Return to the 1982 Staff Compound

Chapter 18 Let’s do business

"Huozi, do you want to do business?"

Ding Yu looked at him in surprise.

"Well, I'll make some pocket money. You can lend me these tapes to make copies later."

"No problem, you can take this recorder too, just don't break it."

Ding Yu turned his head to look at the stairs behind him. After making sure that his elder brother had not come down, he lowered his voice and said to Qiu Huoming: "I have 80 yuan of private money. If you are short of money, I can support you."

"Fuck, big guy!"

Qiu Huoming thought of the fifty cents in his pocket. It was true that comparing yourself with others makes you feel nauseous.

"I happen to know the workshop director of a welfare printing factory. I can take you to him. It's not just a matter of price. If your quantity is small, many places will not print for you."

Gu Xiaoran interrupted.

Qiu Huoming's heart warmed up. He glanced at the two of them and said loudly, "Then I won't be polite."

Ding Yu ran into the kitchen and made three cups of malted milk. Qiu Huoming took a sip. This thing he had only seen on TV actually tasted delicious.

The three of them huddled in the living room, listening to music and chatting, until the wall clock suddenly rang.

Gu Xiaoran glanced at the time, put the two tapes in her pocket and stood up.

"It's already five o'clock. I want to go home."

"Come along, I want to go back too."

Qiu Huoming also stood up.

"Huozi, please send classmate Gu back home." Ding Yu said with some lingering feeling.

Qiu Huoming looked at Gu Xiaoran.

She smiled and said, "Okay."

Twenty minutes later, Qiu Huoming looked at the familiar wall and the gate in front of him, and he was almost certain of Gu Xiaoran's identity.

"You live here. This is a good location, quiet in a busy city."

Qiu Huoming pushed the cart and stopped only when he saw her reach the gate of the yard.

She turned to Qiu Huoming and said, "This is my grandma's house."

"How many granddaughters does your grandmother have?"

"It's just me. Also, my grandma has passed away."

Qiu Huoming's eyebrows jumped, and he said softly: "My condolences."

"It's been a long time, I'm not sad anymore. Thank you today, goodbye." She waved her hand and pushed open the gate. With a creaky sound, the iron gate was pushed open to leave a gap as wide as a person, revealing the messy flowers and plants inside.

Qiu Huoming saw her go in, then he turned the bike around and rode back.

Before I got home, I saw Zhang Yougen standing at the door of a grocery store smoking at the gate of the compound. Opposite him stood a plump young woman. The two seemed to be arguing, and both of them had ugly expressions.

When Qiu Huoming was about to ride downhill towards the iron gate of the compound, he was called by his name. Qiu Huoming propped up his bicycle with one foot and asked, "Brother Yougen, what's the matter?"

"I'll give you two movie tickets for tomorrow. No one can see my kindness anyway, so I'd rather give it to my brothers than to others."

As Zhang Yougen spoke, he took out two tickets from his pocket. The woman next to him suddenly had red eyes and was about to cry.

Qiu Huoming said hurriedly: "Brother Yougen, I have seen it, you can go and see it with your girlfriend."

"The little sister is so pretty, Brother Yougen, please comfort her."

After Qiu Huoming said this, he immediately didn't even raise his head, and with a "squeak", the car passed them and drove quickly towards the big iron gate.

The woman's crying voice came from behind, "Even a child knows to coax..."

Qiu Huoming was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat. How come people want to cheat even children these days?

Anyway, he is not even 18 years old, so it might be reasonable for him to call himself a child.

It gets dark quickly in the evening and it is already dark before six o'clock.

Chen Suniang had already returned home and started to get busy as soon as she got back.

After dinner, the family sat in the living room. Chen Suniang opened the door and pushed the sewing machine in the bedroom to the door, where the light was brighter.

The underwear worn by the family members was all sewed by her personally. Qiu Jianshe stood by her side holding a magazine.

At the table in the living room, the older sister and the younger sister were doing their homework.

Qiu Huoming went back to his room and took out the political textbook and left it in the living room to read it.

The sound of sewing machines and the sound of turning pages of books could be heard in the room.

It seemed that the college student next door was back, whistling and sounding in a good mood.

Various sounds converge in the compound. To Qiu Huoming, these sounds are as if he is seeing the colorful life in the compound.

He had just been reading for about half an hour when he heard hurried footsteps coming from the door.

Then a familiar man's voice sounded: "Jianshe, his aunt, are you home?"

Qiu Huoming frowned and looked at his father.

Qiu Jianshe put down the magazine and walked around Chen Suniang who was standing at the bedroom door, saying, "Hey, it's big brother. I'm here. Wait a minute."

Chen Suniang put down the work in her hands and looked towards the door.

Qiu Jianjun and Qiu Sheng were standing there holding a net bag.

The things in the net bag looked familiar. They were clearly the fruits that Chen Suniang had confiscated that day. The skins were already a little shriveled.

"Uncle, Brother Qiu Sheng." The eldest sister called out to the youngest sister, then stood up, obediently put away the homework on the table and went back to her room.

Qiu Huoming endured it and called out, "Uncle, Qiu Sheng."

"Come in and sit down." Qiu Jianshe welcomed the father and son into his home and pulled out the chairs placed beside the table for them to sit down.

"Huo Ming is here too." The eldest uncle looked at him with a smile, then looked at Qiu Jianshe and said, "I came here today because of what I told you last time."

"After studying, you still have to work, and there is an opportunity right in front of you." After he said that, he paused and looked at Qiu Huoming again.

Qiu Huoming did not respond, and continued to stare at the political book in his hand as if nothing had happened.

"What opportunity?" Qiu Jianshe took over.

"The chemical factory is recruiting, and young men like Huo Ming are the most popular. I signed him up, and I'll have the result on Monday."

When Qiu Huoming heard this, his mind exploded. This chemical plant was where his original body had worked in his previous life. Not only did they work in three shifts, but it was also extremely tiring.

"That's great, then let Qiu Sheng go. Also, why did you sign up for me?" Qiu Huoming stood up suddenly.

"Huo Ming, speak properly!"

Qiu Jianshe shouted hurriedly, and Qiu Huoming stood there and looked at him.

He turned his head to look at Qiu Jianjun, with a hint of displeasure on his face, "Brother, why didn't you discuss this matter with us?"

"Opportunities like this are hard to come by, so of course we should take it first." Qiu Jianjun had a look on his face that said "I'm doing this for your own good."

Chen Suniang suddenly stood up and said, "Our Huo Ming is right. Why don't you give such a good opportunity to Qiu Sheng? He grew up in the countryside and did a lot of farm work. His physique is suitable for this."

Qiu Jianjun was immediately unhappy. "My son has good grades. It would be a waste if he doesn't study. Your Huo Ming can't get into college anyway, so why can't he take care of his brother? How can you be so selfish?"

Qiu Sheng sat next to him. Although he didn't say anything, his expression clearly showed that he agreed with what his father said. He looked around the simple living room and his eyes stopped when he saw the bicycle placed in the corner.

Qiu Jianshe's face flushed red, "Brother, that... that can't be said."

"Second cousin, did your family buy a new car?" Qiu Sheng's timid voice sounded.

"How can I afford it? Huo Ming borrowed it from a classmate." Chen Suniang answered patiently.

Qiu Sheng stopped talking after asking this question. Qiu Jianjun reiterated, "This is really an opportunity. Think about it. I'll come back on Monday."

He and Qiu Sheng stood up and walked out.

Qiu Huoming picked up the net bag he had placed on the table and stuffed it into Qiu Sheng's hand, "Take the things away, and don't come on Monday. In a word, we don't want to!"

The younger sister who was eavesdropping in the bedroom raised her right hand, counted on her fingers and whispered to her elder sister, "We don't want to, it's not the same word..."