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

Chapter 89 Returning Home with Feelings
That night, Fang Mingche went to bed early. He was exhausted after sitting on the train for three days and taking the bus twice.

The next morning, he took his three nephews and nieces, who were dressed in navy uniforms, and took the village tractor to the town to take pictures.

The three children were worried about getting their new clothes dirty, so they brought cardboard to sit on.

Driving a tractor is also a very popular job nowadays, and it can be regarded as a low-end version of driving a large truck.

Although the income is much lower than that of my cousin who drives a truck, it is much higher than the work points of digging in the dirt, and it is also quite safe.

The tractor-truck driver originally thought that the other party's mind was not very clear due to his clear senses.

But I heard that he brought back some BJ roast duck last night, and today I saw him buy nice clothes for his nephew and niece, so I think he must be doing well in the capital. Otherwise, how could he be willing to spend so much money?
And I heard the three kids talking excitedly along the way, and they were chatting with a hitchhiker, saying that their uncle wanted to take them to town to take pictures.

He also put away his contemptuous thoughts. When he got off the car, he took the initiative to tell Fang Mingche the time to go back.

"Remember to gather at that time."

Fang Mingche thanked him with a smile, then led the three children to the only Liufang Photo Studio in town.

He has a lot of things to do in town today, so he should do them one by one.

The town is not big, just a few streets. Just do your business according to the distance.

It is summer vacation now, Fang Jian is not in school. Fang Fang and Fang Kang are not in school either.

Fang Fang will go there next semester and start directly in the first grade.

I went to take pictures first, but I still had to wait in line for a while.

The man in front was dressed similarly to Fang Mingche, and was leading a donkey.

You can tell at a glance that they are here to take a kiss photo. They want to show the strength of their family to the girl.

Clothes, pants and shoes are mostly collected or borrowed; ordinary farmers don’t dress like this.

The donkey couldn’t tell.

It will be their turn only after this person has finished his photo and left.

The three children seemed a little uncomfortable facing the camera.

Fang Mingche said at the side: "Relax, talk to me"

"Eggplant——" three smiling faces are frozen in time.

Fang Mingche paid the money and asked the photographer to develop one more photo.

"Take it to the capital and show it to Yanyan. Otherwise, she won't be familiar with you guys after not seeing you for a long time."

The second thing was to go to the post office to make a phone call. On the way, Fang Mingche saw a candy figurine spinning stall and took the three children to go and spin it.

Fang Jian got the peach, Fang Kang got the knife. Fang Fang got lucky and got a bigger one.

She took the initiative to switch with Fang Kang.

Arriving at the post office, Fang Mingche said, "You two keep an eye on Fang Kang. Second uncle will come out as soon as he makes a phone call."

Even though they were standing within sight, the little one might run away if they were not careful.

The call was to Lin Yan to report that she was safe.

It would have been too much trouble if I had taken the bus to the town yesterday, got off, made the phone call, and then walked back with the suitcase.

There was no telephone in the entire village, and if you wanted to make a call you had to go to the post office.

Just come again today.

When Lin Yan heard that he had arrived home safely, she said happily, "I'm glad you had a safe journey. You should adjust yourself and I will adjust myself too. I'll come to see you after the exam."

Then he called Yanyan over to say a few words.

"Dad, have you returned to your hometown? I miss you when you come back."

We have been on the road for three days. This is the fourth day, which is also the July 1st Party’s birthday.

The little girl could never remember being separated from her father for so long.

"Maybe in another half a month. You just follow your grandma and grandpa and be obedient."

"Yeah." Lin Yan took the microphone, "Finally there's as much money as you brought on the slip."

Fang Mingche thought about it and realized that he had brought two thousand yuan to Beijing in February.

He said with a smile: "Don't you count how much we bought?"

Now they have a house and a car, although it's just a bicycle. But now, they are definitely rich among the people in the capital.

"It counts, but I still feel a little uncomfortable about losing such a large sum of money all of a sudden. However, I'm not as excited as I was when I first saw the number. My Mingche will definitely be able to make more money."

When she returned to Beijing and couldn't find a job, she really didn't feel safe at all.

At that time, seeing the huge sum of 2000 yuan was like a life-saving straw.

Although tea stalls will soon be closed down, 2000 is not such a large sum of money anymore.

Fang Mingche said: "Well, with the reform and opening up, our lives will get better and better."

After hanging up the phone, he paid the money and took the three children to the high school in town.

This is his test center, come and have a look. The test center will be set up in two days, so you can't come in.

The guard took the cigarette, looked at the admission ticket that Fang Mingche handed over, and let him in.

"You didn't attend the repeat class?" The repeat class and the graduating class were still in their last two days of classes.

"I have to earn money to eat, so I study by myself."

The guard nodded in understanding, "Are these three all your children?"

Nowadays in rural areas, people are considered married just by having a wedding banquet before reaching the required age, and many couples also have children early.

Considering the age of this candidate, if he gets married at the age of 16, he can have the biggest child.

"No, they are all nephews and nieces."

Fang Mingche identified the door of the examination room and went out through another door.

Fang Kang couldn't walk by himself anymore, so he held the two older ones with one hand and asked them to follow him.

The reason why he came out from the other door was because this door was very close to the home of Fan Tuoer, a famous tailor in the town.

This man was born a hunchback, but he was very good at making clothes.

During those ten years, I made a living by secretly making clothes for others.

Nowadays, small places are still cracking down on speculation and profiteering, so she still doesn't dare to put up her sign openly.

When Fang Mingche arrived, he first introduced himself and which village he was from and who introduced him.

Only then did the other party feel at ease to take out the eating utensils and measure clothes for the three children.

After recording everything, Fang Mingche took out another piece of paper with measurements written on it, "Master Fan, please make four more white shirts according to the measurements on it."

Master Fan said, "Young man, you are doing well."

Whether it is buying and making clothes for three children, or making white shirts for several adults in the family, these are operations that only rich people can do.

Children grow up quickly, and few people will make new clothes for all the children in the family at the same time.

As for white shirts, nowadays most people make a fake collar and fasten it to the collar of the coat with hidden buttons, pretending that they are wearing a white shirt inside.

Making four white shirts at once is really too extravagant.

Fang Mingche also felt a little emotional. In fact, it doesn't cost much to make clothes today. Including labor and fabric, it costs less than 50 yuan.

It really doesn't mean anything to him.

But until now, no one in my family can wear the white shirt that they have been longing for.

He copied the size from his mother without telling her in advance.

The family worked hard all year round without any laziness, but they could not even have enough to eat. The food they were given had to be saved for the growing children.

My parents, brother and sister-in-law have all remained slim all year round, with little change. Making new clothes is a distant memory for them.

(End of this chapter)