Chapter 435 Inflation
"Isn't that all in the past?"

Although she didn't know much about that period, An Ning couldn't help but talk about those years and those events when she chatted with her classmates at school.

Especially the oldest sister in the class, who was also a soldier back then, took advantage of the free train ride and came to Beijing specially.

The capital city of those days left a deep impression on her, so after the college entrance examination was resumed in 77, she was determined to take the exam and go to the capital city despite the opposition from her own and her husband's elders.

Fortunately, her husband fully supported her and took care of all the big and small things at home, including taking care of their two children, so that she could concentrate on her studies. Her hard work paid off and she was admitted to Beijing University.

After hearing An Ning's nonchalant answer, she bluntly retorted: "An Ning, although we want to reform and open up, the ultimate goal is to achieve national prosperity and people's prosperity."

"But how can we deny the class principles that have always existed?"

“If we forget the principles, where will we go?”

Several other students also started debating one after another.

"I think what the leader said is right. Practice is the only criterion for testing truth. No matter what path we take, the ultimate goal is to make the country rich and the people strong."

"I disagree. Have you forgotten the teachings of Mao's Selected Works?"

“If the route is wrong, can the final result be right?”

As the first generation of college students after the country resumed the college entrance examination, they have rich experience. They have all worked in the countryside and received a lot of political theory instruction.

If the eldest sister in the class hadn't asked the questions today, they might have kept their doubts to themselves, but once the topic was opened, they all expressed their thoughts.

The ancients said: Cultivate yourself, manage your family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world.

They still have this simple emotion in their hearts, but the experiences and observations after going to college have made them feel confused.

Especially since last year, it has become popular for the country to send students abroad to Europe and the United States. People with connections and backgrounds in the school began to prepare and go early, which made ordinary students like them more hesitant.

The reason is that in order to compete for the places for government-sponsored overseas study, these students not only schemed against each other in private, but also framed others.
In particular, most of these people have connections and channels in their families, and their family members have been abroad and seen the world.

The admiration and longing for the West that was revealed in their occasional conversations caused a hint of fear and uncertainty in their hearts, shaking the original order in their hearts.

An Ning has lived in Hong Kong for many years and has achieved some success in her own business. Although she is very low-key in school and only makes friends with a few classmates whose families live in remote areas.

But she realized very early on that these people were all bright pearls in the world, first-rate smart people, but they were limited by their current knowledge. After making up for this lesson, their future would be absolutely limitless.

It takes three to make a good man, and you have to choose the right people to do business with. This is what she learned at home.

Whether it is the industry managed by Wang Deming or the industries run by his mother and several other mothers, they all have found outstanding talents to help manage them, so that they can gradually develop.

What's more, the same is true for her own chain of coffee shops.
This is the real reason why she invited these classmates to her home.

Especially when it comes to going abroad, her family has plenty of money, so they can just arrange for a few people to go abroad.
She often travels on a whim. She might be in Hong Kong in the morning and go shopping in Japan with her classmates in the afternoon.
After several students had almost finished their debate, she said with a smile: "Classmates, we are still young and inexperienced, and we can't reach a conclusion just by arguing verbally."

"However, I grew up in Beijing and later moved to Hong Kong, so I have more say."

"If a region wants to develop, it must first develop its economy. Isn't that the case with Hong Kong? The current per capita annual income has exceeded 2000 US dollars." "Ah! It's so much!"

At that time, the average monthly income per capita in Chinese cities was only 30 or 40 yuan, which is only a few dollars in US dollars. The gap is incalculable.

"How can you spend all this money?"

This is the truest thought in their hearts!
An Ning curled her lips, "How is that possible?"

She counted the money on her fingers and told them, "Usually a bowl of noodles costs more than ten yuan, and there are also housing, medical treatment, and education, which all cost money."

"Especially in terms of housing, Hong Kong now has a population of more than 800 million, and at least 200 million are waiting for government public housing."

"They can't afford commercial housing. One square meter of a house costs 1000 US dollars. By the way, Hong Kong is calculated by square feet, and one square foot costs more than 1 Hong Kong dollars."

Listening to An Ning's description of life in Hong Kong, which was even more inconsistent with their understanding, they all showed incredible expressions.

You have to know that the country at that time was still based on a planned distribution system, and various bills emerged one after another.

But the cost of living is low, and for a really frugal family, a few dollars is enough to live for a month.

What's more, although the house is small, it is allocated by the state and only a little rent is required each month.

As for medical care, workers can see a doctor for free and all expenses are reimbursed. Even in rural areas, there are barefoot doctors and mutual aid funds are available for medical treatment.
The older sister from Gansu blurted out: "This Western capitalism is really unbearable!"

"Socialism in our country is still the best!"

There was no objection to this statement, which was agreed upon by several other female classmates.

But a female classmate sighed and said, "How come domestic prices have risen so much in the past two years?"

"Before, 5 yuan a month was enough for my living expenses. I could buy a few books and watch a few movies every month, and secretly improve my life."

"But everything is expensive now. I had my eye on a piece of clothing that was previously priced at 18 yuan, but the last time I went to see it, it was already 34 yuan."

"Yeah." The oldest female classmate frowned even more. "Before, I could mail 10 yuan a month to my family and still have some left over. But now. An Ning, you know a lot and have lived in Hong Kong. Do you know why?"

An Ning actually discussed this with her father Wang Deming.

Wang Deming also wanted to combine the knowledge she had learned with theory. He also wanted her to know that the so-called economics is just for fun, and any economic theory is just hindsight.

They each represent the interests of a group of people.

An Ning thought about it and tried to describe it in her own words. "There are many new large projects in our country, and they have been reported many times in newspapers. You should be aware of this, right?"

Now the whole of China is a construction site. Since 78, there are more than 1100 large projects under construction across the country.

The old man was still not satisfied, and waved his hand again, saying, "How can we be timid in using foreign capital? Come on, 800 more!"
There are now more than 2000 large projects like Baosteel in China.

(End of this chapter)