Everyone Was Happy

Although pretending to have some powerful relatives was a bit of a show-off move,

and it made him feel a little ashamed,

the backer he actually relied on was the system.

Wasn't that even more awesome than having a few powerful relatives?

So it didn't really count as showing off, did it?

"Come on, Comrade Liang. I'll take you to pick your people. Whoever catches your eye can work with you from now on!"

"If you're not satisfied, just tell me whenever you like. I'll switch them out for you!"

Look, the effect of his little act just now had already arrived!

He had just given them a pack of cigarettes, then been a little vague and pretended he had plenty of influence.

Team Leader Xiang's attitude had changed immediately.

He was letting Liang Xin pick whoever he wanted!

Otherwise, the normal procedure was to follow their arrangements. Whoever they assigned to you, you had to team up with!

Only after everyone had gotten to know each other, you'd worked there for years, and you'd earned a little face,

could you look for the people you most wanted to work with!

The three of them arrived at the logistics department's rest area, where Liang Xin saw quite a few people.

Quite a few of his colleagues were there too, chatting with acquaintances or discussing the day's work.

When Liang Xin saw Brother Li and the two cart drivers he'd worked with for two days, his eyes lit up.

"Team leaders, Team Leader Xiang, wait a moment. I'll go say hello to Brother Li."

Naturally, neither of them objected.

They also had a pretty good idea what he meant.

He was going to poach their people.

Liang Xin went over to the three men, put an arm around Li Haiyang's shoulders, and led him a few steps aside.

Then he smiled and slipped his hand into Li Haiyang's pocket.

He was actually putting a pack of cigarettes in it.

Naturally, Li Haiyang knew exactly what he was doing.

"Brother Li, come over here. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Well..." Li Haiyang frowned, looking a little troubled.

At the meeting today, the team leader had already announced that Liang Xin would be leading a team on his own.

What favor could Liang Xin possibly ask of him?

Most likely, he wanted to work with the two brothers Li Haiyang had partnered with for a long time.

With his arm around Li Haiyang's shoulders, Liang Xin whispered in his ear, "Brother Li, when I come back tomorrow, I might bring some meat back. Want me to save you a jin?"

Judging by the results of his showing off in front of the two team leaders just now,

if he asked to work with these two familiar faces,

the two team leaders would probably come right over and arrange it.

But there was no need for that.

It would definitely offend Brother Li.

He thought it would be better to handle this with his usual trick!

When Li Haiyang heard Liang Xin's words, his eyes lit up instinctively.

These days, who wasn't short of meat?

He struggled with himself for half a second, then gritted his teeth. "You can talk it over yourselves!"

He had surrendered to the meat.

He also understood that the two brothers he'd worked with for so long would probably surrender too.

They wouldn't even need meat.

They might not even need any benefits at all!

Because medium-distance transport work was a benefit in itself.

"Hehe, thanks, Brother Li!"

"Oh, and when I said one jin, that was just an estimate. It might be two jin. We'll talk when I get back!"

Li Haiyang's eyes grew even brighter, and the last bit of displeasure in his heart vanished.

Xiao Liang, what a good brother!

After whispering to Li Haiyang, Liang Xin finally let go of him, walked back a few steps, and looked at the two cart drivers.

"Brothers, would you two like to switch from short-distance to medium-distance routes?"

Both men's eyes lit up at his words.

They were all in the same department, so the rules were the same for everyone.

There were allowances for both medium- and long-distance routes!

In fact, according to the rules, unless there were special requirements or circumstances,

everyone had to rotate among the three types of routes: short, medium, and long.

And the two of them had only recently switched to short-distance routes.

They would have to wait a long time before they could switch routes again.

But since Liang Xin had asked, it was naturally possible they wouldn't have to wait and could switch straight back to the best routes, the medium-distance ones!

Before Liang Xin could even offer them a pack of cigarettes or anything, the two men were already nodding eagerly.

That saved him two packs of cigarettes.

He didn't even need to give them the same pitch he'd prepared for Li Haiyang and ask if they wanted some meat.

He'd saved it all!

He then asked Team Leader Xiang for his opinion, and naturally, Team Leader Xiang had no objections either.

He readily agreed, giving Liang Xin plenty of face!

Comrade Liang was no ordinary man!

And so the matter was settled.

Liang Xin had chosen to do this because he'd spent two days with the two cart drivers and had gotten to know them.

He thought both of them were good-tempered and easy to talk to.

Two packs of cigarettes a day were enough to satisfy them and let him dodge the labor without a hitch.

That had to be better than taking a risk with two unfamiliar strangers.

What if the two he found turned out to be upright and incorruptible, unwilling to accept his material temptations?

Even if he could come back and ask Team Leader Xiang to switch them out, wouldn't he still have to suffer for a couple of days?

Why bother?

This was much better.

Everyone was happy!

The ox cart set off, swaying as it went.

Liang Xin spread some hay in the cart, lay down on it, crossed his legs, and took out a picture book to read.

How comfortable!

An ox cart really couldn't move very fast.

On top of that, they'd set off a little late that morning.

So by the time they reached his home village, lunchtime was almost over!

The three of them didn't rush to eat, instead heading straight to the village committee.