Chapter 56
One person joins the army, the whole family is honored. This is a very popular slogan nowadays.
If a family has a son or grandson who serves in the army, the family members will speak louder in the village.
Uncle Ye certainly knew the benefits of being a soldier, but the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea was just around the corner, so to be a soldier one had to be prepared to make sacrifices.
He really couldn't bear to send his child to such a faraway place to serve as a soldier.
My aunt asked, "Aren't going to Xinjiang to serve in the army and going to Xinjiang to support construction the same thing?"
Wu Zhengrong smiled and didn't answer her. He picked up the kettle on the table and poured himself a cup of warm water.
The teacup was covered with a colorful sweater that looked like a branch full of leaves, and it was the same style as the sweater she knitted for the lunch box.
Ye Manzhi wondered if he had just picked it up casually or if he had recognized her teacup. She stole a glance at Chang Yue'e, and by sheer coincidence their eyes met.
I had to look away guiltily and pretend nothing happened.
Ye Shouxin said, "Serving in the military is certainly different from volunteering to support construction. When a child responds to a call to support construction, he's unfamiliar with the area and doesn't know what work he'll be assigned. At least if he joins the military, he'll have someone familiar to look after him, so he won't be bullied. A soldier's job is more secure than a worker's."
My aunt wanted to bargain, "We're willing to let our child join the army, but can we send him to a place closer to home?"
"..." Ye Shouxin didn't want his future son-in-law to get involved in his family's troubles. He turned around and said, "Zhengrong, you have to go to work tomorrow. Let Lai Ya see you off. You should go back and rest early. We can discuss Xiaodong's military service later."
Most of the guests at the Ye family had left long ago, leaving only the uncle and his wife chatting with Ye Shouxin about their grandson's work.
After Wu Zhengrong came up with the idea, he didn't plan to stay for long.
After saying goodbye to the Ye family, he followed Ye Manzhi downstairs.
"Why is your face so red?" When they reached the first floor, Wu Zhengrong put the back of his hand against her face to test the temperature.
"It's all because of you!" Ye Manzhi slapped his hand away and said angrily, "I've completely lost face today!"
"I'm fighting 11 men in your family alone. That's pretty good, right?" Wu Zhengrong laughed. "It's not easy being your son-in-law. If I can't get drunk, my father-in-law won't be happy. If I get drunk, my wife won't be happy either."
Ye Manzhi's cheeks became even hotter when he called her "wife", and her eyes became watery.
She hesitated for a while, and felt that she couldn't be the only one embarrassed, so she leaned over to his ear and stammered what happened in the afternoon.
Wu Zhengrong was stunned. "Really?"
"What good would it be for me to lie to you?"
“…”
Wu Zhengrong was still somewhat conservative in his heart, and it was indeed a bit embarrassing for him to be caught in his privacy by his mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
He lowered his eyes and thought for a while, then frowned when he thought of a possibility.
Seeing this, Ye Manzhi asked in a panic, "What's wrong?"
"Auntie, you won't adjust your curfew to 6 o'clock, right?"
"..." Ye Manzhi gave him a look, "Can you be more serious? I'm talking about business!"
"I'm talking about serious matters."
Seeing that he looked serious and seemed really worried about the curfew, Ye Manyi felt like laughing for some reason.
Forget it, just forgive him for the sake of him being a great beauty.
Apart from this embarrassing incident, Wu Zhengrong's performance today was still remarkable.
After transferring her negative emotions to him, Ye Manzhi felt much better. Hiding behind him to avoid the cold wind at the corridor entrance, she whispered, "Letting Xiaodong join the army will cause you a lot of trouble, right?"
"This is a rare opportunity to show my courtesy to my father-in-law. I'll help him resolve Xiaodong's issue so you don't have to worry about it." Wu Zhengrong thought for a moment and added, "Make it clear to my uncle that Xiaodong must pass the physical examination before I can proceed with the next steps."
Ye Manzhi snorted, "I don't think he would be willing to let Xiaodong go to Xinjiang."
"Well, the navy may also come to Binjiang to recruit this summer. It depends on his own wishes. If he is willing to wait, he can wait for the navy's quota."
Ye Manzhi complained in his heart, in his opinion, the navy might be better.
But I'm afraid that uncle would rather choose Xinjiang than let his grandson go to the coast, because the coast is not particularly peaceful.
She talked with Wu Zhengrong for a while at the entrance of the corridor, watched him disappear at the intersection, and then quickly returned home.
Old Ye was still saying to his uncle and his wife, "Wu Zhengrong isn't the commander of a military region, so how can he just randomly assign someone to a position? Look at how old he is. His comrades must be no older either. How high can a young man like that get? He must be asking for favors before he can get help!"
Ye Manzhi didn't listen carefully to what his uncle said next.
She took off her military coat, did not linger in the living room, and did not mention the naval enlistment, but went straight back to her room.
Given the uncle's temper, if Xiaodong really went to the battlefield, he might not let his grandson desert, but he would definitely blame their family.
She didn't want to cause trouble for Wu Zhengrong, nor did she want to make things difficult for herself, so she simply didn't mention it.
Uncle chose this day to talk to Lao Ye about letting Xiaodong work in the factory. His purpose was self-evident.
This may seem rude and embarrassing, but the timing is perfect.
Wu Zhengrong was not yet a legitimate son-in-law. If he refused when the Ye family's relatives asked him to do something for the first time, it would seem unkind.
If he were an ordinary young man, his uncle's plan would most likely succeed.
But Wu Zhengrong even dared to tear up the deputy factory director's note, so he was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
He was willing to send his child to the army, which paved the way for his future. Who can say that his idea was not good?
But the military service location was in Xinjiang, thousands of miles away, which made it difficult for my uncle and his wife to make a decision.
If my uncle gave up such a good opportunity, he would not have to ask Wu Zhengrong for help again in the future.
Ye Manzhi decided to record this incident in her diary. The simple "second-class model" should learn more from the shrewd "excellent" one.
There seemed to be a lingering smell of alcohol in the room, so she opened the air vent a little to ventilate.
When she lay down on the pillow, she felt strange thinking that Wu Zhengrong had slept in her bed for the whole afternoon.
When Chang Yue'e knocked on the door and came in, she saw her grabbing the pillowcase and sniffing it. Her expression, which had just improved a little, became gloomy again.
Ye Manzhi sighed silently and struggled to say, "There's a smell of alcohol on the pillowcase. I want to wash it."
This action makes her look a little weird.
Chang Yue'e asked in a deep voice, "When you two were together, he didn't bully you, did he?"
"No."
"Since you don't have any, why are you blushing?" Chang Yue'e's expression looked like a bandit who kidnapped a decent woman.
"How can I not blush when you ask me such a thing?" Ye Manzhi murmured, "He is a soldier, don't worry!"
"I trusted him too much before!"
It turns out that all men are bad!
Chang Yue'e said with a fierce face: "From now on, you must go home directly after get off work and not wander around! Get off work at 5 o'clock and be home at 6 o'clock at the latest!"
“???”
Ye Manzhi was completely stunned.
What Comrade Teyou actually said came true?
She has to write it in her diary quickly!
"What's that expression on your face? What are you laughing at?" Chang Yue'e lowered her voice and said, "If you've met his parents and got a marriage certificate, I won't bother with you. Girls are easily at a disadvantage in this regard. Before things are finalized, you are not allowed to let him do whatever he wants!"
Ye Manzhi's face flushed crimson as she muttered, "Today was an accident. We're not that kind of people! Besides, I'm going to the city's 'Industrial Model Worker Representative Conference' soon, and my boss asked me to speak on behalf of my unit. I've never even attended a district conference, let alone a city one! I want Wu Zhengrong to help me check things out! How can I get back at six?"
Chang Yue'e didn't want to delay her daughter's work, so she hesitated for a moment and said, "Then let's do it this way for now. After you finish attending that conference, you must go home at six o'clock every day!"
*
Ye Manzhi did not lie. The Industrial Model Workers' Congress was like a sword hanging over her head. She had been nervous ever since she received the task assigned by Director Mu.
One reason is that she needs to collect a large amount of information and data to verify her guess.
The second reason was that she had never given a formal speech in front of so many people.
She had been to the Municipal Party Committee Auditorium, which could accommodate at least six or seven hundred people.
The thought of asking her to speak in front of so many people makes her scalp tingle.
When she listened to other people's speeches in the past, she thought it was quite simple, but when it was her turn to write, she was even unsure about the address and opening remarks.
How did other people start their speeches? She couldn't even remember a single one!
I still have a lot of shortcomings, and the meeting time is getting closer day by day.
Ye Manzhi felt that she had never been so anxious.
However, the sense of urgency seemed to stimulate people's potential, and she soon came up with a brilliant idea!
As the year draws to a close, various units are holding meetings of all sizes, especially summary meetings, commendation meetings, and award ceremonies.
Anyway, there are many types of meetings.
Ye Manzhi asked Wu Zhengrong to help her find out the time and place of the latest meeting of Factory 656.
Then she took her notebook and secretly went to other people's conferences to copy homework!
Representatives would give speeches at such commendation conferences. She would write down the titles, opening remarks, slogans, and other useful information used by others, and then add them to her own speech.
A well-reasoned and authentic speech is now ready!
whee.
Since she was speaking on behalf of her unit, the final speech draft had to be reviewed by Director Mu.
After reading it, Director Mu took off his glasses, rubbed his nose and said, "Not bad, but some of the wording needs to be reconsidered. Let Wei Zhen or Lao Feng go with you to the meeting tomorrow. I won't go."
"Director, you're not going to such a big event?"
"I can't leave. I just received a sudden notice that the city wants to follow Shanghai's example and develop urban public transportation, and put rickshaws into museums."
Ye Manzhi exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!"
She suddenly remembered that Wu Zhengrong had brought up this topic last fall, that rickshaw pullers might not be able to do their jobs for long.
She later found an opportunity to mention it to Xue Qiaoer.
If he switches back to the three-wheeled team from the rickshaw team in time, he should be able to keep his job.
But if the country really decides to abolish rickshaws, it is very likely that the drivers will be given new jobs.
For Xue Qiaoer, banning rickshaws may be an opportunity.
Ye Manzhi let her make her own decision.
Xue Qiaoer was unable to make a decision at the time, but she has been working in the rickshaw team for the past few months.
Director Mu rubbed his nose and said worriedly, "There are so many rickshaw pullers on our street. If rickshaws are abolished, it will mean their livelihood is gone. How will they live in the future? The city hasn't yet found a replacement plan. I'm afraid someone will cause a commotion after the news is announced! I have to stay at the office tomorrow, so you can go to the Model Assembly by yourself."
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