Bai Fumei in the 70’s

Tang Qing happily accepted these pieces of "thank you" food. He unfolded a piece of oil paper to eat on the spot. It was dense and sweet, with a rich bean flavor.

"This is also delicious. I know it. You make treasures here."3

After eating one piece, Tang Qing carefully put the remaining two pieces into his pocket. He asked expectantly, "Can I still come to eat tomorrow?"

Zhao Lanxiang, who received a favor from him, responded without hesitation, "Okay."

Tomorrow she is not going to buy food and meat in the county, but there is still some flour left at home. There should be no problem with one more serving.

Sanya will also go to the ridges and creeks to catch fish, shrimp, and loach. In the past, when there was no oil in the house, Sanya didn't know the benefits of these things. But since Zhao Lanxiang made stewed loach soup, Sanya loves to move these things home, and used a water tank to keep it in her free time when she is not working. Sometimes she would lie down next to the water tank and look at these things with a smile, revealing her longing eyes.14

After Zhao Lanxiang sent away Tang Qing, she went to the warehouse of the brigade and bought a few mangoes.

There are many hills hills here, abundant rain in the rainy season, plenty of sunshine, and although there is little arable land, it has a natural advantage in planting fruit trees. In addition to planting some grain, the commune brigade also planted several fruit trees on the top of the hill. The grain was harvested in the autumn harvest, and the green fruits were picked by the way and transported to the city by car overnight.

She pressed the hard green mango, picked a few soft ones, and paid five cents.

Jiang Jianjun still likes to eat mangoes at this time, but he suffered a serious injury in 1979. After taking the medicine, his skin became allergic to the mangoes after healed. Since then, there has never been any shadow of mangoes at home. Once he accidentally ate a mango-flavored drink, his throat and esophagus were so swollen that he could not breathe, and he almost killed him. This fruit can be regarded as a nightmare shadow for him.

Because she was not sure whether Jiang Jianjun was really as she thought, she planned to test him through Jiang Li.19

...

He Songbai went to the county town with Liang Tiezhu early in the morning.

Tiezhu went to deliver the goods, and he went to find another brother. He walked to a residential house and knocked on the door, and inside he quickly drilled a dumb boy.

He saw He Songbai tentatively and said, "One two three four five."

He Songbai twisted his ears and said, "It's still one, two, three, four, five, don't you recognize me?"

The simple boy scratched his head, smiled happily, and said in a low voice, "Uncle Bai, isn't this saying that you are used to it?"

"Are you here to find my father? He is busy collecting things behind, ready to go out to work."

He Songbai walked in, and the man inside said without turning his head, "I won't accept it today, go back."

The hidden cubicles in the house were full of things, scattered all over the floor, and there was almost nowhere to go. He Songbai knew that they would soon be delivered to customers and sold out soon.

He Songbai said, "I have something to do with you."

The man who was sorting things froze for a moment, and he turned back in surprise, "Oh, how did you come to town?"

"I'm so busy that I can't entertain you well." Li Zhong rubbed his hands and said.2

"The girl you introduced last time, the bean cake she brought was delicious. During this time, many customers asked and wanted to buy some more. You..." His eyes fell on the things on He Songbai's hand, and his eyes lit up.

He Songbai put the 20-pound kidney bean cake in front of Li Zhong and said lightly: "I've given it to you. I have something to do today. I am busy and I am not free. Can you find a way to buy a bicycle?"

Li Zhong thought for a while, patted his head and said, "For these things, you can find me. Although I'm a food seller, I can't get a piece of bicycle, but my uncle sells it. Unfortunately, my uncle just sold one yesterday and it was sold out. This kind of goods is scarce, and only one bike was available."

He paused and added, "This kind of "big thing" has to pass my uncle's hand, it is too hot and easy to be checked."

The "uncle" in Li Zhong's mouth is the fourth uncle. The black market here in Qingmiao County is under the control of the Fourth Uncle. Li Zhong and his fourth uncle have a close relationship, so he even led him to find a way in the black market.

These days, bicycles can be described as "it is hard to find a single product". The entire factory has a few indicators for buying a bicycle every year. After purchasing with a ticket, you must first go to the police station to register and sign up. It is easy for the police to check who loses a bicycle. Only the fourth uncle can "license" the bicycle, and only him can handle this kind of big business.

He Songbai remained silent, if Li Zhong said that there was no bicycle, then there was really no more.

Li Zhong paused and said, "Why, my brother wants to buy a bicycle. Is he coming to do this after he figured it out?"

"If there are new items next time, I will keep them for you, but this thing is a little expensive. Are your money ready?" He held out three fingers, which means three hundred yuans.

Honestly queuing up to buy bicycles with tickets, the price is about 150 or so. The price varies from brand to brand, and good brands are more expensive. The price on the black market is significantly higher, sometimes more than three or four times the price.

Li Zhong said, "Buy the "big golden deer", big golden deer is strong and easy to load, not comparable to the famous brands like "phoenix" and "permanent", but to do our business, you must buy a strong and firm. Yes, you are my own people. I'll keep the price down for you."

He Songbai suddenly felt that the golden leaves and golden beans in his arms are hot, a piece of  gold leaves is 5 grams and a piece of golden beans is 8 grams. The price of gold was about 20 yuan per gram. He made a quick mental calculation. It would not be a problem to buy a car if the gold hadn't been squeezed. On the contrary... with what he has in his arms, he probably couldn't afford a bicycle.

He Songbai is very silent.

Li Zhong has many insights and bright eyes. He soon saw He Songbai's dilemma.

He said. "Looking at the relationship between you and me. My brother, I have to give you a cheaper price. The 300 yuan I just said is for selling outside, and I can get it for you for 200 yuan."

Li Zhong didn't say the complete truth.

In fact, the price of bicycles on the black market is definitely going to rise by 355. How can we save the money for licensing the bicycles by favors and relations? Two hundred yuan is a price that even his own family can't buy. Li Zhong planned to secretly subsidize fifty yuan to buy it and sell the bicycle to He Songbai. With the loyalty of fighting and drinking together at the beginning, how can his brother be in a state of despair.