Chapter 708 Liu Ping'an 14
In the steel mill, the roar of machines resounded throughout the workshop day after day, and the workers worked in an orderly manner like precision gears. However, on this day, the factory suddenly exploded - a piece of news was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples: the steel mill decided to hold a sports meeting, and all employees had to participate!
The afternoon sun lazily sprinkled on the road of the steel mill. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong finished their heavy work in the morning, dragged their slightly tired bodies, and walked slowly towards the canteen. On weekdays, this short lunch time is a rare moment of relaxation for them, but today, as soon as they walked near the canteen, they saw a large group of people gathered in front of them, and the chattering sound was endless, like a group of bees buzzing.
Yi Zhonghai was a warm-hearted and curious person. Seeing this lively scene, he immediately became excited. He took two steps at a time and squeezed in from the outside of the crowd like an agile rabbit. There were crowds of people in front of the notice board. Everyone stretched their necks and stared at the new notice. Yi Zhonghai stood on tiptoe, stretched his neck and squinted his eyes. It was difficult for him to see the content of the notice clearly.
"Dear employees of the steel rolling mill: In order to enrich your spare time, enhance your physical fitness, and promote communication and cooperation among colleagues, the factory leaders have decided to hold a steel rolling mill sports meeting this month [specific date], and all employees must participate. The sports meeting will include running, long jump, tug-of-war, table tennis and other events. I hope you will actively sign up and participate..." Yi Zhonghai read out the content of the announcement word by word. His voice seemed a little weak in the noisy crowd, but it was like a heavy hammer, hitting his heart heavily.
After reading the notice, Yi Zhonghai's expression instantly fell, and his already wrinkled face wrinkled even more tightly, like a dried chrysanthemum. His brows were tightly locked together, forming a deep "川" character, and his eyes were full of reluctance and worry, like an old cat forced into a corner, full of vigilance and helplessness.
He began to mutter non-stop: "My old arms and legs can't stand this kind of hard work! I work in the workshop on weekdays, and my back and waist ache. I toss and turn at night and can't sleep. If I take part in the sports meet, I will have to run and jump. I'm afraid that I won't be able to participate in the sports, but end up in the hospital. I'll have to lie in bed and trouble my family to take care of me. The medical expenses are also a lot of money. This is just looking for trouble!" As he spoke, he gently patted his slightly hunched back with his hand, as if this could take away all the pain in his body.
Liu Haizhong was standing aside, with his hands folded across his chest, posing as a superior leader. When he heard Yi Zhonghai read the announcement, his face instantly became very ugly, as if someone had poured a basin of cold water on him.
He put his hands behind his back, leaned back slightly, raised his head high, and his eyes revealed a kind of disdain and dissatisfaction, as if he was announcing to the people around him that he was different. He cleared his throat and echoed loudly: "That's right, I'm the future workshop director, and I have so many things to deal with every day. From morning to night, I have to keep an eye on the production progress of the workshop, coordinate the work between various processes, and deal with conflicts and disputes between workers. I'm busy like a top and don't even have time to drink a sip of water. How can I have the time to participate in a sports meeting! This sports meeting is just a group of young people having fun. It's not decent for a leader like me to participate. This is just nonsense!" As he said, he deliberately stomped his feet on the ground to show his anger and dissatisfaction.
The two complained to each other, thinking about how to get rid of this matter. Yi Zhonghai frowned, his eyes rolled around, and suddenly his eyes lit up, as if he had thought of a good idea. He leaned close to Liu Haizhong's ear and said in a low voice: "Old Liu, why don't we talk to the factory director and say that we are old and have old injuries. You can say that when you were working in the workshop before, you accidentally hurt your waist with the machine, and now it hurts a lot when it is cloudy and rainy; I can say that I have arthritis in my legs, and it is difficult for me to walk, let alone participate in the sports meeting. The factory director can't ignore our face and force us to participate."
After hearing this, Liu Haizhong's eyes flashed with a sly light. He nodded, a smug smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said, "Okay, let's do this! Let's find a suitable time and go to the factory director's office together to talk to him. When the time comes, we will talk back and forth, and make our words sound pathetic. The factory director will definitely be embarrassed to refuse us."
So, the two of them walked towards the cafeteria while discussing the specific time and words to go to the factory director. Yi Zhonghai touched his stomach from time to time and complained: "My stomach is growling with hunger, and I still have to worry about the sports meeting. It's really unlucky." Liu Haizhong put his hands behind his back, took big steps, and muttered: "Humph, I don't believe that the factory director will not give me, the future workshop director, face. If he really doesn't agree, my future work will be difficult to carry out."
Arriving at the cafeteria, the two took their meals and found a corner to sit down. But they had no mind to eat, their minds were full of how to postpone the sports meeting. Yi Zhonghai poked the rice in the bowl with chopsticks, but he didn't eat a single bite. Liu Haizhong put the chopsticks on the table, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and said angrily: "This meal is tasteless. After we finish eating, let's go to the factory director's office and solve this problem."
Liu Haizhong was walking with his arms folded across his chest, looking worried. When he heard what Yi Zhonghai said, his eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen a ray of light in the darkness. His eyes, which had been dull, now gleamed with excitement, like a meteor that suddenly streaked across the night sky. He slapped his thigh so hard that he almost staggered. "Okay, Lao Yi! Your idea is simply great! Let's do as you say, and then we'll go to the factory director's office together and have a good talk with the factory director. The factory director can't just ignore our face, we have been in the factory for so many years, and even if we haven't made any contributions, we have worked hard! Take my leg for example, I was accidentally hit by a falling part when I was working in the workshop a few years ago. Although it was cured at the time, it left me with sequelae. It's difficult for me to walk for a long time, let alone participate in sports games. If the factory director is reasonable, he will definitely not force us." As he spoke, he deliberately pretended to limp, as if he really had difficulty walking.
The more they talked, the more they felt that this idea was feasible. The gloom on their faces gradually dissipated, replaced by a smug smile. They seemed to have seen the scene where the factory director agreed to their not participating in the sports meeting, and they felt relieved.
On the other side, Xu Damao was standing outside the crowd with a gloomy face, his eyes fixed on the sports meeting notice on the bulletin board, his hands unconsciously clenched into fists, his knuckles white from exertion. His lips were tightly pursed into a straight line, his face full of reluctance and worry. On weekdays, Xu Damao was a lazy and idle guy, relying on his cleverness to always cheat in the factory. His health was naturally not much better, and he was out of breath after walking a few steps, like a mangy dog with its bones taken out.
"What should I do?" Xu Damao secretly groaned in his heart. He knew very well that with his character, if he participated in the sports meeting, he would definitely make a fool of himself in front of everyone. But when he thought about the fact that he had already married his wife Lou Xiao'e, Lou Xiao'e would always nag him that he was not manly and had no future in the factory. If he backed down from this sports meeting again, he didn't know how Lou Xiao'e would scold him. Moreover, those people in the factory usually disliked him. If he didn't even dare to participate in the sports meeting, he would be laughed at to death by them in the future. Thinking of this, Xu Damao gritted his teeth, and a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "Humph, I don't believe I can't practice it! In order not to be looked down upon, not to be nagged by Lou Xiao'e, and to save some face in front of those people in the factory, I'm going all out!"
That afternoon, the sun was still a bit lazy, and it sprinkled on the small playground of the steel mill. Xu Damao returned to the dormitory early, rummaging through the boxes and cabinets to find a loose sportswear. He bought this sportswear on a whim a few years ago, but he only wore it once or twice, and it has been at the bottom of the box ever since. He shook off the dust on the sportswear, frowned, and put it on. The ill-fitting style made him look like a little monkey wearing adult clothes.
He walked slowly to the small playground with some shaky steps. The playground was empty, with only a few fallen leaves swirling in the breeze. Xu Damao took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and then began to jog. But after running a few steps, he felt as if his chest was pressed by a big stone, and it was very stuffy. Every breath became extremely difficult. His legs were as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and he had to use all his strength to take each step. His steps gradually slowed down, like a tiger with its teeth pulled out, without any majesty.
Finally, he couldn't hold on any longer, his legs softened, and he sat down on the ground. He supported himself on the ground with both hands, breathing heavily, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, soaking his collar. His face was red, like a ripe tomato, and his eyes were full of fatigue and frustration.
At this moment, several workers passing by saw his miserable appearance and couldn't help laughing secretly. One of the workers covered his mouth and whispered to his companion: "Look, isn't this Xu Damao? He is trying to imitate others to exercise. With his small body, he looks like this after running a few steps. He doesn't even consider his own weight." Another worker followed suit and said: "That's right, he is usually lazy and likes to eat and do nothing. How can he have any athletic ability? He is asking for trouble!"
When Xu Damao heard these mocking voices, his face turned red and white, like a palette had been overturned. He felt ashamed and annoyed, and wished he could find a hole in the ground to crawl into. But he still suppressed his anger and said stubbornly: "I'm just warming up, and I haven't gotten into the state yet! What do you know? I'm just adjusting my breathing. In a few days, I'll show you what a real athlete is! By then, I will definitely leave you far behind and make you look at me with new eyes!" As he said this, he deliberately straightened his chest and pretended to be full of confidence, but his slightly trembling legs betrayed his inner nervousness and anxiety.
But He Yuzhu was happy at this moment.
He was a burly man with a broad back and strong waist. His two strong arms waved the large spoon that was half his height, flipping it up and down in the iron pot. His movements were smooth and seamless. The dishes rolling in the pot gradually exuded an enticing aroma under his superb cooking skills, which made the helpers around him drool.
At this time, Ma Hua, He Yuzhu's most proud apprentice, was busy cutting vegetables nearby when he suddenly heard several workers outside the cafeteria walking and excitedly discussing the factory's upcoming sports meet. Ma Hua's eyes lit up and he shouted to He Yuzhu, "Master, Master! Have you heard? The factory is going to hold a sports meet!"
When He Yuzhu heard this, his eyes, which were originally focused on cooking, suddenly lit up, like a meteor that suddenly streaked across the night sky. He shook his head violently, and his hair on his forehead flew up. His face was filled with uncontrollable excitement, and he grinned and laughed: "Oh, Ma Hua, did you see that the factory is going to hold a sports meeting? This is exactly what I want! I have been looking forward to such an opportunity to stretch my muscles for a long time." As he spoke, his cooking movements became more and more agile, as if he wanted to pour all his enthusiasm into the pot.
"I am in great shape and have endless energy, just like a fully charged machine. When the sports meet starts, I've finally found a place to use my skills. I must win the championship and let my wife Chunyan come to see me show off my talents. Chunyan always says that I just hang around the stove all day long and have no future. This time I'll let her see that I'm also a brave man on the sports field! I'll also let those people in the factory know how powerful I am. Don't think I can only cook. I can still leave them far behind on the sports field!" He Yuzhu said as he waved the big spoon vigorously. It seemed as if the championship trophy was waving to him.
Ma Hua looked at his master's excited and gesticulating appearance, and couldn't help but burst out laughing, and joked: "Master, just brag, with your tonnage, don't fall down after running a few steps, and don't come back in disgrace and let us disciples clean up for you."