Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 997 Arriving in Shanghai and checking into the Jinjiang Hotel, then heading to Fudan University in a Hongqi sedan (Bonus chapter for monthly pass holders: 4K chapters)

The last time I came to the Capital International Airport in Shunyi, I was picking up Professor Yu Chuan and Professor Cheng. They were returning from Japan and were transiting through Shanghai before flying to the capital.

Beijing Capital International Airport was expanded in 1965 and became my country's first airport capable of accommodating large jet airliners.

The changes since my last visit are quite significant. The surrounding farmland has been occupied, and it seems that airport facilities are under construction. These changes show that the reform and opening-up policy is quietly approaching.

After getting out of the car, Secretary Zhou glanced at the time and said to Fang Yan:

"The leaders must have boarded the plane already, we need to hurry."

Fang Yan nodded, picked up his bag, and followed Secretary Zhou into the building.

The airport terminal still retains the Soviet style from fifty years ago, with pale yellow brick walls worn smooth by time.

Secretary Zhou led Fang Yan through the hall, the wooden floorboards thumping underfoot. On the walls, propaganda posters depicted workers pushing machine tools, with slogans such as "Grasp revolution, promote production, promote work, and promote war preparedness."

There was a wooden table at the security checkpoint, where inspectors wearing white gloves were rummaging through luggage.

Secretary Zhou and Fang Yan both presented their identification documents and then underwent inspection.

Upon seeing the silver needles in the bag, he deliberately held them up to the light and asked:

"Comrade, is this a medical device?"

Fang Yan pointed to his work ID, and the inspector nodded and wrote "One box of silver needles, traditional Chinese medicine instruments" in the register.

After passing through security, Fang Yan and his companions headed straight for the boarding gate.

An Il-18 passenger plane was parked at the boarding gate, its fuselage gilded by the morning light, and its propeller blades turning gently in the wind.

Two ground crew members in military uniforms stood by the gangway. When they saw Fang Yan and Secretary Zhou approaching, they immediately stood at attention and saluted.

Fang Yan checked the time; there were still more than twenty minutes until takeoff.

The two quickly boarded the plane.

As soon as he entered the plane, Fang Yan smelled a mixture of leather and gasoline. The seats were made of dark green artificial leather, and the backrests were covered with white gauze covers.

Director Liao, sitting in the front row, waved to Fang Yan:

"Fang Yan, come sit here."

"Okay! Coming!" Fang Yan replied and walked over with Secretary Zhou.

At this point, Fang Yan realized that there were only about twenty people on the plane, which meant that this was a chartered flight?
It's worth noting that this aircraft's standard layout can accommodate 64 passengers, while the domestically improved version can accommodate even more.

With only about twenty people flying to Shanghai, the cabin felt quite empty.

Of course, it's also possible that there are simply fewer people who can afford to fly these days, so having only twenty-odd people is already quite a lot.

Fang Yan didn't ask any questions and went straight to sit down next to Director Liao.

After sitting down, Fang Yan noticed a wicker suitcase on the empty seat next to him.

This thing won't fit on the luggage rack, so I have to put it underneath.

Seeing Fang Yan's gaze, Director Liao said:
"These are gifts for old friends in Shanghai."

"Find a place for your bag too!"

Fang Yan nodded, and at this moment Secretary Zhou said:

"I'll put it in!"

After speaking, he took the bag from Fang Yan and placed it on the side.

"Have you arranged everything regarding work?" Director Liao asked Fang Yan.

"Mm." Fang Yan nodded.

Director Liao smiled at Fang Yan and said:
"That's alright then, we'll be in Shanghai soon, don't be nervous!"

Fang Yan wasn't nervous, but mainly realized that the seatbelt was a two-point type, and she hadn't quite realized it yet.

Director Liao chuckled and said that speaking in dialects just makes one nervous.

As far as he knew, Fang Yan had never been on an airplane.

He didn't say anything, picked up a document and started reading. Fang Yan glanced at it and found that it was a cooperative project between overseas Chinese businessmen in Guangzhou.

It's not far from Fang Yan's warehouse park.

They were in the food processing business, supplying Hong Kong specifically to earn foreign exchange.

At 8:40, the propeller suddenly accelerated, emitting a deafening roar.

Fang Yan gripped the armrest of his seat tightly and saw the ground crew outside the window retreat beyond the safety line and raise a green signal flag.

The plane jolted violently and lurched forward on the runway. The terminal building outside the window gradually shrank to the size of a matchbox.

A short while later, the plane took off.

Looking out the porthole, Fang Yan saw the capital city in 1978. The city walls had shrunk to thin gray lines, and the moat, like a silver ribbon, wrapped around large areas of gray-tiled and white-walled courtyards.

As the plane climbed to 3000 meters, the clouds stretched out like a cotton-like ocean beneath our feet.

Sunlight streamed in through the porthole, casting dappled patterns of light onto the aluminum cutlery on the small table.

The flight attendants pushed a metal food cart over and gave each person a compressed biscuit, a small bottle of orange soda, an introduction to the aircraft, and a copy of today's newspaper.

The dialect was picked up and looked at; it introduced:

The Il-18 is a four-engine turboprop short-range passenger aircraft developed by the Ilyushin Design Bureau of the Soviet Union. It is one of the main civil aircraft models of the Soviet Union and socialist countries, and is widely used for military transport and government special missions.

The prototype successfully completed its maiden flight on July 4, 1957, and entered service with Soviet civil aviation in 1959.

Besides the Soviet Union, it was exported to more than 30 countries including China, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

I didn't look at the more detailed dialect descriptions.

Then, Fang Yan looked at today's new newspaper.

The notice from the 10th National Congress of the Communist Youth League decided to resume publication of the magazines *China Youth* and *China Youth Daily*. These two publications had been forced to cease publication for 12 years during the turmoil.

After resuming publication, we began soliciting various submissions.

Fang Yan nodded. His younger brother had already received the notification that he needed to write an article and submit it.

Once these two magazines are revived, they will quickly become important strongholds for the ideological liberation movement, and leading authors like my little brother should reap considerable benefits from this era.

In addition, this morning, Comrade Hua paid an official friendly visit to the neighboring country of Japan, where a series of activities were carried out.

In 1978, Japan's development level was quite good, and it was in a relatively leading position in Asia at that time, with an urbanization rate of 70%.

That year, the per capita GDP reached 600 US dollars, while at that time, the per capita GDP of China was only 245 yuan.

With the help of Russian aid and their own efforts, they achieved economic take-off, importing oil and raw materials from Russia at cost price, processing them into finished products, and selling them at high prices to other COMECON member countries.

Furthermore, with the help of the Russians, they established a relatively complete industrial system.

By the 60s, the country had achieved full electrification, and by the end of the 70s, it had basically achieved full mechanization of agricultural production. 95% of rice transplanting, 80% of harvesting, and all agricultural irrigation were done by machine. In addition, there was a fertilizer plant built with aid from Russia. The annual grain output reached 800 million tons, which enabled the country to be self-sufficient and to export some of its produce.

Moreover, North Korea's social security system was very comprehensive at the time, with free education from kindergarten to university, and students were provided with clothing and other daily necessities.

If you count the days, they still have several good years ahead of them.

In addition, the newspaper also reported that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry had submitted a request for instructions.

The detailed report is titled "Request Report on the Establishment of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences".

The dialect inexplicably reminded me of hybrid rice. In 1976, hybrid rice was widely promoted throughout the country and began to be used in production nationwide. In other words, Mr. Yuan should have already achieved results by then, but it seems he also developed a skin disease...

After reading the newspaper for a while, Fang Yan started to get bored. He checked the time and realized it was still early.

Outside the window was a sea of ​​clouds, with occasional glimpses of China's magnificent landscape below. Fang Yan had originally intended to meet the older colleagues, but found them all asleep.

Fang Yan had no choice but to close his eyes and rest.

At 11 a.m., the plane was circling over Shanghai Hongqiao Airport.

Looking out the porthole, Fang Yan saw the Huangpu River like a turbid jade belt, with factory buildings and chimneys standing tall on both banks. The Gothic buildings on the Bund, with their pointed roofs, looked somewhat old in the sunlight.

As the plane descended, a violent jolt shook the fuselage, the tires screeching against the runway. Outside the window, vast rice paddies flashed by, where water buffaloes slowly plowed the fields.

After the plane came to a complete stop, the cabin door opened, and humid air rushed in, carrying the fishy smell of the river.

Director Liao put on sunglasses, pointed to the crowd of people waiting at the airport in the distance, and greeted his old buddies on the plane:
"Look, Old Chen is here."

Following his gaze, Fang Yan saw an elderly man in a Zhongshan suit standing next to a Hongqi sedan, waving a straw hat in his hand. Several young men in blue cloth shirts stood beside him, with red Party badges pinned to their chests.

After descending the gangway and stepping onto the concrete ground, Fang Yan suddenly heard a "clanging" sound coming from afar.

Fang Yan was somewhat taken aback. Could it be a tram?

At this moment, Old Chen quickly stepped forward, grasped Director Liao's hand, and shook it vigorously:
"Old comrade, we've been waiting for you! Go to the Jinjiang Hotel to wash your face first. We'll have a welcome lunch for you. I've prepared some Shanghai specialties for you to try our local fresh produce."

"Alright, there are others too!" Director Liao pointed behind him.

Then Lao Chen greeted his familiar comrades one by one.

Fang Yan couldn't recognize the other leaders present, so he could only wait quietly for everyone to finish exchanging pleasantries. Old Chen warmly invited everyone to set off, and Fang Yan followed the crowd to the parking lot. The midday sun was blazing, casting a long shadow on the ground.

A row of black Hongqi sedans were neatly parked along the roadside outside the airport.

Fang Yan was put into one of the vehicles by the staff, and the convoy slowly started and headed towards the city.

The Jinjiang Hotel, where the group is staying, was founded by Dong Zhujun in 1929.

After being nationalized in 1951, it became a state guesthouse directly managed by higher authorities, mainly responsible for receiving important guests.

The hotel is located at No. 59 Maoming South Road in the city center, adjacent to the bustling Huaihai Road. It is conveniently located and the quiet surrounding environment makes it easy to ensure the confidentiality and security of important events.

The Jinjiang Hotel has witnessed many important diplomatic moments. High-ranking officials have met with foreign guests here on numerous occasions. Nixon, Sihanouk, and others were among the guests who frequented the hotel.

Like the "first guesthouses" of various provinces and cities, such as the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, the Xikang Hotel in Nanjing, and the Zhudao Hotel in Guangzhou, the Jinjiang Hotel, with its special political status and outstanding comprehensive reception capabilities, has become an important window for Shanghai's foreign exchanges.

Upon arriving at the Jinjiang Hotel, my luggage was delivered to my room by a staff member.

Fang Yan and the others went directly into the banquet hall.

Here, they saw food that was very characteristic of Shanghai.

I checked the dialects, and thankfully I loved cooking in my past life, otherwise I really wouldn't recognize them all. Here they are:

Crystal pork jelly, Shanghai braised duck, braised gluten with four kinds of fun, jellyfish with scallion oil, braised pork belly, stir-fried shrimp, steamed shad, braised pork with bamboo shoots and pork, shredded pork with green peppers, bamboo shoot and pigeon egg soup, chicken and turtle soup, fresh meat mooncakes, sweet fermented rice balls, and local Shanghai fruits such as strawberries, cherries, and loquats in early May are all served on enamel plates and equipped with toothpicks.

Unlike northern banquets of the same period, which mostly featured noodles, Shanghai banquets placed greater emphasis on seafood and sweet, fresh ingredients.

The waiters, dressed in blue shirts and white aprons, began serving drinks after Fang Yan and his companions were seated.

Moutai, as the wine served at state banquets, was served at the reception table.

Everyone present was served a small porcelain cup.

Fang Yan was also poured a glass.

Only Director Liao remembered the advice in the dialect and immediately said he couldn't drink it.

Comrade Chen didn't force anyone and drank heartily with the others.

After the meal, the veterans were organized to go for a walk outside, while Director Liao called on Secretary Zhou to go see old friends together.

Fang Yan is now free; from now until 6 p.m., it's his free time.

So he took the things he had given to his second sister, left the Jinjiang Hotel, and prepared to find a place to buy some more things before going to Fudan University to find his second sister.

My second sister is at Fudan University's Handan campus, located at No. 220 Handan Road, YP District.

The straight-line distance from Jinjiang Hotel to here is approximately nine kilometers.

Just as Fang Yan was about to leave, someone called her back. It turned out that a driver and car had been specially arranged for them, so they could go directly there by car.

That is, the Hongqi sedan that picked them up at the airport earlier.

That's good, it saves a lot of trouble with dialects.

Fang Yan told the driver that he needed to buy some gifts first before going to Fudan University.

The driver agreed and immediately drove to Nanjing East Road in Shanghai, also known as "China's No. 1 Commercial Street".

The driver explained in dialect:

"Sir, Nanjing Road is the most bustling commercial street in Shanghai. It is home to many long-established state-owned stores and is recognized for its comprehensive range of products and standardized services. It is the first choice for Shanghainese to shop."

Fang Yan suddenly realized that he had been here in his past life, and at this moment he had a feeling of time and space being disoriented.

Here, Fang Yan bought a bunch of snacks from Taikang Foods, including White Rabbit milk candy and pickled products.

After buying the goods, Fang Yan instructed the driver to head to Fudan University.

As the car turned onto Xizang Middle Road, the Gothic buildings of the Bund revealed their spires in the distance.

Several young men in green military uniforms were gathered around a comic book stall on the street corner. The stall owner was standing on tiptoe, arranging the picture book "Railway Guerrilla" on the bamboo shelf.

Suddenly, the trolley bell rang from behind. Fang Yan turned around and saw a green trolley slowly passing by.

I first heard this voice at the airport before I confirmed the dialect.

After crossing the Suzhou Creek, the architectural style gradually becomes simpler.

Pale gray smoke billowed from the chimney of the textile factory on Yangshupu Road. At the entrance of the state-owned barbershop by the roadside, the faded rotating lightbox was still turning slowly, and a red paper price list with "Men's flat haircut 0.2 yuan, women's haircut 0.35 yuan" was pasted on the glass.

The prices are a bit higher than in the capital.

The capital city is 15 cents and 25 cents.

As the car entered the YP district, the plane trees lining both sides of Handan Road gradually grew denser, and sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves, weaving dappled light and shadow on the road. Fang Yan found that the environment here was really nice, with a unique charm and exquisiteness.

The main gate of Fudan University is supported by two red brick pillars.

The plaque above that reads "Fudan University" was inscribed by Mr. Ziren, as I recall. The gilded characters stand solemnly amidst the green trees.

The driver stopped the car at the entrance and got out to open the door for Fang Yan.

The person in the gatehouse saw the car and quickly ran over. Looking at Fang Yan's somewhat youthful face, they asked uncertainly:
"Comrade, is there something you need?"

Fang Yan was slightly taken aback when he heard this address; he realized that this car was indeed very convenient.

They directly revealed their identities to the public.

Fang Yan then smiled and said to the comrade in the gatehouse:
"Hello, I'm looking for someone, Fang Ning, a freshman in the Department of International Politics."

After speaking, he handed over his credentials from the Huaxia Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The other person glanced at the director of the research institute, and was somewhat surprised for a moment, but still quickly nodded.

"Please wait a moment, I will go and inform them right away."

P.S.: I still owe you 75000 words after finishing this chapter.

That's all for today, please come early tomorrow.

Lao Feng is working hard to write tomorrow's code.

(End of this chapter)