When Xu Damao returned to the steel rolling mill, in addition to reporting his work to his superiors, he was still thinking about giving his girlfriend a surprise.
Having just come out of the boss's office, knowing that his appearance wasn't very good, Xu Damao went to the restroom to wash his face and fix his hair.
"Ah, Da Mao, how come you're so dark-skinned?" Wang Minzhi was surprised.
Xu Damao spent his days wandering around the countryside during his recent trip, and the sun exposure from all the time made him a bit tanned. But people like Chen Changqing, who were right next to him, couldn't tell the difference. Only those who hadn't seen him for a few days noticed the tan.
"Haha, Xu Damao, did you go to Fangshan to dig coal? Haha, that's hilarious!" Li Tong laughed heartily, relentlessly mocking Xu Damao.
"You can laugh all you want, but why spit on me?" Xu Damao joked.
The young couple, who had just started dating, missed each other terribly after just a few days apart. Wang Minzhi felt a pang of sympathy, especially seeing Xu Damao like this.
"Hey, can you guys look away? I can't stand it anymore, I'm going to go outside for some fresh air." Li Tong, being the third wheel, was at least somewhat self-aware and left the broadcasting station.
Seeing Li Tong leave, Xu Damao and Wang Minzhi didn't make any significant moves. In this era, everyone's thinking was particularly conservative, especially in the office.
After the two poured out their hearts to each other for a while, Wang Minzhi had to go to work to broadcast the radio.
Xu Damao had promised to pick her up after get off work, so he went home to rest first. He'd been away for several days in a row, so his boss had given him time off, and with the weekend included, he could go back to work next week.
Back in the courtyard house, Xu Damao chatted with the old women for a while before returning to his room. After a quick tidy-up, he found there was really nothing much to do.
I can't sleep, and it's too hot to go fishing.
So Xu Damao took some local specialties he had brought back and rode his bicycle to his parents' house.
One reason was to freeload a meal, saving myself the trouble of cooking. Also, I'd like to mention the meal with Wang Minzhi's family.
Wang Minzhi's brother will be back soon, and the two families can arrange to have a meal together. However, after thinking it over, Xu Damao decided to hold the meal at Xu Fugui's place instead.
It's not the theft itself that's worrisome, it's the having its eye on someone. My wedding is still a while away, and I can't guarantee there won't be some crazy bastard trying to sabotage the place.
Xu Damao believes it won't affect their marriage, but if something bad happens, it would be quite disgusting.
I briefly discussed it with Wang Minzhi, and she agreed.
She had heard some of the gossip surrounding the courtyard house, and she felt that eating at Xu Damao's parents' place would be more respectful.
Things went very smoothly. The two families had a meal together and immediately settled the marriage agreement. Once Xu Damao reached the legal age for marriage registration, they registered their marriage immediately.
With the approval of both sets of parents, Wang Minzhi's feelings began to change.
Now, Xu Damao used to be sneaky when he took her home, but now he's open about it. Before, when Xu Damao took her on dates, she was afraid of his intimate actions when they were alone. Now, as long as it's not too outrageous, she can accept it, and sometimes she even takes the initiative.
Therefore, Xu Damao was experiencing more pain than pleasure during this period.
He gained a lot, but he couldn't get what he wanted most. Of course, given the current social climate, he wouldn't dare make that request before marriage.
If someone were to die, I would definitely be charged with hooliganism.
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While his love life flourished, Xu Damao's career also began to gradually improve.
The weather had been great lately, and Xu Damao and his team would frequently go to the countryside to show movies, some near and some far. Each time, the two of them would ride their bikes, carrying the equipment, speeding along the way, flags waving and banners hanging.
Gradually, the little flag of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill's film projection team became famous in the suburbs. The villagers all knew that wherever this little flag went, the village there could watch a movie.
Thanks to the efforts of the steel rolling mill's publicity department, the steel rolling mill's superior department, the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry's "Iron Workers' Daily," finally published a short article titled "The Flowing Flag."
The article states that wherever the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill's mobile flag went, so did the rural film screenings and the Party's policy propaganda.
At the same time, it was said that over the years, regardless of wind or rain, or extreme heat or cold, Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill has always adhered to serving the people and enriching their cultural life. Our workers and farmers have always stood together.
Then it was mentioned that, in accordance with the factory's unified plan, Xu Damao, the young projection team leader of the steel rolling mill, had traveled to villages large and small in the suburbs of Beijing in just two years, making more than 60 trips to the countryside and screening more than 300 films, thus contributing to enriching the lives of the masses.
As the main platform for propaganda in the steel industry, the Steel Workers' Daily also frequently reports information from Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, but most of it is professional information such as production increase and technology improvement.
This news has nothing to do with steel. The reason it was able to be published is truly thanks to the communication and coordination of Gao Jin, the head of the publicity department, and Ma Xiangqian, the head of the organization department.
However, after it was published, all the leaders of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry and the leaders of steel enterprises would see it. It is said that some high-ranking leaders were very pleased that Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill was able to use its own advantages to serve the surrounding people.
The deputy minister in charge of liaising with the steel rolling mill even personally called the factory director to praise the factory's work. Later, at a meeting of the factory's leadership team, the factory director specifically commended Gao Jin.
As for why Xu Damao wasn't mentioned, it's because Xu Damao is simply not worth mentioning. Privately, the leaders might care more about Xu Damao, and might even share a drink with him. But in this formal setting, any praise should be given to the department and its head.
If you really want to praise an ordinary person, either that person has made an outstanding contribution, or the leader has ulterior motives. Unfortunately, Xu Damao is not yet worthy of the approval of a certain factory leader.
The greatest praise Xu Damao could receive was from the steel rolling mill's broadcasting system. The mill's broadcasting room directly broadcast an article from the newspaper, and the announcer happened to be Wang Minzhi.
As soon as she arrived at work in the morning, Wang Minzhi began reading an article aloud with great emotion in her magnetic voice. When she read Xu Damao's name, she deliberately raised her voice and tone, making Xu Damao feel quite strange.
This can be considered an abuse of public resources for private purposes.
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