Not only did Bai Gui take back the 150 silver dollars he had rewarded in his pocket, Boss Liu also specially sealed a red envelope with a few gold leaves stuffed in it as a thank you gift.
It would be too vulgar to directly give money as a thank you gift, but it would be more elegant to give gold leaves.
And the meaning is good.
Gold leaves contrast.
He and Bai Xiuzhu got into the Ford of the White House and went home together.
Xiangzi was hanging behind the rickshaw.
When Xiangzi arrived at the gate of Bai Mansion, No. 7, Xizhen Hutong, Bai Gui slowly walked out, his clothes slightly disheveled.
"Let's go find a teahouse and buy you a pot of tea."
"After you finish drinking, go home."
He sat on the back seat of the rickshaw.
When he saw Xiangzi, who was wearing a long-sleeved white coat, covered in sweat and fanning himself with a straw hat, out of breath, he said considerately.
Tianhe Tea Garden is still quite far from Xizhen Hutong, probably more than ten miles away. Although the speed of cars at this time is not comparable to that of cars in later generations, the maximum speed is probably 40 kilometers per hour, and the urban speed limit is 12.67 kilometers per hour, but
As soon as the accelerator is pressed, no matter how slow it is, it is much faster than the rickshaw driver.
In 1885, the world's first gasoline car, the Mercedes-Benz No. 1, came out, with a top speed of 16 kilometers per hour.
In 1908, the Ford Model T, the world's most popular car, was launched. It had four wheels, four cylinders, and a top speed of only 40 kilometers per hour.
In 1917, the Jingshi Yamen issued a notice: "The driving speed of private and commercial vehicles shall be limited to sixty-six feet per minute and shall not be exceeded." Converted, this means that the speed shall not exceed 12.67 kilometers per hour.
"Yes, boss."
Xiangzi responded and took him to a nearby teahouse.
Seeing the rickshaw pullers working hard, some kind-hearted patrons will give them a few extra bucks and let them drink a pot of hot tea.
This kind of thing is very common.
The teahouse is not far away, a few hundred meters down the road.
Xiangzi didn't dare to ask for good tea, so he asked for the cheapest pot of tea, one copper for each pot, which was made from broken tea powder.
He drank from a coarse porcelain bowl, one big bowl after another.
The hot tea slipped into my stomach, and I broke out in a hot sweat within a few breaths, which relieved my fatigue in an instant.
For sports cars, the most important thing to remember is not to drink cold water after running the car.
Drinking cold water may cause diarrhea and stomach cramps.
So even if a rickshaw driver saves money, he usually won't save money on a pot of tea.
Wait until Xiangzi finishes drinking.
Bai Gui took a look, said nothing more, and paid for the tea.
The real story can be seen in the details.
When he asked for tea, he meant it sincerely. If Xiangzi went to the teahouse and asked for a pot of good tea, good tea, he would pay the bill as usual. But in his heart, his evaluation of such a person would be lower. It's not that he couldn't part with those few coppers.
It's that such people are unkind and like to take advantage of small things. They can be used, but they are not worth using more...
Although it is said that one should not jump to conclusions when judging a person...,
However, if we just got along with him for a short period of time, if we treat things like this, our moral character will not be much better.
Now Xiangzi has a kind and honest personality, which makes him feel good, and he is quite satisfied with the assessment.
"When I get home, I will tell Lao Li that from now on you will be a long-term employee in Bai Zhai. You will not be treated badly in food and drink, and your monthly salary will not be less, and it will be higher than the market price..."
"Sign your half-year contract first."
As soon as Xiangzi took a step forward, he heard Bai Gui speak behind him. He felt happy and felt that the fatigue of the day had disappeared without a trace.
Although I am quite tired today, how can I not be tired from driving in the car...
But as long as the monthly salary is high and food and accommodation are included, what's the point of being tired?
Moreover, he heard from people at Liu's Automobile Dealer that Mr. Bai was easy to get along with. After the monthly subscription, he received a generous salary. This kind of scene probably won't happen often today.
In troubled times, people are like duckweeds. It would be great to have a stable job!
"If there is a small building, then...there will be Juxian..."
"There is Hatsumomo at Tatsudai Tea House in Gion, Japan. I wonder if they look alike?"
Bai Gui thought in a daze when he saw the flow of people passing by on the rickshaw.
He is interested and wants to see Hua Man Lou and see more.
But after thinking about it, I calmed down.
Not long after his marriage, he went to Huajie and Liuxiang, and he felt embarrassed.
…
For several days.
Liu Baoer went to and from school with Leng Qingqiu, and they seemed like best friends.
Although Bai Gui found it strange.
But he didn't care too much.
This on the contrary proves that Liu Baoer has settled down in Yanjing.
His brother was also relieved.
So, it took a few days.
He booked a train ticket to Jinmen and went to Jinmen with Bai Xiuzhu first.
Then take the ferry to Shanghai.
I didn’t go to Jingwumen this time.
Although Bai Gui has a good relationship with the Jingwu Sect, Huo Yuanjia is not his real master after all. It is okay for him to come to visit alone, but it is inappropriate to come to Shanghai with Bai Xiuzhu and then visit the Jingwu Sect. .
In addition, Huo Ting'en has no one to keep his mouth shut. If his past affairs are revealed, it will inevitably be embarrassing.
Soon after, we arrived in Changqi County, Japan.
"Two first-class train tickets to Tokyo, thank you."
Bai Gui walked to the ticket office of Kyushu Railway Co., Ltd. and said skillfully.
"Huh? Are you Bai Meihe...Mr. Bai?"
"Didn't you ask for a third-class ticket several times before? Why did you change it to a first-class ticket now?"
When the conductor saw that it was Bai Gui who came to buy tickets, he couldn't help but asked curiously.
Bai Gui is well-known in Japan, but he just bought a third-class ticket when taking the train in Changqi... This kind of thing was okay once, but after several times, the conductor in Changqi also remembered Bai Gui. .
Although Japan's lifetime employment system was proposed by Matsushita in 1917, in fact this tradition has existed for a long time. In the Edo period, there were already "fongongren", and these fongongren started half-employment when they were young. During work-study, as a handyman for the master's family, in addition to learning skills, you also have to learn to be loyal to the master. After ten years of working as a free handyman, if you perform well, you can move from the "childish" stage where you don't take any money to enter. In the formal work stage of store work, those who enter the formal work are called "handai". Even if they make mistakes, they will be forgiven by the employer within a certain range. They don't have to worry about being fired. They are basically employed for life...
Therefore, the conductors at Changqi Ticket Station have basically not changed much.
Most people won't remember it when they buy a ticket, but Baigui is a special being among the crowd. He is a foreigner and a famous writer, but he has money and buys a third-class ticket. How can he forget this time and again.
"Ahem..."
"I used to do it for collecting inspiration. You know, writing needs inspiration."
Bai Gui coughed slightly and started talking nonsense.
The conductor did not doubt that he had it, he just asked casually, and the reason was indeed very appropriate. In order to write, the writer observed all kinds of people in the lower carriages to draw inspiration.
"These are two first-class carriages..."
Before the conductor could finish speaking, Bai Xiuzhu, who was waiting a dozen steps away, came over and interrupted: "I'm sorry, my husband made a mistake just now. He said he was booking two tickets from Changqi to Kyoto."
