The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 126 Moving Contest, Another New Car Acquired (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Even though it didn't snow all day.

But the sea breeze was strong at night, causing the tree branches to sway and the snow to fall.

The snowflakes, before they even touched the ground, were swept up again by the night wind, and Qiu Dayong was blown back inside the street bathhouse as soon as he stepped out.
"Are you sweaty? It's cold outside."

Zhang Aijun sneered: "Don't act like a woman. What's a little wind? In the winter of '74, when we were training for armed swimming—damn, it was freezing!"

He shivered after he went outside, unsure whether it was the cold of 74 or the cold of the freezer.

The ground was covered in white snow, and the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, so the night sky was not pure black, but a rare deep blue.

Above them, the red brick chimney of the bathhouse was belching out grayish-white, fluffy smoke.

The cast iron lamps left over from the German occupation cast a dim yellow glow in the snow, and the workers riding bicycles hunched over and pedaled hard against the wind.

Ice crystals formed on the back of his cotton-padded work jacket, and the aluminum lunchbox jingled as it dangled from the handlebars.

When the tires rolled over the tram tracks, they splashed up snow water. Zhang Aijun and Qiu Dayong cursed together, while Chen Jingdi gestured with his hands.

Zhang Aijun found it amusing and chuckled, "What are you doing, you mute? Why are you all pointing forward when you're cursing?"

The mute remained silent.

He pulled out a tattered notebook and started writing in it with a pencil. Qiu Dayong glanced at it and said, "Hurry back, the leader is waiting."

"Oh, he wasn't swearing like us. He meant for us to go back and eat quickly."

Without Chen Jingdi reminding them, the other two quickened their pace.

In the neighboring tenement building, someone opened their wooden-lattice window, and the rising steam, carrying the aroma of stewed cabbage and vermicelli, wafted out.

As I walked past the stairwell, I could see the aluminum kettle on the coal stove of one of the houses on the first floor hissing and steaming. The sound of the Lu opera troupe singing "The Virtuous Younger Sister" mixed with the sound of a shovel scraping an iron pot flowed through the street in a warm, steamy manner.

All three of them were hungry.

Qiu Dayong wrapped his shiny military overcoat tighter around himself and walked back through the frozen snow.

Zhang Aijun walked behind him, his cotton shoes crunching in the snow.

Suddenly, Qiu Dayong turned around and cursed, "Brother Dajun, are you inhuman? You're so big, why are you hiding behind me and expecting me to shield you from the wind?"

"Why are you so cunning? No way, you go in front of me, I'll go in front of Xiao Chen."

Zhang Aijun was happy despite being scolded.

That's right, buddy, you're quite cunning.

When they passed the boiler room, Lao Zhou saw them and called out, "Dajun, come here and bring two kettles of hot water back to Chief Qian to soak his feet."

Wearing cotton gloves, he used an iron hook to pull the furnace fire, and sparks flew out onto the snow outside, crackling and popping.

Or thermos bottles with names or household numbers written on them stood in a silent guard on the ground.

Old Zhou picked up two jugs of water for Zhang Aijun, and seeing that there were many of them, he added two more jugs for them.

"Also, add a pot of water to Teacher Wei's and Teacher Xiao Wei's homes, especially for Teacher Xiao Wei, who is a young woman. She would suffer if there was no hot water when it was cold."

Zhang Aijun saw that the two men were each carrying only a thermos and was about to speak when Qiu Dayong said again:

"Brother Dajun is so clever. Look, we only have one thermos, which is quite heavy to carry. Brother Dajun has one thermos in each hand, so his balance is much better."

Zhang Aijun chuckled to himself upon hearing this.

My buddy has always been cunning.

As the lights of every household illuminate the night, frost flowers cling to the windows of the small buildings facing the street, and the newspaper "Dazhong Daily" covering the windows shines brightly in the light of the lamps and the firelight.

The newly rotated security task force patrolled in thick cotton boots. As their flashlights swept across them, they all greeted Zhang Aijun.

Suddenly, a tricycle loaded with cabbages skidded as it drove over the ice, and the cargo bed crashed into the bulletin board with a loud bang, startling the sparrows in the nearby trees into fluttering flight.

Seeing this, the security team quickly went to help: "Comrade, are you alright?"

Chen Jingdi wanted to go up too, but Zhang Aijun pulled him away: "This isn't your blacksmith shop, there's nothing to do, let's hurry back and eat."

As the neon lights came on, people came and went in front of the Victory Cinema on Taishan Road.

Chen Jingdi looked at the windows shining with yellow and white light with curiosity. The nights in the city were completely different from those in the countryside.

Entering the building's hallway reveals an even more distinct atmosphere, where the warmth and vibrancy of everyday life come alive.

The salty, pungent smells of steamed shrimp paste and fried salted fish mingled together, while the umami flavor of shredded radish stewed with dried shrimp was unique. Someone had fried fish, and the aroma made the three of them's stomachs rumble.

"It must be fried ribbonfish!"

"No, it's fried pomfret. This is the taste of pomfret."

"It's ribbonfish, it's ribbonfish. If you argue with me again, I'll beat you up."

"Yes, it really does taste like fried ribbonfish."

Not satisfied with successfully threatening Qiu Dayong, Zhang Aijun suddenly stopped at the entrance of room 204, solemnly raising his arm to block the two.

Qiu Dayong's heart leaped into his throat, and he stealthily reached for the folding knife in his pocket: "What's wrong?"

Zhang Aijun twitched his nostrils and then solemnly said, "The leader is making bone broth!"

The north wind tore the aroma emanating from 205 into strands, and the rich fragrance mixed with the scent of pepper was particularly distinct in the cold night.

He pushed open the door and lifted the cotton curtain, and an even stronger fragrance mixed with the heat rushed in.

Qian Jin was using an iron hook to pry open the ventilation opening of the coal stove to increase the fire's intensity.

On the table were rows of large bowls, their glazes gleaming beautifully under the light bulb.

"You came back just in time, didn't you?" Qian Jin stirred the noodles in the pot.

Zhang Aijun retorted, "Did you use bone broth, sir?"

Qian Jin said, "Yes, it happened just last night..."

Zhang Aijun immediately bared his teeth at Qiu Dayong: "How about that? Will you still argue with me from now on? A man's sense of smell is sharp, isn't it? If I say it's bone broth, it's bone broth; if I say it's fried ribbonfish, it's fried ribbonfish!"

Qiu Dayong nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, yes, Brother Dajun, you're awesome."

Zhang Aijun put down the thermos and said proudly, "That's for sure. To tell you the truth, when I was in the army, I loved to compete with the military dogs in my company in terms of smell."

"I can tell what a person has eaten just by smelling their breath."

He pried open Huang Chui's mouth, sniffed, and frowned: "Where did you eat shit?"

Huang Chui let out a burp.

Qian Jin was truly impressed: "You two are real dogs."

The milky white bone broth in the large iron pot simmered and bubbled, while long, wide noodles, like silverfish entering the water, tumbled and rolled in the boiling soup.

Beside the cutting board sat a coarse blue-and-white porcelain bowl, containing neatly diced braised tofu and pork belly bits simmered in soy sauce—Qian Jin had bought the goods ready-made.

"Shall we take it off the heat?" Zhang Aijun swallowed hard.

Qian Jin said, "Teacher Wei hasn't come back yet."

"Speak of the devil and he appears." Wei Qinghuan's clear yet slightly soft voice came from outside the door.

Yellow Hammer had already turned its tail into a propeller.

Upon hearing this, Little Tangyuan from next door happily ran out, ready to receive a hug from her beloved aunt.

When she went outside, she only saw a glimpse of her dear aunt's shapely buttocks, which quickly disappeared as she went into the next room.

Wei Qinghuan walked in wearing a military overcoat, and the snowflakes blown by the wind on her scarf quickly melted into tiny rhinestones in the warmth of the heater.

In those days, Haibin City had no fashion sense at all. Regardless of whether they were men or women, everyone relied on military overcoats to keep warm.

But after Wei Qinghuan took off her coat, she revealed a moon-white turtleneck sweater. Her curvaceous figure was outlined by the tight sweater, and her black hair was loosely tied up with a red ribbon, with unmelted snow still clinging to the ends.

That's very aesthetically pleasing.

Qian Jin pushed the largest blue-rimmed bowl in front of her: "Here, use the biggest one."

Wei Qinghuan punched him, saying, "I can't eat that."

Tangyuan called from behind, "Auntie, give me a hug! Auntie, let's eat the biggest Tangyuan together!"

Wei Qinghuan hoisted her onto his shoulder and tested her weight: "She's gotten heavier."

The bone broth shimmered with an amber sheen, and the knife-cut noodles were as thin as cicada wings at the edges, with a glistening curve in the middle.

When the main dish returned, all the diced tofu and meat were put into the pot, and the aroma in the house became even more enticing.

The rumbling in my stomach was like the croaking of frogs after a summer rain, rising and falling in waves.

Qian Jin started scooping the noodles.

Zhang Aijun eagerly stepped forward: "Boss, I love tofu, please let me eat more tofu."

Qian Jin pushed him back: "Control your saliva, don't spray it into the pot, there's already seasoning in the pot."

The diced tofu was indeed delicious. It soaked up the broth and floated in the pot, its surface coated with the oil from the meat pieces, making it look especially appealing.

Qian Jin quickly scooped up the noodles and soup, the steam rising under the light:
"I add pepper myself. I add less when there are kids eating."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qinghuan scooped up half a spoonful of pepper with an aluminum spoon, lightly swirled her wrist, and sprinkled it into the bowl, her slender white fingertips reflecting the cold light of the porcelain.

Zhang Aijun, Qiu Dayong, and Chen Jingdi picked up their rice bowls and began to wolf down their food, slurping it down loudly.

Qian Jin was shocked: "Isn't it hot?"

Qiu Dayong mumbled, "It's very cold outside, I don't care if it's hot or not."

In comparison, Wei Qinghuan is not only beautiful, but also eats gracefully.

She picked up a mouthful of noodles with her chopsticks, pursed her red lips slightly, blew on it to cool it down, and fed it to the little glutinous rice ball before eating it herself. When the noodles entered her mouth, her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and after swallowing them, she let out a soft, comfortable sigh.

"Really delicious."

Qian Jin chuckled: "If you like it, I'll make it for you again."

The noodles and toppings were ready-made; only the diced tofu and shredded carrots were chopped by himself.

Soup noodles are a great choice for winter.

The hot broth slid down your throat, the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns and the umami flavor of bone broth exploded on your tongue, and after a few sips, a fine sweat appeared on your back and forehead.

Chen Jingdi kept giving Qian Jin a thumbs up and nodding repeatedly.

Wei Qinghuan ate the noodles, leaving the diced tofu and meat for Xiao Tangyuan. Xiao Tangyuan ate half of it and then pushed it back to her.

Qian Jin took the bowl, stirred the soup with a spoon, and scooped all the diced tofu and meat from the bottom to his wife.

Wei Qinghuan distributed the food to the others and said, "I'm full, I need to hurry to the study room."

She got up and went to Qian Jin's side, whispering, "Help me wash the dishes, okay? You've been working so hard lately, and you still need to prepare dinner for me."

"The college entrance exam is about to start. After the exam, I'll be your wife, cook for you, do your laundry and wash your dishes."

Qian Jin also whispered, "It's okay, it's what I should do. You don't need to take care of me anymore. From now on, you'll be my little princess..."

Wei Qinghuan was deeply moved.

What an amazing man I've met!

Love at first sight is indeed reliable.

The hem of her sweater brushed against Qian Jin's arm, carrying a faint scent of face cream.

Qian Jin rested his chin on his hand and watched her retreating figure.

Am looking forward to.

An arm suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and Zhang Aijun huffed and puffed, "Boss, another bowl, please."

"There's only soup left." Qian Jin said expressionlessly.

Zhang Aijun said, "Wait here, I'll go get a flatbread. It'll taste delicious soaked in this soup too."

Little Tangyuan also held up a bowl bigger than her own face: "Uncle, I want one too, I want soup."

Qian Jin pinched her chubby cheeks and chuckled, "Uncle even saved some noodles for you."

"Little Tangyuan, your uncle is giving you something delicious. From now on, you must listen to your uncle, okay?"

Tangyuan nodded solemnly: "I will listen to my uncle, I will listen to my uncle the most."

Qian Jin said, "Starting tonight, you'll have to let your dad cuddle you while you sleep."

Tangyuan wiped her mouth, patted her bulging little belly, put down the large porcelain bowl, and left: "I'm full."

Qian Jin had nothing to say.

With the college entrance examination just around the corner, Wei Qinghuan and Wei Xiongtu are constantly busy in the study room.

So Qian Jin gave Wei Xiongtu two days off, since the college entrance exam was in two days anyway.

The cold morning wind whipped up snowflakes that mingled with the ubiquitous coal smoke, swirling over the bay.

Qian Jin rode his bicycle to take Chen Jingdi to the guesthouse under the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. The onboarding process was very simple because Chen Jingdi was a genuine temporary worker who was just filling in for someone else.

He had a lot of work to do as soon as he started work; he had to repair more than ten doors and windows.

The guesthouse was well-equipped with maintenance tools, and Chen Jingdi nodded in satisfaction upon seeing them, then gestured to Qian Jin.

Qian Jin handed him a small notebook: "Use this to write."

The notebook is only the size of a palm, with a ballpoint pen attached to it; it is both exquisite and practical.

After Chen Jingdi got this notebook, writing became very simple. He could just stuff the notebook into his shirt pocket and it wouldn't take up any time.

He quickly wrote 'thank you' on the paper.

Qian Jin patted him on the shoulder: "No need to thank me. Just do your job with peace of mind. If you need anything, just ask someone to call. My office and neighborhood committee phone numbers are in this notebook."

He hopped on his bicycle and hurried off to work.

The work assignments had been issued, and Qian Jin went to the beach with his hands behind his back, stepping on the icy mooring bollards to jump onto berth number two.

The cargo ship "Yuejin", which arrived last night, began discharging cargo: ten tons of Qiongzhou brown sugar, ten tons of Guangdong ginger candy, twenty tons of cured meat and ham, and hundreds of other goods of all kinds.

Big job!

As the sun climbed above the bow of the ship, the snow at berth number two had already been trampled into black mud by the soles of work boots.

The porters pushed their carts and began working quickly, their breaths rising like the exhaust from a train chimney.

The men looked bitter as they squinted at the pile of cargo containers on the ship's deck, as if they were looking at a mountain.

Qian Jin knew the workers were exhausted, and in this situation, simply making demands wouldn't work; they needed to change their approach.

He stood by the sea, letting the cold wind whip his work clothes around him, while seagulls returning from Siberia soared against the wind.

"Captain Qian," Old Guai tapped the box with his crowbar, "Shall we get to work?"

Qian Jin turned around and asked, "Is everyone here?"

Today is a major campaign for port workers in Kaohsiung, with eight teams from different areas all gathering in one place to start work.

Looking at the line of workers, Qian Jin waved to the warehouse in the distance, and Qiu Dayong shouted, and the workers pulled out the new type of cart.

This attracted everyone's attention.

The movers were very experienced. The few people pushing the cart already felt the difference just by bringing it over: "This cart looks quite rough, but it felt very light and easy to push when I pushed it just now."

Qian Jin took a crowbar and tapped the steel frame of the eight-wheeled wagon: "This thing is a new type of transport vehicle that has just been designed and put into production by freight experts. Different models are available to handle different types of goods."

"If used properly, any one of these vehicles could be as strong as ten pairs of shoulders!"

Hu Shunzi spat into his icy palms, grabbed his five-year-old wheelbarrow, and said, "Isn't this old family heirloom better than this lump of iron?"

Qian Jin was extremely grateful for the double doors.

The part of him that most resembles a refrigerator isn't actually his burly body, but his head.

Q: What similarities do Hu Shunzi's head and the top shelf of a refrigerator have?
A: They all look big, but they're actually quite empty.

Qian Jin was thinking of organizing an event to test the extent to which the car liberated labor, but it wouldn't be interesting if he arranged it directly.

Now, Hu Shunzi stepped in to refute him at the opportune moment, and he quickly chimed in: "It was designed by a freight expert. A freight expert doesn't even know as much as you, an old porter."

Fearing that Hu Shunzi would be suppressed by his authority and dare not fight back, he added two more words of encouragement:

"Yes, you, Foreman Hu, are an experienced hand. Yes, you, Foreman Hu, have won the title of model worker. Yes, you, Foreman Hu, have work experience in the port. But I still think the freight expert knows more."

“They probably don’t know as much about women as I do.” Hu Shunzi’s arrogant attitude proved that Qian Jin was worried.

He continued, "Look at these lumps of iron, some with wheels as small as this, some with plates as long as this. What are they for? To put on a grand performance?"

"If you ask me, this stuff is useless. Don't waste your energy trying to understand it. Let's just do what we need to do and throw this piece of junk aside."

Qian Jin said, "If you think this car is no good, then do you dare to compare it with these?"

"I'm afraid you wouldn't dare, would you? You're probably just all talk and no action."

Hu Shunzi got anxious: "Who wouldn't dare? Captain Qian, you are indeed my superior now, but you've worked under me before. You know my capabilities, right?"

"Who's all talk and no action? To be honest, I'm all talk and no action, but everything else about me is as tough as nails!"

"So let's compete, why should I be afraid of these piece of trash?"

He put one foot on his little cart.

The wooden axle groaned under the strain, and the locust wood panel that had been patched last year cracked open again.

Qian Jin tried his best to appear arrogant, taking off his cotton hat and throwing it on the cargo box: "Today, unloading this ship of southern goods is a good opportunity to compare our abilities. I really don't believe you, Hu Shunzi, are that capable."

“Old Guai, your team has the same number of people as Foreman Hu’s team. So you use the new vehicles, and Foreman Hu uses the old ones. Let’s have a competition!”

Hu Shunzi laughed wildly after hearing this: "You want me to compete with Lao Guai? Ask him yourself if he dares to?"

Old Guai retorted angrily, "What is Foreman Hu saying? Who's Old Guai? I'm a foreman now, after all!"

"Let's have a competition then. I'm on the captain's side. If the captain says these things are good, then they must be good!"

Hu Shunzi laughed: "Okay, you've gotten bolder now."

"But don't rush to lick the captain's crotch. Look at his hat flaps, fluttering in the wind, don't they look like two little white flags of surrender?"

Old Guai was really into it and asked, "Captain, what are we betting on?"

Qian Jin said, "We old folks need strength and meat to move things. I'll apply to the higher authorities, and each member of your two participating teams can have one pound of meat. The losing team will give the meat to the winning team. How about that?"

Hu Shunzi's eyes widened like dog testicles: "The winner gets two pounds of meat?"

"Correct!"

"Alright then, hehe, comrades, follow me! Tonight, when we get home, I'll have my wife stew two pounds of meat!"

Qian Jin said, "Don't rush, let Lao Guai's team get familiar with these ten vehicles first."

With a whistle from Lao Guai, his nine workers chose a vehicle and began to familiarize themselves with it.

Qian Jin went over to explain to them what kind of situations a flatbed cart is suitable for and what kind of goods a two-wheeled long-handled cart is suitable for.

The workers were all experienced freight operators, and although they were new to these tools, they quickly became familiar with their use.

Hu Shunzi couldn't wait any longer. He crossed his arms and said, "Stop dawdling. I still need to take the meat back to my wife to report!"

"Didn't you hand in your report last night?" Yu Shuigen asked with a grin. Hu Shunzi shrugged: "I handed it in eight times last night!"

"You urinate a lot at night, your prostate must be ruined?" Song Yuefu was shocked.

Hu Shunzi pointed at him and glared at him: "I'll deal with you later!"

Both sides are ready.

At Qian Jin's command, all the teams began to get to work.

Sacks of brown sugar were stacked on the flatbed cart, while the guardrail flatbed cart was loaded with loose goods. Both carts were four-wheeled, so the movers could push them around.

The ground was slippery after the snow, but the flatbed truck remained steady as all four tires worked together. Old Guai hummed "We Workers Have Strength," and the wheels splashed water in the muddy ground.

The situation was quite different for Hu Shunzi.

The wheelbarrow was too slippery in the mud and water, so you had to be careful and work hard to maintain your balance.

The long-handled cart is slender and can be pushed or pulled when stacked with boxes of goods. When it's time to unload, it can be flipped forward and the goods fall all at once in one place.

Li Chenggong was, after all, a novice.

He was already bad at pushing carts, and today the ground was extremely slippery, so he accidentally fell over and the cart tipped over.

"Get out of the way, you piece of trash! Are you wasting all your energy on your women?" Hu Shunzi snatched his wheelbarrow, his neck veins bulging like a coiled dragon, and forcefully turned the wheelbarrow and its cargo over.

He roared with all his might, "There's still a bitch that a man can't fuck!"

Qian Jin stared blankly at this scene.

What a beast!

However, the carts they used were all old carts that had been used for many years, some made of wood and some with metal frames.

Winter is too cold, and the welded joints of the iron frame are prone to cracking. Metal fatigue is particularly noticeable in this season.

As Hu Shunzi was shouting, the axle suddenly snapped with a 'crack', and the bags that had been tied up could no longer be secured, and they all slid to the ground with a rustling sound.

Qian Jin quickly went to help.

Brown sugar shouldn't fall into muddy water!

Even if it's packaged in a bag, it won't work; if mud or water seeps in, it'll be ruined.

Hu Shunzi was completely dumbfounded.

Qian Jin scolded him: "Crap, all you ever do is talk about grass. Work isn't done by just talking!"

"Don't rush things just to win. I'm telling you, you can't damage the goods! Damaged goods will result in a tenfold deduction!"

Hu Shunzi sighed and then began to sing:

"My strength could uproot mountains, my spirit could cover the world, but the times are against me, and my steed will not go. My steed will not go, what can I do? Yu, my Yu, what will become of you..."

After an hour, the outcome became clear.

Lao Guai's team's overall labor force level is worse than Hu Shunzi's team. In fact, Hu Shunzi's team has the strongest carrying capacity among the eight teams, and it has always been so, mainly because Hu Shunzi can do the work of three people.

But the new type of vehicle can do the work of two vehicles, and it is more labor-saving and safer to transport goods.

Of the ten new vehicles, the two small eight-wheeled vehicles performed particularly well today.

They were specifically designed for climbing slopes, and the porters were also responsible for loading and unloading the ships.

The triangular tires could climb some small slopes and sills on the ship, while Hu Shunzi's team could only carry the goods off the ship by hand and load them onto trolleys, while Lao Guai's team could pull them up using small eight-wheeled vehicles.

An hour later, Qian Jin said, "Shall we stop calculating the accounts?"

Hu Shunzi was a man of words, but his bones were harder than his mouth. He said, "Stop what? I've just warmed up and am ready to unleash my power. Let's work for another hour!"

An hour later he said again, "Why stop? I'm just getting into it and ready to show off. Let's do it for another hour!"

Er Biao got angry: "Just kill me already!"

Hour after hour passed, and it was lunchtime before we were off work.

The warehouse for the Laoguai convoy was full, and a red flag was stuck at the door, fluttering in the cold wind.

Hu Shunzi squatted at the entrance of his team's warehouse, peering inside: "Has anyone come to steal our goods? Why is it only half full?"

Qian Jin handed him a cigarette.

Hu Shunzi took the whole bag.

Qian Jin was exasperated: "Really, forget it, forget it. This is my fault. How could I come to you with a pack of cigarettes?"

"Alright, enough nonsense. You lost. Meat was lost to Old Guai's team."

Old Guai, beaming with pride, placed his limping leg on the flatbed cart and said:

"I've been working here for 50 years. I was only 20 years old then. Hmph, back then, if I didn't get an advanced individual award or a model worker award every month, I wouldn't be able to eat the following month!"

Every man has a competitive spirit.

Since his leg injury, his ability to work has been greatly reduced, but he still harbors a deep sense of resentment.

Today, this resentment is like a volcanic eruption, devastating the world.

He actually led his team to victory against Hu Shunzi's team, which was known for its competence.

No one expected this.

Nobody believed in me, but I proved them wrong!

This was his first battle as foreman, and he won. The significance of this battle was no less than the annihilation of a part of the South Korean puppet 6th Division in the first battle after the Chinese People's Volunteer Army entered the Korean War, which made him look very powerful!
He stroked the flatbed cart and exclaimed, "This is really good stuff. There's a reason why people can become experts."

"With more tires, this vehicle has better balance, making it much easier to work in winter."

After his reflection, he wanted to wipe the handlebars, but found that there were small characters engraved on the inside of the handlebars: "Money for the leader, haul more and run faster."

He asked in astonishment, "Captain Qian, where was this vehicle manufactured? How come it has your name on it?"

Qian Jin came over, looked down at it, and chuckled: "It was forged in the blacksmith shop of the Red Star Commune."

This left Lao Guai even more bewildered: "The freight experts designed it, but the commune's blacksmith shop is making it?"

He looked at the vehicle again: "This blacksmith shop has excellent craftsmanship."

Qian Jin said, "You really think it was designed by a freight expert? I designed it."

He said that and then blew his whistle to leave work.

We still have to keep working this afternoon.

We still need to collect more statistics.

Hu Shunzi, forgetting all about eating, sat at the warehouse entrance, questioning his existence: "How could I lose to Lao Guai?"

"I can lose to Old Guai!"

Yu Shuigen said, "Why are you so stubborn? You lost to Lao Guai? You lost to the new car."

Hu Shunzi felt even more aggrieved: "How could I possibly lose to a new car?"

"I can't possibly lose to those ugly new cars!"

Yu Shuigen said, "Machines are like that. They're like women. It's not enough for you to just look good on the outside. You also need to feel warm and comfortable on the inside. That's what makes them comfortable to use."

Upon learning that the new vehicle had been delivered, Yang Shengzhang personally came over that afternoon to inspect the results of the battle.

Qian Jin handed him the match statistics.

He kept track of the exact time each truck took to haul goods, down to the second.

Yang Shengzhang looked at the workers who moved with incredible speed, whether pushing or pulling carts, and couldn't help but nod in approval:
"These vehicles are useful, but they are too wasteful of resources. The tires of one flatbed cart are enough for four wheelbarrows."

Qian Jin said, "It's different. They use a lot of tires, but they are all small tires. The tires on a wheelbarrow are much bigger."

"Besides, leader, the most valuable labor force is always people, and the means of production serve people. Sooner or later, the means of production will be in surplus."

Yang Shengzhang shook his head: "What the country lacks most right now is means of production. The losses caused to the country over the past ten years have been too great."

Qian Jin declined to comment.

But the workmanship of the four vehicles truly amazed him, and before leaving, he said:
"Push the car to my workplace tomorrow and give me the form. I need to show it to my supervisor so he can make the decision."

Qian Jincai didn't care what the leaders decided.

At worst, we could commission the blacksmith to produce these four models ourselves, and as it turns out, they did indeed greatly improve the workforce!
As the workday was drawing to a close, Qian Jin tallied the performance of the four new types of cars and verbally described the process, which Wei Xiongtu then wrote down as a summary.

He then took the summary report, borrowed a small truck, and selected one of each of the four models to deliver to the office building of the Municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

It was almost time to leave work, and some seasoned employees were taking advantage of the time difference to leave early, riding their bicycles out the door.

Qian Jin dodged the throngs of bicycles and led Li Chenggong and the others, pushing four bicycles through the gate.

Suddenly, a cheerful greeting came from in front of the bulletin board: "Comrade Qian Jin! Comrade Qian Jin!"

Qian Jin turned his head curiously and saw a young man wrapped in a military overcoat waving excitedly at him.

The young man wore a coat draped over his shoulders like a cloak, with two Hero fountain pens clipped to his exposed breast pocket.

Qian Jin glanced at the other person and the name popped into his mind.

Zhang Danxin.

When he and Wei Xiongtu attended the study session, both of them submitted their speeches to Director Peng of the Publicity Department. In the end, Qian Jin was selected as the representative to speak on stage.

His workplace also rewarded him with a bicycle voucher, which he then exchanged for Zhang Danxin.

The two started their meeting by discussing bicycle vouchers.

Zhang Danxin came up and shook hands with him, smiling, "Thanks to your generous help last time, I just received a reply from my brother yesterday. He got a bicycle, which will make it much more convenient for him to go see the herders."

Qian Jin said, "That's good. We've made a contribution to the development of our country's border regions."

“You made a great contribution. After my brother learned of your enthusiastic help, he specially mailed you some small gifts of local specialties from the border region. Unfortunately, I didn’t expect you to come to my workplace, so I didn’t take them,” Zhang Danxin said.

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Who could have predicted that? What are you doing at the office building?"

He saw the paste brush in Zhang Danxin's hand and asked with some confusion, "What are you going to stick on?"

Zhang Danxin said, "Yes, it's in accordance with the new directives issued by the Central Committee."

He raised his head with a hint of pride and continued, "I was lucky. The propaganda department was short-staffed. Last time, Section Chief Peng and Section Chief Zhao read my article and thought I had a decent writing style, so they transferred me here."

Qian Jin was stunned.

He subconsciously wanted to say something but was too embarrassed to say it.

Zhang Danxin, with her keen observation skills, immediately noticed his unusual behavior and asked:

"What's wrong? Our revolutionary friendship can withstand the test of material things. We are good comrades. Say something if you want to."

Qian Jin hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but ask, "Well, of the four speeches, it seems that Comrade Wei Xiongtu's was the best written, right?"

Zhang Danxin nodded: "Yes, but the propaganda department contacted him, and he didn't want to come. He wants to stay in your Jiagang Brigade."

Qian Jin was stunned: "Is that so? How come I didn't know about it?"

Zhang Danxin laughed and said, "This kind of thing definitely can't be publicized in a big way, right?"

Qian Jin said, "No, I'm now the captain of the Jia Gang Brigade..."

"Wow!" Zhang Dan exclaimed in surprise. "You're really amazing. You rose through the ranks so quickly."

Qian Jin waved his hand:
"Old Zhang, I didn't mean anything by it, I didn't mean to show off. What I wanted to say was, if the propaganda department wants to transfer Wei Xiongtu in, I, as the captain, should be notified, right?"

Zhang Danxin said, "I don't know about that. Maybe they contacted Wei Xiongtu privately to inquire first?"

"Anyway, he refused, I'm sure of that, because Zhao Ke really likes him. Zhao Ke went to see him in person, that's what Zhao Ke told me. I just got lucky and benefited from his success, hehe."

Qian Jin asked him about his start date and realized it was normal that he hadn't received a notification.

Just a few days after the study session ended, the publicity department transferred personnel.

Back then, he was just a porter, and he was even targeted by the brigade leader.

Section Chief Zhao went to Wei Xiongtu to try and transfer him to the propaganda section, where he could better utilize his writing skills. Wei Xiongtu firmly refused, saying that he wanted to fight alongside him on the front lines.

This was a very stupid decision.

Qian Jin wished he could go and beat up his brother-in-law and his entire family right now.

The die is cast, and the die is cast. Qian Jin cannot say too much now, otherwise Zhang Danxin will not look good.

He congratulated Zhang Danxin on being transferred to the city headquarters, since they had both been frontline workers before.

Zhang Danxin said, "I also have to congratulate you. You're really amazing to have become a brigade leader."

"Our captain is exceptionally capable. Look, he's also a mechanical expert. He designed four new tools for us porters," Li Chenggong quickly flattered, finding an angle to do so.

Zhang Danxin was shocked: "Huh? You designed these cars? No wonder I said I'd never seen them before."

“These are some real treasures.” He squatted down and tapped the frame of the two-wheeled cart, the iron pipes producing a clear, resonant sound.

"So you have this skill too, you can even design and produce cars? Impressive, Captain Qian. To be honest, I still don't know you well enough. The more I learn about you, the more impressive you become."

Qian Jin laughed heartily: "I also lack sufficient understanding of you; the more you speak, the more eloquent you become!"

Zhang Danxin tested the transport capacity of the four vehicles and casually asked:

"You can modify vehicles. I have a tricycle here, do you want it? Maybe it can be used to modify into some new tool."

Upon hearing this, Qian Jin's eyes lit up.

Tricycle?
He desperately needs this stuff right now!
Or rather, the mobile canteens for the people are desperately lacking these things!
Malatang (a type of spicy hot pot) is a winter business, so he has to seize the time to expand his business. Right now, the biggest limitation is transportation.

He asked with interest, "What's the situation with that car?"

"No, Lao Zhang, I remember you were really short of bicycles. Back then, you wanted to get the chance to speak on stage so you could win a bicycle as a reward for your brother in the frontier, right?"

Zhang Danxin explained, "That's right, this tricycle is the one I found earlier when I was searching for my brother's bicycle."

"Isn't a tricycle more suitable as a means of transportation for doctors than a bicycle?" Qian Jin wondered.

Zhang Danxin laughed and said, "But how do you get the tricycle to the frontier? I just put an express stamp on the voucher you gave me and sent it there."

"How can I deliver by tricycle? And that's not all. How am I supposed to find a decent vehicle? The tricycle I found is already in terrible condition, with three wheels broken. It needs major repairs!"

"Forget it, it's hard to explain just by talking. If you need it, come back with me after get off work. You can pick up the thank-you gift my brother gave you on the way."

Qian Jin readily agreed.

The two parted ways.

One continued posting notices, while the other delivered the vehicle and report.

Yang Shengzhang is treating him very well now, and has specially approved a note for him: 500 jin of meat coupons and 500 jin of oil coupons.

Qian Jin was shocked to see this.

He was speechless for a moment after seeing the contents of the note.

Yang Shengzhang said, "This is not for you. Don't be like Song Hongbing and embezzle the benefits that the company gives to the workers."

"When I went to Jiagang this afternoon, I heard that you arranged a competition for the workers with rewards? You can't possibly pay for the rewards yourself, can you?"

"And you're getting married? I wouldn't have known if the political work department hadn't told me. What are you keeping secret from me, kid?"

"Make a list of what you need for your wedding. The company will help its employees where it can. This isn't me using connections; it's a benefit our company provides to its managers."

Qian Jin stood at attention, hands hanging down outside his legs, head bowed in salute: Loyalty!

He came out happily with the note in his hand.

The supply department is closed now, so I won't be able to pick up the direct exchange voucher until tomorrow.

These tickets are like bicycle vouchers; you don't need to spend money, you can redeem meat or oil with the ticket.

No wonder it's so hard to get into organizations like the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.

The treatment is too good!
He met up with Zhang Danxin to go look at the car.

Zhang Danxin explained the origins of the car to him; it turned out the car had quite a history.

It originally belonged to a state-owned noodle shop, and red ribbons were once tied to the handlebars.

It also went to Port A. In 1975, when the port's throughput broke records, this truck delivered a thousand cabbage and pork buns to the port workers.

However, the steering shaft is now worn out and looks unusable.

The commercial bureau, which owns the noodle shop, approved a residual value of eight yuan. The shop could either be bought or put into a steel furnace to be reborn and continue to contribute to the socialist cause of the people.

Unable to obtain a bicycle at the time, Zhang Danxin, as a last resort, spent eight yuan to buy one, intending to find a repairman to fix it up for her younger brother.

Upon closer examination, he realized that the freight problem had stumped him.

Admittedly, freight trains can transport large items, but the freight cost alone from the eastern coast to the northwestern border is enough to buy half a new bicycle.

"Another thing is that I had a mechanic come and take a look at it. The mechanic shook his head and said that this tire is already difficult to drive on the road. If you go to the border or desert, you'll be waiting for a tire to burst every few days."

"Then you gave me your bicycle voucher, haha, and it became completely useless. Now it's lying in the corner of the yard eating snow."

Zhang Danxin didn't want to cheat Qian Jin, so she explained everything clearly to prevent Qian Jin from having too much hope.

Arriving at the backyard of their tenement building, we shoveled away a pile of snow before finally spotting this dilapidated tricycle.

Qiu Dayong was knowledgeable in the field, so he went up and took a look.

The green paint on the truck bed was peeling off in patches, and the chain box was stuck with the salt and alkali rust unique to the seaside.

He said, "But the triangular frame is made of manganese steel, and the shock absorber springs on the front fork are still usable. The tires are mainly worn out, with many small punctures. We happen to have some good glue, so we can patch them up and extend their lifespan by another three years!"

Qian Jin asked, "Can it be used?"

Qiu Dayong nodded: "It's very useful. At the very least, we can take it back and let the brothers practice on it, so that we can accumulate experience for our future auto repair shop."

One advantage of this vehicle is that it's a dedicated food delivery vehicle, and a section of the cargo bed has been insulated.

Two layers of asbestos boards were laid down, with sawdust sandwiched in between. The stove can then be placed directly on top, as there's a pre-designed space for it.

Zhu Tao, Zhao Bo, and others have been going from street to street doing business recently, and they know the best about the effectiveness of this kind of tricycle.

They saw the vehicle as if it were a treasure: "A food delivery truck from a state-run restaurant?"

Zhao Bo carefully wiped the chain. Although the chain was rusty, there was no breakage.

This is a lucky find; the bike was probably serviced before it was scrapped, with a new chain and pedals installed.

The ball bearings in the foot pedal were also rusty. Qiu Dayong took them off and pulled out an oil paper package from the bottom of his toolbox, saying, "These are the ball bearings I collected last year when I was helping the railway maintain the gate."

“The bicycle bell is a good thing. There are good things in state-run stores. It’s made of copper!” As he spoke, he removed the bell, which had turned a bluish-green rust. After sanding it, the '1971' was revealed.

After polishing, cleaning, and oiling, Qiu Dayong finally tested it, and the crisp sound of the bell striking the tongue was very pleasant.

Qian Jin took out glue and rubber sheets, and also brought out a small bucket of paint.

That evening, Qiu Dayong worked until 10 o'clock and finally handed over a sleek tricycle to Qian Jin.

Apart from the three tires looking old and the uneven metal plate in the truck bed, the rest of the truck looks like a new truck at first glance!

Qian Jin handed the car to Zhu Tao: "The second mobile canteen vehicle has returned to the team. Tomorrow, both vehicles will go out together to serve the people!"

(End of this chapter)