Around 3 p.m., a worker in Workshop 2 suffered a minor injury. Wei Hong and Jiang Yuping treated and bandaged the injured worker's wounds together.
Then, until the end of the workday, the two best friends did almost nothing.
Qiu Shui and Qiu Shou kept their promise and arrived at the infirmary before leaving get off work, then returned to the dormitory area with Jiang Yuping.
A family of three was riding a bicycle into the dormitory area when they heard a loud 'thud'.
Jiang Yuping, who had already gotten off the bus in front of the dormitory area gate, was startled.
Looking further in the direction of the sound, one could see an elderly man making popcorn at the base of the boiler room wall in the dormitory area.
That loud bang just now was from a pot of popcorn being popped in the popcorn pot.
The old man was surrounded by about a dozen adults and children. Many of the adults and children were carrying porcelain jars or small basins, which contained rice or corn. Some of the people who had already popped the rice were carrying fragrant popcorn home.
Upon seeing popcorn during the autumn harvest, he asked his mother for some.
"Mom, I want to eat popcorn too. Dad brought back a bag from the town last time. It was so delicious."
Jiang Yuping certainly remembered that her husband and Deputy Director Zheng Yanshi had visited the injured workers in Yushan Township. When they returned, they brought back a bag of popcorn, which the children ate for two days. That bag of popcorn still seemed to linger in her mind.
"If you want to eat, just go home and get some rice to make a pot."
Jiang Yuping agreed and glanced at the popcorn.
What made Jiang Yuping feel strange was that just as she looked at the popcorn vendor, the vendor also happened to be looking in her direction.
Jiang Yuping's heart skipped a beat. Having received training in her youth, Jiang Yuping suddenly had a bad feeling, just like when she first met Liu Han on the mountaintop.
But this feeling quickly disappeared, and Jiang Yuping didn't think too much about it, taking her two children home.
Qiu Chan was overjoyed to see her mother, sister, and brother return home together, and came up to greet them affectionately.
Jiang Yuping looked at Qiu Chan and asked:
"Autumn Cicada, what did you eat for lunch?"
morning,
Qiu Shui took Qiu Shou to the factory clinic, leaving Qiu Chan alone at home.
When Qiu Chan rode her bicycle to the guesthouse after the autumn harvest, Jiang Yuping called home and told her to make herself something to eat for lunch. There were some flatbreads, pickled vegetables and dried radishes in the cupboard, and Qiu Chan made do with that for lunch.
"Mom, I did as you said. I ate the pancake, had some pickled vegetables and dried radish, and drank a bottle of soda."
The cicada didn't feel wronged at all; on the contrary, it had a happy expression on its face.
At that time, her younger brother's face was covered in blood. Qiu Shui took her brother to the infirmary. She felt that she was really useless and could not help.
"Just make sure you don't go hungry. Go get some corn or rice and go with your brother to the boiler room to make popcorn."
After Jiang Yuping finished speaking, she went into the kitchen to prepare dinner for the children.
Regardless of her husband Qiu Jingwen's current situation, life must go on, and the children still need to eat. Besides, the radio broadcast said that her husband Qiu Jingwen was away on a business trip.
Although Jiang Yuping knew there must be something fishy going on, she didn't want to think about it too much.
What's meant to come will come eventually; many things are beyond Jiang Yuping's control.
Since her husband sacrificed himself for her, she has an even greater responsibility and obligation to take good care of the children. Only then can she be worthy of her husband taking the blame for her.
Qiu Shou and Qiu Chan took a porcelain jar of rice downstairs to pop popcorn, while Qiu Shui went into her bedroom, turned on the electric fan, lay on the bed, crossed her legs, and enjoyed the story and plot of the novel in the cool breeze.
The days passed by at a leisurely pace.
The Qiu family also spent countless days and nights in a long wait.
Although the factory clarified that Qiu Jingwen was away on official business, for Jiang Yuping, those days and nights truly felt like an eternity.
To Jiang Yuping's great surprise and delight, five days later, around ten o'clock in the morning, while she was sitting in her office lost in thought, she suddenly received a call from her husband.
Qiu Jingwen told Jiang Yuping over the phone that he would be able to return to the Hongqi Factory and home that evening.
For Jiang Yuping, this news was like a dream, a dream full of joy and happiness.
She didn't ask many questions on the phone, but said with tears in her eyes:
"Yes, Jingwen, is that you?"
"Yu Ping, can't you recognize my voice?"
"Jingwen, is this true?"
Jiang Yuping asked the question while sobbing.
"Yu Ping, it's genuine. I'm going home for dinner tonight."
"Yes, I recognize your voice, it's you, my love."
"I'm sorry, Yuping, for making you and the children worry and be afraid."
“I’m so happy. I’ll go to the market to buy some vegetables in a bit and cook you a few dishes tonight so you can have a couple of drinks. The kids miss you a lot, and I miss you too.”
As Jiang Yuping spoke, tears streamed down her face.
Unbeknownst to her, Qiu Jingwen was also in tears on the other end of the phone.
"Yuping, I miss the children too, and I miss you too!"
"Alright then, the kids and I will wait for you at home! By the way, what exactly happened? Didn't you tell Shao Jian to---?"
"Yuping, let's not talk about this on the phone. I'll tell you when we get home, okay?"
"Okay, I understand. I'll wait for you to come home."
"I'm hanging up now. I miss you, Yuping."
After Qiu Jingwen hung up the phone, Jiang Yuping covered her face and wept.
She had many doubts and questions in her mind, but she knew that everything would have to wait until her husband came home, and only her husband could tell her what was going on.
At this moment, for Jiang Yuping, everything else can wait.
It's more important than anything else for her husband to call and tell her he'll be home that evening.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
