Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Chapter 156 Plans Can't Keep Up with Changes

Upon hearing this news, Xu Bei smiled broadly. "Really? They're quite fast."

After receiving the telegram and remittance slip, he examined them carefully.

It was discovered that the Chen brothers had been quite generous in sending a few extra words in their telegrams.

The gist of it is that they are very satisfied with the finished tables and chairs and will order 300 yuan worth of goods first.

Five folding tables are needed, and the remaining payment will be for wooden stools.

Xu Juan, also curious, joined Xu Bei to watch. Upon hearing this, she laughed and said, "It really is quite fast. It feels like my brother sent it over only a short time ago, and the goods are already here."

Xu Li, who was fiddling with Xiaoqing's shirt, chimed in, "She must be extremely satisfied, otherwise why would she be in such a hurry to get the goods?"

.

Zhao Fengying beamed with joy, "That's absolutely right. Son, this sale went well, and you've got your commission—that's great! Your boss will be full of praise for you."

"How else can I praise you? You must think I'm capable." Xu Bei glanced at the time on his watch. "The post office is closed now. I'll go pick up the remittance tomorrow morning."

Then, changing the subject, she said, "Xiaojuan and I went to a restaurant for braised pork and brought back two lunchboxes for you. Sister, you should come to our house for dinner tonight."

Xu Li immediately put down the clothes and looked at the cloth bag on the counter. "Okay, even without braised pork, I still want to eat at home. We'll start hiding from the lanterns tomorrow night, the fourteenth day of the first lunar month."

Xu Bei exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? So early?"

He remembered an old saying: "If a new bride sees her husband's family's lanterns, her father-in-law will die; if she sees her own family's lanterns, her father will die." To bring good luck, the new bride had to avoid the lanterns at both ends of the first lunar month, and usually she would also avoid them on the day itself.

Xu Li shrugged helplessly. "Your brother-in-law came over at noon and said his mother wouldn't let us stay at home. She said that after noon it would be the fifteenth, so we'll have to stay at his cousin's house tomorrow night. She said she's already bought the canned food and pastries for the 'door-stepping' ceremony."

The so-called "stepping on the door" means that when a new bride goes to someone else's house to hide from the light, she cannot go empty-handed. She must bring some gifts, which means to bring good fortune to the other party and also to bring good luck to herself.

Zhao Fengying still believed in this very elaborate and mysterious traditional custom, and once again persuaded, "Then let's make do for two days. It's not like we're hiding every day. If you don't cooperate, and something happens to your father-in-law, he'll blame you. And your father, even though we're divorced, we still want him to be well, right? We wouldn't really want him to die, would we?"

Hearing his mother mention Xu Dashan again, Xu Bei didn't want to continue the topic. He picked up the conversation and said, "Sister, Mom is right. Let's make do for two days, and then on the sixteenth of the first lunar month, we'll close the shop for a day, move to the city, and take a stroll around."

Upon hearing about moving and taking a walk, Xu Li's unhappiness and annoyance dissipated considerably. "Sure, I'll have your brother-in-law take a day off to help with the move. It'll be a good opportunity for him to get acquainted with the rented shop and place."

If you ask me, we don't even need to find a carpenter in the city. Your brother-in-law and father-in-law made the counters and shelves for this shop just fine, but you insisted on doing it."

"Times have changed, and taking leave to go to the city to work would be too much of a hassle, it's unnecessary." Xu Bei said with a half-serious smile, "Sister, don't worry about it, I've already contacted the right person this afternoon. You can ask Xiao Juan if you don't believe me."

Xu Li immediately asked, "Little sister, is what your brother said true?"

Xu Juan nodded vigorously, her eyes wide. "Of course it's true."

Xu Bei was very pleased that his younger sister hadn't sabotaged him, and planned to reward her with some good food and drinks when he took her out the next day.

Later, Zhu Wenliang, who had just finished get off work, also asked to take leave to help out at the factory, but Xu Bei refused with the same excuse.

Later that evening, the group returned home and, in addition to reheating the braised pork, also stir-fried cabbage and potato slices.

In addition, we heated up the frozen sauerkraut and pork buns that we had made earlier in a large pot, and enjoyed another delicious meal.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Xu Li and Zhu Wenliang were urged by Zhao Fengying to ride their bicycles away first.

They had just left when the mother and her two children, Dahei and Song Guodong, came over to pick up the goods.

Xu Bei also took the opportunity to tell her about moving to the city.

Dahei was shocked. "Dabei, how come your family is always so efficient in everything you do? I never heard of you wanting to open a business in the city before? Now you've even rented a place."

Xu Bei smiled and admitted, "Actually, I had this idea last year, but I wanted to wait until after the New Year to talk about it. I was able to find a suitable place so quickly thanks to the help of a friend."

Dahei sighed with a hint of loss, "You have so many friends now, both in the provincial capital and in the city."

"When you're out and about, having more friends means having more options, and it makes life easier," Xu Bei said with a smile, patting Da Hei on the shoulder. "But no matter how many new friends I make, you two will always be my best buddies."

Big Black was deeply moved. "With your words, I'd go through fire and water for you!"

Xu Bei felt the simple and sincere emotions from his good friend, but thought it was a bit cheesy. "I don't need you to do this. You can save it for your girlfriend."

Song Guodong shared similar feelings with Dahei, but he was also concerned about something else: "Should my uncle continue renting this house?"

Xu Bei said apologetically, "I'm not renting it anymore. I'll have to trouble you to tell your uncle I'm sorry. Actually, I was planning to rent it long-term, but plans change, so there's nothing I can do about it."

Song Guodong quickly waved his hand and laughed, "What's the big deal? Besides, you moved in in January and have been living here ever since. During the coldest times, having someone heat the house saved him a lot of trouble. Now that it's getting warmer every day, it'll be even easier. But where will we pick up our goods from now on?"

Xu Bei immediately replied, "From now on, you can pick up your goods at the new house my boss bought. It's behind the movie theater. Da Hei knows the place."

Big Black chuckled, "It's easy to find. I'll take you there once and you'll remember it."

Xu Bei had given all the necessary instructions, and the two of them left with some wooden stools they had at home.

A good night's sleep.

The next day, after breakfast, Xu Bei first took his mother and sister to the shop.

Then they helped light the stove to heat it up a bit before going to the post office to withdraw the money.

Although it had only been open for a short time, there were already quite a few people in the lobby conducting business.

Xu Bei glanced at it and walked directly to the window furthest to the side, handing over the remittance slip, still warm from his body, along with his household registration book.

"Comrade, please withdraw the money."

The male teller sitting behind the window took the order, glanced at it twice, then looked up at the energetic-looking young man in front of him, a smile appearing on his face.

"Money from the provincial capital! Three hundred yuan exactly, that's a large sum!"

Xu Bei didn't think much of the slightly more enthusiastic attitude, after all, it wasn't a small amount of money; a worker's monthly salary was only a few dozen yuan.

But I couldn't help but sigh that the Forestry Bureau was too small, with only one post office. It was fine to withdraw money once or twice, but if it went on for a long time, people would inevitably become suspicious and have other ideas.

Fortunately, they will soon be moving to the city, which will allow them to switch to different post offices and reduce many risks.

"Yes, could you please help me get it?"

""