Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 636 635 Happiness comes from contrast

What is worrying is not poverty but inequality. What hurts people the most is not poverty but the harm caused by comparison.

On February 2, Tang Zhitong arrived at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and the first thing he felt was the youthful vitality.

Although the rations of 34 or 30 kilograms are not enough for some students with big appetites, it is much better than other places.

The biggest gain from Tang Zhitong's trip to Wuhan was the happiness of being a resident of this city, where the supply is stable and guaranteed.

Tang Zhitong returned to the dormitory. Fortunately, some people had not left yet, otherwise he would not know where to attend class today.

"Teacher Tang, didn't Teacher Zhou say you were on a business trip?" Lu Jian and Dou Yongchang hadn't left the house yet, and were a little surprised when they saw Tang Zhitong.

"Happy New Year, old friends!" Tang Zhitong bowed to the two of them and then explained, "My business trip went well, so I came back before the start of the school term and didn't tell Teacher Zhou specifically."

"Happy New Year, Happy New Year, is everything okay at home?" After Tang Zhitong's greetings, Lu Jian also followed up with his greetings.

"That's great, hahaha. How about we go to class?" Tang Zhitong squatted on the radiator with his lunch box and looked at his watch. It was almost time for class. He could only guess at his schedule for the new semester.

"The first two periods this morning are self-study. Shall we go to the classroom first?" Lu Jian took out cigarettes and passed them to Tang Zhitong.

"Thank you, roommate. I've quit smoking." Tang Zhitong smiled and waved his hand, refusing.

"Why did you quit smoking when everything was fine?" Dou Yongchang asked as he took the cigarette from Lu Jian.

"Well, it's just because I'm poor. If I spend ten cents on cigarettes a day, that's three dollars a month. If I go out and buy food coupons, I can buy three pounds." There was no one else in the dormitory, so Tang Zhitong spoke freely, but he didn't tell the truth. In this year, anything involving money would be related to food, which would never be wrong.

"Teacher Tang is really good at living. To be honest, we were just discussing about smoking leaf tobacco in the future, but I didn't expect that Teacher Tang was more courageous." Lu Jian struck a match, lit his and Dou Yongchang's cigarettes, and said with a smile.

"I'm different from you guys. I go home every day and there are people watching me at home. I don't have the chance to smoke leaf tobacco even if I want to." Tang Zhitong laughed and opened the door of the dormitory. Smoking leaf tobacco is also called "rolling cannon" in the old city.

Many people save some food rations from cigarettes, so many low-income groups will switch from cigarettes to tobacco leaves, but the supply of paper is reduced, and this is when the used exercise books of the children at home come in handy.

However, there are limited exercise books after all, so some people turn to newspapers, and a newspaper can be used for several days.

This means that the wind has not started yet. If the wind starts, you will have to be careful when using newspapers.

When we arrived at the fixed classroom 593 of Class 3216 of the Cable Department, the textbooks for the next semester were neatly arranged on Tang Zhitong's desk.

"Which kind-hearted person helped me move this here? I have to thank him very much." Seeing the textbooks, Tang Zhitong realized that he hadn't experienced college for many years. Only then did he realize that the start of the university term is quite different from that of elementary school, junior high school and high school.

On the first day of school for elementary, middle and high schools, students usually distribute textbooks and notebooks, play around for the whole morning, and then go to classes in the afternoon.

Classes officially start at the beginning of the university term, and textbooks and notebooks are distributed two days before the start of the term.

The classmates came from all over the world. Due to the inconvenient transportation, it was impossible for the students who went home to enter the classroom on time like Tang Zhitong. Most of them returned to campus early.

Tang Zhitong's voice attracted many students to turn around.

When they saw Tang Zhitong, everyone was very kind and smiled brightly. Although the Spring Festival had passed for half a month, the dumplings they had on the eve of the Spring Festival were still fresh in their memory.

Tang Zhitong smiled and waved to his classmates as a greeting. After all, everyone was studying quietly, so it was not appropriate to make noise at this time.

"Well, we are classmates in the same class, so we just moved it here. Besides, Teacher Tang is on a business trip." Luo Zhiping was still sitting at the back of the classroom. He gave Tang Zhitong the answer with a few words, and he was almost saying that he did it.

"Thank you, squad leader. We are here on a training basis. We cannot refuse the company's request for a business trip, right?" After Tang Zhitong sat down, he left out the textbooks he would need for today's class and neatly stuffed the rest into the desk hole.

I left last semester in a hurry and forgot about this. My textbooks from last semester are still in the hole in the desk. I have to take them home later.

"Hey, Teacher Tang, that's great. The department directly asked the Municipal Bureau for people. How about Wuhan?" Luo Zhiping didn't look like a student. He turned around and chatted with Tang Zhitong in a low voice.

When the other trainees heard this, they also became excited and their eyes were focused on Tang Zhitong.

"The Yangtze River Bridge is quite majestic. The bridge is so wide that several tanks can fit parallel to it..." Tang Zhitong avoided the main point and chatted with a few people in a low voice about what he saw and heard in Wuhan.

"Teacher Tang, who did the department select for your business trip?" Fang Qingliang was not led astray by Tang Zhitong. After listening to Tang Zhitong's description of the natural and cultural landscapes, he asked.

“Last year, I participated in the promotion of postal codes for a while.

There are several teams on this business trip. Maybe the higher-ups felt that there were not enough people, so they assigned me to do the work.

Not only do I have to go with the delivery people every day, but I also have to educate the public about postal codes, post notices, write postal codes, etc. I go back to the branch office to sort out the letters, and in the evening I either attend meetings or write investigation reports.

I am so tired every day that I don't even want to participate a second time." Tang Zhitong knew what these people wanted to hear, so he raised the difficulty level by several levels, but he said it with a smile. As for whether they believed it or not, he didn't care.

The reason I say this with a smile is because it doesn't count as complaining.

"That would be quite impressive. Does the department have any plans to go to Jin Province later? I'll treat you there." Lu Jian said sincerely.

"Hey, probably not. This time we only arranged people to go to places where the postal codes are not well promoted. It would be best if no one goes to your place." Tang Zhitong revealed the information while chatting and laughing.

This is not nonsense, because when Hao Ren showed him the notebook, Tianjin and Shanxi Province were not listed on it. Henan Province was there, but Tang Zhitong did not choose it.

Workers in Wuhan are already suffering from edema, so how difficult would it be for Henan Province to carry out its work? Tang Zhitong didn't want to think about it.

As sponsored students, they didn’t take studying that seriously. While other students were studying hard, these few people went out and smoked a few cigarettes.

Lu Jian pulled Tang Zhitong and walked at the back. He told him about the bag of flour and had already put it in Tang Zhitong's closet in the dormitory.

"Well, it's okay, just keep it for yourself, I'll bring it back from far away." Tang Zhitong didn't take it seriously, he still had several bags of flour. "That won't work, it's already very troublesome for Teacher Tang." Lu Jian shook his head, speaking sincerely.

"Okay, then I won't be polite to the dormitory chief. I'll take it back later." Speaking of the flour bags, Tang Zhitong remembered something and asked, "Dorm chief, you guys are back this time, so the rations should be moved back, right? I remember the certificate only states that the local supply is until February 2th. Forget about that. I'm going to the logistics department now."

"No need, Teacher Zhou has already done it." Lu Jian grabbed Tang Zhitong who was about to go to the logistics department and said.

"Oh, I forgot about it completely because of this incident." Tang Zhitong felt a little embarrassed. This was the first time he was a life committee member in this era, and there were indeed some details that he did not do well. Fortunately, he wrote a letter to Teacher Zhou before, otherwise these students who went home would not have meal tickets to eat today.

"It's inevitable because I'm busy with work." Lu Jian excused Tang Zhitong, and in his heart he actually recognized Tang Zhitong's character even more. Not only was he busy with work, but he also had to take care of the food and drink of his classmates. Well, after he came back, he heard about eating dumplings before the Spring Festival.

"I have to do my job well. Since everyone trusts me, I have to do a good job as the living committee member. I have to learn from this and not be so careless next time." Tang Zhitong did a not-so-deep self-examination. This is very popular these days. If there is a problem, look for it in yourself first, and external reasons become secondary...

At lunch time, there were not many vegetables in the cafeteria, just pickled vegetables and fermented tofu, which was not even as rich as what some of the students who returned to school brought from home.

Shi Huaian brought chili garlic sauce from home, which was packed in a saline bottle.

"Come, Teacher Tang, try the specialties of our hometown." Shi Huaian was very enthusiastic and was about to pour the bottle into Tang Zhitong's lunch box.

"Hey, this is good stuff. Just a little bit will do. It would be a waste to pour it into the lunch box. Come, try this steamed bread." Tang Zhitong recognized it at a glance when he saw the dark red sauce mixed with chili seeds in the bottle.

"It has to be Teacher Tang who is knowledgeable and knows what this is." As soon as Shi Huaian heard Tang Zhitong's words, he started to praise him.

"Hey, I don't deserve it. When I was working at the construction site, the chef in the canteen made it for me. Garlic chili sauce, is that what it's called?" Tang Zhitong took some of it with his steamed bread, and didn't want to eat it for nothing. He pushed his lunch box to the middle: "Come on, try it all. It's the Chinese toon pickles from last year."

"Yes, it's chili garlic sauce. Last year, I thought life in Beijing was better, so I didn't bring it here." Shi Huaian also distributed some to other roommates.

"Okay, Old Shi. We've all eaten. Keep it. It's still early to eat vegetables when spring comes." Dou Yongchang declined. Their living conditions were even worse, so he and Lu Jian didn't bring any food with them this time, except vinegar.

"Eat, eat, I still have a bottle here. It can't be kept after it's opened, so eat Lao Shi's first, and then open my bottle. Let's try to hold on until spring vegetables come down." Fang Qingliang said from the side.

"Then I'll contribute too, and make some pickles for everyone later." Tang Zhitong said happily.

Right now the supply of green vegetables in the city is very limited, but ordinary people can buy pickles with vegetable coupons. As for the Tang family, there is no shortage of ordinary pickled vegetables. Every year Zhang Guifang pickles half a jar of them.

Because the yard produces some pickles, we can’t finish eating them all every year and there are enough to share.

Thinking of pickles, Tang Zhitong remembered the soybean paste that his uncle and aunt packed for him when he went to the Northeast Forest Farm. He had to write it down in a small notebook and take it out to make pickles when the time came.

"That's great. To be honest, I tasted the pickles made by Teacher Tang at school. I scolded my wife when I got home. What was that? It was far worse than what Teacher Tang made." Dou Yongchang took his vinegar bottle and offered it to everyone: "Come on, does anyone want to drink some?"

"Forget it, just you and the dorm leader should drink. None of us can enjoy this blessing." The others shook their heads.

Dou Yongchang and Lu Jian did not hesitate to pour the vinegar directly into the enamel jar. They took a mouthful of rice, a mouthful of pickles, and a mouthful of vinegar. Looking at their expressions, they looked very happy and enjoyed themselves very much.

The rice was not very good, still double steamed and with more volume, but it looked a little drier than before the Spring Festival, maybe someone suggested it? Or maybe it was compensation for not having any dishes.

The dishes were also very ordinary, but everyone was talking enthusiastically and eating with relish.

The Tang family did not eat double-steamed rice, so the dry food they brought was the strongest in the entire dormitory. However, Tang Zhitong knew what to do and did not bring more. Usually he brought two steamed buns, but this time he only brought one and a half.

Anyway, I will go home after class in the afternoon, so it doesn’t matter if I miss some time at noon, I can make it up on the way or on the way home.

After class in the afternoon, Tang Zhitong did not go to the escort department, but went straight to the Beijing Library to find Xiao Wang.

Before leaving get off work the day before yesterday, Tang Zhitong told Ma Wei that he would go there at irregular intervals according to the class schedule, and if there was anything urgent, he would call the boys' dormitory three.

After being robbed twice in Wuhan, Tang Zhitong plans to pick up and drop off Xiao Wang and his two younger sisters as much as possible during this period.

The Beijing Library is obviously quieter than before, and there are far fewer bicycles in the parking lot in the yard.

When Tang Zhitong pushed open the door of Xiao Wang's office, she was reading a book with great interest.

"What book? Are you so obsessed with it?" Tang Zhitong closed the door casually. Jiang Ye was not there. Xiao Wang said that she was about to give birth and had already taken a vacation.

"Here." Student Xiao Wang looked up, gave Tang Zhitong a sweet smile, and lifted the book up.

"Wow, a storybook. Is it interesting?" Tang Zhitong took a quick look. It was Aesop's Fables, translated by Zhou Qiming.

Zhou Qiming, whose original name was Zhou Kuishou and also known as Zhou Kuishou, later changed his name to Zhou Zuoren. He had many aliases and pen names. He was Lu Xun's younger brother.

"These stories about small animals are quite interesting. I think they can be shown to my younger brothers and sisters." Xiao Wang closed the book and stood up to pour water for her husband.

"It's good to read it as an extracurricular book." Tang Zhitong read Aesop's fables when he was a child. At that time, he couldn't read it that deeply. He just felt that the animals in it were very distinctive. For example, the fox represents cunning.

The stories in it, such as "The Tortoise and the Hare", "The Crow and the Fox" and "The Fox and the Grapes", are all familiar to children and have had a place in Chinese textbooks over the years. However, they are not included in Chinese textbooks of this year as current Chinese textbooks are relatively orthodox.

For adults, it would be more interesting if the animals in Aesop's fables were replaced by humans. I wonder if the animals were anthropomorphized at the time because "the platform did not allow it to be broadcast."

Some people say that Aesop's Fables were written by Aesop, a slave owner, to his slaves, so that his slaves would feel better after listening to the stories.

Tang Zhitong was skeptical about this statement. How many slaves were literate at that time?
Would a slave owner be so kind as to write a book for his slaves?

However, those were things that happened thousands of years ago, so it is difficult to research them. But we can find something different from the cotton plantations a hundred years ago. No slave owner would write books or tell stories about the tools for picking cotton. If they were disobedient, they would be beaten with a whip. If one beating didn't work, they would be beaten again. There would always be a day when they would be beaten into submission.

(End of this chapter)