Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

"Lin, come here and touch it."

Wang Chunmiao squatted down under the east wall, her palms pressed against the base of the wall.

A layer of dampness clung to the cement wall.

The color is darker near the ground, and when you step on it with your shoes, it leaves a wet mark.

Lin Xiuhe took off the rubber glove on her right hand and pressed her fingertips against the wall.

cold.

It was still a little wet.

She felt her way forward along the base of the wall and stopped beside a crack.

"Xiao Han, point the flashlight upwards."

Xiao Han held up the flashlight.

The light climbed up the wall and shone on a rusty drainpipe.

A ring of black mud had formed around the outside of the pipe opening.

Wang Chunmiao looked up.

"This pipe was clogged two years ago."

"Who made the call?"

"Old Wang."

She called out towards the door.

"father!"

The old worker leaning against the outside slowly walked in.

"Why did you call me again?"

"Was this pipe blocked two years ago?"

Old Wang craned his neck and looked at it for a while.

"It was blocked."

"How did the traffic jam start?"

"The locust tree outside the wall shed its leaves, which flowed into the ditch. That year, there was heavy rain, and the east wall remained wet for half a month."

Xiao Han asked, "How did you fix it later?"

"Poke it with a wire."

"How long did it take?"

"All afternoon."

After Old Wang finished speaking, he reached for the iron bar by the wall.

Lin Xiuhe stopped him.

"Don't poke it yet."

Why?

"If there's water inside, once you poke it open, it all flows onto the wiring connectors."

Old Wang put the iron bar back.

"What should we do then?"

"First, dig up the outer ditch."

"Disconnect this section of the line on the east wall."

Wang Chunmiao picked up the gloves.

"I'll go call Master Du."

She had just reached the door when a quarrel broke out in the yard.

"That wooden frame is factory property. Who gave you permission to move it out?"

The warehouse keeper, carrying account books, blocked the entrance to the east warehouse.

Old Sun and Master Feng each carried one end of the wooden frame and stood on the threshold.

Old Sun's face turned red.

"If we don't move them, where will we put the groceries?"

"You need a disposal certificate to move it."

When will the order be processed?

"It will all be opened at the end of the month."

Master Feng hoisted the wooden frame onto his shoulder.

"The canned goods will all be warmed up by the end of the month."

The warehouse manager was blocking the door.

"If one item is missing, I have to compensate for it."

Old Sun shouted anxiously towards Manager Huang's office.

"manager!"

No one answered.

The young man from the transportation department ran over from the new warehouse.

"Frozen meat can't get in either."

"Why can't you get in again?" the warehouse manager asked.

"The two hundred boxes of goods that were supposed to be shipped out are still inside."

"The delivery truck didn't come."

Hearing this, the driver in the yard honked his horn again.

The sounds came in waves, shaking the windows.

Xiao Han stood by the old warehouse door and muttered a curse under his breath.

"You said it all this morning, but now you're completely stuck with the slightest movement."

Wang Chunmiao pulled off her apron.

"Doing the work is never as smooth as reading the paper."

"Go to the east warehouse and help with the moving."

Xiao Han didn't move.

"The warehouse manager won't allow it."

"If he won't let you, you'll just stand there?"

"What can I do?"

Wang Chunmiao pointed to the east warehouse.

"Go and count all the wooden frames that need to be moved, write a note, and have the warehouse manager sign it."

"If it doesn't match up by the end of the month, there are places to look for it."

Xiao Han scratched his hair.

"Will he sign?"

"You think your mouth is only for eating?"

Xiao Han turned and ran away.

Lin Xiuhe came out of the old warehouse.

Old Sun was still carrying the wooden frame.

"Put it down first."

"Where should I put it?"

"Stay put."

Old Sun and Master Feng lowered the wooden frame back to the ground.

Lin Xiuhe asked the warehouse manager, "How many of these wooden frames are there in the east warehouse?"

"Seven."

"Is it still usable?"

"There are two that can be repaired."

"Then scrap five of them, and move two to the wall."

The warehouse manager frowned.

"Scrapping requires the manager's signature."

"Register first."

"We'll move in after Manager Huang signs the agreement."

The warehouse keeper, clutching the ledgers, refused to move.

"Where are the others?"

"Make a phone call from the office."

"Then let's wait for him to come out."

The driver honked the horn again.

Master Feng raised his arm and pointed to the courtyard gate.

"If we wait any longer, the roads outside will also be blocked."

As soon as he finished speaking, a green truck backed in from the factory gate.

An empty flatbed truck followed behind.

Zhou Zhiyuan jumped off the first vehicle, holding two stamped dispatch orders in his hand.

The head of the transportation department ran all the way there.

"Did you borrow it?"

Two vehicles.

"The transport station will only be available for half a day."

"It must be returned before 2 PM."

The head of the transportation department took the order, and his brow finally relaxed.

That's enough.

Zhou Zhiyuan raised his chin towards the direction of Xinku.

"Load the goods that are ready to be shipped first."

"After making room, the frozen meat truck was dumped directly in."

The head of the transportation department led his people away.

Manager Huang also came out of the office.

The warehouse clerk went to greet them, carrying the ledgers.

"Manager, those old wooden frames in the east warehouse—"

"move."

"Where's the scrap report?"

"I'll sign."

Manager Huang took the ledger, wrote down five wooden frames in the blank space, and then stamped it with his personal seal.

The warehouse manager then allowed the door to be opened.

Old Sun shouldered the wooden frame, muttering to himself.

"One stamp blocked half the courtyard for half a day."

The warehouse manager followed behind.

"Something's missing at the end of the month, will you pay for it?"

"How much do I earn in a month?"

"Then why did you say it?"

The two of them entered the East Warehouse while arguing.

The yard is finally starting to move.

Zhou Zhiyuan walked up to Lin Xiuhe.

Her cuffs were covered in wet mud, and she hadn't put her glove back on her right hand.

"What did you find?"

"The drainpipe is clogged."

"There is water inside the east wall."

"The connector for the lighting wire is right next to it."

Zhou Zhiyuan turned to the side and looked into the old warehouse.

"Does last night's power outage match up?"

"We still need to have Master Du disassemble the connector."

"But the old warehouse can't be opened today."

Manager Huang had just walked over when he overheard the last sentence.

"Still can't open it?"

"We need to drain water from the east wall."

"The wiring connector needs to be replaced."

"The drainage ditches also need to be cleaned."

Manager Huang raised his hand to wipe his forehead.

"How long will it take?"

"If all goes well, we can test the machine this afternoon."

"Can we get the goods today?"

"You'll only know after you try it."

Manager Huang walked around half of the courtyard.

Loading has already started at the new warehouse, and people are lining up at the entrance of the east warehouse.

Things are moving forward.

But the door to the old warehouse was still closed.

He let out a long breath.

"Go to the office first."

"I'll explain the situation at the factory to you."

The office window was open.

The sounds of cars, moving goods, and warehouse staff shouting all wafted inside.

Manager Huang placed the delivery slip on the table.

"Frozen meat and other food items will be provided for now."

"The fresh meat is still sitting on the truck."

"Lin, if we can't test the machine this afternoon, we'll have to look for another one outside the warehouse."

"There aren't many cold storage facilities that the county can borrow."

Zhou Zhiyuan pulled out a chair.

"The supply and marketing cooperative has a small warehouse."

"Only a portion can be released."

"Send the rest to the hospital's ice cellar."

Manager Huang frowned.

"Will the hospital agree to this?"

"The cafeteria's purchasing is done outside."

"They need meat today, so borrowing the ice cellar is a way of helping each other out."

Manager Huang looked up and called to his secretary.

"Go, call in the hospital's purchasing agent."

As soon as the secretary left, the cafeteria staff brought over an aluminum lunchbox.

"Lin's meal."

Lin Xiuhe accepted it.

"Who ordered it to be delivered?"

The cafeteria worker gestured towards Zhou Zhiyuan with his lip.

"Comrade Zhou gave the instructions this morning."

"Tell them you're here, so we'll keep it warm first."

Manager Huang picked up his teacup.

"He was still in the cold storage last night, but he was already thinking about your breakfast."

Zhou Zhiyuan picked up the delivery slip.

She traveled by train overnight.

"What's it to you?"

"Manager Huang, you still have a few truckloads of goods to process."

Manager Huang smiled and tapped his teacup.

"Can't I even ask one question?"

Lin Xiuhe opened the lunchbox.

Inside were two steamed buns, an egg, and a small piece of pickled vegetables.

She took the eggs out and placed them in front of Zhou Zhiyuan.

"You eat."

"I've already eaten."

"When?"

"Morning."

The cafeteria staff haven't left yet.

He stood by the door and said, "I didn't see him this morning."

Zhou Zhiyuan turned his head.

The cafeteria worker walked away quickly with an empty bowl in his hand.

Manager Huang burst out laughing.

"I didn't ask this time."

Lin Xiuhe pushed the eggs forward.

"Eat."

Zhou Zhiyuan peeled the eggshell.

The broken shells were left next to the delivery slip.

Lin Xiuhe broke open the steamed bun, ate half of it, and then closed the lunchbox.

Manager Huang asked, "Is that all you're eating?"

That's enough.

"You young people don't take food seriously."

"I don't eat when I'm busy, and my stomach hurts when I'm idle."

"My daughter is like that too."

Manager Huang was speaking when he suddenly stopped.

"By the way, are you graduating this year?"

"Um."

"What arrangements will the school make?"

"It's not decided yet."

"Didn't the teacher keep you after school?"

"I asked."

"Does anyone in Beijing want you?"

Several companies have come to the school to inquire.

Manager Huang put the teacup down.

"Will you come back?"

Lin Xiuhe raised her head.

Manager Huang pointed out the window.

"You saw it too."

"We have a lot of old machines here, but few people who understand them."

"Even fewer people know how workers use machines."

"If someone else were in this situation today, they would be thinking about turning on the machine first."

"Separate the goods from the people first."

"The food company's technical department is short-staffed."

"If you're willing to come after graduation, I'll apply for housing for you."

"Salaries are based on those of technical staff."

The sounds of goods being moved outside the door were still lively.

The people inside were all waiting for her.

Lin Xiuhe used a handkerchief to wipe the crumbs off her hands.

"Manager Huang, I haven't decided yet."

"Take your time to think about it."

"Let me put this out there."

"Working in Beijing is much better; we in small towns really can't compare."

"But the things you make can end up in people's hands here."

Manager Huang stood up, clutching the documents.

"I'll go to the hospital to purchase it."

"Wake me up before the test run this afternoon."

Only Lin Xiuhe and Zhou Zhiyuan remained in the office.

Wang Chunmiao's night shift log is on the windowsill.

The page was blown open by the wind and stopped at the line indicating 11:15 last night.

Zhou Zhiyuan gathered the eggshells into his palm.

"The conditions at the food company are not bad."

"You want me to come?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what did you say?"

"You can choose for yourself."

Lin Xiuhe closed the night shift log.

"Professor Chen wants me to stay at the university."

"The ministry also asked about it."

"The food company needs more people now."

"Where do you think I should go?"

Zhou Zhiyuan threw the eggshells into the wastebasket.

"What do you want to do?"

"Make machines."

"It can be done anywhere."

"We also want ordinary workers to be able to afford it."

Zhou Zhiyuan leaned against the table.

"Then let's think about it some more."

"Staying at the university allows you to conduct research."

"Joining the ministry means you can work on big projects."

"Coming to the food company means you can stay here with these old machines every day."

"Everything is fine."

"There are always things that don't go well."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

"What you said is as good as saying nothing at all."

"If I choose for you, you'll be unhappy later and blame me."

When have I ever blamed you?

"The year I registered for the college entrance exam, you suspected that I had been following you all along."

"That's because you always go that way."

"And then?"

"Later I found out that you really do have a lot of free time."

Zhou Zhiyuan also smiled.

Xiao Han's shouts came from the courtyard.

"Lin! Master Du has disassembled the connector!"

Lin Xiuhe picked up her notebook and walked out.

When she reached the door, she turned around.

"You only asked me where I was going."

"And you?"

Zhou Zhiyuan stood by the table.

"What about me?"

"Where are you planning to go after I graduate?"

Sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the dispatch order on the table.

Zhou Zhiyuan paused for a moment.

"The organization hasn't made a decision yet."

"Don't you have any ideas of your own?"

"have."

"Where to?"

Xiao Han called out again from inside the courtyard.

Lin Xiuhe was still standing at the door.

Zhou Zhiyuan walked up to her and moved the canvas bag that was hanging by the door further inside so that the people carrying the goods wouldn't bump into it.

"You choose first."

"I'll let you know once you've made your decision."