Reborn in '77, I have a job panel!

[As the title says, thank you to the generous sponsor of monthly tickets!]

"Understood, Director Liu. When would be a convenient time for you to introduce me to the head of the General Affairs Department?"

Liu Baoshan thought for a moment and said, "How about this, in a couple of days, after you've made a few deliveries and things have settled down, I'll take you to see the section chief."

"Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Director."

As Qian Lu stepped out of the office, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Chengzi, is that all?"

"It's done." Qian Cheng smiled. "Brother, you'll have work to do from now on."

Qian Lu chuckled twice: "Okay, this job is easy, much better than going down the mine."

The two walked back.

On the way, Qian Cheng was making plans in his mind.

Forty catties of bean sprouts a day, at one cent per catty, that's four yuan a day. After deducting costs, one catty of soybeans yields eight or nine catties of bean sprouts, with a cost of less than two cents. The gross profit per catty of bean sprouts is a little over eight cents. Forty catties, you can earn more than three yuan a day.

After a month, it's almost a hundred yuan.

Even disregarding the profit share, plus the retail sales at the market, it only takes two months to pay off the master's debt.

Once the debt is paid off, I can save money for other projects.

Qian Cheng thought of those mountain products.

Wood ear mushrooms, mushrooms, and hazelnuts can be harvested in early spring.

If we could collect those as well and sell them in the city, that would be another way to make money.

But no rush, let's get the bean sprout business sorted out first.

Back in the village, Qian Cheng first went to the brigade headquarters and told Lao Li about the situation.

After listening, Old Li slapped the table and laughed, "Well done, kid! You actually managed to close the deal!"

Qian Cheng smiled and said, "Uncle, this is just the beginning. Once things stabilize, the team will get a share too."

Old Li nodded: "Okay, whatever you need, the team will support you."

It was getting dark when I left the brigade headquarters.

When Qian Cheng returned home, Hou Yufen was cooking. Seeing him come back, she quickly asked, "How did it go?"

"Okay, from now on, deliver forty catties a day, at one mao per catty."

Hou Yufen did the math, her eyes lighting up: "How much can I earn in a month?"

"Around a hundred yuan."

Hou Yufen nodded, asked no further questions, and continued with her work.

Qian Cheng sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed) and opened a book.

Student proficiency +1

【...】

Qian Lu came again that evening.

He handed a piece of meat to Hou Yufen, saying, "Mom, we're in a good mood today, so let's have an extra dish."

Hou Yufen took the meat, then paused, surprised. "Where did this come from?"

"It's been purchased. Chengzi has finalized the deal. Now we'll have some income, so we can improve our lives."

Hou Yufen didn't say anything more, took the meat and went to the kitchen to get busy.

Qian Cheng looked at Qian Lu and said, "Brother, you'll come with me to deliver goods tomorrow. Once you've done a few deliveries and become familiar with the process, you can do it all by yourself from now on."

Qian Lu nodded: "Okay."

The two chatted for a while longer, and then the eldest sister-in-law arrived. The whole family sat down to eat, creating a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

After finishing their meal, Qian Cheng explained the bean sprouting process to Qian Lu again.

"Brother, come early tomorrow morning so we can harvest bean sprouts together. Watch me do it, and then you can do it yourself from now on."

Qian Lu nodded: "Okay."

The next morning, before dawn, Qian Lu arrived.

Qian Cheng had already harvested the first vat of bean sprouts and was packing them into baskets when he saw Qian Lu come in. He called out, "Brother, come on over and watch."

As he packed them, he said, "Be gentle when you collect them, don't break the bean sprouts. You don't need to trim the roots anymore, they were already trimmed when they sprouted. Pack them loosely in the basket, don't pack them too tightly, they'll spoil easily if packed too tightly."

Qian Lu watched from the side, taking careful notes.

After filling the two baskets, Qian Cheng picked them up and weighed them: "This basket weighs about twenty pounds, so the two baskets weigh exactly forty pounds."

He found a carrying pole, strung the two baskets together, and tried carrying it on his shoulder.

"Let's go, bro."

The two went out the door and headed towards the mining area.

It was just getting light, and there was no one on the road. The cold wind was blowing, and their faces stung a little, but the two of them walked quickly and their bodies were warm.

We arrived at the mining area around nine o'clock.

Entering through the back door, Liu Baoshan was already waiting.

"You're here?"

"Here it is." Qian Cheng put down the basket. "Director Liu, weigh it, it's at least forty jin (20 kg)."

Liu Baoshan asked the craftsman to weigh it. It was forty-one jin (approximately 10.5 kg). He nodded and said, "Okay, that's enough."

Qian Cheng said, "The extra pound is a free gift, it's not chargeable."

Liu Baoshan laughed: "You little rascal, you know how to handle things."

He handed the bean sprouts to his master, asking him to wash them and prepare them for lunch.

Qian Cheng said, "Director Liu, shall we deliver it at the same time tomorrow?"

"Okay." Liu Baoshan nodded. "Come every day at this time."

Qian Lu breathed a sigh of relief as he left the cafeteria.

"Chengzi, will you be delivering like this every day from now on?"

"Delivering every day, bro, are you sure you can manage?"

Qian Lu patted his chest and said, "Sure, what's wrong with that? It's just walking, much easier than going down the well."

The two walked back.

On the way, Qian Cheng said, "Brother, when you go back, get a few vats too, and make money the way I told you. Once you're able to make money on your own, I won't have to follow you around every day."

Qian Lu nodded: "Okay, I'll get back and get it done."

Back home, Qian Cheng harvested the second batch of bean sprouts, watered them, and checked the temperature again.

After finishing all that, he sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed) and opened a book.

That's how life goes.

Day by day, steadily and surely.

The nineteenth day of the first lunar month.

Before dawn, the money-making opportunity arrived.

Qian Cheng had just gotten up and was washing his face in the outer room.

Hearing the sound of the courtyard gate, he peeked out and saw Qian Lu walking in carrying an empty basket.

"Brother, so early?"

"What do you mean 'early'? It's not early at all." Qian Lu walked over. "We need to harvest the bean sprouts today, right? I was thinking of coming early so you could teach me how to harvest them."

Qian Cheng wiped his face, draped the towel on the rack, and led Qian Lu into the house.

The second vat of bean sprouts was placed by the kang (a heated brick bed), with an old cotton-padded coat covering the lid for warmth. Qian Cheng lifted the coat and opened the lid, releasing a fresh aroma of bean sprouts.

"Brother, look, this jar was filled the day before yesterday, and it's ripe today."

Qian Lu went over to take a look.

The jar was filled with tender white bean sprouts, all crowded together. The sprouts were two or three inches long, plump and adorable.

Qian Cheng took a step back and stood to the side with his arms crossed: "You take it, I'll watch."

Qian Lu was taken aback: "I'll accept it?"

"Okay." Qian Cheng nodded. "From now on, you'll have to do it yourself. I can't follow you around every day. You do it today, and I'll watch. If you do something wrong, I'll tell you."

Qian Lu was a little nervous. He rubbed his hands together and squatted down in front of the vat.

He reached in, gently pinched a handful of bean sprouts, and tried to take them out.

"Don't pull," Qian Cheng said from the side. "You have to lift it from the bottom up, one piece at a time. Don't pull, or it will break."

Qian Lu quickly let go and changed his posture.

He reached his hand to the bottom of the jar and slowly lifted it up, revealing a patch of bean sprouts, white and tender, each one neat and intact.

"Yes, like that, lift it up and put it in the basket next to you, gently, don't crush it."

Qian Lu put the handful of bean sprouts into the empty basket, then reached in to grab a second one.

He worked slowly, carefully making each stroke, afraid of breaking it.

After a dozen or so taps, about half of the bean sprouts in the jar had disappeared.