“Uncle Li Jiu, you’re sneaking around behind me. If others see you, they might misunderstand something.”
Uncle Li then stepped forward confidently. Luo Jingyan glanced at him and asked, "Is there something you need?"
Uncle Li was stunned for a moment, then stammered for a long time before finally speaking: "I want to know, what's the difference between your brewing recipe and mine, and why your wine tastes better than mine?" Actually, it tastes much better.
Luo Jingyan shook her head: "Uncle Jiu, my recipe is a family heirloom. You should know the rules of this industry. How can you just casually tell others your family recipe? Wouldn't that be ruining your own livelihood?"
Uncle Li nodded: "I know, I know."
But he was very fond of studying wine and still wanted to know its secrets. When Luo Jingyan wouldn't tell him, he found other ways to find out.
“Young Master Luo, I used to be the brewer in our brigade. Although I’m old now and retired a long time ago, I’m still better at brewing than those young people. So, I’d like to contribute to the distillery once our brigade gets approved for collective economic development. How about I help you out?”
Luo Jingyan smiled; it was rare for the usually tough old man to bow his head to her.
"Alright, Uncle Jiu, you are a senior, and I am sure there is still a lot I can learn from you. I hope you will be generous in giving me your guidance when the time comes."
These words successfully pleased Uncle Li Jiu. The old man loved being flattered and enjoyed hearing nice things.
"That's easy, don't worry, Luo Zhiqing, there's absolutely no problem."
He'll become Luo Jingyan's apprentice then. Hehe, with his cunning and shrewdness, he'll learn the technique by coaxing and deceiving her.
After nearly a month of airing and ventilation, Luo Jingyan's newly built house is almost completely dry.
At this time, the houses were built using the most primitive building materials. Even the paint on the interior walls was made of yellow mud and wheat bran, which contained no air pollutants and no carcinogens such as formaldehyde.
Before moving, she had Zhang Laibao install all the doors and gates that had been made. At the same time, she cleaned the house inside and out, tidied up the yard, and cleared out all the broken adobe bricks and straw. The house was spotless. Once the things were moved in, this would be her and Luo Changtian's new home.
Because Luo Changtian had to go to school during the day, she told him the news two days in advance, asking him to pack his things so he could move them when the time came.
She originally wanted to borrow the team's tractor to haul things, but since there weren't many things, using a tractor would be a waste of its capabilities. The tractor's bucket was too high, making loading and unloading inconvenient, so she found the team's oxcart instead.
Zhuang Feifei saw Luo Jingyan call over Grandpa Zhang at the door. She realized that Luo Jingyan might be moving. They had built the house together, so if Luo Jingyan was moving, she had to move too.
She walked over and asked, "Luo Jingyan, are you moving?"
Luo Jingyan glared at her but ignored her.
Grandpa Zhang said, "Luo, the educated youth, is moving, and she asked me to drive here to help her move her things."
Not to be outdone by Luo Jingyan, Zhuang Feifei said, "Uncle Zhang, I'm moving too. Can you move first?"
Grandpa Zhang immediately refused her: "How can that be? Luo Zhiqing contacted me first, I have to help her first."
"Uncle Zhang, how much did Luo Zhiqing pay you? I'll pay you double."
Fortunately, she still had some supplies and 20,000 to 30,000 yuan in her space. Compared to her, Luo Jingyan was penniless.
Luo Jingyan immediately rolled up her sleeves. "Zhuang Feifei, are you deliberately trying to pick a fight again?"
Grandpa Zhang, fearing a conflict between the two, quickly intervened, saying, "Both of you, don't get angry. Zhuang, I promised to help Luo with her things first. No matter how much money you offer me, I'll help Luo first. We can talk about yours after I've finished helping Luo."
Zhuang Feifei was a little indignant. Grandpa Zhang was unmoved by the money, and she couldn't withstand Luo Jingyan's fists, so she had no choice but to agree: "Alright then, but if you do it for her and then for me, I won't give you that much payment."
"Give it what you're supposed to give it; I'm an old man, I can't go back on my word."
Zhuang Feifei cursed Zhang Daye for being out of touch with reality, then returned to her dormitory.
When the educated youth were loading things onto the oxcart at the educated youth settlement, Jiang Manyue, Sun Tiantian, and Ning Peipei all came to help. Grandpa Zhang, who was driving the cart, also helped her carry things. When Tong Jianxin and Sun Guoqing saw this, they quickly came over to help her with the larger items.
With a few hands working together, it didn't take long for them to move all of her and Luo Changtian's belongings.
Then we had to go with her to her new house to unload her things.
Luo Jingyan gave them milk candy and melon seeds, and also gave each of them two apples as a thank you for their help.
Of course, this was just a small material reward; the most important thing was the personal connection. Through these small acts, the friendship among the educated youth was further strengthened.
After everything was moved to the new house and unloaded, Luo Jingyan put everything away and put Luo Changtian's things in his own room. After tidying up, she strung a rope between two poplar trees in the yard and hung the quilts on it to air them out. Feeling a little tired, she lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed) to rest.
Zhuang Feifei hadn't seen Grandpa Zhang at the educated youth settlement, and even after Jiang Manyue and the others returned, the old man was nowhere to be seen.
She was about to ask Jiang Manyue when Jiang Manyue told her, "Grandpa Zhang was too tired and went home today. She said she'll haul things for you tomorrow."
Zhuang Feifei immediately frowned. Grandpa Zhang was helping Luo Jingyan but not her, which meant he looked down on her.
No, she insists on moving today.
She immediately went to find Grandpa Zhang. On the way to Grandpa Zhang's house, she had to pass by Liu Aiguo's house. Perhaps because Li Hongying lived in Liu's house, when she arrived at Liu's house, she instinctively glanced inside, and what she saw made her suddenly shudder.
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