Chapter 74 What's wrong with "swapping cultures"?

I have lived in Hong Kong for a long time, and friends from the mainland sometimes ask, "How to evaluate? Hong Kong people? Can you explain it clearly in one sentence?" I said no, two sentences, one is: simple, not too much The scheming, they believe what others say; another sentence: affordable, not too much intimacy, pay attention to exchange, do not pay the cost if you can't see the benefits.With such a gesture, a "person" roughly stood up. For more than 100 years, Hong Kong has been immersed in the agitation of the commodity economy and free culture. In fact, the way of progress in a person's life is always the same, that is, exchange.In the past in the Mainland, I know that many people, including me, despise Hong Kong people for "exchanging" everything. All kinds of "exchanges" are very disgusting, especially if they are all for profit in the end.But when I arrived in Hong Kong, I gradually realized that the thinking of "exchange" is actually a problem worth discussing and even re-recognized. "Exchange" is not a bad thing in a simple sense. On the contrary, it is very direct and transparent. If you don't care about its inherent reputation, this trick is actually very useful in our real life-

I remember when I first came to the bank, I was often served by a salesperson. After a long time, we became familiar with each other. One day, she suddenly asked me if I would like to be her teacher and teach her to speak Mandarin.I was stunned: "Teach Hong Kong people to speak Mandarin?" After a little reassurance, I said "yes", because I was also learning Cantonese at that time. If everyone has time, isn't it just right for two people to practice each other? ?But the lady followed up and said: "No, no, this matter is not busy, don't answer me right away, go back and think about it, if you have time, if you really want to, just give me a plan, and at the same time, please give me a plan. A quotation."

"Quote"?This time it was my turn to be "in a daze" for a long time. The bank lady asked me to teach her Mandarin, but the student asked the teacher to "fee". I really didn't understand why I had to do this at the time. I thought she was embarrassed and didn't want to take up my energy and time for nothing.But then I went to the bank again, and when we met, she asked again: "How about it, have you figured it out, just to teach me how to speak Mandarin?" Really no need. I can accept the class on time, but I can’t, absolutely can’t.” The bank lady looked surprised: “No? Why not?” I couldn’t explain it to her clearly, saying that I had never done this in the past I’m not used to it; I said that our expatriate journalists have their own jobs, and it’s definitely not allowed to be a part-time teacher. Anyway, I told her over and over again, “I can’t charge, I really can’t”.The bank lady was completely desperate this time, she lowered her head, and said to me regretfully: "It's unfortunate, your Mandarin is so good, but I can't hire you as a teacher without charging you." I didn't understand, so I asked her Why?In the end, the bank lady was forced by me, and slipped out a reason. This "reason" might be logical to her, but it was fresh and exciting to me: "If you don't charge fees, there will be no pressure, and maybe you won't be serious about teaching... "

"If you don't charge, you don't have pressure, so you don't teach seriously?" It turns out that my "student" is worried about this "teacher"?Hong Kong people think like this? When a person serves others, if he gets paid from the person being served, then there is a contract between them, and a formal "exchange" relationship is formed.Hong Kong people think that this kind of relationship is the most reassuring and the least likely to make the service provider forget his promise.No wonder they don't think the word "charge" is disgraceful. What exactly is "copper smell" and where can it be smelled?They are also nonchalant about it.

In the end, I did not become the mandarin teacher of this bank lady, but she confiscated my fee and taught me a lesson for free, which made me understand a truth: although the exchange relationship of money is the oldest in the development records of human history , The reputation is the worst, but it is the most reliable and safest, which may be said to be "one size fits all". In the late autumn of 2006, when people all over the world were eager to eat crabs, I had no interest in "crabs". I just heard that in recent years, the hairy crabs in the mainland could not satisfy the mouths of more than one billion people. , the real "authentic goods" of Yangcheng Lake are almost rare. What ordinary people can finally eat in their mouths is either fake or shoddy, or "lake crabs" or "bath crabs". The government's "heart and sweetheart", there have been "three express trains" in history, so the real "hairy crabs" can be seen in Hong Kong, so I ordered the goods from the supplier in advance and invited a few local friends to prepare for the big event A family dinner.

However, my crabs were ordered and the invitation was sent out. On that day, when it was time to make an appointment for delivery (booking two days in advance is required), I looked at the wall clock on the wall. It will not be delivered to the door on time. If it is not on time, my friend will arrive at 6 o'clock. Everyone sits at the dinner table and cannot see "what is in their hearts". Isn't it embarrassing for the host?The closer the time is, the more worried I am. I can't help but think of the past when moving furniture in the Mainland. Every furniture company promised to deliver the goods on time, but every time the delivery company was not punctual. For example, the sofa will arrive in the morning , it turned out that we had to wait until the afternoon; the appointment for the big bed and small bed in the bedroom was in the afternoon, and I told you not to send it off late, otherwise our family would have no place to sleep, but it was 12 o'clock in the middle of the night, and it was too late to return. There was no one ringing the doorbell.

Of course, my "crab banquet" in Hong Kong was held as scheduled that day. At 5 minutes to 5, the mobile phone rang, and the crab delivery worker delivered the crabs to my door on time. I was not only relieved, but also deeply for the integrity of Hong Kong people. , deeply praises this exchange relationship: I have an appointment with "Crab". I spent money to buy crabs, and I also spent money to make an appointment for "home delivery". It stands to reason that I don't have to worry about it anymore...