The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 251 Let's Row Our Boats and Reunite with Old Friends

[174 is blocked; the censorship is truly impressive.]

The commendation ceremony and banquet only lasted one day, so Qian Jin should have returned the next day.

But Wei Bin really liked him now, and Qian Jin had acquaintances in the capital, including Yang Shengzhang, a popular figure in the supply and marketing system. So Wei Bin granted him a short leave as a wedding leave, allowing Qian Jin to take Wei Qinghuan to the capital for a few days.

Qian Jin was pleased to see this.

The capital city, which had just begun its reform and opening up, still retains the simplicity and purity of the early days of the People's Republic of China in many places, and he wanted to take some good photos.

Yang Shengzhang still has to work.

Although he doesn't hold a high position, he is a powerful figure with real authority and doesn't have much time to rest.

In addition...

Because a high-ranking leader in the toxic bird's nest case was removed from office.

He has his eye on this position, hoping for a further promotion.

So the two only agreed to have dinner together at mealtimes, and at other times he provided Qian Jin with a light yellow Volga car for transportation.

Qian Jin can drive himself, so there's no need for a driver; he can drive Wei Qinghuan around by himself.

As for the driver's license?

No driver's license required.

A bright red pass was affixed to the car's windshield. With this pass, their car could even drive into the city hall!

There's no way around it; the supply and marketing system is truly domineering these days.

In March, the wind in the capital was cold and harsh, blowing against your face like sandpaper rubbing against your skin.

Compared to the coastal city, the climate and environment in the capital are really bad now. Even in broad daylight, the sky is gray and gloomy, like it's covered with a layer of old cotton wool that can't be washed clean.

In the morning, Qian Jin washed up and went out, while Wei Qinghuan specially changed into a beige thin woolen trench coat and flat leather shoes.

This was naturally a gift from Qian Jin, who said it was "brought back by a colleague who was on a business trip to Hong Kong Island."

Working in the Foreign Business Office was definitely the right choice, especially since he became the head of the department.

It's so easy for him to take things out of the mall now.

No explanation is needed; the explanation is that these are goods that were obtained from abroad through connections.

Take this trench coat for example. It's a style that you can't see in mainland China right now: a cinched waist, soft shoulder pads, a rare large lapel, and dark brown natural horn buttons.

In terms of materials, it is made of authentic cashmere with a fleece interlayer inside. It doesn't look thick, but it has a strong ability to keep warm.

This trench coat alone costs 5,500 yuan in the mall!
Wei Qinghuan had been reluctant to wear it, but now that she was going to travel and take photos in the capital, she carefully put it on.

This trench coat suits her style perfectly.

The soft off-white color made her cheeks look even whiter, and her cinched waist accentuated her shapely curves. The clean lines of her drooping shoulders made her appear tall and slender.

The now rare dark brown horn buckle perfectly tempers that sudden allure, adding a touch of sophistication and elegance.

Underneath the trench coat was a black wool sweater.

Wearing sheer tights would be perfect, but unfortunately, they were a bit too futuristic, so Qian Jin prepared black cotton flared pants for Wei Qinghuan.

Add flat black leather shoes—

From the moment she stepped out of the room, people kept looking at her.

Even though some rather fashionable outfits have emerged in the capital now, Wei Qinghuan's outfit is still quite eye-catching.

She was like a piece of fine jade that had suddenly fallen into a muddy, gray puddle; she was incredibly eye-catching.

Especially the trench coat she was wearing.

The clothes had clean, flowing lines, and as soon as she stepped out of the guesthouse, they exuded a chic and stylish vibe that stood out from the surrounding gray-blue tones.

Qian Jin drove, and the two headed straight for the famous Chang'an Avenue.

Chang'an Avenue is not as wide and magnificent as it will be in the future, but it has the advantage of fewer cars.

Cars and jeeps were few and far between, and every now and then you could see a dark green trolleybus pulling two carriages, churning and crawling along the tracks.

The long braid on the roof brushed against the power lines, occasionally emitting a few faint blue sparks.

Wei Qinghuan rolled down the car window and snapped a photo.

The largest group of people on Chang'an Avenue are still bicycles.

This is similar in all cities, but the largest number of bicycles in the capital is the most spectacular.

The buildings on both sides of the street are mostly made of old bricks or gray cement, with square shapes and sharp edges, exuding a simple and practical atmosphere.

The bare branches of the roadside trees point straight up to the sky, not yet sensing the warmth of spring.

The air was filled with the smell of coal smoke, a faint earthy odor, and a slightly somber, solemn atmosphere typical of a huge city.

The large red slogans painted on the street walls have faded, but they still stand out prominently, proclaiming the glorious past.

When you arrive at Chang'an Avenue, you must visit Capital Square.

Wei Qinghuan looked up at the huge portrait of the leader on the city tower, her eyes filled with complex emotions and a quiet demeanor.

There were quite a few tourists, mostly dressed simply, wearing badges, and with solemn expressions.

This put Wei Qinghuan in an awkward position.

Because her outfit was too bright and eye-catching against a backdrop of green or blue.

"My God, look at that woman!" People nearby would shout this every now and then.

Wei Qinghuan could only try to appear calm and gather her wind-blown hair, which revealed the long gold-threaded earrings on her ears.

More people, especially girls, started stealing glances at her.

However, the locals were used to it. One rickshaw driver waiting for passengers said:

"Hey, look at you all making such a fuss. She must be an overseas Chinese. They all dress like this. What a pretty young lady."

Nearby tourists suddenly realized, "Oh, they're foreign visitors."

"What material is this dress made of? Where did you buy it?" Two young women next to me, dressed in bulky blue cloth blouses and thick scarves, spoke in voices that were neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough to drift over.

Qian Jin had anticipated this.

Knowing his wife was shy, he handed her a soft, folded object.

Wei Qinghuan was overjoyed when she saw it.

It's a mask.

It wasn't the plain cotton mask you see in hospitals; it was a regular white medical mask.

The lines are straight and crisp, with horizontal and vertical lines.

A face mask, which is extremely common in the 21st century, seems very unconventional in this era.

Wei Qinghuan immediately unfolded and put it on.

The mask covered half of her face perfectly, making her feel protected.

She was grateful for Qian Jin's thoughtfulness and tilted her head to wink at him.

Her phoenix eyes were bright and clear, shimmering with light as she looked around.

I visited the Forbidden City this morning.

In the afternoon, they went to Beihai Park.

Beihai Park has a very high status these days.

Unfortunately, it's cold now, and Qian Jin didn't see much greenery as soon as he entered the park: "I came too early. If I had come two or three months later, it would have been much more beautiful then."

The lake water has only recently thawed and is still bluish-gray in color, looking quite cold.

Fragments of ice, still clinging to the surface, floated like broken glass, shimmering with a cold light in the occasional glimmer of sunlight that pierced through the clouds.

Qian Jin went out of his way to find a plum tree and asked Wei Qinghuan to take a picture of it for him.

It's a pity there's no WeChat Moments feature.

Otherwise, he would have already thought of the caption:
When the North Sea was still covered by solid ice, I saw plum blossoms in full bloom!
The plum blossoms had already begun to wither by this time, but at least he did see them.

The other trees were mostly bare, and the willows by the lake had just sprouted tiny, almost invisible, pale yellow buds, their branches still withered and swaying in the cold wind.

The white pagoda on Qionghua Island stands alone against the backdrop of the gray sky.

There weren't many tourists; most of them hunched over and paced back and forth, their breath instantly disappearing into the cold air.

However, many local young men and women were strolling around.

In love.

Qian Jin rented a small boat.

Compared to the 21st century when a lake tour could easily cost hundreds of dollars, renting a boat is now incredibly cheap—only six cents, with no time limit.

The boat was a dark green tin boat, with much of the paint peeling off, and the oars were cold and heavy.

He asked Wei Qinghuan, "Are you really going boating?"

Wei Qinghuan laughed and said, "Now that we've come to Beihai, how can we not take a boat ride on the lake and sing 'Let Us Row Our Boats'?"

The water was very cold, and the chill seemed to penetrate to the bottom of the boat.

The water reflects the outlines of the ancient buildings around us. The gray embankment, the bare tree shadows, and the silent white pagoda in the distance are all submerged in the cold spring water, their colors diluted, creating a desolate and gloomy ink painting scene.

A gust of wind passed by, causing ripples on the water's surface. The ice shards gently collided, producing a soft, clear, and melodious tinkling sound.

Qian Jin rowed diligently, his movements a little clumsy but without any problems.

He had to thank the Liu family production team in Hongxing for this; if he hadn't gone to sea with the other members, he wouldn't have known how to row a boat.

Wei Qinghuan sat at the bow of the boat taking pictures, humming softly to herself.

The sound was soft, clear, melodious, and smooth, each word striking the still chilly spring water with precision.

"Let's row our oars, and the little boat will push through the waves..."

"The beautiful white pagoda is reflected in the sea, surrounded by green trees and red walls..."

Six cents is totally worth it!

Wei Qinghuan doesn't sing much normally, but she has a very good voice.

Her voice was clear and melodious, as pure as the spring waters of Beihai Park.

Qian Jin asked for the camera to take pictures of his wife.

The wind ruffled a few strands of black hair that weren't covered by her hat, and her eyebrows and eyes, visible outside her mask, looked particularly vivid and charming in the cool light.

Wei Qinghuan felt embarrassed by his gaze: "Alright, stop looking and hurry up and row the boat. It's a bit awkward here."

Qian Jin chuckled: "What's so embarrassing?" Wei Qinghuan pointed to the side: "Someone's been watching us."

Qian Jin turned his head and saw a young man in a green cotton coat and a girl in a floral cotton coat staring at them.

Seeing this, Qian Jin teased in a low voice, "See? That's men for you. No matter if there are girls with you or not, they'll still stare at pretty girls."

Wei Qinghuan chuckled softly, "Why do I feel like he's looking at you?"

Qian Jin naturally knew this was impossible.

He was rowing a boat on the lake, and the young man on the shore followed them around. The girl behind him was getting a little unhappy, but the young man ignored her and kept chasing their boat with wide eyes.

Qian Jin exclaimed in surprise: "These men in the capital are shameless! What are they planning? To seduce you while your man is around?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? What flirting!" Wei Qinghuan slapped his knee.

Qian Jin was annoyed: "Should I call the police?"

Wei Qinghuan hesitated, then said, "Forget it, let's just go shopping and ignore him."

The other party then took advantage of the situation.

After the two got ashore, the young man practically ran over: "You sang so well just now."

Qian Jin sneered, ready to retort.

The young man then looked at him expectantly and asked, "Are you Comrade Qian Jin? Is it you? Comrade Qian Jin from Taishan Road, Haibin City?"

Qian Jin was stunned.

They really are looking for me!
He looked closely at the young man.

The other person was wearing a military green cotton-padded jacket over a blue khaki Zhongshan suit, and thick black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

His skin was rather rough, but his features were very handsome.

Qian Jin looked at the young man and felt that he did look somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before.
"Hey comrade, who are you?"

"It's me! It really is you, Chief Qian! It's me, Su Mingyuan!" The young man's voice suddenly became louder, and he grabbed Su Mingyuan's wrist and shook it vigorously.

"You must have a bad memory. In the winter of '77, I went to the wrong exam hall for the college entrance exam. We were supposed to go to Qiaomi No. 2 Middle School, which is the Second People's Middle School of Haibin City, but we ended up at the Second People's Middle School of Haibin City in the city!"

"The situation was urgent at the time. It was you who, upon learning of the incident, arranged for a truck to take my companion and me to Qiaomi No. 2 Middle School. If it weren't for you, we would have been finished! You...you've forgotten?"

He finished speaking in one breath, his face turning red, eager to evoke Qian Jin's memory.

Qian Jin suddenly slapped his thigh: "Oh, I remember now, Su Mingyuan!"

The girl in the floral cotton-padded jacket next to him suddenly realized: "So you are the benefactor that Mingyuan always mentions in the college entrance examination. He even wrote an essay about your deeds, and his essay was published in the newspaper."

Wei Qinghuan looked at Qian Jin suspiciously: You really remember him?
Qian Jin wasn't lying.

Firstly, he had a strong impression of Su Mingyuan, who was the model college entrance examination essay that the girl mentioned in the newspaper.

The provincial supply and marketing cooperative's internal newspaper even featured this as a special topic and launched a campaign to learn from him.

Secondly, he had Su Mingyuan's friends around him last year.

He said, "I remember you got into Capital Normal University, right? Because I ran into your good friend later..."

"Chen Guang! You must be talking about my brother Da Guang!" Su Mingyuan almost shouted excitedly.

The girl hurriedly tugged at his sleeve, but he pulled her away.

Qian Jin said, "Yes, yes, it's Chen Guang, haha, that kid also studied in our study room last year, and he even got into university..."

“Yes, also in the capital. He was admitted to the Capital Institute of Printing, which was re-established last year on the basis of the Printing Technology Department of the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts!” Su Mingyuan hurriedly replied.

Qian Jin said with a smile, "Yes, that's exactly what happened. Back then, he and his friends who were sent-down youths who got into university even treated me to a meal."

"In the end, it was you who paid for it!" Su Mingyuan said again, his eyes almost filled with tears.

“Da Guang has mentioned this to me several times. He admires you so much; you are his idol.”

"He also said that when you treated them to dinner, you made a request that each of them treat you to a meal separately after they graduate from university!"

Qian Jin nodded with a smile.

Su Mingyuan was even more excited, shaking his hand and nodding repeatedly, speaking rapidly like pouring beans: "Chief Qian, I really didn't expect to meet you in the capital, what a coincidence."

"This...this must be your sister-in-law, right? Da Guang said your wife is exceptionally beautiful and extraordinary..."

He looked at Wei Qinghuan beside him, who was as quiet and beautiful as a landscape, and saw her eyes, which seemed to catch a glimpse of something amazing, quietly looking at him from above her mask.

This left him momentarily speechless, unable to find words strong enough to describe the astonishment he felt even from a distance. He paused, somewhat embarrassed, and quickly added:
"I really don't know what to say. Thank you so much. If it weren't for your help along the way, my life would have been ruined. If it weren't for your Taishan Road study room, the future of so many educated youth would have been ruined!"

"That's all in the past, why bring it up?" Qian Jin laughed, patting his shoulder hard. "You've done a great job, kid, getting into a prestigious university, majoring in Chinese literature, right?"

“He’s a famous genius in our Chinese department,” the girl next to her chimed in.

Su Mingyuan rubbed his hands together sheepishly: "Yuanyuan, don't talk nonsense. What kind of genius am I? I'm more like the best vegetable grower in our Chinese department."

"But no matter what, I owe my entry into the ivory tower to you. I must thank you and your wife properly today. Chief Qian, I would like to invite you to dinner. Please give me this opportunity."

Qian Jin readily agreed, "Sure, I was just wondering who to ask for dinner tonight."

Wei Qinghuan asked him in a low voice, "What about Director Yang?"

Qian Jin said, "Director Yang is very busy. Someone invited us to dinner, which is a good opportunity for him to go and do his work with a clear conscience."

He looked at Su Mingyuan and the girl beside him.

The girl kept sizing up the couple.

He was especially sizing up Wei Qinghuan.

She had heard Su Mingyuan mention Qian Jin many times before. In her imagination, Qian Jin should be a front-line government official in a small city, simple, rough, strong, and enthusiastic.

Now it seems that this is not the case.

Judging from Qian Jin's wife, he was practically a fashionable overseas Chinese guest.

This trend made her somewhat uncomfortable.

She considered herself a beautiful girl, often referred to as a "flower" in the Chinese department, but now, standing opposite Qian Jin's wife, she had become a "wildflower."

The other side is a peony, a rose, a crabapple, and a tulip.

She thought she had seen all kinds of beauties living in the capital, but seeing this stylish woman made her realize how ignorant she was.

She had never seen such a charming temperament mixed with a scholarly air before, and—there seemed to be an alluring quality about the other person that drew people in…

After shaking hands with Su Mingyuan, Qian Jin politely extended his hand to the girl beside him: "This is?"

The girl was slightly shorter than Wei Qinghuan. She wore a well-tailored floral tweed coat with a simple acrylic brooch at the collar, which made her neck look fair and slender.

She wore dark blue khaki flared trousers and shiny black T-strap shoes.

In terms of appearance, the girl's features are not particularly striking, but she is definitely pretty.

Qian Jin could sense that this girl was different from him and Su Mingyuan. She must be a well-educated young woman born and raised in a big city, because when she looked at people, her eyes held a very discerning scrutiny.

Perhaps the girl herself was unaware of this scrutiny, but in the eyes of a seasoned veteran like Qian Jin, it was clear.

It's so clear.

Upon hearing this, Su Mingyuan chuckled awkwardly and hurriedly introduced, "It's like this, Chief Qian, Teacher Wei, this is my classmate Lin Yuanyuan, she's from the capital."

He then formally introduced Qian Jin and the other person: "Yuanyuan, this is Qian Jin, my great benefactor whom I have often told you about. This is Qian Jin's wife, Teacher Wei, whom we have all heard Chen Guang mention."

"Hello, Comrade Qian Jin, hello, Teacher Wei." Lin Yuanyuan's voice was clear and crisp, with distinct pronunciation and a standard, pleasant Beijing accent.

She smiled politely and nodded slightly to the two of them.

Qian Jin greeted her cheerfully, "Hello, Lin Yuanyuan. You're too kind, Xiao Su. Let's go, let's not just stand there. Let's take a walk in the garden. It's windy outside."

Lin Yuanyuan said, "Okay, if you two are willing, I can be your tour guide."

“Yuanyuan lives nearby,” Su Mingyuan explained.

The four of them strolled along the lake shore.

Lin Yuanyuan walked beside Su Mingyuan with a composed demeanor and unhurried pace, displaying the familiarity and slight sense of superiority that are characteristic of locals.

She introduced some information about Beihai Park, but Su Mingyuan quickly changed the subject.

Su Mingyuan talked about Haibin City, while Qian Jin asked him about his university life.

Then Su Mingyuan excitedly told Qian Jin about the situation in the Chinese Department of Capital Normal University, about the several literary magazines that had recently resumed publication, and about the heated classroom discussions in the department about "scar literature".

Lin Yuanyuan's gaze occasionally swept over Qian Jin, with a quiet observation.

At first, she couldn't quite join the conversation.

Occasionally, when the conversation touched on her, and she asked about Haibin City, the supply and marketing cooperative, or the educated youth, Su Mingyuan would frown.

Qian Jin knew what was going on.

Lin Yuanyuan did not show any obvious contempt in her words or attitude.

But he clearly caught the subtext between the lines about "local cadres" and "grassroots material work," as well as the unintentional sense of regional superiority revealed when mentioning "coastal small city."

But Lin Yuanyuan was unaware of this.

Because that's how she lived.

This is not something Qian Jin overthinks.

Because he knew that Wei Qinghuan had also figured it out.

However, Wei Qinghuan was very clever and didn't talk much. She just quietly gazed at the lake with her beautiful almond-shaped eyes above her mask.

As the topic turned to "scar literature," Lin Yuanyuan had more to say: "I heard from Chen Guang that although you, Chief Qian, don't have a high level of education, you have a deep understanding of literature."

Have you been following any particular author's works lately?

Qian Jin laughed: "I work at a supply and marketing cooperative, and I mostly deal with things like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. I don't pay much attention to literature."

"Even if I do pay some attention, I usually focus on popular martial arts literature from Hong Kong or science fiction literature from Europe and America."

He then countered with a question: "The Chinese Department of Capital Normal University is renowned throughout China. Your literary research can be linked to your achievements. So, Lin, which writer do you follow?"

"I can hardly be called an expert," Lin Yuanyuan said modestly, waving her hand with a perfectly curved smile and a calm and confident look in her eyes.

"However, I just finished reading Mr. Wang Meng's 'A Young Man Came to the Organization Department.' It's an old work, but the spirit of reflection it conveys is still relevant today."

She deliberately pointed out that it was an older work, while also emphasizing its contemporary relevance. This not only showcased her reading taste but also subtly delineated the avant-garde intellectual territory of "reflection."

Qian Jin nodded, his face showing understanding.

These women are a bit pretentious.

He was truly at a loss for words at this point.

Because he hadn't read many of Wang Meng's books, nor had he read many in his previous life.

(End of this chapter)