Zhu Youliang, however, had already begun planting rice again. It was already the end of April, and the weather was gradually warming up. The sun at two o'clock in the afternoon was so intense it made one feel dizzy. He straightened up, flipped open his straw hat, and began fanning himself. As he fanned himself, he saw the team leader leading a group of people in the distance. He didn't know if they were looking for him. The man looked just like an old farmer, so he didn't bother to look at him. He just sighed and continued to bend over and plant rice.
In the past, when he was tired from work, he often envied the life of farmers after returning to farming, but when he actually started working on the farm, he realized that he simply didn't want to work. When he was exhausted, he had no time to appreciate the green screens on both sides.
Chen Youguo and his colleagues from the agricultural machinery station approached and saw Zhu Youliang diligently planting rice. He nodded in satisfaction and then shouted, "Youliang, come here quickly. I need you for something."
Zhu Youliang finally straightened up, wiped the sweat off his face, and asked, "Uncle, what can I do for you? I'm planting rice. If I don't finish by dark, my work points will be deducted."
Chen Youguo was so angry that he laughed. When did this kid become so eager to work? He angrily said, "Just come up when I told you to. Why are you talking so much nonsense?"
Zhu Youliang helplessly walked towards Tian Geng, not even washing the mud off his legs, and stood in front of Chen Youguo, mumbling, "Uncle, if this delays my work points, you have to make it up to me."
Chen Youguo didn't respond, but pointed to the middle-aged man next to him and said, "This is Comrade Xu Dafa, the director of the town's agricultural machinery station. I heard that you repaired the tractor, and I have something to ask you."
Zhu Youliang's eyes lit up. The college entrance exam was still a long way off, and if he had the chance to work at the agricultural machinery station, he could not only earn a few bucks but also escape farm work. So he immediately said enthusiastically, "Stationmaster Chen, what do you want to talk to me about?"
"Well, there's a broken tractor in Wangjia Village, and no one at the station can fix it. I heard you fixed your team's tractor, so I wanted to ask you to come over and take a look," Chen Dafa said politely. He had no other choice. It was busy farming season, and a tractor saved a lot of manpower, so if it broke down, he'd have to go to him. But none of the people at the station could fix it, and he was so frustrated that he had to make this trip. If Zhu Youliang could fix it, he could work there as a temporary worker.
When Zhu Youliang heard this, he immediately nodded in agreement. After nodding, he looked at Chen Youguo and said, "You have to ask for leave."
Good boy, I won't ask him for work points now. After all, it's a good thing. He nodded immediately and said, "I'll grant you half a day off. Go ahead. I'll tell the scorekeeper afterward."
"Hey, let me wash the mud off my feet." Zhu Youliang immediately sat on the edge of the field, carefully washed the mud off his legs, and then stuffed his feet into his cloth shoes.
After he finished washing, the three of them headed for the main road. Chen Dafa came by bicycle and took Zhu Youliang to Wangjia Village.
The three of them spoke loudly, and the people working in the fields around them heard it and started talking about it.
Some said Zhu Youliang had been lucky last time, and that this time his true colors would surely be revealed. Others envied him for his good fortune, hoping he would finally get a job at the agricultural machinery station.
No matter what others say, Huang Mei is happy. She has a blind confidence in her son.
The roads in the countryside are quite bumpy, which is fine for cyclists, but very painful for those who ride a bicycle. But after all, it is better than walking.
Wangjia Village is far away and the road is difficult to walk on. It was almost 4 o'clock when we arrived.
Zhu Youliang followed Chen Dafa all the way to Wangjia Brigade. There was no one there; everyone had gone to the fields. Chen Dafa sent a boy to fetch help, and then he took Zhu Youliang to rest on a rock at the entrance of the yard.
Soon, Wang Xicai, the leader of the Wangjia Brigade, came back. He glanced at Zhu Youliang, then pulled Chen Dafa aside and asked quietly: "Are you really going to the county agricultural machinery station? OK, I really asked you to invite people." He had been to the commune's agricultural technology station many times and knew all the agricultural machinery operators there.
Chen Dafa hesitated for a moment before finally telling the truth: "I'm not that confident. This is a top student from Zhujia Village next door. He was the one who repaired their brigade's tractor. Their tractor is much older than yours, so don't worry."
Wang Xicai looked at the beardless Zhu Youliang again, and some doubts began to well up in his mind, but he said nothing more in the end, just treating it as a last resort.
Zhu Youliang didn't say anything, just stood aside honestly, and only waited for Chen Dafa to ask him to look at the tractor, and then he followed him to the backyard. After entering the backyard, he saw a tractor. The problem with this tractor was very simple, the intake valve was leaking, so it couldn't start. Just like last time, Zhu Youliang first said that he needed to replace the parts, and then he took a piece of cloth to tie up the leaking part, and it could be used for a while. From looking at the tractor to repairing it, it only took more than ten minutes. Listening to the "thump thump thump" sound of the tractor, Wang Xicai just couldn't react. Chen Dafa's face was also a little embarrassed. Their agricultural machinery workers had come to take a look earlier, but unfortunately those few couldn't find the problem, and they ate several pounds of meat from the Wang family team.
Wang Xicai quickly reacted. He reached over, shook Zhu Youliang's hand, and praised him, "Ah, the moment I saw you, I knew you were a scholar. I thought you were from the county. You're truly talented. Don't leave tonight. I'll have someone kill a chicken. You and Stationmaster Chen, stay. I'll have a couple of drinks with you."
When Zhu Youliang heard the word "meat", he couldn't help swallowing his saliva and said repeatedly, "You are too polite. I don't feel comfortable saying this." Then he looked at Stationmaster Chen.
Chen Dafa felt that this kid had good sense and felt even more satisfied. He pointed at Wang Xicai and said, "It's his duty. Don't save money for him. Their Wangjia Village is much richer than your Zhujia Village." Now that the situation is not so tense, there are no restrictions on raising chickens and ducks, and the higher-ups are turning a blind eye.
Wang Xicai said generously, "That's right, that's right, little brother, don't be polite to me. We will rely on you for our tractors from now on." Then he looked at Station Chief Chen and said, "Such a good talent, if your agricultural machinery station doesn't want him?"
Chen Dafa reached out and nodded at him, saying, "You're a good person. I never said no. I'll let Xiao Zhu work with us tomorrow."
Zhu Youliang was delighted, but he still looked humble on the surface.
Seeing this, Chen Dafa thought this boy was very patient and could be trained well in the future. It was a pity that he was already married, otherwise he would be a good match for his daughter, whose marriage he was worried about recently. He pulled him over to the table and sat down, saying, "Old Wang, we've been here for so long, our mouths are about to smoke, why didn't you get us a glass of water?"
Wang Xicai hurriedly called his granddaughter in for some water, freshly drawn from the well. It was icy cold and very thirst-quenching. After they had a drink, he asked his granddaughter to call his wife so she could prepare dinner.
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