Boss Zhou didn't answer immediately, he took out a cigarette from his pocket, took out one and handed it to Fang Wei, and after lighting the fire, the two of them smoked.

Fang Wei realized that he was brought into rhythm and reminded; "You haven't answered what I asked you just now."

Boss Zhou spit out a smoke ring, smiled and said; "You asked if you saw the director, of course I did, he is indeed our people, the two villages are quite close, very good to me, but also very polite, I explained the intention, and my current predicament, all the brains said, he was silent for a while, then dialed the phone, soon came in a person, the fellow gave me a brief, that person led me to go through the formalities, although there were some problems in the middle, in general, it was quite smooth, the contract was signed quickly, This was a big surprise to me, I really didn't expect that such an outrageous thing would be done. ”

Fang Wei said; "Your luck is so good, this is called a desperate situation, it's really a twist and turn, and your rent is not enough, can they agree, this is really unimaginable."

Boss Zhou said; "Don't talk about you, I couldn't believe it at the time, the little money in my pocket, not to mention the rent, even the purchase of a few new stoves, are far away, the person who signed the contract with me, understood my difficulties, he looked embarrassed, and didn't know what to do, he thought about it for a while, and then walked out, it didn't take a few minutes, he came back again, he said that he had called the director, and the leader agreed, my rent can be owed first, and the hotel will operate normally, and then pay it in a few months, I was a little surprised, At that time, I was indescribably happy, my heart was beating so hard that I almost jumped out of my throat, I had no money to rent a hotel, this unreasonable request, they actually agreed, this is definitely the old director, for the sake of the face of the fellow, it may also be related to my insistence, of course, if the director does not agree, my chance to get out of the predicament will be completely lost, no matter how you look at it, anyway, I believe that as long as you work hard, there is nothing that cannot be done. ”

Fang Wei said with a smile; "You are really courageous, and there are fellow villagers to help, how much blessing should it be, for ordinary people, how can you encounter such a good thing, don't say it, our fellow is the director of public security, the official position is so big, I can help you, a poor fellow, he is indeed a good person, he has a hometown plot, and he still takes it very seriously."

Boss Zhou said; "Our fellow countryman, is indeed a good person, he has no relatives in his hometown, about fifteen or sixteen years old came out, he followed the troops, all the way to Nanling, has been away for so many years, or a hometown dialect, it sounds very kind, after the hotel opened, he often came to see me, two or three times a month, specifically to chat with me, ask me what difficulties I have, he can help."

Fang Wei said; "When you go out, you can meet such a fellow, you have to have fate, otherwise, you won't meet on the other side."

Boss Zhou said; "We also have a fellow countryman, we are in contact often, and I will introduce you to you that day."

Fang Wei said; "Well, if you have time, let him come to you, and we'll meet and talk together."

Boss Zhou thought for a moment and said; "I have time, he is very busy all day, he gets up early and is greedy for night, he is doing his business, I don't know if he has time."

Fang Wei asked; "What kind of business does he do? Why is it so busy? ”

Boss Zhou said; "His family is a family of three, renting two storefront rooms, specializing in selling steamed buns, to make noodles at night, to get up at three or four o'clock, before dawn, to steam the steamed buns, it is really hard enough."

Fang Wei asked; "How's their business? Do you make money selling steamed buns? ”

Boss Zhou said with a smile; "Don't underestimate the slow steamed buns, although the profit is not big, but it can't withstand the large amount, their steamed steamed buns are very delicious, the nearby residents, there are many people who are selling, including some restaurants, all from him, the hard work is a little hard, but the money is also earned, their family is very happy, and they don't feel tired."

Fang Wei said with a smile; "There is indeed fire in the eyes of money, no matter who sees it, it will be hot all over, don't you say?"

Boss Zhou said; "Indeed, his business is on fire, and it has also attracted the attention of many people, especially the local ruffians, who have started their ideas."

Fang Wei said; "People do business, and they don't hinder others, those ruffians and hooligans dare to find trouble with him, who gives them such audacity, they dare to be so arrogant."

Boss Zhou said; "This is the reason, but in reality, it has changed its taste, and it is not like that at all."

Fang Wei said; "These ruffians and hooligans bully honest people, don't anyone care? Didn't you tell our fellow countrymen about it? ”

Boss Zhou said; "After I knew about it, I was angry enough, but I didn't have the ability, and I couldn't help him, the family of the fellow was too honest, going out to do business, and I didn't know the place, I wanted to endure it and it passed, they paid the protection fee a few times, who knows those people, more and more disagreeable, inch by inch, the price of the protection fee, the higher the higher, he felt that if it went on like this, let alone make money, whether he could continue to do business or not became a problem, in a dilemma, he poured out a stomach of bitter water for me, In a chat, I wanted to tell their family and the difficulties they encountered, and the director asked me to tell him that when I paid the protection money, I called him in advance, and I did so. ”

Fang Wei asked; "What happened? How did things work out? ”

Boss Zhou said; "I clearly remember that after I told him, within a few days, the person who collected the protection money came, he was very clever, and he coped with it on his face, making an excuse, saying that the money was not enough, and he still needed to go out to borrow a little, avoiding those few people, and called me, and those ruffians really believed it, and waited stupidly, but it was plainclothes policemen who were waiting for them, and two of them ran away, you think about it, can you run if you want to run? As a result, he was caught, and then he took them all away, I heard that after being brought to the police station, he could break those guys, and he was locked up for a long time, how long, I can't remember, anyway, those ruffians, completely scared, before coming out of it, people told him that if he dared to blackmail him again, or our fellow disappeared, they would be responsible, and those few ruffians suspected that our fellow had a relationship, and never showed up again, nor did he find trouble with his fellow countryman. ”

Fang Wei said with a smile; "These ruffians and hooligans are hated, so they have to be treated in this way, otherwise, how can anyone who does business live, it will be overturned, what you said, I am happy to hear it."

At this moment, the waiter walked up to Boss Zhou and said; "Uncle, the last group of guests, they are all gone, the private room has been cleaned up, we should also get off work, the lights in the hall, turn off when you leave."

Fang Wei immediately stood up and said; "Fellow, we've been talking long enough, I should go back, I'll come back often in the future."

Boss Zhou also stood up, looked at Fang Wei and said; "Fellow, you wait a minute, don't be in a hurry to go, I'll ask the waiter to go out, give you a taxi, and you can take these two bottles of wine."

Fang Wei said; "Don't let the little girl run back and forth, it's the same when I go out to take a taxi, if you don't have anything else, I'll go first."

Boss Zhou sent him to the door, the two said a few polite words, Fang Wei said goodbye, he turned around and walked to the side of the road, and after a while, a car drove over, he beckoned, the taxi stopped, and he quickly sat down.

I drank too much last night and chatted for a long time, when Fang Wei got up, it was already past eight o'clock, Xiaoli had already gone to work, he hurriedly brushed his teeth and washed his face, he didn't even eat breakfast, and drove straight to the factory.

After Fang Wei entered the factory, he still had the old habit of going to each workshop first, and found no problems, so he came to Manager Zhang's office, and said apologetically when he entered the door; "Manager Zhang, I'm late, because last night, I drank a little too much, and chatted with my fellow countrymen, the time was too long, I came home after midnight, and I slept until more than eight o'clock, and now my brain is still a little confused, and my head is still a little dizzy."

Manager Zhang said; "It's okay, anyone will encounter it, it's inevitable that there will be times when you drink too much, and you can't get up in the morning, which is also normal, I can understand, you don't have to explain."

Fang Wei said; "Manager Zhang, I'm not explaining, just blaming myself, sometimes very emotional, especially when I see my fellow countrymen, when I am happy, I forget everything, I can't control myself when I drink, I don't care about the length of chat, it depends on my temperament, I know it's not good, but there's nothing I can do."

Manager Zhang said; "Fang Gong, I like you this kind of temperament, arrogant, dare to act, by temperament, and not nonsense, I think this kind of quality, is very rare, many people want to learn, but can't learn, you are good, and think this is a weakness, then you are very wrong."

Fang Wei said; "Manager Zhang, you're right, it seems that I'm too worried, what else do you command?"

Manager Zhang said; "I don't have anything to say, if you have time, talk to me casually, do you want to."

Fang Wei said; "I went to the workshop just now, everything is normal, and there is nothing wrong, let's not talk about work today, just talk about the common thing, do you think about it?"

Manager Zhang asked with a smile; "Fang Gong, you have a lot of personality, you value your fellow countryman very much, the boss of your restaurant is a very good person, and he is also very righteous, last night, what time did you talk to him?"

Fang Wei said; "I don't know what time we talked, but it's almost three o'clock when I get home anyway."

Manager Zhang said; "You two can talk enough, when the old family meets, there are indeed endless words, and people who have been away from their hometown for a longer time often say a sentence; When you see your fellow countryman, your eyes are full of tears, do you feel this way? ”

Fang Wei said with a smile; "Two big men, it's not like they cry, the kind of feeling you said is there, that's a, a kind of intimacy that comes with it, and it also contains the longing for your hometown."

Manager Zhang was silent for a while and said; "I deeply feel the same way, as I get older, my longing for my hometown will become stronger and stronger."

Fang Wei asked; Manager Zhang, "After you retire, will you go back to your hometown?" ”

Manager Zhang sighed and said; "Alas, it's impossible, the children are all older, they haven't lived in their hometown since they were young, it's impossible for the children to go back, and my wife and I have no choice but to follow them."

Fang Wei heard from Manager Zhang's words that he was a little sad, so he immediately changed the topic and asked; "Manager Zhang, last night, when my fellow countryman poured you wine, your two fingers were bent and gently tapped on the table, what does that mean, can you tell me?"

Manager Zhang said; "The thing you asked, in fact, there is an allusion, about a long time ago, the emperor went out for a private visit and pretended to be a servant, and the servant accompanied the shopkeeper, when eating at the inn, the shopkeeper was too busy, let them pour their own tea, the emperor stood up, poured water for the servant, the servant was terrified, in full view of everyone, he couldn't kowtow to the master, in a hurry, he came up with a way, had to use crooked fingers, instead of two legs, on the table to point around, even kowtow to the emperor."

Fang Wei listened with interest, the allusions told by Manager Zhang, the interest was even more up, and it was over in two sentences, he was a little disappointed, and said; "Manager Zhang, this allusion is too short, isn't it finished?"

Manager Zhang said with a smile; "This allusion is so long, you want me to continue, I can't say it, if you want to hear it, I'll tell you another allusion."

Fang Wei said; "Okay, it's just small talk anyway, you can give me another one."

Manager Zhang thought about it and said; "Now people go to the thatched house, why is it called liberation, you know where this comes from, this has to start from the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, because of the continuous war, Henan, Shaanxi and other places, the population has decreased greatly, and it needs to be supplemented, so as not to waste the land, Shanxi, which has a large population, has become the source of immigrants, and the people who want to move out are concentrated under the big locust tree, most of the people do not want to leave their hometown, in the process of migration, in order to prevent people from escaping, they will tie people up, and then use ropes, and then connect everyone together. If someone wants to be convenient, there is no way to solve the problem of tying their hands, and the officers and soldiers who escort them have to untie their hands, and the more convenient people there are, the more times they can untie their hands, and after a long time, this kind of name has been handed down, and now people know what they do to untie their hands. ”

Fang Wei said; "I know this allusion, it happened in Hongdong County, not far from my hometown, and the big locust tree is still there, but it is dry."

The two of them were chatting energetically, the phone rang, Manager Zhang picked up the phone, Fang Wei stood up very interestingly, inconvenient to say hello, turned around and walked out.