Back to 1979: Sending the Educated Youth’s Wife Back to the City

Chapter 119 A visit from an old friend
When Lin Yan came back that night and learned about this development, she was also a little surprised.

"How did he get into this situation?"

Fang Mingche said, "You underestimated human nature! Otherwise, you would think that doing business is so simple. As long as you pay the salary, the people below will be obedient? However, as long as he can straighten it out, it's okay. Nowadays, materials are scarce, and with such a big market, he actually has little to do with our business. What I am worried about is that Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan will see that Zhu Dahai is making a lot of money, and their minds will also fluctuate. Now that Zhu Dahai knows what's good for him, he will never show off even if he makes money in the future."

Lin Yan asked: "So that's it?"

"It's not enough. We have to make empty promises to our own people. We all have to go to school in September, and we have to have people to work hard with us. However, as long as it can be fulfilled, it's not empty promises. There is hot water on the stove, go take a bath first."

Lin Yan nodded, and then said: "Oh, you told me to take the copper back and put it away after receiving it. I received a larger piece today, and I took it back along with the scattered pieces I received before."

It wasn’t heavy, so she just put it in the bicycle basket and brought it back.

Fang Mingche said, "Just find a place in the small room to store it conveniently. Bring back any copper you have and save it. If Uncle Xia gets suspicious, explain to him. It's not that I don't trust him, but I don't plan to sell the copper for the time being. I want to stockpile it and sell it after the price goes up significantly. Storing it at the purchasing station will easily attract thieves and may also put him in danger."

With the rapid development of industry in the 80s, the price of copper will become higher and higher. Not to mention the future, among all the waste products, copper is the most valuable. Other waste paper, glass bottles, scrap iron, etc., although they take up a lot of space, are actually not valuable. Of course, if they are not valuable, they cannot be stolen. So, Uncle Xia was invited to take over the night shift.

Every morning, when Lin Yan and the others arrived, Uncle Xia would go home after get off work. He would only sleep here, in the room next to the warehouse. There was a special bed for him there. After watching for a few days, nothing was lost, and the old man was still responsible.

Before, they were actually worried about whether the people in the same village would collude. Even at this time, they still did not dare to be completely at ease. At the beginning, Fang Mingche wanted to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with the villagers by purchasing vegetables and eggs.

The villagers will have trouble coming to the city, so that they won’t dry up the pond and try to steal the stocks in their warehouses. The vast majority of villagers still hope that this cooperation will last for a long time.

Human nature can never rely on self-restraint or withstand the test, it must be linked to interests. Just like the previous cooperation with the handicraft cooperative, mutual benefit can last long. Lin Yan thought of purchasing vegetables and eggs herself and did it with great enthusiasm. This saved Fang Mingche trouble and worry.

There are bound to be some thieves in the village. Those people may not grow vegetables or feed chickens privately, but just want to steal. Then Uncle Xia, who needs this job and needs to stay overnight at the purchasing station, will be very useful.

Lin Yan nodded, "Okay! By the way, we should have enough cardboard to fill a truck. Who should deliver it tomorrow?"

The tricycle is tied higher, probably about 100-200 kg. There is a price difference of nearly 10 yuan.

"Let Liu Qingfeng go so he can get familiar with the road. Let him set out early in the morning. Don't rush when the sun is at its hottest. Find a shady place to stay. Don't let him get a heat stroke!"

Lin Yan put on her clothes and went to take a shower.

Xiao Xie and Mrs. Cui came quickly to get eggs and vegetables. Xiao Xie gave me 15 yuan today. I took one and a half baskets yesterday, and I still have yuan to pay back what I owed.

Fang Mingche took out Lin Yan's notebook and added a note. Now she only owed a few dollars. Xiao Xie could sell about 400 eggs in three days, and he became more and more motivated.

Fang Mingche heard from the neighbors in the compound that Gao's mother was a little dissatisfied when she saw her son doing housework. She frowned and said to Teacher Gao, "Why do you have to do these things at home?"

Teacher Gao responded while tidying up the room, "Because I can't bear to go out and sell eggs. Besides, it's summer vacation now, and I have nothing to do at home anyway."

After Xiao Xie came, he lightened a lot of his burden. Now he can support himself. This makes him very happy.

When he was not busy with classes, he would go home and do the housework, trying to reduce the burden on Xiao Xie as much as possible.

The distance from home to school is about 12 kilometers, which is about the same as the distance to the scrapyard. It takes 20 minutes by bus and 50 minutes by bike. He can come back whenever he is free.

Gao's mother thought for a while and felt that her son was a teacher after all, and now he was admitted to college. He really couldn't put down his face and stand in the corner near the hospital entrance, selling eggs to people.

"Then take her out to buy some clothes and treat her better. You two should also hurry up and have a baby."

Teacher Gao responded casually. He was not considering having a child for the time being, at least his mother had to be in better health and not stay in bed all day.

Otherwise, how can I take care of the baby after it is born? Xiao Xie is always busy, I can't carry him to school on my back.

Gao's mother said, "Don't be perfunctory with me. She originally came from the countryside and had no food or oil supply. Everything depended on you. Now that she can earn money on her own, her mentality must be different."

Her illness dragged on and never completely healed. What if Xiao Xie could earn money and wanted to pursue a career outside, wouldn't they and her son be back to their previous situation? Also, what if she refused to share her earnings with them?
But fortunately, my son is a college student and well-mannered. Women like gentleness and consideration. Just be nice to her.

Teacher Gao finally realized what his mother meant. "Mom, please don't worry about it. Xiao Xie and I will live a good life. When you are better, we will consider having children."

Gao's mother said, "Alas, it's all my fault that you delayed me! Otherwise, with your conditions, why would you find someone from the countryside?"

That's how it is in a compound, there is no privacy. If a family talks at home, it can be easily heard by the neighbors next door.

Fang Mingche showed his records to Xiao Xie, who nodded and said, "Yes, that's it." Then he took the eggs back in batches and put them in the rice jar.

At Mrs. Cui's place, the previous box of eggs was almost used up. Today, she took another box. Then, she brought two or three pounds of various vegetables, and some weighed five pounds. Then, several neighbors from the compound came over and said they wanted to buy eggs and vegetables.

Living in a large courtyard, many things cannot be hidden. For them, it is naturally the wholesale price and the retail quantity. People just want to buy here at a cheaper price.

Fang Mingche said, "My dear sisters-in-law, this price is the internal price of our compound. If it gets out, more people will come, and Aunt Yuan can't pretend not to know."

"Teacher Fang, now everyone is showing off their abilities. What are you afraid of?"

Fang Mingche weighed the dishes for them while saying, "Some things are fine if you don't take them too seriously, but if you do, it's a problem. Well, the dishes are all good, take a look before you take them. Otherwise, Hu Yong and the others will say that they are leftovers. I can't treat them differently."

"Go, go, go."

As they were talking, Hu Yong and his four companions came over. They can now sell four boxes of eggs a day. The demand for various vegetables is also gradually increasing. If there are more, they can eat them. They are all vegetable vendors. After a few more times, they can go out and entertain customers. If there are extra eggs or vegetables, they can do some guerrilla work near the vegetable market. Many housewives know that their vegetables are good and sell at a good price. Now they have chosen them.

After selling all the eggs and vegetables he brought back, Fang Mingche calculated that he had sold more than six boxes of eggs today. He made more than six yuan from that alone. He checked the money he received from the vegetables with the purchase price recorded by Lin Yan, and he could make more than twenty yuan. That added up to thirty yuan a day. And the scraps, according to the estimate after weighing, could also make a difference of ten yuan a day.

Yes, in this era, as long as you find the right business and work hard, you can make money. In this way, an investment of 1,000 yuan should be paid back quickly. It's just that the vegetable business is a bit out of the ordinary.

But it's okay, the recycling station will get better and better. It depends on the long term! I heard that now people come from far away to sell their waste. A large basket can only be sold for an extra 20 or 30 cents. But for this difference in price, some scavengers are willing to walk several miles.

Every noon, more and more scavengers eat together at the scrapyard. It is convenient, affordable, and tastes good. They cook in the same way as in the canteen, with big pots of food served one by one. Then Mrs. Wei uses a spoon to serve them.

Well, one meat dish, one vegetable dish and rice is 1 cent. Two meat dishes and one vegetable dish is 15 cents, and two meat dishes and two vegetables is 20 cents. Most people choose one meat dish and one vegetable dish. This price is not profitable. And because there are many people, the cost is relatively low. This is to attract more scavengers. Of course, this is an internal canteen, and we don’t sell food to other people.

Fang Mingche sorted out the money. He put the ten-dollar and five-dollar ones in his pocket and locked the rest in the desk drawer. Now he would save up to 100 yuan and put it in the bankbook. He would save up to 500 yuan in the current account and transfer it to a one-year fixed deposit.

Fang Mingche walked out of the door. Yanyan was listening to stories on the radio with her friends under a tree in the small side yard. She had just asked Fang Mingche to bring it out for her. Several children were sitting around with their own small stools.

But he didn't come out to look for his daughter. He estimated that Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan should have finished their shower. Fang Mingche walked straight to the half-moon door and shouted their names at the top of his lungs.

"Here we come——" The two men had indeed finished washing, and when they heard Fang Mingche calling, they quickly responded.

Being able to make promises is also an essential skill for being a leader.

Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan followed Fang Mingche into the main room of the east wing of the small side courtyard. What he and Mr. Gu bought was actually the east wing of the small side courtyard.

Fang Mingche directly poured the big bowl of tea he sold to the two of them. He really didn't have good tea here, and in the summer he mainly drank it to quench his thirst.

After taking two sips of tea, Liu Qingfeng asked, "Teacher Fang, what do you want us to do?"

Fang Mingche said: "The income of Hu Yong and the other four is slowly increasing. It is said that they make two to twenty or three yuan a day now. As they become more experienced and bigger, their income will definitely increase."

70 yuan a month, a high income. I would go to the market at o'clock in the morning to "guerrilla" sell. At that time, there would be a group of women rushing to buy before going to work, so I had to consider their time. Then I would sell until o'clock.

Sometimes when business is slow, it takes a little longer. They also have to avoid people in the market and not get caught. But the income makes them feel it is worth it.

Liu Qingfeng said, "Our wages are also rising. Teacher Lin said that the vegetables we carry are getting heavier and heavier, so he wants to raise the wages for me and Sister Wei by another five yuan a month."

Mrs. Wei already earned 30 yuan for both jobs, and two meals were provided. She was quite satisfied! However, Teacher Lin refused her request to take the remaining food home.

Liu Qingfeng found an opportunity to ask why. Teacher Lin said that if she agreed, then when she cooked tomorrow, Wei's wife might deliberately make more. Even if she didn't make more, her hands might shake a bit when she served the food. Leaving more food in the bowl would be considered leftovers later. That would definitely cause dissatisfaction among the scavengers.

The request was rejected, but Wei Saozi did not dare to be dissatisfied. She could not find such a job elsewhere. Besides, there were two people who wanted to take her place.

Geng Shan also said, "I'm responsible for overtime work on Sunday, and the job of carrying vegetables is also mine. 60 cents a day!"

Fang Mingche said: "These are actually small sums. It is better to make more money by running your own business. The four of Hu Yong will make more and more, and Zhu Dahai will make even more."

"Zhu Dahai?" The two men said in surprise.

Geng Shan said, "Teacher Fang, you didn't know that Zhu Dahai fell to the ground as soon as he entered the house. He had a heat stroke! He was unwilling to pay more wages, so he insisted on selling the vegetables himself. As a result, he took too long and the vegetables wilted in the sun. In the end, he could only sell them at a discount. The sun was so strong that even if he sprayed water and covered them with a towel, it didn't work."

Fang Mingche said: "If a precedent is set that workers can get a raise whenever they want, it will be difficult for him to lead the team in the future."

It turned out that Zhu Dahai had suffered from heatstroke after running around all day. No wonder, he was tired and angry!
Fang Mingche did not hastily fire Zhu Dahai before, one reason was that he was afraid that the two people in front of him would hurt their own kind; another reason was that they were neighbors. Yanyan was so young and had no ability to protect herself. If Zhu Dahai had any bad intentions, it would be hard to guard against. So he did not want to make enemies. Now that the two people in the next door compound came out to stir up hatred, he no longer had to worry.

Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan quickly said, "Teacher Fang, don't worry. We are definitely not the kind of people who are greedy."

In fact, people in the two shanty towns and even nearby were talking about this matter. Some said that the two were greedy, but others said that Zhu Dahai was too independent. They thought Fang Mingche was calling them over to give them a warning, so they quickly expressed their opinions.

Fang Mingche said: "You misunderstood, that's not what I meant to say. But it is true that there must be rules for this matter. But our rules are not wrong: the more you work, the more you get!"

"More work, more pay?" Liu Qingfeng repeated.

Fang Mingche knew that there was no such concept as "distribution according to work" or "more work, more pay" at present. The mainstream distribution method was still "eating from the same pot" and "the same amount of money regardless of whether you did a good job or not". This was why he couldn't let go when he took the political exam. Many concepts that he was used to in later generations were no longer used today.

He nodded immediately, "Yes, the more you work, the more you get. So the food is heavier and the work is more, so it is reasonable for Teacher Lin to give you a raise. But it is just a salary increase, and it can only be below the upper limit. If you want to break the upper limit, you can either go out and do business like Zhu Dahai and Hu Yong. Don't laugh, Zhu Dahai will definitely earn more than Hu Yong if he thinks things through! In addition to doing business on your own, there is another way, and that is to get promoted. For example, if we open a purchasing station in the southeast, northwest, northeast and southwest in the future, and if you perform well, can you become a station manager? If you become a station manager, you can get a proper share of the profit of the purchasing station."

Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan looked at each other and asked, "Become a webmaster and get dividends?"

The two people's gazes gradually became eager.

Fang Mingche nodded, "Of course, the premise is that you have always performed well. You will not be squeezed out by those who come later. Of course, you two have been together since you opened the scrap yard. If you make it big in the future, there will definitely be some affection between you."

Liu Qingfeng and Geng Shan didn't stay in Fang's house for long, and their steps were brisk when they left.

When Lin Yan came back and saw him, she couldn't help but wonder, how could he still be so energetic after a day's work?

"What's wrong with you two?"

"No, nothing." The two of them walked out of the small courtyard with smiles on their faces and went back to their homes.

Lin Yan came back and wiped her head with a dry towel, and asked, "Ming Che, what big promises did you make for them?"

"I said if they keep doing well, they can become station managers and get dividends. Oh, and I also said we want to open scrap yards everywhere in the future."

Lin Yan asked, "Do you really think running a scrap yard is better than selling vegetables?"

Fang Mingche said: "There are only small business people, but no small businesses. Both of these businesses are very good. Moreover, they can complement each other."

Lin Yan thought about it and nodded. Now the scrap yard has borne all the costs, so her vegetable business is basically a net profit.

She said to Fang Mingche, "Fortunately, you reminded me in advance of the possible consequences if I agreed to let Sister Wei take the leftovers back. Otherwise, if she had told me today, I might have agreed."

Fang Mingche asked, "What about the leftover food?"

"I told Uncle Xia to have it as a midnight snack. There wasn't much left anyway."

As for Uncle Xia, he can just skip dinner and come over to eat around 7pm. That won't cause any trouble.

Fang Mingche said, "In any case, managing people means dealing with human nature. Don't you like to read Dream of the Red Chamber? In the novel, Wang Xifeng manages the Rongguo Mansion, which is actually dealing with human nature. You have to pay attention to everything!"

Lin Yan thought about it and nodded.

"Also, you're going to school soon. Don't use yourself as a laborer. Hire someone else quickly."

Now the scrap business is gradually getting better, and the vegetable business is more profitable. Lin Yan really doesn't want to save that one dollar and fifty cents a day.

She said, "Now the four educated youths who returned to our compound have all become vegetable vendors. I don't think they want to do it anymore. How about we recruit one from the village?"

Fang Mingche thought about it. The rural areas near the capital had not yet implemented the household contract responsibility system in the past two or three years. There should not be any surplus labor. If he came to work at the scrap yard now, he would have to pay a fee to the village.

"You can ask Secretary Qu if anyone is coming."

As the couple was talking, they heard someone outside say, "Yanyan, are you Yanyan?"

The two looked at each other and walked out, and saw a woman in a dress, bending over and talking to Yanyan.

Yanyan didn't recognize the other person, "Yes, I'm Yanyan. Who are you, Auntie?"

The aunt looked at her with a bit of eagerness.

Lin Yan asked: "Wu Dan?"

Wu Dan raised her head, "Lin Yan, Fang Mingche. This courtyard is all yours? It's really nice, with a separate door and courtyard." Nowadays, the best is of course the building, which is usually only allocated to cadres' families. But it is also very good to live in a courtyard like this. Especially when I heard that they bought it themselves.

When Yanyan saw her parents coming out, she continued listening to the story with her friends.

Lin Yan said: "No, only the two rooms in the east wing are ours. Come in and sit down!"

Fang Mingche didn't recognize Wu Dan at first. After listening to them talking for a while, he remembered who she was. This person had come to the village from the capital with Lin Yan as an educated youth, and also got married and had a daughter in the village. But when the policy came out at the end of last year, she divorced and returned to the city.

Her daughter was the one who asked Ah Yan, "Is it not okay to just say I'm Fang Shuyan?" and wanted to follow them on the train to the capital to find her mother. She was a few months older than Yanyan.

I heard that after Wu Dan came back, she worked as a temporary ticket seller in a movie theater. This job was arranged for her by relatives, which was not easy.

On May Day, she married a male leader whose wife had died, whose son was in high school, and whose daughter was in junior high school. Afterwards, she changed her job to work in an office and was also promoted to a regular employee.

When they got married, they also sent an invitation to Yan. At that time, Yan said that since she had already given the gift money, why not go to have a drink together. It was a slow time around noon. Fang Mingche didn't go, saying that business was good during the May Day holiday and he didn't want to leave at noon. He only asked her to take Yanyan to eat.

At that time, Lin Yan was at a table with a group of educated youths. Many people envied Wu Dan for having a formal job after returning to the city. As for Lin Yan, this was her third time taking the college entrance examination. Other educated youths didn't think much of her stall business. But now that she was admitted to a junior college, some old friends came to visit her. They were carrying large and small bags.

Fang Mingche didn't like this Wu Dan. So he said, "Ayan, ask Wu Dan to sit down. I have to go to Song Quan's place. Excuse me!"

Visitors are guests, and Wu Dan and Lin Yan went to the countryside together and had shared hardships. It would be bad to turn her away. But he was too lazy to be perfunctory with this person.

Wu Dan was originally looking at Yan Yan, and after hearing this, he looked over, "Fang Mingche, I know you are standing up for the people in our village. But can this be blamed entirely on me? If Ma Anguo was as motivated as you, our family wouldn't have to live apart."

Fang Mingche said, "No, you think too much. I really have something to do, you guys can chat. Yanyan, lower your voices. Don't disturb Mom and Aunt Wu from talking."

"Oh." Yanyan turned down the volume a little.

Fang Mingche went outside and heard Wu Dan ask Lin Yan, "Did you see my Xiao Dan the last time you went back?"

He sneered. It's been almost three weeks since they came back. You really miss your daughter, but you're asking now?

It would be bad to disturb Old Song's family if there was nothing to do. The couple worked all day and only got together and talked in the evening. He walked out of the door and turned around, heading to the alley behind. He was going to walk to the nearby creek.

After walking a few steps, he heard someone ringing a bicycle bell behind him, so he moved aside. As a result, the bicycle stopped right next to him.

Looking back, Wang Dexian was riding a new 28-inch bicycle, with one foot on the ground and the other on the pedal.

Fang Mingche smiled and said, "Come back to see your aunt?"

"Yes, I sent the money after I got my salary. I heard that you received the admission letter from the English Department of Beijing Normal University?"

"Yes, it has been sent to my hometown. My cousin is delivering it to me, so I should be able to see it tomorrow."

"Congratulations! I knew you were not a jerk." Wang Dexian said as he patted the military backpack in the basket. "There are four bottles of wine you wanted in it. I was just about to bring them to you in a minute." After saying that, he picked it up and handed it over.

Fang Mingche took it and said, "I'll bring the bag to you later."

Wang Dexian nodded, "Okay, come to my house and sit for a while. He walked out alone. What happened? Did you have a fight with your Lin Yan?"

"No, what am I thinking of? I don't like having an unexpected guest in my house."

Wang Dexian raised his eyebrows, "Given your Lin Yan's personality, she won't have much contact with us."

"She was one of the people who went to the countryside with me. I heard that when she first arrived, she had severe diarrhea due to the unfamiliar climate and water. There was a lack of medical care and medicine at that time. If people hadn't given her the medicine they brought, I'm afraid it would have developed into a serious illness." Fang Mingche explained a few words and walked home carrying his military backpack.

Lin Yan and Wu Dan were sitting outside the house under a tree. Wu Dan was probably looking at Yan Yan and thinking about her own daughter. When Lin Yan said that the child had become no different from other rural children, her eyes were red.

For rural girls, Yanyan's family with two teachers is a special case. Fangfang's is the norm. Especially since Xiaodan's father has found another one. If she has a younger brother, her life will be even more difficult. But Wu Dan didn't dare to tell her current lover that she wanted to bring her daughter to the capital.

The children of educated youth could not transfer their household registration, so food and oil supply and schooling were all problems. Moreover, her step-son and step-daughter were actually very rude to her.

Old Liu protected her at first, but later he said he was tired from work and that she was much older than the two children, so why couldn't he give in? In this situation, how could she dare to ask for the daughter from the previous marriage?

Lin Yan was really lucky! Fang Mingche was young, good-looking, and was admitted to such a good university. Even Lin Yan was able to get in this time, probably because of his tutoring.

Lin Yan was lucky when she went to the countryside. She married Fang Mingche and then went to teach in the village primary school. She no longer had to do dirty and tiring work.

The reason why I was with Ma Anguo was because he always came to help me with the work. But he couldn't arrange an easy job for me, so I had to go to the fields.

Fang Mingche went into the room and put the wine in the cabinet and locked it. There were six bottles in it!
If it is stored for 150 years, it can be sold for million. Adding this house, Yan Yan's net worth can reach tens of millions. However, it is still a mirage at present. It's okay, the wine can be stored! The older the wine, the more mellow it is. The house can not only be stored, but also can be lived in.

He walked out and said, "I'll go return the bag."

Lin Yan said: "Okay!"

Fang Mingche then walked out again. Wu Dan said to Lin Yan from behind: "Your life will be better, you are the original partner. Unlike us, who got married later in life, his son and daughter are so old now, and they are so arrogant."

Lin Yan said, "I heard that you live in a tube building. You can just turn on the tap and water will come. I don't have to carry water. What's wrong with that? Children, if you use your sincerity in return, you will still know your goodness."

As an outsider, what else can she say?
Wu Dan said: "Really? I still need to have another child of my own as soon as possible."

Lin Yan thought about it and told her Fang Mingche's analysis that family planning might be enforced in the future. In fact, there are already requirements for military and political cadres now, but it has not yet reached the point of compulsory implementation. Ordinary people are not restricted much either.

Wu Dan's expression changed slightly. "That makes sense. Old Liu is also a cadre, and he will definitely set an example when the time comes. I have to hurry!"

As a result, I put aside most of my longing for my daughter Xiaodan.

"Lin Yan, you should also hurry up. It's better to have a son."

"We'll let nature take its course. I really want to have another son. It's not that I prefer boys over girls, but I just want to have both sons and daughters."

When Lin Yan was in the countryside, she was annoyed by her mother-in-law because she didn't have a son and used contraception to prepare for the exam. Her sister-in-law also felt that she had done a great service to the Fang family because she gave birth to two sons. She brought it up in her words. But she ignored it at the time and just concentrated on preparing for the exam.

Now that I've been admitted to a junior college, and my income source is no longer a problem, it's time to put the matter of having another son on the agenda.

After a while, Xiao Xie took his textbook and looked over at the half-moon gate. Seeing that Teacher Lin's guests had not left yet, he had to go back to review what he had learned.

Teacher Gao asked her, "Why do you go so far away? I can also teach you how to read."

Xiao Xie said: "I'd better go and learn from Teacher Lin and get used to it."

It's not like you haven't taught me before. Every time I start, your mother interrupts me. I'd better learn from Teacher Lin, so I can have more peace and quiet.

This was before she started selling eggs. Her mother-in-law didn't want to see her idle, and she didn't want her to be too close to her son. So she always interrupted! Now the old lady is much better to her, but Xiao Xie doesn't want to change anything.

Teacher Gao said, "Strange, who is that woman? Xiao Fang just avoided her."

"Isn't he going to find Wang Dexian?"

"I saw it clearly. He went out first and then met Wang Dexian."

Wang Dexian gave his mother ten yuan and said a few words of greeting before sitting down with Fang Mingche to watch TV.

Mother Wang enthusiastically took out the watermelon, cut it, and invited Fang Mingche to eat it.

"Okay, thank you, Auntie."

The Yugoslav movie "The Bridge" is playing on TV. It was one of the most frequently played foreign movies in the 70s. The song "Goodbye, good friend, goodbye" is very familiar to this generation of Chinese people.

Fang Mingche thought of the later Yugoslavia and Serbia, and he felt very sad. Tito was still alive at this time, and Yugoslavia was still a rich and powerful country. One-third of the families had TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and cars. In the past 20 to 30 years, Yugoslavia was a country that neither the United States nor the Soviet Union could do anything to!

Unfortunately, Tito only lived for nine months. After that, the multi-ethnic country of Yugoslavia gradually declined and began to regress in all aspects. Then it was dismembered again and again by the United States and the West, and finally split into several countries. The main body of Serbia became a small country that swallowed its anger. In 1999, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was bombed by the United States like a plow, and our embassy in Yugoslavia was "accidentally bombed".

During the COVID-19 pandemic, their president asked China for help. The Chinese government responded immediately, saying that these were orphans of comrades-in-arms! Many Chinese people also spontaneously donated money to Serbia.

Wang Dexian spat out the watermelon seeds and asked, "Why are you so moved?"

"Oh, now I remember they are all socialist countries. Their people are so rich!"

Wang Dexian said, "That's true! Among socialist countries, Yugoslavia is the richest. But we should also gradually get better. Look at your life, isn't it getting better and better? By the way, what do you think? Open a scrap yard?"

The lives of ordinary people in Yugoslavia are almost the same as those of his father. It is indeed a rich country with a strong people! However, the old man also mentioned that Tito is very old and there is no successor. He is one year older than Chairman Mao!
"The scrap business may not look impressive, but it's actually not bad. I'd like to try it out while there are no barriers to entry and it's safe."

Fang Mingche ate the watermelon and said goodbye. It's not good to stay in someone's house all the time. He thought that he should buy a set of suitable skin care products for Ayan later. It is really a sad thing for a beauty to fade away. The beauty of Wang Dexian's mother when she was young can still be vaguely seen from the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. But she is not much different from other working women of the same age.

In those ten years, people said that they loved weapons instead of red clothes, and due to the reality, the old lady had no chance to maintain her life. Moreover, the middle-aged couple must have been very worried. I guess she is now quite different from the "auntie" mentioned by Wang Dexian.

When Fang Mingche returned home, Wu Dan had already left.

He asked Lin Yan, "Are you leaving?"

"If you act so unwelcoming, she will definitely not stay for long. She heard that we were all admitted to college, and you were admitted to Beijing Normal University, so she came to say congratulations."

Fang Mingche said, "She invited you to her wedding on May Day. Didn't she want you to see the tube-shaped building where she lives and feel envious?"

"Classmates, friends, and educated youth like us who went to the countryside together, we all compare ourselves with each other. However, my Mingche is so capable that he allows me to live in my own house with property rights. I don't have to go to the public toilet or go to the end of the tube building to use the toilet. I am the one that others should envy."

No matter how good the tube building is, the property rights still belong to the company. And the indoor area of her house is about the same as theirs, and it lacks a courtyard. This has both land and sky, so what's wrong with living there?
Lin Yan paused and said, "I think what she said actually makes sense. If Ma Anguo could be like you, they wouldn't have come to this point."

Fang Mingche asked: "Do you think Ma Anguo can get into university?"

Lin Yan shook her head.

"That's right. Nowadays, only a few people can get into university. If he comes, he will just be a drifter. Do you think Wu Dan will stick with him? Maybe when he sees the father and daughter coming, he will be full of disgust."

Lin Yan looked at Yanyan under the tree. The story was over and the other children had gone home. Only Yanyan was still sitting there, humming some ballad, looking very happy.

She said: "In the end, it is the children who suffer."

The next morning, Lin Yan sent Liu Qingfeng to deliver the waste cardboard.

He pushed the tricycle to the side door of the second entrance, and carried out the cardboard in batches and stacked them. He piled them high and tied them up with ropes. With the vision of becoming a station manager and sharing the dividends, he must be full of initiative and enthusiasm in his work now. For him, becoming a station manager should not be far away.

Geng Shan and Lin Yan were left to collect waste, while Sister Wei continued to collect vegetables and eggs.

When Mrs. Wei collected the eggs, she picked them up one by one and looked at them. "This one is not good. It has been stored for a long time. Take it home and eat it yourself!"

If we sell something that is not fresh, it will ruin our reputation. If we trace it back to the source, Teacher Lin will say that she let the water out. Otherwise, how could she not even see this?
The one who brought the eggs was a young wife who married into the village. These eggs were obviously not from the village, but from her mother's family. The eggs in the village were laid by the hens every day, and when they were ten, they were sent here. They couldn't be not fresh!
The other party looked at Wei's wife with some complaints. We are from the same village, you can just let it go by raising your hand.

Lin Yan heard it and immediately said, "Yes, we won't accept anything that's not fresh. Sister Wei, if someone gets away with it, I'll only look for you."

Sister Wei said, "Did you hear that? I don't want to lose this job, so don't try to hurt me again."

What's wrong with the people in this village? She earns more than 30 yuan a month from this job, which is equivalent to a worker in a state-owned factory. She also provides two meals. If anyone causes her to lose her job or makes a bad impression on her boss, she will be angry with him!
Liu Qingfeng tied it up and pulled it a few times to make sure it wouldn't fall off on the road. Then he rode to the front and poured the tea into his military canteen. It was a long ride, so he definitely needed some water to drink.

Lin Yan said, "Be careful on the road. Ming Che said that if the sun is strong, you should find a cool place to hide, and don't ride in the scorching sun. Look, Zhu Dahai has suffered from heatstroke."

Zhu Dahai will probably have to rest at home for two days. It's not easy to have a heat stroke.

Liu Qingfeng nodded, "Teacher Lin, I know. I'll leave now. I'll try to deliver it in the morning and come back in the afternoon."

"Ah."

Actually, if there is an empty room, it can be piled up for a while longer. But it is only mid-August, and the hottest days of the year are still here.

We can't wait until the middle of next month to ship the goods. Besides, there is only one tricycle that can ship the goods. Even if Mingche doesn't set up the stall, the tricycle is also here, and it is impossible to ship them together. So we should ship them one by one, and don't leave it for too long.

Moreover, they also need to confirm whether the product can be sold and whether it is the price that Mr. Gao asked for. In case the price changes, especially downward, they need to know. Otherwise, if the buyer reduces the price, they will think it is the original price, and their work may be in vain.

Fang Mingfeng's train was due to arrive that afternoon.

Fang Mingche was originally planning to close his stall early and go to the station to pick him up. But after the two brothers talked about it, Fang Mingfeng said he would just take a tricycle to Dashilan and stop by the square to watch the flag-lowering ceremony.

Otherwise, Fang Mingche would have closed his stall two hours earlier and sold two hundred fewer bowls of tea.

"Instead of picking me up, why don't you spend the money and have a nice dinner tonight. I'm sure the place won't be hard to find. The people on tricycles will know the place once I mention it."

Fang Mingche thought about it and thought that his cousin had been away from home before, so it should be no problem. So he agreed.

(End of this chapter)