When even food is scarce, how many people would buy alcohol? Except for a handful of alcoholics.
But these few people alone couldn't sustain the tavern's livelihood, so it was forced to close down.
Under the dual impact of the planned economy and inflation, not only were taverns struggling, but restaurants were also suffering repeated blows.
The old man said more than once, "Luckily, we still have these few acres of land!"
Tao Changyi was a restless person. After thinking it over, he looked at Grandpa Tao.
“Dad, how about I go to the street office and register to see if I can go to the city to work at a winery? I heard that many factories are in urgent need of skilled workers. Anyway, our tavern is going out of business, so we're just sitting around doing nothing. Maybe we can find a stable job at the winery! And Lingli, you can brew wine too. Let's go together. We can rest assured that Cuihua is taking care of things at home.”
Grandpa Tao puffed on his pipe with a serious expression, seemingly considering the feasibility of the matter. He was aware that the neighborhood committee was encouraging capable farmers to move to the city, as business had become increasingly difficult in the past two years, but…
"Given our product's ingredients, would they let you work in the factory?"
“Dad, although our family isn’t poor peasants anymore, we’ve been classified as middle peasants because of my brothers’ military dependents’ honorary certificates. Besides, our family obeyed the law and worked hard in production after the land reform, and that’s been going on for four years now. Logically, given this time limit, our family’s status can still be changed. We’re capable, aren’t we? This is our livelihood. How will we know if it works if we don’t try? Furthermore, the cities need to expand industrial production, and they don’t have enough manpower. They’re currently calling on farmers to move to the city. We have urban household registration, so why can’t we move to the city?”
Xiao Jiu cheered in her heart: "Father is right. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We must not miss it. Once household registration is strictly managed, we will not have this opportunity again. Now is the best time to settle down. Especially for those of us who are capable."
Historically, the document was only issued in August of this year to begin rectifying the household registration work for key groups. The rectification of urban household registration will begin in the second half of next year. So she felt that her parents chose this time very well. It was a pity that she couldn't speak, otherwise she really wanted to start persuading them.
In the end, Grandpa agreed to Dad's decision, but instead of sending them to the county town, he wanted them to go to the city.
"The bigger the city, the more options you have. Forget about the county town. Go to the city and ask the local street offices what permits you need to enter. Since there's not much work right now, go into the city and see if they need you now. If they don't need you now, when will they? You've all been educated, you're not blind. If you need money, just say so. I still have my savings for my funeral. This tavern can't continue. If you can find a suitable job in the city, that would be good, after all, so many people in your family are waiting for you to support them!"
Xiao Jiu sighed, "Old ginger is spicier. The old man is indeed a man who has seen the world. Look at the way this old couple speaks and acts. They are not like ordinary people. Their vision is far-reaching and their considerations are comprehensive."
Zhao Lingli hesitated for a moment before looking at Tao Changyi: "Brother Yi? Should I go with you too?"
“Go ahead, you can do accounting and brew wine, you’re even more capable than me. With these three daughters helping out at home, what are you worried about? If we can become factory workers, it will benefit them in the future.”
Sister Cuihua quickly said, "Yes, Auntie, if you trust us, the three of us will help take care of the house. You and Uncle can just go out and earn money. We'll take care of things at home and in the fields. You don't have to worry about anything. That way, we can stay here. Otherwise, we'll just be freeloading here."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lingli looked at her four sons. Her eldest son, Tao Zui, was the first to speak up: "Mom, we support you. I will take good care of my younger brothers."
The other three sons quickly chimed in, "Mom, we will listen to Grandpa and Grandma and take good care of our little sister."
With these assurances in hand, the couple started packing their things that very evening, went to the local government office to obtain the necessary documents the next morning, and then went to the county town to catch a bus to the city in the afternoon.
In those days, when many roads were not yet repaired, it would take three or four hours to travel by car from here. In later times, the fastest car ride would only take thirty or forty minutes.
The couple is still very young. Zhao Lingli married Tao Changyi when she was fifteen and gave birth to Tao Zui when she was seventeen or eighteen. She is not even thirty years old yet.
Tao Changyi is only two years older than her, and he is exactly thirty years old this year.
Such a young couple should definitely go to the city to see the world, especially since they are educated and capable, they are exactly the kind of talent the country needs.
But as long as he thinks about it, Xiao Jiu wasn't born in this era, so whether he can pass the political review is really an unknown.
After my parents moved to the city, nothing much changed at home. The only difference was that after we stopped brewing wine, my grandfather led my older brothers to clean up the wine cellar. They collected all the unused wine jars and stacked them high. For each stack of jars, they wrapped a rope made of woven wheat straw around it to prevent them from slipping and falling. All the unused wine jars were put in a room, and a thick layer of wheat straw was laid underneath to effectively prevent them from falling and cracking.
There's still a lot of the grain they bought back then, and with what they grow, it's enough to last until next summer's harvest.
Grandpa was a quick and efficient man. Once he decided to close the tavern, he put it into action.
After removing the plaque, the house wasn't left idle. A "For Rent" sign was hung up, and all the tables, chairs, benches, and counters in the tavern were moved to an empty room in the courtyard. The front yard was specially cleared out so that even if it was rented out, it wouldn't affect the normal life in the back yard.
The whole family pitched in to clean the house. Xiao Jiu sat in the basket watching, very well-behaved, quiet and cooperative. As she watched, she sighed about how difficult it was in this era.
Even though the family only eats two meals a day now, they can still make sure everyone is full. Whenever Xiao Jiu goes to the kitchen, a potato or sweet potato will be tossed out by chance. Moreover, she carefully selects those that aren't too extravagant, at least ones that her little hands can hold.
Little by little, it adds up. One or two won't be noticed. Besides, to cover up the potatoes that always appear out of nowhere, whenever she catches someone touching the vegetable basket, she will demonstrate that the potato she threw has rolled to the place where potatoes usually appear. That way, even if some appear out of nowhere, no one will suspect anything.
Sigh, she really went to great lengths to support the family.
After her parents left, she slept with her older sisters at night. Her grandmother, worried that they would get cold, specially sealed the windows with her grandfather, and even nailed tattered rags to the windows to block the wind...
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