Reborn in the 60s, I hunt to support my family and even seduce the village beauty.

The group patrolled to the east end of the platform.

Several freight trains were stopped on the tracks, their open carriages piled high with coal, a dark mass that reached all the way to the edges of the carriages.

A few wide wooden planks were laid out next to them, and a team of workers were unloading coal from the truck. The shovels scraped against the bottom of the truck bed, making a creaking sound.

The coal ash created a layer of ash mist that lingered in mid-air.

Chang Kun was chatting and joking with Monkey King Xiao Lü when he suddenly heard someone call out, "Xiao Kun! Xiao Kun!"

The sound came from the top of the coal pile. Chang Kun looked up and saw a middle-aged man standing on the edge of the carriage, his face covered in soot, holding a shovel and raising his hand high towards him.

Chang Kun squinted and looked at it for a moment, but couldn't recognize it.

The man wiped the coal dust off his face, revealing half of his forehead, and called out again, "It's me, Liu Tiezhu!"

Chang Kun then recognized the voice and took two steps closer: "Uncle Tiezhu, what are you doing here?"

Liu Tiezhu planted his shovel into the coal pile, then bent over and climbed down from the edge of the truck bed: "The autumn harvest is over in the village. With the grain rations you provided before, the delivery went smoothly."

"Since I was the team leader, I had nothing to do anymore. I didn't have to worry about the other things, so I used my connections to find work in the city, helping to unload coal and earn some wages."

After listening, Chang Kun's mind raced.

In the village of my past life, only Uncle Tiezhu later went to the city. He didn't go hungry much during the difficult times, and it was probably around that time that the road construction started.

This Uncle Tiezhu is indeed farsighted!

Just as he was about to say a few more words, a shout came from afar: "Hey you over there, what are you saying! Get back to work!"

A person wearing work clothes and a red armband stood by the platform, pointing in this direction, looking rather grim.

Liu Tiezhu quickly replied, "Coming, coming."

He then turned to Chang Kun and whispered, "Let's talk again when we have time."

After saying that, he turned around, climbed back into the carriage, picked up a shovel, scooped up a shovelful of coal, and threw it off the train.

Chang Kun stood by the platform and glanced at it. He didn't say anything more, turned around and walked back a few steps, then looked back at Liu Tiezhu's back one last time.

He was now mixed in with the other workers in the coal ash, and it was impossible to tell who was who.

Chang Kun walked back, and Monkey King came over and asked, "Who was that just now?"

"There used to be an old uncle in the village."

Monkey nodded: "This coal unloading work is quite tiring; only strong young men can keep it up."

Chang Kun's heart skipped a beat. He remembered that Monkey Brother was quite familiar with the freight supervisor. He often saw the two of them squatting by the wall of the platform, smoking with their arms around each other's shoulders.

He pulled out a cigarette and handed it to Monkey King: "Hey Monkey King, what's up? Go put in a good word for my uncle."

Monkey King took it, put it in his mouth, and took a satisfying suck: "This is nothing."

Leading Chang Kun towards the freight office, as they pushed open the door, a middle-aged man in blue overalls was writing something on the table. He looked up, saw Monkey, and smiled, "Monkey, what brings you here?"

Monkey King gestured towards Chang Kun with his lip: "Let me introduce you to someone, Chang Kun, my brother."

The man put down his pen, stood up, and looked Chang Kun up and down: "I've always wanted to meet the famous Chang Kun, what a coincidence!"

Chang Kun was taken aback: "Brother, what do you mean?"

The man chuckled, "Before, people would come to steal my cargo every few days. We'd chase one group away, and another would come."

"Later I heard that Chang Kun was doing a great job at work, catching thieves and hooligans one by one. I also benefited from that, and there were almost no thieves left."

Chang Kun waved his hand: "That's all part of my job, nothing to mention."

The man reached out and shook hands with Chang Kun: "If you're capable, you're capable. No need to be modest."

"Brother Chang, what good fortune do you have to offer?"

Monkey King spoke first: "My brother has an uncle who works for you, and you see..."

Upon hearing this, the man understood the implied meaning and nodded directly: "If there's anything I can help you with, I'll definitely do so."

Chang Kun quickly thanked him, saying, "I have an uncle named Liu Tiezhu who works as a coal unloader here. Could you see if you could arrange an easier job for him?"

"no problem!"

"You mentioned that guy, Liu Tiezhu, right? I understand. I'll make him a team leader, in charge of a coal unloading team. It'll be easier work, and he'll get a few extra cents."

Chang Kun thanked him repeatedly, and the man patted him on the shoulder: "It's nothing. I'm busy today, so it's inconvenient. Let's have a drink together later."

Seeing that he was quite busy, the two nodded in agreement and left.

Monkey King chuckled, "How about it? Isn't my brother a good friend?"

Chang Kun reached out and hooked his arm around Monkey King's shoulder: "I have to thank you a lot, Monkey King!"

That's how it is; if you have connections in high places, a few words can change the course of someone's life.

He didn't go to Liu Tiezhu to say this. The supervisor just now seemed very experienced and would explain things clearly.

As for Uncle Tiezhu wanting to thank him later, let him argue with his father about it.

He and his father have a good relationship; this matter alone is probably worth several big drinking parties.

After completing the last patrol, the bell rang to signal the end of the shift.

As soon as Chang Kun took off his hat, Xiao Lü sidled up to him.

Following Chang Kun out of the duty room, he kept talking: "Brother Kun, do you think Bao Hua will come to your house today? What if she's not there? What should I talk to her about?"

Chang Kun was speechless. He shouldn't have agreed to let the kid go to his house!

"You can go by yourself. I won't be home for dinner."

Xiao Lü was dumbfounded. He paused for a moment, then caught up: "Huh? I'll go by myself? Brother Kun, aren't you going back? I'll be all alone..."

"I told you I had something to do today. You know my house."

Xiao Lü stood still and spun halfway around, then quickly caught up: "Brother Kun, if Bao Hua is there when I get there, I'll give this to her, okay?"

He pulled an old textbook from his satchel. The pages were yellowed, but the inside was clean and the handwriting was clear.

He then took out a pencil from his pocket, sharpened it to a fine point, and handed it over along with the textbook, showing it to Chang Kun.

Chang Kun glanced down at it: "A literacy textbook?"

"Yeah, my sister used to use it. Baohua doesn't know many characters, so I thought it would be a good thing to teach her to recognize a few characters and write her own name."

Chang Kun weighed the matter in his mind. This gift wasn't expensive, but it showed thoughtfulness, which was more reliable than giving other gifts.

He nodded: "Okay, you can decide for yourself."

Xiao Lü put her textbook and pencil away: "Okay, I'm going now."

He turned and took a few steps, his steps much lighter than before.

Chang Kun stared at him for a few seconds, then pushed the car and walked in another direction.

If this kid really gets together with Baohua, Baohua will at least have a place to settle down.

But it's that leg of hers; I wonder if Xiao Lü will change his mind over time.

People rarely have perseverance. Right now, Xiao Lü seems really infatuated with Bao Hua, but who knows what will happen in a year or two?

If Baohua hadn't limped, we wouldn't have to worry about this.