Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Airborne.
“Work is important.”
Liang Xin took a sip of the milk and said, "Haven't you been looking forward to this modern exercise for a long time? The 16th Army has selected only you to go there. What a rare opportunity."
Lu Chongfeng continued, "But your graduation dance is also rare."
"I didn't even practice the opening group dance. I just invited my partner to dance with me afterwards. When you come back, we can dance anywhere."
Liang Xin put the Double Happiness glass on the table and said, "Besides, dancing shoes look better when you dance. I can't wear them now, so go and do your thing first."
Lu Chongfeng hugged Liang Xin in his arms, kissed her hair, and said nothing.
The soft sleeper compartment for division-level cadres has two beds and more space. The soft sleeper is not a simple coir mattress, but a full-spring Simmons mattress.
Originally, if there was someone in the compartment for divisional cadres, Liang Xin would have gone to sleep in Lu Chongfeng's compartment for regimental cadres. But after asking the train attendant and finding out that the other bed was unoccupied, Liang Xin stayed in the soft sleeper specially booked by Minister Zou.
Lu Chongfeng naturally followed him to the box for division-level cadres.
Liang Xin lay on the soft Simmons mattress, peeling an orange, "This time, you benefited from my kindness and were the first to get the treatment of a division-level cadre."
Lu Chongfeng took the orange from Liang Xin's hand, peeled it in a few seconds, broke half of the orange and fed it to Liang Xin, "I can stay in Jiangjing for a day, let's go back to Huaihua Village."
"My body can't take it."
Liang Xin chewed an orange and said, "It's a four-hour drive. Although the highway has been built, there are a lot of dirt roads along the way. What if the child gets bumped?"
Lu Chongfeng: "...Don't talk nonsense!"
"You brought it up first."
Liang Xin took the orange from him and said, "Don't worry, even if I don't go back, my eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law will come to Jiangjing to see me if they know I'm back. Just visit my eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law and that's enough."
Lu Chongfeng did not force her to go back. "When the time comes, buy some more gifts and ask the eldest and second sisters-in-law to take them back."
As soon as I got off the train, I saw the familiar Xiao Wei.
There are also pillows and cushions in the car.
"Auntie insisted on coming to pick you up, but was persuaded by the chief."
Xiao Wei laughed as he drove the car: "The chief said that he didn't pick her up before, but only came to pick her up after she got pregnant. It seems that he only cares about the child and not his daughter-in-law."
Lu Chongfeng: "It's none of my business?"
Liang Xin smiled, adjusted the cushion behind her, and walked comfortably back to the military compound.
Hu Fenglian was unable to go to the train station to pick someone up, and she couldn't sit still at home. Standing at the door would be too conspicuous, so she took a broom and swept the door. When she saw the car turn into the west yard, she immediately went to meet it with the broom in hand.
"Liang Xin, slow down, don't be in a hurry."
Lu Chongfeng took Liang Xin down from the car, gently placed her on the ground, and looked at her happy mother, "Don't be too nervous, it's easy to make her nervous too."
He is an experienced person!
Hu Fenglian said "oh" several times, holding Liang Xin's hand, and looked at Liang Xin's slightly bulging belly with a loving look, "You've been sitting in the car all the way, you must be hot, right? Go in and lie down to rest!"
Liang Xin asked about the health of her mother-in-law and father-in-law in a gentle voice.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law held hands and walked into the small building.
Lu Chongfeng went around to the trunk, took out all the luggage, and followed him in.
"Mom, you didn't even ask me if I was hot or not, you didn't even look at me."
"You're wearing so many clothes, it's a miracle if you're not hot!"
Hu Fenglian handed Liang Xin the cold sugar water. "It's not too cold, just right for drinking."
Liang Xin picked up the water cup and drank half of it. "The sugar water my mom made is still the best."
“This child!”
Hu Fenglian was just about to burst into laughter when she heard Lu Chongfeng approach her and say, "Sweet water is just sugar and boiled water. What technical content can be patented?"
Lu Chongfeng received a scolding and turned around to carry his luggage upstairs.
Hu Fenglian looked at Liang Xin with a kind look on her face again, "Liang Xin, if you don't come back, I'm going to take the nanny to Jiangkou."
"nanny?"
Liang Xin looked towards the house while holding the cup of water, "Did Mom hire a nanny?"
"My family didn't hire a nanny, but the organization hired a nanny for Political Commissar Gao's family. I went to the housekeeping department to take a look and thought of hiring a nanny to go to Jiangkou to help me take care of you during the confinement period."
Hu Fenglian smiled and said, "Your father also agreed. I didn't expect you to come back before we found a nanny. This is even better. I heard from Yueji that the house you lived in Jiangkou was in very ordinary condition and leaked everywhere. It turned out to be a teahouse!"
Liang Xin: ".......Mom, the division and the Double Support Office have helped with the repairs, and the barracks department also conducts regular inspections and repairs every year. We live quite comfortably here, and there are no leaks."
Hu Fenglian said, "Then we will go and take care of you during your confinement. Do we have a place to stay?"
Liang Xin smiled.
"Look, there's not even an extra room. What kind of teahouse is this? I've watched it grow up. Your due date is in winter, and Jiangkou is so damp and cold. If you don't take good care of yourself during the confinement period, you'll suffer for the rest of your life!"
Hu Fenglian smiled happily, "Luckily you're back. The conditions at the Military Region General Hospital and home are much better than those at Jiangkou. You can live here with peace of mind. Mom will definitely take good care of you during the confinement period!"
Lu Chongfeng put away his luggage and walked down from the second floor. "Mom has made the bed. Do you want to lie down for a while?"
Liang Xin stood up and said, "I've been lying down all the way. I need to move now."
"Come to the yard and I'll make you some tea?"
When Lu Chongfeng saw Liang Xin nod, he went to the storage room to move out the coffee table, and then moved Chief Lu's recliner to the yard.
The ginkgo leaves in the backyard once again formed a golden carpet. Liang Xin bent down and picked up a ginkgo leaf, twisted it between her fingertips, looked at the shape of the ginkgo leaf, and raised it to her face and fanned it.
Lu Chongfeng looked at Liang Xin's actions and said, "My wife is becoming more and more lovely."
Liang Xin: “….”
Liang Xin turned around and glanced at him, then continued walking in the yard.
"charge."
A low, slow male voice suddenly came from the yard next door.
It was the first time Liang Xin met someone in the backyard. She turned around and saw a man in military uniform standing in the backyard next door. He was leaning against the door frame, with a cigarette in his mouth and playing with a lighter in his hand. He didn't press the lighter, but kept rubbing it with his fingertips. It seemed that he had seen the pregnant woman coming out early, so he didn't light the cigarette.
Lu Chongfeng said, "Chongfeng is what you can call me?"
The man looked at Liang Xin with a look that didn't seem like he was seeing her for the first time, and the emotion in his eyes made Liang Xin a little confused.
A piece of White Rabbit candy suddenly flew towards the man, and Lu Chongfeng's warning voice came from behind: "If you look again, I'll dig out your eyes!"
The man raised his arm to catch the candy that fell in a parabola, and slowly peeled off the candy wrapper, "First time meeting sister-in-law, hello."
"Hello."
Liang Xin felt that it didn't seem like he was seeing her for the first time.
But it was indeed the first time she met him.
Liang Xin looked at Lu Chongfeng with a puzzled look.
"Liang Tianguang."
Lu Chongfeng introduced Liang Xin as "Minister Liang's son."
The only son of the military region’s chief of general logistics.
The rank of the Chief of General Logistics is higher than that of Chief Lu.
Liang Xin was sure that she had never seen or come into contact with such a person.
Liang Xin was thinking when Liang Tianguang walked down the steps and stood by the blue brick fence in the backyard. "It seems that my sister-in-law didn't have any wedding ceremonies? Is there a full moon banquet for my nephew when he is born?"
Lu Chongfeng frowned, "What do you mean nephew or niece?"
"OK."
Liang Tianguang held the cigarette under his nose and sniffed it, "Sister-in-law, you are back here to take care of your baby, right? I have been transferred back to the military region. If you have any problem, let me know. I can come and help you at any time."
Lu Chongfeng strode towards the brick fence, propped himself up with one hand and jumped up.
Liang Tianguang immediately raised his hands and stepped back, "Brother Chongfeng, I'm helping my sister-in-law, why are you so petty? Sister-in-law, please persuade him."
Liang Xin stepped forward and grabbed Lu Chongfeng who was about to jump down. Before she could touch the corner of his clothes, Lu Chongfeng rushed out, grabbed Liang Tianguang and threw him over his shoulder.
Liang Tianguang was obviously also a martial artist. He fell to the ground in a manner that would not hurt any vital parts of his body. He was punched twice by Lu Chongfeng and lay on the leaves with a smile.
After the fight, Lu Chongfeng jumped back against the wall.
Liang Tianguang stood up from the ground, brushed off the leaves on his body, picked up the broken cigarette and put it in his mouth, but still didn't light it. He smiled and pointed at Lu Chongfeng, "You look so petty."
Liang Xin patted the dust off Lu Chongfeng's palms and said, "It's a bit hot. Let's go in."
Lu Chongfeng hurriedly helped Liang Xin walk back, glanced at the next door, and said nothing.
Liang Tianguang made a "tsk" sound and watched the two sticky people walk into the floor-to-ceiling window.
Hu Fenglian opened the kitchen door and asked curiously, "Who is talking?"
Lu Chongfeng helped Liang Xin sit down, "Daylight."
Hu Fenglian looked outside and saw no one. "This kid is already grown up, but he still refuses to get married."
After Liang Xin was sure that she didn't know the person next door, she just thought that the other person was just being outgoing and didn't ask any more questions.
The next morning, the second sister-in-law appeared at the door with the eldest sister-in-law.
Lu Chongfeng happened to meet them when he came back from drill. He quickly invited the two of them to his home and strode to the second floor to call Liang Xin.
"Little sister!"
"Xinzi!"
The eldest sister-in-law and the second sister-in-law were very excited to see Liang Xin, and when they saw Liang Xin's belly, the eldest sister-in-law became even more excited.
"The baby hasn't been born yet, so save your tears for when the baby is born."
Liang Xin took out a handkerchief and handed it to her sister-in-law, looking at the two baskets of local eggs on the ground, "Eggs are easy to buy now. Don't carry so many eggs next time. It's hard to get on the bus."
"These are all fresh eggs I specially collected in the village."
The eldest sister-in-law picked up the egg basket and looked at Hu Fenglian who was sitting beside her with a smile. She was still a little nervous, "Aunt...Aunt and the family can all eat together."
Hu Fenglian said: "Liang Xin feels sorry for your hard work."
"As long as I think about the food I'm feeding Liangxin to nourish her body and give birth to her child, I don't feel it's hard at all."
The eldest sister-in-law quickly took out the snakeskin bag and took out a blue cloth bag from it. After opening it, she found neatly folded small clothes. "This is what your second sister-in-law and I usually make together. I don't know if it's for a boy or a girl, but the yarn can be used in any color."
Liang Xin looked at the red, green, yellow and blue woolen yarn, cotton cloth, and even small Dacron clothes, and said slowly: "Thank you, sister-in-law, have you run out of cloth coupons again?"
"We can now travel all over the country without having to rely on the two feet of cloth coupons from home a year!"
The second sister-in-law had seen Hu Fenglian during a blind date, and Lu Chongfeng had also been to her home. He did not look down on them at all. He was no longer nervous this time, but rather a little excited. "Our good family class is doing very well now. Little sister, aunt, brother-in-law, guess who among us makes the most money?"
Lu Chongfeng looked at Liang Xin, who was stunned. "Doesn't the loudspeaker team mainly rely on the eldest and second brothers? The money should be divided equally, right? Is there a big gap?"
Hu Fenglian didn't understand, but she was very interested.
"They split it equally, but their money is nowhere near as much as what my sister-in-law makes!"
Before Liang Xin could continue to ask, the second sister-in-law excitedly solved the mystery, "Sister-in-law's tears came down as soon as she said it. Now she follows the trumpet troupe everywhere, and people cry at every show. As long as the trumpet troupe opens, on the night of the grand opening, Sister-in-law has earned a maximum of 16 yuan!"
Liang Xin, Lu Chongfeng and Hu Fenglian all looked at the shy sister-in-law in surprise.
The eldest sister-in-law's eyes were red. "It was just that one time. That family had many children and grandchildren, and they were all factory workers. They received a salary every month, but normally they only earned four or six yuan."
"Four or six dollars is not a small amount!"
Hu Fenglian was surprised and said, "Four dollars a day means one hundred and twenty dollars a month. Six dollars a day means one hundred and eighty dollars a month. It's almost catching up with Lao Lu's salary!"
“Not every day.”
The sister-in-law, who was surprised and recognized, gradually calmed down. "When the weather is good, we can order it every day. Normally, we can order it every two or three days. When the weather is bad, no one orders it for more than a week."
"What does it mean to cry a little?"
Liang Xin thought for a moment and asked, "Cry for me?"
Ma Xiaoyan excitedly poked her sister-in-law and said, "Sister-in-law, please perform a Meng Jiangnu show for me."
Liang Xin: ".......That's not necessary."
"That's right." The eldest sister-in-law patted her excited sister-in-law, "Xinzi's pregnancy is a happy event, how can you cry here?"
After that, the eldest sister-in-law explained to the three curious people, "The funeral is open to the public, which is the main day for the funeral. On that night, the trumpet class will officially perform. In the evening, usually the daughters-in-law, granddaughters-in-law, daughters, granddaughters, sisters, and nieces and nieces of sisters, and now brothers, cousins, and nephews have also started to cry. When I am asked to cry, for example, if the granddaughter-in-law cries, a song of Meng Jiangnu, a funeral cry tune, is played as an accompaniment, and I will cry and sing as the granddaughter-in-law."
Liang Xin probably understood it, but Lu Chongfeng and Hu Fenglian still didn't quite understand.
Hu Fenglian said: "Reform and opening up has really allowed a hundred flowers to bloom. I never thought that once funeral and wedding customs were restored, there would be such a way to make money. Sister Liangxin, you are really amazing!"
"talent."
Liang Xin had never thought that her sister-in-law, who cried easily, could make a fortune with this talent. "How much does it cost to cry?"
The eldest sister-in-law said, "Two dollars for one show, and each show lasts twenty minutes."
Liang Xin looked at her thin sister-in-law and said, "Eat more meat to replenish your blood."
Hu Fenglian stood up and said, "I'll ask Xiaoshi to make two more meat dishes for you to replenish your body!"
"Your third brother came back at the end of July."
The second sister-in-law then told Liangxin about the changes in the family, "He also got a promotion!"
Lu Chongfeng knew that Liang Xin's third brother was also in the army. He looked over after hearing the news and asked, "What is your current position?"
"I heard he became a company commander!"
The second sister-in-law said, "Liang Wei is also a stubborn guy. You don't know that he offended his superiors in the army and was suppressed for several years. Otherwise, he should have been promoted to battalion commander. We all wrote to tell you that you married your brother-in-law. He also knew about your brother-in-law's situation. This stubborn guy was bullied silently in the army for several years without saying a word to you!"
Liang Xin was surprised, "Being bullied?"
"Yeah, I heard that he was saying bad things about the leader and got caught by the leader."
The second sister-in-law said angrily, "Even if he doesn't say a word to you, just tell everyone in the company that you are marrying your brother-in-law, who is the son of the deputy commander of the military region. Who dares to bully him? How stupid!"
"Don't talk about Liang Wei like that."
The eldest sister-in-law said: "Liang Wei, this is a man of character."
The second sister-in-law was not convinced, "What's the use of having integrity? You are obviously capable of being a battalion commander, but you have only just become a company commander!"
Liang Xin asked: "Since you offended your boss, why did you suddenly get promoted?"
"I don't know the details, but it seems that there is a system where you can be promoted or demoted. Your third brother was voted in as the company commander by all the soldiers in the company!"
The second sister-in-law laughed again and said, "From this point of view, Liang Wei may really be capable, otherwise he would not be so popular!"
Liang Xin understood, looked at Lu Chongfeng, the initiator of the reform that allows cadres to be promoted or demoted, and smiled.
Lu Chongfeng listened for a long time, and was slightly startled when he heard the above. He realized that other places had also started the reform pilot just like the 11th Division. "Since Third Brother was promoted in this way, he still has a long way to go in the future."
When the eldest and second sisters-in-law heard their brother-in-law say this, they couldn't hide their joy.
“That’s right!”
The second sister-in-law suddenly grabbed Liang Xin's hand and said, "When your third brother came back last time, he asked about Lu Wei. Lu Wei is now a college student. I heard that your third brother will also be sent to a military academy for further studies. What do you think, can he..."
Before the second sister-in-law finished speaking, Liang Xin was stunned, "Third brother and Lu Wei?"
"He just asked."
The second sister-in-law laughed and said, "He has never dated before, so what's the point of asking about Lu Wei for no reason? Lu Wei is very successful now, is she dating someone?"
Liang Xin was silent.
"...It seems that I am not quite sure yet."
"It's okay to talk about it."
The second sister-in-law waved her hand, "I'm just asking for your third brother. After all, mom is gone. As his sister-in-law, since we can see his feelings, we have to help him make arrangements. I think your third brother knows what's going on, but I'm just asking with a little hope. Apart from growing up together, the two of them have never been together officially, so there's no relationship between them."
Liang Xin said: "Who would be willing to choose Liang Tiezhu as a father-in-law?"
The eldest and second sisters-in-law were stunned for a moment, and then they laughed out loud together.
Lu Chongfeng rubbed Liang Xin's hair and invited his two sisters-in-law to eat.
That night, Hu Fenglian let the eldest and second sister-in-law stay at home for one night so that they would not have to rush to catch the night train back.
Lu Chongfeng got some movie tickets, and together with Liang Xin, he invited his two sisters-in-law to watch a movie in the military district auditorium. In the evening, they went shopping in the night market and department store in the city.
Liang Xin selected several sets of ready-made children's shoes and asked her two sisters-in-law to take them back for her nephew to wear.
Lu Chongfeng bought a lot of cigarettes, alcohol and snacks and gave them to his father-in-law and two brothers-in-law.
After his sisters-in-law went back, Lu Chongfeng also set off for Beijing.
Liang Xin rested well at home for two days and then went to the bakery to prepare snack cakes to sponsor the graduation dance.
Because Liang Xin suggested making a splash, the propaganda team leader Dong Pimei specially scheduled the graduation dance on National Day. It became the first university graduation dance in the country for the class of 1977 and successfully grabbed a prominent position in the newspapers with the National Day theme.
The reason for sponsoring this dance party is not just to promote the conscientious bakery through the news.
Liang Xin’s goal is to assign students to various units of national departments. The development of the bakery does not rely solely on individual customers. Activities of various units will be indispensable in the future. We hope to host more activities and meetings through this.
"Director Liang, you have ordered it. The shelf has been delivered."
Liang Xin followed Wang Daya downstairs, checked the customized European three-layer ceramic dessert stand and cake plate, signed for them after confirming that there were no problems, and handed the written dessert list to Wang Daya.
In the next two days, Liang Xin taught Wang Daya how to make several new types of cakes.
On the evening of National Day, Liang Xin changed into the dance dress that Lu Yueji specially gave her.
The pearly white bubble skirt dance dress is tailored to fit Liang Xin's shoulder and neck lines, revealing her beautiful collarbone. Below the chest, the elegant and romantic big skirt begins to fold and drape, making her look elegant and noble as she walks.
As soon as Liang Xin changed her clothes and walked into the school auditorium, female classmates like Dong Pimei, who were attracted by the dazzling white skin of Liang Xin's collarbone, covered their mouths and screamed.
"Liang Xin, I didn't expect you to be pregnant, and you're the most dazzling class beauty in the whole place!"
"This is the first time I've seen such a beautiful pregnant woman! I can't take my eyes off her!"
"How divine, Liang Xin, you look like a noble girl from a Renaissance oil painting! If you weren't so pregnant, I would have thought you were an unmarried rich girl!"
"Don't talk nonsense."
Dong Pimei said: "We Liangxin are poor and lower-middle peasants with good family background!"
Liang Xin chuckled and looked at the dance set up in the school auditorium.
The ceiling was decorated with red, yellow, purple and colorful ribbons, with a flashing dance lantern hanging in the middle. The dance floor was not only equipped with stereo speakers, but also filled with spotlights, making it look like a proper ballroom dance venue.
What is even more eye-catching are the several white tablecloth tables in the middle of the lounge area. The tables are filled with white porcelain trays filled with various golden and crispy breads. A dessert table is set up in the middle of the enamel trays, with a three-layer cake plate on a gilded stand and European-style embossed plates filled with the conscientious bakery's signature whipped cream, cream cakes and new paper cup decorated cakes in fresh colors.
Strawberry puffs, rainbow cheese, mousse cookies and cream decorated with various fruits, all the students who came in were attracted by the cakes they had never seen before. After knowing that it was a free treat from the conscientious bakery, they immediately exclaimed in surprise and even stuck to the dessert counter and refused to leave.
The school newspaper and students who were already interning at national news newspapers held up their cameras and took picture after picture.
"Liang Xin, you really gave our squad leader face!"
Dong Pimei and other class leaders gathered around Liang Xin and said, "So many cakes, it's really beyond my expectation. You've spent a lot of money this time!"
Hou Liang, the secretary who returned to the People's Broadcasting Station and was promoted to deputy director, said, "These won't be less than a thousand yuan, right?"
"As long as the students are happy with their meal, that's fine."
Liang Xin didn't say how much it cost. The price list of Liang Xin Bakery was displayed in the store. Anyone who was interested could figure it out. "The party is about to start. You guys don't have to stay here with me. Go to the dance floor."
When the classmates saw that Liang Xin was accompanied by bakery employees, they stopped refusing.
The party lights went out, the chandeliers and spotlights came on, and waltz music started playing from the stereo at the same time.
Two rows of men and women lined up, their skirts spun and fluttered as the music played, and the sequins reflected bright light under the lights.
Wang Daya looked at her classmates dancing on the dance floor with fascinated eyes.
Xu Dafeng couldn't help but say, "It's such a pity that Captain Lu didn't come."
As soon as Xu Dafeng finished speaking, Wang Daya pushed her. Xu Dafeng immediately covered her mouth and looked at Liang Xin carefully.
Liang Xin held onto the chair and sat down. "It's okay. If you want to dance, you can go down and dance after the group dance is over."
Wang Daya and Xu Dafeng shook their heads and stopped talking.
The atmosphere inexplicably became a little tense and cautious, as if everyone was concerned about Liang Xin's mood.
Liang Xin admired the dazzling classmates on the dance floor.
After the group dance ended, the class monitor walked through the crowd and wanted to invite Liang Xin to dance with him.
Suddenly, the door of the auditorium opened.
As soon as the group dance ended, the students on the dance floor looked towards the door.
As the door slowly opened, Captain Lu, dressed in a green military uniform covered with golden medals, walked slowly towards Liang Xin with a smug smile on his face.
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