Siheyuan: Bringing Warehouses to 1959

Zhou Hongbo was conquered by the smooth and flowing calligraphy, which established Zeng Wangcai's position as the top writer in the Propaganda Department.

Don’t think that good handwriting is not a skill. There are people in later generations who can make a living by using calligraphy that is as easy as pie in the sky. Especially in this era when many people need to rely on literacy to learn to read.

Zhou Hongbo arranged an office desk for Zeng Wangcai next door. Zeng Wangcai completed his first day at the steel rolling mill and will officially start work tomorrow.

It was still very early when Zeng Wangcai came out of the steel mill, before noon. He had finished his work, but he couldn't forget his brothers, so he went to find Lin Huyang. Also, another brother, Huang Liang, came back today, so it was a good opportunity for them to get together after not seeing each other for a long time.

Lin Huyang's home is also in a courtyard. Zeng Wangcai went to the middle courtyard with ease and saw Lin Huyang's father sharpening a knife.

"Uncle Lin, you're not going to work today?" Zeng Wangcai was a little surprised. Lin Haitao was a serious food station employee with a regular job. No matter how free he was, he would not be at home in broad daylight.

"Wangcai is here, come in quickly." Lin Haitao put away his knives, including the two rusty ones that he hadn't had time to sharpen, "I'm too lazy to go. The meat is only sold once every few days, so it's useless to go. Come in, uncle has something to tell you."

Zeng Wangcai's heart skipped a beat. Meat was only sold once every few days. This was a sign that life was becoming increasingly difficult.

In fact, Zeng Wangcai has been paying attention to the situation in society. Although the situation is difficult now and the supply of food and non-staple food is less than before, it has not reached the legendary level.

According to legend, they probably dug up grass roots and peeled off tree bark, but the price of grain on the black market and the pigeon market was not exaggerated, let alone the point where a small yellow croaker could be exchanged for more than ten kilograms of grain.

"Uncle Lin, is it that our superiors don't allow us to sell it or is it that there is nothing to sell?" Zeng Wangcai asked.

"Who can tell about this kind of thing?" Lin Haitao glanced outside and whispered, "Wangcai, you have to pay attention to food in the future. The supply has started to tighten. You must be careful with the fish you caught last time. Don't let it have anything to do with the black market pigeon market."

Although the sentence is not long, it contains a lot of information. Unless you are close to each other, most people would not tell you this.

The two men entered the house. Lin Huyang came out upon hearing the sound, picked up his father's cigarette box, took out a cigarette and threw it to Zeng Wangcai.

There was no need to be polite between the two families. Zeng Wangcai noticed a cigarette box of fifty cigarettes on the eight-immortals table in Lin Huyang's house. He walked over, opened it, poured out the tea leaves inside, and took out his own filter cigarettes to fill the box.

Although Lin Haitao looks big and strong, he is very thoughtful. He took a filter and lit it without hesitation: "I heard from Yangzi that you want to get him into the steel mill as a buyer. Whether this thing can be successful or not, I will thank you. Yangzi is picky and looks down on ordinary jobs. I, your uncle, am only this capable. Now there is no meat to sell, and it is difficult to ask for help."

"Come on, you never made friends with any important people when you had meat to sell." Lin Huyan smoked a cigarette and made fun of his father.

Lin Haitao glared at him and said, "You bastard, are you looking for trouble? Don't think you are so great just because you and Wangcai caught a few fish together. That was Wangcai's ability, not yours."

"Wangcai is my buddy. What's his is mine and what's mine is his. There's no difference."

"Fuck it, I'm talking to Wangcai about serious matters, don't interrupt."

Holding down his son who was still in the rebellious phase, Lin Haitao said, "Wangcai, I don't know how you got the fish, but since you said you wanted to use this fish to get Yangzi into the steel mill, it means you are sure about fishing. I'm just reminding you that the prices of pigeons on the black market will definitely soar in the future. I don't ask you not to step into these places, I just hope you don't mess around, be content with the money you make, and don't go for too much..."

Lin Haitao had a clear mind. He estimated that Zeng Wangcai would definitely catch more fish later and it would be no problem to sell them to purchasing stations or steel mills. However, the prices in these places were incomparable to those on the black market. If a young man got carried away and did something big, it would be troublesome.

Zeng Wangcai solemnly agreed to Lin Haitao, and then went out at Lin Huyang's urging.

The Lin family had a bicycle. Lin Huyang took the car key and took a ten-pound salted fish that was drying in the sun at the door. They caught the fish that day, and they did not forget to leave one for another brother.

Zeng Wangcai jumped onto the back seat of the 28-inch bicycle and heard Lin Huyang in front of him say, "My dad has been nagging more and more recently. His mouth is as chattering as a piece of rag. Wangcai, don't listen to him. I heard that the price of fish purchased at the pigeon market is three times higher than what we sell to the purchasing station..."

"Yangzi, you have to listen to me on this matter, just like our Xiuzhi." Zeng Wangcai patted Lin Huyang's butt, "Your father is right, no matter how good the money is, it is not as good as a good life."

He knew this brother very well. Perhaps because he had lived a relatively good life, he was indeed a little overambitious, face-conscious, and impulsive. He might really do what Lin Haitao said.

"Why are you acting like an old man..."

"Don't worry about it. Just listen to me. When have I ever hurt you?"

"You still have the nerve to say that. I dealt with Fat Tiger on the first day of the new year, and you said you outsmarted him. You let me trick him into squatting in the toilet, and you threw firecrackers into the pit behind... I was squatting next to Fat Tiger, with a butt full of shit, and I almost got beaten to death by the old man when I got home..."

"..."

That’s true. Later, Lin Huyang and Fat Tiger were called “Fent Pit Brothers” for two years until they went to high school.

Zeng Wangcai smiled awkwardly and said nothing. He had to take the blame for the original body's mistake.

Another member of the iron triangle, Huang Liang's family did not live in a courtyard house. Huang Liang's parents were both intellectuals and lived in a building in the school, which was also a large courtyard.

When they arrived downstairs of Huang Liang's house, Lin Huyang locked his bicycle, and Zeng Wangcai carried the salted fish upstairs.

"I knew you two were coming. Wow, what a big fish! Where did it come from?" Huang Liang heard the noise and came to open the door.

Huang Liang was born with a gentle and fair complexion. Before he met Zeng Wangcai and Lin Huyang, he was quite self-conscious because he had a problem with his feet and walked with a slight limp.

After not seeing each other for a long time, the three of them laughed and joked for a while and then went to Huang Liang's room. His house had two bedrooms and the conditions were quite good.

"We're going to the countryside this time, so I didn't bring anything for you two."

"It's too formal to say this." Zeng Wangcai said, "Please sit down and don't pour water. Let's go out for dinner after we finish talking."

"What's going on?"

"How's the harvest in your hometown?"

Now is summer and autumn, the season for harvesting crops. Zeng Wangcai feels that the area around Zengzhuang cannot explain the problem and wants to know about the situation in other places.

Speaking of this, Huang Liang's face turned pale. "There is no harvest at all. It's better than nothing. My father asked me to tell you to prepare to store food by all means. Many places are already suffering from famine."

The situation is getting worse and worse. How is it possible to just hoard food? It won’t work if you have money but no tickets, or if you have tickets but no money.

"Let's go to Pigeon City and think about how to live in the future..."