As they were talking, Li Jianguo had already quickly covered the windows with newspapers, making the room habitable in no time.
Seeing that it was time to start work, Sister Hu clapped her hands, gave a few instructions, and went to work at the front.
Li Jianguo followed Sister Hu out the door and stood outside until Xu Ningyan finished getting ready. After locking the door, he led her back to the supply and marketing department.
In the afternoon, another person joined the supply and marketing department. He was a dark-skinned, thin man in his thirties with a shrewd look on his face.
Seeing the two enter, perhaps having already heard Sister Yang mention Xu Ningyan, they greeted them with a smile before Li Jianguo could introduce them, expressing their welcome.
He casually pulled a small bag of biscuits from his bag and handed it to Xu Ningyan: "What a coincidence! I just happened to be on a business trip to the provincial food processing plant. They just developed a new flavor of biscuits and gave me some samples to bring back. Everyone, try them and give us your feedback! If they're good, we can buy some to sell next time."
Xu Ningyan hesitated to accept it, but Li Jianguo and Sister Yang smiled and urged her to take it, saying, "This is what young girls love most, have a taste."
Li Jianguo then introduced, "This is Lao Wu, Wu Feng. He's a veteran in our supply and marketing department. You'll have to learn from him and ask him for advice in the future!"
Xu Ningyan accepted the biscuits, thanked Wu Feng, and was then pulled aside by Sister Yang to sit down and talk.
Wu Feng then went to the separate room with Li Jianguo to report on the business trip.
Seeing that Xu Ningyan was still a little reserved, Sister Yang started with small talk, telling her how many people were in the supply and marketing department, what their positions were, and what they were responsible for.
Xu Ningyan listened attentively. These were all colleagues she would be dealing with in the future, and it was always good to get to know them better.
She was earnest and had a sweet tongue, calling you "Sister Yang" repeatedly, and looking at you with an admiring and dependent gaze. Her hands were busy, and her eyes were always on the move, constantly refilling the teacup in Sister Yang's hand. She also opened the bag of biscuits that Wu Feng had just given her and handed the first one to Sister Yang.
Sister Yang's heart melted; this girl was so well-behaved! She was so endearing.
The new flavor of cookies was savory with scallions. The two of them ate cookies, drank tea, and chatted and laughed all afternoon.
Xu Ningyan finally figured out the situation of the supply and marketing department.
Besides Li Jianguo, Sister Yang, and Wu Feng, there are three other people in the supply and marketing department: one surnamed Qian, one surnamed Mu, and one surnamed Su.
Except for Wu Feng, who was in charge of business within the province, the other three were responsible for business outside the province and frequently traveled on business.
You might only see someone from the supply and marketing department once a month.
Sister Yang was in charge of the business of the supply and marketing department for the communes and production brigades under the county. She could make half the decision on whether agricultural and sideline products and some handicrafts could be sold in department stores.
This is probably the person who will be dealing with Xu Ningyan the most in the future, so she can be considered half a superior.
Finally, Sister Yang asked Xu Ningyan if there were any regulations. She also reminded him that if the brigade didn't have any, he should go to the commune, as the commune would be more than happy to have them.
This is intentionally done to curry favor with Xu Ningyan.
She was well-informed, knowing even more than Li Jianguo.
Li Jianguo only knew that the director made the final decision after receiving a phone call, but he didn't know who made the call.
Sister Yang vaguely heard her husband say that the deputy secretary in charge of the economy had inquired about it once, which is why the department store made a decision so quickly.
Aside from a lower wage, a temporary worker's benefits are basically the same as those of a regular employee.
Others might just think Xu Ningyan is a lucky country girl, but Sister Yang believes she understands everything and chooses not to say anything.
Otherwise, her husband is the deputy county head; there's really no need for him to be so enthusiastic towards a temporary worker.
Xu Ningyan was naturally unaware of Sister Yang's inner thoughts. Although she noticed that Sister Yang's behavior was somewhat exaggerated, she pretended not to know since there was no malice in it.
Sometimes, it's necessary to play dumb.
Speaking of business, she actually had an idea on her way out of the Unity Brigade.
After thinking for a moment, he didn't say it outright, but vaguely said, "Sister Yang, I do have an idea, but I don't know if it will work! I'll bring the sample over tomorrow so you can take a look and give me your opinion, okay?"
Sister Yang readily agreed.
The afternoon went by quickly, and I got off work at five o'clock.
Li Jianguo led Xu Ningyan out of the supply and marketing department and ran into Sister Hu.
We went back to the Li family home together. Behind the single dormitory was a three-story tenement building.
Li Jianguo's family lived at the far east end of the house, in two large rooms that had been divided into three bedrooms and a living room.
Because his house was on the very edge, he built a kitchen in the corridor.
This is what most residents of tenement buildings do: a row of coal stoves, coal briquettes, or low cabinets line the walls.
Only a very narrow passageway remained in the middle, allowing only one person to pass at a time.
This is the peak time when people are getting off work and school and heading home.
The children in the tenement building dashed home, dropped their schoolbags, and rushed downstairs to play in the courtyard.
Walking in the middle of the aisle, you might accidentally bump into these children. If you're short-tempered, you might scold them, but none of them will listen and they'll run away shouting.
From the rooms on both sides of the corridor, one could hear voices, curses, and children crying.
It was incredibly lively.
Li Jianguo's two sons, the older one is about ten years old and the younger one is seven or eight years old, an age that even dogs would dislike.
When he came home from school, he opened the door himself, left his schoolbag at home, and ran off to play somewhere.
Li Jianguo and Sister Hu were used to it; they would just wait for the food to be ready, then call out to the yard from upstairs, and the food would come back.
While Sister Hu was busy cooking, Li Jianguo gestured for Xu Ningyan to follow him into the study that had been partitioned off inside.
After gesturing for Xu Ningyan to sit down, his first question was: "Do you know any other people in the county town?"
Xu Ningyan didn't quite understand.
Only then did Li Jianguo reveal that after someone called the department store manager, her job was confirmed, and that her salary and benefits were comparable to those of a permanent employee.
While speaking, he observed Xu Ningyan's expression.
She wondered to herself, if Xu Ningyan had such a powerful background, why did she have to go through so much hardship before?
After all, Xu Ningyan's family background had been investigated, and apart from her fiancé Gu Zhiyuan, whose background was questionable, everything else was clear.
Or perhaps Xu Ningyan later helped other influential people? That was the only thought Li Jianguo could have.
"So who is that important person?" Li Jianguo asked tentatively.
Xu Ningyan was even more confused than Xu Jianguo, but she quickly thought of someone.
Gu Zhiyuan.
I remember Gu Zhiyuan was worried that she hadn't found a job yet, and said he was going to call Sun Zhou.
Does Sun Zhou really have that much power? Xu Ningyan wondered to herself.
However, someone who can work with a big shot and seems to be highly trusted by that big shot must have some ability.
But these are all just her guesses. Even if she did, she wouldn't tell anyone without Gu Zhiyuan's permission.
Therefore, I simply pretend I don't know.
Seeing that Xu Ningyan shook her head and knew nothing about the matter, Li Jianguo stopped asking her questions.
I just reminded her to keep a low profile during this sensitive time, and that after spending a couple of days in the county getting used to the procedures and environment, it would be best to go back to the Tuanjie Brigade and get out of everyone's sight for a while.
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