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

Chapter 203 Getting Used to It
When Fang Mingfeng's family entered the private room, Fang Mingche and Lin Yan were telling their parents about their recent trip to Europe and America. Lin Yi, Fang Mingcheng, Han Ping, and Fang Jian were listening nearby.

After the small side courtyard was finished, Fang's parents moved in. Fang Mingche also invited Fang Mingcheng and Han Ping to move back in with them. Anyway, the west room of the main house was empty.

That way, there are able-bodied young men in the yard. He won't have to worry about thieves breaking in again.

Last year, someone stole a car wheel, which terrified Changchang. Before that, it had also frightened Zhu Wenjuan, who was pregnant. He and Gu Zhiguang, along with Zhu Dahai, Hu Yong, and other able-bodied men from the tenement, beat the thief quite badly.

That incident effectively improved the security in the area. For a long time afterward, no one dared to steal from the large courtyards and small side courtyards.

However, he was quite famous in that area. Everyone knew he was making a lot of money, and it was impossible to hide it. He suggested that the old man simply move into the side courtyard of the traditional courtyard house.

But the old man said business was good; the five rooms in that side courtyard could earn ten yuan a day when fully occupied. And there was only a 14-inch black and white TV and a Little Swan semi-automatic washing machine in the small side courtyard.

However, nowadays, banks only issue deposit slips, which aren't registered in people's names. If someone steals it, others can withdraw and use it. Fang Mingche was afraid outsiders would suspect his father had money or the deposit slip and come to steal it. So he called Mingcheng and Hanping back to live with him.

The two of them didn't want to live in the small courtyard with the family of four and Fang Min, not because they disliked the fact that someone had hanged themselves in the west room of the main house. Rather, it was because Fang Mingche and Lin Yan were always so affectionate, and they, as two married young people enjoying the privileges of being unmarried, didn't want to live with them.

Now that they're with the elderly and children, it's no longer a problem. They send ten yuan back home each month, saving the rest to buy a house in the capital. In the past two years, housing prices in the capital have really been rising. In the future, more and more people will want to come to the capital, and prices will only continue to rise.

Living together like this, they could save on rent. They could also share meals and get a meal allowance with some left over. So the two of them happily moved back in.

Mr. He has developed the photos. He gave them to Fang Jian, who was helping out in Dashilan, to bring back yesterday. Everyone is passing them around now. As for the cost of developing the photos, Mr. He definitely gave us a discount.

Han Mei, Fang Min, Fang Fang, and Yan Yan were playing with Kang Kang and Chang Chang, and also overheard the conversation. Seeing that some photos had been circulated, Han Mei went over and took them for everyone to see.

When Changchang saw herself on the screen, she poked and patted her chest.

Han Mei smiled and replied, "It's you?"

Having raised two younger brothers, she naturally has experience in dealing with children. She had previously won over Yan Yan so well that she enjoyed spending time with her aunt, and she's doing the same for Chang Chang now.

However, Fang Mingche was well aware of how she treated the children of poor relatives in her previous life.

"Mmm." Changchang nodded vigorously.

Upon seeing his second uncle and aunt enter, Fang Mingche quickly stood up. "Second uncle, second aunt, Aunt Yang, Brother Mingfeng, sister-in-law, Huihui, come in and sit down."

Everyone sat around two large tables pushed together, and there were two hot pots as well. This way, no one would have trouble getting food, and it would also be easier to talk.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Lin Yan took the menu and asked her second uncle and the others to add a few dishes they liked, then handed it to the waiter, saying, "Serve the food."

The restaurant had already served some white fungus soup and a snack platter, so there was no reason for them to let customers sit around doing nothing. After all, they're charging customers anyway.

With the arrival of Fang Mingfeng's family, two more children, Fang Tong and Fang Wu, joined the family. Fang Wu, in particular, received a warm welcome from the two older boys.

Seeing that the two little rascals had calmed down and were running over to tease their little sister, Fang Fang and Yan Yan both breathed a sigh of relief. They exchanged a glance; being an older sister wasn't easy!

While having hot pot, Lin Yan asked Fang Min to keep an eye on Changchang, and she shared the tipping culture of Europe and America with her relatives and friends.

Fang's mother said, "It's unreasonable to ask for extra money on top of the food."

“They provide service, so this is considered a service fee. It’s 10% to 15% of the total meal cost. Our state-run restaurants and state-run buses don’t offer any service at all. I wouldn’t give them a service fee,” Lin Yan said.

She paused and then said, "When Mingche and I were selling large bowls of tea in Tiananmen Square, foreign tourists often gave us tips."

Lin's mother asked, "Then should we give it to them today too?"

With so many people, the meal will probably cost at least two hundred yuan. When ordering, she glanced at the menu and saw that beef, mutton, pork throat, kidney, and other meat dishes were all four yuan a serving.

The portions at this restaurant are small, even though they look nice. If you order two portions, there might not even be enough for one person to share. She's seen her son-in-law order four portions of the main dishes at a time. Doesn't that mean the tip will be twenty or thirty yuan? That's equivalent to half a month's retirement pension for her.

Lin Yan thought for a moment and said, "I don't think so. When you're abroad, you have to follow local customs. But now that I'm back, I don't want to be the one leading the way in custom."

And who knows how many customers who aren't used to tipping will later criticize her behind her back when they're forced to tip. They'll say she went abroad and came back arrogant, throwing money away!

Moreover, the excellent service attitude in the domestic service industry these days is partly a result of competition with state-owned restaurants. It's already a good thing that customers are patronizing private establishments instead of state-owned ones.

Those who dare to leave their hometowns to open hot pot restaurants must have real skills. Otherwise, how could they afford it with such expensive rent for storefronts in the capital? Even those of us who can't eat spicy food found the plain broth quite delicious.

Mr. Fang, Mr. Lin, and Uncle Fang gathered together, all saying that running a restaurant business these days is really quite profitable. Mr. Fang's desire to invite his eldest son and daughter-in-law to the capital was growing stronger.

Fang Mingfeng said, "They're working for the RMB, not for the people. What's the point if they don't make money? Besides, rent, food, labor costs, utilities—all of these cost money."

His mother-in-law asked, "How much will they make from this meal?"

Fang Mingfeng recalled that when he first came in, he saw that all the tables outside were full.

"This kind of business can probably earn more than 30%."

Fang's mother clicked her tongue in astonishment, "Then we're making fifty or sixty yuan per private room. That's for the whole night!"

My cousin's wife said, "Auntie, outsiders who want to do business in the capital definitely need someone to protect them. When it comes time to split the profits, who knows how many of them will be getting nothing in return?"

That's what her family's video rental shop is like!

Mr. Fang nodded, recalling that the Wang family would take 40% of the profits from the travel agency and the handicraft shop. Although he didn't know the exact figures, judging from Lin Yan's brother's wife's monthly income of 300, that 40% was certainly not a small amount.

But how can this place stay in business without someone protecting it? If someone causes trouble at this hot pot restaurant, it won't be able to stay open. For one thing, if some scoundrel comes to eat there, pulls a hair out of the pot, throws it in, and then starts making a scene, the restaurant will be in serious trouble. Things are more valuable away from home, but people are less valuable away from home!
However, these people are definitely targeting shops without powerful backers. They wouldn't dare to target shops with connections or smooth relationships. They're short of money, but they don't need to be messed with.

The meal cost 206 yuan. The proprietress rounded down the 6 yuan to the bill. When she spoke, she noticed the Fang family's accent, "Are you from Sichuan too?"

Fang's mother nodded, "Yes, we're from Leshan. Where are you from?"

"We're from Chongqing. Here, have a gold card. You can get a 12% discount next time you come."

Lin Yan put it away. "Okay, I'll come eat here again next time."

This is probably not for people from the same hometown; it's meant for customers who have spent a certain amount.

Everyone had eaten quite a bit, so they walked over to stroll around Tiananmen Square. The car was parked in the parking lot set up by the hot pot restaurant.

When Fang's father told him that he could drive and had even passed his driving test, the second uncle asked, "So you can drive it now?"

He had previously invited his cousin to go fishing, but the cousin replied that he needed to memorize driving school exam questions. So he asked him about it tonight.

"Of course, I took the exam myself. I picked up Mingche and Ayan from the airport when they came back that day. Big cities aren't like our small towns where you can just use connections to get a certificate."

Fang Mingche gave an awkward smile. He had gotten his driver's license through Mingfeng's connections. However, he had already taken the test in his previous life and was too lazy to take it again in this one.

Fang Mingfeng, who was standing nearby, told him that he wanted to get Minghui a job at his travel agency.

Fang Mingche raised an eyebrow, "Why didn't you think of this sooner?"

If they had planned this earlier, the two months of summer vacation would have been enough to complete the internship. They could have sold the job before the start of the next semester and wouldn't have needed to change teachers midway through.

It's one thing for Minghui to be unplanned, but Mingfeng doesn't seem like that kind of person.

Fang Mingfeng sighed and said in a low voice, "We had agreed that my mother-in-law would stay here to take care of Tongtong and Xiaowu. But my aunt suddenly got pregnant and the old lady had to go back to take care of her. My mother-in-law was afraid that her daughter-in-law would say that she didn't take care of her own grandson but took care of her grandson from another family, and that she wouldn't take care of her in her old age. So she told us directly that she wanted to leave, and said that my parents were here too."

Fang Mingche thought for a moment. Mingfeng's brother-in-law also only had one daughter. They were trying to have a son! It seemed like these things couldn't be planned two months in advance.

Moreover, Mingfeng plans to move his wife and children to Guangzhou next year after the house is handed over and renovated. He definitely won't be planning to bring his parents and sister to the capital.

Fang Mingche said, "So Huihui is going to call and resign, sell her job? To be honest, I want to give her a trial period. If she can't handle the job, I won't keep her just because we're relatives."

A lower educational background is acceptable if one has strong learning abilities. Xie Ping has the lowest educational background in the travel agency; she only completed two years of primary school. However, she is a good worker, quick learner, and hard-working.

Of course, Fang Mingche had his own explanation for hiring Xie Ping, given her low educational background. She was there to help middle-level managers find jobs for their families. If someone could reach the position of president or higher, they could enjoy this benefit until new personnel regulations were implemented.

This practice has existing examples in state-owned enterprises and universities. Moreover, it benefits employees in the future. Even if they don't ultimately use it, it's still a source of hope. Therefore, they readily accept it.

If an incompetent person with connections comes along, it won't be so easy to accept. It will affect morale!
Minghui's educational background isn't sufficient, but given my relationship with Mingfeng, I can't refuse her. I can give her a job opportunity. But if she can't handle the job, she can't stay. Otherwise, it will be difficult to manage my team.

Fang Mingfeng knew this too. He thought for a moment, "Then let's call home first to ask for a long leave and find someone to cover her classes. Once everything is arranged, she can go back during the winter break. She can then travel with Mingcheng and the others."

He might not have time to go back for the Chinese New Year, especially since Xiao Wu had only just turned one year old. His parents were both in the capital, so there was no need for the family of four to return to their hometown.

Fang Mingche nodded, "Okay, let her start work on September 1st. That way it will be easier to calculate Ayan's salary. The internship salary is only 24 yuan a month."

"it is good!"

On the way back, Fang Minghui heard that the first month's salary was only 24 yuan, and couldn't help but say, "That's so low?"

On the way back, only the siblings were there, followed by their cousin's wife and daughter, and Xiao Wu. Their second uncle and aunt had gone to the courtyard house at Fang's father's invitation. Fang Tong was also invited by Yan Yan.

Mr. Fang said, "If you're leaving after dinner, I'll drive you. Otherwise, you can stay here. Summer vacation ends in a week, and tourists will all be heading home. There's another courtyard available here."

My cousin's wife was sitting in the passenger seat, holding her child. Hearing her sister-in-law complain about the low pay, she couldn't help but purse her lips slightly. "With your qualifications," she said, "if your brother hadn't bought you a primary school math teacher position, what good job could you possibly find?"

Even if you teach elementary school math, the principal only assigned you to teach first and second grade. He even hinted that it would be best to go to a teacher training college for further studies and get a diploma. Mingche's school doesn't even accept junior high school students in the first place. They're mainly doing it because of your brother.

Fang Mingfeng, sitting in the back seat, said to the girl, "Your brother Mingche said there's a one- to two-month trial period. If you don't pass the trial, they won't keep you. So, you should call and ask for leave first. It would be best to have the principal find a substitute teacher; I bet they're also lining up to buy the job. If you pass the trial, go back during winter break to resign and sell the job to them. If you don't pass the trial, you'll have to go back to where you came from."

Fang Minghui stared in disbelief, "If I don't do a good job, he's not going to fire me, is he?"

"No, I'm not going to give you a permanent position. Private companies are tough to run, so don't you dare go there to be a slacker. Mingche means what she says, and she won't keep you just because you're a cousin within five degrees of kinship."

At most, they might give you a different job, like selling things. But even then, they'd still worry about your customer service.

Mingche plans to expand his business to the south. If Minghui performs well, she can be transferred to the south. That way, the family won't be separated.

Fang Minghui thought about the prospect of going abroad and said, "I understand."

Fang Mingfeng nodded, "Salaries will increase step by step. However, in private companies, especially in highly profitable ones like your brother Mingche's, the income difference between each level can be quite large. So, you have to keep working hard and can't slack off at all. I heard that those positions can be filled or demoted. You should practice your Mandarin these few days. You can learn English once you get in, but listen to English on the radio too. Tongtong listens every day, so you can do it with her."

"got it."

"By the way, when you go back, don't mention your salary, not even a little bit. Mingcheng, Hanping, and Xiaomin all kept their mouths shut when they went back, and they only sent ten yuan home each month. Mingche, including me, don't want the Fang family to come to us."

They're still cracking down on homeless people. But as long as you're not sleeping on the streets, the crackdown isn't as strict.

The Lin family father and son had to go to work, so after they finished eating, Han Mei drove them home. The others, including Lin's mother, went to the courtyard house. It was the biggest place there!
Everyone entered through the side door into the secluded courtyard where Fang's father's office was located. Fang's father went in, and the employees who were assigned to watch over the small general merchandise stall handed him the record book and the money collected, foreign exchange certificates or foreign currency.

Mr. Fang nodded, glanced at the numbers on the shelf, and then looked over the shelves. "Thank you for your hard work."

My second uncle and aunt were taken aback when they saw the wide variety of goods on the shelves. "You sell daily necessities here? Where did you get them from?"

"Friendship Store and Overseas Chinese Store. I just stock whatever the customers need, and mark up the price by 20%. Some customers are tourists who have free time and prefer to go out and shop on their own. Some customers are here for business and are very busy. They prefer to shop here because it's nearby."

My second uncle asked, "Where do your guests mainly come from?"

"Some of them are customers we recruited at the airport and train station, and some are recommended to us by the Friendship Hotel and Beijing Hotel after they were fully booked. Gradually, we have repeat customers, or new customers introduced by our previous customers."

He privately gave a commission to each of the people recommended from those two places.

Once the stock is almost sold out, he can make a list and drive there to buy it himself. He just makes a 20% profit.

Second Aunt said, "Seventh Brother, it seems you're quite comfortable in Beijing."

Mr. Fang said, “It’s all for my grandchildren. All five of my grandchildren are now in Beijing, and seeing them makes me feel good. At first, it was definitely not easy to get used to, as I had been working from sunrise to sunset for the past few decades. But gradually, I found my joy in it.”

He was especially happy when he calculated his earnings daily and discovered he was making money. He was very satisfied that he didn't rely on his youngest son for money. The accommodation fees plus the profit from his small general store made him profitable overall.

The second uncle said, "If it weren't for your son, who would hire you to manage such a large courtyard?"

“But I’m perfectly capable of it. If you’re not satisfied, you can have your son arrange a managerial position for you,” Mr. Fang said smugly.

The second aunt whispered to Fang's mother, "You're so good to me, you already have three grandsons. And your two granddaughters are so sensible."

Fang's mother knew that her cousin-in-law's main point was that "she already has three grandsons." She laughed and said, "You'll have grandsons too. Judging from Mingfeng and Xiaoyang's intentions, they'll probably keep having children until they have a son. Anyway, your family can afford to raise them and pay the fines."

Second Aunt nodded, "If I really get pregnant with the third child, I'll go to Guangzhou with you to take care of him."

She's much happier working hard for her grandson. Her two little girls, on the other hand, seem less motivated.

Mingfeng's brother-in-law even called to ask when their apartment in Guangzhou would be ready for handover. Always thinking about getting a bargain! If the apartment is handed over and renovated, are you two just going to hide there from the family planning officials?
It seems there are advantages to buying an off-plan property. The house isn't big, so she and her husband will go together. There won't be enough room for her family when they come.

There's no way around it, 700 per square meter, the price per unit is too high!
After lunch, Changchang took a nap right on time. Fang Mingche carried him into his old room to sleep. When he came out, he saw that Fang Tong, Yan Yan, and Kang Kang were all in good spirits. "Aren't you three going to sleep? Children in the preschool class are supposed to take a nap after lunch."

Yan Yan and Fang Tong said, "We're in preschool/first grade now."

"You still need to take a nap. Go, you two can sleep in the same bed. Even if you can't sleep, you can still rest. And Kang Kang, you can sleep with Chang Chang too. You'll be starting preschool soon."

There are no preschool classes in the countryside, so he went straight to kindergarten. He will start preschool next September.

After being shooed away by him, the three children had no choice but to obediently go inside for a nap. Children don't have much energy. They were excited outside, but once they were in bed, they quickly closed their eyes and fell asleep.

Fang Mingche originally wanted his cousin and his wife to come along too. But they said that Xiao Wu is particular about her bed and they would have to carry her back to sleep. Otherwise, the adults would have to carry her on their backs or hold her.

As for Fang Jian, he stayed behind at Dashilan to serve tea and water to the guests.

Fangfang is currently sitting behind the counter, working as a sales clerk for her grandfather's small general store. Besides cleaning, this is her main job lately. She only watches Kang Kang when her grandmother has to go out.

Fang Mingche learned the art of tea in his previous life. Seeing that there were ready-made tea sets, he took them out to brew tea for his elders and himself.

Father Fang also sells tea here, so it must be a higher-end product. It's completely different from the coarse tea stems used in large bowls of tea.

Everyone watched as Fang Mingche knelt there, smoothly washing his hands, arranging the utensils, rinsing the cups, warming the teapot, washing the tea, and brewing the tea. Seeing everyone staring at him, he even performed a "Phoenix Three Nods" move. Then he sealed the teapot, poured the tea into cups, and handed the tea to everyone.

Auntie said, "Mingche, your fingers are long, it looks really nice to see you fiddling with them like this."

Mr. Fang smiled and said, "It looks even better than the people I hired arranged it."

He discovered that the foreigners living here all liked these traditional Chinese things. That's why he bought tea sets and hired a young woman who knew about tea ceremony to set them up.

Otherwise, why would they be willing to spend that money on good tea and teaware?
Fang Mingche said, "Someone like me is not someone that can be easily persuaded." He was in a good mood today, and most of the people present were his elders.

After everyone had finished drinking, he added, "Southern Kung Fu tea is quite interesting. Let Brother Mingfeng set it up for us later."

Dinner was prepared by the chef hired here. After eating, Fang's father drove his cousin, his wife, and Fang Tong back home.

After he left, Second Uncle said to Mingfeng, "Your Seventh Uncle is living a very comfortable life now. Mingche's family business is much bigger than yours, which is just a junkyard. And the things your Seventh Uncle manages are also very refined."

Watching video arcades used to be fine, at least they were profitable. But this junkyard, you're dealing with scrap collectors all the time.

Fang Mingfeng said, "I am willing to continue in the transportation business, but the security on the roads is too bad these days. I'll start small and save up some money first."

In the transportation business, as long as nothing goes wrong on the road, you're guaranteed to make a fortune. However, the security situation along the routes is truly appalling now. It's much worse than it was ten years ago, and it urgently needs to be addressed.

He talked to Mingche about it, and Mingche only said, "Just wait and see, they will definitely take action. But they need to have enough manpower, and the police force is already insufficient."

A few days later, the People's Daily finally published the last article in the debate over Chen Zhixiong's fishpond labor issue: an article by She Danu and Huang Keyi entitled "Further Emancipate the Mind and Revitalize the Economy." The article argued that Chen could contract out farms to other farms and hire workers. Hiring workers was not considered exploitation because his "income was higher than others, mainly due to the principle of more work, more pay, which is beyond reproach."

Fang Mingche keenly noticed the phrase "the more you work, the more you earn." They're starting to mention "the more you work, the more you earn"—that's a good thing!

Mr. Fang took the newspaper and said, "After three whole months of discussion, is this the conclusion?"

This is clearly the last article, and it explicitly states that workers can be hired, so it's reasonable for contractors to earn higher wages. That's definitely the conclusion!
Fang Mingche nodded, "Yes, that's the conclusion."

Mr. Fang said, "This isn't enough to explain the problem and convince people, is it?"

"Ah."

That's how it was in the past; the People's Daily's "conclusion" didn't completely resolve the debate on the "employment problem." Throughout the 80s, the employment problem rose and fell several times, without a definitive conclusion. Theoretical circles directly participated in solving the practical problems.

In response to these situations, the State Council's top leaders made it clear: "All opinions are open for discussion; we can talk, but we shouldn't take action. We shouldn't condemn everything outright," and "We need to conduct investigations and research, and remain calm; the sky won't fall." They also repeatedly emphasized that, fundamentally, these problems must be solved through the practical creativity of the masses. "Solutions are rarely found in offices; we must carefully discover good experiences from the masses."

The most important theoretical achievement of these three months is that Lin Zili, an economist from the Policy Research Office of the Secretariat of the Central Committee, deduced a conclusion from a calculation example in Marx's "Capital": "Eight or fewer people is called hiring helpers, eight or more people is called hiring laborers, and eight or fewer people is not considered exploitation."

The theoretical standards and boundaries of "seven up, eight down" have not only failed to quell the debate, but have instead made reality even more perplexing.

Mr. Fang looked around and lowered his voice to say to Fang Mingche, "This...this is simply absurd. Hiring seven people is hiring help, hiring eight people is exploitation. Can it be defined so simply and crudely?"

Does exploitation determine whether to hire one more or one less person?
"Of course not. But at least it's not said that hiring workers is prohibited, which is beneficial to us," Fang Mingche said frankly.

The phone suddenly rang. This was an extension, probably transferred from the main switchboard.

Mr. Fang picked up the phone, "Hello, this is the Fang residence!"

Fangzhai is the registered name of the guesthouse; it can't be called Fangfu, can it?

Wang Dexian's voice came from the other end, "Uncle, it's me, Dexian. Is Xiao Fang there?"

"Oh, it's Xiao Wang. Wait a moment."

Fang's father handed over the microphone, and Fang Mingche said, "Old Wang, what's up?"

"Hey, you were right: hiring seven isn't exploitation! I've only hired seven here, so I feel at ease now. Even if someone tries to use the 'seven up, eight down' argument against me, they won't be able to find fault with me."

Fang Mingche said, "It's good that nothing's wrong. Let's survive first, and then we can talk about other things."

Whether this theory is dogmatic or rigid, history will provide the answer.

"When will my things arrive? My bayberries are still waiting." She knew Fang Mingche and Lin Yan would definitely remember to bring them gifts.

Some of the things Fang Mingche brought back from abroad were entrusted by his overseas shop employees to be brought back to their families. He had already given some to the Zhou and Qiu families, as well as the ones for Wu Mingju, Fei Ming, Qin Tian, ​​and others, and had the driver deliver them to their homes.

Another part consisted of gifts he brought, which he had already sent to acquaintances in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Investment Promotion Bureau, and the military. Old Master Wang's gifts were definitely sent first. As for Wang Dexian's, he immediately gave them back to Qin Hua.

"I gave them all to your sister right away; her name is written on them. You haven't been back these past few days, have you?"

The gifts were delivered after I adjusted to the time difference, but the gifts for Lao Wang, Yang Mei, and Qin Hua's family of three were given before that.

"I'll go get it after get off work. Hey, are you in the little courtyard tonight?"

Wang Dexian didn't ask why it hadn't been delivered to him. Xiao Fang must have taken the easy way out, giving it to Qin Hua before going back to adjust to the time difference. Then Qin Hua probably spent the last few days working on his summer homework and was too lazy to deliver it by bike, resulting in him being the last one to receive it.

"Well, if you're going back, I can come over and have a couple of drinks with you."

"You can't open the foreign liquor that was given to me."

Fang Mingche gifted Wang Dexian a bottle of Lafite. Unfortunately, next year is only 1982, and the best vintage hasn't been released yet. Moreover, the 1982 Lafite wouldn't normally be available until around 1985.

He planned that if he couldn't make it himself, he would have the people at the Paris store buy a large quantity for him.

After receiving the Lafite, Wang Dexian checked the expiration date of its optimal tasting period. Then he said, "I heard this wine is from the Rothschild family?"

Fang Mingche nodded. "Yes, that winery belongs to their family. You even know that?"

"When it comes to attracting investment, you definitely need to know all about these things. I mean, you're having too much fun, staying for over 50 days."

Not to mention others, even Wang Dexian was filled with envy and jealousy. But firstly, he personally didn't have that much money, and secondly, both he and his wife needed organizational approval to go abroad.

He now understood why Fang Mingche didn't plan to join the government but instead wanted to stay at a university to teach.

Fang Mingche said, "People without connections, unless they passed the college entrance examination when it was reinstated in 77 or 78, will miss out on many good jobs."

Even the State Council has recruited a significant number of new employees from these two graduating classes. These are the only two opportunities for ordinary people without connections to enter these prestigious organizations.

It's a pity he only passed the exam in 1979, his third year. By the time he graduated, even the best companies were already full. That's opportunity, that's perfect timing!

If he misses this opportunity, he might as well stay in academia. That would give him a lot more freedom! He wouldn't need organizational approval for everything.

Wang Dexian's mother came over and said, "Dexian, Xiaofang, you two should drink less and not get drunk."

Fang Mingche nodded, "Don't worry, Auntie!"

Although Wang Dexian could stay here to sleep, or he could go to the small side courtyard, both places were already fully occupied, and their overnight stay would cause trouble for others.

(End of this chapter)