National Tide 1980

Just two bags of dumplings have won the favor of Japanese people, which must be extremely incredible in the eyes of Chinese people.

But this illustrates a very important practical issue. A truly good gift must have the following characteristics.

First, give something that the recipient appreciates and really needs.

Second, it is to give something that is reasonable but unexpected.

Third, the gift given can represent the sincerity and friendliness of the giver, as well as the noble thoughts and tastes.

Fourth, it is best to give a gift that also shows a sense of humor.

Fifth, the gift given will never exceed one's reasonable budget.

In fact, Japanese people care very much about the form of gift-giving, and they need to carefully wrap gifts and send blessings.

Of course, it is to be able to fully express one's sincerity when giving gifts.

But it doesn’t mean they don’t care about the content at all.

It would be almost meaningless to just put a towel in the exquisite packaging.

Although Ning Weimin did not have exquisite packaging, he was able to seize the opportunity to give gifts and gave them the most appropriate gifts.

Moreover, they express their sincerity by practicing and making it themselves. This kind of blessing is what the host hopes to receive most.

The natural effect is overwhelming and it directly attracts good people.

There is nothing surprising about this, except that it shows that Chinese food is so attractive that it is a dimensionality-reducing blow to any foreigner.

It can only mean that Ning Weimin is very discerning, knows how to do what he wants, and is very proficient in gift-giving.

In comparison, at this time, some domestic enterprises and institutions entertained European and American guests, and it was extremely stupid to give them high-quality tea without any foreign letters but with high value.

It has completely achieved the counter-effect of "principalizing courtesy but not friendship".

In short, simple Japanese people don't understand how many twists and turns Ning Weimin has in his heart.

All the people present were impressed by his opportunistic "dumpling diplomacy".

So now, the family dinner held at Taniguchi's house has officially entered a virtuous cycle.

In addition, we must also admit that adequate language communication between people is essential, otherwise the more misunderstandings exist, the more they will deepen.

However, as long as each other has the desire to communicate, even complete strangers can sit down and have a calm chat, and many things will be easier to handle.

For example, Yujiro Sakai, who attended the party rashly today, was disliked by the host for coming uninvited.

Moreover, his motive for coming this time was a bit philistine. He was obviously thinking about Ning Weimin's money bag.

Not only did he want Ning Weimin to buy the property recommended by Kagawa Miyo's subsidiary, but he also wanted to get him to insure it with his own company.

But he and Miyoko Kagawa were both strangers who came to Tokyo from a different place to look for happiness, working hard but having no fixed place to live.

They met in Tokyo and have been dating for a year.

The families of both parties have also approved of their marriage, and they have basically reached the point of discussing marriage.

But only because of poor economic conditions, it is still far away from saving money to buy a house and get married in Tokyo.

So naturally, the two of them would be extremely envious of the Taniguchi family's private residence.

And in the process of chatting, this emotion of desire and envy was fully expressed.

This immediately gave the Taniguchi couple, especially the wife Kayo Taniguchi, a great sense of psychological comfort.

In turn, Taniguchi Kayo's disgust for Sakai Yujiro was reduced accordingly.

Why is this happening?

In fact, the main reason is that the sources of happiness for a Japanese housewife are too few and too simple.

It is not difficult to imagine that Mrs. Taniguchi’s daily life probably includes taking care of her family’s daily life and watching TV programs. The most important thing is to compare her own life with that of her neighbors, relatives and friends.

It's a pity that Director Taniguchi belongs to a disadvantaged group in the workplace. Except for his appearance once when he was lucky enough to join a foreign company, he has always been at the bottom of his career for so many years.

Mrs. Taniguchi was already despairing about his future and no longer had any hope.

Every time he went to a gathering of company relatives, Taniguchi Kayo would feel inferior, and instead he would be full of envy for those young ladies.

Because at least the husband still has the possibility of promotion.

In addition, her son and daughter are not outstanding academically, and Mrs. Taniguchi is also worried about their children's future.

It was really a long time since I had enjoyed the comfort brought by my psychological advantage, and I didn’t like communicating with others even more.

Only today, after being praised by two young people, did this housewife, who had long been tired of the mediocre life, feel some spiritual relief.

Suddenly, I realized that my little life was not useless. At least it was much better than those foreigners who struggled in Tokyo with their bare hands.

I can’t help but feel lucky that my family made the decision to buy a house as early as 1969.

Indeed, their family's luck can be measured entirely in terms of money.

I think when they bought the house, the total price was less than 8 million yen.

I took out a loan of 7 million from the bank and paid it back in twenty years. It will take only a few years for me to get through.

But now, the price of this suite has actually risen to almost 20 million.

If we measure the current average salary of 180,000 yuan for newly graduated college students in Tokyo, it would take ten years of no food or drink to earn it.

When it comes to borrowing money from banks, young people today have a much harder time than they did back then, regardless of job promotion.

Doesn't this mean they made more than 10 million yen out of thin air?

Of course, having said that, after all, today there is a wealthy man like Ning Weimin who spends 600 million yen to buy a house.

And Japanese people have a special liking for single-family houses.

The common wish of all Japanese is to own a house with a garden.

Therefore, when Mrs. Taniguchi received compliments, she was happy at first, but she was not too complacent about the apartment house provided by the government for low- and middle-income people.

Instead, he said very humbly that his home was just a humble house and had nothing to boast about.

I believe that as long as today's young people are willing to work hard, their future living conditions will be better than houses like this.

But don’t forget, Ning Weimin is a good one. He has a eloquent tongue and specializes in picking up nice things to say.

When Mrs. Taniguchi said this, the boy compared the situation in the Republic.

I would like to tell you that the system of the Republic is public ownership of land, housing is mainly allocated housing, and there is almost no commercial housing market.

Even a 3LDK house with an area of ​​70 square meters like the one bought by the Taniguchi couple is already a high-end residence in the Republic that can only be enjoyed by bureau-level cadres, or first-class scientists and literary celebrities.

Coupled with the fact that he knew what Japan's future was going to be like, Ning Weimin later stated with great certainty that his primary consideration when buying a property was not the property's attributes and layout, but the location.

Because the closer to the city center, the higher the price, which is a general rule.

He believes that although the Taniguchi family bought an ordinary apartment, the Sumida District where it is now has become a sub-center of Tokyo.

This property will definitely appreciate greatly in the future, and the increase and price will definitely exceed that of new houses in the suburbs.

He boldly predicted that when Director Taniguchi retires, just selling the house here will be enough to buy two one-family houses in the suburbs.

At this time, Mrs. Taniguchi became a little excited and felt that her house was really worthy of being proud of.

Regardless of whether this is true or not, whether you believe it or not, the Taniguchi couple would definitely like to hear such words on this occasion.

In addition, Sakai Yujiro and Kagawa Miyoko also echoed continuously, and the two couples became even more radiant with flattery.

But it’s not over yet.

Immediately afterwards, Ning Weimin also revealed his life experience as an orphan whose parents died young, saying that he grew up in a large courtyard in the capital.

Although he made a lot of money in China, until he went abroad, the place he lived in the capital was only a small bungalow of 19 square meters.

You have to go to public places to use the toilet, take a bath, and use domestic water.

If he wants to live comfortably in winter and summer in China, he can only go to foreign hotels and spend a lot of money to stay in a hotel room.

These things are even more unbelievable to Japanese ears.

And needless to say, this disparity also makes the Taniguchi couple more fully realize how lucky they are to live in Tokyo.

Who says their home is a rabbit warren?

The rich people in China live in even worse places and their life trajectories are even more bleak.

Therefore, people's happiness is just a burst of enthusiasm. It doesn't matter how much they have. The key lies in who they compare with.

As long as you are better than others, you will be happy.

Otherwise, why would horror and disaster movies have so many fans?

To be honest, it's not for sensory stimulation, but to find psychological balance from other people's misfortune.

The most amazing thing is that Ning Weimin's use of his hard life has an additional magical effect.

He actually aroused the emotional resonance of everyone present and brought the rhythm to the line of remembering the bitter and thinking of the sweet.

To be honest, even though Japan has become a first-class developed country during this period, the good days of the Japanese are indeed hard-won.

It was obtained by being servile and servile after the war, paying a huge price for sovereignty, and meeting the right time and place when the Korean War broke out.

The key point is that the Japanese, who work as cowboys and horses for the Americans, do not live a prosperous life like the Americans for a long time through hard work.

In 1960, the then Japanese Prime Minister Ikeda Yuuto announced the "National Economic Income Doubling Plan", which gave the Japanese people the awareness of "a total middle class of 100 million". It has only been more than 20 years since the full calculation was completed.

Until the late 1950s, small scenes of pre-modern life could still be seen indoors in Tokyo.

Such as wells, bathtubs, mosquito coils, wind chimes, coal stoves, kimonos, tatami...

And all this ancient history was almost gone until Tokyo held the Olympic Games in 1964.

Tokyo completed the upgrading of urban roads, and it was almost during this period that Japanese people in large and medium-sized cities popularized the three major artifacts, washing machines, televisions, and refrigerators.

However, in 1973, due to the oil crisis in the Middle East, Japan once again encountered economic turmoil.

At that time, there was a rush for goods in the Tokyo market, and even toilet paper was unavailable.

For a long time, the Japanese who had changed their appearance in suits still had to wipe their butts with newspapers full of type, just like the disgraced common people of the Republic.

The Taniguchi couple have deep-rooted memories of the poor Japan in the past.

Even Yujiro Sakai and the Kagawa sisters, this young generation of Japanese who were born in a prosperous age, are not immune to poverty.

Because the gap between urban and rural areas and the gap between rich and poor social classes is difficult to eliminate at once.

Take the Kagawa sisters, for example. The reason why they are named Kagawa is because they come from the seaside of Kagawa Prefecture, the smallest county in Japan.

Their hometown is a rural area far away from prosperity, with neither modern prosperity nor scenic spots and tourism resources.

The standard of living and economic development are simply incomparable with those of big cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is 20 years behind.

Especially since their father died young, they were raised entirely by their mother.

The two sisters also lived a very poor childhood, and they often went hungry.

Even if they grow up and come to Tokyo to look for opportunities, they have suffered as much as those young people from small cities or villages who drifted in the "Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou" during the Republic.

Gender discrimination, unable to make ends meet, and having to save some money as much as possible to send to my frail mother who is still in her hometown.

The life experience of Yujiro Sakai is even more incredibly tragic.

His hometown is a cold village deep in the mountains far away from the coast in Akita Prefecture. In the ravine where Mount Chokai can be seen in the distance, there are only a dozen families scattered here and there.

There is a suspension bridge at the entrance of the village, which is the only way to connect the village with the outside world. You can only enter the village after crossing the bridge.

When Yujiro Sakai was in elementary school, there were no buses in the village. There was only one telephone in the elementary school in the village.

Without walking more than ten kilometers of mountain roads to the neighboring villages, there is not even a decent shop.

Eighty percent of the residents in the village make a living by burning charcoal. Yujiro's father is also one of the charcoal burners in the village.

Although Japan has entered a period of rapid economic growth as early as 1958.

But when Zuo Hai was a child, the village was still living as it was just after the Second World War, and the level of poverty and backwardness was almost the same as that of remote mountain villages in China.

The villagers can't even eat rice, and their staple food is only potatoes.

Bring a lunch box for the children. The side dishes in it are pickles made from coltsfoot picked from the wild.

Not to mention meat, not even fish and eggs...

There are seven brothers in Zuo Hai's family, and he is the only one who has done well since elementary school.

He was a high school student who worked part-time during the day and went to night school at night.

But he is already the most highly educated person in the village.

Although this academic qualification is not as useful as a college diploma, the knowledge prompted him to want to see a wider world.

Only then did he use some money saved from farm work to realize his dream of Tokyo.

In short, as the old saying goes, every family has its own scriptures that are difficult to recite.

In fact, who in this world has an easy life? Life is not easy for anyone.

And by saying this, everyone knows that even so-called modern countries still have embarrassing corners of poverty.

Among the people here, Yujiro Sakai is actually the real bitter boy.

The hardships he endured were even compared to those of Ning Weimin, the head of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

As a result, it is this empathy, the sympathy that is most easily cultivated among ordinary people, that gives this meal a heart-warming warmth.

When it was finally served, the home-cooked dishes prepared by Mrs. Taniguchi naturally became more delicious.

Everyone is either immersed in the comparison between today's sumptuous meal and the bitter memories of the past, or they feel the long-lost atmosphere of family meals together. These factors greatly enhance the taste enjoyment of this meal.

As for Ning Weimin’s favorite dish, Mrs. Taniguchi’s Japanese “chawanmushi” made with roasted corn and shellfish jelly is the first to recommend.

It's easy to make, the ingredients are delicious, and it's amazing.

Especially when eating this dish in the middle of summer, it is extremely refreshing and delicious.

Ning Weimin unceremoniously asked Mrs. Taniguchi for advice and took notes carefully.

I have decided to look for an opportunity to make a trial version so that I can "graft and improve" it to the "Tan Gong Restaurant" in Beijing and add it to the summer menu.

Secondly, what attracted Ning Weimin on the table was Japanese-style grilled mackerel served with greasy white radish puree.

This is baked on a home grill. The Japanese use simple seasonings. You can just buy it from the supermarket and grill it directly. It’s super easy.

To the Japanese, this dish is probably similar to the Chinese demand for mutton skewers.

Although it may seem simple, if the ingredients are fresh, it will be delicious no matter how you make it.

It's a pity that the Japanese don't have enough to treat guests. There is only one grilled fish per person, which is not enough for Ning Weimin.

In addition, there was a fried potato pancake that surprised Ning Weimin.

The appearance looks very plain, just ordinary fried food, similar to deep-fried cakes.

But the filling inside is made of beef, and there is sauce to pour it on.

Ning Weimin's most immediate feeling about this dish is that it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with rich meat flavor. It is much more delicious than Tangyang chicken nuggets.

It's a bit like what Kang Shude said about the creation of German meatloaf by Chinese people during the Republic of China.

In fact, it is similar to the domestic fried lotus root and fried eggplant boxes, but it tastes better and is very suitable for fast food.

I have to admit that Japanese food is more in line with Chinese people's appetite than European and American food.

Presumably if this dish is put into the future fast food market, it will definitely be more loved by Chinese people than Swedish meatballs or gourmet onion rings.

However, since we were in a foreign land after all, not all the dishes Ning Weimin could appreciate.

Needless to say about stir-fried vegetables, Japanese stir-fried dishes are inferior to those of Chinese people. There is no comparison at all.

Although they also like to fry assorted vegetables and eat them, they cannot control the heat, oil temperature or even seasoning well.

Ning Weimin could feel that Mrs. Taniguchi had prepared this dish just to please him, so no matter how unpalatable it was, he had to use more chopsticks and praise it.

The key is that there is another dish that cannot be called a dish - Mrs. Taniguchi actually served everyone a dish, which is rice balls soaked in water.

This really made Ning Weimin's sober and beautiful view of Japanese food collapse.

"This...Mrs. Taniguchi, what kind of dish is this? How do you want to eat it?" After observing it for a while, Ning Weimin didn't know how to eat it, so he couldn't help but ask for advice at the dinner table.

The answer he got was, "This is called a bowl of porridge. You just need to smash the rice balls and stir them up before eating. If you like it, it's easy to eat. Many izakayas in Tokyo sell this dish."

A bowl of porridge? Then why don't you just serve me a bowl of porridge?

Ning Weimin really wanted to ask this question, but in the end he didn't have the nerve.

I could only mutter to myself, and then took a bite with great doubts.

Then he found out that it was just rice mixed with some broken eggs and sprinkled with some seaweed. His doubts couldn't help but become even worse.

My heart said, fuck, just... this thing... there is nothing to eat!

Can you really get money from restaurant sales?

Wouldn't a chef who does this kind of thing get scolded by his guests?

While she was puzzled, Mrs. Taniguchi had already fried dozens of dumplings brought by Ning Weimin and served them according to Japanese custom.

As he watched several people present take a taste and then ask questions with surprised expressions on their faces, Ning Weimin suddenly felt a little sour for them.

"What's going on? The dumplings made by the deputy minister also include leeks and shrimps? Are these real Chinese dumplings?"

"Deputy Minister, your dumplings are a little too small, but they are much more delicious than those at the izakaya."

"Yes, it's really amazing. The taste is so touching. Is it Zuo Hai?"

"Yes, yes, Miyoko, these are the most delicious dumplings I have ever eaten. Well... Madam, can you give me a bowl of rice..."

"That's right. How can such good dumplings be without rice? I was negligent. Zuo Haisang, please wait a moment..."

It's not that Ning Weimin is arrogant. The key is that he didn't expect these Japanese people to have never eaten dumplings stuffed with three delicacies?

It is obviously such a wealthy country, but its monthly income is dozens of times that of ordinary people in the Republic, and soon it will be hundreds of times.

After eating so many dumplings, they gobbled them up in a hurry. With such beauty, how can people not feel guilty for their tongues?

What’s the use of earning so much!

It would be better to be born in China!