Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

Millet porridge, white flour buns, boiled eggs, shredded pickles, and small pickled vegetables.

Xu Damao prepared breakfast early and brought it to Lou Xiaoe, who was still lying on the rosewood bed. "Hey, hey, wife, get up and eat breakfast while it's hot before going to bed."

"Da Mao, I haven't gotten enough sleep. We'll eat later, you eat first."

"Mozi, I've brought it all here. Let's eat together and then continue sleeping. I'll get you lunch from work at noon. You can sleep as long as you like."

Although this breakfast is simple, it is actually much better than most people's. Eggs and white flour buns, this is absolutely delicious.

Xu Damao had breakfast, cleaned up the kang table, carried his briefcase and went out, pushing his bicycle to the outside of the courtyard. He actually heard a noise coming from the Jia family in the middle courtyard. He was too lazy to listen, so he pushed the bicycle past quickly. At this time, he must be a passerby.

"Da Mao, have you gone to work? What's going on in the Intermediate Court?" Yan Fugui asked knowingly.

"Good morning, Third Uncle, Central Courtyard, is everything alright? I didn't notice it just now, is there something wrong? Third Uncle, you are the one in charge, just go over and take a look and you will know. I am in a hurry, I will see you later."

He arrived at the gate of the yard, picked up the bicycle, moved it out of the gate, got on the bike, and drove away.

During rush hour, the streets are very busy, with buses, bicycles, and pedestrians all going their own way, making a fuss...

The blue-gray color of Kyoto city forms a sharp contrast with the forsythia flowers blooming on the roadside in spring. Many magnolia trees on the roadside are already full of buds, and occasionally you can see them blooming.

Yes, the real spring has arrived.

The gate of the steel rolling mill was very busy. A few people rode bicycles, while the majority walked. People came in one after another, and a new day began.

Xu Damao arrived at the information room, did some simple cleaning, then went to the cafeteria's boiler to get some boiling water, made himself some tea and let it cool, then began his standing meditation.

I was sweating profusely while standing in the posture, then went to the bathhouse to take a shower, changed my clothes, and looked at my watch, only to realize that it was almost ten o'clock.

Xu Damao went to the office of Chief Li of the Propaganda Department with cigarettes in his pocket.

"Section Chief." Xu Damao handed over a cigarette. "Damo, sit down, sit down."

"Chief, I'll just stand there for a while. I want to ask when I can go and change the film copies and make preparations for sending the films to the countryside this year."

"No hurry. We can't just change the copy whenever we want. You should be free today. There's something going on at noon that you can participate in."

"Section Chief, you give the order."

"A leader from the department is coming to inspect our factory today. He will have lunch in the canteen. It's a good opportunity for you to accompany him."

"No, Chief, the department leader is coming. How can I accompany him? No, no."

"Da Mao, the Propaganda Department of the Ministry wants to hear about the propaganda work of the factory. You are in the Propaganda Department, and you are a high school student. You should be able to drink a lot, right? Okay, I said you can do it, Damao, you can do it. By the way, go to Deputy Director Li now and ask about the specific time arrangement. Then you can follow the inspection team and answer the leader's questions at any time."

"Section Chief, is that really possible? Well, I'll go to Director Li and ask for the specific arrangements. I'll come back and tell you right away."

Xu Damao went to Li Huaide's office and learned that the department leaders arrived at the factory on time at 10:30. They were mainly divided into two groups. One group inspected the workshop, as if they were going to update some machinery and equipment. The other group inspected the propaganda department, as if they were going to arrange for the further promotion work of Red Star Factory.

Come back and tell Section Chief Li, and ask him to wait for us on the first floor of the office building at 10.20:.

"Come on, Damao, come with me to this event."

Xu Damao actually didn't want to attend, as he had agreed to deliver lunch to Lou Xiao'e at noon today. How could he set a time limit for following the leader on the inspection?

But there is no other way. You can't do things that your leader asks you to do poorly. If you want to do well, you have to do well what your leader tells you to do.

Xu Damao also took advantage of the waiting time to make a mental note, of course, mainly focusing on the aspects related to his sending movies to the countryside and the current actual situation of the steel mill. You can't steal other people's lines, just do your part well.

Fortunately, the leader of the Propaganda Department of the ministry just went through the motions, learned about the current daily propaganda work of the Red Star Factory, and looked at a few blackboard newspapers in the factory area, and that was it.

This time the department came to inspect the workshop to install new equipment, and they were accompanied by two bearded experts.

Xu Damao guessed that maybe the big brother country was aiding China's state-owned project and wanted to process some spare parts at the Red Star Factory.

Xu Damao revealed the truth. A new weapon had indeed been finalized. Two of its spare parts would be handed over to the Red Star Factory for production. The precision requirements were relatively high, so a workshop had to be updated with equipment to focus on the production of these two parts.

There were many people accompanying him, so Xu Damao didn't get to eat with them, which was exactly what he wanted. He quickly ordered two dishes and four steamed buns at the third canteen during lunch time, and rode his bicycle back to the compound.

Lou Xiao'e was tidying up the house. There were freshly washed clothes hanging in the courtyard.

"Da Mao, you're back? That's great, I just packed up."

"Mozi, you've worked hard. A home with a wife is different. Everything is so neat and tidy. Thank you, Mozi."

"Go to hell, I don't know how to clean it up, I'm just making random gestures, as long as you're satisfied."

"Wash your hands, eat, do you have any more pickled vegetables from this morning?"

"Yes, I also mixed it with sesame oil. It smells really good."

The two of them closed the door and ate lunch while talking and laughing.

"Da Mao, it's true. The Central Courtyard was very lively after you left this morning. Grandmother Jia found fault with Master Yi again, saying that Jia Dongxu was bullied in the factory because his master didn't care. Master Yi almost got embarrassed again."

"Ah, the Jia family is really unreasonable. It's obviously Jia Dongxu's character that's bad, but in his mother's eyes, it seems that Jia Dongxu is a genius, as if the leaders are blind if he doesn't work as workshop director. In fact, Jia Dongxu is just a fool, a piece of mud that can't be helped. He has been in class for several years, and even a pig can get the second-level worker. I don't know if Jia Zhangshi really doesn't know or is pretending not to know."

"You're right, Damao, I really need to stay away from Dongxu's mother. She's too unreasonable. And she's so cruel. She really feels as if others owe her family something. She scolded all three aunties in the morning."

"Moth, stay away from the excitement next time. It's not worth it to get splashed with blood accidentally. If you can't do it, leave. Go to Yandaixie Street, or hide at your mother's house. This courtyard will be even more restless in the future."

"Okay, I understand. Damao, Dongxu's wife came to knock on our door today."

"Qin Huairu? What is she doing here?!"

"She came to borrow money. She wanted to borrow ten dollars to make ends meet."

"You borrowed it? You can't just lend it to the Jia family. That family is a bottomless pit. To put it nicely, it's a loan, but to put it bluntly, it's like throwing meat buns at a dog. It won't come back."

"I didn't lend it. I'm not familiar with her family. Besides, what was she thinking when she asked to borrow ten yuan for working capital? I said our family has no money, and you are in charge of the money. I only have fifty cents in my pocket. Hahaha, Qin Huairu went back. But the uncle gave ten yuan to the Jia family. Later, the Jia family lived in peace."

"Ezi, you did the right thing. Do the same in the future. Eat slowly and put it aside until I come back to clean it up. I have to go back now. The superiors are here at the factory today. If there is an inspection, it will be very bad if I am not here."

"Okay, I understand. Go slowly on the road."

It took Xu Damao ten minutes to get back to the reference room. Although the department leader did not come in the afternoon, this incident also reminded Xu Damao.

So, Xu Damao spent an afternoon in the reference room writing a work report of more than 1,000 words in preparation. He also decided to write an article every month in preparation.

He believes that opportunities always come to those who are prepared. This is definitely not just chicken soup for the soul. It is an effective means, and it is often unexpected.