The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 125 Good Finds in the Countryside, Planning a New Business (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The dirt roads in the countryside are really difficult to travel.

The snow was crushed by the wheels and trampled by the hooves of livestock into muddy puddles. The small truck swayed and bumped as it drove forward, splashing mud and water every now and then, sometimes even onto the windshield.

The driver occasionally has to get out of the car to wipe the windows, and the bumpy road conditions can easily cause problems.

The car broke down once during the trip, but luckily the driver knew how to fix it. After fiddling with it for a while, he said, "It's a minor problem, just replace the carburetor."

Qian Jin handed the driver a cigarette and said in admiration, "Driving these days is really not easy."

The driver took off his gloves and smoked, saying, "That's right, the common people only see the thief eating meat but not the thief getting beaten—I might not be saying it perfectly, but Captain Qian, you get the idea."

"Being a driver is good, the pay is good, but it's hot in summer and cold in winter, and you never know when the car will leave you stranded."

"Today was alright, there were some minor problems, but I felt confident knowing you had a brother with you."

“Like in October, my car left me stranded on a mountain road in the middle of the night. There was no village or shop in sight. I was terrified. If there had been any highway robbers, my grave would be overgrown with weeds by now.”

We chatted all the way until we arrived at the Red Star Commune and came to the blacksmith's shop.

When it snows, it becomes cold.

The wind was howling today. Qian Jin wrapped his military overcoat tighter, picked up two buckets of strong liquor, and got out of the car.

The wine barrel had a price tag from the supply and marketing cooperative hanging on it: 65 cents a pound, requiring a food coupon.

In addition, he had two jars of burn ointment tucked in his coat pocket, all essential supplies needed by blacksmiths.

The burn ointment jar also had a price tag on it, six yuan.

At this moment, the blacksmith's chimney was billowing smoke, indicating that something was definitely going on inside.

Pushing open the door, I saw that the blacksmith shop was quite crowded, with more than twenty people squatting inside chatting animatedly.

Among them, Old Huang, hunched over, added coke into the furnace, sparks flying onto his patched-up cotton trousers.

Suddenly, the mute man looked up and saw Qian Jin. He stood up from behind the bellows, yelling and pointing out the window, the half-forged iron tongs in his hand still steaming.

The blacksmiths all put down their work and crowded around the door:
"The roads are difficult to travel on today, boss. What brings you here?"

"Come over here and warm your hands. Erdanzi, get out of here and let the leader warm himself by the fire."

"Hey mute, pour the boss a glass of water. Don't waste your energy on that piece of junk."

The men, who had been squatting or sitting, all stood up and looked at Qian Jin, the leader, with a slightly restrained expression.

Qian Jin nodded to them in a friendly manner and asked, "Are you all warming yourselves by the fire?"

Huang Laotie laughed and said, "That's right, my place gets lively as soon as it gets cold. These people are the smartest; they don't bring anything in the summer and they don't take anything away in the winter, haha."

It was indeed warm inside the blacksmith's shop; the icicles under the eaves had mostly melted, and water was dripping down.

Qian Jin put down the strong liquor and handed Huang Laotie the burn ointment:
“Last time I saw that you had quite a few burns on your bodies, so I asked a friend to buy some burn ointment. Next time you get burned, quickly cool it down with snow and then apply this ointment. It has a miraculous effect.”

Huang Laotie scratched his chin and chuckled: "We're thick-skinned and tough, we're not afraid of getting burned. Boss, look at you, you always bring us surprises every time you come."

Looking at the thick, yellowish-brown burn ointment, Cai Laoliu couldn't help but swallow hard.

This man burned half of his arm during a quenching process last autumn, and only managed to prevent it from completely rotting thanks to a folk remedy of applying herbs.

Old Huang used his fingernail to pry open the tin seal and smelled it: "What kind of material is this? It even smells cool. Boss, you've probably used up quite a few medicine coupons again, haven't you?"

Qian Jin found his voice to be like charcoal pulled from a furnace, his vocal cords hoarse as if they had been burned.
What's wrong with your throat?

Cai Laoliu wiped his hands and said, "He's so angry. He's worried that the car he called for you won't be able to reach your destination, so he's really angry."

Qian Jin said, "Hey, there's no need for that. Let's take it slow."

Huang Laotie said in a hoarse voice, "That won't do. We have to make some really good stuff for the leaders."

“We ate, drank, and bought so much in the city last time, all thanks to the boss. Even disregarding our past relationship, we should still give the boss good gifts just for this one time we treated him!”

Old Dog chuckled and said, "Last time we went to the city, we became celebrities in the commune after we came back."

"That mute woman's sister-in-law talks like a megaphone all day long, repeating over and over how to buy cheap things at the department store and how to eat meat at the state-run restaurant a hundred and eighty times!"

The mute man grinned, spreading his hands over his mouth as if making a trumpet shape.

His brother, who was also among the people warming themselves, hurriedly said, "Old Dog, don't just talk about my wife. What about your wife?"

"When we were on the bus back, your wife started yelling at us before we even got off!"

Someone asked curiously, "Leaders, do you eat at state-run restaurants every day in the city?"

Qian Jin chuckled: "How could that be? You can only eat there if your friends or relatives are there."

The fact that blacksmiths would bring their families to the city was unprecedented in the history of the commune.

Shopping at the department store yields great value for money.

Go to the cinema to watch the movies that were just released this year.

Go to the state-run restaurant to eat braised pork knuckle, fried meat, and roast chicken.

They even let the mute man stay at the guesthouse.

These events were news in the entire commune. Huang Laotie told Qian Jin that they were still discussing this topic at the blacksmith's shop to this day:
"We could talk until the first month of the lunar calendar!"

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Alright, let's go to the city again in the first month of the lunar calendar, and talk about the fifteenth of August when we get back."

The blacksmiths all shook their heads but did not utter a word of refusal.

Without him.

This trip to the city was so comfortable.

For many years, they lived at the bottom of society, doing the hardest and most tiring jobs. Their families never had a good life, whereas in the city they were treated like royalty.

It's just too tempting.

Qian Jin treated them with sincerity, and they reciprocated with the same sincerity.

The car is ready.

Qian Jin was about to go check on the car.

The mute man pointed inside the house.

Huang Laotie immediately went inside and brought out a small iron box.

The men in the blacksmith's shop gathered around curiously, and someone explained:

"I saw this a couple of days ago, but I don't know what's inside. These blacksmiths won't let us touch it."

"How dare you touch this precious thing?" Old Dog repeatedly wiped the lid of the iron box with his sleeve, revealing a dark red five-pointed star painted underneath.

Old Huang took out his key from his breast pocket, and the click of the copper key turning in the lock was particularly crisp.

"This is for your wife. She went to a lot of trouble last time. Are you two getting married this year? We poor men don't have much, so we made this for your wife." Old Huang lifted the lid of the box, and Qian Jin saw a glint of silver.

There was a cotton cloth inside, with silver jewelry on it.

The bracelet, hairpin, earrings, and ring were actually a set of silver jewelry.

To Qian Jin's surprise, the silver jewelry was exquisitely made, especially the hairpin, which was made entirely of pure silver and topped with a blooming peony.

Qian Jin took out the hairpin to examine it. It felt cool and smooth to the touch, with three-dimensional, exquisite, and unique flowers that exuded an elegant and ancient Eastern charm.

He looked at Huang Laotie in astonishment: "This is too precious, isn't it?"

Even though the state does not allow private transactions, the precious nature of gold and silver has long been ingrained in the people's minds, and everyone knows that these two things are valuable.

Cai Laoliu jumped up from the side, very eager: "Boss, if you don't accept this silver jewelry, we brothers will melt it down right now..."

He grabbed the fire tongs as if to put them into the furnace, but the mute man held him tightly around the waist.

The fire cast the shadows of the two men onto the earthen wall, making them flicker like shadow puppets.

Qian Jin was taken aback: "No, I didn't say I wouldn't accept it, why are you all so anxious?"

Cai Laoliu pushed the mute aside and chuckled, "I was just joking."

Huang Laotie pointed at the mute man and said:
"You can make your own jokes, but look what you've done to the mute guy."

"Boss, you wouldn't believe it, would you? This is the mute man's skill, which is why he was so anxious when he heard that Lao Liu wanted to practice it."

The mute man's brother proudly said, "My family has been silversmiths for three generations. My grandfather and father used to wield delicate little copper hammers, not iron hammers like these."

"A mute blacksmith working as a blacksmith, to use a phrase from traditional opera, is called disgracing one's family."

Old Cheng, who was usually not very noticeable among the blacksmiths, suddenly said:
"Come on, goldsmiths and silversmiths used to serve officials and landlords' wives. Now we blacksmiths serve the people and build socialism. This is the people's work."

Huang Laotie added, "When the commune's blacksmith shop was first established in the early years, we thought about asking Yulou to come and work, but Yulou preferred to raise livestock rather than come, so we called his younger brother, the mute, to come instead."

Yu Lou was the mute man's older brother, whose full name was Chen Yu Lou, a rather elegant name.

Qian Jin asked, "Brother Yulou, can you still make this silver ornament now?"

Chen Yulou wanted to show off, but Huang Laotie pretended to hand him a hammer.

Seeing this, he said sullenly:
"I haven't picked up this craft for so many years, so I'm sure I won't do a good job. If it were when I used to go door to door with my dad, I could make a set of 12 Flower Goddess Silver Hairpins for my younger brother and sister-in-law!"

Qian Jin asked with interest, "What are the 12 Flower Goddess Silver Hairpins?"

Chen Yulou pointed to the hairpin in his hand and said, "This is a hair ornament; it will look good on your wife."

"This is a peony hairpin. The peony is the flower goddess of April, and there's also the orchid, the flower goddess of January, and the plum blossom, the flower goddess of February, and so on..."

Qian Jin was amazed after hearing this: "I see. But the mute man's craftsmanship is still very good. This peony hairpin looks really beautiful."

Chen Yulou gave a disdainful smile, seemingly wanting to say something, but scratched his head and remained silent, only muttering one last thing:
“My brother’s talent is undeniable. He would have been amazing if he could have been a silversmith. It’s a pity that he ended up as a blacksmith, making hoes, shovels, and sleds.”

A man in the crowd said, "Aren't we going to the guesthouse in the city? When we get there, we can serve the city people."

"Don't spout nonsense while following the leaders; that's called serving the people," Huang Laotie scolded him.

The man shrank back and disappeared into the crowd, chuckling silently.

Chen Yulou was a little worried: "Boss, can a mute really get into the guesthouse? Is he going to stay for a few days to help out, and then have to come back?"

Indeed it is.

But Qian Jin gave a vague answer: "I will try my best to find someone to pull some strings and see if I can get him in there."

After hearing this, Chen Yulou fell silent, squatting on the ground and picking at the tear in his cotton shoes with his fingers, seemingly lost in thought.

Cai Laoliu and Laogou pushed the cart out.

Qian Jin cheered up.

Flatbed trailers, guardrail trailers, folding push-pull trailers, and the most difficult eight-wheeled trailers, also known as folding wheel trailers.

All four types of vehicles have been completed, and the blacksmiths have probably been working overtime. They have made two sets of ten vehicles in total over the past few days. Among them, the flatbed trailer is simpler to make and they have made more of it, four of which were made.

These cars are pretty much the same as Qian Jin remembered.

The main difference is the size of the wheels.

In his mind, the carts and trailers of the future all had small tires. Since Lin Hai couldn't find a supplier of small tires for him, he supplied the blacksmiths with some 10-inch and 12-inch pneumatic tires.

But this is better.

Because what he saw were ordinary people's cars for daily life. Small tires were useless for working at the port, as they would easily get stuck. Larger tires were needed.

Flatbed trailers are the simplest to disassemble.

It's simply a matter of casting a frame from thin iron plates, covering it with solid wood planks, and then installing tires and horizontal and vertical handles.

In the future, the skeleton will be welded, which is simple and quick.

The blacksmiths, however, forged a single piece of cast iron, making it stronger, more durable, and more resistant to damage.

Qian Jin pushed the cart and tried it out. Hmm, this is much better than the small strollers we have now.

Turning around is convenient and easier to exert force. If there are many things on the vehicle, you can use your stomach to push the handlebars forward.

The blacksmiths waited for his critique, looking at him expectantly like primary school students.

Qian Jin tested each vehicle one by one, his heart filled with joy: "Brothers, the braised pork knuckle from our state-run restaurant was well worth the price, these vehicles are really well made!"

"I'm speechless. I'll go back and ask my supervisor for instructions, and try to coordinate with your unit. We'll build these for our moving team later, and our unit will subsidize your wages."

“When the first month of the lunar calendar comes, I will make sure you have enough money to go to the department store again. This time, we won’t buy defective fabric or cookie crumbs; we’ll buy good fabric and good cookies.”

Upon hearing this, the blacksmiths were immediately intrigued: "Great!"

"As long as you're satisfied, boss, it's worth it. We old guys have been working until one or two in the morning every day."

"It would be best if we could still go into the city during the first month of the lunar calendar, but we won't buy any good fabrics or anything like that. Flawed fabrics are the best, they're cheap and don't require coupons. It's so good to be back, everyone envies us!"

Qian Jin came to work today. Since the cart was already finished, he called on the blacksmiths to help, and they quickly moved the cart into the truck bed.

The car started, ready to return home.

Huang Laotie gave the mute a push and said, "Your mission is complete. Now go to the city with the leader."

"You'd better not come back. You're not welcome here anymore," the old dog shouted at the mute man.

The mute man rubbed his hands together and gestured to them, while several blacksmiths pushed him out, saying, "The leaders have said they can keep you in the city."

"You can stay in the city. If you stay in the city, I'll have a place to stay when I go to the city during the first month of the lunar year."

"Go, go, do a good job when you get there. If you can't speak well, bring a notebook and write things down to show others. You have to find a way to stay."

Listening to his brothers' expectant words of advice, the mute boy's eyes reddened slightly.

Chen Yulou led the mute man home to tidy up and get a change of clothes. He gave Qian Jin a wink: "Leader, come and sit at my house."

Qian Jin followed up and asked, "What's wrong? Are you worried that your brother, who can't speak, will be bullied in the city?"

Chen Yulou scratched his neck and said, "No, boss, you're quite familiar with my brother, aren't you?"

"Do you know what kind of person he is? He's not ugly, he's in good shape, he can fix anything that breaks in the house, and he can even sew and mend. He's a jack-of-all-trades, he can learn anything and do it all."

"But because he is mute and cannot speak, he is now thirty-two years old and still cannot find a wife in the countryside."

Qian Jin sighed.

The mute man was indeed a capable person.

Chen Yulou said, "If he could work in the city and get a government-subsidized food ration, do you think it would be no problem for me to find him a wife in any production team of the commune?"

"I won't hide it from you, my parents' biggest worry before they passed away was my mute daughter's marriage. They were afraid that she would be lonely for the rest of her life, and when she got old and sick, she wouldn't even have a sip of hot water to drink. She might even starve to death!"

Qian Jin hesitated and said, "This shouldn't be a problem, right? Being able to marry into the city and get a government-subsidized food ration is something many girls dream of."

That's certainly true these days.

In order to marry into the city, many rural girls don't care about poverty or disability.

Actually, if Qian Jin had a suitable girl around him, he would be willing to introduce her to the mute. Apart from not being able to speak, the mute is excellent in every other way.

In his view, marriage is about living life together, and the most important thing is to have a harmonious family and a peaceful marriage.

Chen Yulou stamped his foot, as if he had suddenly made up his mind: "Boss, for so many years, I, as the older brother, have not taken good care of my younger brother. This time, I must help him out no matter what."

"The twelve flower goddess silver hairpins I just told you about actually have one at home. They were made by my grandfather and father from the scraps of silver they saved up before Liberation. Let me show you what I think."

When he got home, he locked the door, pried up a brick from the floor, and pulled out a small box.

The box was opened, revealing a nearly faded red velvet cloth, on which were neatly arranged two layers of twelve silver hairpins.

Chen Yulou explained, "My grandfather's specialty was making silver hairpins. Huang Laotie and the others were right. Back then, he made these things specifically for officials and wealthy people, and they were quite valuable."

“I heard from my dad that my family was doing very well back then.”

"Among the silver hairpins he crafted, the most famous is the complete set of the Twelve Flower Goddesses!"

This set of silver hair ornaments has a cultural background:

China has a long-standing legend of a hundred flowers, and there is a folk festival called the Flower Goddess Festival. The imperial court then bestowed a flower goddess upon each of the twelve months of the lunar calendar, so that flowers bloom and wither throughout the four seasons, creating a continuous cycle of life.

Chen Yulou carefully took out the silver hairpin and showed it to Qian Jin: "This is a peach blossom hairpin, a peach blossom drunken hairpin."

"These are apricot blossoms, apricot blossoms that eclipse the moon."

"And lotus flowers, so beautiful they could make fish sink while washing silk."

"Look at this! You don't recognize this flower, do you? It's a camellia, the 'Camellia Descends to Descend to the Wild Geese'!"

The well-preserved, unoxidized silver hairpins lay on the velvet cloth. Each one was forged to resemble a flower branch, blooming at the top with layers of petals and red and yellow beads in the stamens that shimmered with a soft light.

“They are made using my family’s ancestral filigree technique, and the silver material is all Miao-style scrap silver. Feel the texture, look at the craftsmanship. How can it be the same as something made by a mute?” He handed the box to Qian Jin.

Qian Jin felt a lump of hot coal stuck in his throat.

Even if this set of silver hairpins isn't an antique, it should still be quite valuable. He stroked the peony-patterned silver hairpin; it was worlds apart from the one he had already put away!
"This silver hairpin adorned with peonies has golden stamens," Chen Yulou pointed out.
"The flower stamen is carved from Tianhuang stone, which is the most expensive. Have you ever heard the saying, 'Gold is easy to obtain, but Tianhuang is hard to find'? It refers to Tianhuang stone."

“My grandfather carved the flower stamens with Tianhuang stone and then used silver pieces to hold them in place. My father told me that this was originally something that a warlord ordered to please his concubine.”

He picked up a plum blossom and pointed to the red stamen, saying, "This is made from deep-sea red coral. Look at this red color, isn't it beautiful?"

Qian Jin nodded.

It has a warm, glossy finish and is simply beautiful.

He exclaimed, "I never imagined you had such a treasure hidden in your home."

Chen Yulou said, "My grandfather passed it down to my father, and my father passed it down to me. This is my family heirloom."

“Originally, my grandfather intended that we could only sell this item to raise money to solve the problem if the family encountered a major disaster. But as you know, the new China was founded, and this item could no longer be sold indiscriminately.”

"But I think it's perfectly fine to give them as gifts. You know their value, boss, I'll give them to you!"

"This is unacceptable." Qian Jin took two steps back, his military overcoat sweeping away the iron pliers hanging on the wall. "These are your family's most treasured possessions."

Chen Yulou said with some sadness, "I'm also a little reluctant to part with it. I was thinking of passing it down to my family as a family heirloom, to be passed down from generation to generation."

"But let's go back to what I said earlier. As the older brother, I have to do something for my younger brother. He's lucky enough to have been noticed by the guesthouse. Boss, you have to think of a way to keep him in that unit no matter what!"

"As long as he can work at the guesthouse, finding a wife won't be a problem, and having children won't be a problem either."

Qian Jin took the silver hairpin and looked at it, saying, "To be honest, I originally planned to find a way to keep him at the guesthouse."

"However, this set of yours should indeed be quite valuable. Or how about this, you sell it to me privately. If you trust me, let me take it back first, and I'll tell you the specific value later."

Chen Yulou shook his head and said, "Of course I believe you, leader. You are definitely a trustworthy and good leader."

“But I don’t need to sell it to you. You just need to help me get this mute brother into the city and get a government-subsidized food ration.”

“Sigh, it’s been really unfair to him that he’s been living in my house all these years. My wife is always so critical of me, but he’s always been very good to me, his older brother.”

He opened a locked drawer and took out a red cloth bag to show Qian Jin.

Inside were flattened silver plates, which made a clattering sound when they were poured out.

Qian Jin collected a lot of silver dollars; he recognized them all at a glance.

However, they can no longer be purchased by the mall as silver coins because they have been repeatedly hammered and are covered in hammer marks.

He explained, “In my hometown, it’s a tradition to strike silver coins twice every December. This is to save money for the children’s longevity. It was all saved by the mute man for my four children.”

"He usually earns silver dollars by working overtime to make iron pots for people. The jewelry he made for your partner this time was also made using the silver dollars he earned."

Qian Jin was deeply moved.

The mute man is a good person.

He patted Chen Yulou on the shoulder and said, "What's the mute's real name? He can't still be called mute when he goes to work in the city, can he?"

“Chen Jingdi,” Chen Yulou said.

Qian Jin stared at him: "I'm talking about your real name."

Chen Yulou said, "His name is Chen Jingdi. If you don't believe me, I'll get you his household registration book. Anyway, you have to go to the city..."

Looking at Chen Jingdi's name on the household registration page, Qian Jin asked, "Didn't the mute become mute later because of a problem with his vocal cords? Your parents wouldn't be so uncaring towards him, would they?"

"You named yourself 'Chen Yulou,' which means 'refined and cultured,' but he was named 'Chen Jingdi'? What does that mean? Were you born upstairs, and he was born at the bottom of a well?"

Chen Yulou laughed heartily: "Boss, you're really joking. My grandfather gave me this name."

"Jade tower and silver sea, silver bottle at the bottom of a well, iron strokes and silver hooks—these are the three words that my brother and I use to describe our names. Actually, I also have a younger sister named Chen Tiehua!"

Qian Jin has been apprehended.

Wow, I didn't know their family was so cultured.

After the mute Chen Jingdi finished packing his things, the two got into the car.

Chen Yulou kept waving his hands at his younger brother:

"Don't worry about things at home. Once you're in the city, work hard. Give it your all at the guesthouse. If the leaders put in a good effort, you absolutely must stay in the city..."

Chen Jingdi leaned out of the car window and nodded vigorously.

Huang Laotie waited by the roadside. The driver stopped, and Huang Laotie took the opportunity to stuff an oil paper package into the driver's seat: "Take this back to the leader, comrade, hurry up and go."

Inside are twelve pork sausages.

The driver exclaimed to Qian Jin, "Captain Qian, you're really popular in the countryside."

"I'm also a rural person who came to the city. I know about these sausages. Given the situation of the members of Hongxing Commune, it would probably take the blacksmith's family a year to save up meat coupons and money to dry this many!"

Qian Jin said, "They are honest."

"Take six of them later. You often travel this route, so I'll probably need your help to bring me things in the future."

The driver laughed and said, "This is a gift they've saved up for you. I absolutely cannot touch it, or I'd be a real scoundrel."

“If you need anything from Captain Qian in the future, just let me know. I have a lot of buddies in the Fifth Transportation Team, and they’ve already told me about your reputation.”

"Just ask if you need my help. If I don't help, hey, those old guys in Team Five will try to get me drunk on baijiu!"

Qian Jin then said, "Next time I'm having drinks at home, I'll make sure Qiao Jinbu invites you no matter what."

The driver readily agreed.

Chen Jingdi kept peeking back.

The blacksmiths' figures were still visible in the snow behind.

They waved vigorously, and Huang Laotie's black coat with exposed cotton wadding stood out starkly against the gray and white sky.

When they got back to Jiagang, it was already past get off work hours. With the help of Chen Jingdi and the driver, Qian Jin unloaded the truck and went straight home.

Qiu Dayong waited at the entrance of the building. His military overcoat collar was turned up high, but it still couldn't stop the north wind from blowing into his neck.

He stared at the tires of his beloved car; the cracks, like centipedes, crawled from the inner tube to the outer tube, and when he pressed his fingers against them, he could feel the sharp, icy edges.

Qian Jin greeted him, "Why don't you come inside?"

"Captain Qian, my car is really cursed." Qiu Dayong sighed repeatedly.

As long as the car is in front of him, he doesn't want to go anywhere else.

Sorry!

A young man pushed a Phoenix bicycle past, the wheels leaving crooked marks on the snow.

He saw Qiu Dayong squatting in front of a bicycle and asked, "Hey buddy, got a nail in your tire like me?"

Qiu Dayong said dejectedly, "It would be better if it were nails."

The young man came over, took one look, and immediately shook his head: "It's hopeless, give up, you can only sell it to the recycling station."

Qiu Dayong, such a burly and powerful young man, almost burst into tears upon hearing these words.

He cherished this bicycle so much!

Qian Jin called out to him, "Come on, come up with me. Don't listen to his nonsense. This car can still be salvaged."

As they went upstairs, he introduced Chen Jingdi. Tonight, Chen Jingdi would stay temporarily in the porters' dormitory. Before that, he would take Chen Jingdi to take a good bath and get a haircut.

Qian Jin's bicycle was parked in the hallway.

Qiu Dayong went up to take a look and said, "Captain Qian, you've already changed the tires? Do you need rubber coupons or industrial vouchers for this?"

Qian Jin said, "I filled it in myself."

Qiu Dayong shook his head: "That's impossible. Our tires are like this, like a person whose stomach has been ripped open. How can we save them?"

Qian Jin said, "Don't be unconvinced. Go ask the obstetricians and gynecologists. Some women need a cesarean section to give birth. It's like they make an incision in their abdomen to take the baby out."

The mute man was completely bewildered.

Is childbirth really that terrifying?
Then he breathed a sigh of relief. It's okay, I'm a man, men don't have to give birth.

But then he thought about his future wife having children—well, he didn't have a wife, so he didn't need to worry about that.

Qian Jin took out a flashlight, and the bright yellow beam swept across the tires of his bicycle.

If you look closely, you can even find the wound that has been glued together.

He breathed out a puff of hot air and rubbed his hands together, saying, "Luckily, it was cut open with a knife; if it had been sawed open, there would have been no way to fix it."

Qiu Dayong was stunned: "How can such a big tear be glued back together? Even if it's glued back together, will it still be usable?"

Qian Jin told him to get in the car and give it a try.

Qiu Dayong rode his bike around the corridor for a bit and exclaimed in surprise, "What kind of glue is this? It's amazing!"

What kind of glue?
It's 703 silicone rubber!

This adhesive is specially designed for bonding rubber products. It is strong, resistant to aging, and retains its elasticity even after vulcanization, making it ideal for long-term bonding of tire punctures.

Needless to say, it's a product from the online store.

Qian Jin led him into the house, pushing his bicycle.

The small coal stove was burning brightly, and the kettle was bubbling away on the stove ring.

Qian Jin took out a bottle from the bottom of the dresser; it contained a milky white, viscous glue.

"Don't tell anyone, this was a gift from the customs leaders. They said it's a special glue used by the fleet to repair submarines." Qian Jin opened the bottle, and a pungent chemical smell immediately filled the room.

He then took out sandpaper and handed it to Qiu Dayong: "Sand it down and use this glue to open your eyes."

"Don't disbelieve me, the leaders of the Navy's Equipment Department said that this thing can hold onto the waves of the Pacific Ocean!"

Qiu Dayong was just as shocked as a country dog ​​seeing a Schnauzer being back-swept by a Husky for the first time; his tongue was sticking out.

He could patch tires, just as Chen Jingdi could.

The two men took screwdrivers and easily pried the inner tube out.

Chen Jingdi touched the brand-new inner tube and gave it a thumbs up, but then shook his head with regret after seeing the wound.

Qiu Dayong looked at the long wound with a sad expression: "Damn it, the doctor didn't stitch up my wife after her C-section."

"We'll sew it ourselves." Qian Jin was speechless.

This job isn't difficult.

Use sandpaper to repeatedly sand the inside of the cut to remove burrs and make it completely smooth. Then clean the cut with water and apply glue evenly to the inside of the cut to bond it together.

Like a tailor dealing with tattered clothes, the two pieces of rubber gradually bit together to form a raised scar.

"It's done!" Qian Jin placed it next to the stove and roasted it for a while.

703 is very powerful; it dries quickly.

He handed the inner tube to Qiu Dayong, who touched the smooth puncture site with a look of delight: "Hey, it's really healed."

After the inner tube was inflated and soaked in a basin of water, not a single bubble appeared.

"Awesome! Awesome!" Qiu Dayong exclaimed.

Then continue attaching the outer tire.

703 can also solve the problem.

However, Qian Jin added vulcanizing adhesive to be used in conjunction with the rubber strips.

Then, 703 glue is used to seal the puncture, and vulcanized adhesive is applied to the wound from the inside, and a rubber strip is attached. As the two types of adhesive quickly solidify and form a high-strength bond, the tire is repaired.

Compared to 703 glue, vulcanized glue has the advantages of wear resistance and aging resistance, and it is also very adaptable to dynamic stress environments.

This is equivalent to providing double insurance for the tire outer layer.

Qian Jin wiped his hands and said, "Be careful. Don't ride the bike today. Leave it here with me. You can come back and ride it away tomorrow night, and there won't be any problems."

Qiu Dayong nodded vigorously.

Although I'm not entirely comfortable leaving my wife with someone else's family, it's fine if that person is Qian Jin.

Qian Jin took out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes and handed one to each of the two men and Zhang Aijun. The cigarette butts flickered in the room.

He said, "Dayong, how's this glue?"

Qiu Dayong was filled with awe: "They can even hold onto the waves of the Pacific Ocean, need I say more?"

Qian Jin said, "You have a lot of people under you, some of whom should be able to get into our unit, but others definitely won't be able to."

Qiu Dayong knew he was about to get down to business, so he shut his mouth and listened attentively.

Qian Jin continued, "I was thinking of having the older and younger men discuss this. Could we start a small collective enterprise, beginning with a car repair stall, and eventually specializing in repairing all kinds of furniture and home appliances?"

A spark crackled and popped from the furnace.

Qiu Dayong's heart skipped a beat.

He swallowed hard and said, "I'm not an expert in this area, but I have two brothers who can fix things. They can tinker with bicycles, radios, and sewing machines."

"But if we set up a car repair stall, we won't have enough glue."

Qian Jin said, "I'll take care of this. I'll ask the leaders for help, and we can do regular procurement."

"Then I don't necessarily need this kind of glue. I can ask my friend at the chemical plant to get some neoprene glue. That stuff is just as good."

Neoprene rubber is also very strong and has no problem dealing with ordinary tire damage. You only need to grind the contact surface and apply pressure to fix the damage.

In addition, he can purchase other glues from the online store.

Whether it's cold-applied super glue, emergency quick-drying glue, SBS wood glue, or flexible all-purpose glue, patching bicycle tires is a breeze.

With the current sheer number of bicycles, once the stall is set up, it's sure to generate a lot of revenue.

Besides, bicycle repair stalls are common; it's just gluing a tire back on, and nobody really cares to check what kind of glue was used.

Inevitably, some people will ask, "Just name any good glue that's currently in use."

Qiu Dayong put his thoughts together: "Erbing's cousin works as a warehouse manager at the No. 2 Rubber Factory. Their unit produces inner tubes, and some waste inner tubes can be sold by weight."

"For technical matters, learn from experienced mentors; it's not a matter of a few packs of cigarettes..."

"tool……"

"I'll take care of the tools and the venue," Qian Jin said confidently.

Qiu Dayong nodded vigorously at him: "Brother Qian, you'll have to go through all this trouble again."

"We vagrants are so lucky to have met you. Before, we were like a bunch of stray dogs, always cursing God for being unfair. Turns out, God had everything arranged all along, and arranged for you to be with us!"

Qian Jin said, "When you came to me asking for a way out, I said I would help you find a solution, so of course I have to find a solution."

Qiu Dayong bit his lip.

He almost turned to crime.

They almost fell into an abyss of no return!
Just when he was almost pulled up, Qian Jin reached out and pulled him up. He glanced at Qian Jin.

My eyes felt a little hot.

Qian Jin still had to cook: "Go to the neighborhood committee and get two bath tickets. Just say I told you to get them. Then take Brother Chen Jingdi to take a good bath. You need to take a good bath too."

"After you take a shower, we won't have any meat coupons for a big feast tonight, so I'll just make you a simple knife-cut noodle dish."

Qiu Dayong laughed: "Brother Qian, even the shit you prepare for me smells good."

Huang Chui, who was licking his balls, suddenly brightened up when he heard this.

Zhang Aijun chuckled: "Damn it, there are people even more disgusting than me."

Qian Jin waved his hand at him: "I had forgotten about you if you hadn't said anything. Go and get a bath ticket too, the three of you can scrub each other hard."

The three of them chatted and laughed as they went out. Qiu Dayong pushed the bicycle to the end of the corridor and rang the bicycle bell hard.

The bell rang clearly in the corridor.

Ships outside the breakwater were weighing anchor, and the melodious sound of their horns drifted over gently, blending perfectly with the sound of bells.

The two voices, one crisp and one soft, sang like a duet, instantly suppressing the howling of the December wind.

Suddenly, Qiu Dayong felt as if winter was over and spring was coming.

(End of this chapter)