After hearing the old leader’s words, Wang Xinsheng felt a mix of surprise and joy. He was glad for Lu Zhiyuan, but also found the old leader’s predicament amusing, "Old leader, just say it if you’re short of money. Although my salary is the same as yours, my expenses are not as high as yours. I can lend you some money since I always have some to spare every month."
Being neighbors with the old leader, Wang Xinsheng had a clear idea of his financial situation.
By regulation, the old leader was supposed to receive the state’s first-grade salary of six hundred and thirty yuan per month. But after the three years of hardship, the old leader took the initiative to lower his salary from the first-grade down to the third-grade, just two cents shy of four hundred and five yuan.
Despite the old leader’s salary being more than ten times that of an ordinary worker, his expenditures were substantial. Firstly, there was the ten yuan membership fee, the rent for the house and furniture was eighty-four yuan, his sister-in-law’s living expenses were thirty yuan, his children’s tuition was fifteen yuan per child, adding up to thirty yuan, and there was also a hefty heating bill during the winter.
The above were fixed expenses. Other expenses were no small matter either, such as the hundred yuan spent on cigarettes monthly, the tens of yuan spent on tea, and roughly a hundred yuan for food. All these came straight from the old leader’s pocket. In addition, he also had to spend money when treating guests and helping fellow villagers.
When calculated, the old leader’s salary was almost not enough for his monthly expenses.
Only when he had to support others and there was no money left in the house, would the old leader use the royalties stored in the accounting office. He believed this money belonged to the nation and not to him personally.
The old leader coughed twice, "I can smoke less and drink less tea."
"You can smoke less? You can drink less tea?" Wang Xinsheng looked at him incredulously, "I’d believe you if you said you could eat less."
The old leader would give up food before he’d give up his tobacco and tea.
The old leader felt a bit uncomfortable and was about to respond when Xibao suddenly shouted, standing on her tiptoes and patting the leader’s large hand, "Daddy earns money, daddy has money, daddy earns money to buy fruit!"
Hearing this, both the old leader and Wang Xinsheng were stunned.
"Who does daddy earn money for? Who does daddy buy fruit for?" the old leader couldn’t help playing along.
Xibao counted on her fingers, "Daddy earns money, mommy spends! Buying fruit, grandpa eats, grandma eats, daddy eats, mommy eats, brother eats, sister eats, baby eats! Baby eats fruit! Baby eats bun!"
Hearing her words, who wouldn’t feel touched?
The old leader patted Xibao’s little head, his eyes full of laughter, "This child sure knows how to sweet talk!"
"Not just sweet talk, but also good upbringing!" Wang Xinsheng placed a bundle in front of the old leader, gesturing towards Xibao with his chin, "She told you that when your clothes are worn out, her mother will make you new ones. So here they are, she made you a new outfit and asked me to bring them over."
The old leader quickly responded, "This won’t do! Whose family isn’t tight on money? Old Wang, you better take them back!"
"Who should I return them to? They were made to your size. Who else has the privilege to wear clothes made by Xiaoxue? Try them on first, see if they fit." Wang Xinsheng argued assertively, "Also, you used to call me Xiaowang, why have you started calling me Old Wang now? In front of you, who could bear being called ’old’? I am more than a decade younger than you."
"Xiaowang it is, then. You must have confused me with the Old Wang whose grandson peed in my washbasin." The old leader said while opening the package. As he gently shook it open, a shoe rolled out onto the floor.