Chapter 20 Money is Really a Scam After dinner
, the two went to the photo studio to take pictures.
There were two options, one was the big sitting camera, and the other was the Seagull 120. The photographer said that the 120 camera would produce better quality pictures and a wider frame.
Lu Changzheng naturally chose the best one.
At that time, it cost 43 cents to take a picture, and it cost 30 cents to develop a 6*6cm photo. If you want to enlarge it, it costs one dollar.
The two took two group photos, one sitting and one standing. In addition, a photo of Su Mo was taken alone. Lu Changzheng also developed one of the three photos, and enlarged one of the group photos of the two.
Taking 3 photos cost 1.29 yuan; developing 3 more photos cost 90 yuan; enlarging 2 photos cost 2 yuan; the total cost was 4.19 yuan.
You can pick up the film in three days.
[PS: These prices are based on the prices in Changsha City, Hunan Province in 1971. If there are friends in Northeast China who know the local prices, please correct me.]
After taking the photos, the two returned to the commune and prepared to go to the commune workshop to ask about making quilts.
Lu Changzheng wanted to ask Lu Xiaolan about the situation, but Lu Xiaolan actually asked for leave and was not there, saying that she was going to work with her mother.
Lu Changzheng knew that they were going to say goodbye.
Lu Changzheng asked other salesmen about the situation. Seeing that he was Lu Xiaolan's brother and a military officer, the other party was very enthusiastic to take the two of them there.
Led by an acquaintance, the two soon arrived at the collective workshop and found the workshop's production director.
This workshop is a bit like the handicraft workshops of later generations. It is divided into several shops, including carpenter shops, blacksmith shops, oil mills, sewing societies, cotton societies, etc., gathering craftsmen from all walks of life in the commune.
When there is work in the workshop, these craftsmen come to work in the workshop, and the workshop pays workers on a daily basis. When there is no work, they still return to the various production brigades to participate in agricultural production labor.
When the farmers are idle, the workshop will also produce some things according to the plan or take on some work from large factories. The things produced are sold to members of the society or to purchasing stations.
In this way, it not only generates income for the commune, but also solves the problem of farmers' difficulty in shopping to a certain extent. At the same time, it also increases the income of some families and revitalizes the economy of the commune to a certain extent.
After Su Mo told the production director of the workshop about her needs, the production director immediately decided that it was no problem.
"Su Zhiqing, don't worry, this year's new cotton has just been delivered, and all of it will be the latest cotton harvested for you." The production director smiled, as long as he could generate income for the commune, he would be happy.
"Our workshop is full of old masters with 20 to 30 years of experience. Their craftsmanship is impeccable. The quilts they make are soft and warm, and the mattresses are also moderately soft and hard, breathable and warm. Lying on them is like sleeping on the clouds."
Su Mo: ...
There is no need to be so exaggerated!
"I definitely believe in the craftsmanship of our commune's chefs. Director, please calculate how much it will cost." Su Mo said with a smile.
"Not hard, not hard, serving the people. Su Zhiqing needs two 7-jin double quilts and two 3-jin double mattresses, right?"
"Yes." "
A total of 20 jin of cotton is needed. The cotton from the supply and marketing cooperative is sold at 1.15 yuan per jin with a ticket. The secretary said that our workshop is to improve the lives of members. When making custom-made things in the workshop, members of our commune do not need tickets for the cotton used, just pay the price."
"Su Zhiqing came to our commune as an educated youth, so he is naturally a member of our commune. One jin of cotton is 1.15 yuan, and 20 jin of cotton is 23 yuan."
"The labor cost of a quilt is 1.5 yuan per bed, and the labor cost of a mattress is 1 yuan per bed. For four beds, the total labor cost is 5 yuan."
"The cotton money plus the labor cost is 28 yuan in total." The production director said as he wrote a note to Su Mo, "You can come and get it in three days."
Su Mo gave the money, took the note, and asked, "Can the cotton clothing workshop do it?"
The production director was stunned.
People in the countryside buy cotton and cloth and make them at home. Although there was no such business before, it is not impossible to do it.
The sewing machines made by the sewing club are naturally better than those made by hand.
"Serving the people, if the people need it, it is natural. However, you need to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy the cloth yourself."
"Okay, thank you, director."
*******
On the way back to the brigade, Su Mo silently calculated today's expenses in her heart.
The post office spent 6.48 yuan, the supply and marketing cooperative spent 62.65 yuan, and the commune workshop spent 28 yuan, for a total of 97.13 yuan.
In one day, 100 yuan was almost gone.
So, money is not worth spending seriously.
Fortunately, the things that cost the most can be used for a long time, at least they don’t need to be bought again for a few years.
The most important cotton quilt and mattress have been solved, and the remaining is cotton clothes.
It takes about 2 to 3 kilograms of cotton to make an adult cotton coat. Three people make one set each, so ten kilograms of cotton should be enough.
Then there is the cloth.
For a figure like hers, ten feet of cloth is enough to make a set of clothes. Mo Yurong is about the same size as her, and Su Tingqian is taller than them, so it should be two feet more.
My parents' cotton coats are made of coarse cloth on the outside, so I only need to prepare about 9 feet of cotton cloth for the lining. Adding the ten feet she wanted, she still needed 19 feet of cloth coupons.
She remembered that in this era, there was a cloth coupon subsidy for registering for marriage, but she didn't know how much.
Lu Changzheng wore a military uniform today, so he didn't go to the black market. He would have to go again another day.
Because he was carrying a basket of things, Lu Changzheng deliberately took a deserted path back to the educated youth point. After moving the things to the door of Su Mo's room, Lu Changzheng prepared to go back. There were no adults at home, so he had to go back to look after his grandfather.
"Wife, I will ask my mother to come and propose tomorrow." Lu Changzheng specifically instructed before leaving.
"Okay! But I have to go to work tomorrow, so I can only do it after work." Su Mo said.
Lu Changzheng frowned, "You just recovered from your illness, don't go, don't worry about the work points."
"I've already taken a few days off, it will be bad if I don't go." Su Mo said.
She mainly wanted to take the opportunity to pull peanuts to secretly absorb some wood energy from the peanut vines. Anyway, the peanut vines were not needed, so she could earn work points and absorb energy, killing two birds with one stone.
"It won't have any bad effects. I can support my wife." Lu Changzheng declared like a boss. "It's
okay. It's just picking peanuts. It's not tiring. I don't want people to say that I'm going to marry the son of a village party secretary and stop working."
"Then don't get tired. I'll help you tomorrow." Tomorrow, she will help her wife first, and then help her mother.
After Lu Changzheng left, Su Mo moved the things back to the room.
First, she took out Ma Xiaojuan's things and put them on her blanket. Then she took out the toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, toilet paper, and put them in place. She also put the cake and fruit candy in place. Then she took out a very retro cup from the space and used it as a cup for brushing teeth.
Other things, especially those enamel basins, enamel pots, and thermos bottles with the word "happiness" on them, were still placed in the bamboo basket and covered with coarse cloth.
She plans to borrow Ma Xiaojuan's enamel basin these days. She doesn't really use it anyway. When she goes into the bathroom, she uses the plastic bucket in her own space.