The train driver in the courtyard

After listening to the advice of the aunt, Yi Zhonghai was also tempted.

If he had his own children, he wouldn't have to go through the trouble of finding someone to take care of him in his old age.

But in the end Yi Zhonghai hesitated and finally refused.

First of all, Li Aiguo’s medicinal wine is too expensive.

Buying medicinal wine at a high price is equivalent to giving money to Li Aiguo, while Yi Zhonghai loses money.

As a result, Yi Zhonghai suffered double the depression and would be mad to death before he even had a son.

Secondly, the effectiveness of medicinal wine has not been fully confirmed.

Yi Zhonghai is a person who likes to be in control of the situation. He enjoys the feeling of having everything in his hands and cannot tolerate things beyond his control.

"Dongxu has been performing quite well recently. If he is trained further, he can be a decent elderly care provider."

"Shazhu will be out in five years, so he can be a candidate for the elderly care."

"With these two, we don't have to worry even when we get older."

Seeing that Yi Zhonghai was still trying to take shortcuts, the aunt sighed, turned around and didn't say any more why.

Yi Zhonghai turned off the light and went to sleep, then suddenly said, "Tomorrow you should follow those old ladies in the compound to pick wild vegetables."

"What's going on? Is the world really like what people outside say, that there's not even enough food to eat?" An old lady turned over and asked in surprise.

"You stay in the compound all day and don't know what's going on outside. Yesterday I met Deputy Director Ma from the Street Office, and he told me privately that our neighborhood has repatriated more than 20 migrant workers this month alone. The big rivers are empty and the small rivers are dry. The life of the communes below is not easy. How can our capital be any better?"

Yi Zhonghai narrowed his eyes and said, "Old Yan has asked Yan Jiecheng to go to Zuojiazhuang to collect grain a lot recently. The old guy may not have any other skills, but his nose is better than most people."

The elderly will not be needed until more than ten years later, and if there is a shortage of food, they will starve immediately.

"I'll go early tomorrow morning." The aunt was also panicked, "But wild vegetables are not enough to fill my stomach."

"I'm going to find a way to go to the countryside to collect some grain. Some members of the commune below have stored private grain."

Yi Zhonghai closed his eyes and thought about how to get a batch of food.

People who have experienced suffering always have a keen sense of the suffering to come.

In particular, the "Interim Measures for the Printing of Grain Ration Supply Certificates in Towns and Cities", which had been implemented for more than three years, was suddenly adjusted.

The original monthly food ration for adult workers was 28 kilograms, but now it has been changed to 21 kilograms.

The food ration for adult female comrades was reduced from 25 kilograms to 19 kilograms.

The original weight of 26 kilograms for junior high school students and above was reduced to 20 kilograms.

The quantitative divisions for children are more detailed: 3 jin for infants, 6 jin for children, and 8 jin for young children.

In addition, various indicators have also changed, among which the supply of flour and rice has been reduced by 10%, while the supply of coarse grains such as corn flour, dried sweet potatoes, sorghum flour, fresh sweet potatoes, etc. has been increased.

The adjustment of grain rations is only part of the problem. What is more important is that there is a shortage of grain supply at grain stations.

Residents have to queue up early in the morning to buy food. If they are late, they won’t even be able to buy old food.

There were rumors on the streets that there were difficulties in transferring grain into the capital, and the grain in stock was only enough to meet demand for six days.

The residents in the compound also began to find ways to buy food and pick weeds.

Early in the morning, the group of old women and young wives who had been chatting at the gate of the courtyard all day long headed towards the suburbs, carrying baskets and sickles.

Qin Huairu also persuaded Jia Zhang to go with her.

However, Jia Zhang felt that she was the elder, and now that she had a daughter-in-law, did she still need to work?
Qin Huairu had no choice but to run more than ten miles with the second aunt, the third aunt, Liang Ladi and others to pick wild vegetables with her big belly.

But now more and more people are picking wild vegetables, and Qin Huairu often runs for half an hour but still can’t pick a basketful. She feels that life is too difficult.

Because Li Aiguo started early, Chen Xueru and He Yushui worked particularly hard, and now the two families have accumulated a total of three or four hundred kilograms of wild vegetables, so there is no need to be too anxious at this time.

After all, wild vegetables can be used as side dishes, but if they are really used as staple food, people will become edematous in no time.

Now that every household has started to practice thrift and economy, Li Aiguo naturally has to adapt to local customs and change fried eggs to boiled eggs.

After eating seven eggs in one go, he burped contentedly and stayed with Miss Chen for a while.

Miss Chen rode her bicycle to the Daqianmen Street Office, while our Li Aiguo rode his bicycle towards the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

The temperature suddenly dropped yesterday, and the autumn wind on the street brought a little chill, blowing in through the collars of clothes, making people feel chilly.

"Maybe I should wear the leopard-skin waistcoat tomorrow."

Li Aiguo muttered to himself as he turned into the Qianmen locomotive depot.

As soon as I entered the locomotive depot, I received a notice from the depot that a morning meeting would be held and all railway workers who did not have driving tasks had to attend.

When Cao Wenzhi heard about the morning meeting, he immediately said that something big must have happened in the section.

Sure enough, at the morning meeting, Section Chief Xing read out an emergency notice from the ministry, stating that due to difficulties in local grain dispatch, the food rations of all railway workers would be reduced.

As a train driver, Li Aiguo's food ration was relatively high, and the reduction was also quite large, from 43 kilograms to 35 kilograms.

The food rations of the firemen, assistant drivers and crew members were also reduced to varying degrees.

"The difficulties are temporary. Don't worry, everyone. When the food transportation situation improves, the food ration will be restored."

In the cold wind, after Section Chief Xing finished his speech, he looked at the depressed railway workers and said something to comfort them, as he was always known for his iron-blooded character.

Just as he finished speaking, a faint voice came from the corner: "What are you talking about? Everyone in the capital knows that we are short of food. We will have a hard time in the future."

The sound was very abrupt, and the morale, which had been greatly boosted, suddenly dropped, and the morning meeting became quiet.

A cold wind blew, blowing up the fallen leaves, and the employees couldn't help shivering.

Their originally straight backs now looked a little hunched in the cold wind. Everyone's eyes were dull and lifeless, having lost their former brilliance and vitality.

Everyone stood there silently, no one spoke, and the only sound was the rustling of clothes by the cold wind.

The whole atmosphere was so depressing that it made people feel breathless.

Director Xing's face suddenly darkened. He turned his head and saw that the young man seemed to be a communicator.

People can be hungry, but they cannot be without hope.

The railway workers and their families all rely on this food ration to survive. If there is no hope, the whole family will lose hope.

Xing Duanchang was about to lose his temper when another voice rang out, "Bitterness? What do you mean by bitterness? At this very moment, the railway soldiers far away in the northeast are braving the 40-50 degree cold, crossing glaciers, stepping on towers, climbing snow-capped mountains, passing through dense forests, and working in the field. They don't complain!

The comrades at the frontier team stations drink alkaline water, brave the sandstorms, hide from wild wolves, and work in uninhabited areas, and they never complain!
We live in the capital, we work during the day and have a warm bed with our wives and children at night, we drink tap water and use toothpaste to brush our teeth, but we complain just because the food ration is reduced!
Are you qualified to complain?!

Have you forgotten?

We railway workers are warriors made of steel. We cannot be broken or destroyed by bombs.

A little difficulty can't faze us.

Difficulties are temporary and the future is bright!
I am a railway man, I am proud! "

It is resounding, deafening, rhythmic, righteous, and powerful!
There was a thunderous sound when it hit the ground.

boom!
There was warm applause.

"Yes, we are railway people, we are glorious."

"This little difficulty won't bother us at all."

The railway workers clapped their hands desperately to express their passionate emotions.

Director Xing looked at Li Aiguo with admiration and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The atmosphere on the scene changed drastically.

The railway is a semi-disciplinary department. If the morale of these employees is hit, it will be difficult to boost it again.

At this moment, the best solution is for Li Aiguo to speak out.

He is a train driver and a front-line worker, and is the most persuasive than ordinary leaders.

Li Aiguo is also a national advanced train driver. Even the most picky people cannot accuse him of talking big when he shouts such slogans.

Yan Jiecheng was also frightened by the scene just now and broke out in a cold sweat.

He just wanted to show that he was well-informed, and felt a little sad that his food ration was reduced by nearly three kilograms, so he muttered something. He didn't expect that he almost got into big trouble.

"Luckily, I have Brother Aiguo to help cover it up."

After the morning meeting.

Li Aiguo originally planned to perform driving duties, but was invited to his office by Section Chief Xing.

In the office, in addition to Section Chief Xing, there were several deputy section chiefs, as well as logistics leaders and Section Chief Liu of the Materials Department.

There are not many people, but all of them are leaders of the core departments of Qianmen Locomotive Depot. It seems that this meeting is of a very high level.

As the only worker, Li Aiguo sat quietly on a chair in the corner and drank tea.

"There is news from the ministry that there is indeed a problem with the food supply, and it cannot be solved for the time being. Although our railway department is a key department, it will also be affected."

These leaders are the core of the locomotive section and are veteran comrades who have been tested thoroughly. After Section Chief Xing closed the door, he explained the current situation directly.

"Everyone has seen what happened at the meeting today. All of us railway workers are good people who are not afraid of hardships, but they have wives and children to live. We should prepare for a rainy day and make plans early."

"Old Liu, how is the logistics supply issue?" Section Chief Xing pointed to the director of the materials department.

"After reducing the food ration, our food reserves can still hold out for the time being. But the Spring Festival is coming soon. According to convention, we should provide benefits to employees, but now there is a big gap."

"We'll talk about welfare issues later. We need to make long-term preparations." A deputy section chief reminded.

"There is currently no way to control the situation in the long term, and the authorities may cut food supplies again at any time." Section Chief Liu looked grim.

Section Chief Xing narrowed his eyes and said, "I heard that some factories have started to resort to trickery. They raise pigs in the factory. Can our locomotive section do the same?" Section Chief Liu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Section Chief, those factories are just making trouble. According to the current rations, it's good enough for the workers to have enough to eat. They can lick the aluminum lunch boxes until they are shiny. There is no way there is leftover food in the canteen to feed the pigs."

Xing Duanchang nodded: "That's right."

Deputy Section Chief Zhou suggested: "Why don't we go to the countryside to purchase grain like we did last year? Some factories have already started doing this."

"Old Chen, this seems to be a bit problematic." Section Chief Xing looked up at Li Aiguo and said, "Comrade Aiguo, what do you think?"

Li Aiguo finally understood at this moment that he was called to the meeting just to solve the food problem in the locomotive depot.

For Li Aiguo, the locomotive depot is his home.

Here are his master, apprentice, brothers, friends, and relatives, who can also shelter him from the wind and rain.

If Li Aiguo can help, he will certainly help.

He looked at Deputy Section Chief Zhou, who was one of the few leaders in Qianmen Locomotive Depot who had received professional training.

He used to work in the propaganda department. Because of his outstanding performance, he was sent down to serve as deputy section chief. It was said that he was sent here to gain experience.

"Deputy Section Chief Zhou's idea does make sense." Li Aiguo praised him at first, then changed his tone and said, "We have too many people in the locomotive section, and thousands of kilograms of grain are just a drop in the bucket.

In addition, people in the countryside now eat from a big pot, and the grain belongs to the commune. If the factories go down to collect grain, they can only collect private grain from the members. If the situation is really as the section chief said, those private grains are life-saving food."

Li Aiguo did not continue speaking, and the faces of the deputy section chiefs suddenly changed.

Now many members of the rural cooperatives are not aware of the food shortage. Once the food is bought by others, when famine comes, they dare not think about it anymore.

Director Xing nodded in admiration. In fact, he had discussed this with Li Aiguo before and wanted Li Aiguo to buy a batch of grain through Wei Zhuang Commune just like he did last year.

For this reason, Duan Li was willing to offer a high price, but was rejected by Li Aiguo.

At that time, Duanzhang Xing thought that Li Aiguo wanted to avoid getting involved in trouble, but now it seems that he just couldn't bear to rely on his well-informed information to rob the members of their lives of food.

If you want to get things done, you must first learn to be a good person.

This is also the real reason why Director Xing was confident in handing the task over to Li Aiguo.

Deputy Section Chief Zhou also realized this and nodded, saying, "The members' lives are harder than ours. Purchasing private grain is indeed not a good idea, but we can't just do nothing, right?"

Li Aiguo didn't say anything, just laughed a few times.

Director Xing looked at Li Aiguo and said, "If you have any ideas, just say them. Today's meeting is a small one, and nothing said at the meeting will be recorded."

Not leaving records means that there will be no trouble even if things don't get done.

The old section chief was indeed considerate. Li Aiguo calmed down his thoughts and said slowly: "To solve the problem, we must first find our own strengths and play to our strengths and avoid our weaknesses."

"Don't talk big, be practical."

Duanchang Xing took out a packet of white packets from his pocket and wanted to take out a cigarette to hand over. After hesitating for a moment, he simply stuffed the whole packet into Li Aiguo's hands.

"There's only this pack left, so I'll give it to you at a bargain price today."

Those deputy section chiefs were stunned. Section Chief Xing was known for his hot temper in the section, so why would he willingly let himself be "blackmailed" by Li Aiguo?

"Oh, I'm so sorry. It's not good for the section chief to smoke. I'm helping you." Li Aiguo took the cigarette happily.

He took out a few and distributed them to the deputy section chief and Section Chief Liu, then continued: "Our Qianmen Locomotive Depot is a large section, and its biggest advantages are two: one is that it has 58 switch stations and track maintenance areas, except for five switch stations in the capital, the rest are all in the suburbs and remote areas.

According to the regulations of the railway department, the land within the railway boundary stakes of the switchyard and the track maintenance area is managed by the railway user.

I observed that there were at least ten mu of farmland within the railway boundary stakes of each switch station and track maintenance area. With fifty-three switch stations and track maintenance areas, there were more than nine hundred mu of farmland.

According to calculations based on wheat planting, the wheat yield per mu in Wei Zhuang Commune was 200 mu, and the wheat yield of 900 mu of land was as high as 180,000 jin, enough to feed 1,000 railway workers for a year.

If we take into account the autumn crops and sweet potatoes, we estimate that we can feed 4,000 railway workers.”

Li Aiguo's statement is not an exaggeration. If the purpose is just to fill one's stomach, planting high-yield grain crops on one acre of land, even if the yield is relatively low, is enough to feed six people.

Section Chief Xing was stunned when he heard this. Railway workers became members?
No, railway workers still have to work and it is impossible for them to farm.

He thought about it carefully and understood, and said excitedly: "The second advantage you mentioned should be that we have a large number of railway workers' families, right?"

"Section Chief, if only you could be the section chief, I can only be a train driver!"

After Li Aiguo flattered him skillfully, he straightened his face and said, "At present, although we have an instant noodle factory and a warm paste factory in Qianmen Locomotive Depot, there are still a large number of railway workers' families who have no work to do at home. These comrades can go to the switch station and track maintenance area to be responsible for farming."

Chief Liu became excited when he heard this: "It doesn't matter even if the switch station is far from the track maintenance area. We have trains. We can send the employees' families there every day and pick them up at night. At most, we will waste some coal."

"It's a good idea indeed. We can grow our own crops and harvest our own food. We don't have to panic even if the quota is cut."

"The land around the switch station and the road maintenance area used to be farmland. Now it's vacant, which is really heartbreaking."

Several other section chiefs also agreed with the farming plan.

"We are all peasants, and now that life is difficult, it is normal for us to pick up the hoe."

Director Xing is about to make the final decision.

Li Aiguo poured cold water on him at this time: "Section Chief, do you still need to report our maintenance section's farming to the General Administration?"

"What are you reporting?!" Section Chief Xing blew his beard and glared, "We are just growing some vegetables near the switch station and the track maintenance area, what's the big deal!"

Li Aiguo was stunned for a moment before he understood.

Although there are more than 600 acres of land near the switch station and the road maintenance area, it is divided into more than 50 areas and does not look conspicuous.

The General Administration is also aware that life is difficult now. Even if they knew that this group of railway workers actually farmed their own land, they would not be hard on these hungry railway workers.

You have to know that most of these railway workers used to carry guns.

The farming plan is a huge project that involves many aspects.

After the meeting, Section Chief Xing and several deputy section chiefs needed to plan the farming plan in detail.

Li Aiguo boarded the locomotive with happy steps and started a new day's driving plan.

After a busy day, Li Aiguo returned to the Qianmen Locomotive Depot in the afternoon. As soon as he landed on the yard, Yan Jiecheng ran over to inform him to go to the section chief's office.

It should be related to the farming plan. Li Aiguo saw that Yan Jiecheng's face was not good and asked, "Jiecheng, what's wrong?"

Yan Jiecheng smiled bitterly: "The section informed me that because I made ideological mistakes, I was asked to go to the grassroots for training and serve as a switchman at the Yesi Station. I have to report tomorrow."

Li Aiguo knew without asking that Yan Jiecheng's transfer was related to the chaos at the morning meeting.

"Captain Xing is too stingy. I didn't mean it, is there any need to hold me accountable?" Yan Jiecheng said depressedly, "I'm being exiled this time, and I don't know when I can be transferred back."

The Yexi switchboard is more than ten miles away from Yexi Station. It is located in the deep mountains on the Mentougou side and the conditions are very difficult.

Yan Jieben originally wanted Li Aiguo to help him plead with Xing Duanchang, but he didn't expect Li Aiguo to leave in the blink of an eye when he saw that he didn't want to stop.

By the time he reacted, Li Aiguo had already walked seven or eight meters away.

"Brother Aiguo, wait for me." Yan Jiecheng hurriedly followed.

Li Aiguo came to the office of Section Chief Xing. Things were just as he expected. A comprehensive plan had already been formulated within the section.

"We first need to measure how much of the fields near the switch station and the track maintenance area are suitable for growing crops. Aiguo, you are off duty tomorrow, so I'll leave this task to you."

Li Aiguo nodded: "This is what I should do."

Afterwards, Section Chief Xing assigned tasks to other comrades.

The meeting was brief, in keeping with the style of railway workers, and ended in just four or five minutes.

When Director Xing saw Li Aiguo was about to leave, he stopped him and said, "I heard that you and that correspondent were neighbors in the same compound?"

"You mean Yan Jiecheng, right? That guy doesn't have any bad intentions, he just talks too much." Li Aiguo said.

Section Chief Xing nodded and said, "We sent Yan Jiecheng to the switch station this time to treat illness and save lives. Comrades in the Education Office reported that he had some ideas. We are all comrades in the section, and you and he are neighbors. If you have the time, give him some advice."

"Don't worry, Chief."

Even if Director Xing Duan did not ask Li Aiguo for help, he was prepared to have a good talk with Yan Jiecheng.

Coincidentally, Li Aiguo left the office building.

Yan Jiecheng was still circling downstairs, and he would occasionally look upstairs, probably trying to find a leader to plead for him.

Seeing Li Aiguo coming over, Yan Jiecheng hurried over and said, "Brother Aiguo, you have a good relationship with Chief Xing, please plead for me. I have deeply realized my mistake and I promise that I will never make the same mistake again."

Seeing that Li Aiguo was frowning and not saying anything, Yan Jiecheng thought that he was not far away to help him, so he quickly continued, "We are from the same compound, we are neighbors, and our relationship is pretty good."

Before Yan Jiecheng could say anything, Li Aiguo grabbed his collar. He was shocked to find that Li Aiguo lifted him up easily and he was unable to move.

"Do you know what a disciplined army is? If you were on the northern battlefield, you would have been shot!

In the northern battlefield, at the order of the superiors, 150,000 railway soldiers rushed to the battlefield. Planes kept bombing in the sky, and the railway soldiers kept repairing on the ground, repairing as the bombs were coming, and they risked their lives. These predecessors earned us the reputation of the steel transportation line that cannot be broken or destroyed by bombs.

Now that we are facing some minor difficulties, you actually dared to disrupt the morale of the troops. Leader Duan did not fire you directly, but only sent you to the switchman station, which is already considered as taking care of you.

You still can't figure it out?"

"I" Yan Jiecheng wanted to defend himself, but he opened his mouth and couldn't explain. After all, what Li Aiguo said was the truth.

Li Aiguo let go of his hand and let Yan Jiecheng fall to the ground.

"If you can't recognize your mistakes, then there's no need for you to go to the switch station. Resign as soon as possible and ask your father to find someone to arrange for you to work in the steel mill, so as to avoid causing greater trouble! Our railway department doesn't need a coward like you."

After saying that, Li Aiguo ignored Yan Jiecheng and rode his bicycle away towards the brilliant sunset.

Yan Jiecheng struggled to get up from the ground, not even bothering to brush off the dust on his body. He looked at Li Aiguo's back and muttered softly, "Am I really wrong?"

After being stunned for a long time, Yan Jiecheng suddenly came to his senses, scratched his head and said, "That's not right. Brother Aiguo seems to want to do ideological work on me. Who does ideological work like this? Isn't this too easy?"

(End of this chapter)