The next day, Jia Dongxu woke up at Qin Huairu's urging, but still felt a headache. He shook his head and, after a while, finally became more awake.
"Being a leader is really that easy; you just need to be good at drinking." This was Jia Dongxu's first reflection on his career after being promoted.
After washing his face and eating breakfast, Jia Dongxu prepared to go to work early.
"Dongxu, are we still going to buy that vegetable?" Qin Huai asked softly.
"If we don't buy groceries, what will we eat tonight?" Jia Dongxu replied irritably.
“But if we’re buying some meat and vegetables, I don’t have enough money here. You’ll have to give me some money,” Qin Huairu replied.
"Are you celebrating the New Year or a holiday? Why are you still ordering meat dishes? Are you trying to ruin your life?"
Jia Dongxu didn't indulge Qin Huairu at all. His beloved, whom he had been longing for day and night, was being bossed around like this. If Sha Zhu saw this scene, he would definitely be heartbroken for a long time.
"Dongxu, last night..." Qin Huairu knew immediately that Jia Dongxu had completely forgotten the boast he had made last night, so she had no choice but to remind him.
After hearing Qin Huairu's words, Jia Dongxu really wanted to slap himself a few times. Three meat dishes, good cigarettes and alcohol—he'd dug his own grave!
"How about Dongxu, we don't have to treat everyone tonight? We'll talk to Uncle San and Xu Damao later," Qin Huairu said, also feeling sorry for him.
"That's right, Dongxu, don't fall for those two scoundrels' tricks. When have they ever invited us to dinner? If we're going to eat, it'll be our family eating at home, where everyone can have a few more bites."
Jia Zhangshi also learned what had happened last night and felt uncomfortable about it.
“What do you women know? I’m a team leader now, in charge of eight people. I can’t just go back on my word now that I’ve taken office. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll go to Uncle’s house and ask him what suggestions he has.”
When faced with slightly more complex problems, Jia Dongxu lacked a solution and could only turn to the all-powerful Yi Zhonghai for help.
“Dongxu, this is your first time being a leader, so you really need to build good relationships with the people in the compound. Last time, when Xu Damao was the group leader, he treated us to dinner,” Yi Zhonghai replied.
"Xu Damao didn't invite me last time either," Jia Dongxu said, still harboring resentment towards Xu Damao for not inviting him.
"Back then you weren't a leader, so the level wasn't high enough, which is normal. Think about it, if he had invited you, wouldn't he have invited Sha Zhu or Liu Guangqi? You'd all be the same."
Yi Zhonghai instilled a sense of hierarchy in Jia Dongxu within the compound. In his eyes, the compound manager was the highest rank, and others with positions outside could sit down and eat with them.
"Um, Master, I spent quite a bit on treating people yesterday, so I don't have enough money on hand."
Jia Dongxu solved one problem, only to discover another major one awaited him. Every month, his salary had to cover Jia Zhangshi's retirement expenses, household costs, and his own cigarettes, leaving him with practically nothing.
Of course, I have savings at home, but why not take advantage of Yi Zhonghai's offer?
"I have 5 yuan here, you can use it first. Don't make the dinner too meager, or people will laugh at you."
Comrade Lao Yi, often ripped off, wasn't lacking in self-discipline; he simply took 5 yuan from his pocket and handed it to Jia Dongxu. (As a side note, otherwise Jia Zhangshi might have embezzled 4.5 yuan out of the 5 yuan for vegetables.)
When Jia Dongxu left, Yan Fugui happened to be watering the flowers.
Yan Fugui watering flowers is like Qin Huai washing clothes; he can appear in front of whoever he wants at any time, rain or shine, just like that.
"Dongxu, what time is dinner tonight? I was thinking of coming back early to help you." Yan Fugui stopped watering the flowers and gently reminded Jia Dongxu as he prepared to leave.
"Uncle, you can just wait to eat." With grain in hand and no worries in his heart, Jia Dongxu answered politely and calmly.
"That's good, that's good." Yan Fugui's face was full of wrinkles from smiling. This morning, he had started preparing to skip breakfast, eat a little at noon, and then have a hearty dinner.
In the evening, when everyone in the courtyard got off work, they discovered that the Jia family in the middle courtyard had already started cooking, and the food they made smelled quite good, definitely including meat dishes.
"Hey, the Jia family is really treating us to a meal today, that's rare. And the dishes are quite plentiful." A group of women were chatting in the courtyard.
"What did you say? Let me tell you, my Dongxu is a team leader now, so of course he has to treat us to a lavish meal. In the future, when Dongxu becomes the workshop director, when he treats us to a meal, we can eat meat and vegetables as much as we want. You'll all be so envious."
Jia Zhangshi hardly does any housework at home. Right now, she's leaning against the door listening to other people's conversations, sometimes even exchanging a few words with them—she's enjoying herself immensely.
"Aunt Jia, who are you inviting tonight? Can we come and have some too?" Some bold people, unafraid of being scolded, and hoping to get a free meal asked.
"Don't even think about my family, kid. You'll only have a chance when you become a team leader. No, wait until you become a team leader, then my Dongxu will be the factory manager, and you still won't have a chance."
Madam Jia was genuinely happy at this moment, and she didn't hold grudges against others, responding to everyone's questions with a smile.
"Oh my, Aunt Jia, is it Sister Huai Ru cooking here? I never noticed before, but now I realize that Sister Huai Ru has quite a talent for cooking."
While the old women were talking, Sha Zhu suddenly interrupted.
"What Huai Ru sister-in-law? That's your Jia family sister-in-law." Madam Jia Zhang knew Sha Zhu's thoughts very well and didn't give him any face.
"Hehe, it's all the same, it's all the same. Um, Aunt Jia, how about I come over for dinner tonight? I'm thinking of trying Sister Huai Ru's cooking."
Sha Zhu pretended to be stupid.
Jia Zhangshi was giving Sha Zhu a hard time this time. "You want to taste your sister-in-law's flavor? Do you even want to taste mine?"
"Silly Zhu, I'm not trying to be mean, but you should have some self-awareness. Think about it, everyone we're having dinner with tonight is either a manager or someone at the team leader level or higher. Which side are you on?"
Jia Zhangshi posed a soul-searching question.
"No, I'm also a head chef at the steel mill's canteen. I often deal with the leaders. If it weren't for that Xu Damao guy last time, I would have been the first group leader in the compound. Although I'm not a group leader now, I'm in charge of the entire canteen, so I'm no less capable than a group leader."
Sha Zhu had always believed that he was no less capable than any young man, and this ruthless blow from Jia Zhangshi left him feeling truly bitter.
"Don't give me any other advice. I know you've been disciplined and aren't allowed to be promoted for two years. By the time you're two years later, Dongxu will already be a higher-ranking leader."
Madam Jia was also very familiar with the gossip surrounding every household in the compound.
"Aunt Jia, don't be so prejudiced. Do you think I need your meager food? Putting everything else aside, I usually bring a lot of good food with me, and I've never skimped on yours. Why can't you share your food?"
Sha Zhu is genuinely angry right now. It's not about food; it's about saving face.
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