Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 522 House Viewing

Old Xu gave a wry smile and said, "Let's talk about this later, without arguing. To be honest, how many workers, including those in large state-owned factories, can actually follow the rules? It might be okay for a day or two, but over ten or eight years, there will always be times when they neglect their duties."

Xiao Wei said, "That's why there's reform now. This phenomenon only shows the dereliction of duty by the leadership." Xiao Wei turned to Lao Xu's apprentice and asked, "Can you guys manage not to smoke or drink at work?"

The two apprentices exchanged a glance and said, "We don't know if he can drink or smoke, but we wouldn't dare say for sure."

Xiao Wei said, "It's not that you can't smoke, it's that you're not allowed to smoke when you're on the machine."

The apprentice nodded and said, "No, it'll only take a little while."

Xiao Wei said to Lao Xu, "Set up a smoking room in the workshop. Anyone caught smoking there will be fined twenty yuan per instance."

Old Xu rubbed his face and said, "Let's try it first. The government has never been this strict before. Will it work?"

Xiao Wei said, "Our wages are definitely higher than the government's, so isn't it normal to have stricter requirements? What's the point of all this? Isn't it so that they can earn money and support their families without getting hurt? If a worker can't even accept this, then we don't need him. If he wants to risk his life and go somewhere else to have fun, I won't go with him."

Old Xu's apprentice said, "Master, I think Brother Xiao Wei is right. It's much safer not to drink or smoke."

Another apprentice nodded and said, "Yes, like what happened to Old Hou a while ago. He was smoking while he was sawing, and the smoke got into his eyes, so he ran away from the saw. If he had been doing some serious work that day, it wouldn't have just been a fall; he would have lost his hand."

Old Xu laughed and said, "The first thing they're doing is keeping an eye on me. I never stop smoking before I start working. Okay, let's leave it at that for now."

Xiao Wei said, "I'll have someone come and modify the equipment to add as many safety measures as possible."

……

The train let out a long whistle, trembled a few times, and began to slow down; it had arrived at the station. Large amounts of white steam billowed from under the train, enveloping half of it, making it appear as if it were riding on clouds. This was a provincial train, still using a steam engine.

The train came to a stop, and the passengers stood up, grabbed their belongings, and prepared to get off. Xiao Wei and his three friends were right behind a group of young men playing cards. They were probably workers from a state-owned factory. They were shouting and talking about where to go for drinks after getting off the train, mocking who was afraid of their wives and who was stingy. They walked off the train noisily.

As the crowded flow of people poured out of the station exit and into the bustling station square, the four of them didn't linger. They walked along the road towards the river. Andong Railway Station runs east-west and is perpendicular to the Yalu River. The station is very close to the river, only a few hundred meters away.

The reason I walked here instead of taking a taxi wasn't because I was stingy; it was because I needed to find a place to eat. These days, people who travel frequently don't eat near the train station—it's definitely expensive, and you'd find all sorts of people there, which wouldn't feel safe.

As Xiao Wei walked, he said to Lao Xu, "That building used to be a restaurant, and the food was pretty good and quite unique. But now that I bought it, I can't get any. I wonder where the chef went to work—maybe at the Andong Grain Bureau."

Old Xu said, "You still want to hire someone? These days, unless you're pushed to the limit, not many people will give up their government jobs. It's a safe bet."

Xiao Wei said, "I've been thinking about that, but we'll see. It depends on fate. What do you want to eat? This is a restaurant, isn't it?"

Old Xu said, "Let them choose, I'm fine with whatever I want to eat."

The two apprentices, Xie Dongzi and Yu Shui, were both around seventeen or eighteen years old. After whispering to each other for a while, Xie Dongzi said, "Master, can we eat some prawns? Mantis shrimp or something?"

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, whatever you want to eat, which place do you want to go to?"

The meal cost over seventy yuan. After eating, the four of them walked along the road to the house.

The sidewalk was still a bit dilapidated, with lush poplar trees. The cake shop run by people from Jiangsu and Zhejiang was still open, with the sign just a piece of iron plate with the four big characters for birthday cake written in red oil. In front of the grocery store, Old Wu sat on a chair with a fan in his hand, looking up at the sky.

The restaurant has been completely renovated. The main entrance has been replaced with a full-length glass door, the windows on the first floor are all floor-to-ceiling glass, and the windows on the second floor are made of PVC. The walls have been carefully renovated and look clean and brand new.

Xiao Wei called out, "Old Wu, so relaxed?"

Old Wu, the grocer, opened his squinting eyes and turned to look at him. He immediately smiled and said, "Oh, the big boss is here. You've come to see the house? It's all ready. Little Xie left his pager here, I'll call it for you." He got up, put his fan on the chair, and went inside.

Old Xu asked, "You know them?"

Xiao Wei said, "I've eaten here twice, bought things from him, and used his phone a few times before."

Old Xu nodded, looked at the house and asked, "This is the one, right?" He walked over and peered through the glass. Old Wu came out and said, "He'll be here soon. I have the key." He handed the key to Xiao Wei.

Xiao Wei took the key, opened the glass door, and the five people went inside.

Everything that could be demolished was emptied, including the original partitioned rooms. Old Wu said, "These few rooms behind the kitchen weren't demolished; they were cleared out. These rooms were built directly when the house was first constructed; they're load-bearing. The back and upstairs rooms were all demolished. Now it's really spacious; this house was worth it, it's really big. What are you planning to do, boss?"

Xiao Wei walked to the back and said, "You run a restaurant? I run a restaurant. From now on, Boss Wu, you have to come here to eat. I'll give you a discount."

Old Xu laughed and said, "Forget it, he'd have to sell his shop to eat here."

Old Wu scratched his back with his fan and said, "This shop isn't mine. I just get paid. If it's too expensive, we can't afford it."

The windows that were originally blocked off in the wall were all removed and replaced with PVC windows, making the whole room brighter. The wiring and light bulbs were all installed, and Old Wu went to the side to turn on the light. The part behind was blocked by the surrounding buildings, so the natural light was still a bit dim.

The walls were painted a pristine white. Old Wu said, "Xiao Xie is a meticulous worker. He fixed everything outside for you, and he did a really good job with the corners and windows. Look at that." He pointed to the windows.

Xiao Wei opened a window and peeked out. It was indeed done; the surface was smooth and angular. Outside were two rows of trees and several flower beds, the flower beds overgrown with weeds. A red brick path connected the trees and flower beds. Beyond that was the kindergarten.

The eerie atmosphere that once filled the house had long since dissipated, and it was no longer recognizable as it once was. The back door could now be opened, replaced by two newly made wooden doors with two panes of glass for light to pass through.

(End of this chapter)