"Xiao Hua, you're in luck! Our supply and marketing cooperative just received a batch of vehicles," Brother Liu said, pushing a bicycle out of the warehouse.
"How's it going? Straight, right? I picked it out especially for you, it's definitely fine, you can ride it with confidence," Brother Liu said with a smile. Seeing his little brother, who used to play around with him, grow up, he felt very gratified.
“Okay, then I’ll thank you, Brother Liu,” Ma Hua chuckled.
"Alright, why are you being so polite with me? We're all brothers. By the way, Xiao Hua, here are the paperwork for the bicycle. Remember to go to the police station this afternoon to get a bicycle license. You'll be fined if you're caught without one," Brother Liu instructed.
“Brother Liu, look, it’s almost noon. Come on, let me treat you to a meal,” Ma Hua said generously.
"Next time, your sister-in-law will be worried sick if she doesn't see me at noon. Let's set a time next time," Brother Liu quickly waved his hand to refuse. "Eat? What are you going to eat? You just bought a car, save your money for other things." However, he didn't dare say it directly; he had to consider Xiao Hua's feelings.
“Alright then, next time, when you’re rested, let’s have a good drink, and you can also try my cooking,” Ma Hua continued to invite.
"Okay, no problem," Brother Liu quickly agreed. Ma Hua and Brother Liu exchanged pleasantries for a while before Ma Hua left.
After leaving, Ma Hua didn't go home. Now that he had a car, he wanted to take it for a ride. Ma Hua rode his bike to Yao Ji, a place he had long admired.
You probably didn't expect this, did you? Ma Hua had been craving fried liver for ages! After locking his car, he headed straight for Yao Kee, saying he'd wanted to eat there for a long time, but unfortunately, he didn't have a car before, and his home was too far away.
Speaking of stir-fried liver, many of you may not have heard of it. Stir-fried liver is actually made with pork intestines, starch, and garlic. The ingredients are simple, but the method is not.
As soon as Ma Hua entered the room, he looked out the window. These days, most snack shops are state-owned, so Ma Hua didn't dare shout out, "Waiter, a bowl of fried liver, please!" These days, the waiters were all regular workers.
Nowadays, everyone is equal. It's not like the old society where they waited on you. If you yelled, you'd be in for a beating. Do you really think that sign on the wall that says "No customer will be beaten without cause" is a lie?
Ma Hua had no choice but to order and pick up his own food. Looking at the fried liver and fried sausage in front of him, Ma Hua's mouth was practically watering.
Ma Hua picked up a piece of fried sausage with his chopsticks and savored it. "Mmm, this is the taste! So authentic! It's definitely much better than the cheaply made versions from later generations."
Then Ma Hua used his left hand to scoop up a spoonful of fried liver, savoring it slowly in his mouth. "Oh, so that's how it's made! Not bad, not bad!"
After having his fill of food and drink, Ma Hua rode his bike straight to the police station. Don't ask if Ma Hua paid any money; that's a really low-class question. If he hadn't paid money but had a ticket, do you think Ma Hua would have been able to walk out unscathed?
When Ma Hua arrived at the police station by bicycle, it was just in time for the police to start work. There was no need to queue. After quickly paying the 2.5 yuan vehicle management fee, Ma Hua became a car owner.
Don't listen to their nonsense about how all the young women and wives on the roadside are staring at you when you ride your new bike. That's a lie. These days, cars are scarce, but bicycles are plentiful, especially now that the government is controlling the economy and has implemented a policy of high-priced bicycles. You see bicycles everywhere on the road now.
When Ma Hua rode his bike home, his neighbors in the alley congratulated him, saying, "Wow, Ma Hua bought a new bike! Congratulations!"
"Hey, my mom bought me this because she thought my commute was too far. Have a treat." Ma Hua said, taking out a few pieces of Cuban candy from his pocket and handing them to the old lady at the alley entrance.
When people in the courtyard buy big items, they usually buy some candy to treat their neighbors. When Ma Hua returned home after handing out the candy, his mother was sewing quilts in the house.
Seeing that Ma Hua had returned, he looked up and asked, "Is everything settled?"
“Yes, we’ve finished distributing candy to the neighbors,” Ma Hua nodded.
“Okay, that’s good. Remember this: if you buy something that others can’t afford, make sure the people around you take advantage of you. That’s how you shut them up,” the mother said in a low voice, stopping her needlework.
"Oh, I see," Ma Hua nodded, seemingly understanding. No wonder there was this kind of atmosphere in the courtyard. Before she handed out candy, the envious and jealous looks from those older women almost scared her away, but they changed immediately after she did. Sigh.
"Alright, go and think it over carefully. What else do you need? Remember to tell Mom if you're short of money. Don't force yourself," the mother waved her hand impatiently at Ma Hua. She was too annoying; Ma Hua was blocking the light.
When Ma Hua lay in bed, he realized that he seemed to lack everything, yet also lacked nothing. He had furniture; he was just missing household items. He could wash and tidy up in his small courtyard, even though the things in his courtyard couldn't be taken out—they were clearly from another era—but that didn't stop him from using them.
Thinking of this, Ma Hua was no longer sleepy. He got up, took out paper and pen, and carefully wrote down what he was currently lacking. He still had 32 yuan, which was more than enough to buy all these things, but there was no need to rush to buy them all at once.
As for grain seeds, Ma Hua has no shortage of them now. He discovered quite by chance that there were grain stations in this era, and he could buy them with grain coupons. Ma Hua handed the grain shopkeeper a pack of cigarettes and easily bought the grains he needed.
Although it's not much, it's enough for the kinds of things we eat regularly, like wheat, corn, rice, and soybeans. Half a pound of each is enough, since they're all grown in the yard.
The sweet potatoes and potatoes I planted the first time were harvested long ago and then replanted. I'm just waiting to harvest them again tomorrow. After repeating this a few times, haha, I'll definitely have enough to eat. However, I'm still lacking meat. I can't get that myself, so I'll have to go to the black market. I'll definitely go to the black market.
Having finished his calculations, Ma Hua pushed open the door and headed straight for his mother's room: "Mom, that's all I have. I have enough money and ration coupons. Luckily, I found out that Brother Liu works at the nearby supply and marketing cooperative, so I'll just go there to buy them."
The mother took the receipt from Ma Hua and examined it carefully: "Hmm, the items are alright. You can get anything missing from home. Just decide for yourself. Let me know if you need anything, Xiao Hua."
Remember, living alone is different from living with us. You'll have to take care of everything yourself—rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea. If you want to come back for a meal, then come back; if you don't want to, then...
"You'll be cooking in that courtyard, you know? Winters in Beijing are cold, so you definitely need to buy plenty of coal. And didn't you say you have a heated brick bed in your room? Then buy some more firewood. As for the rest, we'll talk about it later. We'll buy whatever we need when we need it."
As Ma Hua listened to her mother's rambling instructions, her eyes immediately welled up with tears. In her previous life, she had been all alone and had never received such treatment. It was so kind and so heartwarming.
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