Chu Tian and Sun Weiguo didn't have to wait long. In less than an hour, Director Liu brought Sun Weiguo out. Seeing this, Chu Tian hurried to greet them.
"Director Liu."
Director Liu smiled cheerfully, "I've already registered and filled out the information. I'll take the exam on the tenth day of the first lunar month, and I'll probably be able to start work on the twelfth."
Chu Tian said gratefully, "Thank you for troubling me, Director Liu. I see there's a state-owned restaurant not far from the steel plant. It's getting late now, how about we go have a meal together?"
Director Liu agreed after just a thought, and several people got on a carriage and headed for the state-owned hotel.
The waitress at the state-owned restaurant outside the steel plant was the sister of Director Liu's eldest daughter-in-law, so he knew her very well. As soon as he entered the state-owned restaurant, he asked, "Xiao Li, are there any private rooms available?"
The waiter looked up and saw that it was my sister's father-in-law. He stood up and said with a smile, "Uncle, are you here for dinner? We have private rooms. The one at the back is empty now!"
"Comrade, what's on the menu today?"
Chu Tian raised his eyebrows when he heard this. The state-owned restaurant in the steel plant seemed to be much better than the one in the Hongqi Regiment. At least they had private rooms, unlike the one in his own regiment which only had a few tables. Chu Tian wondered if the food would also be more sumptuous than that in his own regiment?
Director Liu saw Xiao Li looking at Chu Tian with doubt, and hurriedly explained, "Xiao Li, we are together and have something to discuss."
Little Li suddenly realized something, thought for a moment and looked around, then leaned over to the group and whispered, "We have braised pork knuckle in the kitchen today. I was thinking of buying one home tonight to satisfy my family's cravings. If you want, I can share it with you."
After a pause, he continued, "By the way, I think we have boiled pork as well. Do you want any?"
Chu Tian's eyes lit up, "Yes, we want it! Are there any other dishes?"
Xiao Li smiled and said, "The other stir-fried dishes are shredded potatoes with bacon, pickled cabbage, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and egg drop soup."
(In this era, in winter in Northwest China, scrambled eggs with tomatoes are made with homemade chunky tomato sauce, not the watery tomato sauce from supermarkets.)
"Okay, I'll take them all. And, uh, ten two-piece flatbreads, how much is that?"
Xiao Li's abacus clattered for a while and soon reported a number. Chu Tian paid the money without blinking.
Director Liu, who was standing by, was slightly shocked. This meal cost nearly ten yuan. Ten yuan, if it was just an ordinary worker, it would be equivalent to spending one-third of his salary on a meal. Even Director Liu, who thought he had a high income, felt a little distressed.
The chefs in state-owned restaurants all have real skills. The pork elbow is cooked by the chef using the braising method, which is so fragrant, tender and rotten. The white-looking boiled meat is dipped in sesame oil and garlic sauce, and its taste can only be experienced after eating it.
After finishing his meal, Chu Tian touched his slightly bulging belly and felt very satisfied. He said to himself that he would definitely come here to eat again when he came to the steel plant in the future. The food was so delicious.
Standing at the entrance of the state-owned restaurant, Chu Tian asked with a smile, "Director Liu, where is your home? Can we help you send the food back?"
Director Liu pointed to the four-story building not far away and said with pride, "That's the second floor of the building over there."
Chu Tian actually understood Director Liu's pride. In this place where most people lived in adobe houses, ordinary bungalows, and people like him who lived in dugouts, if someone could live in a building with radiators, it would be like buying a mansion worth tens of millions in the 21st century and make people proud!
Of course, this is only the case in this era. After a few decades, the truly rich and powerful people will choose to live in single-family villas with large front and back gardens. Even ordinary people, if they have a little ability, will not choose this kind of building with more than a dozen households on each floor.
"Director Liu, thank you for your help today. Shall we leave now?"
After placing the food in Director Liu's living room, which was less than ten square meters, Chu Tian prepared to leave with Yao Youjun and Sun Weiguo.
Director Liu didn't try to persuade her to stay, but instead said, "I'm at work on the tenth day of the exam, but I'll take some time to stop by."
He then pulled out a few sheets of paper from a nearby drawer and handed them to Yao Youjun. "Also, take this document back and take a good look at it. Not all the questions on this page will be on the test, but most of them will be here. You don't need a high score to be admitted, but a higher score will give you some face! You'll be able to stand up straighter in front of the master in the future!"
Yao Youjun took it, held it carefully, and said gratefully, "Thank you, Director Liu. I will get a high score!"
Director Liu smiled and patted his shoulder. "Good boy, come back soon. Come to our house for dinner next time you have the chance."
"Then we'll go."
Chu Tian just smiled slightly. Director Liu was just being polite and he definitely wouldn't take it seriously.
On the way back, Yao Youjun, who was sitting on the back board of the car, couldn't wait to pick up the information and start reading it. Chu Tian looked back at him a few times and ignored him. After all, it was not a bad thing that he was willing to study hard.
Sun Weiguo finally recovered from his shock, his tone full of envy, "Brother Tian, so that's a building! This is my first time stepping into one!"
Chu Tian raised his lips slightly, "Why? Are you envious?"
Sun Weiguo nodded without hesitation, "I'm so envious. Look, the building is so warm without even burning a fire..."
Chu Tian patiently explained, "It's not that we can be warm without burning a fire, but because the buildings are all centrally heated, there is a boiler room burning fire 24 hours a day. I don't know if you saw it, there is an iron heating bag connected to the wall of the house, and there is hot water in it..."
Sun Weiguo's eyes widened. "A heating pad? Is it the gray-black, long, uneven one, about 120 to 130 meters tall?"
Chu Tian nodded, "That's it."
Sun Weiguo didn't believe it, "What thing can warm you up?"
Chu Tian laughed, "Is it warm? Didn't you stay in that house for a while just now?"
Sun Weiguo was amazed. "It's amazing. You can actually keep warm with that?"
Then he turned to Yao Youjun, who was carefully reading the documents, and shouted, "Brother Youjun, work hard and try to move into the building as soon as possible."
Yao Youjun raised his head and said "ah" in confusion, obviously not paying attention to what Sun Weiguo said.
Back at the brigade entrance, Chu Tian said to Sun Weiguo, who was about to drive the carriage back to the stable, "I won't go with you tomorrow to deliver the goods. Can you ask Brother Baoguo to come with you?"
Sun Weiguo nodded. "Is it still the same time this morning?"
Chu Tian said "hmm" and walked back with Yao Youjun.
Sun Weiguo parked the carriage, poured hay and water for the horses, and prepared to walk back with the sacks on the carriage. He had taken two steps when he paused and slapped his forehead with a cry of "Oops!" He had forgotten to pay Brother Tian! Forget it, I'll pay it tomorrow!
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