The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 271 The Final Arrangements, the Third Brother Who Raised Chickens
In the old-fashioned factory director's office at the seaside fertilizer plant, the coal stove burned bright red, and the corrugated iron chimney pipe twisted and turned, leading to the window and hissing out white steam, but it could not dispel the bone-chilling damp cold of the deep winter.

Yang Dagang rubbed his rough, sandpaper-like hands as he paced back and forth in the cramped office.

His military green cotton-padded coat was open, revealing his blue work clothes from the fertilizer factory.

The praise from our superiors still echoes in my ears.

The image of those Japanese soldiers looking utterly dejected is still vivid in my mind.

In addition, he felt a lingering fear.

Although Qian Jin had long believed in Chuanqi Heavy Industry's conspiracy based on the evidence, it wasn't until today, when the equipment arrived at the fertilizer plant and underwent testing by foreign experts, that he confirmed the sinister intentions of the Japanese.

That was very dangerous!

He looked at Qian Jin, his forehead beaded with sweat.

It wasn't the heat, but the lingering fear, the burning feeling in his heart that made him restless.

Qian Jin saw Hayes and the others off in their car back to the guesthouse, and then returned to say goodbye to Yang Dagang.

"Brother Yang, the overall situation is now settled. All that's left is to wait for the government to collect the compensation money from Sichuan Heavy Industry."

"We did a pretty good job this time. The fertilizer plant hasn't exported anything yet, but it's already earned foreign exchange for the country, haha."

He was in a good mood.

Yang Dagang felt even better after hearing this.

Winning a war against foreign enemies is always the most inspiring thing for soldiers.

He couldn't help but go up and shake Qian Jin's hand, and said sincerely, "Brother Qian, I want to ask the leaders and the Party organization to commend you. This battle was fought brilliantly, because of your brilliant command."

"You made a great contribution to this battle, and you made a great contribution!"

Qian Jin waved his hand: "Let's forget about it. We're a team. Brother Yang, you know more about leading a team than I do."

"Since our team won the battle, the credit naturally belongs to our team..."

“That’s not the case at all!” Yang Dagang interrupted him.

"Because I served as a military commander in the front-line troops, I am more aware of how to distribute credit."

At this point, his expression became serious and sincere: "Director Qian, if it weren't for your strong vigilance and your extensive knowledge, our fertilizer plant would have been harmed by the Japanese devils!"

"If it weren't for you, our entire factory, with thousands of employees, would have fallen into the trap set by those Japanese guys, Kawasaki!"

"Several million US dollars! Even if you crush my bones to dust, I still couldn't afford to pay that!"

He patted his chest forcefully, causing the buttons on his military green cotton-padded jacket to pop open.
"However, you not only saved the fertilizer plant, but also used the trap to turn the tables, not only preventing the Japanese from succeeding in their plot, but also making them lose face and money!"

The deputy director of the fertilizer plant arrived, wearing an overcoat. After hearing these words, he sighed and looked at Qian Jin with admiration:

"Director Qian, I, Lao Yan, am truly impressed by you. You are the only one in the entire Haibin City who can accomplish this."

"Even if you told me everything and let me handle it, I still couldn't deal with these damn Japanese devils. I still have to rely on you. You actually managed to hire lawyers and inspection experts from the United States..."

As he spoke, he turned to Yang Dagang and said with emotion, "Director Yang, I'm not just flattering you, am I? This is the truth, isn't it? If you, Director Yang, were in charge of this matter, at most you could prevent the Japanese devils from taking advantage of our factory, but I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to make them pay compensation, would you?"

Yang Dagang said, "I definitely can't do it."

He and Deputy Factory Director Yan reviewed the matter.

The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became, and the more I admired Qian Jin.

Finally, Yang Dagang couldn't help but give Qian Jin a light punch in the chest: "Director Qian, you're really something!"

"I, Lao Yang, dare not say anything else, but at least I am a man. A good man should dare to act and take responsibility, and dare to speak the truth."

"I, Lao Yang, have always wanted to thank you, but the matter wasn't settled, and I didn't know how to express my gratitude. Now you are our factory's savior!"

"I don't know how to thank you. You have to give me a chance, otherwise I'll have no face to show at work or in the city!"

Go in and get a teacup to drink tea.

Yang Dagang snatched it away and poured it out for him, saying, "It's all cold. How can I let you drink cold tea on such a cold day?"

He poured tea for Qian Jin, while Deputy Factory Director Yan personally fetched a pot of hot water.

Qian Jin, holding his enamel mug, laughed: "Director Yang, Deputy Director Yan, you're both too kind."

"Protecting state property and safeguarding workers' livelihoods is our duty as cadres. Let's not talk about repaying them anymore."

"No way!" Yang Dagang stiffened his neck, beads of sweat forming on his dark red face. "We have to get some explanation, don't we, Lao Yan?"

Deputy Factory Director Yan nodded: "Yes, this kindness is a life-saving grace, a factory-saving grace."

He thought for a while and asked:
"Director Qian, are you having any difficulties at home? Your child's schooling? Your sister-in-law's job transfer? Just say the word! Whether it's the technical department, the factory office, the trade union, or the municipal government, whatever you need us to do, we'll get it done for you right away!"

A biting wind swept through the empty factory area, carrying the damp chill of sea salt as it seeped in through the window cracks, howling loudly.

On the windowsill, a thin layer of grayish-white salt frost had crystallized.

Qian Jin smiled, shook his head, and tried to leave.

As a result, he was sandwiched between the two of them.

Seeing Yang Dagang's menacing gaze, Qian Jin hesitated for a moment: "Well, to be honest, if I keep refusing your kindness now, it would seem a bit pretentious."

Hearing this, Yang Dagang laughed: "Yeah, don't try to be coy with me, I don't fall for that."

"Repaying kindness and avenging wrongs is a fine tradition of our People's Liberation Army."

Qian Jin thought for a moment and said, "Okay, here's the thing, I'm fine here, my wife is doing well too, and I don't have any children yet."

“But I have a third brother named Qian Lie. He just returned to the city from the red soil region of Southwest China this year. His household registration was transferred back a few months ago, but he still hasn’t found a job…”

"Qian Lie? Your third brother didn't have a job after returning to the city?" Yang Dagang's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had grabbed a piece of driftwood, and he took a step forward.

"Why look elsewhere? If you don't mind our factory's poor performance, let him work here! Based on our relationship, he'll start as a level three skilled worker! Just say the word, and he'll be here tomorrow..."

Qian Jin raised his hand, his movement as swift as a military officer's, interrupting Yang Dagang's outpouring of enthusiasm:
"You can't do that. The fertilizer plant doesn't belong to you or anyone else. I can accept your favor, but I can't do something like inserting people into it without permission."

These words made Yang Dagang admire him even more.

In fact, Qian Jin had never intended for his third brother to work in the factory.

He didn't look down on the fertilizer plant; once Chuanqi Heavy Industry paid the compensation, the fertilizer plant would definitely introduce a new production line.

He believed that with the information he possessed, he could help the fertilizer plant introduce a production line that was a decade ahead of the average level of the domestic chemical industry, at which point the Haibin Fertilizer Plant would surely rise to prominence.

Perhaps, following the normal timeline, Haibin Fertilizer Plant would have been among the first batch of factories to go bankrupt and close down in the 1980s.

But now that he's here, the Haibin Fertilizer Plant can definitely defy fate.

Unfortunately, Qian Lie was not suited to work at the evolution factory, so Qian Jin wanted him to work at the breeding farm.

This was something he had planned long ago, and it was also the reason why Qian Lie hadn't been able to find a place to work.

Qian Lie worked as a livestock veterinarian in the red soil of Southwest China. Although he could not be considered an expert in this field, he was certainly a connoisseur.

In addition, money needs to be transferred to farms, especially poultry farms.

Since the state has allowed individual businesses to exist, the Administration for Industry and Commerce will soon be issuing individual business licenses.

Qian Jin then began to integrate and reorganize the Taishan Road Labor Commando Team.

His first task was to separate the mobile canteens for the people from the public.

He has never arranged for the mobile canteens to find a fixed location for operation, that is, to open a restaurant or canteen.

Because once fixed assets are involved, the divestiture of small collective enterprises becomes very complicated and troublesome.

The mobile canteens for the people are currently operating like guerrilla warfare.

If Qian Jin could simply expel these people from the labor shock brigade, obtain a business license under Wei Qinghuan's name, and register them there, he could complete the conversion of the people's mobile canteen from public to private.

This action is suspected of misappropriating state assets.

However, Qian Jin had no choice.

He knew all too well how complicated the situation was in state-owned enterprises in the 1980s, and the mobile canteens for the people were a lucrative opportunity.

They will definitely be targeted by many officials.

If it had always been a small collective enterprise, then Qian Jin wouldn't have had the authority to make decisions regarding appointments and dismissals.

Qian Jin needs to take the initiative.

The mobile canteen is the foundation of his future integrated commercial complex covering "clothing, food, housing, and transportation," and he cannot hand over this foundation to others.

The mobile canteen currently offers four main types of food: spicy hot pot, fresh soup, barbecue, and braised meat.

Qian Jin had always wanted to start a new business, which was to imitate KFC and McDonald's by making fried chicken and fast food.

Chinese people have their own hamburgers.

He'll definitely make roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).

The meat is braised meat; that's the basic premise. There are braised meat stalls in the mobile canteens for the people.

All you need to do is buy another batch of ovens from the mall to bake flatbreads, and add braised meat to make roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).

Fried chicken requires chicken meat as its raw material.

In this situation, he needs a chicken farm.

Building a chicken farm from scratch would be very complicated, and it just so happens that Qian Lie is a veterinarian.

Qian Jin thought he could get him in and find a way to get his third brother promoted quickly so that he could help him introduce various fast-growing broiler chickens to the farm.

Then he can buy chicken from the farm and start a fried chicken business.

Qian Jin thought about it and then voiced his needs: "My third brother has been working in the countryside for eight years and has been living at the veterinary station ever since."

"He was used to touching horse tails and cow hooves. Dealing with livestock was his specialty. He could deliver babies for mules and horses and give medicine to calves with diarrhea. He had some traditional methods."

"To be honest, he didn't understand things like the pipelines, valves, instrument drawings, and ammonia synthesis section of the fertilizer plant. He went in, occupied a position but didn't do any work. The people thought it was outrageous, and he himself felt useless."

His words were simple, yet powerful; every word seemed to strike the ground.

Yang Dagang's excitement froze for a moment, then lit up like a lightbulb: "Taking care of livestock? Knowing veterinary medicine? That's real skill!"

Qian Jin's gaze fell on Yang Dagang's rugged and enthusiastic face, carrying a subtle inquiry:

"Brother Yang, you have comrades all over the world, I wonder... do you know anyone at a state-owned farm or a large chicken farm?"

“Didn’t the city just establish a key ‘Red Star First Mechanized Chicken Farm’? My third brother has some local skills in dealing with chicken diseases and animal weakness. Putting them in a fertilizer plant would be a waste, but putting them in a chicken farm might allow them to make a name for themselves. I think it’s at least a way to make a living.”

This mechanized chicken farm is the prototype of the future closed-loop poultry farm, and it was just established in the middle of this year.

Qian Jin wanted to send Qian Lie to prison right then and there.

Unfortunately, he had no connections.

But things turned out to be a coincidence.

Upon hearing Qian Jin's words, Yang Dagang slapped his thigh hard: "A chicken farm?! Red Star Factory No. 1?!"

"Hey, Brother Qian, you've come to the right place! Haha, that field manager is Old Wei, also known as Wei Desheng. He's an old comrade-in-arms from the anti-aircraft artillery position during the self-defense counterattack against India!"

"I carried cannon barrels and shielded him from shrapnel; we're friends through thick and thin! It was his suggestion that I transfer to the fertilizer plant this time. He was short-handed, especially technicians who knew the ropes and could put in the hard work."

“Your third brother is a returned educated youth, which is exactly what’s going on. You’ve got this job sorted out in me!”

He rushed to the old, peeling desk, pulled open the drawer, and pulled out a piece of stationery with the bright red factory name printed on it. He then took out a Hero 100 gold pen with a worn-out nib from his pocket.

“Swish, swish, swish—!”

The pen tip scraped across the rough paper, making a rapid, grating sound.

Deputy Factory Director Yan asked him, "What are you doing?"

Yang Dagang laughed and said, "What are you doing? Writing recommendation letters."

Deputy Factory Director Yan stopped him, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Director Qian, there are no outsiders here, so please speak frankly."

"What kind of job are you trying to get for your third brother? I'm afraid it's not just an ordinary skilled worker, is it?"

Qian Jin said, "They're skilled workers, specifically, farm veterinarians? Or farm technicians?"

Deputy Factory Director Yan was stunned: "With your position and connections, you could easily have placed him in this kind of job, right? Why wait until now?"

Qian Jin frankly stated, "I don't like to use my connections to find jobs for my relatives and friends because I don't like people using my connections, so I don't use other people's connections either."

"If it weren't for the two of you insisting on helping me tonight, to be honest, and I'm not lying, I was actually keeping an eye on the job postings at the farm, thinking I'd wait until the factory started hiring and then figure out a way to get my third brother a job."

Deputy Factory Director Yan looked at him in surprise.

He hasn't met such principled cadres, especially young cadres, in a long time!

Finally, he shook his head, sighed, and said, "Director Qian, I, Old Yan, am truly impressed by you!"

At this time, Yang Dagang had finished writing the letter of recommendation:
Comrade Qian Lie is a glorious educated youth who returned to the city. He is politically reliable, hardworking, skilled in livestock breeding and traditional disease prevention, and particularly adept at using local materials to treat acute livestock diseases.

This comrade is a rare and invaluable talent in grassroots animal husbandry, but unfortunately, our factory has no suitable position. Now, the city's key Hongxing No. 1 Mechanized Chicken Farm is eagerly seeking qualified personnel and therefore strongly recommends this comrade. We hope your farm leadership will review and appoint him!

As the last exclamation mark fell, Yang Dagang, his hand soaked in red ink, pressed the factory's Party Committee seal—symbolizing the absolute authority of the chemical industry—heavily onto the end of the letter with a "smack."

The bright red ink, like congealed blood, heavily proclaims the weight and unquestionable significance of this human kindness.

Qian Jin thanked Yang Dagang, picked up the letter of recommendation, and left.

Yang Dagang grabbed him: "We absolutely have to have a celebration banquet tonight."

Qian Jin laughed and said, "We should celebrate, but not now. Let's wait until we get the compensation from Chuanqi Heavy Industry, then we can have a proper celebration, okay?"

Yang Dagang said dreamily, "We'll definitely drink until we drop." Deputy Factory Director Yan asked, "Director Qian, are you just leaving like this? What about all those international experts we invited…?"

"Don't worry about dinner. I've already arranged for the guesthouse to send them steak and red wine." The good stuff Qian Jin bought at the mall was more than enough to entertain Hayes and his party.

"They don't actually like Chinese food, so let them eat steak and things like that. Don't worry, I've arranged everything perfectly."

As Deputy Factory Director Yan watched his retreating figure, he exclaimed, "Director Yang, this Director Qian is quite remarkable."

Yang Dagang nodded in deep agreement: "I have a feeling that this guy will become a trendsetter in the tide of reform and opening up."

It gets dark early; it was only a little past six o'clock, and the leaden-gray clouds had already pressed down heavily, obscuring all the stars. Darkness completely enveloped Taishan Road.

The north wind whipped up the snow on the ground, carrying a damp and cold chill, like countless invisible whips lashing at the mottled slogans on the red brick walls and the stairwell windows covered with old newspapers.

A thick layer of frost flowers covered the windowpane, casting a hazy, pale light on the sparse streetlights outside.

The orange glow emanating from the small kitchens in the hallway became the only warm color.

The clanging of spatulas, the short whooshing of bellows, the shouts of children chasing and playing, and the smell of coal smoke mingled together in a chaotic mix, all swallowed up by the cold night.

As Qian Jin pushed open the door and entered the house, a familiar warm current, mixed with the smell of coal and the aroma of food, rushed towards him, instantly dispelling the chill clinging to the outside of his cotton-padded coat.

In the center of the living room, an old cast iron coal stove with a dark copper chimney was burning brightly, its furnace emitting a steady orange-red glow that warmed people's faces.

A large, bulging aluminum pot rested on the stove ring, inside which a thick, pure white broth was bubbling and boiling. Large pieces of lamb bones, with meat and tendons, appeared and disappeared in the milky white waves, and glistening oil floated on the surface of the soup.

An extremely strong and rich aroma, carrying the unique freshness and wildness of mutton, filled the entire room, making people's throats churn.

When the children saw him come back, Qian Tu and the others rushed over to help him put down his bag, take off his clothes, and hang them up.

Qian Jin laughed heartily: "I've become a landlord now."

"Lord Landlord, please ask my aunt to pick out a piece of lamb bone with meat on it for me later," Chen Jianguo said with a fawning smile.

Qian Xi came out of the kitchen, carrying a golden straw woven curtain in her hand.

She said, "Tonight we're having mutton soup with flatbread, not mutton. Your aunt bought mostly mutton bones, there's no mutton in it."

“There’s a sheep’s head, I saw it, there’s a big sheep’s head inside,” Chen Jianguo said anxiously.

Qian Jin asked, "Are we having mutton soup with flatbread tonight?"

Ma Hongxia, who was in the kitchen, heard his voice and said, "Yes, I ran into someone selling mutton at the market today."

"Lamb is too expensive. You coastal people don't know how to eat lamb bones. Hehe, I saw that lamb bones were cheap and didn't require coupons, so I bought them."

She also brought out a covered mat with several freshly baked flatbreads upside down on it.

Each one was as big as a small washbasin, with a crispy, golden-brown crust. The aroma of roasting and wheat mixed with the rich mutton soup wafted straight into one's nose.

Tangyuan, who had grown quite a bit taller, stood on tiptoe in front of the table to look. Ma Hongxia tore off a piece and gave it to her, then handed another piece to Qian Jin.
"Hurry up and have something to eat, you four brothers, are you freezing? Warm up by the stove, rub your hands together, the soup is just right!"

"Wait a minute with the lambs, I'll go fry the tofu, and then we'll eat."

Qian Jin teases a group of children.

Soon, a large enamel basin full of glistening fried tofu cubes was brought out, piled high and looking incredibly tempting.

The fresh tofu I bought that day was cut into irregular triangular pieces and deep-fried until the surface was golden brown and puffed up with small, crispy bubbles.

They sizzled as they soaked up the seasoned savory soy sauce, the dark brown sauce almost clinging to every piece of tofu, glistening brightly.

Chen Aiguo reached out his hands, frozen like little steamed buns, to grab the fried tofu, but his mother, Qian Xi, slapped him on the back of the head.

"piss off!"

The sound of pulling out benches and chairs clattered as Tangyuan, Qiantu, and the other children sat down in a row.

The little ones huddled together, their bright eyes fixed on the steaming fried tofu and the bubbling mutton soup pot, their little mouths slightly open, drool practically dripping down their faces.

"Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready!" Ma Hongxia called out to everyone, quickly setting out the bowls and chopsticks. "Aiguo, don't touch it, it's hot!"

The impatient little guy couldn't wait any longer.

Qian Cheng rolled up his sleeves and brought a large bowl of piping hot mutton bone soup to the table.

The enamel basin made a dull thud as it hit the table, and a cloud of steam billowed out. Seeing this, the children eagerly stretched out their bowls.

Holding a large ladle, Ma Hongxia deftly tilted and flicked her wrist, precisely pouring the boiling mutton soup into the bowl.

The rich, white broth instantly enveloped the golden, crispy baked flatbread.

"Slurp—ha!" Qian Tu, being older, was the first to start eating.

He blew on the oil floating on the rim of the bowl, then eagerly sipped the hot soup, wincing from the burn, but with a satisfied look on his face: "Mom smells good! Mom smells so good!"

"Your mom didn't put on any face cream, so where does it smell good?" Chen Shoujiang teased Qian Tu, which drew laughter from everyone.

Qian Lie and his wife didn't smile; they just pursed their lips.

Qian Jin noticed his third brother and sister-in-law's discomfort and remained silent for the time being.

Chen Jianguo also said, "My aunt's mutton soup is so fragrant, it's even more fragrant than the mutton soup in the city. It's a million times better than the snow water stewed with radish slices that we cook at the forest farm!"

The flatbread in his bowl had soaked up all the mutton fat broth, becoming soft, sticky, and oily. He picked up a piece of fried tofu coated in the rich broth and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing it with a crunching sound, his cheeks puffing out high.

Qian Hong and the other girls, including Tang Yuan, ate quietly.

They remained silent, simply blowing on the soup in their bowls with small, delicate breaths, carefully eating the piping hot yet delicious mutton fat crackers, their foreheads soon beaded with sweat.

"Jianguo and Aiguo, slow down! The tofu's hot!" Wei Qinghuan hurriedly reminded her two nephews.

Chen Jianguo swallowed half a piece of tofu in one gulp, gasping for breath from the heat, and forced it down his throat.

Chen Aiguo was even more formidable.

He slurped up a mouthful of scalding hot soup, hissing as it burned his mouth. His eyes instantly welled up with tears, and his little mouth twitched as if he was about to cry out.

"Spit it out! Spit it out now!" Ma Hongxia was so anxious that she tried to pry open her two nephews' mouths.

Qian Xi's biological mother sneered, "Serves you right!"

Chen Shoujiang, the biological father, was engrossed in eating the mountain of steamed flatbread in his bowl. He had just returned from unloading a batch of frozen fish at the dock with his driver, and still smelled strongly of fish.

Hearing his youngest son crying, he looked up from his bowl, glared at him, and scolded, "What are you yelling about? You didn't burn your tongue, hurry up and take a bite of the pancake to calm it down!"

He spoke in a rough tone, but his movements were swift; he stuffed a slightly cooled piece of bread from his bowl into his youngest son's mouth.

Qian Jin slowly and deliberately carried his bowl of soup.

In the enamel bowl, the mutton soup is thick and white like cream. The broken flatbread is half-submerged and half-floating, soaking up the soup, and looks golden with a mutton fat-like luster. The fried tofu cubes are coated with soup, soft yet crispy, and the tendons and meat attached to the mutton bones are stewed until tender and flavorful.

A sip of hot soup instantly sent a powerful and rich warmth from my throat into my stomach, then spread to every part of my body, even warming my fingertips that had been chilled by the cold wind.

Take another bite of the pancake soaked in broth, and the aroma of wheat mixed with the ultimate freshness of meat explodes in your mouth, satisfying and comforting.

He exhaled a long puff of white air, looked at the faces of the people in the room flushed red from the steam, listened to the sound of teeth grinding food, satisfied sighs, and his little nephew's exaggerated gasps after being burned, and felt very at ease.

The most beautiful thing about life is the warmth of everyday life.

Delicious food is the most comforting thing for ordinary people.

The bustling, vibrant atmosphere of the marketplace before my eyes is a kind of solid, heartwarming experience that cold data tables and negotiation terms cannot match.

After the soup had been simmering for a while, the water level in the pot dropped a bit, revealing chunks of mutton and lamb bones. The muscles and tendons between the bones trembled slightly, releasing an even more enticing aroma.

The pace slowed down, and everyone started chatting casually while eating. The fire in the stove continued to emit a steady warmth, completely shutting out the cold wind outside the window.

"This is so good..." Qian Cheng mumbled as he chewed on a piece of lamb tendon that had been stewed until it was extremely tender.

“We never dared to dream of such a life in the past. Back in the Loess Plateau, we were secretly happy to be able to eat a bowl of radish stew with meat on it during the New Year.”

“That’s right!” Qian Tu interrupted, his mouth full of food, “Dad, we used to eat frozen cornbread all winter, and our teeth would ache from chewing it. Unlike now in the city, we can have mutton soup whenever we want.”

He took a large gulp of soup with satisfaction, making a contented "gurgling" sound in his throat.

The atmosphere at the dinner table became more relaxed and content.

Qian Jin felt it was time.

He put down his bowl, took out a neatly folded kraft paper envelope from the inside pocket of his Zhongshan suit jacket, and gently pushed it in front of his third brother, Qian Lie, across the table.

Qian Lie was holding a bowl of soup when he unconsciously stopped, his fingers, glistening with oil and soup, hovering in mid-air as he looked at his younger brother with a puzzled expression.

Qian Jin picked up a piece of pickled radish and gestured with his chopsticks: "Recently, I've been helping Director Yang of the fertilizer plant outwit the Japanese devils, and we've finally achieved some results. Director Yang insists on thanking me."

"It's quite a coincidence that he knows a farm manager. I figured that this place is a good fit for your skills, so I got you a letter of recommendation."

Qian Lie put down the bowl with a puzzled look, wiped his hands haphazardly on his wife's greasy apron, and picked up the envelope with some hesitation.

The envelope was addressed to Mr. Wei Desheng, the manager of Haibin Hongxing First Mechanized Chicken Farm, in extremely neat penmanship on the blank front.

The signature read "Party Committee Office of Haibin Fertilizer Plant" in bright red printed font.

Qian Lie's heart skipped a beat, and his fingers trembled slightly as he pulled out the letter from inside.

He unfolded the manuscript paper with the official red letterhead and eagerly began to read.

This is a recommendation letter with a standard heading, sincere wording, and a prominent red seal!
After reading it, Qian Lie suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide with disbelief and rapidly spreading excitement: "This...this is...Fourth Brother, you, you, this is..."

"It was written by Director Yang Dagang himself, and it was just stamped. You can report for work first thing tomorrow morning, and you'll definitely be able to start work." Qian Jin said with a smile, "Hongxing Chicken Farm is in the suburbs, not far away. You can ride my bicycle there."

"Good heavens!" Qian Lie's wife, Zhao Xiaohong, kept watching her husband's every move.

Seeing her husband's excited expression, she couldn't help but lean over and peek at the contents of the letter through his hand.

After reading the words above and seeing the big red stamp below, she asked happily, "Honey, does this mean I've got a job?"

Her voice trembled noticeably, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears of joy.

Under the table, she tightly gripped her husband's other hand.

Qian Lie nodded emphatically, his hand holding the letter trembling slightly.

He took a few deep breaths of the hot, savory aroma of mutton soup, as if trying to suppress his turbulent emotions.

Then he carefully folded the letter and put it back into the sacred kraft paper envelope, his movements as gentle as if he were holding a priceless treasure.

Qian Cheng and Qian Xi exchanged a glance and became excited as well: "Third brother, are we going to the chicken farm?"

"Still want to be a veterinarian? That sounds great!"

Qian Lie nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, eldest brother and second sister, fourth brother found me a good job, working at Hongxing Chicken Farm—this is Hongxing Chicken Farm!"

His excited voice unconsciously rose a little, causing everyone at the table to stop eating and look at him.

Wei Qinghuan asked instinctively, "What happened to Hongxing Chicken Farm?"

Qian Lie laughed and said, "This is a key project supported by the city. I saw its introduction in the newspaper last month. This farm was funded by the province and is the first state-owned farm in our province to use proper modern cage breeding equipment."

"I heard that Hongxing Farm imported more than 5,000 foreign White Locker breeder chicks in its first batch alone."

"They've built seven or eight meat processing buildings, and they even invited experts from the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences to come down and provide guidance. This year, the entire Haibin City's meat supply is counting on them to get off to a good start!"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Qian Jin, and he couldn't help but laugh: "This place has a very high barrier to entry, Fourth Brother, Third Brother is really benefiting from your help this time..."

“We’re all family, no need for formalities.” Qian Jin picked up his bowl, interrupting his tearful gratitude, “This is just a trip to a farm, not the municipal party committee office.”

"Actually, I've always wanted to get you a job at the Agriculture and Forestry Bureau, but the chances are too slim..."

"Don't even think about it." Qian Xi works at the educated youth resettlement office and is most familiar with the recruitment situation of various units.

“Government agencies are hiring very few people right now. They are waiting for the first batch of college graduates to graduate in the spring of 82, and then the government will recruit talent from universities.”

Qian Lie laughed and said, "If you really asked me to become an official like my elder brother, I wouldn't want to. I'm not like my elder brother. I'm not good at talking and I don't like to talk. I definitely wouldn't be able to become an official."

Qian Cheng took a sip of the perfectly warm mutton soup, the rich and savory flavor spreading in his mouth, bringing him a pleasant feeling.

He put down his bowl and said, "Are you sure you can do it now, third brother? We're family, so let's not mince words. Eldest brother went to the Industry and Commerce Bureau to become an official."

"Hey, I don't have the ability or the ambition. I'm just here to do the work. If I can do the work well and serve the people properly, I'll be satisfied."

He told Qian Lie, "Your personality is indeed introverted, so you're best suited for technical work. You'd better work hard when you get to the company."

Qian Lie nodded vigorously: "Absolutely!"

“When you get there, bring out your real skills from when you were tending livestock in southern Yunnan.” Qian Cheng picked up his chopsticks and pointed at a piece of tofu soaking in oily soup in his bowl, giving his younger brother instructions with all his heart.

"Focus your efforts on the chickens. As long as they live better than those elsewhere, you'll have done your part."

Qian Jin waved his hand: "Hey, Third Brother, don't listen to the boss. I just borrowed your flowers to give to Buddha and found you a job. It's nothing."

"But the boss is right. As long as you take good care of the chickens, you won't have to worry about your future as a technician. The country is paying special attention to technology and culture now. Who knows, you might become a technical factory director someday."

Qian Lie laughed heartily.

The others laughed too.

Everyone took Qian Jin's words as a joke.

The atmosphere at the dinner table became more relaxed.

The sounds of televisions, bickering, and the clanging of coal shovels against stoves from every household in the building became blurred background noise.

At the dinner table, the dark brown of fried tofu, the milky white of mutton bone soup, and the golden brown of baked flatbread mingled among the bowls and plates, while Qian Lie's gaze was fixed on the kraft paper envelope in his hand that contained a passage to the future.

The cold wind howled outside the window.

He felt that spring of 1980 had arrived much earlier than expected.

Even though it's still December!

(End of this chapter)