Ning Tang finally remembered that the two-day weekend system had not been implemented in those days, and workers had to work six days a week.
It was not until 1994 that the "big and small weekends" were implemented. One year after the implementation of the "big and small weekends", that is, on May 1, 1995, the two-day weekend system was officially implemented.
It's only been 1977. If Ning Tang really joins the Women's Committee, she will have to work six days a week for 52 weeks a year for 18 years before she can enjoy the so-called weekends.
And these seemingly "wonderful" weekends are nothing more than one more day of rest every two weeks.
As for the weekends off afterwards, there is actually not much difference between them and the weekends off.
Calculated in this way, the seven yuan salary given by the Women's Committee is very negligible. Ning Tang feels that her labor power is far beyond this price.
In those days, one dollar was approximately equal to three hundred yuan, and seven yuan was roughly equivalent to two thousand and one in later generations.
Two thousand and one is enough to buy her to work six days a week, or take care of the children part-time and do housework before going to work. Ning Tang thinks that she would only do this job if her head was stuck in the door.
Seeing Ning Tang's strong resistance, Chen Lie stopped trying to persuade her. After all, his salary was more than enough to support his family, and he also felt that the Women's Committee was not a good place to go.
In the afternoon, Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo went to the grain and oil station on the island to buy rice. When they came back, they passed by the office building where the Women's Committee was located. There was a crowd of people gathered downstairs, and it was impossible to get through.
Mrs. Luo still didn't know about the Women's Committee's recruitment notice. She was very puzzled, "What are all these people doing here?"
People all like to watch the fun, so she pulled Ning Tang's arm and squeezed into the crowd.
While squeezing, Ning Tang, with her sharp eyes, spotted Zeng Xinlan. She quickly waved and called out, "Xinlan."
Zeng Xinlan turned around and waved to Ning Tang, motioning them to come over.
Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo finally squeezed in, and they heard Zeng Xinlan say with a smile, "The Women's Committee has put out a recruitment notice for two officers. Sign up now. There will be a written test in half a month, and an interview in a week. Those who pass both rounds will be successfully admitted as officers of the Women's Committee."
Mrs. Luo also smiled and said, "Then Xinlan, you must give it a try. You will definitely pass it."
Zeng Xinlan smiled shyly, with worry on her face, "But I heard that a lot of people signed up this time, I'm afraid..."
"What are you afraid of?" Ning Tang said, "It won't take too much to try."
Zeng Xinlan said, "By the way, Xiao Ning, are you going to join us?" Her eyes lit up and she held Ning Tang's hands. "If you join me, I won't be nervous."
Mrs. Luo also helped to drum up support, "Xiao Ning, you should sign up too."
Ning Tang blinked, "Sister-in-law, it's not that I don't want to participate. I also want to contribute to our military families' home, but you know, our three children are still young. The eldest is only eight years old, and the youngest is four. They are so tiny. How can I feel at ease going to work?"
Mrs. Luo had forgotten all about this.
Nowadays, work is more important than anything else. Many women work while taking their children with them.
Even when breastfeeding, if you bring your baby to work and need to feed the baby, you have to go to the cubicle or draw a curtain.
Ning Tang did not judge this approach, but if she could choose, she would definitely not choose such a path.
Deep down, she still loves herself a thousand times more than her work.
It is absolutely impossible to ask her to be like Ding Ronghua and regard work as more important than anything else.
Mrs. Luo wanted to persuade Ning Tang, but when she thought about the different situation of the Shen family, Shen Lie was busy with work, and Ning Tang was new and had to take care of three children alone.
She swallowed her words of persuasion and changed her tone, "That's right. Children are important. When they grow up and go to school and can take care of themselves, it won't be too late for you to join the Women's Committee."
Ning Tang thought that Qi Dahu was in the same first grade as Dawa.
What would Dahu do if Zeng Xinlan was admitted to the Women's Committee?
She thought so and asked.
Zeng Xinlan didn't take it to heart. "It's okay. Dahu is already in the first grade. He goes to school on weekdays and only comes back at noon and in the evening. I can just rush home after work or during my lunch break to cook for him."
Mrs. Luo frowned and said, "That would be so tiring. You could ask Captain Qi to help you. It's not like you gave birth to a child all by yourself."
Zeng Xinlan pursed her lips. "Old Qi is someone who only has others take care of him, never someone who takes care of others. Sometimes when he gets home from get off work, he even has to ask Da Hu to get him a glass of water or a towel."
"Let's not talk about this." She was full of longing for the work of the Women's Committee, her eyes shining, "It would be great if I could join the Women's Committee, I could get this much money a month!" She pointed to the number seven with her fingers.
Seven dollars is not a lot, but not a small amount either. However, for the Qi family, it is a considerable income. If Zeng Xinlan can really get this job, the quality of life of the Qi family will definitely reach a new high.
Ning Tang asked Zeng Xinlan to talk to Mrs. Luo first, and she left for a while to find Ding Ronghua.
After all, Ding Ronghua really wanted her to join the Women's Committee. She had failed to live up to her expectations, so she had to apologize to others in person.
When Ning Tang found Ding Ronghua, she was sorting the collected registration forms on the table in front of the office building.
There were quite a lot of people signing up this time, which was beyond Ding Ronghua's expectations.
Seeing Ning Tang coming straight towards her, she thought Ning Tang was also here to register. Without waiting for Ning Tang to say anything, she put on a warm smile and stuffed the registration form and pen into Ning Tang's hand, "Xiao Ning, you are here to register, right? Come on, I've saved the registration form for you. Just fill in your information."
Ning Tang explained to Ding Ronghua exactly what he had just said to Mrs. Luo.
After hearing this, Ding Ronghua expressed regret, but still said, "Then Xiaoning, you must come and sign up next year or the year after."
The Women's Committee is not short of people, but of talents, especially talents like Ning Tang. Ding Ronghua is determined to get her into the Women's Committee.
Ning Tang wiped his sweat and laughed, "Next time, definitely next time."
After finally escaping from Ding Ronghua, Ning Tang saw an unexpected person.
She raised her eyebrows and looked at Ning Xue who was walking straight towards her. Her meaning was very obvious. Is there something wrong?
Ning Tang hadn't seen Ning Xue for a long time.
Ning Xue gets up at six o'clock every morning and goes to the vegetable market to buy the freshest vegetables. It's almost a straight line between home and the vegetable market.
On weekdays, he just stays at home and watches over the twins' studies. He basically never goes out of the house.
Ning Tang looked up at the sky in surprise at being able to see Ning Xue here today. That's right, the sun rises from the east.
Li Yun was also following Ning Xue. When they approached Ning Tang, Ning Xue, with a serious expression, asked, "Are you here to register with the Women's Committee, too?"
She just saw the head of the Women's Committee holding Ning Tang's hand, and the two seemed to be on good terms. This made Ning Xue, who also wanted to be a member of the Women's Committee, feel a sense of crisis.
She was very scared. After all, she had never won anything from her cousin since she was a child.
After the minor unpleasantness with the twins last time, Ning Xue also wanted to think some things through.
After all, she is not the twins' biological mother. If she wants to build a deeper relationship with them and make them listen to her, it is necessary to use sufficient material means in addition to her daily caring.
She had already spent a lot of her savings on buying things for the twins, and Su Junyan didn't even say that he would give her his salary to manage. Now, Ning Xue is almost unable to make ends meet.
So when she heard that the Women's Committee was recruiting, she came here without stopping.
After all, a salary of seven dollars a month is still very tempting.
With these seven dollars, she can buy delicious snacks and fun toys for Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu, so that the twins will listen to her more and treat her as their own mother.
Ning Tang listened to Ning Xue's question but didn't respond.
She is not a criminal and doesn't owe Ning Xue anything. Why should she answer when she asks?
Seeing Ning Tang didn't say anything, Ning Xue thought she was guilty.
After all, Ning Tang has been a very cunning person since he was a child.
Ning Xue recalled that when their grandmother was still alive, Ning Tang only needed to act coquettishly and cutely to get her grandmother's smile and delicious candies. However, she was obedient and actively helped with housework, but she still didn't get any good look from her grandmother.
This time the Women's Committee is recruiting workers? Maybe Ning Tang is also? He has evil intentions, using backdoors and bribing the person in charge of recruitment.
Thinking of this, Ning Xue felt even more indignant, and her words were even more ruthless. "You're just a junior high school student with a low level of education. Joining the Women's Committee will only cause trouble for them. I advise you not to apply. You won't pass the exam anyway."
Li Yun, of course, stood on Ning Xue's side and spoke for her. "There are only two vacancies for the Women's Committee Secretary position, and they'll definitely go to Xiaoxue and me. You, forget it."
Ning Tang blinked her eyes. She had never wanted to join the Women's Committee.
Seeing Ning Xue's serious expression, she felt like teasing her and said with a playful smile, "Then I wish you a speedy start in the workplace and become a member of the Women's Committee."
This was a thankless job, and she wished Ning Xue and Li Yun would both start working so they could start suffering sooner.
Ning Xue's face turned pale. What she hated most was Ning Tang's frivolous appearance, which made her feel that her efforts were pathetic and ridiculous.
It was as if Ning Tang could get something she had always dreamed of just by waving his hands, and she even sneered at it.
Ning Xue wanted to say a few more words, but she caught a glimpse of Mrs. Luo and Zeng Xinlan coming over. She whispered a warning to Ning Tang and hurried away.
Mrs. Luo came over and asked Ning Tang curiously, "What did your cousin say to you just now? She looked quite grumpy."
Zeng Xinlan said, "It's not just smelly, she doesn't even have eyes when she walks. She bumped into my shoulder and didn't even say sorry." As she spoke, she rubbed her hurt shoulder.
Ning Tang had nothing to hide, so he repeated everything Ning Xue and Li Yun said.
Mrs. Luo's eyes widened. "You said Ning Xue thought you were trying to get into the Women's Committee through the backdoor with Rong Hua, and she said you definitely wouldn't get in, so she told you not to waste your time."
Ning Tang spread his hands, "This is? Her exact words?"
Zeng Xinlan burst out laughing. "What do you mean you asked Sister Ding for help through the back door? It's obvious that Sister Ding asked you to join the Women's Committee."
Didn’t you see how regretful Ding Ronghua was when she found out that Ning Tang didn’t want to join the Women’s Committee? It was like she had missed out on a golden treasure.
Ning Tang, "I don't plan to explain to her. Let her think that I'm competing with her for the position of Women's Committee Secretary."
Let her fight with her imaginary enemy, Ning Tang just wanted to start.
Mrs. Luo shook her head and sighed, "Don't tell me, your cousin's temper is becoming more and more left-wing."
"She's always been like that," Ning Tang said. "When she doesn't succeed at something she wants to do, she puts the blame on me, saying it's my fault. Just wait and see. If she doesn't get into the Women's Committee this time, she'll definitely say it was me who bribed Sister Ding, played dirty, and stole the spot that belonged to her."
It's not right to pay attention to her, and it's not right to ignore her.
Ning Tang didn't deal with her now simply because Ning Xue didn't cause any substantial harm to her except for talking nonsense and using some harmless tricks. Instead, he suffered a lot of setbacks.
And it was also for the sake of Ning Weiguo and Sun Aiju. After all, Ning Weidang was Ning Weiguo's younger brother. She had to give the Buddha some consideration. She didn't want to make things difficult for the two old men.
If one day Ning Xue offends her, she will definitely let Ning Xue see what it means to be careful about touching a tiger's whiskers!
It was already evening when Ning Tang returned home, and Chen Lie had already prepared dinner.
There were stir-fried mixed dishes, stir-fried oysters with green onions and ginger, a large plate of blanched shrimps, and even a dish of wild bamboo shoots. The dishes were simple but fragrant.
Ning Tang smelled the fragrance and his stomach started rumbling.
She washed her hands and sat down, picked up a piece of wild bamboo shoots with chopsticks and put it in her mouth, chewing. The faint smell of bamboo shoots filled her mouth, with a hint of freshness.
She couldn't help but praise, "Where did these bamboo shoots come from? They are delicious."
Big Boy raised his hand to take credit, "I dug it up in the back mountain."
The Back Mountain is a big mountain behind the Military Family Compound. People live by the mountain and by the sea. The Back Mountain is rich in resources. Those who are not well off at home can often go to the mountain to pick mushrooms and wild vegetables to add flavor to their homes and save money on vegetables. Therefore, the Back Mountain is also called the Treasure Mountain by the people of Hailang Island.
A group of kids including Da Wa also like to go to the back mountain to play after school. They can pick a lot of sweet wild fruits there, such as raspberries and sea buckthorns.
However, eating these wild fruits depends entirely on luck. If you are lucky, they are as sweet as the candies sold in the supply and marketing cooperatives. If you are unlucky, they can be so sour that your teeth will fall out.
Ning Tang praised him generously, "Good job digging. Go dig some more tomorrow and ask your dad to make some fried bamboo shoots with ham."
Chen Lie was amused. "You only know how to order me around? Why don't you do it yourself?"
Ning Tang said as a matter of course, "Because of me? No."
Chen Lie was speechless. He took a box from the cabinet and handed it to her. "This is for you."
Ning Tang was surprised and asked, "What is this?"
"Why don't you open it and take a look, then you'll know." Chen Lie said.
Ning Tang opened the box and found a bunch of expensive skin care products inside, including clam oil, vanishing cream, pearl cream, etc., and there were even two bottles of the best-selling Shanghai Beauty brand perfume.
She couldn't let it go and asked, "When did you buy it?"
This thing cannot be bought on the island. At least you have to go to a department store in a big city to buy it.
Chen Lie has been at home all this time and has not been out to sea. Ning Tang really can't imagine when he found the time to buy these things.
Speaking of this, Chen Lie was very proud. He raised his thick eyebrows and said, "I asked someone to buy these for me. Your original ones were almost used up. It just so happened that one of my comrades took leave to visit his family and returned to Shanghai, so I asked him to buy these things for me at a department store in Shanghai."
Ning Tang brought very few skin care products to Hailang Island, just three boxes of clam oil. Not only did she use it herself, she also used it to apply it on the faces of her eldest, second, and third daughters.
After a winter, three boxes of clam oil, each half the size of a palm, were gone.
I don't know when Chen Lie noticed it, but he secretly asked someone to buy her some new skin care products as a surprise.
Ning Tang's face remained calm, but ripples were forming in his heart.
Chen Lie came over curiously and said, "Try it and see how it works."
These things are so expensive. That damn cold cream, which is said to whiten your skin, costs three dollars for a small jar.
Three dollars is enough to buy four or five pounds of sugar, and then you can exchange it for this small jar of facial cleanser.
Chen Lie felt a little distressed, but when he thought that it was Ning Tang who used it, he inexplicably felt that three yuan was not expensive and was well worth it.
Although clam oil only cost seven cents a box, it was cheap and came in large quantities, but it required a ticket and sold very well. Later, he had to buy clam oil tickets at a high price on the black market to buy these boxes, which gave Shen Lie's comrades a lot of trouble.
Ning Tang picked up a Shanghai Beauty brand perfume. The slender glass tube was wrapped with an exquisite sticker. On the sticker was a fashionable woman holding a pipa and with stylish curly hair, as if she had walked out of a movie poster.
She sprayed a little perfume on her wrist and motioned Chen Lie to come over and smell it. "Smell it, it smells like osmanthus."
This perfume is indeed an old brand. It has a light scent of osmanthus, which is sweet but not greasy and smells very comfortable.
Chen Lie was a rough old man, so how could he smell the sweet scent of osmanthus? As soon as he got closer, he sneezed loudly, "Ha!"
Ning Tang dodged it in disdain and motioned the three little ones to come over and smell it, "Your dad doesn't know how to appreciate it. Come and smell it, it smells like osmanthus, it's so fragrant."
The eldest and third kids didn't feel cold at all. The eldest wrinkled his nose and said, "What the hell is that? It smells so bad."
Ning Tang was amused. "Then what do you say smells good?"
Da Wa thought about it and drooled, "Fried chicken legs smell good."
Ning Tang was amused. "Then you should work hard to develop a fried chicken drumstick-scented perfume."
Erniu sniffed it and her eyes lit up, "Stepmother, this smells so good, I like it."
Ning Tang said, "Or? We have good taste." She dabbed some on Erniu's wrists and collar, "I'll put some on you. This scent will last for two or three days."
Chen Lie smiled and said, "After applying it, our Erniu smells delicious, just like she's been soaking in osmanthus flowers."
Erniu had never been praised for her fragrance before. Upon hearing this, her eyes widened. She kept raising her hand and bringing her wrist to her nose to smell, "Is it really that fragrant?"
"Xiang." Chen Lie said, "Our second daughter is Princess Xiangxiang."
Ning Tang let the two of them get along while she put away all the skin care products and placed them in the cabinet in the bedroom on the second floor.
When going downstairs, Ning Tang took a quick look and suddenly found that Chen Lie's hair seemed to have grown longer.
She blinked her eyes and said, "Captain Shen, how long has it been since you last cut your hair?"
Chen Lie touched his coarse stubble and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Your hair has grown longer." Ning Tang said.
People don't get their hair cut in the first month of the lunar year. Chen Lie didn't get his hair cut before the New Year, and he didn't get his hair cut during the New Year according to the old custom. After the New Year, there were so many things to do that he forgot about getting his hair cut again.
It's been more than a month, almost two months since he last cut his hair. It's normal for it to grow longer.
Chen Lie ordered Da Wa, "Go, help me get a mirror."
The eldest child puffed up his cheeks and said, "You only know how to order me around?"
"You're the eldest in our family, who else should I give orders to if not you?" Chen Lie said, "Stop nagging me. If you keep on nagging, I'll turn you into an old man. Hurry up and go."
Da Wa made a face at Chen Lie, then ran upstairs and brought a small mirror to Chen Lie. Chen Lie looked at himself in the mirror and said, "Hey, you've really grown."
His hair wasn't easy to grow, and now it was so long that he felt uncomfortable looking at it.
Chen Lie opened the cabinet and took out a pair of scissors, put the mirror on the table, half-knelt, and tried to cut his own hair while looking in the mirror.
But no matter how I cut it, it just doesn't feel right.
As for cutting hair, you definitely can't do it yourself. You can't even cut the back of your head, otherwise the barber shop wouldn't make money from it.
Ning Tang couldn't bear to watch it any longer. "Give me the scissors, I'll help you cut it."
Chen Lie turned the scissors upside down, pointing the tips at himself, and handed the handles to Ning Tang, "Here you go."
Seeing Ning Tang really took the scissors, Chen Lie panicked and muttered, "Can you cut?" He had never thought Ning Tang had this skill.
How can someone who can't even burn food get a good haircut?
Chen Lie said worriedly, "Don't cut it so bumpy that it looks like it's been chewed by a dog. If that happens, I won't dare to go to the army."
Ning Tang gestured at his head with a pair of scissors. "Why worry? At worst, you can just wear a hat. Oh, and you have a navy hat, right? Put it on."
Chen Lie was speechless. "Everyone is not wearing a hat, but me? This is just trying to cover up the truth."
He pulled the eldest child over and stood in front of him. "I think this kid's hair has grown long. How about you practice on him first?"
Da Wa looked stunned. "Am I? Your biological child?"
Chen Lie, "Yes, or no, it depends on me."
Da Wa's face fell. "When I'm useful to you, I'm your own son. When I'm useless to you, I'm just your servant."
Chen Lie pushed Da Wa forward and pointed at the boy, "Cut him off."
Ning Tang smirked and grabbed Da Wa. "Look here! Today I'll show you my stepmother's handiwork. I promise to give you a cool haircut that will charm all the girls at school."
Sanwa tilted his head and said, "What do you mean by cool?"
The word "Lafeng" seems to have first emerged in Shanghai. It was the transliteration of a very trendy eyewear brand, and then it gradually spread. By the 1980s, it was already widely used by young people in Taiwan.
"Lafeng," Ning Tang explained, "meaning 'very handsome, very cool, and very eye-catching.'"
Sanwa shook his head and said, "I still don't understand."
Chen Lie understood the general idea, "It's someone who can be noticed at a glance in the crowd."
Da Wa's eyes lit up. He loved being the most handsome guy in the crowd!
From resisting at first, to pulling Ning Tang's elbow, she repeatedly said, "Stepmother, cut my hair quickly, I want to be the coolest one."
Ning Tang was pulled all over the place by him, "Okay, okay, I'll cut it for you right away."
She asked Da Wa to sit on a stool, tore two old newspapers and wrapped them around his neck as a haircut cape.
Big Boy had never been to a barber shop before, so he was very curious and would tear the old newspapers from time to time.
All the preliminary work was ready. Ning Tang put the scissors in a basin of water to wet them, and began to gesture to the eldest child, "Start cutting."
With a "click", a small bunch of black hair fell to the ground.
Chen Lie said he didn't dare to look, but a gap appeared between his index and middle fingers as he stared intently at Ning Tang cutting Da Wa's hair. He kept muttering, "Don't mess up Da Wa's hair! Don't make him withdrawn and afraid to go to school."
Ning Tang glanced at him and said, "You underestimated me, didn't you?"
Again? "Click".
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