1980 My literary era

This morning, after Lin Weimin went to work, Meng Weizai found him.

The old comrade initially talked about him indifferently, but Lin Weimin saw that he must have something to ask of himself.

What could he, an editor, do that the director could ask him to do? It was definitely not within the scope of the old comrade's responsibilities. Lin Weimin was the first to think of foreign exchange coupons.

Ever since he received the royalties from the publication of "Farewell My Concubine" and exchanged them into foreign exchange coupons, everyone in the work unit knew that he had a huge amount of foreign exchange coupons in his hand.

In this era, foreign exchange certificates are as hard currency as rice knives in China.

Regarding the rise of foreign exchange coupons, we have to start with the supply situation of Friendship Stores.

When Friendship Stores first implemented commodity supply in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the main types of supplies were some unified sales commodities and high-end commodities that were in short supply in the market, such as grain, cooking oil, sugar, pork, poultry, kerosene, cotton, watches, bicycles, sewing machines, etc., whether it was Both the variety and quantity supplied are at a low level.

During the movement, the development of Friendship Stores was basically at a standstill.

After 1976, the variety of goods supplied by Youyi Store began to gradually expand, and many goods that were in short supply in the market began to be supplied, such as desk fans, watches, black and white TVs, cameras, etc.

Because Yanjing is the capital, it has the most foreign friends and overseas Chinese, and it also supplies the richest variety of goods, such as local specialties, handicrafts, four treasures of the study, famous calligraphy and painting, handicraft ceramics, jade carvings, drawn embroidery, silk products, etc. It can be said that everything is available.

Such a rich supply of goods is much more than what ordinary people can buy in ordinary department stores at this time, and the things here only require foreign exchange vouchers, unlike outside where you have to spend money and vouchers.

Therefore, many of the products in the Friendship Store have become popular among people in this era.

"Leader | Leader, do you need to use foreign exchange coupons?" Lin Weimin asked.

After he revealed his thoughts, Meng Weizai showed a rare look of embarrassment on his face.

He nodded and said, "My granddaughter wants to learn piano. She is doing well in the Children's Palace. My son and daughter-in-law want their child to follow this path in the future and plan to buy her a Xinghai brand piano."

"This is a good thing. How much do you need? It's all a matter of your words." Lin Weimin said proudly.

Meng Weizai gestured, "Four thousand yuan."

The four thousand yuan should refer to foreign exchange certificates. If it were RMB, it would be even more.

The average working-class family in Yanjing might not be able to afford this much money in ten years.

Meng Weizai can tell this number, which shows that his family is not generally wealthy, and his son and daughter-in-law are probably not ordinary people either.

"No problem, I'll go pick it up with you this afternoon."

Lin Weimin didn't mention money. Meng Weizai said: "Don't worry, don't worry. I'll ask my family to collect the money when I go back today."

"It's okay, I'll take out the money first."

Before getting off work in the afternoon, Lin Weimin left early for a while and went to the People's Bank to withdraw 4,000 yuan in foreign exchange coupons.

The more than 2,000 yuan in foreign exchange coupons that he originally had in his hand have been taken away by his colleagues in the unit during this period, and the harvest is only 5,000 yuan.

There is a line of small print printed on the foreign exchange coupon: This coupon is equivalent to RMB.

As long as there is a need to specifically write such words on the bill, the value of the two must be unequal.

These days, an international student from Africa can go to the Friendship Store and buy two sticks of "Greater China" cigarettes, and he can earn enough to cover his living expenses for a month by flipping them when he goes out. As a result, the country basically receives no foreign exchange.

Taking advantage of this loophole was the preferential treatment given to foreigners by the country at that time.

Suppose a foreign student exchanges 100 yuan for a 150-yuan foreign exchange voucher at the official exchange rate of 1:1.5, and then uses the 150-yuan foreign exchange voucher to buy in-demand goods that are difficult to buy elsewhere at the Friendship Store.

After leaving the house, I sold the product for 250 yuan.

Then he spent 100 yuan on eating, drinking and having fun. When he left China, he exchanged the remaining 150 yuan back for rice knives. He still had 100 rice knives in his hand.

Foreigners make a lot of money, but it is the government that suffers.

Instead of leaving any foreign currency behind, the country also borrowed dozens of dollars in foreign currency.

Lin Weimin is just a humble citizen, and he can't control such important national affairs.

Colleagues need foreign exchange certificates, and he happens to have them, so he can't refuse them easily. That would be too offending.

Anyway, he didn't suffer any loss. Everyone exchanged foreign exchange coupons with him according to the market price.

At this time, the value of foreign exchange certificates is actually very confusing. Someone can take advantage of the loopholes and easily earn four or five times the price difference by using high-end consumer goods such as cigarettes and alcohol.

But doing this is authentic speculation. It is impossible for Lin Weimin to do such a thing. Usually his colleagues come to him to repay the foreign exchange coupons according to the 50% to 60% increase in the market. Generally, a kind exchange of 100 yuan of foreign exchange coupons will give him Lin Weimin paid 160 yuan.

The next day, Lin Weimin and Meng Weizai came to the door of Youyi Store. When they went to work in the morning, the old comrade asked his son to meet them here. They just exchanged the foreign exchange coupons and went directly to the store to buy a piano, saving them a long night and many dreams.

After waiting for a short time in the Friendship Store, Lin Weimin met Meng Weizai's son. Today, not only his son is here, but his daughter-in-law and granddaughter are also here. Counting Meng Weizai, it can be said that the whole family is here.

Meng Weizai asked: "Why did Yanni come with you?"

"She couldn't stay at home when she heard that she could buy a piano. She kept pestering me and insisted on coming." Meng Weizai's daughter-in-law looked at her daughter dotingly and said.

Meng Weizai introduced both parties.

When Lin Weimin was introduced, Meng Weizai's son and his wife were very enthusiastic and held Lin Weimin's hand to express their gratitude.

Granddaughter Meng Yanni is fourteen or fifteen years old this year, her eyes sparkle when she looks at the tall and handsome Lin Weimin, who is now the most famous young writer.

After saying hello, Lin Weimin took out the 4,000 yuan in foreign exchange coupons.

"Brother Meng, you two are a little bit better."

Meng Weizai's son also took out a bag from his carry-on bag. Lin Weimin took a look and saw that the money had been packed in advance.

The largest denomination of the third edition of RMB currently in circulation is ten yuan, with a stack of one thousand yuan. Meng Weizai's son and his wife gave him six and a half stacks of RMB. Lin Weimin knew without counting that it must be six thousand four hundred yuan. .

Meng Weizai's son finished counting the foreign exchange coupons and asked: "For the people, don't you count?"

Lin Weimin smiled and said, "No need, it will only be more, not less."

The trust he showed made the other party feel at ease, and he showed Lin Weimin a friendly smile.

"Okay, I've got the foreign exchange coupons, let's go in and buy a piano." Meng Weizai urged.

The couple looked at each other, and then said to Meng Weizai: "Dad, let's go buy the piano first."

Meng Weizai hummed and watched his son and his family walk into the Friendship Store. The back of his granddaughter Meng Yanni jumped for joy, as if she was about to fly.

"Leader, don't you go in and take a look?"

Meng Weizai said: "What are you looking at? It's not like I'm buying the piano, let them look at it themselves."

Lin Weimin knew that part or even most of the more than 6,000 yuan he received today must have been stolen by Meng Wei, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Poor parents in the world!

Meng Weizai turned around and said sincerely: "For the people, thank you very much this time."

"Look what you said, why are we so polite to each other?"

Meng Weizai put his hands behind his back and smiled, "Okay, you're welcome."

After helping Meng Weizai, Lin Weimin still had 16,000 yuan in foreign exchange certificates, and the deposit in the bank was already as high as 40,000 yuan.

Foreign exchange certificates are okay, but the more money you put away, the more money you get!

It's not that he doesn't want to buy and sell antiques. Liulichang is in Yanjing. The problem is that he really doesn't know anything about this stuff. If he goes there, he will be killed.

By the way, what is Ma Dudu doing at this time?

Lin Weimin thought about it and remembered that last year he published a full-page novel "The Moon Is Full Tonight" in the China Youth Daily. If he had time, he could make some friends. He didn't plan to learn the knowledge of the antique shop. He would find an opportunity to let him know. It's a good idea for this kid to collect some old things for himself.

If I have time, I have to buy two houses, even if they are not serious courtyard houses.

In April of the previous year, Yanjing City had just issued its first local demolition regulations, the "Interim Measures for the Demolition and Resettlement of Capital Construction in Yanjing City." In the future, with the continuous development of the economy, the first wave of demolition in Yanjing will soon come.

Although this first wave of demolitions has serious planned economy implications, the houses deserve points. In Yanjing, if you have a house, are you still worried about not having money?

Entering August, the weather in Yanjing is getting hotter day by day.

The writing of the modified version of "The Kite Runner" was not smooth. Lin Weimin was not familiar with grassland life, and now there is no developed Internet in later generations, so everything can be found.

If you want to obtain writing-related information, you have to either read a lot of information or ask people around you who have experience living in Inner Mongolia. In short, it is troublesome.

In the past few days, Renyi's "Farewell My Concubine" performance has officially ended, and preparations are being made to perform in Shanghai.

Lin Weimin had no intention of following him, but Renyi found him.

"Teacher Yu, what did you call me for?"

So he made Lin Weimin a cup of tea and said, "Sit down and talk slowly."

"That's what happened. Isn't "Farewell My Concubine" going to be performed in Shanghai? Our entire crew is going to go, and you understand this opportunity. You can also take the opportunity to go out and have fun. But now there is a problem …”

"what is the problem?"

So he showed an apologetic smile to Lin Weimin, "Didn't Zhijiang Repertory Theater get the performance license for "The Intouchables" from you before? They contacted us in the past two days, and they have now set up a production crew. The characters have been selected, and I hope someone will come to help guide me, hoping to restore the style of the performance in Yanjing as much as possible."

Lin Weimin understood what Su Zhi meant and asked, "You can't find anyone, right?"

So Zhi felt a little embarrassed and said, "One is going to Shanghai, and the other is going to Zhijiang. The key is to decide first to go to Shanghai. At this time, whoever is asked to go to Zhijiang will definitely feel unhappy."

"Weimin, I have to ask you for help this time. Teacher Ouyang and Teacher Lan must be going to Shanghai, and other people's thoughts must be taken into consideration. That's why I thought of you. If you are willing to go, the hospital can If you provide a subsidy of five yuan a day, there will also be subsidies in Zhijiang..."

Lin Weimin waved his hand, "Teacher Yu, this is not about money."

When Su Zhi heard this, his face showed disappointment, but before he could speak, Lin Weimin said: "Since there is a shortage of people in the courtyard, I will go there."

So Zhi said happily: "Oh, Weimin, you have helped me a lot."

"Teacher Yu, don't say that."

So he shook his head and said: "You don't understand. This kind of thing involves interpersonal relationships, which is the most troublesome. Thanks to you this time."

After deciding the matter, Lin Weimin went to the unit to ask for leave.

When he heard that he was going to take half a month's leave, Meng Weizai immediately became serious and asked, "Why does it take so long to do something?"

"These are all special circumstances!" Lin Weimin explained the situation of Renyi.

Meng Weizai was helpless, soft-spoken and short-handed. He had just asked Lin to finish the work for the people. It would be a bit unkind not to grant the leave at this time, but the leave was indeed a bit long.

Lin Weimin saw Meng Weizai's difficulty, "Well, leader. In fact, our "Contemporary" also has many authors on the Zhijiang side. I can just go and communicate with you this time to see what everyone is doing. If you have any difficulties in creation, please solve them for everyone, and by the way, we can start the work of arranging the manuscript."

Meng Weizai gave Lin Weimin a look, "You are still smart."

"Oh, with this look, half a month isn't enough!" With all the excuses made, Meng Weizai didn't mind giving Lin Weimin another favor.

"How about a month?"

Meng Weizai glared at Lin Weimin. He knew that his mouth was a little too much, "Then just twenty days!"

"Okay, just twenty days!"

After the leave was approved, Lin Weimin continued working happily.

In the afternoon, the news that he asked for leave to go to Zhijiang spread throughout the office.

Zhu Changsheng asked: "For the people, are you going to Zhijiang?"

"yes."

Zhu Changsheng said with a gossipy face, "The water town south of the Yangtze River is rich in beauties."

Lin Weimin said angrily: "I'm going to do business!"