Era: A college student came to the courtyard house

Fang Yuan was surprised that Mu Wenbin acted so quickly, getting the job done in just one day, and that he was from the same unit as Mu Wenbin.

It seems that having performed meritorious service makes a difference.

Nowadays, most ordinary demobilized soldiers or general transferred cadres are given priority to be assigned to units such as police stations and street offices. Only those who receive special treatment from above or have connections can get into large state-owned factories like Hongxing Steel Plant.

Leaving aside rights, the two cannot be compared in terms of welfare benefits alone, which is completely different from later generations.

Mu Wenbin was clearly very satisfied with the organization's arrangement, otherwise he wouldn't have been grinning like an idiot.

"That's great! From now on, we brothers can eat from the same pot," Fang Yuan congratulated.

"I've heard from people in the compound that you're doing really well at the steel mill. I'm going to follow you from now on," Mu Wenbin said without any hesitation, clearly having heard some rumors.

"Get lost, we're on the same level, who'll help whom in the future is still uncertain, but one thing is for sure, you'll definitely help me in a fight." Fang Yuan said, punching Mu Wenbin on the shoulder.

In response to Fang Yuan's modesty, Mu Wenbin chuckled and continued, "I've heard that the newly arrived Secretary Lin values ​​you quite a bit."

Fang Yuan was slightly taken aback, and couldn't help but marvel at how gossip within the system sometimes spreads faster than on the internet.

Seeing Mu Wenbin say this, he neither admitted nor denied it, but simply said, "Alright, you go back first, I'll be right there."

Although the invitation was unexpected, judging from Mu Wenbin's attitude towards him, their childhood friendship seemed unchanged. He spoke in a very relaxed tone, without any sense of wariness.

Fang Yuan naturally couldn't refuse.

Besides, we're all in the same courtyard, so there's no rule like inviting someone every three days, calling them every two days, or "taking them away" on the same day.

After seeing Mu Wenbin off, Fang Yuan glanced at the fruit on the table that she had just bought not long ago.

Alright, let's have Apple contribute.

I was originally planning to bring some apples when I visited my two older sisters, but now I can only take six apples to Mu Wenbin's house first, which will be perfect for his older brother's child.

I left the room.

Fang Yuan noticed that Qin Huairu was standing next to his bicycle, clutching two red ropes in her hands.

"Xiao Fang, I just heard from Uncle San that you bought a bicycle?" Qin Huairu touched the bicycle seat and asked Fang Yuan with a smile.

"Look, isn't this the one right in front of you?" Fang Yuan replied.

After receiving Fang Yuan's confirmation, Qin Huairu immediately squatted down and said as she started to tie the red rope to the back of the bicycle for good luck, "When we buy a new bicycle here, we usually tie a red rope to the back for good luck. I'll tie it for you now."

Faced with Qin Huairu's repeated attempts to win his favor...

Fang Yuan couldn't help but recall a quote from a celebrity in later years: "After I became successful, I was surrounded by good people."

Seeing that Qin Huairu had tied the red string on her own initiative, Fang Yuan, although he didn't really believe in these things, was too embarrassed to take it off, so he immediately went back into the house and took out three oranges.

"Sister Qin, take this and let the child have a taste."

Without giving Qin Huairu a chance to refuse, he shoved the oranges into her arms.

zizi~

Her hands are quite moist.

"I'm going to Wenbin's house for dinner, I'll be going now."

As Fang Yuan walked towards the covered walkway, Qin Huairu naturally knew that Mu Wenbin's family was hosting a small banquet today, but she didn't expect that Fang Yuan had also been invited. She thought that only the three old men in the courtyard would be going.

People who work in the administration building have a different status.

Carrying apples, I went to the front yard.

As soon as Mu Wenbin’s father, Mu Wenlin, saw Fang Yuan, he went to the door and raised his hand to invite him in.

Mu Wenbin's family has two brick houses in the front yard, totaling more than 40 square meters, where six people live.

Mu Wenbin's father, Mu Wenlin, and mother, Zhu Axue, lived in the south room, while Mu Wenbin's elder brother, Mu Wenjie, and his family of four lived in the north room. Now that Mu Wenbin has returned, he can only temporarily share a bed with his parents in the south room.

"Uncle Fang."

As soon as they entered, Mu Wenjie's five-year-old daughter greeted Fang Yuan politely.

"The little girl will be starting school in another year, right?"

Fang Yuan smiled and patted her head, then handed her the apple in his hand.

"Mmm," the little girl answered timidly.

"You're here, why bring anything? Don't be so formal." Mu Wenbin scolded Fang Yuan for bringing fruit, but he felt very proud, not noticing that the other three old men had come empty-handed.

Fang Yuan offered cigarettes to the people present, then sat down at the only empty seat at the octagonal table, next to the Third Uncle.

After the dishes were served and everyone exchanged a few polite words, they began to raise their glasses and drink together, each finding their own target to fight.

At the dinner table, the three old men behaved in different ways.

After the old man finished toasting everyone, he stopped raising his glass to toast and mainly chatted with Mu Wenbin and his son. He began his "caring talk therapy," and whenever someone asked him to toast, he would keep making excuses that he was too old to drink more.

The second uncle was very envious of Fang Yuan's current status. He still harbored resentment over the failed marriage to Deputy Factory Director Guo's family. Therefore, he flattered Fang Yuan in his words and frequently raised his wine glass towards him, hoping to get Fang Yuan drunk and embarrass him.

The Third Uncle was a gourmand, and the entire meal was centered around eating. He had received news in the morning that the Mu family was going to host a dinner party, so he had been saving room for food since noon. He would often start eating a few bites of food after only a few words, and then pretend to critique the dishes.

Especially with baijiu (Chinese liquor), he usually only drinks one cup at most, but this time there was free liquor to drink, so naturally he couldn't "control" himself and drank a few more cups.

After several battles...

Second Uncle never expected that Fang Yuan would accept all drinks, drinking as easily as drinking water, downing one cup after another, yet he remained energetic and smiling.

On the contrary, he himself was really struggling to hold on under Fang Yuan's counterattack.

He quickly winked at the old man, hoping the old man would help him avoid a few drinks, but the old man pretended not to see it and continued chatting with Mu Wenlin and his son.

After a short while, the second uncle couldn't drink anymore, so he said goodbye to everyone, covered his mouth, and walked out in a disheveled state.

Fang Yuan pretended not to see it and continued chatting with Mu Wenbin with a smile.

By this time, the third uncle had finished his meal and drinks, so he took advantage of the second uncle's departure to go home as well.

Seeing this, the old man didn't linger any longer. After finishing his drink, he got up and left.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to tell Mu Wenbin, "When you report to the authorities tomorrow, Uncle will take you there."

Fang Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he understood the old man's unspoken meaning.

This was an attempt to do Mu Wenbin a favor, using his status as an eighth-grade worker to support him and give him face.

Judging from the conversation at the dinner table just now, the subdistrict office has already arranged for Mu Wenbin to meet with the steel mill today, and all the necessary procedures have been completed. All that's left is for him to report for duty.

For state-owned enterprises like Hongxing Steel Plant or administrative units like street offices, there are significant differences between having someone give gifts and not having someone give them gifts.

The higher the rank of the person giving the gift, the more powerful their background is considered to be.

If no one brings a gift, it means that the person has no powerful connections or does not want to reveal their background for the time being. However, such people usually have someone who has made arrangements in advance.

Another point is that basically, whoever delivers the gift indicates that the two people are from the same faction. This situation may not exist subjectively, but it definitely exists objectively.

Normally, Mu Wenlin would have accepted the old man's offer of goodwill immediately, but with Fang Yuan present, he did not respond right away. Instead, he turned his gaze to Fang Yuan.

Every meal has its purpose.

A dinner party without a purpose is not a dinner party.

The Mu family's actions today were clearly intended to get Fang Yuan to take Mu Wenbin to the Red Star Steel Plant to report for duty.