Reborn in 1977

Chapter 31: A Little Promotion

Chen Fan watched Jiang Lili meticulously pulling the cotton cloth, and recalling her words, he couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly.

That's right, labor wasn't worth much these days; it was goods that were valuable, especially industrial products.

Those hard plastic sandals that no one wanted in later generations were quite valuable these days, costing several yuan a pair.

And there were the "national popular item" Warrior shoes of the 70s, costing 8 to 10 yuan a pair, with larger sizes being more expensive. The cheapest size 38 cost 8 yuan, 8 mao, and 7 fen, while the most expensive size 43 cost 10 yuan and 2 mao, equivalent to half a month's net income for a strong laborer in the Sixth Team of Lujiawan this year.

If it were leather shoes, they would be even more unaffordable.

Therefore, ordinary people in this era were still accustomed to making their own shoes or buying the cheapest cloth shoes.

Before he knew it, Jiang Lili had brushed an entire board of cotton cloth and said, "This will be placed outside to dry in the sun, and when it's dry, it can be used to make shoe soles."

Saying that, she went to get the wooden board.

Chen Fan offered to help her lift it. Jiang Lili smiled, "This is very light; it's no trouble."

However, Chen Fan didn't let go, so she didn't say anything more. The two of them lifted the wooden board and placed it under the eaves outside, leaning it against the wall.

There was no sun today; the sky was gloomy, and gusts of wind were blowing, colder than yesterday. With such a strong wind, it would probably dry in a day.

Chen Fan clapped his hands and smiled, "I see you're quite tired; you have endless work to do every day."

Jiang Lili lowered her head and smiled, "Actually, it's okay. I was a little unaccustomed to it when I first came here, but after I got used to it, I feel quite fulfilled."

After finishing the cloth layers for the shoe soles, they had to wait for them to dry before sewing the soles. Chen Fan returned to his room and sat down, reading a book while drinking half a bowl of hot water. At this time, the alcohol hit him, so he simply took off his clothes and lay down on the bed to catch up on sleep.

After a while, Jiang Lili, with her hands clasped together, slowly walked over. She first glanced at the door, and just as she was about to say hello, she saw Chen Fan lying on the bed asleep.

She suddenly felt inexplicably relieved, then her eyes slightly shifted. She glanced at the tightly closed courtyard door, frowned, thought for a moment, and tiptoed into the house.

First, she gently called out twice, "Chen Fan, Chen Fan."

The sound of a mosquito buzzing couldn't possibly wake him up.

Seeing that Chen Fan didn't respond, she squatted down, picked up the cloth shoes in front of the bed, and gestured a few times, secretly memorizing the measurements. Then, she put the shoes back and quietly walked out.

… …

Just as Chen Fan was sound asleep, Captain Yang, carrying a basket, strode into the Fifth Team of Lujiawan, which was also the location of the Lujiawan Production Brigade headquarters.

The distance between the Sixth Team of Lujiawan and the brigade headquarters and the Nanhai Commune was basically the same, less than an hour's walk or a dozen minutes by bicycle.

Although it was already 1977, bicycles were still scarce and expensive items. Yang Chuanfu had saved money frugally for more than ten years, and now he had enough money, but he still couldn't get a bicycle permit. No matter where he went, he still had to rely on his two big feet.

The brigade headquarters was a very impressive brick and tile house. At the gate of the two-meter-high brick courtyard wall hung two wooden plaques:

"Revolutionary Committee of the Lujiawan Production Brigade, Nanhai Commune"

"Party Branch of the Lujiawan Production Brigade, Nanhai Commune"

A red five-pointed star was also painted on the lintel.

Walking into the courtyard, there was a courtyard of about one hundred square meters, paved with thick bluestone slabs, which had not been damaged much after decades of wind and rain.

Inside was a quadrangle brick and tile house, with a two-meter-wide gap left between the two sides and the courtyard wall.

A white lime strip about one meter wide was painted in the middle of the brick wall, and a line of large-character slogans was written in red paint.

"Communism is Paradise, the People's Commune is the Bridge."

Above the main entrance hung a wooden plaque, "Production Team Office."

Words were also brushed in white on both sides of the gate, "Self-Reliance, Hard Struggle."

Yang Chuanfu, carrying the basket, had just walked to the middle of the courtyard when he shouted, "Is anyone there?"

Soon, someone walked out from inside, pulled the army coat draped over his shoulders, squinted his eyes, and glanced at him, "Oh, it's Old Yang. Why do you have time to come here today? Has the dividend been distributed yet?"

Yang Chuanfu grinned and laughed, "What? Can't I come and see you if there's nothing else to do?"

"See me? I'm not a young wife; what's there to see?"

As he spoke, the man walked inside, "Old Ye and Old Xiao are here too; come in and have a cup of tea."

Yang Chuanfu carried the basket into the door. This place was originally used to receive commune members, but at this time, brigade leader Zhang Changjiang, deputy captain Ye Shubao, and Xiao Liwen were all here.

The one who went out just now was Zhang Changjiang.

Yang Chuanfu put the basket on the table next to him, took the teacup Zhang Changjiang handed him, grinned, and laughed, "The three leaders didn't go out to guide work today; are you holding a closed-door meeting here?"

"Nonsense."

Ye Shubao threw him a cigarette, stared at him, and said, "Hey, what's going on with that person you saved yesterday? Public Security Officer Zhu has come to me and asked me to notify all the teams below to report any news."

Yang Chuanfu pulled out a chair, sat down, crossed his legs, took a puff of the cigarette, and then said, "That person is indeed strange. He remembers some things, but he doesn't remember other things. It doesn't seem like he's pretending; at least I can't see that he's pretending."

Xiao Liwen said while smoking a cigarette, "If there's really something wrong with his head, anything is normal. I used to be in the army, and our company commander was like that. In the early fifties in the north, a shell exploded next to him, and he fainted on the spot. When he woke up, he didn't recognize people or remember things, but he just remembered how to fight. After his injuries healed, he picked up a gun and went to the battlefield to fight, and he even knew how to command. Isn't that strange?"

Yang Chuanfu immediately pointed at him, "Hey, hey, hey, this person is also like that. He doesn't remember where he came from, where his home is, or his parents and relatives, but he remembers some strange things."

Zhang Changjiang glanced at him, "Strange things? What things?"

Yang Chuanfu immediately put the cigarette in his mouth, got up, took the basket over, and then opened it. Inside was a large sea bowl.

Needless to say, it was a large bowl full of turtle meat, still scooped from the pot Liu Jujiang had just made.

The three giants of Lujiawan leaned over together, looking at each other. Then Zhang Changjiang looked at Yang Chuanfu, "This is the strange thing?"

Ye Shubao picked up the bowl and looked at it, carefully studying it, "This thing, could it be a turtle?"

Xiao Liwen was immediately startled, staring at the meat in the bowl, "Turtle meat?"

Ye Shubao directly took a piece with his hand and threw it into his mouth, and his eyes lit up, "Although it's cold, the taste is not bad."

Then he looked at Yang Chuanfu, "Is it really turtle meat?"

Yang Chuanfu grinned and laughed, "This is the strange thing I'm talking about. That kid doesn't remember anything else, but he remembers how to make turtle…"

Then he told them everything that had happened yesterday and today, and finally said, "Isn't it almost the New Year? Some teams clear the ponds before the New Year, and some after the New Year. When they clear the ponds, I don't know how many turtles they will dig up. If it's just wasted like this, wouldn't it be a pity? So I came over to report to you and see if this method of making turtle should be promoted."

Turtles had been disliked here for who knows how many years, but who would have thought that they would actually be a delicacy? After this wave in the Sixth Team today, it is estimated that in no more than two days, those women who married into the Sixth Team, and families with daughters married outside, will definitely spread the news.

Therefore, Yang Chuanfu ran to the brigade headquarters as soon as possible, first to claim credit, and second, since everyone was from the same village, to let everyone enjoy the benefits.