I checked the house when I got home on Wednesday afternoon and found no leaks. I opened all the doors and windows to let in some fresh air. It seems the rain in the city was much lighter than in Liujiatun, and there was very little standing water on the roads.

I picked up a large pickaxe and started digging. I found it was still soaking wet; at least one swing of the pickaxe didn't leave any dry soil.

I stacked up the bean vines and planted cabbages. I also stacked up the tomato vines and planted beans. I didn't touch the cucumber vines, but they bloomed a lot of flowers and can now bear cucumbers.

After cleaning the house again, I ate a bowl of eight-treasure porridge and rested.

Zhang Hongmei returned to school on Thursday. As soon as she entered the classroom, all eyes were on her.

Why does this feel so creepy? The homeroom teacher came in and glared at Zhang Hongmei. "Come out here for a second."

Zhang Hongmei was always a good student; teachers only praised her and she was never criticized.

Feeling a little nervous, I stood obediently in front of the teacher, head down, looking like I was being taught.

Looking at the well-behaved little girl, the teacher held back her anger for a moment, then finally asked, "Zhang Hongmei, what have you been doing these past few days without coming to school?"

"Teacher, I'm sorry, I went back to my hometown. I didn't come back because I was afraid there wouldn't be any buses when it rained."

"You're making your teachers and classmates very worried."

"I'm sorry, there won't be a next time."

"Hey! Go back now. All your classmates are looking for you at your house. Luckily, Song Zigan from the first grade knows the address, or they would be frantic with worry."

"Thank you, teacher." Zhang Hongmei felt quite embarrassed, but also very touched. Although she rarely chatted with her classmates and didn't have a deep relationship with them, they still cared about her so much.

"Alright, go back to your studies. Be more careful next time."

Zhang Hongmei returned to the classroom, stood on the podium, and bowed deeply to her students. "Thank you for your concern."

More than a dozen people looked up at Zhang Hongmei, which made her blush.

The bell for the end of self-study class had just rung when Song Zigan rushed over. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Zhang Hongmei. "You silly girl, you didn't send me a single word, you scared me to death!"

"Hehe, sorry, I went back to Liujiatun on Saturday. It started raining as soon as I arrived, and it rained heavily for half a day and a night. I was afraid that the buses would be disrupted, so I didn't come back. Thank you for your concern."

"I'm glad you're okay. I come to your class every day to check on you, and I even stop by your house on my way home. It's always locked, which is really worrying."

"Next time you see my house locked from the outside, don't worry, I've definitely gone back to my hometown."

"Alright, I'm going back now. Class starts soon."

During the lunch break, the principal came over in person, and Zhang Hongmei followed him into the principal's office.

I'm like a rat crossing the street now. As soon as I entered the office, lo and behold! All my teachers were there; the criticism session had begun.

Zhang Hongmei was filled with regret. She vowed never to try skipping school again and would never dare to challenge authority again.

He made a deep self-criticism in the principal's office and came out half an hour later, wiping the sweat from his forehead and letting out a sigh of relief.

I must behave myself during this period and absolutely not make any mistakes.

On Saturday, Zhang Hongmei went to the post office to pick up the newspaper. "Sister Huang Ying, if our village comes here to sell some bok choy, spinach, or something, will anyone care?"

"When will it be available?" Huang Ying asked excitedly. The children had blisters in their mouths and could only eat leafy greens a few times a year, which was not healthy.

"I estimate we'll be able to eat it next Saturday or Sunday."

"I'll ask my colleagues for you. My partner's factory has even more workers, so everyone should need some. If there's a surplus, you won't need to go to the market to sell them, saving you the trouble. But since you're selling them collectively, getting a certificate shouldn't be a big problem. It's just that it takes several hours to get here from your village, right? It might not be fresh by then."

"It's alright, I'll go back now and take the bicycle back. It should be more convenient than taking the bus and faster than an oxcart."

Zhang Hongmei said goodbye to Huang Ying and, without even going home, rode her bicycle straight back to Liujiatun.

If I cycled at my own pace, it would take me three and a half hours to get there.

When I returned, I ran into Wang Hongxi. "Uncle Village Chief," he said, "I inquired today and it seems that if we get a certificate from our village, we can sell vegetables in the city."

"Really? It's just too far; even an old ox can't walk at night."

“It’s okay, I’ll just leave my bicycle in the village and have someone else go to the city every day. I’ve timed it perfectly, it only takes three and a half hours.”

"That's great, but you'll have to walk to school every day."

"It's nothing, it's just a short walk. The post office staff will ask around for us, they should be able to get a good amount."

You'll still have to go the first time. You can also ask around to see if any other units need it; maybe then you won't even need to set up a stall.

“That’s a good idea. The spinach is already a bunch tall. We can pick several baskets of it next Saturday while it’s still tender. I’ll ride my bike first, and the oxcart will take more. After delivering it to the post office, I’ll head back to pick it up.”

"This is a good idea. I'll visit each of the units during my lunch break."

"Hehe, we can pull them all out and then replant them, and they can grow several more crops."

After making their arrangements, the two parted ways. Zhang Hongmei went home and opened the doors and windows to ventilate the house, but it still felt damp, especially the floor. She thought it would be better to pave it with cement later when she had the chance.

During dinner, Wang Hongxi told everyone about selling spinach, which caused quite a stir. Everyone was worried about how they would repay the old lady who owed them so much money.

Now that they can earn some income, everyone is genuinely happy, and no one wants to be in debt.

Early Sunday morning, Dashan came over and said, "Hongmei, I'll ride my bike to take you to the station."

"Okay, I'm all packed now."

In the afternoon, Zhang Hongmei did not go straight home after arriving in the city, but instead went to the cotton mill where Liu Jianguo worked.

"Grandpa, a truckload of spinach will be delivered to our village next Saturday. Would our canteen like it?"

"It's you, girl. Go in and ask the cafeteria manager. It should be necessary. Everyone here hasn't eaten spinach for over a year."

"Thank you, sir." Zhang Hongmei went into the cotton mill, went to the canteen, and found the team leader to explain her purpose.

"Have you decided on the price per kilogram yet?"

Zhang Hongmei was a little embarrassed. "Sir, I'm really sorry, our village chief will be here on Saturday with spinach. You can negotiate the price then. If it's suitable, you can keep it; otherwise, just forget about it."

"Okay, let's talk again on Saturday."

After leaving the cotton mill, Zhang Hongmei went to the non-staple food supply station.

The matter is considered settled here, and everyone is waiting for Wang Hongxi to come over on Saturday to discuss it further. It's better for the village chief to handle it; he doesn't really trust a young girl like her, does he?

After selling the first batch of spinach, the bok choy can be sold, and then the spinach and scallions can be sold as well. However, there will definitely be a lot of people following suit, but we still seized the opportunity and have an advantage.

In short, making some money before the autumn harvest is a good thing.