Wu Xuanxuan nodded in relief, but did not continue asking. Li Ming would tell her sooner or later, so there was no rush. How could they get married if they didn't even have a little trust, right?
"Brother!"*2.
"Okay, the two brothers in the front yard are here, haha!" Li Ming grinned.
Wu Xuanxuan also smiled. She was very familiar with the two brothers who came this time!
Chapter 553 Work starts on the third day of the Lunar New Year!
Li Ming passed out cigarettes to the two brothers and asked them to sit down, "You two just need to connect with others!"
"Hehe, it's New Year's, so of course we will come!" Yan Xing smoked a cigarette with a smile. The two brothers also greeted Wu Xuanxuan before sitting down.
Li Ming took out two red envelopes again and handed them to the two brothers, "Don't talk nonsense, just accept it."
The two brothers knew Li Ming's style, so they said something auspicious and accepted the red envelope happily.
"By the way, remember to go to the steel mill on the third day of the Lunar New Year. This time the start of work requires everyone to be in place, and the same applies to us purchasers." Li Ming was afraid that the two brothers would forget, so he reminded them again.
"Don't worry, we won't forget this."
"That's right, don't worry, brother, we will call you when the time comes!"
Li Ming smacked his lips. They were right. He was the one who was easiest to forget, Chao!
"Okay, stop being so funny. Just remember to call me when you're in the third grade." Li Ming rolled his eyes helplessly.
Wu Xuanxuan watched the three people joking around and laughing. She found some tea from Li's house and made a cup of tea for each of them.
"Thank you, sister-in-law!"*2.
Wu Xuanxuan still nodded with a red face. The two brothers were the first ones to know about it. Now, almost everyone who knew about Li Ming and her marriage knew about it.
Even the neighbors in the Siheyuan who were curious about the matter came to ask about it. Now basically everyone in the Siheyuan knows about the good things that happened to the two this year. As for the specific time, there is no rush, since it is not autumn yet anyway.
"Okay, brother, let's go yo-yo!" Yan Xing finished a cup of tea, smoked a cigarette and then took his brother away. They were planning to go to the Liu brothers.
The two guys over there had nowhere to go, and since they were brothers of similar age, they just made an appointment to have two meals together.
Yes, we ate there in the evening.
Now the people who are in charge of these two stalls of business for Li Ming are all familiar with each other. Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu, Wang Da, Wang Er, Niu Zhuang and Niu Lili are basically familiar with each other.
It's just that the focus of the two sides' business is different. In the beginning, both sides were dealing in grain, but now, grain is still the main focus on Niu Zhuang's side, and the Liu Guangtian brothers are responsible for handling Niu Zhuang's bills.
After all, many people used bills to exchange for food, and the price was very low, so it was just right for them to just resell it and make another deal.
"go Go."
Li Ming sent the two of them back into the house, and the situation calmed down. Now the adults of the two families were basically out and about. The Li family still brought their little girl Li Rui with them, while the Wu family directly threw Wu Xuanxuan to Li Ming. If nothing unexpected happened, the two of them would have to have a meal together today.
"Xiao Mingzi, what are we going to eat for lunch?" Wu Xuanxuan sat next to Li Ming, blinking her eyes and smiling with curved eyebrows.
Li Ming pointed at the things in the corner and said, "Xuanxuan, take a look and see if there is anything suitable. Just do it!"
"You won't show me your skills today?"
"Uh..., how about next time?"
Wu Xuanxuan gave Li Ming a sanitary look, squatted in the corner with her ponytail swinging and started to clean up.
Li Ming successfully slacked off, and happily made himself another cup of tea, then sat around the stove and ate some tea.
......
The third grade.
Steel Rolling Mill, Office of Section 3, Purchasing Department.
As soon as Li Mingfu opened the door, bursts of thick smoke rolled out of the door. Li Ming stayed outside for a while before going in.
"Damn, how many cigarettes did you guys smoke? People who don't know would think you smoked under the roof! You don't even know to open a window!" Li Ming sat down in front of the desk with a helpless look on his face and lit a cigarette for himself.
Everyone who saw this curled their lips.
"Chief, what did we discuss in this meeting?"
"That's right, forget about us. We've been waiting for too long. Look, it's almost eleven o'clock."
“I’m hungry…”
Facing this group of lazy people who only care about food, Li Ming reluctantly put down his hand and said, "Okay, it's two o'clock, let's go to the cafeteria after that."
The office was finally quiet now, and everyone was like chicks waiting to be fed.
"First, starting from this month, the monthly food quota will be reduced to 20 kilograms!"
"Second, all regular employees need to come to the steel mill to clock in every ten days. That's all!"
The leaders talked for more than two hours in the meeting, but Li Ming succinctly summarized two points that completely resolved the issue.
"Well, I have a question!" Fan Daju raised his hand.
"Say!"
"What about the temporary workers? Do they need to come?"
Li Ming spread his hands and said, "No need, you still have to come to the steel mill to pay the grain at the end of each month."
There are no fools in their purchasing department. Besides, a fool can't do purchasing, right?
The two points I just mentioned, one is the reduction of food allowances, and the other is the ten-day clocking in and out requirement, plus the current disregard for temporary workers, undoubtedly illustrate a problem.
Food is no longer in short supply, or at least not very urgently. So, these temporary workers who were hastily recruited will become interesting.
If someone is smart, he might start looking for someone to use the back door; if someone is not smart, that's another matter.
As for when it will be the turn of these temporary workers to be unlucky, it depends on when there is no shortage of food. I estimate that it will be about the time of autumn.
"Any questions?" Li Ming said with a smile while looking at his team members.
Everyone shook their heads and said, you see, this is the advantage of having no fools.
"I don't care what you guessed. The higher-ups have asked us not to spread rumors blindly, or else you'll be in trouble. Also, if you have good connections, you can just hint at them in a roundabout way."
"At least don't let the whole world know that it was one of you who let it slip. Otherwise, I don't know if I will be unlucky or not, but you will definitely not be in trouble."
Li Ming still gave them a vaccination.
"Well, don't worry, there are no such fools in our department, haha!"
"Don't worry, Chief. We know what to do. After all, it has nothing to do with us regular employees, and it won't affect us."
"That's it."
"Let's go to the cafeteria and eat!"
“Oh!!!”*n.
Chapter 554: Making Things Difficult for Others
In the afternoon, in front of the deputy director's office of the steel rolling mill.
Well, familiar place, familiar process and familiar partners.
Li Ming held the prepared gift in his hand and smiled at Secretary Wang!
Secretary Wang handed Li Ming a cigarette, "Wait a minute?"
"Well, wait a moment!"
Li Ming took the cigarette, then put the prepared gift at his feet and started smoking with a smile.
The two chatted for about half an hour before the door of the deputy director's office opened. A girl Li Ming didn't know came out with a red face and staggering steps.
Li Ming shrugged his shoulders and picked up his gift. "Okay, I'll go in first."
"Go ahead." Secretary Wang waved his hand with a smile. He still had two large front doors in his hand. These were also prepared for him by Li Ming. He couldn't favor one over the other, right?
Besides, they are just two big front doors, not very expensive. We will have to deal with each other more often in the future, so it is a good deal! After all, we are "fellow students"!
"Uncle Li, Happy New Year!" Li Ming came in with a woven bag, smiling, and put it on his desk.
Li Huaide glanced at the woven bag, then looked at Li Ming, with a puzzled look on his face, "No, you???"
"Oh, a woven bag? I don't have any good bags, so I just put two boxes of Moutai in it for you!" Li Ming smiled and took a box of cigarettes from Li Huaide's desk.
Li Huaide twitched his lips, "You brought this Maotai in a woven bag?"
"Well, I'm afraid that people will say I'm bribing you..." Li Ming said helplessly. There are many people who gossip these days. This is not a bribe, it's clearly to make progress! Just to maintain a good relationship with each other.
In the 60s, Moutai was a very precious gift, often used to express respect or celebrate important occasions.
Moutai is famous for its unique brewing process and excellent taste, and is regarded as the representative of Chinese liquor. In that era, Moutai was expensive and not easily affordable for ordinary people, so giving Moutai as a gift was also a symbol of identity and status.
In the 60s, the packaging of Moutai was different from what it is now. For example, Moutai for export began to use milky white glass bottles in 1966 and replaced them with red plastic screw caps. For domestic sales, Moutai used cork caps before 1966, and then changed to red plastic screw caps.
The two boxes that Li Ming sent to Li Huaide were cork bottle caps. Of course, he didn't buy them. They were given to him when he completed a mission, and they were just right for him to use.
At present, it seems that Li Huaide is deeply shocked and the effect is still very good.
Li Huaide was speechless and nodded silently, "It's a bit expensive, don't give me such an expensive gift next time!"
"I may not have it next time you want it, so just keep it this time." Li Ming blew out smoke rings, sat on the stool with his legs crossed and smiled.
Li Huaide glanced at Li Ming unhappily. This damn dead kid, couldn't he be allowed to have some fun?
"Your gift is so good now. Tsk, when you two get married, I really have to think about getting you something, otherwise I will be outdone by you." Li Huaide was very satisfied with Li Ming's New Year gift. Although it was a little late, he still liked it.
But as an elder, Li Huaide can't just come in and not go out, right? When Li Ming gets married, he still has to make good preparations.
After all, the relationship between the two is not simply that Li Ming needs something from him, but a mutually beneficial relationship.
"Then I'll wait for your gift, haha! By the way, I also sent two large front doors to Brother Wang, so we have the main one!"
Li Huaide shook his head and laughed, "You are a little bit behind!"
"Then I don't care. I can't give you one box and him another, right?"
"Hey, that's true!"
Li Huaide happily stood up and started to boil water to make tea. The good kids of his nephew's generation have come, and as an uncle he must take good care of them, right?
"By the way, did you go to the meeting held at our steel mill today?" Li Huaide took out a bag of unopened tea from the cupboard and fiddled with it.
"I went there and heard what was said. I also told the people on our side." Li Ming nodded happily and responded, "As for whether anyone on our side would do something stupid, I don't know. Anyway, I said everything I should say, right?"
Li Huaide laughed, "That's fine. If there are any who are really upset, just kick them out. We have to fire a lot of temporary workers in the purchasing department this year, so it won't be a problem to kick out a stupid regular worker."
"Anyway, just tell them."
"If our purchasing department fires temporary workers this year, how about I add two vacancies for you?" Li Ming stood up with a shameless face, walked to Li Huaide, took over the task of making tea.
"Hey, did these two people annoy you?" Li Huaide sat down at the desk, took out paper and pen, looked at Li Ming and smiled.
Li Ming nodded openly. He was too lazy to hide the fact that those two were going to make things difficult for him. Li Huaide would not sell him anyway, so there was no need for him to be a slave and ask for a memorial archway!
What to do? Just admit it openly!
"One of us from the courtyard is called Yan Jiefang and the other is called Liu Haizhong!"
When Li Huaide heard the two names Li Ming said, he immediately wrote them down. "It just so happens that the first batch will be fired in February, so let's fire these two together."
"Okay, just open it for these two people. Why don't you ask why?" Li Ming poured a cup of tea for Li Huaide, poured another cup for himself, and sat down opposite Li Huaide's desk in a carefree manner.
"Why am I asking this? You think you'll have a good ending after offending my nephew? Haha! Besides, what's the reason? It's just bad luck for these two!"
Li Huaide expressed his approval and satisfaction for Li Ming's open and honest way of dealing with people. It was very much to his liking. If he wanted to deal with them, then he would deal with them! Where did all these reasons come from? They were not important positions, just two temporary workers.
You see, this is why Li Ming likes dealing with Li Huaide, everything is based on his own people, why don't you try it with Director Yang? This is pure bullshit!
"I estimate that by the second half of the year, our steel rolling mill will have no more task limits. By then, you can relax a little and just do the same work as before."
"If there's anything I need urgently, I'll let you know. If you can get it, I'll give it to you. Don't worry, your uncle Li, I'll record your contributions one by one in the credit book!"
Li Huaide threw a cigarette to Li Ming, and the two of them started smoking again.
"Okay, don't worry. But if you have any business trips in the future, please don't throw them to me. I'm thinking of dying in this city!" Li Ming said with a smile.
Business trips these days are not a good thing! Only those who drive large trucks might be willing to go on long trips, but for Li Ming, forget it.
He has no worries about food and drink, so it’s better for him to enjoy life in this city!
"Brother!"*2.
"Okay, the two brothers in the front yard are here, haha!" Li Ming grinned.
Wu Xuanxuan also smiled. She was very familiar with the two brothers who came this time!
Chapter 553 Work starts on the third day of the Lunar New Year!
Li Ming passed out cigarettes to the two brothers and asked them to sit down, "You two just need to connect with others!"
"Hehe, it's New Year's, so of course we will come!" Yan Xing smoked a cigarette with a smile. The two brothers also greeted Wu Xuanxuan before sitting down.
Li Ming took out two red envelopes again and handed them to the two brothers, "Don't talk nonsense, just accept it."
The two brothers knew Li Ming's style, so they said something auspicious and accepted the red envelope happily.
"By the way, remember to go to the steel mill on the third day of the Lunar New Year. This time the start of work requires everyone to be in place, and the same applies to us purchasers." Li Ming was afraid that the two brothers would forget, so he reminded them again.
"Don't worry, we won't forget this."
"That's right, don't worry, brother, we will call you when the time comes!"
Li Ming smacked his lips. They were right. He was the one who was easiest to forget, Chao!
"Okay, stop being so funny. Just remember to call me when you're in the third grade." Li Ming rolled his eyes helplessly.
Wu Xuanxuan watched the three people joking around and laughing. She found some tea from Li's house and made a cup of tea for each of them.
"Thank you, sister-in-law!"*2.
Wu Xuanxuan still nodded with a red face. The two brothers were the first ones to know about it. Now, almost everyone who knew about Li Ming and her marriage knew about it.
Even the neighbors in the Siheyuan who were curious about the matter came to ask about it. Now basically everyone in the Siheyuan knows about the good things that happened to the two this year. As for the specific time, there is no rush, since it is not autumn yet anyway.
"Okay, brother, let's go yo-yo!" Yan Xing finished a cup of tea, smoked a cigarette and then took his brother away. They were planning to go to the Liu brothers.
The two guys over there had nowhere to go, and since they were brothers of similar age, they just made an appointment to have two meals together.
Yes, we ate there in the evening.
Now the people who are in charge of these two stalls of business for Li Ming are all familiar with each other. Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu, Wang Da, Wang Er, Niu Zhuang and Niu Lili are basically familiar with each other.
It's just that the focus of the two sides' business is different. In the beginning, both sides were dealing in grain, but now, grain is still the main focus on Niu Zhuang's side, and the Liu Guangtian brothers are responsible for handling Niu Zhuang's bills.
After all, many people used bills to exchange for food, and the price was very low, so it was just right for them to just resell it and make another deal.
"go Go."
Li Ming sent the two of them back into the house, and the situation calmed down. Now the adults of the two families were basically out and about. The Li family still brought their little girl Li Rui with them, while the Wu family directly threw Wu Xuanxuan to Li Ming. If nothing unexpected happened, the two of them would have to have a meal together today.
"Xiao Mingzi, what are we going to eat for lunch?" Wu Xuanxuan sat next to Li Ming, blinking her eyes and smiling with curved eyebrows.
Li Ming pointed at the things in the corner and said, "Xuanxuan, take a look and see if there is anything suitable. Just do it!"
"You won't show me your skills today?"
"Uh..., how about next time?"
Wu Xuanxuan gave Li Ming a sanitary look, squatted in the corner with her ponytail swinging and started to clean up.
Li Ming successfully slacked off, and happily made himself another cup of tea, then sat around the stove and ate some tea.
......
The third grade.
Steel Rolling Mill, Office of Section 3, Purchasing Department.
As soon as Li Mingfu opened the door, bursts of thick smoke rolled out of the door. Li Ming stayed outside for a while before going in.
"Damn, how many cigarettes did you guys smoke? People who don't know would think you smoked under the roof! You don't even know to open a window!" Li Ming sat down in front of the desk with a helpless look on his face and lit a cigarette for himself.
Everyone who saw this curled their lips.
"Chief, what did we discuss in this meeting?"
"That's right, forget about us. We've been waiting for too long. Look, it's almost eleven o'clock."
“I’m hungry…”
Facing this group of lazy people who only care about food, Li Ming reluctantly put down his hand and said, "Okay, it's two o'clock, let's go to the cafeteria after that."
The office was finally quiet now, and everyone was like chicks waiting to be fed.
"First, starting from this month, the monthly food quota will be reduced to 20 kilograms!"
"Second, all regular employees need to come to the steel mill to clock in every ten days. That's all!"
The leaders talked for more than two hours in the meeting, but Li Ming succinctly summarized two points that completely resolved the issue.
"Well, I have a question!" Fan Daju raised his hand.
"Say!"
"What about the temporary workers? Do they need to come?"
Li Ming spread his hands and said, "No need, you still have to come to the steel mill to pay the grain at the end of each month."
There are no fools in their purchasing department. Besides, a fool can't do purchasing, right?
The two points I just mentioned, one is the reduction of food allowances, and the other is the ten-day clocking in and out requirement, plus the current disregard for temporary workers, undoubtedly illustrate a problem.
Food is no longer in short supply, or at least not very urgently. So, these temporary workers who were hastily recruited will become interesting.
If someone is smart, he might start looking for someone to use the back door; if someone is not smart, that's another matter.
As for when it will be the turn of these temporary workers to be unlucky, it depends on when there is no shortage of food. I estimate that it will be about the time of autumn.
"Any questions?" Li Ming said with a smile while looking at his team members.
Everyone shook their heads and said, you see, this is the advantage of having no fools.
"I don't care what you guessed. The higher-ups have asked us not to spread rumors blindly, or else you'll be in trouble. Also, if you have good connections, you can just hint at them in a roundabout way."
"At least don't let the whole world know that it was one of you who let it slip. Otherwise, I don't know if I will be unlucky or not, but you will definitely not be in trouble."
Li Ming still gave them a vaccination.
"Well, don't worry, there are no such fools in our department, haha!"
"Don't worry, Chief. We know what to do. After all, it has nothing to do with us regular employees, and it won't affect us."
"That's it."
"Let's go to the cafeteria and eat!"
“Oh!!!”*n.
Chapter 554: Making Things Difficult for Others
In the afternoon, in front of the deputy director's office of the steel rolling mill.
Well, familiar place, familiar process and familiar partners.
Li Ming held the prepared gift in his hand and smiled at Secretary Wang!
Secretary Wang handed Li Ming a cigarette, "Wait a minute?"
"Well, wait a moment!"
Li Ming took the cigarette, then put the prepared gift at his feet and started smoking with a smile.
The two chatted for about half an hour before the door of the deputy director's office opened. A girl Li Ming didn't know came out with a red face and staggering steps.
Li Ming shrugged his shoulders and picked up his gift. "Okay, I'll go in first."
"Go ahead." Secretary Wang waved his hand with a smile. He still had two large front doors in his hand. These were also prepared for him by Li Ming. He couldn't favor one over the other, right?
Besides, they are just two big front doors, not very expensive. We will have to deal with each other more often in the future, so it is a good deal! After all, we are "fellow students"!
"Uncle Li, Happy New Year!" Li Ming came in with a woven bag, smiling, and put it on his desk.
Li Huaide glanced at the woven bag, then looked at Li Ming, with a puzzled look on his face, "No, you???"
"Oh, a woven bag? I don't have any good bags, so I just put two boxes of Moutai in it for you!" Li Ming smiled and took a box of cigarettes from Li Huaide's desk.
Li Huaide twitched his lips, "You brought this Maotai in a woven bag?"
"Well, I'm afraid that people will say I'm bribing you..." Li Ming said helplessly. There are many people who gossip these days. This is not a bribe, it's clearly to make progress! Just to maintain a good relationship with each other.
In the 60s, Moutai was a very precious gift, often used to express respect or celebrate important occasions.
Moutai is famous for its unique brewing process and excellent taste, and is regarded as the representative of Chinese liquor. In that era, Moutai was expensive and not easily affordable for ordinary people, so giving Moutai as a gift was also a symbol of identity and status.
In the 60s, the packaging of Moutai was different from what it is now. For example, Moutai for export began to use milky white glass bottles in 1966 and replaced them with red plastic screw caps. For domestic sales, Moutai used cork caps before 1966, and then changed to red plastic screw caps.
The two boxes that Li Ming sent to Li Huaide were cork bottle caps. Of course, he didn't buy them. They were given to him when he completed a mission, and they were just right for him to use.
At present, it seems that Li Huaide is deeply shocked and the effect is still very good.
Li Huaide was speechless and nodded silently, "It's a bit expensive, don't give me such an expensive gift next time!"
"I may not have it next time you want it, so just keep it this time." Li Ming blew out smoke rings, sat on the stool with his legs crossed and smiled.
Li Huaide glanced at Li Ming unhappily. This damn dead kid, couldn't he be allowed to have some fun?
"Your gift is so good now. Tsk, when you two get married, I really have to think about getting you something, otherwise I will be outdone by you." Li Huaide was very satisfied with Li Ming's New Year gift. Although it was a little late, he still liked it.
But as an elder, Li Huaide can't just come in and not go out, right? When Li Ming gets married, he still has to make good preparations.
After all, the relationship between the two is not simply that Li Ming needs something from him, but a mutually beneficial relationship.
"Then I'll wait for your gift, haha! By the way, I also sent two large front doors to Brother Wang, so we have the main one!"
Li Huaide shook his head and laughed, "You are a little bit behind!"
"Then I don't care. I can't give you one box and him another, right?"
"Hey, that's true!"
Li Huaide happily stood up and started to boil water to make tea. The good kids of his nephew's generation have come, and as an uncle he must take good care of them, right?
"By the way, did you go to the meeting held at our steel mill today?" Li Huaide took out a bag of unopened tea from the cupboard and fiddled with it.
"I went there and heard what was said. I also told the people on our side." Li Ming nodded happily and responded, "As for whether anyone on our side would do something stupid, I don't know. Anyway, I said everything I should say, right?"
Li Huaide laughed, "That's fine. If there are any who are really upset, just kick them out. We have to fire a lot of temporary workers in the purchasing department this year, so it won't be a problem to kick out a stupid regular worker."
"Anyway, just tell them."
"If our purchasing department fires temporary workers this year, how about I add two vacancies for you?" Li Ming stood up with a shameless face, walked to Li Huaide, took over the task of making tea.
"Hey, did these two people annoy you?" Li Huaide sat down at the desk, took out paper and pen, looked at Li Ming and smiled.
Li Ming nodded openly. He was too lazy to hide the fact that those two were going to make things difficult for him. Li Huaide would not sell him anyway, so there was no need for him to be a slave and ask for a memorial archway!
What to do? Just admit it openly!
"One of us from the courtyard is called Yan Jiefang and the other is called Liu Haizhong!"
When Li Huaide heard the two names Li Ming said, he immediately wrote them down. "It just so happens that the first batch will be fired in February, so let's fire these two together."
"Okay, just open it for these two people. Why don't you ask why?" Li Ming poured a cup of tea for Li Huaide, poured another cup for himself, and sat down opposite Li Huaide's desk in a carefree manner.
"Why am I asking this? You think you'll have a good ending after offending my nephew? Haha! Besides, what's the reason? It's just bad luck for these two!"
Li Huaide expressed his approval and satisfaction for Li Ming's open and honest way of dealing with people. It was very much to his liking. If he wanted to deal with them, then he would deal with them! Where did all these reasons come from? They were not important positions, just two temporary workers.
You see, this is why Li Ming likes dealing with Li Huaide, everything is based on his own people, why don't you try it with Director Yang? This is pure bullshit!
"I estimate that by the second half of the year, our steel rolling mill will have no more task limits. By then, you can relax a little and just do the same work as before."
"If there's anything I need urgently, I'll let you know. If you can get it, I'll give it to you. Don't worry, your uncle Li, I'll record your contributions one by one in the credit book!"
Li Huaide threw a cigarette to Li Ming, and the two of them started smoking again.
"Okay, don't worry. But if you have any business trips in the future, please don't throw them to me. I'm thinking of dying in this city!" Li Ming said with a smile.
Business trips these days are not a good thing! Only those who drive large trucks might be willing to go on long trips, but for Li Ming, forget it.
He has no worries about food and drink, so it’s better for him to enjoy life in this city!
