As Yi Zhonghai’s figure completely disappeared from the courtyard entrance, Jia Dongxu finally turned around. With a look of earnestness, he spoke softly to Mrs. Jia.
"Mom, Master is doing this for our family’s own good. In the future, you really should soften your attitude toward him. Besides, I work under him; if I make him angry, not only will life in the courtyard be difficult for us, but I’m afraid I’ll be given a hard time at the Rolling Mill, too."
Mrs. Jia snorted heavily through her nose, her face full of disdain. "Humph, Dongxu, you’re just too honest, which is why you believe that Yi Zhonghai so blindly and always let him play you. If he truly wanted to help our family, he wouldn't need to be so troublesome. You’ve been learning from him for so long, yet you’re still only a Rank-One Worker; I suspect he isn’t teaching you with any sincerity. As a Rank-Eight Worker with a high salary of ninety-nine yuan a month, if he just took out a little bit, our family wouldn’t have to live so frugally. But him? He talks about how it’s for your own good, hoping you’ll provide for his old age, but in reality, he’s as stingy as they come. He just knows how to order Shazhu to bring us leftovers. What kind of arrangement is that? Isn't that just treating us like beggars?"
Jia Dongxu had always felt that Yi Zhonghai took good care of him and was genuinely helpful. After all, whether at the Rolling Mill or in the courtyard, his life had been quite comfortable; no one dared to provoke him, and his work was easy. But after this barrage of analysis from Mrs. Jia, it was as if a light suddenly flashed in his mind, and he was struck with a sudden realization. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Yi Zhonghai was far too calculating and his motives were not pure.
He nodded heavily and said, "Mom, I was too simple-minded before. You’re the one who sees things clearly. From now on, I’ll listen to you."
At that moment, Qin Huairu was busy in the kitchen, and every word of Mrs. Jia’s loud voice reached her ears. Her hands, busy washing rice, paused for a moment. She could not help but feel more guarded toward Yi Zhonghai, secretly reminding herself to stay vigilant when dealing with him in the future.
The next day happened to be Sunday, so there was no work. Outside, the weather was freezing, and the biting wind cut at people’s faces like a knife. Most of the residents in the courtyard chose to huddle at home, keeping warm by their stoves. Xushu, however, was different; he left early, just as the sky was beginning to brighten. He had a lot on his mind—he needed to purchase daily necessities and wanted to use this opportunity to familiarize himself with the streets and alleys of Sijiu City.
Unfortunately, Xushu did not know how to ride a bicycle. In this vast city, he could only rely on his two feet to measure the land. At every place he reached, he had to look carefully and ask passersby for directions. Though he was full of enthusiasm, this method was highly inefficient; after most of the day, he hadn't covered many places. As he walked, Xushu calculated to himself: the first thing to do when he got to work tomorrow was to ask a colleague to teach him how to ride a bike. Once he learned, he would hurry back to Xu Village so his mother and Uncle Xu would know he was doing well in the city and wouldn't worry about him anymore.
He spent the day running about until five in the afternoon. As the sky began to darken, Xushu returned to the courtyard, his body somewhat weary. Once inside, he didn't even take time to rest, immediately setting to work tidying up. By the time he finished, thin wisps of cooking smoke were drifting outside the window, and the scent of dinner filled the courtyard. His room finally looked like a home, no longer as desolate and cluttered as it had been when he first arrived.
On February 24, 1958, as the horizon just started to turn a pale, fish-belly white, Xushu arrived early at the Rolling Mill. Today was a special day for him—it was his first official day of work. He walked into the office full of expectation, but it was empty; not a soul was there. Xushu didn't want to just sit around waiting. He noticed several thermoses in the corner and, thinking that his colleagues would need water when they arrived, he picked them up and headed quickly toward the boiler room.
By the time he returned to the office with the thermoses full of boiling water, three people had already arrived. Xushu didn't know them; he had spent so little time in the office on Friday that he hadn't had the chance to introduce himself. He set the thermoses down and, with a friendly smile, took the initiative to strike up a conversation. Soon, the rest of the office staff arrived one after another, and everyone joined in the lively chatter. Xushu was sharp and had a superb memory; after chatting with everyone for about an hour, he had already memorized everyone's name and personality traits.
Then, Section Chief Wang Tianfu strode into the office. Everyone immediately stopped chatting, sat up straight, and waited quietly for Wang Tianfu to assign procurement tasks. It was a standing rule in the Procurement Section to issue tasks centrally every Monday. Thus, every Monday, all procurement officers were required to gather in the office on time to await arrangements. At other times, if there were tasks, they only needed to report to their group leader or deputy leader before heading out to purchase supplies. This was one of the major benefits of the Procurement Section—the work hours were relatively free, and officers could arrange their work according to their own pace.
However, this freedom came with conditions: only those who had connections and the ability to complete tasks on time could truly enjoy it. If one didn't have such skills, they would be forced to ride their bikes all over the streets and alleys of Sijiu City, searching for sources of supply. The level of hardship involved was far greater than working in the workshops. Most importantly, the pressure was immense; with a low base salary, if you didn't work hard at procurement, it was very difficult to support a family.
Moreover, if one encountered a task requiring travel to the countryside, it was even more troublesome, as one had to go to the Security Section to check out a firearm before departing. After all, social order was not yet entirely stable at the time. A procurement officer traveling with supplies would face grave dangers in the wilderness or on mountain paths if they didn't have a way to defend themselves—it was practically playing with their life. This wasn't just talk; the number of procurement officers who had lost their lives while performing their duties was not insignificant. Because of this, nobody wanted to take on rural procurement jobs and would dodge them whenever possible. Unless there was absolutely no other way, they wouldn't choose to go to those remote villages. And even then, they would travel in groups of several people, just like Chen Jun and his team had done.
Wang Tianfu scanned the room as everyone gathered and cleared his throat before speaking loudly. "Listen up, everyone. Today, I’d like to introduce a new colleague, Xushu. From today on, he is officially joining our Procurement Section."
As he spoke, he stepped aside and gestured for Xushu to step forward, offering him a kindly smile. Wang Tianfu then changed the subject. "I am assigning Xushu to Chen Jun’s group. Also, considering that Xushu’s hometown is in Xu Village, that area will be designated as his responsibility for procurement from now on. However, since Xushu lacks experience, he will need to learn under Liu Jianjun for the time being. Once he has mastered the ins and outs of procurement, he can go out on his own."
Listening to this, Xushu understood that the Section Chief was paving the way for him. Having a familiar area and a senior to guide him was the best possible start, so he nodded and replied, "Thank you, Section Chief. I will certainly learn well from Brother Jianjun and work hard."
Afterward, Wang Tianfu began to systematically distribute the week’s procurement tasks to each group. Everyone listened and took notes in their journals. Once the tasks were distributed, he announced that the rest of the time was free for them to arrange.
Chen Jun was currently the deputy group leader, as the group leader was still in the hospital following an accident while procuring supplies in the countryside. Therefore, he was in charge of all matters within the group. He looked at Xushu and Liu Jianjun and gestured for them to come over. "Xiaoshu, Jianjun, come here for a moment."
When they approached, Chen Jun asked, "Xiaoshu, you heard what Section Chief Wang just said, right?"
Xushu responded with a serious expression, "Yes, I’ve noted it all down."
Chen Jun patted Xushu on the shoulder, his tone full of trust. "I believe that with your ability, you’ll get the hang of this job soon. Old Liu will guide you, so if there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask him. And if you run into any difficulties and need help, don’t be a stranger—come straight to me."
Liu Jianjun nodded repeatedly, a look of gratitude and enthusiasm on his face. "Brother Chen, you can rest assured. Xiaoshu is my lifesaver; I will definitely do my best to mentor him."
Hearing this, Xushu quickly cupped his hands in a gesture of thanks. "I want to thank you both, Brother Chen and Brother Jianjun. To be honest, there is something I would like to ask for your help with."
Chen Jun raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh? What is it? Go ahead."
Xushu scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "I don’t know how to ride a bicycle yet. I was wondering if you could teach me, otherwise I don’t know how I’m going to carry out this procurement work."
Chen Jun suddenly realized and slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory! Your bicycle is still sitting in the warehouse. Alright, leave it to us. It just so happens that Brother Jianjun and I don't have any major procurement tasks for a while, so we can both teach you. In these next few days, whenever you see that either of us is free, just ask us to teach you."
Xushu’s eyes lit up, and he asked, "Can we start now?"
Liu Jianjun laughed heartily. "No problem at all! I’ll take you right now."
Xushu quickly agreed and followed Liu Jianjun outside. The two first went to the warehouse, completed the necessary paperwork, and retrieved the bicycle that had been assigned to Xushu. Afterward, they found a spacious, flat open area to begin the lessons. Liu Jianjun was very responsible, explaining and demonstrating everything in detail, from how to grip the handlebars and adjust one’s posture, to how to pedal and maintain balance.
Although Xushu had never ridden a bike before, he was sharp-witted and in good physical condition. Relying on his natural aptitude, he fell over and climbed back up again and again. After only four or five falls, he was able to ride a short distance, albeit shakily, having basically grasped the essentials. However, the ground inside the Rolling Mill was flat, which was much better than the rugged mountain roads. Xushu knew that to successfully navigate the city and country roads for future procurement work, he would still need to put in hard work and practice more.
Afterward, Xushu returned to the office with Liu Jianjun. They sat at their desks, and Liu Jianjun took out several documents to give Xushu a detailed overview of the Rolling Mill. From the functions of each workshop to the scope of work for each department, he explained everything one by one. Xushu listened intently, asking questions from time to time, which Liu Jianjun answered patiently. Now that he had started working at the Rolling Mill, and given the current circumstances, it seemed likely he would be developing his career here for the long term, so it was only natural that he fully understood his work environment.