"Yes, yes. What's wrong?"
Xu Fang didn't understand why they were reacting so strongly. What was longan for? Almost every household in the village had a lot of it. Besides wild fruits, longan trees were the most abundant fruit on the mountain.
It's said to be an orchard left behind by a former landlord, now belonging to Chenjia Village. When it's in season, they can't finish eating it all, so everyone dries it to preserve it. In Chenjia Village, this stuff is even less valuable than corn.
Huang Qinqin picked up a dried longan and tasted it. Hmm, the flesh was thick and plump, sweet but not cloying. This quality would cost at least three cents a pound at the supply and marketing cooperative.
As for the shelled ones, Huang Qinqin hadn't seen any at the supply and marketing cooperative. They're probably difficult to preserve, so they're usually dried whole.
Huang Qinqin explained, "Second Aunt, this is very expensive at the supply and marketing cooperative, almost the price of a pound of rice. Haven't you tried selling it to the supply and marketing cooperative?"
"Oh? We really didn't know that. When we go to the supply and marketing cooperative, we mainly buy things like firewood, rice, oil, and salt. We've never looked at the shelves that sell other food items."
Xu Fang looked at the dried longan in her hand, finding it somewhat unbelievable. These things, which were practically worthless in the village, were actually being bought by city people at the price of rice?
As for selling them at the supply and marketing cooperative, forget about it. Aside from the long distance, even if you did bring them there, the cooperative might not accept them. Only eggs are guaranteed to be sold at the cooperative.
Most other items wouldn't be accepted by the supply and marketing cooperatives. Don't ask Xu Fang how she knew; the answer is that she's been rejected many times before.
So even if Xu Fang knew that the supply and marketing cooperative sold dried longan, there was nothing she could do. Since it had been sold before, it meant that the supply and marketing cooperative already had a source of supply.
"But it doesn't matter whether we sell them or not, the supply and marketing cooperative won't accept them from us anyway. Take as many as you like, we have plenty at home."
Zhang Yumei thought about it and realized it made sense. Wild vegetables from the countryside are sold in the market, but it's especially difficult for people in the countryside to exchange wild vegetables or dried goods for money.
That's why so many people take the risk of buying and selling on the black market. But there's already plenty here, enough to feed them for a long time.
......
A few days later, the day finally arrived for the department store to announce the list of successful applicants. Huang Qinqin originally planned to go by herself, but Zhang Yumei was worried about her going alone, so she decided to go with her to check the list before going to buy groceries.
When Huang Qinqin arrived at the department store, she felt there were even more people than on the day of the exam. She guessed that many of them, like her, had come with their families.
Zhang Yumei didn't dare let Huang Qinqin squeeze in with others, so she planned to squeeze in herself first to take a look.
He led Huang Qinqin to the shade of a tree and said, "Qinqin, wait here for a moment, Mom will go in and help you look at the list."
"Mom, no need. There are too many people now. Why don't we go buy groceries first? Everyone wants to know the results as soon as possible. There shouldn't be so many people when we come back from buying the groceries."
Zhang Yumei didn't dare let Huang Qinqin squeeze in, and Huang Qinqin didn't dare let Zhang Yumei squeeze in either. There were just too many people; if someone accidentally fell, it would be a disaster.
Whether she finds out sooner or later, the outcome won't change. Huang Qinqin is confident in herself, so she doesn't necessarily need to join in the fun.
Sure enough, when they returned to the department store after buying groceries, most of the people outside had already left.
Huang Qinqin and Zhang Yumei looked at the two lists and began to check if her name was on them.
Then Huang Qinqin discovered that the list was not published in order of grades, but seemed to be sorted by surname.
Shifting my gaze to the center, I indeed saw her name. However, only she and Huang Guiming successfully passed the sales clerk exam; Huang Jianmin, unexpectedly, passed the finance position.
Huang Qinqin said to Zhang Yumei, "Mom, I found my name. It's here, and my third cousin has also been approved."
Zhang Yumei looked in the direction Huang Qinqin was pointing and indeed saw her name.
Zhang Yumei said excitedly, "Qinqin, you're amazing! I knew you could do it! How about we go to the state-run restaurant for dinner tonight and celebrate together?"
"Okay, I'll tell Dad and the others at lunchtime that it's my treat tonight!"
Huang Qinqin thought the suggestion was good. She was also craving the braised pork from the state-run restaurant. Although she could make braised pork, she always felt that the one from the state-run restaurant tasted better.
"No need for you to treat us. We already said it's to celebrate for you, so of course Mom and Dad will pay."
Zhang Yumei grabbed Huang Qinqin and wanted to leave. She wanted to hurry back and brag about the good news to others. Ever since the people in the nearby courtyard found out that Huang Qinqin had taken the job recruitment exam, they had been making sarcastic remarks about her whenever she went out these past few days.
They said she was too ambitious, and even said that if Huang Qinqin could get a job at a department store, pigs would fly. She'd better give them a good slap in the face later!
"Mom, Mom, wait a minute. I haven't seen the logistics list yet. My cousins applied for logistics positions, so I'm checking it for them."
Zhang Yumei was so excited that she momentarily forgot that Huang Jiancai and the others had also taken the exam. The two of them went back to check the personnel list for the logistics positions.
It is gratifying that Huang Jiancai, Huang Jianhua, Li Chen (the grandson of the brigade secretary), and Zhang Yueli (Huang Jianmin's classmate) all passed the exam for logistics positions.
Although logistics staff are definitely more hardworking and earn less money than sales staff, at least they still have a job.
After seeing that everyone else had passed, Huang Qinqin even had the leisure to check if Fang Chuchu had passed as well. She couldn't find Fang Chuchu's name on the sales clerk list, but she did see it on the back-office staff list.
Huang Qinqin didn't know what to say. She thought Fang Chuchu was very confident about the sales clerk position, but this turned out to be the case.
However, Fang Chuchu knows Manager Gao of the department store, so even if she were to work in logistics, she would probably be given an easier position.
......
Fang Chuchu, the other half, felt her heart break. She had set off early in the morning to check the list, but after looking at the salesperson list several times, she still couldn't find her name.
Although she passed the logistics position in the end, she still felt very sad. She thought she would definitely become a sales clerk, but reality gave her a harsh slap in the face.
When Fang Hui returned at noon, he saw Fang Chuchu looking utterly dejected. Holding Nuonuo, he asked, "What's wrong with you now? Didn't the department store release the list today?"
"You didn't fail the exam, did you?"
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