Chapter 240
Faced with the stubborn old leaves, Ye Manzhi was not in a hurry at all.
With Chang Yue'e around, Old Ye can't hold on for long.
Sure enough, just two days later, Ye Shouxin came to the Light Industry Bureau with a lunch box of sweet and sour pork ribs.
"When are you planning to go to Beijing? Your mom and I will prepare in advance."
Ye Manzhi opened her lunch box and ate heartily, teasing her father: "You didn't want to go, did you? Why did you change your mind so quickly?"
"Haha," Ye Shouxin said, looking around the office with his hands behind his back, not even looking at his daughter. "How can I feel at ease if you two women go out?"
Besides, if Chang Yue'e went to Beijing alone, he would have trouble keeping his ears to himself for the rest of his life.
I have to listen to her showing off every now and then.
"Probably next week. I'll arrange my work at the company and leave as soon as possible."
There are five directors in the bureau, three of whom are on business trips. Ye Manzhi has to wait until Song Hongjun returns before he can leave for Beijing.
After receiving the confirmation, Ye Shouxin felt relieved and hurried home to pack his luggage with his wife.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ye Manzhi asked her daughter for her opinion.
"Youyan, are your courses this semester difficult?"
After the child went to middle school, Ye Manzhi no longer helped her with homework and really didn't care much about her daughter's studies.
Wu Yuzhuo was fiddling with a toy gun and said casually, "It's difficult, so I study very hard every day."
"Oh, forget it. Just study hard." Ye Manzhi sat beside her, watching her assemble a toy gun. "I'm taking your grandparents to Beijing next week, and I was thinking of having you stay with them. Since the schoolwork is so difficult, just stay in school and study hard."
“…”
Wu Yuzhuo pondered over ways to make up for his shortcomings, and ultimately decided to rely on his own strength. "In this month's midterm exam, except for Chinese (95) and Politics (97), I got full marks in all other subjects."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Ye Manzhi exclaimed in admiration.
My daughter's grades are much better than when she was in school.
Twenty years ago, Xiao Wu was considered a good candidate for college entrance examination by his teachers.
It’s a pity that I was born at the wrong time!
Wu Yuzhuo asked proudly, "Mom, can you take me to Beijing?"
"Of course you can," Ye Manzhi said, showing no sense of parental responsibility as she openly helped her daughter come up with a plan for skipping school. "Just tell the teacher that you're going to Beijing to visit relatives."
"..." Wu Yuzhuo was speechless. "How can we visit any relatives in Beijing? My grandparents are in the south. My homeroom teacher knows everything."
"Your aunt is also a relative. Just say you're going to Beijing to visit her!" Ye Manzhi suggested seriously, "Just ask your teacher for ten days off. That'll be enough."
There is no pressure to go to college in high school. Students only go to school half a day every day and are like free-range animals.
Ye Manzhi feels that studying is important, but it does not prevent her from taking her daughter out to see the world.
Wu Yuzhuo smiled like a sunflower and nodded repeatedly.
She traveled a lot when she was little, but after the movement began, her parents stopped taking her out.
This is the first time she has walked out of Binjiang since she started school!
Wu Yuzhuo was in high spirits and his hands moved quickly. He assembled the toy gun, aimed it at the basin of water not far away and pulled the trigger.
After the lead bullet flew out, the mother and daughter each did their own thing and no one took it seriously.
This toy gun has been modified by Youyan seven or eight times, but it has never been successful. A stone thrown by Ye Manzhi is more powerful than the bullet.
She just thought it was her daughter's tinkering.
As a result, Wu Zhengrong, who stayed in the study, felt that something was wrong outside and walked out to take a look.
At a glance, it was discovered that the washbasin had a hole in the bottom and was leaking water onto the ground.
"Wu Yuzhuo!" He called his daughter by her first name. "Who told you to shoot at home?"
Wu Yuzhuo looked at her frowning father, then subconsciously turned her gaze towards the basin. She was startled when she noticed the tiny dripping stream of water. "Could I have really pierced it?"
"Look for yourself!"
Wu Zhengrong was in a somewhat subtle mood.
The gun was a model gun produced by Shuguang Factory and was just a decoration. Wu Yuzhuo tinkered with it for more than half a month and actually managed to punch through an enamel basin filled with water!
"Come in with me," Wu Zhengrong raised his chin and added, "and bring in your tools too!"
Wu Yuzhuo held a toy gun in one hand and a few lead bullets in the other, and followed his father with his head down into the study to be scolded.
Ye Manzhi was a little worried, so she lay down at the study door and eavesdropped for a while.
Not hearing any scolding, he turned his attention to the basin.
The bullet was stuck at the bottom of the basin, and most of the water had leaked out.
She took the mop and wiped the floor clean, then picked up the washbasin and looked at it with concern.
This unlucky child!
Why are you hitting me in the washbasin?
This washbasin was given to her by her second sister when she got married. It is even older than Youyan!
Ye Manzhi sighed, put some money in his pocket and went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a new washbasin.
When she came back, Wu Yuzhuo had already been called out to play by his classmates, and only Vice President Wu was left in the room, still looking at the toy gun.
"Is there anything wrong with her gun?" Ye Manzhi asked tentatively, "Does she need to hand it in?"
"No need." Wu Zhengrong disassembled the toy gun, removed the modified parts, and then said nonchalantly, "There might be a conscription next month. We really should send her to the army."
"Youyan is not old enough." Ye Manzhi disagreed, "At least let her finish high school first."
"We don't have conscription every year here. If she doesn't go this year, she might not have another chance next year. So whether she goes to high school or not doesn't make any difference to her."
Now that he has no chance to go to university, Wu Zhengrong feels that the army is the best place for Youyan.
Ye Manzhi firmly objected, "That won't work either. Age is a hurdle. She must finish high school."
Her son Youyan is only 16 years old and is still a child in her heart.
What can such a young child do by joining the army?
Wu Zhengrong was reluctant to let his child leave home too early, but Wu Yuzhuo was too curious and could get into trouble right under the adults' noses if he was not supervised.
Puncturing the washbasin wasn't the first thing she had done.
Ye Manzhi felt that her daughter was good in every way. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Do you think a girl like Youyan from our family can go work in a research institute?"
"Which research institute would hire a high school student? The archivists in charge of archiving materials at Institute 1062 are all college students."
Wu Zhengrong has seen many talented young people over the years and often feels sorry for them.
Now that it's my own child's turn, the regret is only stronger.
Ye Manzhi: “…”
The couple fell silent at the same time, lamenting once again that their child was born at the wrong time.
*
Wu Yuzhuo himself not only did not feel that he was born at the wrong time, but was as happy as a bird about to be released from a cage.
After asking for home visit leave from my class teacher, I was looking forward to going to Beijing!
In this day and age, traveling far away is a big deal.
When Chang Yue'e and Ye Shouxin were packing their luggage at home, they made others jealous.
Especially when he was sixteen or seventeen years old, he was longing for the outside world. When he heard that Youyan could go to Beijing with adults, he volunteered to go with them.
He even made a special trip to the military academy to promote himself to his sister-in-law.
"Aunt, take me with you. I eat less and work more, so I can definitely take good care of my grandparents and Youyan. You can just focus on your work and don't have to worry about them!"
Ye Manzhi always admires people who take the initiative in both work and life. Everyone in the family knows that the old Ye couple are going to Beijing, but among so many children, only Qiqiu ran to recommend himself. Ye Manzhi is willing to give her nephew a chance.
So, she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll take you with me. You're a grown man now, so you'll be the one carrying the luggage!"
Qi Qiu was so excited that he jumped three feet high and wanted to do a set of radio gymnastics on the spot.
"Okay, okay, aunt, don't worry, I'll take care of all the luggage!"
However, it was too early for him to speak.
On the day of official departure, Lao Ye and Chang Yue'e carefully selected and prepared four bags of luggage.
Qiqiu stared at the large package on the ground and said in a stammer, "Master, why did you bring so many things?"
Ye Shouxin snorted, "What do you know! When we go to Beijing, we have to use the national food coupons. Our local food coupons in Binjiang don't work well. Of course, we have to prepare food rations for these days in advance!"
"Grandpa, my dad exchanged food coupons for us," Wu Yuzhuo took out a roll of food coupons from his pocket, "enough food for the five of us."
Chang Yue'e picked up her luggage and said, "Even if we're poor at home, we still have to eat on the train. You kids don't understand. You can't go wrong by listening to me!"
Ye Manzhi has been traveling a lot in recent years, and he carries a piece of luggage wherever he goes.
Looking at the four luggage bags prepared by her parents, she felt worried.
But everyone is the same now. No matter where they go, they must prepare enough food.
"Let's go," she gestured to her nephew to pick up the luggage, "let's go to the train station first."
The fourth and fifth brothers helped them carry their luggage out, and a large group of people came out from the Ye family.
Without waiting for the retired old fellows in the courtyard to ask, Ye Shouxin said loudly to them: "My daughter and I are going to Beijing. We didn't want to go, but this kid insisted on taking us out together, hahahaha~"
The triumphant laughter could be heard two miles away.
Chang Yue'e and Ye Manzhi: "::::::"
If he doesn't control himself, he'll float into the sky.
"Director Ye, will you be able to meet the Chairman when you go to Beijing? Remember to take a picture!" someone said flatteringly, "Tell everyone about the situation in Beijing when you get back!"
Ye Shouxin hadn't lost his mind yet, and said reservedly, "Comrade Chairman, we can't just go and see him! We're mainly here to meet our in-laws!"
This was the explanation they came up with at home, and they all spoke in the same tone to the outside world.
After all, not many people go out to travel these days, and the Ye family doesn’t want to attract too much attention.
But his explanation was not clear.
According to the old Ye family's understanding, this trip to Beijing to visit Ye Manzhi's sister-in-law can also be regarded as meeting the in-laws.
However, in the eyes of the old neighbors, her daughter has been married for more than ten or twenty years, so there is no need to meet the in-laws!
So, after the Ye family left, the neighbors gathered together to chirp crickets.
It was generally agreed that the in-laws Ye Shouxin was going to meet were the ones his grandson was targeting.
Otherwise, there is no need to bring that kid out with you!
When the news spread, some people who saw Shen Liangmei would sigh with envy: "Your second son is really amazing. He only found a partner in Beijing when he was only a teenager!"
Shen Liangmei, who was confused, said: "What what what?"
*
Qi Qiu didn't know that his reputation in the compound had been damaged. He had luggage slung over his chest and back, and one of his arms was held by his girl as he squeezed through the crowded crowd on the platform and boarded the train.
More than half of the people in the team had never taken a train.
Wu Yuzhuo had taken this train when he was a child, but it was still a novelty when he took it again after more than ten years.
She huddled together with her ball buddy and waved excitedly to the platform.
Ye Shouxin changed his flamboyant demeanor at home and sat on the berth a little stiffly in new clothes.
Ye Manzhi asked with a smile: "Dad, don't you want to look around? The first time I took a train, I walked around each carriage!"
"It's not my first time riding a train. I worked on the railway when I was young and took it several times."
But at that time, everyone rode in a truck.
Ye Shouxin felt that as someone who had served as deputy director of a workshop, he should be careful about his words and actions when taking the train to the capital.
You can't be like Chang Yue'e, who looks like she has never seen the world.
Ye Shouxin, wearing a respectable cadre uniform, remained reserved all the way on the train.
It was not until the train arrived in Beijing that he could no longer pretend and excitedly took his wife to the front of the train station to take a photo.
"Let's take a picture here and show it to Lao Chen and the others when we get back!"
Ye Manzhi took photos of her parents patiently, and asked Youyan, who was the best at posing, to give one-on-one guidance to her grandparents.
Chang Yue'e asked, "Laiya, when are you going to start working? When you get to Beijing, just get down to business. Let Youyan show us around."
Apart from Lai Ya, You Yan is the only one in their group who has been to Beijing.
Even though she was only five years old the last time she came, Chang Yue'e inexplicably trusted her granddaughter.
Ye Manzhi was in no hurry to get to work. She said calmly, "Director Qian from Tonglan County arrived a few days early. He went to the Ministry of Light Industry to scout out the situation. We'll meet him at the guesthouse later."
She brought her family to the guesthouse closest to the Ministry of Light Industry. After settling everyone down, she followed the waiter's instructions and found Qian Qingsong, who had checked in there in advance.
"Director Qian, how's the situation? Has the application been submitted to the Ministry?"
Qian Qingsong politely made her some tea and said with a wry smile, "I've submitted the application, but I'm not sure if it will be taken seriously by the leadership."
Even provincial and municipal leaders run into obstacles when they come to the ministries to run projects, let alone a county-level cadre like him.
If the director of the county revolutionary committee goes to a ministry or commission to seek funds, he is no different from a clerk.
He and Ye Manzhi were at the same level, both were deputy director-level cadres, but one was a county cadre and the other was the director of the Municipal Light Industry Bureau. After arriving in Beijing, he really didn't have the same influence as the other.
Ye Manzhi looked through the documents he brought, nodded, and said, "I have two acquaintances in the Ministry of Light Industry. Let's go to the ministry tomorrow to check the situation."
The next morning, she gave two maps of Beijing to Youyan and Qiqiu and asked them to lead the team to visit the scenic spots.
After making the arrangements, he went to the Food Bureau of the Ministry of Light Industry with Qian Qingsong.
She went to see Sun Yue, director of the Comprehensive Coordination Office.
Sun Yue had spoken to her by phone in advance, and when they met, he said, "You are here to apply for funding at this critical juncture. It's not good to say yes or no..."
Ye Manzhi asked with a smile, "Why is it not good?"
"It's the end of the year, and the bureau needs to make budgets for next year's projects, so many provincial and municipal officials have come to the bureau to apply for funding for technological innovation in 1976. If you propose a baby formula project now, you'll have to compete with other provinces and cities."
Ye Manzhi joked, "We're not afraid of competition. If we can take advantage of this opportunity and apply for next year's funding, that would be a good thing!"
"It's great that you think so."
Sun Yue and she have been acquaintances for many years. They meet at the Canton Fair every year, once or twice a year, like a meeting on the Magpie Bridge.
When they first worked together, she was a clerk in the Ministry of Light Industry and Ye Manzhi was the deputy director of a food factory. More than ten years passed in a flash, and the two strangers became acquaintances.
Allocating funds for technical transformation was not Sun Yue's responsibility. She only told Ye Manzhi what she had learned in advance.
"Binjiang isn't the only one seeking funding for the milk powder project. Conventionally, the ministry is unlikely to allocate two grants for the same project, unless it's a project that higher-ups are calling for significant development, such as chemical fibers or bicycles."
Ye Manzhi said confidently: "Infant formula needs more national attention than adult formula. Our infant formula project is definitely more important than ordinary formula!"
She is still very confident in this project.
Domestic infant formula production is almost a desert.
Their province has abundant milk resources. Tonglan County is a large agricultural county. Although its animal husbandry is not as developed as that in the northern pasture areas, Tonglan County has the largest number of dairy cows among the seven districts and eight counties in Binjiang.
Judging from the milk source, geographical location and transportation conditions, it is very feasible to build a medium-sized dairy factory in Tonglan County.
So, even though she knew she would have to compete for funding with food projects from other provinces and cities at the end of the year, she still came.
However, Sun Yue's answer made Ye Manzhi and Qian Qingsong frown at the same time.
"The other two provinces and cities that submitted applications also produce infant formula."
Ye Manzhi asked in surprise: "What a coincidence?"
In the past few years, no one produced infant formula, so why are they all rushing to apply for technical transformation funds this year?
Isn't this too much of a tacit understanding?
Sun Yue wasn't sure what was going on. She shook her head and said, "Anyway, that's the situation. Now the three provinces and cities are all requesting financial support from the Ministry of Light Industry. Everyone has the same idea."
Ye Manzhi and Qian Qingsong: "::::::"
How could it be such a coincidence!
The two left the Food Bureau and walked out the door, both a little confused.
Qian Qingsong asked doubtfully, "Didn't they say that the process for producing infant formula was newly developed by the Provincial Dairy Industry Research Institute? Could it be that research institutes in other provinces are also conducting this research?"
Ye Manzhi had never paid attention to the dairy industry before, so she couldn't say for sure.
Just like the "color TV research and development campaign" a few years ago, it is possible that the dairy industry has also organized a similar campaign.
If all provinces and cities across the country send personnel to participate in the research, the technological achievements will be public.
However, Ye Manzhi has read a lot of information related to dairy products recently, but has not seen any cooperation within the industry!
She had some doubts in her mind, and after discussing with Qian Qingsong, she decided to call the provincial government to inquire about the situation.
Mulan worked in the Industrial Department of the Provincial Farm Bureau. After hearing her question, he flatly replied, "Impossible! I'm currently working on this project. The processing technology for infant formula is the latest achievement of the Provincial Dairy Industry Research Institute. It's not a collaborative project with other provinces or cities."
Ye Manzhi said, "But now there are two other organizations competing with us for funding for this project. I think something is fishy."
It doesn’t mean that just because Binjiang built a dairy plant, other provinces are not allowed to build new ones.
We are not that domineering.
However, 80% of the technical transformation funds of the Ministry of Light Industry can only be allocated to one unit.
If other units want to build factories to produce infant formula, they will have to find ways to raise funds locally.
If Binjiang City’s finances could come up with such a large sum of money, she wouldn’t have to travel all the way to Beijing.
Mulan paused on the phone for a few seconds and could only say, "I'm going to the institute to inquire about the situation. Please wait for me for a while and call me tomorrow morning."
Ye Manzhi agreed, arranged a time with her to talk, and then walked out of the post office.
"Let's go back and wait for news today."
Ye Manzhi returned to the guesthouse and waited until it was completely dark before waiting for her tour group to return.
"How was your day? Where did you go?"
Ye Shouxin and Chang Yue'e were both cheerful, with fatigue and excitement in their eyes.
"We went to see the Tiananmen Square!" Ye Shouxin said with longing, "This is the closest place we can get to Comrade Chairman! We took several photos!"
Ye Manzhi asked, "You spent a whole day just visiting this one attraction?"
"No, we also visited several places along Chang'an Avenue." Chang Yue'e sat on the bed and panted. "My feet are sore from walking!"
Hearing this, Wu Yuzhuo took the opportunity to complain: "Mom, please quickly persuade my grandparents!"
"What's wrong?"
"In order to save money on bus tickets, they insisted on walking to the tourist spots."
There was nothing wrong with her and Ball Brother, but her grandparents were both over 60 years old, and they walked for a while and rested for a while, so they wasted time on the road.
Today's attractions are all on the same street, so the impact is not big. But if we continue walking like this tomorrow, the legs of the four of us will probably be scrapped.
Ye Shouxin muttered, "Walking a few steps is nothing! When I was working in the factory, I worked all day long!"
The round trip for the four of them cost more than one dollar.
They are used to being frugal, so how could they bear to spend money like this?
Qiqiu complained on the other side, "My grandma always carries a bag with her when she goes out. It's filled with flatbread and sausages she brought from home. I'm tired of them!"
Ye Manzhi looked at her parents and said, "Since you're in Beijing, you should try some local food, right? Otherwise, when you return to Binjiang, if people ask you what delicious food there is in Beijing, will you be able to tell them?"
Chang Yue'e said, "We brought so much food from home, it would be a waste if we don't eat it!"
Ye Manzhi made up a story, "My travel expenses for this business trip can be reimbursed, including the meal and bus tickets. But our guesthouse is right across from the Ministry of Light Industry. I don't need to take a bus, and I only eat what I bring home. Wouldn't that be a disadvantage? You guys can take the bus if you want, and eat out if you want. I can reimburse you!"
Ye Shouxin, a veteran Party member, shook his head and said, "That's taking advantage of the country. I won't do it!"
"..." Wu Yuzhuo, having inherited his mother's true deception skills, advised, "If my mother were on a business trip alone, she would eat out for every meal. Now that she's traveling with us, she eats everything we bring home. It's our money and food coupons that are being wasted!"
My mother is on business trips all year round, so Wu Yuzhuo knows the travel reimbursements.
Only official expenses can be reimbursed.
Daily food and drink are included in the daily travel allowance.
No matter how much you eat or spend, it is 1.2 yuan per day, and there is no such thing as reimbursement with invoices.
Ye Manzhi nodded calmly, "Well, I have a project to run, so it's more convenient to eat what we brought with us. You guys can just eat outside and pretend it's mine. Give me the receipt later and I'll reimburse you at work."
Chang Yue'e thought for a moment and said, "Okay, let's not be too stingy when we go out. We have to spend what we should spend. Let's take the children to eat roast duck tomorrow. We can try the same thing every day. It will be a memory when we go home."
Ye Shouxin listened to his wife in this regard and said, "Okay, let's eat outside."
After all, it was the child's good intention, so they shouldn't be too stubborn.
Ye Manzhi persuaded her parents who were going on a long trip for the first time. After sending the tour group out the next day, she made a long-distance call to Mulan at the agreed time.
Hearing her voice, Mulan explained the current situation to her.
"I confirmed with the research institute yesterday that this project was indeed independently developed by our provincial dairy industry research institute and we did not collaborate with other units."
Ye Manzhi asked suspiciously, "Could it be that other provinces and cities are conducting research in this area at the same time?"
"That's not the case," Mulan said helplessly. "This research is considered a breakthrough, after all, the production of infant formula is small. So after the provincial research institute produced the results, it was published in Dairy Science and Technology Information. This journal is distributed nationwide, and I guess many units across the country are aware of it by now."
Ye Manzhi: “…”
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