Reborn in 1977

Chapter 520: Buying Groceries

To Chen Fan's surprise, the owner of this small courtyard house was not Lin Yuanxiang, but the old Mr. Li.

Old Mr. Li's real name was Li Shangde, and he was exactly 60 years old this year. In 1952, he lost an arm and injured an eye on the battlefield, leaving him no choice but to retire from the army due to his injuries.

With merit to his name, the higher-ups originally wanted to arrange a leisurely leadership position for him, but he declined, saying that he loved watching movies and wanted a job at the cinema, so he became an ordinary worker at the Da Guan Lou Cinema.

Later, seeking peace and quiet, in 1953, he spent "two million" yuan to buy this small courtyard house with only three rooms and a total living area of less than 50 square meters nearby.

Even that price was expensive! Back then, many people were moving out, and houses were really cheap!

But Old Mr. Li felt that a lower price would be taking advantage of the government, so he insisted on giving two million.

That was the first set of Renminbi, equivalent to two hundred new yuan two years later.

After that, Old Mr. Li settled down here.

Later, Lin Yuanxiang retired from the army and gave up the dormitory for retired cadres with special treatment, running here to accompany his old comrade-in-arms.

However, he didn't take advantage either, spending money to reinforce and renovate the three rooms, and also building two small rooms on the south side, one as a kitchen and one as a toilet.

In fact, even in the new century, many courtyard houses still didn't have toilets, but that was because the depth of the courtyard houses was too long.

Starting from the central courtyard, the distance and height difference between the houses and the municipal pipelines did not allow for the construction of toilets.

Moreover, how many households would it have to pass through along the way, going under people's houses? Firstly, people wouldn't be happy, and secondly, the construction would be difficult.

Only the front or back courtyard, adjacent to the hutong road and not disturbing other people's homes, had the possibility of building a toilet.

Lin Yuanxiang's arrival can also be considered an improvement in Li Shangde's life.

Anyway, Old Mr. Li was also alone, so he let Lin Yuanxiang come if he wanted to, and the two of them teamed up like that.

As a result, after a few years, Zhang Xuansong, who had transferred to a second-line job after breaking his leg, waited until he reached the age and resolutely submitted a retirement report, then abandoned his large family and squeezed in.

Doesn't the name Xuansong sound a bit like a monk?

Hey, he really was a monk when he was young, and his Taoist name was Xuansongzi.

"Taoism is divided into two schools, Quanzhen (Complete Perfection) which is monastic, and Zhengyi (Orthodox Unity) which is worldly."

Lin Yuanxiang pointed at Zhang Xuansong and said, "He was picked up by a Quanzhen master and raised in the temple, he was a Taoist priest since he was a child. Later, in the chaos of war, he stopped being a Taoist priest and ran out to join the army. The abbot who picked him up was named Zhang, so he followed the Zhang surname, took his Taoist name as his name, and ran from Shandong to Jiangxi, joining the ranks.

He climbed snow mountains, crossed grasslands, fought against the Japanese, and fought against the Americans. Later, he didn't pay attention and capsized in the gutter, blowing off a leg.

Well, now that he couldn't fight anymore, he didn't continue to be his Taoist priest, and married a nurse he had met before. That girl didn't mind that he was old and ugly and had lost a leg, and gave birth to a large bunch of children for him.

After he retired two years ago, this old guy abandoned his large family and came here to freeload... There's no way to talk about him!"

Zhang Xuansong glared, "I was responding to Mr. Li's call to have more children to protect the country."

Saying that, he patted the armrest of the chair and pointed to the Luohan bed, "I also changed a set of furniture in the house, and I pay for food every month, how can I be freeloading?"

The two old guys were arguing, but Old Mr. Li wasn't anxious, still leaning against the bed table, sipping tea in small sips, and smiling happily.

He has also retired now, and originally wanted to continue to contribute, but after hearing that many young people were returning without jobs, he decisively packed his things and went home, giving up his position.

When he was idle and bored, he would also go to the cinema for voluntary labor.

But more often, he watched these two old things quarrel.

Back then, the three of them were all company commanders. Even though he only received a retirement salary of 30-odd yuan, while the other two received two hundred, the relationship was still based on that time.

Everyone was the same, no one was afraid of anyone.

Chen Fan obediently sat aside and watched the show... No one even poured him tea. Even if he wanted to pour it himself, there was no big teapot.

He simply took out the wine pot and beef jerky again, and treated it as a pastime.

Then he aroused Old Man Lin's gluttony.

He couldn't bother arguing with Zhang Xuansong, turned his head and said to Li Shangde, "Old Li, do you still have meat coupons there?"

His precious disciple had come from thousands of miles away, he always had to get something delicious for him!

Li Shangde finally stopped laughing, squinted one eye and thought for a while, then looked at Zhang Xuansong very seriously, "Do you have meat coupons there?"

Zhang Xuansong looked at Lin Yuanxiang blankly, "No, you're in charge of the food, we give you all the coupons every month, it's only the 10th, where are the coupons?"

Lin Yuanxiang's face was slightly embarrassed, "You guys were all clamoring for meat a few days ago, so we ate it for a few days in a row, it's all gone."

Zhang Xuansong wiped a cold sweat, "That's eight jin of pork, all gone?"

Since last year, the pork supply has soared from six liang per person per month to two jin per person per month, and senior cadres get an extra jin. He and Lin Yuanxiang have three jin each, and Li Shangde has two jin. That's eight jin of meat!

Seeing him pursuing relentlessly, Lin Yuanxiang also became angry, "Did I eat all eight jin of meat? Every time meat coupons are issued, don't you guys clamor for meat? Isn't it all fed to you after it's bought back!"

Li Shangde chuckled dryly, wiped his face, and was about to get up, "I, I, I'll borrow two meat coupons from the unit."

After all, he was the host, and it was a bit embarrassing not to be able to offer good dishes to entertain the guests.

Zhang Xuansong immediately got up, "Alright, alright, your eyes are like a blind man's, don't run around, it's hard to find if you get lost, I'll go home, they must have meat coupons there. Besides, there's no more vegetables in the vegetable market now, I'll bring some more vegetables."

Chen Fan opened his mouth and froze for several seconds. When he reacted, he threw the beef jerky into his mouth, got up and said, "No need for so much trouble. I saw a lot of stores outside just now. I'll just go out and buy something."

Lin Yuanxiang was about to speak, but he quickly stepped forward and held him down, smiling, "It just so happens that I didn't have time to bring gifts, so I'll make up for it."

He naturally brought gifts, they were in the suitcase, but he didn't expect there were two old men here, and they really didn't have a share.

Hearing this, Lin Yuanxiang sat down safely, "Okay, then you go."

He himself didn't care, but there were two "outsiders" here, and it was really impolite to come empty-handed, so it was okay to make up for it.

Moreover, these days, when visiting someone's house, you have to bring your own food stamps. If he really didn't bring a gift, exchanging it for meat and vegetables would also work.

Zhang Xuansong and Li Shangde saw that Lao Lin actually agreed, and although they felt something was wrong in their hearts, they didn't stop him.

Chen Fan smiled at them and walked out.

After he went out, after a while, Zhang Xuansong asked strangely, "Lao Lin, does Little Chen have Beijing meat coupons?"

Lin Yuanxiang was stunned for a moment, thought for a while and said, "Probably, otherwise he wouldn't have taken it upon himself, right?"

Usually, Xiao Liewen wrote to him, although most of them introduced Chen Fan's training situation, they also revealed some other information from the side.

For example, Chen Fan is now the director of some association of writers in Jiangnan Province, and he is still a deputy director level cadre. Under Chen Fan's suggestions and joint efforts, Lujiawan has undergone earth-shaking changes. The production team had an unprecedented prosperous year this year, and it will get better and better in the future.

If it was any other unit, that would be all, but that's the Writers Association, and he's a cadre of the Writers Association, with status and ability, where can't he get by?!

In addition, the production team had a bumper harvest, a lot of dividends, and money!

At this time, he also took on everything, bringing back some meat and vegetables, it should be no problem, right?

Chen Fan walked out with his hands swinging, and soon walked to Dashilar Hutong. He looked around, found the right direction and strode away.

There are many shops here, and there are many selling food, but Chen Fan didn't stop, he didn't plan to buy here.

Because he didn't have coupons!

I really don't know how those people who come to the capital on business and then bring back large and small packages buy them?

You don't need meat coupons to order meat dishes in restaurants, just give more food stamps, but it's not cooked food or braised food, it doesn't seem polite to bring a few boxes of hot dishes to someone else's house?

But Chen Fan wasn't in a hurry. It was still early. He departed from Shanghai at 11:30, landed at the Capital Airport in less than 3 hours, and then took a car here. It's not even 4 o'clock now, it's still early.

So he put his hands in his pockets and strolled leisurely.

Having grown accustomed to the prosperity of later generations, the bustling traffic of Dashilan didn't hold much appeal for him. Instead, true to his nature, he never liked crowding into places with many people. So, he quickened his pace and turned into a relatively quiet alley.

Following his memory northward, after passing through two more alleys, the area ahead suddenly became lively again.

It wasn't a marketplace, but a group of people gathered in front of a wall, chattering noisily.

Chen Fan walked past on the side, glancing casually. But when he saw the words on the wall, his eyes widened.

(Column for Unsuccessful Exam Candidates)

There's even something like this?

He couldn't help but change direction and walk over there.

Getting closer to the crowd, he saw large-character posters plastered on the wall. A quick glance revealed that they were mostly declarations of resolve.

Of course, there were also dissenting voices – it was a time of "Let a hundred flowers bloom."

These were naturally people whose exam results were unsatisfactory, criticizing the restoration of exams and strongly supporting recommendation-based admissions.

After figuring out what was posted, Chen Fan chuckled dryly and turned to leave.

But suddenly, someone stopped him, asking with a serious face, "Comrade, do you support exams or recommendations?"

The chattering noises vanished instantly, and more than a dozen pairs of eyes stared at him.

Chen Fan looked at the person blankly, and a mouthful of standard rural accent blurted out, "I'm a graduate of a literacy class."

The person rolled his eyes. "Bad luck."

He abandoned Chen Fan and continued to argue with others.

Chen Fan stood there innocently, and no one paid him any attention for several seconds.

Tsk tsk, this year's students are not very good, so impolite.

What's wrong with being a graduate of a literacy class?

Did a literacy class graduate eat your rice?

Oh, I forgot, people here eat wheat-based food.

However, after hearing a snippet of their conversation, he felt a little touched.

Not about exams versus recommendations, but that there was actually a vocational school student who wanted to continue to take the university entrance exam. However, the exam tested basic subjects, while vocational schools taught specialized knowledge, which was completely unequal.

If he wanted to take the university entrance exam, he could only be like those self-studying students, either studying at home or attending night school, relearning Chinese, math, foreign languages, history, geography, politics, physics, chemistry, biology… In this case, he was naturally unconvinced and firmly demanded a petition for the Ministry of Education to create a separate college entrance exam paper specifically for vocational school students!

The path for promoting vocational education is long and arduous!

Continuing forward, he had already left the alley. Not far away was Tiananmen Square.

There were many people in the square, mostly tourists, hurrying about.

Suddenly, Chen Fan's eyes lit up. He used his legs to spring forward, rushing like a gust of wind onto the square, and dashed up to an adorable young man. "How much are the radishes?"

(Young man selling vegetables in the square)

Seeing Chen Fan ask the price, the young man immediately stood up and said enthusiastically, "One fen per jin. How many do you want?"

Chen Fan looked around and suddenly pointed to the bamboo basket on his stall. "How much is this basket?"

The smile on the young man's face gradually disappeared. "Are you buying radishes or a basket?"

Chen Fan said confidently, "I didn't bring a vegetable basket. I want to buy two radishes, but I have nothing to put them in, so I want to buy your basket along with them."

The young man was silent for a moment, then calculated and said, "The basket… 3 mao? If you want it, I'll give you two radishes for free."

Chen Fan clicked his tongue, thinking that it was indeed the capital, even the baskets were more expensive than in Lujiazui.

He didn't bargain and agreed immediately, then gave 3 mao 5 fen.

Because he bought two extra radishes.

Putting the four radishes into the bamboo basket, he carried the basket forward, finally feeling like he was buying groceries.

Walking past the Memorial Hall, looking at the long queue at the entrance, he decided to come early tomorrow morning to pay his respects.

Crossing Chang'an Avenue and turning west, he soon plunged into another alley.

He didn't know what the situation was like in the capital now, but there was actually a flea market here?

(1978 Capital Flea Market)

A piece of cloth spread on the ground, a rope tied to a tree, and the goods were hung and laid out like this.

There weren't many items on each stall, usually a few pieces of cloth, a few pairs of shoes. A very few even had ready-made clothes, and judging from the style and workmanship, it was clear that they were made at home and brought out to sell.

He didn't expect that people now had this kind of business sense. Not bad!

Chen Fan carried his vegetable basket, walking through the middle of the flea market, constantly looking at the stalls on both sides, but unfortunately, there was nothing that could attract him.

After passing through the flea market, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly ran to the side. "Uncle, how much are your pigeons?"

(Uncle selling pigeons)

The uncle looked at the basket in his hand, his face full of hesitation. "Are you buying vegetables?"

Chen Fan blinked and smiled. "Could it be that these are carrier pigeons?"

The uncle thought for a moment. "If you're willing to pay two kuai per pigeon, they can also be meat pigeons."

A pigeon weighs about one jin. If it's two kuai per pigeon, then it's two kuai per jin. The price of chicken is only 9 mao to 1 kuai 2. Even if this is the capital, Chen Fan believed it wouldn't exceed this price.

And the current price of pigeons is not as good as chicken, because there's less meat. So, two kuai for a pigeon is a high price!

But Chen Fan pondered for two seconds and decided to buy them anyway.

Two pigeons are just enough for a stir-fry, then there'll be meat!

But these two pigeons are just the minimum. He wanted to get more.

He had a very deep impression of Old Man Lin's visit to Lujiazui last time. Three bowls of rice per meal, and a palm-sized piece of braised pork eaten in two bites, truly a glutton.

Old Man Zhang and Old Man Li also liked to eat meat. Their monthly quota of 8 jin of meat was used up in a few days. These two pigeons were probably not enough for the three of them to eat.

No need to continue forward. Not far away, a group of old men were sitting in a row, holding fishing rods and extending them into the lake, not knowing which "sea" it was.

Chen Fan happily ran over to take a look. See, there were fish here.

He walked around with the vegetable basket, frowning slightly, and couldn't help but mutter, "These fish aren't very big."

By no means (crossed out) coincidentally, an old man next to him heard him and immediately turned his head and said, "What's the matter, young man, you look down on the fish we caught?"

As soon as these words came out, more than a dozen heads turned around, their eyes staring at him in unison.

Chen Fan coughed dryly and waved his hand as if inadvertently, "No, no, I'm just looking."

"Wait a minute."

The old man was still serious, squinting his eyes and saying, "Don't think people are blind, your expression doesn't look like you're just looking casually, it's as if you've written disgust all over your face."

Another old man also snorted lightly, "Young man, I haven't seen you before, aren't you new here?"

Then the voices of condemnation rose one after another.

"Young people just have little experience, you know? Shichahai is netted every winter, and the nets were only collected two months ago. All the big fish have been caught, so where are the big fish?"

"The fish in this lake follow the months, the fish are small at the beginning of the year and big at the end of the year."

"No matter how big or small the fish are, fishing is a technique. We can catch fish right after the netting is done. We are all good at it. Can you do it?"

Hearing this, Chen Fan immediately coughed dryly, "Me? I really can!"

As soon as these words came out, a large number of people were immediately defeated.

After a brief silence, the scene immediately boiled.

"Hey, he's really not humble."

"Arrogant!"

"If you can do it, then go ahead!"

Chen Fan put down the vegetable basket, raised one hand high. "Who will lend me a fishing rod?!"

The old man who spoke first immediately handed him his fishing rod. "Here, I'll see how big of a fish you can catch!"

Chen Fan didn't hesitate, sat directly on his small stool, first looked at the lake water, then adjusted the float, put on the bait, and cast the rod.

The surroundings immediately quieted down, and a dozen anglers stared at him without blinking, even ignoring their own fishing rods.

In less than a minute, Chen Fan suddenly shook his hand and stood up to pull the rod.

Seeing the fishing rod being pulled into a bow, the old man's eyes almost fell out. The next second, he reacted. "Quick, quick, the net, a big fish is coming!!!"

After a while of frantic activity, Chen Fan retreated far away, watching a group of old men with nothing to do help him scoop up a three-jin carp, and someone even found a hemp rope to thread it through, and finally… everyone lifted it up?

Chen Fan wiped a cold sweat and said, "Old uncles, does this fish belong to me?"

The old man who lent the fishing rod handed it to him reluctantly. "Young man, will you come again tomorrow?"