The strong fisherman in the courtyard

"By the way, did your section chief tell you about the meeting held by the purchasing department?"

"I told you, it's just that the food price has increased to 30 kilograms per month. Got it, there's no problem on my side."

Li Ming took out a cigarette, lit it, and puffed out smoke.

"That's fine, but I guess the price will have to go up in the future. There's really less and less food out there right now."

Li Huaide sighed and said that although he was now the deputy factory director, the logistics of the factory was still under his jurisdiction. This time when he was on a business trip to the Northeast, he also used some of his previous connections, got a lot of things, and got a lot of notes before he came back.

Otherwise, there are so many factories in this small piece of land in the old city. This steel rolling mill employs tens of thousands of people, and the daily income is huge!

"Uncle Li, are you going to the Northeast to get food this time?"

Li Ming asked.

Li Huaide nodded and said, "Fortunately, your uncle Li has some connections there, so the people in our factory can still hold on for a while, but I don't know when this will end!"

Li Huaide was also worried. Although he was very happy as the deputy factory director, the logistics situation was quite tricky.

Even this was only possible with the joint efforts of the steel mill director and other deputy directors.

"But your chance is coming soon. The grain prices in the purchasing department of our factory have been increased by 10%. If you need more grain in the future, please contact us."

Li Huaide paused, "I think our factory will offer a higher salary, just like when you first arrived at the steel mill. If you take advantage of this trend and get a permanent job, you will at least have three months less work than others, right?"

Li Ming was happy, that was for sure, he was lucky enough to get the job at that time, and happened to have a slicked-back face, not only did he get a permanent job, but he also made a lot of small money.

This disaster year may actually be an opportunity for Li Ming, a purchasing agent at a steel mill.

"I'll listen to you, Uncle Li. Just let me know when the time comes!"

"You should save more food recently, so it will be more convenient when the time comes."

Li Huaide was quite satisfied with Li Ming. He was able and good at doing things. What a good kid!

Li Ming nodded and agreed.

As for where he would be promoted, that was not his concern. Li Huaide would definitely find him a good position.

Just leave everything to Li Huaide to arrange. Even though the logistics are troublesome, there are still many details involved!

With any arrangement, a position can be vacated for Li Ming!

"Then I'll go first, Uncle Li."

Li Ming glanced at the time. Hey, it was almost time to get off work.

Li Huaide naturally knew what this lazy nephew was like, and nodded, "Go ahead, remember what I told you."

"Okay, just don't worry."

After Li Ming finished speaking, he picked up the sack and walked out. When he passed by Secretary Wang, he greeted him before leaving.

Secretary Wang couldn't help but be shocked when he saw Li Ming coming out of Li Huaide's office carrying a lot of bags.

Others came to see Li Huaide with things in their hands and left empty-handed.

But when it came to Li Ming, the situation was completely reversed, hey!

. . . . . .

The courtyard of the steel rolling mill.

Front yard, Li's house.

Li Ming poured out everything in the sack, which surprised Li's mother, father and Li Rui again.

"These are what Uncle Li brought back from the Northeast for me. We can just eat them."

Li Ming pointed happily at the mushrooms, Hericium erinaceus and some blood sausages on the ground.

"Wow, there are so many good things!"

Comrade Lao Li became more and more pleased as he watched. Of course, it would have been even better if he didn't have the tiger bone in his hand.

Mother Li was also very happy. These were all food! Which family in the courtyard could bring so many things?

If there were these things, Jia Dongxu from the Jia family would be able to recover much faster! But that has nothing to do with the Jia family, this belongs to their Li family!

Chapter 329 Happy Event in Siheyuan

"I was wondering why Lao Wu was carrying a bag today, and you didn't come back with us either. I was wondering!"

Li Weiguo lit a cigarette and said happily.

"So that thing was also given to him by Li Huaide!"

"Sure, they have a good relationship."

Li Ming smiled and nodded, but what Wu Qiangguo got was not as much as what Li Ming got!

But this matter cannot be told to anyone, let alone let anyone know, right?

Besides, there are no fools in their Li family, so it is better to keep quiet and make a fortune! Otherwise, why did Li Ming go home early after get off work today?

"Okay, let's fry some mushrooms tonight!"

Mother Li made the decision and went to the kitchen with the things.

Father Li quietly took the tiger bone and went to his bedroom. Li Ming saw it but didn't care. The best thing that old Li could do was to soak the tiger bone in wine. As he was getting old, it was suitable for him to have some nourishment.

. . . . . .

When nothing happened in the courtyard, life was pretty dull. However, recently the Liu Haizhong family in the backyard has become a lot more lively.

Even Liu Haizhong, who often beat his son, has beaten the two unlucky little guys at home less frequently recently.

Originally, the brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu had planned to sneak out and find jobs on their own during this time, but seeing that they were being beaten less often, the idea faded.

This is all thanks to their eldest brother, Liu Guangqi!

Everyone in the courtyard knows now that Liu Guangqi has found a girl from somewhere and is going to get married in the next two days.

The Liu family in the backyard was in high spirits all day long, and Aunt Liu often went out to buy things. This grand celebration made the Jia family in the middle yard jealous.

The Jia family is not the only one who is jealous. The Jia family is jealous of the Liu family because they have more money! Xu Damao in the backyard is jealous of Liu Guangqi. The two are about the same age, but now Liu Guangqi is getting married before him.

What’s even more infuriating is that Xu Damao was the first one to get married in the courtyard, but someone revealed his secrets and he watched his wife fly away!

Tell me, how can Xu Damao not be angry now?

The middle court's Sha Zhu was also jealous, he was older than Liu Guangqi! But now, those younger than him were getting married, and he didn't even have a partner!

The situation was still good in the past two years, as at least there was a matchmaker to come and talk. But now, when the matchmakers hear He Yuzhu's name, they want to avoid him.

With his reputation reaching this point, He Yuzhu still wanted to get married through a matchmaker. That was pure pipe dreaming!

The Yan family in the front yard is also having a hard time. The marriage of their eldest son, Yan Jiecheng, is now giving Yan Fugui a headache!

But the problem is that his own child is not doing well, what can he do? Killing a chicken alone is already a bad reputation, not to mention the falling into the manure pit!

Which young and strong man would fall into a manure pit at his age? Now it is said that the eldest son of the Yan family is a tuberculosis patient!

It seems that there will be several more families without children in this courtyard in the future, and this can be attributed to Li Ming's efforts!

Li Ming didn't react much to the marriage of the eldest son of Liu Haizhong's family in the backyard. After all, he already knew the result, so he just had to wait and see the show.

It just so happens that the Siheyuan has been quite quiet recently, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have Liu Guangqi run away the day after his wedding to liven up the Siheyuan!

"We're going to have a meeting in the courtyard tonight. I guess this is what the uncle was talking about."

Comrade Li Weiguo was muttering while eating lunch at home, "Today was also a day off and they didn't go to work. The recent happy event in Liu Haizhong's family has made the atmosphere in the courtyard joyful!"

"Of course. We'll discuss the gift-giving when the time comes."

Comrade Wu Fang agreed and said that gifts must be given. After all, the marriage of neighbors in the courtyard was a big happy event!

Moreover, the relationship between Liu Haizhong's family and their family has improved a lot recently, and they often visit each other, which also takes advantage of Liu Guangqi's marriage.

After all, it is impossible for a family to prepare everything for their wedding these days, so they will definitely need to ask old neighbors for help and contribute their efforts!

Li Ming was listening quietly on the side. This was the first time he had attended someone else's wedding and attended a banquet since he traveled through time.

He was also very much looking forward to it at the moment. Apart from anything else, at least he could gain some new insights, right?

It is true that Liu Guangqi wants to run away, leaving his parents and brother behind to run away with a woman, but, he can have a good meal at this banquet!

This time, Liu Haizhong put a lot of effort into Liu Guangqi's wedding banquet!

Especially in this year, Liu Haizhong really didn't treat his eldest son badly! As for the other two sons, well, I can only say that they are alive and well, and the two children are lucky!

In the 50s, there was no fixed standard for the amount of gift money for wedding banquets in northern China. After all, the economic conditions, regional differences, personal income levels and social networks at the time all had an impact on the amount of gift money.

For example, in Beijing, if you are a working class person, and a formal employee of a large state-owned factory like a steel rolling mill, the gift may range from a few yuan to more than ten yuan. More than ten yuan is a lot of money, and generally few people can afford so much!

In rural areas, the gift may be a few dimes to a few yuan. But the value of currency during this period was very different from today. One yuan at that time had the purchasing power equivalent to dozens or even hundreds of yuan today.

In addition, gifts are not limited to cash. Sometimes they are given in the form of physical objects, such as rice, noodles, oil and other daily necessities to express blessings.

I estimate that the gift from the Li family is only one or two yuan, which is considered the highest level in the Siheyuan!

If it were the Yan family or the Jia family, they would not only go there with their mouths to eat, but would probably go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some pots, pans, and utensils at most. Even so, Li Ming still overestimated them in his heart!

Expecting these two families to pay is no different from daydreaming!

"Yes, we can just discuss it with the Wu family. After all, we haven't told our neighbors when the Liu family will hold their wedding banquet."

Li Weiguo said as he crushed the cigarette butt in his hand.

"But it's just tonight's matter. Liu Haizhong will definitely tell everyone about it at the meeting. This old man has been very concerned about his eldest son!"

Chapter 330 Liu Guangqi gets married

Mother Li also nodded. She would know the answer at the meeting in the evening. But she was not in a hurry. After all, it was not their son's marriage, right?

. . . . . .

Steel rolling mill courtyard, middle courtyard.

It was the same old routine, Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui were still sitting at the eight-immortals table. Unlike the past, this time Liu Haizhong's face was full of joy.

His son is getting married, which is a big happy event for the Liu family. How could Liu Haizhong not be happy?

Li Ming was looking at Liu Haizhong from below, hoping in his heart that Liu Haizhong could still maintain this state after knowing that his son had run away!

330

"I think everyone knows almost everything now, so I, Old Liu, won't say much today. Next week, on our weekend, Guangqi will get married and have a banquet in our courtyard. Everyone, remember to come!"

Liu Haizhong said with full energy.

After hearing this, the people below were all delighted. They had recently seen what Liu Haizhong bought for Liu Guangqi's wedding, and there was meat!

How long had it been since these people had eaten a bite of meat? Now they could satisfy their cravings during Liu Guangqi's wedding, so they were all naturally delighted!

"Okay, don't worry, uncle!"

"That's right, uncle, if you need anything, just call me!"

"We're definitely coming!"

As Liu Haizhong listened to the congratulations from his neighbors, the smile on his face became even more intense. Isn't such a prestigious scene exactly what Liu Haizhong likes?

Liu Haizhong asked the group of people in the courtyard to disperse, and the shortest general meeting in the history of the steel rolling mill courtyard came to an end!

Li Weiguo and Wu Qiangguo were walking in front and chatting happily, while Li's mother and Wu's mother were also whispering to each other on the side.

The remaining three children walked together towards the front yard.

"Old Li, what do you think of the gift we should give when a grandpa's child is getting married in our courtyard?"

The Wu family is not short of money, but they don't run a charity. In matters like this, it would be better for them, new residents of the courtyard, to follow along.

"I think we should not buy anything. Our family has been getting along well with Liu Haizhong's family recently, so we just plan to go along with them."

This is not a small amount of money. According to the black market price of grain, it can buy five kilograms of coarse grains!

"Then let's give a share. Although we're not as close as yours, everyone knows I'm an engineer. If I give too little, I'll be criticized, right?"

Li Weiguo nodded in agreement. "If you were in another courtyard, it wouldn't be a big deal. But here, hehe, there will definitely be people gossiping about it."

"Just come with our family. We can eat and drink more. It can be regarded as a gathering for Liu Haizhong's family's wedding."

The two men stopped at the door of Li's house in the front yard. The two families chatted for a while before returning home.