The predecessor of Beijing Friendship Store was the famous "No. 34 Supply Department", which was officially opened on June 1, 1956, and was the external name of the Beijing Food Supply Department.

It was not until 1964 that the function of providing goods to foreign experts and international friends working in China was separated, and the Friendship Store was established. At that time, this was the first large-scale foreign-related store in China that provided services for resident foreign guests and tourist groups in China.

In 1972, the Friendship Store was rebuilt, and a new store was built on the north side of Jianguomenwai Street, and it opened on the National Day of that year. At that time, the purpose of the business was to be rich in commodities, which could show the excellent situation of China's industrial and agricultural production, and generally ensure that the commodities available in other places could basically be bought by foreign guests in Beijing.

Therefore, the Friendship Store has become a mysterious shopping place in Beijing. At the beginning of its opening, the products sold by the food department were all domestic high-quality products, and gradually, some foreign food, tobacco and alcohol also entered its counter.

At that time, the Friendship Store sold imported goods such as Hershey's chocolates, Remy Martin wine, Marlboro cigarettes, Swiss watches, etc., which had not yet appeared in the domestic market, as well as domestic precious goods such as Moutai and silk, as well as scarce goods such as color TVs and refrigerators.

In that era of material scarcity, in addition to foreigners, some seafarers and overseas Chinese relatives who could buy things at the Friendship Store could enter and leave the store, and the currency required was foreign exchange coupons.

The Friendship Store is entered and exited with passports, and ordinary people in China can only stop and look curiously at the door. Shoppers of all skin tones and faces, fashionable girls with well-dressed curly hair, men with briefcases and shiny leather shoes, carrying large bags and small bags, walked out of the Friendship Store and became a sight.

Later, some well-known and nimble minds took the lead in pouring foreign exchange coupons. In order to exchange for foreign exchange coupons, they tried all kinds of methods, including those brought by trustees from abroad, those who went to schools to exchange with international students, and those who poured them from scalpers.

In the early 80s, it was very exciting to have foreign exchange coupons in my wallet and call friends to visit the friendship store, even if I didn't buy anything, I felt that it was a visual pleasure, and I was very excited, and my face was doubly faced.

As soon as Li Xiangdong entered the friendship store, he was dazzled by the colorful and dazzling goods, the wide business hall, the neat and fashionable counters, and foreigners of all colors, revealing novelties everywhere, Li Xiangdong suddenly had a feeling that Grandma Liu had entered the Grand View Garden.

"Yifan, when I entered here, I had the feeling that a peasant had entered the city. Customers and clerks speak foreign languages, and most of the products on the shelves are in English. I couldn't read or understand, I felt like a fool. Li Xiangdong said depressedly.

"Brother Dong, it's nothing, just know the gap, so that you will be more motivated, as long as you keep working hard, one day they will be left far behind by you. Li Yifan said casually, and at the same time kept looking around, as if he was looking for someone else.

After a while, Li Yifan seemed to have discovered the target, so he turned his head and said to Li Xiangdong, "Brother Dong, you go shopping in the store by yourself first, I'll do something, and I'll come back to you later." With that, he walked to the front right.

Li Xiangdong saw Li Yifan walking to a blonde girl, and he didn't know what to say to her, so the two of them went out of the friendship store together. This scene stunned Li Xiangdong.

You said that you fooled a little girl in Mobei, this Li Xiangdong believed that Li Yifan was very attractive and handsome. But in the capital, it didn't take a few minutes to fool a foreign girl away, and it was unscientific to think about it.

Li Xiangdong was originally in the friendship store, and he was a little frustrated in his heart, but he didn't expect to be hurt by Li Yifan again.

In this way, Li Xiangdong wandered aimlessly in the friendship store, his eyes were blank and his eyes were not focused, and he was still muttering fragments in his mouth while shopping.

When Li Yifan returned to the friendship store and found Li Xiangdong, he saw such a scene in front of him.

"Brother Dong, what's wrong with you? I haven't been away for a long time, why do you seem to have been greatly stimulated. Li Yifan asked with concern.

"Hey! I'm really stimulated, why is there such a big gap between people and people! No, I'm going to catch up, Yifan, you teach me how to hook a foreign girl first, and I'll make a foreign girl." Li Xiangdong looked at Li Yifan with blank eyes and said.

"Brother Dong, do you want to learn the skill of hooking a foreign girl? Okay! I'll teach you, from today onwards, you should practice your English first, I remember that you also learned English in high school. If you want to do a good job, you must first sharpen your tools, and if you want to bring the foreign girl home, you must first pass the language barrier. How is it, Brother Dong?" Li Yifan said seriously.

When Li Xiangdong heard this, he couldn't help but laugh, and slapped Li Yifan, "Stinky boy, you still laugh at your brother." Yifan, seriously, what did you do with that foreign girl just now. ”

Li Yifan pulled Li Xiangdong and walked out of the store, "Brother Dong, go out and talk about it." ”

After waiting for the friendship store, the two crossed the intersection in front of them westward, and when they were waiting for the car on the side of the road, Li Yifan said to Li Xiangdong, "I just exchanged some foreign exchange coupons with that girl, my country does not allow individuals to exchange foreign exchange coupons privately, this is an illegal act, and there are often plainclothes people checking here." ”

"We don't know each other well, so I found a girl in the friendship store who looks like a good talker, and I tried to talk about it, but I didn't expect it to be very smooth, and I have already exchanged the foreign exchange coupons we need. ”

"I said that as soon as you entered the friendship store, you didn't look at the goods, and you didn't know what you were looking for, but you were looking for face-to-face and fishing. Yifan, quickly take out the foreign exchange coupons, I will also see and see what it is. Li Xiangdong said excitedly.

"Give, a total of 3,500 yuan. As he spoke, Li Yifan took out a stack of foreign exchange coupons from his bag and handed them to Li Xiangdong.

Li Xiangdong carefully took the stack of foreign exchange coupons and took a look, there were 30 pieces of 100 yuan face value and 10 pieces of 50 yuan face value. These foreign exchange coupons are exquisitely printed, the paper feels thicker than the grain stamps, and there are four beautiful big characters of "Bank of China" on them, and the colors of different denominations are different, but the patterns show the beautiful rivers and mountains of the motherland, and the varieties are all 1979.

The 100 yuan coupon is gray-black as the main color, and the front is themed on the Great Wall, which stretches for thousands of miles and has magnificent scenery, representing the long history of Chinese culture; The 50 yuan coupon is in purple red as the main color, the face range is the same as that of 50 yuan, and the front is themed on the Guilin elephant's trunk.

"So this is a currency that can buy special commodities?" Li Xiangdong said with a sigh.

"Yes, foreign exchange vouchers are a privileged currency. With foreign exchange coupons, people can buy imported goods in China, spend in special places, and exchange for US dollars, all of which are functions that the RMB does not have. Li Yifan replied.

"Yifan, then this foreign exchange coupon should be worth more than our RMB, right?"

"That's of course, and that's determined by its monetary properties. A professor in the United States wrote a book called "Finishing Touches", in which he wrote that if money could speak, foreign exchange coupons would be 50% louder than the renminbi. However, I didn't spend so much to exchange these foreign exchange coupons, just according to the current market of 130 yuan for 100 yuan. Li Yifan said.