The First Volume of Eagle and Hawk Trying Their Wings 125 Old Rank Long

  The cooperation agreement between Hanhua Industrial and Zhenyang Bicycle Factory has been officially approved by the relevant authorities.

  Lin Zhenhua dispatched more than 20 young workers from Hanhua Industrial Company, plus a dozen or so old workers borrowed from the Hanhua factory, to set off for Xunyang in a mighty manner, starting the renovation of the production area of the Xunyang Bicycle Factory.

  The machining workshop and the casting workshop do not need to be moved, only some equipment needs to be adjusted, which is not difficult. The general assembly workshop needs to make major adjustments, according to Lin Zhenhua's design, a production line will be built in the workshop, and all workers can assemble specific parts for products passing by their workstations without leaving their seats.

  The concept of a production line, some people have heard of it, some people haven't, but Lin Zhenhua is very familiar with it. Designing a production line isn't difficult either, it's just a conveyor belt plus a control system. This control system can be handled by Wei Jingwen.

  Lin Zhenhua drew a rough sketch of the assembly line, then asked the technical staff in the technical department to provide some suggestions and refine it into a processing drawing. After all the parts were produced, Hanhua Factory sent out large trucks carrying these parts to Xunyang Bicycle Factory, and dispatched an installation team led by Sun Changyuan to ensure that every link runs smoothly.

  Small bungalows for the workers of the Hanhua factory have also started construction, and there are many vacant lands in the production area. Under Qiu Qingyang's protection, these vacant lands were not opened up as vegetable fields by the workers who were blinded by poverty. Qiu Qingyang allocated a large piece of land to Hanhua Industrial Co., enough for them to build more than a dozen houses.

  The person in charge of the renovation project was Peng Shaozhe. He is meticulous and has some organizational and coordination skills, so it's reassuring to give him tasks. However, Peng Shaozhe lacks charisma and sometimes appears a bit book-smart. Lin Zhenhua arranged for Shi Guojun and Cao Wenqiang, two former educated youth who were known as troublemakers when they worked at the Labor Service Company, to assist Peng Shaozhe. Over the past year or so, seeing how well Lin Zhenhua ran the company, both men had become submissive and are now Lin Zhenhua's trusted subordinates.

  During this period, Lin Zhenhua ran back and forth between Fenghua and Xunyang, getting so tired that he lost a lot of weight.

  At New Year's time, Lin Zhenhua finally had a few days off, but he was not lucky enough to enjoy them. A letter from Xiangping Province made him set out on a journey again.

  Sitting on the train heading to Xiangping Province, Lin Zhenhua looked at this scribbled letter again and again:

  "Kobayashi: Long time no talk, how's your situation now?"

  I'm writing this letter to you because there's something I couldn't bring myself to say out loud, and I was wondering if you could help me with it.

  Since you last sent me back to Yuefeng County, I have been working at the Yonghe Commune Agricultural Machinery Factory in my hometown and serving as the factory director. Over the past two years, business has not been good for the agricultural machinery factory, and workers' wages could not be guaranteed. In recent half a year, the situation is even worse, all workers including me have not received their wages for four months.

  The main income of our family now relies on my parents and your sister-in-law farming to make ends meet. I am a disabled person and cannot do farm work. Last month, your sister-in-law felt waist pain, after going to the hospital for examination, it was said that there was a tumor on her waist, and surgery is needed. Now our family's economy is very difficult, the surgery needs about 200 yuan, which I find hard to come up with, so I have no choice but to ask for help from all of you comrades with a thick face.

  I don't know what your current financial situation is like, if it's possible for you, can I borrow 20 yuan from you? If that's really not okay, then 10 yuan would be fine too. Of course, if you're having difficulties yourself, then please don't go out of your way.

  Salute with revolutionary respect.

  Your comrade-in-arms: Cen Youjun December 15, 1981

  When Lin Zhenhua first saw the letter, his tears fell like a broken string of pearls. In his body, there was still a lingering memory of the original Lin Zhenhua. He remembered that Cen Youjun was his platoon leader in the army and had taken care of him like an elder brother during his years of service. During the self-defense counterattack war, Cen Youjun pushed him to the ground at a critical moment, saving his life, but lost his own left leg as a result.

  Lin Zhenhua was in danger in Hongshan County that time, just after sending Cen Youjun back to his hometown Yuefeng County, he encountered villains and got injured on the way back to Fenghua County.

  Lin Zhenhua still remembers the appearance of Pai Zhang, who was not tall and had a rustic look on his face. Before he was injured, Pai Zhang was one of the top three marksmen in the entire division, and with a single palm strike, he could break four red bricks, earning him the reputation as a model soldier. Who would have thought that now, he has fallen to such a state, having to swallow his pride and write letters to his former subordinates to borrow 20 yuan to relieve his urgent needs.

  Lin Zhenhua took the letter and went straight to find Zhu Tiejun, asking for leave to go to Xiangping Province. At first, Zhu Tiejun was frowning, saying that the production task was busy now, Lin Zhenhua had just come back for a few days, and he wanted to ask for leave again, what kind of discipline is this? After Lin Zhenhua handed over the letter for Zhu Tiejun to read, Zhu Tiejun's eyes also flashed with old tears. He returned the letter to Lin Zhenhua and said: "Then you go, do your best to help him out. Give my respects to an old soldier."

  Lin Zhenhua went to the bank and withdrew 2,000 yuan. He then bought a large quantity of food and daily necessities, purchased a train ticket, and headed straight for Hunan Province. Lin Zhenhua now also has the privilege of being able to buy train tickets at any time. The railway staff even sell electric fans to him at factory price. Who wouldn't recognize Manager Lin?

  Lin Zhenhua followed the same route in reverse, first arriving at Tanzhou and then taking a car to Yuefeng County. As he passed through the Hongshan Pass in Yuyang County, he couldn't help but stick his head out of the window for another look. It was here that he had started his journey more than two years ago. He still remembered the leader of the Red Mountain faction, a man named Lu Zhiqiang, and wondered what had become of him now.

  Cen Youjun's home was in Yonghe Commune, Yuefeng County, and there were no direct buses. Lin Zhenhua took a bus to Yuefeng County and then hitched a ride on a passing tractor before arriving at Yonghe Commune. Relying on his residual memories from the past, he found Cen Youjun's village and went straight to his home.

  Cen Youjun's home was a typical southern residence, with a spacious main hall in the middle, a courtyard in front, and three rooms on each side. Two families lived in this house, one being Cen Youjun's family and the other being his uncle Cen Youxin's family. Each family occupied one side of the house, and the main hall had two eight-immortal tables, which were the respective dining areas for the two families.

  This is a very typical way of living in the south, these two families are descendants of the same grandfather, the previous generation were close brothers, and this generation are uncle and brother. Although the two families are relatives, they are completely economically independent, even if they borrow an egg from each other on ordinary days, they will remember to return it afterwards.

  The gate of the house was open, and Lin Zhenhua stepped directly over the threshold and walked in. A young woman in the main room who was pushing a rocking cradle to put a child to sleep looked up at him and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

  The cradle is a type of baby bed in the south, shaped like a small wooden bathtub with a wooden frame underneath that can rock back and forth. The inside of the cradle is usually lined with thick straw and covered with a mattress. In winter, it's warmer for babies to sleep inside. The young woman is now pushing this cradle, which has a child around one year old sleeping inside, with a rosy face looking very cute. The child is covered in a thick quilt, but the quilt cover is already very worn and tattered, with patches on top of patches.

  Lin Zhenhua recognized the woman who was asking questions as Tian Xiaolan, the wife of Cen Youjun, and smiled: "Is it sister? I'm Xiao Lin, a soldier under Captain Cen. Do you still remember me? It was two years ago when I sent Captain Cen back."

  Tian Xiaolan was taken aback for a moment before recognizing him, and hastily supported her waist to stand up with difficulty, saying: "It's Xiao Lin, how did you come? Youjun is still in the factory, I'll let Mao'er call him over now."

  After that, she shouted into her own house: "Mao Di, go to the Agricultural Machinery Factory and call your dad back. Tell him that Uncle Xiao Lin from Jiangnan Province has arrived."

  A five or six-year-old boy ran out of the house, wearing a worn-out cotton-padded jacket, with a long runny nose. He first looked at Lin Zhenhua, then turned around and wanted to run away. Lin Zhenhua quickly called him back, took out a handful of fruit sugar from his bag, and stuffed it into the boy's hand. The boy, named Mao Chao, suddenly had a big smile on his face.

  "Didn't you call Uncle?" Tian Xiaolan said to Mao Di.

  "Uncle is good!" Mao replied cleverly and ran out quickly. This village was not far from the commune, and when Mao had nothing to do, he would also run to the agricultural machinery factory to find his father by himself.

  "Look at you, coming all the way here and still buying sweets?" Tian Xiaolan said politely to Lin Zhenhua. She glanced at the baby sleeping in the cradle and said: "Alright, the child is asleep now. Little Lin, take a seat, I'll go cook some noodles for you."

  Boiling soup is also a local custom, which is actually sugar water lotus seed paste egg, it's the etiquette to entertain distinguished guests. In a bowl of soup there are three eggs, and the distinguished guest usually eats two of them and leaves one behind. Of course, if you don't understand the rules and eat all of them, the host family won't blame you.

  Lin Zhenhua looked at Tian Xiaolan's struggling gait and hastily said: "Sister, your waist is not good, don't hurry, I'm not hungry."

  Tian Xiaolan said: "This is not a matter of hunger, you came from afar, and I didn't even cook a bowl of soup for you. When Yòu Jūn returns, he will definitely scold me."

  Lin Zhenhua had no choice but to sit down and help Tian Xiaolan continue to rock the cradle, letting the baby inside sleep a little more soundly.

  Tian Xiaolan went to the kitchen, stayed for a short while and came out. She ran to Xun You's new house, stood at the door and called out in a low voice: "Sister, can you lend me an egg? I only have two eggs left at home."

  Another young woman came out from that side, Lin Zhenhua knew her, she was the wife of Cen Youxin, and her surname seemed to be Wang or Huang. This Mrs. Wang saw Lin Zhenhua sitting in the main room, smiled at him, which counted as a greeting, then went to her own kitchen, took out an egg, and handed it to Tian Xiaolan.

  Tian Xiaolan took over the eggs and smiled apologetically at Lin Zhenhua, saying: "Little Lin, sorry about that, we just happened to be out of eggs at home."

  Lin Zhenhua quickly stood up: "Sister-in-law, really no need to bother, I and the team leader are not outsiders either."

  "That won't do," Tian Xiaolan said stubbornly, turning around and going back to the kitchen to make soup.

  After a while, Tian Xiaolan brought out a bowl of steaming hot sugar water egg soup. She placed the soup on the Eight Immortals table and said to Lin Zhenhua: "Little Lin, eat slowly, I'll go pick some vegetables in the field. If the child wakes up, help me rock him."

  Lin Zhenhua knew he couldn't stop Tian Xiaolan either. It was a rural custom that when guests came to the house, they had to make some good food. Tian Xiaolan's busy work was a very normal expression.

  Lin Zhenhua sat down, picked up the bowl and was about to eat when Mao Chou came running back, panting, and shouted "Mom" as soon as he entered the door. Lin Zhenhua said: "Mao Chou, your mom went to the field to pick vegetables, didn't you go call your dad?"

  "My dad said he's going to the market first to buy some meat." Maotou replied, staring straight at Lin Zhenhua's bowl with his eyes.

  Lin Zhenhua's mind moved and he asked: "Mao Chou, do you want to eat eggs?"

  "My mom will scold me."

  "It's okay, Uncle said you can eat it, Mom won't scold." Lin Zhenhua said, he picked up the cat and put it on the stool, then handed him a pair of chopsticks and said: "You eat."

  Mao Chou looked at Lin Zhenhua, then looked at the eggs, seemingly in a mental struggle. In the end, his fear of being scolded finally gave way to his craving for the eggs, and he quickly picked one up, stuffing it whole into his mouth, which was so full that his jaws couldn't move.

  "Take your time eating, if you can finish it, I'll give it all to you." Lin Zhenhua said.

  The cub ate three eggs in less than two minutes and drank the sugar water soup dry. At the same time, he also formed a deep friendship with Lin Zhenhua, because no adult had ever given him three eggs to eat at once before. He could only enjoy one egg left by the guests each time. And even such opportunities were rare, usually only once every one or two months.

  "Little Mao, do you know your uncle?" Lin Zhenhua asked.

  "I don't know." The puppy shook its head.

  Lin Zhenhua said: "The last time I came, you were only 3 years old, and I even held you in my arms."

  Mao Chou had no memory of this at all. He was just curiously looking at the package that Lin Zhenhua brought back, guessing what kind of things were inside.

  Lin Zhenhua looked at the puppy and smiled lovingly. He opened his backpack, took out a package of cookies, handed them to the puppy, and said, "Here you go, but don't eat them all at once."

  The puppy put his paws behind his back and said: "My mom doesn't let me take other people's things."

  "It's Uncle, no one else."

  A voice came from outside the door, Lin Zhenhua turned his head to look, and saw a one-legged man standing at the door with a crutch, smiling at him.

  "Attention!" Lin Zhenhua hastily walked over and stood at attention in front of the man, giving him a standard military salute.