Chapter 4

"I'm also a Chaofeng person. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll take you in and find a seat and drink some tea. I'll treat you." after hearing song TIANYAO's words, the waiter immediately changed his Chaofeng words and said enthusiastically to song TIANYAO.

Then he led song TIANYAO to a quiet place, made a pot of ordinary black tea for song TIANYAO, and then sat opposite song TIANYAO:

"I don't think you just come to drink tea, brother. Tell me if you have any problems. My name is Wu Jinliang. I've been working in this teahouse for seven years. The Japanese served here before they called. I'm very familiar with Hong Kong. As long as you speak, I can help you."

This is the reason why song TIANYAO came to Luyu teahouse. He heard from people in the wooden house area that there was a waiter in Luyu teahouse. He was a Chaofeng man named Wu Jinliang. He was righteous. He liked to help his fellow villagers solve their problems and would not receive benefits in advance. He must have handled things properly before he was willing to accept thank-you gifts, and he would never accept more.

However, even if those people in the wooden house area come to the teahouse to find Wu Jinliang for business, they are nothing more than looking for a job, a place to live, or lost relatives. After that, they give a thank-you gift, which is only one or two yuan at most. If they can give a thank-you gift of five yuan, it is already a huge number for the poor.

What can really make Wu Jinliang make money is song TIANYAO at this time. At least on the surface, he doesn't seem to be a poor man who came out of the wooden house area or fled. He looks gentle and has received a good education. In Wu Jinliang's heart, he can't do anything for such a person to help himself, whether he succeeds or not.

"I have also heard your name, brother Liang. In Chaofeng, all villagers regard you as an omnipotent Buddha. Like Buddha, many Chaofeng villagers who come to Hong Kong have been taken care of by you." song TIANYAO said to Wu Jinliang.

Then he waved to the cigarette seller walking between scattered seats on the first floor: "a box of three or five, thank you."

The cigarette girl held up the wooden box of cigarettes and walked over. Song TIANYAO put five yuan notes in the box. He took a box of three or five cigarettes and put in fifty cents change. He smiled at the cigarette girl:

"This is a tip."

"Thank you, boss." the cigarette girl squatted down and saluted gently, thanked skillfully, and then walked away.

Five yuan imported 35 cigarettes are definitely high-grade cigarettes in Hong Kong in the 1950s. Many people work hard in a month and can't earn ten packs of cigarettes. Even if Luyu teahouse is a relatively high-end teahouse, most tea guests only smoke two and a half yuan.

Song TIANYAO unpacked the cigarette and handed it to Wu Jinliang. He struck a match and lit both of them. After shaking out the match, he said to Wu Jinliang:

"My name is song TIANYAO. I'm 18 years old. I don't hide it from brother Liang. When I came to the teahouse today, I really asked brother Liang for help. I know English, mathematics and accounting. I worked in a foreign firm in Macao for half a year. This time I want to find a job in Hong Kong. I'm not going to help foreigners. I want to work in a Chinese firm."

Wu Jinliang nodded with a cigarette in his hand: "no problem. I have a job to help you settle at any time. I want to work in a commercial firm, right? I don't know what kind of business you used to do in a foreign firm, such as kerosene, cotton spinning, wood, steel, etc.?"

"The most profitable one," song TIANYAO said to Wu Jinliang with a cigarette. "I think brother Liang should know what I'm talking about."

Wu Jinliang gently nodded and gave a sound.

The so-called most profitable kind is actually smuggling. Now, whether in Hong Kong or Macao, all businesses will do smuggling as long as they have access, because after the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the United States and others used the embargo bill against China and North Korea passed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1951 to impose a blockade and embargo on China and North Korea.

The more banned, the higher the profit of smuggling, drugs, medical supplies, gasoline, hardware, bananas, steel, cotton

In addition to Chinese firms, American firms and British firms also joined the smuggling feast. Moreover, the Hong Kong colonial government violated the "embargo" provisions of the United Nations. On the surface, it continued to issue decrees to cooperate with the United Nations to expand the scope of the embargo. However, once the pressure was slightly relaxed, it immediately secretly approved the export of specific goods by various firms, Because of the embargo imposed on Hong Kong, it is the British economic interests that suffer the most. This is also the reason why the embargo control in Hong Kong is tight and loose.

Under such circumstances, smuggling has simply become the default legal business of the British Hong Kong government.

"I used to work in the wharf warehouse, responsible for dealing with the marine police and the Department of industry and commerce who came to check. This time, I'm still ready to find a similar job." song TIANYAO took 50 yuan from his wallet and put it in front of Wu Jinliang: "thank you for your hard work, brother Liang. I'll repay you when it's done."

Song TIANYAO can't think that he is too stingy for this kind of waiter who is similar to toothing. He gives few thank-you gifts. These guys will not pay enough attention. The heavier the thank-you gifts, they can get equivalent sincerity.

Even though Wu Jinliang did more work to introduce his work, he still couldn't help taking a deep breath, 50 yuan. He only paid him 60 yuan a month in the teahouse, and song TIANYAO said there was a thank-you gift, which made Wu Jinliang immediately want to show song TIANYAO his ability.

"Brother, I accept your gift of thanks, but in the past, the salary of the job you asked for is at least 200 yuan. It's hard to get it. I have a relationship, but it depends on whether you are willing to take out the money and exchange 800 Hong Kong dollars for a long job in the firm." Wu Jinliang took away the 50 Hong Kong dollars on the table and his face became more serious.

Song TIANYAO flicked the ash and put his wallet on the table: "there are 2700 yuan in the wallet. Brother Liang doesn't think it's enough. I'll go to the bank to get it."

Song TIANYAO's words made Wu Jinliang feel a little higher. He had 2700 yuan in cash in his wallet, which is an astronomical figure in the eyes of many families. Moreover, song TIANYAO can go to the bank to withdraw money. This relaxed attitude made Wu Jinliang more fond of song TIANYAO. That's right. When asking for someone to do something, he must not be afraid of spending. Those villagers who came to him before, Wu Jinliang sent them all to work in the factory. The real contacts are reserved for young students like song TIANYAO who are willing to take money.

"Taibai seafood restaurant" (the name of Zhenbao seafood restaurant, a well-known scenic spot at that time) Pack the top floor, open a banquet, and invite three red card singers to accompany them. After the seafood boat, go to the North Point dance floor nightclub to drink and dance. The whole process will cost about more than 800 Hong Kong dollars. If you nod, I'll arrange it. The second childe of the president of Chaofeng chamber of commerce is a regular guest here. There are three businesses in his family. If the second childe can nod, your work will be completely useless "No problem," Wu Jinliang said, staring into song TIANYAO's eyes.

He was observing. If song TIANYAO hesitated a little, he was ready to change his relationship and introduce him to a lesser job.

But without hesitation, song TIANYAO took out a thousand Hong Kong dollars from his wallet and handed it to Wu Jinliang: "this is a thousand dollars. Please arrange it for me."

"OK." Wu Jinliang simply took the 1000 Hong Kong dollars and turned to the counter and shouted, "there is a pot of Pu'er in ten years in the elegant room near the window on the second floor. I'll invite Mr. Song TIANYAO."

This color is what he must shout, and this pot of tea is what he must invite. Otherwise, a waiter who works as an intermediary in the teahouse would have been kicked out long ago.

But please come back. As usual, Wu Jinliang shouted most. There was an elegant seat on the first floor, a pot of scented tea, a basket of snacks, or even no snacks. Only a pot of scented tea showed that he didn't earn much thank-you gifts. At this time, the elegant room near the window on the second floor was already the best elegant room in Luyu teahouse. The unit price of a pot of Pu'er in ten years was $20, which was also the best tea in the teahouse.

Everyone on the first floor immediately looked in the direction of Wu Jinliang, mainly at Song TIANYAO. They wanted to know which song TIANYAO was. With such a big hand, Wu Jinliang could shout a pot of Pu'er for ten years.

Song TIANYAO just stood up, bowed his hands slightly towards the people and walked towards the second floor. Wu Jinliang said in a low voice behind him, "brother song, wait for my good news."

Watching this young man like a senior staff of a foreign firm slowly climb the stairs, the scattered guests downstairs talked about it one after another. They all came to the teahouse for tea for a long time and knew the rules:

"Ah Liang wants to make money today. He hasn't invited anyone to drink Pu'er for nearly a year. It seems that he won't make less this time."

"Of course not, but looking at the young man's clothes, he doesn't look like a person who asks for a Liang."

"When ah Liang comes back, ask him to invite each of us to a cage of sesame cake."

Song TIANYAO was led into the elegant room by a waiter. First, he helped song TIANYAO prepare fruit snacks. The waiter began to cook and wash tea sets for song TIANYAO and prepare tea. Song TIANYAO sat in front of the window and found that the room had excellent scenery, because there was just a women's tea room opposite. Looking through his window, he could just see Yingyan drinking tea and chatting opposite.

"Sir, do you want to listen to the music?" a girl, who was up to 14 or 15 years old, stood outside the Yajian door with a lute, and first squatted down and saluted song TIANYAO. Then she opened her mouth timidly.

Although the voice is small, it has a natural soft taste.

She saw song TIANYAO on the second floor and thought that Wu Jinliang could invite him to Pu'er for ten years, so the little girl dared to come upstairs to see if she could make some money.

Song TIANYAO bit an apple and asked, "how much is a song?"

"Short tune is one yuan and long tune is three yuan."

"Play and sing a short song." song TIANYAO took out a dollar and put it on the table.

The little girl quickly walked over and saluted again. Then she picked up a dollar and sat on the small stool dedicated to the actor in the corner. She didn't start in a hurry. Instead, she waited for the waiter to make the tea and quit to close the door from the outside. Then she spread her hands and bounced up and down the lute.

Then, the pipa tune sounded in the small elegant room. Song TIANYAO sat at the table with his eyes closed and beat with the tune in his hands.

When the prelude is finished like running water, the little girl opens her lips and makes a sound, with a gentle and long voice:

"There are many unspeakable things in the world, but it's true to be true. The singer doesn't ask whether it's true or false, but takes a true feeling..."

With his eyes closed, song TIANYAO suddenly opened his eyes, looked at the little singer and sighed softly:

"Well, no matter the singing, just opening these two words is worth appreciating, good words."