The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 452 What reporter Xiao Li saw and heard

By the mid-to-late 1970s, every gentleman in Beijing began to drink beer in the summer.

When people want to drink, each family sends one person to the supply and marketing cooperative or liquor store with a thermos, and the drink is not finished until the bottle is filled.

Whenever summer comes, the "Yanjing" beer produced in Liujiazhuang that we drink is almost out of stock.

"Yanjing" beer is another main product of Liujiazhuang "Yeshan Brewery".

In June in the capital, the weather gradually became hotter, as if even the air was filled with a sense of anxiety.

In this busy city, people are eager to find a little comfort and relaxation after a whole day of running around and working hard.

For ordinary people, what could be more pleasant than drinking a glass of ice-cold beer in this hot summer?

The coolness and sweetness of beer seem to take away all fatigue and worries in an instant, making people intoxicated and unable to extricate themselves.

In recent years, jobs pulling tricycles seem to have become increasingly popular.

Uncle An Wuye is the best among these many "Boyes". He earns more money every day than an eighth-level worker.

Now that you have made money, you certainly can't neglect your stomach.

In the evening, Mr. An Wu first came to a pub and got a thermos of ice-cold beer.

The beer's foam is delicate and rich, exuding an enticing aroma that makes people salivate.

Afterwards, he rode his tricycle to a grocery store near Jiaodaokou, ready to pick out a few side dishes to go with his wine so that he could fully enjoy this rare comfort.

When he arrived at the door of the grocery store, he happened to meet Xiao Li who was looking around at the door.

Uncle An Wu saw that he hadn't come in for a long time, so he thought about asking him what was going on.

It turned out that Xiao Li was a newspaper reporter from another place. He was very interested in the hutong culture and "Erguotou" culture of the old city. He wanted to come here to open it and see if he could discover some stories about the past of the old capital.

Master An Wu understood his intention and patted him on the shoulder happily, praising him repeatedly for being “really clever”. He also explained to him, “It was probably during the Republic of China period, when the men in our city started to eat snacks after drinking Erguotou, and this grocery store was gradually opened. However, the boss has a mediocre relationship with the owner of the small wine shop next door.”

"After drinking at the wine shop, they ordered peanuts, mixed tomatoes, pork head, and braised beef as side dishes at the wine shop. They bought them at the grocery store to drink at home. Do you think they can get along?"

Reporter Xiao Li immediately understood what Master An Wu meant.

Master An Wu smiled and said, "Let's go in and take a look. I just want to buy some side dishes. This place is still open. The former owner was Manager Li. I don't know if he has retired now. I haven't been here for a while."

Xiao Li followed Master An Wu into the house, which was filled with soy sauce, soybean paste, and other essentials for the common people, as well as side dishes...

Master An Wu bought two pork elbows, and while paying, he muttered, "In the past, when everyone drank, they couldn't afford such expensive meat. Just a little bit can go with the wine.

The wine we drank was not expensive, just Red Star Erguotou and Lotus White, which were strong enough. Later, we tried Yanshan and Taihang.

It’s better to drink Taihang. There’s nothing wrong with this wine except that it’s a bit expensive.

If you don’t have money at home, you can bring empty bottles. There are loose bottles of liquor at 1.3 or 1.7 yuan per ounce, and you can drink it.”

Xiao Li took out his notebook and started sketching. He smiled and replied to Master An Wu: "Master, we in the island city also like to drink Yanshan and Taihang. This wine is really good. Our local government uses it to entertain guests!"

Master An Wu heard this as if he had met a bosom friend, "Really? Don't you have your own wine in Dongshan Province?"

Reporter Xiao Li nodded and said, "Yes, there are, but people still prefer [Yanshan] and [Taihang]. These wines have occupied our local market for nearly ten years!"

Speaking of [Yanshan] and [Taihang], Master An Wu suddenly became interested. "... Is expensive wine good? Why do the children of officials in the compound also drink [Taihang] and smoke Xiangshan cigarettes? [Moutai] is used for gifts and asking for favors. It is not practical for personal use."

"Just like now, the wine stored in the uncle's house does not have Moutai or Wuliangye. One reason is that we can't afford it. It's not cost-effective and we don't want to spend the extra money. The old copper pot is matched with the wine that ordinary people drink. I used to drink Red Star, but now I drink Taihang. When it's hot, I drink Yanjing."

"By the way, do you know [Yanjing] beer?"

Xiao Li shook his head slightly, with a confident smile on his face, and replied: "We in the island city still like to drink our local [Q Island] beer. Its taste is undoubtedly the best in the country!"

When Master An Wu heard this, he immediately became alert. He narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "Xiao Li, do you know the origin of this [Yanjing Beer]? It has the same origin as [Yanshan] and [Taihang], and comes from the same brewery. The taste is absolutely first-class.

As for the [Q Island] beer you mentioned, I have also tried it. To be honest, I think they each have their own characteristics and merits. "

Xiao Li became interested after hearing this, "Really? I'd like to try it someday!"

Mr. An Wu was in a good mood today. He had a great time talking to reporter Xiao Li who came to interview him. He felt that they got along well, so he warmly invited Xiao Li to visit his home. "Xiao Li, today is the best day to meet someone. If you don't mind my old age, come home with me and we can have a drink together. How about that?"

Hearing this, Xiao Li was secretly surprised at the straightforwardness and enthusiasm of this Beijing man. It was beyond his expectation that he would be so sincere in inviting him to his home for a drink shortly after they met.

But he was also a straightforward person, and he didn't want to reject Master An Wu's kindness, so he readily agreed: "Haha, Master, since you are so kind, I will respectfully obey your command! Let's go now and have a good drink!"

"How can you drink without good food? If you treat me to a drink, I will treat you to a meal, okay?"

So, the two of them bought a sumptuous meal and then got on An Wuye's iconic tricycle, and rode back to the ancient Nanluoguxiang on a bumpy ride.

The tricycle moved slowly forward on the bluestone road, and the sound of the wheels rubbing against the ground echoed through the alleys.

While pedaling his bike, Uncle An Wu told the reporter Xiao Li who was sitting behind him about the history and changes of this area.

Xiao Li is a reporter for the Dongshan provincial newspaper and is quite famous in the local propaganda field. His purpose of coming to Beijing is to learn about the stories of the old city, so he is very happy to listen to Master An Wu's stories.

What Mr. An Wu did not expect was that this unexpected encounter would later bring a huge amount of publicity to Yanjing Beer.

Let me tell you, Xiao Li looked at the streets of the old city these days and saw the shadow of the planned economy still everywhere as he walked.

In daily life, everything from rice, flour, oil, salt to bicycles and home appliances still needs to be purchased with tickets.

State-owned units are like the head of the family, taking charge of all work and material distribution.

Although some people may still be living a tight life, most people's lives are starting to get better.

The tricycles in Beijing are also a beautiful sight.

Tricycles are not only a good helper for delivering goods, but also a means of livelihood for many people.

On the streets and alleys, you can always see busy tricycle drivers like An Wuye, selling pickles, vegetables, and even pushing carts to sell popsicles.

These vendors may look ordinary, but some of them are actually employees of state-owned enterprises, and each tricycle is a "mobile retail department."

"State-owned ones are so delicious!" Xiao Li was filled with emotion. From convenience stores to restaurants and soy sauce and vinegar shops, he could see the "state-owned" signs everywhere.

However, Xiao Li keenly discovered that the smart Beijing people quickly recognized the potential, and some daring self-employed individuals began to quietly appear on the scene, pushing tricycles through the streets to sell small commodities.

Although this new approach was not widely accepted at first, it quietly laid the seeds for the future development of the individual economy.

…………

As for alcohol, there are a large number of fans all over the world. People in country M love to drink whiskey, people in country E love to drink vodka, people in country Japan love to drink sake, people in country H love to drink shochu, not to mention people in country Xia.

Drinking is not fun if you are alone or with someone else. It is more enjoyable if you find a few good friends to drink together.

Passing by No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, Master An Wu also called Sha Zhu and Yan Bugui.

When Yan Bugui heard that Master An Wu wanted to treat them to a big drink, he was very happy. Even for a cadre family like theirs, they could not drink and eat meat every day.

As the canteen director, Sha Zhudao has the conditions to eat meat frequently, but he drinks alone at home. How can he enjoy it with so many people?

When they arrived at Master An Wu's yard, Sha Zhu, Yan Bugui and reporter Xiao Li got to know each other.

The courtyard house in the old city of Sijiu was a place for drinking.

Especially on summer nights, waiting for the sun to set at six or seven o'clock and for the cool breeze to rise.

Several people sat together, fanning themselves with large palm-leaf fans and holding small stools, around a table, and then took beer from the well.

Cut half a pound of pork head meat and some peanuts, and you can enjoy the drink. These days, ordinary people generally have more money, and can get together with a few friends for a drink from time to time.

There are more brands of beer, including the locally produced [Yanjing], those from other places, bottled, canned, and later on, "draft beer" became popular.

It is hard to say how much there is in this bundle. Some can make up a bottle, while others can make up two large cups.

For example, if people are well-off and have a refrigerator at home, iced beer becomes a common drink in summer.

Drinking a bottle of ice-cold beer on a hot day is so refreshing.

……

After three rounds of drinks, Master An Wu started telling the story of drinking.

It is said that these days, most people actually don’t have much money, even those who were born and raised in the old city.

Don’t be fooled by the fact that everyone is poor!

But the people of the capital, the common people living under the imperial city, in the feudal society of the past, when the common people said, "We are neighbors with the emperor," they were born with a sense of superiority, and they didn't know what benefits being neighbors with the emperor could bring to them, but there was no way, and this was also the capital for them to look down on others with their chins held high.

There is a saying in Beijing: "Standing in the wind when it's cold will make your belly stick out when you're hungry." Even if you can't afford to eat at home, you still have to go out to show off your wealth.

This kind of thing has happened to Master An Wu a few times.

One year, Mr. An Wu received an invitation from an old friend to have dinner near Dong'an Market. When the people at the table met, they all started to murmur, "Hey! Did this guy take the wrong medicine today? This guy is a famous "stingy man", why is he so generous to treat us to dinner today?"

In those days, treating someone to a meal was a big deal, especially if it happened to a "stingy" person.

At the beginning, everyone was somewhat wary, but as the wine went on for seven rounds and the dishes were served, everyone became more and more happy to talk, and a few friends who couldn't hold their liquor had already dived under the table.

All the previous doubts have long been thrown behind me. Just eat if they treat you. Why bother with so many things?

Just when we were having a great time drinking, the friend who had treated us ran away under the pretext of going to the toilet.

According to Master An Wu, he was very alert at that time, because it was not the first time he had seen such a thing, so he was naturally on guard. In addition, Master An Wu had a high alcohol tolerance and his mind was very clear. His first reaction was "Oh no, this kid must have run away!"

After hearing this, everyone became half sober and the people lying under the table sat up at once. Can you imagine where people could run to at that time? No doubt they would run to the bus stop.

Uncle An Wu was still young at that time. He rode a tricycle all year round and was in good health. He was thin, about 1.7 meters tall, and his long legs could get him quite fast.

The waiters from the restaurant behind were also running after him, thinking that it would be fine if you guys caught up with him, but if you couldn't, you guys would have to pool your money to pay for the drinks.

When he ran to the station, he saw the kid squeezing into the trolleybus. Uncle An Wu went up and pulled him down.

This wine is not very decent. You may ask, isn't it just a meal? Is it worth pursuing it so hard? It's so fresh. If you can't catch up, who can pay for it...

After listening to Master An Wu's story, Yan Bugui said, "Wine is the essence of food, and it is indispensable for three meals a day!
When I was a kid, I didn’t understand alcohol. I thought drinking it was a torture and I hated it.

When we drink as adults, it is mostly for the purpose of being sociable. Even though we hate it from the bottom of our hearts, we still have to have a few sips.

After entering middle age, wine is like an old friend. I wish I could have it around every day and chat with it.

Therefore, many adults like to drink alcohol, firstly to relieve boredom, and secondly to savor the ups and downs of life over the years. "

Upon hearing this, reporter Li showed great respect for Yan Bugui. He felt that the old man in front of him was extraordinary and what he said was very philosophical.

"Uncle Yan, you said it very well. I toast to you!"

It was Sha Zhu's turn to speak. Having been the canteen director for so many years, he had developed a good eloquence.

Sha Zhu told Xiao Li about the drinking culture of the people in their city of Sijiu.

"Hey! Let's start with the reasons for drinking.

Drinking wine during festivals is called "festive wine".

People drink alcohol when they get married, which is called "wedding wine"; the celebration of the full moon of a child is called "full moon wine".

Even if someone has passed away, a few tables will be set up after the funeral, which is called "Xiehe wine".

It means to express gratitude to neighbors for their help, especially for weddings or funerals of the elderly, when more tables should be set up.

In addition, when friends gather or relatives visit, people can drink at any time, so there is a saying that "no party is complete without wine."

…………

Xiao Li, a reporter from Dongshan Provincial Newspaper, gained a lot from the dinner at An Wuye's house.

Later, he published a series of articles in newspapers about what he had seen and heard, which caused quite a stir.

He discovered that the people in the capital city particularly loved drinking. What’s interesting is that they even divided drinkers into different levels.

Such as "drinking buddy", "wine star", "wine bag", "wine putty", "drunkard" and so on.

"Drinking buddies" is a general term, referring to those who make friends with wine and get together from time to time to drink and chat.

A "drinking star" is someone who can drink a lot, but he doesn't drink every day. If he wants to drink, he drinks to his heart's content. No matter how much he drinks, he acts as if nothing happened. He is a person who does what he is supposed to do. People look at him differently and most people don't dare to sit down and drink with him easily.

"Drunkards" are those who can drink a lot and drink over 150 grams of alcohol at every meal, and most of them are strong liquor, which they get drunk from time to time.

"Jiutizi" can drink relatively speaking not a lot, but he cannot live without wine every day. He can drink eight times a day, and each meal is only two taels of wine. His food and drinks are simple, just a cucumber or a handful of peanuts. Sometimes he just drinks plainly. Once he is drunk, he will definitely cause trouble. He is the most despised person in the alley.

"Drunkard" is a derogatory term for those who are addicted to alcohol, do not do their job all day, do nothing but alcohol, and are often drunk. Serious drinkers rarely sit down to drink with these people.

Drinking customs vary from place to place, and the people in the capital also have unwritten rules for drinking.

Let’s talk about pouring wine first, commonly known as “filling the wine”. The first glass should be filled, which is called “full wine with a full heart”.

If you are someone who doesn't drink at all, it's best not to sit together. Even if you sit down, don't touch the cup. As long as you show some interest, you will be considered as someone who can drink, and you will have to drink at least one glass. If you meet a "polite" host, he will make sure you get drunk.

If you only drink one glass and don't drink any more, you will be regarded as being impolite, unfriendly, and not giving face.

When offering wine to elders, hold the cup with both hands, lower the cup, and the rim of the cup should not be higher than the elder's cup. Then touch it lightly and drink from the cup with both hands to show respect.

When the fish plate is served, whoever is facing the fish head has to drink two glasses of wine, and the person facing the fish tail has to drink one glass. This is commonly known as "two glasses for the head and one for the tail", and is also jokingly called "both head and tail".

The person who takes the lead in toasting must drink it all first. If there is any residual wine in the glass, he will be punished, which is called "three cups of wine for every drop of wine".

If people are in a good mood after drinking, they will play drinking games and let their feelings flow.

The so-called finger-guessing drinking game is that two people each throw a punch at the same time and call out a number in their mouths to guess the sum of the numbers of the other person's and their own punches. The one who guesses correctly is the winner, and the loser drinks.

If both guess correctly, they each drink a glass. If both guess incorrectly, they continue to play until the winner is determined.

The most common drinking songs were "Sincerely respect, good brothers, three stars shining, four seasons of wealth, five champions, six smooth sailing, seven tricks, eight horses, nine linked rings, all here!"

On that day, reporter Xiao Li had drunk too much and politely declined An Wuye's sincere invitation to stay overnight. Then, Sha Zhu rode his old bicycle and safely sent Xiao Li to a nearby guesthouse to settle down.

After ten o'clock, Sha Zhu, who had completed the escort mission, finally returned to the Nanluoguxiang courtyard.

The night was as dark as ink and everything was silent, with only the occasional chirping of insects breaking the tranquility.

Pushing his bicycle, Sha Zhu stepped into the central courtyard and just parked the bicycle under the eaves.

A sudden hoarse voice sounded behind him: "Zhu Zi, you're back!" The voice was like thunder in the dark night, causing Sha Zhu to tremble violently.

He turned around quickly, and with the weak moonlight, he saw the person clearly. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief: "Hi! It's Sister Qin! It's so late, you haven't rested yet? What's the matter?"

Qin Huairu did not answer, but just grabbed Sha Zhu's arm tightly and said solemnly: "Zhu Zi, come here for a moment, I have something to tell you."

(End of this chapter)