Qiao Yu praised the director of the Women's Federation all the way to his own yard, and the two of them worked together to reclaim the front yard and plant seeds.
The director of the Women's Federation finished her work: ...
Shouldn't she be sitting in the office with an enamelware mug, occasionally brewing a cup of tea to relieve her boredom? Why did she let this girl trick her into coming here to work?
Her arms and legs were old, and she only felt the pain in her body after she finished her work.
All the pleasure of chatting with Qiao Yu before was gone.
Qiao Yu saw the director of the Women's Federation come back to her, and she didn't feel guilty, but just couldn't bear it: "Director, how about staying for a meal?"
"No need! Food is scarce these days, keep it for yourself!"
A familiar spirit came, and Qiao Yu followed up with a strong voice: "With a leader like the director, the Women's Federation will surely go further and further in the future! He is a good example for the Women's Federation! And also a role model for the people!"
The director of the Women's Federation was very moved. After being discharged from the hospital and seeing that the sun was still shining, she went back to the office and called Mr. Zhang.
"Captain, your granddaughter is incredible..."
For dinner, Qiao Yu prepared rice flour and vegetable balls, let the children take a bath, and then made them a bowl of malt milk.
She had no shortage of malted milk during these three months. She bought several bottles and placed them in the master bedroom. She also made a copy of a spoonful every day and added the copied spoonful to the malted milk. After a month, it was equivalent to one extra bottle. What was originally enough to last her two and a half months could now last her three months.
If there weren't many kids in the family, an average family would need to use so many cans for at least two years.
Slept all night.
Qiao Yu didn't stay in bed and got up early in the morning.
The children are still sleeping.
I packed my things, put the money in a space, and went to look for Wang Zhaodi carrying a large backpack.
The backpack was covered with a dark black cloth to prevent anyone from peeping and to facilitate her moving the things she had exchanged. The dark black cloth was made by sewing the original owner's old rags.
Wang Zhaodi happened to be out and bumped into Qiao Yu.
"I was just about to come find you."
Qiao Yu smiled and said, "What a coincidence."
Xiao Zhao was not leaving the island today, so they didn't get a ride and could only walk to the pier.
After walking for an hour or two, we finally saw the ship.
The pier was also heavily guarded. After checking Qiao Yu and the other's ID, the soldier gave a standard military salute: "Hello, sister-in-law!"
Wang Zhaodi didn't say anything, as if she was used to it.
Qiao Yu smiled and said, "Hello comrades, thank you for your hard work!"
After boarding the boat, Wang Zhaodi said, "Your behavior..."
Qiao Yu pretended to be nervous: "What's wrong, sister-in-law? Is there something wrong? My friend told me that I should not be nervous no matter where I am, otherwise I will be looked down upon. Sister-in-law, you also know that I am from the country... Hey, so if there is anything wrong, please give me some advice."
What could Wang Zhaodi say? She could only shake her head.
Qiao Yu certainly did nothing wrong.
It's just that she, a military wife, behaves like a leader...which makes the soldiers feel awkward.
Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, fishermen along the coast made a living by fishing. Although private operation is not allowed now, fishermen still have legal markets to operate by "exchanging money for things."
Coastal cities were key development areas in the early days of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the 1980s. Time flies like a flash, and people living here can most clearly feel the transformation from bungalows to high-rise buildings.
Qiao Yu and Wang Zhaodi walked for an unknown amount of time before they finally arrived at the so-called market.
What are the benefits of living along the coast?
There is no shortage of food in years of famine.
But food remains expensive.
Seafood is cheap, dried kelp, dried shrimp, dried squid, scallops...
The prices are still very cheap, especially for dried kelp and dried shrimps, which you can buy for just a few cents a pound. Dried squid, scallops, and abalone, which are rare, are more expensive, a few yuan a pound. No one is interested in the expensive ones, but Qiao Yu is the one who has no shortage of money.
Wang Zhaodi saw that she was generous and said, "I'll go look somewhere else. There are fresh goods over there. After we buy some, we can meet at the market entrance?"
"Yes, okay, auntie!"
She bought dry goods by the pound. Turning the corner, she found another street. She emptied her backpack and pretended that she had not bought anything before, and went on another shopping spree.
There were many people in the market, and everyone was walking in a hurry. No one looked at each other, so Qiao Yu walked more boldly.
When she arrived at the wet market, she saw crabs, live shrimps and marine fish...
Qiao Yu swallowed his saliva and said, "I can't take this with me."
When the stall owner saw her attire and green eyes, he knew there was something fishy going on and immediately promoted his wares: "Are you a military wife who just came to join the army?"
Qiao Yu was a little surprised, "Is it obvious?"
"Hey! All the military wives here have such temperament." The stall owner gave a thumbs up.
What I actually thought in my heart was: He is superior and looks down on ordinary people.
But the lady in front of me didn't have that kind of arrogance, her eyes were clear, and her behavior was generous...
Not like ordinary people, nor like an ordinary military wife.
Qiao Yu just listened to the stall owner's words and said, "I like your things, but I can't take them away, which is a big problem."
"How much do you want?"
"I want both."
“You want all of them?!”
"Um."
"Well, you want a lot of stuff. I can ask my son to help deliver it to the island, but he can only deliver it to the gate of the military base. They can't get in, so you have to ask someone to carry it."
"Okay, it's a deal!"
Qiao Yu is not worried that some people will go back on their words these days, especially when the other party takes the initiative to pay half of the price first and the remaining half will be paid after the goods are delivered.
Qiao Yu came to the market entrance carrying things to meet Wang Zhaodi.
Wang Zhaodi wiped her sweat with a handkerchief. "It's already this late. If we go back, we'll have to cook a new meal. Why don't we go to the state-owned hotel and have a bowl of seafood noodles?"
Joe, no problem.
No tickets required for seafood noodles!
Qiao Yu felt very happy. After splitting the bill with Wang Zhaodi, he ate a bowl of hot seafood noodles and replenished the energy he had consumed in the morning.
"The food cooked by the chef of the state-owned hotel is delicious. My food tastes like pig food, but I am glad that the children don't despise me."
"No, the sweet potato pancakes you brought over are delicious."
Qiao Yu: "Of course it tastes better if it has sugar and milk powder. As for making sweet potato cakes, I can guarantee that my skills are definitely not as good as yours, sister-in-law."
Wang Zhaodi felt relieved after listening to this and became more talkative with Qiao Yu on the way back.
After returning to the troops on the island, Qiao Yu put the dried seafood in a space, but not in the black box.
There was not enough space in the black box to copy the scarce materials, and it would be redundant to copy these seafood that could be bought everywhere. She had money on hand, so it was more cost-effective to buy than to copy.
At noon, I cut potatoes and sweet potatoes and steamed them, which became the staple food.
The dish is a large cabbage, stir-fry it with oil, add hot water to make it milky white, then throw in a few washed shrimps, and you have a pot of delicious cabbage and shrimp soup.
When the children came back, Qiao Yu yelled at them, "Wash your hands!"
Several children went to wash their hands at the faucet, and then came to serve the dishes.