Courtyard House: Starting as an eighth-grade worker, with too many wives.

His tone hardened again towards the end.

"That's not how it's calculated."

Li Jianguo shook his head. He didn't know where he got the courage from today, but he felt compelled to say something. These older folks took the north too seriously. They believed that whatever the north had, they had to have too. But were those things really suitable?

Sometimes it may not seem so.

Of course, you need to thoroughly understand the technology. But simply imitating and copying is too slow.

"Uncle, we can thoroughly understand their technology while developing small and medium-sized self-propelled combine harvesters." He gestured with his hand, "It doesn't require very high technical expertise. We can reduce the size of the harvester to suit mountainous terrain—I think this might be more suitable for us."

He paused, then added, "Besides, this harvester can only harvest a limited number of crops. We can improve and upgrade it based on the existing one. The most important thing is to make it completely suitable for our needs."

Chiang's father wasn't stupid. Otherwise, he wouldn't have become the head of the heavy machinery factory. He was just dragged along by inertia for too long.

After listening to Li Jianguo's explanation, he nodded thoughtfully.

Then I looked up and saw that the kid was lecturing.

My heart suddenly felt heavy.

He, as an elder, actually needed the younger generation to offer their opinions. Then look to the side—his daughter was looking at the young man with obvious admiration, her eyes practically shining.

My heart felt even more heavy.

"Hmph." He sneered, "I think you're all talk and no action!"

Li Jianguo was stunned.

They were fine just now, why did their expression suddenly change?

Jiang Min also became anxious: "Dad, Li Jianguo means well. I think what he said makes a lot of sense—the purpose of the heavy machinery factory making agricultural machinery is to liberate farmers, right? Besides, you're already too slow. There are agricultural machinery factories in many places. If you don't find another way, I think you'll be eliminated."

"You silly girl—" Mr. Jiang's face flushed red, "Don't talk while we're eating!"

The noise was so loud that even the neighbors in the next room could hear it.

As Li Jianguo watched this scene, a sudden "ding" sounded in his mind.

Understood.

I said too much just now. Showing off in front of my father-in-law is just asking for trouble.

He quickly picked up his glass: "Uncle, I was just saying. You must have more ideas after all these years. Let's drink."

As he spoke, he tilted his head back and suffocated.

Seeing his son's expression, Mr. Jiang's anger subsided somewhat. He walked down the steps, saying, "You're quite something, kid. Drink up!"

But their gazes were still unfriendly.

She sighed inwardly: The girl has grown up, and she's starting to side with outsiders. This kid isn't so easy to control—she needs to keep observing him; she can't let him get away with it so easily.

……

Li Jianguo was a little tipsy from the alcohol.

He had to drive that night, so he didn't dare drink anymore. When he left, Jiang Min followed behind to see him off.

I was worried because he was walking a little unsteadily.

Back then, there wasn't much of a concept of drunk driving. But Li Jianguo knew perfectly well—even though they didn't check these days, what if something happened? Just as he was worrying about how to get back, Jiang Min suddenly spoke up:

"How about I drive you?"

Everyone was stunned.

Mr. Jiang's eyes widened: "When did you learn to drive?"

"We learned these things at the factory when we had nothing else to do," Jiang Min explained. "It was quite simple."

She looked at Li Jianguo, genuinely worried: "I'm really worried about him driving back like that. I'll be right back."

Mr. Jiang was displeased: "A grown man with such a low alcohol tolerance, he's truly useless..."

He spoke with a stiff tongue, his words barely audible. His tongue was tied in knots in his mouth, yet his tone was undeniably forceful.

Jiang's mother knew her husband's temperament. She reached out and pushed him into the yard: "Alright, alright, go back to sleep!"

He gave the two a few more instructions before leaving.

The two had just left when they heard Jiang's father's voice behind them:

"I'm not drunk!"

"That kid went too far!"

"That's my daughter..."

Then came the voice of Jiang's mother, which suddenly changed from kind words to furious rage. And then came the wailing of Jiang's father.

The two people standing at the door exchanged a glance.

They were both a little embarrassed.

"My mom has a bit of a temper," Jiang Min said softly, pulling him quickly into the car. "It's okay, I'll take you home."

Li Jianguo blinked, then suddenly asked, "You don't have such a bad temper, do you?"

"What do you think?"

Jiang Min squinted at him. Her expression was fierce. But it only lasted two seconds before she couldn't help but laugh.

"I won't, let's go!"

When she smiled, her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Li Jianguo was stunned for a moment.

You have a beautiful smile.

Jiang Min's face flushed red. She frantically tried to drive—unfamiliar with the car, she started it and it lurched forward, nearly crashing into the wall.

Li Jianguo sobered up instantly.

"Should I do it?"

"No," she gritted her teeth, "I'll do it myself!"

Stubborn to the extreme.

She restarted the engine, pressed the clutch, and shifted gears. The car slowly started moving, like a drunken ox. The brakes seemed to be throwing a tantrum under her feet, not stopping when it should have, and lurching forward when it shouldn't.

After a bumpy and difficult journey, we finally arrived at Li Jian's country.

When he got off the bus, Li Jianguo almost threw up.

He snatched the keys from Jiang Min's hand: "From now on, I'll drive when we go out. I've decided, I will never drink casually again."

Jiang Min felt embarrassed: "I'm sorry, it was my first time driving on the road, I was a little scared."

"It's alright." What else could he say? "I'll teach you properly later, and you can set off again when you're no longer afraid."

Just then, Xu Damao returned from a distance. Judging from his appearance, he had just finished playing at a friend's house.

"Director Li, Comrade Jiang Min!" he called from afar, "What are you two doing at the door? Why don't you come in?"

He glanced at the car with its lights on: "It's so late."

"You've come at the right time!" Li Jianguo waved. "Did you drink tonight?"

Xu Damao shook his head: "I want to drink, but Xiao'e is too strict, and I don't have any money!"

When he said this, it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or unhappy. Ever since Lou Xiao'e learned how to manage money, his pockets were emptier than his face.

"Perfect timing." Li Jianguo handed over the keys. "Take Minmin home. I've been drinking, so I can't drive."

Xu Damao took the keys and glanced at Jiang Min. She had her head down, and her face was still a little red. Xu Damao immediately understood what was going on and chuckled twice.

"Don't worry, I guarantee it will be delivered safely to your door!"

Jiang looked at him gratefully: "Comrade Xu, thank you."

"You're welcome!" Xu Damao patted his chest. "It's my honor to be able to help Director Li!"

"I'll bring you a bottle of wine when I get back," Li Jianguo said casually.

He had quite a bit of liquor on hand, though he didn't really like drinking. Aside from the portion he'd set aside for his future father-in-law, the rest was just sitting there.

Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and he bowed in the style of the ancients: "Director Li is so generous!"

Once in the car, he leaned out again and said, "Then get some rest. See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Jiang Min sat in the passenger seat, looking at Li Jianguo through the car window. Her gaze was lingering, and she couldn't bear to look away.

Li Jianguo only turned and went into the yard after the car had turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

As soon as I went in, I clutched my stomach and squatted down.

That bumpy ride was fucking awful. I must never let Jiang Min touch a car again; this wasn't driving, it was torture.

He took a breath and went inside.

As I passed by the courtyard, I saw Chi Cheng's wife washing diapers. It was cold, the water was cold, and her hands were red with cold, but she had a smile on her face. From inside the house came the sound of Chi Cheng playing with the baby, making babbling noises.

Li Jianguo suddenly remembered something.

Chi Cheng seems to have just been assigned to the heavy machinery factory. He's an engineer.

Perhaps he has a better understanding of the technical issues in the factory?

He was almost sober. He turned around and knocked on Chi Cheng's door.