First Branch Factory's year-end commendation meeting was held on the same day as the main factory's. The procedures were roughly the same: outstanding individuals and departments went onstage to receive awards. Only the value of the bonuses and prizes differed rather greatly.
Besides that, there were more speeches than at First Branch Factory—every sort of "this year's situation is excellent, next year's will be even better" talk, delivered for half an hour at a time without repeating a word.
But many people had long grown sick of such morale-boosting speeches. So while the people up front spouted grand words, the people below whispered among themselves.
"How much bonus did you get for being an outstanding worker?"
"One hundred yuan. What about you? Outstanding model worker?"
"I got fifty, plus an enamel washbasin."
"Then you got one more washbasin than I did."
"Hell, why don't you say you got fifty yuan more than me? Want to trade?"
"Trade what! By the way, your son's at First Branch Factory. What do their outstanding model workers get?"
"I don't know about that, but it has to be at least four or five hundred. Last year it was already five hundred."
"Hiss, you old bastard really picked the right treasure. Back then Old Tan wouldn't let anyone go, but you cursed your son into going. Good lord, he became a deputy workshop director in just two years. His salary must be four or five hundred now, right?"
"Ah, what does that little bastard earning four or five hundred have to do with me? He only stuffs my wife eighty or a hundred yuan during holidays. I haven't seen a single cent."
"Whoa, your son gives money to your wife? His wife is okay with that?"
"Why wouldn't she be? She only earns eighty-six a