Siheyuan: I am the seventh uncle of Banggen

"Seventh uncle, you exchanged all the big fish you caught for food, and the ones you brought back are small fish, so they look small," Jia Dongxu came over.

"He has no choice. One person earns money and six people spend it. He has to calculate everywhere. Your family is not doing well either. You don't know how to live. You go to play cards and think that two yuan pocket money a month is not enough? Do the children in the Yan family have pocket money?" Zhang Dabao couldn't help but say something to him when he saw Jia Dongxu's look.

"Am I not young?" Jia Dongxu smiled.

"Dongxu, you have a really good attitude. Yan Jiedi was only eight years old and was better than you." Zhang Dabao laughed and patted his nephew on the back.

"Brother Damao, do you often go to the countryside?" Zhang Dabao asked Xu Damao.

"Not often. Sometimes I go because I have a screening assignment the next day. It takes a whole day to get to Wangjiaqiao Village in Hongqi Commune, which is nearly 40 kilometers away from here. It takes a whole day to ride a bike. The roads in Wangjiaqiao are all mountainous, so it's not easy to walk on," said Xu Damao.

"Really? I also want to go to the countryside tomorrow. How about we go together? I'll take you there on my tricycle." When Zhang Dabao heard that there were only mountains at Wangjiaqiao, he immediately became interested.

"Do you have a purchasing plan too?" Xu Damao was of course happy. Who would want to ride a bicycle when there is a car to ride? Carrying the projection equipment would be tiring.

"Of course, I can't skip work every day. Completing one task cannot take a year's work. I'll go to the department tomorrow to check. We'll leave at nine o'clock and will definitely arrive early," Zhang Dabao said to Xu Damao.

"That's great, there should be a lot of things there. It's too far from the city and buyers usually don't go there." Xu Damao was even happier.

"Are there any specialties there?" Zhang Dabao asked curiously.

"There are walnuts, chestnuts, dates, peanuts and so on. Some villagers can even dig wild yams from the mountains. That thing is very nutritious and the leaders all like it," Xu Damao said in a low voice.

"That's great. It looks like we should be able to gain something this time." Zhang Dabao also smiled. He understood what Xu Damao meant.

"The dishes are ready." He Yuzhu had prepared the grilled fish, sweetened and soured a large carp, and fried two pieces of fish fillet.

Chapter 69: Going to the Countryside

Zhang Dabao's family was filled with laughter and singing, but Liu Haizhong's family, who also lived in the backyard, was deserted. Now that Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were not at home, he had no one to vent his anger on. His eldest son, Liu Guangqi, liked quietness and just read books when he got home from get off work every day without saying a word. He could not bear to hit him, and his second aunt was even quieter. The house was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop on the ground.

Liu Haizhong gets angry when he hears the noise coming from Zhang Dabiao's house. He is the reason why his two younger sons ran away. Now he is willing to get close to him. Every time he sees him, he will avoid him from a distance without even saying hello. He was beaten by Zhang Dabiao before, which made him lose face in the courtyard. Fortunately, Yi Zhonghai was beaten more times, scolded more harshly, and lost face more, otherwise it would be difficult for him to be a big boss.

Why didn't the factory deal with Yi Zhonghai when I reported him to the factory? How could he still be so powerful? Liu Haizhong couldn't figure it out. Someone who was too close to the spies must have problems. The factory probably didn't want to investigate because there were not enough eighth-level workers in the factory. I will go to the factory when I become an eighth-level worker. If that doesn't work, I will go to the higher authorities. I don't believe that no one will take care of it. Liu Haizhong figured it out.

Liu Haizhong sat there, gritting his teeth and looking grim, then smiling until his face trembled. The second aunt beside him was trembling with fear, wondering if her husband was sick. She didn't dare to ask him, because if he got angry and hit her, what should she do? Liu Guangqi stayed in his room and didn't come out. When he wasn't reading, he just sat there, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Zhang Dabao got up very early the next day and arrived at the office on time at 8 o'clock, which surprised You Zhiyong.

"Da Biao, is there anything you need at the factory?" You Zhiyong asked.

"Chief, look at what you said. What can happen in the factory? Come to work. Xu Damao from the Propaganda Department is going to Wangjiaqiao in Hongqi Commune to show movies today. He said that the place is far from the city and the purchasing staff has not been there. I want to go and see," said Zhang Dabao.

"It's too far away, and the road is difficult to travel. No one has ever been there for purchasing. Large trucks can't pass through, and bicycles can't carry the purchased things. Your tricycle is just right. Da Biao, I know you have a tricycle, but the gasoline department has no way to deal with it." You Zhiyong stated the problem he was facing.

"I'll figure out a way myself. I'll get a list of materials and see what the purchase price is, then add the shipping cost. I can't do this at a loss," Zhang Dabao said to his leader with a smile.

"The price is negotiable. Now we are short of everything we eat and use. There is no problem within the range. If you take it back, the department will settle for the highest price. Here is the table, please keep it." You Zhiyong likes employees who can solve problems and not cause trouble for the boss.

Zhang Dabao took the material purchase price list and put it in his jacket pocket, actually he put it in the space. He said goodbye to his leader, went to the Propaganda Department to call Xu Damao, put the projection equipment into the trunk and fixed it. In order to prevent bumps, he also laid hay on the bottom of the trunk.

The tricycle started, and Xu Damao sat in the passenger seat. "Da Biao, you brought all your things, including your bedding. You can find a place to stay in the village."

"Brother Damao, you forgot that I can hunt and sometimes I live directly in the wild. The carriage is two meters long and one meter wide. With bedding it can become a bed, so I can get enough rest. I bring a pot for cooking and a knife for self-defense. I also have a bow and arrow. When we get to Wangjiaqiao, I'll go to the mountain to take a look while you are showing the show. Maybe I can catch something," Zhang Dabao explained.

"Yes, there are motorcycles and trunks that can hold as many things as possible. I wonder when we can have such a vehicle. Every time we go to the countryside, we are exhausted because the projector is very heavy," Xu Damao said enviously.

"Then you'll have to wait a long time. This car is my own. Corey doesn't even have gasoline, so I have to find a way myself. I'm a lazy person, so I always like to think of ways to make things convenient for myself," said Zhang Dabao.

"I'm lazy too, but I have no choice." Xu Damao laughed when he said this.

"Brother Damao, you are twenty-two this year?" Zhang Dabao asked.

"I'm twenty-three already, one year younger than Shazhu and three years younger than Brother Dongxu. Brother Dongxu's son is already over six years old, and I'm not married yet," Xu Damao said self-deprecatingly.

"Didn't I hear that you have a partner? And she's from a wealthy family." Zhang Dabao thought of Xu Damao's marriage partner Lou Xiao'e. Judging from the timing, the two should be getting married soon.

Xu Damao's face turned pale when he heard Zhang Dabiao's words. How did Zhang Dabiao know this? Who told him? Only his parents and he knew about this. Could it be that someone from the Lou family told others?

"We haven't made the engagement yet. Her threshold is high and she may not be interested in me. Does Shazhu really want to marry Jingshu's mother?" Xu Damao didn't want to talk about his own affairs and quickly changed the subject.

"Let it be. To be honest, there's nothing wrong with Zhuzi, he just has a sharp tongue," said Zhang Dabao.

"He Daqing passed away when he was sixteen. Since then, He Yuzhu has been like a hedgehog, speaking harshly, having a bad temper, and beating people at the slightest provocation," said Xu Damao.

"Same as me, but my father passed away when I was fifteen, so I joined the army at sixteen, served as a soldier for five years, and almost didn't come back." Zhang Dabao naturally knew the reason for He Yuzhu's change. It was due to his lack of security, sensitivity and inferiority complex.

A 40-kilometer journey could be completed in one hour by motorcycle in the New Century, but now it takes two hours and only more than half the distance has been covered.

"Brother Damao, take a break. Your butt is hurt." Zhang Dabao parked the car outside a small forest.

The two got out of the car and stretched their bodies. Zhang Dabao took out his water bottle and took two sips. Xu Damao had drunk a lot in the car and took care of his personal problems on the side of the road.

"Da Biao, that's good. Normally I would arrive at this place at one o'clock in the afternoon. What time is it now? Just eleven o'clock. The road ahead is easier to walk on, but it's only fourteen or fifteen kilometers. It will take more than an hour to get there. It's just that we didn't let them know in advance, so the villagers didn't prepare meals for us," said Xu Damao.

"Brother Damao, there are mountains everywhere. We still have to eat in the village. What can they have? Wait for me for a while." Zhang Dabao went to the carriage and took down the bow and arrow.

"There are pheasants calling, right in the grass beside the woods." Zhang Dabao pointed ahead, bent down and walked over.

With a wave of his hand, the arrow fell and hit a pheasant. Zhang Dabao went over and picked it up.

Chapter 70: Epiphany

Xu Damao was stunned when he saw Zhang Dabao hit the target with one shot. How come Zhang Dabao could do everything? He could hit the target as soon as he saw it. It was too good.

"Brother Damao, how about we eat beggar's chicken?" Zhang Dabao's words startled Xu Damao and he woke up.

"I don't know how to do it," Xu Damao said a little embarrassedly.

"I can. Take a bucket and fetch some water from the creek." Zhang Dabao asked Xu Damao to fetch some water.

He gutted the chicken, took out the innards, coated them with salt, then dug a hole and built a circle of stones on top. He pushed aside the small stones and large clods of earth that he had dug out. Xu Damao came with water, and Zhang Dabao wrapped the chicken with mud. He lit a fire, put the mud wrapped around the chicken into the fire, took the pot from the car, boiled some water, and washed his hands.

"Is this okay?" Xu Damao didn't understand Zhang Dabao's operation.

"Of course you can. Wait for about ten minutes, then turn off the fire after the water boils. Use some ashes to simmer it for a while. It will become soft and boneless and delicious," said Zhang Dabao.

The water boiled, and the two poured the water into their own kettles. After waiting for a while, Zhang Dabao took out the mud and knocked off the mud. The chicken inside was fine except that it was a little dirty. The pheasant weighed more than one pound, and the two shared it. Xu Damao was really convinced because it was really delicious.

Getting into the car again, "Da Biao, did you learn all these when you were in the army?" Xu Damao asked.

"Of course, a real man must serve in the army. Some people say that you will regret it for three years if you serve in the army. I would say that if you don't, you will regret it for your whole life." Zhang Dabao answered Xu Damao's question while driving forward.

Xu Damao also began to regret not having served in the army. If he had served in the army, he would have been in better shape and learned more skills, unlike now...

Finally they arrived at Wangjiaqiao and Zhang Dabao’s car stopped at the entrance of the village.

"Xu, why are you here so early this time?" Village chief Wang heard the car coming out, and the first person to get off was Fang Damao, the projectionist of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill.

"Village Chief Wang, this is thanks to Secretary Zhang. He happened to be going to the countryside to make purchases, so I suggested that he come to our village. Our village is far from the city, and the purchasers are reluctant to come. But Secretary Zhang has a car, so he is not afraid of the long distance." Xu Damao had gained favors on both sides, and his words touched Village Chief Wang.

"Xu Fangfang, thank you so much, is this Secretary Zhang?" Zhang Dabao also got out of the car.

"Da Biao, this is Village Chief Wang," Xu Damao introduced the two parties.

"Village Chief Wang, Da Biao is my brother. The things sold to him in the village must not be inferior. They must be of guaranteed quality and quantity." After Xu Damao introduced the two people, he also made a request.

"Xu Fangying, don't worry. If someone doesn't follow the rules, we will never take his things," said Village Chief Wang domineeringly.

"Village Chief Wang, please issue a notice and I will spend the whole morning collecting things at the village office. How about that? I will go up the mountain to take a look this afternoon. I used to be a soldier, and I like to go up the mountain to hunt. I will buy all the things in the village as long as they are not broken. The price will be the same as if you sold them in the city. I will not make money from the difference in price." Seeing the attitude of Village Chief Wang, Zhang Dabao naturally could not do his job. Besides, why should he argue with the common people over a penny or two? It was simply not necessary.

"Secretary Zhang, on behalf of all the men, thank you. I will send you a guide," said Captain Wang Biao, standing up and grabbing Zhang Dabao's hand.

"There's no need for a guide. I won't go deep into the mountains. I'll just take a look around the periphery and be back in the morning." Zhang Dabao rejected the kindness of Village Chief Wang.

He and Xu Damao put down the projection equipment, then rode the tricycle along the small road into the mountain. When they reached the foot of the mountain, they put away the tricycle, carried bows and arrows, and held knives as they went into the mountain.

The main purpose of going into the mountains this time was not hunting, but to test the effect of cultivation in the mountains. If the effect is good, Wangjiaqiao will definitely grow back by itself. If it is not effective, why do I come here so often from so far away? It is enough to come back three times a year to buy things from the village.

The sun is still high now, and taking advantage of the good view, Zhang Dabao hurried all the way to the highest point of the mountain. Standing on the top of the mountain, the village in the distance has become very small. Looking at the red sun in the distance and feeling the spring breeze on the top of the mountain, Zhang Dabao opened his arms and felt everything in nature. Tao follows nature, maybe this is it.

At this moment, the "Tianyi Heart Method" in Zhang Dabao's body began to run rapidly, and a powerful airflow ran along the meridians again and again. The sun set, and the red sun gradually disappeared on the other side of the mountain. Zhang Dabao let out a long roar, and his cultivation broke through to the third level of Qi Refining. The airflow did not stop, but continued to run in the body, and then broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining before gradually stopping.

The night in the mountains was very quiet. At this time, Zhang Dabao was still standing on the top of the mountain. His cultivation had stabilized at the early stage of the fourth level of Qi Refining. He didn't know the reason for his advancement by two levels, but he vaguely felt that he must have touched a certain point. He was attracted by the environment just now and had an epiphany. His realm rose by two levels.

It seems that I have to come to Wangjiaqiao Village more often. The wind on the top of the mountain was getting stronger and stronger. Zhang Dabao came to the hillside, set up a tent in a hole under a big rock, and rested for a night.

Zhang Dabao got up early again in the morning and meditated on the top of the mountain. After one cycle of practice, he felt that he had made progress, but only a little bit. However, it was much better than in the city.

After packing up everything from yesterday's camping, Zhang Dabao walked down the mountain. On the way back, he dug up a nest of wild yams, which weighed about four or five pounds. They were thinner and more oddly shaped than cultivated yams. He put them in a cloth bag and shot two pheasants with a bow and arrow, which was a little consolation for his hunting trip up the mountain.

A little after eight in the morning, Zhang Dabao's tricycle appeared at the village office of Wangjiaqiao. After stopping, he saw dozens of villagers, some holding baskets in their hands, some carrying baskets on their backs, and some with bags at their feet. They were all there to sell things.

"Everyone line up, come one by one, quickly. I won't leave until all the goods are collected. Please rest assured." What could Zhang Dabao say when he saw this situation? He could only immediately devote himself to work.

"Eggs are five cents each, a total of thirty-five. Walnuts are four cents a pound, twenty-three pounds..." Zhang Dabao was weighing and calculating at the same time, and Village Chief Wang was helping him.

"The total is two dollars and twenty-eight. I'll give you two dollars and thirty." After the last person finished selling his things, Zhang Dabao calculated the payment, raised his hand to look at his watch, it was almost twelve o'clock. He worked for nearly four hours, and the reward was a pile of things next to him.

"Village Chief Wang, where is Brother Damao?" Zhang Dabiao was busy and thought of Xu Damao who came to the village with him. He didn't see Xu Damao the whole morning, which shouldn't be the case. He was showing a movie at night and needed to catch up on some sleep during the day, but it was almost twelve o'clock, so he couldn't get up yet, right?

"Xu Yingzhe was not feeling well. Early this morning, I went to the clinic to get him some medicine. He is still resting after taking the medicine. The projector is in the house. Shall we load it in the car before eating?" asked Village Chief Wang.

"Let's load the truck, starting with the projector. This equipment is more valuable than the things I collect. If you put these goods on the grass, they might get knocked around, but if you don't want them to get crushed, just stack them up," Zhang Dashi said to the village chief Wang who came to help.

Chapter 71 Xu Damao is injured

It took the two of them half an hour to put all the things in the car. In order to thank Village Chief Wang for his help, Zhang Dabao took two bottles of Erguotou from the passenger seat and gave them to Village Chief Wang.

"Secretary Zhang, is it inappropriate? You are helping our village, so I should show some appreciation." Village Chief Wang refused.

"Let's put things first. Take the wine and do me a favor. Arrange two people to dig some wild yam for me. An elder of mine likes to eat it. It's 30 cents per pound. I must leave around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, otherwise I won't be able to leave," Zhang Dabao stated his request.

"This is easy. My nephew knows where it is and will be back soon." Village Chief Wang walked away quickly with the wine.

Zhang Dabiao walked into the village office and saw Xu Damao, who looked pale. "Brother Damao, are you sick?"

"I'm not sick, I'm just injured. Dabiao, after eating, I need to relax a little. Can I leave later? I didn't sleep well last night." Xu Damao spoke in a low voice.

"Okay, let's go at four o'clock. I asked Village Chief Wang to get people to dig wild yam for me. He said it must be four o'clock at the latest. If it's later, we won't be able to go back today as the road is too difficult to travel on," said Zhang Dabao.

"Okay, as long as you can lie down for a while," said Xu Damao.

"Let's eat." Village chief Wang came back and was very enthusiastic. He insisted on opening a bottle of wine. Zhang Dabao didn't like to drink it and Xu Damao was not feeling well, so Village chief Wang drank a glass himself.

After dinner, Xu Damao lay down on the bed in the village office again, and Zhang Dabao also rested for a while on a chair in the village office.