If you were to ask who was happiest about Xu Damao being transferred back, it would definitely be Wang Minzhi. Before, they saw each other once a week, countless times every night; now they can see each other every day, and... you know... every day.
"Da Mao, should we have a baby? Both sets of parents are urging me to." On the way back on the bicycle, Wang Minzhi asked Xu Da Mao, her arm around his waist.
"Yes, I want it tonight. You'll see how I perform; I guarantee you'll be satisfied," Xu Damao assured him.
Now that he's back, he can stay by his wife's side, and it's time to have a child. Otherwise, the neighbors might think Xu Damao is a barren rooster. Can a rooster lay eggs?
"Da Mao, you're back?" Old Yan greeted everyone one by one, much like the chief eunuch serving the emperor in ancient times.
"Uncle, I've never understood, aren't you tired of standing at the door every day?" Xu Damao finally asked, finally getting the question out of his mind after so many years.
"Uh, Damao, what kind of question is that? I just had nothing to do, and going back inside would be a waste of electricity. I couldn't pretend I didn't know you were coming back, could I?" Yan Fugui's answer surprised Xu Damao. It turned out that the truth was just that simple.
"Xu Damao, I heard you're the head of the transportation department now, in charge of the vehicles. Do you get a car to take you home every day after get off work?" an older woman asked.
"Auntie, please don't belittle me. I'm in charge of the vehicles, but only high-ranking officials can ride in them, and I guess I have no chance in this lifetime," Xu Damao joked.
These old women in the compound have plenty of time; they're usually bored and like to entertain themselves. If you take them seriously, they can drive you crazy. You'll only give up when they realize the topic is pointless.
"Da Mao, what exactly is your rank now? Is it the same as the village chief, or the township head?" Xu Da Mao, who was about to leave, was stopped again by Jia Zhangshi, who asked a question that all the women wanted to know.
It took Jia Zhangshi a long time to recover after her son's death, but her temperament became somewhat strange. Sometimes she would be all smiles one second, and the next she would turn on someone and hurl insults at them mercilessly.
“Aunt Jia, I’m much smaller than the village chief, about the same as a group leader. The village chief manages over a thousand people, I can’t compare to him.” Xu Damao could only try to answer in a way that Jia Zhangshi would like.
"Aunt Jia, aren't you going home to cook? I saw Sister Huai Ru behind me, walking back with Sha Zhu. They'll be back soon." Seeing that Jia Zhangshi seemed to have a lot of problems today, Xu Damao could only strategically change the subject.
Ever since her son left, Jia Zhangshi had been extremely insecure, fearing that her daughter-in-law would also run off with someone else. Therefore, she would react strongly to the slightest disturbance. Sure enough, upon hearing that Qin Huairu and Sha Zhu were walking together, she probably already imagined the two of them doing *that*, and immediately ran towards the gate of the compound. The speed at which she did so was inconsistent with her plump figure.
Soon after, Jia Zhangshi's loud, garbled cursing voice rang out from the courtyard gate, and a moment later, Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu walked in one after the other. Sha Zhu grinned carefree, while Qin Huairu looked like she had just been caught cheating, shy and bashful.
"Stop looking? Come on, let's go home." Seeing Xu Damao staring at Qin Huairu, Wang Minzhi, just like all the other women, pinched Xu Damao.
"Hey, isn't this Xu Damao, who's supposed to be the head of the General Affairs Section? I didn't see you when I went to the General Affairs Section today." Xu Damao was about to go home when Mo Shazhu called out to him.
“I went to work in the transportation department. By the way, Shazhu, I heard you went on a blind date with Zhu Bajie’s second aunt last time? What happened? Didn’t you say you wanted to find someone like Qin Huairu? Why did you change your mind?” Xu Damao asked back.
Xu Damao could back down from other old women; but with Sha Zhu, he had to teach him a lesson, otherwise he would take advantage of him next time.
“Who the hell is so gossipy? You know about it even in Factory One.” Sha Zhu didn’t deny it.
"I rejected that girl at first sight. Anyone who thinks they can marry me? Dream on. Next time, I'm going to find someone beautiful, educated, and with a great personality to make you all jealous," Sha Zhu said indignantly.
Last time, Yi Zhonghai introduced Sha Zhu to a 200-pound fat man from his workshop colleague's family, almost ruining Sha Zhu's reputation. Sha Zhu still harbors resentment towards Yi Zhonghai. In Sha Zhu's mind, only rural people, poor people, and incompetent people would seek out unwanted women, but Sha Zhu is definitely not one of those people.
These days, fewer people are hosting banquets outside, but Sha Zhu now earns a total of 40 yuan a month. He's also the canteen supervisor, managing more than a dozen people. He's definitely a high-achieving, handsome, and rich guy.
"Alright, just wait patiently for your beautiful wife, as long as you don't get old waiting for her." Xu Damao didn't try to persuade him further and pushed his cart home.
When they got home, Wang Minzhi had already prepared most of the meal. Today was Xu Damao's first day in office, and the two of them had cooked extra good food, which made the other families in the compound extremely envious.
At the Jia family home, Jia Zhangshi was fighting with her eldest grandson, Banggeng, over the minced meat in the lunchbox that Shazhu had brought, all the while cursing everywhere. She cursed Yi Zhonghai for not helping her family, saying that keeping so much money was useless and that he was a good-for-nothing destined to die young.
In a little while, we'll get that old shrew Yan Fugui. We'll ask him to tutor his grandson for free, but he refuses and insists on paying us 2 yuan a month.
A moment later, he cursed Sha Zhu, saying he was a toad trying to eat swan meat, and that he should take a piss and look in the mirror, cursing Sha Zhu to be a bachelor for life.
A moment later, he cursed Xu Damao for having a son without an anus, saying that he eats fish and meat at home every day but never thinks of sending anything to his family.
Anyway, from the deaf old lady to the kids fighting with the sticks, no one in the compound escaped her tongue. She completely disregarded her two children being around, showing no concern for their education or future. Therefore, given the Jia family's situation, neither child would have a bright future.
After Xu Damao finished his meal, before it got dark, he took Wang Minzhi for a walk in the courtyard and alleys to digest their food. When Yan Fugui saw this, he exclaimed that it was a waste of food; his family would rather not move after eating and not expend any more energy.
"Da Mao, now that you're back in the city and doing well, if you have the ability, you should help the other poor families in the compound more." While taking a walk, she unexpectedly ran into Yi Zhonghai, who was also taking a stroll.
"Uncle, look at what you're saying. If you had the ability, who wouldn't want to help more? But in this year, it's difficult for anyone to have extra grain or extra money."
For example, tonight you smell the aroma of meat, but you have no idea how many times I've cooked that piece of meat, always reluctant to eat it. Every time I cook it, it's just to smell the aroma.
"By the way, I heard that Sha Zhu often brings his own special food from the cafeteria. I heard from the security department that they've been keeping an eye on it for a long time, is that right?" Xu Damao asked deliberately.
"No, that's not true. Never mind, everyone's having a hard time. Go for a walk." Yi Zhonghai's plan to help the Jia family had to be abandoned, it seems he'll still have to rely on Sha Zhu alone.
Just as Xu Damao returned home after dark, Yan Fugui knocked on the door.
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