My era, 1979!

Chapter 78 First be a senior, then a junior

The next day.

Xu Chengjun stood at the intersection when the bell of Jing'an Temple struck ten times.

He had food coupons, cloth coupons, and other items in his pocket.
Old Zhu insisted on giving him industrial coupons and cloth coupons.

The old man said, "It's not easy to come to Shanghai. My parents are worried about me, and I have brothers and sisters. I always want to bring something back with me. I can't even afford to eat, wear, and use these things by myself. So please take them."

Xu Chengjun was moved.

Although the care is accompanied by expectations, the emotions it contains are genuine.

Let's write more papers to repay his kindness.

This elderly man, who lived through the late Qing Dynasty, was also long-lived. In his previous life, he lived to be over 90 years old, and one can still see many traces left by Xu Chengjun in that era.

"Xu, you're here!"

Su Manshu was still wearing that moon-white polyester shirt, the corners of which were lifted by the wind, and a sycamore leaf stuck to the bow at the end of her braid. She wore flared pants on her lower body.

A warm breeze blew, pulling the girl's clothes close to her body, her full breasts creating a soft curve, her waist cinched down, and her legs straight and shapely, the S-shaped curves clearly outlined by the wind, her whole body exuding a vibrant and full-bodied energy.

Stylish, artistic, and sexy.

hiss~
Do you understand the feeling of being the white moonlight?
"Are you really going to Green Wave Corridor?"

"The payment for 'The Fitting Mirror' has arrived; it's enough to eat several times over."

"I said I'd eat at Green Wave Corridor, so thank you Master Su for your help!"

"What Master Su? That's awful!"

"Yes, Master!"

"Who are you calling, Master?"

In 1979, Nanjing East Road didn't have so many neon lights, and the wooden signboard of Green Wave Corridor glowed dark red in the sunset.

When the waiter in his navy blue uniform lifted the curtain, the fragrance of osmanthus mixed with the steam from the steamer wafted out, enveloping the two of them completely.

"Do you two have a reservation?" The waiter's white coat was starched perfectly, and his gaze lingered on Xu Chengjun's cloth shoes.

He glanced at Su Manshu's Shanghai brand watch, as well as her brand-new bell-bottoms and shirt, and became a bit more enthusiastic.

"I didn't make a reservation, but I wanted to try their signature dim sum."

The eight-immortal table by the window was covered with a blue checkered tablecloth, and a vase on the corner of the table held plastic peonies.

As soon as Su Manshu sat down, she flicked her trouser legs; the creases at the knees of her flared trousers hadn't been ironed out yet.

"What do you want?"

Xu Chengjun pushed the menu over; the paper was printed with the words "Prince's Dim Sum Banquet," and next to it was a small note explaining the story: it was specially commissioned for Prince Sihanouk's visit to Shanghai in 1973.

Selling nostalgia is nothing new, no matter the era.

It's the service industry!

Making money doesn't make me feel ashamed.

Su Manshu pointed her finger at the "Osmanthus Rice Cake" row, her eyelashes fluttering: "I'll take this one, and two bowls of plain noodles too."

"That's too little." Xu Chengjun snatched the menu and shouted to the waiter, "Another serving of crab roe xiaolongbao!"

Su Manshu grabbed his arm and waved at the waiter, saying, "He was just joking! We can't eat this much."

Crab roe xiaolongbao is priced at 0.3 yuan per piece, and 1.8 yuan for a basket of 6.

It was really expensive in those days, but Xu Chengjun had never lacked food or clothing since his later life. When he had money in his pocket, he really didn't care about this.

"I have a big appetite!"

"That won't work either!"

"Listen to me this time!"

When the steamer was brought out, it was steaming with white smoke, and the pleats of the crab roe xiaolongbao were pinched like a flower.

Su Manshu's little face was puffed up like a little pufferfish.

Angry!

I tried to coax him for ages, but it didn't work.

In short, it all boils down to: "You're wasting your time!"

Xu Chengjun shrugged.

Xu Chengjun pulled out his trump card from his past life, telling a corny joke: "Let me tell you a little story. Once, when I was going upstairs, I saw an old man carrying things. I saw he was working hard, so I thought I'd help him carry them. But what I blurted out was—"

Su Manshu blinked her big eyes, her anger subsided, and stared at Xu Chengjun.

What?! Can you please tell me already?!
Xu Chengjun: Guess

Su Manshu's face still held a hint of wariness at being "changed the subject," but the anger in her eyes had dissipated, replaced by a touch of helpless curiosity.

"What are you guessing for? This is obviously a slip of the tongue that made you look silly. Did you mean to say 'I'll help you with that,' but you said something else instead?"

Xu Chengjun shook his head, suppressing a laugh: "No, no, guess again."

"If you can't guess, just tell me!"

"What came out of my mouth was: 'Old man, let me help you carry it.'"

"Pfft."

Young girls these days rarely hear such corny jokes, so their anger quickly dissipated. She gave Xu Chengjun a big, irritated glare.

"Don't do it again next time!"

"Okay, Master—hurry up and eat!"

Su Manshu carefully picked one up; the ginger shreds in the vinegar dish were cut as finely as hair.

"Eat slowly, don't burn it."

When the waiter came to refill their tea, he looked at them with a smile.

These days, it's rare for young people to eat out alone, especially when it's just a man and a woman.

Su Manshu subconsciously moved closer to Xu Chengjun, and their knees accidentally touched under the tablecloth.

The osmanthus rice cake was cloyingly sweet, but Xu Chengjun thought it was just right.

When I was working in the countryside in Fengyang, I could only get a few pieces of fruit candy during the Chinese New Year!
It's fucking delicious!
Everything needs to be compared!

It is indeed a bit expensive.

“After Fudan University starts, I’ll take you to the library,” Su Manshu suddenly said. “There are many foreign language journals there, which will help you write your papers.”

"Aren't your economics classes busy?"

“You can skip class.” She stuck out her tongue, then quickly became serious again. “My dad says that in academic pursuits, you have to help each other. That’s how he learned from Mr. Zhu Dongrun.”

What a great example of mutual support!
Does your dad know you're helping each other out like this?
A meal is finished in no time.

Xu Chengjun slumped down there without any regard for his image, thinking about what he would buy for his parents, sister, Qian Ming, Xinghua, and Lao Zhou later.

Su Manshu rolled her eyes.

"Here you go." Xu Chengjun looked down and saw three yuan. He then had Su Manshu secretly hand it to him from under the table.

"What is this for?"

“Here you go. You must need money when you first arrive in Shanghai. If you pay the bill, they'll assume you paid it.” Su Manshu’s big eyes sparkled.

What a chosen, silly girl.

Xu Chengjun shoved him away: "Trying to keep me as a sugar daddy? No way!"

Su Manshu blushed deeply and spat.

The total bill was 2.8 yuan, no food coupons required.

Xu Chengjun paid for it; it's our first time eating out, so I shouldn't let the young girl pay for it!

Although the planned economy was still in place in 1979, the reform and opening up had already begun, and the policy restrictions on grain coupons for high-end restaurants and foreign-related venues were relatively relaxed.

Green Wave Gallery primarily targets high-spending groups such as foreigners and Chinese, and is closer to "market-based consumption." Customers only need to pay in RMB when dining, without needing to provide separate food coupons.

As for foreign exchange certificates, those were introduced after 80.

Before leaving, Su Manshu took out a copy of "A History of Western Aesthetics" from her bag and handed it to Xu Chengjun.

"Master Xu, this is for you. It should be of some use to your writing."

It is indeed somewhat useful; in the future, there will be "literature citations" to criticize those parasites.

As for aesthetics, Zhu Guangqian is the most famous person in China to be involved in this field, but he's not interested in it.

But no matter what kind of master they are, they learn bad things quickly but not good ones.

"Remember to call me 'senior' next time!"

"What senior? I'm a year older than you! You should call me senior sister!"

Eh?
Is this style of yours not bad either?

Okay, let's not talk about starting graduate school.

Be a senior first, then a junior!
One person, multiple roles!
"Alright, Master Xu, I'll head back now."

On the side of the road, Su Manshu, with her long black hair cascading down like a waterfall, stood there gracefully, smiling and waving to Xu Chengjun.

"be careful."

Xu Chengjun snapped out of her reverie, flipped through the book, and saw her handwritten words on the title page: "Thoughts and circumstances go hand in hand, literature carries the Way."

She's really thoughtful.

With another shake, a grain coupon was pulled out—a five-jin national grain coupon.

This girl.

Xu Chengjun hurriedly ran forward a few steps and shouted, "Teacher Su, there are food coupons in the book!"

An elderly man from Shanghai passed by, glanced at Xu Chengjun, and then at Su Manshu.

They're all young people, what teachers are they?

After a long pause, he finally understood, and with a strange grin, muttered, "These young people nowadays really know how to have fun!"

But then Su Manshu waved her hand, her voice soft but firm.

"Keep it for yourself."

"Food coupons are in short supply, and you've just arrived, so you definitely won't have enough."

To be with a rich woman?
Hello, senior!
(End of this chapter)