radicalducati Chapter 326 Year-end
Chapter 326 Year-end
In the next few days, Wang Hongtao didn't do anything strange, but he would buy some seafood and other rare items from time to time. Every time the Chinese New Year was approaching, a small amount of seafood would be delivered to the city, such as hairtail, sea fish, shrimp, etc.
Mr. Wang can buy it in the system mall, but he has to pretend, right?
Wang Hongtao was not the only one who did this. The first uncle's family, the second uncle's family, and even Xu Damao would go to the supply and marketing cooperative or department store from time to time.
They were considered to be the best off in the compound, with the most bills and the like, and they had enough money and were willing to spend it.
I have saved up a lot of rare tickets throughout the year, and I am waiting to spend them during the Chinese New Year.
No matter how difficult the times were, there would still be side dishes such as candy and biscuits available during the New Year, but in limited quantities, and even with tickets each person was only allowed to buy a little, in an effort to get more people able to buy them.
It was not like it is now. You could buy whatever you wanted. If you couldn’t find a place to buy it, you could just open your phone, press a few buttons, and then wait at home.
At that time, supply was based on demand. You had to have a ticket and go to the store when they had it available to buy it.
For example, fresh meat has been unavailable in the market since September and October.
Either there is really no meat, or it has been sold out before it reaches the market. All ordinary people can see are unwanted bones, or at worst various canned meats left over from previous years.
The same goes for oil. It is said that the supply is two or three taels per month, but most of it is vegetable oil such as sanitary oil. There is also pork fat, but this thing, like fresh meat, is not available to ordinary people.
The first and second uncles had some connections, so after running around for a few days, he finally got a lot of good things, including various cakes, candies, chickens, ducks, fish and meat, which he planned to keep for the New Year.
Xu Damao also tried to prepare rare dishes by his own ability, but he was not as good as the two uncles. The year was bad and it was winter. Even when his father went to the countryside to show movies, he did not get much meat. He only got a small amount of wild delicacies.
Those things are good things in later generations, but at that time they were not as good as meat, and even not as good as fine grains like white flour.
After this, he could better understand how difficult it was for Wang Hongtao and how extensive his network of contacts was.
When it comes to brothers, Lao Wang has to be it. He is capable and doesn’t treat himself as an outsider. That’s great!
……
The next day.
Director Li’s office.
Director Li said with a smile.
"Xiao Wang, the New Year is coming soon, let's have dinner at my house tonight."
"Come to think of it, you've been with me for so long, but we've never had a proper meal together."
"I'm only free today. I'll have all kinds of social events starting tomorrow. I won't even have time to have a meal at home."
"Director Li, this... is a bit inappropriate. You have a lot of things to do at the end of the year, so I won't bother you." Wang Hongtao didn't understand what Director Li meant, so he pretended to refuse.
"What's inappropriate about it? I'm not being polite to you, but you must come." Director Li invited enthusiastically.
"To tell you the truth, my wife is pregnant now! I think it's probably because she prayed for a baby on Miaofeng Mountain."
"After I told my wife about this, she also agreed with me, so why not wait for a better day? Tonight is the day!"
"this…."
"Okay, Director Li, you are busy during the New Year, so I will just wish you a happy New Year in advance!"
Since Li Huaide said so, Wang Hongtao would not refuse anymore. It would be ignorant to refuse again.
"That's good enough. Come with me to the Chaoyangmen Street Office after work." Li Huaide waved his hand.
"Don't prepare any gifts. We have everything we need at home."
"That won't work. How can you go to a house to wish someone a happy new year empty-handed?"
"Director Li, please be busy. I will first think about what gift to bring to my sister-in-law."
“You kid…” Li Huaide smiled.
……
When Xu Damao saw Wang Hongtao coming out of Li Huaide’s office, he also walked over with an envious look on his face.
Now that Lou Xiao'e is a little further along in the pregnancy, he no longer has to stay at home all day to take care of her like before. There are many pregnant women in the steel rolling mill, and Xu Damao is not bold enough to not go to work.
"Brother, you are becoming more and more valued by Director Li. I have a feeling that one day I will wake up and find that you have been promoted again!"
Wang Hongtao smiled and shook his head: "How can it be so easy?"
"If you help your boss drive, you will be promoted quickly at the beginning, but that's enough for my position. If I want to be promoted again, I have to transfer to another position."
Xu Damao said mysteriously: "That's hard to say. What if Director Yang steps down and Deputy Director Li takes over?"
Wang Hongtao glared and said, "Brother Damao, you can't say that nonsense. If someone hears it, it will be a big trouble!"
"Hey, that's all I'm telling you."
"Well, recently people in the factory have been saying that Director Li is very capable and is a top-notch expert in materials management. So I think it's only a matter of time before Deputy Director Li replaces Director Yang." Xu Damao said embarrassedly.
Wang Hongtao snorted with a smile: "Brother Damao, you are an outsider. If you want to get promoted, you can't just have the ability. You need a good background, qualifications, and opportunities. None of them can be lacking."
"For example, you are one of the best in Dongcheng District in terms of your ability in showing movies, but why can't you get promoted?"
"There are many hidden secrets here!"
Xu Damao took the opportunity to come up and said, "Isn't that right? Brother, you have such a good relationship with Director Li, can you help me put in a few words?"
"I'm going to hang out with Director Li, too."
"I've finally figured it out. If you want to get ahead these days, you have to find someone to hold on to!"
Wang Hongtao snorted coldly and shook his head: "I think it's pretty bad."
"I think you should stop thinking about becoming a cadre or something. Being a projectionist is good enough for you now."
Isn't it?!
Projection workers have high salaries and good benefits, and can earn some extra money from time to time. Isn't their life better than that of an ordinary clerk?
The most important thing is that he can often go to the countryside and not be at home!
Hey, you should understand this principle, right?
So even without discussing his background, Xu Damao was certain to be a projectionist.
It would be possible to raise his rank and salary so that he wouldn't be unable to support his wife and children.
"No, brother, look at me, Xu Damao, I have both the education and the ability, so why can't I be a cadre?"
"Ability? What ability do you have?"
"I've been a projectionist for three years, but I haven't trained a single apprentice worth showing off. And I've lived in a courtyard for half my life, but I can't even deal with a fool?"
"I….."
Xu Damao's face turned red with embarrassment and he was speechless for a long time.
Wang Hongtao took out a cigarette and handed one to Xu Damao: "Brother Damao, this is not because I am a brother and I don't want to help you. Director Li has known you for a long time. Why hasn't he promoted you? It must be that you did something wrong and didn't satisfy him!"
"Even if I force you to be introduced to him, it won't have any effect. It will only upset Director Li. Why bother?"
Xu Damao sighed: "Well, what you said makes sense, but I don't have any other options now. I can't contact my father-in-law, so I can only rely on you, brother."
Wang Hongtao patted Xu Damao on the shoulder and said, "There is no other way now. Just wait."
"If you ask me, the projectionist is not bad. At most, he has to work harder on the road, but the treatment is really good. It's no different from the imperial envoys in ancient times who went on incognito visits. Where can you not eat and drink well and be served?"
"Brother Damao, just be happy in secret!"
……