Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 755 Squeezing In Makes It Warmer

After finishing their meal and resting for a while, the group finally went out as it was almost time for the movie to start.

Chen Fan drove the car to the gate, Jiang Lili locked the gate, and everyone got into the car one after another.

Seeing that Jiang Lili and Jiang Tiantian had gone to the back seat, An Quan got into the passenger seat and said, "I almost forgot, Lao Chen, could you help me buy a few of these minivans at the Yunqi factory?"

Chen Fan started the car and drove towards the movie theater. He turned to look at him and said, "Don't you know Director Yang? Just go and find him."

Back then, when Anquan helped Lujiawan buy feed machines, he went to the machinery factory first and met with Director Yang. Later, when Chen Fan's file was "exposed," Director Yang took the initiative to meet Chen Fan and sold two feed machines to Lujiawan at a low price.

So, in a way, the safety and machinery factory staff are old acquaintances. If you go to them, they can easily cut in line to pick up the car, just because of Chen Fan.

Anquan scoffed and laughed, "That's different. I'm going to see him because of your connections. How could I let you handle this?"

Chen Fan glanced at him. "Oh, I didn't realize you were so law-abiding. Why don't you call me or tell Lili? You think I won't put in a good word for you?"

Anquan chuckled awkwardly, "I was just worried you'd be too busy. Besides, buying the car is for official business. If it were just for my own benefit, I certainly wouldn't stand on ceremony with you."

Chen Fan snorted twice, "Well, now that you've spoken up, isn't it for the public good, but because you want to buy it yourself?"

The security guard's face darkened. "Enough with the nonsense, just tell me if you'll help or not."

The three girls behind them couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Yu Keying laughed and said, "I told you to tell Lili a long time ago, but you were too shy and embarrassed. Now you're being laughed at."

With a dark expression, Anquan dared not argue with his wife and could only sulk in silence.

Chen Fan snapped his fingers. "There's a pen and paper in the locker in front of you. Take them out."

Anquan immediately opened the wooden cabinet door of the center console, took out paper and pen, and said, "Hey, Lao Chen, what were you thinking when you designed the car? So many parts are made of wood. It looks nice, but it's not high-end. It's like an old TV set from the 5s or 60s."

The earliest televisions in my country were almost all made with wooden casings. It wasn't until the 70s that plastic casings gradually became more common. So people at that time had a simple idea that plastic was more advanced than wood!
That's why we're talking about safety now.

Chen Fan glanced at him irritably and said, "What are you talking about? If Yunqi Factory could get that much plastic raw material, do you think I would be willing to design and use so much wood board?"

Not to mention the center console, even the seats only come in two materials: the cheaper ones use fabric, and the high-end ones use genuine leather.

The artificial leather commonly used in later generations?

Sorry, I really can't afford it!
Don't be fooled by the abundance of synthetic leather shoes and briefcases available today; it doesn't mean these materials are easy to obtain. They were all planned products, with specialized factories producing the raw materials and then supplying them to other specialized factories for production.

It wasn't until 1981 that dry-process PU leather production technology was first introduced, followed by wet-process PU synthetic leather production technology from Japan. This allowed my country to leapfrog into becoming the world's largest producer of artificial leather in just a few years.

Yes, plastic only started to become widespread during this period, and then the price plummeted. In just a few years, a plastic bag went from costing 10 yuan to being given away for free when you bought jelly.

These are all signs of a major development in productivity.

The safety comment was just a casual remark, and Chen Fan didn't take it seriously when he said that. He picked up his pen and said, "Tell me, what do you want me to write?"

Chen Fan casually recited a series of phone numbers and then said, "This is the phone number for Director Yang's office. You can call it yourself later. This phone number is a new one that Yunqi Factory changed after it was separated. Not many people know it. If you call this number, you can prove that I gave it to you, and he will definitely let you skip the line."

After recording the safety information, I tore off the page, folded it, and put it in my pocket. Then I put the paper and pen back in their original places and said with a smile, "Done. I'll treat you to a drink next time."

He closed the cabinet door and looked at Chen Fan. "Hey, Lao Chen, what's wrong with your car?"

Chen Fan chuckled and said, "I paid for it myself, and it's registered under the Shanghai Writers Association. They also helped provide the gasoline, but I covered the costs myself."

Anquan nodded in realization. "I understand."

He then turned to look behind him and smiled at Yu Keying, "Wife, we'll have a car soon too!"

Yu Keying scoffed, "Forget it, Xiao Fan can monopolize a car, do you dare? Besides, after you graduate from university, will you still be able to use this car?"

Safety shut her mouth and stopped talking.

After a while, when the car had already driven onto Huaihai Road, he whispered, "Old Chen, when do you think the policy will allow individuals to do business?"

Upon hearing this, the three people chatting behind him fell silent, exchanging bewildered glances.

Does he mean he plans to go into business after graduating from university?

The carriage fell silent, and even Yu Keying remained silent.

Her husband has already bought a house through hard work and saved more money than an ordinary worker could earn in a lifetime. Not to mention that there are still two or three years left. As long as this project can continue, money will keep flowing into their pockets. What more could she ask for?

It's better to let your husband do what he wants to do.

However, deep down, and considering the opinions of her elders, she still hoped that her husband could have a "good future".

So all she could do at that moment was remain silent.

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow, turned to look at him, and smiled, "Want to not accept the job assignment after graduation and go into business on your own?"

Anquan let out a long breath, shook his head, and looked somewhat listless. "It's not that. I didn't want to make a decision so quickly. It's just that the thought of not being able to afford a car no matter how much money I make makes me lose my motivation."

Chen Fan clicked his tongue and said, "If you're asking when individuals will be allowed to do business, then I'll tell you, as long as you dare, you can do it anytime. I believe you've seen it yourself: the street vendors in Shanghai's parks, the small commodity sellers outside the docks and stations, and those people who work for you for a living—aren't they doing business?"

Anquan chuckled. "I wasn't talking about them."

"Actually, they're all the same."

Chen Fan interrupted him and continued, "If you have the guts, today—oh, not today, it's May Day holiday. Wait until the Industry and Commerce Bureau opens tomorrow, then you can apply for an individual business license. If anyone dares to cause you trouble because of this, come to me, and I'll ask my three masters to find the old political commissar and get them to understand the situation."

He turned to look at the security guard, smiled, and asked, "Do you dare?"

Anquan's lips twitched slightly. "I wouldn't dare."

Why don't you come to the old political commissar for everything? Don't scare people like that.

Chen Fan chuckled and after a while, continued, "I'm not saying anything to criticize you. You don't need to think about this at all right now. It's just a car. You can buy it under the name of the work-study project department. You'll be using it most of the time anyway, right? It'll save you the money of buying and maintaining a car."

As for whether or not you'll go into business, maybe by the time you graduate, there will already be examples of people running their own businesses. Then you can see.

Anquan grinned and thought for a moment before asking, "Hey, Lao Chen, what do you think I should do after graduation?"

He paused for a moment, then added, "You don't need to worry about saying the wrong thing. Just say what you think, and I'll judge for myself. I will never blame you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Keying, who was sitting in the back row, whispered, "That's right, Xiao Fan. You're knowledgeable and have met the old political commissar, so you definitely know more than we do. Old An sometimes gets confused too; after all, he handles so much money every day, it's impossible for him not to have any ideas."

When he graduates, if he accepts the job assignment, the best outcome will be a monthly salary of more than 50 yuan. However, if he goes into business, we are not sure.

You know our personalities; even if we choose the wrong path, we'll never blame you.

Chen Fan smiled, glanced at the rearview mirror, and said, "Sister-in-law, I understand what you mean. I'm not afraid to speak frankly. Sometimes, especially when making long-term plans, you must not focus on one thing. Your problem now is that you're making too much money. Your eyes are being hooked by money, which is why you're feeling lost."

Security frowned slightly. "You support my decision to obey orders?"

Chen Fan shook his head, glanced at him, and said, "I said something this morning, have you forgotten?"

An Quan frowned, thought for a long time, and suddenly slapped his thigh. "I understand." Yu Keying looked at him and asked, "What do you understand?"

Jiang Lili and Jiang Tiantian also stared at him intently, eager to hear what he had to say.

Anquan suddenly burst into laughter, turned his head and said, "I was chatting with Lao Chen this morning, and Lao Chen said something that is the fundamental reason why I can make money now: 'Connections are resources!'"

Upon hearing this, the three girls instantly realized what was going on.

Yu Keying laughed and said, "Old Chen is indeed Old Chen, he's really something else. Old An and I only focused on the money, but you can see through the essence at a glance."

Chen Fan shook his head and laughed, "It's not that bad. Give you more time, and you'll figure it out. I'm just an outsider with a clearer perspective."

Anquan scratched his head and laughed, "Only an outsider can see things clearly and enlighten me. The instructor is right, too much complaining can break your heart, and you should take a long-term view. Don't underestimate the shallowness of Kunming Lake; watching fish there is better than on the Fuchun River."

You need to have a long-term perspective. Even if you don't earn much money working in the system, you can build connections. The more friends you make, the more benefits you'll reap in the future.

Chen Fan hummed twice and chuckled softly, "Old An, you've forgotten one thing. There's no explicit regulation now prohibiting cadres from engaging in business."

Upon hearing this, An Quan was instantly bewildered and immediately turned to look at him, "You mean? You can still do business after becoming a cadre?"

The three girls behind them were also dumbfounded. Could that even be done?!

Chen Fan smiled slightly, "It's too early to talk about these things now. There are still three years. Maybe many things will become clear by then."

Yes, it was very clear. So clear that with the issuance of the first individual business license at the end of 80, the growth of individual businesses entered a fast track, and many cadres even joined in, busy doing business and making money day and night, even neglecting their regular jobs.

Seeing this phenomenon spread rapidly, the higher authorities finally issued regulations in 84 prohibiting cadres from engaging in business or running enterprises.

Many officials saw this and realized it wasn't allowed, so what could they do?

So he handed over the business and factory to his wife, husband, and children.

Then, the following year, the higher authorities issued regulations prohibiting the spouses and children of cadres from engaging in business or running enterprises.

As the saying goes, behind every new regulation, there are always some outrageous things happening.

Back when the "Silly Melon Seeds" scandal was making headlines across the country, many government officials were taking on side jobs and going into business. That was the absurd situation at the time.

Moreover, after the regulations were introduced, it was explicitly stated that "previous cases will not be investigated."

Imagine this: a member of the organizing committee and referee of a sports meet, yet he participated in the competition, and he was still in charge of the crucial competition equipment...

Anyway, even if Chen Fan had known about this beforehand, he wouldn't dare to do anything. At most, he would just remind the people around him that the window of opportunity is rare, and they should do whatever they want as soon as possible, as long as they don't get involved in the "eight down" (a euphemism for sexual misconduct).

……

We chatted for a while and soon arrived at the movie theater.

Outside the movie theater, a long queue had already formed. Just like last time, those who had bought tickets were eagerly queuing at the entrance, while those who hadn't bought tickets were densely packed at the ticket window. Some were even waving 3 cents and shouting, "I want movie tickets! I want movie tickets! I want movie tickets!"

Chen Fan parked the car some distance from the movie theater, and the five of them walked over together, queuing up at the back of the line to wait to enter.

A short while later, a large crowd poured out of the exit.

Immediately, someone outside shouted, "Comrade, how was the movie? Was it good?"

Some young men and women couldn't help but share with strangers immediately, exclaiming, "It's beautiful, especially beautiful!"

"The scenery is beautiful, and the people are beautiful too, especially the female lead, who is particularly beautiful and has the same temperament as an overseas Chinese who has returned to China."

"The story is great; the male and female leads fall in love at first sight..."

Before he could finish speaking, someone in the queue shouted, "Don't spoil it, I want to see it for myself."

Someone nearby laughed and said, "Haven't you read the original novel? You're giving away spoilers. Everyone knows how the plot goes."

This remark immediately drew laughter.

Safety took the lead, followed closely by Yu Keying, then the two sisters Jiang Tiantian and Jiang Lili, with Chen Fan bringing up the rear, protecting the two girls closely.

Jiang Lili turned her head and chuckled softly, "What do you think would happen if they knew the original author was right here?"

Chen Fan was enjoying the freedom of being famous yet undisturbed when he heard this, and quickly covered her mouth, saying, "You mustn't say anything like that."

Jiang Lili's eyes narrowed, she turned around, put her arm around her sister's shoulder, and followed the group inside.

Two hours later, they walked out with the crowd, and the scene was repeated in front of the movie theater, except that the original author was no longer in line.

He first drove the couple home. After the car stopped, Anquan opened the car door, turned to look at Chen Fan, and said, "How about coming to my house for dinner tonight?"

Yu Keying nodded repeatedly, "It's perfect timing, my mother-in-law is here, and her cooking is delicious."

Chen Fan smiled and shook his head, "I haven't even prepared a gift for my goddaughter, how can I come empty-handed? I'll come to see her another day, when you're not so busy and the little princess is a little older."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Hey, I warned you all before, babies have weak immune systems. If any relatives or friends want to kiss them, you have to stop them. Better safe than sorry, remember?"

Yu Keying made a gesture and laughed, "How could I forget what the emergency specialist said? Besides me, even Lao An has never kissed her. And my parents, my in-laws, they all refrained from kissing her after hearing that you told them to."

Security adopted a stern expression to demonstrate its commitment.

Chen Fan smiled and nodded, "That's fine then."

The group then waved goodbye.

Chen Fan pulled the two sisters along and drove towards home.

After a while, he suddenly said, "Um, the bed at home seems a bit small. How about we go to the No. 1 Department Store and pick out a big bed, and also buy a Simmons mattress?"

The beds in the house are all old-fashioned canopy beds bought from Huaiguo. They look nice and are very comfortable to sleep in, but they are too small. They are only a little over 1.3 meters wide, but that is the widest bed board. They are fine for one person, but too crowded for two more.

There's no way around it; almost all old-fashioned wooden beds are like this. The beds that emperors slept on in the Forbidden City were even narrower, only about 90 centimeters wide, because these narrow beds were "long and thin," which represented "longevity."

It was indeed inconvenient, so Chen Fan thought of going to a foreign-related store to buy a Western-style king-size bed and a Simmons mattress. It would be so bouncy and comfortable. Just thinking about it made him feel great.

Upon hearing his words, the two sisters blushed instantly.

Jiang Tiantian kept her head down and didn't dare to say a word, while Jiang Lili took a deep breath and said, "No."

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow, rolled his eyes, smacked his lips, and laughed, "It's fine if we don't change. We can just squeeze in a bit to make it warmer."

Jiang Lili's eyes widened. Is that what I meant?

Chen Fan ignored her, beaming with excitement as he sped along, slamming on the gas pedal. "Watching a movie is so tiring. I'll just heat up the leftovers later, have a quick dinner, and then get some rest."

He arrived at his doorstep quickly, but before he could even finish his excitement, his face fell as he stared blankly at the person standing at the gate of the yard. Why was she here?

(End of this chapter)