Reborn during the early days of China’s reform and opening, the narrator finds himself in the 1980s countryside. In this setting, the past is still a cold reference, yet it is also a fresh start. N...
One dollar, fifty cents, and three cents, this was Wan Feng's income for the morning, which was actually equal to his usual rent.
And these are just over seventy books.
Wan Feng casually took out five cents and gave it to Xiao Jun: "This is your reward for helping me watch the stall this morning."
"So many! How can I handle this?"
"What's there to be embarrassed about? This is the fruit of your hard work. It's your rightful reward. Take it!"
Xiao Jun carefully put away the bill. This was the first real income he had earned in his life.
"One more thing, did you see that this thing makes money?"
Xiao Jun nodded.
"I'm going back this afternoon, so I'll leave these books at your house. You can rent some books for me on the street during the day. I've already chosen a place, so let's go over and take a look."
Wan Feng, carrying his schoolbag, and Xiao Jun left the market and came to the auto repair shop west of the supply and marketing cooperative.
Master Han was sitting at the door enjoying the cool air and saw Wan Feng from a distance.
"Son! Come and see your partner."
Why do these perverts love to make such jokes? Are they jealous?
The misunderstanding became deeper and deeper, and everyone in Gushan Supply and Marketing Cooperative thought that Luan Feng was his wife.
"No, I'm buying a piece of land west of your car shop. I'm planning to set up a bookstall here and make some money during the summer vacation."
The auto repair shop of Gushan Supply and Marketing Cooperative is located at the westernmost end of the cooperative, right next to Gushan Mountain.
There is a cement platform at the foot of Gushan Mountain, surrounded by three big trees. This is the place chosen by Wan Feng.
The shade provided by the three large trees is enough to seat twenty people. Adding the stairs around and up the mountain, it is not a problem for thirty or forty people to sit at once.
Moreover, this place is only 200 meters away from the river. There are many people taking a bath near Xia Gushan. After taking a bath, these people come to rent a book and read the accompanying program.
"You can set up your stall here from now on. If you can't keep up, call a few of your brothers over. They don't need to pay, just give them a few books and they'll be fine. As for your compensation, let me know. We brothers should be clear about the accounts. One third of the rent for the books is yours, and the rest is mine. How about that?"
"Do whatever you want, brother."
"That's settled, but let me be frank. Don't play dirty with me. I mean, if I rented it for two dollars and you told me I rented it for one dollar, you've embezzled one dollar. If that happens, I'll have nothing to do with you."
Xiao Jun was anxious: "Brother! Aren't you looking down on me? Although I am a bit of a scoundrel, I would never do such a thing. I am also a righteous man."
Wan Feng chuckled: "So your name is Erheizi, eh?! Have you seen the movie where Erhei gets married?"
"I have seen it, but it has nothing to do with me," Xiao Jun solemnly declared.
"You keep all the money. I come to the market every time to distribute the money. You are not allowed to touch this money until I come."
Xiao Junzhi swore: "If I take any action without authorization, I will be struck by five thunderbolts!"
"Okay, okay, I believe you. It's settled. When you've saved enough money, if you're willing, you can buy some books and open a bookstall. Making some money won't make your mother scold you."
"My mother thinks I'm lazy and don't do my work."
Wan Feng said disdainfully, "If I were like you and got scolded by my own mother several times, I would have committed suicide long ago. Living is a waste of food."
Xiao Jun scratched his head embarrassedly.
"Remember what I said, I'm going to pick someone up, goodbye." Wan Feng left his schoolbag to Xiao Jun, said hello to Master Han and walked into the supply and marketing cooperative.
There are still quite a few people in the supply and marketing cooperative. There are still more than twenty minutes before the end of get off work, and those who want to buy things are hurriedly selecting and trading.
At that time, the supply and marketing cooperatives would not close at noon. They would close at the end of the working day without any room for negotiation, and they would not open even a minute earlier than the opening time.
Wan Feng hurried to the garment department. Luan Feng was looking anxiously at the counter. When she saw Wan Feng, she almost pounced on him.
Wan Feng didn't have time to deal with Luan Feng. Instead, he spoke directly to Yan Shufang: "Aunt Yan! Is it okay for Luan Feng to become an apprentice now?"
Yan Shufang smiled and nodded. "Your wife is very smart and learns things very quickly. I have taught her almost everything I know. What she needs now is practice and experience. She just needs to practice a few more times on her own."
The misunderstanding has been formed. Since the misunderstanding has been formed, Wan Feng is too lazy to explain it.
"That's good. Aunt Yan, let's go."
"By the way, don't leave yet, there's one more thing."
Yan Shufang pulled Wan Feng aside and whispered, "Didn't you talk about the sewing machine a few days ago? Actually, our group has a sewing machine that's a bit broken. It's been there for a long time, almost half a year. Wait for me to talk to the secretary of the cooperative, and I'll sell it to you for a little less."
Wan Feng was delighted at the moment. It was really like finding something without any effort after searching for it everywhere.
No wonder the garment group had five sewing machines for only four people; it turned out one of them was malfunctioning.
"Aunt Yan, can that machine be repaired?"
"The problem is, a gear inside the machine has lost a tooth. It broke last year, and we didn't have a spare part at the time, so we just left it there. Now I think the county hardware store should have a spare part, but since it's public property, no one cares about it, so we just left it there."
It doesn't matter if the machine breaks down, if it can be repaired,
"Okay! Then I'll take it. When will I come to get the machine?"
Yan Shufang thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to the next market. I'll discuss the amount with the cooperative secretary and let you know when I get back."
Before Wan Feng and Luan Feng left, Yan Shufang gave Luan Feng a cutting book, a ruler and a pair of scissors.
Luan Feng's eyes were red with emotion when she left the house.
When we go back to Wanfeng, we have to carry Luan Feng on our backs.
After leaving Heyan Village of Gushan Commune, the two walked into the orchard by the river outside Heyan Village.
Although the apples in the orchard in July are still green, the air is already filled with a fresh fragrance that is refreshing to the heart and lungs.
"Can you make some clothes or pants now?" Wan Feng pushed the cart and Luan Feng followed behind.
There is a river beach in front, and you need to push the car to the river to cross the river.
"It should be no problem."
"You need to practice more when you get home. You finally learned it, so don't waste it."
"But how can we practice without cloth?"
"I really want to cut your head open to see if there's cement inside. Why are you as dumb as a pig sometimes? I'll buy you some wrapping paper. If you don't have cloth, practice with paper."
When measuring the size and cutting the clothes, you can use paper instead of cloth, it’s just for practice.
"Making paper clothes? That's so unlucky."
Only dead people wear paper clothes.
"Who asked you to do it? I asked you to practice cutting out the size and stuff, not to make it. That's unreasonable."
Although he said this, Wan Feng was also thinking about it, so when he went back to the brigade supply and marketing cooperative to buy paper, he did not buy the kind of wrapping paper that could be used for burning paper, but bought a bundle of red paper.