Chapter 5: Observations in the City The waiter's neck stiffened: "For the people...
Chapter 5: What I Saw in the City
The conductor was collecting money and shaving tickets while shouting, "Have you got your letters of introduction? If you don't have one, get off the train. Otherwise, you'll be caught as a migrant worker and sent to a labor camp. We caught someone there just two days ago. Don't get your hopes up!"
"Did you bring your food coupons with you when you go out? The restaurant won't sell you food without them!"
"You didn't exchange your food coupons?"
"I forgot to change, get off the bus quickly. There's another bus after noon. If you can catch it, then catch it. If you can't, get off early tomorrow."
Some illiterate people even took out their letters of introduction and asked the ticket seller to help them look at them: "Girl, please help me take a look, is this it?"
These days, although literacy campaigns are ongoing, there are still many people who cannot read.
Fortunately, the ticket seller was literate and well-informed. She took a look, shook her head, and handed it back: "Uncle, this is issued by the brigade. It can only be used in the commune. To go to the county, you need a letter of introduction issued by the commune. This one of yours won't work. If you are caught, you will be treated as a vagrant."
"Give me the ticket, and keep the money. Take this letter of introduction to your commune's revolutionary committee and ask for another one. Tell them it's for the county. They'll understand. Catch the next bus."
The elder sister was very quick and efficient. She opened the car door and let people get out.
After a busy day, the bus finally drove away.
***
Yan Jiuru understood that it was truly serving the people.
Although the elder sister seems to have a fierce attitude, she really cares about the people.
According to her position, this lady only needs to sell tickets, and the letter of introduction and food coupons are purely a kind reminder. However, this is very important for many members who have rarely been out and have little education.
If she hadn't been patient and helpful in asking for help, not only would one or two of them have wasted their train tickets, but they would also have been locked up for a few days or sent to labor camp for half a month.
These days, the consequences of being caught as a migrant worker are quite serious.
The kindness of such a small person is also very valuable.
***
The bus was bumpy all the way and passed two stations along the way. People were getting on and off the bus and the ticket collector was shouting the same thing.
As a mature man, although Yan Jiuru does not smoke, he knows that it is easier to get things done by handing over a cigarette. He also has half a pack of Daqianmen in his pocket at this time.
Well, he picked it up from his father-in-law’s desk.
While picking up and dropping off passengers, he handed a cigarette to the driver and asked where the several people's pharmacies in the county were and what the situation was like in the hotels and guesthouses.
The driver looked at him with a smile and said, "Hey, you are quite good, little brother."
A box of Daqianmen rice costs 40 cents, which is equivalent to half a pound of pork.
After taking the cigarette, he naturally started talking.
Drivers are often out and about, and they understand best that having many friends means having many routes, and you never know when someone might need whom.
The driver took a puff, blew out a smoke ring, and said, "From our commune, about 60 to 70 percent of the people going to the county are seeking medical treatment. The rest are commune cadres going to meetings, taking exams and training, or going to work. Not many are visiting relatives or friends."
After all, a trip to the county would cost at least one dollar for the round trip just for the bus and hotel, not to mention food, drink, and toilet expenses. Add in the errands, and you’d spend at least three or five dollars for one trip.
It would be considered good for a fully-employed member to get 20 or 30 yuan in cash a year, so how could he easily travel far away?
"If you want to buy medicine, the First People's Pharmacy has the most complete selection. The Third Pharmacy is a little out of the way. If you can't find it at the first pharmacy, go to the third one. The prices are the same everywhere, since they're state-owned."
The two chatted for a few more sentences, and Yan Jiuru didn't want to disturb the driver's attention too much, so he stopped talking.
However, according to the driver, the conditions and attitude of the hotels and guesthouses in front of the station are average, and there are a lot of troubles.
Be obedient and listen to the instructions. This word "too much" should be a derogatory term.
***
Yan Jiuru got off the bus with his bag and looked around first: the bus was parked near a square, and he could see a large clock tower about three stories high on the square not far away. The thick pointer on it pointed to 12:15.
Regardless of whether this clock is accurate or not, it is really convenient for someone like him who doesn't have a watch.
Knowing the time, Yan Jiuru was in no hurry to leave. He moved closer to look at the bus stop sign. Among the dozen or so crooked and rusty signs, he finally found it:
Starting station: Ze County - End station: Hongxinggong. The word "She" has been rusted to the point that it is no longer visible, so you have to guess it yourself.
Time: There are two buses a day, one departs at 10:00 a.m. and arrives at Hongxing Commune at around 2:00 p.m.
Another bus leaves at 2:30 pm and is expected to arrive at 6:30 pm. If you catch the morning bus, you should be able to get back to the commune in time to catch the oxcart back to the village.
Yan Jiuru scanned all the other bus stop signs again and wrote them down, thinking they might come in handy.
***
Seeing the police officers in white and blue uniforms on duty near the square, standing tall like poplar trees, Yan Jiuru had an idea and walked over.
"Hello, comrade!"
Police Officer Xiao Baiyang saluted and said, "Serving the people!" Then he looked him up and down and asked, "How can I help you?"
Yan Jiuru smiled brightly: "My last name is Yan, and I'm going to the People's Pharmacy to do some business. May I ask where the No. 3 bus stop is?" The bus stop sign was no longer where it was before.
The public security officer pointed ahead and said, "Walk fifty meters ahead, turn right, and walk another fifty meters. You'll see the bus stop. The number three bus is also there."
Yan Jiuru followed the other person's gesture and nodded, "Thank you! By the way, comrade, I also want to ask, if we were to stay in a hotel, which one would be more suitable for us farmers? I mean, in terms of cleanliness and good attitude..."
Although he asked the driver, he still needed to verify the information from multiple sources if possible and not just believe one side of the story.
"Oh, which commune are you from?" Little Poplar looked at him.
"Red Star Commune, Xinghua Brigade."
"You're pretty far away."
Most of the country people who came to the city were seeking medical treatment and medicine. The Red Star Commune itself was remote enough, let alone the Xinghua Brigade.
Comrade Xiao Baiyang thought about it and said, "The state-owned hotel has rooms for 40 and 70 cents a night, and the state-owned guesthouse is 90 cents. All the bathhouses in the guesthouse are free.
Take bus number 3 from the station over there to the First People's Pharmacy. The Dongfeng Guesthouse or the Dongfanghong Hotel over there are both state-owned, time-honored brands."
What this means is that it is not recommended to live near the station.
Yan Jiuru held the other's hand with both hands, his gratitude overflowing with words, "Thank you, fellow farmer!"
Xiao Baiyang sighed: He looks quite handsome, but I didn't expect that he has calluses on his hands. We are all members of the working people!
***
After Yan Jiuru got to know the area around the station, he frowned. With his keen sixth sense, he really disliked the noisy, chaotic atmosphere here.
He found the No. 3 bus stop and waited for a while before a bus came. There were no seats on the bus, so he stood all the way to the First People's Pharmacy and got off.
"Gurgle~"
He touched his stomach and decided to wait until he was full before doing anything else.
There is a 'public-private joint venture Lao Fengyuan Restaurant' right in front of us. From the glass windows you can see that there are many people eating inside.
Generally speaking, this kind of food is not too bad and not too expensive.
After entering the door, I saw today's menu written on the small blackboard at the entrance:
Kung Pao Chicken 0.6 yuan
Braised pork slices 0.5 yuan
Twice-cooked pork 0.35 yuan
Scrambled eggs with green onions 0.2 yuan
Mapo tofu 0.2 yuan
Stir-fried meat with pickled mustard greens and vermicelli 0.15 yuan
Shredded potatoes with vinegar 0.05 yuan
Garlic Amaranth 0.05 yuan
Vinegar-fried cabbage slices 0.05 yuan
Shepherd's purse and tofu soup 0.08 yuan
Two taels of rice cost 0.05 yuan, plus two or two grain coupons, and buns and steamed buns cost a few cents each.
Yan Jiuru found an empty seat and sat down.
"What do you want to eat? Put your bags here." A round-faced waitress greeted in a very perfunctory tone.
Yan Jiuru looked at the amount of food on other people's plates and ordered: "One serving of braised pork slices, one twice-cooked pork, one shepherd's purse soup, and a pound of rice."
"One pound?" The waitress's voice rose two degrees.
"One pound!"
After waking up, his appetite increased greatly. He didn't dare to eat as much as he wanted at home. Now that he was out, he had to at least have a full meal.
"A total of one yuan and eighteen cents, and one pound of food coupons."
The waitress took the bill, scribbled a bill, tore off a copy for him, and then shouted loudly toward the window: "Number 45, one pound of rice, one plate of braised pork slices, one plate of twice-cooked pork, and one plate of shepherd's purse soup~"
Yan Jiuru dared to guarantee that the waitress was definitely yelling on purpose, treating him like a glutton and watching the fun.
But he doesn't care.
The chef inside was not happy about it. "What are you arguing about? I used to eat a pound of rice for a meal!"
If he hadn't specifically stuck his head out to look around curiously, Yan Jiuru would have believed him!
"Don't waste food." The chef gave a final reminder, then retracted seven feet and started cooking.
Yan Jiuru: Thank you!
The food was served quite quickly. In about twenty minutes, two dishes, a soup and a bowl of rice were served.
"A spoon, please!"
The waitress rolled her eyes and reluctantly brought him a spoon.
Yan Jiuru didn't care about her attitude and just kept eating.
Unlike many people, he does not eat vegetables or soup together with rice. He takes a bite of vegetable, a mouthful of rice, and a spoonful of soup. His eating manners are elegant and natural, and his eating speed is not slow.
The waitress was originally complaining that he was troublesome to ask for a spoon, but now she was so stunned watching him eat that she had to call out to him several times by other customers before she came back to her senses.
She rushed, "What are you yelling about? You can't wait!"
The middle-aged male customer, a pen pinned to his chest, was clearly irritated. "What's your attitude? Are you serving the people?"
The waitress's neck stiffened, and she fell to the ground. "What do you mean by serving the people? You have to leave all these old people behind to serve you alone? Who are you?"
The middle-aged man held up his finger, but his words were no match for the waiter who was often in a fight. He was at a loss for words and said after a while: "With your attitude, I will complain to you!"
"Come on, make a complaint!" The waitress rolled her eyes, turned away and ignored him.
The middle-aged male customer was very angry and wanted to continue eating, but was pulled to sit down by the people who came with him.
"Why are you arguing with her? It's not like you haven't seen her like this before."
"No matter how many people complain, it's useless. Her second uncle owns a food company, and the restaurant's vegetable and food supply still depends on his connections..."
Fortunately, there is more than one waiter in the restaurant.
Yan Jiuru ignored him and ate seriously.
Not to mention, although the service attitude is not that good, the chef’s skills are pretty good.
Finish the meal and pack your bags to leave.
The waitress stretched her neck to watch him leave before she let out a loud voice: "Oh my god, farmers nowadays are so arrogant!"
"Caifeng, how do you know he is a farmer?" The aunt who was cleaning the table laughed at her.
The waitress named Caifeng shook her head and said proudly, "He can read. Didn't you see the words 'Red Star Commune No. 1 Middle School' printed on the bag he's holding?"
The chef, in the midst of his busy schedule, asked, "Did you really eat all that rice?"
An old customer continued, "It's a good thing they are from the countryside and grow their own food. Otherwise, a meal of one pound of rice, two plates of meat, and a big bowl of soup would be too expensive for a family living off their grain bill."
The food ration they give to high school students here is 30 kilograms per month, which is the quota for boys. Judging from the way this young man eats, he will finish the quota in ten days or half a month. How can he be fed in the city?
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