At around seven o'clock in the morning on New Year's Eve in 1986, Liu Lang and several of his uncles went to the Majiapu market to buy new year's goods. At this time, the Majiapu market had changed a lot from last year, and the road surface was blocked.
The renovation, although it is not a hard ground, is paved with tamped lime soil, so that it will not be too muddy even if it rains. In addition, the Fucheng City Municipal Government also made dozens of iron shelves out of iron sheets to facilitate vendors.
They sell.
Seeing these shelves, Liu Lang remembered an incident from his previous life.
It was probably in the early 1990s, when I was about ten years old. My parents' salary was not high at that time. In order to make up for the household income, my father raised five or six chickens at home. At least I could have an egg to eat every day. Once, my father
I caught a big rooster and brought it to this market to sell.
, Liu Lang also followed. From noon until the sun turned west, there was no sale. Liu Lang was bored and wandered around in these shelves. As a result, he felt a chill on his head and some liquid fell on his head.
On the bed, I reached out and touched it, and it turned out that the shit from a big cock fell on my head.
Liu Lang never told anyone about this, but now he thought about it again when he saw these shelves.
These phenomena all convey the intensity of the country's reform and opening up. Even in remote Fucheng, the market economy has penetrated deeply into the lives of ordinary people.
The Majiapu market on New Year's Eve is crowded with people. Various New Year's goods are placed on the counter. Many sellers who arrive late can't find the goods on the counter and start selling apples, cabbage, pork, white noodles, etc. on the open space.
Rice and other common commodities are naturally available, and there are also some commodities that were not seen in previous years, such as frozen squid, small crabs, prawns, shrimp crawlers and other seafood.
Shrimp crawlers are called shrimps in the north, and in the capital they are called Pipi shrimps. However, these seafood products are not very popular now. There is not much oil and water, and most of them are put in hot pots to add flavor.
In addition to seafood, there are also more beef, mutton and fish. For example, Liu Lang saw someone selling large carp weighing five or six kilograms for one yuan and twenty cents per kilogram, which was more than one yuan cheaper than pork. Many people
Rush to buy.
In addition to buying pork, people have begun to pick up some beef, mutton and fish food to take home. Pork is no longer just a food that is simply used to absorb calories on the common people's dining table. Better-tasting beef, mutton and fish are gradually becoming common people's meals.
choice.
Although Fucheng is remote, it is not poor. In fact, the wages of workers in Fucheng are higher than the wages of workers in the country. This is because Liaobei Province is a major industrial province with a very complete industrial system. It has become a national
As a heavy industrial base, there was the largest open-pit coal mine in Asia in the 1950s, and millions of tons of coal were continuously exported to all parts of the country every year.
Liu Lang's grandfather is now a deputy department-level cadre, and his salary has reached more than 160 yuan, which is similar to the salary of a sixth-level worker in Fucheng. If he is an eighth-level worker, he can reach 200 yuan a month. This is still
Ordinary factory employees, if they are employees of the Bureau of Mines, they will change
It is higher, and employees of the Bureau of Mines will also receive gas stamps, coal stamps, meat stamps and other benefits every year. If these are included, the salary of a front-line underground worker of the Bureau of Mines will be close to 300 yuan every month.
Yes, this is definitely a high-income group in Fucheng.
It is precisely because of the high income that the Majiapu market is so lively and has so many products. If it were a rural area, even the largest market would never see seafood.
Liu Lang's family also had a warm meal of fried dough sticks and tofu at a breakfast stall like last year. Liu Lang recognized the stall owner as the same one from last year. He heard from his second uncle that he bought breakfast here all year round. In addition to buying breakfast
There is a bun shop outside in the suburbs. Although it is hard work, the income is also high. I earn more than 3,000 yuan a year, which is much better than ordinary employees.
Now there are self-employed people in Fucheng, but not many. There are small restaurants and small shops. Small restaurants are generally located near the suburbs. Most of them are opened by farmers with no job security. There are also restaurants in the city, and these restaurants are not small in scale.
But they are all state-owned properties contracted by individuals, that is,
Commonly known as the Big Canteen, there is an "internship hotel" not far from Liu Lang's house, which is the Big Canteen under the Mining Bureau. This is the first batch of market-oriented restaurants in Fucheng, and it is still the same even thirty years later.
It existed, but in that era it became a completely personal property and had nothing to do with the public sector anymore.
After several people finished their meal, Liu Lang's second uncle Liu Dongxue shouted to the busy stall owner who was sweating profusely.
"Lao Li, come here to settle the score!"
The other party hurriedly walked over.
"Second brother, today is thirty. Thank you for always taking care of our business throughout the year. I'm paying for breakfast today, so I don't have to pay for it!"
The other party nodded and bowed.
"Ha, Lao Li is quite happy, but you are a small business and I can't take advantage of you. Come on, this is the money for you, no need to change it!"
Liu Dongxue took out a big unity card and threw it to the other party.
The breakfast for five people only cost more than five yuan in total. Of course Liu Dongxue would not take advantage of them. Now the Liu family is rich. Not only do their brothers have jobs, but the most important thing is that Liu Lang has to give money every time he comes back.
This time when I returned home, I gave Liu Lang's grandfather 100,000 yuan. In addition, Liu Dongxue had already started a family and had established his own business. Of course, Liu Donglai also said that he would give him 10,000 yuan.
Liu Dongxue, who is worth over 10,000 yuan, naturally does not care about this little money.
"This...this can't work!"
The other party took ten yuan and said nothing. When he wanted to change the money, everyone had already entered the market.
"Second brother, I reserved this mound specially for you!"
"Second brother, look at this beef tendon meat, it makes you feel strong after eating it!"
"Second brother, you can only eat these prawns, so give me two...!"
Liu Donglai was not at home, and Liu Dongxue was the housekeeper of the Liu family, responsible for taking care of his parents, younger brothers and sisters, so those who often sold vegetables in the market knew him, and most people also knew that he was the genius who even Mr. Deng personally received.
Liu Lang's second uncle, even the high-ranking officials in the city were polite to him when they saw him. In addition, Liu Dongxue never bargained when buying vegetables, so as long as he came to the market, he would basically become the target of vendors.
"Well, I'm tired of eating pork, so I won't buy it... This beef tendon of yours is good, five pounds of it... This mutton is also good, I can make dumplings when I get home, three pounds of it... This shrimp clam is also good, and
This bunch of prawns, bring them all to me!"
After a while, Liu Lang's third uncle and his old uncle had their hands full.
"Dongxue, are you here to buy groceries too?"
Several people were walking when they met a middle-aged man in his fifties.
"Uncle Du, you are here to buy groceries too!"
Liu Dongxue saw the other party and hurriedly greeted him.
"Uncle Du, this is my eldest brother. He just came back from the United States... from the capital! Brother, this is Uncle Du, the district chief of our district!"
"Donglai is back?"
When the other party heard the name, he hurriedly came closer and stared at Liu Lang.
"This is the child prodigy Liu Lang!"
He looked at Liu Donglai and asked softly.
"Hello, Grandpa Du, I am!"
Liu Lang replied with a smile.
"Oh! I really saw a real person this time!"
Liu Lang is a legend in the eyes of ordinary people, especially some officials. They have more or less heard that Liu Lang is now quite valued in the eyes of senior officials... In short, it is the mayor who wants to see him.
This child prodigy is basically impossible. Now he, a district chief, has actually seen a legendary figure. Can he be unhappy?
"Come from the east! Where do you live now? Are you still in the capital? Have you become the director of the department now? You are so young and promising!"
The other party held Liu Donglai's hand and asked him questions as if to please him. Liu Donglai could only answer with a smile. It took more than ten minutes for him to let go.
"Donglai! If you have nothing to do when you go home from now on, just go to Uncle Du's house. No matter how far we go, Fucheng is still our hometown. Our homes are all in Haidong District, Dongxue. If Donglai is not at home, if you have anything to do, go to Uncle Du.