Chapter 91 Donating a TV
In the early 1970s, when city dwellers married off their daughters, they usually required "three turns and one radio" as the gift, that is, a sewing machine, a bicycle, a watch and a radio. If one could get all these four things, it basically meant that the daughter was marrying into a very wealthy family.
Of course, there is no comparison in the countryside. Everyone is a peasant, and without a fixed salary, it is difficult to get so many industrial coupons. Three transfers and one ring are basically unaffordable, so there are not so many requirements in this regard. For those with poor conditions, a few tens of yuan in betrothal money is enough.
However, there are also those who are from wealthy families or who are trying to show off their wealth. They can buy a one-turn or a one-ring if they can't even afford three turns. They can always gain face for their family in the village.
For example, in Kaoshantun, the old branch secretary and Wu Yongbing have bicycles and radios at home, Zhao Erzhuzi and scorekeeper Zhao Tieming have watches at home, and Gu Weidong has a sewing machine at home. Anyway, you can always find a few families in the village that have these three things, and everyone has seen them, touched them, and even borrowed them to use, so they don't think they are so strange anymore.
But the black and white TV is the only one in the entire Kaoshantun.
To exaggerate a bit, in the entire Hongqi Commune or even Qingshan Town, the number of families who could get industrial coupons for television sets and could afford to buy one could probably be counted on one’s five fingers.
Therefore, when Ye Qing brought this black-and-white TV back to the village, it was definitely explosive news. Once it was spread by those kids, it caused a sensation in the entire Kaoshan Village.
"This is a TV. Oh my god, where did Ye Zhiqing go this week? How come he brought a TV with him when he came back?"
"It seems not. The old branch secretary said that this was a reward given to Ye Zhiqing after he discovered that enemy agents had mixed opium into the grass and medicines fed to cows in an attempt to sabotage our entire rural production. After the provincial government investigated, they gave Ye Zhiqing this item as a reward. It is said that he was not only rewarded with a TV, but also a sewing machine and a watch. They are all very valuable."
"No wonder I thought it was sent back by a transport truck. Otherwise, I would say that this person should study harder. Ye Zhi is only 16 or 17 years old, but she has easily earned a fortune that we cannot save in our lifetime with her skills."
"Yes, Ye Zhiqing said before that the only way for children to have a future is to study, so my husband and I have already discussed that starting next year, all the children in our family must be sent to school and can no longer run around and play in the village."
"It's the same in my family. If any of my children learns something and can buy me a black-and-white TV, then my life will be a complete success."
"It is said that you can see human images inside this TV, which is better than a radio. I don't know if it's true or not. Has anyone seen it?"
Every one of the villagers present shook their heads like rattles.
It's because everyone has never seen it before that everyone is so excited and curious. Otherwise, who would come out in such a cold weather to join in the fun?
Seeing so many villagers crowding their houses and yards to the point where no one could get in or out, and seeing that each of them looked even more excited than her, the person involved, Ye Qing did not know whether to laugh or cry.
She originally planned to install the TV in her own house, but when she saw how interested the villagers were in it, she immediately realized that it might not be a good idea to install it in her own yard.
If this is really installed, these villagers will probably come to her house every night to visit. She will then be busy entertaining these villagers at night. How can she write in peace?
Moreover, there are elderly people with poor eyesight and hungry children in the family. Installing a TV at home will be noisy and dazzling, which is probably not good for the elderly and children.
Thinking of this, Ye Qing's eyes turned, and he suddenly came up with an idea. He waved to Wu Yongbing and the old branch secretary over there:
"Captain, old Party secretary, why don't we just install this black-and-white TV directly in the grain warehouse at the Sunning Field?"
When Ye Qing said this, everyone present was stunned.
Wu Yongbing and the old branch secretary were even more puzzled: "Why?"
Ye Qing smiled and said:
"My place is small, and even if we install a TV in the house, there's not enough space for several people. Now that the grain has been distributed to each family, the granary is empty, so we can build a projection room and show TV programs to the whole village in the evening."
"It's such a spacious place that can accommodate most of the people in the village. It's more than enough. When the weather gets hot in the spring, it will be more convenient to put the TV outside the sunbathing ground and play it publicly. It will also save us from moving it around."
Ye Qing's words made everyone in the yard quiet down.
After Wu Yongbing and the old branch secretary looked at each other, they were both a little embarrassed to continue Ye Qing's conversation.
Although these two were the top and second in command of the production brigade, they had always used various means to seek benefits for the villagers in the village, and they were not afraid to even go to the commune and openly challenge Lai Guochang.
But public is public and private is private. After Ye Zhiqing came to the village, he had gained countless benefits for the villagers. The two of them could not really bully the child just because the child was honest and generous.
After all, this TV was distributed by the province to commend people's children. Ye Zhiqing hadn't even had time to warm up the thing when it was directly taken to the production team to be confiscated. It would be too outrageous if this matter were to be made known to others.
Seeing the embarrassed expressions on the faces of the two production team leaders, Ye Qing couldn't help but laugh:
"Uncles, I'm serious. It's a waste to keep this TV here. I don't like watching it. It's just a decoration in my house. I might as well make full use of it and share it with everyone."
"People in our village are confined to this small mountain valley every day. We can't read books or newspapers or listen to the radio. We are too isolated from information. It is not good for the long-term development of our village."
"But it's different now that we have a TV. Through this small black box, everyone in our village can connect to the outside world and see a new world that is completely different from the rural Northeast. Especially for the children in the village, watching TV is the best way to broaden their horizons besides reading books."
"Only when they see the vast, boundless, colorful new world outside will they realize how insignificant they are confined to this small village, realize the importance of studying from an early age, and understand that if they want to get in touch with the wonderful world outside, they can only rely on their own hard work to have the opportunity to fly out of this poor mountain valley."
"If a TV can play such a positive role for children, then its greatest value has been truly realized, rather than being treated as a useless dead object that can only be placed in my house to gather dust, or even become a pile of scrap copper and iron after a few years."
Ye Qing's words instantly touched the hearts of all the villagers present. Even Wu Yongbing and the old village chief fell silent at the same time.
To be fair, if you just want to watch a TV show to kill time, there is no need to install it in the warehouse. Just install it at Ye Qing's house. People in the village will just want to see something new and exciting for a few days. In the future, no one will be so ignorant as to visit someone else's house and watch TV for free.
But if it is true as Ye Qing said, that television is related to the vision and future of the children in the entire village, then the significance of this matter is obviously extraordinary. Any family with children in the village cannot refuse Ye Qing's proposal.
Who doesn't hope that his children can fly out of this poor mountain valley and make a name for themselves in the city in the future?
Even if you cannot become a pillar of the country like a scientist, diplomat or engineer in the future, it is good to be a worker in the city, have a formal job and eat state-funded food.
At least they don't have to be like their fathers, who had to work hard in the countryside all their lives.
With such hopes and wishes, none of the villagers were in a hurry to speak, but everyone felt warm in their hearts.
Although Ye Qing had already officially become a member of Grandma Zou's family together with Zou Yun under the witness of the village cadres, and the old house and the homestead were registered under Ye Qing's name, but in the subconscious of most people in the village, the impression of Ye Qing still remained at the level of a city kid and outsider.
But now, seeing that Ye Qing is sincerely planning for the future of the children in the village and even donated such an expensive TV for this purpose, if the people in the village still say that he is an outsider and even try to exclude Ye Qing openly or secretly, then they are really ignorant of what is good for them.
The old branch secretary took out the cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He took a puff before looking at Wu Yongbing:
"Ye Zhiqing has good intentions, so let's not be shy and just follow her instructions and install the TV in the granary over at the threshing ground."
Wu Yongbing was silent for two seconds, then nodded, turned around, and asked the villagers who were surrounding him in three layers in a loud voice:
"It just so happens that everyone is here today, so there's no need to call a meeting of the villagers. We might as well talk it over here and make it clear."
"I think everyone has heard what Ye Zhiqing said just now. I don't need to emphasize how rare it is to have a television. Everyone should know in their hearts that we are all kind people in our village. We can't take advantage of other people's children for nothing."
"So I think that this black-and-white TV set cannot be considered as a donation from Ye Qing. It should be considered as rented from Ye Zhiqing in our village. The rent is two work points a day. Even if it is in the name of Zou Yun, the little kid, I think everyone has no objection to this arrangement, right?"
Ye Qing was very surprised by Wu Yongbing's words.
But I have to say that his proposal for two work points is quite clever.
As the director of the health station, Ye Qing can get 20 full work points every month in the village. At the same time, the county health bureau has given her a formal position and she can receive a fixed salary allowance every month. So when you calculate it carefully, Ye Qing is the one who lives the most comfortable life in Kaoshan Village.
If renting this black-and-white TV in the village could bring Ye Qing an extra two work points of income every day, then someone in the village would definitely feel unbalanced.
But it would be different if this work point was counted on the baby girl with cleft lip that the Zou family had just adopted.
Two work points would only equal a few dozen kilograms of food a year. If exchanged for refined grain, it would only be enough to feed a baby for a few months.
At most, the people in the village felt that Zou Yun had taken advantage of this matter, but when they thought of the child's tragic life experience, these few dozen kilograms of food would not cause much resistance in the villagers' hearts.
At the same time, with these few dozen kilograms of food, once the news about the TV spreads, it can also shut up the people in other villages around.
Otherwise, the people from the surrounding production teams would be jealous of the fact that Kaoshan Village had electricity and television to watch, and they would definitely say unpleasant things to slander them, saying that Kaoshan Village was bullying the educated youth girls from the city by taking advantage of its superior numbers.
Ye Qing was not stupid. After a quick thought, she understood the fundamental intention of Wu Yongbing's plan. She was not short of a few dozen kilograms of food a year, but if this matter would bring a lot of negative troubles to Kaoshantun, it would be better for her to accept Wu Yongbing's arrangement.
However, she didn't feel bad about donating the TV, but she had to make it clear in front of everyone:
"My two leaders, I have no objection to you renting my TV, but we have to agree on some rules first."
"First of all, I am not responsible for any quality issues after renting out the TV. As you can see, I didn't even open the packaging after I shipped it back. It is absolutely brand new and unopened. If there is any malfunction and it needs repair in the future, I will not be responsible. The people in the village have to figure out a solution themselves."
"Another thing, after the TV is installed, how to arrange the broadcast time and control the villagers who watch it to avoid quarrels and arguments is not my responsibility. You village cadres have to solve the problem. Don't come to me to mediate when there are any quarrels. I don't care who is right or wrong. I will give you both 50 lashes, and then send you to sit on the bench and ban you from watching TV for a month!"
"Also, the TV is installed in the warehouse of the sun-drying field. How to ensure its safety and the electricity cost of running the TV every day are none of my business. The production team should bear the cost themselves. Shouldn't they be able to do this?"
Having said that, Ye Qing couldn't help but blink at Wu Yongbing and the old branch secretary, showing an innocent and self-righteous look.
The corners of Wu Yongbing's and the old branch secretary's mouths twitched.
They both figured out that the reason why Ye Qing was so generous in donating the TV was that he was afraid of trouble.
This girl was very smart. She knew that this TV was a hot potato and that keeping it in her house would probably cause all kinds of disputes. So she couldn't wait to throw it out and make all the cuts to ensure that no subsequent problems would cause her any trouble.
But this is a black and white TV after all. Even if it is rented, as long as they have this thing, it will be the face of the entire Kaoshantun. Wherever they go in the future, Kaoshantun will always stand at the top of the contempt chain and become an existence that other production teams envy and can't catch up with.
So even though they knew that this thing might cause all kinds of trouble after being installed in the grain warehouse in the threshing ground, Wu Yongbing and the old branch secretary could not resist this huge temptation.
Soon, the TV was moved to the Shuguchang warehouse amid the joyful cheers of many villagers.
Ye Qing's black and white TV is an antique style. The wooden box shell wraps a tube display screen. On the top of the TV, there is a row of rotary mechanical buttons that are used to adjust the TV's channel, sound, and clarity.
However, no one in the village had ever seen this thing. A group of production team cadres and those educated youth who had been to school worked together to study it for a long time, but no one could figure out how to install the TV. Finally, they had no choice but to run to the end of the village to ask Ye Qing for help.
Ye Qing had never expected that it would take this guy so long to install a TV. When she rushed to the warehouse in the sun, and saw the TV screen full of snow dots, she slapped her head in surprise, remembering that this thing seemed to need an antenna to receive signals.
It's no wonder that Ye Qing is really good at making antennas. It can be considered one of the survival skills in the apocalypse. At first, she and several survivors were trapped in a collapsed building. They were cut off from the outside world and unable to save themselves. It was a survivor who made a simple signal receiver and transmitter. By constantly adjusting the antenna receiving position, after countless attempts, they finally got in touch with the rescue team from the outside world.
Because of this experience, Ye Qing is not very proficient in antenna making, but at least she understands the specific principles.
Seeing that everyone in the village was looking at her foolishly, as if they regarded her as the hope of the entire village, Ye Qing had no choice but to bite the bullet and do it herself.
The whole village was mobilized to help, and a pile of scrap copper, iron and aluminum were obtained. After a lot of hammering, the antenna was finally made before dark.
After connecting the antenna to the TV, Ye Qing used a thick pole to stick the antenna into the open space outside the granary. While directing Wu Cong to rotate the pole outside to receive the signal, he kept turning the mechanical buttons inside the warehouse to search for TV channels all over the world.
I twisted the mechanical button over and over again, my forehead was covered with sweat. When I went outside, it was completely dark. The TV screen finally changed from a screen full of white snowflakes to a strange big round cake with black and white stripes.
"Hey, hey, there's a picture!"
As soon as they saw a pancake appear on the TV, the villagers who were watching immediately gave anxious reminders.
Ye Qing quickly shouted to Wu Cong outside, asking him to stop moving.
She made some slight adjustments to make the big round cake clearer, and asked Wu Cong outside to find some large stones to fix the pole.
The villagers were confused and asked in confusion:
"Ye Zhiqing, why is this TV different from what we expected? Isn't it said that you can not only hear sounds but also see people in the TV?"
Adults and children alike were staring at the big pie on TV. It was clear that everyone's eyes were filled with confusion:
Isn't it about watching TV? Is that all? If watching TV is just about watching this, then it's more interesting to chat around the fire at home.
Ye Qing couldn't help but laugh and quickly explained:
"This is called a TV test signal. When it appears, it means that our channel reception is correct. However, since it is not yet time for the TV program to be broadcast, we have to wait a little longer."
Ye Qing looked at the time on his watch.
"It's six o'clock now. You can go home and have dinner. The TV programs will be on for about half an hour."
At that time, there were only two TV stations in the country, Jicheng and Shencheng. However, the signal of Shencheng was quite far away from Beidahuang, so it was basically impossible to watch the programs of this TV station. The only one that could be watched was the Jicheng TV Station.
There was only one channel, and unlike later generations, it did not broadcast programs all day long. Basically, the station only broadcast programs from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday. The rest of the time, the station showed test pictures specifically for viewers to adjust their reception signals.
Of course, Ye Qing didn't know this common sense at first. He learned it from the counter clerk when he exchanged his TV in the county today.
When they heard that they would have to wait half an hour before they could watch the show, the villagers stopped urging them. The children brought their small stools and continued to occupy seats there, while the adults went back to prepare dinner. However, they did not prepare anything too complicated. They just made the classic vegetable rice rolls and some steamed sweet potato and corn dumplings, and then ran to the threshing ground with the food.
When we got to the granary, we heard images and sounds coming from the TV. Everyone immediately ran to their seats and sat down. While munching on vegetable dumplings, sweet potatoes and corn, they looked up at the TV screen with such relish that they didn't even want to blink.
The programs on TV during this period were also simple. The first five minutes would first broadcast the leader's slogans, followed by a news briefing, then a sports event broadcast, and finally a documentary video, and that was the end of the day's program.
It continued until ten o'clock, when the TV channel turned back to the big round image and no more sound came out of it. The people in the village waited there for a long time, unwilling to see the show end, before they carried their stools and hurried home in disappointment.
In any case, this black and white TV has indeed added a lot of spice to the daily lives of the villagers in Kaoshantun.
After watching the show that day, many villagers had heated discussions about the news they saw that night, the exciting table tennis match, and the documentary about the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
The next day, a child even came to ask Ye Qing if table tennis was difficult to learn and if he could become an athlete and play in competitions after learning. And there were quite a few children who were interested in table tennis.
After learning about the children's request, Ye Qing asked Uncle Gu next door for help that day. They built a simple table tennis table in the health station and in her own small yard. A few days later, when she went to the county to check on Grandpa Liu's postoperative condition, she bought a few sets of table tennis balls and rackets and brought them back to Kaoshantun.
The appearance of the black-and-white TV indeed aroused the envy and curiosity of people from the surrounding villages. On the second day after the TV was installed, people came to Kaoshan Village one after another to watch the excitement. Especially in the evening when the TV programs were officially broadcast, the people who came to watch TV were so crowded that they were shoulder to shoulder. Many of them came from other production brigades from far away.
Although it was only a 14-inch TV, the image would be unclear if you were a little far away, but the entire grain storage room was packed with people, making it even more exciting and lively than watching an open-air movie.
Ye Qing did not go, but after hearing Gu Weinan talk about the scene that night, she still patted her chest in fear and secretly thanked herself for her foresight. If she had not donated the TV, perhaps these people would have crowded into her house by now. The scene was scary just thinking about it!
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