Chapter 1340: Sharp-Tongued WomanTranslator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhang Zian felt that the threat of insect plagues had risen significantly. After heavy rain, an outbreak could occur. In recent years, there had not seemed to be any insect disasters in Binhai, so he couldn’t give specific details. However, when it did happen, it would definitely cause a great inconvenience to people’s daily lives.
To deal with large-scale pest problems, it was certainly not possible to rely on him alone. Who knew how widespread the problem was?
Therefore, he’d come to the street office hoping that they would take the lead on this issue. The office could unite the shops on the street, along with the neighborhood committees of various communities, to take precautionary measures against the insects. If they waited for the outbreak to happen and then reacted to it, it might be already too late.
If necessary, they should also rope in the committees of the surrounding streets.
He was about to explain what he knew to Grandma Gu when a phone next to him rang.
“h.e.l.lo?”
Another middle-aged woman who was in the office picked up the phone.
Zhang Zian recognized this person as the deputy director of the street office. She was a few years older than Grandma Gu, and her surname was Yan. However, he did not know her, as they’d never had the chance to interact before.
If there was a street-smart young person around, he might have taken the initiative to take the phone outside of the office, or at least to lower the volume of his speech. This was so as not to disturb the others. However, this was the deputy director. She would speak however long she wanted.
The daily work of the street office was complicated and c.u.mbersome. It often dealt with elderly people who were frail and alone or malicious merchants who had arrears of their healthcare management fees. Therefore, besides the few young civil servants who had just joined the office, many of the old staff members close to retirement age were often loud and bad-tempered.
The office was not big. Director Yan spoke on the phone as if no one was around her. The whole room was filled with her loud voice, and it seriously interfered with the others’ work.
A few young people in the office probably had gotten used to this. At the beginning of Director Yan’s call, they immediately put down the work at hand, smiled reluctantly, and used their phones. Others packed up to get off work.
Zhang Zian was here to do things. He would not have come here to interfere with the office’s internal matters. Even though he did not think he was all that strong, he knew, at the very least, when to keep his mouth shut. He could wait for a while. In any case, he was not in a hurry.
Grandma Gu also felt very embarra.s.sed. She poured a cup of tea and took two pieces of mung bean cake to serve him.
“h.e.l.lo? Ah, yes, I heard that. What is it?”
“Well, yes. Getting off work soon.”
“What? The old man who stays next door refuses to turn off his radiator? Whatever you say is useless? What a useless piece of c.r.a.p! How did I give birth to a son like you? If he does not want to turn it off, then go to his place and refuse to leave! See if he will turn it off or not! Don’t you know that thing gives off radiation? If you do not care about your wife, at least think about the baby in her womb!”
“Everything has got to wait till I am back? Then what is the use of a big man like you? Just here to eat? Can’t you do something, for goodness’ sake? Always such a wuss!”
“Shut up! Don’t tell me useless things! You go to the old man and say that if he does not turn it off, if your wife’s baby has any issues, see how he can sleep at night in the future!”
Slam!
She hung up the phone, slamming it hard on the table and muttering to herself. “I am so d.a.m.n mad… What the h.e.l.l? How did I give birth to such a useless son…?”
With regard to other families’ private affairs, Zhang Zian did not intend to interject and talk too much. He feared that he would merely be digging his own grave if he did that. Such a spicy, sultry middle-aged deputy director… He would not be able to handle her rage.
At that time, Deputy Director Yan seemed to discover his existence. She gave him a courtesy business smile. “Oh, sorry to bother you. Please go ahead and continue with your conversation.”
Zhang Zian suddenly felt somewhat humbled and short of breath. He swallowed and was just about to speak when he heard her shouting again. “Yeah, y’all! What are y’all doing?”
He was almost frightened by this large outburst of noise. He felt like he was going to have a heart attack. He turned around and saw that she was not yelling at him, but at a telecom engineering car that was pa.s.sing by the window.
Deputy Director Yan jumped up from her chair, rus.h.i.+ng out of the office and into the street. The sounds she made could be heard clearly from far away.
“You! I am talking about you! I’m telling you that Donghua Community does not allow new telecom equipment rooms. Those things produce radiation… What? This was a.s.signed by your supervisor? Did your supervisors ask the public for their opinion? Huh? The residents of the Donghua Community have unanimously demanded that this equipment can no longer be installed! Who said it? I said it, and I represent the public opinion of Donghua Community! I want to complain to you on behalf of all residents of the Donghua Community!”
The staff in the telecom engineering car were probably stunned by this treatment. Being berated in such a manner, the woman did not dare to even let out a fart. She said that she would ask her supervisor once more and obediently turned around and left.
Like a fighting dog who’d won the match, Deputy Director Yan went back to the office with satisfaction. She flicked her hair and returned to her seat.
“About…”
As if he were afraid of her hearing him speak, Zhang Zian deliberately lowered his voice and reported his recent observations to Grandma Gu. He stressed that a large-scale pest disaster was likely to occur in this area.
“Oh, so that’s it. Let me think…”
Grandma Gu went quiet for a little while.
Binhai had never had an insect disaster before. Thus, she had no direct understanding of the dangers of a large-scale pest invasion.
Now, as an elderly person, she knew that she had experienced many hards.h.i.+ps in the first half of her life. She did not feel that there was any seriousness in this matter. She even thought that young people and children were too delicate and pampered. Weren’t these merely caterpillars? How was it worth making a fuss about?
However, Zhang ZIan, a child she’d known growing up, was not part of the strawberry generation. Still, though he was a grown man now, he was still a child in her eyes.
So, out of diligence, she asked, “In your opinion, if we want to deal with this, what should we do?”
“That is…dependent on the severity.” Zhang Zian tried to use a gentle tone to talk about it. “If the situation is not serious, you can use some basic soil treatment methods to control the pests. If the situation is serious, then…”
“What if the situation is serious?” Grandma Gu asked.
Zhang Zian gritted his teeth. The situation must be fully explained. Otherwise, he was afraid that it would not catch the attention and vigilance of Grandma Gu, though he must admit that this was not his style.
“If the situation gets very dire, I am afraid we can only spray Trichlorfon on the trees… If we want something more targeted, we can use… Cypermethrin on the trees,” he said.
“What? What are those?” Grandma Gu was highly puzzled about what she’d heard. First, Zhang Zian was already speaking rather quietly, and she could not hear him well. Secondly, she had never heard this strange vocabulary before.
“It is…a pesticide.” Zhang Zian spoke even more softly.
“Pesticide? No way!”
Grandma Gu did not say anything, but Deputy Director Yan yelled first. She slammed her hands hard on the table.