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

Wang Xingguo quickly said, "Brother Ergou, I appreciate your kindness, but I really can't agree to let you move to the west side of the city."

Er Gouzi glared at Wang Xingguo, seemingly displeased with his refusal: "Why? You have to explain yourself clearly today, otherwise you're disrespecting me, Er Gouzi, as a friend!"

Wang Xingguo said with a wry smile, "Brother Ergou, how could I dare to look down on you? My girlfriend works here, my older brother works here, and I work here too. Do you think I can move to Xicheng?"

Er Gouzi paused for a moment, then nodded and said, "That makes sense. Then forget it. I won't force you to move over, Wang Er. What kind of person would I be if I really forced you to move over! Hahaha, forget it, forget it. I'll toast you later to apologize."

Wang Xingguo said amiably, "No, I should be toasting you, Brother Er Gou. If you didn't think highly of me, you wouldn't have invited me to move to Xicheng, would you?"

"Hehe, it's good that you understand the principle. There's no need for respect. Let's just drink and eat heartily."

The river shrimp were finally stir-fried, along with smashed cucumber and cold seaweed salad.

Uncle Niu called for people to start pouring the liquor. The liquor they were drinking was loose liquor, which was actually Erguotou, but it wasn't bottled.

Drinking Erguotou on such a hot day can make you sweat profusely.

Unfortunately, the Erguotou liquor in Beijing was always 65 degrees. It wasn't until more than ten years later that it was reduced to 55 degrees, and only then did the standard of 56 degrees come about.

No matter how much you can drink, after downing a glass of 65-proof liquor, you'll inevitably let out a sigh.

Otherwise, the effects of the alcohol won't be released, and it will make you feel suffocated.

Master Niu has plenty of oil here; these little river shrimp aren't just stir-fried in oil, they're deep-fried!

Fried until the outer shell is crispy, then stir-fried with a sauce, it's incredibly flavorful. The outer shell is crispy while the shrimp meat inside is sweet and fresh, making it a truly rare and delicious dish to enjoy with drinks!

Wang Xingguo couldn't help but praise, "Uncle Niu, the people cooking here are truly skilled; this tastes absolutely amazing!"

Master Niu explained proudly, "That's right. My chef used to come from a family of imperial chefs. It's just that he had a terrible misfortune and his class status was classified as capitalist. At that time, his apprentice was assigned to be the head chef, and he was assigned to be an assistant. He couldn't bear the embarrassment, so he didn't take the job. Otherwise, with his skills, he could easily be the head chef of any big restaurant."

That's not surprising. Actually, the classification of employees is quite complex. In the catering industry, anyone who employs two or more people and doesn't participate in the labor themselves is basically considered a capitalist.

However, if a chef cooks his own meals and employs more than two people, it depends on the specific data. He may not necessarily be judged as a capitalist, but rather as a small business owner.

The main distinction lies in whether the individual is engaged in primary labor. If so, then their livelihood depends mainly on their own labor, and they fall under the category of small business owners, not capitalists of the exploiting class.

After having a few drinks with them, Wang Xingguo started asking them about recent price changes.

Nothing new, just more price increases!

Wang Xingguo was a little frustrated; prices were rising too fast.

However, after thinking about it carefully, he understood.

It's normal for these sellers to raise prices because they're not targeting ordinary people!

The money they earn is different from the money I earn.

They sell things to make money, while many of them barter for goods and then sell those goods for profit.

It's similar to what I do in the hospital, except that we come into contact with different people and the prices of things are different.

To put it another way, Wang Xingguo has connections with people at the hospital. Even if they don't ask him to exchange them, they can still get these things back through personal connections. At the very least, he can ask his friends for favors.

It's simply that people like Wang Xingguo don't require favors from them; all they need to do is spend some money.

However, many people here are different. They have gained the trust of some capitalists and remnants of the old regime, so they can directly bring things to these people.

This is why Wang Xingguo can make a huge profit selling crucian carp, which ordinary people sell for 1.5 yuan per kilogram, to them here for 1.3 yuan.

They didn't care at all how much Wang Xingguo sold his things for, because no matter how much they bought them, they would immediately resell them to rich people at a higher price!

To put it bluntly, Wang Xingguo is the producer and seller, while they are the distributors!

No matter how prices fluctuate, they remain steadfast and secure, their profits guaranteed regardless of market conditions!

This is something Wang Xingguo can't compare to. Not everyone can be this kind of person. These people might have been servants of others three generations back.

Without that connection, who would be so bold as to let someone else hold the charge of speculation and profiteering in their hands?

Why did Wang Xingguo not consider any other jobs, but only think that driving a tricycle was a suitable job?

Because whether in the past or present, people who ride tricycles to pick up and drop off customers belong to the lowest level of society.

In the past, people who pulled carts were called "cart pullers" and people who pulled rickshaws were called "rickshaw pullers" or "rickshaw pullers".

Now everyone calls him "Master," but the impression of this lowly status is deeply ingrained.

This identity as someone from the lower class is precisely what Wang Xingguo wants to do.

For kind-hearted people, what's wrong with someone from the lower class wanting to resell some goods to earn more money to support their family?

For those in positions of power, it's worth a try for someone from the lower class to try and resell something. This person makes a living through hard labor and isn't inherently intelligent, but they are honest, dutiful, and obedient.

That's why Wang Xingguo felt that riding a tricycle suited him. After all, he needed this job to travel around, whether it was to deliver goods to people he met in the future or to sell things to the hospital now.

Who would be so wary and suspicious of a lowly tricycle driver?

Just like when Wang Xingguo talked to Aunt Chen and Uncle Zhou, it was the default assumption of everyone about his profession, because he, as a rickshaw driver, was always the kind of person who talked a lot and was very outgoing, no matter what era he was in!

Speaking of this, we need to talk about the past of the rickshaw pullers and the caravan drivers. In fact, these two professions used to involve multiple roles, and chatting with customers was actually a requirement of their jobs.

For example, during chats, they can find out what kind of services customers need, and if they can do it themselves, they can offer it; if they can't do it, they can recommend someone they know, and then they can get some kickbacks.

They are not gossipy or talkative; they choose this way to make a living!

After a drinking session, Wang Xingguo had also settled many matters.

Cigarettes, alcohol, tea, and receipts are all sought after!

Everyone at the dinner table said that they were buying these things from Wang Xingguo at a price 10% lower than the black market price.