Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 448 447 Ma Wei
When Tang Zhitong arrived at the Finance Department, Ma Wei had not left yet.

"Section Chief." Ma Wei heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Tang Zhitong coming in. She immediately put down the book in her hand, stood up and greeted him with a smile.

"Sit down, sit down. How is it? Are you used to it here?" Tang Zhitong put his bag on the desk and chatted with Ma Wei instead of talking about work.

I'm used to carrying a shoulder bag. Once I take it off, I don't look like a section-level cadre at all.

"I'm used to it. When you're not here, I'm the only one in the office. It's quite quiet. It's a good time to read a book after I finish work." Ma Wei didn't look nervous and still had a slight smile on her face.

"Reading and studying is a good habit. The more you learn, the more progress you will make. But don't be too focused. It's cold now, so you have to add coal to the stove frequently. Catching a cold is no joke." Two days ago, the escort department installed a stove for the finance department. After Tang Zhitong entered the room, he felt that it was not very warm, so he walked to the stove and picked up the kettle, but the coal was out.

"Thank you for the reminder, Chief. I will remember to keep my fever high tomorrow." Ma Wei said after receiving the concern.

"Did you bring food from home?" Tang Zhitong added some coal to the stove and asked when he saw Ma Wei's lunch box.

"Well, my food connection is not with the company, so I can't eat in the cafeteria."

"We can't buy dry food, but we can still get some vegetables. We grew two crops of vegetables this year, and both had a good harvest. Chef Gao in the cafeteria is very good at cooking, you can try it if you have a chance. Eating here can save some money for the family." Tang Zhitong picked up the thermos and poured himself half a glass of water.

The thermos is full, it seems Ma Wei is quite diligent.

"Okay, Chief. This is the employee salary list I compiled today. Please take some time to review it." Ma Wei put the book aside unnoticeably, picked up the salary list she had compiled today, and handed it to Tang Zhitong.

"You're pretty quick." Tang Zhitong took it, praised it first, and then started flipping through it. His time was limited, and he didn't intend to play any tricks or find faults.

No one likes to be criticized, but some people like to find fault with others, as if they cannot show their own level if they don't.

However, many people fail to find the key points when picking faults, and just criticize Jill blindly.

When faced with incompetent superiors, many old offices keep saying "yes, yes, yes," "right, yes, yes," and "revise, revise, revise" verbally. After revising the draft three times, they submit the first draft again, but it is well received. It can only be said that some people do not get to their positions by real ability.

"Thank you for your hard work. I'll check with Director Fang and give it to you after it's revised." Tang Zhitong noticed that there were circles behind some people's names on the salary list. These were people whose positions had changed during this promotion. He couldn't help but secretly praise Ma Wei for her attentiveness.

"Okay, you mark the salary amount and I'll make up the rest." Ma Wei had marked it out on purpose, of course. It was not easy for her to ask about this matter over the head, so she could only ask for instructions first and then do it.

"Don't rush to leave today. We'll be off work soon. You should pack up and get ready to go home." Tang Zhitong said as he walked towards the door. He stopped at the door and asked, "Oh, by the way, how do you commute to work?"

"Cycling."

"There are quite a few female comrades in the sorting department. You can go over and ask them later to see if there is anyone going the same way. It's getting dark earlier and earlier. As a female comrade, it's best for you to have someone to accompany you." Tang Zhitong gave an instruction, nodded to Ma Wei, left the office and closed the door.

Fang Yuan hadn't left yet. When he heard that Tang Zhitong wanted the latest employee salaries, he simply took out a small notebook from the drawer.

Although Fang Yuan knew few words, he still took notes, but Tang Zhitong could not understand some of the symbols.

When Fang Yuan thought of this, Tang Zhitong realized that the people whose salaries would be increased this time were not only those on the appointment notice posted outside, but also some people who were not on the list but had their salaries increased.

The two brothers spent more than half an hour and smoked four cigarettes.

After putting the revised payroll back to the office, Tang Zhitong began to think about Ma Wei on his way home.

The payroll that Tang Zhitong gave to Ma Wei had a lot of headers. In addition to the basic name, age, gender, and department, there was also information such as length of service, salary level, appearance, etc. Ma Wei used all of them.

Naturally, Ma Wei also wrote her own entries on the form, and the Municipal Bureau would check it, so there would definitely be no false information.

Ma Wei, female, 23 years old, with 1 year of work experience, joined the organization before joining the work, and currently receives the salary of an assistant technician, 58 yuan per month.

58 yuan! Administrative rank 57 only makes yuan! Only clerks or regular rank officers can get this amount.

Student Xiao Wang has been working for two years, was rated as advanced twice, and was finally awarded the title of "technician". His salary increased three times and is only just reaching 55 yuan!

There’s no way around it, every unit is different. Who makes units like Post and Telecommunications so popular?

After working for more than a year, Tang Zhitong has a better understanding of the system. The staff is very stable and a very steady group.

In 57, the entire municipal bureau had about 5200 people. At the end of the same year, about 300 people were streamlined and sent to the grassroots level. This was the only time in the past three years.

In 58, the staff expanded to nearly 6500 people, and this year it has exceeded 7000.

A while ago, there was mobilization to return home and staff reduction, but there was no movement in the post and telecommunications sector. I guess at most they just moved some temporary workers.

Wu Haiyang was commended last year and showed his face in front of the big boss. In addition, the general situation at that time was that the staff was expanded everywhere and several layers of buffs were stacked. Only with Lao Wu's level did he get Tang Zhitong a chance to be a deliveryman.

A deliveryman earns about 40 yuan a month, which is the lowest salary in the entire postal and telecommunications system.

Then this Ma Wei... is very interesting.

Fang Yuan said that Ma Wei had no background. Tang Zhitong believed that Fang Yuan would not lie to him, and it was possible that what he learned was true.

As for whether Ma Wei has any background, Tang Zhitong is reserved for the time being.

It is understandable that everyone will flock to any good unit.

There are graduations every year, and there are assignments every year. Who goes to better units and who goes to worse units?
Qi Tongwei probably has something to say.

Although Tang Zhitong and Ma Wei had only met twice and did not talk much, they could see a lot from each other.

When they first met, Tang Zhitong didn't know Ma Wei's age, so he called her Xiao Ma. Her dress didn't look like a 23-year-old woman at all.

Ma Wei had a high salary. If she spent all the money she earned in a year on herself, the bicycle was acceptable, but as for the clothes she was wearing, Tang Zhitong felt that they were not something that could be worn just because one had money.

Ma Wei did not wear the uniform issued by the Municipal Bureau, but a hand-cut one.

It is very rare to find autumn and winter clothes that are straight and decent, and ordinary tailors do not have this skill.

And that pair of exquisite little leather shoes, handmade and custom-made, you could buy one for maybe ten yuan. In addition, there was a faint smell on Ma Wei, very nice, but not like perfume or body odor, because there was no such smell when we first met.

There is not even lipstick or perfume in China these days, is it floral water? ?

Then there is Ma Wei's attitude towards people. She is neither humble nor arrogant, knows her limits, and is not fawning. She just maintains the most basic etiquette and the relationship between superiors and subordinates. An average family would not be able to raise a child like this.

Tang Zhitong became curious and wondered what kind of person and family was behind Ma Wei.

Although he wanted to know a little, he would not ask Jill blindly. It would be bad if others found out.

Work is different from life. In life, although couples may quarrel occasionally, most of them have the same goals. But at work, one careless move may lead to life and death.

As the saying goes: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.

At present, Tang Zhitong is still unclear about Ma Wei's background, so he can only treat her like this for now, not offending her, not criticizing her, and praising her more.

When Tang Zhitong returned home, his family was already waiting for him to have dinner.

Tang Zhitong only had time to quickly prepare some dipping sauce. The tofu was freshly made today, so of course it had to be eaten while it was hot.

"Mom, this tofu tastes like it's made with brine. Where does our family get the brine?" Tang Zhitong picked up a piece, shaking it but not letting it fall apart. He took a bite and it tasted like old tofu.

Although Tang Zhitong had never made tofu, he at least knew the classification of tofu. Brine tofu, also known as old tofu in some places, corresponds to tender tofu, which is gypsum tofu.

After soybeans are ground with a stone mill, soy milk and bean dregs are formed. After the soy milk is boiled, brine or gypsum is added to solidify it into tofu pudding, which is then filtered through fine cloth and pressed hard to form tofu.

The Chinese idiom "Brine and tofu - one thing conquers another" describes one of the processes.

"Isn't brine made by mixing water with some coarse salt?" Zhang Guifang answered.

"Is it that simple?" Tang Zhitong asked in disbelief.

"It's that simple! I thought you knew everything, but it turns out there are things you don't know?" Zhang Guifang teased, and her two younger sisters also laughed.

"It's my fault that I have never ground tofu. Our soybeans are pretty good. I see there is a lot of tofu, but not much bean dregs." Tang Zhitong was not annoyed by being teased. He looked at the tofu in the basin, which was about ten pounds, but there were not many dregs after frying.

"Who said there isn't much bean dregs? I gave half of it to you, Aunt Ma." Zhang Guifang replied slowly.

"Okay, if you like it, eat more. I'll have a piece of steamed bread." Tang Zhitong has never been interested in tofu since he was a child. Although it has a fragrant smell, it makes the throat uncomfortable. And the feeling is different from that of cornmeal, which always makes him feel uncomfortable.

"I know you don't like it, so just eat whatever you want." Zhang Guifang handed a steamed bread next to her to her son, while Fengzhi took the bowl and put some tofu into her mouth, not craving for the steamed bread at all. Everyone has different tastes.

"Oh, by the way, when I came back, I saw that there was a new movie at the Sogo Cinema, which would start at around seven o'clock. Wenwen, after dinner, take our mom and sister to watch it." Tang Zhitong glanced at it as he passed by, then he remembered that Sister Chen from the trade union had given him a stack of movie tickets, which were still lying in the space.

"Why spend that money? I'm not going." Zhang Guifang was afraid of spending money, so she quickly shook her head and refused.

"It would be a waste if we don't go to see the movie with the tickets issued by the union. They can be used to offset the ticket money. We can walk a few more steps to Sogo, which is a Class A cinema. We can't go to the Dazhong Cinema in Yangshikou, which is a Class B cinema." Tang Zhitong took the ticket out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

"You're not going?" asked Xiao Wang.

"Well, I have to go to the jade factory. I haven't been there for several days." Tang Zhitong's ability to identify jade has not yet been fully developed. He has been hindered by something recently. He hopes that the jade factory has not cleaned up the broken jade materials.

"Why are you so obsessed with stones? You are not allowed to neglect your work." Zhang Guifang went to the Ma family today and met Ma Keqin. She found out that her son was as obsessed with stones as he was back then. However, there was one difference between the two. Her son had a proper job.

"Okay, don't worry, Mom. I'll just treat it as a toy and tinker with it. It doesn't cost any money anyway. Collect some stones, and in two years we'll build a fish tank in the yard and put the broken stones in it. Wow, it will look great." Tang Zhitong assured his mother with a smile.

There is a saying in Beijing: ceiling, fish tank, pomegranate tree, husband, fat dog, fat girl.

Tang Zhitong really longs for that kind of life.

Although Zhang Guifang did not agree with her son's idea, she just shook her head and did not deny it because her son was yearning for a better life with his daughter-in-law.

After dinner, Xiao Wang took his family to see a movie.

Since there were street lights on Flower Market Street, the flashlight was left to Tang Zhitong.

After Tang Zhitong cleaned up the table, he went to the jade factory and knocked on the door.

"Young man, you haven't been here for a while." The gatekeeper of the jade factory said with a smile after opening the door for Tang Zhitong.

"Well, I've been tied up by family matters these past two days. Thank you for your help, uncle." Tang Zhitong handed the old man a cigarette, lit it for him, and went in on his own.

Fortunately, the jade factory had not cleaned up the garbage recently. Tang Zhitong squatted beside it, holding a flashlight in one hand and digging through the pile of debris with the other.

After rummaging for a while, Tang Zhitong didn't find any pieces that he liked. He thought he should go back and learn more from Ma Keqin.

At this time, Xiao Wang had exchanged his tickets and sat down with his mother-in-law and sister-in-law, waiting for the movie to start. But no matter how long he waited, no one showed up. Some people in the cinema became impatient and started shouting.

"Everyone, I'm sorry, the film runner fell and broke his elbow. The film just arrived. Please be quiet. We'll start showing it soon." The theater manager trotted to the screen and apologized to everyone, calming the audience. After waiting for about three to five minutes, the theater lights went out and the screen lit up.

Cinemas today are different from what they will be in a few decades.

Nowadays, no matter what level of cinema, there is only one hall and one screen. The only difference is the number of seats, the comfort of the seats, and the sound effects.

Better theaters have two floors with velvet or leather seats, while inferior theaters have only one floor with hardwood seats.

It usually screens movies and occasionally serves as an auditorium, renting it out to some units or organizations for meetings, performance reports, commendation assemblies, etc.

Due to the solid materials used in theaters, many theaters are still in use more than 60 years later. They have simply changed their names and are now specialized in live performances or venues, instead of selling tickets and showing movies.

Meanwhile, Tong Wang lay in bed counting sheep, looking forward to tomorrow's arrival...

(End of this chapter)