Back to my 1980s

county seat.

Textile factory kindergarten.

There are more and more children in the alley.

The children gathered here aroused the curiosity of passing children and also attracted the attention of workers who came to pick up and drop off their children.

Zhao Hua chuckled. Finally, a proper customer had come. He looked at a woman who had just dropped off her child and said, "Sister, would you like a fish? It's fresh, I caught it myself, and it's cheap."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman looked at Zhao Hua, a smile involuntarily spreading across her face. She asked in confusion, "Did you catch these yourself? How much?"

When Zhao Hua saw that she had spoken to him, he perked up and quoted the prices of the three types of fish. He didn't know what the market price of fish was in the county town, so he raised the price of each type of fish by two cents.

The middle-aged woman's eyes lit up when she heard this. Although the factory issued fish coupons every month, each person only had a share of one jin (500 grams), and the grocery store was often out of stock, only occasionally having some.

The free market has begun construction, but they are still cracking down on speculation and profiteering. The villagers who go to sell their goods are on tenterhooks. Most of them bring fruits and vegetables to set up stalls. Occasionally, a few people bring poultry, fish, meat and eggs, which are sold out as soon as they appear. They are even harder to get than in grocery stores. There are two employees in the family, and they have nowhere to spend their wages.

As if afraid Zhao Hua would change his mind, she hurriedly pointed to the grass carp on the ground and said, "I want this one! I want this one! Quickly, weigh it for me!"

Zhao Hua was taken aback. He only knew that girls from the countryside were desperate to marry into the city and that workers were the most sought-after in the matchmaking market. However, he had spent his youth in the countryside and now that he was older, there were factories and workers everywhere.

He had also heard about the wave of layoffs in 98, when countless workers struggled to make ends meet and faced dire circumstances, but he didn't truly understand the value of a worker at that time.

Seeing how excited the middle-aged woman was, he felt a little regretful. It seemed like he had quoted too low a price. However, he had already said it, and it would be too bad to change his mind over a fish. So he simply and readily helped her lift the fish and weigh it.

Just then, passersby outside overheard their conversation and swarmed around them.

Zhao Hua took the money from the middle-aged woman and dragged the remaining two fish to the bicycle. Otherwise, he was worried that the bicycle would be gone if he turned his head. Then he stood by the bicycle, scooping out fish and weighing them, deliberately leaving one carp and one silver carp in the basket.

More than ten minutes later, apart from the two fish left by Zhao Hua, only the grass carp weighing more than ten kilograms was left in the basket. The people around looked at it and were already discussing whether to buy it together and take it home to share.

Just then, a young man in his early twenties suddenly appeared and bought the grass carp, which weighed over ten kilograms.

Zhao Hua didn't care; it didn't matter who he sold to. He decisively weighed the fish and took the money. The onlookers could only shake their heads and sigh. The old man who had originally offered to buy the fish with someone else glanced at the fish basket twice before leaving, still unwilling to give up.

Suddenly noticing the two fish Zhao Hua still had, he raised his voice in surprise and exclaimed, "You still have two!"

Zhao Hua was startled by the old man's sudden shout at close range. He turned his head and saw that the people who had been slowly walking towards the alley entrance all turned to look at him.

Zhao Hua quickly raised his hands and said, "I won't sell them! I won't sell them! I'm giving these two fish away! I won't sell them!"

The old man refused, saying, "One is enough for you to give away, why do you need two? Give me one!" He then reached out to grab it.

Zhao Hua quickly stopped him, smiling apologetically, "We really can't sell it! Who gives away a fish as a gift!"

The old man still wouldn't give in, struggling and shoving Zhao Hua to try and catch the fish. The people around stopped in their tracks, wondering if Zhao Hua would sell it. Some even seemed eager to try, and as soon as Zhao Hua relented, they snatched another fish.

Zhao Hua was somewhat impressed by the old man and could only say, "I really can't sell anymore! I'll come back tomorrow or the day after! There will still be some available tomorrow or the day after!"

The old man paused, then whispered, "Will the price still be the same tomorrow or the day after?"

Zhao Hua glanced around and said in a low voice, "I'll give you the same price as today, and I'll also give you two small crucian carp, each weighing three ounces."

The old man nodded in satisfaction, straightened up, grunted a few times to clear his throat, put his hands behind his back, and strode out of the alley.

As soon as the old man left, Zhao Hua hurriedly got on his bicycle and prepared to leave. Just as he reached the alley entrance, the onlookers asked, "Young man, will you come again tomorrow?"

Zhao Hua waved to them, nodded, and smiled, "I'll come again tomorrow! The day after at the latest!"

He doesn't plan to change the price anytime soon. He's already announced the price today, so he'll wait until they're more familiar with each other before raising it. He's already making more than ten yuan more than he would have made selling in town.

To avoid the risk of raising prices rashly and causing dissatisfaction and being secretly reported, it's better to avoid dealing with the police officers if possible.

He left the county town and, following his memory of taking the bus, carefully navigated the various forks in the road, slowly riding towards the Song family's location.

Song Xueping's home is only about four or five miles from the county town. It was the first time Zhao Hua rode his bicycle there alone, and it took him five or six minutes to figure out the direction at first.

Halfway there, we stopped in a desolate place to sort out the money. This time, carp was selling for 1.2 yuan per jin, silver carp for 0.7 yuan per jin, and grass carp for 0.9 yuan per jin.

Five carp sold for 38.4 yuan, seven silver carp sold for 26.2 yuan, and three grass carp sold for 23.7 yuan, for a total of 88.3 yuan. Zhao Huaquan voluntarily erased the few cents in change.

He contentedly stuffed all the money into the money bag that Zhao Ru had sewn for him, tucked it into the inner pocket, patted his waist which was stiff from the money bag, glanced back at the two fish still lying in the fish basket, and happily got back onto the bicycle.

It took more than ten minutes to stop and sort the banknotes. By the time we arrived at the Song family's house, the journey had been bumpy and took almost half an hour.

He looked at the gate of the Song family's house. He had forgotten to take the flashlight with him when he came home last time. He wondered if Song Zhiqiang had gone to catch pheasants again since then.

The neighbors on both sides saw that he was actually pushing a bicycle, and they all stood at the door staring at Zhao Hua. Zhao Hua found it amusing. He had seen him so many times before, but now they were looking at him like he was an alien.

He smiled and nodded to the neighbors on both sides, propped up his bicycle in place, then gently rubbed his face, put his hands together in front of his mouth to take a few deep breaths, rubbed his hands together vigorously, and bent down to straighten his clothes.

Then he clenched his fists, took two steps forward, and knocked on the Song family's door.

The door wasn't closed, and he couldn't see anyone inside. He peeked into the yard, and the furnishings were almost the same as before he left, with no major changes, except that the wheat piled up in the yard was gone.

Seeing no response from inside, he tentatively called out, "Is anyone home?"

"Who is it?" Song Zhiqiang's voice came from inside the house.

Zhao Hua had been mentally prepared beforehand; everyone else might be busy with farm work, but this guy would definitely be home. He replied, "It's me! Zhao Hua!"