Chapter 52
While on the phone, Secretary Xiao Li received Director Zhai's signal and asked him whether his trip to the provincial capital went smoothly.
What he meant was that he wanted to ask if any new orders had been signed.
Zhang Baosheng was very tactful. He held the microphone and said loudly, "It went very smoothly. We signed two contracts, one with the First Department Store and the other with the Second Department Store. Each department wants 100 baskets."
The surroundings stared at her with a mixture of shock and confusion. Zhou Jiani, smiling, explained, "Our Qianjin Brigade's woven baskets have officially entered two department stores. From now on, when you go shopping, you'll be able to see our products."
Everyone's eyes immediately changed.
Zhang Baosheng hung up the phone and smiled happily.
There is a photo studio next to the station. Many people like to take photos with the station as the background. Zhang Baosheng is no exception. It seems that only with the words "Qi Yang Railway Station" in the background can he truly prove that he has been to the provincial capital.
He took a solo photo first, then asked Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming to take one each, and also took a group photo.
After the group photo was taken, Comrade Xiao Qiu looked at Zhou Jiani and said with a smile, "Comrade Xiao Zhou, our cooperation on this first business trip was quite successful. Wouldn't it be a bit incomplete if we didn't leave a souvenir?"
How can there be such a thing as an imperfect size?
Zhou Jiani was about to roll her eyes when Zhang Baosheng cheerfully urged, "Take a picture, take a picture, take a picture."
Young comrades are so good-looking, especially these two. He has never seen a lesbian prettier than Xiao Zhou, and he has never seen a comrade prettier than Xiao Qiu. Just standing there and taking a look at them makes him feel much better.
"Come on, Comrade Xiao Zhou." Qiu Zeming smiled like a fox. "When our village workshop has a wall of honor, we'll hang our photo up there, too."
Zhang Baosheng nodded: "Yes, yes."
Zhou Jiani rolled her eyes silently and went over to take a photo with Qiu Zeming.
Comrade Xiao Qiu raised the corners of his mouth, thinking he looked calm, but in fact the tips of his ears were slightly red.
After taking the photos, Qiu Zeming diligently negotiated with the photographer, left his address and money for stamps and envelopes, took the list and left.
After walking around outside for a while, I went in to queue up for ticket checking.
At 6:08 pm, the train started and swayed towards Bin County.
They finished the stack of pancakes and eggs before departure. Qiu Zeming also used his empty lunch box to get a dish from a nearby restaurant. They got on the train after eating and drinking to their heart's content, thus avoiding the hassle of eating with the mixed smells of other people on the train.
After getting on the bus, Qiu Zeming took the initiative to get a standing ticket and stood in the aisle next to his seat.
It was uncomfortable to just sit for a long time, so Zhou Jiani took turns with him. She stood up to stretch her waist while Qiu Zeming sat down to rest.
When Zhang Baosheng got up to move around, Zhou Jiani sat down to rest for a while.
It’s not particularly tiring to keep changing along the way.
When she got up in the middle of the night and took advantage of everyone sleeping with their eyes closed, she was bored and looked through the group purchase information she had missed in the group to pass the time. She found a package of cherry tomatoes for 9.9 yuan for three pounds, the last one. After she completed the payment, a sold-out message popped up in the group.
“Staying up all night is rewarding.”
Zhou Jiani stood in the aisle leaning against the back of her chair and continued climbing the stairs. She found a group of kvass drinks, a fermented bread drink.
12 bottles per piece, 36.9 yuan.
There was also one piece left, so Zhou Jiani went backstage and took a picture of it.
She scrolled to the content she had read before getting on the bus, but didn't find anything else. Qiu Zeming also woke up and asked her to sit down and rest.
At around four o'clock in the morning, they got off the bus in Bin County, and as soon as they got off the bus, they saw Liu Tong waiting there.
"Comrade Xiao Zhou, thank you for your hard work." As soon as Liu Tong saw Zhou Jiani, he smiled and greeted her warmly.
Comrade Xiao Zhou is really good. Now their forward brigade has completely stepped onto a new level, and Comrade Xiao Zhou must be credited with the greatest credit.
Even though Comrade Xiao Zhou has been away for a while, the aunts and ladies in the village talk about her all day long and praise her endlessly.
Zhou Jiani also smiled and said, "Accountant Liu has worked hard too!"
Zhang Baosheng handed over a piece of luggage and said to Liu Tong impatiently, "Hey, Comrade Xiao Zhou got some picture books and novels for the children in our village, as well as textbooks and test papers from Qiyang. I'll leave them at the village committee later. Anyone who sees them can borrow them. If they're lost, their work points will be deducted."
It was only when he was on the train that he realized that Comrade Xiao Zhou's luggage actually contained books that he had bought for the children in the village.
Zhou Jiani didn't want to take all the credit, so she quickly said, "And Comrade Xiao Qiu, we went to the scrap collection station together to find these books. But we didn't clean up these books properly last time, so we didn't let Comrade Xiao Qiu bring them back."
Even if you find it at a scrap yard, it is still a book and you should cherish it.
Comrade Xiao Zhou said that when he has the opportunity to go on business trips to other places, he will continue to buy and collect items, and slowly accumulate them, so as to strive to build a reading room to enrich the children's lives.
The key is that it is cheap. Comrade Xiao Zhou said he only spent 20 cents on so many books.
Even if the village pays for this, there is no need to worry about other people's opinions.
Zhou Jiani kept the part she needed for herself, and only handed in novels, magazines, picture books, a few elementary school textbooks and a small number of blurry test papers, and quoted a symbolic price.
When they were carried to the car, Liu Tong sorted through the books and his eyes lit up. He said, "Lin Hai Xue Yuan, Journey to the West, the small picture book of Romance of the Three Kingdoms... Xiao Zhou, these are all treasures."
Last time, Comrade Xiao Qiu brought back agricultural information. Of course, they all knew that it was Xiao Zhou's teacher who helped find it. This time, Xiao Zhou brought back so many books. Liu Tong had no eyes for anything and just lowered his head to rummage through the pile of books.
Zhang Baosheng said with a straight face, "Pull out Lin Hai Xue Yuan for me. Look at something else first."
Liu Tong nodded quickly: "Okay, okay, we'll change after we finish looking at it."
Zhang Baosheng added, "You have to write a note when you borrow a book. If you can't return it or if it's damaged, your work points will be deducted."
Liu Tong agreed: "We need to make a rule. Besides deducting work points, we won't let you borrow money from us again in the future."
Zhang Baosheng thought about it and felt that this rule was not bad. Anyone who did not cherish the books would never be able to borrow them from the village again.
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Then make a blacklist, and put those who don't cherish it on the blacklist."
Although they are old, they were picked out one by one by her and Comrade Xiao Qiu while squatting in the smelly pile of rubbish. She cannot take them lightly.
It was Uncle Liu who drove over to pick them up. Zhou Jiani greeted him with a smile: "Uncle Liu, thank you for your hard work in coming to pick us up in the middle of the night."
Uncle Liu smiled naively, his tone kind: "Why should it be hard? It's hard for you to work hard all night." Then he looked at Comrade Xiao Zhou lovingly as if he were his own son or nephew, with a smile on his face unconsciously.
Through Comrade Xiao Zhou, his family sold more than 30 kilograms of vegetables. His second son and little daughter also got jobs in a weaving workshop to help out. The family was planning to invite Comrade Xiao Zhou to their home for a simple meal when she came back.
The car was shaking as it moved. Liu Tong started reading a book. Zhang Baosheng and the other three each found a place to take a nap with their eyes closed. Zhou Jiani also fell asleep.
The ox cart did not go directly back to the village, but stopped before entering the town.
Secretary Xiao Li was waiting for them at the side of the road.
Zhang Baosheng had been dozing off when Liu Tong poked him awake. Seeing Li Jingdang perk up, he cleared his throat and said, "Secretary Li, what are you doing..."
It's not even six o'clock yet. What is the commune secretary doing here? Is he reporting on his work so early?
I really need to report on my work.
As soon as Zhang Baosheng spoke, Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming also opened their eyes.
Li Jingdang smiled and said, "Captain Zhang, you've worked hard. Comrade Qiu, you've worked hard..." His eyes fell on the only female comrade in the car, and admiration flashed in his eyes. He smiled and said, "This should be Comrade Zhou, right?"
Li Jingdang had been to the Qianjin Brigade quite often in the past few days and was no stranger to Qiu Zeming. However, this was the first time he had met Comrade Xiao Zhou in person, as he had only spoken to him on the phone.
Zhou Jiani, still barely awake, had already started socializing. "Hello, I'm Zhou Jiani, an educated youth from the Qianjin Brigade. You're Secretary Li, the one I spoke to on the phone last time, right? Nice to meet you. Our brigade leader always praises you, saying you're young and promising."
Liu Tong and Zhang Baosheng both looked at her in surprise.
Li Jingdang didn't take it seriously. He knew very well that this was not something Captain Zhang would say. He politely shook hands with Zhou Jiani and said with a smile, "Nice to meet you."
After the greetings, Li Jingdang said to Zhang Baosheng, "Captain Zhang, Director Zhai asked me to take you to the state-owned restaurant for dinner first. After dinner, let's go to his office. Director Zhai wants to ask you some work-related questions."
After saying that, he added with a smile: "The commune will reimburse the meal expenses."
"I'm sorry to have let the commune spend money." Zhang Baosheng was filled with pride. A few months ago, he never thought that one day he would be received by the commune secretary so early to have dinner in a restaurant.
However, since it was arranged by the leader, they did not hesitate and drove directly to the state-owned restaurant. They were going to pass by there anyway, but Secretary Li was waiting for them at the intersection leading into the town.
Zhou Jiani took out the sweater she had brought for Wang Liping, the receipt from the department store, and the remaining money and bills in advance.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Uncle Liu felt embarrassed to eat at the commune's restaurant, so he refused to go in and insisted on staying in the car to look at things.
Zhou Jiani said, "Uncle Liu, we don't have much stuff, so we can just move in. It must be tiring for you to get up so late at night to catch the bus, so it would be nice to come in and sit down and have a bowl of hot porridge."
Li Jingdang noticed that the driver was a little reserved and hurriedly advised, "Uncle, the leader has told me not to leave anyone behind. If you don't go in to eat, I won't be able to report back."
After much persuasion, Uncle Liu reluctantly agreed and quickly helped to carry the things.
As soon as Zhou Jiani entered the room, she greeted the receptionist familiarly: "Sister Liping."
Wang Liping was even more surprised. Her eyes lit up and she laughed out loud, "Oh, Comrade Xiao Zhou, you're finally back."
Hearing the commotion from the kitchen, the two pastry chefs and Zou Kai all leaned over and greeted with a smile, their tone incredibly warm: "Comrade Xiao Zhou, are you back from your business trip?"
"Comrade Xiao Zhou has made great contributions. We have all heard..."
Before he could finish his words, he saw Li Jingdang who had come in with him. He was stunned for a moment and hurriedly said, "Good morning, Secretary Li. Why are you here so early?"
Li Jingdang nodded and smiled, "Director Zhai arranged for me to receive Captain Zhang and his group who returned from the provincial capital. After dinner, I have to go to the commune to report on my work."
Of course they could tell that Zhou Jiani was among the group, and Zou Kai and the others were slightly shocked.
I realized a little belatedly that Comrade Xiao Zhou is really different now.
Zhao Mei came to deliver vegetables every day. They had heard about Comrade Xiao Zhou's heroic deeds. He was able to sell products from a small village into a department store and even let the department store place an order with them. Comrade Xiao Zhou was truly a talent.
Isn't he a talented person? In order to help the villagers sell vegetables, he contributed the technology of making flower steamed buns and the recipes.
It doesn't seem too surprising that such a comrade can sell woven baskets made by his fellow villagers in department stores.
Wang Liping didn't care about all those feelings and admiration. She was thinking about the sweater. She ran to wash her hands, and came back to carefully unfold the red sweater that she asked Xiao Zhou to bring for her.
It had a small collar, was soft to the touch, and had a dense textile process. It was truly a product from the provincial capital. She said happily, "Xiao Zhou, thank you so much. My sister will definitely like it."
Then he lowered his voice and said, "From now on, our hotel won't need a share of tickets. I'll leave some for you."
Zhou Jiani narrowed her eyes and smiled.
Look, isn’t this the end of popularity?
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