Deputy Director Li Wins Hearts, Yu Li Enters

The next morning, Xu Damao took Qin Jingru to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get their marriage certificate.

The country was currently encouraging childbirth and discouraging late marriage, so the adult Qin Jingru's application was smoothly approved.

She had finally achieved her wish of living the city life she desired, and she was as happy as a seven or eight-year-old child.

"Hahaha, I'm finally a city person!"

Xu Damao said with a proud smile, "Your good days have just begun. When you give me four sons, our family will definitely be richer than Lin Zhen's!"

Qin Jingru said proudly, "That's right! All my sisters can give birth, and they all aim for four or five. I definitely won't be any worse!"

During lunch.

Lin Zhen went to the steel rolling mill's finance department to apply for a bicycle ticket.

The finance department staff member, Xiao Zhang, said with difficulty, "Worker Lin, it would have been better if you had come a month earlier."

"Are there no more tickets?"

"How should I put it, a batch of bicycle tickets was released a month ago, but they've all been claimed. Even if there are a few left, they have to be reserved for people in the factory who don't have bicycles. Don't you already have one? When there are no extra tickets, we can't prioritize you."

"Oh, I see. That's fine, prioritize those who don't have bicycles. I'll just buy one with money at the supply and marketing cooperative."

"Hey~ Why waste money buying it? Xiao Zhang, give my bicycle ticket to Lin Zhen. I don't need it."

Lin Zhen turned around and saw Deputy Director Li walking over with a smile.

He had just overheard Lin Zhen applying for a bicycle ticket and generously gave his ticket to Lin Zhen.

He had a car to take him to and from work, so he really didn't need to ride a bicycle.

However, the finance department had always kept a ticket for him.

Anyone would be overjoyed to be favored by the dignified Deputy Director Li and receive a bicycle ticket.

If it were Xu Damao, he would probably be moved to tears.

Although Lin Zhen appeared overjoyed on the surface, he felt disgusted inside.

This was clearly Deputy Director Li trying to win people over and recruit confidants.

Lin Zhen understood that Deputy Director Li was not a hypocrite like Yi Zhonghai; he was a true villain.

Many of the factory's junior leaders and engineers had been won over by him.

Although he was only a deputy director on the surface, his actual power was not much less than Director Yang's.

After Lin Zhen was promoted to engineer, Deputy Director Li had also shown favor, hoping Lin Zhen would join his faction.

Lin Zhen had always played dumb and brushed him off.

This time, he couldn't brush him off anymore. Deputy Director Li had already taken the bicycle ticket from Xiao Zhang and was handing it to Lin Zhen.

To refuse now would be to openly stand in opposition to him.

Anyone with a little emotional intelligence would be unable to refuse at this moment.

Lin Zhen thought about it. It wasn't worth offending the true villain Deputy Director Li right now. He might as well accept it and practice the doctrine of the mean later, keeping a low profile under him, and not sticking his neck out if he could avoid it.

"Deputy Director Li, this, this is too valuable. I'm truly flattered."

"Hey~ This is nothing. You are a key talent the factory is cultivating, and I am now cultivating you."

"Don't worry, I will definitely live up to your high expectations."

"Good. In the future, if you have any progress in your work or any good suggestions for production, you must report them to me promptly!"

His meaning was crystal clear.

He was worried that if the engineers made any major discoveries, they would bypass him and tell Director Yang directly, which would reduce his achievements.

Lin Zhen understood immediately and promised, "Yes! I'll definitely keep that in mind!"

"Good, I think highly of you. Go ahead and get busy."

Lin Zhen returned to the workshop clutching the bicycle ticket, feeling amused.

If he wanted to make good suggestions for production processes or upgrade mechanical engineering.

As someone from the future, he could do it anytime.

He could also design new, energy-efficient products that would only appear in the future.

But now was not the time. That was his trump card to protect his wife.

If, during a special period, he fell out with Deputy Director Li and his wife Lou Xiao'e was in danger, he would then choose to reveal his trump card.

If there was a project that far surpassed the current international standards or was related to the national interest, Lin Zhen and his family would be protected.

As long as life could proceed smoothly and society could develop steadily, he did not want to be too ostentatious.

The most important point was that there was no need to fall out with Deputy Director Li now. It would be best to lay low until the 1980s.

After work, Lin Zhen walked to the supply and marketing cooperative alone and rode back a brand-new Phoenix brand bicycle.

This made Third Master Yan Bugui extremely envious.

"Yo! Lin Zhen, bought another bicycle?"

"It was a bicycle coupon from Deputy Director Li. Plus, Xiao'e starts work in a little over ten days, and we need two bicycles at home."

"A gift from Deputy Director Li? Then this bike will give you even more energy when you ride it!"

Third Mistress said enviously, "Look how much Lin Zhen dotes on his wife. Her commute to the neighborhood office is even shorter than to the steel rolling mill, and he still doesn't want his wife to walk."

Lou Xiao'e smiled, "Mainly, the four kids will be going to the steel mill's nursery after the New Year, so it'll be convenient for Lin Zhen and me to pick them up and drop them off."

Second Elder Liu Haizhong was also envious. When he heard it was a gift from Deputy Director Li, his jealousy grew even stronger.

He had tried several times to get close to Deputy Director Li to ask for a position, but he just wasn't important enough, and the man ignored him.

First Elder Yi Zhonghai wasn't interested in this matter.

Silly Zhu, upon hearing it was from Deputy Director Li, instead showed contempt, "That guy surnamed Li isn't a good person. Why did you take his gift? If it were me, I would have thrown the ticket right back in his face."

Yan Bugui chuckled, "Heh~ Exactly! Otherwise, how could you be called Silly Zhu!"

"Hahahaha..."

A few days later.

The Yan family was celebrating a joyous occasion.

Yu Li entered the household, as Yan Jiecheng got married. A new couple joined the courtyard.

Although Yan Bugui was stingy, he still followed the proper etiquette and held two tables for a banquet.

He invited the people in the courtyard to a meal.

Even though the two tables were mostly fish, it was still much better than Xu Damao's.

Yan Bugui, despite not having much money, was willing to host a banquet for his son and maintained good neighborly relations.

Xu Damao, on the other hand, had money but didn't share a single cent with the courtyard.

Those who attended the wedding banquet at the Yan family's gave some gifts.

The most significant gift was from the 'good old man' Yi Zhonghai, five yuan.

Next was Lin Zhen, who gave four yuan. The rest gave one or two yuan, and some even gave fifty cents.

After this wedding banquet, the Yan family actually made a profit of several yuan.

This made Third Master Yan Bugui extremely happy.

That evening, as the family sat together to eat the leftover dishes, Yan Bugui proudly said, "See? Xu Damao is still young and inexperienced. How can you lose money by hosting a banquet? We not only got leftover dishes but also made several yuan. This is how you live life, by planning carefully."

Yu Li, however, felt a bit disappointed.

She wondered why her father-in-law was so stingy. Some fish were just bones and still not thrown away. The portions were fixed for everyone at the meal, and you couldn't even ask for a second bowl.

Most importantly, they didn't mention Yan Jiecheng's future salary at the dinner table. We are already married, are we still supposed to hand over our salaries?

Then she thought of Lin Zhen and his wife.

How did their lives turn out so prosperous? They even had two bicycles at home!

It seemed he had proposed to her back then, but unfortunately, she had just finished school and was too picky.

Alas, she didn't know how her life would turn out, but she hoped it would be as good as the Lin Zhen family's.