Chapter 7: People's Livelihoods Are Difficult
Walking out of the courtyard,
He Yuzhu had just taken a look at the Dodge truck that had already started loading when he heard Xu Damao say,
"Zhu Zi, those swindlers are running around the streets every day.
Instead of trying our luck on the streets, why don't we go directly to the well to find Zhang Shuiba?"

People can go without food for three days, but they cannot go without water for three days.
Among the more than 1000 wells in Beijing, only a few are drinkable sweet water wells. The extremely disparate supply and demand relationship has made selling water a top monopoly business, which is dominated by some powerful or desperate people.

These people are called water tyrants.
The small house where the water tyrant sells water is the well nest that Xu Damao mentioned.

As for the "Shui San'er" mentioned by him and Yi Zhonghai, they were naturally referring to the water carrier who went from house to house.

Since most of them were from Shandong Province, they did not like to be called "Big Brother" because Big Brother was a pancake seller; but they did not dare to be called "Second Brother" because Second Brother was a great hero who beat a tiger with his bare hands.

So let others call them "Old Water Carrier".
And [Shui Saner] is a derogatory name given to them by everyone.

He Yuzhu naturally knew what those water bullies and well nests were all about, so he did not agree with Xu Damao's proposal.

"What well to go to!

I don't want to deal with those thugs and water bullies.
Even if they don't make things difficult for those of us who buy water, if we encounter someone who wants to steal the water, we might end up dying there.

It is better to speak more and ask the neighbors than to go to the well!"

When He Yuzhu mentioned the matter of seizing the waterway, Xu Damao's face showed some fear.
"Too!
I really hadn't thought about grabbing the waterway.

I have heard that those water bullies would carry large knives and hack at people in order to seize the waterways, and every time there would be many casualties, they were very brutal!"

"Of course not.

As far as I can remember, the water bosses in the nearby water holes have been replaced several times in the past 7 or 8 years.

This is after the success, there are even more when it fails.”

"Mrs. Li/Mr. Zhang, you see..."

……

"Thank you very much!"

……

Having made up their minds, the two of them wandered around the alley, asking neighbors they knew, and soon they found a water carrier pushing a two-handled wheelbarrow near Banchang Hutong.
The two of them chased after him and shouted loudly,
"Third brother, third brother who carries water, wait, wait, there is a big deal for you."

Hearing the two people's shouting, the water carrier stopped the waterwheel, wiped the sweat off his face, turned around, and then laughed.
"It turned out to be the home of Chef He and Projectionist Xu.

I remember I delivered water to your courtyard early this morning. Is there anything you two need from me?"

He Yuzhu was a little surprised when he saw that it was Wu Dafu who delivered water to the courtyard every day.
"That's right! Uncle Wu, you delivered water this morning.
Damao and I both saw it.

However, there is a funeral being held in the courtyard today, so I would like to trouble you to send some more water over. If you are willing, please lend a hand and help with the funeral!"

The reason why He Yuzhu asked Wu Dafu to help the old Jia family with the funeral was actually to follow the old rules.
Of course, it’s not like they work for nothing. The Jia family will have to pay them when the time comes.

When Wu Dafu heard He Yuzhu ask him to help the old Jia family with the funeral, he was naturally very happy and even smiled from ear to ear.

"become!

I actually heard that Lao Jia from your courtyard was beaten to death by Captain Gao.
But I can't take the initiative to come to the door for this kind of thing, otherwise, Lao Jia's wife will never let me off.
Now that you have taken the initiative to find me, things will naturally be different.

But you have to wait until I finish delivering water to the remaining few households and then go back to the well to get another truckload of water before I can go to your place.
Then just give me the remaining [mixed vegetables] according to the old rules."

At this point, thinking of He Daqing's cooking skills, Wu Dafu couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
"I am a blessed man indeed.
It is amazing that someone like me can eat the food from Fengze Garden.
With Chef He's cooking skills, even if it's a mixed dish, it's the most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my life. "What kind of blessed person is this? He's just trying to find joy in misery.
These water carriers are all stuck in bitter water. Even if they work tirelessly delivering water 365 days a year, they only get two meals of steamed corn bread and pickled vegetables every day.

It's all just a struggle to survive.

"Okay, Uncle Wu, don't worry. I will definitely leave you some mixed vegetables and pick out the best ones."

He Yuzhu had good intentions, but Wu Dafu didn't dare to accept it.

"Don't!

If other restaurants said this, I would definitely want more, and would be happy to have more meals.

But with your father's cooking skills, if you leave the good ones for me, Boss Zhang will not only steal my food, but he might even beat me up.
That will delay my water delivery tomorrow."

Seeing that Wu Dafu was only worried about whether he would be delayed in work the next day even though he was beaten, He Yuzhu could do nothing but curse the damn world.
"Okay, Uncle Wu, don't worry, I've got it in mind!"

"Well, you two should hurry back, don't stay outside, and don't cause any trouble."

After saying goodbye to Wu Dafu, the two began to walk back.

Not far away, I saw a group of people gathered under a high wall covered with various notices. Sun Wanliang, wearing glasses and a long gown, was explaining the contents of the notices to everyone.

He Yuzhu also went over to listen and found that it was the "Financial and Economic Emergency Order".
Then he looked at the original traditional Chinese characters on the notice, and he could understand them by guessing.
The general meaning is the face value of the gold yuan, the exchange rate with the legal currency, gold and silver, and measures such as [redemption within a time limit], [confiscation], [sanctions], and [8.19 price limit order].

He had just finished a quick look when he heard the neighbors nearby talking with a smile,

"That's good. The newly issued gold yuan coupons are backed by gold, so they are much more reliable than the legal tender. Plus, prices are now fixed, so we can finally have hope for a better life."

"Who says it's not?

In the past, when you bought things, you either had to use dollars or carry several bundles of French currency with you. The little things you bought were even heavier than the French currency you took with you.

Come on, let's go exchange some money!"

……

After listening to the discussions of the neighbors, He Yuzhu knew that everyone still had illusions about the old Xia government, at least that was the case with the rich people in Nanluoguxiang.

Just as I thought of this, I heard Xu Damao urging me impatiently.
"Let's go. This thing has nothing to do with us. It's useless to look at it.

Besides, we can’t understand the two characters we know!”

Xu Damao is right.

Sha Zhu was born in 1935, and when he was old enough to go to school, the days of poverty were raging in Peking. He Daqing did not let him receive the stupid education of poverty.

I just taught Shazhu to read by following the recipes at home.

Xu Damao, who was born in 1938, had a good time. He started school in 46.

But he had just finished the second grade and hadn't learned much at this time.

(End of this chapter)