In the morning, Song Yan steamed egg custard and brewed three doses of traditional Chinese medicine for the day. While watching the medicine pot, Song Yan also cleaned the house.

Xiaoxiao: "You can leave the cleaning to me! You've been working so hard, take a break!"

"It's alright." Song Yan's hands still didn't stop.

Song Yan likes to be busy. If she's not busy, she'll always be thinking about Da Mei and Shuanzhu.

Song Yan personally brewed the medicine for Da Mei and Shuanzhu, as a gesture of goodwill. Cheng Youfu arrived early to collect the medicine. The Cheng family felt embarrassed to wait for Song Yan to deliver the medicine…

Song Yan first took the brigade's horse-drawn cart to the commune, and then took a bus to the county. Song Yan replaced the small willow basket on his back with a larger one and headed towards Han Yu's mother's house.

Han Yu's mother was delighted to see Song Yan arrive. "My child, it's been so long since I've seen you!"

"I was away from home recently, and I came to see Auntie as soon as I got back," Song Yan said with a smile.

Han Yu's mother sighed when she saw the large willow basket Song Yan had placed on the ground. "My child, what did you take this time? You all have to make a living too."

Han Yu's mother's expression was a little strange; she wasn't like this when she came before! "We all have cellars in the countryside, where we store radishes and cabbages. They stay much fresher than when you store them indoors. I got you some to try."

As he spoke, Song Yan opened the lid of the basket, and inside were indeed cabbages and radishes.

"So beautiful!" Han Yu's mother exclaimed happily.

The Korean-speaking mother felt a little uncomfortable when she saw the willow basket, but became happy when she saw it contained cabbage and radishes. This reminded Song Yan of what Mao Xuebin had said about someone giving her a gift.

Leading cadres advocate thrift and integrity. Did Cheng Xiuyun's last delivery of gifts offend Han Yu's mother?

"Auntie, I originally planned to bring these to my child as snacks for the New Year. I don't know if I'll be able to come here often in the future, so I brought them to you in advance." As she spoke, Song Yan took out a bag of pine nuts from her handbag.

"I only saw what pine cones looked like after I went to the countryside. In the autumn, I went into the mountains with the people from the production brigade. I collected these pine cones myself."

Han Yu's mother: "Han Yu was talking about you a few days ago, but unfortunately, she's always at work when you come."

"It's alright, I might run into you next time I come."

Sister Han Yu…”

Song Yan and Han Yu's mother exchanged pleasantries for a while before Song Yan was about to leave.

Seeing that Song Yan didn't say anything, Han Yu's mother became anxious. "Tell me the truth. Have the villagers bullied you?"

"Auntie, why do you say that?" Song Yan asked.

“A few days ago, a woman came to your village, carrying a lot of meat and grain, and insisted that I accept it. She said she was the deputy head of the weaving group in Qingshan Brigade, and that she was in charge of all the weaving matters in the brigade. I told her to take the things back, but she refused. She said she would just tell Director Liu and that would be enough.”

I was furious when I heard that. She sent so much meat; wasn't she trying to bribe me? I was so angry that I threw the things out and chased her away.” Even now, Han Yu's mother is still very unhappy about it.

"Auntie, actually, my trip to the county today is also related to this matter. From now on, the weaving group in our village will be managed by the secretary and deputy group leader of our brigade!"

Team Leader Li resigned in anger because the quality of their woven goods was substandard. I don't want to do it anymore either. But Director Liu only accepted our straw weaving work because of Auntie and Sister Han Yu's connections. I have to make things clear before I can quit. Otherwise, I'll have to pay for my own bus fare to the county.” Song Yan chuckled as she spoke. “The brigade paid for my bus fare today. Auntie, I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative now.”

Song Yan came to Han Yu's mother to discuss this matter because he believed that Han Yu's advice to her mother might be effective.

After exchanging pleasantries with Han Yu's mother for a while, I accepted the two bags of White Rabbit milk candy that Han Yu's mother insisted on giving me, and then left Han Yu's mother's house.

Song Yan went straight to the supply and marketing cooperative. After several meetings, Song Yan felt that Director Liu was a very pragmatic cadre, and that sweet talk was useless.

Song Yan took a sample out of his bag and showed it to Director Liu. Director Liu examined it for a long time, turning it over and over. "What is this?" he asked. "It's brightly colored and very pretty, with delicate lace. But what's the purpose of such a round mat?"

Song Yan: "This is a teacup coaster. Last time I saw the teacups sold at the supply and marketing cooperative, they were very beautiful. They would look even better with a coaster like this. I also tested the dye with water, and the color is very durable and doesn't fade."

So after Song Yan went back, she wove some tea coasters, but she never released a sample. This is because to make tea coasters look good, almost all materials need to be dyed, which increases costs. Moreover, tea coasters are more decorative than practical, and in this era that promotes thrift, sales would definitely be low.

Now Song Yan had another idea, so he took it out to show Director Liu.

This thing definitely won't sell in large quantities, but it's quite pretty. Director Liu thought for a long time, then said, "I'll take 100 of these coasters!"

This thing definitely won't cost much.

Director Liu and Song Yan then wrote an acquisition agreement.

Song Yan didn't say much to Director Liu. She only mentioned that their team leader, Li, and deputy team leader, Wang, had both quit. The weaving team had a new leader, and the quality requirements for weaving were different from before.

Leaders always tend to overthink. The samples Song Yan used to bring were both practical and beautiful, but these coasters look purely aesthetic and impractical. Was she really here to deliver samples? Was she trying to remind me that there was a problem with the quality of the woven items?

Song Yan's words were a real wake-up call for Director Liu. The quality of the goods they delivered was always excellent; the staff at the supply and marketing cooperative weren't checking them as carefully as before.

Director Liu and his wife ate at his mother-in-law's house every day. After Director Liu returned, his mother-in-law also told him about Song Yan. Piecing together the two pieces of information, it became clear that both Song Yan and that educated youth named Li were being ostracized by the villagers.

Han Yu's mother was quite angry. Was it easy for such a young child to go to the countryside? Didn't this weaving group benefit the villagers? They've seen the benefits and now they want to reap the rewards. What's the difference between this and "killing the dog after the rabbit is caught"?

Director Liu was also feeling unwell. The woman who came from her brigade last time said at the supply and marketing cooperative, "If you help my village, we will not treat you unfairly."

What kind of talk is that? It's like she accepted a gift. She finished speaking and then immediately delivered the meat to his house... Director Liu was furious; this was making him make a mistake.