Where Was There More Freedom?

"This taste... damn, that's good!"

With one puff, he truly understood what it meant to feel satisfied!

A rush of pleasure shot straight to the top of his head, nearly giving him a cranial orgasm!

"Looks like my monthly expenses are going up by thirty yuan from now on!"

"I'd be spending a grade-one worker's entire monthly wage on cigarettes every month? Isn't that a little too extravagant?"

Liang Xin left with a grin stretching to his back teeth.

As for these cigarettes, all he could say was that they were fucking amazing.

With one puff, he felt as though he'd found out what it was like to be an immortal.

You sure you didn't put anything illegal in these cigarettes?

When Liang Xin reached the village canteen, there weren't many people there yet.

There was still some time before the meal.

He found the old, battered recliner he'd spotted yesterday and lay down on it.

With nothing else to do, he took stock of his situation.

He had a little over sixteen yuan left in his shop balance.

He had a little over nine yuan in his pocket.

He'd spent a little that morning buying a few packs of cigarettes at the supply and marketing cooperative.

But Economy cigarettes cost only eight fen a pack, after all.

So, all told, he still had twenty-six yuan left.

Huh? Hadn't he had twenty-six yuan in his pocket when he first transmigrated?

For the past few days, he'd eaten and drunk his fill at every meal, spending at least a few mao each time and nearly a yuan on some meals.

Plus the snacks he usually ate.

He'd squandered so much, yet his wealth hadn't decreased at all!

Payday was only a couple of days away. He earned eighteen yuan a month as an apprentice worker, and it looked like he could save every bit of it!

Well, he had inherited everything from a brother with the same name and the same face as him, after all.

His family had gone to considerable trouble to raise him, too.

From now on, he'd send his monthly wages back to help take care of his family!

He had enough money of his own to live on!

Besides, he'd risen three levels over the past two days. He didn't know how much money he'd get for signing in tomorrow morning, but it would definitely be more than before.

From now on, not only would he have enough to get by, he could start saving money too!

Save up tens of thousands of yuan and buy a small courtyard house-how comfortable would that be!

Ha, it looked like life was giving him more and more to look forward to!

This life was comfortable!

"Xiao Liang, Xiao Liang, get up and eat."

"How are you feeling? Any better?"

Life was so comfortable that Liang Xin had fallen asleep.

Woken by Li Haiyang, he instinctively sat up and gave himself a nice, comfortable stretch.

When he heard the question about his illness, he froze for a moment, and a woeful expression immediately reappeared on his face.

"Sigh, lying down for a while helped a little, but I still feel awful."

"Sorry, Brother Li, for making you all take on my work."

"Hey, why are you still talking about that?"

"All right, get up and eat. Have something and see if it makes you feel better."

Liang Xin put on an act as he ate with Brother Li.

As usual, Li Haiyang paid two liang in grain coupons and five fen for a large bowl of watery coarse-grain porridge.

Liang Xin bought twice as much again.

He was a growing boy, after all, and his digestion was frighteningly efficient. One bowl just wouldn't cut it.

This bowl had been made with half a jin of coarse grain.

The two liang in grain coupons corresponded to two liang of rice, which could be exchanged for half a jin of coarse grain.

But Liang Xin suspected it wasn't actually half a jin.

By doing this, the village canteen was only shortchanging outsiders like them a little.

Villagers didn't need grain coupons or money to eat.

They only had fixed rations.

If your ration was one bowl and you wanted a second, they wouldn't give it to you.

Theirs was a true communal mess.

People in the city used their grain ration books to get grain, and they received wages and grain coupons too.

They were entirely free to eat at a canteen or cook for themselves.

It was different in the countryside.

This was true collective living: grain was planted and harvested collectively.

After the autumn harvest, everyone was given a little money, but all the grain went into the communal storehouse, and everyone could only eat together at the canteen.

Every family had a pot, but if the village didn't give you any grain, how could you cook?

So, comparatively speaking, there was still a little more freedom in the city.

This time, Liang Xin didn't take any food out during the meal.

He'd already used Brother Li to farm experience that morning.

If he gave him anything else, he wouldn't get any more experience.

And he'd feel awkward eating it himself without giving Brother Li any.

He'd just have to bear with it and make up for it properly at the state-run restaurant after he got back that afternoon!

Oh, he could hardly wait. He wondered what dishes the state-run restaurant had.

Did they have red-braised pork? Twice-cooked pork? Stir-fried pork? Did they have... well, as long as there was meat, anything would do!

There weren't many supplies today, and they'd finished loading them before lunch.

After eating, everyone headed back.

This time, without anyone having to tell him, Liang Xin climbed right up onto the ox cart himself!

He lay down on top and watched the white clouds drifting across the sky.

Comfortable!

The others didn't say anything either. Had they taken a pack of cigarettes from him that morning for nothing?

The driver even kindly reminded Liang Xin to lie steady, since they were about to set off!

If life could go on like this forever, that didn't seem too bad either!

Everyone was quite happy!

Maybe the old ox was the only one who wasn't very happy.

You all exchange favors, but I'm the only one doing the work?

When Liang Xin returned to his workplace, Brother Li and the two drivers went to unload the goods.

He strolled back to the office.

Why did dodging work feel so good?

He'd only just had lunch. Although it hadn't tasted good, and two bowls of porridge weren't much for him,

He still wouldn't get hungry again so soon.

There was no rush to go to the state-run restaurant for some extra nourishment.