Chapter 33 033 Cabbage and Radish
She joined Zhuoyue Garment Factory in August 1966. For the first six months as a temporary worker, she only received ten yuan a month. The factory was not yet profitable, and the number of receipts issued was even smaller.
After becoming a full-time employee, her first year's salary was 23 yuan per month. In the second year, the factory's performance improved, and her salary increased to 27 yuan. If there was a heavy production workload, she would receive extra allowances for overtime work. At the beginning of this year, she was transferred to the factory office, receiving a cadre-level salary of a fixed 32 yuan per month.
If her salary were to increase by one level, it would be around 36 or 37. Moreover, she currently has four years of service, and her salary will increase as her seniority grows.
In a time when thirty yuan could support a small family, if she could earn 36 or 37 yuan a month, and with the increase in wages, the amount of money she would receive would also increase, then her life would be very comfortable!
At noon, the workers who came to the canteen for lunch were enthusiastically discussing the latest developments in the factory.
The most discussed topic was still the list of eligible candidates for the next round of housing allocation.
"It would be best to release the list after May. By next May, I will have completed three years of service."
"The factory should also consider the workers' marriage issues, right? If we have to wait three years before we can get housing, then I'll have to wait three more years before I can get married?"
"How is this three-year length of service calculated? Does it mean working for a full three years, or do I have to work at our factory for a full three years? If you can get housing after three years of service, why couldn't I, Dong Dachui, get housing last time? If you have to work at the factory for three years, why were the people who came from the shoe factory able to get housing last year?"
"Why can't you speak clearly?" The people in the housing management department were at their wits' end. They should have known better than to come to the cafeteria for lunch today.
"The factory documents clearly state that those with special contributions can be exceptionally allocated housing. Those without special contributions must work at the factory for three years! Why are those comrades transferred from the shoe factory able to get housing? Special cases are treated specially. Not everyone who comes from the shoe factory can get housing. If you're not satisfied, go talk to the factory director!"
"I'm not convinced. Haven't I made any contributions to the factory as an electrician?"
"Don't confuse me. Who in the factory hasn't made contributions? I'm talking about exceptional contributions! Only two experienced pattern makers in our factory have been recognized as having made exceptional contributions..."
For ordinary people like them, what they care about most are the basic necessities of life: food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.
The issue of housing allocation eligibility is still going to be a source of much controversy.
They could only hope that the factory's sportswear and shoes would sell to more provinces, and ideally, that all department stores, shops, and even supply and marketing cooperatives across the country would display Zhuoyue brand products.
"Our factory manager said that only when the factory grows bigger and stronger can we workers enjoy the benefits and have a good life, right?"
Xie Dongxue nodded, "You're right." Then she gestured with her chin toward the food serving window, "Our factory manager is over there."
Guan Yuehe turned around and saw the factory director handing meal tickets and lunch boxes through the window.
It seems the factory manager heard the workers' concerns, because a few days later, the list of those who qualified for the next round of housing allocations was posted on the bulletin board.
Last time, it was because we needed to merge a workshop in the shoe factory and accommodate many of the shoe factory's workers. It was a special case, so the factory was able to hire several construction teams to start work at the same time.
There was only one construction team hired this time, so the next batch of dormitories is no more than the first batch, and it is only half built. Construction has been temporarily suspended recently due to bad weather, and it is expected to be completed and the rooms will be allocated next summer.
Although many people weren't on this housing allocation list, knowing the factory would use its profits to improve workers' housing conditions, everyone held onto hope. "I didn't get one this time, but surely it'll be my turn next time?"
So, despite Dong Dachui's loud arguing, he was actually secretly calculating how long it would take before he could get his housing allocation.
With a deadline looming, it was like having a big piece of meat hanging in front of him. After the argument, Dong Dachui picked up his tools again to fix the wiring.
Gu Mannian was on the housing allocation list this time.
Seeing Guan Yuehe come downstairs, Gu Mannian quickly waved to her, "Could you give these two movie tickets to your sister for me?"
Guan Yuehe stared at the movie ticket, unsure whether to take it or not.
“My sister warned me last time, saying that if you contact me again, I should turn you away. Why don’t you go and deliver it yourself?” Guan Yuehe sighed, spread her hands, and said helplessly, “It’s not that I don’t want to help you, I’ve already told my sister everything, and she’s met you, but she won’t let me help you.”
Seeing that Gu Mannian was still smiling and unmoved, Guan Yuehe spoke frankly: "Let me be frank with you, my sister and I have never seen eye to eye since we were little. What I think is good, even if she doesn't mind at first, she will start to dislike after looking at it for a while. If I say good things about you in front of her, you probably won't have a chance."
Gu Mannian chuckled, "No wonder!"
Guan Yuehe glanced at him sideways, thinking that this person was acting strangely today. She had never seen him act so erratically before.
But Gu Mannian still gave her the ticket, confidently saying, "Take it back and try it out. Just tell her I invited her to the movies. If your sister doesn't accept, the ticket is yours, and you can ask a friend to go. Okay?"
“If she doesn’t answer, I’ll give you the ticket money back.” Guan Yuehe gritted her teeth, with a look of grim determination, “Consider it a thank you for buying me the meat.”
"Wait a minute." Gu Mannian glanced around to make sure no one was watching, took two steps forward, and asked in a low voice, "We're going to the countryside to buy pork in a few days, do you want me to exchange some for you?"
The purchasing department staff could take advantage of the opportunity to go to the countryside to purchase goods on behalf of the unit and exchange cash coupons for meat with the villagers. However, as the end of the year approached, the villagers would also receive money from the collective when they settled their work points, so they preferred to exchange meat for cloth coupons or industrial coupons.
After Gu Mannian finished speaking, he told her to quickly think about how many to exchange.
"No need, I'm afraid I'll end up owing you a favor if things don't go smoothly. I need to go back early and tell my mom I'll have dinner at home."
Guan Yuehe walked away quickly, and Gu Mannian couldn't even call her back in time: Why are you so lacking in confidence? What if you succeed? Wouldn't you be missing out on a huge meal? Is this still the same Guan Yuehe he knew who only wanted to eat meat?
Comrade Xiao Guan, who had already walked quite a distance, was so regretful that his face was practically contorted in a grimace!
As soon as she received her salary and ration coupons this month, she spent all of them on industrial coupons and bought a thermos. Now the family has two thermoses. She also used the cloth coupons to buy a piece of cotton fabric to make underwear; there wasn't a single one left.
But she comforted herself: It's okay, New Year's Day is coming soon. When the purchasing department goes to collect pork, it'll be used to give the workers New Year's Day benefits, right?!
—
After dinner, Guan Yuehe seized the opportunity and followed her sister into her room.
Since she was assigned a room, all her belongings were moved to Courtyard No. 2, and this room became her sister's alone. But the room remained almost unchanged; the desk was still filled with her sister's elementary and high school books, while the junior high school textbooks were now passed on to Guan Aiguo for use.
The newspapers I brought back weren't used to wallpaper the walls; instead, they were neatly arranged and placed on the desk, with some of the articles even circled...
Guan Yuehua loves reading. Even after the college entrance examination was canceled, she didn't give up on the knowledge she had learned. Not only did she carefully preserve her old textbooks, but she also bought many new books.
Guan Yuehe really liked the comic books her older sister bought.
"If you want to see it, take it back to your room." Guan Yuehua glanced at her and added, "If you break one, you'll have to pay for two."
Guan Yuehe put the book back; she had no savings to compensate for it now.
"You need something? Tell me quickly."
Guan Yuehe took two movie tickets out of her pocket and placed them on the desk, saying quickly, "Comrade Gu Mannian asked me to give these to you. It's not that I want to meddle, but he insisted that I bring them back to try. It's okay if you don't want to go; I'll return the tickets to him when I get to work..."
"Oh." Guan Yuehua continued to rummage through the large box at the foot of the bed.
Oh, what kind of attitude is that?
But Guan Yuehe quickly realized something was amiss. The lack of a direct refusal, coupled with the warning against meddling, meant they agreed to go to the movies?
"So you're going to see a movie with him?" Guan Yuehe asked her to confirm.
"I understand, just don't get in the way inside."
Seeing that her older sister seemed to be getting frustrated from looking for something, Guan Yuehe said, "What are you looking for? I'll help you find it."
How is she getting in the way? This room isn't as spacious as hers, but it's not so crowded that it would be cramped if two people stood there.
"Oh dear!" Guan Yuehua said angrily, "I told you we don't need you. Go out and run a few laps when you have time."
Guan Yuehe was pushed out, and before the door closed, she still saw her sister's uncomfortable expression.
She understood.
"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Guiying looked at her second daughter, who was covering her mouth and chuckling, and then at her eldest daughter's closed bedroom door, her face full of confusion.
Just as Guan Yuehe was about to speak, Guan Yuehua suddenly flung open the door, shoved several comic books into Guan Yuehe's arms, and said, "You can borrow these books, but hurry up and leave!"
Guan Yuehe knew when to stop. She gave her eldest sister, who was about to get angry, a chuckle, and turned to leave.
As she walked into the front yard, Aunt Ding called out to her, "Yuehe, is your factory still hiring early next year?"
"I really don't know. I haven't heard that the factory is hiring." This year's recruitment is because they want to expand the sports shoe workshop. Given the current situation, even if they recruit next year, they won't recruit many people, and they'll probably only be recruiting for office positions.
If Ding Dama's second grandson, Ding Xianzong, fails to get into high school and can't find a job, he will also have to go to the countryside after graduating from junior high school next year in response to the policy.
Upon hearing this, Aunt Ding asked her irritably, "Why should we hire people this year but not next year?"
"Why? Because the factory isn't owned by your family, right?" Guan Yuehe's good temper was extinguished by her question, and she strode out of the No. 3 courtyard.
Aunt Ding was rebuffed and felt uncomfortable. Only after returning to her room did she dare to whisper to her family that Guan Yuehe was disrespectful. "We grew up in our courtyard and have been neighbors for so many years, but she has never helped us out."
Ding Laosan wanted to say: Back then, when they wanted to help Lao Si, didn't you sign him up for the rural service without saying a word? Otherwise, the family would have had another worker.
Since Mr. and Mrs. Ding moved out, the family has been missing two workers' wages, and they only have meat on the table once a month. He was a porter at the factory, doing heavy physical labor, and without some oil and fat to nourish him, his health would eventually collapse.
"Where's the fifth one? He's been running around everywhere since he started junior high..." Aunt Ding was cursing when she remembered her youngest son. Seeing that he wasn't home, she started nagging again.
The next day was Sunday, and it was freezing cold. The alleyway was deserted. People didn't go out unless they had something to do, but they would bring needlework or a sweet potato or potato to visit their neighbors and chat for half a day on the warm kang (heated brick bed).
Guan Yuehe found someone to buy firewood. The deliveryman also helped to stack the firewood at the base of the wall outside the house.
Lin Sitian came over to bring her some discarded IV bottles from the car factory's clinic. She could fill them with hot water and put them in her bed to warm it up faster that evening. Or, she could tuck them into her coat when she went out to keep warm.
They brought her an IV drip bottle and some big news: "I just ran into your sister when I went out. Your sister has a new boyfriend?"
"I don't know." Guan Yuehe thought that if her sister really was dating someone, she would definitely tell the family, so she didn't worry about it.
He rubbed his hands together. "Are you hungry? Want some roasted sweet potatoes? I'll go get two."
"Eat!" But Lin Sitian suggested, "You should take three, so you don't have to keep grilling them after you finish them."
"That's true." Guan Yuehe quickly got up and went to the storeroom outside to get sweet potatoes, and also grabbed two potatoes.
Lin Sitian felt it was boring to just sit there, so she ran home and brought her books over to read.
"Didn't the training already end? Why do you still need to watch it?"
"There's more training to come. The Health Bureau has organized a barefoot doctor training course, and we all have to attend. We not only need to learn how to be good nurses, but we also need to know basic medical knowledge." Lin Sitian resignedly picked up her book. "Attending the training isn't enough; the exam results will be sent to our workplaces later. Sigh!"
She could only grumble in front of her childhood friends; she couldn't sigh and complain at home. Her husband, Mr. Fang, always said that she had to maintain a state of continuous improvement and do her best in everything she did...
Guan Yuehe immediately realized that she would also have to study when she went to university soon, so she picked up a book and started reading.
Not long after, Lin Sitian turned her back to me, saying, "No, I can't concentrate if you're reading comic books in front of me."
The two of them each occupied one end of the kang (a heated brick bed), and after watching for a while, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the courtyard.
They turned to look at each other without prior arrangement, then tacitly put down their books, put on their coats, got off the kang (a heated brick bed), knelt on the sofa, and peered out the window.
The noise wasn't coming from Aunt Zhao's house, but from Aunt Er and another woman they'd never seen before. Uncle Chang and Officer Song were mediating between them.
Apart from Sister-in-law Zhou and her three daughters, the other families in the front yard all came to the back yard, and the families in the back house also came to ask what was going on.
After listening for a while, Guan Yuehe finally understood the whole story.
Aunt Er and Uncle Zhang had long ago decided to find a son-in-law for their youngest daughter, Zhang Chaonan, so that the child would take the Zhang surname. Everyone in Ginkgo Alley and the entire Five Star Automobile Factory knew about it.
Although Grandpa Zhang hadn't achieved any official position, his family consisted of three people: Grandpa Zhang and Zhang Chaonan, both formal workers. They occupied the entire west wing of the house, which was spacious enough and would eventually belong to Zhang Chaonan. Many people were thinking of introducing Zhang Chaonan to potential partners.
Last month, Wuxing Automobile Factory held a small social gathering. Zhang Chaonan had a good chat with a male colleague and was looking forward to getting to know him better.
But when that man came home and said he had taken a liking to Zhang Chaonan and was planning to date her, his family was furious. Not only could they not persuade him, but they also discovered that their son had gone to the movies with Zhang Chaonan. So when they came to his door today, they immediately started yelling at his second aunt without saying a word.
Could the second auntie just stand there and let herself be insulted? She immediately fought back. In the heat of the argument, she lashed out and slapped someone, escalating the situation.
When that older woman came to our door to bully us, the neighbors in courtyard number two wouldn't just stand by and watch. On the surface, they would try to persuade her, but in reality, they would help the older woman stop the bully so that she could take action.
Song, the police officer, was having a bad day. He had specially arranged his shifts with his colleagues and was resting at home when there was a knock on his door, and they asked him to come out and act as a "judge."
"I absolutely disagree with my son dating Zhang Chaonan!"
"Pah! We wouldn't even look at your son! Who knows what kind of bastard he is, eyeing our things without even looking at himself!"
“Your Zhang Chaonan is such a tomboy, my son would look down on her even more!”
"I'll teach you to insult my daughter, to insult people at my doorstep? I'll slap your mouth until it's ripped off!" The second aunt rushed forward, but instead of hitting him, she had her hair pulled.
Auntie Er is really bad at fighting. If it weren't for the neighbors helping her, she probably would have been beaten up.
However, when the neighbors in Courtyard No. 2 encountered "resistance against external enemies," they united and rushed to help without saying a word.
It wasn't that Guan Yuehe was uncooperative, but rather that it was all the older women who intervened; the girls and daughters-in-law in the courtyard were all standing by. What was the point of her acting alone? It was best not to cause any more trouble for Officer Song.
Bai Xianghong had moved to her window at some point, so Guan Yuehe invited her in to take a look. Following her in were Cai Ying, who was accompanied by Xibei and Xinan, and Cao Lili.
Cai Ying has gotten used to her neighbors causing trouble from time to time, and it would be almost impossible for her to completely break free and ignore them.
Suddenly, she missed the days in the military family compound. When family members caused trouble, the political commissar and the women's federation would come to mediate. Her husband, Old Song, didn't have to worry about anything!
With so many people, the living room became crowded. Guan Yuehe went into the bedroom to get a stool and came out, closing the bedroom door behind her.
Cao Lili, who couldn't resist looking inside, quickly looked away.
The fight outside was stopped, and Officer Song was criticizing people with a fierce face when Chang Zhengyi's big face suddenly appeared outside the window.
"I've come to find my wife."
Cao Lili had no choice but to get up and leave. As soon as she stepped outside, she glared at him and said, "We were having a nice chat inside, and you interrupted us as soon as you came in!"
"Oh, I was just worried that you wouldn't feel comfortable with them."
Cao Lili got angry, "Yes, yes, they are all workers with jobs, and I'm the only one who's idle at home. I can't talk to them!"
"Lili, that's not what I meant. Why don't you go over and talk to me again?"
"...I'm not talking anymore! Let's go home!" As soon as they got back to their room, Cao Lili couldn't help but pinch Chang Zhengyi. She had only known that he was considerate when he was dating, but she had never realized that he was such a blockhead at home.
Once the troublemaking woman left, the left side room quieted down. Suddenly, Guan Yuehe slapped her forehead, "My sweet potato! My potato!"
Thankfully, they weren't all roasted to a crisp.
Guan Yuehe and Lin Sitian sat in front of the stove, eating themselves until they looked like cats covered in grime.
"Winter is coming, will Ding Xuewen's letter not be sent until next year? We should be able to receive the things we sent, right?"
The journey is long and arduous; even calling or sending a telegram might not be enough to reach the person, and Guan Yuehe didn't know the answer either.
Her second brother from her hometown wrote. He learned that she had been recommended to go to university. Her eldest uncle's family was busy preparing for her second brother's wedding on New Year's Day and couldn't come to the city, so he asked someone to bring her more than twenty eggs.
She plans to boil a poached egg for dinner.
It wasn't even evening yet when the tractor selling cabbages and radishes arrived at the nearby supply and marketing cooperative. The elderly men and women in the alley stopped chatting and started calling people to come out and line up.
In winter, the only vegetables available are Chinese cabbage and white radish, which can make your face turn green, but there is no other choice.
Guan Yuehe ran to the front this time, but it was no use. By the time she got to the supply and marketing cooperative, the queue had disappeared.
The sales clerk at the supply and marketing cooperative told those who came later to come back the next morning, saying that more cabbages and white radishes would be delivered then.
Guan Yuehe listened to the advice and went home carrying two large baskets in each hand.
This time, Guan Yuehe and her family went to buy groceries together, and the whole family had to take turns queuing.
The supply and marketing cooperative opens at eight o'clock, but the line to buy vegetables starts forming as early as four or five in the morning. If you get to the back of the line, you either can't buy anything or you end up with rotten vegetables and radishes.
People who had to go to work were scheduled to queue in the morning, while those who didn't work at home queued for the night.
But the first person to claim a spot is crucial.
Guan Aiguo was entrusted with an important task. At four o'clock in the morning, Jiang Guiying dragged him out of bed, dressed him, and rushed into the night to secure a relatively good position for the family.
After that, Jiang Guiying brought him a stool and a quilt, and chatted and boasted with the neighbors she didn't know very well.
Guan Yuehe didn't get a turn in line; she also started work at eight o'clock, and if she was late, she wouldn't make it in time.
When she came home from get off work in the afternoon, there were two baskets of cabbages in the living room, and the radishes that couldn't fit were piled on the floor.
The three families in the backyard, including her, only had time to move their vegetables to the cellar after they got off work.
Cao Lili was about to go up and lend a hand when Aunt Zhao hurriedly stopped her, saying, "Sit still. Are you hungry? I'll boil you two eggs."
Guan Yuehe: ?
She said that the relationship between Aunt Zhao and Cao Lili, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, was like the weather in winter—one minute it was sunny, the next it was snowing.
"Sister Yuehe, do you need any help?" Chang Zhengyi had just climbed up from the cellar and saw Guan Yuehe carrying a basket of vegetables out the door.
"No need." Guan Yuehe looked up at him, then with a burst of strength, she carried the large basket and took a few big steps to the cellar entrance.
Chang Zhengyi realized he had been being overly polite. If he went to help, moving the baskets bit by bit, wouldn't Yuehe laugh him to death?!
He slunk back home.
After moving the cabbages and white radishes into the cellar and arranging them neatly, Guan Yuehe finally breathed a sigh of relief after locking her cellar room.
She's finally got all her winter supplies ready; now all that's left is to see what good stuff she can buy.
It would be even better if we could buy meat. It's cold, so the meat can be stored for a while, or we can marinate it and eat it slowly.
Then go find someone to exchange some peanuts and raw melon seeds. It would be best to ask Sister Zhou to help roast the melon seeds, as she felt that the roasted melon seeds sold at the supply and marketing cooperative were not as fragrant as those roasted by Sister Zhou.
"Xiao Guan, lend a hand." Song Gong'an called out from the cellar entrance above, bringing Guan Yuehe back to reality from the abundance of delicious food. "Coming."
When she came up from the cellar, she ran into Zhang Chaonan. The second aunt, who was following behind, kept nagging: "What good can a family like that be? He hasn't even found a boyfriend yet. Look at his mother, what will she be like when she becomes a mother-in-law? You promised before that you would stay at home and find a son-in-law to come and live with you. Look at Zhou Hongqi and Liu Axiu from the next courtyard, they even know to find good-looking men for themselves... Yuehe, have you bought enough groceries?"
Aunt Er's face changed in an instant. After exchanging a few words with Guan Yuehe, Zhang Chaonan had already silently gone down to the cellar, and Aunt Er hurriedly chased after him.
That's why the older generation often says, "When you're full, you have nothing to do." Once you've got your stomach full, you start thinking about things.
This winter, food reserves are more plentiful than last winter. Guan Yuehe believes that even if it snows heavily outside and it's so cold that people's teeth chatter, the courtyards in Ginkgo Hutong will still be bustling with activity.
"Yuehua, it's snowing, where are you going?" Lin Yufeng had just entered the alley when she saw her sister-in-law coming out wearing a newly made cotton-padded jacket and new leather shoes. A little bit of her mouth was peeking out from under her scarf, and it was painted bright red.
"Going out to meet a friend." Guan Yuehua walked hurriedly.
When she got home, Lin Yufeng told Jiang Guiying that she had just seen her sister-in-law go out.
Jiang Guiying had been very busy lately and didn't notice anything unusual about her eldest daughter. She thought to herself that she was just going out and didn't think much of it.
Forced to return home early for the holidays, Guan Aiguo proudly raised his head. He was the first in the whole family to discover that his eldest sister was having an affair!
My older sister used to be neat and tidy, but at most she would just apply face cream. Unlike now, she would specially wear new clothes and shoes, and apply face cream.
This is no different from how my older sister was when she was dating!
He was feeling smug about his discovery when Jiang Guiying slapped him on the head. "I told you to hurry up and go find your second sister and ask her if she's going fishing. You've been sitting here for ages, are you glued to the bench?"
Guan Aiguo pouted and was about to stand at the door and shout when he was smacked on the head again. "Go over there and talk! Don't shout!"
"oh."
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