Traveling back to 1977

Add one more in Chapter 237

After hearing what Anquan said, Captain Yang and the others nodded repeatedly.

Every era has its selfish people, but also its selfless ones. In the current context, unless one's family has absolute power, those who become production team cadres are almost always among the most selfless members of the team.

If they lack a sense of public duty, the mere dissatisfaction and complaints from individual members can overwhelm them, let alone get anything done.

Therefore, it was safe to bring up the issue in advance, and Captain Yang and the others all agreed.

Accountant Liu raised his wine glass and said, "I haven't read many books, I only graduated from primary school, but I know the saying, 'If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach?' No matter who you are, you can only make small-scale success by going it alone. To put it simply, if you want to get ahead and stand on your own two feet, you need to rely on relatives and friends. To put it more broadly, if you want to make a career and earn money, you must have the support of your employer."

What's our work unit? It's the production team! Only when the production team prospers can we prosper. Otherwise, even if we make some money this year, next year everyone will be raising rabbits, and who will buy all those rabbits? In the end, we'll all fall apart.”

He pointed at Chen Fan and used Chen Fan as an example, "Take Teacher Chen, for instance. He first set up a turtle stall and made over a hundred yuan right away. But the second time there was a market, there were dozens of turtle stalls, so he stopped selling turtles and switched to pottery. He finally made some money, but then he said he wouldn't do so many next time. All the good business went to others."

However, if we in Lujiawan become powerful, ah, able to back up Xiao Chen, this turtle stall was set up by me. If I can do it, you can't, that pottery..."

Chen Fan quickly picked up his wine glass and clinked it with his, chuckling, "Accountant Liu, Accountant Liu, there's still a difference. Others can do this."

Accountant Liu glared at her, "That's because you're not assertive enough. If you were, you could not only stop them from doing it, but you could also take and use things that others had made!"

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly. If I steal other people's business, what do I become?

However, both the custodian Huang and Captain Yang nodded in deep agreement. "A kind person is bullied, and a good horse is ridden." This is an age-old truth. We can choose not to bully others, but we must never be bullied.

Anquan was a sensible person; he immediately changed the subject, "Hey, Lao Liu, if your family made money from raising livestock, what would you do?"

Accountant Liu was probably really drunk. He suddenly turned around, chuckled at Anquan, and said, "What are you doing? I want to build a villa!"

Wow, building a villa?

Anquan feigned surprise and asked, "So what kind of villa do you want to build?"

"What kind of building should we build?"

Accountant Liu raised his hand, thought for a long time, then turned to look at Chen Fan, "Teacher Chen, you are knowledgeable and capable, what kind of building do you suggest?"

Chen Fan was eating when he heard his words and was taken aback for a moment. He then looked up and thought for a moment before saying thoughtfully, "How about building a county department store?"

Accountant Liu was immediately overjoyed, "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. Even if you sold me, you couldn't afford to build one!"

Chen Fan chuckled and said, "The department store has such a large space, and your family doesn't have that many people, so you can build a smaller one."

The three people next to Captain Yang were all laughing heartily, watching Chen Fan and Accountant Liu amuse each other.

Chen Fan also found it very interesting. In his eyes, Accountant Liu's current state was exactly like his own before he transmigrated, when he bought a lottery ticket and fantasized about how to spend the prize money.

In fact, the biggest prize he ever won was 10 yuan, which wasn't even enough to buy a boxed lunch.

Accountant Liu was about to nod when she suddenly realized something and looked at him with a suspicious expression, saying, "You've been to the county and seen the department store?"

Chen Fan immediately shook his head, "I've never been there, and I've never seen it."

Accountant Liu was speechless. "Then why did you mention department stores to me?"

Chen Fan said confidently, "Although I haven't seen the department store in the county, I have seen the supply and marketing cooperative's store in the town. The building of the supply and marketing cooperative's store is quite nice, so the department store must be even more beautiful, right?"

Accountant Liu pursed his lips, speechless with spitting out his words.

Captain Yang and his two companions were overjoyed, laughing from ear to ear.

After a long while, Captain Yang finally asked An Quan, "Are you still playing the harmonica?"

Chen Fan immediately perked up his ears and looked at Anquan in surprise.

This chubby, unassuming cadre from Anhui is actually quite the artsy type?

That makes sense, though. These days, very few educated young people in the city can't play the harmonica, right?

Anquan smiled but didn't say anything. He simply took out a harmonica case from his pocket. The case was printed with "Shanghai," which was obviously the brand of the harmonica.

He pried open the snap and took out a gleaming silver harmonica.

(A Shanghai brand harmonica from the 70s)

Captain Yang, custodian Huang, and accountant Liu immediately held their breath and stared intently at him.

Anquan brought the harmonica to his lips, adjusted his breathing, and began to play a melodious tune.

Listening to the music, Chen Fan quickly recognized the song being played and softly hummed along, "The five-starred red flag flutters in the wind, the victory song is so loud, singing of our beloved motherland, marching towards prosperity and strength..."

After he finished playing the song, everyone immediately gave him a warm round of applause. Anquan put away his harmonica, grinning so wide his eyes narrowed into slits, "Hahaha, I made a fool of myself."

Chen Fan clapped his hands and offered sincere flattery, "Brother An plays the harmonica so well!"

Just as Anquan was about to speak, Captain Yang next to him laughed and said, "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 play the accordion?"

Anquan put the harmonica back in his pocket and said with a smile, "I learned it all in school. Our school music teacher was really good at playing the accordion. I studied with him from first grade until I graduated from high school. But accordions are too expensive, so I always used the school's accordion until a few years ago when I finally saved enough money to buy my first accordion."

Captain Yang interrupted again, pointing to the security area, but said to Chen Fan, "He used that piano to trick his wife into coming home."

Hearing him mention this, Anquan couldn't stop smiling. "Old Yang, you're absolutely right. If it weren't for this piano, would I have been able to marry such a beautiful wife?"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Chen Fan and said with a smile, "Have you heard of the four essential items for a wedding in the city these days?"

Chen Fan didn't know why he would ask this, his eyes darting around slightly, and said, "Is it 'three turns and one sound'?"

Anquan nodded and smiled, "When we rural people get married, having 'thirty-two legs' is about right. If we can add a radio or a bicycle, we're really proud. But in the city, families with means almost always ask for 'three turns and one sound,' which means a sewing machine, a bicycle, a watch, and a radio."

A sewing machine costs 127, a bicycle at least 148, and a better Phoenix or Forever brand starts at 180. Cheaper Shanghai or BJ brand watches range from 120 to 180. A radio costs 45. Besides the money, there are all sorts of coupons. Even ignoring the coupons, how much do all these things add up to?

After a quick mental calculation, Chen Fan said, "At least 440 yuan."

Compared to the "thirty-two legs" of a rural wedding, which is eight pieces of wooden furniture, the cost of a wedding in the city is many times higher.

Anquan nodded again, looked at him, and asked, "Do you know how much an accordion costs?"

Chen Fan shook his head blankly; how would he know?
Safety chuckled and gestured, "380!"

Chen Fan's eyes widened. "Does that mean everyone can get a wife?"

"Oh, right."

Anquan said with a smile, "The first condition for being able to afford an accordion is having enough capital. Not counting the children's accordions that are like toys, the cheapest accordion costs 328 yuan, and a slightly better one costs 380 to 420 yuan. If it is imported, it is even more expensive."

My teacher's accordion was an Italian-made Pegasus 80-bass accordion, which he bought in 57 for 420 yuan. So, if you don't have money, it's best not to touch an instrument like the accordion.

(Accordion Receipt)

Chen Fan silently calculated his assets. The money from selling pottery last time, plus the share that Zhang Wenliang forced on him after selling turtles, after deducting all expenses, left him with 308 yuan.

They can't even afford the cheapest accordion?

I guess I'm still a poor person!

The three people next to Captain Yang could only smile wryly. Not long ago, Huang Laosi built a house, which only cost a little over 300 yuan, not even as much as someone else's accordion.

However, they were not envious.

Captain Yang shook his head and sighed, "Back then, you only ate two meals a day, and every meal consisted of pickled vegetables. You couldn't even bear to eat an egg. You saved all your salary for two or three years before you had enough money. I thought you were going to buy a house in town, but I didn't expect you to go to Yunhu and buy an accordion. I just don't understand the thinking of intellectuals like you. I just don't understand."

Anquan grinned and said, "We have different goals. I have a company-provided apartment, so why should I buy one? Besides, other people build or buy houses to get married. I bought an accordion and still got a wife. It's all the same, all the same."

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

Anquan turned around and continued to Chen Fan, "Being able to afford an accordion not only shows that you are well-off, but it also shows that you are an intellectual with artistic taste. Girls like that the most. So, how about you learn music with me?"

Upon hearing this, Accountant Liu sobered up completely and stared at him blankly along with Captain Yang and Warehouse Keeper Huang.

Unfortunately, Anquan only had Chen Fan in his eyes at that moment and couldn't see their expressions and eyes.

Chen Fan was also somewhat tempted, and chuckled, "I'd definitely like it, but accordions are too expensive, I can't afford one."

Anquan clicked his tongue and gave him a look. "Oh dear, what are you saying? You can't afford an accordion, so you won't learn music? If you don't want to learn the accordion, you can learn the harmonica. Harmonicas are cheap, the cheapest is 3.5 yuan, and the most expensive is only about 10 yuan. With your income, you can easily buy the best one."

He paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Besides, you can learn on my accordion first, and then buy your own when you've saved up enough money."

And cheap accordions aren't unheard of. If you're lucky, you can check out the Shanghai Trust Store; their accordions are quite affordable. I have a classmate who, back in '68, bought an imported 60-bass accordion for only 20 yuan at the Shanghai Trust Store. Wow, I was so envious!

Chen Fan blinked. Such a good thing?

However, trust shops and the like were too far away for him. Instead of thinking about taking advantage of others, he would rather think about how to make more money and buy a new piano, so he put that aside for the time being.

Seeing An's safe gaze, Chen Fan nodded and smiled, "Alright, then I'll have to rely on Brother An for guidance from now on."

Learning martial arts from Xiao Liewen, literature and medicine from Master Lu, and having a music teacher doesn't seem like a big deal. He can play the harmonica to pass the time when he has nothing to do, and to put it safely, it's quite attractive to girls.

(End of this chapter)