Chapter 128: The Tide of Technology Has Risen to the Waist

From the very first day, Dong Xueqing proved that having her at home was truly worthwhile.

This was, of course, the result of Rang Weidong helping her choose to take a job at the Post and Telecommunications Department. Rang Weidong’s reasoning was simple: she was still just a young girl and had no need to follow them in their chaotic, cross-country endeavors. It was better for her to spend a few years growing and learning in a sector like the Post and Telecommunications Bureau, which was currently on the verge of a massive explosion in development. Once the main team was ready to switch to aircraft and take on major ventures, she could join them.

After all, as of today, Dong Xueqing was the most highly educated person among them. One shouldn’t scoff at her technical secondary school diploma; it was the most prestigious credential in all of Sichuan. The importance of telecommunications technology over the next three or four decades would prove that choosing the right industry was far more significant than the level of one’s degree. Furthermore, she was sharper and more driven than her peers.

That evening, when Rang Weidong returned and began helping to set things up, he mentioned the long-distance calls he had made earlier. Fengchu, who was helping from behind, brought up a point: "Actually, we should be able to install a telephone at home. I was at work yesterday, and our leaders introduced the new Post and Telecommunications building being constructed across the street. Its purpose is to install more telephone exchanges. Do you know what an exchange is, brother?"

Rang Weidong actually did know: "It’s like installing one in our house. Whether you call me, call your sister, or I call Xiaodie, it’s all automatic, right?"

In reality, it was more like a router. From the telephones in the tax bureau compound and the Golden Tax Project to the entire tax network reform, the security guards had watched in awe as one technological upgrade followed another. Often, it was just like Dong Xueqing was doing now, helping the installers.

Fengchu said happily, "Brother, you’re so smart! The Jiangzhou Bureau applied for the most advanced program-controlled exchange in the world—it’s foreign-made, quite large, and will be installed in the building across the street. Once it's set up, we’ll be able to make long-distance calls across the country, and the city will add fifty thousand telephone ports. But where will the money come from?" She added with a hint of pride, "The Jiangzhou Bureau invented this method: charging an installation fee of 3,500 yuan. Hehe, actually, just ten thousand units would cover the cost. Now, it’s said that the whole country is following suit."

Rang Weidong laughed so hard he nearly hit his hand with a hammer: "Isn’t that just squeezing consumers like a shared maintenance fee? And they’re so smug about how clever it is... Hmm, you mean we could apply to have one installed?"

Dong Xueqing was already an industry insider: "Yes, it’s not open to the public yet, but bureau employees have a quota. Once it's installed, we can even move the line if we move to a different house."

Dong Xueying walked out carrying fragrant dishes: "I’ve told you, instead of spending so much money on clothes and cars, you should install telephones in the Spicy Hot Pot shop and the factory. It would make everyone’s work much more convenient... Oh, how beautiful! I didn’t realize you had such a good eye for aesthetics. How come you didn’t decorate the rental place you lived in with your parents like this?"

Rang Weidong, who was bringing in forty or fifty thousand a month plus another hundred thousand from titanium ingot profits, was feeling quite generous now: "We earn money to spend it on the home, don't we? Let’s install one at home, and the Spicy Hot Pot shop definitely needs one too. I’ll also ask Old Qin to install one in the guesthouse office. They seem to use a military line, which costs 500. I didn’t think it was necessary before since I’m not in the office every day, but with you in charge, it makes sense."

As for his aesthetic sense, he simply hadn't met Mr. Shen the Third to learn from back then.

It was simple. In the morning, he called the young girl from the Hongguang Factory retail department to buy a few bolts of fabric from the neighboring dyeing mill for Gou Dan. By noon, when the big Dongfeng truck brought the meat and vegetables to the shop, the fabric was transported over, along with bedsheets, quilt covers, and towels bought from surrounding factories.

Now, he used nails to affix rolls of striped and floral fabric to the walls, just like wallpaper. Shen Cuiyue had only done it halfway up, but Rang Weidong decided to cover the walls completely. The room’s aesthetic was so beautiful it didn't lose out to anything forty years in the future. The floral fabric was bought randomly, and one roll was enough to cover a room with some left over.

The two sisters took the leftover fabric and held it against Rang Weidong’s backside, deciding they could make some underwear or vests; it wasn't difficult, and they could make them at home. Even without much furniture, the living room felt instantly cozy.

Rang Weidong held his rice bowl and looked around with satisfaction: "Back then, it was just a temporary stop, but now that we’re settling down, it would be best to wait for the policy to allow home purchases so we can buy our own place and decorate it properly."

Fengchu immediately claimed her spot: "I want a room in our own house too!"

Rang Weidong sighed: "Study hard and work hard. Wouldn't it be better to be independent? When daughters grow up, they have to get married."

Dong Xueqing immediately pouted as if she were about to cry. Her sister quickly shielded her: "He’s just talking nonsense. This will always be your home. Eat, eat. Didn't you go back to the dormitory today? Is everything packed? Do you still need to go there to rest after work?"

The younger sister’s face lit up immediately: "Why rest there? It’s not as close as home. It’s less than a hundred meters from here to the building. I went to pick up my work pass. I heard there’s a circus next to the dormitory, somewhere near where you bought the car today. Let’s go see it after dinner!"

The couple exchanged a glance, and Dong Xueying’s eyes were full of playful pleading, as if to say, "Let's go later, let's go out and play first." She even pouted, which wasn't very natural, but it was more than enough to deal with a novice like Rang Weidong.

In truth, they had all come from small towns and had never seen a circus. Rang Weidong finished his rice immediately: "You should have said so sooner! Let’s just eat out. Let's go, let's go. I’ll wash the dishes when we get back."

There was no way he was going to do chores in this house. Dong Xueqing was already jumping toward the door: "Mine, mine, I’ll do the chores." She turned back to pick up the baby apologetically: "I know, I know, I’ll leave you two some space. Sigh, I have no status in this family."

Yet, she was clearly full of joy. She kept waiting at the doorway and the corner of the stairs, urging them on. Even the sister and brother-in-law, who wanted to sneak a kiss while changing shirts, couldn't delay any longer.

When they finally saw the pair holding hands downstairs, Rang Weidong prepared to drive, but his sister waved her hand: "Let’s walk. Let’s take a stroll." Rang Weidong felt that was just as well.

In the summer dusk, the streets were full of citizens cooling off, leisurely waving paper fans. No one was playing on their phones, no one was dancing in public squares; everyone was walking the streets with their families. There was a simple, rustic happiness to it, almost like the quiet joy of a big city after a power outage in the future. Rang Weidong turned and described his feelings.

Dong Xueying nodded: "I feel very happy too."

"This must be what happiness is," Rang Weidong said with certainty.

Dong Xueying squeezed his hand and smiled without saying a word, her footsteps in plastic sandals light and airy. Only Fengchu, carrying the baby, looked around curiously, wanting to peek into every shop and restaurant. If she saw children her age, she would bring her niece over to make friends.

Before long, she came back with a worried face: "I can’t carry her anymore, brother-in-law. What did you feed Xiaodie? She’s so heavy!" The baby kept whimpering to express her dissatisfaction.

Rang Weidong took her and happily let her drool all over his face. Dong Xueqing was even happier, trying to link arms with her sister for a while before circling back to tease the baby. Finally, she skillfully found five yuan in Rang Weidong’s pocket, bought three popsicles at a nearby stall, and tucked the change back into his pocket. Her hand didn't come out; she was actually tickling him inside the pocket! If he hadn't been holding the baby, Rang Weidong would have swatted her with a popsicle.

Dong Xueying’s smile deepened, and she took his arm voluntarily. Rang Weidong felt as if he were being kidnapped by the three of them, yet he felt more comfortable than he ever had before.

It wasn't far—five or six hundred meters out of the alley. Directly across was the Post and Telecommunications building. Passing the car-selling lot and turning into a side street, there was a theater, and next to it, a small park with a lawn. It felt like all the citizens in the surrounding community were crowded there.

Looking closer, they weren't queuing for the show, but gathering around the theater to watch the circus animals kept there for free. The smell was intense, but it couldn't drive away the excited citizens. They crowded around to watch a dopey black bear wearing a hat napping on the side, a monkey dressed in the Monkey King's costume teasing everyone, dogs roaming freely without leashes, a lazy tiger in a large cage, and tall horses, a rare sight in the southwest region.

Dong Xueqing insisted on squeezing in to watch, leaning over to tell her sister about the rare animals she had seen at the Chengdu Zoo, but none were as fun as this. The most ridiculous thing was that the circus even brought a panda! Was the national treasure really worth so little these days?

Rang Weidong watched with rapt attention, discussing with the mother of his child: "I’ve been thinking about how to use a panda for advertising. This guy isn't actually that obedient, but if we could really borrow this panda for a shoot, the effect would be incredible. Haha, cameras don't need advertising yet, and tape recorders missed their chance. A panda selling snacks certainly wouldn't be as effective as selling sanitary pads. This is settled!"

Dong Xueqing couldn't imagine how his mind worked: "A panda? Let a panda sell... sell those?"

Her blushing, shy expression made Rang Weidong want to lean in and kiss her. The crowd around them erupted—they had been watching the circus animals, but now they were watching these two eye-catching people instead. The young wife couldn't figure out where this guy’s inhibitions had gone. He used to be quite self-controlled, so why was he so prone to showing his true feelings now?

She could still tell that there was no lust in it—just a casual, affectionate gesture. It was merely the display of a happy marriage, something one would see everywhere in ordinary families forty years later. So, she helplessly but sweetly offered her cheek. The younger sister, who turned around after hearing the commotion, covered her eyes with an "Oh my!"

Just then, little Die interrupted the moment with a sudden, pungent smell. The atmosphere was instantly dispelled—the child had made a mess. Rang Weidong, caught between laughter and tears, hurriedly carried her to find a restroom to wash up and change her diaper. No, there were no diapers back then, only cloth nappies.

Previously, he had been very careful about the baby’s gender and never intervened, but this time, the two sisters were already laughing and huddled together. Dong Xueying struggled to pull a roll of diaper cloth from her pocket for him. Everyone didn't think there was anything strange about a young father doing this.

Wait, Rang Weidong suddenly felt a flash of inspiration!

He was already making sanitary pads; shouldn't he also be making diapers? He had spent plenty of time in the security booth tending to the baby and changing diapers. In fact, having spent the last few days in the workshop, he had already understood the principle of that product. It was nothing more than three-layer compression, using pre-set blades on rubber rollers to cut out the shape of the sanitary pad. As long as he rearranged the blades on the rollers to the shape of a diaper, he wouldn't even need to change the formula of the raw materials.

Most importantly, once he had diapers, this panda advertisement would be easy to execute. The scenario the baby’s mother had been puzzled by—Rang Weidong hadn't quite figured it out himself—how to show a sanitary pad? Just put one on a big panda. In the future, they sold them because everyone knew what they were, so they didn't need a direct explanation, just a suggestive description. In this era, he really needed to be clear.

Now, he had an idea.

Regardless, no one expected that in early June 1984, exactly one year after his return, Rang Weidong—who was already earning 300,000 a month—wouldn't be lingering in high-end places or indulging in decadent luxury. At the very least, he knew he could find such places in Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Jiangzhou.

Long afterward, Rang Weidong loved to recall this day: the dirty restroom, the busy cleaning by the rusty faucet, and the two smiling faces, one plump and one slender, waiting for him. He missed the incredibly comfortable, relaxed, and cozy feeling of that moment. Because, after that, it was all gone.