Literary Master 1978

Liang Junshu said with a laugh: "These newspapers are really well-informed!"

He kept the secret, but Lin Chaoyang was still confused and asked: "It's boring if you keep it a secret."

"Okay, I won't keep it a secret anymore." Liang Junshu stopped laughing and became serious.

He added: "They want to reprint "High Mountain" for a reason. The news came out two days ago, but there is no public news report yet."

"What is it?"

Liang Junshu suddenly lowered his voice and said in a mysterious tone: "It is said that General Manager Hu purchased 3,000 copies of "High Mountain" from Xinhua Bookstore at his own expense to give to the soldiers on the front line."

Listening to Liang Junshu's words, Lin Chaoyang was a little skeptical, "Is it true? Who did you hear it from?"

"I don't know the specific source of the news, but everyone spread it this way. You will see what happens next. This is just the beginning. You will be overwhelmed by the royalties."

Although Liang Junshu's words were a joke, they were also true.

This kind of half-true and half-false gossip is very popular among the people. As the news spreads widely, both official media and readers will have a strong interest in "The Wreath Under the Mountain".

Whether it is the increase in sales of the single volume or the reprinting of newspapers and magazines, it is definitely indispensable.

Although "The Wreath Under the Mountain" has been very popular since its publication, if it really talks about popularity, the readership that the novel can cover is only at the level of millions. Even if the influence is further expanded, it is only at the level of tens of millions at most.

But if the news that Mr. Hu purchased the single volume of "High Mountain" is true, it can be said that it really brought this novel to a completely different new height.

I learned from Liang Junshu the reason why two newspapers suddenly wanted to reprint "The Wreath Under the Mountain". Regardless of whether it is true or not, it is a good thing to get the manuscript fee.

The fact is just as Liang Junshu said. In the next few days, Lin Chaoyang really received calls and letters from several newspapers and magazines, all requesting to reprint the novel "The Wreath Under the Mountain".

For these requests, he was naturally happy to agree.

Lin Chaoyang didn't worry at all whether the reprinting of newspapers and magazines would affect the sales of the single book. Anyway, these days, they pay for the number of copies of the manuscript, not royalties.

The reprinting fee given by the publishing house is not as good as the reprinting fee!

The reprinting fee is generally only one-third of the publishing fee, but it can't stand the accumulation of small amounts. In nearly half a month, Lin Chaoyang received nine manuscript fee bills one after another, and he had to go to the savings bank every two days.

This wave of newspaper and magazine reprints directly earned Lin Chaoyang 3,509 yuan in manuscript fees, and he was so rich that his hands were soft with money.

Such a high frequency of manuscript fee income also opened Tao Yushu's eyes. She didn't expect that "The Wreath under the Mountain" had been published for a year, and it would continue to generate manuscript fees, and each time it was higher.

That night, she calculated her savings and found that the couple's current savings had exceeded 10,000 yuan. She couldn't help but marvel at Lin Chaoyang's speed in earning manuscript fees.

Of course, there were still 6,500 yuan in the 10,000 yuan to pay the final payment for Lin Fugui's house.

But even so, the remaining 3,600 yuan is definitely a considerable sum.

After finishing the account, Tao Yushu stretched herself. The money for the house payment that had been weighing on the couple's heads was now available, and so was their savings. She was completely relaxed, and then she began to plan the use of the money.

Tao Yushu knew that Lin Chaoyang had always wanted to bring Lin Erchun and his wife to Yanjing, so she said, "I think the remaining money can be used to buy a house for my parents and bring them to Yanjing."

"There is no rush to buy a house for them. They have lived in the countryside all their lives. If we suddenly say that we want to bring them to the city, they may not be willing.

I want to let them stay in Yanjing for a while this year. We have heating here, which is just right for them to spend the winter and go back in the spring.

Let them adapt to the climate in Yanjing, and then talk about buying a house next year."

After Lin Chaoyang said his idea, Tao Yushu nodded and said, "Yes, they have to adapt. I will write a letter to my parents tomorrow and tell them first."

"There is no rush to write a letter. We also have to think about how to improve our lives." Lin Chaoyang said.

Tao Yushu was puzzled, "How else can we improve it?"

Lin Chaoyang looked around the house, "In such a big house, the only decent household appliance is your recorder."

Tao Yushu couldn't help but smile, "You're talking about this. Then what do you want to buy? A TV?"

Lin Chaoyang shook his head, "There's no rush for a TV, I think a washing machine is more important."

As he spoke, he pulled Tao Yushu's wrist. Her fingers used to be slender and her skin was warm and smooth, but now because of doing housework every day, it is much rougher than before.

Lin Chaoyang's sudden sweet words made Tao Yushu smile, his face full of happiness, "You only know how to say nice things!"

"What do you mean by only know how to say nice things? Isn't it wrong to buy a washing machine?

Think about it, after buying a washing machine, you don't have to wash clothes for one or two hours every two days.

It saves trouble and effort, how good."

Tao Yushu was entangled and said, "It's good. But do you think washing machines are so easy to buy? They are in short supply."

The world's first hand-cranked washing machine was born in the middle of the 19th century, but in our country, the washing machine industry started very late.

It was not until 1962 that the Shenyang Daily Electrical Appliance Research Institute trial-produced the first semi-automatic washing machine in New China. But at that time, washing machines were still high-end appliances that served hotels and laundries, and were not available to ordinary people.

After the 1970s, the scale of domestic washing machine production gradually expanded, and some Chinese people began to use home washing machines.

But even so, for most families, owning a washing machine is still a distant thing.

A cheap washing machine costs more than 100 yuan, and imported ones cost 200 to 300 yuan. You also need to have industrial coupons or supply tickets to purchase them. This kind of industrial product has always been in short supply.

And for ordinary working-class families, there are too many urgent needs in life than washing machines.

"No matter how tight it is, there are still some for sale. At most, you can spend more money. We make money to spend!

Are you going to save money for a lifetime and leave it to a bunch of little bastards?" Lin Chaoyang said carelessly.

Tao Yushu gently hit his chest, "Don't talk nonsense."

"Okay, no nonsense. But I think buying a washing machine is still the top priority for our family, which can directly improve our happiness index."

Tao Yushu said he disliked the waste of water and electricity, but in fact he also felt that the washing machine was a good tool that saved time and effort.

"Washing machines are good, but where can we get industrial coupons?"

"Can a living person be suffocated to death?" Lin Chaoyang showed a mysterious smile on his face and said to Tao Yushu: "The other day I went to Li Tuo's house and heard him say that there are "selling numbers" next to the washing machine factory, 50 yuan a piece."

"So expensive?" Tao Yushu was surprised.

The "number" that Lin Chaoyang mentioned refers to the qualification to buy a washing machine. Normally, in the planned economy era, buying industrial products must be based on tickets or corresponding qualifications.

Li Tuo's new home is in Dongdaqiao, not far from the East Factory of the newly established Yanjing Washing Machine General Factory in 1978.

Just last year, the Yanjing Washing Machine Factory just developed the "Bai Lan Brand" single-drum washing machine, and this year it just formed production.

As a washing machine factory in the capital, the washing machines of Yanjing Washing Machine Factory are naturally in short supply. There are cars queuing up at the factory gate every day to pick up goods.

The goods taken away are all for public use. The washing machine factory also has a private department, which is the sales outlet at the factory gate.

The Yanjing Washing Machine Factory supplies washing machines based on the "washing machine number". Only with a number can you get a washing machine.

"You also said that it is in short supply. This is a good thing for us. Things that can be solved with money are always better than us begging for help."

Lin Chaoyang's idea is a typical market economy thinking. Things that can be solved with money are the simplest.

Tao Yushu listened to his words and felt something in her heart. She nodded after pondering. With their current income, her husband's words are actually very right.

Obviously, a small part of the income can be used to solve the problem. Why waste energy and interpersonal relationships to complicate things?

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

The next morning, Lin Chaoyang took a leave and ran to the Yanjing Washing Machine Factory at the northeast corner of Dongda Bridge.

You need a washing machine number to buy a washing machine. There are few people at the entrance of the washing machine factory sales department. Lin Chaoyang spotted a different young man at a glance.

The young man was not like the ordinary citizens who went to the sales department to ask the salesperson about the price of washing machines. He was wandering around the entrance of the sales department, looking aimless.

Lin Chaoyang did not talk to the young man first, but went into the sales department to ask the salesperson first.

"How much is the washing machine?"

There was only one salesperson in the sales department, a middle-aged woman who looked to be in her thirties. She didn't even raise her eyelids when she heard Lin Chaoyang's question.

"Do you have a number?"

"No." Lin Chaoyang answered happily.

The woman sneered, "What can you buy without a number!"

"Can you buy it with a number?"

The woman said impatiently: "You can buy it with a number, but you have to queue up. It will probably take a week."

Lin Chaoyang didn't care about the woman's attitude. He nodded, left the sales department, and waved to the young man who was a few meters away.

The young man looked around and confirmed that Lin Chaoyang was calling him. He walked over with a somewhat unhappy look on his face.

"What?"

Lin Chaoyang didn't waste any words and asked, "Do you have a number?"

Hearing this, the young man's attitude immediately became friendly, "Brother, do you want to buy a washing machine?"

"Yes, do you have a number?"

"Yes, 100 yuan."

Lin Chaoyang glanced at the young man, "Do you think I'm a fool?"

The young man laughed and argued, "Brother, we are honest."

"Fifty."

The young man heard it, well, he met someone who understands the market, and he no longer asked for a sky-high price.

He just shouted a hundred, purely with the idea of ​​trying it out first, what if he met a fool?

"I'll listen to you, fifty is fifty."

"I want to take it away today." Lin Chaoyang said again.

The young man frowned and said, "You are making it difficult for me. There are only a few dozen washing machines in the factory every day, and the order is scheduled for a week later."

"I'll give you another five yuan to help me coordinate."

It takes half a day to go from the West Third Ring Road to the East Third Ring Road. Lin Chaoyang doesn't want to waste time on the road, so he might as well spend a few more yuan to solve the problem.

"Brother, you are generous!" The young man gave Lin Chaoyang a thumbs up, and then shouted a price: "Ten yuan, I'll let you take the washing machine today."

"It's just five dollars. If I can't take it today, I'll come back next week." Lin Chaoyang said firmly.

He knew very well that picking up the goods today or next week was nothing more than the young man saying hello to the person he was dealing with.

Five dollars for a sentence, not a small amount.

The young man hesitated for a moment, and seeing Lin Chaoyang's firm attitude, he was ready to leave if he disagreed.

"Okay."

The two reached a consensus. Lin Chaoyang spent fifty-five dollars to buy a number, and then followed the young man's instructions to enter the store and find the middle-aged woman just now to pay one hundred and twenty-eight dollars.

Unlike when he entered the door just now, this time the young man led Lin Chaoyang in, and the middle-aged woman's attitude was much more enthusiastic.

After she opened the ticket, the young man greeted Lin Chaoyang, "Brother, wait for me here for a while."

After that, he entered the washing machine factory.

After the tickets were all opened, Lin Chaoyang was not afraid that the young man would run away, so he sat at the door of the store and waited for about half an hour.

The young man was seen pulling a washing machine out of the factory with a cart.

"Brother, your washing machine."

The young man was about to unload the washing machine from the cart, but Lin Chaoyang said, "Don't unload it, just deliver it to my home."

"Brother, we don't have home delivery service."

"I'll give you a little extra money."

"It's not about money, I'm busy."

Lin Chaoyang glanced at the store entrance and looked at the young man again.

He touched his nose, "Well, where are you from?"

"Huayuan Bridge."

The young man listened to this and unloaded the washing machine from the cart with his hands and feet.

From Dongda Bridge to Huayuan Bridge, across Yanjing City, round trip is nearly 30 kilometers. He must be very greedy to take this business!

"I really can't take this job, please ask someone else."

The young man has no spirit of hard work and perseverance at all.

Lin Chaoyang complained in his heart, and then he said, "Then help me find someone to tie the washing machine to the back seat?"

"Okay."

The washing machine is not very heavy, but it is large. Lin Chaoyang dared not ride too fast on his bicycle, and he had to hold the washing machine with one hand. It took him almost two hours to get home.

There are two toilets in their house, sandwiched between the two north bedrooms. Lin Chaoyang put the washing machine in the one on the east side. This room is usually used as a shower room, so it is just right here.

When Tao Yushu came back and found that there was an extra washing machine at home, she was surprised: "You are too fast, right? You said it yesterday, and you moved it back today?"

"I spent money, so of course it's fast."

"How much?" she asked.

"The washing machine is 128 yuan, and the washing machine number is 50 yuan. I cut in line, otherwise I would have to wait for a week, and I would have to go again, and I spent another 5 yuan."

Tao Yushu was shocked. The extra money she spent on buying a washing machine almost bought half of the washing machine.

"Change your clothes. I'll try it out if it works." Tao Yushu said.

The couple changed their clothes and threw the clothes they took off into the washing machine.

At that time, washing machines were all single-cylinder and semi-automatic. They could only wash but not spin.

Tao Yushu read the instructions for a while, added water, put some detergent in the cylinder, and then turned the knob.

"Buzz buzz buzz..."

A dull mechanical sound sounded. Tao Yushu watched the clothes soaked in water being stirred by the impeller, and clapped his hands in excitement, with a bright smile.

"Ah! It really spins!"