In the courtyard, everyone is afraid of the little boy who is so smart!

As he spoke, he deliberately took a small step back to make a wider passage for Wang Jianguo and the other man to pass through, and his gaze lingered on the two of them briefly.

After confirming that no further help was needed, he waved his hand gently. The movement was not large, but it was full of politeness and concern.

"If you two need anything, just call me anytime. Don't hesitate. I'm near the counter and I'll be there whenever you call."

After he finished speaking, Xiao Liu turned around quickly, with brisk steps, and reached the counter in just a few steps.

He first raised his hand to tidy up the surface of the counter a little, neatly stacked the product brochures that had been placed randomly after customers had flipped through them, and put a few scattered ballpoint pens into the pen holder, ensuring that the counter was clean and tidy.

Then, he bent down and moved a carton full of goods from under the counter. The carton was quite heavy. Xiao Liu groaned, hugged both sides of the carton tightly with his hands, the veins on his arms bulged slightly, and moved it to the counter with great effort.

He was breathing heavily and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Without time to wipe them off, he hurriedly picked up the scissors, neatly cut open the seal of the carton, and began to sort out the dazzling array of goods inside.

I saw him staring intently into the box, his hands moving like a nimble dancer as he quickly arranged the various commodities according to type and specification, preparing to replenish the shelves.

Customers kept asking questions one after another. Xiao Liu worked briskly while taking the time to respond. His loud voice echoed in the supply and marketing cooperative:

"Come on, wait a moment!"

The busy figures kept shuttling back and forth in front of the counter, like a tireless machine, devoting themselves to their work.

Wang Jianguo walked steadily ahead, leading He Yushui and Cheng Hai, along the slightly old but spotlessly clean corridor of the supply and marketing cooperative, and walked slowly towards the office at the back.

Along the way, the supply and marketing propaganda posters and rules and regulations posted on the walls caught our eyes.

Occasionally, you can hear the crisp sound of abacus beads being moved coming from the office next door, which blends with the noise from the business area outside to compose a unique "supply and marketing cooperative melody."

Soon, they arrived at the director's office. Wang Jianguo first straightened his slightly wrinkled collar and then gently brushed off the dust on the corners of his clothes.

Then, he bent down slightly, clenched his right fist, bent his middle finger joint, and knocked gently on the closed wooden door with a moderate and extremely polite force.

"Knock knock knock," the knocking sounds echoed in the quiet corridor.

Suddenly, a crisp "Come in" came from inside the house. The sound was like the ringing of a huge bell, penetrating the door and reaching my ears.

It sounds sonorous and powerful, with unquestionable majesty, making people subconsciously straighten their backs.

Wang Jianguo took a deep breath, held the door handle firmly, and pushed it gently. The door hinge made a slight "creaking" sound and slowly opened.

Inside the house, bright light pours in through the windows, illuminating the entire space.

I saw the director sitting behind a large desk, concentrating on reviewing a pile of documents.

The pen in his hand kept moving across the paper as he signed his opinions and annotated key points. He was so focused that he didn't even have time to look up at the visitor who came in.

The documents on the table were neatly arranged, and a steaming teacup stood on one side. The lingering fragrance of tea wafted in the air, blending wonderfully with the serious office atmosphere in the room.

Wang Jianguo walked with steady steps through the office corridor and went straight to the director's desk.

As he approached the table, he paused slightly, cleared his throat, and coughed deliberately, trying to attract the director's attention in this gentle way.

This slight noise was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, finally causing the director, who was immersed in a pile of documents, to react.

She paused her pen first, then slowly raised her head, her eyes freeing themselves from the densely packed words.

When he saw clearly that the person coming was Wang Jianguo, his originally serious and tense face instantly bloomed like a spring flower, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were filled with smiles.

"Hey, Comrade Jianguo, you're here at last!"

As the director spoke, he stood up quickly, his movements were quick and decisive, without any delay.

She strode around the desk, enthusiastically extended her right hand, held Wang Jianguo's hand tightly, and shook it up and down vigorously several times, as if to convey his joy and enthusiasm.

"I guessed that you would come to my house in the next few days, and I have been thinking about you all the time. I even told my men to be more careful and guard the door so as not to miss you."

Having said this, he paused slightly, looked past Wang Jianguo and towards the door, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and then asked:

"What? No one brought you in?"

There was a hint of surprise in his tone, as if he felt that given Wang Jianguo's status, he should be accompanied by someone throughout the trip.

Wang Jianguo's face was filled with a faint smile. He waved his hand quickly, his eyes showing a bit of casualness and humility, and explained:

"No, no, no, Xiao Liu is very enthusiastic. As soon as he saw me, he took me in. You know, it's almost the New Year, and the supply and marketing cooperative is as lively as a market, with people coming and going, and everyone is busy."

"I saw that Xiao Liu had a lot of work to do, and I really couldn't bear to waste his time. Besides, this wasn't my first time in this supply and marketing cooperative, and I was familiar with the place, so there was no way I could get lost."

As he spoke, he gently patted the director's hand, as if to further comfort him.

When the director heard what Wang Jianguo said, he nodded slightly, his face full of helplessness at the busy scene and a sense of responsibility.

She slowly glanced across the desk cluttered with documents, then looked out the window at the bustling scene in the supply and marketing cooperative. She couldn't help but sigh and said with deep emotion:

"Yes, look, time flies by so fast. The Chinese New Year is almost here. Every year at this time, the supply and marketing cooperatives are like boiling pots, and they are so busy that they can't stop."

As she spoke, she raised her hand to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead. Although the office was cool, the heat brought by the busyness could not be dispelled.

"I've been on edge the whole time, fearing that something unexpected might happen. You know, our supply and marketing cooperative is the key to everyone's New Year supplies. If there's any mistake, the people won't be able to celebrate the New Year in peace."

"So, as soon as the twelfth lunar month began, I turned down all the assignments I was offered. I didn't dare go anywhere. I had to stay here and watch over the situation. I couldn't relax for even a moment."

The director's eyes revealed determination and persistence, as if she was the stabilizer of the supply and marketing cooperative.