"who!"
In the darkness, two tall, muscular figures approached one after the other, and familiar faces appeared in the dim light of the flashlight.
"It's you guys?" Xie Yuyao was a little surprised and asked in bewilderment, "You didn't even turn on a light, you scared me half to death!"
Zhao Jianbin chuckled, "Don't you even know whose doorstep you're standing in? Who would dare to cause trouble here?"
Xie Yuyao laughed and shone her flashlight on the house next door. "Is this your home?"
"My home," Zhao Honghui said succinctly.
“My house is just over there.” Zhao Jianbin pointed and looked intently at Yang Shumei. “I’ve made up my mind. I’ll pick up my textbooks again starting tomorrow. Give me some time, and I’m sure I can master the high school knowledge.”
Knowing the inside story, Xie Yuyao said with a charming smile, "Time waits for no one, so you'd better hurry up."
The college entrance examination will be held in two years. If I miss the first college entrance examination, I will no longer be able to take the college entrance examination after that if I only have a junior high school education.
Zhao Jianbin has a good job and it's unlikely he can take time off to study for a high school degree. He only has two short years left.
"I will."
Just as Zhao Jianbin finished speaking, Li Weidong walked over carrying a large bag of vegetables.
"What are you two doing here?" Li Weidong had barely finished speaking when he realized before he could answer, "I almost forgot, you live nearby."
He opened the bag in his hand and said to Xie Yuyao, "Aunt Tian packed a big bag of vegetables for you, and also a lot of eggs."
"Aunt Tian is too kind." Xie Yuyao peeked inside and saw that the bag contained taro, green beans, lotus root and other vegetables that the educated youth compound did not grow, as well as seven or eight eggs in a small bag.
"You ate separately?" Zhao Honghui noticed the implication in Li Weidong's words and frowned slightly. It seemed that the dispute between the female educated youth was not ordinary.
Xie Yuyao nodded and said cheerfully, "Yes, Shumei and I cook together."
“Then I’ll chop wood and fetch water for you,” Zhao Jianbin immediately replied, as he couldn’t bear to see Yang Shumei do such hard labor.
Yang Shumei: "No need."
After hearing this, Zhao Jianbin didn't say anything more, secretly thinking to himself.
Zhao Honghui turned to Li Weidong and asked, "What do you want with the captain?"
Li Weidong: "Xie Zhiqing and Yang Zhiqing wanted to build a house together."
Where do you plan to build it?
"The backyard of the educated youth settlement is relatively safe."
Zhao Honghui nodded. It seemed that the disputes among the female educated youth were more serious than he had imagined. They should build houses and separate their areas as soon as possible.
He asked a few more questions about the house-building arrangements, and after understanding the details, he said, "Tomorrow I will take the note to the commune's brick factory, and once it's approved, I'll send it back by truck."
"this......"
"Wouldn't it be inappropriate to use the transport team's trucks? We male educated youths can push carts to transport the goods."
Xie Yuyao and Li Weidong spoke at the same time.
"It's no big deal, you just wait to receive the bricks."
"Thank you very much then." Seeing that Zhao Honghui wouldn't make things difficult for her, Yang Shumei expressed her gratitude. With the truck, she wouldn't have to spend so much time and effort.
"You're welcome."
Xie Yuyao: "Then we'll head back now."
The nights in Northeast China were already chilly at this time of year. They stood and chatted for quite a while, deciding to talk about what they had to say tomorrow.
With a look of reluctance in his eyes, Zhao Jianbin told Yang Shumei, "Be careful on the road."
"Um"
Xie Yuyao and the other two then left with flashlights.
Watching them walk away, Zhao Jianbin nudged his older cousin with his elbow and said with a sheepish grin, "Big brother, thank you!"
"Um?"
“I know you helped Yang Zhiqing transport the bricks because of me. We’ll treat you to drinks once the house is built.”
My eldest cousin remains as honest as ever; he understands!
Zhao Honghui gave him a meaningful look, then raised the corners of his mouth and said, "Go back."
As soon as he finished speaking, he strode home with his long legs, his light steps reflecting his mood.
*
After Xie Yuyao and the other two returned to the educated youth settlement, they washed up and rested, and the night passed without incident.
The next day, Li Weidong and Secretary Liu were going to visit several units in the commune to solicit orders. They had already agreed to first assess the situation in Hongqi Commune before expanding to other areas.
Xie Yuyao handed over all the remaining dried fruit from the first batch to Li Weidong and asked him to make arrangements.
"Oh, right, I brought some dried fruit for the children to try."
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Yan objected again: "No way! These dried fruits are for giving away as samples, there's no extra to give to a little kid like you."
"These large, unpitted fruits are only suitable for bulk sales; we don't need that many for tasting."
After listening to Xie Yuyao's explanation, Jiang Yan said again, "But all of these have to be converted into money. If you take a little and he takes a little, how can we make money?"
“That makes sense. Let’s weigh it then, and I’ll pay for it.”
Jiang Yan wasn't wrong; a partnership should have rules and regulations. She was oversimplifying things.
Jiang Yan, who thought she had the upper hand, arrogantly said, "Some people only think about taking advantage of everyone. If I hadn't pointed it out, everyone would have been at a disadvantage."
"Brother Li, let's weigh these first few pounds of small fruits and calculate the price separately."
Xie Yuyao's casual words caused Jiang Yan's face to flush red and then pale. She stretched out her fingers and counted the prices of the large and small fruits, realizing that Xie Yuyao had not suffered any loss, while she had lost out.
She was so angry that her cheeks, which were still not completely swollen, puffed up like a toad.
Li Zhiqing chuckled inwardly and granted their wish.
After weighing the fruit and having Wu Lihong write down the numbers, Li Weidong took the two kinds of dried fruit out the door.
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