Chapter 49 In short, in June of Longcheng, this place...
"Um, you're looking for my grandpa, right? He's delivering pancakes to the Liangpi shop across the street."
Seeing Qin Yang suddenly coming over, Chen Pan, who was wearing a skirt for the first time in her life, felt a little shy and embarrassed. Although she didn't know why she was like this, she was a little at a loss at the moment.
"Well, I'll give you the money then. The price will remain the same as before, and if the item doesn't sell for a few months, I'll still return it to you."
Taking a look at Chen Pan's high braided hair and the rare dress she wore, Qin Yang hurried over and coughed lightly. Then, across the glass counter, he quickly handed the money and note to Chen Pan.
"Okay, everything will be done as before. Thank you for your help."
With Grandpa away, Chen Pan was going to shoulder the responsibility. He looked at his grandmother, who was being held by a familiar neighbor not far away, and the now quiet Liangpi (cold noodle) shop across the street. He took the money from the neighbor and quickly counted it.
Having been in business for so long, Chen Pan has become incredibly fast at counting money. She can usually tell the authenticity of the money in her hand with just a touch. Furthermore, while there are 50- and 100-yuan notes these days, they're rarely used. Most of the notes Qin Yang gives her are 5- and 10-yuan notes, and 1- and 2-yuan notes, which are rarely counterfeit. After briefly checking for a few 10- and 5-yuan notes, Chen Pan ignores the rest. So, within a dozen seconds of Qin Yang giving her the money, she's already counted it all.
"It's okay. This is mutually beneficial. My family also makes money. And you help my family so much. This is what I should do."
Thinking of the flour and cooking oil sent by the Chen family, although they were a bit more expensive than other regular brands, there were indeed people who specifically bought them. This was also a way to attract customers to their store, so Qin Yang smiled more sincerely.
"I still have to say thank you, by the way——"
Chen Pan was about to say something while holding the money when a large truck stopped in front of the Qin family's store.
"Panpan, let's talk next time. I'm going to sell some goods. By the way, your skirt is very beautiful."
As factories in Liuping Town grew in number, so too did the number of large trucks. Drivers of these large trucks were presumed to be wealthy.
Qin Yang hurried over to greet them, and things turned out just as he'd expected. The long-distance truck driver, who was about to leave the province to deliver goods, took three cartons of cigarettes, three boxes of instant noodles, three boxes of mineral water, a box of ham, a box of Babaozhen, a box of kelp shreds, and a box of biscuits from him.
Qin Yang chatted with the man for a while and learned that he was going to Tibet to deliver a shipment and would have to go to Golmud after that. Finally, he thought about it and gave him a large cotton-padded jacket that his family hadn't sold yet as a gift.
"Brother, you've seen that we're having a promotion recently. Since you've spent so much, I should give you a four-piece suit or a double blanket. But you've come so far, and I saw you put a blanket in the passenger seat. I don't think a four-piece suit or a blanket would be of much use to you. If you trust me, take this, or pick out a pair of cotton shoes you can wear."
It's July now, but it can snow in Tibet even in June. I've heard the sandstorms in Golmud are incredibly strong. This cotton coat of mine is a leftover from our family and looks a bit old, but it was worth thirty yuan back then. It has wool inside, so it's definitely more practical than anything else.
While Qin Yang was counting money with a calculator, he was recommending the army green cotton coat he had just taken out to the other party.
"I originally came here for the blanket, but like you said, I already have a quilt and blanket in the car, so I don't think I'll need this. So I'll listen to you this time and take your big cotton coat."
The driver was actually an old acquaintance of the Qin family's shop. He knew that Qin Yang's shop had been open for many years and that drivers often came to pick up goods from his shop. He felt that although Qin Yang was young, he had been here for a long time and often interacted with drivers. Perhaps he was more familiar with the weather in Tibet than Qin Yang himself. So the driver, who often went to Golmud, Qinghai, but had never been to Tibet or Inner Mongolia, decided to listen to Qin Yang.
"Yes, take it with you just in case. If you're going into Tibet, it's definitely not okay to take only a sweater and a spring coat."
After quoting a price to the other party, Qin Yang started to calculate the price for the driver again.
The tradition here is that if there are too many items, the store owner will count them again in front of the customers.
The driver, a man in his forties wearing a red vest, thought about the things he had placed on the passenger seat. He was impressed by Qin Yang's amazing observation skills, then he perked up and watched him carefully calculate the account.
Finally, he saw Qin Yang take out another piece of paper and start writing down his expenses one by one, which was like giving him a simple purchase receipt, and he was even more satisfied.
"Brother, have you bought a flashlight and lighter? This is such a long road, and only bringing matches might not be safe. If this is your first time in Tibet, I suggest you go to the small clinic up ahead and buy some glucose, cold medicine, and diarrhea medicine. Also, you should have a military shovel and a tow rope in the car, right? Do you have snow chains and a spare tire? Have you checked them?"
In addition to winter clothes, I think you should also buy a sun hat and a mask. After all, the weather in Golmud and Tibet is very changeable. You might encounter scorching sun and dust during the day, and then plummet to below zero at night. Also, do you have enough toilet paper? This is also very important!
"Wow, if you hadn't told me, I'd forgotten about buying medicine and tissues. I have a flashlight, brother, can you get me two more batteries, no, four. I also have a hat and a mask, a military shovel and a rope. Can you also get me a box of toilet paper, and anti-skid chains? I really don't have these prepared, I'll take a look at them later."
After buying a lot of things at the Happiness Store, the driver went to the drugstore in front. There happened to be a car repair shop there. The middle-aged driver hesitated for a moment after buying the medicine, and finally went into the car repair shop which was very close.
Looking at the truck that drove away from the Qin family's door and stopped at the corner in front, Grandma Chen and the two old ladies next to her talked about how truck drivers are really rich nowadays.
While grandma was chatting with a few old ladies outside and watching the store together.
In the small room inside, after giving the money Qin Yang had just given her to her grandfather, Chen Pan expressed her desire to return to Qingshui Village tomorrow.
"Sure, you want to go see your good friend Meimei, right? But have you said hello to her in advance? Don't rush over, because she might be working in the fields or visiting other relatives. And how long do you plan to stay this time? Although we have everything at home, we live at the entrance of the village after all, which is not as safe as inside the village. Plus, with the New Year and the Li family's affairs, I'd prefer you stay for three or four days. Visit your friends, visit your great-grandfather and second-grandfather's homes, and then go to the town fair, and then come back."
On June 6th, I went to meet my aunt and cooked new wheat buns with mutton.
In Longcheng, on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, there used to be a custom for married girls to return home and spend some time together.
I don't know when this day started, but it gradually became June 6th, when married girls would go home to visit their parents.
In order to accompany parents, many places in Longcheng hold various gatherings and parties starting from June 6th. This is to encourage married girls to go home and spend time with their parents, which is the so-called "Long June 6th".
The so-called "wave on June 6th" does not mean wave for one day, but wave for the whole month of June.
In many places in Longcheng, there are various gatherings in June, just for everyone to have fun.
On June 6th, some places in Longcheng celebrate the authentic festival of returning to one's parents' home. But in other places, June 6th is a day for people to hold flower festivals, sing, have fun, and find partners.
Even though Longcheng looks small and poor to outsiders, for the local people of Longcheng, the customs and cultural and entertainment activities in each county, township, town and village are still very different and rich.
In short, in June in Longcheng, there's a big market held on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th of each month, and smaller markets held on the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th of each month. There's a flower fair held here every few days, and somewhere else, there's a Tianfu Festival, which also runs from the 6th of June until the end of the month.
It was precisely because there were so many festivals in June that Grandpa Chen couldn't help but tell Chen Pan seriously about the date she would be back, as he was afraid that his granddaughter would go out and play wildly after a few days, or would be dragged to attend a flower show.
"Well, let me confirm this with Meimei. Grandpa, please wait for me. I'll call Meimei right now."
In fact, Chen Pan had already had a rough idea of what she would do after returning home recently. However, she did need to discuss this matter with Yang Xiaomei before making other arrangements.
After hurriedly saying something to his grandfather, Chen Pan went to the Qin family grocery store next door to make a phone call.
Even though it was already past three in the afternoon, there were still many people in the Qin family store today.
Many people were discussing the so-called activities and membership cards, and some were asking Qin Yang whether the activity really only lasted for three days.
"Let me make a phone call!"
Qin Yang and the others didn't need to worry too much about making phone calls. Chen Pan said something to the other party from a distance and then picked up the phone.
Just like before, Chen Pan explained her desire to find Yang Xiaomei to the supply and marketing cooperative owner within a minute. Then she hung up the phone and waited.
Yang Xiaomei's home is above the supply and marketing cooperative. Even if the boss of the supply and marketing cooperative could immediately ask someone outside to pass on the message, it would take Yang Xiaomei at least ten minutes to come over and call her back.
If the other party happens not to be at home, or the person whom the supply and marketing cooperative boss asked to pass on the message is busy with other things or temporarily forgets about the matter, this time may be extended infinitely.
Anyway, Chen Pan decided that she would wait here for fifteen minutes.
If the other party doesn't return the call within fifteen minutes, she will call again, and then ask Boss Du to write down the phone number of Qin's grocery store, and then have Yang Xiaomei call her back slowly.
If it were any other time, Chen Pan would definitely just stand outside and wait.
But now there are people in their shop, and there are also several customers in Qin Yang’s grocery store.
Chen Pan had no qualms and went straight into the Qin family's grocery store to start shopping seriously.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
