I'm back in 1990

Chapter 20: The Stamp Collector in the Foreign Trade Company

"I boarded the Daifa bus to Shanghai, back in 1990..."

The next day, Huang Xiaochuan got up early again, humming a song with altered lyrics all the way, and rode in the Dafa bread van without air conditioning to Shanghai.

At 9:30 a.m., A Liang drove the car, and Huang Xiaochuan, sitting in the passenger seat, looked at the map and the road signs to give directions. After many twists and turns, they finally found the Shanghai Light Industry Foreign Trade Company.

Standing outside this Soviet-style building constructed in the 1950s, Huang Xiaochuan smiled.

Zeng Jiahua was puzzled. There were many foreign trade companies in Shanghai, so why did he choose this one as the first one?

After asking Huang Xiaochuan, the answer I received was that it was a random selection; if one didn't work out, we would look for the next one, and so on.

Actually, Huang Xiaochuan did this for a reason. He had an acquaintance in there, or more accurately, a good friend from his previous life. In his previous life, Huang Xiaochuan worked in foreign trade after graduating from university, so the two often interacted and eventually became good friends.

Moreover, after hearing that Huang Xiaochuan's business had failed, Ge Changli not only took the initiative to help Huang Xiaochuan find work everywhere, but also lent him a sum of money to help him get through the most difficult days.

This gesture greatly comforted Huang Xiaochuan, who was feeling dejected at the time. It was a fortunate thing that his friend could see him again!

The Second Business Section was located on the third floor. After the uncle and nephew entered the gate of the Light Industry Foreign Trade Company, they were intimidated by the dense crowd inside.

There were just too many people, all there to handle related business. From the moment he entered, he saw people standing in all the passageways and staircases. This scene intimidated Zeng Jiahua, and he immediately lost confidence in whether he could obtain an export quota here.

Since they were already there, they figured they might as well give it a try. Looking at Huang Xiaochuan, he didn't seem worried at all; instead, he was excitedly looking around, like he was browsing a shopping mall.

Following the information they obtained from the staff on the first floor, the uncle and nephew arrived at the third floor. Good heavens! The hallway was full of people, some standing, some squatting, and some simply sitting on the ground.

An industrial electric fan was placed at each end of the corridor, blowing loudly. In this kind of weather, without these things, it would be strange if several people didn't suffer from heatstroke. But even so, everyone was holding a fan because there were so many people! The industrial electric fan couldn't blow air through; its main function was actually to maintain ventilation.

Among the several lines, they found the line that stretched out from the second business section to handle business, and the uncle and nephew also lined up behind it to wait in line.

Travel-worn and covered in dust, Huang Xiaochuan rubbed his neck and a clump of black grime off. He glanced around the stairwell, told his uncle to wait in line, and then asked around for directions to the restroom.

Huang Xiaochuan found the toilet, which indeed had a tap. He rinsed his head first, then took the towel hanging around his neck, rinsed it a few times, and wiped his body several times before feeling a little more comfortable.

After Huang Xiaochuan finished washing up, he went to take his uncle Zeng Jiahua out and told him where the toilet was so that he could also wash up.

At this moment, a chubby middle-aged man in front of Huang Xiaochuan and his group struck up a conversation with Huang Xiaochuan: "Young man, what does your company produce?"

Huang Xiaochuan didn't answer his question, but instead asked, "Uncle, what organization do you work for?"

The chubby middle-aged man wiped the sweat from his face with a towel and said, "I'm from Shanyin. You know jeans, right? Our factory produces denim."

Huang Xiaochuan asked in surprise, "You can export your denim?"

These words displeased the chubby middle-aged man, but seeing that Huang Xiaochuan was young, he didn't argue with him. Instead, he said proudly, "Our factory's denim is a provincial and ministerial-level excellent product. It's in high demand and short supply domestically. We export it to earn more foreign exchange for the country."

Huang Xiaochuan exclaimed in sudden realization, "Oh, I see! What's your surname, sir?"

The chubby middle-aged man took out a business card from his leather bag and handed it to Huang Xiaochuan. Before taking the card, Huang Xiaochuan glanced at the bag, which was printed with the 1988 Model Worker Award.

After taking the business card, Huang Xiaochuan realized that the chubby middle-aged man was Wu Dawang, the head of the sales department of Xijiaqiao Textile Factory in Shanyin.

So he politely greeted him, saying, "Oh, it's Section Chief Wu! Hello, hello!"

Wu Dawang quickly waved his hand: "Young man, you're too kind. We're all just working at the docks, just call me Lao Wu."

"Well then, judging from your age, you're about the same as my dad, so it's not appropriate for me to call you Old Wu. I'll just call you Uncle Wu!"

"Alright! What you call me doesn't matter, a name is just a label. But you're quite particular, young man."

Wu Dawang even fanned himself towards Huang Xiaochuan so that both of them could feel a breeze. The industrial electric fans at both ends of the corridor were blocked by so many people, and the wind couldn't reach where Wu Dawang and Huang Xiaochuan were standing at all.

Huang Xiaochuan quickly took out a folding fan from his uncle Zeng Jiahua's bag and started fanning himself.

"Uncle Wu, thank you, I brought the fan."

Seeing that Huang Xiaochuan had a fan, Wu Dawang went about his business, but he still asked, "Young man, what's your surname? Do you have a business card?"

Huang Xiaochuan smiled and said, "Uncle Wu, I don't have a business card. My surname is Huang, and my name is Huang Xiaochuan. I came with my uncle; their factory produces flanges."

Wu Dawang, who worked in the textile industry, really didn't know anything about flanges, so he stopped fanning himself and asked in confusion, "Flange? What's that?"

"It's used for pipe connections. It looks like a round disc with a hole in the middle and a ring of screw holes around it," Huang Xiaochuan described the flange to Wu Dawang.

Wu Dawang nodded as if he understood, and said "Oh!"

At this moment, Zeng Jiahua returned, looking much more energetic after washing up. Seeing Huang Xiaochuan chatting with Wu Dawang, who was ahead of him in line, he proactively asked Huang Xiaochuan, "Xiaochuan, who is this...?"

When Huang Xiaochuan saw his uncle return, he took the initiative to introduce him: "Uncle, this is Section Chief Wu from the sales department of Xijiaqiao Textile Factory in Shanyin."

"Uncle Wu, this is my maternal uncle, Zeng Jiahua, the factory manager of Zhenze Flange Factory."

Wu Dawang extended his hand and shook hands with Zeng Jiahua: "Director Zeng, hello, hello."

"Section Chief Wu, hello, hello!" Zeng Jiahua responded proactively.

And so the three of them exchanged pleasantries.

Wu Dawang seemed to be a regular here and knew the situation very well. He said, "This Section Chief Ge is very young, probably not even twenty-six years old this year! But he has been working for five years. He probably has some connections at home and he is indeed capable. Last year he was promoted to deputy section chief and is in charge of the work of the second business section."

Huang Xiaochuan deliberately asked, "Isn't there a section chief? Why was he put in charge of the work?"

Wu Dawang patiently answered Huang Xiaochuan's questions: "The Second Business Section doesn't have a section chief. Right now, Section Chief Ge is in charge. Don't let his youth fool you; he's honest and reliable."

Wu Dawang gestured back and forth, indicating, "Look at how far the line in the Second Business Section has stretched. And look at the First and Third Sections, they don't have as many people as we do here."

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaochuan asked again, "Then why is that?"

"That's because Section Chief Ge is methodical and considerate. If he can get things done, he won't be ambiguous with you at all. If he can't, he'll explain the reasons clearly so you won't suffer losses without knowing why."

Huang Xiaochuan nodded approvingly and said, "That person is really quite good!"

When Zeng Jiahua heard Wu Dawang's comments about Ge Changli, his hope was rekindled, and his eyes lit up.

Around noon, Huang Xiaochuan went outside and bought three boxed lunches, giving one to Wu Dawang as well.

Wu Dawang hurriedly tried to pay Huang Xiaochuan back, but Huang Xiaochuan refused.

"Uncle Wu, it's fate that we met. To ask you to pay for a simple meal is an insult to me and my uncle!"

"Then I won't stand on ceremony with you two, uncle and nephew." After hearing this, Wu Dawang simply took the money back and happily sat down on the ground to eat his boxed lunch, just like Huang Xiaochuan and Zeng Jiahua.

Wu Dawang entered the office around 3 PM. Less than ten minutes later, he emerged beaming, and Huang Xiaochuan immediately knew the matter had been successfully resolved.

Sure enough, after Wu Dawang came out, he said to Huang Xiaochuan and Zeng Jiahua, "I've finished my business, you two should go in now! We'll meet again someday."

After seeing Wu Dawang off, the uncle and nephew went into the office.

Upon seeing a familiar figure, Huang Xiaochuan almost blurted out "Old Ge." Fortunately, he restrained himself in time. Ge Changli didn't recognize him yet, and calling him "Old Ge" rashly might backfire.

At this moment, Ge Changli was reviewing materials. In the most conspicuous position in the filing cabinet behind him was a trophy and a certificate of award. Huang Xiaochuan had good eyesight and spotted the trophy and certificate at a glance.

He also knew the origin of the trophy and certificate. Ge Changli's grandfather was also in the foreign trade system and often traveled to Eastern European countries on business trips. He would bring back some stamps from Eastern European countries for Ge Changli from time to time. These stamps were very cheap at the time and were sold in packs. Stamp collectors called them "flowery paper scraps". In some places, stamp dealers sold them to children who liked stamp collecting for one cent each, while real stamp collectors looked down on these stamps.

It was because of these stamps that Ge Changli developed a passion for stamp collecting, a hobby that lasted his entire life. He never gave it up before Huang Xiaochuan's rebirth, even when stamp prices plummeted.

This trophy and certificate are from the first prize that Ge Changli won at the Shanghai Philatelic Association's annual stamp exhibition this year. The prize is a block of four stamps featuring the 80 Monkey stamp.

In 90, this block of 80 monkey stamps was worth about 150 yuan on the market. It wasn't a lot of money, but after winning the first prize, he became famous. Before, he could only call himself a stamp collector. After winning the prize, a reporter from the evening newspaper even came to interview him. The next day, the newspaper published a report praising Ge Changli as the youngest first prize winner in stamp collecting and also the youngest stamp collector.

The title "expert" is reserved for professionals who have made achievements in a certain field, such as scientists, mathematicians, musicians, singers, artists, and so on.

Seeing his self-proclaimed title as Shanghai's youngest philatelist in the newspaper, Ge Changli was overjoyed! He was practically floating on air! He'd been in a particularly good mood these past few days, full of energy for everything he did. It seems the saying "good things make people feel good" really holds true.

Actually, Ge Changli didn't need to handle the business in person, but unfortunately, one of his three subordinates had gone home to have a baby, another had gone to a factory for research, and the third, an unlucky fellow, had fallen into a ditch on his way to work and was receiving treatment in the hospital. He had no choice but to step in himself. As a result, when these manufacturers heard that he was personally handling the business, they all came to him to do their business.

Upon seeing someone enter the office, Ge Changli proactively looked up and asked, "Which unit are you from?"

Just as Zeng Jiahua was about to introduce himself, Huang Xiaochuan interrupted him.

"Excuse me, if I may ask, are the first prize trophy and certificate from that stamp exhibition yours?"

When Ge Changli heard someone ask about the origin of his trophy and certificate, he couldn't help but feel a little envious. Young people always have a bit of vanity. Although Ge Changli usually hid it well, he was suddenly touched on this itch and couldn't help but feel happy.

After all, the trophy and certificate had been sitting in the filing cabinet for a while, and no one had mentioned them. Even his subordinates hadn't asked about the origin of the trophy, which made Ge Changli feel a bit frustrated. He had wanted to return home in glory, but it turned out to be a case of wearing fine clothes in the dark.

However, there are still some sensible people out there; I met one today.

He then asked, "Young man, you also collect stamps?" This was a tacit admission that the trophy and certificate were his.

Huang Xiaochuan spouted nonsense without hesitation: "Yes! But I'm not at your level. At best, I'm just a beginner philatelist. I can't compare to a philatelist like you who can win first prize at stamp exhibitions!"

Ge Changli was delighted. He hadn't expected that this seemingly pleasing young man was also a stamp collector, and even seemed to admire him greatly. A kindred spirit was hard to find! Ge Changli stood up and said, "Don't stand there, come, come, sit down and let's talk."

Zeng Jiahua, standing to the side, almost dropped his jaw. What was going on? My precious nephew actually knew about stamp collecting? How come I didn't know that?

Huang Xiaochuan took the initiative to introduce his uncle and himself: "Hello, Section Chief Ge. We are from Suzhou Zhenze Flange Factory. This is my maternal uncle, who is also the factory director of Zhenze Flange Factory. His name is Zeng Jiahua. I am his nephew. My name is Huang Xiaochuan."

"Hello, hello, you're Huang Xiaochuan, right? Please sit down, please sit down. And you, Director Zeng, please sit down too." Ge Changli warmly invited the uncle and nephew to sit down.

Ge Changli even made a cup of tea for both uncle and nephew. After nodding to Zeng Jiahua, he pulled up a chair and sat opposite Huang Xiaochuan. The two of them started chatting about stamp collecting, leaving Zeng Jiahua to drink tea on the side.