Dr. Xie from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital is over seventy years old and very famous, having seen countless patients. In those days, all intellectuals were to be reformed, but Dr. Xie escaped this fate, mainly because he was not formally trained in medicine and his family was classified as middle peasants, thus avoiding criticism. Dr. Xie's medical skills were superb, and his reputation was great enough that he was the only remaining senior doctor in the county; the rest you would have to look for in various labor camps.

The old doctor took Zhao Mingyue's pulse, then took it with his other hand, and said, "There's nothing wrong. Judging from the pulse, you're very healthy, and your heart is fine too."

Zhao Mingyue asked, "Then why does it hurt?"

The old doctor carefully examined Zhao Mingyue's complexion and said, "The young lady is probably under too much stress and physically exhausted. She just needs to rest."

Zhao Mingyue was relieved to hear that she wasn't sick: "Then, doctor, will you prescribe some medicine for me?"

The old doctor said, "Why take medicine if you're not sick? All medicine has side effects. Go home and get some rest."

When Zhao Mingyue came out, Zhao Minglang asked her, "How did it go? Did you get the medicine?"

Zhao Mingyue shook her head: "No, the doctor said I'm not sick and wouldn't prescribe any medicine."

Zhao Minglang said, "Could he have mistaken him? Why would someone with heart pain if they're not sick?"

"They said they were too tired and under too much stress." Zhao Mingyue was also a little confused. Knowing that she wasn't sick, she immediately relaxed. "Brother, we're already in the county town, let's go for a walk."

Zhao Minglang nodded: "Okay. Shall we go to the department store?"

Zhao Mingyue remembered that Zhao Mingxiu's birthday was coming soon, and she remembered that she had promised to give her a handkerchief, so she said, "Okay, I'll go buy something."

The brother and sister drove to the department store on Renmin Road. In those days, goods were scarce, and department stores were the most prestigious places. Being able to buy something from a department store was a matter of great pride. Everyone was poor then, but the gap between rich and poor wasn't significant. The department store was packed with people from all walks of life. People crowded around the counters, selecting goods and asking the sales clerks to bring them to them for them to look at.

The sales clerk at the department store was incredibly arrogant, acting as if she didn't care about anything. While looking at my nails, she said, "Look carefully before you take them, so you don't break anything while looking at them."

People were used to this attitude. Although everyone was careful, the loud voices of the country folk made the place noisy. With so many people, the environment became chaotic. Many people looked at the items but didn't necessarily buy anything. The salespeople were busy taking things and putting things away, which was tiring, no wonder they looked so tired.

Zhao Minglang looked around and asked his sister, "What do you want to buy?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "Xiuer's birthday is coming up soon, and I want to buy her a handkerchief."

Zhao Minglang, who was tall, pointed to the other side and said, "The cloth seller is over there, and the handkerchiefs should be over there too."

The brother and sister pushed their way through the crowd toward the fabric counter. Once they reached the outer edge of the counter, Zhao Mingyue stood on tiptoe to look, but not seeing the handkerchief, she asked the sales clerk, "Excuse me, sir/madam, could you tell me where the handkerchief is?"

The sales clerk noticed that she spoke politely and waved her hand, saying, "Over there."

Zhao Mingyue looked at the corner she was going to. It was only two or three meters away at most, but there was a large crowd of people crammed in front of the fabric counter, making it difficult to get there. The weather was hot, and everyone was sweating profusely, which was really unbearable. "Brother, I'll go. You wait for me here."

It's the busy farming season, so why are there still so many people? Zhao Mingyue wiped the sweat from her chin, hesitating whether to go back and just go to the department store in town to buy something.

Just then, she heard someone above her say, "It's you, Zhao Mingyue?"

Zhao Mingyue looked up and saw Shen Xuyue: "Secretary Shen, what are you doing here?"

Shen Xuyue said, "I'm going to a meeting in the county. After it's over, I'll buy some things to take back. Do you want to buy anything?"

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Yes, I want to buy a handkerchief."

"Where?" Shen Xuyue asked.

Zhao Mingyue said, "It's in that corner over there."

Shen Xuyue said, "Come with me." He then led the way through the crowd, saying, "Comrade, please make way so we can pass." With his powerful presence and tireless efforts, he finally carved a path for Zhao Mingyue.

Zhao Mingyue was extremely grateful and nodded repeatedly to express her thanks: "Thank you so much, Secretary Shen."

"You're welcome, go ahead and buy your things," Shen Xuyue said.

Zhao Mingyue quickly bought a handkerchief. Of course, it was impossible for her to carefully select each one. She roughly chose a color and picked a white handkerchief with blue flowers and a lake-blue border. After paying, she turned around and saw that Shen Xuyue was still there, so she nodded and said, "Okay."

Shen Xuyue said, "Then let's go." With that, he led Zhao Mingyue back the way they came.

Upon seeing his sister and Shen Xuyue, Zhao Minglang exclaimed in surprise, "Secretary Shen, what are you doing here?"

Shen Xuyue said, "Yes, I was just buying some things too."

Zhao Mingyue said, "I've bought everything, I'm going back now. Secretary Shen, are you going back too?"

Shen Xuyue raised his hand and looked at his watch: "It's almost twelve o'clock now, let's eat before we leave."

Zhao Minglang hesitated for a moment. No matter how late they were out on business, they always went home for dinner, since eating out was too expensive. Shen Xuyue smiled and said, "It's such a coincidence, let me treat you to dinner."

Zhao Minglang looked at his younger sister, Zhao Mingyue, and smiled, "Then thank you, Secretary Shen."

Shen Xuyue also arrived by bicycle: "You guys came by bicycle too, right? I'll take you to a place that's both affordable and delicious." With that, he put on his straw hat and hopped on his bicycle.

Zhao Minglang got on his bike, and Zhao Mingyue jumped onto the back seat, following Shen Xuyue's bike. The midday sun was so bright it made one's vision dark, but Zhao Mingyue didn't feel the heat at all. She only felt that the wind was very comfortable. Shen Xuyue's white short-sleeved shirt was billowing in the wind, like sails full of wind.

Shen Xuyue turned around and asked, "What are you two doing in the county?"

Zhao Minglang hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. Zhao Mingyue said, "I'm feeling a bit unwell, so I came to see a doctor."

Shen Xuyue turned around abruptly: "Is there something you need?"

Zhao Mingyue smiled and shook her head: "No, the doctor said there's nothing wrong with me, I'm just too tired, and he told me to get some rest."

"That's good." Shen Xuyue breathed a sigh of relief. When the car reached the intersection ahead, he turned and entered the nitrogen fertilizer plant. "Our village often comes here to buy fertilizer. The food in this canteen is very good, and the price is very reasonable."

It was lunchtime, but there weren't many people in the canteen. Or rather, not many people were ordering stir-fried dishes. The workers usually brought their lunchboxes to get the communal meals and rarely ordered any side dishes.

Shen Xuyue went to order. Seasonal vegetables were five cents a serving, dishes with meat were ten cents a serving, and braised fish was thirty cents a serving. Shen Xuyue ordered one meat dish, one fish dish, and two vegetable dishes.

Zhao Mingyue said, "Secretary Shen, order less, just enough to eat."

Shen Xuyue ordered the food, came back and sat down: "I know, I definitely won't waste any."

Zhao Mingyue and Zhao Minglang sat next to each other, with Shen Xuyue sitting opposite them. The three of them waited for the food to arrive. Zhao Mingyue thought for a moment and asked, "Secretary Shen, what are you buying?"

Shen Xuyue said, "I'm bringing back some yarn for a friend." He then waved a paper package in his hand.

Zhao Mingyue said "Oh". Since it's yarn, it must be a female friend. Who could it be? Wu Jie?

Shen Xuyue said to Zhao Minglang, "Was it Minglang who discovered the grain thief in your production team a few days ago?"

Zhao Minglang laughed: "No, the idea came from my sister. We went to find it together."

Shen Xuyue glanced at Zhao Mingyue, his eyes full of approval: "Those who engage in speculation, theft, and petty theft deserve to be punished like this. Well done."

Zhao Mingyue remembered this incident and realized that the follow-up actions hadn't been taken yet, so she asked, "How was this matter handled in the end?"

Shen Xuyue said, "The results are not out yet. Zhao Jinyun is still trying to exonerate them. They are related by blood. Tang Jiumei is a distant cousin of Zhao Jinyun's wife."

Zhao Mingyue sighed and said softly, "That's how it is in our country; nepotism is too rampant. Of course, the punishment of one another is also terrifying."

Shen Xuyue glanced around and said to Zhao Mingyue, "Shh, this kind of thing shouldn't be said in public."

Zhao Mingyue stuck out her tongue and smiled shyly.

Shen Xuyue said, "But you're right, that's the current situation." He then sighed softly.

The dishes were served quickly, and Shen Xuyue got up to get his rice, while Zhao Mingyue went to help him. As Shen Xuyue served the rice, he turned back and smiled at her.

Zhao Mingyue returned with two bowls of rice, one for her brother and one for herself. Shen Xuyue came over with his rice bowl, smiling as he said, "When I'm out on business, I like to eat out before going back, at least I can fill my stomach."

Zhao Mingyue knew that the educated youth had a limited amount of rice in the canteen. Female educated youth received three liang (150 grams) of rice, while male educated youth received four liang (200 grams). For a big guy like Shen Xuyue, four liang of rice with little oil was really not enough to fill his stomach. So she often heard that the educated youth roasted sweet potatoes and taro over a fire to eat.

The stir-fried dishes in the cafeteria were more oily than those at home, so they tasted much better. Everyone ate very quickly, devouring a large bowl of rice in a flash, without really having time to savor the flavors. After finishing the first bowl, everyone went to get a second bowl, and only then did they stop to slowly appreciate the taste of the dishes.

Zhao Mingyue noticed that Shen Xuyue didn't eat ginger, so he took the ginger out of the fish and put it on the table. Zhao Mingyue found it a little strange; there are still people who are picky eaters these days.