I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 21 Entering the Factory

In this situation, only a fool would refuse. Jia Dongjin quickly picked up his wine glass, stood up, and agreed, "If Third Uncle has given the order, I will absolutely follow instructions and obey commands without hesitation. But to be honest, I only have a primary school education. I passed this exam purely by luck, just guessing. If my help isn't very effective, Third Uncle, please don't blame me."

The group of people interacted frequently and quickly became close neighbors with an unbreakable bond.

Jia Dongjin's skills couldn't compare to He Yuzhu's. A thin layer of oil floated on the surface of the boiled pork slices soup, reflecting the warm yellow light. The pork slices looked like pink petals, each coated with a thin layer of starch syrup, making them look pink and tempting.

The deaf old lady scooped up a piece of pork with a spoon. It was so slippery that it almost slipped off the spoon. The moment she bit into it, the tender meat juice burst in her mouth, with a hint of Sichuan peppercorn spiciness and the aroma of ginger.

She took another sip of soup, the warm liquid sliding down her throat, dispelling the chill in her stomach. A slight sweat appeared on her nose, and even her breath carried the fresh aroma of the broth.

Thinking that boiled pork slices were created by Jia Dongjin, the deaf old lady looked at Jia Dongjin again with a deep gaze. She was a person who had enjoyed a good life and simply did not believe that a street urchin could create such a dish.

Deep down, the deaf old woman was filled with curiosity and scrutiny towards this young man.

Afterwards, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong inquired about Xu Damao's important matter of becoming a full-fledged employee from his apprenticeship. Upon learning that good news was imminent, everyone present congratulated the Xu family father and son, and laughter filled the air.

For a moment, the banquet reached its climax, with everyone praising the courtyard for producing outstanding talents and for its flourishing prosperity.

"Everyone in our courtyard is great. We don't need to say anything, our feelings are all in the wine. Everyone, eat and drink well. Cuilan, go and get two more dishes. Today, we won't leave until we're drunk." Yi Zhonghai stood up to toast, and everyone except the deaf old lady stood up and drank with Yi Zhonghai.

Most of the people present were men, all of them with big bellies. Everyone was eating and drinking happily, and they kept adding more wine and dishes.

Even Jia Dongjin went home. He took some dried fish and handed it to He Yuzhu to heat oil in a wok and stir-fry it with chili peppers. He made two meat dishes by himself, which won unanimous praise.

"Brother Dongjin, your dried fish is really good, crispy and fragrant! Perfect with alcohol. Unlike Uncle San, whose dried fish is so salty it's unbearable, he's afraid no one will eat a single bite. He's been drinking a bottle of liquor for years and it's still full. I don't know how many times he's diluted it with water. He might as well just dilute the liquor with water from now on."

He Yuzhu has a really foul mouth; he offends people as soon as he opens his mouth, and yet he's all smug about it, leaving Jia Dongjin speechless.

Seeing the Yan father and son's faces turn bright red, Xu Damao's eyes darted around, and he was about to start a fight when he saw his father, Xu Fugui, glare at him. He could only shut up quickly. He was holding it in so hard that everyone burst into laughter, which relieved the Yan father and son's embarrassment.

"Our No. 95 courtyard is not only an excellent courtyard, but also a united one. That's why we have our first cadre, Liu Guangqi, and an electrician, Jia Dongjin. Now, there's another good thing about neighborly friendship. The Yan family has helped the Jia family a lot in the past, and now the Jia family is helping the Yan family. This is a typical example of mutual help and love. Let's all raise our glasses. This year's excellent courtyard will definitely be our courtyard again."

Your grandpa is indeed your grandpa. As expected of the big boss of the courtyard, both Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui gave him a thumbs up.

In terms of overall command, Yi Zhonghai was the one who truly took charge. After the banquet successfully concluded, he was still in charge of directing the process, arranging for those who could stand to help those who were lying down to go home.

The July heat was intense, but the evening breeze was cool. The group, slightly tipsy, addressed each other as brothers and chatted merrily.

No one knew that this would be the last gathering to unite everyone.

As interests clashed and emotions intertwined, the harmony of the courtyard at No. 95 was no longer present, and even turned into a bloody storm.

"Silly Zhu, I can't walk anymore."

"It's okay, bro, I'll carry you. Damn, it's pretty heavy!"

With a secure job and a good dinner, Jia Dongjin was in high spirits. But soon his brow furrowed, and his nose twitched. "Hmm, what's that smell?!"

Originally, he was slacking off on He Yuzhu's back, but after being overwhelmed by the strong soy sauce smell emanating from He Yuzhu, he realized the source of the smell and dared not take advantage of him any longer. He could only jump off and "wobble" back to his own home.

"Hey, come here. Your uncle needs to talk to you about something. We need to discuss and finalize a distribution plan and rules for the candy! Stand closer, don't run away!"

"Uncle, I won't do it again, I won't do it again!" Banggeng instinctively covered his little bottom.

"Look at that pouty little mouth, you definitely won't dare! If you want to eat well, you can't betray your uncle, understand?"

"Uncle, you said it yourself, so you have to keep your word. As long as there's something good to eat, that's fine."

After a few minutes of serious consideration, Banggeng let go of his hand and resolutely stuck out his buttocks.

"Look at your fearless attitude! Fine, your uncle's in a good mood today, no spanking. You're only half a traitor, we'll keep that on record for now, and you can't be a traitor like Pu Zhigao again. Here, these are the candies your uncle hid, eleven pieces in total, pretty generous, right? Banggeng, today your uncle will teach you a trick: remember, a cunning rabbit must have three burrows. Little Yushui is still too naive, pretending so convincingly. Your uncle's seen it all, just teasing her!"

"Uncle, I won't take your candy for nothing. I'll sleep with you tonight."

Banggeng didn't understand the concept of a cunning rabbit having three burrows, nor did he know what "too young" meant. For the sake of the candy, he decided to stage a blind date between uncle and nephew.

"Go away, go back to your kang (heated brick bed), don't even think about wetting my bed."

Using alcohol as a cover, the first thing Jia Dongjin did upon returning home was to seek revenge on Bang Geng.

Ignoring the complex and unspeakable expressions on Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu's faces, he used both kindness and severity to educate the little thief saint until he was completely obedient before hastily washing up and falling into a deep sleep.

Jia Dongjin was sleeping soundly when he was suddenly shaken awake!

"Mom, what are you doing? I'm so sleepy. I have to report to the factory tomorrow."

"Keep your voice down, Mom needs to talk to you..."

"What?!"

The east wing of the courtyard house belonged to Yi Zhonghai.

"Zhonghai, how did Dongjin find a job? He won't be willing to do it without doing him a favor. You can't control the electrician, so how can you train his temper?"

"It's really strange. Jie Cheng failed the entrance exam after graduating from junior high school, but he did well in the entrance exam for higher primary school. He's really lucky."

"Why do I feel so empty inside? Zhonghai, you're the head of the household, you have to make a decision."

The man didn't speak for a long time before finally saying quietly, "He's different from Dongxu, and being an electrician is a bit dangerous. Last year, one of our workers was electrocuted, which is why there was a vacancy."

"Two fitters were crippled last year, and Dongxu, who died this year, was also a fitter."

"Then give it a try? He's a good person, kind-hearted and filial, but he's too opinionated and hard to handle."

"If you can't decide, we can adopt one. It's not too late. But I really like him. He was the one who came up with both main dishes today. He's as rare as the pickled fish. He can make dishes look like flowers. Just thinking about the good days ahead makes me happy from the bottom of my heart. I almost laughed out loud just now. God has been kind to us and sent us such a good one. Even Huai Ru's eyes have changed when she looks at him. Compared to him, Sha Zhu is far inferior, and there's also He Daqing in the way."

"Adoption is unreliable and expensive, and we still need to save money for retirement."

"Sigh, and there's my sister-in-law, she's even more robust than me, I might even get ahead of her."

"Nonsense, don't worry, I'll talk to him about it tomorrow. Now go to sleep. I don't think it's a big problem. It's a win-win situation. Putting aside our past relationship, with my help, it won't be difficult for him to find a substitute job. We don't need him to spend money on retirement either; we're not short of money."

The man tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and finally voiced his concerns, "The old lady just said he's not simple, like someone with a story, and that he has high standards. I'm also worried he might be arrogant..."

"What stories could a street urchin have? Let's treat each other with sincerity. If necessary, we can help him find a good wife, just like Dongxu did back then. No matter how high his standards are, he should be content. It's a pity the rain was too light, otherwise I would have liked to tease them both, which would have been a win-win-win situation. I think what you said about 'mutual benefit' is quite good. My sister-in-law said she doesn't object. Now we just need to see if he'll be sensible."

The old woman's tone was somewhat sinister, quite different from her usual amiable manner, which made even the men feel a chill.

In their minds, being sensible has many meanings, such as being obedient and submissive, or even being tamed.

The following morning, Jia Dongjin rode his bicycle to take Qin Huairu to the factory gate, and finally entered the steel rolling mill, beginning his reporting mode.

With the help of the security department, Jia Dongjin found the electrician team. The team leader, Wang Dali, was about fifty years old. He had a thin face and a gaunt build, making people worry that he would be blown away by the wind. However, he spoke in a frighteningly loud voice, which showed that he had worked in the field for many years.

Wang Dali was straightforward and didn't waste any words. He led Jia Dongjin around the factory, tested him on a few professional questions, and when he saw that Jia Dongjin answered them correctly, he nodded in satisfaction and took Jia Dongjin to the labor and personnel department to complete the factory entry procedures.

"Jia Dongjin, you're a worker under the Labor and Wages Department. According to the steel rolling mill's regulations, you have a one-month probationary period before you can become a permanent employee, earning 30.5 yuan per month. Your electrical skills are good; as long as you work hard, you'll do well in the future."

Jia Dongjin knew a lot about electrical work, and Wang Dali was also more talkative, explaining things in great detail. He even pointed to the personnel department diagonally opposite, saying that the personnel department was responsible for managing cadres, and hoped that the newcomers would strive for advancement in the future and be able to join the cadre team by working as workers instead of cadres.

Feeling grateful, Jia Dongjin quickly and secretly handed over a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes he had just bought the day before, and the two soon became very close.

After completing the registration procedures, the two went to the warehouse to collect their work safety supplies. As electricians are used to putting out fires everywhere, they naturally know everyone. Out of respect for Daqianmen, Wang Dali specifically instructed, "Master Li, this is the new electrician, Jia Dongjin. He's a nice young man. Could you do me a favor and go to the new warehouse to get your work safety supplies?"

"Why do we have to go to the new warehouse to pick it up?" Jia Dongjin asked, puzzled, after Mr. Li went to the new warehouse. In his mind, all labor protection supplies were the same and there would be no difference.

"The difference is huge." Wang Dali waved his hand, smiling without saying a word.

While waiting for the work protective equipment, Jia Dongjin realized that there was indeed a difference between the new and the old. The new warehouse was full of work clothes that had just arrived this year, while the old warehouse contained work clothes from a few years ago. Although they were all new, they had been stored for several years, so their value was vastly different.

In this magical land, the wisdom of human relationships never goes out of style. This is the importance of interpersonal communication. Jia Dongjin understood immediately and thanked him repeatedly without saying a word.

Unlike decades later, the steel rolling mill was a prestigious large company at this time, and the benefits were better than those of ordinary companies. They were given a lot of labor protection supplies, including two sets of work clothes, hats, soap, lunch boxes and everything else. They were even given two pairs of shoes. Electricians also had an extra large shoulder bag specifically for carrying their work tools.

Back in the electrician group, Jia Dongxu learned that there were five people in the group, making six including him. The electrician group was under the management of the power section. The group leader was a deputy section chief, and the rest were ordinary soldiers. The most skilled person in the electrician group was Wang Dali, who had reached the fifth level of electrician and earned a monthly salary of 80 yuan.

"Jia Dongjin, you need to wear work clothes to work. Hurry up and find a place to change." Wang Dali patted Jia Dongjin on the shoulder and instructed the young man to change into his work clothes. With an extra soldier under his command, his work would be much easier.

After getting to know each other, everyone had just finished their first cigarette when it was lunchtime. They quickly took Jia Dongjin, the newcomer, to the cafeteria for lunch.

"The electrical engineering team is now under the logistics department, and the office is also located in the logistics department's office. It's close to the second canteen, but we usually eat at the third canteen. Although the third canteen is a bit further away, it's juicy, has a wide variety of dishes, and tastes good, so everyone likes to go there. Jia Dongjin, you've just arrived and haven't had time to exchange your meal tickets yet, so I'll lend them to you today."

Wang Dali and his fellow electrician led Jia Dongjin to the third canteen.

The electricians' team doesn't have fixed production tasks. When there's something to do, they work overtime. Otherwise, they're a relatively relaxed team. Before the workers in the workshop even leave, the electricians' team has already arrived at the third canteen.

Jia Dongjin, with his sharp eyes, spotted He Yuzhu, who was in charge of serving meals, and quickly pulled his fellow electricians to line up at the window where He Yuzhu was.

Upon smelling the familiar rust and machine oil odor of the factory once again, Jia Dongjin felt refreshed and relaxed. He felt completely at ease and immediately took on the role of the master of the house.

Wang Dali was deeply surprised and couldn't help but rub his eyes. The new recruit was like a fish in water, and he felt as if he had met a seasoned veteran.

"Brother Dongjin, you've changed into your work clothes already? Wow, you look really energetic." He Yuzhu looked up and saw that it was Jia Dongjin, and immediately switched to familiar mode.

Jia Dongjin was good-looking, otherwise Qin Huairu wouldn't have acquiesced. After taking off his old clothes full of patches and putting on brand-new work clothes, the young man looked much more energetic.

Qin Huairu had just entered the cafeteria and was not yet qualified to get food at the window. She was eating with the other kitchen helpers inside the kitchen.

Upon hearing He Yuzhu's words, Qin Huairu looked up at the window and was taken aback when she saw Jia Dongjin, who was dressed in work clothes and looked handsome and upright.

"Huai Ru, your brother-in-law is quite handsome. How old is he? Does he have a girlfriend? There's a nice girl next door."

Sister Zhao, who was standing next to Qin Huairu, also saw Jia Dongjin and began to inquire about his situation.

"He's 22 this year and doesn't have a girlfriend yet, but my mother-in-law makes all the decisions." Qin Huairu habitually lowered her head and started eating the pork cracklings and cabbage.

"Huai Ru, you're pregnant, don't be stingy with your food. Come on, let's eat eggs together."

Liu Lan sneakily brought over a bowl of egg drop soup. The soup was more egg than soup, the best portion reserved for the canteen staff. Outside workers had no say in the matter, which was an unspoken rule in the canteen.

"Liu Lan, thank you." With the help of the core chef He Yuzhu, Qin Huairu had already secretly drunk a bowl of egg drop soup. The oil residue in her lunchbox was also several times that of others. She kept her head down and shared the egg drop soup with Liu Lan.

At the food window, Jia Dongjin introduced the food while also calling out to He Yuzhu, the person who prepared the meals. "Silly Zhu, these are all from our electrician group. This is Wang Dali, our group leader. Everyone, this is my neighbor in the courtyard, He Yuzhu. His cooking skills are top-notch. People often ask him to prepare meals. His braised pork and braised fish are absolutely amazing. Now he also has two new dishes: pickled fish and boiled sliced ​​pork. If you ever need anything, just ask him. He'll make you look good."

Chefs are better off than those who earn a fixed salary, especially skilled chefs who can take on freelance work, such as cooking for banquets, and are paid per table.

Cooking a banquet outside the home can earn you a few dollars, which is a significant source of income. Not only can you eat and drink to your heart's content, but the head chef can also sneak a bag of wedding cigarettes and candy before leaving.

A loud drum doesn't need a heavy hammer. As the chef who held the power to distribute food, Sha Zhu naturally understood Jia Dongjin's meaning. He did give them face, and each member of the electrician team received a large spoonful of food.

"That's great. If you need anything at the third canteen in the future, just let us know." Wang Dali gave a thumbs up.

For the first time in his two lifetimes, Jia Dongjin got a government job.

The steel rolling mill had good benefits, and the food was cheaper and more affordable than outside. Although it didn't offer the same level of service as the 2-yuan all-you-can-eat buffets he had experienced online in his previous life, he still felt he should treat it with respect and reverence, and he approached meals with a sense of ritual.

"The steel rolling mill is lucrative; the workers have high social status. Thank you so much!"

As Jia Dongjin was eating his meal in an orderly manner, he suddenly felt someone else beside him. He turned his head and saw that it was Yi Zhonghai, who was looking at him with a friendly smile.

"Uncle, please have a seat. You startled me," Jia Dongjin hurriedly greeted him, patting his chest in a show of concern.

"The food is good. You're too thin; you need to eat more. Let's eat together."

Yi Zhonghai ordered two dishes: stir-fried shredded potatoes and braised cabbage with pork cracklings. He placed the dishes next to Jia Dongjin's.

Among them, the oil-crack cabbage was positioned closer to Jia Dongjin, and he also handed Jia Dongjin a steamed bun made from two kinds of dough.

"Thank you, sir. But you're so biased, Sha Zhu. There's way too little of this fried pork rind."

Jia Dongjin did not refuse and took the steamed bun and took a bite.

He ordered cabbage with pork cracklings and egg drop soup. He quickly noticed the difference between the two servings of cabbage with pork cracklings and realized that He Yuzhu had scraped the pork cracklings off the vegetables before serving them and then adjusted the amount of pork cracklings based on how close the customer was to him. For example, he gave Yi Zhonghai extra pork cracklings.

"Be content. Your egg drop soup is much thicker, and you have at least twice as many eggs as me. Your steamed bun is also a size bigger. Master He is really skillful. He can serve rice however he wants. His hands are shaking so much, you can't argue with that." The electrician Liu Ning chimed in.

"Keep your voice down, Master He holds grudges. He'll remember this for half a month."

"That's right, Master He's skill in flipping the ladle is unparalleled in our steel rolling mill. It's a pity that most people can't beat him. I heard that he practiced wrestling on the overpass when he was a child."

Hearing the teasing from his fellow workers nearby, Jia Dongjin instantly thought of the word Parkinson's disease, and he and Yi Zhonghai exchanged a knowing smile.

Yi Zhonghai suppressed a laugh and said to Jia Dongjin, "After dinner, how about this old man shows you around?"

"That's great, thank you so much, sir. I'm new here and don't know the area yet."

After the meal, the two walked out of the cafeteria. Yi Zhonghai led Jia Dongjin around and said some things, but Jia Dongjin did not respond.

When they parted ways, Yi Zhonghai blurted out out of the blue, "Dongjin, you and Dongxu look a lot alike. Dongxu and I ate together in the third canteen for five years."

When Yi Zhonghai left, his departing figure revealed a desolate air.

Jia Dongjin stood there for a long time, and finally let out a sigh.

"Uncle Li and Aunt Li, I went to work at the steel rolling mill. I'm off today, so I came to visit you two. This is a type of steamed rice cake; it's soft and easy to eat."

Time flew by and it was time for a day off. Jia Dongjin bought some of his adoptive mother's favorite steamed rice cakes and went to his adoptive parents' house.

Caozi cake is actually a type of sponge cake. In the 1950s and 60s, the standard of living was generally low, and the variety of pastries was far less abundant than it is now. Caozi cake, with its moderate price, became a favorite of most families, and adults and children could enjoy it on a daily basis. Compared to the various pastries offered by famous pastry shops, Caozi cake was more affordable for ordinary people.

During the rationing period, steamed rice cakes were often wrapped in straw paper and given as gifts to relatives during festivals. Some families treasured the steamed rice cakes sent by relatives, even letting them dry before eating them, which shows how precious they were.

People born after 60 have a deep affection for Caozigao (a type of steamed rice cake), as it is a common memory of their childhood.

"Without your egg, we can't make Caozi Gao (a type of steamed rice cake)," is a common saying in Beijing, reflecting the importance of Caozi Gao in people's hearts.

"Dongjin, this is great news! We haven't even finished the smoked rabbit you sent last time, what are you bringing now? Why did you only tell us about this great thing about coming to work now? You'll have to drink two more glasses at lunchtime as punishment."

Old Li was so happy that his beard trembled, and he immediately started making arrangements, taking out cabbage from under the cabinet.

"I like to drink loose white liquor; it's more potent and helps relieve fatigue."

Seeing Aunt Li pick up the clothesline and reach for the smoked rabbit hanging on the roof beam, Jia Dongjin hurried over to help, muttering, "It's hot, things won't keep well. It would be so much better if we ate it quickly, then no one could take it from us."

"That's how life is. You'll understand once you get married."

Aunt Li reached out and patted Jia Dongjin on the shoulder with a cheerful smile, then accused him, "Dongjin, when did you start liking to drink baijiu? I seem to remember who was secretly drinking baijiu in the middle of the night a while ago?"

"It's not just at night that he sneaks a drink; doesn't that guy also sneak a drink during the day?" The person who chimed in was his younger brother, Li Guojun. Having resolved the conflict of interest in succession and even received a bicycle from Jia Dongjin, Li Guojun also remembered his elder brother's kindness.

"Is that so? I don't remember. It must be a rat infestation." Not wanting to lose face, Jia Dongjin, having told so many lies in the courtyard, had clearly developed a thicker skin.

"Brother, are you thirsty? Have some water, I specially brewed some high-foam tea. What do you do at the steel rolling mill? How much do you earn a month? Are you entitled to housing?"

My younger sister, Li Guolan, wears a hairstyle reminiscent of Liu Hulan. She is seventeen years old and has already taken over the textile factory job.

The "Liu Hulan hairstyle" was a popular women's hairstyle in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was characterized by neat, straight short hair that just covered the ears and was often paired with green military uniforms. This hairstyle arose against the backdrop of the Great Leap Forward and the Great Steel Production Campaign, and was particularly common at weddings, becoming one of the main hairstyles for women at the time.

This hairstyle, known for its sharp and capable image, was widely used in factory work, political rallies, and other settings. Women often adopted this look when wearing green military caps, holding copies of "Old People's Sayings," taking wedding photos, or participating in model opera performances.

Its simple and clean design aligned with the work ethic promoted at the time, and was showcased in everyday photographs and films.

Li Guolan is of medium build, with a curvaceous figure that is widely recognized by older people as a good physique for bearing sons.

The Li family is well-off, and Li Guolan is of above-average appearance. Matchmakers are already coming to her door, and she's even more sought after than the sales clerk Li Guojun.

"I'm an electrician. After I get a permanent job, I'll earn about 30 yuan. I forgot to ask about the housing allocation. I'll have to ask around when I start work tomorrow."

Jia Dongjin slapped his forehead. These past few days, Yi Zhonghai's remarks had disturbed his peace of mind, and he had completely forgotten about the important matter of allocating rooms.