Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Even after leaving the Industry and Commerce Bureau, Zhao Fengying still felt like she was in a dream.

"Are we just going to go back and wait like this?"

Xu Juan, holding her mother's arm, felt the same way. "Brother, if the review fails, does that mean we won't get the business license?"

Only Xu Bei remained calm and answered with great certainty, "No problem usually. When I filled in the shop name, they checked it. There aren't many individual businesses in the entire Forestry Bureau, so there's no one named Fengying."

So, you two can rest assured. Next, hurry up and clean up and burn the house down; it's been empty for so long, the walls are completely frozen solid.

The mother and daughter were immediately relieved, and spent the rest of the afternoon busy in their newly rented house.

Xu Bei rode his bicycle back and forth between his home and the shop, transporting the things he needed. During this time, he also pretended to go to the carpenter's shop and borrowed five hundred yuan, which he then handed to his mother.

The reason I didn't take the opportunity to ask for more money from the Minglu was because I had sold more than 800 stools during this period, and it wouldn't be reasonable if he lent them all out.

Zhao Fengying was deeply moved. After counting the fifty ten-yuan bills, her eyes were visibly filled with tears, and she praised the carpenter to the skies.

If Xu Bei hadn't stopped her, Zhao Fengying would have even wanted to buy something to express her gratitude for his timely help in person.

Xu Juan also wiped her eyes and quietly remarked to Xu Bei that the strangers from both families were a million times better than those blood relatives, and that she must thank them in person when she had the chance.

Xu Bei naturally couldn't say that the boss was both far away and right in front of them, and that they had received their gratitude and thanks.

With a few words, he said it was too late and they should go home to cook and eat, thus diverting the mother and daughter's attention.

When the three of them rode back home, they found wisps of smoke rising from the chimney and the front door half-open.

There were two bicycles parked in the yard.

"Your sister and brother-in-law got off work so early today."

"Yes, they've probably been here for half a day, they've probably started cooking."

Xu Bei had just muttered something when the door was pushed open.

"You're finally back! Where have you been?"

"Mom, brother, if you and Xiaojuan don't come back soon, Xiaoli will go out to look for them."

It turned out that Xu Li and Zhu Wenliang had deliberately left work a little early to come over, but no one was home.

The couple then started a fire to cook while guessing and waiting for their loved one to return.

Upon seeing people at the gate, they quickly ran out of the house.

Zhao Fengying said with a bright smile, "Why are we looking for it? We're not going to get lost. You have no idea how capable your brother is..."

Xu Bei didn't want to talk about such good things in the yard, so he immediately interrupted his mother with a smile, "Mom, it's quite cold outside. Let's go inside and talk about it."

Zhao Fengying also belatedly realized that the walls were listening, and who knew what kind of people these unfamiliar neighbors were. "Right, right, everyone here is freezing, let's all get on the kang (heated brick bed) and warm up."

Xu Li and Zhu Wenliang exchanged a glance, both guessing that something good must be happening. They didn't rush to ask any more questions, and followed the others into the house with curiosity and anticipation.

After listening to Zhao Fengying and Xu Juan's back-and-forth, the two women looked at Xu Bei, who was sitting on the kang rubbing the soles of his feet, with a mixture of shock and admiration.

"Wow, bro, you're incredibly efficient! We were talking about finding a place to open a shop last night, and you've already found a place and even taken Mom and the others to get the business license!"

"Yeah, little brother, I only heard about this from your sister when I got to work this morning. Now you have a place to open the shop and the license is in place too. That's incredibly fast. Your brother-in-law has been really impressed with you lately."

Xu Bei stopped rubbing his icy feet and laughed without any modesty, "That's right. I told you before that I'll surprise you a lot. See if that's what happened."

Zhu Wenliang smiled and said, "It really did come as you said. My brother-in-law is now completely impressed."

Xu Li had already told her husband about needing money and received his consent. Since she wasn't trying to hide it from anyone, she took out a cloth bag and said, "Brother, are you going to buy some goods in the provincial capital? When you're traveling, you should be frugal at home and have plenty of money on the road. Take this money with you for now."

Zhao Fengying glanced at Zhu Wenliang's face instinctively and quickly said, "Xiaoli, you don't need to pay! We have enough money!"

Xu Bei observed their expressions and reactions, and said with a smile, "Yes, sis, you should put it away. We don't need yours; I've already borrowed five hundred from my boss."

Xu Li was almost speechless with shock, her eyes wide. "What?! You borrowed five hundred yuan! Your boss is so generous and daring!"

Zhu Wenliang breathed a sigh of relief, and his smile became more genuine. "He's really generous. No wonder he's a boss; he has guts."

Xu Bei naturally guessed what the other party was thinking.

At the same time, it's understandable, since whether opening a shop will result in profit or loss is unknown, and it's also uncertain when the money lent out will be repaid.

If the person who lent you the money is your mother-in-law, you'll be too embarrassed to ask for it back later.

"Of course. You have to give to receive. Our boss is also trying to win people's hearts. Knowing that he's lending me so much money, I'll work even harder for him."

Sister, brother-in-law, I plan to leave tomorrow afternoon to buy some goods. I estimate it will take a few days to come back, so I'll have to leave the house in your care.

Zhu Wenliang patted his chest and laughed, "We're family, why are you being so formal? Brother, just go and buy the goods without worry. Your sister and I will take care of things at home."

Xu Li said even more decisively, "Then I'll stay here for the time being. Also, if the shop needs any carpentry or masonry work, we don't need to hire outsiders. Your brother-in-law and my father-in-law can both do it."

Zhao Fengying felt no guilt about asking her son-in-law for help, but she felt a little embarrassed when it came to the other party's father. "There's no need to trouble your in-laws. Your younger brother already said he'll find someone to make shelves, counters, and signs."

Before Xu Bei could say anything, Zhu Wenliang interrupted, "Mom, brother, you're being too formal."

My dad and I both work in a woodworking factory. I can't speak for everything else, but we can make all the things we need to open a shop. Why would we spend money hiring outsiders? If my dad finds out, he'll definitely scold me for being such a terrible son-in-law!

Zhao Fengying and Xu Bei exchanged a glance, and seeing that the other was very insistent, they did not refuse again.

However, they certainly won't let people work for free...

The next day, around 4 p.m., Xu Bei took the letter of introduction he had obtained from the street office where his household registration was located and boarded the train to the provincial capital.

Since it was the starting station, I managed to buy a hard seat that wasn't too crowded.

But in those days, people could smoke freely in the train carriages, and the smell of cheap tobacco was so strong it made people's throats feel tight.

Especially in the dead of winter, taking a shower is not so convenient or frequent, and brushing teeth is not so diligent. The various mixed smells of sweat, hair oil, and bad breath coming from other people are not a good thing for Xu Bei, who has a somewhat sensitive sense of smell.

The night was undoubtedly long, the rhythm of wheels hitting the rails monotonous and hypnotic.

The carriage was filled with loud snoring, and Xu Bei couldn't sleep soundly for long, taking short naps and changing positions several times.

In the early hours of the morning, the green train, which stops at every station, finally arrived slowly at the provincial capital station.

It was still dark outside, and a hazy fog shrouded the platform.

As soon as the door at the junction of the carriages opened, a blast of cool air, slightly warmer than in Lindu, rushed in.

Xu Bei, who got off the bus with the crowd, finally breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more refreshed.

He stomped his slightly numb legs and feet, and with a comparative mindset, began to observe the interior of the train station in the capital of Heilongjiang Province in the 1980s.

Then, after a while, he quickly weaved through the crowded people with his bag on his back, heading straight for the exit...