Chapter 86: Zhou Dazhong Returns to the Village

Eldest Uncle glanced over twice and understood what was going on. He had Zhou Dafu sit down on a chair, grasped his ankle, and casually twisted it twice before massaging it a few times.

“Stand up and walk a few steps,” Eldest Uncle said.

Zhou Dafu no longer felt any pain in his foot.

Upon hearing that, he stood up, took a few steps, and exclaimed in delight, “It’s fine now!”

This doctor was pretty amazing!

Even Zhou Yimin felt impressed.

If this were a modern hospital, they’d take all sorts of scans without a second thought. You’d probably even be sent for a blood test—it was that absurd.

For something as minor as a dislocation, you might even end up hospitalized for a few days.

After all the procedures, you wouldn’t be leaving the hospital without spending a few thousand yuan. Even a mild cold could cost you several hundred.

“Eldest Uncle, you’re incredible.” Zhou Yimin gave him a thumbs-up.

Eldest Uncle shook his head with a smile. “This isn’t a serious condition. It’s nothing worth mentioning—anyone could’ve done it.”

He said it like it was something anyone with hands could manage.

When Zhou Yimin and the others were about to leave, Eldest Uncle called out to them, “Wait a moment, I have some medicinal wine here. I’ll give you a bit—rub it on for the next couple of days.”

They had brought him a wild pheasant, after all.

He gave them about a small cup’s worth of the medicinal wine, and Zhou Yimin took Zhou Dafu and the others out of the courtyard.

As for the wild boar and the four pheasants, Zhou Yimin had considered different ways to handle them.

He could bring them to the steel factory, or even let Zhou Dazhong “report results” with them. But this wild boar was too small to mean anything to the steel factory.

Then he thought of the neighborhood committee, and even Uncle Zhang’s research institute.

After weighing the options, he decided to go with the closest choice. He didn’t want to go through all the trouble.

He took the group to the neighborhood office.

Director Li was naturally delighted to receive the meat from Zhou Yimin and didn’t refuse it.

“Dafu, if you catch any more game in the future, just bring it straight to Auntie Li at the neighborhood office,” Zhou Yimin helped make the connection between the office and Zhou Dafu’s group.

He didn’t care much for this bit of game meat. The steel factory’s procurement task was easy for him anyway.

Director Li quickly caught on—she knew Zhou Yimin was helping her.

“That’s right! Just bring it here in the future. We’ll make sure you get a fair price.”

Like this time, the wild boar was purchased at one yuan per jin. Of course, that was the net weight, not gross.

Seeing that Zhou Dafu was still clueless, Zhou Yimin had to spell it out for him: “Sometimes the neighborhood office has job opportunities. Don’t you guys want to work in the city?”

This time, the young men all came to their senses.

“Alright, then from now on, when we catch something, we’ll bring it here.”

Good thing Sixteenth Uncle reminded them.

Zhou Dafu and the others wiped their foreheads in relief and felt a bit lucky.

Director Li smiled without saying much. The neighborhood office could indeed arrange jobs, but that was usually for residents of their own jurisdiction. Outsiders would need to contribute something first.

If Zhou Dafu and the others brought in a lot of meat, assigning them a position wouldn’t be out of the question.

This time, Zhou Dafu and his group earned over sixty yuan in total. Divided among five people, that was just a little over ten yuan each.

They were still a long way from their goal.

Zhou Yimin gave them a pat. “Look at it this way—you made over ten yuan in a single day.”

Out in the countryside, working hard for labor credits couldn’t compare to this. Of course, the risk was higher too. But the greater the risk, the greater the reward—that was a timeless truth.

Zhou Dafu and the others thought about it and realized he was right.

They didn’t even know that Zhou Dazhong, who had already entered the steel factory, was only earning a little over ten yuan a month.

“Better head home now. If you return too late, someone might find out,” Zhou Yimin reminded them.

“Right, let’s hurry back. If my dad notices the hunting rifle is missing, we’re in trouble.”

Zhou Dafu and the guys rushed off, clearly in a hurry.

The next day, Zhou Yimin returned to Zhou Family Village, bringing with him a few cans of canned yellow peaches and a freshly butchered and cleaned goose that weighed exactly ten jin.

Just as Zhou Yimin arrived, Zhou Dazhong returned as well.

He had splurged for once and taken a bus to Hongxing Commune, then walked home.

Wearing his work uniform, he was the flashiest guy around as he walked into the village. Many villagers looked on enviously, and even the unmarried girls started to see him in a new light.

Everyone knew that Zhou Dazhong had joined the steel factory and become a proud worker.

“Dazhong, what’s your job at the steel factory?” someone asked.

Zhou Dazhong stopped and replied, “Same as Sixteenth Uncle—I do procurement.”

“Lucky you! Sixteenth Uncle really looks out for you.”

“Don’t say that. Dazhong also put up money,” someone else said.

Hearing that, a few people rolled their eyes and scoffed. Four hundred-plus yuan just to enter the steel factory and still do procurement? Without Sixteenth Uncle’s help, it never would’ve happened. Dream on.

“What’s your salary, Dazhong?” someone else asked out of curiosity.

“I just started, so I’m paid as an apprentice—18 yuan and 50 cents. Once I’m officially employed, it’ll be 25,” Zhou Dazhong answered without hiding anything. It wasn’t some secret.

Everyone grew even more envious.

They all knew that his family had paid 450 yuan. At a formal salary rate, he could earn that back in just 18 months—not even two years.

What a bargain.

“By the way, I just came from Hongxing Commune. I heard they’re showing a movie there tonight,” Zhou Dazhong couldn’t help but share the news.

A movie?

Everyone’s attention shifted.

Getting a job at the steel factory still felt out of reach. But watching a movie? That was at least doable—if you didn’t mind the walk.

These days, watching a movie was one of the few forms of entertainment regular folks had.

“Tonight? What time does it start?”

“Around seven, or so I heard. I’m not exactly sure,” Zhou Dazhong replied.

After passing along the news, he headed straight home.

His mother was shocked to see him, thinking his job must have fallen through.

“What are you doing back?”

Zhou Dazhong explained, “Ma! I was sent to Hongxing Commune for procurement today, so I thought I’d stop by home.”

He then told her all about starting his job and even having been assigned a room.

“Ma, you wouldn’t believe it—Sixteenth Uncle is amazing. He has connections everywhere: in the factory, at the neighborhood office, and even in the courtyard. That’s how I got the place so easily.

Sixteenth Uncle also told me to host a few tables in a few days and invite the people from the courtyard for a meal,” Zhou Dazhong poured everything out.

“No wonder! Of course your Sixteenth Uncle is amazing. Otherwise, how could he have gotten you into the factory? You should listen to him more from now on—he won’t steer you wrong,” Madam Huang thought to herself how lucky they were to have this Sixteenth Uncle.

She continued, “He’s right too—someone must’ve had their eye on that room. Now that you’ve got it, they’re probably unhappy. Hosting a meal helps ease the tension and improve neighborhood relations.”

After all, they’d be living there long-term. Better not to sour things when you see each other day in, day out.

“I’ll go borrow some money for you later,” she said.

If he was going to host several tables, the money he had wouldn’t be enough.

“No need, Ma. Sixteenth Uncle said he’d take care of it. He wants me to focus on settling into work first.”

Madam Huang glared at her son. “Why are you troubling your Sixteenth Uncle again?”

Zhou Dazhong gave a wry smile. “How could I not listen to him? We already owe him so much. I’ll repay it all slowly in the future.”

That truly was how he felt.

Madam Huang thought for a moment, then nodded.

Zhou Dazhong didn’t stay long. He mainly came back to report the situation to his mother. He still had to rush back to the factory for lunch—the meals there were cheaper.

(End of chapter)