Era: 1962, the rise of vocabulary and related terms

The commotion in the office startled the three of them.

Xu Chunwang was afraid that Sun Yongkai would open the door and give them a good scolding at any moment, so he quickly said, "Yan Xiao, let's go."

"it is good."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Chunwang scurried to the door.

"Hey, wait for me!" Zheng Shuangxi and Zhu Fugui immediately called out.

After a few steps, they disappeared before Yan Xiao could react.

squeak-

As if by telepathy, Sun Yongkai opened his door.

Song Guangfu walked out dejectedly, looking like a dead man, and then walked straight out the door.

Sun Yongkai looked at the office, where only Yan Xiao remained, and asked, "Where are they?"

"They...they went shopping." Yan Xiao lied without hesitation.

"How long have you been gone?"

"It's been a while."

"Hmph, they're smart enough to know their place. By the way, where's Xiao Xu? Didn't I tell him to take you? Didn't he?"

"He's gone to relieve himself. He'll wait for me downstairs in a bit."

"Alright, then hurry up and go downstairs, don't keep your senior waiting."

"Yes, sir, I'll go down now."

After saying that, he left in a flash.

Leaving the office empty, Sun Yongkai returned to his room, satisfied.

Thank you!

As soon as Yan Xiao came out, Xu Chunwang grabbed him and pulled him aside to avoid his sight.

"Not at all, we'll be colleagues from now on, it's only right."

"Good lad, now that you say that, I'll accept you as a friend." Zhu Fugui patted him on the shoulder: "Aren't you guys going to the countryside? I happen to be free today, so you can ride my bicycle."

As he spoke, Zhu Fugui took out the key.

"Thanks, Brother Zhu." Xu Chunwang took it directly. "With a bicycle, you don't have to walk to the countryside anymore."

"Our purchasing department doesn't have many bicycles either. You're lucky. Back in the day, I had to walk to work in the countryside. The roads there were terrible." Xu Chunwang couldn't help but shake his head: "Tsk tsk tsk..."

The group went their separate ways.

"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria and buy some steamed buns to take with us. Can you ride a bicycle?" Xu Chunwang pulled Yan Xiao downstairs.

Yan Xiao nodded.

canteen.

"Sister Lan, give us four steamed buns." Xu Chunwang shouted as he saw a stall packing up to leave.

"It's you." Liu Lan smiled as she looked at Xu Chunwang.

"Who is this...?"

"I'll take my new colleague, Yan Xiao, to the countryside later."

"Comrade Yan Xiao, hello, I am Liu Lan." Liu Lan stretched out her hand from the window.

"Hello." Yan Xiao extended his hand for a light handshake, but he felt a sense of familiarity when he looked at her.

Feeling embarrassed by Yan Xiao's stare, Liu Lan thought her face was dirty.

Xu Chunwang nudged his shoulder. "Sister Lan, some steamed buns."

"Oh, oh!" Liu Lan took out four steamed buns from the drawer. Seeing Xu Chunwang take out his money and coupons, she said, "These are the only ones left. You don't need the coupons. I'll give them to you."

Suddenly, a voice shouted—

"Hey, Liu Lan, what's wrong with you? The steamed buns in our cafeteria are free! How can you just give them away like that!"

A middle-aged man with a slightly aged face and a rather robust build walked over.

"Chef He, it's just a few cornbread buns, not worth much money." Liu Lan was a little scared when she saw him.

"Even if it's worthless, it's still worth a few coins." Unexpectedly, he shouted.

Xu Chunwang retorted, "Shazhu, you're a grown man, why are you making things difficult for Sister Lan, a woman? It's just a cornbread, I'll give you the money, watch your mouth."

Stupid Pillar?!

Yan Xiao looked at He Yuzhu in front of him and immediately remembered that he was the protagonist of many of the novels about courtyard houses that he had read.

No wonder I felt I recognized Liu Lan when I heard her name and saw her.

So it turns out I've transmigrated into a book.

Sha Zhu is here, then there's Yi Zhonghai, Qin Huairu, Yan Bugui...

However, these things seem to have nothing to do with me. I'm still living in the factory dormitory and have absolutely no interaction with them.

While pondering, Xu Chunwang finished arguing with Sha Zhu.

"Hmph!" He threw down the money and pulled Yan Xiao away, complaining as they walked: "Of all the canteens in the steel mill, this is the one I dislike the most, especially this idiot Zhu."

"It's one thing to be ugly, but he also has a foul mouth. If he weren't a good cook, he would have been kicked out long ago."

"Xiao Yan, remember this: from now on, try not to come to the No. 1 canteen for meals. The food in other canteens is just as good."

"Yes, yes, Brother Xu is right." People are most irrational when they are angry, so Yan Xiao naturally wouldn't go against him. "Calm down, it's not worth getting angry over such a fool."

"That's true. I'm a purchasing agent, why bother arguing with him? Here, take this." Xu Chunwang nodded and stuffed two steamed buns into his hand.

"this......"

"Take it. We're going to the countryside to buy supplies, and we don't know when we'll be back. We can't go hungry. Whenever we go out, we must be prepared. It's called being prepared for any eventuality."

"Understood." Yan Xiao nodded.

After packing the cornbread, the two rode their bicycles to the door.

"Newcomer Yan Xiao, everyone get to know him. Please do me a favor in the future." Xu Chunwang handed cigarettes to several security guards.

"No problem, no problem."

"Alright, I've got the person's name on it."

Once the group received the cigarettes, they naturally discussed the matter amicably.

Once outside the gate, Xu Chunwang said, "We have to get along well with this security guard. We often come and go through the gate and frequently take things home. If we don't get along well, he might report us and we'll have to hand over what we brought."

"clear."

Do you have any money or tickets?

"I have the money, but not the tickets," Yan Xiao replied.

"Is the money yours?"

Yan Xiao nodded.

"It seems Section Chief Sun didn't give you the cash coupons, which is normal, there are only a few days left at the end of the month." Xu Chunwang explained, "These cash coupons are also linked to the procurement quota, and there is a fixed number of them, but we can exchange coupons with each other."

"I have a few tickets left that I haven't used. You can take them; you won't be able to go to the countryside without tickets."

Seeing Yan Xiao's hesitant and shy demeanor, Xu Chunwang thought to himself that he was a good lad, not one to take things for free.

"Don't worry, I've completed my purchasing quota for this month. If I don't give you these tickets, I'll sell them to scalpers."

"Our wages aren't very high right now, but we can still make a living by buying and selling, selling tickets, and smuggling wild goods for others. You've just come from the countryside, so you'll have to learn all of these things!"

After saying that, he patted Yan Xiao on the shoulder and stepped onto his bicycle.

"Let's go! We'll go shopping now, first place—Qin Family Village."

"This Qin Family Village is one of my purchasing territories. Each person in our department has their own purchasing territory, so please don't trespass on other people's territories."

"If it's just buying some cheap stuff, it's fine. But if you're buying a large quantity, especially pork, then you'll really have to work your butt off."

"During the famine a few years ago, many purchasing agents fought each other and even died. So, don't wander into other people's territory if you don't want to."

On the way, Xu Chunwang rode his bicycle while explaining the rules and regulations for purchasing staff to Yan Xiao.

"Also, we need to maintain good relations with the village. If we do, they'll save some good things for us."

"But don't play too well either, otherwise they'll take advantage of you and you'll be left wondering whether to respond or not. That would be awkward, wouldn't it? It's not good if there's a lingering resentment between you."

"Of course, it's still important to maintain good relationships in the end. After all, there are so many factories and so many purchasing agents in the city, and they have more than just us as purchasing agents."

"You'll have to find the right balance yourself..."