Chapter 76 Food Store
Early the next morning.

In the clinic, Pu Lao just walked into the room and saw Wang Mengde wiping the tables and chairs with a rag. Tea was already brewed on his seat. He smiled and said:

"Meng De, what did you do yesterday? Several old pharmacists in the research institute were already off work, but you were still making plasters."

Yesterday he got off work a little late because of something else, so he had dinner in the cafeteria with the leaders of the institute and doctors from other departments.

When I passed by the small courtyard where the ointment was being boiled, I heard a noisy sound coming from inside, and vaguely heard the words "Wang Mengde" mentioned.

"Sir, this is what happened." Wang Mengde briefly recounted what happened yesterday.

Then he added: "Sir, I think some of the traditional techniques and characteristics of Chinese medicine also need to be combined with new technologies to play a greater role and keep pace with the times."

"Meng De, you did a great job. No one had thought of this for so many years, but you have discovered and summarized the problem and improved the method in just a few days. Your reputation will soon spread throughout the institute for the second time.

Moreover, you are right in saying that Chinese medicine does need to keep pace with the times. "Pu Lao said with appreciation.

Last time, Wang Mengde’s name had already spread throughout the institute because of the Japanese encephalitis epidemic. Less than a month later, he did another big thing.

Then he sighed and said:
"Unfortunately, Chinese medicine is difficult to learn and even more difficult to master, which leads to some people practicing it in a shabby way, leaving a bad impression on people, and is often criticized as ignorant and superstitious."

"Yes, sir. It is because it is difficult to learn that there are inevitably some unlearned people. However, the establishment of the Chinese Medicine Research Institute also shows that the country attaches great importance to and supports Chinese medicine. This is also an opportunity for us."

Wang Mengde couldn't help but say.

In fact, the reason why traditional Chinese medicine is criticized is not only because the quality of traditional Chinese medicine doctors varies greatly, but also because of the rise of Western medicine and other political, economic and social factors.

These days, since he joined the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, he has been thinking about what his future path should be.

When he first got the system, his biggest dream was to become a famous Chinese medicine expert. Now, an immature idea gradually arises in his mind, which is to promote Chinese medicine.

Of course, he will keep this idea in his heart for the time being and deal with it when the time is right.

“Well, the future still depends on you young people, so let’s not talk about this for now.

Are you free next weekend? If you have nothing to do, come to my house next Sunday for dinner and meet your senior brother." Pu Lao changed the subject.

"Sir, I'm free next week." Wang Mengde said happily.

The fact that Mr. Pu was willing to have him as a guest at his home showed that he completely recognized him, which was a good sign.

Then he thought to himself that tomorrow, Sunday, he would go to the mall to buy some gifts and bring them to the store later.

"There are only your senior brother and I at home now, so we can only eat the meals prepared by the chef. Unfortunately, most chefs in Beijing can't make authentic Sichuan cuisine." Mr. Pu said with regret.

He came to Beijing with his son at the end of last year. The rest of his family is still in Sichuan Province, so there is someone specifically responsible for taking care of their daily life.

The chef at home can only cook ordinary northern home-cooked dishes and has no skills in cooking Sichuan cuisine at all. After such a long time, he misses the taste of his hometown food.

After hearing this, Wang Mengde had an idea. When it comes to Sichuan cuisine, Sha Zhu in the courtyard is very good at it.

If he invited Sha Zhu to his husband's house and had him cook an authentic Sichuan meal, it would be a token of his appreciation. Thinking of this, he planned to ask Sha Zhu tomorrow.

After lunch, he and Qian Dayong walked out of the cafeteria with their aluminum lunch boxes. When they passed by the small courtyard where the plaster was boiled, they happened to meet Uncle Feng who was carrying his lunch box and preparing to eat. "Uncle Feng." The two of them greeted him quickly.

"Xiao Qian, Xiao Wang, have you finished your meal?" Uncle Feng said with red eyes and a forced smile on his face.

Wang Mengde looked at him and knew that he had been greatly shocked yesterday, so he comforted him:
"Uncle Feng, the progress of pharmaceutical manufacturing process is good for the development of traditional Chinese medicine. Moreover, even if the process is improved, it still needs experienced masters to supervise it."

Now it is just a small improvement in the brewing process, and there will be many more improvements in the process of each link in the future.

"I'm fine, I just feel a little uncomfortable for a while. It will be fine after two days." Uncle Feng said.

After Uncle Feng walked away, Qian Dayong whispered, "Uncle Feng has been doing this for half his life and has never changed, so it is difficult for him to accept this change for a while."

"There's no other way. Things are different now than before. If we don't change, we will be eliminated." Wang Mengde said in a firm tone.

After saying that, the two of them walked forward in silence.

Sunday.

In the morning, after sending He Shengnan to Yuer Hutong, Wang Mengde did not ride his bicycle, but walked to the grocery store at the entrance of Nanluoguxiang Hutong.

After the public-private partnership at the beginning of the year, grocery stores sprang up all over the capital, with one available every few alleys.

For people today, a grocery store is similar to the small supermarket next to the community in the previous life. It mainly sells food, but also some groceries used in daily life. It can be said to be a "shopping center" for nearby residents.

They are generally several dozen square meters in size, selling daily necessities such as vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, dried and fresh fruits, tobacco, alcohol, condiments, candies, etc.

As soon as you enter the door, you will see the seasoning counter. Inside the counter are several large jars filled with soy sauce, vinegar, cooking oil, sesame paste, bulk wine, etc. On the shelves at the back are salt, MSG, sugar and other cooking seasonings, as well as matches, candles, cigarettes and wine.

On the left side of the counter are candies, canned goods, desserts, biscuits, malted milk and other snacks. On the right side is the meat counter, with fresh pork on the chopping board, which is very tempting. There is also a row of containers next to it, with vegetables and fruits on them.

There were many people buying goods outside the counter in the store. Several salesmen were chatting while slowly collecting money and taking goods.

Given the lazy service attitude, no one dared to urge them.

In front of the meat stall, a middle-aged man was gesturing, "Please help me cut 100 grams of fatter meat. Yes, this piece."

At the counter, Fatty Guo glanced at him and said impatiently, "It can't be cut this way. You all want the fat ones, so who will we sell the rest to? We can only cut it this way. Do you want it?"

After the public-private partnership, Fatty Guo's butcher shop was naturally merged into the grocery store, and both he and his son became formal employees here.

"Yes, yes. Please help me cut 4 taels." The man didn't dare to say anything more and nodded quickly in agreement.

Nowadays, you can’t be as selective when buying meat as before. Apart from the vegetable market, the only places you can buy it in are grocery stores, which are all state-owned. If you don’t buy it, you won’t be able to eat it.

After the man left, Wang Mengde slowly stepped forward.

"Meng De, you are here, do you want to buy meat? I'll pick out a fat piece for you." Fatty Guo said happily when he saw him.

(End of this chapter)