Siheyuan: Grassroots Counterattack

Naturally, Li's father and mother noticed Yan Bugui's disappointment. This old man Yan only knew how to take advantage of others all day long. Naturally, Li's father and others knew the true situation of the Yan family. In the current courtyard, except for Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and the Li family, the Yan family has the highest income.

But Yan Bugui is used to pretending to be poor, and now he still wants to take advantage of others even if he has nothing to do.

"Old Yan, what can I say about you? Your family's situation is not bad, so why can't you change your bad habits?" Father Li said helplessly.

Yan Bugui smiled awkwardly, "Old Li, you don't know this, right? If you can't eat and wear, you'll be poor. If you can't plan, you'll be poor. Look at my family of four children, how can I live without planning?"

"Your husband Yan Jiechengdu has already started working, so your burden will be reduced a lot. Why are you still making your family suffer like this?"

"Oh, you don't know this, right? Nothing is stable these days. Just like now, the countryside has started to eat collective meals and produce steel. If I don't keep some assets for my family, I won't feel at ease."

Father Li nodded. They have been talking about steelmaking recently, asking each family to send one person to make steel on the street, but he didn't know whether it was true or not.

Just then, Director Wang from the Street Office came to the courtyard. Yan Bugui didn't even bother to talk to Li's father and hurried forward to greet him.

Director Wang asked Yan Bugui to convene a meeting at the Intermediate Court. After everyone arrived, Director Wang said, "Today, we have gathered everyone to discuss two things. One is to congratulate Comrade Li Tianyi on his recent achievements. The Subdistrict Office has decided to reward Comrade Li Tianyi with 50 yuan. Although Comrade Li Tianyi cannot attend this meeting today due to work, we would like to ask Comrade Li Youde to receive it on his behalf. Everyone is welcome."

Director Wang took the lead in applauding. No matter how reluctant the people in the courtyard were, they had to respond. Father Li took the 50 yuan from Director Wang amid the applause of the crowd, but he did not take it back. Instead, he said to Director Wang: "Director Wang, I am very grateful to the street office for recognizing Tianyi."

"But our family cannot accept this money. Now the country needs funds everywhere for construction. Although this amount of money is nothing, I still want to donate it. I hope Director Wang can use this money in a more appropriate place."

"Mr. Li, your family is great." Director Wang was very moved. The 50 yuan was equivalent to the salary of an ordinary worker. The Li family donated the money as soon as they said they would. They are truly worthy of being Li Tianyi's parents.

Father Li returned to his seat as everyone in the courtyard looked at him like a fool. Director Wang then continued, "Another thing is that the country is promoting steelmaking by all citizens in order to increase steel production. It requires every household to send one person to the street office to help. It is also based on the principle of voluntariness. Every household must donate 20 kilograms of scrap iron. The street office staff will come to collect it tomorrow night."

As soon as Director Wang finished speaking, people in the yard began to talk. Twenty kilograms of scrap iron was easy to deal with, as every family had some junk. But asking every household to send someone to make steel was a bit difficult.

"Director Wang, I am the only labor force in my family. My wife is sick all year round. She can't do heavy work with her physique. And I have to go to work. What should I do?"

Director Wang also knew that each family had a difficult situation, so he said, "We will implement three shifts, each shift is 8 hours. Women comrades have less strength, so they can cooperate with men comrades to do some easier work, but each family must provide people."

After saying that, Director Wang led his people out of the courtyard and went to another courtyard to notify people, but the people sitting in the courtyard were in an uproar.

Yi Zhonghai stepped forward and signaled for everyone to be quiet. "Come to Old Yan to sign up now, and then we will arrange the time for you to start work."

No matter how unwilling everyone was, there was nothing they could do but to have one person from each family come to Yan Bugui to register.

After a series of arrangements, Father Li was assigned to the shift after 12 o'clock in the evening. Mother Li was not satisfied. This shift was basically occupied by women who did not work during the day. Father Li, a grown man, was assigned to this shift. Isn't this obviously bullying?

Father Li didn't know what to say, but Mother Li didn't tolerate them and started to curse them. Her curses were particularly harsh, which made Yi Zhonghai so angry that his face turned red.

He made this arrangement for Father Li on purpose, just to make things difficult for Father Li. He also expected that Father Li would not say anything, but he did not expect Mother Li to be so aggressive.

Having lived in this courtyard for so many years, she had never seen Mother Li get so angry. Seeing that Yi Zhonghai and the others were unmoved, Mother Li rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, since you won't replace our Old Li, then I'll go for our Old Li. Anyway, the superiors didn't require that only men can go."

"When the time comes, we'll see who can rely on whom."

Yan Bugui wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back when they were on the tip of his tongue. He had raised his objections when the classes were divided just now, but Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong ignored his opinions and insisted on arranging Li Youde in this way.

You see, no one is a fool. Since you are doing something bad, let's all play together.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong are now in a dilemma. Although Li's mother cursed someone just now, she did not name anyone. If they propose to transfer Li Youde to another job, wouldn't it just confirm what Li's mother said just now that they are narrow-minded, treacherous and have a dark heart!

Seeing that no one was talking, Li's mother dragged Li's father back home. As soon as they entered the house, Li's father said, "Gui Fen, can you bear it?"

"Why don't I go instead?" Father Li said worriedly.

"It's okay. They're just a bunch of old ladies anyway. If they work, I work. If they slack off, I slack off. Besides, my job is easy. When I have nothing to do, I can find a place to rest. But you can't do that. If you lose focus for a moment, something bad might happen."

"This damn Yi Zhonghai, it's no wonder he doesn't have children. He's so wicked, it would be a wonder if God could let him have children."

Let’s not talk about how the Li family cursed Yi Zhonghai, let’s just talk about the Jia family. This time they reported Qin Huairu’s name, and it was also a shift in the second half of the night.

Originally, she wanted to make Li Youde lazy and let him do more work, but this plan did not work after Li's mother interfered. Jia Zhang cursed the Li family in a low voice in the house. She envied the Li family for having Li Tianyi, but she also hated Li Tianyi for stealing all the limelight and leaving her precious son no chance to stand out.

No matter how people complained, Director Wang brought his staff to the courtyard to collect scrap iron. It was the first time for every household to collect it, and Director Wang also notified them to start steelmaking in two days.

Although they didn't want to go, they had no choice but to go to work with the crowd. After completing the handover, Li Tianyi returned to the steel rolling mill.

The steel mill was in full swing at this time. The superiors had approved the expansion of the steel mill, which not only required full use of the old machines in the warehouse, but also the construction of two tractor workshops.

Yes, you heard it right, it is the tractor workshop. The superiors decided to divide the production of this tractor into three manufacturers. The one in Sijiucheng is the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill.