A nation's industrial development begins with junior engineers.

Xu Damao took advantage of the dim light and wandered out of the courtyard gate again.

Thinking that 50 of that 200 yuan belonged to me, I straightened my back considerably.

"Hey, Damao? Heading out?"

The third uncle, who had just finished class, bumped right into Xu Damao.

"Haven't you been showing movies in the countryside lately?"

"Hey, Uncle San, stop looking. There's no work these days. Everyone's just sitting around at the factory!"

Xu Damao shook his hands, indicating that his hands were empty.

Seeing that there was really no profit to be made, Yan Fugui clicked his tongue and let Xu Damao go.

"Oh, right, Damao. There's a discussion and learning session tonight, remember to come back early for it!"

Hearing that there was a discussion and study session, Xu Damao quickened his pace. The factory loudspeakers had been broadcasting warnings about enemy agents every day for the past few days; he was already tired of it.

Besides, isn't it nice to listen to the gentle female voice on the radio? Why bother listening to you men nagging?

Especially that second uncle, who doesn't know all the characters, but loves to show off. He always insists on reading documents aloud, and his voice sounds like a gramophone that's stuck. It's really annoying.

After leaving the courtyard, Xu Damao walked along the alley and soon arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative in Jiaodaokou.

In response to the call these past few days, the supply and marketing cooperative has been closing an hour and a half later.

Because the higher authorities just issued a document requiring a "two-pronged approach," meaning that some goods can be allocated using vouchers, while others should be available to anyone with cash.

Jiaodaokou Supply and Marketing Cooperative, as the largest supply and marketing cooperative in this area, responded to the call from higher authorities and became the "first pilot unit".

(This system was proposed by the Vice Premier on January 19, 1961, and implemented in early February. There were indeed pilot units before its implementation, and there were no problems.)

At this moment, the supply and marketing cooperative was bustling with people, all eyeing the high-end pastries and candies. Some people were even buying ten kilograms at a time.

This was despite the salesperson's best efforts to stop it; some people were asking for 100 jin (50 kg) right off the bat.

"Tsk! 'Retained salary'!"

As a marginal figure in the arts and culture circle, Xu Damao knew the inside story.

For example, actors in certain theatrical genres earn more than 1700 yuan in salary alone, of which more than 1300 yuan is retained salary.

Some families of three can hire two nannies.

Some families of six can spend more than 100 yuan on a single meat meal.

An actor in Tianjin even takes his dog to the barbershop for a haircut.

As for the saying we often use to make fun of, "Buy two bowls of soy milk, eat one, and throw the other away," it all has a real-life origin and source.

Therefore, there was a reason why this group of people suffered a terrible fate a few years later.

Xu Damao suppressed his urge to rush to buy things, lit a cigarette, and turned into a small alley.

After walking a few more steps, a small shop with a cloth banner hanging at the entrance came into view.

Xu Damao plunged in headfirst.

The shop wasn't big; there were four or five tables in the main room, and a few people dressed in patched clothes were sitting scattered around.

A bowl of water and wine was passed around among the group of people, who drank from it.

Hey guys, wanna do some odd jobs?

One of the leaders looked up and said, "Hey, isn't this Comrade Xu Damao, the projectionist? What good jobs do you have for us?"

"Small job, tidy up three rooms."

"Tsk, Xu Damao, are you making fun of us? If you're so capable, why don't we sign up with the neighborhood committee to form a construction team instead of carrying heavy loads at the grain store?"

"Hey, just paint the walls and fix the beams, as long as it's habitable! It's not like we're rebuilding it from scratch! My friend just doesn't have the money!"

"No money? If you don't have money to clean the house, why are you just trying to play with us!"

"Hey, I live in that courtyard house, the front yard has an east wing, three rooms in total. Guys, how much would it cost to renovate it?"

The leader hesitated for a moment and looked at his buddies.

A young man nodded repeatedly at him, while gesturing with his palm.

The leader nodded and said to Xu Damao, "Five yuan per person! No ingredients included!"

Xu Damao counted the people at the table and readily nodded in agreement.

"Six people, thirty in total. What else do you need? Just some whitewash to whitewash the walls."

"How about this, I'll add 3 yuan for the lime, and you can help me with the job, okay?"

"Okay! But you have to pay a deposit first!"

Xu Damao, his long face contorted with rage, retorted, "What, you looking down on me? We're respectable people, why would we be shortchanged by you for such a small amount of money!"

He then laid out two large black tens and slammed them heavily on the table.

"Remember to do it tomorrow!"

He turned and prepared to leave.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, he went back to the counter of the tavern and grabbed a handful of spiced beans. He pointed to the table of people at that table and told the waiter.

"Put the blame on them!"

Only then did he proudly raise his head and walk out of the room.

He didn't notice that two old men were sitting at a table in the corner, staring at him.

"The one looking at timber, is this the kid you told me about, Master Jiang, who's not building houses anymore?" Old Wang, the gatekeeper of the neighborhood office, looked thoughtfully at the departing figure.

Old Tian used his fingers to push up his black-rimmed glasses, which were about to slip off.

"Tsk, I thought the eldest sister had made arrangements for Comrade Xiao Jiang, but I didn't expect that horse-faced guy would turn around and come here looking for someone?"

"Are they still looking for destitute people?"

Old Wang scoffed, "You timber dealer, you're getting worse and worse. You think you can be fooled by such a simple trick?"

"Isn't it obvious? That horse-faced guy probably swindled Young Master Jiang out of his money, trying to get a double paycheck! Humph!"

Then, he gestured towards the table next to him, and the two burly men beside the table nodded in understanding.

He reached up and pulled his felt hat down a little, then followed Xu Damao out of the tavern.

"You boxer, you just got a lesson, can't you just shut up for a bit?"

Grandpa Wang glanced at him and said, "It's nothing, just getting Little Jiang's money back."

"Hey, the fifth king of Tongbei boxing, he's got the guts to stand up for the weak now? That's surprising!"

Ignoring Old Man Tian, ​​Grandpa Wang silently finished the wine in front of him.

"Do you know who Young Master Jiang is to my eldest sister?"

"apprentice?"

"Ha, he was raised like a son!"

Old Tian didn't reply.

"Tsk~~, why don't you do something about the people over there?" As he spoke, Old Man Tian gestured with his eyes to the table of people who were asking the waiter to help them with their change.

"I'm just a miserable person, it's not worth it."

As he spoke, Grandpa Wang got up, humming a little tune, and went out the door.

"The peach leaves are so pointed, and the willow leaves cover the whole sky."

O wise and enlightened one in that position, listen carefully to what I have to say.

This whole thing happened in Lan Dian Chang, west of Beijing. In Lan Dian Chang's gun emplacement, there lived a man named Wang Laosan.

Speaking of Wang Laosan, he and his wife sold opium. They had no sons their whole lives, only a daughter named Chanjuan…”

Watching Grandpa Wang walk away,

Old Man Tian slowly shook his head: "Who's talking about someone whose life isn't hard?"

Then she hummed a couple of lines: "At the first watch of the night, the girl's tears flowed freely. She thought of her second parents, who loved to smoke opium..."

Grandpa Wang hadn't walked far with his hands behind his back when two figures followed him.

"Third Master, it's done. This was taken from that kid."

Grandpa Wang glanced at it from the side and then turned his head away.

"No bleeding, right?"

"They gave that bastard a good beating, covered him with a burlap sack, and couldn't see him clearly."

"Let's collect some grain and send it to Master Jiang when the weather clears up."

"Ah! I understand!" (Third tone)

The group walked silently, and in the night sky, the sound of Grandpa Wang humming a little tune drifted up again.

"What a loving couple they were, they jumped into the river together. The devoted woman and the passionate man composed a little song to explore the clear waters of the river."