1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 4 The Situation Has Changed
They worked until four in the afternoon and played chess for more than two hours before Jiang Xian picked up the bucket and ran away.

Take stock of today's harvest.

First of all, the pay for digging earth is one dollar and eighty-four cents, not a cent more or less.

Of course, what is more important is the progress of [Chess] (62/100).

Unlike Jiang Ke's short-lived enthusiasm, this group of unemployed young people are truly obsessed with chess.

Jiang Xian counted on his fingers and estimated that the digging work would take three days in total. At today's speed, by the time this work was done, he would have collected most of the inspiration [chess].

The setting sun falls softly overhead, and the courtyard is filled with all kinds of fragrance.

Who made the stuffing, cooked the kidney beans, cooked the peanuts, cooked the edamame?
"Hey, Mom, did you buy some watermelons?" After returning home, Jiang Xian looked at a black "black bungee" on the table.

There are few varieties of watermelons in Beijing, and the most famous one is the "Black Bengjin" from Panggezhuang in Daxing. It is a very sweet and sandy yellow-fleshed watermelon, named for its extremely dark green skin.

His mother often scolded Jiang Ke: "If you keep running around in the alleys, you'll become a 'black bungee'."

"I didn't buy it. It was given to me by my company." Rao Yuemei wiped her hands with a towel. "Jiang Ke, go to the town by the big pond in the yard."

Jiang Ke went out with a big watermelon in his arms, and Rao Yuemei closed the door. Jiang Xian took a look and immediately understood: his mother had something to say to him.

With his hands behind his back, he sits upright with a well-behaved look on his face.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

Rao Yuemei sighed.

"I, your mother, have been thinking about it today. I will go and get my retirement done tomorrow."

When Jiang Xian heard this, he couldn't sit still anymore.

"Don't worry, how old are you? Why do you want to retire?"

"Look at you, kid." Rao Yuemei glared at him. "When I retire, you will be the perfect person to take over my job."

"Isn't it impossible to answer?"

"The situation is constantly changing. Now the higher authorities have issued another 'Interim Measures'."

"No, I don't agree!"

Rao Yuemei was a worker at the Beijing Garment Factory No. 3, which later became the Great Wall Raincoat Factory that swept the country. At that time, there were contract workers and state workers. Rao Yuemei was a formal state worker.

In the 70s, workers had an extremely high status. Workers, peasants and soldiers dominated society. Workers ranked first and were called the leading class. They had good treatment and high status. They were envied by everyone and had the highest honor. Girls would marry workers first, and factory directors had to endure the workers' disapproval when they went to the workshop.

"You better understand. If you keep sitting here like this, everyone in the yard will gossip about you."

"No, their children are still in the countryside and haven't come back yet. They all have to hope for my well-being."

Rao Yuemei heard it.

Damn, that seems to make some sense.

After holding it in for a long time, he finally said, "I'm too lazy to argue with you. I'll wait for your dad to come back and let him talk."

Jiang Xian nodded quickly and happily, with a smile on his face.

"Okay, don't be angry. Once you have discussed this with my dad, I will definitely obey the organization's arrangements."

"Just give me the skin."

"What shall we eat tonight?"

"Sesame paste mixed with cowpea. We are out of sesame paste at home. Go to Tongrisheng and get a can."

"Got it."

Jiang Xian rode out of the alley in a hurry and managed to get away with it temporarily.

He didn't want to let his mother down and let her retire early.

I don't want to be a worker either.

It is impossible to work part-time.

He just wants to wear a pen on his chest and be a cultured person.

This is popular among educated people nowadays: wear a Zhongshan suit and put a pen in the upper left pocket. One or two pens are fine, but three would be a joke.

One thing at a time, the earth-digging work still needs to be done.

This is not called working.

How can the work of intellectuals be called working?
Collect folk songs! Collect folk songs!
Jiang Xian is strong and nimble, and he is the fastest among the unemployed young people to finish their work.

After finishing the work, he did not go home. Instead, he put away his shovel and pickaxe, covered his bag, and started looking for people to play chess with. He looked like he would not let go of any dog ​​that passed by.

At the end of the day, the educated youth gave him the nickname "chess fanatic".

"Arch the pawn."

"River crossing car."

"Vaulting horse."

"Wrong, wrong, you should take a step back."

Jiang Xian was playing chess when a man nearby reached out and tried to touch his chess piece to express his opinion.

Jiang Xian held him down tightly, not allowing him to move.

“A true gentleman watches chess without speaking. A half-empty pot of water makes no sound but a half-full pot of water makes a clinking sound.” They are all knowledgeable and cultured young people, and they naturally understand what he means when they hear him say this.

It’s okay if you don’t understand.

Although he did not understand Mahayana Buddhism, he knew a little bit about martial arts.

The man withdrew his hand tactfully.

Jiang Xian also moved his hand away and straightened the chess piece.

“It’s still this step.”

He was not in the mood to play around at all. He held his breath and took every step carefully.

After a few more moves, the opponent threw away his chess pieces in frustration.

"I lost, I lost. Your chess skills have improved so fast. You couldn't beat me yesterday."

"I'm lucky today," Jiang Xian said modestly.

After putting away the chess pieces, he took another look at the hint in his mind.

"Inspiration [Chess] progress +1, current progress (78/100)"

The progress is rapid, which is commendable!

Seeing that it was getting late, he got on his bike and ran away.

The horses and chariots on the chessboard were neighing, and the construction site was also in full swing. Looking up at this scene, Jiang Xian, who had just escaped from the border between Chu and Han, felt a little distant.

Nearly 10,000 people participated in the first three projects. At this time, the degree of mechanization was low, and there were very few equipment on the construction site. Most of the projects had to rely on manpower. At a glance, you can see many long "human queues" with workers carrying soil and stones on their shoulders and shouting slogans, which is very spectacular.

People at that time were very simple, had strong faith and were very aware. They engaged in construction almost without considering any reward, just for one idea: to build the first batch of high-rise residential buildings in the capital and break the history of the capital without high-rise buildings!
Everyone believed that this was something that would be remembered forever.

"Comrade Xiao Jiang, are you back?"

The bell of a bicycle next to him rang, and Jiang Xian came to his senses and glanced at Zang Guozhu.

This guy was not an educated youth. He was a chess player who trained in a teahouse. He had participated in competitions before the Buzz Buzz Buzz period and had defeated Hu Ronghua and Yang Guanlin. He cast a shadow of "difficulties in traveling to Beijing" on the chess players in Guangdong and Guangxi at that time.

"Go back, you're done."

"Just finished, do you have any plans for the evening?"

"No, what could be the problem?"

"Then let's find a place to hang out for a while?"

"That's great. I fully agree with it."

The two of them rode their bikes, following the No. 2 trolleybus heading for the zoo from Qianmen, but they couldn't find a suitable place along the way. Finally, they stopped in front of a "Sanyigong" grocery store. Jiang Xian went in and bought a pack of "Haihe" cigarettes.

He skillfully knocked out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep breath, and blew out a smoke ring.

"I give up. I rode all the way but couldn't find a suitable place to play chess."

Zang Guozhu took the cigarette he handed to him.

"Let's go blind."

"Blind chess?"

"I'll go first, seven soldiers advance one step."

Seeing that Zang Guozhu had already made his move, Jiang Xian pondered for a few seconds.

"Cannon two, level three."

"Cannon two level five."

"Elephant three to five."

The two of them fought back and forth for a few times, and there was only a cigarette butt left in Jiang Xian's mouth. He extinguished the cigarette with force and shook his head.

"No, I can't remember. I've forgotten everything."

Surprisingly, even though it was just a blind game, a hint popped up in my mind.

"Inspiration [Chess] progress +1, current progress (79/100)"

Is this okay?

"Let's play again when we have a chance." Zang Guozhu showed regret on his face and took out a booklet from his bag. "I won't smoke your cigarette for nothing. I'll give you a chess manual."

"Don't worry, it's too expensive."

"It's not expensive, it's not expensive. A broken chess manual can't be used as a cigarette or a meal. After all, what can people get from chess? Alas." Zang Guozhu sighed and handed the chess manual to Jiang Xian.

Seeing his tough attitude, Jiang Xian had no choice but to accept it and looked down.

The cover is obviously a disguise.

When I opened it, I found that it was indeed full of mysteries.

The Willow Girl

"what?"

(End of this chapter)