"Where did you get that beat-up car to drive?" Wang Fan's eyes were glued to the screen, his hands were busy working, but that didn't stop him from talking.
"It's borrowed! I'll return it after the New Year. We're going to a performance tomorrow, are you coming?"
"No way! What would I do there? I wouldn't be able to help and I'd just freeze!"
If he doesn't want to go, fine. There's really no point in him going anyway. He can stay at home and play video games with Liang Feng.
On the morning of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Liang Liang got up very early.
Early Russian cars required hot water and an oil pan to be heated, making them practically indistinguishable from tractors.
Fortunately, Liang Liang was experienced. On the day he borrowed the car, he bought a blowtorch at the store. He used the blowtorch to spray around the oil pan, and the solidified lubricating oil inside melted away.
The car needs to be started and warmed up for a while.
Xu Mei arrived, swaying back and forth, carrying her guitar.
Liang Liang checked her gloves and then looked up at the sky.
Luckily, there was no wind today. If there had been wind, the temperature would have dropped several degrees, and these fingerless gloves could have frozen my fingers off.
However, there aren't many pieces to play, and as long as my fingers don't freeze, I can manage.
Liang Liang took Xu Mei to Gao Xing's house in Dapuzi Village, and first took Ha La Zi, Gao He and Xia Dongdong to the machinery factory in Gushan Town.
Then turn around and bring back the joy, the drum, and the guzheng.
When Liangliang brought all the members and equipment of the peasant band to the Gushan Machinery Factory, it was only eight o'clock in the morning.
The factory workers, dressed in brand-new clothes, pushed their bicycles through the factory gate and naturally saw the Volga sedan and the peasant band.
Young employees would occasionally cast fleeting glances their way; at least there were three girls here, two of whom were quite pretty.
Gao Xing wasn't here; he went to find the factory manager.
He used to work in a machinery factory, where the factory manager was an electrician in the workshop, and they had a good relationship.
Who knew that in just a few years, this guy would have climbed to the position of factory manager.
"Brother Wu! It's not good for you, as the factory manager, to go back on your word. Didn't you tell us you'd give us an extra hundred? Why have you changed your mind again?"
"Old Gao! The factory didn't do very well last year. I sent you here mainly because of our past friendship. 150 is not a bad amount."
Gao Xing laughed in exasperation: "Brother Wu! Aren't you embarrassing yourself? You're only short fifty dollars?"
"Fifty yuan isn't much money. Every penny counts. Your skill level is already quite high."
"What the hell? Do you even know who's in our band before you say that?"
"Who? Do you dare say that Su Ennan or Mo Aomin are in your band?"
"We don't have those two, but we do have Liang Liang!"
"Liang Liang! Who is he? Never heard of him."
"Never heard of Liang Liang? Never heard of the Blue Shark band?"
"Never heard of it. I'm Lao Gao, we've known each other for years, I know what's going on in your belly. Don't think you can fool me with just anyone."
"I'm fooling you? You're such a frog in a well, yet you say I'm fooling you. Blue Shark is one of the most popular bands in China right now. A little over a month ago, they released an album that sold over a million copies in China alone, and you've never heard of it?"
"Really? If you really have someone who sings in a way that satisfies our factory workers, I'll give you 300!"
"You said it yourself. People speak from the beginning, not from the end. You'd better keep your word!"
"Of course it counts!"
"Fine! If you don't keep your word, I'll break off the relationship with you."
The groundbreaking ceremony for Gushan Machinery Factory was at nine o'clock. In fact, they held just such a ceremony this morning.
Didn't you notice that none of their employees even changed into their work clothes? Those young guys actually came over and started making advances towards the three girls in the peasant band.
The way she called out "girl" was so sweet.
"You lot? Stop flirting and hurry up and get the firecrackers and hang them up. Otherwise, the factory manager will get angry again."
A man who looked like a leader was pointing and gesturing at the group of young men.
The young men who had spoken to him scattered like birds and beasts, running to the watchman's hut and dragging out eight strings of firecrackers.
Then three more young men carried over a frame made of welded iron pipes, specifically for setting off firecrackers.
These eight firecrackers were hung on this iron frame by ropes.
Two young men stood at opposite ends of the iron frame, each with a cigarette lit. When the foreman gave the order, the two young men started setting off firecrackers.
Xu Mei immediately covered her ears and hid behind Liang Liang.
The deafening sound of firecrackers exploded, sending up a plume of blue smoke, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder.
After the firecrackers were set off, Wu Dezhu, the factory director of Gushan Town Machinery Factory, came out of his office and stood in front of the office door.
Standing with him were several workshop foremen and cashiers from the machine factory.
This is all the senior management of the Gushan Town Machinery Factory.
Next up is the farmers' band.
After setting up their instruments in front of the machinery factory office, Liang Liang played a cheerful tune to warm up before standing in front of the band, carrying the wooden guitar that Xu Mei used.
Xu Mei stood smartly to Liang Liang's left, holding an electric guitar, while Gao He sat to Liang Liang's right, holding a pipa.
Behind them were Xia Dongdong's guzheng and a drum nicknamed "Halazi," with Gao Xing standing beside the drum.
A pretty girl holding an electric guitar is very cool, and the young men from the machine factory started to cheer and whistle.
"Happy Chinese New Year to all the folks in Gushan Machinery Factory!"
Since there was no microphone, Liang Liang could only shout as loud as he could.
That won't do. The band needs a sound system; they can't just rely on shouting.
The Ocean Shipping Ballroom had a disused, replaced sound system that was perfect for the farmers' band to use.
"We are a newly formed farmers' band, with members from Dapuzi Village and Liangshuiwan Village in Gaobao Township. Today is our first time venturing out into the world, and we are honored to extend our New Year's greetings to your machinery factory. We hope you can encourage our fledgling band with applause. Those who applaud us will surely have all their wishes fulfilled and prosper in the new year!"
The factory workers cheered Liang Liang on with enthusiastic applause.
"Next, our band will sing 'Wishing you prosperity' for the folks of Gushan Machinery Factory."
After Liang Liang finished speaking, the band began to play accompaniment, with guitars, suonas, gongs, drums, and pipa each playing their parts, creating a festive and vibrant prelude that was sure to impress.
"Congratulations on your fortune! Congratulations on your wonderful life! May you always be smiling, may you stay young forever, and may the God of Wealth come to you..."
Although there was no microphone to amplify the sound, Liang Liang's loud voice astonished everyone present.
"Holy crap! This guy is actually pretty good. Where did he find such a singer?"
Wu Dezhu looked puzzled and muttered to himself.
However, this song is truly good; the melody is cheerful, and the lyrics are genuinely pleasant to listen to.
Oh no, it seems like I'm going to lose those 300 yuan.
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