Siheyuan: At the beginning, I can integrate everything!

Yuri's act of tearing up the blueprints brought the atmosphere in the reception room to an eerie climax.

Factory Director Yang's heart felt like it was on a roller coaster.

Half of it was ecstasy, and the other half was lingering fear.

The good news is that with a technical prodigy like Zhang Huaimin, the future of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill is limitless.

What's frightening is that if this five-and-a-half-year-old national treasure suffers even the slightest injustice, the military leaders could directly lead troops to level the steel mill.

"Consultant Zhang, you've gone to a lot of trouble."

Factory Director Yang wiped away a cold sweat, his tone more respectful than ever before.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made a momentous decision.

"You've solved such a huge problem for the factory and the country. The factory absolutely cannot let you down!"

Factory Director Yang turned to the translator and ordered, "Go and call Old Wang, the head of the finance department!"

A moment later, Old Wang, the head of the finance department, rushed in, carrying an abacus.

"Factory manager, you wanted to see me?" Old Wang was taken aback when he entered the room and saw Yuri standing next to Zhang Huaimin like a follower.

Factory Director Yang didn't waste any words and made the decision directly.

"Old Wang, immediately withdraw some money from the account, plus top-tier special-supply food vouchers, and send them to Consultant Zhang!"

Old Wang was a little embarrassed and glanced at five-and-a-half-year-old Zhang Huaimin.

"Factory manager, this...this is not in accordance with regulations. Our state-owned factory has no precedent for employing child laborers, so this wage item cannot be accounted for."

In this era, financial regulations were extremely strict, and the whereabouts of every penny had to be thoroughly investigated.

Paying a high salary to a five-year-old child would be a serious economic misconduct issue if investigated by higher authorities.

Factory Director Yang waved his hand confidently.

"I have already consulted with the Ministry of Industry and the military region about this matter, and the special approval document will be issued immediately."

"This money isn't classified as salary!"

Factory Director Yang raised his voice and announced, enunciating each word clearly:

"This is called the 'Martyrs' Special Technical Invention Scholarship'!"

"Plus a 'National Military Industry Top-Level Confidential Nutritional Subsidy'!"

"The funds will be distributed monthly by the finance department of our Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill!"

Upon hearing this name, Old Wang gasped in shock.

Wow, a scholarship plus a confidentiality allowance.

This title is not only reasonable and legal, but it is also a special fund specially approved by the higher authorities, so no one can find any fault with it!

"So... Factory manager, what's the standard?" Old Wang asked cautiously.

Factory Director Yang held up eight fingers, his tone resolute:

"Eighty dollars a month!"

"Plus, ten jin of specially supplied meat coupons valid nationwide, twenty jin of refined grain coupons, and various industrial coupons!"

boom!

When the head of the finance department, Lao Wang, heard this, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Eighty dollars?!

He worked as the head of the finance department for half his life, and he only earned a little over fifty yuan a month!

This five-and-a-half-year-old child directly received the highest salary equivalent to that of an eighth-grade veteran worker in the factory!

Not to mention those ten-pound special meat coupons valid nationwide; you can't buy those on the black market even if you have money!

"This...this treatment..."

Old Wang swallowed hard, looking at Zhang Huaimin as if he were looking at a glittering God of Wealth.

"Go and get it done quickly!" Director Yang urged.

In less than ten minutes, Old Wang handed Zhang Huaimin a thick brown paper envelope with trembling hands.

"Consultant Zhang... please take a look."

Zhang Huaimin took the envelope and felt its thickness.

A satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

Eighty yuan had enough purchasing power in those days to allow him to eat meat and fish every day and live like a god.

More importantly, the money is legitimate and backed by the state.

Even if those envious beasts in the compound were envious, they could only stare helplessly, not daring to utter a single sour fart.

"Thank you, Director Yang."

Zhang Huaimin stuffed the envelope into the pocket of his blue cotton-padded jacket and patted it.

"Then I'll head back now and come back to guide the work tomorrow."

Upon hearing that Zhang Huaimin was leaving, Yuri became as anxious as an abandoned child and rushed forward to try and pull at Zhang Huaimin's clothes.

"Professor Huaimin! Please don't go! I still have dozens of mechanical questions I'd like to ask you!"

Chen Bing, the guard who had been standing at the door, stepped forward with a cold face and blocked Yuri's path.

"Consultant Zhang is tired and needs to rest."

Chen Bing picked up Zhang Huaimin and strode out of the reception room, under Yuri's expectant gaze.

As evening falls, the afterglow of the setting sun shines on the gray walls of Nanluoguxiang.

At the entrance of the courtyard house.

Uncle Yan Bugui was squatting on the ground, holding a piece of chalk in his hand, muttering something to himself as he looked at a large cabbage on the ground.

"Remove two ounces from the cabbage stalks, save the heart for dumplings during the New Year, and chop up the remaining leaves to make porridge..."

Yan Bugui adjusted his chipped gold-rimmed glasses, meticulously calculating how to save a single penny on groceries.

Just then.

A series of crisp military boots echoed through the alley.

Chen Bing took Zhang Huaimin's hand and stepped over the high threshold of the courtyard house, entering the courtyard.

"Oh, Huaimin's back?"

Yan Bugui quickly stood up, dusted off his hands, and greeted him with a big smile.

He now holds Zhang Huaimin in the utmost awe, fearing that he might say something wrong and anger this little tyrant.

"Uncle, settling accounts?" Zhang Huaimin greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, how can you make a living without being careful with your money?"

Yan Bugui rubbed his hands together, his gaze unconsciously falling on Zhang Huaimin's bulging cotton-padded jacket pockets.

His shrewd, calculating nose seemed to detect the scent of money.

Zhang Huaimin naturally noticed Yan Bugui's gaze.

He chuckled inwardly, pretending to take out a handkerchief.

Her little hand reached into her pocket and, seemingly casually, pulled out half of the "Special Allowance Slip" tucked outside the envelope.

The bright red official seal of the ministry was clearly visible in one corner of the form.

And the row of numbers written in pen below.

Yan Bugui had only glanced at it out of curiosity.

But when he saw the handwriting on the form...

He was frozen in place as if he had been struck by a spell!

"A special...specially approved allowance...eighty...eighty yuan?!"

"Special supply...meat coupon...ten catties?!"

Yan Bugui's gaze was fixed on that half-sheet, his mouth agape, wide enough to fit a steamed bun.

He felt his breath catch in his throat.

Eighty yuan!

He's a primary school teacher who works hard to educate students, and he only earns 27.5 yuan a month!

This five-year-old toddler went out for a day and earned three months' salary?!

And those ten kilograms of specially supplied meat coupons!

During festivals and holidays, the Yan family, consisting of six people, could only afford to cut half a pound of fatty meat to satisfy their cravings.

Ten pounds of meat? That would take forever to eat!

An indescribable surge of extreme jealousy and shock instantly shattered Yan Bugui's psychological defenses.

"Thud!"

The cabbage he had been holding tightly in his hands, the one he had been calculating for so long, was something he had been carefully considering.

It fell directly to the ground and rolled several meters away.

Yan Bugui's gaunt old face began to twitch uncontrollably.

The corners of his eyes and mouth, even his gold-rimmed glasses, were shaking wildly.

"This...this...this..."

He pointed at Zhang Huaimin's pocket, stammering for a long time, unable to utter a single complete sentence.

Zhang Huaimin felt extremely pleased to see Yan Bugui looking like he was about to have a brain hemorrhage.

This is called a dimensional reduction attack.

You beasts are always scheming and plotting over a single penny, working yourselves to the bone like dogs.

And I, receiving a top salary specially approved by the state, use my legal wealth to crush your proud survival rules into dust!

"Uncle, it's cold, don't let your cabbage freeze."

Zhang Huaimin slowly stuffed the allowance slip back into his pocket.

She smiled sweetly at Yan Bugui, who was standing still at the petrochemical plant, took Chen Bing's hand, and walked towards the Intermediate People's Court without looking back.

Until Zhang Huaimin's figure disappeared behind the hanging flower gate.

Yan Bugui suddenly jolted awake, as if waking from a deep dream.

He bent down, looking dejected, and picked up the large cabbage covered in dirt from the ground.

Dragging my heavy steps, I walked back to my home in the front yard like a lost soul.

Push open the door.

The old woman was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) sewing patches when she saw him like this and was startled.

"Old man, what happened to you? Did the dog eat the cabbage?"

Yan Bugui threw the cabbage on the table and slumped into a chair.

His eyes were blankly staring at the ceiling.

"My dear wife..."

Yan Bugui's voice carried a hint of sobbing and despair.

"We've lived our lives in vain..."

"That kid is five years old...five years old! He earns eighty yuan a month, plus ten jin of special-supply meat coupons..."

"That's legitimate income, stamped with an official seal! We don't even have the right to be jealous..."

Upon hearing this, the third auntie plunged the needle directly into her flesh, stunned into silence.

at the same time.

In a secluded corner of a waste pile outside Workshop No. 1 at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.

The cold wind howled.

Deputy Factory Director Li was wrapped in a woolen overcoat, his face terribly gloomy.

In front of him.

Wearing a tattered work uniform and covered in coal dust, Yi Zhonghai was hunched over, rubbing his hands like a lapdog.

The two of them huddled together furtively, whispering in each other's ears.