Chapter 608 Shocking Chow Tai Fook
After hearing what Zhou Yimin said, the villagers of Zhoujiazhuang were very scared. They didn't expect the harm to be so serious.
However, after the processing, everyone got back to the busy work of picking. Some people have already rushed into the greenhouse carrying bamboo baskets and burlap bags.
As the heavy cotton curtain was opened, a heat wave carrying the aroma of soil and vegetables hit her face. Zhang's wife took off her cotton hat that was so hot that beads of sweat had already oozed out of her temples under her coarse headscarf: "Wow, it's warmer than our kang!"
Before he finished speaking, everyone unbuttoned their cotton-padded jackets and rolled up their sleeves, and the scent of hard work instantly filled the air in the steaming heat.
Wang Quezi half-knelt on the soft soil, sliding the scissors lightly along the roots of the lettuce, and the tender green leaves with morning dew fell into the bamboo basket. "Be careful, don't damage the heart of the lettuce!"
The old branch secretary paced back and forth with his jujube wood cane, tapping out a rhythm with his pipe in his palm. "The people in the steel plant love this kind of water spirit!"
Zhou Dahui and Zhou Dahu were in charge of carrying the load. The sacks were filled with round cabbage stalks. Their shoulders ached from the weight, but they kept walking. Occasionally, their wheels bumped into each other, making a dull sound, which caused laughter and scolding.
Aunt Zhang stood on tiptoe to pick the thorny cucumbers. As soon as her fingertips touched the vines, water droplets rolled down between her fingers.
Erzhu, who was standing beside her, was holding a pile of fresh lettuces. His coarse shirt was soaked with sweat, but he still grinned and said, "I'm sure we can sell this batch of vegetables for a good price!"
The "click" and "bang bang" sounds of moving things in the shed, mixed with the heavy breathing of the villagers, sounded like a passionate labor song.
Suddenly, Zhou Yimin's voice broke through the noise: "Don't block the vent!"
The moment the cold wind blew in, the water droplets on the leaves condensed into ice crystals. Although everyone shrank their necks due to the cold, they did not stop the work in their hands.
While tying her scarf tightly, Zhang's wife deftly stacked the bundles of celery neatly, her red, frozen fingers flying over the stems.
The icicles hanging from the roof reflected tiny rays of light in the morning sun, which contrasted beautifully with the sweat beads on the villagers' foreheads and the hills of vegetables piled up in the bamboo baskets, outlining a picture of a bustling harvest scene.
As the picking work progresses, the busyness in the greenhouse becomes more intense.
Xiulan squatted between the ridges of the field, responsible for sorting the green peppers.
Her eyes were like precise scanners, carefully identifying each green pepper. She gently picked up the plump and fleshy ones and carefully piled them beside her. Soon, they formed a green hill.
Occasionally, a naughty green pepper would roll down, and her little hands covered in mud would pounce over like an agile squirrel to pick them up swiftly. She would rub the mud on her fingertips on her coarse cloth trouser legs, and then quickly start sorting them. Her movements were as skillful as those of an experienced vegetable farmer.
Erzhu brought a bamboo ladder and placed it steadily next to the tomato vines. The ladder was very obedient in his hands, like his good friend for many years.
He climbed up the support carefully, taking every step firmly for fear of disturbing the ripe fruits on the branches.
The ripe tomatoes are bright red, and their skin has an attractive luster, just like carefully carved rubies.
Erzhu stretched out his rough big hand and gently held a bunch of tomatoes, and with the other hand he carefully pinched the vine. With a "click", the plump fruits fell obediently into the bamboo basket below, making a pleasant sound.
The old branch secretary took out the brass pocket watch and looked at it. The carvings on the watch cover flickered in the dim light, and the ashes in the pipe fell out.
"There's still half an hour left! The truck from the steel mill should be arriving!"
This reminder was like a rapid war drum, which suddenly accelerated the pace in the studio.
The villagers' movements, already quick, now became even faster than before, as if they were wound up.
Zhou Yimin was like a commander on the battlefield, moving between the ridges of the fields, and from time to time reaching out to check the integrity of the leaves.
When he came across something of inferior quality, he would gently pick it out and put it aside, while shouting loudly: "Everyone, sort the vegetables into categories, put the good ones in the front and the inferior ones in the back!"
Inside the shed, Wang Quezi knelt on the ground, sliding the scissors lightly along the roots of the lettuce, and the tender green leaves fell into the bamboo basket with morning dew.
Xiulan stood on tiptoe, and when her fingertips touched the cucumber vines, water droplets rolled down her fingers. She quickly picked the cucumber with flowers and thorns on it.
Zhou Dahu was carrying a heavy sack filled with round cabbage stalks, which made his shoulders ache. But they gritted their teeth and walked quickly. Occasionally the sacks collided with each other, making a dull sound, but it did not slow them down.
The sounds of everyone working together form a tense and passionate harvest melody.
The cold wind blew snow particles against the iron gate of the steel plant. Zhou Dafu held the steering wheel and exhaled white air. The ice on the windshield was scratched by the wipers, leaving fan-shaped marks.
The driver in the passenger seat was munching on a cold steamed bun, with crumbs falling on his faded overalls.
The truck was about to drive out of the factory with the roar of the engine when suddenly a sharp whistle was heard piercing through the wind and snow.
"Da Fu! Wait a minute!" Li Feng rushed over wrapped in a military green cotton coat, and the snow on the brim of his hat fell off.
Chow Tai Fook stepped on the brakes and the old truck let out a heavy sigh.
The moment the window was rolled down, a biting cold wind rushed into the car, carrying with it the remaining burnt smell from the steel furnace.
"Master, do you have any other instructions?" Zhou Dafu stuck his head out, and a thin layer of frost quickly formed on his eyelashes.
Li Feng reached out and patted the cold car door. The white mist he exhaled condensed into tiny ice crystals between the two of them: "Da Fu, the mountain road is difficult to drive on now, and because of the weather, install anti-skid chains on the tires! This will be safer."
His eyes swept across the outline of the winding mountain road in the distance, which was hidden in the snow. His voice unconsciously became heavier: "I just heard yesterday that a car in the neighboring county skidded and fell into a ditch. We can't be careless!"
Zhou Dafu tightened his grip on the steering wheel and turned to look at his companion.
In the dim light of the cab's ceiling light, I could see the same hesitation in the other person's eyes - installing the anti-skid chains would take at least half an hour, but the master's bloodshot eyes were full of worry.
"Got it, Master!" He pushed open the car door, and the rubber soles of his shoes made a crisp "crunching" sound as they stepped on the icy road.
"Master Wang, give me a hand!"
The two drivers worked hard in the wind and snow.
The clinking sound of iron chains colliding with tires mixed with the howling north wind echoed in the empty factory area.
Li Feng squatted down to help pass the buckle, but his frozen fingers couldn't hold the metal parts several times.
When the last section of the chain was buckled onto the tire, he walked around the truck to check it twice, his rough hands stroking the interlaced chain teeth: "Drive slowly on the road, and honk in advance when you encounter a sharp turn."
Watching the taillights of the restarted truck disappear in the snow and fog, he wrapped his coat tightly and stood there for a long time, until the ice on his eyelashes almost blocked his vision.
When a truck equipped with anti-skid chains rolled over the iron gate of the factory, the iron chains collided with the asphalt road and made a harsh "clang" sound, like a series of cold alarm bells ringing in the wind and snow.
Zhou Dafu gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands. The sweat from his palms mixed with the coldness, making the rubber grip damp.
There was a big temperature difference between inside and outside, and ice flowers continued to condense on the windshield. The wipers swung back and forth, creating a fan-shaped blurry vision.
The winding mountain road is like a dead white snake, curled up between the steep mountain walls.
As soon as the truck entered the curve, the anti-skid chains under the tires made a "clicking" sound. The iron chains were deeply embedded in the snow, splashing fine ice chips.
Zhou Dafu's heart hung in his throat with every vibration of the car body. He stared at the rearview mirror and saw that the car body, due to inertia, would occasionally rub against the protruding rocks of the mountain wall. The sound of metal friction was as sharp as scraping his nerves.
"Be careful!" Lao Wang suddenly exclaimed, pointing forward.
At a sharp bend a hundred meters away, several pine trees that were broken by the accumulated snow lay across the road, with crumbling icicles still hanging on the trunks.
Chow Tai Fook slammed on the brakes, and the truck skidded violently on the ice. The anti-skid chain rubbed against the ice violently, sending out sparks.
The pungent smell of burnt rubber filled the car, and the two men's bodies almost hit the front windshield.
"We have to go around!" Zhou Dafu turned the steering wheel while panting. The truck tires spun in the soft snow, making a desperate roar.
Lao Wang jumped out of the car, picked up a shovel and shoveled the snow. The cold wind blew the snow into his collar, making his teeth chatter.
The two men worked together to dig grooves in the snow, allowing the truck to roll over the broken wood with difficulty.
When they set out again, Chow Tai Fook discovered that the fuel level indicator light on the dashboard began to flash; the low temperature had caused the diesel in the tank to wax.
The truck crawled slowly in the wind and snow with visibility less than ten meters.
Zhou Dafu squinted his eyes and searched for road signs based on his memory. Every time the anti-skid chain hit the ice, it seemed like he was counting down to the unknown danger.
When the lights of Zhoujiazhuang finally appeared in the distance, his tense shoulders relaxed a little, and he heard Lao Wang muttering: "This road is hotter than a steel furnace."
In the twilight, Zhoujiazhuang was wrapped in a hazy layer of snow, and the old locust tree of the security team at the entrance of the village was covered with icicles.
The truck driven by Chow Tai Fook rolled over the icy stone road, and the "clang" sound made by the anti-skid chain colliding with the ground scared the sparrows under the eaves away.
The security guard at the sentry post poked his head out, and the headlights swept over Zhou Dafu's red but smiling face, and he immediately waved and let him go: "It's Dafu! Go in quickly."
The railing slowly rose, and the raised snow particles fluttered in the car lights.
The cotton curtain of the greenhouse was suddenly lifted, and the steaming hot air wrapped in the aroma of vegetables blew in the face.
Lai Fu, who had just taken off his gloves and was about to take a break, was the first to hear the noise. He leaned against the door frame to look out, and his cotton shoes made a rustling sound on the ground.
When Chow Tai Fook jumped out of the car on the snow and frost fell off his army green cotton hat, exclamations broke out one after another in the shed.
"Isn't this the kid Zhou Dafu?!" Wang Quezi's pipe almost fell into the bamboo basket.
"You were just an apprentice last year, how come you're driving a big truck?"
The old branch secretary leaned on his cane and came closer. His cloudy eyes lingered on the work badge on Zhou Dafu's chest for a long time. He slammed his jujube wood cane on the ground and said, "You have made it! The first young man in our village to drive a large truck!"
Zhou Dafu scratched his head embarrassedly, and there were still mud spots on the knees of his overalls from installing anti-skid chains: "Thanks to the good teachings of the masters, I just became a regular employee last month."
Before he could finish his words, he was surrounded by the villagers who rushed over.
Zhou Dahu reached out and touched the shiny front of the truck. The cold metal made him retract his hand, but he couldn't help but touch it again: "This big thing is so majestic! How many vegetables can it hold?"
The cold wind blew snow particles through the crowd, but it could not blow away the lively atmosphere in front of the greenhouse. Zhou Dafu was surrounded by a barrage of questions, and suddenly he felt that the hardships of this snowy road turned into a hot warmth in his chest.
Before everyone's exclamations died down, the old branch secretary had already pounded his jujube wood walking stick heavily on the frozen ground: "What are you still dawdling about? Hurry up and load the picked vegetables onto the truck!"
This shout was like an order. The villagers who had originally surrounded Zhou Dafu dispersed instantly. The sound of bamboo baskets colliding and hemp ropes being dragged suddenly rang out outside the greenhouse.
Zhou Dahui carried a sack full of cabbages and walked hurriedly but did not forget to turn back and give Chow Tai Fook a thumbs up.
Wang Quezi was pushing a cart loaded with green peppers, and the wheels made a "crunching" sound as they rolled over the snow.
Amid the noise, Chow Tai Fook saw Zhou Yimin standing in the shadow of the greenhouse, his figure outlined warmly by the halo of the kerosene lamp.
He immediately pushed through the crowd, his leather boots making a "puff puff" sound on the snow: "Uncle Sixteen!"
Zhou Yimin reached out and brushed off the snow on his shoulder. He glanced at the mud stains on his overalls and the brand new work badge on his chest. The corners of his mouth rose unconsciously: "Dafu, you have good driving skills and drive very steadily. I think it won't take long for you to surpass me."
His voice carried the satisfaction of an elder, mixed with the aroma of vegetables wafting from the greenhouse, which warmed Chow Tai Fook's heart.
"Uncle Sixteen, that's impossible. How can I compare to you?" Zhou Dafu waved his hands hurriedly, and his metal work badge emitted a tiny light in the twilight.
As he was talking, a gust of cold wind blew up the cotton curtains on the eaves, and the Zhang family's wife shouted, "Da Fu, come here quickly! Give me some advice on how to stack these vegetables so that they are stable!"
Zhou Yimin nodded at him: "Go quickly, loading the truck can't be sloppy."
Chow Tai Fook responded, and when he turned around, the corner of his work coat brushed the back of Zhou Yimin's hand.
The two walked towards the truck side by side. In the halo of the headlights, the figures of the villagers passing vegetable baskets cast long shadows on the snow. Shouts, laughter and the roar of the truck engine were intertwined.
Zhou Dafuli landed on the ground and jumped onto the truck bed. The mud spots on the knees of his overalls were stained with iron filings from the anti-skid chains.
He took off his cotton hat and slapped it on his thigh, stirring up snow mist that fluttered under the car lights: "Listen up, everyone! Put the heavy ones at the bottom and the light ones at the top!"
He bent down and picked up a heavy bag of cabbage stalks: "Root vegetables like this should be stacked in a pyramid shape, with the bottom layer pressed against the sides of the carriage!"
As he spoke, he propped the sack with his knees and pushed hard on the rough fabric with his palms, firmly wedging it into the corner of the car.
Lai Fu was about to pass the sack up when Zhou Dafu stopped him with his hand: "Wait a minute!"
He pulled out a few old straw mats from the cab and spread them on the floor of the car.
"The leaves are delicate, so put this under them to prevent them from getting bumped."
Zhang's wife came over with a bunch of celery in her arms. Zhou Dafu immediately took it, aligned the roots of the celery, and stacked them horizontally on top of the cabbage pile: "The leaves face inwards and the roots face outwards, so that they are not easily broken during loading and unloading."
A cold wind suddenly blew snow into the carriage. Zhou Dafu narrowed his eyes and continued to direct: "Uncle Wang, take a few people to take care of the fragile green peppers!"
"Each layer cannot exceed this height and is separated by foam boards in the middle!" he said as he demonstrated personally.
Gently insert the green pepper basket between two layers of foam boards and tap the edge of the basket with your fingers: "Like this, leave half a finger gap for shock absorption."
The old branch secretary leaned on his cane and looked up, the sparks from his pipe flickering in the wind: "Da Fu, how do we arrange the back half of the carriage?"
Zhou Dafu wiped the sweat from his forehead, and rubbed his red cheeks with the sleeves of his work clothes: "Pretend to be tomatoes!"
He jumped out of the truck and took some pieces of plywood from the cab.
"Use this as a partition to store tomatoes separately to prevent them from being crushed."
The vegetables in the carriage have been neatly stacked.
Zhou Dafu stepped back a few steps to look around, and suddenly found that the left side of the carriage was a little skewed. He immediately shouted: "Stop! Add two more baskets of cabbage on the right side!"
He reached out and held the shaking sacks until the entire pile of goods stopped moving, then he nodded with satisfaction.
(End of this chapter)
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