Siheyuan Great Craftsmen

"Brother, wake up!"

Zhou Tian heard his second brother's voice in a daze. He opened his eyes and looked at the roof. His mind was dull. He was just wondering how he heard his second brother calling him to get up. Normally, wasn't he the one calling his younger brothers and sisters to get up?

Just when he was confused, his second brother's voice sounded outside again.

"Brother, hurry up, the food is ready!"

"It's not a dream!"

Zhou Tian was awake now. He got up immediately, put on his clothes, and walked out. He saw his second brother Zhou Hao coming in from the kitchen carrying food.

My third brother and little sister were also sitting at the dining table, yawning, sleepy-eyed.

Looking at Sanxiao and then at the still dim sky outside, he couldn't help but ask, "Second brother, why did you think of cooking today? Why didn't you call big brother?"

The second brother put the food on the table, looked at Zhou Tian and said seriously: "Brother, I heard you talking to Uncle He last night. I have grown up and it is time for me to share some of the responsibilities of the family. Brother, you are busy with work, so let me cook the meals from now on!"

"Oh, you little brat, you've really grown up. Fine, today I'll have a taste of your cooking skills!"

Zhou Tian was relieved, and he went forward to ruffle his second brother's hair. Before he could protest, he let go of his hand and sat down at the dining table.

Looking at the steamed buns made of two-grain flour on the dining table, although the shape of the buns was not round and was uneven, for some reason, he felt unusually warm in his heart.

The cornmeal paste also had a burnt smell, but when it reached his nose, it made him feel a little sour. As for the dish, it was a bowl of pickled vegetables.

Looking at the two kids who looked a little disgusted, Zhou Tian didn't care at all. He picked up a steamed bun made of two pieces of flour and started eating it.

A sour taste burst in his mouth, but Zhou Tian felt that this was the most delicious steamed bun he had ever eaten, facing his second brother's expectant gaze.

He nodded and said, "Second brother, your steamed buns made with two-grain flour are pretty good, but you put a little less alkaline flour in them!"

He did not disappoint his second brother and started to praise him directly, but he still pointed out some problems of his second brother Zhou Hao.

"Really? Big Brother?"

The second brother Zhou Hao asked in surprise when he heard this.

Seeing his elder brother Zhou Tian nodded again, he breathed a sigh of relief, sat down, picked up a steamed bun made of two-grain flour, and started eating. Unexpectedly, as soon as he put it in his mouth, his brows began to frown.

Feeling the sourness in his mouth, he wanted to spit it out, but when he looked up and saw his elder brother eating with gusto, he forced himself to swallow it.

Glancing at the two children who were still hesitating, Zhou Hao realized the gap between his cooking skills and his elder brother's. He couldn't help but choked up a little and said, "Brother, I'm sorry, I wasted food!"

After saying this, his eyes became moist.

Zhou Tian listened to his second brother's words, and looked at the two children who were hesitant and didn't dare to eat. He put down the steamed buns, walked to his second brother Zhou Hao, rubbed his hair again, and said with a smile: "It's okay, big brother knows you are sensible. It's a waste of food. Besides, the steamed buns you steamed are tastier than those made by big brother!"

Zhou Tian said this comfortingly, and then glared at the two children.

"Why don't you two eat? Eat!"

When the two children heard what their eldest brother said, they looked at their second brother who was choking with sobs, and at the same time picked up the steamed buns made of two grains of flour on the dining table and began to eat them in small bites.

"very sour!"

As soon as he put the food into his mouth, the third brother suddenly cried out and wanted to vomit, but Zhou Tian glared at him and forced him to swallow it down.

"Big brother!"

He cried out in grievance, but as Zhou Tian stared at him, he could only force himself to continue eating in small bites.

Although the younger sister Zhou Ting also frowned, she did not do so as exaggeratedly as her third brother. She kept eating in small bites and occasionally picked up the cornmeal porridge in the bowl and drank it.

"Okay, look, my third brother and little sister have already eaten, right? Don't be sad, eat quickly!"

After comforting Zhou Hao, he returned to his seat and started eating with big mouthfuls.

Although the cooking of his second brother Zhou Hao was not satisfactory, even worse than the level in his previous life, Zhou Tian found it extremely delicious. After all, this was his second brother's first attempt, and he naturally would not undermine his self-confidence.

Zhou Hao watched his eldest brother eating with big mouthfuls, then glanced at his third brother and little sister who had already started eating. He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, and started eating with big mouthfuls of cornmeal porridge.

At the same time, I felt warm in my heart and couldn't help but smile. I felt that the food I cooked was not so bad anymore.

After dinner, at Zhou Hao's insistence, Sanxiao washed the dishes before they put on their backpacks and set off for school. Zhou Tian watched Sanxiao go to school. He locked the door, went to the middle courtyard and knocked on He Daqing's door.

"Uncle He, I still need to trouble you tonight. You don't have to cook the meal yourself. I hope you can teach Haozi some cooking skills! Let him cook!"

Zhou Tian spoke to He Daqing with a happy face.

"You're smiling so brightly, is it because the second kid cooked today?"

He Daqing looked at Zhou Tian and asked jokingly.

"Uncle He, how did you know?"

When Zhou Tian heard what He Daqing said, he couldn't help but ask in confusion.

"You little boy, if your second son hadn't cooked, you would have laughed so brightly, with the roots behind your ears almost squeezing into your face!"

He Daqing couldn't help but give Zhou Tian a blank look.

"Hey, Uncle He, thank you for your help!"

Zhou Tian touched his head and said with a silly smile.

"Got it, let's go to work!"

After He Daqing finished speaking, he waved his hand casually and turned to walk into the house.

Zhou Tian looked at He Daqing's back, gave him a grateful look, turned around, walked out of the courtyard and walked towards the steel mill.

"Morning, Master Zhou!"

"Master Zhou, do you have anything happy today? Tell us about it and make us happy too."

"Master Zhou!"

On the way, they met workers from the steel rolling mill who kept greeting Zhou Tian. Some of the careful workers noticed that Zhou Tian was different today, as he had a smile on his face all the time, so they couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Nothing, it's just that my second brother cooked for me today!"

Zhou Tian explained.

"Is it true? Master Zhou, if I remember correctly, your second brother seems to be only twelve years old this year!"

A worker asked enviously.

"Yes! I'm twelve years old and just started high school!"

Zhou Tian responded with a smile.

"Master Zhou, I envy you so much. My kid is already fifteen, but he can't do anything. He just eats every day! He's too lazy to even help him if the soy sauce bottle falls over!"

The workers kept saying nice things to him, which made Zhou Tian smile even brighter.

Chatting and laughing, the workers just approached Lou’s Steel Rolling Mill and saw a lot of workers gathered at the entrance of the steel rolling mill.

"What happened?"

Several workers came up to the group and asked.

The worker being questioned looked at the people around him, especially Zhou Tian, ​​before speaking.

"It seems that our steel mill has set up a new department called the Security Department, and now the people in the Security Department are counting the number of people!"

"Security Department, what department is this?"

One of the workers couldn't help but ask.

"I know this. When liberation just happened the year before last, didn't many capitalists flee? The state took over those factories, and there were security guards at the gates. I heard that these security guards are all veterans who have fought in the battlefield. They are very powerful!"

This was said by a worker who obviously knew some inside information.

"Security Department?"

After listening to what they said, Zhou Tian couldn't help but think of the middle-aged man in military uniform he had seen in Lou Jiancheng's office some time ago.

"It seems that this is not far from public-private partnership!"

According to the records about the 50s that he had read in his previous life, the country would probably begin large-scale public-private partnership reform of domestic private enterprises between 53 and 55.

It started with some heavy industries. He originally thought that the country would take action in 53, but he didn't expect it to start so soon.

But it makes sense when you think about it. If we infiltrate step by step first, then public-private partnership will be a natural and smooth process.

Zhou Tian thought about the memories of his previous life in his mind, looked at the steel mill in front of him with complicated eyes, and sighed.

He didn't know whether this kind of public-private partnership was a good thing or not. From the country's perspective, there was definitely nothing wrong with doing this, after all, it was a way to concentrate resources to accomplish big things.

It can also accelerate the pace of the country's industrial development. However, from the perspective of these patriotic capitalists, doing so means the country is undermining the foundation of these people.

This also led to the return of many capitalists after the country’s reform and opening up, and they dug up the country’s foundations.

After thinking for a while, he stopped thinking about it. After all, this kind of thing had nothing to do with them, the workers. If there was any connection, it was that after the public-private partnership, they, the workers, were treated better.

Whether in terms of status or welfare benefits, they are all beneficiaries. After all, the "iron rice bowl" is not called that for nothing.