Chapter 613 Receive Gifts
After hearing the good news, the workers no longer had much time to focus on their work. Their minds had already flown to the canteen, thinking about how happy their families would be when they got the chickens back home.
You have to know that at this time, many people have basically not seen meat for a year or two.
The roar of the machine tools still echoed in the workshop, but it could not cover up the whispers that came one after another.
Old Li's hand holding the wrench was trembling slightly, but his eyes staring at the parts drifted to the window - the hot air rising from the direction of the cafeteria blurred the chimney in the distance, and in a trance it looked like the white mist from the chicken stewing on his own stove.
Xiao Zhang beside him secretly took out the aluminum lunch box from his trouser pocket and repeatedly wiped the dents on the corners.
"My mother will definitely boil the chicken bones into soup, enough to drink for several days." He muttered to himself, his Adam's apple rolling.
In front of the steelmaking furnace, the red molten steel made Lao Chen's face shine, but he kept turning his head to look at the wall clock.
The hair under the helmet was already soaked with sweat, but he was unaware of it.
"There's still half an hour before get off work ends." He calculated silently in his mind, and his palms in his gloves were already sweating, as if he was already holding half a warm chicken.
"My daughter always says she wants to eat chicken legs, and this time..." The flames suddenly jumped up, and the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes were filled with smiles.
The female workers gathered around the looms, unconsciously slowing down their work.
Xiao Zhou, wearing a red hairband, touched her work badge again and again: "I want to marinate the chicken first and cook it with dumplings on New Year's Eve."
There was a sense of joy in her voice, causing the older sister next to her to laugh as well: "My husband must have fried some spicy chicken first, and the wine is ready!"
On the bench, Old Wu's movements in grinding parts with a file were noticeably slow, and the filings fell onto the greasy work clothes.
He looked at the snowflakes flying outside the window and thought of his wife who had been ill in bed for a long time: "I have to save the fattest piece of meat for her to replenish her body."
Suddenly, a notice for machine maintenance came over the workshop radio, and he was almost the first one to rush out the door. The back of his work clothes was lifted up by the north wind, revealing the washed-white sweater underneath.
The entire factory seemed to be shrouded in a warm expectation; the clinking of tools and the hum of machines were all mixed in with the longing for the half chicken.
The sharp ringing of the bell for the end of get off work sounded like thunder, instantly shattering the stagnant air in the workshop.
Old Zhao, who was changing the tool on the machine tool, had a trembling hand and the screwdriver fell onto the iron rack with a clang. He didn't even bother to bend down to pick it up. He just pulled off his dirty gloves and rushed out the door.
Xiao Zhou was unaware that her red hairband had come undone, and she let her long black hair fly behind her. She stumbled out in her crooked cloth shoes. Old Chen, who was standing in front of the steel furnace, didn't even have time to take off his red goggles, and his flushed face was instantly covered with frost in the cold wind.
On the main road of the steel plant, hundreds of pairs of rubber shoes, cloth shoes, and cotton shoes crushed the snow, and the raised snow particles fluttered in the twilight.
Some people took off their tightly wrapped scarves while running, breathing heavily; some people clutched their shiny work badges, fearing that they would fall behind if they were a second late.
From time to time, urgent shouts came from the crowd: "Make way! Make way!"
Several young men took a shortcut and crossed the wasteland through knee-deep snow, not caring at all that their trouser legs were covered in mud and snow.
The incandescent lights in the cafeteria had not yet fully lit up, but the glass doors and windows were already rattling due to the pressure.
Master Zhang had just brought the last basket of chicken to the window when he turned around and was frightened by the dark crowd and took a step back.
"Line up according to workshops! Don't push!" Director Ding shouted at the top of his lungs, but his voice was instantly drowned out by the noisy crowd.
Some people stood on tiptoe to look out the window, some stretched their arms to hold their work badges above their heads, and from time to time, shouts of "Don't cut in line" were heard in the line.
Old Li, who was at the front of the line, held his lunch box tightly, fearing that he would be pushed away by others.
The young apprentice Xiao Zhang behind him stamped his feet anxiously and kept leaning forward to look: "Uncle, please move a little further!"
The crowd was as agitated as boiling water, and the white mist they exhaled condensed in the cold air, soon forming thick frost on the door frames and window frames.
In less than a minute, the winding line had stretched from the cafeteria entrance to the factory avenue, like a long dragon wriggling in the wind and snow, and everyone's eyes were burning with eager desire for that half chicken.
Director Ding was pressed against the white wall of the cafeteria by the surging crowd, and the collar of his work clothes was torn askew.
He looked at the waves of people piled up in front of the window. The figure of Master Zhang swinging the kitchen knife was almost completely blocked. His already hoarse voice became even more rough: "Don't push! Come in order!"
But the constant urging voices instantly crushed his words.
The cold wind blew snow into the corridor. Director Ding wiped the frost off his face and suddenly caught a glimpse of the lighted window of the Logistics Department.
He slapped his forehead suddenly, and his red, frozen fingertips tapped on the iron horn, making a crisp sound: "All members of the logistics department, go to the cafeteria for support immediately! I repeat, go to the cafeteria for support immediately!"
The shrill sound of a loud speaker pierced the noise, and sporadic cheers were heard from the crowd.
In less than five minutes, two or three dozen figures in navy blue work clothes rushed in from all over the factory.
The material custodian, Lao Wang, was holding a stack of registration books in his arms and running out of breath. He didn't even bother to adjust his glasses as they slipped to the tip of his nose.
Cleaner Aunt Liu picked up a long bamboo pole from the corner of the wall and knocked down the icicles hanging under the eaves to make way for a wider passage.
Even Xiao Zhao, the clerk who usually sits in the office, rolled up his sleeves, held a brush dipped in ink, and was ready to record and receive information at any time.
"Old Li, take three people to maintain the team on the east side!" Director Ding opened his voice and gave orders. The white mist he exhaled condensed into ice crystals at the mouth of the trumpet.
"Xiao Zhao and the comrades from the Finance Department are responsible for checking the ID cards! Everyone else, follow me to the window for packaging!"
He grabbed a young apprentice passing by and stuffed the registration book into his arms: "Be smart, go where there are more people!"
The logistics personnel quickly dispersed, and the originally chaotic team gradually became neat and orderly like wool that had been re-combed.
The three new temporary distribution sites at the window started working at the same time. Master Zhang's kitchen knife rose and fell faster. Every time he chopped a chicken, the assistant next to him would immediately tie it up with hemp rope and hand it to the clerk for verification of the work badge.
The cold wind was still howling, but as more hands joined in, the team's speed of progress was visibly accelerated. There were even sporadic laughter in the distance - the first wave of workers who received the chickens had already started to plan their cooking plans when they got home.
Zhou Yimin stamped his numb feet and fumbled for the motorcycle key in the carport.
The cold wind blew in through his collar, making him shiver.
The noise coming from the direction of the cafeteria in the distance became louder and louder, like the bubbling of boiling water.
The moment he got on the motorcycle, Director Ding shouted urgently through the loud speaker: "All staff of the logistics department, go to the cafeteria immediately to provide support!"
The sound echoed in the empty factory area, and Zhou Yimin's hand holding the handlebar paused.
The sun had already set, and the remaining light shone on the metal shell of the motorcycle, giving off a cold light.
He looked down at the watch. It was just past seven o'clock and the house was empty.
"It doesn't matter if I go back anyway." He said to himself, and the white mist he exhaled condensed into water droplets on the visor of his helmet.
When turning the car, the tires made a squeaking sound as they rolled over the snow.
The distance from the carport to the canteen is only a hundred meters, but the further you go, the louder the noise becomes.
Before I reached the door, I saw Director Ding being pressed against the wall by the crowd, shouting with a red face and thick neck to maintain order.
Zhou Yimin parked his motorcycle in the corner and strode into the crowd.
"Director Ding, let me lend a hand!" he shouted at the top of his voice, drowning out the noise.
Director Ding turned around and saw him, with surprise flashing in his eyes. He immediately stuffed the registration book into his hands and said, "Okay! Go to the west team and check the ID cards!"
The moment he took the registration book, Zhou Yimin's fingertips touched the thin ice on the edge of the paper.
He squeezed into the bustling crowd and was soon swept up in the hot distribution operation.
The cold wind was still biting, but as I looked at my fellow workers' eyes shining with anticipation, my hand holding the pen gradually warmed up.
The cold wind in the factory area blew like a knife, but it did not dampen the workers' enthusiasm for queuing at all.
Under the halo of incandescent lamps, the winding team looked like a long dragon entwined on the snow. Everyone wrapped themselves tightly in cotton clothes, but could not hide the expectation in their eyes.
Old Wu hunched his neck, put his hands in his sleeves, and stood on tiptoe from time to time to look out the window in front of him.
The cotton shoes on his feet had long been soaked by the snow, but he was unaware of it, and he was still muttering, "Don't give the skinny ones, because my little granddaughter at home is waiting to eat meat and grow taller."
Lao Zhao beside him laughed and joked: "You are the only one who is impatient. Can the chicken grow legs and run away?"
Having said that, Lao Zhao's fingers were constantly stroking the work badge in his pocket, fearing that he would miss the opportunity if he took it too late.
Several young female workers huddled together to keep warm, their rosy faces filled with excitement.
Xiao Zhou took off his gloves, rubbed his frozen hands with his breath, and quickly put them on again, fearing that the heat would escape: "I'm going to save the chicken bones for stewing soup and add some noodles. My brother will definitely like it."
The sisters beside her nodded repeatedly, their eyes full of longing for family reunion.
From time to time, the creaking sound of footsteps could be heard in the team, mixed with the whispered discussions.
Some people were discussing how to cook chicken, whether it be stewing it in chicken soup, braising it, or frying it. Each way of eating it sparked a heated discussion.
Some people are calculating how much cabbage vermicelli they have at home, which can be paired with chicken to make a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner.
Occasionally, a naughty young man would whistle, which would cause a burst of good-natured laughter and scolding. The laughter would echo in the cold night sky, adding a bit of joy to the wait.
The cold wind blew up snow particles, which flew onto people's faces and bodies, but no one cared.
The team moved forward slowly but steadily, and everyone was looking forward to getting the half chicken as soon as possible, as if it was not only a New Year's gift but also a heavy love and concern for the family.
In front of the canteen window, Chef Zhang's kitchen knife made crisp chops on the chopping board, and golden chicken oil flowed along the wood grain into the iron basin.
Director Ding was standing at the main window, his purple fingers pinching his work badge to quickly check: "Wang Jianguo from Workshop 3, get half a chicken!"
As soon as the shouting ended, Old Li from the warehouse team and his apprentice Xiao Zhang had already lifted the bamboo basket full of chicken together. The hemp ropes left deep marks on their shoulders, but it did not affect their quick movements at all - Old Li was in charge of sorting.
Xiao Zhang held up a marker and quickly marked the workshop number on the chicken leg. The chicken feathers stuck to the eyebrows of the two men, looking like newly added "decorations".
Accountant Zhao from the Finance Department had his glasses slipping to the tip of his nose and his pen tip was moving rapidly across the register.
Whenever someone reported their work number, she would look up and carefully check the photo on her work badge, muttering to herself with her lips red from the cold: "Li Mei from Workshop One, received it; Liu Zhiqiang from Workshop Two, received it..."
The abacus beside her crackled, summarizing the distribution quantities in real time, and the white breath she exhaled condensed into tiny water droplets on the account book.
Lao Zhou from the maintenance team carried a homemade wooden isolation fence and patrolled the team with his three young apprentices.
"Don't push! Keep your distance!" His loud voice made the icicles on the eaves tremble.
Seeing a few guys trying to cut in line, Lao Zhou immediately stopped them with a barrier and gave them a lecture with a stern face: "Even if you want to eat chicken, you have to follow the rules!"
The boys scratched their heads and laughed, then returned to their original positions.
When the people in the back saw this scene, they waved their hands and cheered.
With every additional person in front of you, it will take longer to receive the gift, which is unacceptable for those who have been queuing up hard.
When Old Wu took the half chicken tied with hemp rope with trembling hands, his lips, which were frozen purple, trembled uncontrollably.
The chicken was still warm, and the warmth from his palm went straight up his arm to his heart. He carefully stuffed the heavy New Year's goods into his arms, as if he was holding some rare treasure.
"Finally, I've been waiting for this long!" he murmured to himself, tears welling up in his cloudy eyes. Thinking of his sick wife in bed and his little granddaughter who was eagerly waiting to eat meat, his steps unconsciously quickened, and he stepped deep and shallow on the snow, and the splashing snow particles carried a cheerful rhythm.
Xiao Zhou, a young female worker, was holding a chicken in her hands, her face flushed with excitement, as if she had put on a layer of bright rouge.
She gently stroked the shiny chicken skin, planning to make her brother's favorite spicy chicken, and save some chicken soup for her hard-working mother to nourish her body.
Thinking of the family sitting around the dinner table and enjoying the meal, she couldn't help humming a little tune, and even the howling north wind seemed to be the accompaniment.
On the way back, she quickened her pace from time to time, for fear that running too fast would damage the precious New Year's gift. Her conflicted look made the snow on the roadside giggle.
Lao Zhao carefully wrapped the chicken in oil paper, put it in his pocket, and pressed it with his hand to make sure it was safe.
He walked home with brisk steps, humming an off-tune opera, attracting the stray cats passing by to stop and look.
Seeing his own shabby little house from afar, he shouted at the top of his voice: "Mother! Come out quickly! The factory has distributed chickens!"
The door creaked open and the wife stuck her head out. They smiled at each other, the wrinkles in the corners of their eyes filled with happiness, as if all the hardships of this cold winter had disappeared at this moment.
As the night deepens, workers in twos and threes hurry along the path leading from the factory to the family quarters. In their arms, they hold not only half a chicken, but also their love and concern for their families.
The cold wind is still biting, but it cannot blow away the smiles on their faces; the road is still slippery, but it cannot stop their eagerness to return home.
This hard-earned New Year's gift makes everyone eager to share it with their family and welcome a new year full of warmth and hope together.
The cold wind blew snow into the cafeteria, but it couldn't blow away the enthusiasm of the scene.
Director Ding's cotton shoes were already soaked, but he was still running around between the windows to coordinate. The logistics staff's gloves had worn out their fingertips, so they simply threw away the gloves and worked with their bare hands.
Even the clerk who was originally only responsible for registration rolled up his sleeves to help tie up the chicken.
After three hours of hard work, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief when the last worker received his gifts.
This is more tiring than a full day's work.
However, Director Ding had already asked the canteen to keep the gifts from logistics. We can’t let others work in vain and not get any gifts!
Soon, the post-production staff saw the fat chickens and were very happy.
They thanked him one after another, and as it was getting late, everyone went back.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
