Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Sunday morning...

On Sunday morning, Shen Moer specially wore clothes with the least patches, braided her hair into a braid and tied a red hairband, and applied some rouge and powder stored in the treasure house on her face, making her look energetic and beautiful.

The Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day were not far away, and the commune had a heavy propaganda task. All the borrowers were borrowed to the kiln factory, so although it was Sunday, Shen Shaoyuan still had to go to the commune to work overtime. After a simple breakfast, the father and daughter carried bamboo baskets and went to the yard of the next-door brigade to ride a donkey cart.

Shen Shaoyuan usually went to work on foot. Only when there was a market in the commune would Uncle Liu drive a donkey cart to give everyone a ride. Shen Shaoyuan didn't want his daughter to suffer, so he asked Xu Weiguo to schedule an appointment on a day when there was a market in the commune.

There were already several middle-aged women sitting on the donkey cart. Zheng Jiamin, a young man, sat among them. Not only did he not look out of place, he even fitted in very well and chatted animatedly with the middle-aged women.

Seeing Shen Moer and the others, Zheng Jiamin immediately waved his hand: "Comrade Shen, Uncle Shen Qi!"

After Shen Moer and Shen Shaoyuan sat down, he immediately moved his butt to the side of Shen Shaoyuan: "Seventh Uncle, are you going to the market in the commune today?" He called out "Seventh Uncle" so smoothly.

Shen Shaoyuan: "I'll go back to work overtime, Mo'er go buy something."

Zheng Jiamin immediately volunteered: "Comrade Shen Moer, if you buy something and can't carry it, call me for help!"

When the time was almost right, Uncle Liu thought no one would come, so he drove the donkey away.

Zheng Jiamin was obviously quite popular among the aunties and grandmas. Soon one of them started chatting with him again: "When will the educated youth Yang and Shi from your educated youth camp have their wedding? We all saw it that day. They were like that, so they must be getting married, right? The autumn harvest is almost here. If we don't hurry up, it will be difficult to prepare for it."

Speaking of this, Zheng Jiamin couldn't help but smile awkwardly but politely: "They both said they regarded each other as brothers and sisters."

Shi Wei said that he had always regarded Yang Qingqing as his sister, and that he had to act in an emergency to save someone, and that they could not get married just because of such a small matter, otherwise they would only become a couple of resentment in the future.

Yang Qingqing also said that they were revolutionary comrades helping each other, and anyone who mentioned the difference between men and women was engaging in feudal dregs.

In fact, everyone can see that neither of them is interested in the other and neither of them wants to marry the other.

I don't know why I got so close before.

The chatty old lady exclaimed, "Brothers and sisters?! According to this, even those who act like hooligans can claim to be brothers and sisters."

The auntie asked with a wink, "When Yang Zhiqing grabbed Shi Zhiqing that day, he was calling out Fu Zhiqing. Yang Zhiqing didn't like Shi Zhiqing, but Fu Zhiqing, right? Tsk tsk tsk, as the old saying goes, girls love to be pretty, and Fu Zhiqing is much prettier than Shi Zhiqing."

The other aunties and grandmas echoed the sentiment, as if they had seen through the truth of the matter long ago. Zheng Jiamin silently sympathized with Fu Mingze in her heart and tried in vain to help explain: "This matter has nothing to do with Fu Zhiqing. He and Yang Zhiqing have an average relationship."

The aunt waved her hand and said, "Well, the falling flowers are interesting, but the water is not. I understand."

Zheng Jiamin said weakly: "It's just that the flowers have feelings but the water is heartless."

Aunt: “Isn’t that what I mean?”

Zheng Jiamin was unable to resist and quickly went to talk to Shen Shaoyuan: "Uncle Qi, why are you working overtime on Sunday? The propaganda task of this kiln factory is so heavy? The last time I went to the commune with Mingze, I saw the slogan you wrote outside the kiln factory. The words were written, wow, so beautiful!"

Zheng Jiamin gave a thumbs up and continued, "Not to mention the slogans, there are also paintings on the wall. The images of the workers, peasants and soldiers are so lifelike. They look so lively! Uncle Qi, you are amazing!"

Shen Shaoyuan laughed: "It's okay."

He had heard a lot of compliments, and although Zheng Zhiqing's flattery was not original, it was sincere enough. Even though Shen Shaoyuan knew that he was forced by the aunties to change the subject, he gladly accepted it.

Shen Moer did hear about the farce that happened in the stream at the entrance of the village, but she heard it from Aunt Cai and the others. Aunt Cai and the others arrived late and did not know what had happened before.

Even so, Shen Moer couldn't help but silently sympathize with Fu Mingze. Not only did Yang Qingqing follow him all day long, but even when she was not in a clear mind, she was still thinking about pestering him. I don't know how Fu Zhiqing could endure living under the same roof.

After arriving at the commune, Shen Shaoyuan went to work. It was still early, so Shen Moer went to the sparrow market for a stroll.

Before the new house was built, they were not sure how much money they would need later, so they had not bought anything. Now that the house was built, all the bills had been settled, and Shen Moer had 83.6 yuan left, so she planned to take out 20 yuan to buy something for emergency use.

Actually, there could have been some extra left, but some was spent on building the bathroom.

Chen Moer walked around the Sparrow Market and saw an old man selling rattan boxes that he had woven himself. The style was a bit rough, but fortunately the materials were solid and the weaving was careful. There was even a small handle that could be locked when the box was closed, which was quite practical.

"Uncle, how do I change this box?"

The old man hesitated for a long time before whispering, "Six yuan each, eleven yuan a pair."

As if she was afraid that Chen Moer would think it was too expensive, she immediately explained, "The materials are all good, and it took a lot of time to weave it. Also, the style of this box was also thought of by my granddaughter herself, and it's not available anywhere else."

Shen Moer didn't think it was expensive. Apart from anything else, the things were really solid. What surprised her was that the old man looked reserved and honest, but she didn't expect him to be quite good at doing business. Six yuan each and eleven yuan a pair. Isn't this just making small profits but quick turnover? He wants people to buy more.

Unfortunately, she was only prepared to spend 20 yuan today, and buying a pair of boxes would cost 11 yuan, so there would not be much money left.

"Are you going to buy it or not? If not, please move away. You are blocking the road." A plump middle-aged woman came over, squeezed Chen Moer, and asked the old man selling rattan boxes, "How much is this box?"

After the old man repeated what he had just said, the middle-aged woman immediately raised her voice: "You dare to charge six yuan for a piece of something made of just a few wickers? You are not doing a handicraft sideline, you are simply speculating! Which brigade are you from? Your things don't cost much, two yuan each is the most you can sell them for. If not, I will ask your brigade cadres."

The old man was so frightened by her retort that his face turned pale and he waved his hands repeatedly: "No, it's a waste of time. Two yuan is not as good as earning work points by digging the ground. I really can't do this. My team agrees..."

"Okay, I'll give you an extra fifty cents. Two for five dollars, no more." The middle-aged woman said as she went to pick up the box.

The old man stammered as he explained, holding out his hands to protect the box: "I can't sell it. My granddaughter said she won't sell it for less than five dollars..."

A person who has been honest all his life, suddenly encounters someone who forces a sale on him. He is suddenly at a loss and cannot speak clearly.

In a hurry, he even revealed the reserve price.

Shen Moer couldn't bear to see this and couldn't help but say, "Comrade, buying and selling things requires mutual consent. If you think the price is not right, just don't buy it. Why bother making things difficult for this old man?"

The middle-aged woman held on to the two boxes and refused to let go. She turned her head and glared at Shen Moer: “Why don’t you mind your own business!”

She shouted to the other end: "Junliang, Junliang, come and pay!"

The old man was still saying: "It can't be sold, it can't be sold..."

Shen Moer couldn't bear it any longer, so she stabbed her with her hand. While she was crying out in pain, she snatched the rattan box back: "I said I won't sell it, and you still want to snatch it by force?!"

Putting the rattan box on the ground, Shen Moer took out a few rolled-up banknotes from her pocket. One was a ten-yuan Great Unity note, and the other was a one-yuan note. She directly gave the two notes to the old man: "I'll buy two, eleven yuan, right?"

The old man only took ten yuan and returned one yuan to Shen Moer: "Eleven yuan is the asking price, ten yuan is enough."

Shen Moer nodded: "Thank you very much."

There were three rattan boxes on the old man's stall, and Chen Moer bought two of them, so there was only one left. The middle-aged woman didn't expect Chen Moer to pay so quickly, and when she saw Chen Moer was about to leave with the two boxes, she quickly grabbed her:

"What's wrong with you? I was the one who wanted to buy it first. How could you cut in line? Don't you understand the rule of first come first served? This box is mine, you can't take it away!"

Shen Moer: "I have already paid, the money and goods have been paid, this box is already mine, why can't I take it away?"

The middle-aged woman said: "No, if you take it away, I won't be able to make a pair. I saw it first, it's only ten dollars, I'll pay for it!"

Then he took out money from his pocket, found a big unity banknote and threw it on the old man's stall: "I'll give you the money, you give me the things!"

Shen Moer narrowed her eyes, and before she could make any move, a young man hurried over: “Mom, what did you buy, how much is it, I’ll pay.”

"Two wicker boxes. I've already paid ten dollars. These boxes are nice. When you get married, this pair of boxes will be a good betrothal gift." The middle-aged woman seemed to have completely forgotten how she had belittled these wicker boxes before. She was very proud of herself.

The old man was brave for once and picked up the ten yuan she threw and gave it back to the young man: "That lady bought it first, I can't take your money."

A scoundrel who keeps lowering the price, and a female comrade who doesn't even lower the price but still helps him, it's easy to imagine which side the old man will side with.

The young man immediately understood what was going on and took the rattan box back to Shen Moer: "Comrade, I'm sorry. This box is yours, you can take it."

Shen Moer glanced at him and took it.

The middle-aged woman didn't expect her son to come and instead sided with outsiders, so she immediately got angry. The young man comforted her, took out money to buy a wicker box from the old man, and coaxed the middle-aged woman away.

After the two walked away, the old man thanked Shen Moer and even gave her a small wicker basket. Then he packed up his things and left happily.

Before coming here, he really didn't expect that just a few boxes he made by himself, without any cost and taking some time, could be sold for 15 yuan, which is almost half a month's salary for a regular worker!

Shen Moer felt that the name Junliang sounded familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had heard it before, so she didn't think about it. She didn't take this little episode to heart, and then she went shopping in the market and bought some odds and ends.

When there was nothing left to buy, she moved all the things back onto the donkey cart and rushed to the agreed location: the gate of the commune primary school with empty hands.