The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 3 Neighborhood Committee Visits

Qian Jin took out the key and opened the drawer of the three-drawer table.

The door locks weren't the only ones in his house that needed oiling.

The sound of opening the small drawer was like opening a safe, with a creaking sound.

Hidden inside was a malted milk box with the Double Happiness pattern on it worn down into a large clown face.

When the lid was opened, a certificate of advanced worker of the No. 1974 National Cotton Mill in was found on the food coupon book, along with various carefully preserved coupon books, bills and money.

The total amount of money was sixty-five yuan and fifty-two cents in cash and a passbook with five hundred yuan in it.

This is not a small amount of money.

But it doesn’t entirely belong to Qian Jin.

Qian Jin now has an older brother and two older sisters, and he is the fourth child.

The father left a will, stating that the cash would be returned to the children who came to attend the funeral for their living expenses, and the savings would be divided equally among the four children.

Without touching the passbook, Qian Jin put the cash into his pocket and took out the food coupon book and coal coupon book.

The food coupon booklet was a small brown booklet with "Haibin City Food Bureau - Food Supply Certificate" written in the middle of the front.

"Serve the People" is printed on the top, and the name of the grain supply store is handwritten below.

On the reverse side was a slogan, 'Saving food is glorious, wasting food is shameful'.

The coal ticket book is similar, but the slogan on the back has changed: Let's take action, save coal, and support socialist construction!
After getting the food coupon book, Liu Dajia solemnly put it into his pocket.

He asked curiously, "Brother Qianjin, do you have a household registration in Haibin City?"

These days, urban household registration, or non-agricultural household registration, is very valuable.

Only with a city household registration can you have food rights and eat commercial grain.

According to the information left by the original body in the diary, Qian Jin is still an educated youth who has returned to the city, and his household registration has not been moved back to Haibin City.

Fortunately, the original body’s father had just passed away and the account had not been closed yet, so he could continue to use his quota.

Qian Jin shook his head and said, "Not yet. When I went to the countryside, I moved my household registration according to the policy."

"But I'm back in the city now. The neighborhood committee has arranged a job for me. I can get my household registration back after I report."

Liu Siding was envious after hearing this: "That's great."

"My brothers and I, along with my mother, don't have city hukou (household registration). My father's rations aren't enough to eat, so he has to buy food at a negotiated price every month."

The rationed food was not much, but it was a privilege that only non-agricultural households could enjoy.

Rural residents have no food security in cities.

Liu Sanbing raised his head and said, "Hey, Brother Qianjin, your household registration is still in the countryside. Why are you acting like a 'Feige brand' citizen like Yinhuan in 'Chaoyanggou'?"

Qian Jin didn't understand what he meant.

Seeing that he was silent, Liu Siding quickly patted Lao San's head and said, "Why are you talking so much, just like the spy in the movie 'Secret Map'?"

The grain store is not far from where we live.

Led by the four brothers, Qian Jin walked in.

As soon as you enter the grain store, you will see a row of large funnels made of iron sheets.

These things are made of black and white iron and are oval in shape. Behind them are various kinds of rice, flour, grain and oil.

What surprised Qianjin was that the scale in the grain store was hung up.

In this way, when weighing grain, no one needs to lift the scale. Just put the grain on the scale plate and the salesperson can measure it directly by looking at the scale star.

The wisdom of working people.

Qian's father applied for medical retirement, and his monthly food ration was 28 kilograms, 30% of which was coarse grains.

The food within the ration is commercial food. For example, the price of rice is 1.7 yuan per pound.

If the purchase volume exceeds the quota and becomes negotiable grain, the price will be higher, becoming 30 cents per pound, almost double.

Even if the grain store doubles in price, it may not sell it.

Sometimes when grain is scarce in the grain store, they will only sell it according to its commercial nature, because the grain store's primary responsibility is posted on the wall:

'Ensure supply and stabilize the economy'.

Liu Dajia told Qian Jin that in this situation, if they wanted to buy food, they would have to go to the black market.

When Qian Jin heard that there was a black market, he was moved.

There are people selling grain on the black market, but are there people selling gold? He knew that before the reform and opening up, the country prohibited private trading of gold.

While he was thinking, Liu Dajia asked the salesperson to stamp the grain book, hand over the grain coupons and money, and Liu Eryi took the rice bag and started to receive the grain.

He covered the lower end of the funnel with a rice bag, took in the grain, twisted the bag's opening, and carried it on his shoulder.

Qian went up to take the rice bag and said, "Your back is injured, so give it to me."

Liu Eryi shook his head firmly and walked quickly ahead.

After going out, Liu Sanbing muttered to himself, and no one knew what he was thinking about.

Qian Jin asked, "What are you mumbling about?"

Liu Sanbing said longingly, "If we had land in the city and could grow rice, then my family wouldn't be hungry next year."

After buying food and oil, they still have to buy coal.

Black ash was scattered all over the coal station, and honeycomb coal, coal blocks, coal powder and even coal ash were piled up in the yard in different categories.

With the experience of buying grain and oil, Qian Jin took the lead this time.

Very simple.

A comrade handed over two tickets.

The two brothers, three Bing and four Ding, went about picking up coal like hopping jacks, picking only the finest coal. The second brother squatted silently beside the coal pile, tying honeycomb coal into a pagoda shape with straw rope.

Honeycomb coal, coal blocks and coal flour are collected in proportion.

Liu Eryi carried a grain bag on his left shoulder and honeycomb coal in his right hand, walking steadily in front.

The food you eat and cook will be delivered to your home.

Start living your life.

At this time, the sun was setting and the streets were filled with a huge army of bicycles.

Qian Jin rolled up his sleeves and said, "You guys take a break. It's my turn to be busy next. I'll treat you to dinner tonight."

"Would you like to eat rice?" asked San Bing expectantly.

Qian Jin said, "Yes."

The Liu brothers began to swallow their saliva.

The dried beans I had prepared at noon have been soaked.

He went to the public kitchen again, scooped up some soybean oil and added some rock sugar left by his father, cut the beans into sections, put them into the pan and started stir-frying.

A very simple dish.

But because a lot of oil is used, the aroma in the pot is quite strong.

Someone waiting in line to use the stove came over to take a look and exclaimed, "Braised beans? Are you preparing this for a state banquet? The braised sauce uses too much oil."

"You'd better save your small amount of money. You can't live like this." Another woman advised earnestly.

Qian Jin agreed readily and looked around.

Several families had similar dinners, either cucumbers with mashed garlic, steamed eggplants with mashed garlic, or green beans with mashed garlic.

When he finished cooking and went home, the rice on the stove at the door was almost done.

The Liu brothers didn't mind the heat either. They gathered around the iron stove and stared at the rice pot.

When a plate of braised dried beans was brought back, the four brothers turned their heads and their eyes were attracted by the dish again.

San Bing stood on tiptoe to look at the dish. Seeing the oil floating in the soup, he immediately shouted, "Brother Qianjin, why did you use so much oil? Cooking with too much oil won't taste good."

"Isn't that right, Old Four?"

The fourth brother didn't say anything, but just leaned on the table and sniffed violently.

As the aroma of food wafts in the air.

Grunting sounds echoed in the room.

Qian Jin originally wanted to wait for the food to cool down before distributing it to the four brothers, but when he saw the situation, he realized that they couldn't wait any longer, so he simply opened the pot and started eating.

Steam was rising from the white rice, and the pure rice aroma filled the room.

The fourth child's Adam's apple began to move in piston motion.

At this time, a child happened to come back to the corridor and shouted before entering the door: "Mom, Mom, do you want to eat rice tonight?"

Waited for him to come in and watch dinner.

From the neighbor's house came the sounds of disappointed crying and the curses of the Compass Woman.

Scolding the child for being greedy is also an indirect accusation, saying that Qian Jin is a good-for-nothing and cooks rice on purpose to make the child greedy.

The Liu brothers smiled happily after hearing this.

They can eat rice.

Qian Jin found a bowl and scooped out some rice: "There's enough rice, but not enough vegetables. You guys just make do with what you have."

Liu Sanbing said hurriedly, "You don't need to eat vegetables when eating rice. Just eating rice is fragrant and sweet."

Liu Siding also hurriedly said, "Give me his share of the dish."

Liu Sanbing cursed loudly...

Qian Jin distributed rice, giving each person a large bowl, and then poured the rice with braised soup and black and red soft bean segments.

Soaked dried beans taste much better when braised than fresh beans.

It becomes chewy and becomes more fragrant the more you chew it after absorbing the braised soup.

The four Liu brothers have never eaten this dish.

They ate a big mouthful of rice with a dried bean, and smiled happily:

"Can this be beans? This is pork tendon! It's delicious!"

"Brother, is this meat tendon? It's so delicious, even better than meat."

"Hiss—Brother Qianjin, it would be great if this rice could be planted between teeth and grow on its own..."

Five people were eating.

There was a knock on the door.

Qian Jin asked, "Who?"

"I'm Zhang Hongbo from the neighborhood committee." A steady bass voice came from outside the door.

Liu Eryi heard the noise and slipped under the table.

Qian Jin looked at him in shock: "This is my house, not yours."

Liu Eryi was embarrassed and muttered with his head down: "Who dropped rice under the table..."

Liu Sanbing slid under the table. "Where? Where? Lift your feet so I can see if you've stepped on them."

(End of this chapter)