"We've found the reason for the price increase?"
The members of the price monitoring office looked at their supervisor with immense respect, especially the young clerk who had reported to Secretary Yang earlier. He was utterly shocked.
They had searched high and low for a reason, but no matter how much they threatened or bribed, the merchants refused to divulge the cause. They had even considered coordinating with the public security bureau for a joint investigation, resorting to a forceful interrogation if all else failed.
Yet, their section chief, after a brief stroll, had figured out the reason.
"This is the difference," they thought. "No wonder he's the leader!"
"What is the reason, Chief?"
The members of the price monitoring office, along with the accompanying members of the public security bureau, stared at their section chief, all brimming with curiosity.
They were eager to know why… after all, the price of meat had gone up by three mao per jin! That was almost enough to buy two packs of good cigarettes!
"Do I even need to explain the reason?"
The section chief of the price monitoring office pointed at the bustling scene on Changhe Street with a helpless expression.
They saw the workers, spending money lavishly and without hesitation, purchasing items they would have previously pondered over and debated before buying.
Even though almost all the goods had increased in price, it didn't matter!
After all, they had received their salaries! They had money, and they weren't short of it!
Buy! Buy! Buy!
The workers' faces were beaming with happiness, and they looked forward to the future.
As long as they worked hard under their young factory director, they didn't have to worry about a good life!
After years of hardship, their lives had finally improved in the past few months. Today, with their salaries in hand, they decided to treat themselves!
Of course, some thrifty housewives occasionally protested to their husbands or sons, urging them not to be so extravagant.
But their protests were always drowned out by the men's hearty laughter, mingled with the clamor of children's cries and shouts, weaving together a harmonious, happy, and unpretentious picture…
"My third uncle's second cousin twice removed, why do I feel like these workers have more money than me?"
The young government clerk watched the scene with a sour expression.
He saw wads of cash, even a hundred-yuan note bearing the portraits of four great leaders.
Heaven above, as government employees, they were considered to have a decent income, earning over a hundred yuan a month.
When they received their salaries, they mostly got ten-yuan notes or a mix of bills and small change. A fifty-yuan note was a rare sight.
Now, the loose change these workers were flashing around was almost equivalent to their monthly salary!
How were they supposed to live?
The golden age of state-owned factories was over, and the status of workers was no longer as esteemed as before. They, the government officials, were the envy of many.
But now… why did they suddenly feel a pang of envy towards these workers?
"Be brave and remove the word 'feel.' They *do* have more money than you."
A member of the public security bureau joked, "But their money is legitimately earned. Don't you see the work uniforms they're wearing? They're workers from the Jiangyang County Automobile Factory.
Who in the county doesn't know about the factory's good performance and high salaries? Their benefits are also excellent. Many people are desperate to work at the automobile factory.
We even received a report earlier from someone who suspected the large sums of cash suddenly produced by the automobile factory workers were ill-gotten gains. After an investigation, it turned out that every penny was clean, and they simply had such a high income!"
Upon hearing the public security bureau member's words, someone from the price monitoring office chimed in,
"Exactly! Exactly! I heard their factory director, Wang Yu, finds excuses to give out bonuses at the drop of a hat. Last time, he even used Children's Day as an excuse to distribute bonuses…"
"No way? Bonuses on Children's Day? That's too much!"
"Yes, rumor has it that their workers once bought out the entire department store building."
"I heard that their automobile factory was previously in dire straits, and even the position of factory director that Wang Yu took was one that no one wanted. He only got the position after everyone else shirked it!"
"That's right. In the past, no one wanted to work at the automobile factory, but now, you can't just join even if you want to!
Secretary Yang forcibly transferred 200 people from surrounding loss-making state-owned factories, and many of them were unwilling. Now, they're all so happy they don't want to leave. I heard that many people were rejected in the last recruitment drive, and some even tried to bribe their way in, but it didn't work!"
…
Watching his subordinates excitedly chatting, the section chief of the price monitoring office felt speechless.
"We're here to investigate the price surge, and you're all just chatting aimlessly. Leave this kind of idle gossip to the elderly folks!"
"Ahem! Alright, let's stop straying from the topic," he coughed.
The section chief of the price monitoring office said with a serious tone, "This is precisely why, as you can see? Because the workers of the automobile factory received their salaries, the prices have suddenly increased so much today!"
"No way? Just because these automobile factory workers got paid, all our merchants and vendors have directly raised prices? Isn't that reason too far-fetched?"
The young government clerk looked incredulous. How could such a ridiculous thing happen? He had never heard of anything like it in his life!
"Whether you believe it or not, whether the reason seems far-fetched, I have to say, this is the fact!"
The section chief shook his head helplessly. "If I were a merchant, I would do the same. It's only natural for people to spend a little extra after receiving their salaries.
I've also learned that in the past few months, whenever the automobile factory workers received their salaries, they would go on a spending spree, which has, in turn, stimulated our county's consumption level and GDP.
The businessmen aren't fools. They've figured out the pattern and know that on these days, these workers, who are used to hard times, suddenly have money in their pockets and are willing to spend it. So, they naturally raise their prices!
It's like what the economic principles say: when poor people suddenly acquire wealth, they tend to choose foods with more flavor and luxury rather than healthier and more filling options…"
"Uh, Chief, I don't quite understand that economic principle you mentioned. I just want to know when the prices will go back down, otherwise not only will Secretary Yang hold us accountable, but we ourselves won't be able to afford daily necessities.
We're not as rich as those automobile factory workers!"
The young clerk said with a worried frown. To this, his section chief merely shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't worry, the prices will definitely come back down in a couple of days."
"Ah? Why?"
"Nonsense, have you ever seen a household where the man manages the money? Right now, it's payday, and the men are happy, so they don't haggle over prices. After a couple of days, when the salaries are handed over and the wives take charge, how could those merchants possibly *not* lower their prices when faced with those shrewd housewives?
I'll just have to hold off on eating meat for a couple of days."
Hmm, it seems like there's some truth to that. But why does it feel strangely melancholic?
And Chief, didn't you say you were the head of the household and that your wife was completely under your thumb? Looking at this now, aren't *you* the one who's completely under their thumb?
…
"So, the reason for the price surge is that the Jiangyang County Automobile Factory paid its employees today?"
In the office, listening to the report from his young subordinate, Secretary Yang felt a headache coming on…