The 1960s: The Story of a Country Girl's Journey to the City

The next morning, after having breakfast, Bao Ya packed up a pig's stomach and the rest of the braised large intestine, and also took some dried mushrooms she had brought from her husband's family back to her parents' home.

Bao Ya carried her basket and walked towards the agricultural machinery station. There was a donkey cart going along the way at the entrance of the station. She gave it two cents and rode it all the way to the village entrance.

Su family

Su Daqiang puffed on his pipe, and the whole room was filled with the smell of welding fumes.

"Uncle, stop smoking, it's too strong."

Bao Ya waved the smoke in front of her. The whole family stayed home all winter, huddled in one room with the windows tightly shut. How could they possibly endure that?

When Su Daqiang heard Bao Ya say that she was choking, he quickly put out his pipe and tapped it on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

My aunt lifted the curtain to let in some fresh air. The windows were all covered with plastic sheeting, so it was difficult to open them.

"Bao Ya, what are you thinking? What will you do if Simao leaves?"

Su Daqiang is now more worried about Bao Ya, because she doesn't have a city household registration and doesn't receive any of the rations that city people are entitled to.

Things are alright now, but after having children, life will probably be tough.

"I can't do this job. Chef Sun has taken on an apprentice who has to live in his house and serve him personally. How could I do that? I would be drowned in spittle if I were in his shoes."

Besides, even if Simao goes there, he'll only be a temporary worker and won't be able to transfer his household registration. Whether he can become a permanent employee is another matter entirely.

Mr. and Mrs. Su Daqiang and Mrs. Su did not care at all about the apprentice serving his master, perhaps because they thought it was the proper thing to do.

Bao Ya had already thought about it yesterday. The chef's apprentice was a temporary worker, and she was in for a tough time. Not only would she have to do all the odd jobs in the kitchen, but she would also have to take care of her master when she got home.

Unlike later generations, this place will not have household appliances, flush toilets, or shower rooms.

The apprentices had to do all the chores, from washing clothes and cooking to emptying chamber pots and fetching water for washing feet.

"Baoya, Xiaojiang hasn't mentioned finding you a job. Temporary work is fine too. It might be tiring, but you can work your way up to a permanent position in a few years."

Grandma Su was still unwilling to give up. She thought that if she could find a job for Simao, it shouldn't be difficult for Baoya.

Bao Ya almost lost her composure upon hearing this. What do you mean by "tired is tired"? Temporary work is anything but ordinary. Doing the dirtiest and most tiring jobs for the lowest wages.

If she is unmarried and wants to move to the city, or if she faces the situation of being sent to the countryside from the city, she might give it a try.

But not now. She's thinking of other ways to make money, and she earned quite a bit last month.

"Grandma, why are you in such a hurry? Take your time, it will definitely come in time."

"Sis, why don't you go first and let your husband find you a better job? I'm not in a hurry."

When Simao found out that his sister had found him a job, he was completely stunned. He had thought his sister was joking, but he didn't expect it to be true.

That was a state-run restaurant; he'd never been inside one in his entire life.

He was still in shock when he came to his senses. Listening to his grandmother, he felt that his sister should go first.

"No, please don't! That old man has a bad temper. I'm afraid I'll end up fighting him with a kitchen knife one day."

Chef Sun has a fiery temper, and his former apprentice was scolded every day. Otherwise, that apprentice wouldn't have left without a word.

However, no apprentice can avoid being scolded these days, but she definitely wouldn't be able to stand it.

"Then let Simao do the work, and you can have all the salary. You have a lot of expenses in the city, but we have everything we need, plus the money your brother and his family give us. That's enough."

Su Daqiang finally made the decision, but Bao Ya felt it was inappropriate. Why should she have to pay all the money? It was only seventeen yuan and fifty cents in total. She wasn't after that small amount of money; she wanted to be a shareholder in Si Mao's future restaurant business.

"My younger brother has plenty of time to earn his own money; there's no rush," Bao Ya said after thinking for a moment.

"Don't give it all to me, leave some for him. How about this, Si Mao will give me ten dollars a month, enough for him to get married."

In the village, people usually get married around 18 or 19; it's hard to find a spouse for someone over 20. Si Mao is under 17 now, so even if he gets married at 20, he can probably give her 400 yuan over the next few years. That's equivalent to the cost of a job, so they won't always feel bad about it.

"Why leave him any money? He won't spend it."

Before anyone else could speak, the eldest aunt blurted out. She thought her son had plenty of food and drink and didn't need to spend any money.

The state-run restaurants provide two meals a day, so there's practically no cost involved.

Si Mao looked at his mother with a hint of resentment. Was he incapable of spending money? No, he was.

He and his sister used to be inseparable, and he would give her any pocket money he had. He had hardly ever touched money in his life.

Finally, as Bao Ya suggested, they would give her ten yuan a month. This was a win-win solution: Simao got a job, she had an income, and her family wouldn't worry about her not having money.

The family had agreed that after lunch, Su Daqiang would drive the donkey cart to take Bao Ya back to the city.

I also brought back some vegetables for her to eat during the winter: cabbage, potatoes, radishes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and scallions—a whole truckload.

If you weren't looking closely, you'd think they were delivering vegetables to the supply and marketing cooperative. While unloading, they garnered envious glances from the surrounding neighbors.

They now have urban household registration, so they don't need to farm and have a food supply, which sounds good, but they still have to buy everything they eat.

Buying grain once a month is fine, but buying vegetables is much more troublesome.

When it's hot, I go to buy vegetables almost every day. When it's cold, I have to queue up to buy winter storage vegetables, and sometimes I have to queue up all night. It's really tough.

Sure enough, Bao Ya had barely gotten home when Aunt Zhang came knocking. She gave her a red armband from the neighborhood committee and told her to meet at the supply and marketing cooperative's vegetable market the next day.

Tomorrow is the day to sell winter-stored vegetables, and we need people to maintain order. Each household must send one person, and they will take turns working over the next few days.

The next morning, after having breakfast, Bao Ya went to the supply and marketing cooperative's vegetable market with Sister Chen. She was shocked by what she saw as soon as she stepped out.

Why are there so many people? The line stretches from the supply and marketing cooperative all the way to the neighborhood committee. This stretch is about 500 meters long, and every family is there with their children. She had never realized before that so many people lived here.

"Oh my, you've finally arrived. What time is it?"

Before they even got close, Granny Zhou started calling out. She must have arrived very early in the morning. Her face was pale from the cold, her nose was red, and her breath was steaming when she spoke.

"How would I know what time I came out? Aunt Zhou didn't even call me."

Bao Ya said indifferently.

"Well……"

Who dares to wake you up? Who isn't afraid of your midnight wake-up call service?

She hadn't expected this scene. She had just heard from Sister Chen that some people had gotten up in the middle of the night to queue up.

Bao Ya didn't quite understand. The vegetable market only starts selling at eight in the morning. It's no use coming early. Your ration is on your food allowance. They won't refuse to sell to you. Why come here and freeze overnight?

When Granny Zhou and Shi Zhenxiang saw them arrive, they quickly went home to eat and would come back later.

Bao Ya, Aunt Chen, Xie Laidi, and Wen Hehua watched from there. Actually, there wasn't much to see; everyone automatically lined up. Those who didn't queue properly wouldn't be let off the hook by the people behind them.

"Bao Ya, I need to talk to you about something."

Xie Laidi smiled and leaned closer to Bao Ya, lowering her voice to say:

"Baoya, how did you cook that pig intestine? Could you teach me? Of course, I won't learn for nothing. How about I give you a piece of cloth as a thank you gift?"

Bao Ya rolled her eyes at her, as if to say, "Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Auntie, that's a family secret recipe, how can you just teach it to anyone? You should save the fabric for your son's wedding."

That seasoning packet is a family heirloom from Chef Sun's family, not hers. Regardless of whose it is, it's still a family heirloom.

Actually, there are only a few spices for stewing meat, but if you don't get the amount right, it will taste like Chinese medicine.

Bao Ya originally separated each spice in Chef Sun's spice packet one by one, estimated the approximate proportions, and then made a new spice packet according to those proportions. The taste of the new spice packet was almost the same as the original.