60s: I have a store

Chapter 588: Startled

Li Anguo waited until everyone in the office had left before he slowly packed up his things. He didn't want to leave work with his colleagues.

He was afraid of them, so on the way back, he kept asking Zhou Yimin what they had discussed when they asked him to come into the office.

Although Li Anguo knew what to say and what not to say, he was most afraid that he would blurt things out without thinking, and then there would be no way to cover it up.

After Li Anguo rode his bicycle back home, he ate a few bites of food, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and returned to his room.

This made Li Anguo's parents very strange. Usually Li Anguo ate a lot, so why did he eat so little today? However, they saw that the door of the room was closed.

Li Anguo's mother then spoke up: "My dear? Your son is acting so abnormally, shouldn't you pay attention to him?"

However, Li Anguo's father said, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. If you care too much, it will make your son disgusted!"

After hearing this, Li Anguo's mother had no choice but to give up and go in to ask what had happened.

After Li Anguo returned to the room, he carefully took out the notebook given by Xiao Zhao, and then read the contents carefully. The more he read, the more shocked he was.

Intuitively, the above content will definitely be helpful for tomorrow. If you are not careful, you will be so engrossed in reading that before you know it, it is dawn.

When Li Anguo came to his senses, he was shocked when he saw the light outside the window. He saw the dawn without realizing it. He had no time to catch up on his sleep. He hurriedly packed up his things and got familiar with the place. He didn't even have time to eat breakfast.

I rode my bike towards the steel plant.

But he was still a little late. When Li Anguo arrived at the parking shed, he found Zhou Yimin was already waiting. He quickly locked his bicycle and trotted over.

"I'm sorry, Chief Zhou, I kept you waiting."

Zhou Yimin was thinking about something when he was startled by the sudden voice. He looked up and saw Li Anguo with dark circles under his eyes. He couldn't help but tease, "Anguo, did you steal last night?"

Li Anguo heard it and scratched his head, a little embarrassed: "Chief Zhou, I was too excited yesterday and didn't sleep the whole night, so..."

Of course he couldn't tell anyone about Xiao Zhao's notes, so he could only find a random excuse.

Zhou Yimin did not continue to ask: "Get in the car!"

After saying that, he took a step forward and got on the motorcycle.

Li Anguo didn't expect that he would be so lucky that he could ride a motorcycle in his lifetime. He stepped on it carefully.

Zhou Yimin was no longer surprised by this kind of situation, so he just waited patiently. After a while, Li Anguo got on the motorcycle.

Then he accelerated, which scared Li Anguo, and he subconsciously hugged Zhou Yimin.

It was the first time for Zhou Yimin to encounter such a situation. Being held by a man, he felt indescribably strange: "An Guo, you can hold on to the back."

Li Anguo realized that he had done something wrong: "I'm sorry, Chief Zhou!"

He quickly let go of his hand and grabbed the handrail at the back.

Zhou Yimin didn't care and continued driving his motorcycle towards Lijia Village.

This scene happened to be seen by Lao Zhang, who was still muttering in his heart, and said that there was nothing to do and they could go out together today.

Immediately after returning to Purchasing Department 4, he told the news.

The wind blew in with the smell of engine oil, blowing up the strands of hair on his forehead.

The half helmet Zhou Yimin was wearing shone coldly in the sun, and he shouted loudly: "Hold on! Let's take a shortcut!"

Before he finished speaking, the motorcycle suddenly accelerated, and the tires made a harsh sound as they rubbed against the asphalt road.

The country road was bumpy, and when the wheels rolled over the gravel, Li Anguo was almost bounced up, but was quickly pushed back into his seat by inertia.

This sense of speed that he had never experienced before made him both nervous and excited. His back under his work clothes was already soaked with sweat, but he was reluctant to let go of his hands holding the iron frame.

The poplar trees on both sides of the road retreated rapidly, and the leaves rustled, as if cheering for them.

"This road leads directly to the back mountain of Lijia Village!" Zhou Yimin's voice came mixed with the sound of the wind.

"This time, I'll bring you here, but next time you have to come by yourself. Remember to know the way." These words were like a spark that ignited the desire in Li Anguo's heart.

This is a rare opportunity to prove himself, and he certainly won't miss it.

When the motorcycle drove onto the winding mountain road, the view suddenly became clear.

The green hills in the distance were looming in the mist, and smoke was rising from the Lijia Village at the foot of the mountain.

Li Anguo looked at the beautiful scenery in front of him and suddenly felt his chest swelling and his eyes slightly hot.

This was the first time he had followed the section chief out since he joined the company, and it was also the first time that his leader trusted him and gave him such an opportunity.

Otherwise, I would have to worry about not being able to complete the task and being demoted to the workshop. Now I don’t have that worry.

When the motorcycle turned the last corner, Zhou Yimin released the accelerator and glided slowly.

Only then did Li Anguo realize that his fingers had become stiff and numb from holding the iron frame for a long time.

But at this moment, he didn't care about these things, his eyes were fixed on the direction of the village entrance, his heart was full of expectation and anxiety. He secretly vowed to seize this opportunity to prove his ability.

The old locust trees in Lijia Village rustled in the morning breeze. This was the third time that Village Chief Li asked about the time. If he had not discussed it with the old branch secretary, everyone would have thought he was joking.

It was already past the agreed time, but I couldn't leave for fear that Zhou Yimin would show up as soon as I left.

"We're here!" The motorcycle stopped steadily under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village.

Li Anguo jumped out of the car. His legs were still a little weak, but he couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes.

"Chief Zhou! We've finally got you here!" The roar of the motorcycle had not yet stopped, but Village Chief Li had already rushed to the front of the car, his calloused hands hanging in the air. He wanted to help turn off the engine but was afraid of crossing the line.

Seven or eight villagers followed behind him, some holding freshly picked green-shelled walnuts, some holding crumpled papers filled with numbers, and all their eyes fell on Zhou Yimin's greasy half helmet.

"Village Chief Li, let me introduce you. This is Xiao Li who is in charge of this purchase." Zhou Yimin took off his helmet and shook his hair that was flattened.

Li Anguo jumped down from the back seat clumsily, his overalls still stained with mud from the road at the knees, but Village Chief Li grabbed his hand and said, "Oh! It's our savior! Come in and have some tea!"

The temperature of the other person's palm was so hot that his eyes were sore, and there was straw from the chicken coop stuck in the cracks between the other person's fingernails.

Village chief Li brought Zhou Yimin and others to his home. This kind of thing must be discussed at the dinner table.

So he asked his wife to prepare the food in advance, so that as soon as Zhou Yimin and his friends arrived, they could start serving the dishes. The morning glory on the courtyard wall had mostly wilted, but the spring couplets on the wooden door, which read "A bumper harvest", were still bright red.

Village Chief Li rubbed his hands that were covered with chicken feed, and took the initiative to lift the blue cloth curtain. The corn cobs hanging on the door frame were knocked against the curtain. "Chief Zhou, Xiao Li, come in quickly! We don't have anything good at home, so just make do with this to fill our stomachs!"

The table in the main hall has been set up: a large coarse porcelain plate is piled with shiny braised chicken pieces, the meat on the chicken legs almost falling off the bones.

The celadon bowl was filled with golden egg custard, the surface was sprinkled with chopped green onions still covered with dew, the bamboo basket was filled with snow-white steamed buns, and the hot air wrapped in the aroma of wheat wafted in the air.

Village chief Li's wife, wearing a faded blue apron, was bringing out a bowl of hot and sour soup from the kitchen. The wood ear mushrooms and day lilies that had settled at the bottom of the bowl were swaying, which made Li Anguo's Adam's apple roll.

"Sit down! Sit down!" Village chief Li shouted at the top of his voice, and the wooden stool he pushed over was still warm from the sun.

Zhou Yimin noticed the only meat dish on the table - a plate of braised chicken. The chicken feet had been neatly chopped off, obviously leaving the best parts for the guests.

Village Chief Li grabbed the wine gourd and poured wine into the coarse porcelain bowl. The amber liquid splashed on the edge of the bowl: "Home-brewed jujube wine, Chief Zhou, try it!"

"Village Chief Li, this is too much of a waste." Zhou Yimin held down the wine bowl and glanced at the dried sweet potatoes piled at the foot of the wall.

"These are just commonplace meals." Village Chief Li blushed, with beads of sweat oozing from the wrinkles on his neck: "Chief Zhou, you have helped our village so much, but we can't even set up a formal banquet."

He suddenly raised his voice: "Mother, cut two pieces of bacon from the cupboard!"

Zhou Yimin quickly stopped them: "Village Chief Li, we can't finish all of this, there's no need to waste it."

I don't lack these foods, so there is no need to ask others to treat me to a meal and spend all my savings.

After hearing this, Village Chief Li gave up.

Li Anguo's throat tightened as he looked at the oily chicken soup in the bowl.

He remembered the stewed chicken that his family could only eat during the Chinese New Year, which also had the same greasy aroma.

As soon as the chopsticks touched the chicken, Li, the village chief's wife, picked up a bigger chicken leg and said, "Eat more, young man. You look so skinny!"

There was still flour on the old man's apron, and the smile lines at the corners of his eyes were filled with unspeakable warmth.

After three rounds of drinking, Village Chief Li's tongue was a little tangled, but he still held Zhou Yimin's wrist tightly: "Chief Zhou, tell me the truth, can this batch of chickens be sold at the price of Taojia Village?"

Zhou Yimin said at this time: "It still depends on the quality of the chicken and the decision of the factory."

Even he couldn't make the decision on large purchases, so he had to let Director Ding make the decision.

Li Anguo watched the two people gesticulating under the dim light. He was drunk and his eyes felt a little hot.

The chicken soup in the bowl has cooled down, but it still warms the stomach.

He suddenly realized that this table was not just a fine meal, but contained the hopes of the entire village.

When Village Chief Li's wife put another egg in his bowl, he finally stopped refusing. The sound of him eating rice was mixed with the crowing of roosters outside the window.

When the midday sun dyed the fence of the chicken farm amber, Zhou Yimin pushed open the creaking bamboo door, and a heat wave mixed with the smell of hay and livestock hit him in the face.

Village chief Li led the way holding a rusty flashlight. The beam of light swept across the densely packed chicken coops. The white-feathered chickens flapped their wings as if frightened, and their fine fluff fluttered in the light.

"Chief Zhou, look!" Village Chief Li stepped forward quickly on the straw on the ground, his rubber shoes sinking into the soft soil. "These reed chickens have been raised for six months. Each one has grown up eating wild insects and feed!"

He bent down and picked up a fat hen. The chicken's claws left muddy marks on his coarse shirt. "Feel the breast meat. It's very firm!"

Zhou Yimin pressed his fingers on the chicken breast, which felt springy but not soft, and his nostrils were filled with the fragrance of fresh grass.

He squatted down to check the drainage trough at the bottom of the chicken coop and found that the rice husks on the bottom were dry and fluffy, with almost no manure accumulation: "The epidemic prevention measures are well done, and insect-proof nets are installed at the ventilation holes."

Before he finished speaking, Village Chief Li immediately perked up, with straw debris in the wrinkles on his neck: "It's all according to the method you gave to Taojia Village last time!"

Li Anguo half-knelt on the muddy ground, with his notebook spread across his knees, recording rapidly.

Amid the rustling sound of the pen tip scratching the paper, he looked up at the flock of chickens in the twilight - the necks of the egret chickens pacing between the fences had a metallic luster, their claws dug up the soil to dig out earthworms, and they made cheerful clucking sounds.

Village Chief Li's hand holding the flashlight was shaking slightly, and the light cast a patchwork of light and dark on Zhou Yimin's profile.

He suddenly grabbed the other person's arm and said, "Chief Zhou, we will do whatever you say!"
There were the sounds of barking dogs and the clamor of chickens returning to their roosts. Li Anguo looked at Zhou Yimin's profile as he was explaining seriously, and suddenly felt that his work clothes, which were covered with chicken feathers and dirt, were straighter than any uniform.

When dusk completely enveloped the chicken farm, Li Anguo closed his notebook and found that his cuffs were stained with fresh chicken manure.

But he didn't care about these. He just followed Zhou Yimin's footsteps and shuttled between the chicken coops of different heights.

The beam of Village Chief Li's flashlight swept back and forth in the chicken coop, illuminating each chicken flapping its wings.

His rubber shoes were deeply sunken in the mud mixed with straw. His rough palms stroked the shiny feathers of the chickens, and a soothing "cluck" sound came from his throat.

"This is it, the breast meat is as big as a steamed bun!" As he said this, he suddenly picked up a hen weighing six pounds, but suddenly stopped when he handed it to Zhou Yimin - the other party's hand in white gloves was suspended in the air and he did not take it immediately.

"Village Chief Li, we need to take a few samples back and wait for the factory leaders to study it." Zhou Yimin's voice was mixed with the crowing of roosters, steady and thoughtful.

He looked at the dense flock of chickens in the cage. The floating fluff in the flashlight looked like tiny snowflakes. "There are so many chickens involved. My words don't count."

Village chief Li's hand holding the chicken froze in place. A trace of loss flashed in his cloudy eyes, but soon turned into understanding.

He turned around and gently put the chicken back into the cage, moving very slowly, for fear of startling these precious poultry: "Chief Zhou is right! This is a big deal, we really need to be cautious!"

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and rubbed it on his coarse trouser legs: "I will pick the best ones and weigh each one!"

The bamboo chicken coop made a creaking sound as it was carried out.

Village chief Li squatted on the mud, examining the color of the chicken's feathers and the thickness of its claws one by one as if he were selecting treasures.

From time to time, he turned his head and asked the old breeder beside him: "Is this crown red enough?"

"Is that tail neatly furred?"

The five chickens finally selected were kept individually in small bamboo cages, each of them glowing like satin in the moonlight.

"These are the first-laying hens, and their meat is the most tender!" Village chief Li tied the bamboo cage to the back seat of the motorcycle, tied and untied the hemp rope knot, and tied and untied it again. After repeatedly confirming that it was firm, he felt relieved.

Soon Zhou Yimin brought the samples from Lijia Village back to the steel plant.

(End of this chapter)