The place selling sewing machines wasn’t very crowded. After all, these items were supplied by ration tickets, so no one needed to compete for them—nor could they.
As soon as the three of them arrived, the salesperson greeted them warmly with a smile: “A new batch just arrived, would you like to take a look?”
For customers who came to buy sewing machines, the salesperson naturally treated them with more courtesy. After all, it wasn’t easy to get a sewing machine ticket, and even cadres in the city might not have one.
There were several brands of sewing machines available, including Butterfly, Bee, Peony, and Yan.
The salesperson pointed to the Butterfly brand and said, “These are all Butterfly brand. If you don’t want the Butterfly brand, I can exchange it for another.”
The brand of the sewing machine wasn’t too important; the main thing was just to get one. It wasn’t like bicycles, where there was a distinction of quality. Nowadays, all sewing machines were made with fine craftsmanship and had good quality.
Xu Lao Tai was overwhelmed by the options and thought that all of them were good.
Wang Ying helped her by considering the options, and they eventually chose a Yan brand.
“You have a good eye! This one is from the capital; it’s very popular there!”
When the capital was mentioned, Xu Lao Tai felt a sense of pride, and her gaze on the sewing machine became much more enthusiastic. She even gave the salesperson an extra two yuan as a fee to switch the brand.
The salesperson prepared the receipt for Xu Lao Tai, collected the money and ticket, and was also pleased. Most of the sewing machines in this batch had already been pre-ordered, and only a few were left. Since the tickets for the sewing machines didn’t specify the brand, some only listed a ticket for one sewing machine. These small brand switches could easily be sorted internally, and the extra two yuan was their commission.
The salesperson eagerly asked, “Comrade, how are you planning to transport the sewing machine back? If you’re in the county, we can help deliver it to your home.”
The supply and marketing cooperative also had trucks for deliveries, and it was normal for them to help with large items.
Wang Ying replied, “No need, we’ll come to pick it up tomorrow.”
Xu Shuang arranged for the vegetable delivery cart to help transport the sewing machine to the town. Since the mountain roads were difficult, Uncle Tian would drive the donkey cart to bring it to the commune.
After buying the sewing machine, the three of them went to send some items. This time, Xu Ming’s package was once again a large, bulging bundle, filled with dried vegetables, dried beans, dried potatoes, dried mushrooms, dried eggplants, and some sugar cubes. Inside, there was also a letter and two sets of clothes that Xu Lao Tai had prepared for Xu Ming.
They discussed that Xu Ming wouldn’t need any money sent, saying that he had no place to use it. However, it was still useful for someone living outside to have a little money on hand. Xu Lao Tai sewed a small pocket inside one of Xu Ming’s outfits and tucked in twenty yuan.
The money was concealed, with a layer of cardboard to make it detectable when Xu Ming felt the pocket.
Seeing that it was getting late, Xu Lao Tai went ahead to settle at the guest house, while Wang Ying went to the hospital to deliver the medicinal herbs.
The next morning, it was time for Xu Shuang’s exam.
Wang Ying took Xu Lao Tai straight to the state-run restaurant to meet Chen Dong and Xu Shuang. They also had breakfast there, and it was hard not to admire the variety of city breakfasts.
The state-run restaurant served soy milk, fried dough sticks, meat buns, and fresh tofu pudding every morning. There was also a basket of pies, both savory and sweet, as well as scallion oil cakes without filling.
Chen Dong, who was getting on in years, was someone who couldn’t go without meat. Early in the morning, he scooped a ladle of old chicken soup, with shredded chicken and mushrooms, adding a good amount of yellow flowers and wood ears, half a bowl of tofu pudding. The rich chicken soup combined with the tofu pudding had a savory flavor that made anyone’s mind clear.
Wang Ying drank a bowl of tofu pudding, then dipped a fried dough stick into the sweet soy milk. The crispy dough stick soaked in the warm soy milk was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, steaming hot.
Xu Lao Tai said, “The oil and sugar here are so much better than in the county.”
When they were at home, the most difficult things to get were sugar and oil. Even meat could be managed, but oil and sugar were really tight. If it weren’t for Chen Dong helping them exchange some oil and sugar tickets, they would have run out of these two essentials long ago.
However, Wang Ying didn’t think so. From what she saw, people were buying soy milk and tofu pudding, but fewer people bought fried dough sticks and meat buns.
Chen Dong enthusiastically finished his chicken soup tofu pudding and said, rubbing his stomach, “Little sister, you’ve got it all wrong. Life in the city isn’t necessarily better than in your commune. Everything requires a ticket to buy, and even with a ticket, you can’t always get what you want. You have to guard the time and fight for it. Oil is even scarcer. Every year, there’s only a fixed amount of oil-bearing crops, and after they’re pressed for oil, there’s hardly any left. Not to mention, those oil-bearing crops are also used as food.”
Chen Dong added, “But the restaurant is definitely more relaxed. After Xu Shuang finishes the exam, will he come to the city? One of our old friends here is retiring in a couple of years.”
Chen Dong had always been pointing to Xu Shuang coming to the city. One reason was that he hoped his apprentice would develop well; after all, there were more people in the city from the same industry, so there would be more opportunities for exchange and learning. Xu Shuang had good talent, and Chen Dong was waiting for his apprentice to come to the city and stand tall, preferably advancing in the ranks so that he, as the master, could also gain some prestige.
The other reason was simply that he had a craving. Since Xu Shuang was in the countryside, it was difficult for him to enjoy any offerings from his apprentice.
At this moment, Chen Dong realized his mistake. What he had just said about the oil supply being tight in the city wasn’t quite appropriate. What if he scared his apprentice off from coming to the city?
Chen Dong hurriedly explained, “Once you pass the second-level exam and come to the city, your salary will be higher. The state-owned restaurants pay a second-level chef 37 yuan a month, and with seniority, it can easily reach at least 40, which is much more than what you’d make in the town.”
Xu Shuang had plans to move to the city, but he intended to bring the whole family along.
If Wang Ying’s job could not be resolved, he couldn’t just move alone; living apart was unnecessary.
Chen Dong slapped his chest urgently and said, “Isn’t this simple? Just buy a job for your wife when you go back, right? You’re not someone who can’t afford it.”
A job in the county only pays around 400 or 500 yuan, which is considered a lot elsewhere, but Xu Shuang could definitely afford it.
Before Xu Shuang could speak, Wang Ying smiled and took over, “Let’s not talk about this for now. Maybe I can transfer to the county later. Besides, Master, I was originally trained as a doctor. How can I work in a workshop? I’m not cut out for that.”
The jobs being offered now were all in workshops, or positions with no technical skills. If the job paid well and had little work, people wouldn’t be willing to give it away. These positions were something everyone in the family would fight over.
Doctors, on the other hand, didn’t fall into this category, as it was a high-skill job. If you didn’t know anything, you couldn’t treat people.
Wang Ying kept this in mind. Xu Shuang had passed the second-level exam this time, which meant he had met the conditions to transfer to the county. She needed to hurry up and find a way to improve herself and try to transfer her own job to the county as well.
Chen Dong finally relaxed. “As long as you two have it figured out, that’s good. Even if life is better in the village, it’s not suitable for young people to stay there forever. You should develop outside.”
After hurriedly finishing breakfast, Chen Dong went to arrange things.
Wang Ying secretly asked Xu Shuang, “Didn’t you say that Master’s cooking skills aren’t that great? How can he be in charge of the kitchen?”
Chen Dong didn’t hide the fact that his cooking wasn’t top-notch. He was only a second-level chef, not even a first-level one. But clearly, he was the most influential person in the state-owned restaurant.
Xu Shuang replied, “This restaurant used to belong to Master’s family, plus he knows how to manage people…”
As for how he managed people, Wang Ying would soon witness it herself.
Chen Dong smiled and said to a tall man with a sharp nose, “Chef Su, shall we start now? Get Chef Ma to join us, and let’s settle on the questions and order. I won’t go first since my apprentice is here. I’ll just be the one to come up with the questions at the end.”
Chef Su liked to compete for the top spot, and it wasn’t just women who were competitive—men could be just as competitive!
Seeing that Chen Dong stepped back, Chef Su immediately put on a smile. “You’re careful, aren’t you? In our line of work, masters and apprentices all have old acquaintances. Alright, you won’t go first, so I’ll…”
Just as he was about to speak, Chef Ma arrived, followed by a small assistant. “Hey, Old Chen, why are you changing your mind? It’s clearly my turn now. I already came up with the questions!”
Chen Dong sneered inwardly. This Chef Ma was the same person who had blocked Wang Ying and her mother-in-law at the front courtyard the day before. Chef Ma’s cousin was Ma Dalian, the troublemaker.
If it weren’t for his connections, Ma Dalian and her husband would never have gotten jobs at the state-owned restaurant. And now, beside Chef Ma, wasn’t it Ma Dalian’s youngest son?
Chen Dong feigned confusion. “Ah, didn’t I say that? I didn’t say anything about it. Chef Ma, you know, our restaurant isn’t a one-man show. We all discussed this together. You didn’t say you wanted to set the questions earlier, did you? Besides, your nephew is also taking the exam this time, right?”
His words subtly sided with Chef Su.
Chef Ma was both angry and anxious. He had talked to Chen Dong earlier to make sure his nephew, Ma Dalian’s eldest son, had a good chance at getting promoted to a level-three chef this time. He’d had the dishes pre-arranged for him to practice, planning to control the questions to help his nephew advance.
But Chen Dong hadn’t made it clear that he wasn’t willing to go along!
How could he blame him now?
Chef Su watched them, one flustered and the other playing his part, feeling greatly pleased.
Their restaurant was the largest state-owned restaurant in the county. There were three head chefs: Chef Ma and Chef Su were both level-one chefs, while Chen Dong was a level-two. However, Chen Dong’s name was largely honorary since he had donated the land and buildings for the restaurant, making him the nominal manager, while Chef Ma and Chef Su handled most of the actual work.
Originally, Chef Su had been a bit of an outsider, since Chef Ma and Chen Dong were long-time acquaintances living close to each other, both in the same neighborhood. Chef Su, on the other hand, had been assigned a house from his wife’s side, near the railway area.
Current regulations allowed each couple to receive a house only once, so Chef Su didn’t qualify for another one. Initially, he had been happy because the restaurant’s housing was much better than the narrow railway units.
But gradually, Chef Su noticed something wasn’t right.
Living so close to the others, it was inevitable that he’d interact with them often. Like Chef Ma, he lived in a communal yard with Chen Dong, and it was easy for them to get together.
Chef Ma also had some relatives living in the same yard as Chen Dong, so they naturally interacted more often than he did.
Over the years, Chef Su had endured a lot from Chef Ma, who would call Chen Dong to have drinks but never invited him.
This made him feel excluded.
Chef Su didn’t show it on his face, but he wasn’t happy about it.
Chen Dong was a sly fox. He didn’t openly show bias in the restaurant, but he couldn’t stop Chef Ma from being irritating.
Chef Su had had enough of being mistreated by Chef Ma.
This time, it seemed like Chef Ma had angered Chen Dong somehow, leading to the current situation where Chen Dong was backing down.
Anyway, whatever the reason, Chef Su was pleased to see the two of them not getting along.
He quickly suggested, “Chef Ma, Old Chen didn’t say anything wrong. You should avoid suspicion since your nephew is taking the exam. Let’s do this: I won’t compete for the top. You two can take two each, and I’ll handle the rest. This way, it’s fair and just.”
Chen Dong, delighted, grabbed Master Su’s hand and said, “Old Su, you’re absolutely right, I think we should go ahead with that plan! You’re quick-witted.”
Master Su chuckled, “No problem, we’re all here to serve the people, I have no selfish motives. Since you’ve said to avoid suspicion, I’ll be fair and impartial.”
Master Ma: …
What is this old man trying to say?
Fair and impartial, fair and impartial, my foot!
Who doesn’t know that Chen has a great apprentice? Not to mention he’s only a level two chef, his apprentice could probably pass the level one exam now.
Master Ma was anxious to pull Chen Dong aside and discuss things privately. He regretted it.
Originally, he had relied on his friendship with Chen Dong and didn’t bring gifts—just mentioned it verbally.
Who knew Chen Dong would actually go back on his word?
If he had known… if he had known, he wouldn’t have saved that little bit of money.
Master Ma regretted it terribly.
He was in such a hurry to push his nephew forward because, among the master chefs, he was the only one without an apprentice. Master Su’s apprentice passed the level two exam two years ago and will eventually take over Master Su’s role after gaining more experience.
