FIMA Ch105: Going to Work

No matter how shocked and incredulous the Gu family was, when Monday arrived, Gu Siyuan was going to go to work at the county town’s agricultural repair factory anyway.

Of course, before this, there were still matters to resolve.

Looking at the person squeezing beside him even just to tend the fire, Gu Siyuan said faintly: “It’s already late April, aren’t you hot sticking so close?”

After separating the family a few days ago, Gu Siyuan and his wife, as well as Eldest Brother Gu’s family, started cooking their meals separately from Mother Gu and the others.

To avoid conflicts from occurring again, the three families each agreed on their own kitchen usage times.

Gu Siyuan’s family was scheduled last.

However, this was also the most comfortable, saving them from being urged repeatedly.

“Not hot.” Saying so, Xie Yiyang even squeezed a bit closer.

Gu Siyuan looked at his delicate face, which was roasted flush red by the large fire in the stove, and even a layer of fine sweat beads had appeared on his forehead.

The little wife was getting increasingly believable at telling lies.

Raising his arm, Gu Siyuan gently wiped away the sweat beads on the person’s face with his sleeve, his voice deep: “What’s the matter with this?”

Xie Yiyang raised his head to let him wipe his sweat, his eyes staring straight at him. Reflected by the firelight, it made him appear even more fiery and deeply affectionate: “With you going to work, I’m going to not see you for a long time again.”

Gu Siyuan was slightly stunned. He raised his hand to pull the person into his embrace and held him. Neither of them mentioned being hot anymore.

He gently stroked the person in his embrace, saying warmly: “I will go to the agricultural repair factory to work during the day, and come back at night. If you argue with Gu Lili or anyone else while you’re alone at home, tell me when I get back.”

“Hmph, who still argues with him? Anyway, the family is separated now. After you go to work, I’ll just continue going down to the fields to work. However, I can only earn four or five work points. Now that you’re a worker, you’re not allowed to disdain me…” Xie Yiyang hugged Gu Siyuan’s neck tightly with both hands, humming and grumbling in his embrace.

Gu Siyuan chuckled lightly, pinching his face: “I won’t disdain you, but you don’t need to go down to the fields. There are other things to do.”

Xie Yiyang immediately looked at him with sparkling eyes, vowing solemnly: “Whatever it is, just assign it to me, I guarantee to complete the task.”

Gu Siyuan’s indifferent voice transmitted from above his head: “Studying.”

“Ah…” Xie Yiyang was slightly dazed.

Gu Siyuan continued to ask: “I remember you graduated from junior high, right?”

“Right…” Xie Yiyang nodded, showing off playfully: “Hmph, don’t just look at me scolding people all day long. When I was studying, my grades were very good! Right up until I graduated junior high, I got first place in the whole school every time.”

Gu Siyuan nodded: “That’s even better, picking it back up will be more relaxed.”

Xie Yiyang thought for a moment, and looked up at him: “Why suddenly talk about studying? Could it be you want me to continue and study a technical secondary school or something?”

“Not a technical secondary school, but university,” Gu Siyuan said solemnly.

“University?” Xie Yiyang widened his eyes perfectly round.

He wanted to say, Husband, aren’t you thinking too highly of me?

Currently, the worker-peasant-soldier universities rely on recommendation quotas. Except for those with connections, only model workers can attend. For someone like him who only earns four or five work points a day, wanting to be a model worker might not even be possible in his next life.

Seeing him acting like a little cat, Gu Siyuan couldn’t resist pinching the flesh of his cheek again, and even lowered his head to kiss him on the face.

“Wu…” Xie Yiyang immediately kissed back actively, and even bit him lightly.

Gu Siyuan poked out the fire in the stove, stood up bringing along the little sticky cake clinging to his body, and went to the front to check the situation in the pot.

In the countryside in April, and in this era, there wasn’t really anything good to eat.

The food was all cooked in one pot. The staple food was coarse grain rice, with wild vegetables mixed with a tiny bit of oil and salt placed on top. This was already Gu Siyuan thinking of ways to try his best to make the flavor better.

While mixing the food together, he casually made up a story to the person beside him: “Yesterday, I accidentally overheard Feng Keng and Gu Lili talking. Feng Keng’s family seems to be officials in the capital. He received a letter from his family saying that the higher-ups are discussing and deciding to restore the college entrance examination, right within these one or two years.”

Xie Yiyang abruptly raised his head, shocked: “Husband, are you telling the truth…”

“Mm.” Gu Siyuan nodded lightly, simultaneously reaching out to gesture for Xie Yiyang to bring two bowls over.

“That’s wonderful.” Stretching his arms, Xie Yiyang took down two bowls from the cupboard, washed them, and handed them to Gu Siyuan, chuckling: “So, you hope that I study hard now, to go take the university exam in the future?”

“Mm.” Gu Siyuan nodded, and added in a deep voice: “Not just you, I will also take the exam. You study at home during the day, and when I get off work and come home, you will teach me. When I go to the county town, I’ll try to find more relevant books to bring back.”

Actually, that knowledge was truly simple for Gu Siyuan.

But on the surface, he was just a country bumpkin who hadn’t even attended junior high.

“Alright. Husband, I will definitely work hard.” Xie Yiyang clapped his palms together glowingly, consciously feeling that he was now bearing a heavy responsibility.

Dividing the rice and vegetables in the pot into two bowls, Gu Siyuan pinched his little wife’s face: “Alright, time to eat.”

“Mm.” Xie Yiyang happily ran ahead, carrying the two bowls with a ‘swish’.

His whole person was full of spirit, without a single bit of the sentimentality and clinginess from just now.

Gu Siyuan narrowed his eyes.

Truly an easy-to-coax little blockhead!

When Monday arrived, Gu Siyuan went to report to the agricultural repair factory as planned.

From Yunxi Village to the county town was nearly thirty li of road. If relying solely on both feet, walking and running would take at least two or three hours each way, making the daily commute too grueling.

However, Captain Zhou Jiandang always found pleasure in helping others. Having anticipated his predicament early on, he took the initiative to lend him his family’s bicycle.

Gu Siyuan indeed needed it, so he didn’t decline much, only thinking of repaying him properly in the future.

Nowadays was the era of the planned economy; workers strictly implemented the eight-hour work system.

The agricultural repair factory was naturally the same, starting work at 9 AM and finishing at 5 PM.

Because it was the first day, Gu Siyuan even deliberately went a bit earlier. When he rode the bicycle arriving near that factory district, those brushing shoulders passing by along the way were all workers like him, every one glowing, full of energetic spirit, single-mindedly striving hard for socialist construction.

Gu Siyuan locked the bicycle in a corner of the agricultural repair factory’s courtyard; quite a few other people’s bicycles were also parked there.

Next, he first went to personnel to report. This time was to transfer his grain relations over. From now on, his wages, grain, etc., wouldn’t go through the Qianjin Production Brigade of Yunxi Village, but would belong under the management of the agricultural repair factory.

The staff sitting behind the desk in the personnel office was still that arrogant lady from that day.

Seeing Gu Siyuan at a glance, she clearly had some impression of him and asked directly: “Here to transfer grain relations?”

Gu Siyuan nodded: “Right.”

Saying so, he handed over the proof issued by the brigade; this required both sides to stamp and file.

Taking the proof, the personnel carefully confirmed there were no problems, and placed it to the side.

She looked up and continued: “The treatment at the agricultural repair factory is very good. Wages are issued on the third of every month. You are an official worker, so the monthly wage is 27 yuan, plus a subsidy of 32 jin of grain and 1 jin of oil. As for other tickets, it depends on the factory’s situation that month, generally cloth tickets, sugar tickets, and meat tickets—these three kinds, there might also be others.”

Gu Siyuan nodded. These benefits were still very good. Especially the 1 jin of oil subsidy; in Yunxi Village, during the annual settlement of work points and grain at the end of the year, each person could only receive two or three jin of oil for the whole year.

Now, with 1 jin a month, he would get twelve jin a year.

Xie Yiyang actually quite liked eating stir-fried dishes; now he could eat it several times every month.

Finally, this personnel pointed it out to him: “You are assigned to Section Chief Lu’s Engine Section, in the tall building of the very last row. A sign is hung on it, you’ll know when you get there.”

Gu Siyuan nodded and thanked her.

By the time he left the personnel office, the agricultural repair factory’s large courtyard was already filled with people everywhere. Everyone was hurrying their steps, and quite a few people were even gnawing on pancakes or something in their hands.

However, when passing by Gu Siyuan, they all subconsciously sized him up a few times; this appearance and momentum truly attracted the eyes.

Following the personnel’s instructions, Gu Siyuan walked toward where the Engine Section was located.

Just approaching that row of tall buildings, one could smell a strong diesel scent, along with the continuous sound of various machines starting up.

He looked up at the large room hung with the door plate “Engine,” and gently knocked on the open wooden door.

At this moment, only a young man of about twenty years old was sitting in the vast, large office. Hearing the commotion, he looked over.

Gu Siyuan introduced himself proactively: “Hello, Comrade. I am Gu Siyuan, a newcomer reporting to the Engine Section today.”

That young man blinked, reacted for a moment, and immediately stood up smiling: “Comrade Gu Siyuan… Ah, it’s you! Last week I heard our Section Chief say a newcomer was coming…”

While talking, he pointed toward a desk near the corner: “Your seat and stationery were arranged early on, right here. You sit for a while first, the Section Chief and the others will be here shortly.”

“Okay, thank you.” Gu Siyuan walked toward that seat.

“You’re welcome. Serve the People, Learn from Lei Feng.” That young man was very enthusiastic, and continued: “Right, my name is Fang Jie.”

Gu Siyuan shook hands with him: “Hello, Comrade Fang Jie.”

Fang Jie was originally eating breakfast. After settling Gu Siyuan, he sat back down and continued eating. While eating, he curiously looked at him and asked: “Comrade Gu Siyuan, I heard when you tested in, you got perfect scores in both the written and practical tests, and the Section Chief even specially ran to the Personnel Department to ask for you.”

Flipping through the agricultural repair factory’s promotional manual placed on the desk, Gu Siyuan casually replied: “Perhaps.”

Fang Jie said very excitedly: “Then it must be true. Comrade Gu Siyuan, you are very remarkable. The Section Chief is very strict when it comes to work.”

“Overpraised.” Gu Siyuan’s voice was faint.

After this brief exchange, Fang Jie clearly also discovered that this new colleague wasn’t someone who liked to talk.

However, he himself was naturally a chatterbox, completely un-repelled by Gu Siyuan’s indifference, and even more interestedly asked him a bunch of random things.

And Gu Siyuan still mostly gave brief two-or-three-word replies.

It wasn’t until later, when Fang Jie casually brought up some situations regarding their Engine Section.

Only then did Gu Siyuan speak a few more words, drawing out from his mouth quite a bit about the Engine Section’s daily situations and work directions, and even the moral character, personalities, and hobbies of some colleagues.

And Fang Jie also gradually discovered that this person before him was indeed worthy of being actively requested by the Section Chief. Just during this short conversation just now, Gu Siyuan had displayed unimaginably profound knowledge and thoughts.

Even quite a bit of knowledge regarding tractors and mechanics, he, an old employee, didn’t even know.

Thus, he simply brought up some problems he encountered in his daily work to ask about.

Gu Siyuan didn’t cherish his own broom (hide his knowledge) either, pointing out some keys to him in a few words, and even solving several problems on the spot.

By the end, Fang Jie even wanted to look up at the sky and ask loudly: Between the two of them, exactly who was the newcomer?

At this time, the people in the office had also mostly arrived.

Coincidentally, Ling Zhi was also assigned to the Engine Section. Seeing Gu Siyuan, he was incredibly excited and immediately leaned over.

Fang Jie and Ling Zhi had quite similar personalities. Very quickly, the two became familiar with each other through Gu Siyuan, collectively chattering away and making Gu Siyuan’s head spin with the noise.

Section Chief Lu walked in from outside.

At a glance, seeing Fang Jie and the others chatting happily with Gu Siyuan, he was quite amazed: “Gu Siyuan, ah, you young lad always showed me a cold face both times we met, but you get along quite harmoniously with them.”

Everyone raised their heads in unison, calling out: “Section Chief.”

“Everyone just continue working,” Section Chief Lu waved his hand, and looked toward Fang Jie saying: “Since you get along well with them, you will temporarily guide these two newcomers. You have also been working in our section for two years now; the organization trusts you, so work hard.”

“Yes.” Flushing red in the face, Fang Jie immediately responded excitedly.

At this time, these kinds of words were the most inspiring.

Especially since Section Chief Lu was a famously renowned technical talent in their agricultural repair factory; being affirmed by him was the greatest praise.

After Section Chief Lu entered his own office.

Fang Jie excitedly gestured for Gu Siyuan and Ling Zhi to go out. The three went out the office door, walked right for a few steps to reach the end of the corridor. At the end was a large double door.

When Gu Siyuan came over just now, he also saw this place, but at that time the large door was still locked, yet now it was already wide open.

Therefore, he also clearly saw the situation inside. Very obviously, this was a massive work workshop.

Several half-dismantled tractors were parked on the floor, while on a long workbench to the side, various accessories and parts were placed—of course, mainly engines and internal combustion engines, as this was their section’s workshop to begin with.

Leading them inside, Fang Jie said while walking: “Because we are the Engine Section, and many engine parts are relatively meticulous, everyone is equipped with a desk. But we are still technical workers after all, not those clerks sitting in offices, so most of our time is still spent in the workshop. Sometimes we might even have to go down to various brigades to help the fellow townsmen repair their tractors and such.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, his gaze calm.

However, the mind of Ling Zhi to the side was completely no longer here, his gaze staring fixedly at those engines the whole time.

Smiling, Fang Jie didn’t mind; he had also had this kind of mood before.

“The Section Chief actually letting you guide newcomers, I don’t know what he’s thinking?”

Just at this moment, an unfriendly voice transmitted over.

Gu Siyuan and the others looked up, only to see a thin, decently dressed young man.

Upon seeing this person, Fang Jie frowned in disgust: “I’m the one guiding the newcomers, what business is it of yours, Ma Jun? Could it be you’re jealous that the Section Chief values me?”

That young man named Ma Jun immediately changed his expression, sneering: “You yourself are a piece of trash, yet you still want to guide newcomers. Be careful not to hold others back instead.”

After speaking, he directly turned and left.

Frowning and watching his back for a moment, Fang Jie then turned back to Gu Siyuan and Ling Zhi: “You don’t need to pay attention to him.”

“Mm.” Gu Siyuan’s expression was consistently cold.

“Okay.” Ling Zhi, however, naturally knew how to conduct himself.

Very quickly, Fang Jie led them to a workbench in the middle of the workshop.

“Little Fang, ah, you’re here. There are three tractors waiting for maintenance over there, and another one where the engine temperature is terrifyingly high once turned on. It might need to be taken down and repaired. Hurry up, don’t delay the fellow townsmen’s affairs.” A middle-aged man to the side said.

Fang Jie hurriedly answered: “Okay, Group Leader Zhu. Today two newcomers arrived in the section; the Section Chief arranged for me to guide them.”

“Alright, then get busy!” Group Leader Zhu nodded, and went to check the situation at other workbenches.

Turning his head to look at Gu Siyuan and Ling Zhi, Fang Jie said: “You heard Group Leader Zhu’s words just now, there happens to be ready-made work here. The engine is the most precious part of a tractor, so normal maintenance, aside from the tires, generally involves engine maintenance, which is also the most daily work of our section. You both tested in, so you definitely have some understanding of this. Later I will do a careful maintenance run-through; you both must pay attention closely.”

“Alright.” Gu Siyuan and Ling Zhi nodded in unison.

Time spent working seriously passed extremely quickly.

Soon it was noon. The three tractors were almost finished with maintenance, and the engine of the tractor that needed repairing was also currently being dismantled.

Fang Jie said: “You both brought lunchboxes, right? Follow me to the cafeteria to eat. Our agricultural repair factory cafeteria master’s cooking skills are truly that, no worse than the state-run restaurants.”

Saying this, he gave a thumbs up.

The three exited the workshop, merging into a stream of people with those from other sections and workshops, heading toward the cafeteria.

The cafeteria had four windows in total. They arrived relatively early, so their turn came very quickly. Looking back, a long line had already formed behind them.

Standing on his tiptoes to see the large basins placed in the window, Fang Jie was quite surprised: “There are pan-fried oil cakes today, ah! Quick, quick, give me four.”

Things like pan-fried oil cakes, they were fragrant alright, but they consumed a lot of oil. An ordinary family’s oil tickets for a year were only so little; except during the New Year and festivals, they absolutely wouldn’t dare make this kind of food.

But in the agricultural repair factory cafeteria, pan-fried oil cakes were just like steamed buns and rice, only requiring grain tickets.

So once they were made on a given day, supply fell short of demand.

However, to prevent people from going too far, the cafeteria also stipulated that one person could only buy a maximum of four pieces.

When it was Gu Siyuan’s turn, he also bought four pieces of oil cake, but additionally bought three coarse grain steamed buns and a type of stewed dish.

It was unknown whether it was based on his face, but the stewed dish that the auntie gave him clearly had a higher peak than the others.

Holding their lunchboxes, the three found a place to sit.

Fang Jie and Ling Zhi were extremely impatient. As soon as they sat down, they started eating one bite of oil cake and one bite of stewed dish, their expressions so happy they were almost ascending to immortality.

Meanwhile, the gazes of those next to them who arrived a bit late and couldn’t buy oil cakes were simply filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

It wasn’t until he had satisfyingly eaten all four pieces that Ling Zhi had the mood to look at Gu Siyuan.

Not looking, he wouldn’t know; upon looking, he curiously asked: “You’re not eating anymore after only eating one piece? Otherwise, sell the rest to me!”

Raising his eyes to give him a look, Gu Siyuan said coldly: “The rest has to be taken back.”

“Oh…” Ling Zhi nodded, sighing with quite some emotion: “Bringing it back for your wife, right? Big Brother, you are truly a good man. Luckily I haven’t married so early yet.”

Listening to their conversation, Fang Jie casually said: “You even know Comrade Siyuan’s wife?”

Ling Zhi: “Mm, his wife used to be the courtyard flower of our area’s staff courtyard.”

Fang Jie gave Gu Siyuan a look and smiled: “Comrade Siyuan is also handsome, even the auntie ladled more stewed dish for him than us, they match perfectly.”

Saying this, several of them all laughed.

After finishing the meal, the three returned to the office to rest for a while.

Gu Siyuan took the opportunity to inquire from Fang Jie and found out that there was also a small reading room in the agricultural repair factory, which had many relevant books and magazines about tractors and mechanics. Employees of the agricultural repair factory could borrow and read them with their work IDs.

Hearing this, he directly stood up and went out the door to borrow books.

Having spent the whole morning in the workshop today, seeing clearly the current situation of this agricultural repair factory and the Engine Section, he roughly knew what needed to be done next.

Looking at him returning carrying five or six books, Ling Zhi couldn’t help but sigh with emotion: “No wonder you tested so well back then. Just this diligence alone is who knows how much stronger than me.”

Fang Jie on the side also nodded repeatedly.

Soon, it was the afternoon working hours again.

This time, work didn’t go as smoothly as the morning.

The problem lay with that tractor needing repair. Following what Group Leader Zhu said earlier about the engine temperature being too high, Fang Jie had dismantled the engine. Originally, he thought it was just like before—some parts were worn out, or the fuel tank had scaled up.

However, from the start of the afternoon shift, tossing about until now, two or three hours had already passed. The entire engine had almost been groped inch by inch by Fang Jie, yet he still couldn’t find where the problem lay?

Gu Siyuan watched as the sweat even dripped down from his forehead.

Wiping the engine oil off his hands, Fang Jie finally said with quite some distress: “Still haven’t checked out the cause, I’m afraid I’ll have to go ask seniors from other groups to come help.”

Originally, he should have gone to look long ago. But today was the first time the Section Chief arranged for him to guide newcomers, yet as a result, he encountered a problem he couldn’t solve. This was truly too disappointing.

Especially since he had been mocked by his mortal enemy Ma Jun in the morning earlier, this made it the most unbearable for him.

Glancing at him, and staring at that engine for a while, Gu Siyuan suddenly spoke up: “I seem to have seen this fault phenomenon in the book I just read at noon. I wonder if the method in the book can solve it?”

Fang Jie immediately looked up, giving him a shocked look: “You really saw it?”

Gu Siyuan nodded: “Mm.”

Looking at his firm appearance, Fang Jie said somewhat hesitantly: “Then how about, you tell me, and I try repairing it?”

In this era, there was a saying: Teach the apprentice, starve the master.

Most people had a bit of their own bottom-of-the-box skills, especially those engaged in crafts and techniques like them.

Fang Jie awkwardly explained: “Mainly, it’s your first day of work. Directly getting hands-on with a delicate job like dismantling an engine, in case it gets broken…”

Without waiting for him to finish speaking, Gu Siyuan actively nodded and said: “Mm, Comrade Fang Jie has considered it very comprehensively. I will say what is written in the book, you see if it is viable.”

Fang Jie hurriedly nodded: “Okay.”

After a long while.

After listening to Gu Siyuan’s words, Fang Jie let out a heavy sigh: “I truly have a dead brain. That’s right, just hearing that the engine temperature is high, I dismantled the engine into pieces and stubbornly persisted on that. Yet I didn’t think that actually, if the oil pump is blocked, over time, it will actually also lead to this result…”

He looked at Gu Siyuan and smiled: “It’s still better to read more books, next time I will also go borrow books to read.”

Gu Siyuan nodded: “It should be so.”

About twenty minutes later, Fang Jie reinstalled the engine parts, and followed what Gu Siyuan said to handle the corresponding areas.

Afterward, he installed the engine on the tractor and struck the ignition. “Tu tu tu…” At once, the tractor restarted. And after a long time, the temperature on the engine consistently stayed within the normal range.

“Wonderful.” The three were all delighted.

Not far away, Section Chief Lu was also looking over here, and nodded with satisfaction: “This young lad, willing to study, but doesn’t study rigidly, ah, truly not bad.”

At five o’clock, someone outside rang the bell.

Almost in an instant, everyone inside the workshop disappeared without a trace.

No matter what era, getting off work and getting out of school were always everyone’s most active affairs.

Riding the bicycle, Gu Siyuan rushed desperately toward Yunxi Village.

When entering the scope of the village road, it had just passed six o’clock. Since it was already early summer at this time, the sky was still bright.

From afar, he saw a lump of a person shaped like a round ball, squatting under the big tree at the village entrance.

Chuckling lightly, he raised his hand and plucked the bicycle bell.

Sure enough, the next moment, that lump of a ball bounded up nimbly, rushing toward the direction of his bicycle.

Stopping the bicycle, Gu Siyuan propped one foot on the ground and opened one arm. Thus, that ball directly rushed into his embrace.

Burying his face in his chest, Xie Yiyang rubbed fiercely a few times and acted spoiled: “Husband, I missed you so much today.”

Gently stroking his back, Gu Siyuan lowered his head and kissed the top of his head lightly: “I missed you too, and even brought you delicious food.”

Xie Yiyang hummed and grumbled: “I’m not a little baby.”

Holding the person’s slender waist with his arm, Gu Siyuan exerted a slight force, and Xie Yiyang’s whole person was carried up by him.

The next moment, Xie Yiyang found that he was already sitting slantwise on the large crossbar in front of the bicycle, his whole person encircled between Gu Siyuan’s embrace and the bicycle handlebars.

His body and mind warm and soft, Xie Yiyang was also slightly shy.

Usually, only little children would sit like this.

Just at this moment, Gu Siyuan said in a low voice by his ear: “Just a little baby. You see, perfectly fitting to sit down, can be picked up with one hand.”

Xie Yiyang completely flushed red, his head also dizzy and woozy. Besides shrinking in Gu Siyuan’s embrace, he couldn’t do anything.

“Alright, time to go, taking the little baby home!” After speaking, Gu Siyuan stepped on the pedals. With a clear and crisp ring, the bicycle darted forward like a wisp of smoke.

Under the setting sun, the silhouette of two people and one bicycle reflected extremely long on the village road.

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