Chapter 522: Who Is Actually Right?

"Give me a small one; the waist of these pants is a bit big."

"Alright, alright, don't push, don't push, we have plenty…" Zhao Bin, together with a few people in the shop, was swamped.

The sales clerks at the other counters were also very busy, all of them dealing with passing passengers who wanted to pick up some Capital City specialties to take home.

In fact, they didn't care whether these items were produced in the Capital City; as long as they were bought there, they felt it gave them face to bring them back.

Only the Big Bowl Tea Stall in front was relatively quiet, because it was being crowded out by the cooperative's Big Bowl Tea Stall outside.

"Hey, comrade, this one is a bit small for me; give me a larger one."

Zhao Bin looked over: "That's perfect; you can swap this guy's, he wants a small one."

"Don't mind, we've all tried it; give me a brand‑new small one."

"What do you mean new or not? The person just stepped out less than two minutes ago, this is the one—do you want it or not?"

"What's with your attitude?"

Zhao Bin snapped his neck: "That's the attitude. If you're not willing to buy, you can go to the state‑run Department Store; their attitude is even worse—once sold, no returns or exchanges. I'm still offering you a swap here."

"Fine, fine, fine, this one will do."

Watching Zhao Bin argue with the customer, Lu Cheng laughed.

"Sister, when did you all switch to self‑financing?"

Lu Cheng knew that collective cooperatives generally had this attitude; whether they sold more or less didn't affect their wages.

He believed the higher‑up leaders could also see this trend; as educated youths returned to the city, more cooperatives were founded, and the Street Office, under fiscal pressure, certainly didn't want to keep underwriting them.

Lu Ying, while handing someone a piece of clothing, replied: "Next month we'll start a trial reform, and then none of those Big Bowl Tea Stalls at the entrance will be able to stay open."

The educated youths at the entrance didn't know how to run a business at all; they only wanted the numbers to look good, so to attract foot traffic they basically sold at a loss.

There was another stall even more aggressive: buy one bowl, get two bowls free, purely a charitable act.

Anyone who tried to correct them would be told that this was the wrong approach.

They would puff out their chests and retort, "What's wrong with letting the revolutionary masses experience the warmth of socialism!"

A country relies on its mass base; if the masses aren't taken care of, the nation has no future!

Facing these educated youths, the leaders were repeatedly rebuked, left stunned.

What the hell they said actually made sense.

"Then let's reform, be self‑financing; as long as you're not afraid of starving, give away whatever you want."

Lu Ying was busy for a while; because she had something to do today, she gave a few instructions to the shop staff, then hopped on Lu Cheng's bicycle and rode back to Da Za Yuan.

In Hu Tong Li, seven or eight tables had already been set up; besides three tables taken by Wu Guiwen's relatives, the rest were all neighborhood residents of Hu Tong Li.

When Wu Guiwen delivered the invitation to the house, to be honest some people didn't want to come; they had to bring a contribution.

But since they had to watch TV at night, they had no choice but to go, treating it as payment for the years of TV tickets.

When Lu Cheng brought his sister back home, Lu Beitang, who was busy, had just been called back by Chen Xianglan.

"What's this? Why so urgent? Can't you see I'm busy chopping vegetables?"

Chen Xianglan rolled her eyes: "Oh, you still chopping vegetables? Do you even know how? I've never seen you chop anything at home."

Lu Beitang glared: "Gui Yun got into university; today is a happy event in our courtyard, I don't want to argue with you."

Lu Cheng and his sister Lu Ying sat there, cracking sunflower seeds while watching dad and mom bicker.

Lu Cheng added: "It's fine, Dad, you argue with Mom, otherwise cracking seeds isn't fun."

Lu Beitang turned his bull eyes: "What are you cracking seeds for? If you have nothing to do, go help out outside; when you get home, your butt will be stuck to the chair and you won't be able to move."

Lu Cheng shifted his hips and kept cracking seeds.

She said, "I called you over to ask how much we should contribute as a gift. I figured, since we're all from the same courtyard and it's not a wedding or funeral, about one yuan should be enough."

"Ying Ying, San'er, what do you two think?"

Lu Cheng and Lu Ying cracked seeds and nodded at the same time.

"Mom's right."

Lu Beitang, however, was not satisfied: "How can one yuan be enough? For our whole family, at least two yuan, Lu Cheng, Ying Ying, what do you two think?"

Lu Cheng and Lu Ying kept cracking seeds, nodding together.

"Dad's right."

Chen Xianglan thought two yuan was too much: "Isn't that a bit excessive? It's just getting into university; that's already equivalent to two days' wages for me. I see others only give fifty cents, at most one yuan."

"Mom's right."

Lu Beitang shook his head: "What's so much about it? Think about the four of us in our family."

"Dad's right."

Chen Xianglan: "Other families are also large. Aunt Zhang from the neighboring Hu Tong supports a household of seven or eight, enough to fill a table, so one yuan is enough. Two yuan would be showing off, and it's just within one courtyard, not a close relative."

"Mom's right."

Lu Beitang thought for a moment: "No, no, our situation is different from Aunt Li's. We're a dual‑income family; Ying Ying and Lu Cheng also earn wages. Four wage earners getting only one yuan is still too little."

"Dad's right…"

Chen Xianglan felt a buzzing in her ears, turned her head and glared at Lu Cheng.

"What's right, who's actually right?"

"Both are right!"

"Go, go, go, stop mud‑slinging here!"

While flicking the sunflower‑seed shells off himself, Lu Cheng slipped a hand into his side pocket, grabbed something, and then stood up.

"Alright, Mom and Dad, stop arguing; I'll contribute one yuan."

Chen Xianglan said, "What money are you supposed to put up? You're not even married."

"I was married before, so I should contribute. Besides, my sister and I have never paid our wages into the family, yet we still eat the household meals for free."

Now that we've run into social obligations at home, we children must pitch in, to ease our parents' worries and solve their problems—I've put the money here. Lu Cheng slapped the money onto the table.

This time, Chen Xianglan and Lu Beitang both nodded, "Our son has grown up."

Seeing her younger brother behave so responsibly today, Lu Ying, as his sister, also stood up, reaching into her pocket as she spoke.

"Mom, why don't we just listen to Dad this time? I'll put up the other piece of money… Hey, where's my money? I clearly have a piece of money in this pocket…"

Looking again at that piece of money on the table, how familiar it seemed, Lu Ying immediately understood, and she shouted angrily toward the outside of the house.

"Lu Cheng, you're basically stealing my money, talking as if it's nothing!"

Outside, Lu Cheng cupped his hands and said, "Teacher Wu, congratulations! May you have a son soon, live as long as the Southern Mountains, and have a happy New Year…"

Wu Guiwen was in a good mood today, too lazy to argue with Lu Cheng: "Fine, fine, fine, hurry up and find a seat; if you're late and miss the meal, don't blame me."

"No, I just came by to say hello; I have something to do tonight, so I won't be eating here."

"Look at you, making such a fuss over nothing when eating is what matters—just look at how lavish this spread is, with chicken and fish…"

Lu Cheng dragged out his bicycle: "If you really feel bad about it, you can treat me another day."

Teacher Wu was startled, quickly saying, "Then let's just forget it."