Chapter 682 Everyone is excited
In the workshop, the old kiln worker, Old Li, was making final preparations with the newly recruited women.
Sixty-year-old Aunt Zhang held a rag and wiped each brick carefully:
"This is the first time in my life that I'm earning cash, so I have to do a good job!"
The young wife beside her followed suit, with change for buying candy for her children stuffed into her apron pocket.
In the corner, a few old men wearing reading glasses were tying bricks tightly with hemp ropes. Their wrinkled fingers moved flexibly, and they muttered:
"When my father fired the kiln, it was much more elaborate than this..."
As noon approached, the sun became scorching. Zhao Shuzhuo hurried over with his trouser legs rolled up, his rubber shoes still stained with mud from the rice fields:
"The rice planting is three days ahead of schedule! Let's come and see your big event!"
Secretary Song arrived shortly afterwards on a 28-inch bicycle, with an unfinished report in his briefcase and sweat on his forehead soaking through the collar of his shirt.
As soon as the two of them stood firm, they were pushed to the front row by enthusiastic villagers, with melon seeds and peanuts stuffed into their hands and greetings coming from them one after another.
"Open the kiln——"
Wang Jianguo's shouts tore through the heat waves. Eight strong men pulled the rope together, and the moment the kiln door slowly opened, a hot wave of air gushed out with golden-red light.
When the first brick was hooked out, it was red as the sunset glow, and the crowd exclaimed. Technician Lao Zhou rushed forward with the instrument in hand:
“1180 degrees! Perfect!”
As more bricks came out of the oven, the blue-gray brick surface glowed with a warm luster, and the sound of knocking was as crisp as a chime.
Secretary Song took out his notebook and quickly wrote down:
"This batch of bricks meets the hardness standard and has uniform texture..."
Before he finished speaking, Zhao Shuzhuo had already squatted down and scratched marks on the ground with a brick:
"It is also wear-resistant enough to be used as a warehouse!"
In the crowd, Aunt Zhang wiped her tears and said to others:
"My old man passed away early, and now I can earn money to support my grandson's education..."
As the sun sets, the first batch of blue bricks are neatly stacked into squares.
Wang Jianguo stood on top of the brick pile, looking at the villagers who had come from all over the village. Some were feeling the bricks, while others were surrounding the technicians to ask about firing techniques.
The breeze swept across the brick factory, carrying the scent of earth and kiln fire. In the paddy fields of the production team in the distance, the newly planted seedlings swayed gently in the twilight.
The setting sun cast an amber glow on the green bricks of the brick factory, and wisps of green smoke were still floating from the chimneys in the distance.
Zhao Shuzhuo patted the dirt off his trouser legs, took out a brand new pack of "Daqianmen" cigarettes from his Zhongshan suit pocket, and there was a slight rustling sound when he tore open the wrapping paper.
He took out two, lit one with a match and put it in his mouth, and walked towards Wang Jianguo who was directing the workers to stack bricks with the other one.
"Jianguo!"
Zhao Shuzhuo's voice echoed in the empty field. Wang Jianguo turned around, sweat stains mixed with brick dust on his forehead, and dark sweat marks on the back of his work clothes.
Seeing the cigarette in Zhao Shuzhuo's hand, he subconsciously wiped his hands on his pants, and when he took the cigarette, there were still fine brick chips on his fingertips.
"This kiln is open now. How do you feel? What do you think?"
Zhao Shuzhuo handed the matchbox over, and the flame leaped between the two of them.
Wang Jianguo took a deep puff of cigarette, the smoke slowly dissipated from the corners of his slightly opened mouth, and looked at the neatly arranged piles of blue bricks in the distance:
"Brother Shuzhuo, isn't it strange? Looking at these bricks, I suddenly remembered the meeting we held at the brigade headquarters three months ago. At that time, the brick factory was just a sketch drawn on paper, and now..."
He paused and crushed the cigarette butt with the heel of his shoe.
"Now even the supply and marketing cooperatives in the neighboring county have come to place orders."
Zhao Shuzhuo followed his gaze and saw several women humming songs while carrying bricks in the afterglow of the setting sun, and children were chasing and playing among the brick piles with their laughter ringing.
“Remember the day of recruitment?”
He said with a smile.
"Aunt Zhang insisted on coming to work wearing her reading glasses, saying she wanted to save money for her grandson's tuition. Now she is well-known in the factory for her quick hands."
Wang Jianguo also smiled when he heard this, and fine wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes:
"Yes, I didn't expect that on the day of salary payment, many elderly people were crying as they held their money. It was the first time in their lives that they earned cash on their own, which was much more satisfying than earning work points."
He bent down, picked up a brick, and knocked it with his knuckles. The crisp sound echoed in the twilight.
"Listen to this sound, how clear it is. This is not just bricks, it is everyone's hope."
The two were silent for a moment, and a whistle for the end of work was heard in the distance.
Zhao Shuzhuo took out two more cigarettes and handed one to Wang Jianguo:
"The county road will soon be built to the village entrance. The brick factory's business will surely be more prosperous then. But..."
He changed the subject.
"Spring ploughing cannot be left behind. I will bring a few agricultural technicians here tomorrow to try out the new irrigation equipment."
Wang Jianguo took the cigarette, and the flame illuminated his tanned face:
"Okay! Once the brick factory is stable, I plan to organize a training class to teach everyone how to improve the kiln firing technology."
He looked at the last rays of sunset in the sky.
"People of our generation must leave something different for the village."
Zhao Shuzhuo put out the cigarette butt on the brick pile, and sparks splashed on the blue-gray brick surface and disappeared in an instant.
He moved closer to Wang Jianguo and lowered his voice, his tone filled with undisguised excitement:
"Jianguo, Director Song and I spent the whole night at the commune the other day, and I've saved the first batch of bricks from the brick factory for you!"
As he spoke, he took out a neatly folded drawing from his arms, the corners of which were wrinkled by sweat.
"Look, this is the floor plan that Director Song asked the urban construction team to draw. It has three large tiled houses with a spacious yard. The main house faces south and has plenty of sunlight."
Wang Jianguo was stunned and the cigarette in his hand almost fell to the ground.
He looked at the villagers who were queuing up to receive their wages not far away, and then at the workers who were counting the brick stacks. His throat seemed to be blocked by the black soil of the Great Northern Wilderness.
"This... this is unacceptable!"
He grabbed Zhao Shuzhuo's arm.
"The brick factory has just started, and these bricks should be used to fill orders from the supply and marketing cooperative first. Building a warehouse is the real thing."
"Look what you said!"
Zhao Shuzhuo slapped his hand away, and the drawing unfolded, revealing the details marked in red pen.
"Director Song has thought of everything! The quota specially approved by the city will not delay the work of the supply and marketing cooperative, and will also allow you to settle down."
"My grandfather's old house at the end of the village has a very solid foundation. It's just right to tear it down and rebuild it."
He pointed his finger at the location on the drawing.
"It's right across from my house. I can see it by opening the window. Let's build a grape trellis and drink mung bean soup in the yard in the summer!"
The evening breeze blew up the dust from the brick factory and gently brushed the corners of the two people's clothes.
Wang Jianguo's thoughts drifted back to the old city, and his grandmother's hunched back made him feel full of guilt.
At this moment, Zhao Shuzhuo's words were like the warm sunshine of spring, making his eyes warm.
"There's another important thing!" Zhao Shuzhuo suddenly lowered his voice and came over mysteriously.
"Director Song personally went to the city and took care of the homestead issue."
"The approval will be issued next month, and your relatives will have a place to stay when they come over!"
He looked at the searchlights that were lit up in the distance, and his voice was filled with longing.
"When the house is finished, we will invite the whole village to have a feast and hold a housewarming party!"