so you don't need to stay on duty all day. Go home first."

“If things get chaotic in Jiagang, you can’t stay here and keep things under control. I have to go there myself.”

"Starting tomorrow, you'll help me clean up this mess. Remember to do it well. If you don't know how to clean it up, talk to Wang Hao. I was originally planning to have Comrade Wang Hao temporarily take over as the brigade leader today."

Qian Jin was taken aback: "I thought Liu Jinshan was going to temporarily take over." "Liu Jinshan?" Yang Shengzhang laughed heartily, "This comrade is no good. To be honest, I was quite surprised that I didn't see him in this bag today."

To be honest, Qian Jin was also surprised.

Liu Jinshan must have committed many illegal and disciplinary violations, but it's unclear why Song Hongbing didn't record them.

Perhaps he felt that the photos were enough to threaten Liu Jinshan, so he didn't bother to record anything else.

Anyway, he recorded these illegal and disciplinary violations not to report them, but to control them.

Qian Jin left work early.

He knew that Yang Sheng was protecting him.

After all, he was a new battalion commander, and the team was subjected to a major purge just a few days after he took office. This was unacceptable to outsiders and would be questioned internally.

Yang Shengzhang is a good leader. He takes responsibility for the teams he doesn't manage well and doesn't make his subordinates take the blame.

For this reason alone, Qian Jin was willing to work hard with him.

Back home, with nothing to do, Qian Jin took out the tiger bone and put it in the mall to check its value.

As a result, no price was set after the product was listed, and the online store refused to accept it!

This thing might actually be real tiger bone, which the country might not allow to be traded in the future, so this online store is actually quite law-abiding.

Since the mall wouldn't accept it, he bought a wine bottle, filled it with the wine himself, and drank it.

After getting their marriage certificate, he will live with Wei Qinghuan. I wonder if his body can handle it.

He tried it a couple of days ago, and the female teacher's long legs were really strong!
Qian Jin was tempted when he thought of Wei Qinghuan.

The female teacher has been taking good care of him lately, working both day and night, so he should repay her properly.

Let's make a delicious dinner.

In the afternoon, Qian Jin bought some Northeastern sauerkraut from the mall; it was a perfect day to eat "pig-killing feast."

In particular, he still had large chunks of fat and ribs left from the pork he brought back from the production team last time. He bought pig liver and blood sausage and put them on the cutting board, which was just the right amount to stew with sauerkraut.

On the aluminum pot on the honeycomb briquette stove, there were large bones from pork. Qian Jin squatted in front of the stove, using tongs to turn the coal pieces. Sparks crackled and burst, and flames roared.

Once the aluminum pot was placed on it, it quickly began to simmer.

When the water was added for the third time, the soup finally turned milky white, and the oil droplets gathered on the edge of the pot and formed an amber ring, like a mouthwatering rim on the pot of bone broth.

He now buys the most expensive food for himself. The pickled cabbage he bought this time was quite good; its tangy aroma made his mouth water.

As the cleaver cut, the cabbage stalks cracked crisply in his hand, the blade making a fine slicing sound as it cut through the fibers, and soon a large pile of sauerkraut shreds accumulated on the cutting board.

The best pickled cabbage leaves turn yellow, resembling slender gold bars.

He was happily imagining the delicious meat and sour soup he would enjoy later when he heard the sound of rubber shoes hitting the cement floor from outside the door. Qian Jin paused, his hand holding the kitchen knife.

They're coming for themselves.

He looked at Huang Chui.

Huang Chui was squatting by the stove, peeking out and smelling the aroma of bone broth while roasting his paws. His eyes were practically slits from the smell.

Qian Jin slapped it on the forehead: "Eat, eat, eat! All you think about is food! Someone's coming!"

Huang Chui moved to a spot out of his reach and continued to squint his dog eyes.

Qian Jin understood.

This is an acquaintance.

Sure enough, there was a knock at the door, and Qiu Dayong shouted:

"Brother Qian, are you home?"

Qian Jin opened the door.

Three dark figures, enveloped in a chilling aura, squeezed in. The leader, Qiu Dayong, removed his dog-skin hat, revealing a shaved, bluish scalp. Two of his men carried bulging net bags, with hemp ropes binding beer bottles.

"Brother Qian!" Qiu Dayong bowed deeply as soon as he entered the room.

Qian Jin grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up: "What are you doing? Hey, what happened to the back of your head? How come there's such a big scar?"

Qiu Dayong shaved his head at some point, and now he really does look a bit like a gangster.

The main thing is the centipede-like scar on the back of his head, which is particularly ferocious and quite intimidating.

A young man behind him chuckled: "He got hit by a cable during unloading last year. Brother Dayong is lucky to be alive..."

Qiu Dayong elbowed him: "Is this the time to explain? Didn't you see what I was doing?"

The two men quickly bowed and said, the bottles in the net bag clinking together: "Brother Qian, thank you."

Qian Jin helped the two of them up and roughly understood what had happened: "The three of you have been hired?"

"Not three, but six! All six names I submitted were accepted!" Qiu Dayong's eyes reddened with excitement.

"There are more than six, probably more than six. The comrade from the labor and personnel department who went to deliver the notices asked me to compile a list of all the files of my brothers and sisters in the team and send them to their department to show to the leaders..."

The young man behind him, named Su Shaobing, was even more excited: "The Labor and Wages Department is really quick! I was thinking that even if we got jobs, it would still take half a month or twenty days."

Qian Jin said, "It's not that the Labor and Wages Department acted quickly, it's that our Warehousing and Transportation Department acted quickly."

"It wasn't the Labor and Wages Department that decided to hire you, it was our Minister Yang. Please sit down, I'll tell you the inside story."

He recounted how Song Hongbing had targeted him but was captured by him, and how Song Hongbing had then sent someone to target him but was killed by him.

Su Shaobing impulsively stood up and shouted, "Damn it, so it was this coffin lid that cut the bicycle tire? I'll burn his house down!"

"You idiot!" Qiu Dayong kicked him, making him stumble. "Brother Qian is talking! From now on, you better listen to the leaders when they speak. Wait until Brother Qian finishes speaking before you start talking!"

Su Shaobing hurriedly nodded and bowed: "Yes, yes, I was too excited just now. Qian Jin, please continue, I'm listening carefully."

Qian Jin gave them a final instruction: "There's nothing more to say. Just don't spread this around before the official announcement. Keep it to yourselves. After all, it's not something to be proud of."

"If the news leaks out, it will be your responsibility!" Qiu Dayong said sternly, pointing at his two subordinates.

Qian Jin chuckled, "It could be mine too, I have a big mouth."

The three of them laughed.

The pork bones were now perfectly stewed, and their original, pure aroma mingled with the coal smoke, filling the room.

The three of them couldn't help but glance at the three-drawer table.

It's covered in delicious things like pickled cabbage, meat, blood sausage, and pig liver.

Without saying a word, Qian Jin said, "You guys stay here tonight. Shaobing, go and call the other three brothers who were hired over here. Tonight, I, the captain, will host a welcome banquet for you."

"How can we do that, Brother Qian? We can't just take advantage of you." Qiu Dayong hurriedly grabbed Shaobing, who was about to run away.

Qian Jin said, "In life, you call me Brother Qian, and at work you call me Captain Qian, so I have to have the demeanor of an older brother and a leader."

"Shaobing, go and call the brothers over. We'll have a few drinks tonight."

Su Shaobing chuckled: "Brother Dayong, it's not that I'm disobeying you, it's just that our battalion commander gave the order, and military orders are absolute!"

Qian Jin said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "You're right to say that. From now on, I'll be the leader."

Qiu Dayong immediately said, "Then we'll listen to the leader. From now on, you don't need to listen to me, you all have to listen to the leader, because I also have to listen to our leader."

Qian Jin patted him on the shoulder: "We're all buddies in private, there's no need for anyone to listen to anyone else."

"But once you're on the job, let me make this clear: you must follow my instructions. Don't do what you used to do with your little cliques, and definitely don't try to steal anything from the goods!"

Qiu Dayong straightened his chest and said seriously, "Captain Qian, don't worry. If anyone dares to touch public property, I'll be the first to not let him off the hook."

"If I touch any public property, you won't let me off the hook either!"

Qian Jin nodded: "This is no joke. Everyone thinks that the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives has a lot of good stuff and many places where you can take advantage of others."

"That was how it was before, but it will never be the same again."

"But don't worry, once you join the government agency with me, I won't let you suffer. As long as you do your job well, I'll personally recommend you for credit, and you'll definitely enjoy all the benefits and live a good life openly and honestly!"

The three of them nodded together.

Qiu Dayong pulled out a notification document stamped with a red seal from the inside pocket of his military overcoat, repeatedly rubbing his fingers over the words "Labor and Wages Department of Haibin City Supply and Marketing Cooperative":
"At work, we do whatever Captain Qian says; in life, we do whatever Brother Qian says."

"To be honest, none of us brothers ever dared to dream of getting a job at the supply and marketing cooperative and receiving subsidized grain rations. Brother Qian, thank you so much..."

"Oh dear, I'm tired of hearing your thanks. Alright, alright, Shaobing, call for help. You two, help me out." Qian Jin stopped him.

"By the way, Dayong, you were sent to the countryside in Northeast China, so you need to be familiar with the pork stew."

Qiu Dayong carefully hid the employment notice and laughed, "This must be familiar. Brother Qian, when I came in and saw all this sauerkraut, I was wondering if you were making pork stew."

“Here, pliers, let’s do it and let Brother Qian rest. We can handle this small job.”

The pig blood sausages were arranged side by side in the bamboo tray, their casings revealing a dark red, agate-like color.

Qiu Dayong washed his hands, picked up a kitchen knife, and rubbed it against the windowsill a couple of times as a sharpening agent. Then he placed the blood sausage tremblingly across the cutting board. He could barely feel any resistance as the blade sliced ​​through it, revealing a honeycomb-like network of air pockets in the cross-section, which made him exclaim in admiration:

"Brother Qian, you're really something. Where did you get this blood sausage? The blood tofu inside is so tender you can see your reflection in it."

Qian Jin said, "I finally managed to get some through Director Zhao of the farmers' market. It's an internal perk of the slaughterhouse. They secretly kept the pig intestines and filled them with the blood from the pigs that were just slaughtered this morning."

Qiu Dayong exclaimed again, "There are experts here. They must have mixed scallion and ginger water and five-spice powder when making the sausage. I could smell it."

"Why is there oil in the pig's blood?" Pliers asked curiously.

Qiu Dayong said, "Yes, otherwise why would it taste so good?"

"I've told you so many times how delicious the pork stew at the forest farm is, but you didn't believe me. Hmph, today you're getting a taste of Brother Qian's goodness, so I'll show you."

The sliced ​​blood sausage was arranged on a rough porcelain plate, like layers of red jade seals.

Next to it, in an enamel basin, was braised pig liver, its dense veins resembling the gnarled roots of an old tree.

Qiu Dayong is a jack-of-all-trades; he can slice liver into thin slices as thin as cicada wings by angled downwards with a kitchen knife.

Qian Jin broke off a piece and shared it with the two of them: "Have a taste first, then don't use a knife to cut it, it tastes better if you break the liver by hand."

Qiu Dayong chuckled, picked up a piece of pig liver and ate it carefully: "Brother Qian, you're an expert too. There's no such thing as hand-breaking liver in Haibin City. You didn't even know that pig liver should be eaten this way. It's delicious and satisfying."

Pliers ate the braised pig liver and praised it highly: "Who braised it? It's so fragrant, with no fishy smell at all. It's so delicious, even better than pork!"

Qian Jin said, "My older brother is the head of the team at the No. 2 State-owned Restaurant. Who do you think made the braised dishes?"

Pickled cabbage cannot be put directly into the pot for stewing; it won't be fragrant enough.

Qian Jin started afresh, using a cold pan and hot oil.

The solidified grease melts into a golden broth when heated. The moment the pickled cabbage shreds are poured in, the steam bursts forth with a tangy aroma, and the newspaper pasted on the wall is instantly soaked with steam and curled at the edges.

He swung the spatula and stir-fried the sauerkraut, gradually turning it from a yellowish-brown to a honey color, the glistening oil making one's heart itch.

Shaobing led the way, and soon three more strong young men entered the room.

They also carried net bags filled with canned apples and a rather unusual item these days: sponge cakes—quite a lot of them.

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Wow, where did you get this good stuff?"

A young man, only a size smaller than Hu Shunzi, said shyly, "I've never been able to collect my dad's Mid-Autumn Festival benefits from the factory. Today, when I came to Brother Qian's place, my dad told me to bring them all."

Qian Jin asked, "Is this for Brother Qian or for Brigade Leader Qian?"

The young man didn't understand, so Qiu Dayong quickly said, "It's definitely for Brother Qian."

Qian Jin said, "I'll accept the canned food, but please take the sponge cake back to your family for the elderly."

"I'm not just saying this for show. I welcome you to bring something when you come over for dinner, but please don't bring anything too expensive. After all, I'm your boss now, and we absolutely cannot develop the habit of giving gifts in private!"

Several people tried to persuade him to accept the chicken cake.

Qian Jin called out to them, "What are you talking about? Hurry up and come chop the vegetables. I still need to get a few more pieces of meat."

With more people, there's more meat.

I can finally taste the half-portion of pork that the Liu family gave me today.

Cook the meat until done, cut it into pieces the size of mahjong tiles, and then lay them out on top of the pickled cabbage.

Good meat is completely different.

The fat layer is as translucent as crystal, while the lean meat has textures resembling pine needles.

The slices of meat turned over in the boiling broth, and specks of fat floated to the surface.

Blood sausage shouldn't be added too early; you have to wait until the pickled cabbage is stewed until it's tender and chewy. The pig liver also needs to be added at the right time.

It got dark early.

Qian Jin rode his bicycle to pick up the female teacher and take her home.

Wei Qinghuan reached out and touched his forehead, frowning with concern: "Why are you so hot? You didn't need to pick me up, I might have gotten lost!"

Qian Jin said, "In this freezing weather, even the stones in the house will feel hot to the touch. How can I not feel hot wearing a cotton hat?"

"To be honest, I'm really afraid you'll get lost. What if you finally find a wife and she gets kidnapped by vagrants on the way?"

Wei Qinghuan patted him on the back: "You're not married yet."

Qian Jin turned the car around: "Then I'll go get something first, wait for me."

Wei Qinghuan asked curiously, "What do you want to get?"

"I'll marry you," Qian Jin chuckled.

Wei Qinghuan glanced at the people around her, then said shyly, "You're so glib."

Qian Jin discovered that these days, corny pickup lines aren't corny at all; Wei Qinghuan actually really enjoys hearing them.

So he started racking his brains, trying to figure out how to seduce the female teacher, while riding his bicycle:

"Can you please stop talking?"

"I didn't say anything, you must be hearing someone else's voice."

"No, it's yours, your voice is all I can hear in my head."

Pat his back.

"Have you gotten heavier lately?"

"Have it?"

"Yes, it holds increasing importance in my heart."

He patted her back while laughing.

Back home, the pot lid bounced, and white steam kept billowing out from all directions.

The steam carries the rich aroma of pork bones, the crispness of pickled cabbage, the freshness of scallions, and the fragrance of fatty meat, making one's appetite soar.

Qian Jin had already mentioned Qiu Dayong and his six companions on the way, so Wei Qinghuan wasn't surprised to see a room full of burly men. She first congratulated them on joining the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

Qiu Dayong chuckled: "Thank you, Teacher Wei..."

“Don’t call me Teacher Wei, just call me Sister-in-law from now on. Comrade Wei Qinghuan and I registered our marriage right after the college entrance examination,” Qian Jin said.

Wei Qinghuan readily admitted it.

The two individuals' respective neighborhood committees or work units have approved their marriage applications, which is currently more effective than an engagement and is equivalent to a semi-legal marriage.

The blue-and-white porcelain bowl was already filled with minced garlic, which was slightly yellow from being pounded in a stone mortar.

The scalding hot sesame oil was poured over it, releasing a burst of spicy aroma with a "sizzle." The soy sauce was then added along the rim of the bowl and stirred. The person holding the sesame seed cake immediately exclaimed in admiration:
"I can eat two pancakes just with this garlic sauce, no need for meat!"

Qiu Dayong and his group brought a mislabeled beer. He used his teeth to bite open the cap, while Qian Jin waved his hand, saying, "Drinking beer in this freezing weather? You should drink some baijiu!"

"You still have a slight fever," Wei Qinghuan said worriedly.

Qian Jin immediately said, "I won't drink it. I'll listen to my wife and let them drink it."

Qiu Dayong and the others egged him on, but they didn't force him to drink.

We're friends, but our status has changed.

Qian Jin first scooped a small bowl of meat and blood sausage for the four little ones and Tangyuan, and then threw a bone to Huang Chui.

Huang Chui was lying under the table, gnawing away with a crunching sound.

The little dumpling picked up a trembling piece of blood sausage, rolled it three times in the garlic sauce, and the dark red casing was coated with the sauce. After taking a bite, her chubby cheeks were full of smiles: "So delicious."

Qian Jin was quite impressed with her: "How can she eat so much spicy food at such a young age?"

"As long as it's edible, she can eat it, whether it's spicy or bitter." Wei Qinghuan's smile contained a hint of bitterness.

Qian Jin urged her to eat meat.

But the soul of pork stew lies in the blood sausage.

When you bite into a high-quality blood sausage, the chewy outer casing and the tender blood tofu inside dance on your tongue, while the scalding broth mixed with garlic and spiciness hits you right in the head.

There's no better food in winter!
Of course, the other side dishes were equally excellent.

The pickled cabbage absorbs the essence of beef bones and pork fat, making it crunchy yet chewy.

The fat from the pork belly has long since melted away, leaving only a lingering, savory aroma on the tongue.

The best part is to scoop a spoonful of tangy, rich soup over rice. Golden droplets of soup roll down the rice grains, and when you shovel it into your mouth and chew hard, you get a burst of savory, fragrant flavor with a hint of lingering sweetness from the pickled cabbage.

The children were scrambling for the chopsticks as if they were taking off.

The later it got, the colder the air outside the window became, and the louder the north wind howled, making the meal all the more enjoyable.

The aluminum pot was still bubbling on the coal stove, steam from the bone broth rising everywhere, and the frost on the glass was blown into a round hole by the hot steam.

Qiu Dayong wiped the sweat from his forehead and raised his glass: "Come on, comrades, thank our brother and sister-in-law for their hospitality. From now on, let's work hard with Brother Qian!"

"A toast to my brother and sister-in-law! Wishing them a long and happy marriage and many children!"

Qian Jin waved his hand: "Thank you for your kindness, brothers, but let's not rush to give you this blessing."

"We'll get our marriage certificate in a few days, but we'll have to postpone the wedding because I still need to figure out where we'll live together."

This is the next important step!

(End of this chapter)