Shen Ze carried a fifty-kilogram bag of flour on his shoulder, pursed his lips and forced a smile as he looked at everyone.
Jian Yang is 1.8 meters tall, which is considered tall. Standing next to Shen Ze, he looks like a little bird.
"Brother, are you friends with Shen Chang?" Jian Xia was so surprised that he couldn't close his mouth.
Without waiting for Jian Yang to speak, Jian Baoguo put his hand on the back of her head and hurried to take the flour bag from Chen Ze's shoulder.
"You have no respect for your elders. Why don't you invite your guests into your home?"
In those days, flour cost 1.5 cents per pound, and 50 pounds were delivered at once. No wonder Jian Baoguo was so happy.
Moreover, he had recently heard Jian Xia talk about a young deputy director who had been promoted to the chemical plant. He had not expected that Jian Yang had done such a good job of keeping it secret that the two of them were actually friends.
Jian Xiaoxing quickly dodged to the side of the door and watched Chen Ze pat the remaining flour on his shoulder before entering.
There were some white spots on his bronze face, which made him look a little funny.
Jian Xiaoxing went to get a wet towel to wipe him.
During the whole process, neither of them spoke, but Jian Yang saw it all.
“Xiaoxing, you’re in the General Office, so you have a lot of contact with Chen Ze, right?”
Jian Xiaoxing took the used towel and replied calmly:
"I am responsible for the sanitation of Shenchang's office."
Jian Yang wanted to say something, but fortunately Wang Xiaoqin had already brought the hot dumplings to the table, allowing Jian Xiaoxing to escape.
At the dinner table, everyone was chatting and laughing. Chen Ze, who was no longer as taciturn as he was at the factory, chatted with Jian Baoguo and Jian Yang.
They were all talking about work, and Wang Xiaoqin had no chance to get a word in. She pricked up her ears and listened hard, occasionally agreeing with something.
On the other hand, Jian Xiaoxing was happy and relaxed, concentrating on eating, occasionally looking at Jian Xia and whispering to her.
The topic went back to decades ago, and Wang Xiaoqin was finally able to join in the conversation.
"Wow, it's been 30 years in a flash. I still remember when this was just a small fishing village! The most distinctive feature was the clams you could easily pick up on the beach, and the mosquitoes that would give you a big bump with one bite.
At that time, the Port Authority had just been established and the wharf was under construction. I came here from Wangjia Village looking for work, and that’s how I met Baoguo.”
Wang Xiaoqin talked a lot and talked about how she met and married Jian Baoguo.
"Time flies. In the blink of an eye, I have been at the dock for thirty years." Jian Baoguo tilted his head back and drank the whole glass of wine. There was a glint of light in his cloudy eyes, and his hand under the table rested on Wang Xiaoqin's hand.
Jianyang is their first child. After experiencing the changes in Haicheng over the past few decades, he feels very emotional.
Today, Haicheng has become one of the first development zones in the country, and the older generation of hard workers have made an indelible contribution.
Jian Yang took the opportunity to say what he had wanted to say for a long time:
"Dad, you're old now. I'm afraid your body can't handle operating the door machine anymore. You should apply for a change of job!"
The Port Authority actually wanted to transfer him to another position a long time ago, but he asked to stay on the gantry crane. More than ten years ago, he was named a model worker and he didn't want to receive this honor in vain.
"Let's talk about it in a few years. I'm still in good health. Besides, I can do the door opening machine work with my eyes closed." Jian Baoguo said stubbornly.
Jian Yang was able to be recommended to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University because of Jian Baoguo's model worker status, which is why he became a classmate of Shen Ze.
Shen Ze was also recommended to go to university because of his father's relationship.
At that time, he was still serving in the army. His father Shen Changgui died in a mine disaster. Because of his meritorious service in the rescue, he was named a hero and model, which made him eligible to go to college.
Because they both went to university thanks to their father's influence, their classmates were quite disdainful of them, so the two of them became close friends who could talk about anything.
The two had not been in contact for many years, but this time it was because of an accident at the steel plant that they started to come into frequent contact again.
The fatal accident at Haifeng Steel Plant happened because a worker went to work drunk and fell into the boiling molten steel, turning into a wisp of smoke without even a body left.
In order to learn from the experience and lessons, the chemical plant issued a notice to inspect drinking during the shift.
"Chen Chang, it's understandable to check drinking in class, but why check drinking in the dormitory? You don't know that Director Xue threw the toughest bone to Xiaoxing. She, a weak woman, going to Building 5 is simply a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth!" Jian Xia took the opportunity to speak up for Jian Xiaoxing.
Jian Xiaoxing wanted to pull her, but failed, so he could only smile awkwardly.
She was somewhat expecting that, no matter if it was their secret relationship or openly being her cousin's friend, Shen Ze should be able to help her!
The next second, Shen Ze's words shocked her to the point of being burnt on the outside and tender on the inside.
"The dormitory is not a place for drinking. This atmosphere should have been changed long ago. As for her being in charge of Building 5, that's the General Office's business. I can't interfere!"
He looked so serious that if Wang Xiaoqin hadn't stopped him in time, Jian Xia would have glared at him and argued with him.
However, Chen Ze continued chatting with Jian Yang as if nothing had happened.
Until the meal was over and Shen Ze said goodbye, Jian Xiaoxing could only maintain an awkward but polite smile at him.
Chen Ze lived in a bungalow area a few blocks away from them. It was said that it was one of the earliest bungalows and was relatively close to the dock. If you opened the windows, the house would be covered with a layer of iron powder and coal dust at the end of the day, making it extremely dirty.
Three years ago, Shen Ze brought his mother to Haicheng to start planning the construction of a chemical plant. Shen's mother fell in love with the small courtyard at first sight, saying that she could see the coal pile not far away, which reminded her of her dead husband.
After Jian Yang sent Shen Ze out, he came back and called Jian Xiaoxing to his side.
"Before Chen Ze left, he asked me to tell you to go to his house this afternoon."
Although the others were busy with their own things, they were all shocked when they heard this and gathered around.
Jian Xia went straight to the point: "Xiaoxing, what is your relationship with Director Shen?"
Jian Yang was also puzzled: "I know Chen Ze very well. Over the years, he has been a man of iron and has never been close to any girl. Why would he let you go to his house?"
Wang Xiaoqin laughed and said, "Oh, could it be that Chen Ze has taken a fancy to our Xiao Xing?"
Jian Xiaoxing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He hated Chen Zeren for leaving and causing him more trouble.
She explained:
"Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with Shen Ze. I saved his mother not long ago, so I guess her mother wanted me to go over there."
"So that's how it is. Then I feel relieved. Xiaoxing, you have a gentle personality. You won't be happy with Shen Ze, that blockhead." Jian Yang looked relieved.
Jian Xiaoxing had three black lines on her head. Putting aside the question of whether she was docile or not, as a friend of Chen Ze, was it okay for Jian Yang to say this to him?
However, her cousin has always loved her, and he must have said this for her own good. It can be seen that Shen Ze has no potential to be tapped in terms of being a husband.
Jian Xia disagreed. Although she didn't like Chen Ze's way of doing things, she had to admit that her final outlook was based on appearance. Who could refuse a talented person with amazing looks?
She felt somewhat inferior because of her fatness, but she didn't want others to take advantage of her.
Jian Xiaoxing didn't want them to argue about his own affairs, so he simply said goodbye to everyone and pushed the cart towards the Shen family.
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