Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

"Dongzi, do you want to work at the coal shop?"

After finishing his sentence, the eldest brother, Li Weiguo, scratched his head, looking worried, and said, "But all the positions at the coal shop are full. They're only hiring temporary workers to deliver coal now, so maybe..."

Li's father interrupted his eldest son, angrily cursing, "Can he be a coal deliveryman? A basket of coal weighs at least 50 jin. That bastard of a third son is notorious in Changping. He spends all his time cutting pig feed with a bunch of kids. You don't think before you speak!"

As Li's father spoke, he recalled the first time he went to Zhoujia Village in Changping to meet his in-laws. He was so embarrassed by what the villagers were saying that he wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

Sitting at the small dining table, Li Xiangdong felt both frustrated and embarrassed...

We can't let his father continue talking.

"Dad, did you know that the neighborhood committee has job openings for the railway system?"

As soon as Li Xiangdong spoke, the room fell silent, and even his father stopped glaring at him angrily.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.

"Is that so?" Brother Li asked, somewhat puzzled.

Li Xiangdong nodded affirmatively; he remembered this matter very clearly.

In his past life, unable to resist his family's persistent pleading, he went to the neighborhood office and started working as a popcorn popper.

Not long after, he received news from his childhood friend that some of the educated youth who had returned to the city and were resettled by the street office had obtained recruitment quotas in the railway system.

If he were given a second chance at life, and he knew there were better jobs out there, wouldn't it be foolish not to try and get one?

Mr. Li frowned and asked, "Where did you get this information from?"

"Analyzed."

That's all Li Xiangdong could say...

Amidst the suspicious gazes of the crowd, he continued, "There are three policies regarding the resettlement of educated youth returning to the city for work."

"Children taking over their parents' jobs is not worthwhile for my father, who will retire in a few years. Taking over his job early is not a good idea, so we are not considering it."

"Another thing is developing collective industries, such as sharpening scissors and knives, popping popcorn, street barbering, etc. Oh, right, last year people started selling big bowls of tea on Qianmen Street, that's also a collective industry."

"The most crucial point is the last one: all government agencies should expand their recruitment quotas and encourage three people to do the work of one person and five people to share the meals of three people."

“Think about it. The Beijing Railway Station is near our home. Even if they are absorbing the workers within the railway system, they can’t be too greedy. They will definitely recruit a group of educated youth returning to the city from society. Our street office has the authority to assist in management, so it’s perfectly normal for them to have a few recruitment slots.”

The people inside were stunned by Li Xiangdong's performance after hearing his analysis.

This was the first time the youngest son had spoken so seriously and logically in front of them.

Everyone looked at him differently now.

Zhou Yuqin, who was eavesdropping behind the door of the inner room, felt as if she was meeting her man for the first time.

Ordinary people like them are busy making a living all day long, and they don't have the time or the inclination to think about the intricacies of policies.

But Li Xiangdong's analysis makes sense; this matter cannot be examined too closely, and the more you think about it, the more likely it is to be true.

Mr. Li took out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and looked very serious.

"What the third brother said makes sense, but it's just his analysis. We don't know if it's really true."

“You all keep your mouths shut and don’t gossip. If it’s not true, then so be it, but if it is, we need to think of something to do.”

Li's mother and her brothers and sisters-in-law nodded quickly, knowing the seriousness of the matter.

Li's mother was a little anxious. "Honey, you need to hurry up and find someone to ask around about this."

Li's father didn't speak. He knew this matter needed to be addressed quickly, but to get this kind of information, he needed to find someone knowledgeable.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Why haven't our old man and woman come back yet?"

There was no meat in the family meals, and the children kept asking for meat every day. Old Mr. and Mrs. Li felt sorry for the children, so they went to the market before dawn to queue up for meat.

This phenomenon of queuing up to buy meat before dawn will be alleviated in January next year when Beijing abolishes the policy of rationing meat purchases. This adjustment is specifically for meat products.

"I guess they'll be back soon. I'll go to the alley entrance to greet them."

After finishing his sentence, Li Weiguo, the eldest brother, walked straight out.

Having not seen them for decades, Li Xiangdong was quite looking forward to seeing his grandparents again.

My grandfather passed away in 1990. On the night of his funeral, my grandmother held his hand and sat with him all night before passing away.

Hearing that the elderly couple had gotten up early to queue for meat, Li Xiangdong worriedly said, "They're both over 150 years old combined. Why are they getting up so early? They should sleep a little longer. What if they fall in the dark?"

Li's mother was immediately displeased by his words and glanced at him, "Who are you talking about? There is a lazy person in the family, but he has a gold nugget hidden on the kang (a heated brick bed) and is reluctant to get off the kang all day long."

"cough cough"

Li Xiangdong couldn't help but cough twice.

Li's father and brothers had to go to work, his wife and sisters-in-law had to take care of the children, and his mother had to cook, so he was the only one who slept in every day.

"I'll go out and take a look too."

Feeling extremely embarrassed, Li Xiangdong got up, dusted himself off, and walked outside.

He had just reached the screen wall when he encountered Old Lady Li, who was carrying a cloth bag and walking unsteadily. He quickly stepped forward to help her up and took the cloth bag from her.

Grandma Li has a full head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles. She smiles whenever she sees him.

"Dongzi, have you had breakfast yet? You must eat breakfast, it's bad for your stomach if you don't."

“I don’t know how much hardship you’ve endured these past few years in the countryside. You were so thin when you came back recently.”

If Li's father heard this, he would be furious. He had been sending money every month without fail!

Moreover, the educated youth had holidays, and Li Xiangdong would go home from time to time. Even if others couldn't come back, they would still send letters asking for money home.

Besides, Li Xiangdong didn't lose weight. He's the kind of person who can't gain weight no matter what he eats; he's never been fat in his entire life.

Feeling the deep love and care that Grandma Li had for him, Li Xiangdong felt a pang of sadness. He took a deep breath and tried to calm his excited emotions.

"Grandma, I've eaten, I'm full! I've gained quite a bit of weight since I came back."

"Being a little chubby is good."

Grandma Li nodded and whispered, "I saved you a boiled egg. I'll give it to you secretly later."

There was a 1.5-meter-wide open space between the main house and the west wing. Li's father used wood to build a chicken coop in the open space between the main house and the west wing, and raised five old hens inside.

In previous years, it was forbidden to keep them, so they were kept secretly.

Now nobody cares about it anymore, and we don't raise them much anymore, because raising too many would make the smell too strong.

Every day, Li's mother would get up early to feed the chickens, clean the chicken coop, and collect the eggs. When making breakfast, she would boil eggs in hot water to supplement the nutrition of the children in the family.

Li Xiangdong was somewhat amused and exasperated. "You've gotten up early again to collect eggs?"

“I didn’t get up early. Your mother was watching over me this morning. I took it from the cupboard last night after your mother fell asleep.”

Grandma Li truly dotes on her grandson; she's used every trick in the book to ensure he can eat eggs.