Chapter 5

(Seeking recommendations, seeking favorites)

With the matter resolved satisfactorily, Qin Hai and Ning Mo's group naturally didn't stay long at Zhang Laosan's shop. Ning Mo forcefully pushed three yuan into Zhang Laosan's hand and then pulled Qin Hai away. Zhang Laosan chased after them, saying many words of gratitude to Qin Hai and inviting him to come over for a meal when he had the time. Qin Hai naturally gave a happy response.

"Qin Hai, where did you learn that skill?" After leaving the blacksmith shop, Ning Mo and the others surrounded Qin Hai in the middle, walking forward while asking him questions one after another.

"All of this I learned at the technical school," Qin Hai answered simply.

"Tsk tsk, it really is different having attended a technical school. Sigh, when my old man wanted me to go to a technical school, why didn't I agree?" Ning Mo said with a regretful tone.

"Fatso, forget it. You can't even do multiplication, how could you have passed the entrance exam for a technical school?" Yu Haitao bluntly exposed Ning Mo's self-praise.

"Right, you all work at a factory, right? Which one?" Qin Hai asked them.

"We're all from Qingfeng," the short Miao Lei answered.

"Qingfeng?" Qin Hai was taken aback, "Which Qingfeng?"

"Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory, which other Qingfeng is there in Pingyuan County?" Miao Lei said.

"Damn... I can't believe it. It turns out you all are my future colleagues. Fortunately, I didn't offend you, or it would have been hard for me to get along in the factory later," Qin Hai thought to himself, feeling both amused and exasperated.

"Really, it's like a flood washing away the Dragon King's temple. It turns out you're all from Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory. My dispatch certificate is also for Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory. We'll be colleagues from now on," Qin Hai said.

"Are you serious?" Ning Mo's eyes widened, "That's great! Damn, someone as capable as you, how did you end up in our shabby factory? Right, Yu girl, why don't you help Qin Hai with his things? And Lei, are you blind?"

"Yu girl..." Qin Hai looked at Yu Haitao, unable to associate the tall, thick-eyebrowed young man with the word "girl."

Ning Mo saw Qin Hai's confusion and laughed, "The nickname 'Yu girl' was given to him back in elementary school. Since he's surnamed Yu, we once heard a story called 'The Fisherman and the Goldfish.' In the story, the old man would often go to the seaside and shout, 'Fish girl, fish girl,' and everyone would look at Yu Haitao."

"So that's the origin of the nickname," Qin Hai chuckled. Since they were now colleagues, he didn't hold back and handed over the canvas bag and the luggage roll on his back to Yu Haitao and Miao Lei. Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory was a few miles away from the county town, and Ning Mo and the others had come by bicycle. They now conveniently carried Qin Hai and his luggage back to the factory.

On the way, the young people chatted and laughed, quickly becoming close friends. Ning Mo and the others were straightforward and simple, especially Ning Mo, who showed the characteristic broad-mindedness and innocence of a fat person, talking freely with Qin Hai. Although Qin Hai was a scientist in his previous life, the netizens and travel companions he usually interacted with were ordinary people, just like the ordinary young workers like Ning Mo, so he felt no discomfort mixing with them.

Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory was located in the eastern suburbs of Pingyuan County, surrounded by an industrial area interspersed with farmland. The rice was nearing harvest time, the golden fields looking pleasing to the eye. Along the way, they passed steel mills, coking plants, pesticide factories, fertilizer plants, and phosphate fertilizer plants, all of which were small in scale, clearly the results of the "Five Small Industries" construction in the 1970s.

As the enthusiastic and meticulous cultural person had said earlier, after passing the pesticide factory, they turned left, and a wide road led to a factory area of considerable size.

"Qin Hai, look, this is our Qingfeng Factory," Ning Mo pointed to the factory area and said to Qin Hai.

Qin Hai looked up and saw a wall covered with patches of lime, with countless shards of broken glass on top to prevent thieves from climbing over. Inside the wall, green trees covered the area, with tall chimneys and water towers visible among the trees, as well as the high roofs of single-story workshops. The factory gate faced the road, and since it was just after July 1st, the national flag was still flying, giving the scene a festive air.

"You need to report first, then you'll be assigned a dormitory. It's Sunday today, so the office isn't open. But don't worry, I'll have Miao Lei find Xiao Du. Xiao Du is in charge of new employee registration," Ning Mo arranged for Qin Hai.

"Is it appropriate to look for someone on a Sunday?" Qin Hai said insincerely.

Ning Mo waved his hand carelessly, "What's inappropriate about it? Xiao Du is on good terms with us, just wait here."

Miao Lei rode off and soon returned with a slender, pretty girl. Ning Mo introduced her as Xiao Du, whose full name was Du Xinxin, a typist in the office who also handled reception and some personnel work.

"Are you here to report?" Xiao Du looked Qin Hai up and down and asked in a crisp voice.

"Yes, I graduated from the Agricultural Machinery Technical School and have been assigned here. This is my dispatch certificate," Qin Hai handed the dispatch certificate to Xiao Du and said.

"Okay, follow me to complete the procedures," Xiao Du took the dispatch certificate and turned to walk into the small office building of the factory. Qin Hai hurriedly followed, and Ning Mo and the others also went into the administrative office.

Xiao Du was clearly experienced in handling such registration work. She took out various forms and guided Qin Hai in filling them out. Qin Hai strained to recall all the information about himself, making sure not to make a mistake like filling in his education as a postdoctoral degree.

"Done, have you prepared your photos? You need to submit two photos for your work ID and resume," Xiao Du collected the forms and held out her hand to Qin Hai.

Qin Hai searched his bag and found two one-inch photos. Seeing the image on the photo, which was completely different from his previous life, he was momentarily stunned.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Du asked curiously.

"Uh... Is this my photo?" Qin Hai said foolishly.

"Of course it's yours!" Xiao Du snatched the photo irritably, thinking, "If you want to chat with me, at least come up with a better reason. Not even recognizing your own photo, who would believe that?"

So this is what I look like now... Qin Hai muttered to himself, but the words slipped out of his mouth, "So delicate..."

The speaker was unintentional, but Xiao Du, standing opposite Qin Hai, blushed instantly. He said I look delicate... Hmm, this new technical school graduate is quite handsome...

The young girl's face lit up, and she brushed glue on the back of a photo, pasted it on Qin Hai's work ID, and then handed it to him with both hands, "Here's your work ID, keep it safe. If you lose it, you'll have to pay for a new one."

"Thank you, Xinxin," Qin Hai smiled.

"Hehe, thank you, Xinxin," Ning Mo mimicked Qin Hai in a strange tone. In those days, people were not yet familiar with such intimate behavior, and directly calling a girl by her name was considered very unusual. Qin Hai's affectionate way of addressing Xiao Du naturally sparked the curiosity of Ning Mo and the others, who all looked at him with teasing eyes.

"Fatso, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Xiao Du, flattered by Qin Hai's "Xinxin," didn't show it on her face but turned to Ning Mo, "Who let you smoke in the office? You've dropped ashes all over the floor. When Director Zhai comes to work tomorrow, he'll scold me again!"

"Oh, don't be so mean, Xinxin," Ning Mo laughed and quickly flicked the ashes into the nearby trash can, "If Zhai Jianguo dares to scold you, just tell him I did it. Let him come find me if he dares!"

After completing the registration procedures, Ning Mo and the others took Qin Hai to the family area to find the old administrative section chief, Chen Rongkun, to request a dormitory. Chen Rongkun was a lean man in his fifties. Seeing Qin Hai, he gave a forced smile and said a few insincere welcoming words. Then he found a key from some drawer at home and handed it to Qin Hai, saying:

"You can stay in the single dormitory for now. Come to the administrative section tomorrow to complete the formalities. This is the key to room 208. The previous occupant, Xiao Li, has been transferred, so the room has a bed and furniture, but you might need to clean it up. By the way, Fatso, you and the others help Xiao Qin settle in, okay?"

Ning Mo nodded, "Old Chen, don't worry. Qin Hai is my buddy, I'll take care of him."

"You ungrateful fatso, you don't even call me uncle. Are you not afraid I'll tell your father?" Chen Rongkun pretended to be angry.

"Hehe, on my first day of work, my father said I can now support myself. I can call him Dad or Comrade Ning Zhongying," Ning Mo said proudly to Chen Rongkun.

Chen Rongkun laughed, "Fatso, if you dare to call your father Comrade Ning Zhongying to his face, you can call me Xiao Chen from now on, and I won't be angry."

"Uh... forget it," Ning Mo deflated like a punctured balloon, "After my old man retired, his temper has gotten worse, especially when he sees me. I don't even dare to go home, let alone joke around with him."

"I told you so!" Chen Rongkun said, "Alright, stop fooling around. Take Xiao Qin to the single dormitory. It's almost dinner time, and the administrative section isn't open today, so you can't buy meal tickets. Share your meal tickets with Xiao Qin, okay?"

"Don't worry, Chief Chen, we won't let our buddy go hungry," Ning Mo said with a smile, then patted Qin Hai's shoulder and led him to the single dormitory.

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