Chapter 335

Zhou Yimin did a quick count of how much cotton and fabric would be needed, then said, “I don’t really care what you all want, but I don’t know how to make cotton-padded quilts or jackets.”

Li Youde suggested, “Yimin, we could ask the women in the courtyard to help. Even though we don’t have sewing machines, many hands make light work. I bet it won’t take too many days to finish everything!”

“That’s a good idea. Let’s go with your suggestion,” Zhou Yimin nodded in agreement.

“But what should we offer as compensation?”

At that moment, Dapeng chimed in, “Yimin, if you’re not short on cotton, you can use that as payment. They’ll definitely agree to help if they get cotton.”

There was really no choice—cotton was in extremely short supply. Most people’s winter jackets were patched and mended, passed down from elder to younger siblings. The cotton inside many jackets was already half gone, so when winter came, they were left freezing.

“Alright, it’s settled,” Zhou Yimin made the final decision.

The hotpot gathering lasted over an hour and finally ended with everyone full and content. After that, everyone returned to their own homes.

Early the next morning, Zhou first checked the store for that day’s flash sale items—100 jin of apples, 100 jin of eggs, 100 bolts of fabric, 100 jin of beef jerky. He bought all of them in a flash, then headed to Eldest Uncle’s home.

When Eldest Uncle saw Zhou Yimin arrive, he asked, “Yimin, something up?”

“Uncle, I want to ask the women in the courtyard to help make some winter jackets and quilts,” Zhou Yimin got straight to the point.

Eldest Uncle was startled by Zhou’s words. “Yimin, what did you just say? Did I hear you wrong?”

“No mistake. I’m talking about making jackets and quilts,” Zhou repeated.

Eldest Uncle immediately understood—Zhou Yimin must have access to a source of cotton. He hurriedly asked, “Yimin, do you have any extra cotton? I’d like to buy a little.”

Cotton was one of those things you could never have too much of. With some extra, they could finally replace their old quilts and jackets at home.

“I won’t know if there’s any extra until after everything’s made,” Zhou Yimin didn’t make any promises.

“How many jackets and quilts are you planning to make? If it’s not that many, just have your Eldest Aunt help out. We won’t ask for money—just sell us any extra cotton,” Eldest Uncle said.

Their family’s cotton jackets and quilts had been used for many years. They had always wanted to replace them, but a lack of cotton kept pushing the plan back. Now, finally, there was hope.

Zhou Yimin shook his head slightly. “Eldest Aunt won’t be able to handle it alone. I need to make 15 jackets and 3 quilts. Each woman who helps will get 2 jin of cotton as payment.”

Eldest Uncle was visibly excited. He knew Zhou Yimin was generous, but he hadn’t expected him to be this generous. Just helping sew jackets and quilts would earn them 2 jin of cotton.

Two jin of cotton, plus what was already in their old clothes, would be enough to make a nearly new jacket.

“Alright, Yimin, I’ll go tell them right now,” Eldest Uncle said eagerly.

He also tried to push for a spot for Eldest Aunt, “Can you let your Eldest Aunt join in too?”

“Sure,” Zhou Yimin replied without hesitation.

It didn’t really matter who helped. Ideally, he’d get all the women in the courtyard involved to finish the jackets and quilts as quickly as possible. With the weather getting colder, they needed warm clothing to make it through the winter.

Soon, Eldest Uncle went around to notify everyone, and all the women rushed to sign up.

After all, it was just helping make some jackets and quilts—a simple task—and you’d get 2 jin of cotton. Who wouldn’t want to take part?

Eldest Uncle couldn’t choose among them all, so he came back to ask Zhou Yimin whether they should eliminate some people or let everyone join.

Zhou Yimin had already anticipated this and wasn’t surprised. He simply said, “Let’s involve the whole courtyard—each household can send one person. But don’t try to fake it. If I catch anyone trying to cheat their way in, there won’t be a next time!”

He wanted to make things clear upfront. Even though he didn’t mind giving out a little cotton, he didn’t want to be taken for a fool.

Everyone present could tell he was serious and didn’t dare to randomly send someone. If they annoyed Zhou Yimin, it might be hard for the courtyard to benefit from him in the future.

“Yimin, don’t worry. We’re not that kind of people,” someone said.

Another woman chimed in, “That’s right. We’ll make sure everything’s done neatly and properly!”

“Exactly, Yimin. With me keeping an eye on things, nothing will go wrong!” Eldest Aunt guaranteed.

Zhou Yimin was pleased with the response.

“Good. Then I’ll leave it to you.”

With that, he turned and went back home, bringing out the cotton and fabric and handing it over to Eldest Aunt and the others. There was nothing else he needed to manage. He also gave them the measurements for Li Youde and the others from the night before.

Once everything was settled, Zhou Yimin headed out for work, but just as he stepped out of the courtyard gate, he was blocked by Director Li and Zhao Zhenguo.

“Auntie Li, Brother Zhao—if you needed something, you could’ve just let me know. No need to come all the way here,” Zhou Yimin said, steeling himself.

Judging by their expressions, he figured this wouldn’t end without coughing up something.

Zhao Zhenguo spoke first, “Yimin, I heard you delivered over 600 jin of pork, 250 jin of strawberries, and 100 coconuts to the steel factory yesterday. Is that true?”

Zhou Yimin was a little stunned. He hadn’t expected word to spread so fast. With no way to deny it, he admitted, “Yes, it’s true.”

“Yimin, you can’t play favorites. The steel factory got such great New Year’s supplies, but our food factory only exists because of your invention of instant noodles. In that sense, the Noodle Factory is like your own child,” Zhao Zhenguo said, trying to appeal emotionally.

“I’m not asking for much—just the same as what the steel factory got. I’m not even asking for more.”

“We at the street office need some too. You figure it out,” Director Li added.

Zhou Yimin felt a headache coming on. After thinking it over, he realized he couldn’t possibly give them the exact same treatment, so he proposed a compromise.

“Brother Zhao, Auntie Li, how about this? If it’s not acceptable, there’s nothing else I can do.”

“Auntie Li, for the street office, how about 100 jin of pork, 30 jin of beef jerky, and 30 jin of apples?”

Director Li was tempted by the offer and tried to push for a bit more. After all, there were quite a few employees at the office. “Yimin, can we get a bit more—maybe bump the apples and beef jerky up to 50 jin each?”

With those supplies, they could put together a solid year-end bonus for their employees.

“Alright. Auntie Li, since you personally asked,” Zhou Yimin agreed with a resigned sigh.

Director Li quickly asked, “Yimin, when can we expect the delivery to the street office?”

There weren’t many days left before the New Year, so she was in a bit of a hurry.

“Tomorrow night,” Zhou Yimin replied with a definite answer.

At this moment, Zhao Zhenguo was also feeling anxious, so he said, “Yimin, the subdistrict office has so many supplies. Our instant noodle factory is a major plant with over ten thousand workers—it can’t be less than that!”

“Brother Zhao, take it easy. Three hundred jin of pork, one hundred jin of apples, and a hundred coconuts—that’s already pushing it. I don’t have much left,” Zhou Yimin replied, pretending to be in a difficult spot.

If he didn’t say this first to block off any room for negotiation, and Zhao Zhenguo ended up making excessive demands later, Zhou Yimin wouldn’t know how to reject him.

“Yimin, isn’t that a bit too little for the apples and pork? At the very least, we should get five hundred jin of pork, right? And while I’m not saying the apples should be on par with the steel plant’s share, at least give us two hundred jin,” Zhao Zhenguo countered.

He didn’t believe this was really Zhou Yimin’s bottom line—who would reveal their lowest price right from the start?

“Brother Zhao, your demands are too high. I really can’t spare that much!” Zhou Yimin didn’t give in easily either.

The two of them went back and forth for quite a while. In the end, under Director Li’s mediation, both sides took a step back.

Zhou Yimin finally agreed to give the instant noodle factory 400 jin of pork, 150 jin of apples, and 100 coconuts, bringing this intense “battle” to an end.

Director Li and Zhao Zhenguo both returned to work satisfied.

Zhou Yimin also went back to the steel plant, and the happy hours of the day passed quickly.

In the morning, he rested in his office. In the afternoon, he wandered around, chatting briefly with familiar faces.

Soon, the bell for the end of the workday rang out.

Everyone began packing up, getting ready to leave.

The transportation department staff went to change clothes before heading to Donglaishun to gather. Other than the drivers assigned to the task, everyone else had been busy repairing vehicles. After all, during the last test of the seatbelts and airbags, they had “accidentally” broken two trucks. Though it wasn’t anything serious, due to a manpower shortage, any driver with free time had to help out with repairs to get the two trucks back in working order as soon as possible.

Zhou Yimin and Zhou Dazhong also made a quick trip home before heading to Donglaishun. After all, the host hadn’t arrived yet, and it wouldn’t be right for the two of them to show up first.

Around six o’clock, Zhou Dafu was already at the entrance of Donglaishun waiting to greet them.

From a distance, he spotted Zhou Yimin and Zhou Dazhong.

Zhou Dafu hurried up to welcome them. “Uncle Sixteen, Dazhong, you’re finally here! Come in and have a seat first—the meal will be served soon!”

Thankfully, the guest list wasn’t too long. A single table was a bit too cramped, so they had to split into two tables.

Zhou Yimin hadn’t come empty-handed either. He brought two bottles of good liquor to support Zhou Dafu’s event.

“Take them,” Zhou Yimin said.

Zhou Dafu saw the two bottles of Dongjiu. Although he hadn’t seen this exact type before, anything brought by Zhou Yimin had to be top-shelf. “Uncle Sixteen, it’s already great that you came—no need to bring liquor too! You’re making me feel bad.”

“Well, if you feel bad, then I’ll just take them back after dinner,” Zhou Yimin teased, seeing Zhou Dafu trying to act all polite, and couldn’t help messing with him a bit.

Zhou Dafu immediately regretted opening his mouth. “I’m sorry, Uncle Sixteen, please be generous and let me off this time!”

As he spoke, he clung to Zhou Yimin’s arm like a child.

“Alright, alright! Quit the act,” Zhou Yimin said, getting a little exasperated.

“Thank you, Uncle Sixteen!” Zhou Dafu said repeatedly, holding the two bottles of Dongjiu tightly in his hands—it was the only way he felt secure.

Not long after Zhou Yimin and Zhou Dazhong entered, Li Feng arrived in a hurry, also carrying two bottles of liquor. These were the best from his personal stash—he wouldn’t have brought them out if the occasion weren’t important.

Upon seeing Li Feng, Zhou Dafu quickly approached. “Master, you’re here. Everyone else is already here—once you’re seated, we can start.”

“Alright, let’s go in. These two bottles are what I brought. Let’s share them with everyone later,” said Li Feng, handing over two bottles of Guokang 1935.

Guokang 1935 was first established in 1935. It is a sauce-aroma baijiu brand founded by the GZ Province Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

Produced by Guokang Liquor Co., Ltd. in Renhuai City, GZ Province, it uses the Kunsa method, the same process and standards as Maotai.

Its brewing process includes making qu in the Dragon Boat Festival, adding sand in the Double Ninth Festival, undergoing a full year of production, with two rounds of ingredient addition, nine rounds of steaming, eight rounds of fermentation, and seven rounds of distillation. The base liquor is aged for three years before blending and then aged again for one year before it is tested and released. This complex process ensures Guokang 1935’s high quality and rich taste among sauce-aroma liquors.

At this point, Li Feng noticed that Zhou Dafu was holding two bottles that looked like Dongjiu based on the packaging, so he asked, “Dafu, are those Dongjiu in your hands?”

“Yeah! Master, Uncle Sixteen just brought these two over,” Zhou Dafu replied honestly.

Then, seeing Li Feng’s expression, he thought maybe the liquor he brought wasn’t as good as Zhou Yimin’s and looked disheartened.

“Master, how about I just take these two back home to drink?”

Li Feng quickly knocked Zhou Dafu on the head twice and said, “Even I can’t bear to drink them, and you want to take both home?”

As he spoke, he felt increasingly annoyed and gave him two more knocks.

“I get it, Master. You take these two and enjoy them. Or… do you want to take the Dongjiu from Uncle Sixteen home?” Zhou Dafu asked.

“Of course we’re drinking the good stuff brought by Section Chief Zhou. I’ll take back the ones I brought,” Li Feng replied.

He wouldn’t dare do otherwise—offending Zhou Yimin over two bottles of liquor just wasn’t worth it.

The folks from the transport department and Zhou Dazhong kept glancing at the entrance, wondering when Zhou Dafu and Captain Li would finally show up. The aroma of mutton was driving them crazy, but they couldn’t dig in yet—it was torture.

Zhou Yimin joining the meal with Dapeng and the others was impressive at first, but after eating there a few times, it didn’t feel that special anymore.

Li Feng walked in first, while Zhou Dafu deliberately lagged half a step behind.

When the guest of honor finally arrived, everyone could hardly hold back and were itching to sneak a bite.

Seeing everyone seated, Zhou Dafu announced, “Let’s eat!”

The transport department staff and Zhou Dazhong couldn’t wait—they immediately started throwing plate after plate of lamb into the copper pot.

Zhou Yimin quickly stopped them. “For hotpot, the lamb slices are this thin—you only need to cook them for ten seconds or so. Overcooking ruins the texture.”

Hearing this, everyone started placing just a few slices in at a time, doing it as Zhou Yimin instructed—and sure enough, it was delicious.

Soon everyone was eating lamb and sipping Dongjiu. Li Feng had been craving Dongjiu for a long time but could never get his hands on any. Now that he had the chance, he wasn’t going to miss it. He was determined to drink a few extra cups tonight.

Of course, the mutton couldn’t be missed. Although it wasn’t the first time they’d come to Donglaishun, they had never splurged on this much meat before—not like this time.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Out of the two bottles of Dongjiu, at least a third ended up in Li Feng’s stomach.

This scene didn’t escape Zhou Dafu’s notice. He was already thinking about whether he could figure out a way to buy a bottle and gift it to Li Feng for the New Year.

(End of this chapter)