Chapter 4: Electric Lights

Old Shi found it strange that this person asked a question and then left. Didn't he need to install the electricity? He waved his hand and said with determination: "I also asked this, the application has been completed at the company. Our company is located in the American concession, No. 3 Feilun Road, so it will be easy to install."

Yang Rui was a bit taken aback. What kind of unit is this watt? Isn't electricity measured in degrees or kilowatts? Kilowatts, watts, damn it, could it be per watt? The power of a laptop is generally around fifty to sixty watts, so that would cost over five yuan for an hour. Damn, this is so expensive, truly a scam! But thinking about it, even if it's expensive, there's nothing to be done, as there's only this one place. Yang Rui said: "It is indeed quite expensive, but I don't know what kind of electricity this is, whether it's alternating current or direct current, and what the voltage is. Also, if it's alternating current, what is the frequency in hertz?"

Yang Rui left the electric light company but could not find a rickshaw, so he had no choice but to walk home. No. 3 Feilun Road is on the other side of Yangshupu Road, and it is still quite far to Ruyi Lane. By the time he walked back to the pavilion, it was already dark. Upon entering the gate, he saw Mrs. Huang washing dishes. Upon seeing Yang Rui, she greeted him warmly: "You are back, Mr. Yang. Have you eaten?"

While the Huang family downstairs was once again in a cold war, Yang Rui sat in front of the lamp, contemplating his money-making plan. Life was basically worry-free now, so finding the first pot of gold was crucial. Being alone, without connections, he could only rely on technological innovation, which had lower requirements for funds, connections, and background. But what new technology did he have? It was only the early 20th century, and many things had already emerged, but what kind of innovative technology could a fruit seller possess? Alone, without connections, he could only rely on technological innovation, which had lower requirements for funds, connections, and background. But what new technology did he have? It was only the early 20th century, and many things had already emerged, but what kind of innovative technology could a fruit seller possess?

Mr. Huang had not finished calculating the accounts when Mrs. Huang interrupted him, saying, "All you think about is money, money, money. You chant about money every day, yet it doesn't seem to bring you wealth. You get along well with money, while I will return to my hometown to live with the two little ones." As she spoke, she wiped her tears.

This is alternating current; it was direct current long ago, and later it became alternating current. I am not sure about the frequency in hertz, but the voltage is 200 volts. Two years ago, it was 110 volts. Old Shi, who has been at the electric light company for nearly ten years, knows a lot, but hertz is rarely mentioned in daily conversation, so he does not know.

At 2 PM, Yang Rui found Old Shi at another street corner. After greeting each other, Old Shi said: "Yang Xisheng, the thing you want to ask, I have already inquired with the foreign master at the company. He mentioned that the frequency was originally 100 hertz, but it was later changed to 50 hertz. Do you think it works well?"

Yang Rui listened and realized that he was just one step away from knowing whether he could use the laptop. He immediately asked Lao Shi to return to the company and clarify what the frequency of the electricity was. He also gave Lao Shi the remaining half pack of cigarettes, which Lao Shi declined a few times before accepting, saying he would ask about it at the company during lunch. He would still be in this area pulling wires in the afternoon, and it would be easy to find him then. At that time, he would let Yang Rui come over to hear the news

Yang Rui listened to Mrs. Huang regarding her perception of him as being the same age as her nephew, and he thought to himself that he was already 25 years old; how old could her nephew be to still be in school? In fact, Mrs. Huang viewed Yang Rui as being around 20 years old. Modern people have good diets and sufficient nutrition, and since Yang Rui is not engaged in physical labor and does not grow facial hair, he naturally appears younger.

Crossing the bridge leads to Hongkou District, also known as the French Concession. I had not visited before, and it appears to be less prosperous than the British Concession, with most buildings being factories, giving it a rather desolate feel. The electric company is combined with the power plant, but there are several dedicated rooms for office use, including one specifically for handling requests for electric light installation. Upon learning that Yang Rui was there to apply for electric light installation, the staff provided a simple application form and a dip pen. Similar to monopolistic companies in later years, the document not only stated the fees but also included formal language aimed at absolving the company of all responsibilities. The fees differed from what Old Shi had mentioned; he said it was one and a half cents per watt, which one might assume refers to per watt, but it actually refers to per kilowatt-hour. The monthly charges for electricity and lighting are indeed correct, but they must be paid in advance. After submitting the application form and the electric light fee, the staff handed over a receipt-like slip and stated that installation would definitely occur next week, with the electric light fees starting from December. They requested that someone be at home during the day.

Yang Rui thought that perhaps others were busy, so he briefly explained the situation, mentioning that writing at night under the oil lamp was too tiring for his eyes, and he happened to see the electric company installing streetlights, so he applied for it as well

Mr. Huang, however, did not wish to surrender, and his voice suddenly grew louder: "Then you still owe him three and a half for the pavilion, this house does not belong to us, we are merely the sublessors, and we have only paid two hundred for the top fee..."

Yang Rui went upstairs, Mrs. Huang finished washing the dishes and entered the inner room, while Mr. Huang sat by the oil lamp reading the newspaper. Upon seeing Mrs. Huang come in, he asked, "What is Mr. Yang talking about? I didn't hear you two speaking."

Yang Rui thanked Old Shi once again and directly called for a rickshaw to head straight to the Electric Company. The rickshaw driver headed towards the Bund, which in 1902 was vastly different from later years. The riverside was lined with docks and wharves of foreign firms, with various sizes of steamships moored along the banks. Laborers were bustling about on the docks, shouting incomprehensible calls. On the green-shaded side of the docks stood those foreign buildings, arranged along the inner side of the road, all four to five stories high. Many familiar structures were nowhere to be seen; the Peace Hotel was absent, the Waibaidu Bridge was missing, and the large clock was nowhere in sight. Now, spanning the Suzhou River was merely a long wooden bridge, seemingly the future Waibaidu Bridge. On the green-shaded side of the docks stood those foreign buildings, arranged along the inner side of the road, all four to five stories high. Many familiar structures were nowhere to be seen; the Peace Hotel was absent, the Waibaidu Bridge was missing, and the large clock was nowhere in sight. Now, spanning the Suzhou River was merely a long wooden bridge, seemingly the future Waibaidu Bridge. The rickshaw driver referred to it as the Baidu Bridge—because the previous bridge crossing the river charged a toll, this bridge was built to be toll-free, hence the name "Baidu" Bridge. Yang Rui was aware of the name Baidu Bridge, but only now understood that it was called Baidu Bridge because it meant there was no toll for crossing.

"Oh, installing electric lights, that's something foreign, quite expensive. Can Mr. Yang afford it?" Mr. Huang questioned, already losing interest in reading the newspaper

Yang Rui's self-reflection actually had little effect, as men's thoughts are always like this: courage and wallet are interconnected; when the wallet is large, the courage naturally grows. The steps home felt particularly light, and the road seemed especially short. Just a few intersections away from Ruyi Li, Yang Rui saw a man climbing a wooden pole, wearing the half-circle climbing shoes typical of electricians, while two men below looked up, with a pile of wires on the ground. Yang Rui initially intended to bypass them, but after going around, he turned back again, merely watching the man on the pole in silence. The two men below, seeing a foreigner approach, glanced at Yang Rui without speaking, merely considering him as someone observing the spectacle.

Yang Rui feels that Mrs. Huang is truly a good person. Not only is the rent inexpensive, but she is also very warm-hearted. According to the gossip queen, Mrs. Xu, who lives in the firewood room below Yang Rui, this pavilion room was originally rented for 4 yuan. The previous tenant returned to his hometown, leaving it vacant. Several people inquired about it, but Mrs. Huang did not offer it to anyone else at a lower price. Later, when Yang Rui came, the rent changed to 3.5 yuan. Mrs. Xu is not only gossipy but also enjoys getting close to others. Initially, she did not talk much with Yang Rui, but after he bought some candies for her eldest daughter, she noticed that Yang Rui was not as proud as typical scholars, but rather very easygoing, and thus began to engage in more conversation.

On November 1, 1902, which was the twelfth day of his time travel, Yang Rui got up early and waited in his room until 7:30 before going out. First, he went to the post office to collect the three yuan. There were not many people at the post office in the morning, and after signing for the ticket, he received the money promptly, which was quite convenient. However, he did not know where Beihai Road was, so he had to find a carriage driver. Upon arriving at the Agricultural Journal office, he inquired about the money collection procedure. After presenting the receipt, he quickly received the money as well. Coming out of the Agricultural Journal office, Yang Rui felt a heavy weight in his pocket; the nine eagle dollars clinked together, producing a pleasant sound, which felt exceptionally good. After indulging in this feeling, he was deeply aware of his own lack of ambition, pondering what nine yuan could really be worth, and what was there to be so intoxicated about.

Of course, I can afford it. The two letters that Old Deng sent last time were both tickets sent by the newspaper office. One was for 3 yuan, and the other one was not visible in the letter. They are indeed capable, unlike you. Mrs. Huang suddenly thought of her concerns

Mrs. Huang laughed and said: "Shanghai is different from abroad; you are used to electric lights over there. I have a nephew who also came from Wuxi to study in Shanghai, and he is the same age as you. When he first arrived, he was also quite unaccustomed. Installing electric lights is no problem; if you find them useful, we can also make good use of them."

In fact, Yang Rui did not refrain from speaking; rather, he was contemplating the fact that there was electricity here. Electricity! He was truly grateful to the heavens, and his mind was racing, pondering what questions to ask. Having been in this place for over ten days, Yang Rui had stayed at home every night due to safety concerns, and thus had not seen any electric lights. From a distance, he gazed at the Bund and the brightly lit streets, mistakenly thinking they were gas lamps. Did not the coachman Wang Laosan mention that there was a gas factory? In reality, electric lights had already existed in the concession since 1902, but due to the high cost of electricity, they were only installed in Western-style houses. Houses like Yang Rui's, which were Shikumen, still relied on kerosene lamps.

An older man standing under the pole casually replied to Yang Rui, "No, we are from the Concession Electric Light Company, and we are here to run a line to the inner room."

Mrs. Huang glanced at Yang Rui and said, "He is in the inner room, do you have something to discuss with him?" She then called out a few times towards the door, but received no response, and said, "What is the matter? Just tell me."

Yang Rui finally recalled the concepts related to electricity from the physics textbook, clarified what he wanted to ask, and proactively greeted: "Master, you are from the electric power company, right? You are installing electric wires, aren't you?"

"Even if I call you, you won't go out. Mr. Yang said he went to the electric company to request the installation of lights. What do you think I was discussing with Yi?" Mrs. Huang said somewhat irritably

Mr. Huang is at his wit's end with his wife; the issue of the children is his Achilles' heel. Initially, in order to save a few dollars, he left the children in their hometown in Anhui and did not bring them to Shanghai. Every time they argue, the outcome inevitably revolves around the children. To use modern internet slang, this has become a recurring topic, yet he feels powerless. Mr. Huang stands up and paces in front of the table, beginning to calculate again. He has only eight dollars a month; if business is good for his employer, he might earn an extra two dollars. Last year, he spent two hundred dollars to secure this house, which not only drained his savings but also required him to borrow a considerable amount. Originally, it was manageable as he had rented out the house, earning eight dollars a month, but now the two bedrooms have been vacant for two months without any tenants, while the pavilion room has been rented out for less than before, resulting in a loss of fifty cents each month. Mr. Huang has been managing accounts for decades and is particularly adept at calculations. Originally, it was manageable as he had rented out the house, earning eight dollars a month, but now the two bedrooms have been vacant for two months without any tenants, while the pavilion room has been rented out for less than before, resulting in a loss of fifty cents each month. Mr. Huang has been managing accounts for decades and is particularly adept at calculations.

Note 1: Due to the requirements of the plot, 50 Hertz should be introduced two years earlier

Yang Rui was delighted upon hearing this, exclaiming in ecstasy: "This is useful! This is useful! Master Shi, thank you!" After saying this, he was about to head home, but after taking a few steps, he turned around and immediately came back to ask: "Master Shi, how do I install this electricity?"

"Yes, Mrs. Huang, I just had a meal outside. You all have eaten as well, haven't you?" Yang Rui responded with a smile. As he was about to head up the corridor to his room, he suddenly remembered the matter of the light installation and thought it would be better to inform the landlord. He then said, "Mrs. Huang, is Mr. Huang available?"

Yang Rui noticed that the others were organizing themselves, so he hurriedly took out the pack of Lao Dao cigarettes he had bought last time and distributed them to them, also taking one for himself. He then pulled out a replica ZIPPO lighter from the box and lit each of their cigarettes. As a result, the relationship among the three men immediately became harmonious. The older man was surnamed Shi, and the two younger ones were his apprentices, all from the electric light company. Seeing that Yang Rui seemed to want to install electric lights, Old Shi introduced, "This electric light company has been around for quite a while, over ten years now. Currently, the concession area has power supply day and night, but the electricity prices are high. The monthly fee for one electric light is one dollar and twenty-five cents, and for every watt of electricity used, it costs one cent and three mills, which is equivalent to one dime and five cents in foreign currency. It's quite expensive now, and basically, it's installed in foreign houses."