Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

"Xiao Xu, I heard that you have another son? Congratulations."

Xu Damao went to Li Huaide's office with two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes rolled up in a newspaper.

"Director, yes, she was born two days after National Day. It was a close call, I'm lucky."

Xu Damao handed two packs of cigarettes to Li Huaide. Although the brand was not very good, it was mainly to express his meaning.

"These are two packs of cigarettes my father-in-law gave me. It's not appropriate for a small cadre like me to smoke them, so I gave them to you as a gift. Please don't despise them."

Li Huaide really didn't care about two packs of cigarettes, whether it was Zhonghua, Peony, or Xiangshan. The most important thing was Xu Damao's humble attitude.

He still accepted it, "Your father-in-law is very good to you. It's hard to get Zhonghua cigarette tickets nowadays."

Li Huaide opened a cigarette, took out two packs, and threw them directly to Xu Damao, who was standing opposite him. "Take these two packs. Come with me to entertain the district leaders at noon today. Xiao Xu, you can drink well, right?"

"Director, it's OK. Is it appropriate for a small cadre like me to accompany you?"

"If I say it's suitable, then it's suitable. What's the big deal? Why don't you just help me run to the third cafeteria and ask the cafeteria monitor Sha Zhu to prepare meals for eight people at noon today."

"Okay, I'll go inform Comrade He Yuzhu for you."

Li Huaide watched Xu Damao leave with satisfaction. He tore open a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, picked up a kerosene lighter, lit it with a click, and watched the smoke exhaled, enjoying it very much.

In the third canteen, in the back kitchen, He Yuzhu was sitting in a corner with his legs crossed, holding a can of teacup, drinking hot tea and smoking a cigarette.

"Hey, Brother Zhuzi, you are so relaxed and at ease. Aren't you afraid that your boss will check on you?"

He Yuzhu saw that it was Xu Damao, "Da Mao, I haven't seen you for a while. You are really good. I heard from my wife that Lou Xiao'e gave you a big fat boy. Such a good thing, but you don't even treat me to wine and meat."

"When my wife is done with her confinement and moves back to the compound, I'll prepare wine and meat, and you'll cook, and we'll have a meal together."

"Okay, then I'll wait." He Yuzhu took out a Beihai brand cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Xu Damao, then gave the cigarette butt to Xu Damao and asked him to light it.

"Da Mao, if you have time today, come to the cafeteria. You have something to talk to me about. If you have something to say, just talk to me."

"I'm not the one looking for you. Deputy Director Li asked me to inform you that the small kitchen will prepare a meal for eight people at noon today. You are asked to go to the canteen director to get the supplies. The time is 8:."

"Damn it, it's Deputy Director Li's treat again. This old guy is treating more and more people, and he's quite picky."

"Brother Zhuzi, be careful with your words. Walls may have ears. It is not a good idea to comment on your leader in private."

"Da Mao, we make a living based on our own abilities. So what if he hears? He can still fire me."

Xu Damao didn't expect He Yuzhu's temper to be so inflated, but he couldn't teach him. He couldn't preach to him, so he could only stop at the right time.

"Brother Zhuzi, make arrangements and prepare something delicious. I am not accompanying you today, so I will enjoy your cooking. Don't be late."

"Okay, I'll do whatever the boss tells me to do. You're still in a good mood, and you have good wine to drink."

Xu Damao was notified and left. From a distance, he heard He Yuzhu shouting, "Ma Hua, Liu Lan, the two of you go to the director to get the supplies for the lunch kitchen today. Come back and start working."

The dishes at the Chinese restaurant are really extraordinary:

Stir-fried chicken, braised pork, braised yellow croaker, mapo tofu, sliced ​​meat and cabbage, garlic beans, boiled pork head, fried peanuts, cold shredded kelp, candied sweet potato, and Liu Julan brought out the tomato egg drop soup, and that was it.

While Xu Damao was accompanying the guests, he stole a glance at Li Huaide and Old Liu Lan's eyes. He thought that the old guy really got Liu Lan, but he didn't know whether he succeeded or not. But Xu Damao didn't care about that. He didn't want to be a fellow traveler with Li Huaide, nor did he want to play the role of a pimp. After more than an hour of reception, Xu Damao was full and followed Li Huaide to send the visiting guests to the small conference room of the administrative building. After helping to make tea, he said hello to Li Huaide and left on his own initiative.

He drank a little too much today. Xu Ning had been making a lot of noise at night these past few days, and he hadn't gotten much rest. He wanted to go back to his data room and take a short rest while he was still drunk.

As soon as I arrived at the information room, I saw Wu Lingjuan walking towards me. She followed Xu Damao's instructions to open the door, entered the information room, and sat directly on Xu Damao's special seat.

"Wu Lingjuan, you are occupying the magpie's nest. Where should I sit if you sit there?"

"There's no stool left in your archive room, just move it yourself. I came to your archive room because I think highly of you, but you're looking down on me and you don't welcome me to leave."

"No, auntie, please take a seat. I'll move the stool myself."

Xu Damao moved a stool, sat down, took out a cigarette and lit it, "I've been drinking, I want a cigarette, is that okay with you?" He didn't care about anything else and lit it up, took a deep puff, and exhaled all at once.

"This little life is comfortable."

Wu Lingjuan disliked the smoke and fanned it with her notebook, "Xu Damao, can you help me with something?"

"What's the matter? Tell me."

"Please help me write a manuscript. The factory radio room needs it this week."

"Isn't it Deputy Section Chief Gu who writes most of the scripts for the broadcasting room? Why, Deputy Section Chief Gu doesn't write anymore?"

"No, Deputy Section Chief Gu is at the headquarters for a meeting and is not at the company. He probably won't be back this week. Section Chief Li requires the manuscript to be submitted before Thursday and broadcast on Friday. So, this task has been assigned to me."

"What spirit?"

"It is an article to encourage all employees to overcome difficulties and strive to complete the task before the end of the year."

"This is really difficult. You said that since the second half of last year, the employees have not had enough to eat or eat well, so how can they be so motivated? Over the past year, the front-line workers have suffered a lot. But the task still needs to be completed, otherwise the factory will be in even greater trouble next year. OK, I will try to write one for you. Today is Tuesday, you can come and get it Thursday morning. I can't guarantee the quality, I can only say that I will try my best, okay? My wife and children have been quarreling recently, and I haven't been sleeping well, so I'm not in the right state."

"It's fine as long as I can get the job done. I don't ask for it to be perfect. What you said is true. There is no other way to continue the revolution on an empty stomach. I'll leave you here. I'm leaving now."

Wu Lingjuan got up and left the data room. Xu Damao happened to be smoking a cigarette, so he put it out, rolled up his arms and checked the time. It was already past one o'clock in the afternoon. He quickly closed the data room, took out a military cotton coat from the cabinet, sat down, put his feet on the stool, covered with the cotton coat, half sitting and half lying. After a while, he started chatting with Zhou Gong in his dream.

I slept until four o'clock, and when I woke up, I felt sore in my waist and back. It would be nice to have a bed in the reference room. Xu Damao still felt a little regretful that his reference room was not well equipped.

I am so greedy that I feel I am being a little hypocritical. I have worked for a day, had a meal for nothing, had a dream for nothing, and now I can prepare to go home. How can such a good day come true?