Chapter 39

Lin Qiangsheng was driving a Jeep, heading to the Hongqi Commune. On the passenger seat, there was a small canvas bag containing various ration tickets he had collected from the workers in his factory, such as sugar tickets, canned food tickets, and soap tickets—items that were surplus in the city.

When his sister Lin Xiang left last time, Lin Qiangsheng had discussed with her the idea of using urban ration tickets to exchange for the surplus cloth tickets in the hands of farmers. This was a big business opportunity, and Lin Qiangsheng wanted to be well-prepared for the economic tide that would come with the reform and opening-up era. He needed to find a way to make his first fortune. To enrich society and himself!

Lin Qiangsheng thought for a long time but couldn't find anything he could do. So he set his sights on the surplus cloth tickets in the hands of farmers. These tickets were in short supply in the city. Anyone with enough cloth tickets would be looked at differently. Although trading cloth tickets carried the risk of being labeled as a speculator, Lin Qiangsheng couldn't wait any longer. He felt restless if he didn't do something.

Cloth tickets were a special product of China's planned economy era. They were vouchers for purchasing cloth. From the issuance of the "Cotton Cloth Planned Supply" by the State Council in 1954 to the formal withdrawal of cloth tickets from circulation at the end of 1983, they were in use for 30 years. A small piece of cloth, a yard of gauze, was crucial for the warmth and comfort of thousands of households.

As the saying goes, "People are dressed up, and horses are saddled." In the 2010s, anyone opening their wardrobe would be dazzled by the variety of clothing. However, many people might not realize that just thirty years ago, clothes were not something you could buy whenever you wanted. Without cloth tickets, you couldn't buy clothes even if you had money. Only with cloth tickets did people feel they had real wealth. In 1978, during the difficult period, cloth tickets were more valuable and more practical than money. With them, you could travel freely on the vast land and soar in the sky.

At that time, the provincial textile company was responsible for distributing cloth tickets to all cities and counties. In 1978, the national economy was still in a difficult state, and the cloth tickets issued to urban and rural residents were generally insufficient. People in later generations might find it hard to imagine what a short piece of cloth, an inch or three inches, could do. But in 1978, people who lacked food and clothing had to be meticulous. To get married, a family had to start saving tickets years in advance. If they still didn't have enough, they had to borrow from relatives and friends. Unlike food tickets, cloth tickets were generally valid for only one year. To prevent the hard-earned tickets from becoming invalid, people had to find ways to exchange old tickets for new ones, which required a lot of effort. Besides marriage, families with many children or a large number of people also had to worry about cloth tickets.

Before the reform and opening-up, the country's food and agricultural products were in short supply. Lin Qiangsheng found this puzzling. When he returned to this era, he didn't feel the shortage.

During this period, to encourage farmers to sell grain, live pigs, and other agricultural products, the Ministry of Commerce allocated some cloth tickets as rewards. Since there were no bonuses at that time, cloth tickets became a good substitute. These reward tickets, combined with the ability of rural areas to produce their own cloth, made cloth tickets more abundant in the countryside. This led to the phenomenon of rural cloth tickets "flowing back" to the city.

Lin Qiangsheng had also visited department stores and occasionally seen farmers from nearby counties squatting outside the stores. If you approached them, they would quietly follow you. Don't assume they were thieves. These people, who looked like farmers, were indeed farmers. At that time, the "yellow cows" (speculators) had not yet become prevalent, so everyone operated secretly. These people would whisper, "Do you want cloth tickets?"

Lin Qiangsheng had learned that during the tightest times, a yard of cloth ticket could be sold for 30 cents. In this era, 30 cents was not cheap; it was enough for an adult's meal, and you could even buy some meat. However, trading cloth tickets was risky. If caught, you could be labeled as a speculator, which was no joke.

At that time, farmers also lacked some urban goods. To buy a light bulb, they needed a ticket. Such essential items were in short supply in rural areas. This created an opportunity for Lin Qiangsheng.

First, Lin Qiangsheng had a car, which allowed him to travel between the city and the countryside. Second, he had a factory with over a thousand workers as his backing, and their families, numbering in the thousands. Lin Qiangsheng could exchange tickets without leaving the factory, minimizing his risk and ensuring his safety.

Before noon, Lin Qiangsheng drove to the Hongqi Commune where his sister lived, about 20 kilometers from the city, which was part of the provincial capital's jurisdiction.

Lin Qiangsheng parked the car at the commune entrance, where Lin Xiang and He Zhengguo were waiting.

The red Jeep came to a stop, creating a small pit in the dirt road. Lin Qiangsheng extended his hand out the window and called to Lin Xiang and He Zhengguo, "Sister, brother-in-law, get in the car!"

Lin Xiang was delighted to see her brother and pulled the smiling He Zhengguo into the back seat.

"Little brother, are Mom and Dad doing well? How are you? You drive pretty well, don't you?" Lin Xiang asked a series of questions as soon as she sat down.

Lin Qiangsheng turned back and smiled, "Everyone is doing well! Dad is the factory manager, and Mom is always busy with work. I'm doing well too. How about you? Brother-in-law is doing well, right?"

Lin Xiang smiled and patted her brother, "Focus on driving, don't look back and talk."

He Zhengguo was about to respond when Lin Qiangsheng turned back. He sat awkwardly next to Lin Xiang, not knowing what to say, but he smiled genuinely.

The red Jeep drove into the village, attracting the attention and pursuit of many young boys. Some children even surrounded the parked car, touching it curiously.

Since returning to the countryside, Lin Xiang's personality had become more outgoing. The vast sky and open land made her happier than living in the city, and her mood was naturally more cheerful. When they entered the house, Lin Xiang said to her brother, "Wash your face first, then we'll eat. I'll cook a few dishes quickly."

Lin Qiangsheng looked around the large yard where his sister lived. A fierce local dog was tied at the entrance, barking at Lin Qiangsheng, who had already entered the house.

The house had two rooms, one on each side, both with large beds. Lin Qiangsheng noticed that only Lin Xiang's bedding was there, so he asked, "Where are the others? Did the young people who came down to the countryside go to work in the fields?"

Lin Xiang, who was tidying up the bowls and chopsticks, paused and said, "A few have left over the years. This year, some have left, some are sick, and they are all trying to find ways to go home."

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and smiled, "That's not bad. You have more space to yourself."

He Zhengguo looked around and found no place to help. The only canvas bag was still on Lin Qiangsheng's back. He said to Lin Qiangsheng, "Qiangsheng, you sit here. I'll go home and get some dishes to go with the alcohol. You rest here."

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and nodded, moving a stool to the kitchen. He Zhengguo looked at Lin Xiang and, seeing she didn't object, happily went to fetch the items.

Lin Qiangsheng watched his back and looked at his sister, smiling, "Your husband is great!"

Lin Xiang glanced at He Zhengguo, her eyes full of happiness, and said to her brother, "Do you think I would choose someone bad? Your sister knows what she's doing!"

Lin Qiangsheng washed his face and hands, and He Zhengguo returned. The three of them sat around a large round table, and Lin Xiang had cooked a few dishes. He Zhengguo brought a plate of smoked beef, a plate of small fish, and a plate of mixed pork offal. These rustic dishes made Lin Qiangsheng very happy.

"The countryside is really great! In the city, you can't eat so freely!" Lin Qiangsheng said, stuffing a piece of beef into his mouth.

Lin Xiang smiled and asked, "If it's so good here, why don't you stay?"

Lin Qiangsheng looked at his sister, feeling very touched. His sister still treated him like a child!

Since his sister went down to the countryside as a young worker, she had grown from a teenager into an adult with her own ideas. But in Lin Qiangsheng's memory, she was still the girl who often played with him when she was a teenager.

How quickly things change. Often, without people noticing, familiar faces become strangers, and close relationships become distant.

Time is truly a ruthless butcher's knife!

"Sister, how about the cloth tickets I asked you about? Did you ask around for me?" After a while, Lin Qiangsheng asked his sister.

Lin Xiang nodded and said to He Zhengguo, "Ask Zhengguo. I asked him to help you get some tickets. What do you need them for?"

He Zhengguo said loudly, "Qiangsheng, I asked around. There are still quite a few cloth tickets in the countryside. How many do you need? Just tell me, and I can get the unused tickets from our village for you!"

Lin Qiangsheng was excited and rubbed his hands, "I won't take them for free! I'll trade them for something good!"

He turned and picked up the canvas bag by the bed, taking out a stack of tickets. Various colorful ration tickets were laid out in front of the two.

Lin Xiang asked in surprise, "Little brother, where did you get these tickets? Did you steal them?"

Lin Qiangsheng rolled his eyes at his sister, "These are all collected from the workers in our factory. How could I steal them? Look, these can all be traded for cloth tickets. Farmers definitely lack many things, so let's trade. It's convenient for everyone."

He Zhengguo flipped through the tickets and found a bicycle ticket, exclaiming, "Even this! How many people in the countryside want to buy a bicycle! But it's hard to get a bicycle ticket, so they have to endure. I didn't expect you to have this!"

Lin Qiangsheng laughed, "Of course, I have several bicycle tickets. You can bring cloth tickets to trade! I just want cloth tickets, lots of them!"

He Zhengguo slapped the table and said to Lin Qiangsheng, "Qiangsheng, wait here. I'll go get the tickets! Make sure you save a bicycle ticket for me!"

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and promised. He Zhengguo happily ran out.

Lin Xiang said with a hint of annoyance, "You came to the countryside just for this? Not to see your sister?"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "Of course, I came to see you, and trading tickets is just a side thing!"