When it was time to leave work at 6 p.m., Chairman Jia hadn't thought about getting off work yet. For him, this is the case, two or three times a year. Usually he is a person who leaves work on time.

Putting on the washed, whitish hat with a semi-circular brim, he hurried to the stove. He wanted to see how Red Maple was doing. He was thinking about Yue Hongfeng, but he didn't want to go to see Hongfeng practicing during work hours, for fear of being seen. This kind of sneaky approach even feels too cautious and stingy by himself. He felt a little old, and tried to be as thoughtful as possible, trying not to offend anyone. In particular, Director Fu may have arrived at the station, and he has been on the team for so many years, and now he can't be too snobbish at this time.

Chairman Jia entered from the north factory gate of the modeling section, passed through various neatly rehearsed sandboxes all over the ground, and said to himself by the faint lights reserved in the factory: "These rocker arms are doing a good job." ”

"Okay? That's not even the leaders commanding well. "Suddenly, someone flashed out from behind a man-high sandbox piled up on the side. Chairman Jia was taken aback.

After the evening, if there is no pouring casting, the molding section is usually clean. In the empty factory where you can't see the end at a glance, the lively and noisy sand turning and modeling work scenes during the day only leave a large or small modeling mold. The mold is flattened, like a neat terrace. Smoke rises from these terraces. On a few tall glass windows, the faint gray-blue night sky seemed to be nothing, as if it did not exist at all. In fact, the alternation of day and night in large factories is originally blurred. Since the liberation, the provincial capital, which claims to be built as a coal and heavy chemical base, has been emitting industrial smoke and exhaust gases day and night on the edge of the city, that is, in the urban-rural area at that time, and at the same time, the sky over the city has been rendered into a colorful and wonderful picture day and night. Like the steel mill where Yue Hongfeng's father works, the magnificent scene of dyeing half of the night sky red when the large steel furnace is produced always inspires people's infinite yearning. And their charm is not only across several streets, independent into a large social fence and large factory buildings, plus hospitals, primary and secondary schools of tangible ground complexes. At the same time, tens of thousands of workers, and those who ride from one end of the city to the other end of the big factory every day, they are full of confidence every day with their longing for the big factory, just like yearning for a wonderful Spring Festival feast.

What came out of the sandbox was an old ghost, and Chairman Jia was surprised: "Alas, why are you here?" ”

The old ghost pointed behind him, and said to Chairman Jia with a smile: "Alas, this is not, there is a ladle, after the casting is completed during the day, because of the mechanical failure of the high car, it will not move, and the ladle will be thrown here." I'll change the bricks. ”

"I mean, why did you get to the styling...... Then it's time to get off work, right? Chairman Jia wanted to go away, he was thinking about what was happening in front of the stove. The old ghost seemed to have something on his mind, made a gesture of wanting to chat, put down the brick-laying knife in his hand, took off his gloves, and said, "Alas, Chairman Jia, you are really a good leader, and you won't leave after work." ”

Chairman Jia said politely: "Alas, it's not, it's about to be a technical competition, and there are more things." It's time for you to go home, right? ”

The old ghost didn't answer the question and asked Chairman Jia: "Chairman Jia, what does your family eat for dinner every day?" ”

Chairman Jia was stunned for a moment and smiled: "What can you eat?" It's not porridge steamed buns yet. Are you different? He was anxious, muttering in his heart, what's wrong with the old ghost? Suddenly asked about it.

The old ghost took the initiative to say, "Me? I'm at home, and every day it's a bowl of noodles and a cigarette. ”

Chairman Jia laughed, his throat hmmmm, looking around, the tall gray brick walls were covered with old dust, and the gray was connected to the pits of stains and molten steel splashes, a bit like the traces left by gunshots. The foundry workshop was built by the military factory of the old warlord before the liberation, and in the hands of the employees of the state-owned enterprises after the liberation, it has been maintained and used for several generations, and it is becoming more and more emotional. When Chairman Jia thought of this, his heart was hot, and he could guess what the old ghost wanted to say. The old ghost has many children, so he goes to work alone, and he wants to eat relief every year. In fact, the annual relief is only ten or twenty yuan, and it is only forty or fifty yuan a year, but for the old ghost family, it can withstand the difficulties of a year. The old ghost often works day and night shifts, and overtime is a common thing, and his inner thoughts of being so willing to work may only be clearer to Chairman Jia. The old ghost is active in his work, and he is also very active in eating relief. Some people say that the old ghost is fighting for relief. The motive is not pure, so it is not rated as a production activist. But Chairman Jia knew him too well that if he didn't fight for the annual relief, his four or five children would starve.

The old ghost smiled slyly, took out a cigarette, and handed it over. Chairman Jia hurriedly waved his hand and said, "I don't smoke, I don't smoke." You don't know yet. What's wrong, isn't there any difficulty again? ”

The old ghost immediately smiled bitterly: "Yes." I really deserve to be the chairman. I really can't settle down this month. Wife Mo work, housewife. It's time for the dolls to grow their bodies, but this month's wife again," said the old ghost, making a look of annoyance, "Alas, the wife is not angry, so the man will suffer." This month, my wife is sick again. ”

Chairman Jia was anxious and immediately asked, "My wife is sick, what's wrong?" ”

"Hey, if you want to say that you are sick, and you can't check it out, it's just humming and humming all day long, this is uncomfortable and that is uncomfortable."

"Whew, then?"

"I want to invite the workshop, can you borrow some money."

"You borrowed money?"

"Whew, me."

"Ah, no, I don't care about the money. It's all managed by the directors. If there is relief, I can talk about it. Borrowing money, I can't speak. In order to comfort the old ghost, Chairman Jia added, "Well, I'll see the opportunity, when the meeting is held, you can talk to the director about your thoughts." However, you still need to say it yourself. With that, Chairman Jia left.