Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Xu Bei, after leaving, did not immediately take a car back to the Forestry Bureau.

He was still worried that Old Scar and his gang might outwardly back down but secretly follow him.

Therefore, I wandered around the city for more than an hour before finally making sure everything was alright before rushing to catch the train.

By the time we got off the bus, it was almost 2 p.m.

After all that trouble, we got back to the store, just on the hour.

When they saw Xu Bei return carrying large bags and small packages, Zhao Fengying and the others, although they were already somewhat used to it, still couldn't help but mutter a few words.

Xu Bei completely understood that his mother and her family were used to living frugally and rarely spent money extravagantly without calculating the costs. So he smiled and let it go in one ear and out the other, not taking it to heart at all.

He only began to speak half-truthfully after all the customers had left the store.

"There were outsiders here, so I couldn't tell you. The boss who deals in wooden products is going back to his hometown for the Lunar New Year. He ordered a last batch of goods, and the quantity is quite large. I'll get several tens of yuan in commission, which is more than my monthly salary at work."

Especially since Chinese New Year is just a few days away, we need to get our New Year's goods ready, so I'd better hurry up and buy them.

Zhao Fengying and Xu Li and Xu Juan, the two sisters, had no doubts because they had always heard Xu Bei talk about how great the boss who dealt in wooden products was.

They were all overjoyed that he could earn so much commission from just one order.

"Son, the New Year is almost here. Shouldn't you show your appreciation to such a good client? Send some cigarettes, alcohol, or local specialties, or something like that."

"Yes, brother, you have to maintain this relationship. They always order from you. If one day they bypass you and order directly from your carpenter, you might end up with nothing."

Xu Bei, the real mastermind, laughed shamelessly, "That's absolutely impossible. You can all rest assured."

"Our boss is a very wise man; otherwise, he wouldn't have lent me money and helped me transfer my household registration. Isn't it all to completely win me over so I can help him sell more goods in the future?"

Listening to her brother's reasoning, Xu Li also felt that it made sense. While rubbing her chest to relieve the nausea, she laughed and said, "To be honest, I'm so envious of your sister. Why can't I meet people like that? All the stools I sold before were to people I knew."

Xu Bei analyzed without changing his expression, "It's normal not to run into her. After all, you're only active in this small area of ​​the Forestry Bureau, while there are many more people coming and going in the city, especially those from other places who usually stay in the city."

However, if you're thinking of opening a shop after the New Year, I suggest you find a location in the city. That way, you won't be in too much competition with Mom's shop. Otherwise, with such a large population, the market is only so big, and you'll earn significantly less money.

Xu Li had long been secretly planning to open a shop, but she was quite unsure about the city, which she was not very familiar with.

"Can it be done in the city? The initial investment and expenses must be huge, and your brother-in-law and I don't have that much money."

Xu Bei could make up lies to borrow money from the boss to help his mother open a shop, but he definitely couldn't do that with his sister. "It's okay if you don't have enough money. When you're not in such a hurry to open a shop as Mom, you can take out a loan. The interest-free loan that's available now is quite suitable. You won't have to pay interest for several years. Even if business is bad, you won't be unable to pay it back."

Xu Li's worries were immediately dispelled, and she said sincerely, "Brother, you know so much. I feel like I'm not afraid of anything as long as you're here."

Xu Juan looked at her brother with bright eyes, "Yes, brother, I feel the same way right now."

Zhao Fengying chimed in, "Yes, I also think you should be the head of our household now, taking care of everything, big and small."

Xu Bei was very willing to be a support for his family, and said with a hearty laugh, "Now I'm the only man in the family, so I have to stand up for myself. I can't just hide behind you guys, can I?"

Next, there's no need to deliver goods to the city anymore, and the three people in the store can manage the work.

Xu Bei's main tasks were logistical support and purchasing New Year's goods.

Furthermore, he insisted on burning down the house he had just bought every day.

The days are quite fulfilling and busy.

Time flies, and it's already the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.

The Lunar New Year is getting closer.

Some families have already bought most of the New Year's goods they need.

However, some people are too busy with work and their companies don't give them holidays, so there are still people who don't buy anything.

Therefore, the store also extended and changed its opening and closing times in accordance with those of state-owned stores.

It snowed last night, which cleansed the air and gave people more work to do, such as shoveling snow.

Xu Bei not only did all the snow-shoveling work at home, but after breakfast, he drove his mother and sister to the store to continue.

As a result, when they arrived at the store, Zhao Fengying, who jumped out of the car first, took out the key she had prepared in advance from her cotton gloves and went to open the door.

Suddenly, my foot slipped, and I almost fell backward to the ground.

Fortunately, Xu Juan had already gotten off the front of the car, and Xu Bei was supporting the car ladder with his feet.

The brother and sister rushed forward with quick reflexes and managed to catch Zhao Fengying.

"Oh my god, this is so slippery! If it weren't for you two, I would have fallen flat on my face."

"Yeah, it's only snowing a little, why is it so slippery?"

As Xu Bei spoke, he also felt quite surprised.

He slipped his foot and quickly noticed something unusual at the store entrance.

"Who was so inconsiderate as to put water under the snow and let it freeze into ice!"

Xu Juan also stepped forward and made a couple of strokes, immediately saying indignantly, "Someone must be jealous of our business and is trying to sabotage us behind our backs!"

Zhao Fengying also subconsciously felt that this was the case, cursing angrily while feeling fortunate at the same time.

"That person is really wicked, can't stand to see others doing well! And they don't dare to do anything openly, so they do these things behind people's backs. They are truly lacking in virtue."

"Luckily it was me. Even if I slipped and fell, it wouldn't be a big deal. If your sister had fallen, it would have been terrible; she might have even miscarried or something."

Zhao Fengying may have spoken without thinking, but Xu Bei took it to heart.

He immediately thought of Xu Dajiang's two sons who had been lurking suspiciously outside the store that day.

While it's true that we shouldn't think too badly of people, the fact that Xu Dahong and his gang haven't shown up to cause trouble since the fight over the household registration book and grain ration book that day seems a bit out of character.

However, in front of his mother and sister, since there was no evidence and no confirmation, Xu Bei couldn't immediately reveal his guess.

"Yes, that's really terrible. Mom, Xiaojuan, let's open the door and go inside. After we light the stove, I'll chip away all this ice so my sister won't slip and fall when she comes over."