Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 567 566 Invitation

Tang Zhitong was just bragging, but decades later the Internet was filled with short essays about soldiers approaching the gates of New Delhi.

It's all nonsense. The two sides started the war when the two giants of capitalism and socialism were confronting each other in Cuba and had no time to look east.

We acted quickly but also with restraint. We never reached the gates of New Delhi, but we fought to the edge of the disputed area and immediately retreated because the Indians went to ask for reinforcements in an attempt to persuade their master to throw mushroom eggs at China.

But one thing is true, New Delhi was indeed in chaos for a while, as people were terrified that the Chinese army would march south.

The rich go abroad with money, while the poor go to the temple to pray to the gods.

When they heard that the battle had reached New Delhi, all the boys except Cheng Shaojun became excited, as if they were standing outside the city with guns on their shoulders.

Yue Zhenzhen didn't know where New Delhi was, so she secretly asked the classmate next to her. When she learned that it was the capital of India, she covered her mouth in surprise.

The capital, the first thing that came to her mind was what would happen if an external enemy could reach the city... She didn't even dare to imagine that kind of scene, how strong would the military force be?
"New Delhi is more than a thousand kilometers away from the East Line and the West Line. But it is not impossible. As long as we climb over a few mountains, the road ahead will be flat." Cheng Shaojun said after a little thought.

"No, I was just bragging. Did you really take it to heart?" This time it was Tang Zhitong's turn to be at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

"Boasting? We have actually discussed this issue in school. Although that place is known as the third best in the world, many classmates have similar views to yours, but they are not as bold as you." Cheng Shaojun said seriously.

"It's impossible. Don't take it seriously. Even if we fight, it's to take back the territory occupied by India. It's impossible to go beyond the disputed area.

Once we enter, we will become invaders, which is not legally tenable." Tang Zhitong waved his hands hastily, saying that they would definitely be able to reach New Delhi.

The Indian army's morale is not that stable. If a real war breaks out, won't the Kshatriya officers fight with their own bodies? Will a bunch of Shudras and Dalits carry guns and fight for the Brahmins and Kshatriyas?

It gives you an immediate feeling of "Why would you risk your life without much money?"

Ultimately it is due to religious reasons. The lower classes are particularly resigned to their fate because the doctrine says that as long as they accept their fate and do not resist in this life, they will be reborn as a Brahmin or a Kshatriya in the next life. The Kshatriyas are so happy that they are numb with laughter.

It’s non-violent non-cooperation, it’s a Mahatma, the logistics team leader spoke highly of it - damn!

Of course, these are things that cannot be told. The captain’s diary was not made public until 2004.

"The food is here, let's eat first." Du Yanqing got up and opened the door after hearing the knock.

The cafeteria staff came in from outside pushing a small cart.

The car was a two-story one, and it was packed with two cars.

It was indeed four dishes and one soup, stewed cabbage, stewed tofu, fried lotus root slices, braised pork and stewed potatoes, and a seaweed egg drop soup.

There was also a bowl of steamed buns and a bowl of rice.

"Wow, what a rich meal! There's even meat!" After seeing the meat, Sun Xiaopu's attention shifted and he exclaimed.

The braised pork is real braised pork, with skin, and is maroon in color. The fat underneath the skin is trembling, making people salivate.

"Your school cafeteria is pretty good, it has this dish?" Huo Xiaoping also had his eyes on the braised pork.

"What are you thinking about? This is canned meat. I brought it from home." Du Yanqing acted like a host, cooperating with the canteen staff to distribute bowls and chopsticks to everyone, and then said, "These are the dishes. Everyone, make do with them. There is no wine today, so men, please overcome it."

"Hey, if you don't have it, then don't. I'll bring my own next time." Wu Aijun said with a sniffle.

The female classmates chattered and said polite words like "This is already very good" and "It's much better than eating at home".

Everyone else got their rice first, but Tang Zhitong served soup to Xiao Wang and himself first.

Nori, I have been here for more than a year, but I have never drunk it many times. Except for this time, I only drank it during the postal code promotion training.

When MSG is not popular, seaweed has its own umami flavor and is very appealing.

The portion of four dishes and one soup is quite substantial, but the rice and steamed buns are slightly inferior. The rice is double-steamed and the steamed buns are extra-large.

No matter which one, everyone else ate it with relish, without any sign of disgust, and you could tell at a glance that they were used to eating it.

The bowl was already filled with soup, so Tang Zhitong did not choose rice for Xiao Wang, but let her eat steamed buns like himself.

The steamed buns made by the incremental method are large in size but rather flat. This is because too much water is added, causing them to collapse during fermentation because they cannot support their own weight.

Although it doesn’t look good, it is made of flour after all, and the taste is okay.

Even the young men were craving for meat. Although they were not particularly eager to eat the vegetables, they all went for the braised pork.

Xiao Wang and Tang Zhitong smiled at each other and did not join in. They just ate whatever was in front of them.

The food ration for each person was not enough to begin with, and today we rode bikes, walked around the campus, and the boys even played ball, so we were very hungry.

For a moment, no one spoke, only the sound of chewing.

After everyone had appeased themselves for their own misconduct, they began to complain about how outrageous their own unit or school canteens were, such as how the dishes were bad, there was too little oil, too much water was added to the rice, etc., which aroused resonance among people.

"We who live in other places are even worse off. Girls only have a monthly ration of 27 kilograms, and you can squeeze water out of the rice. To be honest, I came back as soon as the holiday came, and the place over there was really... Oh! It's better to be back home, where I can finally have two full meals." Sun Xiaopu used all his sharp words on the rice. After cleaning the rice in the bowl, he filled another half bowl and added two spoonfuls of vegetable soup.

"I asked you to stay in this city to study, but you insisted on going to another place. Do you regret it now?" He Ping said as he picked up a piece of cabbage for her with chopsticks.

"I've stayed at home long enough. I didn't regret it at that time. When I first went there, I felt that I was finally free and even my breathing was much smoother. Now, it's too late to regret." Sun Xiaopu took a big mouthful of rice, chewed it and swallowed it. His eyes were full of food and there was no regret on his face.

"You are just stubborn. If you had stayed in Beijing to study, you could have an extra three kilograms of food ration per month, and thirty-six kilograms per year." He Ping felt a little disappointed. His friend had chosen a university far away from home just because she didn't want to face her stepmother's face. By the time the admission letter came, it was too late for her father to know.

"Xiao Pu is always exaggerating. At least she can have vegetables for every meal. It's miserable over there. There are not even a few vegetables. We rely on the limited ration to get by." Zhou Xiaoyun interrupted. She wanted to stay in the old city but was not able to stay. She was transferred to another place.

"If you ask me, you are all not as good as Cheng Shaojun. Even though he eats voraciously, he is not greedy for meat." Yue Zhenzhen observed carefully from the side.

"Our school is special in nature, and we usually have training tasks, so the quantity is higher. Eating fast is a habit I developed after I got there. I have to be fast. Food really has to be snatched away. If you are slow, the big buns will be snatched away." After hearing Yue Zhenzhen mention himself, Cheng Shaojun, whose cheeks were stuffed with buns, took a sip of soup and then spoke.

"Hey, Wenwen, you two are the only couple in our group who eat so elegantly. Is the food in your cafeteria good?" Sun Xiaopu ate his rice just as fast as Cheng Shaojun. After finishing his rice, he didn't get more but leaned back on his chair and rubbed his stomach. "Our cafeteria is just so-so. I'm a decent shooter. When I have time, I go out to shoot rabbits, turtledoves, etc., and occasionally I can catch some fish, which can help me make up for the loss." This question was somewhat offensive. Tang Zhitong was afraid that Xiao Wang would argue with Sun Xiaopu, so he answered first.

"Wow! That's really great. We can have meat to eat." When Sun Xiaopu heard this, his eyes were full of envy.

Tang Zhitong could also see that Sun Xiaopu was a straightforward person with little scheming, or as the saying goes, he spoke without thinking.

Student Xiao Wang smiled and didn't respond.

Then everyone ate and talked, implementing the "Clean Plate Campaign" and finishing all the food, many of them were so full.

After the meal, Du Yanqing asked the canteen for a teapot and teacups, and brought two thermoses of water. Everyone drank boiled water and chatted in the private room.

Girls talked about food and clothing, and boys talked about the international situation.

Tang Zhitong didn't want to show off in front of others, so when asked about him, he just evaded the question by saying "I didn't notice it."

Just analyze the Third Brother for fun, and forget about other things. If you talk too much, you might be regarded as a monster.

After eating and drinking, go to the bathroom before leaving.

Classmate Xiao Wang pulled Du Yanqing aside and started chatting in private, mainly about hiring a tutor for his younger brother and sister-in-law.

"Then... I'll go back and ask him." Du Yanqing didn't expect that her sister would make such a request, but she didn't dare to guarantee it. After all, she couldn't make the decision for others.

"My husband proposed to the company and school to grow vegetables this year, and they all participated in the work, and a lot of vegetables were distributed before winter.

If you have been to our house, you will know that we plant a lot of things in the yard. My mother-in-law is very thoughtful and takes good care of it. There is some yield, which can provide some food supplement for the family.

Adding these items together, we eat a little more than the average person.

We plan to provide meals in addition to the normal labor fee.

Since there is no one at home except two children, I thought of asking you to find a reliable person.

Tell them about the conditions we offer. If it doesn't work, forget it. Don't be caught in the middle." Xiao Wang was clear and logical, and he had put forward the conditions. He even explained the reason for providing meals. These were all on the surface, and they were not the kind that the husband brought home from the Northeast or other places, so they could withstand verification.

"Okay. How long will this tutoring job take?" Du Yanqing was very tempted. This would provide a meal. Even if it was just steamed bread and pickles, at least he could save four taels of food coupons. A little bit would add up to a lot, and he could have a prosperous year at the end of the year.

"Let's tentatively set it for half a month, leaving time for the New Year." Elementary schools start on the 16th day of the first lunar month. Before and after the New Year, not only do we have to leave time for our younger brothers and sisters to play, we also have to consider tutoring for the New Year.

"Okay, I'll write to you as soon as possible and call you then." Du Yanqing agreed.

"Okay. Tomorrow is Monday. If you call, please try to call in the afternoon. I have taken a leave of absence in the morning." Xiao Wang will be sending his sister and sister-in-law to the Conservatory of Music tomorrow, and he is not at work.

At the same time, Tang Zhitong was pulling Huo Xiaoping to smoke, and took the opportunity to give him five yuan: "I took a lot of photos today. Please take the trouble to develop a copy of the two of us and send it to me."

"What the hell, buddy, are you trying to slap me in the face? I smoked a lot of your cigarettes today, that's enough." Huo Xiaoping confiscated it and pushed it back.

"Okay, then I won't say any more. I'll organize a party and prepare two delicious dishes so that we can all sit together." Tang Zhitong had a good first impression of Huo Xiaoping. Cameras are expensive items these days, but he let him use them without any hesitation. It was very nice.

"That's great. Let's try the chef's cooking. I'll bring some wine and we won't leave until we're drunk!" Huo Xiaoping laughed and agreed.

The two exchanged contact information and addresses, and followed others to the gate to pick up the car.

Du Yanqing sent all his friends to the school gate, and after passing Wudaokou, everyone went their separate ways.

Those who live on campus go back to school, and those who live at home go towards the inner city.

Traveling with Tang Zhitong and Xiao Wang were Wu Aijun, Cheng Shaojun, Sun Xiaopu, Zhou Xiaoyun, Cao Shuangshuang and Yue Zhenzhen.

The four girls rode in front, while Wu Aijun, Cheng Shaojun and Tang Zhitong followed behind.

The front and rear rows run parallel most of the time, which means there are few bicycles on the road now. If this happened a few decades later, people would definitely be criticized.

The mood got better, and several people even sang "The Internationale":
Arise, you hungry and cold slave.

Arise, you who suffer all over the world.

……

This song was created in the last century and later introduced to China. Many people can sing it, especially the families of this group of young people. Basically, they have been humming along since childhood. Its popularity is comparable to that of "Three Major Disciplines and Eight Points for Attention".

Singing and laughing all the way, full of youthful vitality.

The four girls lived in the west of the city, and a group of young men sent them home one by one. When they were at the Public Security Hospital, Tang Zhitong parted ways with Cheng Shaojun and Wu Aijun.

After stopping the car, the four of them stood at the door. The man took a break to smoke a cigarette, while Xiao Wang stood aside, being virtuous and quiet.

Tang Zhitong also had a good impression of Cheng Shaojun, and Wu Aijun was a friend from the previous generation, so naturally they couldn't cut off contact. Tang Zhitong planned to invite the two of them to get together.

There were other girls present just now, so Tang Zhitong didn't speak until he reached the gate of the Public Security Courtyard and asked, "Shaojun, when will your school start?"

"We have to leave on the tenth day after the New Year." Cheng Shaojun flicked the ash from his cigarette.

"Aijun, can you spare some time after this year? Come over to our place and sit with us before Shaojun leaves?" Tang Zhitong formally invited the two.

"Okay, you set the date." Wu Aijun accepted it gladly. The two of them got along quite well today. He knew that Tang Zhitong wanted to deepen their relationship, so he agreed.

"I don't have many relatives there, and it's quiet after the New Year. How about the fourth day? It's Sunday. I plan to call Huo Xiaoping again, is that okay?" Tang Zhitong calculated the date. There was only one day off during the Spring Festival. Although the inspection was not strict, people would definitely need to take turns on duty. Sunday was different. It was a legitimate rest day.

"It's no problem for both of us." Cheng Shaojun and Wu Aijun looked at each other and agreed.

"Then it's settled. My home is in Shijia Hutong, Flower Market Street, outside the city." Tang Zhitong took out a pen and paper from his bag and drew a simple map for the two of them, so that they wouldn't have to write a special letter to notify them.

(End of this chapter)