At the beginning, he took his seven younger siblings to join Yi Zhonghai.

"This must be Yi Zhongding, right? I don't think I've mistaken him for someone else."

The man in the lead quickly walked up to him, extended his hand first, and said with a smile.

"Hello, leader. You have excellent judgment. I am Yi Zhongding. It is an honor to meet you."

(This is not a piece of official writing, so I'll skip the bureaucratic jargon and platitudes.)

As Yi Zhongding spoke, he also took his hand.

Ok.

Political officers transferred from military service.

Because there were no calluses on his hands.

But he walks with a measured and disciplined gait, bearing the unique military imprint of our army.

"Zhongding, this is Director Guan, the new director of the subdistrict office."

Secretary Zhang from the neighborhood committee stepped forward and offered a friendly reminder with a smile.

He said that.

Yi Zhongding and the people in the compound knew that this was Guan Ruihua, the newly arrived director of the subdistrict office.

That's right.

The new director shares the same name as Yan Bugui's wife.

There was a public announcement last month.

"Haha, what do you mean by 'discerning eye'? I just looked through your information before I came here."

"I was only transferred to Jiaodaokou last month, but as soon as I arrived, I learned about you, this remarkable young man."

Do you know why?

Guan Ruihua smiled and waved his hand, then asked again.

"A toy factory?"

Yi Zhongding didn't hold back and asked back without hesitation.

"Haha, no wonder you're a college student, you're so quick-witted."

"We, the people of Jiaodaokou, all want to thank you. Because of you, those two toy factories were able to get a job from the Jiaodaokou Subdistrict Office."

"This will enable us, as grassroots service workers, to complete our work more smoothly and better serve the residents of Jiaodaokou."

"So yesterday I heard the neighborhood committee report that a college student came from our Nanluoguxiang area, and that person is you."

"I told you I wanted to come in person to congratulate you and wish you success in your studies and further improvement in your medical skills, so that you can continue to contribute your efforts to the medical cause of the country and the people."

Guan Ruihua patted his arm and said enthusiastically.

"Yes, Director Guan, I will follow the organization's instructions and will study hard, work diligently, and continue to serve the people."

Yi Zhongding answered without hesitation, each word resounding with power.

"Haha, great! This is how young people of the new era should be."

"This is a reward from the neighborhood committee for you getting into university."

"This is a small token of our appreciation from all the staff of the neighborhood office. It's for your studies, so you can't refuse it."

Guan Ruihua took two red envelopes from his secretary and placed them in his hands.

"Thank you for the care from the country and the many elders in the neighborhood office."

"I shamelessly accepted it."

Yi Zhongding thought for a moment and then accepted the red envelope.

(Originally, this part was about refusing the reward and red envelope from the neighborhood committee, and even included the story of Lu Zhonglian declining the gold, but it was deleted. It was in line with the times, but the benchmark was too high, and it was easy to bury the protagonist.)

"I heard you're a martyr's family member? You have seven younger siblings, and your eldest brother, Yi Zhonghai, is supporting you all?"

Guan Ruihua's smile became more genuine after he accepted the red envelope.

"Yes, my father died while suppressing bandits in the Shennongjia area."

Yi Zhongding nodded.

"Oh, so the family status of martyrs wasn't transferred to Jiaodaokou, right? Have you received your living allowance?"

Guan Ruihua continued to ask with concern.

"Because it was my older brother who picked us up, the trip to Beijing was too rushed, and the procedure for transferring the relationship of martyrs' families was too complicated, so we didn't transfer it with our household registration."

"The martyrs' family subsidies are still registered with the Party Committee and Armed Forces Department of Songluo Township, Shennongjia. The subsidies are sent monthly by the staff there through the post office, and there is no shortage of them."

Yi Zhongding answered truthfully.

"That's good. The higher authorities and the central government attach great importance to this. They have instructed that you are the children of the country and that we must always care about your studies and life."

"I noticed that your family's name wasn't on the list of families of martyrs and military personnel who receive Spring Festival greetings in Jiaodaokou over the past two or three years, so I'm inquiring about it."

Guan Ruihua nodded and said with relief.

"Director Guan, don't worry, although we're not on the list."

"But every year, Secretary Zhang from the neighborhood committee would come to visit us with his staff, and our studies and daily life were taken very well taken care of."

Yi Zhongding reciprocated the gesture.

They brought up Secretary Zhang, who had always cared for and helped their family.

And he did indeed bring people to visit him every Spring Festival.

"Okay, that's very well done. Um, Xiao Li, please write down the information about Yi Zhongding and his younger siblings."

"Every year during the Spring Festival, our neighborhood office also comes to offer our condolences. The hero has already shed blood, and we cannot let the children he left behind shed tears."

"I'm also a soldier, and you're like the children of my comrades. If you have any difficulties, don't hesitate to come to the neighborhood office to find me anytime."

Guan Ruihua patted him on the shoulder and then pointed to Yi Zhonghua and several other children.

"Thank you, Director Guan."

Yi Zhongding said sincerely.

For someone his age.

No need for many words.

These five words are enough.

"Okay, then we won't disturb your graduation celebration. Eat your fill and study hard."

Guan Ruihua smiled and nodded, then turned to leave.

"Director Guan, since you're already here, please stay and have a bite. We don't have anything else, just a stew."

Yi Zhonghai quickly replied.

"No, thank you for your kind gesture, Director Yi. You've been a very good older brother, taking good care of your younger siblings."

Guan Ruihua shook her head and politely declined with a smile.

"Hey, isn't this all just what we should do? As the eldest brother, if I don't take good care of them, I'll be letting down our ancestors."

Yi Zhonghai smiled憨厚ly.

"Okay, come to me if you have any difficulties. I'll be leaving now, there are still seven children in your family."

"When they get into university, I will definitely come to your graduation banquet."

Guan Ruihua nodded in agreement and smiled at Yi Zhonghua and the others.

He then left with his men.

Yi Zhongding and his elder brother and sister-in-law saw them off at the gate and watched them leave before returning to their courtyard.

on the way back.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Yan Bugui asked, "Old Yi, does Zhongding receive government subsidies? How much?"

"The country cares about the children of martyrs, so it will definitely take care of their lives and provide them with enough to live on."

Yi Zhonghai smiled and nodded.

"This is too good! I thought it was just about priority for students and workers, and that they would come to visit during holidays."

Yan Bugui said with a face full of envy.

"You want it? You don't have the chance. You can just let them have it."

Yi Zhonghai glanced at him and said sarcastically.

The people in the compound only knew that Yi Zhongding and his family were relatives of martyrs.

A gleaming sign that reads "Family of Martyrs" is nailed to the gate frame of the Yi family courtyard.

But I didn't know they even received subsidies.

Yan Bugui had predicted that the Yi family would face famine, but the Yi family has thrived ever since.

Yi Zhonghai unusually gave him most of a pack of cigarettes back then.

When he got home, he figured that Yi Zhonghai wanted his help with his child's schooling.

He also wanted to use the children's schooling to exert pressure on the Yi family.

As a result, the principal personally accompanied them to their classes to register.

He failed to achieve his goal in any of them.

I've been so envious of them for years, my eyes are practically red with envy.

But he didn't even consider what the concept of a martyr's family member meant in this era.

It's just going to school.

Why should we ask him, a small business owner?

Yi Zhonghai was simply someone who hadn't broken free from traditional neighborhood thinking at the time.

Otherwise, he wouldn't even get that half pack of cigarettes.