Reborn in 1977

Safety's words made Captain Yang and the others nod in agreement.

Every era has selfish people, but also those who are happy to contribute.

In the current era, unless a family's power can completely dominate, those who can become production team leaders are generally the most selfless in the production team.

If they weren't selfless enough, the dissatisfaction and complaints from the members alone would overwhelm them, let alone getting things done.

Therefore, Safety's early explanation of the issue was met with agreement from Captain Yang and the others.

Accountant Liu raised his glass and said, "I haven't read many books, only graduated from senior elementary school, but I know a saying: 'If the skin is gone, what will the hair cling to?' No matter who it is, going it alone can only achieve small things.

To put it simply, if a person wants to get ahead and stand firm, they need to rely on relatives and friends.

On a larger scale, if you want to build a career and make money, you must rely on an organization.

What is our organization? It's the production team! If the production team is doing well, we will be better off.

Otherwise, even if we can make some money this year, if everyone else raises rabbits next year, who will we sell so many rabbits to? In the end, we'll just break up."

He pointed at Chen Fan, using him as an example, "Take Teacher Chen, for example.

He first set up a turtle stall and made hundreds of yuan at once, but the second time he went to the market, there were dozens of turtle stalls, so he stopped selling turtles and started making pottery.

He barely made some money, but then he said he wouldn't make so much next time.

All the good business went to others.

But, if our Lujiawan becomes strong, ah, able to support Little Chen, this turtle stall would be something I created.

If I can do it, you can't.

That pottery…"

Chen Fan quickly raised his glass and clinked it with Accountant Liu's, chuckling, "Accountant Liu, Accountant Liu, there's still a bit of a difference.

Others are allowed to do that."

Accountant Liu glared, "That's because you're not tough enough.

If you were tough enough, not only would you not let them do it, but you could even take what others made and use it!"

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly.

If I snatched other people's business, what would I become?

However, Supervisor Huang and Captain Yang nodded in agreement.

People are bullied when they are kind, and horses are ridden when they are docile.

This has been the way of the world since ancient times.

We don't have to bully others, but we must never be bullied.

Safety was an understanding person, and he immediately changed the subject, "Hey, Lao Liu, if your family engages in breeding and makes money, what do you plan to do?"

Accountant Liu might have really had too much to drink.

He turned around abruptly, smiling at Safety, "What will I do? I'm going to build a villa!"

"Wow, build a villa?"

Safety pretended to be shocked, "What kind of villa do you want to build?"

"What kind of villa to build?"

Accountant Liu raised his hand, thought for a long time, and turned to look at Chen Fan, "Teacher Chen, you are knowledgeable and capable, what kind of villa do you think I should build?"

Chen Fan was eating when he heard this, and he couldn't help but pause.

Then he looked up and thought for a moment, saying thoughtfully, "How about building one like the county department store?"

Accountant Liu immediately laughed so hard that he swayed back and forth, "Ah, hahaha, a department store?

Do you know how much it cost to build the department store in the county?

I heard it cost over ten thousand yuan, you could sell me and I still wouldn't be able to build it!"

Chen Fan chuckled, "The department store has such a big building, but your family doesn't have that many people.

You can build a smaller one."

Captain Yang and the other two laughed so hard they couldn't close their mouths, watching Chen Fan joking with Accountant Liu.

Chen Fan also found it very interesting.

In his eyes, Accountant Liu's appearance at this time was just like himself before the transmigration, after buying a lottery ticket, fantasizing about how to spend the prize money.

In fact, the biggest prize he had ever won was 10 yuan, not even enough to buy a box lunch.

Accountant Liu was about to nod when he suddenly reacted, looking at him suspiciously, "You've been to the county and seen the department store?"

Chen Fan immediately shook his head, "I haven't been there, and I haven't seen it either."

Accountant Liu was speechless, "Then why are you talking to me about the department store?"

Chen Fan said righteously, "Although I haven't seen the department store in the county, I've seen the supply and marketing cooperative store in the town.

The building of the supply and marketing cooperative store looks pretty good, wouldn't the department store be even more beautiful?"

Accountant Liu curled his lips, choked into silence.

Captain Yang and the others were laughing so hard they couldn't close their mouths.

After a while, Captain Yang said to Safety, "Are you still playing the harmonica?"

Chen Fan immediately perked up his ears, looking at Safety in surprise.

This chubby, unremarkable cadre was actually so cultured?

But that's right, few educated youths in the city these days don't know how to play the harmonica, right?

Safety smiled and didn't say anything, directly taking out a harmonica case from his pocket.

The case was printed with "shanghai", obviously the brand of the harmonica.

He opened the snap and took out a shiny silver harmonica from inside.

(Shanghai brand harmonica in the 70s)

Captain Yang, Supervisor Huang, and Accountant Liu immediately held their breath, watching him intently.

Safety put the harmonica to his lips, adjusted his breathing, and played a melodious rhythm.

Listening to the harmonica, Chen Fan quickly recognized which song he was playing, and hummed along softly, "The five-star red flag flutters in the wind, the victory song is so loud, we sing of our dear motherland, from now on moving towards prosperity and strength…"

After the song was finished, everyone immediately gave warm applause.

Safety put away the harmonica, grinning so wide that his eyes narrowed into slits, "Hahahaha, showing off, showing off."

Chen Fan clapped his hands, offering sincere flattery, "Brother An plays the harmonica really well!"

Safety was about to speak when Captain Yang next to him laughed, "That's because you haven't seen him play the accordion, he plays the accordion even better."

Chen Fan was even more surprised, "Oh, you can also play the accordion?"

Anquan put the harmonica back into his pocket, smiling as he said, "I learned it back in school. Our school's music teacher was a real master of the accordion. I studied with him from first grade until I graduated high school. But accordions were too expensive, so I always used the school's instrument. It wasn't until a few years ago that I saved enough money to buy my own first accordion."

Captain Yang chimed in again, pointing at Anquan but speaking to Chen Fan, "He used that accordion to trick his wife into coming home with him."

Hearing him mention this, Anquan immediately grinned from ear to ear. "Old Yang, you're absolutely right about that! If it weren't for this accordion, how could I have married such a beautiful wife?"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Chen Fan, smiling, "Have you heard of the 'four must-haves' for marriage in the city these days?"

Chen Fan didn't know why he was asking this, his eyes darting slightly as he replied, "Isn't it 'three spinning things and one sounding thing'?"

Anquan nodded, smiling. "For us rural folks, having 'thirty-two legs' is pretty much enough. If you can add a radio or a bicycle, that's something to be proud of. But city folks with better conditions almost all demand the 'three spinning things and one sounding thing,' which are a sewing machine, a bicycle, a watch, and a radio.

A sewing machine costs 127, and a bicycle costs at least 148. Better models like the Phoenix or Forever brands start at 180 yuan. Cheap Shanghai or BJ brand watches cost anywhere from 120 to 180 yuan, and a radio costs 45. Besides the money, you also need various coupons. Leaving aside the coupons, how much do all these things add up to?"

Chen Fan calculated in his head and said, "At least 440 yuan."

Compared to the rural 'thirty-two legs' for weddings, which are eight pieces of wooden furniture, the cost of getting married in the city is many times higher.

Anquan nodded again, looking at him as he asked, "Do you know how much an accordion costs?"

Chen Fan shook his head blankly. How would he know that?

Anquan chuckled and made a gesture. "380!"

Chen Fan's eyes widened. "Isn't that enough to marry a wife?"

"Eh, that's right."

Anquan said with a smile, "Being able to afford an accordion means, first of all, that you have enough capital. I'm not talking about those toy-like children's accordions. The cheapest accordion costs 328 yuan, and slightly better ones cost 380 to 420 yuan. Imported ones are even more expensive.

My teacher's accordion was an Italian-imported Feima brand 80-bass accordion. He bought it in '57, and it cost him 420 yuan at the time. So, for an instrument like the accordion, it's best for those without money to avoid it."

(Accordion receipt)

Chen Fan silently calculated his net worth. The money from selling the pottery last time, plus the share Zhang Wenliang insisted on giving him after selling the soft-shelled turtles, minus all expenses, left him with 308 yuan.

He couldn't even afford the cheapest accordion?

I'm still a poor man after all!

The three people next to him, Captain Yang and the others, smiled wryly. Not long ago, Huang Laosi built a house, which only cost a little over 300 yuan, still less expensive than someone's accordion.

But they weren't envious.

Captain Yang shook his head and sighed. "Back then, you only ate two meals a day, every meal with pickled vegetables. You couldn't even bear to eat an egg, saving all your salary. You saved up this much money for two or three years. I thought you were going to buy a house in town, but I didn't expect you to run to Yunhu to buy an accordion. We can't understand the thinking of you intellectuals, we just can't understand it."

Anquan grinned. "Everyone's pursuits are different. My work unit provides housing, so why would I buy a house? Besides, others build houses and buy houses to get married, and I bought an accordion and got a wife in return, so it's all the same, all the same."

Captain Yang and the others continued to shake their heads, speechless.

Anquan turned around and continued to say to Chen Fan, "Being able to afford an accordion not only shows that you have good financial conditions, but it also shows that you're an intellectual with artistic talent. Girls like that kind of person the most. How about it, do you want to learn music from me?"

Upon hearing this, Accountant Liu sobered up from his wine, and together with Captain Yang and Custodian Huang, they stared blankly at him.

Unfortunately, Anquan only had Chen Fan in his eyes at this time and couldn't see their expressions and gazes.

Chen Fan was also a little tempted, chuckling, "Of course I want to, but accordions are too expensive, I can't afford one."

Anquan clicked his tongue, giving him a meaningful look. "Ah, what are you saying? Just because you can't afford an accordion doesn't mean you can't learn music! If you don't learn the accordion, you can still learn the harmonica. Harmonicas are cheap, the cheapest is 3.5 yuan, and the most expensive is only about 10 yuan. With your income, buying the best one would be easy."

After a pause, he smiled again. "Besides, you can use my accordion to learn first, and then buy your own when you save up enough money later.

And it's not like there aren't cheap accordions. If you're lucky, you can check out the trust stores. The accordions there are very cheap. I have a classmate who, in '68, spent 20 yuan at the Shanghai Trust Store and bought an imported 60-bass accordion. Good heavens, I was almost green with envy!"

Chen Fan blinked. Such a good thing existed?

However, trust stores and the like were too far away from him. Rather than thinking about getting a bargain, it was better to think about how to earn more money and buy a new accordion himself, so he temporarily put it out of his mind.

Looking at Anquan's eyes, Chen Fan nodded, smiling, "Alright, then I'll have to trouble Brother An to teach me a lot in the future."

He was following Xiao Lie to learn martial arts, following Master Lu to learn literature and medicine, and adding a music teacher didn't seem like too much trouble. In the future, when he had nothing to do, he could play the harmonica to pass the time. In Anquan's words, it was quite attractive to girls.