Chapter 100 Hospitality
early morning.
It’s already the 14th day of the first lunar month, and there’s only one day left until the Lantern Festival.
Lao Wu and his friends delivered the meat last night. After the 15th day of the lunar month it’s spring plowing time, so we have little time to go outside.
"Master Zhao is so mean. He didn't invite us to the reception. Is it possible that our relationship is not as good as Xiao Zhang's?"
A group of colleagues came to Zhao Yi's door at the entrance of the store and talked in unison.
"Yes, yes. I'm going to notify everyone today and ask them to come to my house for dinner tonight. We've been together for so long and haven't had dinner together yet."
Zhao Yi smiled.
"You said that yourself, Master Zhao. We won't be polite tonight."
Everyone said happily.
After everyone left, Xiao Zhang and Section Chief Wang walked over embarrassedly.
"Master Zhao, believe it or not, we didn't tell anyone that you treated us to a meal."
The two of them explained quickly.
"I know who said that. It has nothing to do with you. Besides, I've always wanted to find an opportunity to treat everyone to a meal."
Zhao Yi said indifferently.
This was said by Director Li. She also hoped that Zhao Yi would have a closer relationship with his colleagues in the department store, and she also gave Zhao Yi some bills.
"Okay, I guess we have nothing to do today. You three can stay in the store and read. I'll go to the market. If you're not too busy, you can come home in time for dinner."
Zhao Yi said as he looked at his three apprentices.
"No, Master. It will take us almost half an hour to ride back."
The three of them waved their hands.
The area is quite large. Apart from the main city, the surrounding county towns are also considered areas. Department stores are only found in places far from the main city. Therefore, they are not close to the main city of Dongcheng, so they naturally feel embarrassed to leave after dinner.
At least he had to help his master clean up the mess, but it would be late at night when he got home, and there were no street lights at night, so he wouldn't even know if he rode his bike into a ditch.
If you want to have lunch with the chef, you can go to the state-owned restaurant at noon.
Zhao Yi walked towards the vegetable market and bought a lot of pork offal and three fish, thus using up the fish coupons given by Director Li.
Then I went home to prepare today's dinner.
The three apprentices all knew where Zhao Yi lived. It was just a three to five minute walk across the street. If they had any questions, they could just call the master.
Zhao Yi went to the second-hand market again and bought two round tables. As for the stools, he could just get them from the department store.
"You've already started working at noon. Isn't the fifteenth day tomorrow?"
Zhang Jing saw Zhao Yi busying himself and asked in confusion.
"Ask Li Fang and the others to come over for dinner tonight. Oh, and don't forget to invite your master and Uncle Zheng. If Director Wen is willing, invite him too."
Zhao Yi looked at Zhang Jing and said.
"Okay, I'll invite them when I get to work."
Zhang Jing nodded.
Zhao Yi was busy until it was almost time to get off work, and only then did he finish preparing three tables of dishes. There were more than 20 workers in the department store, and with Li Fang and the others, they could just squeeze in to seat three tables of people.
As soon as they got off work, everyone took the stools from their counters, took their lunch boxes and chopsticks and walked towards Zhao Yi's house.
When he saw the food on the table, he shouted out in joy.
"Master Zhao, you really treat us as your friends."
There was not a single vegetarian dish on the table, but there were pork liver, pork intestines, braised fish, braised pork, and a pork heart and lung soup. Each dish was served in a small wooden basin.
"We finally get together, so of course we have to eat and drink well. Everyone, wait a moment, there are a few guests coming over."
Zhao Yi arranged for everyone to sit down.
The main room couldn't accommodate so many people, so Zhao Yi cleaned up the empty room so that he could set up three tables.
Soon Zhang Jing arrived with Director Wen, Li Fang, Peng Yiju, her master, and Zheng Bo.
Everyone was surprised when they saw the food on the table. Such a dinner party is rarely seen.
"Everyone, eat and drink well."
Zhao Yi took out the few bottles of good wine that were left over from what everyone had brought over, and placed two bottles on each table.
The female colleagues did not rush to eat the food. Instead, they took a few pieces of each dish and put them in their lunch boxes, and also brought some back for their children to try.
After eating and drinking, everyone couldn't help but praise Zhao Yi's cooking skills. When they were about to leave, they came to Zhang Jing and said something, and stuffed the red envelopes in their hands into Zhang Jing.
As for Zhang Jing, who needed the meat to be evenly distributed, she was told quietly to come over later.
Director Wen, Director Li, and her master were kept by Zhang Jing until most of the others had left. Zhang Jing then took out the prepared meat and gave each of the three of them a piece of meat weighing about two pounds to take back.
After everyone left, only Li Fang and Peng Yiju were left to help clean up. The two of them did not prepare any red envelopes, nor did they go to that colleague's house for dinner, and they felt a little embarrassed.
He wanted to give money to Zhang Jing, but Zhang Jing refused.
Zhao Yi's family was very busy at night. A worker came every now and then, and when one left, another came.
I was busy until almost midnight.
Half of the meat that Lao Wu and his friends sent was still left.
Zhang Jing received nearly 30 yuan in red envelopes, and with the pork she sold, she earned nearly 60 yuan that night.
Of course, red envelopes given by others cannot be considered earned, and you have to give them back if the other party does something for you.
The Lantern Festival was not that lively. Zhang Jing, Li Fang, and Peng Yiju were celebrating the festival at Zhao Yi's house.
After the Lantern Festival.
People finally started sending broken home appliances to the department store repair shop for repair, and several apprentices, who had spent so much time there, were finally able to attend formal classes.
However, not many home appliances were sent in for repair. The most was three per day, and they were all sent by the Transportation Department.
February 12.
The seventeenth day of the lunar calendar.
Only then did the father-in-law Zhang Fusheng rush to the area.
The supply and marketing cooperatives are very busy during the Chinese New Year period, so Zhang Fusheng would have to wait until after the Lantern Festival to get the scraps of cloth.
The father-in-law took the scraps of cloth and went to Zhao Yi's repair shop.
"dad."
Zhao Yi saw Zhang Fusheng and shouted.
"Your mother asked me to bring you some homemade pastries."
Zhang Fusheng said with a smile.
"By the way, Dad, you're here just in time. I need your help with something."
Zhao Yi took Zhang Fusheng back to his home and handed him the prepared money.
The ticket was the 60 kilograms of feed that the slaughterhouse rewarded Zhao Yi with. As for the rubber shoe ticket, Zhao Yi gave it to his father Zhao Dahai.
"You can just take these feed tickets back to get the feed. You don't need to spend any money. You can use this money to buy a piglet for each of the three Zhao brothers. As for the bran, you can hire a tractor in the county to deliver it back. I'll pay for the shipping fee. You can also buy some."
Zhao Yi said after handing the banknote to Zhang Fusheng.
"Why don't you ask your mother to help raise the baby?"
Zhang Fusheng knows that raising pigs can make money.
"Some things are hard to explain. They just don't help to raise the baby. I have to buy things and go back to visit them often."
Zhao Yi didn't say the reason. He didn't want to argue with the three ungrateful people about pig farming in the future.
Hearing this, Zhang Fusheng nodded without asking any further questions, packed up the money and rushed into the mountains.
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