Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

The Beishan Forestry Bureau currently only has one post office, which handles all financial and postal services for both public and private individuals. It is located near the cinema.

Therefore, when Xu Bei rode his bike over, he slowed down a bit as he approached the movie theater.

Although it's much warmer now, the outdoor temperature is still around minus thirty degrees Celsius.

The area outside the movie theater was bustling with activity.

People dressed in black cotton-padded clothes and dog-skin hats or bulky cotton-padded clothes and trousers stomped their feet to keep warm, and almost all of them exhaled puffs of white breath.

On the walls on both sides of the cinema's main entrance, the hand-painted movie posters are somewhat faded by the wind and snow, but their colors remain vibrant.

On the left is a painting of Jet Li holding a long staff in the movie "Shaolin Temple", and on the right is the back view of Xiangzi pulling a rickshaw in "Rickshaw Boy".

Xu Bei's gaze swept past the crowd and landed on the small, upright wooden blackboard next to the ticket window.

The blackboard was erased until it was slightly white, and the day's screening information was written on it in white chalk.

The handwriting is somewhat messy, obviously written in a rush, but the words "The Herdsman" and "Rickshaw Boy" are still clearly visible.

After returning to the past, Xu Bei had already watched both the movies "The Herdsman" and "Shaolin Temple".

As for the film adaptation of Lao She's classic work "Rickshaw Boy," I will definitely go to the cinema to revisit it when I have time in the future.

Xu Bei quickly resumed his previous cycling speed and headed straight for the post office not far ahead.

Although the post office in this era was still a single-story building, the walls were made of dark red firebricks with deep joints, making it look rugged and sturdy.

On one side of the roof, a tall red brick chimney stands, emitting billowing white smoke.

Two tall, dark green cylindrical mailboxes stood at the entrance, covered in snow. Some of the large glass windows were covered with plastic sheeting, and one could vaguely see the figures moving inside.

Xu Bei locked his bicycle somewhere outside before carrying his bag into the post office.

After opening one half of the two doors and lifting the heavy cotton curtain, he felt the significant temperature difference between the inside and outside.

Perhaps it was because the public boiler burned better, but there was even a bit of heat hitting my face.

Xu Bei immediately took off his cotton gloves, untied his scarf, and unbuttoned the first button of his cotton coat.

He was about to go to the counter on the left to get a remittance form to fill out when he saw a familiar figure among the waiting people. It was Zhou Qingwan.

Xu Bei was somewhat surprised and delighted, not expecting to meet the little girl here.

Zhou Qingwan was looking at him with her big, watery eyes.

The two looked at each other across the distance, and both revealed smiles of varying degrees.

Xu Bei walked over and said with a smile, "What a coincidence, we've run into each other again."

Zhou Qingwan subconsciously raised her hand to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. "Yes, Brother Xu, we always seem to run into each other. The Forestry Bureau is just too small."

Xu Bei noticed her little gestures and thought they were all beautiful no matter how he looked at them. With a smile in his eyes, he asked, "Is the city small too? We've run into each other twice at the department store."

Zhou Qingwan's fair cheeks and ears flushed red again. She lowered her eyes and said softly, "There's only one department store."

Xu Bei immediately laughed, "Indeed."

Just then, he noticed a green slip in Zhou Qingwan's hand—a remittance notice—and a small booklet—her household registration booklet. Out of curiosity, he asked, "What business are you here for?"

Zhou Qingwan subconsciously put her hands behind her back and said softly, somewhat embarrassed, "Withdraw money."

Seeing that the girl's face turned even redder and she avoided eye contact, Xu Bei naturally didn't pry. He smiled and said, "I'm here to transfer money. You can continue queuing, I'll go fill out the form over there."

"Okay, Brother Xu, then go quickly."

After Zhou Qingwan urged him on, she waved to Xu Bei and watched his tall and upright figure walk to the side.

Although she really wanted to know how much of what Song Guomei said was true, she couldn't possibly ask Xu Bei in person.

No matter how perceptive Xu Bei is, he can't read minds, so how could he know what's happening behind the scenes?

However, while he was filling in Chen Jianguo's name and detailed address on the remittance slip, he would occasionally glance in Zhou Qingwan's direction without making a sound.

They were closely monitoring the little girl's actions.

After all, we've met again by chance, and we haven't had enough time to get to know each other yet.

After filling out the remittance form, Xu Bei went to the counter and handed over the form and the money he had prepared.

"Comrade, send the money, and also send an urgent telegram."

The clerk behind the counter, wearing arm sleeves, asked while counting the money, "Has the telegram been written?"

"I wrote it." Xu Bei handed over a slip of paper with writing on it.

The clerk skillfully manipulated the abacus. "Remittance fee is four dollars, telegram fee is two dollars and thirty-five cents, totaling six dollars and thirty-five cents."

"OK."

As Xu Bei paid, he was also thinking to himself that in those days, remittances were charged at 1% of the amount, and telegrams were three cents per word.

It is evident that both remittances and telegrams were a form of luxury consumption.

It's no wonder that many people try to shorten their telegrams when they have urgent matters to attend to, since every word costs money, and they want to save as much as possible.

But since he could get goods delivered without having to travel back and forth so much, he felt that the money was well spent.

When Xu Bei finished his business and left the counter, Zhou Qingwan also took a stack of money from the clerk at another window and started counting it.

Xu Bei has excellent eyesight and estimates that there are roughly a few dozen yuan in the money.

After confirming that the amount was correct, Zhou Qingwan carefully put it into the small bag she was carrying.

Then, as if sensing something, she looked up and saw Xu Bei, who seemed to have been watching her for a long time. Her cheeks, which had recovered somewhat, felt like they were being roasted by a furnace again.

Xu Bei smiled at the girl, gestured for them to go outside and chat, and then left first.

Zhou Qingwan roughly guessed what Xu Bei meant, so she quickly put on her scarf and gloves and followed him out.

Xu Bei had already unlocked the bicycle and was standing there, gripping the handlebars.

"Xiao Zhou, did you come by bike or on foot?"

Zhou Qingwan buried her face, which had cooled down rapidly from the cold air, in her wool scarf and admitted, "I didn't ride a bike."

Xu Bei smiled naturally and said, "Then I'll take you home."

Zhou Qingwan quickly waved her hand, "No need, Brother Xu, you go ahead with your work."

"It's nothing, I'm all done with my work. I was just about to tell you about the radio I helped you pick out."

Xu Bei paused for a moment, then deliberately tried to scare her with a plausible excuse, "You just withdrew the money, what if you run into a robber on the way? It's not impossible, even in broad daylight."

Zhou Qingwan's attempt to refuse was nipped in the bud, as that experience had left her with psychological trauma. "Alright then, thank you. Thank you for your trouble, Brother Xu."

Xu Bei was naturally very happy to have successfully sent the person home.

However, in order not to put too much pressure on the girl, he told a white lie without hesitation, "It's no trouble at all. I'm going home to burn the fire in the house anyway, so I'll just give you a ride on the way."