Chapter 407: Otherwise Not Perfect

The dish is plain spring noodles, the broth is simmered from pork bones, after taking it out of the pot a bit of pork fat is added, sprinkled with scallions, and it can make a person fragrant and dazed.

One person ordered three liang of noodles; honestly, it's not enough to fill you up, especially such fragrant noodles, and being a young lad, it's exactly the right time to eat.

But there's no way, everyone's food coupons are few; we can't finish everything in one sitting, the rest of the half month we'd have to go hungry.

So even if not full, no one voluntarily asked for another bowl.

We simply drank the soup clean; a bowl of broth down the throat is almost enough to feel full.

Watching everyone slurp‑slurp the noodles and then glug‑glug the soup clean, Yang Yin had barely eaten half; she thought it was scorching and didn't know how these big boys each had such thick lips, not fearing the heat.

"Uncle, another eight bowls of three‑liang noodles, please."

As Yang Yin raised her hand, Zheng Guoping hurriedly stopped her: "No, no, we're all full."

Yang Yin didn't believe it: "Where are we full? Look, you all are just about to lick the bowl clean, clearly not full."

That's just being short on coupons; Lu Cheng isn't short of money, but without food coupons, they won't sell.

Lu Cheng had to say, "Our main problem is we have no food coupons. I'm not afraid; I could go home to eat, but the others need to be frugal, otherwise by the end of the month…"

Before Lu Cheng finished, Yang Yin, while taking small bites of noodles, pulled a small bundle of food coupons from her pocket and slapped them onto the table.

Capital City's local "One Jin" food coupons, ten in total.

"I have them; my father asked me to bring them, he was worried you wouldn't have food coupons to eat."

Hearing Yang Yin's words, everyone's noses tinged with sourness; to encounter Professor Yang, such a good mentor, was simply too lucky.

Lu Cheng took the coupons, tapped them twice in his hand: "Second, this time you call her 'Mom', you won't be at a loss."

"To your grandpa! I think you should treat her better, don't always be so fierce."

Yang Yin bit the noodle and giggled.

With these ten Jin of food coupons, we finally ate our fill; turns out a full meal is such a happy thing.

After the meal we must set off quickly; there aren't many Great Wall scenic spots open to the public now, the most famous being Badaling Great Wall, which Nixon visited a few years ago.

Ordinary citizens visiting the Great Wall go in unit groups and have to ride Liberation-brand trucks.

Because the distance is far, it takes half a day to get there, so we must depart right after eating.

Fortunately they're all young lads, now full, each pedaling the bicycles with great vigor, not slower at all than cars.

Yang Yin was overjoyed, shouting and squealing from behind without any restraint.

"Hey, hurry up, Lu San'er, ride faster, overtake them…"

He's treating him like a draft animal; Lu Cheng is pedaling so hard he's almost smoking, and the other three bicycles are being taken turns on.

"No, no, Second, you take a turn pedaling."

Yang Yin laughed, "Then you have to be the son now."

Being a son is being a son; if we kept pedaling all the way to Badaling, there'd be no need to climb the Great Wall at all, we'd just die of exhaustion.

When Zheng Guoping took over pedaling, Lu Cheng could finally rest, but Zheng Guoping's one leg was clumsy, so Lu Cheng did most of the pedaling.

Arriving at Badaling, the sun was about to set, already sunk to mid‑mountain height; the western glow resembled a fire phoenix, stretching the whole skyline in a riot of colors, though gold still dominated overall.

The others stopped their bicycles, and Zheng Guoping also jumped down from the front bar; he didn't want to sit even a minute longer, his backside had been sore all the way.

"When we get back, I'd rather run back… but, did we come late? It's almost dark; next time we should set off at dawn."

Indeed it was a bit late; those who arrived early had already started packing up to leave.

Some people, as if reluctant to part with the beautiful sunset, had cameras and lingered, wanting to take a few more photos.

"Quick, raise the red flag, right, back‑to‑back, don't move…"

And another voice shouted slogans as they descended: "Comrades, today we visit the Great Wall to learn the unyielding fighting spirit of our predecessors, to spark revolutionary vigor; when we return, each person must write a reflection and submit it to the Factory Area, everyone must write."

Another group, from an unknown unit, seemed unwilling to fall behind: "Little Liu, write a broadcast script when you get back, broadcast it well these days so everyone can learn."

Most people were preparing to leave, but Yang Yin was unaffected, got off the bike, arms spread wide.

"Not late at all, not a bit late; the Great Wall should be visited at this time. Look, the sunset is so beautiful; we came at the perfect moment."

Those with pure hearts find everything beautiful.

Originally everyone was quite tired from the rush, but seeing Yang Yin's happy demeanor, they were infected alike, forgot their fatigue and hurried up the hill.

Since Yang Yin had a camera, she took on the role of on‑site director: "Stand properly, line up, I'll take a group photo of you all."

Usually you have to go to a photo studio, which isn't cheap; it's rare to have a free photo opportunity, so everyone found a Turret Opening, lined up, arm‑in‑arm, flashing big white smiles.

As Yang Yin pressed the shutter, eight faces beaming with bright smiles were captured on this early summer day in July 1978.

Yang Yin used film, as if prepared in advance, bringing several rolls, photographing not only people but also scenery.

The Great Wall seemed to have drawn the day's sunlight into its bricks; the daytime's bluish‑gray bricks now glowed with a cast‑iron dark red.

We originally thought that as the sun set, the last rays would fade away, but unexpectedly the sunset leapt out again for a stretch, extending the dusk a bit longer.

At this moment Yang Yin handed the camera to Lu Cheng: "You take the photos for us."

Lu Cheng thought Yang Yin also wanted a group photo, about to direct everyone to stand properly, but Yang Yin actually wanted individual photos with each person.

Since there were plenty of film rolls, Lu Cheng kept pressing the shutter repeatedly; after Yang Yin finished the group photos, Lu Cheng casually handed the camera back.

Yang Yin, however, gave the camera to Zheng Guoping and said to Lu Cheng, "We still haven't taken a photo together."

Lu Cheng didn't want to shoot any more; he had been riding most of the way, and watching everyone point excitedly at the Great Wall, he just wanted to sit, feel the breeze, and rest a while.

"I won't shoot any more; we already have a group photo, I'll save you some film."

Yang Yin, with a stern face, "No, I have individual photos with everyone except you; otherwise it's not perfect."

Zheng Guoping, who had finally managed to eat his fill today thanks to Yang Yin's food coupons, said, "Hey hey Third, could you stop pestering the little girl and just let her take one shot?"