The next day, after work, Zhu Youliang followed Chen Youguo into the brigade's yard. The brigade's yard was not small, with five bungalows in the middle and two large courtyards in front and back, but it was a bit run-down.
The tractor was parked in a thatched shed in the brigade's backyard, with another straw shed built over it. Besides the two of them, there were quite a few people watching the fun. Seeing them, Chen Youguo wanted to send them back home, saying they'd rather go eat than just watch the fun. Unfortunately, no one wanted to leave. They had their reasons: they couldn't let that lazy fellow, Zhu Youliang, take over the brigade's only tractor. After all, there were only a few tractors in the surrounding villages. Their brigade had one, a prize awarded by the brigade leader for his meritorious service. It was a real treasure.
Helplessly, Chen Youguo could only let them go.
Zhu Youliang didn't care. He just watched as long as no one stopped him from repairing the tractor.
It was his elder brother, Zhu Youtian, who grabbed him and repeatedly asked him if he was really sure, otherwise this matter would end badly.
Zhu Youliang gave him a reassuring look. After the tractor driver Tian Dachui opened the hood and took out the usual tractor repair tools, he broke free and began to check the tractor in front of him.
He first had Tian Dachui start the tractor, and sure enough, it stalled after a few starts. He had already asked about this before arriving, so he wasn't surprised. He first checked the air filter and found it had been cleaned and unobstructed. He then checked the crankshaft and the ignition connection, finding no problems there. After starting the tractor several times, he discovered that the engine speed was unstable, a common problem with the low-pressure oil circuit.
Seeing him tinkering for a long time without finding anything, the surrounding people laughed. Zhou Er laughed the loudest. Zhou Er and Zhu Youliang were both notorious lazy men in the village. Just because Zhu Youliang had a good-looking face, he not only enjoyed his mother's favor at home, but also married a sent-down youth. He was not satisfied.
"I told you, how could Zhu Laoliu repair a tractor!" Zhou Er said, slapping his thigh.
"That's right, that's right."
"I think he's just trying to be smart. He thinks he can do it just by watching other people repair tractors a few times. He really thinks he's a genius. Isn't it just that he always ranks in the top ten in the exams? He's just a nerd."
"I think he studies so hard just to avoid having to work in the fields."
Everyone was talking at once, the conversation getting quite lively. Zhu Youtian wanted to defend his brother, but he couldn't get a word in. He could only stand there anxiously, feeling a bit resentful of his brother. This was a complete embarrassment, and the villagers would have more to say about it.
Chen Youguo was closest to Zhu Youliang. He saw him meticulously inspecting the fuel line, even the connectors. Just as he was about to approach to ask, he saw him reconnect one of the joints. He then put the throttle in neutral, cranked the crankshaft, and listened. He then said, "This joint is broken. It needs to be replaced. I can fix it, but it'll only last a while." He began fiddling with the joint. He wrapped a piece of cotton cloth around the bottom edge of the connector's horn and tightened it with a nut. Once he had cleared the oil line, he fiddled with it for a while longer before standing up and restoring the broken part.
Seeing him start to wipe his hands, Chen Youguo hurried over and asked, "Is this fixed or not?"
The noisy crowd suddenly quieted down, their ears pricked up. As soon as they saw him skillfully reinstall the dismantled items, some people thought he had some real skills, that maybe he could actually repair a tractor. Of course, most people didn't believe him.
Zhu Youliang didn't say anything, but looked at the tractor driver beside him. He was tired and hungry, but he didn't have the energy to crank the lever anymore.
When Tian Dachui saw him looking at him, he picked up the crankshaft half-believingly, inserted it into the fuel tank and cranked it quickly.
There was a continuous "thump, thump, thump..." sound, and he quickly threw the crank handle, jumped onto the seat, and, as everyone was stunned, he started the tractor. Seeing the tractor come out, everyone hurriedly made way. Following him out of the yard, they saw the tractor run several times, and only then did they believe that Zhu Laoliu really could repair tractors.
Some thought it was a case of a blind cat catching a dead mouse, and Zhou Er thought so. However, he wasn't stupid, so he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned and walked home. He just didn't want to see Zhu Laoliu's smug look. After all, catching a dead mouse was a skill, and the team would definitely praise him.
Chen Youguo came back to his senses and patted Zhu Youliang's shoulder heavily, "Okay, kid, I wasn't bragging. If I had known you could repair it, I could have saved the money for a meal." He still felt sad when he thought about the table of food he had served to entertain the agricultural machinery station last time.
Zhu Youliang rubbed his hands and said with a smile: "Captain, look, this tractor has been repaired..."
Chen Youguo waved his hand. "I'll make the decision. I'll give you twenty work points."
"Thank you, Captain, for serving the people." Zhu Youliang quickly expressed his gratitude. After thanking him, he thought about going home because he was still hungry.
Who knew that as soon as he left the yard, the group of people from before surrounded him, asking questions at once, and he didn't know how to answer. After a few perfunctory words, he escaped the encirclement with Zhu Youtian's help and walked home.
The tractor's roar was so loud that the entire team knew it was working. They were all standing at the doorway, their bowls in hand. Seeing the two brothers approach, they showered them with compliments. Zhu Youliang was fine, but Zhu Youtian looked incredibly proud, walking off with a proud and confident air. He didn't part with his brother until they reached a fork in the road, and he praised his brother as he left.
Meanwhile, Zhu Youliang had finally returned home and was serving his meal when Old Man Zhu and Huang Mei arrived. Seeing him eating, they didn't interrupt. They sat down with a smile and began praising him. As they praised him, they started arguing, each claiming their son looked like them. Pian Tongtong joined in the fun, also saying his father looked like him. The old couple stopped arguing and returned to teasing their grandson.
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