Chapter 2 People always need to support themselves
Chapter 2: People have to support themselves ("")
An Yi can get out of bed, and can walk to the corner of the street and back again. However, in the past few days, he has not walked far away from the corner of the street. This is not because he has just recovered from a serious illness and his legs are not strong, but because he has figured out that in just a few dozen
After seeing the various signs on Mi Xiao Street and the dressing and conversation of the people passing by, he was finally convinced where he was.
An Yi, a Guangzhou native who speaks soft Cantonese, can basically understand seven, seven, eight and eight. He has even sung the famous Cantonese opera song "Flying Swallows" and other classic Cantonese pop songs countless times, but he can't speak them in daily conversations. As for Jiangxi
Speaking of Hunan is even more difficult for him. Many of his classmates in the school and workshop he originally attended came from Jiangnan provinces and cities. There were no big obstacles in communicating with each other. What's more, An Yi himself is extremely smart, which is why he couldn't get into a prestigious university.
It's not that he doesn't have such potential, but that he has been fond of machinery since he was a child. He is very partial to science, and he is always dominated by some deep-rooted subconscious mind - he works hard at things he likes, and doesn't like things he doesn't like.
I won't put any effort into forcing it.
Over the past few days, many casual words and deeds of Dongzi and Mr. Lao always made An Yi grateful. When he could get out of bed, Dongzi helped him diligently. At that time, An Yi asked Dongzi why he said he was his brother? Why did he save him? Who knew?
Dongzi was surprised for a long time before replying in a low voice: You and I are my brothers... My parents always told me before they were alive that saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda.
You are very kind, and I feel like you are just like my brother.
The market has calmed down and Mr. Lao can go out to set up a stall again. I heard that the stall is set up in the aisle between two shops opposite Tianzi Wharf. As long as there is no unrest in Guangzhou City, Mr. Lao's business is still good, most of the time every day
I could receive one or two yuan, and if I was lucky enough to meet a generous customer, I would be rewarded with ten or eight yuan at a time. When it came to the big ocean, An Yi paid attention, and after asking Dongzi carefully, he learned that Guangzhou's
There is a slight difference between Dayang and Yuan Datou, which are currently used nationwide. One Dayang in Guangzhou is one yuan, which is 10 to 20% cheaper than Yuan Datou. In other words, 11 or 12 Dayang cast in Guangzhou can only be exchanged for ten Yuan Datou.
One dollar in Guangzhou is divided into ten dimes. It looks silver on the surface but there is not much silver inside. Three dimes can allow you to stay in an ordinary inn for one night, and one dime can eat a large plate of smoothies at an old restaurant every year.
Greasy, mellow and delicious beef rice rolls, but Dongzi himself has only heard of this famous Lingnan rice rolls, but has never eaten it himself, because his monthly salary is only eight yuan, plus various extra overtime jobs.
The subsidy received is only 12 yuan in the best month. Excluding the 5 yuan rent, Dongzi doesn't have a few yuan left every month after eating. An Yi settled in the Qin family compound this time, which cost Dongzi a lot.
Buying medicine and food cost all the savings that Dongzi had squeezed out from his teeth in the past three months. Until the evening before yesterday, An Yi saw Dongzi bringing a large bowl of meat porridge as usual, but he ran outside and bought two half-cooked meat porridge.
After eating papayas to satisfy his hunger, An Yi realized that he owed this kind brother a lot.
In the evening, Mr. Lao brought a pack of greasy braised duck feet to An Yi and Dongzi. Seeing Dongzi’s eyes flashing green while An Yi remained motionless, Mr. Lao thought about it and asked with a smile: “I don’t like this kind of greasy duck feet.”
Sweet Cantonese braised duck feet?”
An Yi shook his head apologetically: "No no! Sir, I just feel that I don't lack arms and legs. It doesn't feel good to lie at home all day eating and living for free. A man should be able to support himself, how can I let you add more?"
Burden...Don't worry, Dongzi, listen to me. It's not easy for you either. Because of my illness, you buy me meat porridge every day, but you secretly eat some rotten papaya and half sweet potato. Do you think I didn't see it? I feel really uncomfortable.
You and Mr. Lao's life-saving grace was so benevolent to me who had never met before. How do you call me An Yi to repay this love? Are you still embarrassed to lie at home all day and eat for free? Mr. Lao, you have been in Guangzhou for four years.
, I am familiar with the situation in Guangzhou city, so I want to ask you something, is it difficult to find a job in the city? "
Mr. Lao's eyebrows raised slightly, and a look of appreciation flashed in his eyes: "Xiao Anzi, you don't have to be so anxious, just take care of yourself for a few days before talking."
"I'm fine now... By the way, sir, don't call me 'Xiao Anzi' from now on. You can call me Xiao Yi or An Yi. Can you please?" An Yi said sincerely.
Mr. Lao was quite surprised: "How smooth this little Anzi's name is! It's natural and kind, so why don't you like it?"
An Yi waved his hands: "No, no! It's very unpleasant. The name 'Xiao Anzi' is exactly the same as the eunuch's name. I remember that the Empress Dowager Cixi on TV called the eunuch An Dehai like this. It's disgusting!"
Mr. Lao laughed loudly, and Dongzi asked curiously: "Brother An, what is TV?"
"Yes, I was just about to ask you." Nothing can be hidden from the meticulous Mr. Lao.
An Yi immediately realized that he had made a mistake, and his thoughts were like lightning and he quickly made up for it: "When I was a child, I went to the theater in the countryside of Chengdu. The stage in that town was padded with many large stone bars. The people in the town called the stage the 'stone-padded stage.'
The performance troupe is performing up there."
Mr. Lao suddenly realized: "So...Bashu is a land of abundance. The literary style there has been flourishing for thousands of years. Many place names may seem simple and crude, but when you think about it, they are just like a history book! Haha... In this case, I will call you Xiaoyi."
.Xiaoyi, I see how frank and natural you are in your movements, and how well you lead people and receive gifts, so you must have a family background, right?"
An Yi said painfully: "I'm sorry, I can't recognize all the signs on the street. I can barely understand the traditional Chinese characters together, but I don't know half of them separately. It took me a long time to figure it out.
perhaps."
"You call the characters on the sign traditional Chinese characters?" Mr. Lao Xiao looked at An Yi with interest.
An Yi was stunned again, then smiled bitterly and said: "I get annoyed when I see characters with more than ten strokes, so I call him 'annoying style'."
After hearing this, Mr. Lao laughed loudly: "Interesting, interesting! Haha, you are so smart! This is a novel and unique summary. This is the first time I have heard it. If you have such a brain, why worry about not being able to learn it? Take Dongzi for example.
Well, his deceased father was a private school teacher in his hometown, and his mother turned out to be the daughter of a wealthy family outside Ji'an. Dongzi is also eighteen years old this year, and her birthday is on the first day of the seventh lunar month in the old calendar. She is only one month younger than you, and she is both Guangxu.
Born in the 32nd year, Dongzi can recite the entire "Zengguang Xianwen" at the age of seven, and his handwriting can also be upright and decent. Otherwise, how could he pass the Guangzhou Civil Affairs Bureau? Haha... Xiao
Yi, in this case, I guess it may not be easy for you to find a job. Large foreign trading firms hire people who can write and do calculations. The minimum education level is to graduate from a provincial middle school. There are also many people who have graduated from university and even studied abroad.
So, I think it might be better for you to try it at some ordinary local shops. Later, when you become familiar with the words and gain more experience, you may not be able to go to one of those big commercial houses."
Dongzi thought for a while and suggested: "Brother, Section Chief Cai of our Civil Affairs Bureau is very kind to me. She said that my handwriting is beautiful and I can count, and she plans to transfer me from the service team to the bureau's garment factory as a clerk.
, if I can go, see if I can ask Section Chief Cai to accept you."
Although An Yi felt sad, he was still full of gratitude to Mr. Lao and Dongzi: "Thank you, Dongzi. Although I can't read all the words on the newspaper, I think it won't take long to get used to it. The Civil Affairs Bureau you mentioned is a good place.
, I saw in the old newspaper you brought back to me to relieve my boredom, that Mr. Sun's son Sun Ke was appointed as the mayor of Guangzhou. As long as you work hard, you may have good development prospects. After all, the National Government today is a new government.
Maybe we will be able to rule the whole of China soon, and then all kinds of talents will have their own places. As for me, I don’t like to work in government agencies or their subordinate agencies. I will do the job of nodding and bowing to my boss all day long.
If you don’t come, you should try your luck in a factory or shopping mall. I believe that as long as you work hard, you will definitely find a suitable job."
Dongzi no longer forced himself after hearing An Yi's words, but Mr. Lao was secretly surprised. He didn't expect that the gentle and polite young man in front of him was so arrogant in his heart.
This is a refreshing and exquisite word. He seems to have some understanding of officialdom. It is surprising that he has such high opinion of the Kuomintang, which is currently in adversity and has limited strength. If he thinks about it carefully, it is impossible for him to say it if he does not have certain experience and knowledge.
Come on like this.
However, another aspect of An Yi confuses Mr. Lao. When asked about his age some time ago, he only said that he was eighteen years old, but did not know when he was born. Mr. Lao without hesitation pointed out the year of his birth this year.
It was the 32nd year of Guangxu, the zodiac sign of the year was Horse, and the first day of July in the New Calendar was actually the first day of June in the Old Calendar. These ordinary words made An Yi dumbfounded at the time, and he could not understand what he said.
A sentence came out that said "back to ancient times", which made Mr. Fu Lao, a Taoist who is a proficient in fortune-telling and fortune-telling, deeply puzzled and didn't know how to judge.
The three chatted for a long time and then took a break. An Yi still insisted on his mysophobia. He took the toothbrush Dongzi finally got back and dipped it in some tooth powder. He pulled off the cotton face towel on the bamboo pole and walked towards the well in the courtyard.
Dongzi put down the newspaper and couldn't figure out that An Yi would call the toothbrush he finally got back a shoe brush. Dongzi asked twice but An Yi didn't explain. Instead, he smiled apologetically and went elsewhere.
In fact, it is understandable why An Yi calls the toothbrush in his hand a shoe brush. This toothbrush produced in Guangzhou has a handle made of rough plastic and plexiglass full of impurities, with three rows of small holes drilled in the front and fastened tightly.
There are three rows of brushes, and the brush part is made of neat ponytail, just like a small shoe brush.
An Yi didn't explain why he called it a shoe brush because he knew that this toothbrush was hard-earned. Although there were advertisements for toothbrushes made in the United States in the newspaper, the price of a toothbrush was equivalent to Dongzi's three days' wages. Dongzi could
An Yi was extremely grateful for buying him a local toothbrush and a small packet of calcium carbonate tooth powder.
It was late at night, and An Yi was still asking Dongzi about the industrial and commercial layout of Guangzhou City. After learning that most of the few factories were small workshops run by family members, An Yi secretly shifted his employment target to the commercial field. Guangzhou has been a city since ancient times.
It is an important treaty port and has a long history of development of commerce and finance. It is among the best in the country. However, industry does not receive the attention it deserves. Compared with Wuhan, Nanjing and other places, the gap is not small, so it is necessary to look for more opportunities in the commercial field.
Having made up his mind, An Yizhi fell asleep contentedly, knowing that he would encounter so many ups and downs on the road to employment.