After the friend gathering, the Lantern Festival was celebrated again. Even though the New Year atmosphere in the 1970s was very strong, the Spring Festival was completely over.
Zhou Bingkun went to work in the wood processing factory every day as before.
Because of the planned economy, the benefits of wood processing plants are not much different from before.
However, as old people retire and new people enter the factory, more and more people need to be fed.
Salaries, retirement, medical care, benefits, and factory expenses are increasing.
The total income of the factory has not increased significantly, and the expenses are getting higher and higher.
If you want to solve economic problems, you can only increase revenue and reduce expenditure.
The wood processing factory has very fixed customers, so there is no problem of increasing revenue and can only choose to reduce expenditure.
Employees' wages and medical expenses are related to survival and there is no way to save them.
They could only reduce expenditures in other areas. After consideration, the factory leaders cut expenditures on production equipment.
All kinds of machinery, equipment, and circuits can be used if they can be used.
The equipment and circuits are old, so although Zhou Bingkun's skills are much higher than before, his work now is even busier than before.
I did a lot more work and there was no reward.
Because the factory has no money, it cannot afford to upgrade workers' technical levels and increase their wages.
After Zhou Bingkun became a second-level electrician, his monthly salary was 38 yuan, and he never received a salary increase.
This salary is enough for a couple to raise one or two children and a family of three or four.
For Zhou Bingkun, who has a system to sign in and a small world to supplement him, such a salary is enough to live well.
But for some families, there are elderly people and small children.
The salary of first-level and second-level workers is more than thirty yuan a month. This money becomes quite tight and needs to be spent carefully.
In April, on an ordinary day, Zhou Bingkun had just parked his bicycle in the yard when he heard Li Suhua shouting:
"Bingkun, we have a visitor at home."
This was when Li Suhua heard the sound of Zhou Bingkun's bicycle coming back and called Zhou Bingkun, the only man in the old Zhou family, to treat guests.
"This is…"
After Zhou Bingkun entered the house, he saw a strange middle-aged and elderly man who had never been to Zhou's house.
"This is from the magazine, and I'm looking for your brother-in-law." Li Suhua introduced.
The stranger in a Chinese tunic suit extended his hand and introduced himself: "Hello, I am from Jiangliao Publishing House and Golden Land Magazine. My name is Shao Jingwen."
Zhou Bingkun reached out and shook Shao Jingwen's hand: "Hello, I'm Zhou Bingkun, from the Red Star Wood Processing Factory."
"I came here today to find Teacher Feng Huacheng and make an appointment with him for a manuscript."
"Bingkun, Teacher Shao has already been at home during the Chinese New Year. I have already told your father about the appointment with your brother-in-law." Li Suhua added next to him.
"Isn't it just a request for a manuscript? I'll give you Feng Huacheng's address. You can write to him directly to make an appointment."
Shao Jingwen is a good person and a qualified scholar, but Zhou Bingkun does not think it is necessary for the two people to have much contact.
Talking and writing nonsense will cause trouble, so let's just let Shao Jingwen and Feng Huacheng contact them directly.
After speaking, Zhou Bingkun found a pen and paper and wrote Feng Huacheng's address in Guizhou to Shao Jingwen.
After receiving the address, Shao Jingwen still looked embarrassed: "Feng Huacheng, Mr. Feng is a famous poet. I'm afraid that he will look down on our local magazine, so he still wants you..."
"I understand, I understand. In fact, you don't need our help to say good things. When you write the letter, just tell him that this is what my father has promised you, and he has designated you to contribute. You don't know, my father
If we get along well with Feng Huacheng, he will definitely give my dad this face."
Shao Jingwen went to the Zhou family again and again, hoping to use Feng Huacheng as the son-in-law of the Zhou family to get Feng Huacheng to write for Golden Land Magazine.
"Yes, my son-in-law can do it. He has a good relationship with my child's father. Our old man regards him as his biological son." Li Suhua also helped.
Li Suhua had always been very enthusiastic about Shao Jingwen. Just the fact that Shao Jingwen, a scholar, came to his home made Li Suhua feel doubly proud.
"Okay, then I'll leave first. When Teacher Feng comes back, I'll come to visit you at home."
"Let's go after dinner." Li Suhua said politely.
"Don't eat, I have something to do when I go back."
"Then you walk slowly. When Feng Huacheng comes back, I will ask him to come to the magazine to find you."
"No, no, no, I'll come to visit you at home." Shao Jingwen said sincerely. It was obvious that Feng Huacheng really had some status in the cultural world.
After sending Shao Jingwen away, Li Suhua said proudly: "Bingkun, don't you think your brother-in-law is a useless old man now? Without your brother-in-law, how could someone like Teacher Shao come to our home?"
"It's too early to say whether Feng Huacheng is useful or not. If Feng Huacheng wants to prove that he is useful, he must at least wait until the manuscript he submits can be published in the magazine. Now Editor Shao is coming to our house. It's a pleasure to come. I'm waiting for Feng Huacheng."
If the submitted poems are not well written, the editor will not come to my house again."
Zhou Bingkun didn't know why he had such a good impression of Feng Huacheng even though he had never met his son-in-law Li Suhua.
"Zhou Bingkun, why are you like this every time? Why can't you make me happy for a little longer?" Li Suhua said unhappily.
"Bingkun, please stop talking. You gave your brother-in-law's address to Teacher Shao, and this matter has nothing to do with us." Zheng Juan said from the side.
"Okay, I won't say anything anymore."
Li Suhua's enthusiasm had been swept away by Zhou Bingkun, and Zhou Bingkun stopped talking.
"You're not going to say anything anymore. You've just finished saying everything, so you're not going to say anything anymore." Li Suhua said reluctantly.
"I really haven't finished what I said. I'm just saying this to prevent you from going out and being blind. What I'm afraid of is that you will blow off your son-in-law's ability to get published in magazines, and then your son-in-law's poems will not be there."
How should you face your neighbors if you are in a magazine?"
Li Suhua was about to be slapped in the face, and Zhou Bingkun was also embarrassed.
"Zhou Bingkun, you are a bit bitter when you say this."
"What's so sour about this? If I want to be published in a newspaper or magazine, I can get it published in minutes."
Zhou Bingkun said disdainfully that although he had no creative ability, he still remembered a few outstanding poems and articles that had not been published.
It's just that these poems and articles are not his own creations. He can't make much money by publishing short poems and articles. Zhou Bingkun can't remember long poems and articles, so he has never been interested in literature.
"Okay, mom, I believe what you said, okay?" Li Suhua comforted Zhou Bingkun and said.
Zhou Bingkun explained it, but it was of no use. Now Li Suhua was sure that Zhou Bingkun was angry.
At this time, Li Suhua took out the photos of Zhou Rong's family. This was a letter Zhou Rong sent home not long ago and was sent back with the letter: "Look, your sister's children are so big.
Oh, I really miss your sister."
After Zhou Rong's photos were sent back, Li Suhua almost kept holding them in her hand.
"What's the use of it? Doesn't she miss you? If she missed you, she should have come back to see you."
As the three members of the old Zhou family, it is best to take family leave for Zhou Rong. If she has not come back for so many years, it can only be said that she really misses home.
Like my sister on National Day, my daughter who is really homesick has been back in the city for a few months.
With the continuous changes in policies, a small number of educated youths have returned to the city first.
The National Day sister still has no way out. She came back naked. Unlike the educated youth before, she had already made arrangements whether to go to college, join the army, or take over the family job.
"Is this Zhou Bingkun's house?"
At this time, a strange shout came from outside.
"Bingkun, we have another visitor at home," Zheng Juan said.
"I'm Zhou Bingkun." After Zhou Bingkun opened the door, he saw a strange man holding a child and responded.
"I am Guo Cheng, and my master is Zhou Zhigang."
"You are Guo Cheng who has been writing letters for my father. Come in quickly."
Zhou Bingkun said enthusiastically, you must be enthusiastic.
In this era, the relationship between master and apprentice is still very close. Even if Zhou Bingkun and Zhou Zhigang have a bad relationship, it is better not to neglect Guo Cheng, otherwise he will make others laugh.
And although what Guo Cheng brought back was not good news, Guo Cheng was a good person.
"This is Yueyue." Guo Cheng gestured to the child in his hand and said.
"Welcome to you, and welcome to Yue Yue, let's go inside first, drink some tea, and take a rest before talking." Zhou Bingkun turned his head and looked at Zheng Juan, "Juan'er, our father's apprentice is coming to the house, hurry up and make some tea.
Good tea.”
Then Zhou Bingkun directly asked Guo Cheng to sit down in the back room: "Auntie, Bingkun, this child is Feng Yue, Yue Yue, the daughter of Teacher Zhou Rong."
Hearing what Guo Cheng said, Li Suhua picked up the photos of Zhou Rong's house in her hand and compared them. After confirming them, she became anxious: "It's really Yueyue, what's going on?"
"Mom, don't be anxious yet. Let Guo Cheng sit down and speak slowly. Put the child down as well. It's quite tiring to hold such a big child all the time."
The daughter of Zhou Rong's family is over two and almost three years old, one year older than the daughter of Zhou Bingkun's family. Guo Cheng has been holding this child since at least the train station. He can persist thanks to his
I developed it by working on the construction site.
"Okay, thank you." She first thanked Zheng Juan for the tea she brought over, and then continued: "Here's the thing, wasn't it that I was transferred to Guizhou to work the year before last? The construction site happened to be not far from Teacher Zhou Rong's home. I
I often visit Mr. Feng Huacheng for advice, and I can be considered a half-literary lover."
Guo Cheng first explained why he came to Guizhou and how he met Zhou Rong, then he picked up the tea and took a sip.
When the child arrived in a strange place, Guo Cheng could only continue to hold the child without letting go.
Li Suhua urged: "Where is Zhou Rong?"
"Mom, don't be so anxious. Guo Cheng came all the way and didn't even drink a sip of water."
Zhou Bingkun could tell that Guo Cheng was really thirsty, but he was also nervous after being pressed hard by Li Suhua.
"Teacher Zhou Rong, I originally planned to come back during the Spring Festival. I bought the tickets, but I couldn't get on the bus. It's really hard to squeeze in with a child. Once when I came home during the Spring Festival, I always jumped from the window into the carriage.
of."
The activity of jumping out of the window to squeeze into the train lasted for many years and ended in the 21st century when the green trains were eliminated.
Seeing that Li Suhua was about to interrupt again, Zhou Bingkun spoke first to prevent Guo Cheng from being too nervous when being questioned by Li Suhua. He almost sweated: "Mom, don't worry, you can also drink some tea. Juan'er, get some peach cakes."
, when the cakes, preserved fruits, and dried fruits come out, let Guo Cheng and the children eat some first."
After eating a piece of preserved fruit, Guo Cheng and the child calmed down a little, and then Guo Cheng continued: "The unit arranged for me to take a vacation after the new year, so I discussed with teacher Zhou Rong to come back together. The three of us came back together so that we could have a good relationship with each other.
However, just before departure, there was an emergency at Teacher Feng’s workplace and they had to deal with it, so they asked me to take the children back first.”
"Pa." Zhou Bingkun clapped his hands, in order to attract Li Suhua's attention, and also to praise and encourage Guo Cheng. For a person who can't lie, it is really not easy to compile this account: "Take the trouble, Guo Cheng, a
It’s not easy to raise such an old child and travel thousands of kilometers by train. Juan’er, make some hard dishes, and I must drink some with Guo Cheng today.”
"No, where is Zhou Rong?" Li Suhua was still talking about Zhou Rong.
"Mom, didn't Guo Cheng tell you that there was an emergency at Feng Huacheng's work, and she followed Feng Huacheng to deal with it. Zhou Rong couldn't come back, but she sent her daughter over to see you on her behalf."
"Bingkun, I really can't drink anymore. I have to leave quickly to catch the train." Guo Cheng said urgently. It may be true to catch the train, but it is also true that he felt guilty after lying.
"Then I'll see you off." Zhou Bingkun also understood Guo Cheng's feeling of not wanting to stay any longer.
"We really need to give it away. It's inconvenient for me to hold my child. All the things Teacher Zhou Rong brought home are still stored at the train station."
"Mom, please take the child. You can't let Guo Cheng take the child away again."
"Come here, grandma will hold the baby. Bingkun, please see if there is any ready-made food at home. Bring some for Guo Cheng."
"Okay, I'll make arrangements." Zhou Bingkun responded.
I found a net bag and brown paper, and brought Guo Cheng hot steamed buns, canned meat, and salted duck eggs, enough for a meal in the car.
Guo Cheng, with a little cooperation from Zhou Bingkun, performed well today and successfully fooled Li Suhua.
Riding a bicycle, Guo Cheng was sent to the train station. On the way to the station, Guo Cheng also told Zhou Bingkun what happened to Feng Huacheng.
When a car stopped, Feng Huacheng read a poem he had written to commemorate Zhou, which caused a riot at the station. As the instigator, Feng Huacheng was arrested.
"Bingkun, there's no need to give it away. This is the poem written by Teacher Feng Huacheng. You can keep it as a souvenir." Before leaving, Guo Cheng took the piece of paper with Zhou's address written on it and Feng Huacheng's poem written on it.
, handed it over to Zhou Bingkun.
"Then I won't send you off. When there is nothing at home and you are free, come and play at home."
After they separated, Zhou Bingkun tore up the paper with Feng Huacheng's poem on it and threw it into the trash can.
There was no need to stay, so he returned to Lao Zhou's house with the apples, pastries, eggs, and some children's clothes and luggage that Zhou Rong had brought home.
"Wow wow wow (wow wow.)"
Before he even entered the house, Zhou Bingkun heard the child's cries, which was a duet, one after another.
"What's going on?" Zhou Bingkun asked Zheng Juan, who was coaxing the child.
