At the steel mill, the workers were already discussing the New Year.
The New Year was only a few days away, and the factory was about to close for the holidays.
Whether they would receive their wages before the New Year was uncertain.
Many workers were hoping that the factory would pay them before the New Year, so they could have a good celebration. After the New Year, they would have to tighten their belts for a while.
The lumber mill closed earlier than the steel mill, and they had already closed yesterday. Ma Chenggong went to buy New Year's goods today.
Now, some people from the countryside were coming into the city to buy New Year's goods.
But not many people from the countryside had come into the factory to buy New Year's goods. In a few days, the commercial streets in the city would be crowded and people would be unable to move.
While there was still time, Ma Chenggong went ahead and bought some New Year's goods. When Zheng Da Ma got off work, they would buy some together.
If they had the means, they would prepare more New Year's goods.
And dual-income families, without many relatives and only one child, had less pressure. They would naturally prepare more New Year's goods.
Zheng Ai Min heard some workers in the factory talking about the New Year before liberation.
It wasn't that long ago.
Before liberation, people from the countryside didn't come to the city to buy New Year's goods. The city was quieter, and people couldn't hear any firecrackers. They would secretly eat a bowl of dumplings and call it a celebration. Now, compared to then, it was much better.
Life was getting better and better.
“You can go get your wages at 2 PM,”
The cafeteria director went to the first cafeteria and notified the workers in the back kitchen.
Hearing that they could get their wages in the afternoon, smiles appeared on everyone's faces in the back kitchen.
This year was a leap year, with a leap May, and it was the year of the Renchen, or the Dragon year. The New Year was at the end of the month.
The steel mill currently paid wages at the end of the month.
Because of the New Year, they were paying wages a few days early this month.
The workers were all excited about it.
Once they got their wages, the New Year would be better.
Zheng Da Ma was also looking forward to going to the accounting department to collect her wages.
The factory had several cafeterias, and each cafeteria had a few kitchen helpers. Their wages also varied.
Right now, Zheng Da Ma's salary was the lowest.
But it was still better than working odd jobs outside.
If she could get a permanent position, her wages would increase.
The cafeteria director left, but many people in the back kitchen were chatting enthusiastically.
……
The workshop.
Jia Dong Xu also had a smile on his face. He was a bit worried that he wouldn't be able to get his wages before the New Year.
Although the Jia family had savings, and a lot of them, Jia Zhang Shi wouldn't let him touch them, and Jia Dong Xu didn't want to touch them either.
The factory would close for the holidays tomorrow. It would be good to get his wages today.
At this moment, Jia Dong Xu's worries were relieved.
Yi Zhong Hai was also happy that he could get his wages today.
But Yi Zhong Hai was more concerned about... the New Year.
In the past, with his wife and the old lady, celebrating the New Year together was still quite warm.
This year, he would be celebrating with the old lady alone?
Thinking about it, Yi Zhong Hai looked towards Jia Dong Xu.
“If I could celebrate the New Year with the Jia family…” Yi Zhong Hai thought.
However, he would have to talk to Jia Zhang Shi and Jia Dong Xu about it.
……
After lunch, the factory workers were waiting to get their wages.
Many workers came to the accounting department early, but they didn't line up in an orderly fashion. They were huddled together in a mess.
When it was time, they all squeezed into the accounting department.
The accountant in the accounting department held the wage list.
He would call out names, and if the person wasn't there, he would call out the next one.
If the person called out was there, they would verify their wages. If there were no problems, they would sign their name. If they couldn't even write their own name, they could leave a fingerprint.
However, even if someone was illiterate, they could still write their own name.
Especially when they had to sign for their wages. So, basically, no workers could not write their names.
When Zheng Da Ma arrived at the accounting department, she saw that it was packed with people.
Zheng Ai Min was also curious about what was happening.
He could hear the accountant's voice.
“Second workshop, Wang Jin Xi, your wages are 35.5 yuan…”
“Propaganda department, Li Kang Zhan…”
“Purchasing department, Sun You Tian…”
……
Zheng Da Ma’s name hadn't been called yet, so she waited.
If her name was called when she wasn't there, she would have to wait a long time.
After waiting for more than half an hour, finally, it was Zheng Da Ma’s turn. She quickly responded.
She got her wages, counted them three times to make sure they were correct, and then signed her name on the wage slip.
With the wages in hand, she could pretty much go home.
It was fine to leave early today.
She put away her wages and left work.
At the factory gate, Ma Chenggong was waiting.
“Let's go buy a bicycle,” Ma Chenggong said, surprising her.
Zheng Ai Min was awake and heard what Ma Chenggong said.
Buy a bicycle?
That surprised Zheng Ai Min.
After all, it was 1952.
Speaking of bicycles, you couldn't avoid Phoenix, Flying Pigeon, and Forever.
Phoenix bicycles were produced in 1959.
Flying Pigeon bicycles were produced earlier, starting in 1950. However, the annual production was not high, and even if you had money, you couldn't buy one.
As for Forever bicycles, its predecessor was the Iron Anchor brand, which was renamed Forever after liberation. Next year, it would begin exporting for the first time, becoming a key backbone enterprise in China's bicycle industry.
It was very difficult to buy a Flying Pigeon or Forever bicycle now.
Even the steel mill didn't have many Flying Pigeons or Forevers.
Even if you bought an old bicycle from before liberation, it was still a bicycle.
Ma Chenggong would want to buy a bicycle because he could afford it.
He also needed it.
Nan Luo Gu Xiang was quite a distance from the lumber mill, and it was tiring to walk to work every day, especially since Ma Chenggong was a cripple.
If a family wanted to go out to play or buy New Year's goods, having a bicycle would make it much more convenient.
After careful consideration, Ma Chenggong decided to buy a bicycle.
He would buy it before the New Year.
Zheng Da Ma was surprised at first, but then she agreed to buy a bicycle.
Although she would rather have a sewing machine, having a bicycle for the family would also be good.
Bicycles were previously called "foot-powered cars." Domestic bicycle manufacturers could only produce parts. It wasn't until 1950, with the emergence of the Flying Pigeon bicycle, that the first domestically produced bicycle was born.
Zheng Da Ma agreed to buy a bicycle mainly because Ma Chenggong needed it for work.
Zheng Ai Min was also happy.
While Ma Chenggong and Zheng Da Ma were talking, a few workers overheard them.
When they heard that Ma Chenggong was going to buy a bicycle, they were all surprised.
Soon, the news reached Yi Zhong Hai.
“Old Yi, your ex-wife and her current husband are going to buy a bicycle.”
Yi Zhong Hai, who had just finished collecting his wages and was about to go home, was also surprised.
Ma Chenggong was going to buy a bicycle?
Since their divorce, his life had been getting worse, but his ex-wife was getting better and better.
This made him feel unbalanced.
“Buying a bicycle won't change the fact that she can't have children,” Yi Zhong Hai thought.
Raising a found child? He might end up raising a white-eyed wolf.
In the future, his ex-wife would regret it. And that Ma Chenggong would also regret it.
Time would prove that he, Yi Zhong Hai, was right.
Divorcing him, Yi Zhong Hai, was absolutely the biggest mistake.
However, knowing that Ma Chenggong was actually going to buy a bicycle, Yi Zhong Hai still felt unhappy.
The better his ex-wife lived, the more unhappy he felt.
As for whether he would also buy a bicycle, there was no need. It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, but he didn't need to buy one.
Having a bicycle was good, but it was also fine without one. Why spend money unnecessarily?