Forty minutes later, they arrived at the Huailin Machinery Plant in the city.
Plant Director Tang Ping had been waiting for them right at the entrance.
“Division Commander Zhou, you’ve gone to such trouble! I can’t believe you came all this way in person.” Tang Ping hurried forward, bowing and scraping respectfully.
Zhou Zhonghai laughed heartily. “Director Tang, Yang Zheng is just like a son to me. When your son is reporting for his first day on the job, how could a father not come along?”
“Quite right, quite right! I’ve personally arranged all of Yang Zheng’s living accommodations. Rest assured, Commander, working under my watch, he won’t be mistreated.”
“Good, thank you. Let’s go take a look at the dormitories. Oh, and I want to meet Yang Zheng’s master in person.”
Leading the way, Tang Ping walked briskly ahead while Zhou Zhonghai strode beside him, with Yang Zheng following quietly behind.
As he walked, Yang Zheng looked around in wonder. What a massive factory!
“This section here is the production zone. Yang Zheng has been assigned to No. 1 Steelmaking Plant, and his master is Chen Yan. His name suits him well—he’s a man of absolute integrity and strict principles. He has a terrible temper, but he’s genuinely talented,” Tang Ping said, cautiously gauging Zhou Zhonghai’s expression.
“Good. If a man wants to master true skills, he needs a strict master.”
Zhou Zhonghai looked thoroughly satisfied. Since Yang Zheng was pursuing a technical career path, he naturally needed someone who truly knew their craft.
Walking a few paces further, they spotted a man in blue work clothes walking past. Tang Ping immediately called out, “Master Chen! Come here, come here.”
The man strolled over with a lazy, swaggering gait. “Director Tang, I’m on the clock. What is it?”
“On the clock? If you’re on the clock, why aren’t you in the workshop instead of wandering around outside? Did you sneak off to smoke again?”
“Now hold on, Director Tang, a thief needs to be caught with the stolen goods. You can’t just go around making random accusations.”
“Alright, alright. Look, let me introduce you—this is Yang Zheng, your new apprentice.”
Yang Zheng immediately stepped forward and saluted. “Hello, Master.”
Chen Yan let out a cold snort. “Director Tang, I’m willing to take on an apprentice, but you can’t just shove anyone into my department. I’m not a garbage can. Anyone who gets in through the back door—I won’t take them.”
With that, completely ignoring Tang Ping’s dignity, he turned on his heel as if to leave.
“Hey now, Master Chen, what kind of talk is that? Yang Zheng is a senior high school graduate.”
“Even if he were a college graduate, I wouldn’t take him. Whoever wants him can take him.”
“You—”
Stepping forward with a chuckle, Zhou Zhonghai said, “Chen Yan, Master Chen, hello. I’m the one who recommended Yang Zheng for this plant—half because he has genuine potential, and half because he came through the back door. Why don’t you try training him for three months? If he doesn’t cut it, you can swap him for another master right away. How about that?”
Chen Yan glanced at Zhou Zhonghai. Since the man was wearing a military uniform, he figured he owed him at least a bit of face.
“I, Chen Yan, respect only two kinds of people in this life: those who defend the country, and those who possess genuine skill. You’re the former. Since you’ve asked, I’ll take him on for a three-month trial.”
He then walked a circle around Yang Zheng, inspecting him closely. “Calluses are nice and thick; he’s used to hard labor. But steelmaking doesn’t just rely on brute strength—it takes brains.”
Yang Zheng bowed his head. “Master, I will work hard.”
“Fine, that’s settled. Director Tang, if there’s nothing else, I’m heading back to work.”
Without caring whether Tang Ping was pleased or not, he turned and walked away.
“Sigh, that man… his temper is just atrocious,” Tang Ping sighed, smoothing things over. “Still, the steel mill simply couldn’t run without him. Whenever he’s not around, I can’t even sit in my office with peace of mind. Haha… Come, Division Commander Zhou, let’s go check out the living quarters and dormitories.”
They soon reached the residential area. The dormitories were double rooms, and Tang Ping looked apologetically embarrassed. “I originally wanted to arrange a single room for him, but after the Lunar New Year, the factory took on a new batch of young workers, and we genuinely couldn’t spare one. After some time, once a vacancy opens up, I’ll have him moved to a single room.”
Zhou Zhonghai nodded. “This is already plenty good. In our military region, eight men share a single room. Director Tang, you’ve put real thought into this.”
“Where would I be without your guidance? It’s only right.”
“Director Tang, if there are any other requests, just let us know and we’ll do our utmost to accommodate them.”
“Everything is wonderful, truly. I’m completely at ease.”
“Right then, Yang Zheng, go with Xiao Liu to the logistics department to collect your work clothes and quilted bedding.”
Tang Ping’s assistant immediately chimed in, “Comrade Yang Zheng, right this way.”
“Go on, then. I have to head back,” Zhou Zhonghai told Yang Zheng. “Remember to go home and visit Qiaoqiao when you get time off.”
“Alright, Uncle, take care on the road.”
Tang Ping escorted Zhou Zhonghai out of the plant.
“Is Yang Zheng your daughter-in-law’s older brother?” Tang Ping asked as they walked.
“That’s right. Yang Zheng is very clever, though his family background isn’t the best. As for his connection to me, try not to publicize it too much. How far he goes will ultimately depend on his own abilities.”
“Understood. A master can open the door, but the cultivation is up to the individual. Old Zhou, are you really okay with Wenhui marrying a country girl?”
With no outsiders left around, Tang Ping’s tone grew more casual.
“City girls have lofty horizons. Even if one were willing to marry Wenhui, who could guarantee they’d stick together through thick and thin? This daughter-in-law of mine is down-to-earth and kind-hearted, and both Meiyun and I like her very much.”
Given Zhou Zhonghai’s status, finding a city girl wouldn’t have been difficult, but city girls placed too much weight on material interests.
The moment he retired and lost his power and influence, would a city girl truly remain devoted to Wenhui?
That was the exact calculation Zhou Zhonghai and Luo Meiyun had weighed over a long period before making their decision.
“When is your youngest son coming back?”
“Don’t even mention him. He went abroad for advanced studies two years ago and has no plans to return. I can’t control him anymore.”
“Your boys are all fine young men. Going abroad isn’t bad either—prosthetic technology is much more advanced overseas. If we could manage to get a set brought back…”
“Don’t bother wishing for things like that. Everything has to rely on ourselves. What foreign countries can build, China can build too.”
“Indeed.” Tang Ping smiled in agreement; whenever his old classmate was reminded of anything foreign, it always seemed to strike a nerve.
Meanwhile, back at the courtyard, Luo Meiyun and Qiaoqiao finished organizing the dowry items. Luo Meiyun pulled out a small notebook and said, “Qiaoqiao, these are the prices for coal briquettes and the prices for meals at the mess hall. Here are the phone numbers for the logistics department and the trade union. After we return to the military headquarters, Xiao Liu will still come over to help out. Once you get the hang of everything, Xiao Liu will probably be transferred back to headquarters, too.”
“Your father and I won’t be home often; if you run into any problems you can’t solve on your own, just call the trade union office. Come, let me teach you how to use the telephone.”
“First, you dial the main switchboard and ask them to transfer you to the logistics department or the trade union. This is my direct line—unless it’s an absolute emergency, try not to call me here, I’ll call you back instead. Discipline at the military headquarters is extremely strict.”
“Mm, I’ll remember,” Qiaoqiao nodded.
“When you don’t have anything else to do, check in on Wenhui every hour or two to see if he needs to use the commode.”
“Yes.”
“Wenhui’s quilt covers need to be washed every ten days. Don’t let him sit in that chair all day either; he needs to lie down and rest for a bit. Sitting for too long will hurt his hips.”
“Got it.”
Luo Meiyun kept giving detailed instructions, as if no amount of reminding could ever set her mind completely at ease.
“Tomorrow I’ll take you for a walk around the neighborhood and show you the vegetable market. If you ever want to cook some fresh dishes, you can make them yourself.”
“Mom, can we buy some vegetable seeds? The yard out front is empty—it’s such a waste,” Qiaoqiao hesitated and suggested.
“Oh? That’s a wonderful idea, I just worried it might tire you out.”
“It’s not tiring at all. Growing vegetables is very simple.”
“Well then, what kind of vegetable seeds should we buy?”
“Napa cabbage, chili peppers, eggplants, radishes—any of those will do.”
Growing these crops was second nature to Qiaoqiao; she did it all the time back home.
“How about cucumbers and tomatoes? They’re delicious eaten raw or tossed in a cold salad,” Luo Meiyun suggested.
“Oh, wonderful! If we plant a few more varieties, we won’t even need to buy vegetables at all. We can pickle the cucumbers too—they go wonderfully with rice congee.”
“My word, look at that! Qiaoqiao is so capable.”
Regardless of whether Zhou Wenhui was ultimately satisfied with Qiaoqiao, the mother and daughter-in-law were already getting along famously like close friends.