Siheyuan: A master brewer starts with a jar of bone-strengthening wine!

"You still have tickets?" Jia Dongxu's eyes widened. "Where did you get them? You didn't get them through any shady means, did you?"

"It was a gift from Mr. Mei," Liu Dong said casually.

"Mei...Mei Lanfang?" Jia Dongxu immediately shut up.

Well, it turns out it was Mr. Mei who gave me the honor. Who in the courtyard doesn't know about this?

For the past six months or so, Mr. Mei had been coming here for drinks every few days, and he and Liu Dong were like brothers; it wasn't a secret at all. How could he dare to ask any more questions?

Yan Bugui then inquired, "Liu Dong, Phoenix is ​​a big brand, this car must have cost a lot of money, right?"

"It's cheap," Liu Dong laughed, "I'll take it for two hundred and thirty."

"Two hundred and thirty?" Yan Bugui almost jumped up. "Only two hundred and thirty now? That's a steal!"

It's already the beginning of the year, and the country has just implemented currency reform, with the old first set of RMB being withdrawn, exchanging 10,000 yuan for one new coin.

The numbers may sound small, but nothing has actually changed—one dollar is equivalent to ten thousand dollars in the past, a dime is worth a thousand dollars, and a cent is worth a hundred dollars.

Take the small tavern at the entrance of the alley as an example. In the past, it cost 450 yuan to buy one liang of wine, but now it's reduced to 4.5 fen. It sounds like less, but it still hurts to spend the money.

As they were talking, Liu Haizhong slowly strolled out from the backyard, wrapped up in a blue cotton-padded jacket like a rice dumpling, holding a steaming meat bun in his hand, chewing and muttering:

"Oh dear, Liu Dong, you've really ripped off! You bought this car way too hastily!"

Everyone turned to look at him.

He swallowed a mouthful of filling and said smugly, "I heard that in five or six days, the whole country will be implementing a rationing system! Then, bicycles will be sold with ration coupons, and the price will have to go down!"

"Aren't you going to wait? Buying now would be a huge rip-off!"

"Yes, yes, I heard about it too, they're going to reform the voting system!" someone echoed.

What does "ticket reform" mean?

"From now on, you'll have to queue up based on your ability to buy things; it won't just be about money, you'll also need tickets!"

"Liu Dong—do you understand?"

Liu Dong chuckled and waved his hand, ignoring him.

These people are still happily looking forward to the arrival of the ticket era.

Go ahead and cry.

When that day really comes, you'll have money but nowhere to spend it; only having tickets will give you confidence.

"I don't understand." He shook his head and pushed the car into the backyard.

"Brother Liu Dong!"

As soon as he entered, He Yuzhu swarmed around him like a tail, his face beaming: "Brother, your new car is so cool!"

Liu Dong picked up a Daqianmen cigarette, struck a match, lit it, and took a big puff: "This was specially bought for your sister-in-law because she's pregnant and it's inconvenient for her to go to and from work."

"Oh—" He Yuzhu suddenly realized and immediately replied, "Then brother, your old car is just sitting there anyway, how about selling it to me?"

Liu Dong's face immediately fell: "Zhu Zi, no wonder everyone calls you 'Silly Zhu.' Didn't you even think about what I just said? The new car is for your sister-in-law, and I'll ride the old one myself. Got it?"

"I understand, I understand!" He Yuzhu quickly smiled apologetically, nodding like a pestle being pounded.

Liu Dong exhaled a puff of smoke and said leisurely, "Want to buy a car, huh? Take my advice—go to the repair shop right now, pick out a used one, and buy it immediately."

"Huh?" He Yuzhu scratched his head. "But everyone says the tickets are going to be changed soon, and it will be more cost-effective and fairer to buy them then. I think I'll wait a bit longer..."

"Wait?" Liu Dong sneered. "Do you even know how to spell 'fairness'? By the time the tickets come out, you won't be able to buy a new car, and you won't even be able to snag a used one! Trust me, if you don't buy now, you'll regret it later!"

After saying that, he slammed the door shut.

He Yuzhu stood there, pondering for a long time.

An hour later, he actually pushed a clattering old bicycle into the yard.

His face was red from the cold, and frost had formed on the tip of his nose, but his mouth was stretched from ear to ear.

"Hey! Silly Zhu got on the bus too?"

Yan Bugui's face froze instantly when he saw the people and vehicle enter.

He Yuzhu chuckled, "Yeah, I didn't have a ticket, so I could only find a used one. It wasn't expensive, only 180 yuan!"

Yan Bugui's lips twitched.

Can he really afford it?

I can't even come up with 180!

"Ha—" Jia Dongxu from next door sneered, "What an idiot! Buying a used car at a time like this? Shameful!"

He Yuzhu objected: "What's wrong with me buying a beat-up car? Does it bother you?"

"Idiot!" Jia Dongxu rolled his eyes. "The ticket era is coming soon! You'll be able to buy things with tickets, and the prices will be lower, plus you can even choose a new car! If you buy junk now, it'll be scrap metal in a few days, and even dogs won't buy it!"

Since my father passed away three months ago, his temper has become more and more volatile.

"Master, aren't you also planning to buy a car?" He Yuzhu turned to ask Yi Zhonghai, unconvinced.

Yi Zhonghai squatted by the door smoking, not even lifting his eyelids: "Yeah, I'm planning to buy a Phoenix or a Forever next month. If you want to buy one, let's go together and we can negotiate the price."

"Alright!" Jia Dongxu slapped his thigh. "I've already saved up the money!"

Yan Bugui, who was standing nearby, was so enraged that his teeth itched.

Yi Zhonghai wants to buy it, Jia Dongxu wants to buy it too... So I'm the only one in the whole courtyard who has to run around on my own two legs?

No!

Never be alone!

I need to find a way to get a bicycle, otherwise I'll be too ashamed to go out in public!

Inside the house, Liu Dong parked the car against the wall and turned to ask Chen Xueru, who was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed):

"Look, isn't it beautiful?"

Chen Xueru touched her slightly protruding belly and smiled.

She's pregnant too.

She was less than a month later than Qin Huairu.

I'm currently three months pregnant.

Since Chen Xueru became pregnant, she has basically been resting in the mornings and not going to the shop.

After all, Xu Huizhen was in charge of the shop during the day, and the tavern was bustling at night, so it was enough for her to show her face in the afternoon, and no one would complain.

"It's so beautiful!" Chen Xueru's eyes lit up. "It's even a women's style! Honey, you're so thoughtful of me!"

"Oh, right," she suddenly remembered something, "I haven't visited my mom in a long time, and I don't have much to do this morning, so I'd like to go back to my parents' house."

"Sure," Liu Dong nodded immediately. "I'll pick up a roast duck from Quanjude on the way, and also buy some pastries and cakes to take to her."

"Uh-huh!"

Chen Xueru smiled, her eyes crinkling.

While wiping the car, Liu Dong casually asked, "I heard your brother's side... they've started a public-private partnership?"

"Exactly," Chen Xueru scoffed. "What good is it if he's willing or not? It's not his place to decide this."

"I heard that he was very firm at first, but he ended up being overpowered by the government. The value of the items in the shop was reduced to an extremely low level, and the remaining fabrics and inventory were all confiscated."

"Guess what? His family's large, ancestral silk shop was appraised for less than our little tavern! Isn't that outrageous?"

The mere mention of Chen Zhongze ignited her anger, and her hands trembled slightly.

Liu Dong quickly pressed down on the back of her hand: "Oh, that's enough, that's enough. Getting angry isn't good for the baby!"

She took a deep breath and quickly composed herself: "You're right... I can't get angry, the baby is the priority."

Just then, a sharp wail suddenly came from outside.

It was Jia Zhangshi's voice.