The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 146 Arrive and fight, fight and win.

The old residential compound of the Fisheries Bureau was also a tenement building, not far from the tenement building where Qian Jin lived; the two communities were considered neighboring communities.

Haibin City is a maritime city, and its port and fishing industry were the two pillar industries in the early days of the nation's founding.

Therefore, the Fisheries Bureau once wielded immense power and was the first to be allocated a small building in the family compound.

As a result, they lost their advantage of being latecomers. The buildings they were assigned were all old buildings from before the founding of the People's Republic of China, with problems with the power and water networks. Electricians and maintenance workers would avoid them on a daily basis.

Why? I've developed a psychological aversion to repairing things here.

Qian Jin didn't know how to repair things, so Qiu Dayong and the other six came in handy.

It's freezing cold, no wonder the residents of apartment 201 are so anxious.

Under immense water pressure, water gushed out from the gap, as if someone had set up a water gun and was spraying it at window 201.

Tragically, the windows of apartment 201 were old, and the wood had long been rotten. The water had even managed to create cracks in them, and the family was busy mopping the floor.

The water on the exterior walls froze, making it look like a crystal palace at first glance.

Qian Jinxian used the key given to him by Wei Xiangmi to open the well and close the sluice gate.

He returned to check the situation and found that the cast iron pipe was not only cracked, but also slightly crooked.

Then the crack got stuck in the angle between the load-bearing wall and the pipe. Qiu Dayong stepped on a stool, looked at it, and shook his head: "Even the state-owned waterworks would be clueless in this location."

Zhao Weiguo, who has experience in water pipe repair, also went to take a look and said, "The weather is too cold, and the joints have frozen and cracked. Then, when the water pressure suddenly came up, it burst open. It's best to replace the pipe joints."

Upon hearing this, Qian Jin prepared to turn around and leave, saying, "Then we can't fix it."

Qiu Dayong, however, was unwilling to give up.

Song Shouren and the others were even more unwilling to accept defeat. This was the very first battle of the tournament, and it would be too embarrassing to start with a loss.

Actually, Qian Jin was just saying that; he has a way of handling these kinds of small problems.

Is there a crack in the iron pipe?
It's simple. Just find a clean piece of sheet metal, clean the outside of the pipe, and glue it in place like you're patching a hole.

The variety of glues in this 27-year-old online store is incredibly comprehensive.

He found similar glue when he searched for tire repair glue.

But this thing can't be used right now.

If he were to show people, especially the many people currently, that he could solve problems that even professional welders couldn't with just a piece of sheet metal and some glue, how would he explain that?

Therefore, he plans to hand over the work to professionals.

Zhao Weiguo, whose hometown is in Northeast China, is familiar with this kind of thing. He said, "If we can do it today, we have some old-fashioned ways to do it."

He took off his cotton hat and handed it to Qian Jin: "Chief Qian, please hold this for me. I'm afraid it won't be able to wear it if it gets wet."

Qian Jin said, "Go ahead with peace of mind, comrade. Be careful. The people and comrades are eagerly awaiting your safe return."

Zhao Weiguo grinned: "Why are you talking like I'm going to blow up a bunker?"

The others laughed too.

Zhao Weiguo took out his calipers and measured the crack: "It's 1.3 centimeters long and 2 millimeters at its widest point. In my hometown, this is a minor problem."

"It's such a small space, you can't even fit the welding torch in there." Qiu Dayong breathed out white smoke as he rubbed his hands. "I think they had to unscrew the pipes and replace the connectors."

Several residents of the residential compound came out to watch the commotion. One of them, an old man, said, "Oh no, it's going to be tough to unscrew the pipes. I saw them doing repairs last time; they had to unscrew them from upstairs, section by section."

Qian Jin said, "Uncle, we should have had them replace all the connectors last time."

The old man said helplessly, "Do you think we don't want to? We'd love to replace all the pipes with new ones."

"The people at the water plant weren't happy about it. They said we were encouraging their wasteful thinking. Damn it, I knew something bad was going to happen."

Zhao Weiguo said, "The crack at the joint caused the pipe to tilt. We definitely can't weld it. It's all old sheet metal, so welding wouldn't be of any use."

"So we can only come up with a temporary solution. Old Qu is a carpenter. Can you carve out a frame to block the pipe later?"

He gestured as he explained to the crowd, "I can't say exactly how this crack appeared."

"It's possible that the water pipe was worn out, and it became brittle in the cold weather, causing it to burst due to increased water pressure. It's also possible that the pipe had become slightly crooked over time and couldn't withstand the pressure today, causing it to fall open."

"In short, the problem to be prevented is the stress on the pipes, so we added a wooden frame to it underground."

Qu Dongfang, who had worked as a carpenter, looked at it and said, "No problem, we have axes, saws and chisels in our toolbox, just give me a broken stool."

Immediately someone in the crowd said, "Yes, we have broken stools at home."

A stool with legs that had been reinforced several times and could no longer be reinforced was brought over, and Qu Dongfang opened his toolbox and began to work.

The residents crowded around to take a look, and were full of praise when they saw the box filled with a dazzling array of tools:

"Wow, this is something else."

"They're professionals, even more so than the mechanics at state-run repair shops."

"Wow, our neighborhood's labor shock brigade has evolved to this level? I think they're on par with the engineers of the regular army."

Zhao Weiguo said to Qiu Dayong:

"Today I saw that there was asphalt being repaired on Huashan Road, so I went to get some asphalt, melted it at high temperature, and then used cotton yarn to soak up the asphalt and seal the cracks, which is like bandaging it."

He then said to Qian Jin:

"The cotton yarn must be corrosion-resistant 21-count cotton yarn from the No. 3 State-owned Cotton Mill, and it must be wrapped in at least three layers."

Qian Jin nodded: "I'll go buy it right away, no problem."

He took the opportunity to go to the mall and buy the glue.

Zhao Weiguo followed the residents to shut off the water gate. The burly Lin Yong untied his belt and tied it to the water pipe. The brute strength he had developed in the militia made the iron pipe creak.

Qian Jin bought back the cotton yarn, and Qu Dongfang had already erected a wooden frame to firmly hold the water pipe in place.

So he prepared to take action first.

This glue is a small item that can be bought with the little gold box he hangs around his neck. It's incredibly cheap, only five yuan.

He handed the cotton yarn to Zhao Weiguo, and then asked Zhao Weiguo for a piece of sandpaper to polish the crack.

Zhao Weiguo said, "Chief Qian, there's no need to grind it; the asphalt will seal it."

Qian Jin said, "I'll polish it a bit and add a metal plate for cushioning."

Zhao Weiguo was puzzled by this, but he didn't argue with Qian Jin and obediently continued with his own work.

The fire hook is used to scoop the asphalt and roast it over the stove.

Asphalt has a boiling point of less than 400 degrees Celsius, while the combustion temperature of any kind of coal can reach 400 degrees Celsius, so it can be softened by roasting.

Most people went to watch the asphalt being baked, and Qian Jin took advantage of the fact that not many people were paying attention to his work of grinding the pipes, so he took out glue and started patching.

This adhesive comes in two parts, A and B, and needs to be mixed on-site before use.

The two glues mixed together formed a semi-solid, iron-gray substance. He applied it to the crack and then glued a piece of sheet metal onto it.

okay.

It is cold-resistant, heat-resistant, soft, and waterproof.

This water pipe connection should be fine for a while longer.

The asphalt softened on the stove, and the foul-smelling black slurry dripped onto the cotton yarn, requiring immediate action.

This means the iron pipe needs another patch.

Time was of the essence, and Zhao Weiguo didn't have time to ask Qian Jin what the meaning of the patched-up iron sheet was. Qian Jin simply said:
"I used glue to hold the sheet metal in place for you, that's the area, just cover it all up."

Wearing thick cotton gloves, Zhao Weiguo rubbed the asphalt cloth vigorously in the snow, then applied it to seal the blockage.

It burned a huge chunk.

Once the asphalt has cooled and solidified, the water gate can be opened smoothly to allow water to flow through.

Zhao Weiguo put his ear to the water pipe and listened for a moment, then said, "It's fine."

The residents of this building went to the water room and turned on the taps, and sure enough, water started flowing normally.

Many people stood under the pipe opening and examined it carefully.

The asphalt cloth remained completely still, as stable as Mount Tai.

Seeing this, their worries subsided, replaced by exclamations of admiration:
"Impressive, truly impressive! Our neighborhood labor commando team is no less capable than the state-run repair shops."

"What do you mean by 'not worse than them'? Much better! They come with just a word, and they get things done. What do you call that?"

"Capable of fighting tough battles, and possessing excellent conduct!"

The aunt from the 201st household insisted on taking them to her home for a bowl of pork and cabbage dumplings.

Qian Jin refused: "We have to go..."

“You’re not the People’s Liberation Army, why do you need to not take a single needle or thread from the people? You’re the labor shock brigade of our neighborhood, we’re all one family.” The aunt spoke very warmly.

That's how the citizens are; pragmatism prevails.

As long as you can resolve matters, even if you're a foreign street urchin god, we can still worship you as our supreme deity.

If you can't settle things, then whether you're Jesus or Odin, just go to the side.

The 201 family had just made dumplings for lunch, but they ate a little late, and while they were eating, water started flooding their bedroom. Since they had dumplings ready, the family grabbed the person and wouldn't let them leave: "How can we not accept money and not even have a drink of water? We're family, don't be so polite."

Qian Jin glanced at his watch and said, "Xiao Song, why don't you five stay for a bite to eat? Your auntie is too kind to refuse. Dayong, we have to go, we have to go to work."

Qiu Dayong grinned: "Alright, we'll leave. You guys can have a bite or two, but don't actually stay and eat their food."

Song Shouren, Zhao Weiguo, and others were also happy to have made a good start, and repeatedly said they knew.

The residents of the family compound were very interested when they learned that the labor shock brigade had now set up a mobile people's repair shop. One uncle even went home and brought out a tin box:

"Hey, where's Chief Qian? Left? Never mind, just give him to his men."

"Hey comrades, this box is a repair kit I used to keep. It's useless to me at home, so you can take it and use it."

Song Shouren shook his head as he ate the fragrant cabbage and pork dumplings.

He choked.

They actually didn't eat lunch.

The middle-aged man laughed and said, "You're too kind."

Someone brought over some paint and said, "Fourth Brother, don't just talk about it. Write their signs on them, and they'll have no choice but to take them."

Soon, a row of large green characters appeared on the metal box: Taishan Road Labor Commando Team.

With a slight tremor of the brush, the last stroke of the character "人" (person) wobbled a little, which was just right, like a commando team running.

The five of them were too embarrassed to eat their fill, so after having a few dumplings to fill their stomachs, they insisted on leaving.

The aunt saw them off, saying, "From now on, come and make yourself at home!"

This warmed the hearts of Song Shouren and his four companions.

They looked at each other and saw the radiant joy on each other's faces.

Zhao Weiguo said, "To be honest, what Chief Qian just said—that your hands are the hope for so many people in our neighborhood to live a comfortable life—you will find meaning in your work sooner or later."

"I didn't think much of it at the time. I wondered what the point of work was, wasn't it just to earn a salary?"

"And there's this bus too." Song Shouren patted the brand-new Da Yongjiu bus.

Zhao Weiguo grinned: "Yes, there were also public buses and future benefits. That's what I thought at the time."

"It turns out I was being narrow-minded. Chief Qian is truly farsighted. What he said is right; our work is very meaningful!"

This battle is truly important.

They were previously unemployed, some even without household registration, making them veritable migrants.

People like them are most afraid of running into helpful residents in the community, because they will be questioned about their identity and are easily subjected to discriminatory looks.

Today, everyone looks up to us, and everyone speaks words of praise.

This boosted their confidence and enthusiasm.

The five men separated: "As per Chief Qian's instructions, one person will stay at the hideout first. Brother Song, you stay here."

“Let Lao Qu stay; his sprained ankle hasn’t healed yet,” Song Shouren decided.

"The other four of you go in four different directions. Let's strike while the iron is hot and make our mobile repair shop famous!"

Qu Dongfang said, "Then keep it up. Their mobile canteen is very famous now. I heard it's made a lot of money for businesses."

"We all have one head and two shoulders, we can't be worse than them!"

These two jobs are incomparable.

But that's just how young people are.

Young and frivolous!

However, their confidence is not blind, because there are too many bicycles nowadays, and they lack maintenance, making them prone to problems.

Zhao Weiguo had only ridden his bicycle two intersections when he spotted a man in a Zhongshan suit stamping his feet in the snow.

Beside him lay a 28-inch bicycle, its rear tire rolled up, making the surrounding snow look like cotton wool, while the inner tube resembled a frozen snake curled up in the snowdrift.

"Master, need a tire patched? Just two cents." Zhao Weiguo immediately rode over, set up his bike, and asked.

The man hugged his arms and stomped his feet to keep warm.

He glanced at the words "People's Mobile Repair Shop" on the toolbox and asked, puzzled, "Are you a newly established repair team by the government?"

“It’s from the neighborhood committee, they specialize in treating bicycle ‘asthma’,” Zhao Weiguo grinned, showing the man his work ID.

The man glanced at it and said, "If you can fix a tire, I'll give you three cents, not just two cents..."

"Two cents is two cents, a fair price for everyone." Zhao Weiguo took out his military-grade knife to cut the rubber.

The inner tube burst and ripped open the outer tire; this is easily resolved.

Zhao Weiguo didn't even need to take out a basin of water to check for leaks; he easily patched the tire and inflated it.

The man in the Zhongshan suit readily gave him two cents and said happily, "I was just thinking of asking around to find a bicycle repair shop, and you guys delivered it right to my door. Hey, your neighborhood is really something."

Song Shouren soon found himself working on tire repair.

Someone threw nails on the road, and the person whose tire was punctured jumped up and down cursing the bastard who threw the nails.

When Song Shouren rode his bicycle past, he asked the man if he needed a tire repaired, but the man grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away.
"You're the one who threw the nail, aren't you? Let me tell you, I've seen plenty of these kinds of underhanded tricks!"

"You threw a nail in the road, and now you're patching up the tire. Hehe, you've come just in time!"

Song Shouren blushed.

The educated youth transport team was incredibly powerful and renowned for its fighting prowess in Jiagang. What was the secret? It was their genuine fighting ability and their ability to win!
He clenched his fists, ready to unleash his ultimate attack.

But remembering Qian Jin's instructions and the praise he had just received in the community, he suppressed his anger and showed the other person his work ID:
“I work for a small collective enterprise in Taishan Road Subdistrict. Our company is called People’s Mobile Repair Shop.”

"We also have a sister unit called the People's Mobile Canteen, and to be honest, we don't do that kind of thing!"

"You can ask my workplace and my neighborhood committee; we don't do this kind of thing!"

Upon hearing that it was Taishan Road, the other party let go of his hand, because Song Shouren hadn't gone far on his bicycle; this was Yimengshan Road, which was considered a neighboring street.

So the man asked in confusion, "Is the People's Mobile Canteen a unit under Qian Jin, the leader of your street office? Zhu Tao often sells spicy hot pot and fresh soup here."

"When did a unit like yours even exist? I've never heard of it."

Song Shouren explained the situation, saying, "The leader of our new unit is also Qian Jin. This can't be faked. We're only two streets apart, so you can ask him anytime."

The man smoothed out his collar and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, comrade, I misunderstood you."

"Qian Jin's colleagues are reliable; my younger cousins ​​both get tutoring in his study room..."

“That study room is now our office. If you don’t believe me, go and see. My colleague Qu Dongfang works there now,” Song Shouren said as he got out of the car.

The cyclist chuckled awkwardly, "I'm really sorry, I misunderstood. Okay, you can fix the tire then."

Song Shouren put down the large basin, poured in water, and began to get busy.

If I had known that Chief Qian was so famous, why bother explaining myself? I should have mentioned his name first!

After fixing the tire, he took two cents and was about to leave when a girl in a red scarf called him back.
"Hey comrade, could you come to my house? No, come to our building's hallway. Could you see if my dad's car can be repaired?"

Song Shouren parked his car and followed them into the tenement building. The corridor was filled with the smell of stale coal smoke. Then, a bicycle was hanging on the wall of the fourth-floor corridor.

“My dad insists this car is a ‘meritorious comrade-in-arms’ awarded by the factory, and he still wants to repair it even in this state. Do you think it can be fixed?” the girl asked.

Song Shouren looked closely and gave a wry smile.

The chain was rusted reddish-brown, and the gears were all crooked.

"If it can be repaired, there's really no need for it."

"The brake cable needs to be replaced, three teeth on the flywheel need to be repaired, and I've applied a ring of oil to the chain, but I can't guarantee it will still work. It's best to replace it as well."

"And the bicycle bell, the bicycle bell is broken."

Song Shouren fiddled with the bicycle bell for a few moments.

Silence fell.

The girl asked in surprise, "It actually works?"

Song Shouren said, "The frame of the Yongjiu chariot is good stuff. The wheel spokes are fine, which means its skeleton can still support it. I estimate it can last another ten or eight years without any problems."

"However, if it needs to be repaired, it might cost at most twenty or thirty dollars, so it depends on your family's wishes."

The girl thought for a moment and said, "Can you fix it?"

Song Shouren nodded: "Yes, but it would require a complete overhaul and take a lot of time. I'm afraid it wouldn't be finished in less than two hours."

The girl said, "Then you can fix it. I'll give my dad a surprise when he gets home from get off work."

Song Shouren rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

This is a big job.

I've been given a big job as soon as I started work, and I have to make a good reputation for it.

(End of this chapter)