The old lady was very hospitable and immediately gave them directions.

"You must be new educated youth. Zhang Laibao's family makes furniture. If you walk ahead, you'll see a big millstone. His house is right next to the millstone. There's a crooked willow tree in front of the door. It's easy to find."

"Thank you, ma'am."

A barefoot little boy ran towards the old lady from not far away, calling out "Grandma!"

Luo Jingyan took out two pieces of fruit candy and gave them to the little boy.

The three of them arrived at Zhang Laibao's house. Zhang Laibao had gone up the mountain to gather firewood, while his wife stayed at home.

When Aunt Zhang saw unfamiliar faces at her house, she immediately guessed that they were newly arrived educated youth from the city, otherwise they wouldn't all be so fair-skinned and beautiful.

Luo Jingyan asked, "Auntie, is your family doing carpentry work?"

"Yes, what do you need? If you want wooden boxes and frames, we have a few ready-made, but the rest can't be made for a while because of the busy farming season."

The autumn harvest will begin in their village the day after tomorrow. Every year before or during the autumn harvest, a group of educated youth would come to their village. These educated youth would take every opportunity to buy furniture from their homes, so Zhang Laibao had prepared wooden boxes and frames in advance.

Luo Jingyan said, "Auntie, could you let us see those things first?"

"Can."

Aunt Zhang led them into the house and showed them the finished wooden boxes and frames.

Luo Jingyan isn't too picky; as long as the quality is up to standard and there's no odor, it's fine.

She said to Aunt Zhang, "Auntie, I need two boxes and two shelves. Oh, and do you have any straw mats? If so, I'd like two."

"Yes, yes, it's here."

"Okay, I'll take two."

Jiang Manyue also asked for a wooden box, a wooden frame, and a straw mat.

"Auntie, we've taken so much stuff that we can't carry it all. Could you please have your family members deliver it to the educated youth settlement when they return?"

The wooden crate wasn't heavy, but it was large, and it was already quite strenuous for one person to carry just the crate, let alone carry anything else.

"Okay, I'll send it to you when my husband gets back."

They had Aunt Zhang calculate the money, paid it, and then went to the brigade headquarters to collect their grain.