Reborn in 1977

Chapter 342: Standing Out

Chen Fan first rode his horse back to the educated youth compound, retrieved the money and industrial coupons, and then hurried straight to the commune.

In the educated youth fields, Jiang Lili was panting heavily, harvesting rice non-stop. Beads of sweat as big as soybeans kept dripping, but she couldn't bother to wipe them away. Even though she was wearing a straw hat, her face was starting to darken.

Behind her, a patch of harvested rice lay on the ground.

Not far away, Huang Ying finally couldn't take it anymore. She supported her lower back with her left hand and slowly straightened up, just in time to see Chen Fan galloping past on his horse. She couldn't help but be curious, "Where is Teacher Chen going?"

Hearing this, Jiang Lili, Yang Ju, and Liu Dan all straightened up and looked in the direction of the road.

Yang Ju twisted her waist, "I don't know, maybe he's going to the brigade headquarters."

Liu Dan, "Ah, he's turning, maybe he's going to the commune."

Jiang Lili exhaled a breath of hot air, looked up at the glaring sun, and then said, panting, "Looking at the sun, it's almost 4 o'clock. There's still a large area over there to harvest, let's hurry up."

Huang Ying and the others didn't say much after hearing this. They stretched their bodies slightly, took a breath, and bent down to continue harvesting rice.

...

Chen Fan rode his horse to town, stopped directly in front of the supply and marketing cooperative, and then jumped off his horse and strode into the sales department.

Inside the sales department, the large ceiling fan above was spinning non-stop. The sales department faced north, so except for the afternoon when there would be the western sun after 5 pm, it was very cool at other times. Even in the hot July, you could feel a cool breeze when you entered. Compared to the commune members working in the fields, it was like heaven and earth.

Feeling the cool breeze from the ceiling fan, Chen Fan suddenly understood why the farmers of this era wanted to go to the city.

Even if they didn't have to worry about food and drink in the rural areas of the land of fish and rice, the intensity of labor… In comparison, even being a black户 (unregistered resident) in the city was a hundred times better.

Seeing Chen Fan come in, Wang Xiaoling, who was resting in a reclining chair, slowly got up, supported herself on the counter, walked over, and said with a smile, "Teacher Chen is here, what do you want to buy today?"

Chen Fan came back to his senses and waved hello with a smile, "Hello, Sister Ling. I'm here to look at electric fans."

Wang Xiaoling's eyes lit up, "Oh, you're here to buy an electric fan."

Then she smiled again, "That's right, it's so hot, if you don't have an electric fan to blow, you'll be too hot to sleep."

Then she led Chen Fan to the other side of the electric fan counter, directly took out a few and put them on the counter, "Look, this is the 'Peach Blossom Spring' electric fan produced by Northern Industrial Company. The quality is very good. In addition to 3 wind speeds, it also has timing and shaking functions. It's a high-end product."

(The 1977 'Peach Blossom Spring' electric fan)

Chen Fan looked at the electric fan and casually asked, "How much is this?"

Wang Xiaoling smiled and said, "This one has many functions and is good-looking, so the price is more expensive, it costs 160 yuan."

Chen Fan suddenly looked up, "160?"

He knew that electric fans were very expensive, but this small desk fan was too expensive, it was almost the price of a floor fan.

Wang Xiaoling chuckled, "It's expensive, right? There are even more expensive ones."

As she said that, she pointed to an electric fan on the counter that hadn't been taken down, "The Shanghai 'Hua Sheng' brand, 225 yuan, has the same functions as 'Peach Blossom Spring', but the brand is strong, so it's 65 yuan more expensive, which is the price of a small electric fan."

Then, before Chen Fan could speak, she moved the 'Peach Blossom Spring' electric fan back to the shelf behind, "Too expensive is not cost-effective, there are cheaper ones here."

As she said that, she moved another electric fan over, "This one is cheaper, the 'Seagull' desk fan, 86 yuan each."

(The 1981 desk fan invoice, although a few years later, the price has not increased)

Chen Fan looked at the inconspicuous electric fan, still calculating the problem of how many pigs a 'Hua Sheng' electric fan was worth. When he came back to his senses, he pointed to a floor fan in the counter and said, "Sister Ling, how much is this?"

Wang Xiaoling glanced at it and introduced, "This is a floor fan produced by our own Gufeng County. It also has shaking and timing functions, and also has 3 wind speeds. It only costs 150 yuan, but it requires more industrial coupons, 12 coupons."

Chen Fan immediately decided, "That's it!"

Then he took out the money and counted the bills.

He didn't care about the brand, mainly because local products had a quality guarantee. If it was a foreign product, no matter how big the brand was, if it broke, he could only go to the repair shop to fix it himself. Sometimes, due to a lack of parts or, in extreme cases, quality defects, it couldn't be repaired, which would be unlucky.

Local products didn't have this concern. Although he still had to pay for repairs himself, adjusting parts was only a matter of one or two days. If the problem was serious, he could replace it with a new one. If they ignored him, he could go directly to their door, without having to worry about after-sales service at all.

Seeing that he was so straightforward, Wang Xiaoling neatly issued the receipt and packed it.

After the cashier issued the receipt, she had already moved an unopened electric fan to the counter and tied it with a rope for easy carrying.

Chen Fan thanked her, picked up the electric fan and left.

When he went out and tied the electric fan to the saddle, he was about to get on his horse and leave when he saw that a new cold drink shop had opened next door?

He turned to look at Wang Xiaoling who followed him out and asked, "Sister Ling, when did this cold drink shop open?"

Wang Xiaoling turned her head and glanced at it, and said with a smile, "It's been open for almost a month. This is actually opened by the commune food company. It's only open for 4 months each year and only sells cold drinks. It's usually closed. Maybe you didn't notice it. Usually, some unemployed old ladies come to buy goods and carry them to the countryside to sell."

Chen Fan immediately became interested, "Can I buy it then?"

Wang Xiaoling nodded immediately, "Of course you can."

As she said that, she walked out, "Come on, I'll take you over."

She waved her hand, turned the corner, and entered the cold drink shop next door, shouting to the person inside, "Someone come out, someone wants to buy popsicles."

A woman walked out of the small room behind. Seeing that it was her, she couldn't help but smile, "You've already eaten two today, are you still eating? Aren't you afraid of a stomachache?"

Wang Xiaoling pointed to Chen Fan, "It's not me eating, it's Teacher Chen who wants to buy it."

When the person saw Chen Fan, her eyes lit up, "Oh, it's Teacher Chen, you're in town today. What kind of popsicle do you want to eat, it's on me!"

As she said that, she went to uncover the large wooden cabinet next to her. Inside was a thick layer of cotton quilts, but a cold air suddenly rose up.

Chen Fan quickly said, "No need, no need, I want to buy more and take it back to the team. I don't know if there is anything easy to take?"

Wang Xiaoling and the person were both stunned, he wanted to take it back?

The female salesperson put down the lid, looked at him and asked, "How much do you want to buy?"

Chen Fan grinned, "How much do you have here?"

Huh?

This was a big business?!

The female salesperson picked up the ledger hanging on the wall and calculated with the abacus for a while, then raised her head and said, "They sold a lot of goods in the morning for selling popsicles. There are only 20 cream popsicles, 30 mung bean popsicles, and 50 ice creams left here. Ice cream is expensive, and few people buy it, so there are the most left."

After a pause, she added, "Originally, we are not allowed to sell too much to individuals here, but it's you, it really wouldn't work if someone else came. But I can only calculate it at the retail price, not at the wholesale price, because you are not registered with the Industry and Commerce Bureau and do not have a business license, so you cannot purchase goods."

Those who purchase goods cannot be said to be individual households, they are somewhat similar to people who come out of production teams to engage in sideline businesses and find their own way.

In the city, there are also some people who have more difficult lives, but do not have many skills, or cannot work normally. In order to take care of them, the government allows them to engage in some business activities within a specific scope.

For example, after registering with the street office, they can make candied haws, braised eggs, and other things at home to sell. Or set up a stall in a fixed location to repair shoes, mend clothes, and so on.

In those old TV dramas, the people who sell candied haws and repair shoes on the street are like this. They don't have a unit, and no one pays them a salary. They rely on a little meager profit to live, and sometimes they have to bear the "business risk".

The person carrying a box to sell popsicles is also one of them.

These boxes also have requirements. They are not like the foam boxes in the 1980s, or you can just carry two thermos bottles to sell. Instead, they are uniformly provided by the cold drink shop, only charging labor costs, and selling them to those people.

The box is made of thin wooden boards, usually painted red, with the words "Industry and Commerce" and the individual's number on it, to indicate their identity. As long as you see the box, you know it's the "regular army", otherwise… it would be miserable!

Cream popsicles were just made of saccharin and milk essence mixed with water and then frozen. They were the cheapest popsicles, only 3 cents apiece. Mung bean popsicles were a little more expensive, at 4 cents. Ice cream bars were the most expensive because they used the most "cream," costing 8 cents each.

Twenty cream popsicles cost 60 cents, 30 mung bean popsicles cost 1.20 yuan, and 50 ice cream bars cost 4 yuan.

A hundred popsicles only cost 5.80 yuan.

The female salesperson helped find a box for selling popsicles, and also took a small cotton quilt to stuff inside. Then, she put all the popsicles in, carefully wrapped them, and closed the lid. At the same time, she said to Chen Fan, "This box is lent to you for now, but you have to return it tomorrow. Otherwise, if a new applicant to sell popsicles is approved, they won't have a box to claim, and they'll have to skip a number, which is hard to manage."

Chen Fan picked up the rope on the box, slung it over his shoulder, and chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll bring it back to you later."

The salesperson laughed and said, "Then you might not make it. It's already after 4 o'clock, and I get off work at 5 o'clock."

Chen Fan smiled and said, "Then I'll watch the time. If I can make it, I'll bring it back. If I can't, I'll bring it back tomorrow morning."

Waving goodbye, Chen Fan came out of the cold drink store, got on the horse, and hurried back.

Although it was already past 4 o'clock, the sun was still very strong.

Actually, this was still okay. If it were a few days later, around late July, you couldn't go to the fields before 4 pm. Anyone who dared to work would have to be prepared for heatstroke. If you didn't earn work points and lost your life instead, that would be a real loss.

The commune members were clear about this.

Chen Fan rode quickly, and soon arrived at Team 6.

Once he got here, he slowed down a little. The little mare trotted slowly on the ridge of the field. On both sides were figures wearing similar clothes and straw hats, making it almost impossible to see who was who.

At this moment, a voice sounded from the side, "Teacher Chen, what are you carrying on your back? It looks so much like a popsicle box?"

Chen Fan chuckled, but didn't answer his question. Instead, he asked, "Where's Captain Yang?"

The man turned his head and looked, pointing in one direction, "I thought I just saw him over there."

As soon as he finished speaking, he shouted loudly, "Captain, Teacher Chen is looking for you."

The voice spread far away, and immediately someone relayed it, "Captain, where are you? Teacher Chen is looking for you."

The shouts echoed in the rice fields. At first, it was quite serious, with everyone helping to find the person. But starting with someone's laugh, in less than a few seconds, almost everyone started giggling and laughing uncontrollably, as if they had heard a huge joke.

Chen Fan sat on the horse, dumbfounded. This could make them laugh?

How low were their laughing points?

However, with this, the somewhat dull atmosphere just now was swept away, and everyone's spirits seemed to be much better, and they were cutting rice more easily.

At this moment, a tender cry came from the side, "Waaah, I'm so hot, I want to go home."

Chen Fan looked over and saw a 7 or 8-year-old child standing in the rice field, crying loudly with his head raised. The straw hat on his head had fallen off, and the rope was hanging around his neck, fluttering in the wind.

At his feet, there was also a thick stack of rice, obviously he was helping the adults gather the ears of rice.

There were also several children of different ages beside him, who had also stopped working at this time, looking a little at a loss.

Seeing this scene, Chen Fan immediately jumped off the horse, put down the popsicle box, and quickly walked over along the ridge of the field.

As a result, before he could get close, a woman quickly ran over, squatted down and hugged the child, "Be good, after we take the rice back, Mom will make you new rice cakes, okay?"

The child hugged his mother's neck, choked and sobbed a few times, and then nodded vigorously, "Then you can't lie to me."

The mother hugged the child tightly, laughing loudly, "I wouldn't lie to Dahua, look, there are so many people here, Mom definitely won't lie to you, I will definitely make you new rice cakes to eat, okay?"

The child immediately stopped crying and smiled, raised his hand and wiped away his tears, and continued to pick up the ears of rice.

Someone next to him saw Chen Fan standing on the ridge of the field and couldn't help laughing, "Teacher Chen, it's okay, just coax the child a little, rural children aren't that delicate."

Chen Fan turned his head and looked at him, smiled and nodded, but didn't say anything, and turned back.

As soon as he reached the main road, he saw Captain Yang walking towards him with big strides, muttering in his mouth, "Looking for someone, half the village heard it, what do you want me for?"

Chen Fan quickly carried the popsicle box over and put it in front of him, "I bought it at the commune just now, please distribute it."

Captain Yang looked at the box, "Oh, popsicles?"

Then he looked at him, "You're treating?"

Chen Fan quickly said, "Isn't today the first day of the Double Rush? Just this once, I can't afford any more."

Then he pointed to the box and said, "There's not much left, just the last bit, 20 cream popsicles, 30 mung bean popsicles, and 50 ice cream bars. I don't know how to distribute them, so I'll leave it to you."

Captain Yang looked at him and suddenly chuckled, scaring Chen Fan, "Wh-what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?"

Captain Yang looked around, lowered his voice and said to him, "What's the reason for treating the entire team to popsicles?"

Chen Fan's eyes rolled slightly, and he stammered, "I just saw that everyone was working so hard…"

Before he could finish speaking, Captain Yang said earnestly, "I understand your thoughts, and I know you mean well, but that's not how things are done. Have you heard the saying, 'Give a升 rice, they're grateful; give a斗, they hate you'?"

Chen Fan blinked, "Did I give it wrong?"

Captain Yang snorted twice, raised his hand and pointed at him, "When it comes to intelligence, all the thousands of people in our Lujiawan added together can't compare to you, but when it comes to human relationships, you're still far behind. You give popsicles today, will you give them tomorrow, will you give them the day after tomorrow?"

Chen Fan wasn't a fool either, and immediately understood what he meant. He couldn't help but curl his lips and said, "I understand what you mean."

Then he pointed to the box, "But I've already bought the stuff, what do you say we should do?"

Captain Yang "humphed" twice again, "Have you told anyone else? I mean, that you bought this stuff yourself."

Chen Fan immediately shook his head, "No, I came to you as soon as I got back."

Captain Yang said, "Consider it a smart thing you did. Remember, no matter who comes to ask, you say I told you to buy it, you don't know anything else, understand?"

Chen Fan immediately nodded, "Understood."

Then he chuckled, "Thank you, Captain."

Captain Yang curled his lips, "How much money in total?"

Chen Fan, "5.8 yuan."

"5.8 yuan?"

Captain Yang gritted his teeth, picked up the box and left, muttering to himself, not knowing what he was saying.

Soon, comrades from the militia squad were everywhere notifying people, "The captain asked Teacher Chen to buy popsicles at the commune. The quantity is limited. First, each household will get one ice cream bar. In addition, there are 20 cream popsicles and 30 mung bean popsicles, which will be given to the people with the highest work points today. You can claim them when you calculate work points after work."

As soon as the news came out, the entire Team 6 was in an uproar.

"The captain is generous!"

"Teacher Chen, you've worked hard."

"Mom, I want to eat ice cream…"

"Okay, okay, we'll eat ice cream after we finish working."

On a small earthen slope, the supply manager Huang was bleeding in his heart, recording in the ledger, "Another 5.8 yuan spent."

Accountant Liu was on the side, his abacus rattling in his heart, chuckling, "Or, I'll cover this 5.8 yuan."

Supply Manager Huang rolled his eyes, "You're probably not clear on the situation. Is it your turn to pay this money? This money can't be paid by individuals!"

Captain Yang was smoking a cigarette on the side, chuckling, "Alright, alright, Little Chen means well, he just doesn't quite understand the rules."

After a pause, he smiled again, "But speaking of which, he's really a good person. My Xiaoju told me that he made today's lunch, and he also specially boiled hot water for them to take a bath. Just now I saw a cardboard box on his horse's back, which looked like an electric fan packaging box. He probably went to the commune to buy it just now.

He didn't buy it sooner or later, but he bought it today. I'm afraid he felt sorry for the girls. Whoever can marry him in the future will definitely not suffer."

Hearing this, Supply Manager Huang and Accountant Liu looked at each other, their eyes colliding with fierce sparks, and they were both silently calculating in their hearts, what method they should use to make their daughter stand out!