Siheyuan: Bringing Warehouses to 1959

Some people may not know much about today's toothbrushes. Chemical products are in short supply nowadays. Although toothbrushes have existed for a long time, they are not the kind used in later generations.

The main difference between today's toothbrushes and those of later generations lies in the material. People who are not very old may have never seen a bone-handled toothbrush. As the name suggests, a bone-handled toothbrush has a handle made of bones, usually pig bones but also cow bones.

The bristles of toothbrushes are made of horse hair or white pig bristles. These two things have a characteristic: they are fine at the beginning, but after using them for a long time, they become like old men, soft and weak, and they also shed hair.

This led to an ancient industry - toothbrush stringers. A new toothbrush would sell for around 1.2 cents, but stringing it only cost four or five cents.

But despite this, not to mention in rural areas, even in cities nowadays, most people will use their toothbrushes as long as they can, and if they really can't, they will ask a toothbrush craftsman to re-bristle them.

As for toothpaste, it is even rarer. Baiyu toothpaste, like soap, requires tickets to purchase.

(Note: It’s not that I don’t write the price of Baiyu toothpaste, it’s that I can’t find it and I dare not write it randomly, for my life! When I was a child, I used Lengshenling and Liangmianzhen. I have a very vague impression of Baiyu toothpaste, but the history of Lengshenling does not reach 59. I asked Baidu, but the damn pop-up ads were all about selling old things. A piece of Baiyu toothpaste skin costs 28 yuan, and shipping is free.)

Zeng Wangcai naturally had plenty of space for toothbrushes and toothpaste, but apart from toothpaste which could be put in old bottles and used again, toothbrushes were really not a good option. So when he came back, he brought a can of squeezed toothpaste, and bought a toothbrush.

"Second Aunt, don't share your toothbrush and toothpaste with your younger brothers and sisters." Zeng Wangcai found Ma Ping with a ladle and advised, "Brushing teeth is very important for children. If you don't take good care of their teeth, they will be like grandma..."

Jinhuan grumbled and couldn't help laughing: "Grandma has no teeth, she has to slurp when eating candy..."

"You're the only one who talks too much!" Ma Ping glared at her eldest daughter, then turned around and said in a friendly manner, "Wangcai, I know you're sensible and love your brothers and sisters, but we can't be ignorant. This kind of thing is hard to buy in the city. Country people don't care about that. It's okay as long as you can grow up."

As long as you can grow up!

This requirement...is very consistent with current reality. For rural people, they are satisfied if they can raise their children safely and ensure they don't die young. As for other things, they dare not think about it.

Therefore, Ma Ping didn't dare to ask for things like toothpaste and toothbrushes. It was just that her nephew bought them out of kindness and she couldn't refuse. However, she had a scale in her heart and knew that she couldn't just enjoy them wantonly just because her nephew was so capable. She had to save as much as possible so that when her nephew saw that there were still some at home, he wouldn't buy them next time.

Zeng Wangcai saw that Jinhuan and the others were envious of the new toothbrush, and advised again: "Second Aunt, that's not what you mean. In fact, Xiaohu and Xiaobao are making a lot of money now. They have a share of the money Xiuzhi and I make. You should..."

"Okay, Wangcai, I know everything." Ma Ping was making breakfast and interrupted, "They are still making money, that's because you, as the eldest brother, are willing to take them with you. Without you, how can they make money? It's good enough that they are sold without being counted for money;

"I'm their mother, I know them too well. At this point, I have to say a few words to you. Don't give them a lot of money in the future. They can't control them, and it's not good for them. Don't even mention dividing the money or shares. It's their duty to help you, and you can take care of their food and drink, but don't give them money. Small amounts are fine, but don't give them big amounts. Money is useful in your hands, but it's a calamity in theirs..."

Zeng Wangcai was suddenly enlightened by these words and suddenly woke up.

He had to admit that what Second Aunt said was remarkable. Sometimes the changes that money brings to a person are not necessarily positive, especially when a person suddenly becomes rich from being penniless, he is more likely to become worse.

Isn’t there a saying that when women become bad they have money, and when men become rich they become bad?

Zeng Wangcai has seen too many such examples in later generations. He has a friend (really a friend, not him), whose family lived in a village in the city. He ended up becoming the second generation of a demolition family and got more than 10 million yuan plus four houses. A person who usually didn't dare to add ham or eggs to instant noodles, suddenly had so much money, and his life suddenly had no goals.

In the end, he changed his cars and girlfriends one by one, and his cigarettes from ten-yuan Red Golden Dragon to 1916. Then one night he got drunk and drove his girlfriend racing. This was a tragedy. The money was not spent, but the man was gone.

"I understand, Second Aunt. I'll pay attention to it next time!" Zeng Wangcai agreed obediently. After learning from his lesson, he decided to pay attention to this aspect in the future, including for Xiaoqiang and Lai Fu at home.

Only then did Ma Ping turn around and go to cook.

Zeng Wangcai is very glad that all his relatives are very nice and there are no disgusting ones. When faced with the choice between money and family affection, not everyone can make the right choice.

When he was reading novels, he found that some authors, for some unknown reason, chose to have Zhujiao travel through time and space to become Liu Guangtian. Oh my God, he thought it would be better if you traveled through time and space to become Xu Damao.

This is not to say that he thinks Xu Damao is good and Liu Guangtian is bad, but the two people's backgrounds are very different. Although Xu Damao's parents are not good people, they are not together. Liu Guangtian is different. After work, he has been scrambling for a house and his mother was hospitalized for a cerebral infarction because of a gas tank...

After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Zeng Wangcai happily drank a bowl of corn grits porridge. The porridge was very thick, reflecting the thoughtfulness of his second aunt.

He had just finished drinking the porridge when Zeng Youhuo and his two sons came in from the yard. All of them smelled like pigs, and it seemed that they had killed both pigs.

"Brother, have you eaten? I have to collect the traps later and go fishing in the afternoon." Xiaohu said while eating porridge.

Xiaohu and Xiaobao both got up very early. They probably only slept for three or four hours last night. They were both looking forward to collecting condoms, or to have a fight with the people from Zhujia Village.

Zhang Xiuzhi came out of her grandmother's room. Her grandmother had also gotten up early. I don't know what the two of them talked about in the room, but when they came out, their faces were flushed.

"Xiuzhi, you don't need to go to collect the condoms later!" Zeng Wangcai said to Zhang Xiuzhi, "Just stay at home. You need to stew the pig's offal and other things. You are the only one who can do this job. Others can't."

Zeng Wangcai thought about it for a long time last night and felt that it would be better not to let Zhang Xiuzhi go to the fight. Of course, it was not because of Zhang Xiuzhi's fighting ability or gender, but because he did not want Zhang Xiuzhi to find out about his punishment of Zhu Damao and Zhu Ermao.

Indecent, dirty eyes!

"I knew you were going to say that!" Zhang Xiuzhi suddenly smiled smugly, pulling her grandmother and saying, "I've already handed it over to you, grandma. I'll find a way. Don't even think about getting rid of me, you idiot..."

After saying that, Zhang Xiuzhi made a face and went to eat. This was the first time she called Zeng Wangcai a fool in front of others.

Zeng Youhuo laughed out loud, feeling that his eldest nephew's marriage was settled.

"What are you laughing at?" Grandma slapped Zeng Youhuo in the face, "Help me later and get some salt in the water!"

Zeng Youhuo immediately said with a bitter face: "Mom, I have to go to the production team. There will be a banquet there today..."

"Our Wangcai has paid the money, and he still wants us to help? If you don't go, you don't know how to cook!" Grandma scolded.

"Just listen to mother and stay home!" Ma Ping agreed with her mother-in-law, "You don't have to work today. Besides, you don't have to work anymore. You have done everything you should do this week. Why go to the production team? There are two pigs at home, and you have to help Wangcai take care of them."

Both women in the family opposed it, so Zeng You got scared and just ate obediently.

As for Little Tiger and Little Leopard, they didn't dare to say a word and just drank their porridge in silence.

Zeng Wangcai discovered that the negative energy in this house was... a bit heavy, but it was not directed at him.

After breakfast, Zeng Wangcai and his group of four set out, not to collect condoms, but to go to the production team to ask for people. Zeng Laosan had already gathered the troops for Zeng Wangcai, and Goudan led more than 30 people to wait for orders.

Zengzhuang's militia was originally under the command of Xiaohu, but later on, Xiaohu quit his job because he had to help Zhang Xiuzhi and his father, so he gave the command to Goudan. Goudan and Gousheng were both submissive to Zhang Xiuzhi, so it was not difficult for Zeng Wangcai to lead this team, and he was able to control it without much expense.

This is also an important reason why Zhang Xiuzhi insisted on coming along. Goudan and Gousheng are afraid of her.

There were more than thirty people, approaching forty, each holding an old stick. Some inserted the stick into the collar of their clothes, and some inserted the stick in the middle of their belts. In short, they were well prepared and their momentum was high. They headed towards the Cow Dung Mountain together, rubbing their hands in preparation for the fight, and at the same time trying their best to eat more meat.

In this era, the mainstream idea is to exchange rewards for hard work rather than thinking about getting something for free.