Sister-in-law Wang's eyes lit up, and her voice rose eight octaves.
"That's great! If anyone can help me sell these flowers and make money, I'm willing to give them half!"
Anyway, the flowers in her yard were growing wildly, and even if they weren't sold, they would just wither away at the base of the wall.
But she was still uneasy and kept asking while fiddling with the hem of her clothes.
"But who is that person you're talking about? Is she the woman from our residential compound? Is she reliable?"
Zhou Qiqi reached out and patted the back of her hand, responding gently.
"Although he's not from our institute, I can guarantee that his character is absolutely impeccable. But I need to ask him first to see if he's willing to lend a hand."
Sister-in-law Wang was overjoyed and immediately urged them to start.
"Okay, okay! You'd better reply to me quickly. If it works out, I'll go and collect more clay pots and divide up all the spider plants that have burst their pots at home."
Zhou Qiqi had nothing to do at the moment, so after seeing the two off, she went to the phone booth again.
It's the busy season for farming right now, and Sister Zhao spends most of her time working in the fields, except for helping deliver goat milk early in the morning.
Hearing the loudspeaker in the broadcast room calling for her to answer the phone, she hurried over with her hoe, panting, and grabbed the receiver within minutes.
Zhou Qiqi explained the flower-selling business in a few words, and added a sentence at the end.
“If you have a lot of work to do in the fields, then forget it. But we don’t even know if this business will make any money yet. We can’t let this delay the autumn harvest.”
There was a rustling sound coming from the other end of the phone. Sister Zhao wiped the sweat from her forehead with her rough hands and nodded vigorously.
"Of course I'm willing! How could I not be! I finished my work in my own fields a long time ago. I've been busy these past few days helping out in other people's fields!"
Zhou Qiqi was surprised, "You finished so quickly?"
“Yes, before the village distributed land last year, my husband had just passed away, and my father-in-law was mentally unstable. We were an orphan and a widow, so we didn’t get much land.”
Sister Zhao lowered her voice.
For the sake of the collective good, the village allocated land according to the number of laborers. She was the only able-bodied person in her family, and being from a different family, the small amount of land she was allocated was simply not enough for her family to make a living.
That's why she started a donkey cart business.
He's currently working for others, hoping to get some grain in the fall.
However, everyone was struggling financially, and the amount they could spare for her was very limited.
"If I could do business, I would definitely be happy to!"
Sister Zhao, who is usually straightforward, couldn't help but sniffle at this moment.
"Qiqi, I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"What are you talking about?"
Sister Zhao is a kind person, and Zhou Qiqi had been thinking of helping her for a while.
I had asked her before if she wanted to set up a stall, but her family was dirt poor and her cooking skills were only so-so, so selling food was definitely not an option.
She could sell clothes, but as a rural woman, she wouldn't know anything about fashionable styles.
Just when I was having a headache, this opportunity came along.
The two agreed that Sister Zhao would come to the military dependents' area tomorrow to discuss with Sister Wang how to manage the flowers and plants.
Before hanging up, Zhou Qiqi added, "You should practice selling flowers first; you never know when it might come in handy later!"
Sister Zhao nodded repeatedly on the other end, her throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton.
"Okay! I'll do my best! I won't let you down!"
The two were having a pleasant conversation.
Meanwhile, in the clinic, Qiu Chunfang was also shaking Lin Yao's arm.
"Your house is completely bare, the stove is cold and you can't even eat. Go to your aunt's for lunch! We're really close relatives, we should visit each other more often!"
Lin Yao went to Qiu Chunfang's place once, and she could feel the stench of a foot in her mouth as soon as she closed her eyes. She definitely never wanted to go there again.
She mumbled, "Some other time, I have to report to the logistics department today."
She arrived late last night, and the logistics department gave her some daily necessities first, but the formal procedures haven't been completed yet.
Qiu Chunfang pursed her lips and shook her head.
"What a coincidence! You didn't know, did you? Zhou Qiqi lives right next door to me! I was hoping to drag you over to see her when she's dizzy!"
Lin Yao had already turned to leave, but after hearing what she said, she turned back.
"My aunt is so hospitable, I'll go then. It's not too late to register this afternoon."
After saying that, she turned around and went back into the house. She took out a new set of clothes from her suitcase, stretched the hem, and turned around twice in front of the mirror.
Qiu Chunfang stared in astonishment and gave a thumbs up.
"Tsk tsk, so bright and stylish! That red shirt and green skirt, it looks amazing! She's definitely a city girl, so much more fashionable than the girls in our compound!"
"This shirt was bought from the Friendship Store, and the skirt was brought back from Hong Kong by someone my brother asked."
Lin Yao stretched out her skirt, a surge of determination welling up inside her.
Last time at the military hospital, I didn't dress up and lost to Zhou Qiqi. This time I'm going to get my revenge!
As the two walked along, Lin Yao looked at this desolate place with no shops whatsoever and felt increasingly annoyed.
Qiu Chunfang kept talking about how Zhou Qiqi was being laughed at, and led the way forward without touching the ground.
As they approached the tenement building, Lin Yao pinched her nose, trying to squeeze inside, when Qiu Chunfang grabbed her.
"Hey, you've gone to the wrong place! Our house is over there—"
She pointed to a row of small courtyards not far away.
Lin Yao was stunned. "Isn't your man a battalion commander? How can he live in a small courtyard?"
Whenever this is mentioned, Qiu Chunfang stands up straight and shows off with a swaying head.
"It's because there are many children in the family and the situation is special. The old commander gave it special permission! Your uncle is highly regarded in the army and has a bright future! Last time I went to your house, your parents didn't believe me. You'll have to talk to them about it later..."
She was talking animatedly, but Lin Yao didn't hear a word she said; her face was so dark it could drip water.
"You live in a small courtyard, so Shen Huaichuan and Zhou Qiqi... also live in a small courtyard?"
When she came two years ago, wasn't Shen Huaichuan's family living in a tenement building?
It's even worse than the clinic dormitory she's currently living in. How come she's living in a small courtyard now?
This sudden turn of events left her feeling somewhat uneasy.
Qiu Chunfang didn't notice her unpleasant expression and just kept pulling her into the yard.
"That's right! The house on the left is mine, and the one with the door open in the middle is theirs. Come on, come on, don't stand outside. I specially borrowed a can of tea from your uncle's office, you should try some!"
Lin Yao was reluctantly pulled into the courtyard by her, and they walked around inside and out.
The yard was dusty and gloomy, with only a bare, leafless tree. The house consisted of a few brick rooms, with no toilet or shower room, and a vegetable garden in the backyard.
She pursed her lips. Although this place was more spacious than the tenement building, it was no different from the countryside and far inferior to her two-story house in the city. She immediately felt much better.
Suddenly, she noticed an old ladder leaning against the wall, its paint all peeling off. On a whim, Lin Yao lifted her skirt and climbed up, peering into Zhou Qiqi's yard.
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