Chapter 178 - 171 Pleasing the Master
After returning, it was still early, so Tian Mantong took the opportunity to use the vehicle to purchase everything needed for Tian Manxing’s family, such as honeycomb coal and rice. At that time, coal and rice were supplied by rationing, and every household had a limited amount. People in Shanghai were very economical when it came to burning coal balls, making sure to burn each one until only the yellow muddy remnants were left before reluctantly throwing it away.
Tian Mantong, Hu Dingbei, and Hu Weiwen were moving things in and out together, sweating profusely. Tian Xinhua, He Chengsi, Hu Weichao, and Hu Weixin quickly became good friends. At that time, Shanghai people generally didn’t have TV sets, so the four young men sat at home with nothing to do until Hu Weichao had an idea.
"We should go watch a movie. My elder brother said that the cinemas are currently showing the Albanian movie ’Never Surrender,’ which is really good, and Mila in it is especially beautiful!"
Hu Weichao was at the age where young men start to feel restless, hence his standard for judging the quality of a movie often depended on whether the female protagonist was beautiful.
"Sure, let’s go watch a movie, come on!" Hu Weixin agreed too.
The boys decided to go and after informing the adults, they cheerfully left the house. Tian Sisi didn’t want to go; she wasn’t interested in watching old movies with poor makeup techniques and blurry images.
Most importantly, she knew about ’Never Surrender,’ a World War II story that wholly adhered to that era’s style. The protagonist was a perfect, noble saint, whereas the villain was irredeemably evil—purely black and white, which Tian Sisi didn’t quite like.
In her view, no matter the time or country, people could never be absolutely good or absolutely evil. Everyone should be viewed in shades of gray, with some deeper and others lighter. Everyone has their pain points; it just depends on whether these are uncovered.