My 1978 Hotel

Chapter 97: Going to the market to buy a black pot, two piglets come up

After seeing Wu Shengnan and Wu Xiaofeng off, Li Feng immediately returned to his room with the readers' letters and took out a dozen or so specially registered letters. "Let's see what goodies they've sent." These days, grain coupons, cloth coupons, and oil coupons all needed to be sent by specially registered mail.

“From Shanghai.”

Li Feng muttered, "It seems that Scars is quite popular in Shanghai. One out of every three letters is from Shanghai." But that's fine. After all, this is Shanghai. Even if there are more wealthy people these days than in other places,

"Five jin of national food coupons, not bad."

The first one was a big surprise. Food coupons were a necessity these days. With food and drink for the whole family, there wouldn't be much left over in a month. There might even be relatives in the countryside who could help out. After all, relatives were relatives these days, and if a poor relative came to visit, anyone with a bit of dignity would treat him well.

Not to mention that many families may not have enough food coupons, if someone can squeeze out five kilograms of food coupons and send them to Li Feng, he must be a good person.

"This is not good."

A pound of food coupons, how shameless! Li Feng curled his lips, threw the letter aside, and continued to open it. "What the hell is this?"

"Cloth coupons?"

Li Feng was speechless. He didn't need this stuff. Forget it, just put it aside for now and exchange it for someone else later. After opening a dozen special registered letters, he had more than ten kilograms of grain coupons, two cloth coupons, and half a kilogram of oil coupons.

"Take another look at this parcel."

These readers were poor, and when they opened the package, Li Feng was a little confused. "The cookies are all broken, this guy."

"Forget it."

Destroy it. This generation of readers is too poor. Li Feng gave up. As for the other letters, he didn't even feel like opening them. "Let Daya share these cookie crumbs with Mingliang and the other kids later."

Li Feng casually swept the other letters into his bag and would show them to his second brother later. He still had to reply to a few letters, and Li Feng thought to himself, he had to create a people-friendly personality.

Gao Jue came back and took the bag, helping to sort and open the letters. After all, some people like to slip in some money. He opened about thirty letters and actually got a few food coupons. "Boss, take a look at these letters."

"what happened?"

"You look."

Li Feng took it and saw that most of the mail addresses on these letters were from communes and production teams. "What's the big deal? The majority of the educated youth who haven't returned to the city are still here."

"Boss, please take a closer look."

Gao pointed at the letter. "From the tone of the letter, I feel like these people are in a very bad mental state, and a bit broken."

"collapse."

Wow, Li Feng took a closer look and found that these letters were all about pain and despair. Are they planning to wear warm clothes?

"You have to reply."

Although Li Feng thinks that he is not a good person, and that he modifies and plagiarizes other people's articles just to get better treatment, hide his identity, and get some food and drink, he is not a bad person after all, and he is not a heartless person.

"Bring me some letter paper, Lao Er."

Li Feng planned to write a few letters in reply to encourage these desperate young people, telling them to persevere and that things would be fine. Even if they couldn't return to the city, after the reform and opening up, they would not starve if they developed some industries.

"This is a girl, right?"

Girls are more emotional. Li Feng opened the plagiarized poem. Didn't she say that the whole world is dark, without a single ray of light, suffocating and painful? "The night gave me black eyes, but I use them to search for light. This poem is dedicated to you who bravely walk in the night. The night will eventually pass, and the light will be right before your eyes."

Li Feng wrote just a few simple sentences. Looking at the others, he found that it was quite suitable for facing the sea with flowers blooming in spring. This poem was rejected, so it was just right to be used as a reply.

“This is a fear of life.”

Li Feng thought for a long time but couldn't think of a good poem. "How about 'Sunflowers in the Sun'? This poem is a bit rough around the edges."

"...

You see, it didn't lower its head.

Turn your head behind you
It's like biting it off in one bite

The rope around the neck
 …”

After writing a few sheets of letter paper, Li Feng took a quick look at it and thought it was okay. One poem per person, and you have to live well for the sake of this poem. This took up a lot of his brain cells.

"I'll send it tomorrow morning."

It’s a pity that there are no bicycles, otherwise we should go there now. These people are in really bad condition, and if we go any later, something might happen to them.

"Tu tu tu tu."

"what?"

The sound of a motorcycle. This guy is weird. Wu Shengnan is here again. Isn't that right? The industrial coupons have been given away. But the motorcycle didn't seem to have any intention of stopping. Li Feng left the yard and saw that the three-wheeled motorcycle had already turned into the team.

"What's going on here?"

Li Feng muttered, but he could ask Wu Gongan to give him a ride later so he could mail these letters. "Alas, I'm just too kind. There's nothing I can do. I was born a saint." Li Feng sighed. He would wait until these people were better. If he didn't get some local specialties to send to him, this matter would not be over.

Wu Shengnan came here to send educated youth. The number of educated youth has dropped sharply this year, with only a few hundred in the whole country. There are only three educated youth in Tongcheng County, all of whom have family problems. In fact, the county itself is not very willing to implement the educated youth policy. After all, other places have gradually stopped implementing it.

The one sent from Hanjiaba was a girl. There was no other way. Wu Shengnan had seen how powerful the instructor of Lijiazhuang was, so she didn't choose Hanjiaba. The team leader of this village was capable, and no one in the village dared to touch the educated youth.

But Wu Shengnan was overthinking it. First, Hanjiaba had not accepted the educated youth in the past few years. Then there was the trouble caused by Daya and Erya's father. Now the team had no good feelings towards the educated youth.

"Public Security Officer Wu, we don't have room for her in our team."

Han Fuguo looked at the girl in front of him. She wasn't very tall, thin and weak, and looked very pitiful. How did she become an educated youth? It's not so popular these days. Who would send their child to be an educated youth if they have a stutter?

Zhang Wenjuan's parents passed away early, and she had lived with her brother. However, her brother was a soft-hearted person and married a strong wife. When Zhang Wenjuan graduated from junior high school and couldn't find a job, her sister-in-law encouraged her brother to ask the government to let her become an educated youth. This would at least save her food. Furthermore, the small house she lived in could be vacated for her own children.

"It used to be a youth settlement. After some repairs, it could probably accommodate someone."

Wu Shengnan had considered this when she arrived. "I'll help see if the commune can approve some money. The team doesn't have to contribute much, just enough to feed her."

"Where are the educated youth sites now?"

Han Fuguo was truly frustrated. Why would Public Security Wu bring such a situation upon himself? "The former educated youth site is now Li Feng's home. What do we do?"

"Is Li Feng's home a sent-down youth camp?"

After some thought, Wu Gongan concluded that Li Feng's yard was a bit far from the brigade, and it was really suitable to be a sent-down youth camp. After all, there were some differences between the sent-down youth and the farmers in the brigade, and conflicts would easily arise if the two were too close.

"It's not a good idea to send this child to live with Li Feng now."

"His family has several grown men, and it's not convenient for the child to go there."

Han Fuguo really didn't want to take on any educated youth. Hanjiaba wasn't wealthy to begin with, so where would the food be to feed another person? "How about Wu Gongan, why don't you ask the other brigades? I remember there were still educated youth there last year."

Wu Shengnan knew about this, but she was worried. Zhang Wenjuan was only fifteen or sixteen years old, young and weak-willed. If she went to other places, she might be bullied. "How about I go and tell Li Feng."

After all, Li Feng is a writer, so he wouldn't do anything worse than an animal.

"Okay, ask Li Feng what he thinks about this matter."

Han Fuguo thought that Li Feng's family had built two more houses. His cousin might pass away one day, so this house would be enough for him to live in.

"What the hell?" Li Feng wondered if there was something wrong with his ears. He had been planning to wait for Wu Shengnan to pass by and ask her to take him to the commune, but who knew that Wu Shengnan brought back a girl and said she wanted to stay at his house.

This is a joke. I have a lot of problems, no secrets. How can I let a stranger live in my house? I can't accept it. "Wu Gongan, stop joking. If you ask me, what's the point of sending a young man to school? The government doesn't want to do it anymore. Just send this girl home."

Zhang Wenjuan listened to the news and went home, tears streaming down her face. She was not a child and did not know anything. Her brother and sister-in-law were just trying to force her to leave the house. If she did not become an educated youth, she would probably never be able to return to that home.

"Stop, why are you crying?"

Li Feng was most afraid of this, crying. He would kick and slap a crying child. There was no other way, it was an allergic reaction. "Don't cry yet. Public Security Wu, I think you should find someone else for this matter."

Seeing Li Feng's refusal was firm, Wu Shengnan said a few words to Zhang Wenjuan. "Wait a minute, Comrade Li Feng, come in. I have a few words to talk to you."

"Oh, come inside and talk?"

Li Feng was a little confused. Was she trying to bribe him? Was she trying to seduce him? No way, Wu Shengnan didn't look like that. Coming to the inner room, Li Feng looked at Wu Shengnan, wondering what she was up to.

"Comrade Li Feng."

Wu Shengnan smiled and said, "On July 12th, you borrowed the production team's ox cart and went to the county. You were accompanied by your three cousins and two cousins..."

"I go."

Li Feng almost blurted out, "What do you mean, Wu Gongan?"

"You know what I mean."

Wu Shengnan had long suspected that Li Feng might be involved in the strange speculation and profiteering case in the county, but she had no solid evidence and everyone in the bureau had different attitudes towards the case. Now she brought it up just to scare Li Feng.

"I do not quite understand."

Li Feng thought to himself, "Damn it! Borrowing the oxcart to enter the county town is truly impossible to conceal. Fortunately, my brother, Wu Tong, and Qin Yue aren't here yet, so the county won't be able to find anything even if they try to investigate." Of course, there are some loopholes in the grain purchase, and it all depends on whether Wu Shengnan wants to investigate.

Wu Shengnan looked at Li Feng in silence for a long moment. Li Feng felt helpless. "Okay, then, let's set up a tent nearby and let her stay there first. But let me be frank: a group of grown men like us really aren't suitable for this. If anything goes wrong, don't regret it."

"What did you say?"

Wu Shengnan glanced at Li Feng with a bad look in her eyes, which frightened Li Feng. "Misunderstanding, Public Security Wu, I was just joking. Don't worry, I will definitely keep this guy fat and plump for you."

Li Feng wanted to strangle Wu Shengnan to death. First she threatened him verbally and now she was intimidating him with force. This woman was too bullying.

But he had no good solution. This woman had some evidence of his speculation and profiteering. Besides, her father was the deputy director of the county revolutionary committee.

What should I do? I had no choice but to hope that others would give me more benefits. Now, not only did I get the benefits, but I also got into trouble.

Wu Shengnan seemed to feel that she had been too tough just now, so she took out a stack of food coupons and some money.

"I'm a police officer, what are you doing?"

"This is Zhang Wenjuan's food allowance."

Wu Shengnan said calmly, "I got approval from the county. It's not much, but it's enough to cover this year's expenses. Captain Han will arrange for Zhang Wenjuan to work with everyone else and earn work points."

"alright."

With money and food coupons, at least they wouldn't be short of money, Li Feng took it. "How about this, the little girl will stay with Daya first, and Erya will sleep inside on the floor. We'll get her a bed later." Li Feng glanced at Zhang Wenjuan. This girl looked like she was easy to bully.

In the future, all the housework can be handed over to her, which will make things easier for him. Li Feng will not be reluctant to do it anyway.

"You stay here first."

Wu Shengnan and Zhang Wenjuan said, "If you have any questions, you can always contact me. I've been staying in Maya Commune lately."

"um. Thank you."

Wu Shengnan sighed. "Then I'll go back first."

"Public Security Wu, please wait a moment."

Li Feng hurriedly called Wu Shengnan, as he was still preparing to send a letter.

"Is there anything else?"

"I am busy."

Li Feng read the letters he received from readers and found that some of them were in a bad mood, so he wrote a few replies.

"Please take it to the commune."

Wu Shengnan looked at the letter paper and the address written on it.

"give it to me."

"Stamp money."

"no need."

Wu Shengnan really didn't care about this little money. Li Feng took a look and said, "Okay, a few cents is still money. Besides, there are several letters here, so it's just a few cents."

Wu Shengnan rode a three-wheeled motorcycle back to the commune and went to the post office to hand the letter to Huang Xiaoli.

"Li Feng is a nice person."

After hearing the story behind the letter, Huang Xiaoli lamented, "Authors generally rarely pay attention to their readers, and even fewer would go out of their way to write a reply."

"what?"

Huang Xiaoli glanced at the letter as she put it away. "The night gave me black eyes, but I use them to search for light... It's so well written."

Wu Shengnan was also stunned. This was a poem, she had never heard of it before. Could it be that Li Feng wrote it specially for readers? For a moment, Wu Shengnan felt that Li Feng seemed a little complicated. She saw a different side of Li Feng.

The greed that he had previously stared at the special registered letter now has a hint of tenderness. To the readers, Li Feng has two completely different faces.

"What a poem."

A young man walked in.

"Who wrote this?"

The young man is Huang Xiaoli's husband, Yang Ming, a projectionist at the county cultural center.

"Why are you here?"

Huang Xiaoli ran out happily.

"I happened to be showing a movie here, and it was quite early considering the time so I came to see you."

"By the way, whose poem you just read was really well written."

"I've told you about Li Feng from our commune. He's a great writer." Huang Xiaoli's words reminded Yang Ming of something. "I didn't expect he could write poetry, and write so well. I really want to find a chance to meet him and ask for his advice."

Yang Ming is also considered a semi-literary youth. He is fond of poetry and prose, and occasionally writes something, of course just for his own entertainment.

(End of this chapter)