Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Then, before it got dark, while his mother and sister were washing towels, bath towels, and old shirts and trousers in a washbasin and on a washboard, Xu Bei pulled his sled out of the house.

He estimated the time was about right before dragging the thirty wooden stools home.

As a result, just as the mother and her two children were making their way into the west room, and Xu Bei was tidying up the ropes securing the sled, Xu Li rode over on her bicycle.

As soon as the siblings met, Xu Li excitedly whispered, "Little brother, I ordered another 12."

Xu Bei praised her in a low voice without reservation, "Sis, you're really amazing. Including the 12 from yesterday, you've already ordered 24."

Xu Li raised her head confidently. "That's right. There's nothing your sister can't do if she sets her mind to it. But how many did you bring back? Is it enough? I'm in a hurry to deliver them."

Knowing his sister's impatient nature, Xu Bei immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry, as long as they can make it, I'll prioritize our own family. Besides, I just brought back quite a few, so you can carry them away later."

Xu Li immediately beamed, "That's more like it."

Xu Bei asked with concern, "Why didn't my brother-in-law come? Are you sure you can manage on your own? Let me help deliver it."

"Your brother-in-law is working overtime at his company... You don't need to bring him anything, just make sure to tie those ten-odd stools together tightly."

At this moment, Zhao Fengying and Xu Juan, who were inside the house, also came out to greet and welcome them.

After everyone went inside, I saw that they had also bought two pounds of frozen hawthorn berries.

Zhao Fengying complained to her eldest daughter, "Are you embarrassed to come back to your parents' home empty-handed? Yesterday, your Wenliang bought you liquor, and today you come back with these little snacks."

But naturally, he picked up the water ladle and scooped up a ladle of cold water into the small aluminum basin.

"Mom, I often go back to my parents' house empty-handed, but I feel embarrassed if I don't go. I just thought my younger brother and Xiaojuan like to eat this, and I saw it on my way home from get off work, so I bought some."

As Xu Li spoke with a playful smile, she also scooped up a large handful of water and put it into a basin to cool it down with cold water.

Xu Bei and Xu Juan stood to the side, both of them laughing heartily as they listened.

"My sister really knows what we like to eat."

"These frozen flowers are quite big and red; they look delicious."

Frozen crabapple, also known as frozen crabapple or frozen sand fruit, is a fruit similar to an apple.

It looks very similar to hawthorn and cherry, and has a sweet and sour taste.

In the snowy winters of the forest areas, it, like frozen pears and frozen persimmons, is an indispensable fruit on the kang (heated brick bed) of every household.

Usually, you should put the frozen, rock-hard hawthorn berries into a basin of cool water to thaw them. Be careful not to use hot water, because it will rot if you scald them.

After waiting for about ten minutes, a layer of ice forms on the surface of the fruit peel, and the flesh inside softens.

At this point, pick it up, bite a small hole, and suck out the sweet and sour juice inside, which is especially delicious when it's covered in ice crystals.

After chatting for a while, Xu Li left in a hurry.

So Xu Bei and Xu Juan helped take out fifteen stools and tied them to the back rack of the car, which had been reinforced with wooden planks.

Standing outside the gate, watching his sister straddle the bicycle seat, wave goodbye to them, and then leave full of energy and joy, Xu Bei felt a little sorry for her, but at the same time he understood that Xu Li must think that this hardship was nothing.

Because of the double shock of Dahei and her eldest daughter making so many reservations, Zhao Fengying, after finishing dinner, even let the siblings do the table cleaning and dishwashing, and then got dressed and went to visit the neighbors.

Xu Dashan followed closely behind, carrying a metal flashlight with a large battery, and went out the door.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Xu Juan, who has her final exams tomorrow, took out her books to review, preparing for last-minute cramming.

After emptying the slop bucket outside the gate, Xu Bei went back to his own room to lie on the kang (heated brick bed) so as not to disturb his younger sister who was studying diligently at the kang table in the east room. He then used his mind to manipulate his game system.

At noon, after he planted the fifth tree, the second plot of land was finally opened.

With more timber, the daily shipment rate can be increased by half.

This way, even if they order more wooden stools, they can still supply them for sale.

Before eight o'clock, Zhao Fengying and Xu Dashan, who had clearly gone their separate ways, actually returned home together.

Xu Bei roughly understood that his father belonged to the older generation, the kind of person who showed his doting on his wife through his actions rather than words.

If my mother hadn't suddenly passed away from illness in my previous life, perhaps the two of us could have grown old together, with both bickering and tender moments.

Thinking of his mother's heart condition, Xu Bei decided to find an opportunity to take her to the hospital for a check-up.

Although medical conditions and standards were backward in that era, if a problem was detected, medication could be started and treated sooner.

However, some heart diseases do have the characteristics of being intermittent or insidious. When there is no attack, routine examinations may yield normal results, but it is always better to get checked than not to get checked at all.

As soon as Zhao Fengying entered the room, she couldn't hide her excitement and said, "Son, Mom has ordered eight more!"

Xu Bei was already standing at the door of the west room, shoes on. "Mom, you're so efficient! You only went out to visit neighbors for a short time, and you've already earned eight cents."

Zhao Fengying pointed to Xu Dashan, who had taken off his hat and was walking into the east room, and said with a smile, "Your father also deserves credit for this. He took me to Zhao Laosi's house. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known that they wanted to exchange their stools."

Xu Dashan stopped, cleared his throat, and looked away, saying, "I also went to his house for drinks that day, and the stools looked pretty old and wobbly. It's so late, hurry up and get ready for bed, Xiaojuan has to get up early to catch the bus tomorrow."

Xu Bei could easily guess why his father wouldn't look him in the eye; he was probably still a little awkward and couldn't bring himself to act like a strict father.

He chimed in, "Yes, we have to leave before dawn. Dad, that's perfect since you're on the night shift tomorrow, I'll ride the bike."

"Go ahead and ride it. But be careful, don't lose it before you even have a chance to buy one."

After saying this, Xu Dashan turned and went into the east room.

Xu Bei and Zhao Fengying looked at each other and smiled.

It seems that my father knows about the plan to buy a bicycle and doesn't object.

"Don't worry. Even if I lose myself, I'd rather lose my car."

A snort came from Xu Dashan in the east room.

Immediately following were the sounds of Xu Juan packing up her books, moving the kang table, and turning on the radio.

Xu Bei smiled and shook his head, exchanged a glance with his mother, and then went back to his room.

A good night's sleep.

The next day, before dawn, Xu Bei got up.

By the time he finished quickly getting ready and washing up, Zhao Fengying's stir-fried noodles were ready, with a few poached eggs added on top.

Early in the morning, when people have just woken up and are not fully awake, eating noodles and eggs, with soup and water, is especially comforting, making you feel warm and cozy from the inside out.

Then, Xu Bei put the money his mother had prepared for buying a bicycle into his pocket, got dressed and ready, and set off from home with his younger sister under the stars and moon.

Perhaps it was the hot soup noodles that made the cold wind, like an invisible knife, sting my cheeks, even though the temperature was lower in the morning.

However, the siblings were not immediately frozen solid.

Especially when Xu Bei was carrying his younger sister, he needed to pedal harder to move forward, and he didn't feel cold at all.

The sky was a deep navy blue, and the bright reflection from the snow made it easy to see the surroundings even without streetlights.

However, the whole world felt eerily quiet, with only the crisp, short cracking sound of bicycle tires rolling over the snow, carrying a texture like ice shards breaking.

Smoke was billowing from the chimneys of many houses, and a dim yellow light was shining through the windows, indicating that some people who needed to get up early had also gotten up to light their stoves and cook.

After riding for a while, Xu Bei noticed that his younger sister behind him hadn't said anything, so he asked with concern, "Xiao Juan, are you cold sitting in the back?"

Xu Juan, her face completely covered, spoke in a muffled voice, "It's alright, brother. Mom filled that hot water bottle for me and it's really warm on my stomach. Are you cold?"

Xu Bei teased, "I'm pedaling like crazy, it's not cold at all, just a little bit freezing to my eyes, it's making my eyes water."

Xu Juan couldn't help but laugh, "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. I should have brought Mom's reading glasses; they could have kept out the wind a bit."

Xu Bei laughed heartily, "That's it, I'm not old enough to have presbyopia yet, I'll have to carry you to the roadside ditch."

Xu Juan chimed in, "That's alright, I'm wearing thick clothes, so it won't hurt if I fall."

The laughter of the brother and sister carried far and wide.

When they reached the main road, there were more people riding bicycles and walking, as well as material transport vehicles, namely Jiefang trucks.

Compared to the roads in my own alley, the main road is much smoother and easier to walk on because cars often drive over it.

Xu Bei was able to ride at a faster pace.

By the time we arrived at the train station of Beishan Forestry Bureau, it was already dawn.

At this time of year, the train station is a row of red brick bungalows with a thick layer of snow on the roof and thick white smoke billowing from the chimney.

Red slogans were painted on the wall: "People's Railway for the People" and "Protecting Forests and Preventing Fires is Everyone's Responsibility".

Although it has been exposed to wind, sun and rain and is somewhat mottled, it is still eye-catching against the backdrop of the morning sun and the snow.

Xu Bei parked and locked his father's bicycle before accompanying his sister into the station.

Although it was still early, quite a few people had already arrived in the waiting room.

The blue-framed glass windows were covered with thick frost patterns, making it impossible to see outside.

Many of the men were wearing bulky cotton overcoats, dog-skin hats, and big shoes.

Only a few people were seen wearing military green overcoats and black leather cotton shoes.

Although it was a bit noisy, the warmth and the presence of so many people quickly dispelled the chill the siblings had accumulated along the way.

After successfully putting his younger sister on the forest railway train, Xu Bei left the station and rode his bike to the department store in their forestry bureau that sold off-brand bicycles.

At that time, in order to provide employment for educated youth returning to the city, each forestry bureau set up its own collective enterprises and shops.

In order to make money, some stores will bypass the national planning quotas and directly purchase goods from large factories that are not well-known brands, mostly brands that you can't even name.

Others are due to paint damage from long-distance transportation or inventory buildup from the previous year.

Therefore, bicycles sold usually do not require bicycle vouchers or industrial coupons; you can buy them as long as you have money.

Xu Bei locked his car at the door and went into the store.

Perhaps because it had just opened, the room was a bit dimly lit and cold, with the smell of rubber and engine oil in the air.

The two female sales clerks in the store were cleaning and wiping the counter. When they saw him come in, they only glanced at him and then continued with what they were doing.

Xu Bei was already used to the service attitude of this era, and walked over to the place where some bicycles were parked side by side without caring at all.

After a closer look, it was discovered that these miscellaneous cars included brands produced locally in Heilongjiang Province, brands produced in the north, and brands from small factories in the south.

After taking a quick look, Xu Bei felt that the black bicycle looked pretty good.

The carriage beam was marked with the three red characters "Golden Lion".

Although the name sounds impressive, anyone with a discerning eye can tell that it's an assembled product from a small factory.

The springs under the seat are exposed and have some rust, but the tires look new.

"Comrade, how much is this car?"

The young saleswoman put down the rag, tugged at her sleeves, and said, "135 yuan, no receipt needed. This vehicle has a reinforced frame, specially designed for forest roads, much better than those delicate Haicheng vehicles."

Xu Bei tapped the handlebars; the sound was a bit muffled.

These small factories imitate the appearance of Yongjiu and Fenghuang, but use thinner steel, and the electroplating layer is prone to rusting.

Since many people are planning to buy these off-brand cars, they are probably mainly looking for cheap and convenient options, and they won't be picky about these things.

Xu Bei recalls that if you're doing business and need to carry goods, the National Defense and Golden Deer brands are the best; if you're a commuter, the Tianjin Flying Pigeon and Shanghai Phoenix brands are the best, as they are easier and more comfortable to ride.

So he quickly skipped the car and went to see the Golden Deer.

It has to be said that this car exudes a powerful and substantial presence wherever it goes.

The black paint was so thick it looked like it had been coated with asphalt.

The iconic thick crossbeam is a size thicker than a regular bicycle frame, giving you confidence just by looking at it.

The words "Golden Deer" are printed in gold on the beam, and a running sika deer is painted next to it. Although the painting is a bit rough, it exudes a wildness.

"Comrade, may I ask about this?"

"That one costs 154 yuan. It has a large flywheel, a large chainring, and good load-bearing capacity."

Before Xu Beilin left, his mother gave him 50 yuan.

His initial intention was to buy a second-hand bicycle to ride first.

However, when I saw this Deer bicycle, I fell in love with it at first sight.

Although I can't buy it right now, I believe that with my current earning speed, I should be able to get it soon.

After leaving the store, Xu Bei went to the bicycle repair shop.

They often have old bicycles to sell.

Xu Bei felt quite lucky; he happened to have a secondhand bicycle that had been acquired, and its overall condition was pretty good.

After much haggling, the two managed to negotiate the price down from 55 yuan to 48 yuan.

After that, Xu Bei rode one bike with one hand on the handlebars and used the other hand to pull another bike home...