Siheyuan: I earned foreign exchange in the heyday

A few days later, Chen Changan got the news that the hairtail had arrived, so he notified Li Huaide and Director Wang.

After both parties arrived, they exchanged pleasantries. Li Huaide and Director Wang were old acquaintances. They brought their accounting staff and other people, as well as Chen Changan, to the train station together.

The steel mill had the most people, including a lot of transport vehicles. Chen Changan took the lead and walked towards the warehouse. Director Huang and his men greeted them again.

After introducing each other, Li Huaide said, "Director Huang, your hairtail will be shipped to Sijiu City regularly in the future. You have to give us convenience when we need hairtail in the future. If there is anything, I will let Changan come to you."

Director Huang said, "It's easy to say. This hairtail was also led by Chang'an. It was his contribution that made it happen. This is nothing."

Director Wang also said, "We don't need many here, mainly elderly widows, relatives of martyrs, and households that are guaranteed five benefits."

Director Huang said, "Don't worry, your quantity is not large. No matter what happens in the future, we will give priority to your quantity. If the conditions are right in the future, we will not charge you for this part of the money."

This again aroused Director Wang's gratitude.

When everyone walked into the warehouse, a gust of cold air hit them. Chen Changan shuddered as he walked in front. Then they started moving and weighing. Accountants from all parties began to settle accounts on the spot.

After a busy day, Chen Changan returned home with ten kilograms of hairtail. This was a personal gift from Director Huang. Chen Changan didn't really want it, but he couldn't refuse Director Huang's kindness.

He was blocked at the gate of the courtyard by the third uncle Yan Fugui, who asked, "Changan, what delicious food did you buy today? Show it to me, third uncle?"

Chen Changan thought about the frozen hairtail fish. He knew that it would not be kept at home in such hot weather. Without a refrigerator, it would probably go bad by tomorrow.

Since the third uncle has asked, I wonder if he will buy two if I sell him two?

Thinking of this, he showed it to Yan Fugui and said, "This is the hairtail fish that I gave to the people in the supply and marketing cooperative because I helped them a little."

Uncle Yan Fugui immediately asked, "Is it the hairtail fish that has been reported in the newspapers recently? It looks scary like this. How about Changan ask Uncle Yan Fugui to make it for you?"

Chen Changan thought for a moment and took out two pieces, handed them to the third uncle, and said, "After all, this hairtail is also meat, it is worth some money, I won't ask you for more. It's not much, just give me the cost price of fifty cents."

The third uncle immediately retracted his outstretched hand after hearing this. He originally thought that it was meat at the very least, and today the family could improve their food again, so he would see if this hairtail fish was as delicious as what was said in the newspaper.

Who knew he would ask for money? Wouldn't he just go buy the hairtail himself? And he even had to give money to Chen Changan?

Who knows how much these two hairtails in Chen Changan’s hand are worth?

I have been shrewd all my life. I don't want to be plotted against by a young man like Chen Changan at this moment. Otherwise, my reputation for life will be ruined.

Seeing that the Third Master wanted to collect money, he immediately withdrew his hand. Chen Changan smiled and said, "Third Master, no matter where you go, it's not reasonable to take other people's things for free, right?"

Seeing that the third uncle didn't say anything, Chen Changan took the fish and went straight home to cook fish for his sisters.

People who worked at the steel mill began to return one after another, and the smell of fried hairtail began to waft through the courtyard.

In later generations, Chen Changan also cooked hairtail fish frequently, but it was a bit oil-consuming and needed to be fried in oil.

Although there was indeed a shortage of oil in that era, there was still enough oil at home to cook a few meals of hairtail fish, and Chen Changan was willing to spend it.

Seeing the three sisters eating a piece of hairtail each, Xiuhua and Xiujuan said vaguely, "We'll eat more tomorrow."

The sisters enjoyed the hairtail fish so much that Chen Changan suddenly felt that he should come up with more ideas to make life better for people of this era.

I suddenly felt that the people in the courtyard might not be as bad as I thought. Everything was caused by poverty, lack of money, or fear of poverty and hunger.

After all, when the granaries are full, people will know etiquette; when they have enough food and clothing, they will know honor and disgrace.

September 1957, 9. Monday.

There has been a rumor going around the steel mill that workers will be given a lot of benefits for this year's National Day, after all, the planned tasks were completed two months ahead of schedule. This also made the factory leaders stand up straighter during the meeting in the department.

The gossip also said that a lot of hairtail will be distributed. Hairtail has been very popular recently after various publicity.

Since it was put on the market, the hairtail stalls in major vegetable markets have always been surrounded by people.

The reason is that the newspapers have been promoting the nutritional value of hairtail, saying that it is rich in nutrients and has few fish bones, making it suitable for children.

One is that you don't need meat coupons, 30 cents per pound, 2 or 3 pounds is enough for a plate. Cut it into pieces, the whole family can enjoy it.

Besides, it tastes good, suitable for all ages, and a joy for the whole family to eat together.

As a result, there are always many people queuing up to buy fish every day. It has been on the market for quite some time, but many people in the city have not eaten this hairtail fish.

Those who have eaten it started to brag about how delicious hairtail fish is.

As a result, hairtail has become extremely famous in the city recently.

After the factory leaders finished their meeting in the morning, the propaganda department's loudspeaker sounded. Tomorrow is a holiday, and there is no work today, mainly to maintain the machines.

Then we notified each workshop, and under the leadership of the workshop directors, they began to collect supplies in an orderly manner.

Each workshop receives the work from morning to afternoon, and the food they eat in the cafeteria at noon is also hairtail.

Those who received hairtail were chatting in the workshop in groups of two or three, while those who had not received any were scratching their heads. Every workshop was filled with the buzz of workers chatting.

After lunch, Chen Changan carried his things and headed home. He ran into Director Wang on the way. The subdistrict office was also distributing holiday benefits. Director Wang, who was short of staff, directly recruited Chen Changan's men.

There was no choice but to put the things back home and go straight to Director Wang.

Consolation, conversation, and chatting, none of them had anything to do with Chen Changan. When the supplies were finally distributed, it was Chen Changan's turn. He carried the food in one hand and the hairtail in the other. He put them in the house and could go out.

After a busy afternoon, Director Wang asked Chen Changan to bring his sisters to his home for dinner in the evening. He went home first, picked up the welfare benefits issued by the factory, and brought his sisters to Director Wang's home.

What a pity, Uncle Liu, whom I haven’t seen for a long time, is still not at home today. Only Brother Liu came back today.

Director Wang and his sister-in-law went to cook, while Brother Liu and Chen Changan started chatting while drinking tea.

"Changan, my mom told me that you are working as a buyer at a steel mill now?"

"Yes, Brother Liu, we haven't seen each other for a long time. Are you police officers so busy?"