Rebirth 1979: Marrying a poor girl at the beginning

Brigade headquarters office.

"Do you need to stay overnight when you go to the county? Do you need a letter of introduction?" Lin Bingde frowned and looked at Lin Zhengjun.

The first generation of ID cards was not implemented until 84.

Nowadays, when you travel far away from home, buy train tickets, stay in a hotel, or contact any organization, you need a letter of introduction, otherwise you will not be able to move forward.

"Uncle, I won't stay overnight. I'll be back in the evening." Lin Zhengjun said with a smile.

"Then there's no need for a letter of introduction."

Lin Bingde looked at him and said seriously, "Zhengjun, tell me the truth. What are you going to do in the county town? Your family owes a lot of food, but don't worry. You can pay it back slowly."

His face turned ugly, and his tone became more severe: "If you do something dishonest in the village, I can still suppress it with my old bones, but if you commit a crime in the county, my words will not work. I will arrest you and shoot you!"

When Lin Zhengjun was in high school, his grades were among the best in the entire county high school.

Lin Bingde liked him very much, and it was against everyone's will that Lin Bingde appointed him as the granary manager, because he could get more work points per month, and he also recommended him to go to the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University.

But he didn't expect that someone would go to the commune to complain, saying that he was a descendant of a landlord, and he was disqualified.

Seeing no hope of changing his fate, Lin Zhengjun became discouraged and depressed. He did not go to work every day and just waited for death. Lin Bingde felt sorry for his misfortune and was angry at him for not fighting back.

Therefore, seeing Lin Bingde's disgusted face, Lin Zhengjun was not angry. He took out a handful of maltose and stuffed it into Lin Bingde's hand: "Uncle, give it to your granddaughter!"

"Hemp candy? I haven't seen this stuff for a while, it's a rare thing!"

Lin Bingde ate a piece with a smile, smacking his lips in ecstasy: "It tastes good. Where did you buy it?"

"I did it."

"If you can do this, then even an old sow can climb a tree."

Lin Bingde looked as if he had seen a ghost, and snorted coldly, "You must have bought it at the supply and marketing cooperative! If you want me to give you a letter of introduction, don't spend so much money. Don't waste money on this in the future."

"Secretary, I really made this. Does our county supply and marketing cooperative sell this?"

Lin Zhengjun laughed and said, "Besides, if I'm not making maltose, why would I buy the sprouted wheat from the Daming family? Do you really think I'm a prodigal son or a second-rate person?"

"I was wondering why I couldn't stop you from buying malt!"

Lin Bingde suddenly realized what was going on, but immediately asked in surprise: "Zhengjun, when did you learn this skill?"

Originally there were small vendors making and selling maltose in the countryside, but during that particular decade, all the rural markets were cancelled, capitalism was being cut off, and this craft was almost lost!

"When I was taking chemistry in high school..." Lin Zhengjun answered fluently, using the same words.

"Great! Zhengjun, you are really educated and smart!"

Lin Bingde praised: "If this thing is done, not only can we repay the wheat seeds owed to the brigade, but it can also improve your family's situation!"

"I've told your father a long time ago that you've been smart since you were young, but you didn't go to college, so you lost your ambition and didn't use your intelligence in the right way!"

As he said this, he wrote a letter of introduction to Lin Zhengjun, stamped it with the official seal, and lent Lin Zhengjun a Hongqi 28-inch bicycle.

This bicycle is the only one in the entire brigade, and it is a "public bicycle". It was bought by the brigade using public savings funds and is worth 135 yuan.

Lin Bingde took great care of it and polished it to a shine. In the past, only the brigade cadres were qualified to ride it when they went to the commune or county for meetings. It was truly the face of the brigade.

When Lin Zhengjun was pushing the car, Wei Shanhu walked in and frowned, "Who told you to move the team's bus?"

"The branch secretary has approved it. If you have any objections, go and talk to him." Lin Zhengjun sneered.

Wei Shanhu's face froze, and he gnashed his teeth in anger. Lin Bingde walked out of the office and said, "Shanhu, let him ride. The army is going to the county town for business."

"He has nothing to do, just wandering around!"

Wei Shanhu glared at Lin Zhengjun and shouted, "You are so careless, can you still pay back the 200 kilograms of wheat you owe to the brigade?"

"I told you, if you can't pay me back, I'll bet my life on you!"

Lin Zhengjun's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness and he said, "But is the deadline coming now? The branch secretary hasn't urged me yet, and you, a mere deputy captain, are using chicken feathers as a token of authority and are shouting non-stop!"

Having said that, Lin Zhengjun got on his bike and rode away.

He really didn't want to stay with Wei Shanhu, for fear that he would not be able to control his anger and would rush up and beat him half to death.

"Look at your behavior! I'll let you go crazy! If you don't come back, I'll beat you to death!"

Being ignored like this, Wei Shanhu was furious. He stared at Lin Zhengjun's back with extremely resentful eyes and gnashed his teeth.

……

After returning home, Tang Xiaofu put all the malt sugar into a large bamboo basket and put a quilt underneath to reduce shock.

They tied the big bamboo basket to the back seat of the car. Tang Xiaofu reminded them, "Please drive slowly on the road. The sesame candy is very crispy and will break if it is bumped. You won't be able to sell it for a good price."

"Don't worry, I'll ride there slowly. It only takes a day, so I'll make it in time!" Lin Zhengjun got on his bike and left the yard.

Qingshan Commune is fifteen kilometers away from Huaibian County, which is not far, but the main road leading to the county is still a dirt road and is bumpy.

Fortunately, Lin Zhengjun adapted quickly.

Riding on the tree-lined avenue, breathing the sweet and pure air, listening to the croaking of frogs and chirping of insects, feeling the cool breeze, and looking at the green fields and the rolling green hills in the distance, he felt excited and happy.

Although he was reborn with material scarcity and nothing at home this time, he was still hopeful because his parents were still alive and his young wife was by his side, and it was not too late.

It was totally different from his previous life. Even though Lin Zhengjun later earned a considerable fortune and was respected by others, he had never been happy for a single day.

Before he died, he had no relatives around him. That loneliness and desolation was more terrible than poverty.

An hour and a half later, Lin Zhengjun arrived at Huaibian County.

The Huaibian County town at that time was not very prosperous.

Most of them are cinder roads and yellow dirt roads, and only four main roads are asphalt roads, and there are no traffic lights on any of them.

Because most workers and cadres walked or rode bicycles, motor vehicles were extremely rare and there was no traffic jam at all.

The buildings are basically brick and tile bungalows. Even the county government is only a two-story building with a guardhouse at the door and policemen in white uniforms standing there.

When he arrived at the compound of the county supply and marketing cooperative, Lin Zhengjun showed the guard his letter of introduction, explained his purpose, and handed him a pack of Peony brand cigarettes. The guard immediately became enthusiastic, let him in immediately, and helped him carry the basket to the purchasing and marketing office.

"Director Hao, this is Comrade Lin Zhengjun from Qingshan Commune. He said he has a source of candy."

"From Qingshan Commune? Why haven't I heard that your commune has a community-run sugar factory?" Director Hao was a young man in his early thirties, wearing glasses and with a handsome face.

He was dressed in the most fashionable style of the era, a white Dacron shirt that had to be tucked into his trousers, brown closed-toe plastic sandals, and nylon socks, and he also wore a Plum watch.

In the era of shortage economy, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is one of the best units in the county. The employees have high incomes, so they all dress well.

"Director Hao, to be exact, it's my personal sideline business." Lin Zhengjun has seen all kinds of situations, and said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"What nonsense! He is so young, what can he make of candy?!"

Director Hao frowned immediately, glared at the guard and scolded him: "Our Supply and Marketing Cooperative only purchases products from state-owned factories, collective factories of communes or cooperatives, and never from small family workshops. Why do you let everyone in?"

He took a sip from the teacup, waved at Lin Zhengjun, and said, "The quality of small workshop products is not guaranteed. If you want to sell them, go to the supply and marketing cooperative in your commune. Maybe they are willing to buy them. Don't waste your time, go quickly!"