In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

Wang Xingguo quickly stepped forward and said politely, "Grandpa, I've run out of matches. Could I borrow a light from you?"

The old man looked up at Wang Xingguo, nodded, and handed him a cigarette.

Wang Xingguo lit a cigarette, squatted down next to the old man, and asked while smoking, "Grandpa, you look so worried, what's wrong?"

The old man sighed and said, "My eldest son got injured while serving in the army. I'm a complete stranger in this place, and I don't know what to do..."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xingguo quickly comforted him, "Uncle, don't worry. How is your brother? Is he badly injured?"

"The doctor said he was cut by shrapnel and is now bedridden. Quite a few people have come to visit him, but I don't know how to take care of him to help him recover faster..."

"Grandpa, if you want your wound to heal faster, you should stew blackfish soup for your brother. Blackfish is very helpful for wound healing."

"Yes, yes, that's what the nurse said too, but where am I supposed to get black carp? The hospital does have a place to cook for family members, but I'm just an old man from the countryside, I don't know how to get fish."

And that's how business comes in!

Wang Xingguo whispered in the old man's ear, "Don't worry, sir, I do have connections to help you get this fish. But as you probably know, given the current situation in the city, these black carp aren't cheap..."

Upon hearing this, the old man grabbed Wang Xingguo's arm and said, "Young man, you have connections? That's great! The price is negotiable. I'm an honest man, and I won't treat you unfairly."

Wang Xingguo asked with a smile, "How many do you want? To be honest, you can't buy or sell these things with money; that's illegal. But as your junior, I can bring some black carp over to our elder brother. If you thank me with some cigarettes, alcohol, or some receipts, that's just a courtesy, not speculation."

The old man nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's right, that's right. The nurse even told me that I could find someone to help me out. Buying and selling without money isn't speculation..."

After discussing it for a while, the old man, who didn't know the proper terms, simply pulled Wang Xingguo into the hospital to take him to the ward to discuss it with his eldest son.

His eldest son is a military officer who has seen the world and wants to recover his health as soon as possible so he can return to the army. He would definitely support the idea of ​​exchanging the black carp for the black carp.

Wang Xingguo wasn't afraid, since he didn't have any fish on him. Even if the old man's son disagreed, it wouldn't cause any trouble.

As for the tricycles, they were just left on the roadside. These days, nobody dares to steal them because they can't be sold off as stolen goods.

A tricycle worth a couple hundred yuan, if you go to the police station to report it, whoever stole such a large amount of money will be sentenced to several years in prison.

So there are many thieves who steal money and other valuables, but unless someone is insane, no thief would dare to steal a car.

He's staying in a special care ward. It seems I underestimated this old man; his eldest son must be a high-ranking military officer.

Of course, it wasn't a special care ward for high-ranking officers; those are wards only for officers at the division level or above.

Logically speaking, an officer like Grandpa Zhou's son shouldn't lack fish; he should be given special nutritional supplements.

Having already introduced himself along the way, as soon as Grandpa Zhou entered the ward, he said to his son, who was having his dressing changed by a nurse, in Sichuan dialect: "Aming, this Xiao Wang is a kind young man I just met at the hospital entrance. He can help get some crucian carp and black carp. What do you think about us sharing this with him?"

The square-faced man, who looked to be in his thirties, had particularly sharp eyes. He glanced at the smiling Wang Xingguo, and perhaps thinking that Wang Xingguo didn't seem like a swindler, he nodded and said, "Alright, I'll talk to him."

Wang Xingguo understood, and he quickly introduced himself: "Hello Brother Zhou, my name is Wang Xingguo, I drive a tricycle, I'm not a bad person or a swindler. Just now I saw Grandpa Zhou squatting to the side smoking, looking worried, so I thought he had encountered some difficulties and asked him what was wrong."

Grandpa Zhou nodded repeatedly in praise, "That's right, Xiao Wang is so kind-hearted. No wonder he's from the capital, he's such a warm-hearted person."

"Hello, Comrade Xingguo. My name is Zhou Wenming. I'm a few years older than you, so you can just call me Brother Zhou."

Wang Xingguo changed his address to "Brother Zhou" and said directly, "Brother Zhou, I'm always out and about and know a lot of people. If you want your injury to heal quickly, crucian carp and black carp soup is the most effective. I can help get some over there so we can all share. I'm just a helpful person, and I have great respect for our People's Liberation Army. So I don't need any reward from you. Just give some receipts and cigarettes/alcohol to the fishermen. What do you think of that?"

Zhou Wenming nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it this way. Can you help me make some arrangements? My comrades gave me some cigarettes and alcohol. I can't smoke or drink while my wound is still healing. You can use these to help me make some fish. It would be quite suitable."

Wang Xingguo quickly waved his hand and said, "That won't do. I'll get the fish for you first, then we can prepare the other dishes. After all, I don't know how many fish I can get, right?"

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say. Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. Meeting Uncle Zhou is fate, and I personally value fate."

The nurse listened the whole time, and couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Wang, could you get me a couple of black carp too? I have a patient who really needs these things. I'll have her get some for you later, how about that?"

Wang Xingguo was overjoyed. This nurse had asked him for help, which would make it much easier for him to find customers in the hospital in the future.

He nodded quickly and said, "Of course, since you asked, I have to get you a blackfish too. I'll bring the fish over tonight, and you can decide on the extras. I won't make a profit. I'll just deliver the food to the fishermen right away. I'm just doing you a favor."

The nurse's name was Jiang Yue'e. They not only exchanged names, but she also told Wang Xingguo that when he brought the fish in, if he wanted to enter the hospital, he should just give her name and say that he was bringing her the fish. The security guards would then notify her, and she would come out to meet him.

Wang Xingguo was overjoyed. With this new route, it would be much more convenient for him to go in and out of the hospital.

This hospital isn't a place where just anyone can come and go. You know, when he came in just now, Grandpa Zhou had to take him to register his information before he could enter the hospital smoothly.

Without a pass or family accompaniment, only doctors and nurses can bring people in. Ordinary people cannot enter the General Hospital of Liberation to visit patients.

Just kidding, military hospitals are not to be trifled with; they're not places where just anyone can come and go as they please.