National Tide 1980.

At the end of 1990, for many ordinary people in Beijing, there was a tense atmosphere in the air that made them uneasy.

Although the People's Republic of China, unlike Japan, has not experienced any economic bubbles bursting, many people who rely on their secure jobs still do not live a truly secure life.

The pressures they bear in life are not necessarily any less than those faced by ordinary Japanese people living in Tokyo.

For no other reason than that the winds of the market economy have been blowing for several years, and more and more state-owned enterprises are on the verge of bankruptcy because they cannot withstand these winds.

The textile factory's fabric piled up in the warehouse, gathering dust, and the machines were running slower and slower.

The wrenches and hammers from the hardware factory, the light bulbs from the light bulb factory, the thermos flasks from the thermos flask factory, the towels from the towel factory... no one wanted them all, and the workers in these factories started taking turns resting at home.

Even the once bustling state-run restaurants have become deserted.

There's only one reason—the food tastes the same all the time, the waiters' faces are as somber as the bottom of the pot, and all the customers have long been snatched up by the small, individually owned restaurants at the entrance of the alley.

What worries Beijing residents even more is that more and more migrant workers are flocking to the city, bringing convenience to Beijing residents while also taking away more and more money-making opportunities.

The breakfast stalls at the entrance of the alley were originally only state-owned, but later, after private vendors started selling fried dough sticks, wontons, steamed buns, and pancakes, they all appeared.

It's so lively in the mornings now, with private breakfast stalls every few steps, their shouts louder than anyone else's.

Many of the shoe repair and knife sharpening stalls at the entrances of alleys have also switched to using accents from other places, and their prices have been driven down to extremely low levels.

That's not all. The handymen in hospitals and schools, the porters in factories, and even the doormen in residential buildings have all been replaced by hardworking outsiders who are paid less.

Without realizing it, Beijing residents gradually lost these job opportunities and livelihoods that originally belonged to them.

The result is that people from Beijing can't compete with those from other places when they try to do small business, and those who work either have their salaries reduced or are laid off.

To put it simply, the feeling of Beijingers scrimping and saving, stretching every penny to its limit, is more biting than the cold wind of the dead of winter.

However, nothing is absolute. Just when everyone was hoping to have some money to spare at the start of the year, the order Ning Weimin sent from Japan was like a fire, warming the hearts of many people connected to him.

The first priority for this care is his registered residence, which is also where he started his business in his early life.

The following day on the calendar in 1990, Monday.

Early that morning, Aunt Bian, who had rushed over, knocked loudly on the door of Director Li's office at the Meishi Street Subdistrict Office.

Even though the coal stove was burning brightly and the kettle on it was steaming hot, it couldn't stop Aunt Bian from letting the cold wind from outside into the house, which blew into the room like little knives.

This caused the temperature in the room to drop sharply in an instant, and even made Director Li, who was happily reading the newspaper, shiver and instinctively reach for his enamel mug to warm his hands.

But in stark contrast to the cold temperature was Aunt Bian's high spirits and the good news she brought.

Despite being bundled up in the cold and with snowflakes still clinging to her cotton hat, the old lady was radiant and full of energy.

Not only did the tips of his hair look festive, but even the wrinkles on his face seemed to be smiling broadly.

He came in without saying anything, and slammed a crumpled piece of paper on Director Li's desk with a "thud".

"Director! I have good news for you! Weimin has placed a huge order with our street's handicraft factory from Japan, worth a full 500,000! If we do a good job, the profit will be at least 300,000. And if we really go ahead with it, half of the goods can be completed before the New Year, and our year will be settled."

With that one shout, Director Li couldn't care less about anything else; he was like someone who had taken a stimulant.

His eyes, which had been fixed on reading the "New Year's promotion" ads in the newspaper, suddenly widened as he looked up at the paper on his desk.

His fingers traced the words "five hundred thousand" repeatedly, and soon he burst into laughter.

"Wow, that's really 500,000! My goodness, this is a huge New Year's gift! Weimin is so generous, always thinking of us when there's good news. Now our street craft factory's annual output value might even reach 2 million next year. Not only will everyone's New Year's bonuses definitely increase, but even the New Year's gifts for the district leaders will be a big hit!"

"Absolutely, and this is just the beginning. Weimin sent a fax saying that as long as the quality is up to standard, he will continue to order more goods." Aunt Bian chimed in, "With your wise leadership and Weimin taking care of us, how could our neighborhood be poor? Not only will we definitely get the top spot this year, but we'll get it every year from now on. The days when we could only get a few beautiful calendars to make up the numbers are gone forever."

As a result, Director Li became even happier from being flattered.

"You know what, because the garment factory is expanding production, I was worried about not having enough money for the New Year. I was even afraid I'd have to cut back on holiday bonuses. But this order is a real lifesaver. I don't have to worry about it at all. Here's what we're doing: this year, besides fruit, cigarettes, alcohol, candy, rice, flour, and cooking oil, let's get something new. Like those trendy black sesame pastes, Kanglai egg rolls, and those Sun God oral liquids and Wahaha business liquids—you can ask around where to buy them, and we can get some to share with everyone."

But just as Aunt Bian was smiling and agreeing,

Just two seconds after he started to feel happy, Director Li remembered something else, and he frowned and began to mutter to himself.

“Hey, I have to say… our craft factory still has to make promotional gifts for Ning Weimin’s gingerbread figurines for the Spring Festival. The contract is already signed, and I remember you said that order was worth several hundred thousand yuan. There are candy boxes, keychains, and things like that. You’ve taken on another 500,000 yuan worth of work at the last minute, and you want to finish half of it before the New Year. Can you handle it? We can’t be too greedy and overload him. Although Weimin definitely treats us differently than others, even if we deliver a few days late, he won’t come looking for us with the contract to claim compensation. But business is about integrity. The closer our relationship is, the less we should make things difficult for him. If we delay Weimin’s business, how can we have the nerve to ask him for work in the future?”

Aunt Bian nodded in agreement, moving closer to the stove. She rubbed her hands, red from the cold, and breathed out a puff of white air. "Don't worry," she said, "Leave this to me, I'll definitely handle it. The New Year is just around the corner, who doesn't want to earn a little extra money to buy New Year's goods? I've already planned it out! At worst, we'll hire more people; there's no shortage of workers. I'd love to find jobs for all the unemployed youth in our neighborhood. Besides, we'll mobilize everyone in our families who are skilled with their hands; they can take the work home. As long as there's money to be made, everyone's enthusiasm will be higher than anyone else's!"

She paused, her tone suddenly becoming hesitant. "I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but I was hoping this order would bring in some extra income for the family. You wouldn't believe it, my eldest daughter-in-law's factory switched to half-salary a long time ago, and New Year's goods? Nothing at all. And my eldest son's boiler-stoker's bathhouse is incredibly busy, but they can't just raise prices arbitrarily, or they won't make any money. Coal and water costs go up every year. His little bathhouse might give them two bars of soap at the end of the year at most. Of course, it's not just our family; Master Mi in our courtyard said their Daguanlou Cinema is doomed this year. Sometimes, they can only sell out a few tickets for a single screening." Two or three tickets weren't even enough to cover the electricity bill. His salary was two months late, and he's been sighing at home every day. And his wife, she quit her job at the grocery store. You remember last year, right? She was terrified by the "patriotic vegetables," so she voluntarily took sick leave this year. The other day she was telling me about the "water monster" under the Yongdingmen Bridge, wanting to drag me to see it. Ah, it's a good thing we still have this street factory, this order from Weimin from Japan. With this job, not only do the workers get paid, but even my family and the neighbors in our little courtyard can earn some extra money. We don't have to be so frugal during the New Year, swallowing our saliva while smelling other people's feasts..."

Director Li was amused by her, leaned back in his chair, and waved his hand.

"Alright, alright. You old lady, stop complaining to me. I'll grant you special permission to 'abuse your power for personal gain' and let the whole family benefit. Oh, by the way, if you think it's appropriate, why don't you let your daughter-in-law spend some time each day at the craft factory and help you manage things? I'll give her a bonus at the end of the year. It's much better than being paid by piecework."

As a result, Aunt Bian expressed her gratitude repeatedly.

However, having said all that, Aunt Bian should have left after thanking her, but she showed no intention of taking her leave, especially since the smile on her face seemed a bit stiff.

Director Li couldn't help but wonder, and he quickly sensed something was wrong. "Auntie, is there something else?"

Aunt Bian rubbed her hands together and shuffled her toes on the ground, looking somewhat embarrassed. "It's still about the new order. There's something I haven't had a chance to tell you yet. It's just that... the things Weimin ordered this time are a bit special. They're all funeral supplies for the dead, like paper money, sacrificial flowers, coffin sheets, and the like. They sound unlucky and have a bit of a superstitious connotation."

She looked up at Director Li, her eyes full of concern. "I'm worried that if I assign this task to an individual, any family with elderly members will find these things disgusting. If it causes family discord, that would be a sin. Also, if I, as the head of a neighborhood committee, take the lead in this matter, and then I'm accused of promoting feudal superstition, that would be impossible to explain. What do you think..."

Director Li immediately realized what was going on, sat up straight, and nodded repeatedly. "You have a high level of awareness and you've thought things through very thoroughly. We really need to be careful about this."

As he spoke, his smile faded, and he pondered for at least two minutes as his fingers tapped lightly on the table.

Finally, he slammed his fist on the table and made a decision.

"Here's the thing, when we assign the work, let's make things clear beforehand. If anyone has elderly relatives, let us know first and ask for their opinion. We absolutely won't force anyone. Also, I'll immediately consult with the district and explain the specifics of this order. Our district also has a major collaboration with Weimin, that Crystal Palace of the East Sea Dragon King. I believe that as long as we mention his name, the leaders will take care of it for us. This little thing is definitely no problem, so don't worry."

With that, Aunt Bian felt relieved, and a look of relief appeared on her face.

"That's great! Then it's settled. I'll go and make the arrangements right away." With that, he turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, with a greeting, it was Director Li who called out to her this time.

"Hey, don't go yet, wait a little longer! I have something to discuss with you."

Director Li tapped the calendar on the table with his finger. "We were just getting carried away with our own happiness. I suddenly remembered two things. First, the district branch informed me this morning that there have been quite a few 'silent thieves' in the Qianmen Dashilan area recently. They asked our street office to cooperate with the police station to launch a safety awareness campaign for the public as soon as possible, and at the same time strengthen daily security patrols to protect people's property as much as possible. In short, let's not let anything happen before the New Year."

Aunt Bian agreed first, saying that after arranging things at the factory, she would call the security chief to go to the police station together.

Then Director Li continued, "Another matter concerns Weimin. Weimin has been so kind to our street factory, and now it's almost New Year's Day 1991, followed by the Spring Festival in a month and a half. Shouldn't we give him something in return? Weimin has really given us a lot of work this year, and at such good prices, supporting hundreds of people in our street. Even if he doesn't mention it, we can't be oblivious. Is he coming back for the Spring Festival? If he is, what kind of New Year's gift should we give him? Lao Bian, you've known him since we were kids. You have to give me some advice! I'm thinking, giving him Southern black sesame paste is definitely out of the question. What hasn't he seen in Japan? Besides, his business is booming; he's already a millionaire. The more I talk about it, the more worried I get..."

Perhaps because he was unsure about the matter, Director Li seemed a bit long-winded.

Unexpectedly, Aunt Bian chuckled and gave him a reply.

"To be honest, you're worrying about this for nothing."

"What? What do you mean?" Director Li was confused.

“Hey, you said it yourself, Weimin has everything he needs. The food, things he’s used to, and the things he’s seen are completely different from what we have. Besides, he’s become a millionaire and married a big star. Giving him a gift? Don’t even mention you worrying about it, I think even the district head would be worried.”

"What should I do?"

"Hey. But there's still his master. Besides being kind and righteous, Weimin has another virtue: he's incredibly filial. He's gone, but Lao Kang is still here. If you want Weimin to be happy, you should try to make Lao Kang happy instead. Sending him off is not as good as sending Lao Kang off, don't you think? Besides, you and Lao Kang have a good relationship. Why don't you go and have a chat with him at his big wine vat sometime?"

And believe it or not, that's exactly what happened.

Director Li was suddenly enlightened. He slapped his forehead and said with self-deprecation, "Look at my brain, it's all so muddled, I forgot about this. Right, right, I'll go to the big wine vat today, have a couple of drinks first, and then I'll invite him to take a bath."

"Let me add something," Aunt Bian leaned closer and lowered her voice, "If you still feel it's not enough, that it seems shabby, and want to give Weimin something as well, then you don't need to give him anything. It would be better to find him two storefronts in good locations. Actually, the third son of the Luo family in our courtyard has been running around doing this for him. You know, Weimin's business is getting bigger and bigger, but what's the most indispensable thing for doing business? It's a suitable location."

She paused, then continued, "Do you remember the Quanye Market in Qianmen? Many state-owned stores are now renting out counters, but the tenants at Quanye Market are always complaining about being poor and asking for rent reductions. I think their leases are about to expire. Why don't we take the whole building back and leave it to Ning Weimin? Think about it, using an entire building in Qianmen for business is worse than giving anything away! I dare say Weimin would be happy. Besides, he's such a big boss, he's not short of money, he might even pay more rent. Wouldn't that be a good thing for our neighborhood?"

Director Li's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. "That makes sense, let's do it that way! You've thought of everything. I must say, your No. 2 compound is truly a place of outstanding people and resources. You're really underutilized here; you should be the director."

Aunt Bian was so flattered she almost lost her bearings, but she still knew she had to be humble at this moment.

"Oh dear, I can't accept that title. A train runs fast because of the locomotive, you flatter me. No matter how capable I am, I can't function without your guidance."

The two men laughed together. As for the only unlucky one who couldn't laugh that day, it was probably the tenant who was destined to lose his business location. (End of Chapter)