At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Stationmaster Zhang walked into the grain depot with a red book. He glanced at his daughter who was doing nothing, clapped his hands, and made a certain movement to signal the guys to stop the machine.
.
"Everyone be quiet. I believe everyone has guessed the reason why I'm here. They all lined up one by one, and those whose names were read came to collect their last month's salary!"
There was no so-called enthusiastic cheering, but everyone's face was filled with joy.
Zhou Wenzhong also remembered that today is the day to pay wages. He earned 2.5 cents last month. This is a big income. Based on the current housing price in Nanluguxiang, it is 5 to 8 yuan per square meter.
Calculating the standard price of money, 2.5 cents is enough to buy 0.038 square meters. Then converted to a price of 200,000 per square meter in later generations, the value of 2.5 cents will be equivalent to more than 7,600 yuan in 68 years.
That's right! Zhou Wenzhong just enjoys himself in hardship and learns from Ah Q's spirit. In life, you have to learn to lie to yourself and amuse yourself, so that you can live your life. Otherwise, it will be too tiring!
"Zhou Wenzhong! Come and collect your salary quickly! It's your turn."
"I'm coming."
Zhou Wenzhong patted his clothes and walked to the table. Stationmaster Zhang dipped his fingers in saliva, rubbed a few pages of the record book, and found Zhou Wenzhong's quantity record.
"You only worked for one day last month. According to the record, the total was 25 cents. Can you look at the amount on the book, is that right?"
"That's right!"
"You sign your name and I'll get you the money."
"good!"
After signing his name, Webmaster Zhang also counted the money and handed it over. Zhou Wenzhong took it with both hands and thanked him. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, Webmaster Zhang grabbed his wrist.
"Director Zhang, do you have anything else to do?"
"It's nothing, I just want to get to know you."
"Hey! That's not easy. I'm paying my wages today, so I'll treat you to dinner! We can just eat whatever we want with these 25 cents. When you go home, call your wife out, and we can all join in the fun.
"
"It's interesting. Go and do your business."
"Eh."
Zhou Wenzhong left with last month's salary, and the next person to receive his salary was Ma Erbao.
Not long after, Ma Erbao came over with a wad of money and a few other tickets.
"How much did you receive?"
"Hehe...13 yuan, 4 cents and 4 cents. Take a look."
Zhou Wenzhong looked at Ma Erbao's money-grabbing hand, pointed at some bills, and then asked: "Why do you have subsidy bills? Did you work overtime last month?"
Ma Erbao showed off and said: "Tsk tsk tsk... I didn't work overtime. Don't you understand? From the first day I started work, my organizational relationship was transferred to the Erliang Station by the street office. I am a minority. See
Okay, this month I have 1 city foot of cloth coupons and 2 city liang of soybean oil coupons. These are subsidies, and they don’t conflict with the grain book at all. Have you never seen a coupon of this color? Take it to you
Take a look."
Zhou Wenzhong took it over and saw that it was indeed different from ordinary bills. The patterns on it were obviously much smaller.
The top of the subsidy ticket says: Beijing City Grain Bureau. It is also stamped with: Special seal for ethnic minorities.
"With these tickets, where are you going to buy something?"
"There is a counter for ethnic products! There is one in the department store. There is also a supply and marketing cooperative run by an ethnic product company in Niujie. You can buy it when you go there."
"Oh! Can you do me a favor?"
"Brother Zhong, tell me, there are mountains of swords and seas of fire!"
"No need to be so serious, I just want to ask you, can I join your religion?"
"hiss……"
"hiss………"
"Um?"
Why could Ma Erbao make two gasping sounds? Before he could ask, Zhou Wenzhong heard Zhang Xiufang's voice behind him.
"I think you're here for these subsidy tickets, right?"
"Nonsense! Go and have fun, and don't interfere with my discussion with Ma Erbao about the joining process."
What Zhou Wenzhong was thinking in his heart was: After joining, he would be able to get at least a few free tickets every month! It doesn’t matter when there is a strong wind, just hide in Niujie and let them catch him! Keep it straight and let them come in vertically.
, lie down and go out.
And maybe we can get the mosque to come forward and separate his household registration. Zhou Deming, a cheap man, will never dare to go against the mosque! He knows that if he does this, he is looking for death.
Another thing is, if you get married at the age of 20, that is, in 1965 or 1966, and start having children, your child will take the college entrance examination around 1984. At that time, the child will first go to the [minority preparatory class] for a month. During the college entrance examination,
Bonus points! I really worked hard for future generations.
On the whole, the advantages of becoming a teacher yourself outweigh the disadvantages! At least 5 times more!!!
Ma Erbao asked: "Brother Zhong, it's not impossible. I don't dare to agree to it. Let's do this. I have to go to the mosque every Friday. After I finish [prayer], I'll ask
Imam, let’s see what he says.”
"Okay! Then I'll wait for your good news."
"Let's talk about it first. I can't guarantee this. If you want to borrow money, I dare to agree to it. But when you ask about this, I really don't dare to agree to it."
Zhou Wenzhong patted Ma Erbao on the shoulder.
"Whether this matter succeeds or not, it will not affect the relationship between us brothers. It's time to get off work, let's go."
"good!"
"What the hell! You two are planning to leave early again!"
Zhang Xiufang jumped down from the sack behind the two of them. Maybe her feet were shaken, and she was turning her ankles with a grin on her face.
"That's almost it. Just leave a few minutes early! Don't forget, I even treated you to snacks at noon."
"We have to work overtime tonight, do you two do it? This time, each person will be given twenty taels of food stamps."
"No!"
When Ma Erbao heard his brother Zhong's answer, of course he had to follow suit. Are you kidding me? I'll hit wherever brother Zhong points his finger!
"I won't do it either! Whoever wants to do it will do it!"
"Can you two wake up a little bit?"
"Okay, I, Zhou Wenzhong, am cheering for you from the bottom of my heart! Let's go."
Zhou Wenzhong and Ma Erbao walked away from the grain depot door arm in arm. Zhang Xiufang waved her fan and shouted, "You don't want the fan anymore?"
"No, you can take it home and play with it yourself. Keep it well. Don't give it to CEI."
The two walked for a while and came to the main road, one going north and the other going south.
Zhou Wenzhong was wandering aimlessly. In fact, one of the benefits of joining the religion is that he goes to the temple every Friday and can take a free shower during worship.
"People follow the wind, and the flowers of freedom bloom and fall, and now they have become... Huh? Who is steaming steamed buns? Hiss, hiss..."
This thick aroma of wheat and pure white flour steamed buns are so luxurious! It’s not good to eat like this in the year of disaster!
Zhou Wenzhong followed the smell and came to a wooden cart over 1 meter high. It was like an ice cream cart, covered with a thick quilt, and printed on the cart: Dongcheng District No. 0117.
This is a self-selected business without a brand name or a font size. Their superiors do not allow them to have a font size, only a serial number.
Standing behind the trolley was an old lady about 1.5 meters tall. She had a kind face and many wrinkles. She must be about 60 years old. Her hair was invisible and she was wearing a sanitary cap. There were several water heaters and a water heater at her feet.
There is a coal stove with a large steamer on the fire, which is steaming.
Although she was guarding the coal stove, the old lady was still too cold to bear it and was standing stamping her feet.
"Auntie, how do you sell these steamed buns?"
"What did you call me?"
"Auntie! If I don't call you auntie? What should I call you? I can't call you sister, right?"
"I am your aunt's aunt!"
"Yeah, I'm blind too, so I didn't see it."
"Shandong big steamed buns cost 3 cents per pound, plus 1 pound of food stamps. If they are sold in Shanlun size, they cost 4 cents each, plus 3 taels of food stamps. My steamed buns look like Xuanteng, but they are actually very solid.
I can knead 3 steamed buns out of a pound of white flour, can you do the math, young man?"
After he finished speaking, he lifted the lid of the pot, and hot steam mixed with the aroma of wheat hit his face.
Zhou Wenzhong took out his head, took a look at it and said, "Hey...it doesn't matter if you can calculate it or not. Because I don't have food stamps."
"What are you doing here if you don't have food stamps?"
The old lady angrily slammed the lid on the pot and was about to scold Zhou Wenzhong again.
"Didn't I smell the fragrance? My dear, it's two alleys away. I just touched it with my eyes closed. You're not picky with your craftsmanship!"
These two obedient words may be to praise the old lady selling steamed buns, or it may be that the weather is too cold, the old lady has no business here, and no one to chat with her. It is quite boring at this time, and Zhou Wenzhong happens to come over to accompany her.
Relieve boredom.
"That's right! If you want to say something else, my old lady won't say goodbye to you. If you want to talk about steamed noodles, let me tell you the truth, boy, our family has been in this business for 81 years! Sit down and talk."
"Eh. Okay."
Like an obedient baby, Zhou Wenzhong sat in front of the old lady, ready to listen to her past stories. The two of them spread their hands and leaned against the coal stove to keep warm.
"Old lady, you said you have been working for 81 years? I don't believe it. You look like you are only 50 years old. It is impossible."
"Haha... You guys are so eloquent. I'm 66 years old this year! Besides, I didn't say I've been doing this for 81 years. What I'm saying is that our family has been doing this business for 81 years. At that time, even the Republic of China
None. Do you know the pastry shop?"
Zhou Wenzhong nodded, took out a box of cigarettes from his arms, took out one and handed it to the old lady. The old lady picked up the cigarette pot placed in the dining car, rubbed her fingers against the cigarette, and the shredded tobacco fell into the cigarette pot with her thumb.
I pressed it twice, but it was probably because the porcelain was too solid and was easily extinguished. I flicked it a few more times, then I went to Zhou Wenzhong's match and took a sip.
"call……"
"Old lady, I know the pastry shop you're talking about, but now I don't want to call it a pastry shop. It should be called a dim sum shop."
"Do you know why it's called Cake Shop?"
"I know, the word "祽饽" comes from the Manchu language. In the past, on Qianmen Street, we had a Nan-flavor dumpling shop, a Manchu-Han dumpling shop, a Muslim dumpling shop, and a Hongluo dumpling shop.
, they are all selling snacks.”
The old lady looked at Zhou Wenzhong with satisfaction, took another puff of cigarette and asked, "Do you know Zhengming Zhai?"
Zhou Wenzhong slapped his thigh and replied: "I know too well! The top of the pastry shops. Zhengmingzhai, Daoxiang Village, Guixiang Village, Xiangjugong, Jiulongzhai, Juqingzhai, Minghuazhai, all sell these
Saqima, jujube flower, liao flower, beef tongue cake, white pastry...
Universities use lard to make puff pastry, while Hui people use sesame oil. Each has its own unique taste and style. You can smell it from afar. During the Republic of China, Western pastries appeared again, led by Juyingzhai."
"Okay! Okay, Menqing. What I want to tell you is Zhengmingzhai Pastry Shop. My father's generation was already famous for making steamed buns. Even the head of Zhengmingzhai went to our house to invite my father. It's a pity.
It’s over! People of our generation are not up to par, and we haven’t mastered our craftsmanship. It’s over, isn’t it? I’m selling steamed buns now. Alas... I still have a young man to look after me all day long and check my accounts.
, if I could read, I would sell my grandma’s steamed buns!”
"Old lady, please calm down. It's like this now, let alone you. Even the business of mending socks requires an account book. We and I won't talk about this. If it's convenient for you, you can lend me a bowl of boiled water on credit."
"It's not on credit, and a bowl of water is worthless. There's plenty in the thermos bottle, so just pour it yourself."
Zhou Wenzhong took out a white porcelain bowl from his pocket, and the old lady kicked the thermos beside her. Apparently she was resentful of Zhou Wenzhong for not being allowed to complain about the public manager just now.
Zhou Wenzhong pretended not to understand, poured a bowl of water and held it in his hands. When he bent down to put the thermos bottle, he saw a small bowl covered with a cloth under the dining car!