Chapter 90: Money Emboldens a Hero
Chapter 90: Money Emboldens a Hero
At the brick and tile factory, Deng Shirong and Deng YunGui, the two bosses, were distributing wages to the workers.
Since the first wage distribution after the 14th of July, the factory had already paid out wages four times. Whether it was the skilled masters making large pots or the laborers who carried mud, everyone had saved a substantial amount of money.
For example, Deng Changbiao, Deng Shirong’s apprentice, had earned a total of 948 yuan over the past four months. Adding this to the few dozen yuan he already had, his net worth now exceeded a thousand yuan, making him one of the wealthiest men in the entire Bangjie Brigade!
The mud carriers, despite earning the least, had each accumulated 180 yuan over the four months, a small fortune that brought smiles to their weathered faces. Those with sons approaching marriageable age saved every penny for their sons' weddings, while others quietly planned what they could add to their homes.
In short, everyone wore a smile, feeling that all their hard work was worth it.
Deng YunTai, as usual, kept a few yuan for pocket money and handed the rest to his father.
In this era, parents still held considerable authority in their children's lives. Even if their children were married, as long as they hadn't set up separate households, most of their income would be handed over to their parents for the family's expenses.
So when Deng YunTai handed over his wages, the workers at the brick and tile factory were not surprised, as it was the same in their families.
The previous three times Deng YunTai received his wages, he had kept a few yuan for pocket money, and Deng Shirong had taken the rest.
However, this time, after receiving the money, Deng Shirong took out five large bills and handed them back, saying, "Tomorrow, you and Little Ping will register. As the saying goes, money emboldens a hero. No matter when, a man should always have money on him, so he can face any woman with confidence and composure."
Deng YunTai chuckled and took the five large bills from his father. With this extra money in hand, he felt more confident, proving the old adage that money emboldens a hero.
The workers at the brick and tile factory had all been invited to Deng YunTai's wedding banquet next month, so they were not surprised to hear that he and Zhang Xiuping would register the next day. One by one, they came over to congratulate him.
While weddings in the countryside were typically celebrated with a grand banquet, registering the marriage was still a cause for celebration.
After distributing the wages, everyone chatted for a bit before returning to their respective workstations.
...
It was six in the evening.
Deng Changbiao, now a man of over a thousand yuan, walked home with a spring in his step, humming a tune he had made up, a broad smile on his face.
"Xiao Lan, I'm home!"
Lu Xiaolan, having been his wife for many years, could tell from his tone that he was in a good mood. She also realized it was payday, and her heart lifted. "Go wash your hands and come eat."
Deng Changbiao nodded, washed his hands at the basin, shook off the excess water, and wiped his hands on his clothes before pulling out the month's wages from his pocket and handing them to her. "I got paid today. Here, take it and put it away."
As expected, Lu Xiaolan's face lit up when she took the money. "How much did you get this month?"
Deng Changbiao, feeling proud, replied, "Two hundred thirty-one yuan and thirty cents."
Lu Xiaolan's heart swelled with joy. "That's wonderful! Our savings have now exceeded a thousand yuan. A few months ago, this was unimaginable."
Deng Changbiao nodded. "Yes, before Master took over the brick and tile factory, who would have thought we could earn so much in a month just by making large pots?"
Lu Xiaolan slipped the money into the inner pocket of her clothes and then, while serving her husband his rice, she sighed, "I never would have thought it. I figured you’d be doing well if you made twenty to thirty yuan a month, but to make over two hundred every month—it’s like a dream come true."
The couple shared a moment of reflection. As Deng Changbiao started eating, Lu Xiaolan sat beside him, deep in thought. "Brother Biao, our savings have already exceeded a thousand yuan. How about we build a new house with blue bricks and red tiles?"
Deng Changbiao had been considering this for a while. "We definitely need to build a new house, but it’s already late October. With only two months left until the New Year, we won’t have enough time to start construction this year. We’ll have to wait until after the New Year, which will give us another two months to save more money."
Lu Xiaolan nodded. "That’s what I meant. We definitely want a bathroom like Master’s house."
Before Deng Shirong built his new house, everyone was used to using the communal outhouse, where the unpleasant conditions were just a part of life. But now, with the clean and hygienic bathroom in Deng Shirong’s house, who wouldn’t be tempted?
She thought about the usual experience of using the outhouse—stepping on old, accumulated waste, breathing in the foul smell, seeing the writhing maggots, and enduring the bites of mosquitoes and the harassment of flies. Compared to that, using a clean, odorless bathroom was a completely different experience.
After visiting Master’s bathroom, Lu Xiaolan couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Deng Changbiao swallowed his mouthful of food and smiled. "We’ll definitely have a bathroom."
"And the floors should be paved with cement."
"That’s a small matter. Our house won’t be too big, so paving the floors won’t cost much."
"And we need a large wardrobe and a dressing table."
"Those are no problem..."
The couple grew more and more excited as they talked. With money in their hands, their dreams seemed achievable, unlike just talking about them.
Meanwhile.
Deng Changyuan handed over the 60 yuan he earned today to his mother.
Changyuan’s mother took the money with a broad smile, counting it twice before tucking it into her inner pocket. "Changyuan, I’ll save this money for your wedding."
The mention of a wedding brought a certain girl to Deng Changyuan’s mind. He wondered if she would ever look at him the way he looked at her. He hoped that Uncle Yuntai would bring him good news tomorrow!
Thinking about it, Deng Changyuan asked with a smile, "Mom, how much do you have saved now?"
Changyuan’s mother replied, "Why do you ask?"
Deng Changyuan explained, "Uncle Yuntai is the same age as me, and he’s getting married next month. I want to know if the money you have saved will be enough for a dowry if I get married next year."
Changyuan’s mother responded, "The money I have now is just enough for the dowry, but there are many other expenses for a wedding. There’s still a considerable gap. However, with you earning 60 yuan a month, if you save for a few more months, by the second half of next year, we can ask Uncle Jiugong to help find you a match!"
Deng Changyuan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. He had already given his mother 240 yuan over the past four months, and he still needed to save for several more months before he could afford a wedding. Their financial situation was truly a source of endless frustration!
(End of Chapter)
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