After buying the coal stove and sending it back to the factory, Zhu Youliang went out alone and stood for a while at several intersections frequented by villagers. Sure enough, he met an acquaintance.
"Ergou, wait a minute." Zhu Youliang shouted loudly.
"There's grain. Aren't you going to the machinery factory today? Why are you here?" Ergou said as he dismounted his bicycle. Life had gotten much better in recent years. He worked hard, paid the levy, saved a little, and sold his grain, so buying a bicycle wasn't a problem.
"I officially start work tomorrow. I'm here to ask you to pass on a message to my eldest brother or my father. Please come to the machinery factory when you're free. I need something from them." Zhu Youliang pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and handed one over. Although he didn't smoke, he always carried a pack with him when he went out.
Ergou took the cigarette and said cheerfully, "Okay, I'll go to your house and tell you when I get back. There's food. If the factory is hiring or there's any private work around here that needs help, don't forget me. I may not have any special skills, but I do have strength."
"Don't worry, I won't forget you." Zhu Youliang said with a smile. "Okay, then I'll go back." Ergou said, lifted his leg, and rode away on his bicycle.
Zhu Youliang watched from behind and felt that it was time for him to buy a bicycle.
Zhu Youtian arrived two days later. It was noon when he arrived. Zhu Youliang ran out after hearing the guard calling for help. Although he and Liang Yuan had officially started working, they didn't do much. They mainly dealt with some calculation problems every day, and their time was very leisurely. They both had no objection to this. They worked when there was work to do, and found something to do when there was nothing to do. Ji Minhuai didn't specifically target them, he just ignored them, occasionally asking them to come over to do some calculations or something. As for Li Mingde, he rarely spoke to him all day, and only spoke a few words to Ji Minhuai.
Zhu Youtian was sitting at the door of the guard room. When he saw Zhu Youliang coming, he stood up quickly. "Youliang, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Brother, have you had lunch yet?"
"No, I'll just go back and buy two steamed buns later."
"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria to eat first, and then we'll go back to the dormitory."
Seeing people coming and going around him, Zhu Youtian felt it was difficult to ask for money to eat in the cafeteria, fearing that he would embarrass Zhu Youliang, so he nodded and agreed. When he arrived at the cafeteria, he saw rows of people in work clothes standing inside the cafeteria waiting for their meals. Although the cafeteria at the machinery factory charged money, it was half the price of the food outside and the food tasted good, so many people ate there. In the beginning, the cafeteria at the machinery factory was free, but the food and the taste of the food there were nothing comparable to what it is now. So even though it costs money, most people in the factory still think the current one is better.
"Brother, you sit here first, I'll go get you some food." Zhu Youliang said as he was about to leave.
Zhu Youtian said hurriedly, "Just order some food, I'm not hungry. By the way, where's your wife? I won't wait for her to eat."
"Don't worry about her. She'll come over if she sees us," Zhu Youliang said, and went to line up. A moment later, he returned with two lunch boxes filled with food. One of them was something he had just bought at the canteen.
Zhu Youtian looked at the lunch box filled with braised pork and couldn't help but complain, "How could it be so good? If I had known this would happen, I should have asked Dad to come."
Zhu Youliang said with a smile, "Brother, please eat quickly. Don't feel bad about it. This meal is half the price of what you would pay outside."
"Please take some over here. I can't finish all this by myself." Zhu Youtian said as he was about to put the meat into Zhu Youliang's lunch box. "No, I have a lot of dishes too. Look, I have braised pork here too." Zhu Youliang hurriedly opened the lunch box and said.
Zhu Youtian finally stopped and put the meat on the chopsticks into his mouth and said, "It's not said that everyone wants to work in the factory. Look at the food, it's better than what we ate during the Chinese New Year. It smells so good!" If it wasn't for the hot weather, he would have wanted to take the meal back to feed his three children.
Zhu Youliang echoed, "Life will get better and better."
"I know. It's much better now than a few years ago. As long as we work hard, everyone can have enough to eat." Zhu Youtian said with a smile.
Zhou Rongrong was back home today, so Wu Dahai also went to the cafeteria. He saw Zhu Youliang and hurried over with his lunch box. "This is my eldest brother, right?"
"Hey, you are..." Zhu Youtian quickly stood up.
"Brother, please sit down. This is Wu Dahai. We used to be colleagues at the agricultural machinery station." Zhu Youliang introduced.
Zhu Youtian smiled and said, "Hey, hello, hello, I'm grateful for your care."
"Brother, don't be polite with me. Youliang and I are close friends. When it comes to taking care of me, he takes care of me more. I still have to rely on him." Wu Dahai said very affectionately.
The three of them finished their meal while chatting and laughing, and then dispersed.
After returning to Zhu Youliang's dormitory, Zhu Youtian asked Zhu Youliang, "Tell me quickly, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Zhu Youliang organized his words and told her about his last meeting with Zhu Youxian. Zhu Youtian felt a headache after hearing this and couldn't utter a word for a long time. After thinking for a long time, he said, "I have to go back and discuss this with my parents. Youxian, you know, she won't listen to anything we say except what mom says."
Zhu Youtian nodded and said, "Okay, when you go back, persuade your parents not to get too angry. I'll go to the textile factory in a few days when I have a holiday."
As they were talking, Liang Yuan came in from outside.
"Brother is here, have you eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten in the cafeteria."
Liang Yuan nodded and sat aside to concentrate on eating.
Since Zhu Youliang had to go to work in the afternoon, Zhu Youtian did not stay in the machinery factory for long. He said a few words and went back.
Zhu Xingtong was feeding rabbits in Zhujiaba when he heard the postman calling outside.
"Zhu Xingtong, are you home? There's a letter for you." Zhu Xingtong went out and saw that the new envelope was signed by Liang Youqing again. This guy had written to her frequently over the past two years, and occasionally sent her gifts. She had only replied once. The letter didn't say much, just what he had done and questions about what she had done.
Zhu Xingtong was reading the letter when Chen Xiaofang walked in. "Atong, Liang Youqing wrote to you again? Do you think he likes you?" Chen Xiaofang asked with a smile.
Zhu Xingtong showed a horrified expression, "What a little brat, what are you talking about whether you like it or not?"
"Atong, you are just too amazing, so boys don't dare to like you. You may not know, Chunhua told me a few days ago that she received a love letter." Chen Xiaofang came over and whispered.
"Is it the one who always pulls her braids after school?" Zhu Xingtong guessed.
"How do you know? She told you." Chen Xiaofang covered her mouth in surprise.
"I guessed," Zhu Xingtong said with a lack of interest. Although the child was still young, she knew a lot. Plus, children in the countryside married early, and it wasn't uncommon for those who didn't go to school to marry at fifteen or sixteen. Chen Xiaofang and Zhu Chunhua were both a year older than her, and now they were twelve, barely considered graceful and elegant, which was quite eye-catching. But what's the matter? Children don't understand likes and dislikes; they're just joining in the fun.
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