Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

Qu Qiangsheng, You Chunsheng and Niu Kewu came back from the grassland, and the factory office sent someone to notify Zhang Dabao to come to the factory for a meeting.

Zhang Dabao arrived at the factory conference room and found that Huang Xinsheng was also there. He should have been brought back from the hospital this morning. The meeting room was very quiet. Zhang Dabao and five others were sitting in the front row.

The standard of the meeting should be very high, because Li Huaide and Wang Cheng had no seats on the rostrum and both sat in the second row. On the rostrum, only Yang Weihua's name was on the very edge of the rolling mill, and Shi Guijun's name was on the other side. There were three other seats, and it seemed that their ranks were higher than Yang Weihua, at least they were department-level cadres.

Just when Zhang Dabao was daydreaming, the door of the conference room opened. Yang Weihua accompanied the leaders to the meeting place, and Deputy Minister Shi Kejun attended the meeting.

"Comrades, we are holding a short meeting today to commend the heroes who have made outstanding contributions in the process of eradicating the infiltration forces of Mao Zedong..." Yang Weihua was the host of today's meeting, and he began to speak.

"Today's meeting has three agendas. The first agenda is to ask the military representative, Deputy Director Ma Daohao, to read out the commendation decision..." After Yang Weihua finished speaking, the soldiers around him stood up and saluted, and then the commendation decision was read out. Zhang Dabao was awarded the first-class merit, and Niu Kewu, Huang Xinsheng, Qu Qiangsheng, and You Chunsheng were awarded the second-class merit.

"For the second item on the agenda, please invite Director Mao Fengxian of the Metallurgical Bureau to read out the commendation decision of the Ministry of Machinery Industry," Yang Weihua spoke again.

Another comrade next to the Deputy Minister read out the ministry's commendations. Zhang Dabao and Niu Kewu were selected as the top ten workers of the Ministry of Machinery Industry in 1960. Huang Xinsheng, You Chunsheng and Qu Qiangsheng were named outstanding employees of the Ministry of Machinery Industry in 1960 and received material rewards.

"For the third item on the agenda, Deputy Minister Shi Kejun will give us instructions. Everyone welcome..."

Deputy Minister Shi Kejun highly praised the spirit of the workers represented by Zhang Dabao and others who were not afraid of difficulties, not afraid of sacrifice, faced challenges head-on, and finally completed the task. He asked everyone to learn from the advanced and at the same time encouraged advanced employees to not forget their advanced nature and continue to play an exemplary leading role in their respective positions.

At the end of the meeting, five leaders on the rostrum presented certificates and awards to Zhang Dabao and others, and handed out receipts and cash for material rewards to everyone. Finally, the leaders took photos with the heroes.

The meeting was very successful. After the meeting, the leaders held a discussion with the heroes. At noon, everyone went to the canteen to eat together. The leaders' behavior moved everyone.

After lunch, the leaders left. Yang Weihua and others breathed a sigh of relief and looked at everyone, "Xiao Huang, how is your injury recovering?"

"Director, I want to go home to recuperate. There is no need for me to stay in the hospital. My wounds are healing well now, and I don't need injections or medicines in the hospital. It would be a waste of hospitalization fees," said Huang Xinsheng.

"Go home to recuperate? Are you physically able to do it? Don't worry about the expenses, the factory will settle the bill," Yang Weihua said with concern.

"Director, it's not about the cost. I really don't need to live here anymore. I'm fine now, so it's the same if I go home to recuperate." Huang Xinsheng asked again to be discharged from the hospital and go home, and Yang Weihua agreed.

"Do you have any other requests?" The factory director asked Zhang Dabiao and his colleagues, and they all shook their heads. To make requests at this time would be like asking for death.

"Everyone go home and rest for a few days and come back to work next week. Xiao Niu, you will be in the same department with Da Biao from now on, and there is not much to do in the department right now. You are seriously injured this time, so go home and heal yourself before coming back to work," Yang Weihua said to Niu Kewu with concern.

"Okay, Factory Director," Niu Kewu quickly expressed his gratitude.

Zhang Dabao sent Niu Kewu back home and took Huang Xinsheng back to Yard 95.

"Secretary Huang, are you healed?" As soon as Huang Xinsheng entered the yard, the three aunts and others surrounded him.

"Much better, but still a little painful. I need to stay at home for a while. Thank you all for your concern." Huang Xinsheng expressed his gratitude repeatedly and returned to the backyard. Jia Dongxu had also just returned not long ago. When he saw Huang Xinsheng, he immediately ran over.

"Uncle Xinsheng, are you healed?" Jia Dongxu asked with concern.

"It's almost done," said Huang Xinsheng.

"Are you doing something now?" Jia Dongxu's second sentence.

"Yes, security officer." Huang Xinsheng was also very happy. He had not been working for long, but he had made the leap from a worker to a cadre.

"Shall we celebrate for you tonight?" This was Jia Dongxu's third sentence.

"All you fucking do is eat." Upon hearing this, Zhang Dabao kicked Jia Dongxu and knocked him down.

"How are you celebrating? What gift have you prepared for Xinsheng? Why didn't you go and see him after he's been in the hospital for such a long time?" Zhang Dabao kicked Jia Dongxu again.

"Seventh Uncle, I have prepared gifts. They are in my room." Jia Dongxu got up from the ground and took out a basket of eggs. There were at least twenty or thirty eggs in the house. If they were five cents each, it would be more than one dollar.

"Dongxu, you've made great progress this time. You really know how to prepare gifts. Where did you get the money?" Zhang Dabao asked.

"My mother gave it to me. She was really rewarded by the factory. She was rewarded with 20 yuan. She gave two yuan to me, 20 cents to Banggeng, two yuan to Huairu, and one yuan to Banggeng's aunt," said Jia Dongxu.

"Why did your mother receive the reward?" Zhang Dabao asked curiously.

"I didn't dare to ask. If I asked, my mother would ask me again why I haven't received any rewards in the factory for so many years. How would I answer? I would definitely get beaten again. I wouldn't ask." It seems that Jia Dongxu has initially mastered the method of avoiding being beaten at home.

"That makes sense. I'm also curious. Why have you never been rewarded in the seven or eight years you've been working in the factory? Xinsheng and I were also rewarded today. Take a look at the certificates, awards, money, tickets, etc.," Zhang Dabao asked Jia Dongxu.

"Whether to give a reward or not is not up to me, it's up to the factory leaders. They haven't discovered my strengths," said Jia Dongxu.

"What are your advantages? Thick skin and low technical level?" Zhang Dabao laughed directly.

"Brother, don't talk about Dongxu. He is a postman now, not a factory worker. He also bought me eggs today. How about we celebrate tonight?" Huang Xinsheng said.

"Okay, I'll go buy some meat. Dongxu, see if there are any other vegetables in the room. Wash the dried fish and steam it later. Take some smoked meat and wash it well. Fry it with chili later. Wash the vegetables. Xinsheng is injured, buy a hen to give him some nourishment." Zhang Dabao instructed Jia Dongxu and went out.

When he came out of the courtyard gate, Zhang Dabao saw four or five young men about sixteen or seventeen years old, pointing and drawing at the courtyard, and occasionally heard the three words "Zhang Cuihua".

It seems that they have no good intentions towards Zhang Cuihua.