The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
Zhao Weiguo was a highly capable man. When it came to managing the taxi business, he handled everything with meticulous care.
From securing operational areas to purchasing vehicles and setting up a company office, every detail was personally taken care of by him.
Thanks to his time in the military, Zhao Weiguo knew how to drive and could handle basic vehicle repairs. He could also easily assess a car's condition.
The day after obtaining the business license, he immediately started searching for a suitable office location for Taoyuan Taxi Company.
The space couldn't be too small since it needed to accommodate all the taxis while also serving as a working area.
Among all the expenses involved in running a taxi company, the highest cost was undoubtedly the vehicles. Renting office space and land was not as demanding, making it relatively easy to find a suitable location.
For three days, Zhao Weiguo traveled across Yangcheng from morning to night before finally settling on an office space.
He took Xu Tao to see the location. It was quite decent overall, with enough space to park dozens of taxis.
Nearby stood an old building that, with some renovations, could serve as both an office and a resting area.
"This place is great" Xu Tao inquired about the rent. Upon learning that it was only five hundred a year, she immediately had Zhao Weiguo sign a twenty-year lease.
"Isn't twenty years too long?" He hesitated over the duration.
Xu Tao remained calm and shook her head. She had already calculated the lifespan of taxis.
Even without considering competition from private cars in the future, the taxi market itself was expected to dominate for at least thirty years.
Rental prices would also rise rapidly over time. What cost five hundred a year now would be much higher in just five years yuan. Without hesitation, Xu Tao secured the lease for twenty years.
Zhao Weiguo ultimately let her have her way. If she insisted on twenty years, he would sign for twenty years.
In the years that followed, as he witnessed the rapid surge in property and rental prices across Yangcheng, he gained a newfound appreciation for Xu Tao’s foresight.
"Have you finalized the drivers?" They had purchased seventeen taxis in total, seven of which were used.
These older vehicles were already parked at the company lot, while the remaining ten new ones would arrive no later than mid-December.
Originally, Xu Tao had wanted all new cars, but financial constraints forced them to settle for ten new and seven used taxis.
Zhao Weiguo had carefully inspected the second-hand vehicles. While labeled as used, they were actually in excellent condition, each having been driven only a few thousand kilometers.
Now, with seven taxis already in place, everything was ready except for the final step.
Xu Tao had taken out a three-hundred-thousand loan with a ten-year repayment plan. Including interest, she had to pay nearly three thousand a month to the bank.
There were still many expenses ahead, so wasting time was not an option. Capturing a share of Yangcheng’s taxi market as quickly as possible was the priority since the city was constantly evolving.
"The drivers are all set. Thirty retired soldiers from the military have been recruited. Those living nearby will start arriving tomorrow, and the rest will follow within the next two to three days. By the time the new cars arrive mid-month, all drivers should be here"
"Good" Xu Tao nodded without asking further questions.
Zhao Weiguo was reliable and meticulous in his work. This was his first venture into a new field, and Xu Tao had initially expected him to struggle or become overwhelmed.
However, he had handled everything flawlessly, leaving her with little to worry about.
While Zhao Weiguo was busy managing the taxi company, Xu Tao had arranged to meet with an editor from Haisheng Publishing.
The editor had arrived in Yangcheng, and they planned to meet at an upscale café.
It was an elegant establishment with decades of history. Xu Tao had never been there before, and bringing Zhao Linan along made the visit even more special.
"Mom, it’s so pretty here" Zhao Linan followed her inside, eyes filled with curiosity as he took in the surroundings.
"It really is" Xu Tao patted his head and let the server guide them to a cozy booth by the window.
"Hello, are you Traveler?" The editor, Feng Yuanyuan, sat across from a young woman wearing glasses. Both of them looked thrilled as they stood up upon seeing Xu Tao.
"Yes, that’s me" She greeted them with a smile.
"Please, have a seat! What would you like to drink?" Feng Yuanyuan eagerly invited her to sit and asked about her order.
Xu Tao helped Zhao Linan onto the sofa before sitting down herself "Do you have milk? I’ll have a glass"
"Of course" The server brought her water and left to get her order.
"I can’t believe you’re Traveler. We never imagined you’d be so young" Feng Yuanyuan spoke in awe.
Based on the writing style of So Close Yet So Far, they had pictured the author as a mature, sophisticated woman in her thirties.
Xu Tao fit their expectations, though she was far younger and more beautiful than they had imagined. Seeing Zhao Linan by her side, they wondered if she simply looked youthful for her age.
"Traveler, this is the published edition of So Close Yet So Far. We brought a set for you" Feng Yuanyuan placed two books on the table and slid them toward her.
Xu Tao glanced at the books, flipped through a few pages, and nodded. "Thank you"
She set the books down and pulled out a manuscript. "Here’s the beginning of my new novel, about fifty thousand words. You can take a look"
Seeing how nervous Feng Yuanyuan and the other editor were, she handed them the document without hesitation.
Feng Yuanyuan gasped, her excitement barely contained as she carefully accepted the manuscript with both hands.
"My new book is a romance, but it has an angsty tone" Xu Tao briefly explained its style.
Angst-filled stories were gaining popularity. While many novels had emotional turmoil, they rarely reached the level of true heartbreak.
Readers and drama audiences alike resonated deeply with such stories, making the market highly promising.
"Can we read it now?" Feng Yuanyuan asked anxiously.
"Of course" Xu Tao nodded.
The first fifty thousand words should be enough. They don’t even need to finish reading all of them.
After reading the first ten or twenty thousand words, they should already have a sense of this book’s style.
Xu Tao always gets straight to the point in the opening of her books. She lays down the foundation of the story while keeping the readers on edge.
"Here, drink some milk" Xu Tao’s order arrived. While the two editors were engrossed in reading, she handed the glass of milk to Zhao Li Nan.
The little one drank happily. The milk had been boiled with sugar, making it sweet and removing any unpleasant taste. A white ring of milk formed around his lips.
"Mom, it's delicious"
"Then drink more" Xu Tao gently stroked his cheek, smiling warmly.
"Mom should drink too" Zhao Li Nan loved sharing. Anything he enjoyed, he wanted Xu Tao to try as well.
"Mmm, it’s good. But mom won’t drink anymore. Xiao Nan should finish it himself" Xu Tao used to be a bit of a germaphobe. She disliked sharing drinks with others.
Yet now, when it came to Zhao Li Nan and Zhao Wei Guo, those little quirks seemed to have disappeared. If Zhao Li Nan had already sipped from a glass of milk, she didn’t mind taking a sip herself.
"Mmm" Zhao Li Nan held the cup with both hands, gulping down the milk.
"Hiks..." Feng Yuan Yuan and the other female editor huddled together, reading the new novel. After just ten minutes, the bespectacled editor couldn't hold back her tears.
Xu Tao raised an eyebrow. Was she really that sensitive?
I haven’t even started pulling at heartstrings, and she’s already crying?
"Traveler, your writing is incredible" Feng Yuan Yuan wiped at the corner of her eyes. She and her colleague had traveled all the way from Hai Province by train, determined to sign Traveler as an author.
"You flatter me" Xu Tao responded with a polite smile.
"Traveler, before meeting you, our publishing house already had a discussion. If you agree to sign a long-term contract with us, we will handle everything related to your novels: serialization, publication, and even selling adaptation rights for film and television. 'Fate So Close' has been doing exceptionally well as a serialized novel, and we’re preparing to sell the rights for it as well"
"This new novel has such a fresh premise and a unique genre. We believe it will attract a lot of readers too. If you’re willing to sign a long-term contract with us, we can offer you ten yuan per thousand characters, with a 60/40 profit split, sixty percent for the publisher and forty for you"
"Traveler, we’re making a very sincere offer. Ten yuan per thousand characters is a rate reserved for the top writers in the industry" Feng Yuan Yuan spoke earnestly.
She was genuinely worried that Traveler might refuse, but ten yuan per thousand characters was the highest rate their publishing house could offer.
If they hadn’t seen this new novel, 'Thirty-Six Stratagems of Love,' they had planned to settle on eight yuan per thousand characters.
After all, just because 'Fate So Close' was well-written didn’t mean every book would be a hit.
Yet Traveler’s writing was outstanding. 'Thirty-Six Stratagems of Love' made them laugh and cry. That was why she immediately offered the best rate possible.
"I understand. Let’s go with the ten yuan per thousand characters contract" Xu Tao nodded.
In this era, novelists didn’t earn as much as they would in later years. Although ten yuan per thousand characters might not seem like a lot, its purchasing power in the 1980s was astonishing.
Ten yuan could buy several pounds of pork or a few old hens.
Earning ten yuan per thousand characters was an incredible deal. Xu Tao could hardly stop herself from grinning.
"Wonderful!" Feng Yuan Yuan quickly pulled out the prepared contract and handed it over.
Xu Tao skimmed through it. The terms were clear. The contract granted exclusive rights to Hai Province Publishing House, meaning that during its duration, she could only submit her work to them.
Hai Province Publishing House wasn’t particularly famous yet, but it had been around for years. Many dictionaries and educational materials in the future would be published under its name.
For that reason, Xu Tao trusted them. She was willing to sign. The ten-yuan rate wasn’t a permanent one, it could be adjusted based on market conditions.
But locking in that rate meant that no matter how well or poorly she wrote, her work would always be worth at least ten yuan per thousand characters.
This contract carried risks for both sides, which meant they were equally committed. After carefully reviewing the terms, Xu Tao took out a fountain pen from her bag and signed her name.
"Thank you so much" Feng Yuan Yuan clutched the signed contract excitedly.
After finalizing the agreement with Hai Province Publishing House and securing the ten-yuan rate, Xu Tao felt even more motivated to write.
But as soon as she left the café, her first priority was finding a new place to live.
She had already planned to move closer to Taoyuan Company. Now that the company’s location was settled, moving could finally be put on the agenda.
Unfortunately, real estate agencies weren’t common at the time. Xu Tao and Zhao Li Nan took a small tricycle to search for housing near Taoyuan Company.
The wind whipped against them as they wandered around, but finding a rental proved more difficult than expected.
"Mom, Xiao Nan is tired" After walking through several alleys, Zhao Li Nan couldn’t keep up anymore. He tugged on Xu Tao’s sleeve.
Xu Tao looked down at him and realized that blindly searching wasn’t practical. She decided to leave the task to Zhao Wei Guo.
Coincidentally, Taoyuan Taxi Company also needed to provide employee housing.
Some drivers had families and moved to the city with their spouses and children.
Along with their salaries and commission, the company offered a fifteen-yuan monthly housing subsidy.
Others were single or had left their families behind in their hometowns, so the company had to arrange accommodations for them as well.
Since Zhao Wei Guo had to find a dormitory anyway, he could also search for a place for them to live.
"Let’s go to Dad’s company and see if he’s there. Then we can head home together" Xu Tao bent down and picked Zhao Li Nan up.
"Okay" Zhao Li Nan leaned into her embrace, wrapping his little arms around her neck.
When they arrived at Taoyuan Taxi Company, Zhao Wei Guo was busy overseeing the renovation of an old building. Ye Zhen Hua and a few others were helping.
At the same time, several taxis had been sent out with full passengers to familiarize themselves with the roads in the two districts they were contracted to serve.
The designated areas weren’t strict borders. If a passenger needed to go beyond the boundary, the taxi could take them to their destination, such as the train station or various hotels.
However, once the passenger got off, taxis from other districts couldn’t pick up new customers. They had to return to their assigned area before accepting new fares. It was a bit inconvenient but ensured fairness.
"Wei Guo" Xu Tao usually called Zhao Wei Guo by his full name, but when others were around, she rarely used his surname.
“How did you guys get here?” Zhao Weiguo was busy applying putty to the walls, his face and clothes covered in a fine layer of dust.
“I came out to meet with an editor from the publishing house. Originally, I planned to look for a new place to move into, but I couldn’t find anything suitable. This guy here started complaining about being tired, so I brought him along to check out the compan” Xu Tao explained before greeting the busy workers.
“Sister-in-law!”
Ye Zhenhua and the others had a great impression of Xu Tao. She was beautiful, carried herself with confidence, and Zhao Weiguo had mentioned that the idea of leasing taxis had been hers.
If not for her, none of them would have this job.
Even though they weren’t official taxi drivers yet, the cars were already on the road.
Another ten vehicles were set to arrive soon. They had arranged two shifts so that everyone could take turns driving and earning money.
It was certainly easier than hauling heavy goods at the market or carrying cement.
Besides, being a taxi driver was a respectable job. Owning and driving a sedan worth twenty or thirty thousand yuan was something to be proud of in these times.
“You guys have worked hard” Xu Tao said with a warm smile, nodding at everyone.
“Not at all! This kind of work is second nature to us. If anything, we should be thanking you, sister-in-law!” Qiu Tianyong grinned at her.
“There’s no need to thank me. You’re not driving taxis for me” Xu Tao replied politely. “Anyway, I’ll let you guys get back to work. I’ll just sit outside for a while”
With that, she took Zhao Linan and sat down at a small table in the corridor outside. The strong smell of paint and putty inside made it unpleasant to stay for long, so she chose to sit outdoors and take in the overall progress of Taoyuan Company.
In just a few days, the place had changed significantly. Parking spots were designated, and different areas were clearly sectioned off.
Once all the new cars arrived, the sight would be even more impressive.
“Want some water?” Zhao Weiguo noticed Xu Tao sitting with Zhao Linan and stepped outside.
It was around two in the afternoon, and the weather was just right, not too hot, not too cold.
“Yeah” Xu Tao nodded. She was feeling a bit thirsty.
Zhao Weiguo immediately went into the next room, grabbed a large red thermos, washed a clean cup for her, and poured a drink before placing it in front of her. “Careful, it’s hot”
“Thanks” Xu Tao said, looking at the steaming water with a smile.
“Call me if you need anything. I’m going back to finish up the walls” Zhao Weiguo said, briefly ruffling her hair before returning inside.
Xu Tao nodded and turned to watch Zhao Linan. The little boy had no patience for sitting still.
He was fascinated by the parked taxis, his short legs eagerly carrying him over.
His eyes sparkled as he touched the cars, studying the wheels and tracing his fingers over the body like he was conducting a serious inspection.
The sight was nothing short of adorable.
Back inside, after pouring Xu Tao some water, Zhao Weiguo picked up his brush and resumed working. Qin Yubin and Liao Tuhang, who were still single, exchanged knowing glances before teasing him.
“Weiguo, you’re quite practiced at waiting on your wife!” Liao Tuhang chuckled.
“Isn’t it normal for a man to pour his wife a drink?” Zhao Weiguo responded, unfazed by their teasing.
He genuinely didn’t understand their amusement. His previous marriage had been distant and unfamiliar, and he barely spent time with his ex-wife.
Xu Tao, on the other hand, had a delicate side. Ever since he picked her up from the train station, he had taken it upon himself to do small tasks like washing dishes.
It was a habit ingrained from his time in the military, clean your own mess kit. Now, it extended to washing both hers and their son’s dishes as well.
To him, pouring her a glass of water was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Normal? Our old squad leader wouldn’t even pour his wife a drink, and neither would Qiu” one of them remarked.
Most men in those days still had a dominant mindset. That was why so many women, once married, stayed home to take care of the family.
Even though the government promoted gender equality, societal attitudes still had a long way to go.
“Hua, have you ever poured your wife a drink?” Zhao Weiguo turned to Ye Zhenhua, genuinely curious.
“Never” Ye Zhenhua admitted, scratching the back of his head.
“Qiu, have you ever helped wash the dishes at home?” Zhao Weiguo asked Qiu Zhenghao next.
Before Qiu could answer, Qin Yubin burst out laughing. “Weiguo, you wash dishes at home? That’s it, you’re definitely under your wife’s thumb!”
Qin Yubin couldn’t believe it. Zhao Weiguo was a hero back in the army. Now, he was running a taxi business and would only go up from here. Yet at home, he still did chores?
“She’s busy. In our house, she cooks, so I do the dishes” Zhao Weiguo answered plainly.
“Busy with what? She just takes care of the kid, right?” Qiu Tianyong replied absentmindedly.
To him, women at home had little to do. Cooking three meals and watching over a child didn’t seem all that demanding.
“Taking care of a kid is exhausting. Plus, my wife writes books” Zhao Weiguo clarified, glancing outside at Xu Tao.
She sat with perfect posture, her gaze soft as she watched their son playing in the distance.
“She writes?” Liao Tuhang perked up, stepping closer.
“Yeah. Her books are published, and her royalties are higher than what I make driving” Zhao Weiguo said proudly.
He bent down to pick up a newspaper from the floor, shifting it to another part of the room where the wall was freshly painted.
When Liao Tuhang kept pressing for details, Zhao Weiguo smacked him on the head with the newspaper.
The others were stunned. They turned to look at Xu Tao outside and noticed the books stacked on the table beside her.
Ye Zhenhua had some idea that Xu Tao was educated and could write, but he hadn’t realized she earned that much.
Her monthly earnings surpassed what Zhao Weiguo made transporting goods. That was hundreds of yuan a month!
Could women really be this impressive?
The group of men fell silent, no longer in the mood to tease. Instead, they were envious.
Who wouldn’t be? A beautiful wife who could cook, write books, earn her own money, and was educated? Where could they find such a perfect woman?
“Hey, does your wife have a sister? Introduce me!”
o0o