Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

It was four o'clock in the afternoon.

Wang Feng left No. 28 courtyard feeling refreshed. He bought five poisonous plants and various Chinese herbal medicines at several pharmacies before returning to No. 95 courtyard.

Back at the Intermediate People's Court, he saw that Qin Jingru had already returned. He parked his bicycle and went inside.

"Brother Wang Feng, you're back."

When Qin Jingru saw Wang Feng, she poured him tea with a smile.

Wang Feng smiled and nodded, then took out two oil paper packets from his bag and said:

"Jingru, here are two jin of pork and two jin of beef. We'll eat half tonight and the other half for lunch tomorrow. Take it to the kitchen."

"Okay, Brother Wang Feng."

Qin Jingru smiled sweetly, took the oil paper package, and went into the kitchen.

After a while, she came out of the kitchen, and Wang Feng asked, "Jingru, has the handover of work in the cafeteria been completed today?"

"The handover is complete. I don't need to go to work tomorrow. I've also spoken to the kitchen staff and asked them to take good care of Aunt Wu. Don't worry, Brother Wang Feng."

Qin Jingru wore a mysterious expression and said with a smile, "By the way, Brother Wang Feng, guess who I saw this afternoon?"

Wang Feng asked, somewhat surprised, "Who did you see?"

"He Daqing".

"Brother Wang Feng, you didn't expect this, did you? He Daqing was transferred from the machinery factory to the steel rolling mill this afternoon and took over my position as the host for the banquet."

When Qin Jingru saw He Daqing in the afternoon, she was speechless. It seemed that the story of the person who worked at the steel mill to provide entertainment had come back to the He family.

Upon hearing this, Wang Feng was also somewhat surprised, but upon reflection, it made sense.

He Daqing previously worked as a head chef at a machinery factory, which was a subsidiary of a steel rolling mill. Now that the head chef at the steel rolling mill has resigned, and He Daqing is a good cook, it's quite normal to transfer him over.

"Hey, Brother Wang Feng, why aren't you surprised at all?" Qin Jingru asked, puzzled.

Wang Feng smiled and waved his hand: "What's so surprising? You resigned, and He Daqing is a pretty good cook, so isn't it normal to transfer him from the machine factory?"

"Hehe, that's true. But He Daqing's salary plus the supervisor's allowance is only 56.5 yuan. I get 42.5 yuan even without working. That's a difference of 14 yuan. Brother Wang Feng, I'm so happy."

"Alright, Jingru, you're not getting paid for nothing. When people need you, you have to cook for them," Wang Feng said speechlessly.

"Hey, cooking only once every month or two, and that only takes two hours or so, what kind of job is that? Even after our baby is born, you can just help me take care of the baby for two hours, right? What's the difference between this money and giving it to me for free?"

Qin Jingru smiled indifferently. She was very satisfied with this matter. In the future, she could stay at home to take care of her children and still get a salary, and the salary was not low. Where else could she find such a good thing?

Just as the two were talking, Lu Banxia returned pushing her bicycle.

"Jingru, how's work going?"

"Okay, it's all taken care of. Banxia, ​​sit down and rest for a while. I'll go cook. If you have any questions, just ask Brother Wang Feng."

With that, Qin Jingru walked into the kitchen with a big smile on her face.

Wang Feng poured Lu Banxia a cup of tea and then told her about Qin Jingru's job.

Hearing that Qin Jingru received a salary without having to go to work, Lu Banxia was happy for her.

......

forecourt.

He Daqing, wearing the steel rolling mill's work clothes and carrying personal protective equipment, walked into the front yard with a smile.

Yan Fugui, who was watering the flowers in the front yard, noticed that He Daqing's work clothes were not from the machinery factory, but from the steel rolling mill. He quickly went over and asked in surprise:

"Old He, how come your work clothes look like those of a steel rolling mill?"

He Daqing laughed heartily, handed Yan Fugui a Daqianmen cigarette, feeling quite pleased with himself. His zombie-like face looked unnatural as he smiled.

"Old Yan, I'm back at the steel rolling mill as the head chef. From now on, let Jie Cheng get the food at the third canteen. Don't worry, I'll have someone give him extra portions."

"Old He, what did you say?"

Yan Fugui quickly took the cigarette and tucked it behind his ear, looking at He Daqing in surprise and asking in astonishment:

"Isn't Qin Jingru the one who cooks the VIP meals in the third cafeteria?"

He Daqing smiled and waved his hand: "Didn't Qin Jingru get pregnant with Wang Feng's child? Wang Feng has a high salary, is good at hunting, and is not short of money, so he made Qin Jingru resign and then transferred me from the machine factory."

"Really?" Yan Fugui asked again, uncertainly.

He Daqing nodded: "More real than real gold."

"Hahaha, good, good, good! Lao He, you don't know, Qin Jingru is in the third canteen. My Jiecheng is too scared to go there to get food. Every time he goes there, he gets his food thrown around. Now that you've taken over the third canteen, Lao He, you'll have to take good care of my Jiecheng from now on."

Qin Jingru resigned and He Daqing took her place. Yan Fugui was very happy. After all, He Daqing was an old friend of his. As long as he brought Jiecheng more food every day, their family could save a lot of food.

"Haha, Lao Yan, don't worry, we've known each other for a long time. With me here, I'll definitely take care of everyone in our compound, right?" He Daqing laughed loudly.

"Yes, yes."

Yan Fugui gave He Daqing a thumbs up and showered him with compliments.

"In our compound, Lao He, you're the most generous. Since you're in such a good mood today, why don't you cook a couple of dishes? I'll bring over a bottle of good wine later, and we can have a good drink together, brother?"

Upon hearing this, He Daqing waved his hands repeatedly: "Old Yan, let's skip the drinking. We don't have any food at home right now."

What a joke! Everyone in the compound knows that Yan Fugui's liquor is all diluted with water. You're lucky if there's even an ounce or two of real liquor in a bottle, and it's the kind that gives you diarrhea after just one packet.

"Okay, then next time."

"Old He, your salary must have increased quite a bit since you were transferred to the steel rolling mill this time, right?" Yan Fugui asked.

"Hi."

He Daqing sighed: "It hasn't gone up much, only 56.5 yuan a month, which is an increase of seven yuan."

"That's not a small amount either. Seven yuan a month adds up to almost a hundred yuan a year."

At this point, Yan Fugui asked in confusion, "By the way, Lao He, with such a high salary, how could Qin Jingru just quit her job?"

Upon hearing this, He Daqing's expression turned somewhat grim, and he sighed, saying:

"Qin Jingru has really hit the jackpot this time. She's now a contracted cook at the steel rolling mill. She doesn't have to go to work, but she still gets paid 42.5 yuan a month. Maybe every month or two, a big leader will come to the steel rolling mill for an inspection, and she'll go to the factory to cook a meal or something. The rest of the time she can do whatever she wants."

He Daqing was extremely jealous of Qin Jingru. He worked himself to the bone in the factory and only earned 56.5 yuan a month, while Qin Jingru could earn 42.5 yuan a month by cooking a meal at the steel rolling mill once or twice a month. What kind of situation was that?

But there's nothing we can do about it; after all, his cooking skills are indeed better than his.

"What?"

"Old He, what did you say? You get paid without even working? 42.5 yuan a month? My God! Is the steel mill manager Wang Feng's brother or something?"