Just as I stepped out of the west wing, the village's loudspeaker whistle started blaring, signaling the start of the afternoon work shift. The village is large, so announcements are made over the loudspeakers. Besides broadcasting documents required by the township, they often play revolutionary songs. The whistle sounds every morning and also at the start of the afternoon work shift.
The family members all emerged, and Zhang Guoqing hurried to the main room; he needed to ask for leave, and it had to be quick. Otherwise, he'd face criticism, though building a house served as a fitting excuse.
"Dad, I want you to ask for leave this afternoon. We can't figure out some matters on our own, so we need your and Mom's input. It's quite important, and we may even have guests tonight," Zhang Guoqing quickly got in his words first.
