Chapter 332: Captain Li’s Surprise

As soon as Zhou Dafu heard this, he immediately pulled four yuan out of his pocket and handed it over. “Thank you, Uncle Sixteen.”

He knew full well he was getting the better end of the deal. He didn’t have any cigarette ration coupons, and if he tried to buy a pack on the black market, it could easily cost five or six yuan—if he could even get one at all.

Besides, Zhonghua cigarettes weren’t easy to come by.

“Uncle Sixteen, I’ll return that meat coupon to you as soon as I can. And also, you have to come over for dinner tomorrow,” Zhou Dafu promised earnestly.

Zhou Yimin waved him off with a look of annoyance. “Go on, don’t bother me while I’m resting.”

Zhou Dafu took his things and left. Back at the steel factory, the first thing he did was stash the goods safely away. Before he handed them over to his master, no one else could see them. If someone spotted it and asked to try a Zhonghua cigarette, that would be a problem. Would he give one or not?

He returned the bicycle key to Zhou Dazhong, then headed to the Transport Division.

When he saw Li Feng sitting off to the side resting, Zhou Dafu tiptoed over, looking mysterious.

“Master, wake up!” Zhou Dafu gave his chair a shake.

Li Feng opened his eyes and saw Zhou Dafu’s face right up close. “You little punk, trying to scare me to death?”

Waking up to such a big face so close was terrifying, especially when Zhou Dafu wasn’t exactly handsome. Up close, it was even worse.

“Heh heh heh! I’m just excited!” Zhou Dafu quickly crouched beside him.

Then he started to undo his waistband. Seeing this, Li Feng was instantly alarmed and jumped in to stop him. “What the hell are you doing? I’m not into that, okay?”

Even if he had no right to interfere with Zhou Dafu’s preferences, he definitely wasn’t about to be dragged into anything.

“Master, I’m not into that either! I’ve got a surprise for you!” Zhou Dafu said as he undid his waistband and pulled out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes he had hidden there.

The moment Li Feng saw the pack in Zhou Dafu’s hand, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“Dafu, did you get that cigarette from Section Chief Zhou?”

In his mind, of all the people Zhou Dafu knew, the only one capable of getting something like this was Zhou Yimin.

“I bought it from Uncle Sixteen. Cost me four yuan,” Zhou Dafu replied honestly.

Li Feng couldn’t help raising his voice. “Four yuan? That cheap?”

He’d bought a single pack on the black market once and had to pay a full yuan for it. And that was only because he was quick—otherwise, he wouldn’t have gotten any at all. Without the right connections, this kind of cigarette was nearly impossible to buy.

“Master, if you finish this pack, I’ll ask Uncle Sixteen if he has more!” Zhou Dafu said, showing his filial side.

Li Feng waved him off. “No need, this whole carton will last me a good while.”

He knew favors like this were hard to repay. If Zhou Dafu couldn’t return the meat coupon, it would be a burden. Better not to trouble others unless absolutely necessary.

Without further delay, he opened the carton, pulled out a pack, and took out a cigarette. He held it up to his nose and gave it a sniff. Sure enough, it was a far cry from his usual smokes.

Zhou Dafu, being sharp-eyed, quickly struck a match and lit it.

Li Feng put the cigarette in his mouth and let Zhou Dafu light it for him.

He took a deep drag. The smoke traveled from his mouth to his lungs, then back up through his windpipe, and finally exited through his nose.

Watching all this, Zhou Dafu couldn’t help wanting to smoke one too. But he’d already given the carton to his master. If he wanted a smoke, he’d have to get permission—so he just sat there, staring at Li Feng with hopeful eyes.

Li Feng saw the look on his face and had no choice but to painfully pull out another cigarette and hand it to Zhou Dafu. “Make it last. Just one. That’s all you’re getting.”

“And one more thing—don’t go telling anyone you gave me a whole carton of Zhonghua. If I hear even a whisper about it, you’re dead meat.”

He was worried Zhou Dafu, the big-mouth, would brag about it and attract attention. Then everyone would come asking for a smoke. If he gave them one, it would hurt. If he didn’t, it’d be awkward.

Something this good was best enjoyed alone.

Zhou Dafu, sensing the seriousness in Li Feng’s tone, nodded quickly. “Got it, Master. I won’t say a word.”

“Dafu, did you manage to borrow the meat coupons? If not, I’ve still got a few—probably not much, but enough in a pinch,” Li Feng asked suddenly.

Zhou Dafu immediately replied, “I borrowed fifteen jin worth from Uncle Sixteen. That’s more than enough for tomorrow’s meal at Donglaishun.”

Li Feng was stunned again. Fifteen jin’s worth of meat coupons—he couldn’t even produce half of that himself. It looked like he had underestimated Zhou Yimin’s abilities. The man could get special cigarettes and this many coupons? Incredible.

Zhou Yimin had been on leave long enough. It was time to give Wang Weimin an answer. Otherwise, the man wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

And sure enough, just as Zhou Yimin had guessed, ever since he left to make inquiries, Wang Weimin had been waiting anxiously, worried he’d get bad news.

If even Zhou Yimin couldn’t get it done, he couldn’t imagine who else could.

The longer he waited, the more uneasy he felt.

He kept going to Zhou Yimin’s office to see if he had returned.

Finally, around four in the afternoon, on his way to check again, Wang Weimin bumped into Zhou Yimin, who had just come back.

Zhou Yimin had been planning to return to his own office, but Wang Weimin immediately called him over to his.

Zhou Yimin plopped down into a chair without saying a word.

Seeing this, Wang Weimin grew nervous and couldn’t hold back. “Yimin, can you get 500 jin of pork?”

Faced with Wang Weimin’s urgency, Zhou Yimin didn’t keep him in suspense. “I can. Section Chief Wang, when do you need it? If it’s urgent, I’ll go pick it up right away.”

“Good, good!” Wang Weimin’s relief was palpable.

“Yimin, go bring it over in a bit. Hold on, I’ll write you a note.”

Not that Zhou Yimin really needed a note to borrow a truck—he was more well-connected than Wang Weimin in the factory. Pretty much everyone there knew who he was.

“Alright! I’ll go pick up the pork right away!” Zhou Yimin agreed without hesitation.

Just then, Wang Weimin remembered something Director Ding had said and asked, “Yimin, any news on the fruit situation?”

“There is, but not a lot. I can get around two hundred jin, maybe a bit more. I might also be able to get some coconuts. Not sure if the factory wants them?” Zhou Yimin replied.

“Yes! We’ll take it all!” Wang Weimin said, delighted.

As he spoke, he wrote out the note for Zhou Yimin.

“Yimin, I’m going to report this good news to Director Ding right away.”

With that, he headed straight for Director Ding’s office.

(End of Chapter)