Chapter 47
Early in the morning, after getting up, several people packed their things and went to the supply and marketing cooperative in the county town to buy basic daily necessities.
They originally wanted to visit Uncle Song, but Meng Mingxia told them that the July 15th staff report would be today, and Uncle Song was also busy, so the plan to visit Uncle Song was put on hold for the time being. They would wait until Pei Xingzhi and Meng Wanqiu settled down before visiting Uncle Song.
The 715 Factory is located in a small town under Lingnan County. It was established only three or four years ago and its infrastructure is still very simple.
The conditions in the small town are average, and many things are not available, so it is necessary to prepare in advance in the county.
During this period, Meng Mingxia left for a while, and when he came back he actually drove a jeep.
"Second brother, where did you get this?" Meng Wanqiu asked, eyes wide open, pointing at the car.
Pei Xingzhi was also surprised. Being able to get a car at this time showed that Meng Mingxia was very capable.
Meng Mingxia grinned and patted the steering wheel. "It's a friend's. Come on up, I'll take you for a ride."
Afterwards, Meng Mingxia took the two of them on a tour of the county town and introduced the locations of various iconic buildings.
Then he went back to the guesthouse, loaded the luggage into the car, and drove the two of them away towards the 715 Factory.
Along the way, Meng Mingxia kept talking to the two about the 715 Factory.
"Although the 715 is a machinery factory, it has only been built a few years ago. The conditions are difficult. You must be mentally prepared when you go there..."
Without his parents around, Meng Mingxia, as the older brother, took on the role of a parent and kept nagging and giving instructions to the two of them.
Pei Xingzhi listened attentively, occasionally chiming in. Although the two had a minor conflict last night, they both knew that the three of them were the closest people here, and Meng Mingxia would never harm them.
Pei Xingzhi and his team were part of the second batch of recruits for the July 15th Movement. The targets of recruitment included educated youth, university students from workers, peasants and soldiers, youth from the community, young and middle-aged people from local rural areas, and demobilized soldiers from the army.
"In your case, it was only because Uncle Song and another leader from the 715th Division vouched for you that we were able to recruit you. I heard from Uncle Song that you should be joining the technical department. When the time comes, just give the letter of introduction directly to the factory staff and they will arrange a job for you."
Another leader vouched for him.
Pei Xingzhi wondered, "Second brother, do you know who that leader is?"
Meng Mingxia wasn't sure either. "The 715th is related to our stationed troops. Uncle Song even holds a sinecure in name only. They must be someone Uncle Song knows. You'll find out later. Don't forget to thank their leader then."
Pei Xingzhi nodded and stopped dwelling on the issue. "Don't worry, second brother. We will do it when the time comes."
His leader helped him a lot, so of course he had to thank him properly.
"Yes, second brother, don't worry, Xingzhi and I understand the etiquette."
Meng Wanqiu said this while looking at the scenery outside. After the jeep drove out of Lingnan County, it entered a road that was wide enough for two large trucks to drive side by side.
Judging from the scene outside, Meng Wanqiu clearly felt that they were heading deep into the mountains. It seemed that what Meng Mingxia said about the harsh conditions was true.
Pei Xingzhi also saw it and silently held Meng Wanqiu's hand tightly.
Meng Wanqiu smiled and patted his hand. Even if the conditions were not good, she would not worry as long as he was with her.
Along the way, she saw groups of people carrying large and small bags, looking disheveled but full of energy. Many people even pointed and commented on their cars.
After a while, when the car passed a mountain, Meng Wanqiu saw a huge square that had just been filled with a huge crowd of people and several large dark green tents.
The car stopped in the square.
"arrive!"
Meng Mingxia got off first, followed by Pei Xingzhi and Meng Wanqiu. Pei Xingzhi and Meng Mingxia went to the back of the car to move their luggage, while Meng Wanqiu looked around at the people around them.
My first feeling was that there were a lot more people, at least two or three hundred, and many more were on the way. It seemed that the number of people being recruited this time was quite large.
But with so many people, food and accommodation became a problem.
After a while, Meng Mingxia and Pei Xingzhi also unloaded all their luggage.
Meng Mingxia clapped his hands and walked over to Meng Wanqiu, wanting to touch her head, but patted her shoulder instead. "Xiao Wan, I'll take you here. You'll have to take care of the rest. I'll come to see you when I have some time off. Remember to listen to Xingzhi. This isn't home anymore. Your parents and brother are not around. You can't do things the way you did when you were little."
It tells the story of how Meng Wanqiu often sneaked out when she was a child and did bad things with Meng Mingxia.
After entering the factory, I felt an extra layer of restraint and could no longer act arbitrarily like before.
Meng Wanqiu's eyes were red, and she took the initiative to hug her second brother who was about to leave after just meeting him, "Okay, I understand. When we settle down, I will go to the army to see you."
Meng Mingxia smiled, patted her back gently, and coaxed her softly, "Be good."
After saying that, he let go of Meng Wanqiu, walked over to Pei Xingzhi, punched him hard in the chest, and threatened him in a bad tone, "Humph, take good care of my sister and my little nephew, otherwise, the next time we meet, I will teach you some military boxing."
Pei Xingzhi took the punch head-on and took a half step back. "I promise."
His tone was brief and cold, but one could sense the determination in his words.
Meng Mingxia's expression softened. This was the first time he was not pretending and the first time he was friendly to Pei Xingzhi.
Meng Mingxia glanced at Meng Wanqiu, then quickly whispered in Pei Xingzhi's ear, "Take care of yourself too. Xiaowan can be very willful sometimes, so teach her a lesson when necessary. Don't be soft-hearted."
Pei Xingzhi raised his eyebrows slightly. This sister-con maniac actually asked him to teach his sister a lesson.
Meng Mingxia added calmly, "Of course, don't let me know after you teach me a lesson. Otherwise, I'll avenge my sister without knowing right from wrong."
Pei Xingzhi; ...
Annoying sister complex.
After whispering this to Pei Xingzhi, Meng Mingxia took out a small cloth bag from the lining of her clothes and handed it to Pei Xingzhi. "Here, keep it. You just settled down here, so you're going to need money."
Pei Xingzhi was stunned and pushed the money back. "Thank you, second brother, but no need. The money we have is enough."
Meng Mingxia frowned and was about to lecture him when Meng Wanqiu snatched the cloth bag from his hand and stuffed it into his pocket. At the same time, she leaned over to Meng Mingxia and whispered, "Second brother, keep it for yourself. We have money. Grandma gave us two of these when we went out."
Meng Wanqiu made a small fish-swaying motion, and Meng Mingxia understood instantly.
Small yellow croaker!
Well, it seems that I really don’t need his money anymore.
However, Meng Mingxia still opened the cloth bag and took out three Great Unity tickets from it, giving two to Meng Wanqiu and one to Pei Xing.
"Come on, this is pocket money for you, don't refuse it. Second brother hasn't seen you for so long, I have to give you some pocket money as a token of my appreciation."
After Meng Mingxia finished speaking, he opened the car door, returned to the driver's seat, and turned the car around.
Looking at the couple in the rearview mirror, he put his hands in front of his brows and stretched them out flat, making a gesture of departure, with a smile raised at the corners of his mouth, unrestrained and ostentatious.
The jeep's departure raised a hazy cloud of dust.
Pei Xingzhi looked at the big unity in his hand and smiled helplessly. He didn't expect that he also had it.
Only after the car disappeared did Meng Wanqiu and Pei Xingzhi notice that many people were looking at them.
It was a moment before the two of them understood why Meng Mingxia had driven them here.
I'm afraid it's more than just sending them away.
Yes, to be able to come here in a car like this at this time, is there no background behind it?
This invisibly created a protective umbrella for Pei Xingzhi and Meng Wanqiu, and also frightened some people. If anyone wants to bully them in the future, they will have to consider the people behind them.
Pei Xingzhi sighed that meeting Meng Wanqiu and the Meng family was simply all his life's luck.
From top to bottom, everyone in the Meng family treated him with the most sincere heart, paved the way for him, and considered him.
Even though Meng Mingxia had only known him for less than a day, she still cared deeply about him.
Pei Xingzhi felt that he would never be able to repay such a favor in his lifetime.
"I'll go report first, you watch things here."
After Meng Wanqiu nodded, Pei Xingzhi walked towards the tent over there.
Because there were so many people to be recruited, it was impossible for everyone to report to the office one by one, so they set up several tents in the square.
Pei Xingzhi did not squeeze in like those people, but instead asked people around him in work clothes about the reporting matters.
Meng Wanqiu stayed where they were and noticed that there were many people around like them who came with their families.
Eh——
Meng Wanqiu suddenly noticed a hostile gaze. Following the gaze, she found a woman in exquisite clothes.
Her hair wasn't braided like most girls', or tied into two ponytails that hung down her chest. Instead, it was cropped short, with a plaid headband tied on top and a small bag in hand. Her figure was slender, and her back was straight, instantly setting her apart from the others.
Like a proud swan, Meng Wanqiu thought to herself.
If other rural girls who have never seen the world see such a delicate girl, they will definitely feel inferior.
However, Meng Wanqiu didn't feel anything, instead he looked straight at the girl.
Meng Wanqiu's reaction seemed to be beyond the expectations of the delicate girl. She rolled her eyes, turned sideways with her handbag, and did not look at Meng Wanqiu.
Seeing this, Meng Wanqiu also looked away. She had seen all sorts of people in her past life, so she wouldn't care about such a small matter. They were just strangers.
Not long after, Pei Xingzhi came back with another young man.
Pei Xingzhi stopped in front of Meng Wanqiu, and the man actually walked towards the exquisite girl.
"What's wrong?"
Pei Xingzhi felt unhappy when he saw Meng Wanqiu staring at the man.
Meng Wanqiu shook her head and told Pei Xingzhi about the incident.
Pei Xingzhi's mood instantly recovered, and he glanced at the girl calmly, "It's okay, just a stranger."
Meng Wanqiu nodded, she thought so too.
"What's going on?"
"There are only single dormitories for men and women. People with families have to find their own place to live. They can choose to stay with fellow villagers or rent a house in town."
To say that the 715 was built in the town is an exaggeration. To be more precise, it was built outside the town, and it takes five or six minutes to get there by bicycle. There are several small villages nearby, and it is closer to the villages than to the town.
Meng Wanqiu and Pei Xingzhi thought about it and decided to rent a house in town.
After all, in nine months, their little home will welcome a new life, so it would be better to have a bigger place.
Although the village is close, the conditions are very simple and it is far from the town’s health center. To be on the safe side, of course I have to live in the town.
Time was running out, so the two hurriedly packed their luggage and headed towards the town. There were people coming and going along the way, probably the new employees of the July 15th Fifteenth Group who were going to the town's supply and marketing cooperative to buy daily necessities.
After walking for about ten minutes, the two arrived in town.
The environment here is a little worse than Hongshan Town, but much better than the village.
Pei Xingzhi looked at an old man dozing off under a big tree by the roadside, put down his luggage and walked towards him.
Meng Wanqiu waited for him there, watching Pei Xingzhi skillfully chatting with the old man. That didn't match his aloof personality at all. But as long as he wanted to build good relationships with others, there would probably be no problem.
Not long after, Pei Xingzhi returned. "This old man knows a family that's renting out their house, but they have a condition: they have to take good care of the facilities in the house, and they can't rent it out for a short period of time. The minimum lease term is three years."
Meng Wanqiu was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't expected to find a house so easily upon arrival. "It's okay. We'll be here for at least two or three years. The lease period isn't a problem. Let's take a look at the house first."
Pei Xingzhi nodded, "I think so too."
So the two of them followed the old man to see the condition of the house.
After turning left and right for three or four minutes, the first thing that came into their sight was a lush green date tree with white petals dotted on it. As they looked at it, a fresh fragrance came to their faces.
Just by seeing the date tree, the couple instantly became excited about the house.
But when they saw the old man take out a ring of keys from his belt and unlock the door, the couple looked at each other silently.
Pushing open the old wooden door, the appearance of the house came into view. The yard was actually a building imitating a Siheyuan. Except for the different details, it was simply a Siheyuan with one entrance.
The jujube tree in the yard is lush and green, and there is an ancient well under the tree.
Seeing this, the couple already had a plan in mind. But they still patiently let the old man open the room inside. After taking a closer look, they no longer hesitated.
This was a much better environment than they had expected.
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