Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 476 475 Food Coupons Lost
Tuesday, December 12, strong wind.

The wind blows hard and the sand flies everywhere. How can I get two ounces of dust?

Tang Zhitong has been here for more than a year and has personally felt that there are many winds in autumn, winter and spring.

Especially in winter and spring, perhaps because the grass and trees are withered, the sand is free, and once the wind gets a little stronger, the dust will fly.

The wind and sand were lingering, not only making the windows rattle, but also making people feel annoyed.

After the wind stopped, a layer of dust remained on the glass and windowsills.

The adults were busy cleaning, while the children were busy painting.

Whether it is a windowsill or glass, it becomes a natural canvas after being covered with dust.

Fengzhi always used to draw some crooked flowers and birds, but this time she drew "harvest", with two or three children sitting on a big pig, a strong old hen, and a bunch of big eggs behind it.

Don't ask, the only thing I want to know is that I want to eat meat and eggs.

The cold wind was mixed with tiny grains of sand, which seemed to linger until the sky collapsed and the earth cracked, but the people of the city were in no mood to feel their joy.

After breakfast and when fully armed, Tang Zhitong sent Xiao Wang and Feng Zhen away as usual.

The city gate tower was covered with a layer of yellow filter in the sand and dust, like a castle in the desert, exuding a sense of desolation.

Perhaps because they had eaten too much sand, the people of old BJ made up the story of "Old Li with the Bald Tail" because of the sandstorm.

According to legend, there was a family named Li in Miyun. The woman gave birth to a child. The child was not only black, but also had a tail on his butt.

The child's father thought it was unlucky, so he cut off the child's tail.

As a result, a strange phenomenon occurred. With a loud thunder, the child turned into a black dragon with a broken tail and flew away.

The child's mother was frightened and was suspected by her husband's family of being unfaithful to her husband. She couldn't stand the criticism and committed suicide.

During the Qingming Festival of the following year, there was a strong wind and sandstorm in Miyun.

Some people said that they saw a black dragon with a broken tail coming to worship its mother.

From then on, there would be strong winds for a few days every year, so some people would say, "This is Bald-tailed Old Li coming to visit his mother's grave."

Tang Zhitong admired the imagination of these people very much. They accurately predicted that some people would give birth to dark children in a few decades.

Of course, they definitely know who the father of the child is, after all, it's because of "love".

After arriving at the Post and Telecommunications College, Luo Zhiping handed two letters to Tang Zhitong.

"Thank you, monitor." Tang Zhitong put the letter away, went to the bathroom, took a sip of water from the faucet to rinse his mouth, then washed his face before returning to the classroom to read.

The letter was a reply from Ma Kejian and Wu Haiyang.

Ma Kejian was very honest. He did not hide anything from Tang Zhitong and told him about his recent situation.

He said that he listened to Tang Zhitong's advice, and because there were no activities in the hall, he had to take a small step forward and is now involved in external receptions.

It is said that there is a popular practice among diners nowadays that as long as they are satisfied with a dish, they will invite the chef to the banquet hall to thank him in person and take photos with him.

Although he handed over all the tips he received, he always ensured the quality and quantity of his personal supplies and did not skimp on anything, which made him a little better than other chefs. After all, he would have the opportunity to appear in front of foreign guests, and looking pale and skinny would damage his image.

It was also said that the canteen supply at Wang Yan's place had shrunk, but a while ago she followed Tang Zhitong's advice and transferred her food relationship out of the collective, and now she can't transfer it out anymore.

At the end of the letter, Ma Kejian solemnly thanked Tang Zhitong and said that if there was not enough food, he could go to him and he would help think of a solution.

A lot of nagging.

Wu Haiyang's reply was much simpler, but it was written in pencil.

Judging from the strength of the handwriting, Tang Zhitong could sense Wu Haiyang's inner irritability.

The content of the letter is very short, written in a very tactful but also very straightforward way: You deserve not to get the hot tofu!
Tang Zhitong almost laughed out loud. It seemed that this guy was very unhappy with the self-heating hot pot. Was he taking his anger out on him?
However, Tang Zhitong was not worried about Wu Haiyang at all. He thought that making a self-heating hot pot was not difficult and would definitely be accomplished.

Tang Zhitong put down the letter and stopped worrying about Wu Haiyang. However, there would be trouble on the side of his third brother. That was a photo with foreign guests. If it was caught by someone with ulterior motives after the storm, it would be a big bomb!
I don’t know whether Third Brother’s progress this time is good or bad.

After careful consideration, Tang Zhitong decided to write another letter to Ma Kejian, asking him not to talk about the photo in public, and even if he had the photo at home, he was not to show it to others.

At the end of the letter, Tang Zhitong added a sentence: future letters should be burned after reading, and if there is any urgent matter, please call to discuss later.

After dealing with the letters and doing some homework, Tang Zhitong had lunch in the dormitory at noon. He went to bed in the afternoon because the physical education class was cancelled because of the sandstorm.

Tang Zhitong did not go directly to the escort department because today was the day to deliver fish to Tong Wang.

Tong Wang only gave Tang Zhitong two sacks at first. In order to facilitate future business, Tang Zhitong found a piece of the most popular letter paper on the market during class and wrote a crooked note with his left hand: Prepare ten sacks.

Not only is food in short supply now, but hemp ropes and sacks are also rising in price. They have suddenly become a type of bulk purchasing supplies, higher in level than melon seeds, chestnuts, and red dates.

For things like this that are hard to buy, it’s better not to use your own if you can. It’s not right to sell fish with packaging bags. This is not the afterlife where material abundance is great.

As for leaving a note, it is definitely better to avoid meeting in person if possible, and to be safe is the priority.

As always, Tang Zhitong "threw" the sack directly into the yard when passing by the Bell and Drum Tower. The letter paper was tied to the rope that tied the sack, so it could be seen at a glance.

After arriving at the escort office, Ma Wei happily greeted Tang Zhitong: "Chief Tang, the labor union distributed uniforms and snacks this morning. Chairman Chen asked me to tell you to come pick them up when you are free."

"Okay, thank you, I'll be there right away." Tang Zhitong put down his bag, his face was as happy as if magpie shit was smeared on it, and he immediately went out to the union. Given the current supply conditions, if someone is not enthusiastic about eating, then he must have some problems with his brain.

Tang Zhitong came to the door of the union and knocked first. After someone inside shouted "Come in", he pushed the door open. Seeing that there was no one else inside, he said directly: "Sister Chen, thank you for thinking of me when you have good things to do. Xiao Ma told me."

"Isn't it my duty to think of you? The carrots last time were also thanks to you. Come, I have left you a large-size uniform, see if it fits you." Sister Chen treated Tang Zhitong particularly well because he had done a lot of work to get benefits for the union, saving her a lot of effort.

"This number is perfect. Sister Chen is so thoughtful. Thank you." Tang Zhitong took the clothes and first looked at the number label on the collar, which was the kind that was stamped.

"You're too polite. You have to wear it carefully, because you don't know when you'll get it later." Sister Chen reminded vaguely.

"Okay." Tang Zhitong nodded in agreement. This was almost an open secret.

"Here is some snacks. They are distributed by the food factory based on the number of people, two kilograms per person. I'd like you to deduct them when you pay our wages." After saying this, Sister Chen took out two packages of snacks from the basket next to her and wrapped them in brown paper.

"No problem. What's the price for this snack?" Tang Zhitong asked as he took the snack.

"It's affordable, 76 cents a pound, 1.52 yuan per person." Sister Chen had already calculated it and quoted the price directly.

"Okay, I'll give it to you the day after tomorrow without a cent difference." Tang Zhitong agreed readily. 76 cents a pound, it's not easy to supply at such a low price.

Of course, not everyone has this kind of treatment, otherwise why would anyone be scrambling to get into the circle?
After saying goodbye to Sister Chen and returning to the Finance Department, Tang Zhitong dealt with today's work and left work on time.

Although the wind has died down a bit, the dust is still there.

Pedestrians on the street are all dressed similarly. Even if they don’t have masks, they still cover their noses and mouths with scarves.

Those riding bicycles squinted their eyes and lowered their heads as they moved forward, while those walking covered their eyes with their hands as they walked forward.

This is when the advantage of myopia comes into play, as at least there are two lenses to cover it.

Of course, today’s glasses are not cheap, and they are made entirely of glass, which makes them very heavy. Not only do they hurt the bridge of your nose, but even if they are broken, most people just wrap them up with tape and continue to use them.

When Tang Zhitong rode to the entrance of Tielulu Hutong, he heard Liu Zhang's iconic cry in front of him.

Who is so bold? How dare to mess with this woman? Tang Zhitong complained in his heart.

Although she didn't want to respond, the alley was blocked by a bunch of onlookers, so she had no choice but to get off the cart and push it forward: "Auntie Qian, please move aside, I'll pass."

"Anzi, are you off work? Why don't you stop and take a look? Liu Zhang lost her food coupons and has been crying for a long time. Not many people are willing to give her food coupons." Aunt Qian did not give way to Tang Zhitong, but instead introduced the situation to Tang Zhitong with a gloating look.

"No need to watch it. I have to go home and cook." Losing the food coupons was a big deal, but judging from Aunt Qian's tone and the meaning of her words, most people were just watching the fun and no one was willing to lend a helping hand. Tang Zhitong was too lazy to worry about Liu Zhang's life or death.

"Anzi, you're back just in time. You're young and promising, with many ideas. Give us some advice and see how to deal with this matter." Although Tang Zhitong wanted to leave, Uncle Lu Dexian saw him at a glance and didn't want to let him go at all, so he shouted to stop Tang Zhitong.

Lu Dexian's voice drowned out Liu Zhang's wailing, and made the eyes of the surrounding neighbors focused on Tang Zhitong.

"Uncle Lu, you are the master of the Liu Zhang compound. This is your compound's business. How can I be qualified to interfere?" Tang Zhitong certainly knew that Lu Dexian was trying to divert trouble, but it was not easy to confront him directly in front of all the neighbors, so he just shook his head and declined.

"Hey~ Everyone here knows that you were promoted to section chief at a young age? If you are not qualified, who is? What do you think, am I right?" Lu Dexian raised a compliment and threw it at Tang Zhitong. Since he had met him, there was no reason to let it go easily.

This bunch of onlookers really enjoy watching the fun and are not afraid of trouble. They join in the commotion. They just want to watch the fun and see how Tang Zhitong responds and handles the situation.

"We should go to the police station for this matter, right? Ask the comrades at the police station to help find the food coupons. It's no use asking me, as I can't produce any food coupons." Tang Zhitong secretly hated himself. This Lu Dexian was really wicked. Was he determined to drag him into this?

"The comrades from the police station just left. They said they would go back to investigate and asked us to wait for news." Aunt Qian at the side continued.

"Then just wait. The street has just issued food coupons. We can't lose them all at once, right? We have to give the comrades from the police station some time to investigate and deal with the matter. Just deal with the remaining food coupons first and wait for news. Aunt Qian, please move aside and let me pass." Tang Zhitong didn't want to wade into this muddy water, so he urged again.

"Eanzi, what your Aunt Liu lost is not a small amount, a full 20 kilograms. If we can't find it back, we won't be able to live. We have been neighbors for many years, we can't just stand by and watch her die, right?" Seeing that Tang Zhitong was determined to leave, Lu Dexian finally showed his true colors.

"What's the matter, Uncle Lu? Didn't you see her going to my house to bully my mother and standing at the door of our house to curse at her? Do you mean that I have to swallow my pride and take the lead in supporting her with some food coupons?" Tang Zhitong was so angry that he simply parked his bicycle and started to mock.

"I'm just thinking that you've been promoted, your awareness must be high, and your family's living conditions are good, so I'm doing this to show my appreciation." Seeing that his little plan was exposed, Lu Dexian gritted his teeth and continued to flatter Tang Zhitong, while not forgetting to provoke a fight.

"Oh, just because I have a high level of awareness, do I have to listen to your one-sided words and pay out the food coupons? My family lives in good conditions, do I have to listen to you and divide the property? I come from a working-class family, and you just open your mouth and turn my family into rich and heartless landlords. So? How about you take the initiative to divide my family up?" Tang Zhitong became angry and didn't even address Lao Lu as "you". He retorted in a sinister tone, almost cursing at him.

"I don't mean that. We've been neighbors for most of my life. I'm offering five kilograms. If you don't want to pay, then forget it. You're a cadre after all!" Old Lu blushed and argued with his neck stiff.

"You are generous and great! I am different from you. I have a family to support. I am young, and my two sisters are even younger. The little brats are starving me to death. This is the age when we can eat." Tang Zhitong mocked Lao Lu and glanced at Liu Zhang who was squatting on the ground and crying. To be more precise, she was crying dryly.

The wind and sand were so strong and she had been crying for a while. Anyone who has cried knows that tears mixed with dust will leave dark marks on the face even with a handkerchief, but Liu Zhang's face was clean.

Seeing this, Tang Zhitong knew what was going on. Without waiting for Old Lu to speak, he changed the subject and asked, "But as a cadre, you really can't just consider personal grudges. Although our family's ration is tight, although Liu Zhang is a rich peasant, and although I look down on your behavior, I really can't just stand by and watch you die. I'm willing to lend her two kilograms of food coupons to tide her over the difficulties. It depends on whether Liu Zhang is willing to accept it."

"Yes, yes." Liu Zhang stopped howling and nodded hurriedly, fearing that Tang Zhitong would go back on his word.

Tang Zhitong took a look at Liu Zhang's handkerchief when she turned her head. There was only dust but no mud, which further confirmed his guess.

"The rations of the neighbors were very tight, and every kilogram of food coupons lent out was saved from one's own teeth.

If the comrades at the police station help to find it back, everyone will be happy, and you can pay off your food coupons in one go.

If you really can't find it back, it would be reasonable for you to save a kilogram or two every month and return it to everyone, right?
Of course, I can be the last one to return my share." Tang Zhitong was standing from the perspective of the neighbors this time. For such a long time, few people had given out food coupons. It was nothing more than considering their own situation. He was frightened by Lv Dexian's "free" five kilograms.

"Yes, yes, yes." Liu Zhang nodded immediately without asking for conditions.

"It's only natural to pay back a debt. Since it's a loan, there must be a guarantor. You're an old man in the same compound, can you guarantee it?" Tang Zhitong didn't believe that Liu Zhangshi could spit out what she had eaten, but it didn't prevent him from finding someone who could spit it out.

(End of this chapter)