Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 410 Chapter 409 Buy Pot
The next day, Friday, October 1959, 10.

Tang Zhitong got up and opened the door. He was so cold that he almost felt like he was sweating.

The rain didn't stop, it just got a lot lighter.

This kind of light rain is called "Luo Xing" in Henan and "Dream Star" in Tang Zhitong's hometown. They are both very beautiful names.

Tang Zhitong took a folklore course in college, where the teacher specifically talked about dialects and their origins in different places.

The teacher said that language is a very vital thing. The dialects in many places come from the big locust tree in Hongdong and spread to all parts of the country with immigrants.

He also gave an example of the word "relief" because when the immigrants immigrated in the early Ming Dynasty, most of the local people were reluctant, so they took coercive measures and left their hometowns with their hands tied.

Once someone wants to go to the toilet, they need to call the official: "Sir, please help me untie my hands, I want to use the toilet."

Later, relieving oneself became synonymous with going to the toilet.

To this day, if someone still uses "jieshou" to refer to going to the toilet, there is a high probability that their ancestors are related to the immigrants in the early Ming Dynasty.

"Fengzhen, if the rain stops in the afternoon, give Jingying her raincoat and let her take it home." Tang Zhitong asked when he was leaving.

"Yeah." Fengzhen still didn't say much, but the expression on her face was much more lively than before.

Tang Zhitong came to the College of Posts and Telecommunications and took classes all morning. When he was having lunch after class, he found that several classmates were shrinking their necks and covering their hands due to the cold, including Gu Mancang.

Tang Zhitong slapped his head and said, "I'm done. I've been busy these days and forgot what Teacher Zhou told me earlier about thick cotton clothes and thick bedding!"
After hurriedly finishing lunch, Tang Zhitong didn't bother to take a lunch break, so he started checking in his dormitory.

"Mancang, Lu Shi, did you not bring thick cotton-padded clothes?" Tang Zhitong held a small notebook and planned to write down the lack of thick quilts and thick cotton-padded clothes in the class, and then quickly give feedback to Teacher Zhou.

"My dad hasn't sent it to me yet." Lu Shi was a little embarrassed.

Gu Mancang's face turned red and he hesitated to say a word.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about. There is no shame in family difficulties. The college will do its best to provide help to everyone. Come on, tell me your height and weight." Forget about the size of the bedding, this one is a one-size-fits-all. Recording the height and size will help determine the appropriate distribution. clothing.

As for the other trainees, even though they were just going through the motions, Tang Zhitong was not left behind: "Brothers, do any of you lack bedding and cotton-padded clothes?"

"Teacher Tang, let's not cause trouble to the college and find a way to solve it ourselves." Lu Jian and others said one after another.

"Okay, I'll go to the other dormitories." Tang Zhitong nodded with a smile, then turned around and went to the other dormitories.

The six committee trainees, including myself, all received salaries and coupons. If they took advantage of this and passed it back to the original unit, it would be humiliating at best and lose their job at worst.

After walking around the boys' dormitory, Tang Zhitong found that none of the male students from rural areas had prepared thick bedding or thick cotton-padded clothes. Those from working-class families were relatively better off, and only a few male students might get cold.

Tang Zhitong registered the information of these classmates. During the afternoon class, he went to the classroom early and called out Liu Changling.

"Classmate Liu Changling, among the girls in our class, are any of the girls in our class whose families are in difficulty and don't have thick cotton-padded clothes or bedding yet?" Tang Zhitong asked straight to the point.

"Can this also be solved?" Liu Changling opened her eyes wide and asked in disbelief.

"Look what you said, this is also a part of life. You have to believe in the college." College students do not issue individual tickets, but the college will definitely fight for a part of it and use this part to subsidize students from poor families. The shortfall in money will be used by everyone. A share of two yuan per person, of course, these can be done, but cannot be stated clearly.

"That's great. I really didn't expect that the college would take care of everyone so meticulously. I'm going to call everyone out right now." Liu Changling was a little embarrassed, but she was also resolute.

"Call all the girls, it's just a matter of a few words." Although they are classmates, they don't have much contact with them. Tang Zhitong is not familiar with several girls. He is afraid of meeting the little fairies. Democracy and so on.

"Okay." Liu Changling walked into the classroom in a hurry, and then left the classroom with the other five girls in a hurry.

Fortunately, there was no scene that Tang Zhitong was worried about. The girls were very conscious and finally decided on three, and everyone agreed.

After class, Tang Zhitong first went to Teacher Zhou's office: "Hello Teacher Zhou, some students in our class are from poor families and do not have thick bedding or thick cotton clothes. I have compiled a list and you can see if it is suitable."

"Leave it alone, I'll take a look at it later. Teacher Wei from the Logistics Office made a special trip to me yesterday. You did a good job." Teacher Zhou pushed up his glasses and praised kindly.

"What I have done is far from enough. As a life committee member, it is already late autumn, but I did not take into account the weather changes. The list was compiled late, which delayed everyone's warmth. I blame myself very much. I accept everyone's criticism." Tang Zhitong is a life worker. Commissioner, you have indeed neglected your duties on this point.

"It's okay. It's useless to count in advance. Yesterday, Old Wei said that the garment manufacturing unit has not yet prepared all the goods. This year's cotton-padded clothes will be distributed later." Teacher Zhou did not mean to criticize Tang Zhitong.

"Alas." Tang Zhitong sighed, there was nothing he could do.

"You go back first. I'll let you know when the clothes come." Teacher Zhou was unable to do many things, so he waved his hand to drive people away.

Tang Zhitong came out of the office and did not rush home. Instead, he returned to the classroom of Class 593 and called Gu Mancang and Lu Shi out.

"Lu Shi, Man Cang, cotton-padded clothes and bedding will not be distributed for a few days, and there is still some time before heating. You can use my bedding first. I don't live here anyway." They are all in the same dormitory, and Tang Zhitong doesn't stay there at night. Living here, I am afraid that my two roommates who have family difficulties will freeze.

"Teacher Tang, no, we can make do with it and it will be quite warm." Lu Shi waved his hand and refused.

"It's okay. We're all in the same dormitory. Just don't think I'm covering you." Tang Zhitong was thinking a little too much. He thought Lu Shi and Gu Mancang were afraid of soiling his bedding, so he expressed tactfully that he didn't mind.

"No, we don't think it's dirty, and no, we have a way." Gu Mancang quickly waved his hands to defend, but because he was moved, he couldn't speak clearly at the moment.

"Teacher Tang, Mancang and I sleep in the same bed. It's warm and doesn't bother everyone." Lu Shi completed Gu Mancang's words.

"Well, well, it's warm." Gu Mancang kept nodding.

"That's fine. You can take mine over when you need it." Tang Zhitong patted the two roommates on the shoulders and said nothing else.

Decades later, it would be hard to imagine two boys in the same dormitory with normal sexual orientation sleeping in the same bed, but now this is what happened...

Tang Zhitong did not go back to the classroom, but went directly to the market.

To eat hot pot, you have to have a pot, right?
When Tang Zhitong was assisting the supply and marketing cooperative in purchasing supplies at the construction site last year, some villagers brought hot pots to sell them. The copper pots were very beautiful. At first glance, they looked like things used by landlords or wealthy families in the past.

Tang Zhitong was very greedy at the time. Even if he went to a restaurant to eat old-fashioned hot pot before coming here, the pots were mainly made of brass, and red copper was very rare.

Copper, also called red copper by some, is the copper used in most Xuande furnaces.

When purchasing materials, Tang Zhitong must calculate the scrap price, which is 1.5 yuan/jin for brass and 2 yuan/jin for red copper.

As a result, the villager disagreed and said that this was a high-quality product for wealthy families.

In full view of the public, Tang Zhitong would naturally not agree. If he agreed to this, what would happen to the subsequent bargaining? Are you still working?
In the end, the deal didn't happen. This time, Tang Zhitong planned to go to the market to check if there was any copper hot pot.

There are many markets in Sijiucheng. The larger ones include Liulichang, Dong'an Market, Xidan Shopping Mall, Dongsi Market, Quanyechang, etc. They are mainly state-owned and jointly owned. Each market has different main businesses, but they all have second-hand goods. Market, entrusted sales department, etc.

In addition, there are some markets, such as the Huguo Temple Fair and the Baita Temple Fair, which are mainly for individuals. Last year, there was a Baiqiao Market on the east side of Huashi Street, also called Baiqiao Xiaoshi and Dongxiao Market, but due to For some reason, this market was canceled a while ago.

Huguo Temple has a market every 1st, 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th of the lunar calendar, while Baita Temple has a market every 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th of the lunar calendar. These two places clearly arrange the vendors. .

Today is the twenty-second day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, and it is the venue of Huguo Temple. The Huguo Temple will be on Huguosi Street, close to the Xinjiekou entrance, just on the way Tang Zhitong must pass home.

Huguo Temple sells a variety of things, including department stores, snacks, clothing, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, flowers, birds, fish and insects.

Tang Zhitong came here for the first time, checked in his bicycle, and handed over a cigarette before finding out which stores sold hot pot. Tang Zhitong ignored the joint venture store first and went to individual stalls first.

"Excuse me, can I use this pot?" Tang Zhitong came to the stall first and asked very politely.

"You can see it, you can do whatever you want, just don't drop it on the ground." The vendor said in a friendly manner.

Nowadays, people are not very particular about it. Even if it is a serious antique, there are not many people who can just get started with it. Those who are a little more particular may wash their hands and wipe them well with a towel before getting started.

As for putting on gloves? But pull it off, others don’t know it, but Tang Zhitong has seen old videos. After Dingling was dug up the year before last, no one wearing gloves started digging it!
"Man, this is a rare good thing. It was originally something from the palace, and it was used by the royal family." The vendor saw Tang Zhitong looking attentively. When he saw that there was a door, he opened his mouth to cheat.

"For imperial use? For imperial use, you are not allowed to carve a dragon or a phoenix?" Tang Zhitong didn't know this. He just saw that this hot pot was beautiful, it was made of copper, and he had to check the welds. If this thing leaked, it would be a lot of fun to buy it back.

"Look at what you said, this is going too far. Who dares to put dragons and phoenixes on the fire to roast? Do you think this is the truth?" The vendor came up with one absurd theory after another.

"Haha, if you tell me the real price, I can hold it." Tang Zhitong looked over it and found no leaks. Although there were wear and tear on other parts, it did not affect its use. He put the hot pot down and asked.

"Seeing that you are also knowledgeable, let's discuss it." The vendor said, extending one hand towards Tang Zhitong and holding a handkerchief in the other hand.

"I don't know how to hold hands, you just negotiate the price." Tang Zhitong bowed his hand, he had to go to work on the stove later, so he didn't have time to write ink here.

"Okay, you are happy, I am happy too, how about this number?" The vendor first stretched out two fingers, then opened his palm and shook it.

"Hey, the price you're asking for is more expensive than a new one. I'll give it another try." Tang Zhitong stood up, clasped his fists, and already had plans to leave.

"Hey, man, the price is negotiable. This is an old item that can be passed down from generation to generation." The vendor immediately stood up and tried to persuade him to stay.

"In my eyes, this is just a hot pot, used for cooking dishes. If you insist that it is an old thing, I won't dare to use it." Tang Zhitong smiled, took out his cigarette, and gave one to the vendor.

"Thanks, man, can I give you a zero?" The vendor took the cigarette, put it under his nose, sniffed it, and clamped it on his ear.

"Let's talk about the weight. Red copper costs two yuan per catty, and I'll give you another two yuan for hard work." Tang Zhitong lit his cigarette and made a quotation plan.

"Hi~ Come on, we haven't opened today yet. I want to ask you for a profit." The vendor frowned and gritted his teeth, showing great reluctance, as if he had made a big decision and suffered a big loss. Accepted Tang Zhitong's suggestion.

A street vendor is used to looking at people in this business. He knows that if he doesn't agree, the person in front of him will immediately turn around and leave. This pot was originally collected from the countryside at a scrap price, and it has been in his hands for a while. Now, this business In the city, who still makes hot pot? If you can make two yuan, just make two yuan, and then take it as soon as you can.

Tang Zhitong can't reach the level of "catch", but the "convenient services" he did last year were not in vain. Now that he gets started, he can count on everything.

The vendor borrowed a steelyard from a nearby stall and hooked the hot pot onto it. It weighed five kilograms and two taels, which was about the same weight as Tang Zhitong expected. It cost twelve yuan and four.

There were so many people, so Tang Zhitong didn't squeeze into the space. He could only hold the ring with one hand and walk to the next stall with the jingling bell.

Although the special funds applied for by Xiao Wang were not enough, Tang Zhitong didn't want to make another trip, so he should use the money from his small treasury to make up for it.

This stall also has hot pots, which are also made of copper. There are more than one, but there are customers visiting and the stall owner is waiting on them.

"You told me that this came from the palace? Have you seen what the hot pot in the palace looks like? It must be made with cloisonné enamel at least. You are from Donglaishun." The customer is an old man who talks like a joke. Similar.

Tang Zhitong was amused. Were these vendors in the market brought out by a master? The words are the same.

"It has to be you. I saw it accurately. This is the guy from Dong Laishun before." The stall owner was stunned by the old man, but he opened the door for business and did not dare to talk back. He smiled apologetically and said You have to go along with it.

"You know how to borrow a donkey from Poxia?" The old man glanced at the stall owner, held the hotpot away, and squinted his eyes to take a closer look.

"Little brother, what do you like?" The stall owner temporarily abandoned the old man, stood up, glanced at the hot pot in Tang Zhitong's hand, and said hello.

"I want a hot pot." Tang Zhitong threw the cigarette butt on the ground, stamped it out, and said kindly.

"Then take a look at this." As soon as the stall owner heard about the deal, he bent down and picked up the other hot pot next to the old man and placed it in front of Tang Zhitong.

The old man also saw Tang Zhitong. After listening to the conversation between the two, he interjected: "Man, you see, we both want it. The price is right. Let's both take one."

"Old man, you are joking. Each of our pots is different, and each pot has the same price." The stall owner smiled and did not dare to respond. He was not stupid. He could naturally tell that these two people were not in the same group, let alone Tang Zhitong. I also brought a set of hot pots, maybe I just came here to compare prices.

"Young man, please say something." Seeing that the stall owner refused to speak, the old man also knew the crux of the matter, so he turned to Tang Zhitong and said.

"You really don't care." Tang Zhitong was happy, but he was also happy to see someone helping to bargain. If he couldn't reach his psychological price, the worst he could do was not give up.

After thinking about it, Tang Zhitong confirmed with the stall owner: "I really want to buy it. As long as the pot doesn't leak and the price is right, I will take one."

"Did you hear that? Come on, hold hands." The old man put down the pot in his hands, clapped his hands, and asked Tang Zhitong: "Young man, what's the price of this set in your hand?"

"Weighed by kilogram." Tang Zhitong smiled, put down the set he just bought, and picked it up to check if it was damaged.

The stall owner was helpless and didn't know why he met such two living treasures today. He smiled bitterly and stretched out his hand, hooked it with the old man, and covered it with a handkerchief.

"Why do you think I came here to buy an old pot?" After two hooks, the old man was dissatisfied and asked the stall owner.

"It's cheap." Tang Zhitong chuckled and put down the hot pot. There was nothing wrong with this set and it could be used.

"According to your price, Donglaishun will have to close down because it can't afford the pot. Come, come, come again." The old man was very satisfied with Tang Zhitong's assistance, and started to compete with the stall owner under the veil.

You come and go, and in the end the old man laughs, and the stall owner also laughs, a wry smile.

"How much?" Tang Zhitong stood up and clapped his hands. If the price was right, he would pay. If not, he would pick up the hot pot and run away!
"Eleven dollars and seven. Come, change." The old man replied to Tang Zhitong, took out two big black tens and handed them to the stall owner. As for whether the young man next to him bought them or not, what did he care about? Anyway, this is the price.

The stall owner looked at the money and then at the old man. This was not a moneyless owner!

However, the stall owner did not answer. Instead, he looked at Tang Zhitong. His meaning was very clear. This is a group purchase price. Do you want to pay for it?
(End of this chapter)