Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 524 Chat
"It's really good. I haven't eaten such delicious food in a while." Cheng Hai took a bite and praised it in the same way.

"Hey, I'll continue to bring it to our next gathering. The hairtail will be shipped here in a while, and then maybe I can get a plate of hairtail slices to try." Tang Zhitong took a bite of the bean sprouts and the taste was just average.

"This is very good. It has a lot of oil and is delicious and can be eaten with wine." Zhang Xinping is very satisfied with the fried hairtail head.

"Your dishes are not bad, or else it would have to be the Municipal Bureau. Our bean sprouts and tofu are rare, especially the tofu. You can tell it's not made from soybean meal. The color looks appetizing." Tang Zhitong began to flatter each other, but what he said was all true.

"Hey, we've only just started. Many units in the ministry have already started running their own farms. It makes me envious just thinking about it." Zhang Xinping said as he shook his head, his tone showing envy and a hint of disdain.

"It's a special case, maybe they can give us some then." Tang Zhitong continued.

"Come on, pick it up, let's have another one." Cheng Hai quickly finished a piece of fish head and picked up the wine glass.

Tang Zhitong knew that what Zhang Xinping said was the truth. This was just the beginning. By 61 or 62, there would be more than 300 similar farms producing grain and non-staple food.

Not only were they built, but some parts also had very high specifications. For example, on the railway, a modern pig farm was built at the Huang Shigang Farm in Fengtai, which cost 8 yuan. The pigpen not only had floors and glass windows installed, but also had a bathing pool built with cement. It was called the "Pig Palace."

What I said was true. It was indeed a special situation and a helpless move. At the same time, most of the output was indeed sent to the canteens of the organizing units.

The wine was strong, and after two sips, their bodies began to warm up, and the three of them started talking more.

When talking about the transfer of his work relationship to the Municipal Bureau, Zhang Xinping explained the cause and effect: "We received a report that a group of people were sneaking around and suspected of engaging in underground transactions, so I took a few people there that night. Who would have thought that the group of people were so cruel and stubborn. Damn it, if I hadn't been alert, I would have died there."

"They are so brutal, are you okay?" Tang Zhitong asked with concern.

"Hey, how can it not be injured?" Zhang Xinping said, unbuttoning his cotton jacket and pulling it to the side. There was a scar on his shoulder, the size of a baby's fist: "It's like this, and there's another one on the butt."

"Damn! This is too fucking brutal. What are they doing? Such a big scene?" Tang Zhitong was shocked. It was the first time he had seen such a situation in his life.

"Drugs. I don't know what these bastards are thinking. Before liberation, the streets were full of opium addicts. The notebooks called us the sick man of East Asia. Now we have only had a few days of good life? They have forgotten their roots. It's only been ten years! I wish I could shoot them right here and there!" Zhang Xinping became more and more angry as he spoke. He slammed his fist on the table with a loud bang, and the wine glass jumped.

"Okay, Lao Zhang, calm down. Those bastards will get into trouble soon." Cheng Hai said calmly.

"That's right, that's right. There's a saying that scars are a man's medal of honor." Tang Zhitong agreed very much with Zhang Xinping's words. What's funny is that some people are advocating for giving drug-related artists a way out.

Please, we didn’t kill them all, we just didn’t allow them to perform, that’s already very tolerant, okay?

"Come on, let's stop talking and drink." Zhang Xinping was angry, but he also felt sorry for the spilled wine, so he picked it up and took a big sip.

Cigarettes and alcohol are catalysts for a lively atmosphere among men. After a few sips of wine, the atmosphere at the table gradually becomes heated.

As a friend, Tang Zhitong was sincerely happy for Zhang Xinping. It is still very difficult to transfer jobs these days.

Shengtian Banzi took three bullets but failed to complete the job transfer. Ultimately, he could not overcome Hou Liangping's words "long-term separation is not a solution". In comparison, Zhang Xinping's transfer was indeed a good result.

As they chatted, Cheng Hai brought up the topic of Tang Zhitong, a college student: "Old Zhang, you don't know yet, right? Teacher Tang is now a college student."

"Brother Cheng, please don't criticize me. How can I be considered good? When you first came to the Municipal Bureau, you asked me about the Supervision Department. The two people who went in were the ones who investigated me. I feel like I'm just a small shrimp. I really can't understand why people dislike me. If I didn't know the content, I would have suspected that this commissioned college student took up someone else's quota." Tang Zhitong said with a wry smile.

"Haha, I actually asked about it last time I went back. This matter is not directed at you. You are just affected." Cheng Hai reminded vaguely.

"Hey, it's not okay to implicate others. Why? It would be fine if you work hard but don't get any credit, but you still have to be punished? Brother Cheng, do you know who is behind this? I have to be on guard." Tang Zhitong took out a cigarette and lit it for the two brothers.

It feels like "I am not part of the wealthy life, but global warming is all my fault."

Celebrities use all kinds of ways to promote the message of "no buying, no killing", but the key is things like shark fins, precious furs, ivory, etc., which ordinary people have never even seen, let alone eaten, worn, or played with.

It's a bit of black humor that people who watch this kind of ads are not powerful, and those who are powerful don't watch this kind of ads.

"You don't know? I thought you knew. There was a person in the department before. I heard that last year, your current leader pointed at him and scolded him. This was directed at your leader. Don't worry about it. He has been transferred out of town." Cheng Hai told Tang Zhitong what he knew.

"Okay, stay over there. It's better not to come back." Tang Zhitong understood. This man was probably the one who did the "Seven Reports and Eight Letters". He was not satisfied with demoting Fang Yuan and wanted to kill him. Unexpectedly, he was killed instead.

As for who did it, Tang Zhitong didn't worry about it. As long as such an incompetent person doesn't come back to annoy others, that's enough.

"Don't worry about it. Everyone knows that you are a favorite of Director Hu now. No one dares to think about you anymore." Cheng Hai laughed.

"Come on, I'm not a celebrity at all. Brother Cheng, you're joking." Tang Zhitong waved his hands repeatedly. There are some things that cannot be told even to friends, such as the two key care targets that Zhang Xinping mentioned when he led him into the yard.

The reason why Zhang Xinping chose to speak in the yard means that he did not tell Cheng Hai about this.

"Hey, don't be so modest. I really didn't expect that you had a share of the contribution to the barefoot doctor manual. That inscription is really a relief for our post office! I guess you are the only one in our entire system who has this ability. I bought a copy. Teacher Tang, can you please sign it for me later? I'll keep it for you." Cheng Hai mentioned this and gave a thumbs up.

"No, what are you talking about? I don't quite understand." Zhang Xinping was confused.

"This is what happened..." Cheng Hai explained the whole thing to Zhang Xinping. After all, the platform did not allow the old man's name to appear.

Tang Zhitong smiled faintly, listening to Cheng Hai's praise of his achievements, but he remembered another thing. The old man was a teacher to many people, the kind that could influence them for a lifetime, but the date of Teacher's Day made people uncomfortable. Teacher's Day has existed since 1931, and it was originally on June 6th.

In 1939, Confucius' birthday (August 8th in the lunar calendar) was designated as Teachers' Day.

In 1951, the highest education authority and the All-China Federation of Education Workers declared May International Labor Day to be Teachers’ Day at the same time.

It is generally recognized that teachers should have their own holiday. It is also a reflection of respect for teachers. It was originally a good thing but I don't understand why it was changed later and the date must be set on September 9th.

This day is not suitable for playing puns at all. What's the difference between this and dancing on a grave?

"Hey, then I'll buy one later and ask Teacher Tang to sign it for me." After listening to this, Zhang Xinping made the same request.

"Please don't make fun of me, my two elder brothers. I did participate, but not in depth. It's all the credit of other experts. I'm just lucky enough to leave my name, but I dare not sign this name. If those experts knew, they would laugh their heads off." Tang Zhitong bowed and begged to be let go. After all, he didn't contribute much and he had never met other experts. Everything was transferred through Ye Zhijuan, so he felt a little guilty.

"Teacher Tang is a very honest person. I heard that our department intends to purchase some and give one to the rural postmen so that they can better serve the local people. Others are scrambling to take the credit, but you are the one pushing it away. But you will definitely be included in this year's advanced honor." Cheng Hai smiled. His job transfer was arranged by Tang Zhitong. Tang Zhitong was reliable and he liked dealing with such people because it saved him the trouble.

"That's a thoughtful consideration by the ministry. Rural postmen are not formal employees, right?" Tang Zhitong knew that rural postmen, for a long time, were like substitute teachers or private teachers, doing hard and tiring work that formal employees were unwilling to do, but they did not have a regular position.

"We can't afford to support so many people, so the department wants to help rural postmen increase their income. I heard that some people are opposed to it, worrying that after learning the manual well, they will be restless and deliver letters. We don't know if it will succeed." Cheng Hai said, picking up the wine glass again.

The head follows the butt, and you say what you deserve based on your position. This is called sticking to your job, or professional ethics. Of course, it can also be said to be a lack of overall perspective.

The three of them drank and chatted, and the topics gradually increased, but most of them were still related to food.

Tang Zhitong learned the origin of No. 34 from Zhang Xinping. When this department was first established, it was the Food Security Department in their system, also known as the Eighth Bureau and the Fifth Department. It consisted of four sections and one office, responsible for food procurement, production, and supply.

The Food Security Department has vegetable fields, dairy farms, and slaughterhouses in Muxidi, and there are dedicated personnel responsible for picking, packaging, and transportation.

Later, the Eighth Bureau and the Fifth Department were abolished, and the personnel were transferred to Xishan Farm or Sijiucheng Hotel, but the work content did not change much, and a welfare farm was built in Xihongmen, Nanyuan.

As various problems were discovered during the operation, in order to better ensure the absolute safety of food and better accomplish the supply guarantee task, in 56, the Food Supply Office, No. 34, was established and was managed by the Third Commercial Bureau.

In order to ensure absolute safety, personnel selection is very strict, and their background and family composition must be strictly examined and recorded.

Business cadres are selected by the Third Commercial Bureau, while security cadres and laboratory personnel are appointed by the Eighth Bureau and selected by the Sijiucheng Public Security Bureau.

It is no exaggeration to say that it is a great honor to be selected. When Zhang Xinping said this, there was light in his eyes and he wished he could be transferred there as well.

By ten o'clock, the three of them had finished nearly two bottles of wine, and there was only a drop of wine left in their glasses.

"Come on, let's finish this drink and then go home. We have to go to work tomorrow." Cheng Hai suggested.

"Okay, that's about enough." The two bottles of wine had been divided equally, and after finishing the wine in the glass, each person had about seven taels of wine.

The two buddies had almost finished drinking, but their alcohol tolerance was better than Tang Zhitong's.

Tang Zhitong cheated this time. If he hadn't used some tricks, he would have been high by now, after all, it was a 61-proof liquor.

"Be careful when you go out recently. It's best not to go out at night. There have been many thefts and robberies recently. Stay away from people whose faces make you feel uncomfortable." Zhang Xinping reminded with drunken eyes.

"Okay, thank you Brother Zhang for the reminder." Tang Zhitong burped. He had almost finished his meal and hadn't touched a single bite of his dry food.

"Hey, as the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. It's advising people not to judge people by their appearance, right? But there is also a saying that appearance reflects the heart. Old Zhang, which one do you think is right?" Cheng Hai extended the idea when he heard Zhang Xinping say "face reading".

"If it were me, I would judge people by their appearance. If I see who seems to be feeling unwell, I would check first. You just follow your own feelings. It won't do much harm anyway." Zhang Xinping's reaction was a little slow. He thought for a while before replying.

Tang Zhitong nodded in agreement. He agreed with Zhang Xinping's statement. Although there would definitely be misjudgments, the benefits outweighed the disadvantages for individuals. Just like the pair of fat and thin monks, he did not have a good impression of them when he first met them. They were indeed useless.

What our ancestors left behind is not necessarily all rubbish. There are "The Book of Wine", "The Book of Tea", "The Book of Horses", "The Book of Cows", and even dogs have "The Book of Dog Physiognomy".

This art of physiognomy is indeed unique, and a lot can be seen from a person's appearance.

After finishing the wine in their glasses and not eating their dry food, the three of them packed up their belongings and staggered out of the Municipal Bureau.

Cheng Hai used the excuse that he was going the same way as Tang Zhitong, walked a few steps, and watched Zhang Xinping go away. Then Cheng Hai said, "Mr. Zhang has been in a bad mood recently. Although he has been transferred to the Municipal Bureau this time, he lost a soldier in the last operation, and he feels bad. Now he is sending money to his comrade's mother every month. He may have said something inappropriate today, so please bear with me, Mr. Tang."

"Brother Cheng, you're too polite. I only feel the brotherhood. As for the rest, I'll just have a good sleep and forget about it tomorrow morning." Tang Zhitong understood that Cheng Hai was thinking about Zhang Xinping, but he would definitely not go out and make a fuss. Not to mention their personal relationship, just because of Zhang Xinping's responsibility, he would not do such an outrageous thing.

The two brothers chatted for a while and then went home separately.

Today is the twenty-ninth day of the lunar calendar. There is no moon in the sky, but the stars are getting brighter. Tang Zhitong hums "Stars Light Up the Lights" as he walks home in the dark...

(End of this chapter)