Chapter 56

Although Gu Fugui was startled, he was overjoyed after he came to his senses. He came over with a silly smile on his face and said respectfully, "Fourth Master."

Zhang Laosi snorted, looked at the work in his hands, and said, "Let me take a look at it."

Another craftsman, carrying a full bag of grain on his back, walked up behind the others, stared at them for a moment, pointed at one of them, and said, "Doesn't it hurt when you twist your hands like that?" Then he called to his apprentice, who was also his nephew, "Zhu Zi, come over here and teach me some techniques."

Then he uncomfortably reminded her: "If you don't understand or don't know how to do something, you should take the initiative to ask."

He went back with his hands behind his back.

The people in the third echelon were a little flattered and excited.

Zhang Laosi and his "direct disciples" were stunned. Gu Fugui and his friends were not real disciples. Would they still have any advantages in the future?

Zhou Jiani glanced at them with a smile. The people in the second group, for some reason, felt a little uneasy when they met Comrade Xiao Zhou's gaze. They looked away uncomfortably and went to teach the people in the third group with downcast brows.

Zhang Laosi gave Gu Fugui some pointers, letting him figure it out on his own. He also said sternly, "If you don't understand, come and ask."

I hurried over to see what Comrade Xiao Zhou had drawn.

Zhang Laosi, Sheng Manliang and others were a little surprised after listening to Zhou Jiani's introduction: Can the stool be made into this style?

"The lid and stool can be separate, or they can be hooked up and hung upside down on the stool. But we have to consider the weight ratio of the lid to the stool itself to ensure the stability of the stool when the lid is hung upside down in its hollow state..." Zhou Jiani said, "If this model can be manufactured, our main promotional theme will be that it has two uses: a stool that can be used for both sitting and storage, while also being sturdy and beautiful."

Zhang Laosi has a habit of smoking his pipe when he studies new styles or thinks about things.

But this time, as soon as he started to touch her, Zhou Jiani glared at her.

Zhang Laosi had already struck the match when he realized something was wrong and asked in surprise, "What's wrong, Xiao Zhou?"

Zhou Jiani's eyes twitched. She said, "Fourth Uncle, you're my uncle. We're going to run a factory in the future, and you'll be one of its pillars. As one of its future pillars, don't you think we should start setting up some rules now? For example, rule number one: no open flames allowed in the work area!"

Zhang Laosi thought Comrade Xiao Zhou was hilarious. He not only refused to let him smoke his pipe, but also wrote such a long article about it.

But why does it sound so comfortable?

He chuckled, put out the match, put the pipe back, and nodded, saying, "Stand, stand, this rule is established from now on."

Zhou Jiani looked at the bowls filled with food again.

Everyone was also amused by Zhou Jiani's chatter and nodded happily: "We will listen to Comrade Xiao Zhou."

Come to think of it, if something unexpected happens, like a fire, all their work will be in vain.

I just used to think that it wouldn't be a big deal if I paid a little attention, but Comrade Xiao Zhou seemed to be very serious about it. Now that he mentioned it, we should establish some rules.

Those 'direct disciples' looked as if they had been struck by lightning.

Liu Daniu, an apprentice of Liu Zhaoye (one of the craftsmen), poked Zhang Qianjin, the second son of Zhang Laosi, and said, "Did you tell Uncle Si not to smoke that day? Did he pout at you?"

"Not only did he give me a scolding, he also hit me with his pipe." Zhang Qianjin pondered for a moment, then shook his head and smiled, "I can't help but admit it. Comrade Xiao Zhou is still a man of words."

The family also masters the weaving techniques of two types of baskets, which were also suggested by Comrade Xiao Zhou. When family members talk about her, they are full of praise.

Zhou Jiani set up a smoking area for everyone: outside the gate!

"Wait for me to find a broken bowl and bring it over. Pour some water into it. If you smoke a cigarette, you must press the butt into the water to extinguish it. The same goes for matches. After lighting the cigarette, throw it into the water."

"Those who smoke their pipes should knock them clean outside after smoking to ensure there are no sparks. Once you enter the courtyard, it is a no-smoking area. Outside the gate is the smoking area."

It was the first time for everyone to hear the terms "no smoking area" and "smoking area". They all felt it was new and cooperated happily.

They would take their time to study the sketch, but for now they should focus on the department store order.

Zhou Jiani achieved her goal. That's right, don't be so clear-cut. If you want to form a small group, form a big group. The entire processing workshop should be united as one.

After finishing the arrangements, she yawned, said goodbye to everyone and went back to sleep.

Back at Huihui's house, Zhao Mei was still thinking about her being reported. She asked, "Didn't it affect you at all? What will be done with Zhao Weiguo?"

Zhou Jiani shook her head and said, "I'm fine. Zhao Weiguo has been taken to the commune. I don't know what the leaders will do with him."

Zhao Mei said angrily, "I'm glad it didn't affect you. He's just a stinkbug. I'll definitely spit on him when I see him again."

What the hell is this.

She went back to the shed and brought out three pairs of new shoes for Zhou Jiani to see: "Jiani, do you think they are okay?"

Before Zhou Jiani went to the provincial capital, she left a piece of cloth for Zhao Mei and asked her to start making men's shoes after the coat was dry. At that time, she did not have any shoe patterns, so she asked her to make three pairs based on Zhang Kaishan's feet, and then wait for her to come back.

"Okay!" Zhou Jiani took it and looked at it. Zhao Mei's craftsmanship must be fine. Just look at the shoes her family wears. "Sister-in-law, make three more pairs according to this size. I'll finish packing my things and draw the women's shoes and give them to you."

Zhao Mei had one good point. She never asked questions. She would just do whatever she was told to do and never said anything else. She nodded quickly and said, "Okay, it will take two days at most."

Zhou Jiani went back to the room, but there was no one there. Sun Ping came back, packed up her things, and went to work with Yu Wanxia.

Her luggage was placed on a rickety stool in the corner.

Zhou Jiani was not busy tidying up. She washed her hair first, wrapped it with a towel, and then fetched water into the house to take a shower. She would wash the clothes she had taken off after she had rested well.

She was so sleepy that she couldn't open her eyes, but she didn't dare to sleep until her hair was dry. Zhou Jiani let her hair down and waited for it to dry naturally.

She closed the door, took out the milk and drank it, while studying her 'new toy' - the stewing cup.

The color is very beautiful, the actual product is as shown in the picture. There is no peculiar smell when I unscrew it and smell it. It has two layers of lids, the outer layer can be used directly as a bowl, and a stainless steel folding spoon is embedded in the insulation layer lid. When unfolded, the length is just right to match the cup. The design is quite user-friendly.

In addition to the cup, there is also a portable insulated bag and a recipe with instructions.

Dispose of the carton after drinking the milk.

Zhou Jiani scooped water to clean the two stewing cups, and looked through the recipe. Before use, you have to pour boiling water into it and preheat it for five minutes. It is best to use freshly boiled water.

There was just the right amount of water in the thermos. As soon as she finished using it, Zhao Mei offered to fill it with freshly boiled water and bring it in.

Zhou Jiani poured in boiling water to preheat it, and while waiting, she washed a handful of rice. It was really a small handful, which she measured with her fingers, washed it clean, and put it in the cup lid for later use.

She had some raw peanuts on the shelf, so she took them out, peeled a few, and put them together with the rice.

I washed two more raw eggs.

The recipe says that it can be used to stew eggs, so there are just two stewing cups, one for stewing eggs and one for stewing porridge.

When the time is up, pour out the preheated water, put in the rice and peanuts, pour in boiling water, and tighten the lid.

Carefully place the raw egg in another cup, pour in boiling water, screw on the lid, and store them together in the warehouse.

I took out the cherry tomatoes and empty aluminum lunch box I bought, washed them and ate them one by one. I ate a small half of them in one go and put the rest into the warehouse.

Her hair was not dry yet, and Zhou Jiani didn't want to pack her luggage. She looked through her phone and found nothing she could buy. She forced herself to take out the yellow rubber band she had bought before, and found two pieces of flowery cloth, took out the needle and thread, and started making a hairband.

The cloth has no elasticity, so you can't use the size of the rubber band, you need to have some extra.

Zhou Jiani put the two pieces of cloth together and began to sew them onto the rubber band.

If you buy the kind of rubber band with wide edges that can be cut, it will be easier to make. This kind of rubber band that you put directly on the circle requires hidden stitches.

Zhou Jiani's handicraft skills are not very good, and she can't do big projects, but fortunately she can sew some small things.

After sewing a hairband, my hair was almost dry, so I tried it with a new hairband. It was pretty good, at least it didn’t tangle my hair.

By this time, she really couldn't open her eyes, so she fell on the kang and fell asleep. She didn't even hear Sun Ping and Yu Wanxia coming back for lunch. She only opened her eyes when they got on the kang to prepare for a nap.

As soon as she opened her eyes, before she was fully awake, Yu Wanxia came over and told her the good news: "Zhao Weiguo's punishment has come down. He'll be sent to work on the farm for a year, and then he'll be transferred out of our brigade. The commune sent militia to watch him pack his things and then send him back to the farm."

Zhou Jiani sat up, her eyes still a little dazed, and asked, "Already gone?"

"He left, and everyone said he deserved it," Sun Ping said. "Actually, it's a good thing he left. I heard Wang Qianjin and the others muttering that if Zhao Weiguo had stayed in the village, he would have been put in a sack every day."

That's right. Zhou Jiani had finally found a way out for everyone, but he was sabotaging it behind the scenes. Who could get away with him?

Yu Wanxia said: "The people in the village processing workshop found out late, and after hearing about it, they all wanted to beat Zhao Weiguo. Zhao Weiguo should be thankful that he left quickly, otherwise he would have been beaten and left again."

Zhou Jiani didn't mention this matter to Zhang Laosi and the others in the processing workshop. She probably just heard about it from others.

"Indeed, it's good to go. Going away can clear your mind."

What she meant by being clear-headed was that if Zhao Weiguo left Liu Ailing and was no longer influenced by her, his IQ might return to normal.

Zhou Jiani got off the kang, picked up her new hairband, gathered her hair into a ponytail, and was about to get a jar of water when Sun Ping and Yu Wanxia grabbed her arms.

"Is this a new hair flower?"

"Why does this fabric look familiar to me?"

Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "There's a piece of this on Huihui's schoolbag."

The backpack I sewed for Huihui has lighter colors on both sides, and the bottom of the backpack is slightly darker in color and has patterns.

"I sewed it myself, no wonder it looks familiar." Yu Wanxia didn't want to sleep anymore. She got up from the kang to see Zhou Jiani's hair ornaments.

Zhou Jiani took it off and said, "It's just a layer of cloth on a yellow rubber band. You can choose and sew it yourself. This way it won't tangle your hair and it won't look ugly."

"It's not just not ugly, it's quite pretty, Comrade Jiani." Sun Ping turned the hairpin over and over to study it.

Neither of them took their nap and used the time to choose fabric and sew hairbands, which they wore when they went to work in the afternoon.

Zhou Jiani didn't have to be so active; she just rested at home in the afternoon.

She prepared to eat only after the two men left, and picked up some pickles from her empty bowl.

New vegetables were added to the jar, probably put in by Sun Ping and Yu Wanxia, but she still turned it over and scooped it out from the bottom. It would taste better if it was marinated thoroughly.

Zhao Mei left some food for her and heated up a steamed bun.

Zhou Jiani used the cup lid as a bowl and poured out the porridge. The aroma of rice was fragrant and the effect was very good. The rice was cooked until it was blooming.

She estimated it herself and it was about three hours.

The two raw eggs also turned into cooked eggs. Zhou Jiani peeled them and found they were cooked thoroughly.

I ate two eggs, a steamed bun and rice porridge with some sour and spicy pickles. Since it was my first time trying it, I didn't cook much, so the cup and bowl were not full, but it was just enough to finish it.

Overall, this stewing cup is a good buy. It doesn't consume electricity, doesn't require fire, and can cook food directly. For her at this moment, it is a magical device.

After eating, he washed the dishes in the house and took them out to the toilet.

On the other side, Zhang Baosheng saw Zhao Weiguo off, went home for lunch, took a nap, then got up and went to the processing workshop with bloodshot eyes.

Even though I knew the order for two hundred baskets had been received, I still couldn't help but tell the story again.

He entered the house smoking a pipe, and everyone laughed as he entered. Zhang Laosi pointed and chuckled, "Look, Comrade Xiao Zhou just made the rules and regulations, and our team leader is the first to violate them. Let him be punished... to clean the yard for us."

Zhang Baosheng was also happy. Comrade Xiao Zhou was really capable. The key was that he could convince these old guys, which was really admirable.

He stood outside the door, finished smoking the pipe, knocked it clean, and rubbed it with his feet to make sure there were no sparks before going in. He smiled and said, "Did Comrade Xiao Zhou tell you that she got some small picture books? If you have children who can read, you can go to the village to borrow them later. But they must be brought by an adult at home, and the adult must sign to ensure that they are not lost or torn. If they are damaged, you will have to pay for it with work points."

"Why didn't Comrade Xiao Zhou mention it? What small picture books do you have?" Liu Zhaoye came over and asked, "Just small picture books?"

"Of course not! I also have novels, magazines, and test papers for the children in the village." Zhang Baosheng said with a relaxed face, "Comrade Xiao Zhou said he would help with the exchanges when he has the chance, so that the children can broaden their horizons. People learn from books."

Everyone's expression was somewhat moved.

Zhang Laosi suddenly cursed, "What the hell is that bastard called? If I ever run into him again, I'm going to give him a couple of punches."

The more I think about Comrade Xiao Zhou being bullied, the angrier I get.

Zhang Baosheng waved his hand, "Let's not talk about that spoiler." He raised his eyebrows and said proudly, "Director Zhai now thinks highly of our brigade. When he brought Zhao Weiguo back today, he told me to focus on production and strive to win the official contract with the department store. He even suggested that Secretary Li be transferred here for training. You see, our brigade is already using a commune secretary..."

I was just getting a little carried away, wondering which brigade could possibly take over a commune secretary? Before I could finish, Zhang Laosi slapped his thigh and said unhappily, "You idiot! Comrade Xiao Zhou was right."

Zhang Baosheng's glorious face shrank back into the wrinkles on his face. He asked in surprise, "What did Comrade Xiao Zhou say?"