Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 941 940 Wholesale Popsicles
Although music is only a relatively unimportant subject in compulsory education, it actually encompasses a great deal of content.

Leaving aside music history and theory, it can be further subdivided into conducting, vocal music, piano, orchestral music, folk music, composition, and even instrument making.

In terms of composition alone, it's quite difficult to master it, because it also involves the choice of instruments, which instrument to use at which syllable, when to emphasize a certain timbre, and so on.

Fortunately, Tang Zhitong's requirements were not high. He only needed to be able to read sheet music and know what kind of movement, key, and rhythm it was. The rest was naturally done by professionals.

Even amateurs can write, so Tang Zhitong felt that he didn't have much of a problem.

"Alright, it's almost time. Go back and digest this information. We'll continue tomorrow." Liu Songde raised his hand to look at his watch and closed his lecture notes.

"Okay, thank you, Director Liu. I have benefited greatly from your lecture today." Tang Zhitong told Liu Songde about his level of expertise, and Liu Songde taught according to his own level, explaining things in a simple and easy-to-understand way, which gave him a basic understanding of composition.

"I hope you don't mind my rambling. It's been a few years since I last taught this, so I haven't forgotten how." Liu Songde smiled. Although he had already indicated that get out of class was over, he remained seated in his chair.

"What are you saying? I think you must be the most popular teacher on campus." Tang Zhitong flattered Liu Songde, glanced at his watch, and said goodbye: "Director Liu, my sister and the others are about to finish class, I have to go pick them up, I'll come back tomorrow to receive your guidance."

Before class, Liu Songde was overly enthusiastic, and Tang Zhitong was worried that there was a trap. Now that class was over, she wanted to escape the office as soon as possible.

"Little Tang, don't rush, I have something to tell you." Liu Songde ignored Tang Zhitong's attempt to leave and beckoned him to stay.

"Director Liu, please speak." Liu Songde was Tang Zhitong's teacher after all, and Tang Zhitong couldn't pretend not to hear him when he asked her to stay, so she could only sit down again.

"Do you remember last winter break when you mentioned that the top students in your school were starting work early?" Liu Songde picked up his teacup, lifted the lid, took a sip, and asked.

"Starting work early?? Oh, you mean that? I remember now." Hearing Liu Songde mention it, Tang Zhitong's memory became vivid. During the winter vacation, when he came to drop off his two younger sisters, he happened to run into Zhang Erhe on campus. He also overheard Zhang Erhe arguing with his colleagues at Liu Songde's house. The focus of the argument was how to punish those students with bad behavior.

“I followed your line of thinking and reported it to the school. We found an opportunity to finalize it last semester, and things went smoothly. Everyone is quite satisfied. I discussed it with Lao Sun, and we decided to waive the tutoring fee this time.” Liu Songde said, taking the envelope out of his lesson plan book, but he was too embarrassed to say that he had benefited from this matter.

"Director Liu, what are you doing? I was just saying it casually. If you can take it as a reference, that's a reflection of your dedication and hard work for the school. It has nothing to do with me." Tang Zhitong waved his hands repeatedly, stood up and took two steps back, resolutely refusing to take back the tutoring fee.

"I was thinking of telling you after things were settled, but I was worried about potential setbacks, so I didn't say anything. To my shame, I also benefited a lot from this, and I wouldn't feel at ease if you didn't accept it." Seeing that Tang Zhitong was reluctant to accept it, Liu Songde finally softened his stance a little, explaining that he had benefited from Tang Zhitong's words. The implication was that this semester's teaching would be his way of giving back.

"Director Liu, I admire your integrity, but if I take this money today, not to mention what my mother will do to me, I'll be too ashamed to come to class again." Tang Zhitong still waved his hand, refusing to accept the money.

Liu Songde's refusal to accept the money was certainly not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it definitely wasn't something he had decided months in advance.

If he really wanted to get involved in this matter, he certainly wouldn't have waited until I came for tutoring to bring it up. It's just that Director Ye said I wanted to get tutoring from him, and he felt a little guilty for pretending not to know.

"This..." Liu Songde saw that Tang Zhitong insisted, and his hand stopped in mid-air, unsure whether to retract it or not.

“Director Liu, life is tough. I write songs to earn money, and you teach me to earn tuition. It’s all perfectly reasonable, so please accept it. Or should I take the thermos back with me first?” Tang Zhitong noticed Liu Songde’s hesitation, took two steps forward, took the envelope from his hand, and skillfully stuffed it into his lecture notes.

"Sigh, you child, let's go together." Liu Songde sighed, shook his head, and did not insist any further.

On the way back, Tang Zhitong couldn't help but gossip and ask Liu Songde about the outcome of the case.

Upon hearing that Zhang Erhe had been exiled to Hainan Island, Tang Zhitong smiled happily. There were Wuzhi Mountain and Wanquan River there, with beautiful scenery. He believed that Zhang Erhe would be so happy that he would never want to leave.
As for Nuk, who changed his fate, although he may travel around in the future, he may not necessarily meet him again.

After picking up his two younger sisters from Liu Songde's house, Tang Zhitong and his two companions went straight back to Dashizuo Hutong.

In order to implement the work-study program for his younger siblings during the summer vacation, Tang Zhitong had a special chat with the staff of the food factory when he went to the factory to buy popsicles wholesale a while ago.

The food factory distributes at least two batches of popsicles every day, mainly to several major grocery stores in the city.

The grocery store does not directly sell popsicles at retail, but it does wholesale them.

Their main wholesale customers are small vendors in their respective jurisdictions.

The profit margin for wholesale popsicles at grocery stores is very thin; they not only don't make much money, but sometimes they may even lose money.

Although the profit margin for wholesale popsicles is low, this industry is related to hundreds or thousands of residents who rely on popsicles to make a living. As an administrative unit, even if they don't want to do it, the grocery store has to keep quiet.

Because there are no freezers, the popsicles are very perishable; if they are not sold wholesale within three hours, they will melt and become unusable.

To minimize losses, grocery stores occasionally have to send their employees to deliver popsicles to factories where workers have high wages and sweltering working conditions.

This kind of behavior can at least earn praise, and even direct commendation in the newspapers, so it can be considered as serving the people.

Although there are no large grocery stores in Dashizuo Hutong, there is Xuechi Hutong to the east, and there is an ice cellar in Xuechi Hutong!

In the sweltering summer, the low temperature inside the ice cellar effectively slows down the melting of popsicles. Moreover, the ice cellar is located next to three scenic spots, so the food factory set up a popsicle wholesale point here.

After returning home with Fengzhen and Jingying, they ate dinner first.

After dinner, Xiao Gu tutored the two of them, and Jingmin followed Tang Zhitong around like a shadow: "Brother-in-law, when are we going to buy popsicles? How about we buy some ice cream together?"

"Hey, you're dreaming! Ice cream is only a dime a stick now, who are you going to sell it to?" Tang Zhitong laughed and flicked his brother-in-law on the head.

These days, ice cream is of high quality. Although it's frozen solid when it leaves the factory, it melts faster than popsicles due to the difference in thermal conductivity. If it can't be sold in a short time, it will become unsellable.

Technological products that can't be burned or melted and become soft and bouncy will actually have a market right now, because if they don't sell, they can just be frozen again.

"Stop flicking me, you're making me stupid." Jingmin rubbed his head and muttered in dissatisfaction.

"Your stupidity has nothing to do with whether I play it or not. Just stay home and wait, I'm going to buy popsicles wholesale." Tang Zhitong flicked his brother-in-law on the head again, then ran to the east wing to get the popsicle box. "Your stupidity has nothing to do with whether I play it or not, because you're stupid to begin with." The desk issue was resolved, but Jingmin changed his mind again, refusing to share the algae with Fengzhi, so Fengzhi seized the opportunity to make faces at her friends.

"You're the idiot, you're the idiot!" Jingmin retorted angrily, but dared not make a move. He couldn't beat her, which was only part of the reason. His eldest and second eldest sisters had warned him yesterday not to fight with Fengzhi, or they would use their electric shocks on him.

"Stop arguing, or you won't get any more popsicles." Tang Zhitong came out carrying a box of popsicles and warned the two little ones when she heard them bickering.

"Brother-in-law, can I have an ice pop?!" Jingmin was still thinking about how to eat a couple more ice pops before going to bed last night. One moment he hoped that they wouldn't sell, and the next he thought it would be better if he "accidentally" dropped them on the ground when he was getting ice pops for customers. As for stealing them? He hadn't thought about it.

Hearing this, Jingmin perked up, truly not expecting that he would be able to eat it before even taking any action.

"Can you sell popsicles without checking the goods? But you can't eat too many, one popsicle per person per day." Tang Zhitong drew a red line for the two little ones, not because he was worried about the money, but because eating too many popsicles could easily damage their spleen and stomach.

"Only one..." Jingmin was greatly disappointed.

“One is enough, at least… Brother, how much is the minimum?” Fengzhi didn’t know the price of popsicles, so she looked up and asked Tang Zhitong.

"At least three cents. I'll go take a look and buy some three-cent or five-cent popsicles," Tang Zhitong replied as he tied the popsicle box to the back of his bicycle.

The popsicle box was the one they had saved while working on the farm. When they moved, Fang Yuan saw it and asked Tang Zhitong about it. Tang Zhitong admitted that it was for his younger siblings to use for experiencing life during the holidays, and Fang Yuan didn't say anything.

"At least three cents, three cents can buy an eraser!" Fengzhi lectured Jingmin with a self-righteous attitude, thinking that he didn't know how to manage money.

Different families have different values, which will also be reflected in their consumption habits.

In Fengzhi's eyes, three cents was a lot, but Jingmin might not take it seriously.

Tang Zhitong didn't get involved in the two children's argument, but turned back before leaving and said, "No fighting, I'll be right back."

The ice cellar in Xuechi Hutong was less than 500 meters from the Tang family's new residence, which was only a short walk away. The reason for riding a bicycle was simply to save energy when carrying popsicles.

Although it's my first time here, there's no need to ask around. Just follow the vendors pushing carts to pick up their goods.

Among the vendors who come to buy popsicles wholesale, almost none of them bring bicycles; most of them use four-wheeled carts.

The wheels were barely bigger than a fist. I don't know if it was because it was old and in disrepair or because there were no bearings inside, but it made a creaking sound when pushed.

On the cart was a white wooden box covered with a cotton quilt, and the words "popsicle" or "ice cream" were written on the box in red paint.

"Ice cream" is often simplified to "彐糕", just like the test symbol on an eye chart.

Most of the people who use these four-wheeled vehicles are middle-aged or elderly women, who are basically earning a meager income to supplement their household expenses.

Despite her age, she was quite particular about her appearance, wearing white sleeves and a white apron, giving people a clean and hygienic impression.

"Young man, you look unfamiliar. Are you planning to go door-to-door selling ice cream?" While waiting in line to pick up his order, a middle-aged woman struck up a conversation with Tang Zhitong.

"No, my sister is on summer vacation, I just bought some for her to practice." Tang Zhitong smiled, speaking very politely.

"Oh, you're dressed so neatly, you don't look like someone who sells ice cream. Where are you planning to send your sister to exercise?" the middle-aged woman complimented, then continued to inquire.

"My home is in Dashizuo Hutong. I plan to set up a stall in front of my house and won't be running around." Tang Zhitong still smiled. He knew why people cared. He rode a bicycle, which gave him an advantage they didn't have. The profit margin in this business was meager. If he ran around quickly and scoured the hutong for ice cream, the ice cream he sold later might not sell well.

"It's good to live near home. Do you live near the south or north entrance?" The old lady in front of me chimed in as soon as the topic came up.

"Nankou won't affect this area," Tang Zhitong replied patiently.

Having walked back and forth along Sanzuomen Street many times, Tang Zhitong noticed that popsicle vendors would either stake out their stalls near the entrance of the scenic area or wander through the streets and alleys, but very few would set up stalls at the entrance of the alleys.

Tang Zhitong told them the location of his stall, both to reassure them and to let them avoid it when they were selling.

As expected, when Tang Zhitong mentioned the location of his stall, the men who had been talking to him breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't care what Tang Zhitong did for a living; they were only worried about whether it would affect their own business.

Checking the ice cream sales permit should be the responsibility of the pick-up point staff. The vendors, seeing that Tang Zhitong was a stranger, at least inquired about his situation. However, the staff here had no intention of checking at all and came up directly to ask Tang Zhitong what he wanted.

It's better not to check. Once I'm back at work, I can have Fengzhen and Jingying come and pick up the goods.

Since the 3-cent popsicles were out of stock, Tang Zhitong opted for the 5-cent ones, with red bean popsicles making up two-thirds of the selection, while cream, hawthorn, and Iraqi date popsicles combined only accounted for one-third.

"How about some double sticks?" The staff member noted down Tang Zhitong's order but didn't immediately settle the payment. Instead, they started pushing the product on him.

"No, thank you." Tang Zhitong shook his head. The original name of the double popsicle is Mandarin Duck Popsicle, but because there are two in one serving, many people are used to calling it "double popsicle".

As a result, even decades later, some elderly people will still habitually refer to twins as "double sticks" when they encounter them on the street.

"Give me another twenty bottles of Beibingyang soda." Seeing that the staff was taking a long time to process the order, Tang Zhitong increased the quantity.

Everyone has a task to complete; you can't just buy what sells well.

Ice cream melts if it doesn't sell, but soda doesn't. You can leave it in your cellar overnight and take it out chilled. Even if it doesn't sell, you can just put it back in the cellar.

(End of this chapter)