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

Chapter 507 The "Working Girl" in Liujiazhuang!!!
"The flower of happiness blooms in my heart,
The song of love blows in the wind

Our hearts fly far away

Looking forward to the beautiful revolutionary ideal
Oh, dear people, go forward hand in hand, go forward hand in hand
Our lives are full of sunshine and sunshine..."

At the gates of the major factories in Liujiazhuang with red signs, golden sunlight shines through the scattered leaves. People in blue-gray work clothes ride or push their own bicycles.

Most of the girls had two braided pigtails, while some had short hair. They talked and laughed, becoming a beautiful scenery in that passionate era.

Compared with the makeshift team of those years, most of the large factories in Liujiazhuang at that time had dormitories, sports fields, auditoriums, shops, bathhouses, schools, etc.

This is like a small society that can function on its own.

Such a "social concentrator" condenses the youthful memories of the younger generation.

In the factories in Liujiazhuang, in addition to the basic guarantees provided by the workshops and dormitories, the canteens, hospitals, schools, shops, barber shops, sports fields, cinemas, clubs, and the ball games, art performances, and film screenings regularly held in these venues enrich people's material and spiritual needs and strengthen exchanges and interactions between acquaintances.

Xiaodang also lives in the unit’s dormitory.

The collective dormitories in this factory are not like those in schools. They are separated for men and women, and there are many single students living there.

There are not so many people in the company's dormitory, and men and women can visit each other. Although there is a dormitory manager, he doesn't care about anything.

There is a big sister in the female dormitory. People call her Dabai. She is tall, well-proportioned and very beautiful. She is almost 30 years old and a mother of two children. Because she is divorced, she lives in a single dormitory.

Dabai is cheerful and humorous. She often comes to the men's dormitory to chat with me and Xiaodang, telling them some strange stories and history in Liujiazhuang.

Later, I heard from other colleagues that Dabai was a miserable person. She became an orphan when she was in middle school, and she lived with a younger brother and a younger sister.

Dabai's parents are old employees of a state-owned factory. It is said that their family also had shares when the public and private enterprises were merged.

Later, their family voluntarily gave up their shares.

After Dabai's parents died, the city's labor union gave the three siblings monthly relief funds.

When Dabai graduated from junior high school, the trade union came forward to negotiate with the school. Instead of going to the countryside, she rode her bicycle directly to the factory to work.

After his younger brothers and sisters went to the countryside, Dabai got married.

Dabai gave birth to two daughters. When the second daughter was still breastfeeding, her husband told her something.

Her husband said that he had sex with another woman after drinking, and the woman became pregnant, so she wanted to sue him.

If the other party sues him for having problematic lifestyle, he may lose his job.

Her husband knelt in front of Dabai, crying and begging for a divorce.

The husband assured that this was a fake divorce.

After the other party gives birth to the child, he will divorce the woman and remarry Dabai.

Dabai's parents-in-law also begged Dabai to be kind and promised to let her go home in two years.

Dabai softened her heart and agreed to the request of her husband and in-laws.

Dabai thought this was a fake divorce, so she left the house with nothing.

Because Dabai's second daughter is breastfeeding, she belongs to her.

But Dabai had no house and could only live in a dormitory, so the second daughter had to stay at her husband's house.

Dabai's husband and mother-in-law both said that this was temporary and that they would get rid of the vixen in two years.

Just like that, Dabai went through the divorce procedures with her husband in a daze.

Dabai waited hopefully for two years, but her husband did not divorce her, and after three years, he still did not divorce her.

Only at this moment did Dabai realize that she had been cheated by her ex-husband.

Now it has been four or five years, and my ex-husband has not divorced me yet.

The fox spirit gave birth to a son, while Dabai only gave birth to two daughters.

Dabai told Xiaodang that because the vixen gave birth to a son, her ex-husband would not remarry her.

Although Dabai has a rough fate, he has a very generous personality.

This lady has a very good relationship with the canteen staff at her workplace.

Dabai often orders cooking oil, vegetables and meat from the canteen to make delicious meals to improve his life.

At this time, she would invite Xiaodang and others to dinner.

Xiaodang and her friends couldn't go there for nothing, so they brought a bottle of "Taihang" wine, one of the best wines of that era.

After nearly twenty years of development, Liujiazhuang's "Wild Mountain Liquor" has become the fourth most famous liquor in China after Maotai, Fenjiu and Wuliangye.

Last year, it surpassed Fenjiu in sales for the first time, becoming the brand with the highest sales in China, and is sold far and wide both at home and abroad.

A group of female comrades used teacups instead of wine cups. Each person poured a little, and the whole bottle of wine was empty.

After drinking, Dabai would talk about her ex-husband.

Even though her ex-husband tricked her into divorce and left her with nothing, she still missed the days with her husband.

However, she also advised Xiao Dang to keep his eyes open and be wary of those gigolos, especially those with intellectual background.

However, at this time Xiaodang was already immersed in the sweetness of love and turned a deaf ear to Dabai's advice.

Most of the time, Dabai would tell jokes and talk about happy things with Xiaodang.

Dabai has a special ability, which is to make everyone active.

Sometimes, they want to drink but don't want to spend too much money in a restaurant.

Xiaodang and her friends would go to the store to buy a bottle of "Taihang" wine, some meat and vegetables, and ask Dabai to cook for them.

Dabai has great cooking skills and the dishes he makes are delicious and fragrant.

Moreover, Dabai is not only good at cooking, but her techniques are also top-notch.

She is the technical backbone of the workshop.

Many non-standard and special-shaped parts are completed by Dabai.

Dabai also has a very nice name, Magnolia.

Magnolia, what a beautiful name, it really suits the person.

After everyone became very familiar with each other, Xiaodang and the others would jokingly call her Yulan, saying that Yulan sounded better than Dabai.

She refused, she said with a smile, "Why do you little brats call me Yulan? I, an old man, was the one who called me Yulan!"

Later, Yulan's youngest daughter also came to live in the single dormitory. Yulan took care of her daughter going to school and doing homework, so she had no time to drink with Xiaodang and the others.

Later, Xiaodang got married and left the dormitory.

The man Xiaodang married was none other than the pretty boy that Bai Yulan mentioned, Sun Yuquan, an engineer at the Liujiazhuang Bicycle Factory.

When Sun Yuquan was a child, he moved to Liujiazhuang with his parents. Thanks to the good education in Liujiazhuang, Sun Yuquan eventually went to a junior college when he grew up.

After graduation, he chose to return to Liujiazhuang to become an engineer.

Sun Yuquan comes from a well-off family. His parents are both veteran employees of various enterprises in Liujiazhuang. The family owns a house and a car (motorcycle).

Xiaodang is of course very satisfied to find such a partner.

…………

"People go to high places, and water flows to low places." The spring breeze of reform and opening up has blown across the land of China.

The southeastern coastal areas began to undergo tremendous changes, but before that, the Liujiazhuang area in western Beijing, deep between the Yanshan Mountains and the Taihang Mountains, was the first to embark on the rapid development train.

In this land full of opportunities, modern factories have sprung up like mushrooms after rain.

This prosperous scene has attracted the attention of many rural young people, who, with their yearning for a better life, fly to these areas like peacocks chasing their dreams.

The phenomenon of "The Peacock Flies Southeast" came into being, and many rural youths around the capital left their homes and embarked on the journey to work in Liujiazhuang area.

In these days, Liujiazhuang, like the southeastern coastal areas, has demonstrated strong economic vitality and development potential.

There are advanced technology, rich resources and a vast market here, providing countless opportunities for rural youth who are eager to change their destiny.

They left their familiar hometowns and came to this strange but hopeful place. With their sweat and hard work, they contributed to the prosperity of this land and worked hard for their own future.

They believe that here, as long as they work hard, they can realize their dreams and live a better life.

"Times have changed and things are no longer the same as they were before."

Let’s just say that the advanced manufacturing industry in later generations is quite impressive, but if we go back to the 1980s, the situation would be very different.

At this time, traditional industries occupied a dominant position, such as the production of clothing, daily necessities, toys, and electronic products, which were the main industries at that time.

The gap between the factories of today and those of later generations is huge.

In later factories, many robots are employed to do the work, but the factory facilities in the 1980s were relatively backward.

Nowadays, there are not so many high-tech gadgets, and the production process still mostly has to be completed manually.

In this era, people worked hard under such relatively simple conditions and contributed their own strength to economic development. Although the conditions in these years were not as good as those in later generations, it was an era full of struggle and hope!

"Curiosity kills the cat", but some people just can't help but be curious and want to know what the "working girls" in the early 80s looked like and what the environment was like in the factories of that era.

Okay, let’s talk about it today to satisfy everyone’s curiosity!
The 80s was a time of change and hope.

Xiaguo's reform and opening up had just begun, and the economy began to flourish.

Many young people from rural areas, with their dreams and yearning for a better life, flocked to urban factories and became "working girls".

Most of these "working girls" come from rural areas. They are simple, hardworking and full of energy.

They bid farewell to their familiar hometowns and loved ones, came to a strange city, and joined the factory production line.

The conditions in factories back then were not as good as those in later generations.

Most of the factories may be somewhat shabby and the equipment is relatively old, but this has not stopped the enthusiasm and hard work of the "working girls".

In the factories in Liujiazhuang, the "working girls" are wearing simple work clothes. Some are operating machines carefully, some are busy moving goods, and others are concentrating on checking product quality.

Their faces are filled with seriousness and concentration, which reflects their responsibility for their work and their expectations for the future.

The factory environment nowadays is very exquisite!

There is a saying that goes: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; a river is formed by the accumulation of small streams."

Energy conservation is something that is given high priority in the Liujiazhuang factory.

Slogans reading "Energy conservation is a long-term and long-term plan" can be seen everywhere in the factory.

People now deeply realize the preciousness of energy.

This slogan is not just a few words, it is a concept and a responsibility for the future.

Every corner of the factory seems to be telling the importance of saving energy.

At this time in the factory, everyone understands that energy is the driving force of development, but it cannot be wasted at will.

This slogan always reminds workers to start from every little bit and cherish every bit of energy.

Because only in this way can the factory develop for a long time and society can continue to progress.

The concept of energy conservation is like a bright light, illuminating the factory's way forward.

In this era of energy, this slogan inspires people to work hard for a better future and makes everyone aware of the importance of their actions in saving energy.

The factories at that time were very different from those in later generations!
At that time, all the labor in the factory had to be done manually, without the help of advanced machines and equipment.

But even under such conditions, the quality of the products produced is quite reliable, and you can't find a single fake at all!

This really proves the old saying: "Slow work makes fine work."

In this era, workers rely on their own hands and sweat to carefully create each product.

They have no modern technical means and rely entirely on their own experience and skills to figure things out bit by bit and operate step by step.

They put their heart and soul into every aspect of the process, so the quality of the products they produce is impeccable.

Unlike later generations, some people, in pursuit of profit, do not hesitate to pass off inferior products as good ones and engage in fraud.

The workers of this era adhered to their professional ethics and conscience, and brought truly reliable products to people in the simplest way.

Their efforts and dedication have made the products of this era a symbol of quality, and have also made people full of respect and nostalgia for the craftsmanship of this era.

“If you want to do your work well, you must first sharpen your tools.” On the assembly line of Liujiazhuang Food Factory, the requirements are quite strict!
In this part of the assembly line, the standards for environmental hygiene are quite high.

Why do I say that? Think about it, if the environmental hygiene is not up to standard, can people be assured of the products produced?

Therefore, the environment here must be kept extremely clean and tidy.

Not only that, people working here have to wear special medical hats!
You may ask, why wear this kind of hat?

This is because this kind of hat can better protect the workers' hair from falling off and avoid contamination to the products.

After all, on an assembly line that has extremely high requirements for environmental hygiene, any small detail may affect the quality and safety of the product.

Therefore, all staff members must strictly abide by these regulations to ensure the smooth progress of the production process and produce high-quality products.

The migrant workers in Liujiazhuang also have a unique style.

There is a saying: "All work and no play makes a dull boy out of his wits."

The workers in Liujiazhuang are very enthusiastic in their work, and they work hard like daredevils, striving for a living.

These days, the business of major enterprises in Liujiazhuang is very busy, and the work is not easy, but these workers never complain of being tired.

They know very well that only by working hard can they and their families live a better life.

Every day, they go out early, devote themselves to their work, sweat and work hard.

However, they also know how to balance in life.

Besides work, they also find some fun to relax themselves.

Eating and drinking has become one of their favorite ways to relax.

After get off work, a few friends get together, find a small restaurant, order some side dishes, and have a few bottles of beer produced in Liujiazhuang.

"Great!" Those days were so pleasant.

At the dinner table, everyone shared interesting stories from work and talked about troubles in life, and the relationship between each other grew deeper over eating and drinking.

All the major factories in Liujiazhuang organize garden parties during festivals and holidays, which is also the most enjoyable collective activity for employees and their families in their spare time.

Various chess games, fishing, riddles, ring tossing, etc. are all popular activities at this time.

There are also various evening parties and cultural activities, which are spontaneously organized by young people in the factory.

Pop music began to enter our lives, and owning a guitar became a fashionable thing. It was also the dream of countless young men, and the young men in the factory were no exception.

Outside the organization, many people use their free time to do "private work". Those who like to study read books, while those who don't like to study just sleep.

Diligent ladies would sit in the shade and knit sweaters, and some family-oriented male workers would collect various packaging boards and make furniture or something... This is not taking advantage, it's recycling!

Of course, there are also those with elegant hobbies who practice calligraphy and write poetry. Those who love sports play basketball and Tai Chi... and even form teams to compete outside.

At least the atmosphere is positive. Take the bicycle factory where Xiaodang works as an example: it also produced a calligrapher who is a member of the Yanjing Calligraphy Association.

In fact, many people practice calligraphy these days, and their level is very good.

Of course, the construction of spiritual civilization is indispensable, and the emergence of factory art and propaganda teams is a special product given by the times.

Especially in these days, both rural areas and factories attach great importance to literary and artistic propaganda.

New programs will be launched during holidays and major events in the factory.

Each member of the propaganda team has his or her own special talents, be it singing, dancing, blowing, pulling, or playing instruments, or even directing and choreographing programs.

Xiaodang is a member of the Liujiazhuang Bicycle Factory's art and propaganda team. Her sweet looks and outstanding voice make her famous in the factory.

They are also present at various celebrations held in Liujiazhuang.

…………

This year is about to pass.

When we officially entered the 1980s, people still did not have enough material things. There were still few cars on the streets, clothes were made of "Dacron", and people were not allowed to eat as much meat as they wanted.

They live in self-built houses or old buildings allocated by their work units, which are not very spacious...

But it carries the laughter of generations.

Neighbors have close relationships and often visit each other to chat and share each other's lives.

At this time, popsicles are the favorite of children.

White popsicles are 3 cents each, red bean paste ice cream is 4 cents each, milk ice cream is 5 cents each, and the most expensive one is cream ice cream, which costs cents!
This is a huge sum of money at the moment.

Because except for Liujiazhuang, most workers' monthly salary is only between 30 and 50 yuan.

Although it doesn't look like much, the prices are not high at that time.

Rice is 1 cents a pound, beef is 4 cents a pound...so it's no problem to feed a few people.

Nowadays, when you go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy something, it is not called "buying", but "buying", such as buying wine, buying sesame oil, buying sesame paste, buying kerosene...

Anything liquid, or bringing your own bottle or bowl, is called "da ji". Buying a piece of cloth is called "tear a piece of cloth".

The mixed smell of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and wine in the supply and marketing cooperative is very pleasant, warm and full of the flavor of life!
The bulk soy sauce at this time is very fragrant! Put a tablespoon in the cooking pot when cooking, and the whole house will be filled with fragrance.

Since there are no preservatives, the soy sauce and vinegar that are returned need to be processed.

Otherwise it will grow hair soon. Add a little cooked oil to the soy sauce bottle to preserve it, and put garlic in the vinegar to preserve it.

(End of this chapter)