Courtyard House: I, the eldest son of the Jia family, have returned from the battlefield.

The office was filled with the aroma of tea.

After seeing Director Lin off, Jia Dongming turned to the four people who followed him in and said, "You are all veterans who have fought your way up in the military."

Although the place has changed, the bones cannot rust.

Starting today, all subjects will resume daily drills.

Second Captain Chen Jianfei frowned: "Section Chief, the duty of the Security Section is to guard the factory and defend against enemies and spies."

"Right now, supplies are so scarce they're like a noose around our necks. If training starts, the brothers won't have any decent food, and they might even ruin their health, which would then interfere with our mission."

Jia Dongming was taken aback—he was so focused on sharpening the blade that he forgot that a knife needs both a blacksmith and firewood.

After a moment of silence, he looked at Zhang Guoping, the head of the logistics section: "Old Zhang, is there any leeway in logistics?"

Zhang Guoping smiled wryly: "The meat processing plant only allocates 50 jin of pork fat to us every month. There are thousands of people in the steel rolling mill, and the total is only about 1,000 jin."

"Section Chief, even if you dismembered me and boiled me into soup, you wouldn't get a single ounce of oil out of me."

Jia Dongming lightly tapped the table with his fingertips.

As dusk settled outside the window, the distant factory buildings resembled a crouching behemoth.

He knew Zhang Guoping was telling the truth, but that truth could not be a reason for the blade to break.

Chen Jianfei and Zhang Guoping recounted their difficulties one after the other, and Jia Dongming understood the underlying meaning in their words.

His face remained expressionless, but his gaze was fixed on Chen Jianfei's face: "Comrade Jianfei, back when we were fighting the Japanese, we lacked food and clothing, but we still made it through, didn't we? No matter how hard life is now, can it be harder than when we were crawling through a hail of bullets? If we abandon training because of a lack of resources, what kind of image will that have if word gets out?"

As he expected, things turned out exactly as he predicted.

Director Lin of the Security Department has always been in poor health, and the three captains have long been in charge of all the affairs of the department.

There were already rumors circulating that the higher-ups were going to choose one of the three to succeed Director Lin.

For this reason, the three of them were polite to each other on the surface, but they had already been arguing back and forth countless times.

Who would have thought that when Director Lin was about to retire, the higher-ups would send a section chief from outside, effectively cutting off their path to promotion.

The air in the office felt thick and heavy.

There's a reason why Chen Jianfei dared to push forward so boldly—among the three, he was originally the one with the highest voice in favor of moving up.

Faced with Jia Dongming's words, he not only did not back down, but straightened his back even more: "Section Chief Jia, I am in charge of dozens of people in the second team, so I have to think about them."

Training can be resumed, but you need to get your nutrition sorted out first.

As long as the food is adequate, Mingtian from the Second Battalion can conduct morning exercises as usual.

Guo Jianguo, the captain of a large group of police officers standing to the side, saw Chen Jianfei's unyielding stance, his face remained calm, but he secretly cheered in his heart.

He continued, "Section Chief Jia, it's not that we're deliberately making things difficult for you."

The past two years have been tough; most of the men in the team have families to support, and their health has deteriorated.

"If the training intensity is too high and someone collapses, it's not just one person's problem; the whole family will panic."

Li Aijun from the Third Battalion watched the two men singing in unison, cursing them as idiots in his heart. But remembering their earlier private agreement, he changed his mind and said, "Section Chief Jia, I think it would be better if we continued with drills and shooting as usual, but put the physical fitness tests on hold for now."

"We can replenish our supplies once we figure out how to get some meat."

Jia Dongming's gaze slowly swept across the four faces opposite him, and a thought settled in his mind: Once we've settled down here, none of these four can be left behind.

He didn't show it on his face, but solemnly said, "I'll figure out a way to solve the nutrition problem."

"Training will proceed as Comrade Aijun suggested for now: drills and shooting will continue as usual; physical training will be discussed once meat is available."

Seeing that Jia Dongming had finally given in, Chen Jianfei felt an irrepressible surge of pride rising in his chest. He thought to himself: No matter how powerful you are, once you enter the Security Section, even a dragon has to coil up.

His mind was in turmoil, but he asked calmly, "Section Chief Jia, if there's nothing else, shall we head back and make arrangements?"

Seeing the undisguised arrogance in him, Jia Dongming simply nodded calmly: "Go ahead, I'll contact you if I need anything."

As he watched the four people leave the office one after the other, and the door closed, Jia Dongming's face instantly darkened.

He knew very well that if the meat deal went through, he would secure his position in the department; if it didn't, his position as department head would likely become a mere figurehead, left powerless by the three brigade leaders.

The first thought that came to mind was to go to Li Huaide and ask him to allocate some quota from the steel mill's logistics department.

But then he remembered the troubled tone Zhang Guoping had when he was explaining the factory's situation, and he immediately put the thought aside.

He paced back and forth in the office, his hands behind his back, his mind racing through names.

Suddenly, a name popped into my head. "How could I have forgotten him..."

Jia Dongming muttered to himself, his memory suddenly becoming clear: when he was demobilized and left the team, the old brigade commander mentioned that Xiao Heping had gone back to his hometown and was now the deputy director of Changping Commune.

With that thought in mind, he no longer hesitated, walked to his desk, pressed the black telephone, vigorously cranked the handle, and then picked up the receiver: "Is this the switchboard? Please connect me to Changping Commune and speak to Deputy Director Xiao Heping."

A deep male voice, with a northern accent, came from the receiver of the old-fashioned telephone in Changping Commune: "Hello, who is it?"

Jia Dongming immediately leaned closer to the microphone and replied in a loud voice, "Hello comrade, I'm from the security department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. I'd like to speak to Comrade Xiao Heping. Please ask him to take the call."

Upon hearing that it was the steel mill's security department, the middle-aged man on the other end immediately became more serious: "Please wait a moment, I'll go and fetch Deputy Director Xiao right away."

About two or three minutes later, footsteps approached from a distance, followed by a slightly puzzled voice: "This is Xiao Heping. Who is looking for me?"

Jia Dongming's lips curled into a smile, and he deliberately lowered his voice, adding a touch of old familiarity: "Er Mao, guess who I am?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a joyful shout: "Old Jia? Jia Dongming! It's you, kid!"

Xiao Heping's voice suddenly rose, "That's not right. I heard a while ago that you were in the plateau troops, and the division was even preparing to promote you. How come you've suddenly become someone at the steel rolling mill? Did you... also transfer to civilian work?"

Jia Dongming's smile faded slightly as he looked out the window, but his tone remained casual: "On the plateau, I dealt with a few unruly Indian prisoners, and I was a little too rough with them."

My old superior cared for me, so he let me go back to my hometown.

Xiao Heping knew his old comrade-in-arms all too well; behind those few light words, there must be twists and turns that were not for outsiders to know.

But he didn't press further, instead following the conversation warmly: "How long have you been back? When are you free to come to Changping? I'll give you all the good wine and meat you can eat here!"

"meat"

Upon hearing the words, Jia Dongming's eyes flickered. He was just wondering how to start the conversation when this was practically a ladder handed to him.

He continued, "I've been back for a while now, and the organization has assigned me to be in charge of the security department at the steel rolling mill."

"Old Xiao, to be honest, I've called you here today for two reasons: first, to catch up with old friends, and second, because I really have a tricky matter I'd like to ask for your help with."

"What is it? Just tell me! As long as it's within my power, I, Xiao Heping, will do it without hesitation!"

Xiao Heping answered crisply and decisively.

Jia Dongming stopped beating around the bush and said in a deep voice, "Today is my first day in office, and the captains under me have already given me a difficult problem."

The reason why the comrades in Corey were lax in their training was because of the poor food and inadequate nutrition.

This inscription is clearly meant to sow discord among us newcomers.

Having gained experience in local government for several years, Xiao Heping immediately sensed the underlying motive and chuckled, "I reckon this position of head of the security section was originally meant to be filled by one of those brigade leaders, right? Your arrival has ruined their future, so why would they treat you well? This is setting a rule for you."

"You see through it all."

Jia Dongming nodded, "The most important thing right now is to get the training in the department going, win people's hearts, and establish a firm foothold."

As for the rest, we'll deal with them gradually.

So, I'd like to ask you to help me see if you can spare some meat from Changping? At least we can get through this situation.

Xiao Heping pondered for a moment and said, "I can arrange for you to get an unplanned pig."

However, Lao Jia, one pig can't quench a long-term thirst; it can only be used to deal with an immediate problem.

The root of your problem probably doesn't lie in this meal.

Jia Dongming knew this all too well. His expression was calm, but his tone was resolute: "You have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time."

The first order I issued was to reorganize and train, and this order must be carried out.

"Stand firm, then you can speak."

"Alright, I understand what you mean."

Xiao Heping said no more. "Zhu Ni Mingtian will send someone to pick it up. According to the old rules, it's seven cents a pound."

Do you think this will work?

Jia Dongming felt relieved, and his voice became lighter: "Old Xiao, I'll remember this favor."

"Come to the city another day, I'll do the winter feast, and we'll have a good get-together."

"We brothers don't need to say such formal things."

Xiao Heping laughed and said, "Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll definitely come to the city to bother you."

Jia Dongming hung up the phone, the smile still lingering on his lips.

The shadow of the sycamore tree outside the window slanted across the glass. He stood up, his leather shoes tapping out a light rhythm on the cement floor.

As he walked down the corridor, he called out to the open door of the logistics office, "Comrade Guoping, please come here for a moment."

Sitting behind a pile of documents, Zhang Guoping looked up when he heard the sound, and his heart sank.

He closed the ledger he was registering, and as he stood up, his sleeve accidentally knocked over the enamel mug, spilling half a cup of cold tea onto the ledger.

He didn't bother wiping himself and hurriedly followed them out.

Upon entering the section chief's office, Zhang Guoping began to complain before the other party could even speak: "Section Chief, our section only has one purchasing agent, and we're struggling to keep up with our daily supplies."

If it's thirty or fifty pounds of meat, we can still find a way to make ends meet, but any more than that...

He rubbed his hands together, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Jia Dongming was taking a tea canister out of the drawer when he heard this and paused.

He sprinkled some tea leaves into the enamel mug, then slowly poured water from the thermos, the steam blurring his glasses. "Comrade Guoping,"

He blew away the foam, "I've already taken care of the meat."

Early in the morning, Mingtian, you take the car to Changping Commune to find Deputy Director Xiao Heping.

There's a pig waiting for us there; we'll proceed with the procurement process at the highest price.

Zhang Guoping was stunned, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out a sound: "A pig? A whole one?"

"The whole head."

Jia Dongming took off his glasses and wiped them. "Take two capable people with you."

The security department canteen will have meat the day after tomorrow at noon.

He paused, then added, "Tell the comrades to bring an extra lunchbox."

"Buy some to take home, so the elderly and children can have a little bit too."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a deep pool.

Zhang Guoping suddenly straightened his back, and the flicker of unease in his eyes was instantly replaced by a burning light. "Mission accomplished!"

His voice trembled slightly, "The logistics section... no, our entire security department, will never let our leaders down!"

Jia Dongming picked up his teacup, his expression obscured by the rising steam: "Go."

The vehicle must be securely installed.

In the logistics office, Lao Liu was dozing off at his desk.

Zhang Guoping rushed in, tapping his knuckles on the table: "Old Liu, contact the convoy! Mingzao needs a car to go to Changping!"

Old Liu woke up with a start, wiping his face: "Section Chief, what's this...?"

"The section chief transferred a fat pig from Changping."

Zhang Guoping lowered his voice, but the wrinkles around his eyes couldn't hide his smile. "The cafeteria will start serving meat the day after tomorrow, and everyone can take some home."

Old Liu stared with his mouth agape, and the pen in his hand clattered onto the register.

He jumped up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a screeching sound: "Really? It's only the first day..."

"Go quickly!"

Zhang Guoping waved his hand, but then turned to look out the window.

The factory loudspeakers were broadcasting a rousing march, and the sycamore leaves were edged with gold in the twilight.

The news spread silently, like the wind passing through a screen window.

In the security office, two young officers whispered to each other; on the training field, someone deliberately stomped their feet loudly as they finished their exercises; at the corner of the stairs, the old sweeper stopped sweeping and squinted as he listened to the cheerful footsteps in the corridor.

In the factory manager's office on the third floor, on the winter side, Li Huaide pushed aside the reports in front of him. "Pigs?"