With Sun Xiangqian's resounding "guarantee to complete the task", Lu Qingyang felt relieved for the time being.
A few days later, accompanied by a long whistle, the green train coming from the north finally slowly stopped at the bustling platform of Suicheng Station.
Lu Qingyang and Zhou Jianshe had been waiting for a long time, their eyes searching anxiously in the outflowing stream.
"There!" Zhou Jianshe pointed in the direction of the exit with sharp eyes.
I saw Lao Bao carrying a bulging bag on his back and a heavy wicker box in his hand, which was obviously filled with medical books, manuscripts and medicinal specimens that he regarded as treasures.
Next to him was a young girl wearing a floral cotton shirt. It was Bao Xiangxiang.
She supported Lao Bao with one hand and held Bao Ruining tightly with her other hand.
"Old Bao, you've worked hard on the journey!" Lu Qingyang and Zhou Jianshe immediately came forward and took over the heavy luggage from Old Bao and Bao Xiangxiang.
A smile spread across Old Bao's dark, wrinkled face, and he patted Lu Qingyang's arm. "We're finally here! I'm so tired of riding this car that my bones are almost falling apart."
Lu Qingyang first sent them to the staff dormitory area next to Feihong Textile Factory.
This place is not far from the East Suburbs construction site, which makes it convenient for Lao Bao to go there for guidance at any time, and the living facilities are relatively complete.
When the car drove into the dormitory gate, Bao Xiangxiang's eyes widened instantly!
What came into view were not the scattered houses she had imagined, but rows of neat and uniform three-story buildings made of red bricks.
Although the style is simple, the scale is grand and you can't see the end at a glance.
Between the buildings lay broad cement paths lined with green trees. Downstairs, laundry hung out to dry, elderly people played with their children, and workers, freshly-off-duty, strolled by, chatting and laughing, carrying thermoses of water. It felt like a lively and orderly little community.
"Oh my god!" Bao Xiangxiang couldn't help but exclaim, "How big is this place? This... is this all where the workers live?"
Old Bao was also a little stunned, his weather-beaten face full of surprise, and he murmured, "How much does this textile factory cost?"
Lu Qingyang explained with a smile: "Don't be surprised, after all, there are more than 200 employees in the factory, and nearly half of them, including their families, live in this dormitory area.
This was originally a staff dormitory built for a textile factory. The buildings were all ready-made; we simply renovated and painted a few of them and connected them to water and electricity.”
He pointed to a building that was relatively quiet and had the best lighting. "The largest suite on the first floor, on the east side, is reserved for your family. Let's go in and take a look!"
Lu Qingyang led them through the single door and came to the east house on the first floor.
When I opened the door, the smell of freshly painted lime mixed with the smell of sunshine hit me in the face.
The room was unexpectedly spacious and bright.
Although it is an old structure, it has been carefully maintained.
The living room is square, with snow-white walls and a spotlessly clean cement floor.
There are two bedrooms connected inside, one large and one small, both equipped with glass windows, letting in warm sunlight.
The kitchen is shared and has running water.
What surprised Lao Bao the most was that there was a separate small room. Lu Qingyang specifically explained:
"This small room is bright and quiet, perfect for your study and storing medicinal specimens!"
Although the furniture was simple, with only a few basic beds, tables, chairs and cabinets, compared to Liuxi Brigade, this place was clean, bright and spacious, and it also had a separate kitchen and a small study that made Lao Bao very happy.
Bao Ruining ran around in several rooms, touching the snow-white walls, looking at the bright windows, and then ran to the kitchen to turn on the faucet. Cool tap water flowed out.
Bao Xiangxiang ran back to the living room, her face flushed with excitement. "This place is so great, a hundred times better than I imagined. There's running water and such big windows!"
Lao Bao also sighed with emotion: "I'm sorry for taking your time. This place is really nice."
Lu Qingyang smiled and greeted, "You must be hungry after traveling all this way. I've seen where to stay. Please leave your luggage here first and pack it up later."
Come on, I'll take you to our factory cafeteria to have a look and try our food. Living well is the first priority, and eating well is also very important."
"Canteen?" Bao Ruining, only nine years old, blinked his big eyes curiously. "Is it a big pot like the one at the brigade headquarters?"
Lu Qingyang smiled mysteriously: "Go and see, and you'll know. I guarantee it's different from what you think."
The group locked the door and followed Lu Qingyang through the dormitory area.
On the way, I met many workers who were leaving work. When they saw Lu Qingyang, they greeted him enthusiastically, "Hello, Director Lu!"
Seeing these unfamiliar faces, they all looked at them with friendly curiosity.
Bao Ruining looked at the surrounding walls and houses curiously.
After walking for a few minutes and passing several dormitory buildings, a red brick house appeared in front of us.
The food was bustling with activity and the aroma of food wafted over from afar.
"Wow! It's so big!" Bao Xiangxiang couldn't help but exclaim again.
The cafeteria in front of her was several times larger than she had imagined.
The spacious door was open, and the inside was filled with long tables and benches.
It was lunchtime, and the place was bustling with activity. Workers in blue overalls were carrying aluminum lunch boxes and queuing in long lines to get their meals.
Behind the window, steam was rising as the cook in a white hat was skillfully serving food to the workers.
Only two or three windows were open, and behind them were several large basins.
The dishes are far from dazzling, but they are clean.
The main dish is a large bowl of braised pork with winter melon - this is today's main meat dish. You can see a lot of winter melon and potato cubes. The braised pork is cut into small pieces, not a large amount, and the shiny soup soaks the vegetables.
The other large pot contains stir-fried seasonal vegetables, which, judging by their color, are seasonal water spinach or amaranth. They are stir-fried until they are bright green with very little oil.
There is also a bowl of steamed tofu with salted fish. A few pieces of white tofu are covered with a thin layer of salted fish shreds, which is salty and fragrant and goes well with rice.
A large wooden barrel contained the free soup, with a few pieces of vegetable leaves and winter melon peel floating in it.
A large bucket of white rice was steaming, and next to it was a basket of yellow flour buns.
There are no exquisite snacks, only the simplest staple foods.
The air is filled with the light aroma of fermented black beans, minced garlic and lard, which is the unique basic flavor of Cantonese hot pot dishes.
Bao Xiangxiang and Xiao Ruining watched curiously.
Although the dishes are simple, compared to the big pot stew of sauerkraut and potatoes that is common in rural Northeast China all year round, this meal with oily meat and southern vegetables still seems fresh.
Especially the aroma of braised winter melon and meat is particularly tempting.
Old Zhang, the cafeteria manager, came forward to greet him. "Director Lu! Welcome! This must be Comrade Bao, right? Thank you for your hard work along the way."
"Master Zhang, Lao Bao and the others have just arrived and haven't gotten their meal tickets yet. Please arrange their meals for the next few days." Lu Qingyang ordered.
“Of course I should, of course I should!”
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