Bai Fumei in the ’70s Chapter 81
Translated by Serena Love
The next day, Shunzi went to He Songbai's pig farm. In the past, only a few older people on the pig farm stayed and continued to work because most of them had made enough money and didn't want to live their days of worrying every day. Such days were laborious, not to mention the risk. Shunzi stayed because he was attracted by the "high salary" offered by the owner of the pig farm.
He can earn more money to enjoy his old age.
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Shunzi is a thin and weak man. His face was pale, and he was panting like a bellows. Others say that he had a weak body since he was in the womb. He had to eat some nutrients from time to time. Of course, it was good to have a high-paying and not tiring job.
He Songbai asked Shunzi to take Liang Tiezhu how to guard and how to watch the post.
Liang Tiezhu was initially reluctant to do the risky work of selling pork again, but He Songbai persuaded him, and he followed Shunzi to learn to be a guard. Selling pork was a very profitable business. He Songbai was willing to take him, so Liang Tiezhu did not bother him. He also had to make money for the wife he had found after so many years.
On the other hand, Tiezhu still took care of both. He was earning extra money from Zhao Lanxiang, and also took the midnight shift. When Shunzi came to work, he went away to sell cakes to Zhao Lanxiang. He didn't go to the black market anymore, but he would still collect some food for the pigs.
...
He Songye still followed Zhao Lanxiang to learn how to make clothes. The weather in winter was freezing.
He Songye originally had no new clothes for winter, but she helped Zhao Lanxiang to work for a few days. Seeing that the corners of the cloth would be discarded with small leftovers every day, she felt that it was pitiful and stared at it a few times. Later, Zhao Lanxiang gave these little cloths to her happily.
He Songye was very grateful.
She used these "scraps" of different widths to sew up a coat for herself.
When Zhao Lanxiang saw this gray, blue, and white "contrasting color" coat, he was awed by the eldest sister.
She thought that the "worn-out" coat she made for He Songbai was worn and old enough. She didn't expect the older sister to be even more powerful. She sewed out a coat entirely from scrap materials. She put it together with plain rags. It is simple and full of lines. She can hide the stitches well, and the ones that cannot be hidden were exposed generously with some decorations.
However, Zhao Lanxiang later took out a few larger pieces of cloth to "fill the facade" for He Songye. This contrasting color stitching jacket was more like a design.
Although it looks terribly shabby in the current era, its colors blend well.
It's not too obtrusive. It fits the clothes worn by the poor and doesn't even need to be worn down. Zhao Lanxiang couldn't help but give a thumbs up.
"These rags were kept for stitching and patching. But older sister's ingenuity has shown its greater value."
He Songye touched her new coat, her face was slightly embarrassed, and she lowered his head.
Why is she ashamed to be praised by educated youth Zhao!
"It's the sewing machine. It is really a good thing. No wonder everyone loves it."
He Songye's thumb touched the black and shiny body of the sewing machine lovingly. The city girl bought this expensive item, but now it is with her every day.
Although the days of rushing to make clothes were boring, but her heart was incomparably full and vivid.
Even the rhythmic jumping of the silk thread wrapped around the needle was so interesting!
She fell in love with this job, and she felt a different kind of joy than usual work. It was not the same as mechanically repeating manual labor. Making clothes made her feel alive, creative, and full of life!
Educated youth Zhao not only taught her to sew clothes, but also taught her to "draw" clothes.
He Songye sighed and looked at the dwindling fabric in the room.
As the weather gets colder and colder, her fun and straightforward "tailoring" career is about to end! While this "burden" was about to end, Sister He had removed the heavy stone in her heart, but she fell in love with it.
She touched the machine reluctantly, "Did someone come to get clothes today?"
Zhao Lanxiang nodded.
She counted the results of their labor during the past month. The two of them made a total of 30 thick Chinese tunic suits in one month. Well, in fact, the primary workforce was Sister He.
Zhao Lanxiang spread the clothes flat one by one and ironed the clothes piece by piece with an enamel cup filled with boiling water. She folded the neatly ironed clothes into squares with a usual folding method, which was generous and beautiful.
Before long, the dark sky gradually turned into a gray color, and a rooster crowed in the distance.
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Tiezhu came riding his big golden deer bike.
He counted the clothes, and according to the agreement with Zhao Lanxiang, he counted the thirty yuan bills one by one in front of the two women.
"Well, it's all here. You can see if it's enough."
"The manual fee is seven for the coats and three for the pants, another one for the set."
Tiezhu easily said the string of numbers.
The price was entirely satisfactory, but in Zhao Lanxiang's eyes, it was still low. Making clothes for a month was not as profitable as her making more pastries to earn money.
But this was within a reasonable range, almost what she expected.
Because clothing is now a luxury consumer product, the value of fabric itself is high, but the craftsmanship was not so valuable. Everyone's consumption concept had not changed, and people are not used to buying ready-made clothing.
As long as they have a sewing machine at home, people would not choose to buy ready-made clothes. The ready-to-wear items sold in department stores were only purchased by those who were in a hurry to get married or those with good conditions at home.
The styles and materials of the clothes were also regulated, and not advocating personalization. The Chinese tunic suits of the same color on the street look almost the same. It was not until the 1980s that Chinese people began to pay attention to material life, and all kinds of clothing gradually emerged.
In the 1970s, Zhao Lanxiang didn't even think about getting rich by making clothes.
It's ok to rely on a mix of food and clothing. Let the elder sister get used to the "bad idea" she started.
The sewing machine is not easy to depreciate. It is durable, and it will not lose value at all if you buy it and sell it after a few years.
Zhao Lanxiang calmly put the "remuneration" into her pocket, her face was quite regretting, and showed a little dislike for the little money, but it was completely surprised He Songye.
The set of clothes they made in two days was so valuable.
Sister He still followed the principle of "work slowly and finely" and took her time to sew the clothes after finishing her own work. If she seized the time and work hard, probably she can make two sets a day!
After Tiezhu took away the clothes, Zhao Lanxiang divided the "bad money" with Sister He in the house.
Fifteen yuan per person. She pushed a thick stack of banknotes into the elder sister's hand.
"Thanks to elder sister this time, this is what you deserve."
He Songye refused, and she shook her head.
"I just helped, no trouble."
"It's ok."
Zhao Lanxiang pointed to the bundles of cloth brought by Tiezhu and said helplessly, "There are not enough people to make clothes."
"It's only me who has a sewing machine here. After all, he has taken care of my business for so long, and it is not easy to refuse..."
Her bright and dark apricot eyes blinked slightly. She had enough power to open her eyes and talk nonsense in front of the honest elder sister.
She would lie flawlessly, if it weren't for her face, which was hot from the warm air in the room.
"Look, if I don't pay you. I would be embarrassed to ask for your help in the future."
He Songye lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. She fixed her eyes on her feet.
Because of her diligently climbing in the mountains and find firewood during this period, her old pair of cloth shoes had torn like a crack of smiling face. He Songye shrank her big toe in embarrassment.
She remained silent for a long time before giving her thumbs up and nodding at Zhao Lanxiang.
Ok.
She didn't want Zhao Lanxiang's money. "This time, I agreed to help you."
"Don't pay money. I learned to make clothes from you, thank you."
Zhao Lanxiang understood her meaning and couldn't help but laugh.
"Go for breakfast, and go back to sleep later."
Zhao Lanxiang looked at the brightening sky, thinking that He Songbai was about to get up to do his mysterious godly work, so she went to the kitchen to make breakfast.
Sister He helped her to set the fire and look after it.
She kneaded sweet potato starch into a dough, and she kneaded the dough until it's very soft. She used a rolling pin to flatten the ball into a flat skin, and fill the skin with fresh corn and chives into eight-fold buns. The thinner the skin, the more crystal clear it looked after steaming.
Put oil in the pan, fry the buns for a while, cover with water. When the water in the pot evaporated, she lifted the lid, and the crystal pan inside the pot was steaming sticky and steaming, revealing the layer of creamy skin. It was as if she could smell the scent of meat in the air.
"Come for breakfast!"
Sister He squatted beside the stove and looked at the chubby crystal fried dumplings.
She took a bite from top to bottom. The bottom of the bun was crispy, the dough was soft, and her mouth was full of juice.
It was fragrant and delicious. She ate four buns in two bites. Then she washed her hands and went into Zhao Lanxiang's room and started to work hard.
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...
He Songbai, who got up early, also hurriedly ate two buns, buttoned his clothes, and asked his girlfriend, "Do you want to come with me to see where I work?"
He almost stayed up all night last night, but he was still energetic, and his dark eyes were bright and deep.
Zhao Lanxiang heard his words, her eyes lit up, and she looked up at him in disbelief.
"Didn't you hide it from me?"
He Songbai nodded helplessly and took his girl to his Phoenix bike.
Even the smell of pig manure can't escape her nose, how can he hide it!
However, the pig farm over there has been almost completed, and the situation has stabilized. The new pig farm had been put in order. He couldn't wait to share this delightful news with her so that she could also taste his happiness.
Zhao Lanxiang sighed, and she couldn't laugh or cry.
"Your buns haven't been eaten yet, so you will definitely be hungry later."
In a hurry, she wrapped several of them with a clean handkerchief and put them in her pocket. The man took her on the rugged mountain road on the model-28 bicycle.
His broad shoulders almost blocked most of the cold wind for her. She leaned on his back. Her heart could not stop feeling warm.
When the ride finally less bumpy, and the whizzing mountain breeze also diminished, she silently stretched out her hand to his mouth, holding a bun with her fingertips.
"Do you want to eat one?"
He Songbai only slightly lowered his head to bite the hot bun. His cheeks chewing helplessly, and his eyebrows deepen with a faint smile.
After eating four buns in a row, he vaguely commented, "Sweet."
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