1980 My Entertainment Era

Chapter 95: Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp

Xiatian had lunch at Feng Kuazi’s house at noon, and went to deliver New Year’s goods to Milan’s family in the afternoon.

This time it was a bit far and it took me half an hour to ride the cart to get there.

After the things were delivered, I was invited to stay for another meal - two meals in winter.

But eating is never a problem in the summer. Eating a few meals is almost the same as not eating at all!
After dinner, grandma smiled and refused their request to help wash the dishes. She went to the kitchen to clean up and asked Milan to chat with Xia Tian for a while.

Xia Tian asked: "Is there anything missing at home for the New Year?"

Milan glanced at the door and whispered, "We need a grandson-in-law~"

"No! Young people's love is never enough! There is no such thing as love at first sight, it's just lust at first sight. You just want my body!"

"I'm just greedy!" Milan reached out to grab Xia Tian's clothes.

Suddenly, she sighed again: "I guess I will never find a boyfriend in this life."

"Don't say that. You're so beautiful, you'll find a boyfriend."

She bit her lip and stared at Xia Tian: "Then will you be my boyfriend?"

Xia Tian waved his hands, "Don't be like this, I'm comforting you, don't repay kindness with hatred~"

"Oh, you want to die!" Milan was furious!
I don't know why, but she seems to like this tune~
Could it be that some attribute has been awakened? !

……

There’s nothing much to say about the Chinese New Year, but on the eve of the Spring Festival, Xia actually saw the Spring Festival Gala on TV!
The CCTV and Yangcheng TV jointly organized a Spring Festival Gala, which was very successful and all the programs were well received.

Xia Tian also saw Ma Ji at this party!
This should be one of the prototypes of the future Spring Festival Gala.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, CCTV broadcast a domestic TV series.

This is China's first domestically produced TV series, called "Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp" and directed by Wang Fulin.

When we were recording "Counting Ducks" last summer, Aunt Wang, the music editor of CCTV, kept saying: "We are going to have our own TV series, it must be very good."

Then Xia Tian found out that the director of the first TV series was her lover!
You are advertising for me here, right?!

You know what, it’s really good!

"Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp", which is broadcast two episodes a day, tells the story of underground workers conducting intelligence work behind enemy lines from 31 to 49. It is a spy warfare and undercover drama.

This is not only the first TV series, but also an extremely innovative work in terms of subject matter and content!

Although there are only 9 episodes, Dachun is already fascinated by it.

It’s New Year’s Day, but I sat on a stool and had to wait until the ending song was over before I could move.

There are no "eunuchs" in this TV series. Although it only has 9 episodes, it ended normally.

After the TV series ended, Dachun was reluctant to move, and finally said to Xia Tian: "Tian'er, the TV series is so good! I wish there were more!"

Xia Tian thought he just liked her, but she didn't expect that he would set his goal at this time.

Not only Dachun likes this TV series, but the audience also likes it very much.

There aren’t many television sets owned these days, but to be able to achieve an astonishing viewership rate of 99% is still terrifying enough!
……

The next year, He Yuzhu's wife and children came from Hong Kong.

He Chen sat at home for less than an hour before coming to find Xia Tian and the others.

It’s so cold, where can I take the children to play?
You can't make a snowman, can you?
I had no choice but to take He Chen to Houhai for ice skating.

You know what, the kids in Hong Kong have never seen this. If they hadn’t been watched closely in the summer, they would have fallen to death on the ice—too excited! It was like a husky released into the snow!
When Xia Tian was having dinner with their family, he chatted a lot with Lou Xiao'e about the situation in Hong Kong and also inquired about the Lou family's business in Hong Kong.

Speaking of which, a wave of "speculation and profiteering" is about to be set off.

Jeans, sunglasses, electronic watches and other items from Hong Kong are all considered hard currency.

Although I don't need it, many of my poor friends are starving for it. You can consider it.

After the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, all units started to return to work.

Xia Tian took He Chen to visit the "antique shops" in Yanjing City, mainly because he and Zhu Youguang wanted to find some bargains.

Nowadays, each store sells these things, and the categories are very detailed.

For example, if you want bronze, stone and ceramics, you have to go to Yunguzhai, which is affiliated with the Cultural Relics Store.

If you want to find modern ceramics, you have to go to Cuizhenzhai.

Go to Qingyun Hall to collect inscriptions and calligraphy from past dynasties.

Calligraphy and paintings from all dynasties are collected in the Treasures Ancient Studio.

There is also Cuiwen Pavilion Engraving Society. I plan to carve a seal in the summer and I will buy the materials there.

As for the stores outside the cultural relics store system, only Rongbaozhai and Jingcheng Painting Store under the Fine Arts Publishing House have the authority to purchase and sell calligraphy and paintings on their own.

This is the unit where Zhu Youguang was rehired.

They not only sell them, but also collect them from the public. Zhu Youguang appraises calligraphy and paintings.

Xia Tian took He Chen and Zhu Youguang to various antique shops and bought a lot of small things.

A Yuan Dynasty Longquan kiln green-glazed double fish washbasin, used to wash paintbrushes.

A 9.2 cm long bronze lion paperweight from the Ming Xuande period is also a desk ornament.

A hat-shaped bowl from the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. It looks festive and is worth keeping for fun.

There was also a Huanghuali jewelry box from the late Qing Dynasty with intricate carvings and a copper lock, which was given to Milan.

Zhu Youguang usually just looked but did not buy. He worked as a manager in a pawnshop when he was young, so he had seen a lot of good things.

I don’t have the mentality of wanting everything I see as good - it’s mainly because I’m numb to it!

Just like many netizens who have seen too many beautiful pictures and no longer feel anything.
Xia Tian also taught He Chen: "Study hard in school, and make sure you learn Chinese and English well. They are the foundation for whatever industry you work in. Oh, and don't follow our example and try to get into the antique business. That's not a legitimate business!"

Zhu Youguang was unhappy: "Hey, kid, put down the bowl and curse your mother, right?!"

Yesterday summer, I bought several paintings at Rongbaozhai under the introduction of Zhu Youguang! Now he has turned his back on me. Is he not doing business properly?

Speaking of which, now that life is better, the prices of artists’ works have also increased!
Now the prices of paintings by modern painters in Rongbaozhai have increased.

Qi Baishi's price has increased from 32 yuan per square foot to 57 yuan per square foot.

Zhang Daqian's price also increased from 25 yuan to 46 yuan, and Xu Beihong's price increased from 25 yuan to 42 yuan.

The prices of Pan Tianshou, Chen Banding, Fu Baoshi and Li Keran increased from 15 yuan to between 25 yuan and 20 yuan.

……

In the afternoon, Xia Tian took He Chen to the trust store again.

Now that I have some extra money, I can buy some furniture to decorate my secret base.

Trust stores, also known as "consignment stores," are stores that accept commissions from customers and sell used goods on their behalf.

Nowadays, there are trust stores in almost every downtown area, specializing in collecting second-hand daily necessities.

For example, fur coats, photographic equipment, bicycles, sewing machines, or wooden furniture.

Almost everything that people don’t need in their lives can be sent to a trust store.

Old residents of Yanjing often bring old furniture that they no longer use or have nowhere to put it to trust stores and sell them for a small fortune.

The trust store would not pay immediately. After the sale, it would write a letter to the owner and put a four-cent stamp on it. The owner would come to collect the money as soon as he saw the letter.

It’s a bit like an ancient pawnshop!

Walking into the Trust Store, the area inside is quite large. The counter is very high, and you can see many wall clocks behind the counter. There are all kinds of jade, gold and silver jewelry in the glass window of the counter.

The bicycles, cameras, sewing machines and other large and small commodities displayed around are about 70% to 80% new. There are also new items such as old pocket watches and accordions on the counter.

It's simply a small second-hand item transfer market.

I even saw a piano in the corner of the store in the summer and tried it out. It was in pretty good condition!

Should I buy it?
But then I thought, not to mention how much the piano costs, I have no place to put it now!

Sure enough, buying a house is the right thing to do!
However, I still bought a violin in good condition in the summer, which was an unexpected gain.

I came here this summer to buy some solid wood furniture.

Nowadays, old solid wood furniture is much cheaper than new ones.

Even the stainless steel folding chairs are more expensive than the old solid wood chairs - everyone is pursuing new styles now!

Xia Tian: I can’t understand!
I simply asked about the price, and I felt like buying it all!

There are many old furniture from the Ming and Qing dynasties here! They are considered antiques!
Moreover, people nowadays cannot distinguish between red sandalwood, huanghuali, mahogany, and wenge, and all of them are called mahogany. Even the Ministry of Forestry also called them mahogany in the future.

Nowadays, the prices of these square tables, chairs, cabinets, etc. are all calculated according to their size, regardless of the material. As long as it is hardwood, it is all 8 yuan.

In the summer, I would just spend hundreds of dollars - mainly because there is limited space upstairs and I can't fit many pieces of furniture!
As for transportation, it is also simple.

Nowadays, outside trust stores, there is a group of tricycle operators, commonly known as Ban Ye, who gather to help buyers transport large pieces of furniture to their homes.

As soon as Xia Tian went out, tricycle drivers immediately surrounded them. In the end, Xia Tian only charged 6 cents to deliver the goods to their homes, and some even added 4 cents to carry the goods to the house on the th floor.

These days, some people have started to engage in “flexible employment”!

……

On the 25th of the month, the authorities launched the "Five Lectures, Four Beauties, Three Loves and Civility Month Activities".

The All-China Federation of Trade Unions and nine other organizations jointly issued an appeal to the people of the country, especially young people:

Carry out civilized and polite activities based on the "five talks" of civilization, politeness, hygiene, order and morality, and the "four beauties" of beautiful mind, beautiful language, beautiful behavior and beautiful environment.

This thing should last for a few years.

(End of this chapter)