The next day, after the family finished dinner, Xuemei cleared her throat and said, "Don't leave yet, everyone. I have two good news to tell you!"
When Ruirui heard this, she hurriedly urged, "Sister, tell me quickly!"
Seeing everyone's curious expressions, Xuemei quickly said, "The first good news is, didn't I take some chestnut cakes to the supply and marketing cooperative today? Our director tasted them and thought they were good. After asking me and finding out the raw materials are relatively cheap, he plans to have us deliver five pounds of them to the supply and marketing cooperative every day to see how they sell."
"Really? How could the supply and marketing cooperative be interested in something we made ourselves?" Liu's mother asked doubtfully.
Xuemei said seriously, "Of course I like it. You're a good cook. The director asked us to make half square and half round pieces, half a pound each, wrapped in oil paper. The oil paper supply and marketing cooperative provided it, and I've already brought it back."
Mother Liu then asked, "Xuemei, what about the price? How did you decide on it?"
Xuemei explained, "The supply and marketing cooperative gives us 10 cents for half a pound, but they don't sell it to other people without a receipt. 20 cents a piece, which is half a pound! Mom, if we work hard, maybe the supply and marketing cooperative will need it every day in the future. I've only signed a five-day supply contract for now, starting from the day after tomorrow, which is the 16th to the 20th. They'll start delivering the goods the day after tomorrow, and I can just bring them along when I go to work and sell them at my counter!"
"The purchasing station for fresh chestnuts charges a maximum of three cents per pound, and most of the time it's only two cents per pound. A pound of fresh chestnuts weighs about six ounces after being dried and peeled. In other words, a pound of chestnut cake requires about two pieces of fresh chestnuts or a pound and a half of dried chestnuts, and the cost is about four or five cents. This is a big profit!" Liu's mother said as she calculated.
When Qingya and the other two heard what Liu's mother said, they jumped for joy. Although Liu's father and Han Chen were much calmer, they couldn't hide the joy in their eyes.
Xuemei smiled and said, "Mom, how can there be such high profits? For example, to make five pounds of chestnut cake, we need eight pounds of dried chestnuts. The cost is about 1.5 cents, so we can make one dollar for five pounds of chestnut cake."
After deducting the cost, we still have 85 cents left, but this will take you at least a whole morning, and you will need help from other people, and it will also cost you firewood at home.
And if we don't have enough chestnuts at home, we have to go out and trade them. Or if the chestnuts aren't sweet enough, we have to add some sugar. So it seems like we can only earn 40 or 50 cents a day! Spread it out to each of you, that's only 7 or 8 cents, about the same as the five or six work points you normally earn a day."
"You're right to think so, but it's much easier to earn these seven or eight cents than working in the village!" replied Liu's father.
"Oh! I forgot something!" Mother Liu slapped her thigh and stood up and said.
Qing Ya, who was standing by, patted her chest and said, "Mom, what's wrong with you? You're so jumpy and scared me!"
Mother Liu explained, "I'm old, and my memory isn't great. I just remembered that I've been hosting banquets for three consecutive days, starting from the 16th, all from Wangjia Village! Doesn't this conflict with the time to make chestnut cakes?"
Xuemei comforted her, "Mom, it's okay. This chestnut cake isn't difficult. When you make it at home tomorrow, ask the others in the family to learn. The most important thing is to master the steaming time and the heat. If they really can't learn, we can steam it after dinner in the future. They'll have to prepare the rest at home!"
Liu's mother could earn at least one yuan for cooking a meal, so she was definitely reluctant to refuse. Besides, this had already been arranged with others in advance, so she couldn't break her promise.
Everyone was relieved. Mother Liu nodded and said, "That's all we can do! You all should study hard with me tomorrow."
Feifei saw that the matter was resolved, and remembering that Xuemei had just told him two pieces of good news, she asked, "Sister, what's the other good news?"
Xuemei straightened up and said proudly, "Starting next month, that is, starting next year, I'm going to get another salary increase."
"Sister, how much has it increased?" Qingya asked Xuemei with shining eyes. She now felt that her elder sister was shining with the light of money.
Xuemei looked at the furry head that was only two or three centimeters away from her, stretched out two fingers and rudely pushed it away, then replied, "From now on, I will have the salary of a ninth-level clerk, 30 yuan a month, and the subsidy will remain the same.
As for the coupons, the monthly allowance remained at 26 jin (approximately 100 catties) of grain coupons, but the fine grain coupons now accounted for 11 jin (approximately 100 kg). The other coupons remained the same: 2 liang (approximately 100 kg) of oil coupons, 2 liang (approximately 100 kg) of sugar coupons, 3 chi (approximately 100 kg) of cloth coupons, and one industrial coupon. Oh, and there were also new briquettes and coal coupons.
I heard from my colleagues at the supply and marketing cooperative that future salary increases will only increase the money, and there will be no changes in other supply aspects!"
As soon as Xuemei finished speaking, Liu's father said happily, "This is indeed good news. Xuemei, you must continue to work hard and don't let the Party and the country down!"
Xuemei promised, "Dad, I will!"
"Well, sister, there are so many good things! Shouldn't we celebrate?" Ruirui looked at Xuemei with anticipation, and then at Liu's mother.
Mother Liu said angrily, "I think your greed has finally come out again. Your eldest sister just ate meat on her wedding day, and Chinese New Year is coming up in a few days! Forget about it for the next few days!"
Ruirui didn't dare to refute Liu's mother directly, so she could only lean over to Feifei's ear and whisper, "There's no hope. Let's wait until the village slaughters the pig!"
Feifei glanced at him speechlessly. Xuemei smiled but said nothing, thinking that she would have something good for them tomorrow. Before Xuemei got off work today, the supply and marketing cooperative delivered a batch of oranges from the northern province, and they would start selling them tomorrow morning.
Just as Xuemei and Han Chen were about to return to their room, Father Liu stopped them and said, "Xiaochen, Xuemei, your mother and I have something to discuss. This year, since you've just gotten married and don't have any children yet, you two should go back to Beijing after the New Year. You must also let Xiaochen's family meet his wife!"
Han Chen looked at Xuemei, who nodded in agreement. Han Chen then replied, "Okay, Mom and Dad! Uncle Lin and his family have been looking forward to meeting Xuemei!"
"Okay, since you both agree, it's settled. Tomorrow your mother and I will prepare some things for the two families, and Han Chen will write a letter the day after tomorrow, and then we'll send them together! There's almost half a month before the Chinese New Year, and they should be able to receive the package before the Chinese New Year." Father Liu instructed.
Mother Liu thought for a moment and reminded him, "Xiaochen, estimate the time. When you send the package, why not send a telegram at the same time? Don't let them get delayed on the way!"
"Okay, Mom. I'll send another telegram then, just to be on the safe side!" Han Chen replied.
Mother Liu yawned and said, "Okay, now that things are clear. You two should go back to your room and get some rest!"
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