I messed up the Siheyuan

With still more than ten minutes before the meeting started, Wang Ping went out with a stool.

This is not to say that he is very enthusiastic about attending the plenary session, but...

It's so boring.

In this age without the Internet and nightlife, I don’t know what to do after get off work every day except eating.

This occasional meeting of the entire institute became a rare way for Wang Ping to entertain himself.

In fact, not only Wang Ping, but other residents in the courtyard also came out early.

Therefore, when he walked into the central courtyard, there was already a large crowd of people sitting there.

Even the broken table used by the three old men and three wobbly chairs that looked like they would fall apart at any time were placed in the center early on.

In Compound No. 15, there were only two kids who were the same age as Wang Ping and with whom he played well.

The second son of the second uncle Liu Haizhong, Liu Guangtian, is the same age as Wang Ping, also seventeen.

After graduating from junior high school, he occasionally did odd jobs outside because he didn't have a formal job.

The second child of the Ma family in the backyard, Ma Erkui, is one year younger than Wang Ping.

He is sixteen years old and is in the third year of junior high school.

However, this kid is a poor student.

After graduating from junior high school in the second half of this year, he probably won't be able to get into a technical secondary school or high school.

He will probably end up in the same situation as Liu Guangtian: occasionally doing odd jobs outside.

The three of them are of similar age and have grown up together, so they have a very close relationship.

Liu Guangtian is five months older than Wang Ping, and Wang Ping's personality was relatively honest and dull.

So the seating order among the three friends is Liu Guangtian, Ma Erkui, and Wang Ping.

But since Wang Ping took over the steel rolling mill, the seating ranking has become Wang Ping, Liu Guangtian, and Ma Erkui.

There is no way, since Wang Ping is already a employed person!

Oh! It’s so cool to have a job!

When distributing White Rabbit milk candies to the children in the alley, Wang Ping did not forget these two childhood friends.

He gave two people a handful each.

From then on, these two guys became his little fans.

Not only Ma Erkui, but even Liu Guangtian, who was older than Wang Ping, called him "Brother Ping" all the time.

But to be honest, Wang Ping didn't want to bother with these two younger brothers.

It’s not that I look down on my childhood friends after I got a job.

The truth is, as a time traveler from the 21st century, he and these two teenagers from the 1960s really have nothing in common.

Normally, he wouldn't take the initiative to play with them.

But these two guys were very enthusiastic and would get close to Wang Ping whenever they found an opportunity.

Just like today.

After Wang Ping entered the middle courtyard, he saw so many people in the yard and did not squeeze into the crowded place.

He found a spot far away that was leaning against the wall, put down the stool, and sat down.

But just as his butt touched the stool, his two younger brothers - Liu Guangtian and Ma Erkui - came over at the same time.

The two of them had flattering smiles on their faces, and after sitting down, they started chattering.

"Brother Ping, I heard from my dad that...you have been converted to a regular employee now?" Liu Guangtian spoke first.

"Yes! ... I transferred it." Wang Ping nodded. "I just completed the procedures a few days ago."

"Ha! ...Brother Ping..." Ma Erkui responded excitedly: "That's a steel mill! ...You have been working for less than two months and you have been able to become a regular employee. That's really amazing..."

Wang Ping smiled and said, "I'm a little tight on money lately, so I won't treat you two to a meal. I'll give you two a few pieces of candy each, just as a token of my good fortune."

As he spoke, he took out a few White Rabbit candies from his pocket and threw a few to each of them.

The two of them took the candies with smiles on their faces and took one and put it in their mouths.

Soon, they all exclaimed in unison, "How sweet!..."

After reveling in the treat with their eyes closed for a while, they opened their eyes and carefully put the remaining candies into their pockets.

Even the candy wrappers that had just been peeled off were put away after being folded.

This made Wang Ping frown, "Why did you two keep the candy wrappers?"

"Hehe!" Liu Guangtian turned his head and said mysteriously and proudly, "Brother Ping, you don't know that there is a small supply and marketing cooperative outside Chaoyang Gate. There, three new candy wrappers of White Rabbit candies can be exchanged for one Cuban candy!"

"Uh!..." Wang Ping was stunned.

Cuban sugar is a kind of candy made by extracting sugar from sugarcane and then undergoing simple processing.

This kind of candy is dark brown and square in shape. It doesn't taste very good. It's a bit salty and a bit bitter. It can be said to be the most simple candy.

It is not expensive. If you buy it at the supply and marketing cooperative, you can buy three pieces for one cent.

But for most children, even such a bad-tasting and cheap candy is not something they can eat whenever they want.

Moreover, Chaoyangmen is not close to Nanluoxiang.

If you walk, it will take more than an hour to go back and forth.

Wang Ping felt a little uncomfortable when he thought about his two younger brothers having to struggle for such a long time just to eat a piece of candy.

Although my conditions are not that good, if I just lend a hand, there is no way I would let my two younger brothers run so far for a piece of candy.

Thinking of this, Wang Ping asked, "Guangtian, what are you doing now?"

"At the grain store, carry the big bag!"

"Carrying a heavy bag?" Wang Ping was stunned for a moment. "I remember that you were working at the wood repair station on the street before, weren't you?"

“Hey!...” Liu Guangtian sighed and said helplessly: “I haven’t worked there for a long time.

There is too little work at the wood repair station.

I worked odd jobs there, and the most I could earn a month was four or five dollars.

Nowadays, everyone can’t even get enough food to eat, so who has the spare money to go there and fix things?

When the tables, chairs, and benches at home are broken, I usually tinker with them myself..."

"Then can you earn more by working in a grain store?" Wang Ping asked again.

"I can earn more." Liu Guangtian nodded, "I can earn an extra three yuan a month!

It’s just that the grain store always comes to work at night, which makes me a night owl now. Other than that, there’s nothing special.”

"Then... is seven or eight dollars a month enough for you to spend?"

"It's enough! It's enough." Liu Guangtian explained: "I live at home now, so I don't have to spend money.

Now let’s talk about food.

I also eat this at home.

Moreover, our family only needs my food ration, and we don’t have to pay a penny for other meals.

Every month, I spend a few dollars on daily necessities, and I save the rest.”

At this point, he chuckled again, "Brother Ping, Erkui, let me tell you something.

Yan Jiecheng from the third uncle's family is also working in the grain store now!

He started working there earlier than me and earns a dollar or two more than me every month.

But, you know what!

Yan Jiefang can only save two dollars a month at most..."

"What did he do?" Ma Erkui asked in astonishment, "How could he spend so much money in a month?"