Chapter 12 Buying Bowls (2)
Saleswoman Li Weihong actually knew Master Niu; their families lived next door, so she was always the first to hear about anything that happened in his family.
"Look, these are all good enamel basins."
Li Weihong found a rag and wiped the thick layer of dust out of the enamel basin, then smiled and handed it to Chen Yun.
"Even if there are some leaks, it's fine. We'll definitely buy it at such a low price."
“Exactly, exactly.” Ruanqiu quickly chimed in, immediately forgetting the bright red enamel basin she had just been admiring, and picked up a basin with blue lettering: “Blue looks good too.”
"You guys choose first, and I'll go to the manager and ask for some more old bowls for you to choose from. If anyone asks, just say they're my cousin."
"How could I possibly accept that?" Chen Yun waved his hands repeatedly, reaching across the counter to pull Li Weihong back: "Comrade, please don't trouble yourself, we'll just look at the enamel basins."
Such enthusiasm was probably not just a simple expression of gratitude; Chen Yun felt there must be other requests behind it.
After all, the old saying "He who takes a man's money is bound to be obligated to him" has been proven by countless facts.
"Dr. Chen, don't be so polite. He's no good." Li Weihong's smile deepened, and she broke free from Chen Yun's grasp, turning around rather urgently: "You must wait for me."
Chen Yun: "..."
"Who is this person?" Ruanqiu asked.
"I don't know him."
"Isn't this a bit too much enthusiasm?"
"Since we're here, let's make the best of it and see what she wants."
Chen Yun came to terms with it. After all, she was just a junior doctor at best. She could help with small favors, but she couldn't help with big ones even if she wanted to.
"That's true! We're just ordinary employees, not high-ranking leaders who are afraid of being reported for embezzlement and bribery. What could possibly happen to us?"
There were no other sales clerks on the second floor, so the two of them had nothing to do but continue selecting enamel basins.
Why did you pull me away just now?
"The son-in-law of Huangniba Brigade is Huang Fangcheng's son. How could he be someone we gossip about!"
Chen Yun had absolutely no understanding of the complex relationships within the factory. Even when Ruan Qiu mentioned the specific names of the people involved, he shook his head, indicating that he did not recognize them.
"Huang Fangcheng, our factory's Party Secretary Huang Fangcheng!" Ruan Qiu exclaimed in surprise.
After working in the factory for over a year, there are still people who don't recognize the Party branch secretary's name; I doubt anyone would believe it if I told them.
The factory's second-in-command, the Party Secretary, is primarily responsible for controlling the political direction.
Huang Xuegong is Huang Fangcheng's son. Last year, he married the third daughter of the Li family in Huangniba Brigade, which caused quite a stir in the factory.
"you do not know?"
Chen Yun shook her head.
Although the original owner was in the Red Sun Machinery Factory, his consciousness was completely living in his own world, and he probably didn't even know what Huang Xuegong looked like.
While expressing her surprise, Ruanqiu still recounted the situation to Chen Yun in detail.
"Huang Xuegong insisted on getting together with that girl despite his parents' objections. He was distracted at work and had an accident. His hand..." Ruanqiu raised her right hand and trembled, "...two fingers were crushed, and he became disabled instantly. How could the marriage not go ahead with?"
"What does selling mushrooms have to do with Huang Xuegong?"
"You just don't understand!" Ruanqiu laughed mysteriously, and only after she was satisfied with her smugness did she reveal the mystery: "Those two women must have picked a lot of mushrooms to sell before, and now that they couldn't sell them this year, they're taking their anger out on others!"
The factory has always turned a blind eye to small-scale private sales, such as selling eggs or homegrown vegetables and fruits.
The villagers were furious this year because their livelihood of selling mushrooms was cut off by the people from Huangniba Brigade.
"To be honest, you can't really blame Huang Xuegong. The money from selling mushrooms didn't go to him, so why blame him?" Chen Yun said frankly.
Right now, everyone is short of food and clothing. Since the mountain belongs to the Huangniba Brigade, it's understandable that they don't want outsiders to occupy the resources.
And what does this have to do with Huang Xuegong? He didn't gain any benefits, but instead got a bad reputation thrown in his face.
"Dr. Chen is absolutely right!"
The two people, who were busy chatting, were both startled and looked at the saleswoman, whose face was full of excitement and whose whole body was trembling.
The woman walked to the counter and carefully put down the bowl she was holding. Then she grabbed Chen Yun's hands and shook them up and down, saying, "You're absolutely right! You're absolutely right!"
Chen Yun: "..."
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Chen Yun's mind, and she asked in surprise, "Are you Huang Xuegong's lover?"
Li Weihong remained silent, only nodding repeatedly.
"My name is Li Weihong. My family is the Li family from the first production team of Huangniba Brigade. My husband's name is Huang Xuegong!"
"..."
Being caught red-handed by gossipy people is quite embarrassing, even if Chen Yun was saying nice things.
Suddenly, Chen Yun noticed that Li Weihong's chest began to heave violently, and she was clearly short of breath.
Upon hearing the abnormal breathing sounds, Chen Yun immediately concluded that the other person likely had asthma.
The two helped Li Weihong sit on a stool, and Chen Yun ran to open the window behind the counter, then came back and massaged the Fengchi acupoint on the back of her neck with her thumb.
"It's probably the dust irritating your trachea, plus the fact that you ran upstairs too fast, that triggered your asthma."
As the air on the second floor gradually circulated, Li Weihong's breathing gradually calmed down.
Seeing that she immediately opened her mouth to speak, Chen Yun quickly waved her hand and said, "Drink some hot water first before you speak."
"..."
"It's a minor problem, you'll be fine after some rest."
"It's a relatively mild case of asthma, so you should get plenty of rest and avoid exposure to dust and strenuous exercise."
Since Li Weihong's asthma stabilized so quickly without medication, Chen Yun felt that it was indeed the mildest type.
Once things stabilized, they busied themselves urging the two to hurry to the counter to choose bowls before anyone else came up.
This time, Li Weihong took a mask from the military satchel hanging on the shelf and put it on.
While Chen Yun and Ruan Qiu were picking out bowls, she continued to finish what she hadn't said earlier.
“My family has no say in Huangniba Brigade. We have no power to interfere with the brigade’s decisions. The brigade’s sale of mushrooms was discussed with the factory, and the money was used to help families with elderly members in the production team.”
Mushrooms and eggs can be legitimately displayed at the store entrance if they can help families in need without being a personal business activity.
“This style of bowl is durable; high-temperature porcelain is durable and easy to wash.” Chen Yun took the bowl, and Li Weihong continued, “My relationship with Xuegong isn’t like the rumors say. We were introduced by a matchmaker, and my mother-in-law brought Xuegong to my house to meet her…”
A marriage that was favored by both sets of parents was rumored to have been forced to succeed only because the couple threatened suicide.
The rumors circulating in this factory... I wonder how many people they've harmed!
As Chen Yun sighed, she had already chosen most of the pots and pans.
Li Weihong found newspapers and net bags and wrapped each bowl in layers of cloth.
To Chen Yun's surprise, Li Weihong didn't make a single request until they left.
It's as if they were genuinely enthusiastic.
***
Twenty-five family apartment buildings.
The kitchen is about 60 square meters. Along the wall is a row of U-shaped cement platforms. In the middle recessed area, there is a honeycomb stove and pots. On the left side of the platform hangs a two-tiered wooden cabinet, while the right side is someone else's worktable.
With eight households crammed into such a small kitchen, you can imagine how much smoke and fumes would be produced during cooking time.
Fortunately, Chen Yun and Ruan Qiu moved in early, and there were no other neighbors on the fifth floor besides their two families, so the two of them had plenty of time to slowly choose a location.
"Li Huguo and I will go to pick up honeycomb briquettes in a bit, and we'll help you haul them back with us."
Gao Ming walked in from outside the kitchen door, wearing a faded sailor shirt and covered in sweat.
"I'll go! It's too much trouble for you guys."
Ruanqiu grabbed Chen Yun, who was about to leave, and winked with a smile: "Let the men go and pull him. We're all revolutionary comrades, helping each other is only right!"
"Dr. Chen, don't be so polite. It was just a small favor." Gao Ming smiled and quickly looked away. "I would have helped anyone else too."
“Exactly,” Ruanqiu chimed in.
Chen Yun understood why Gao Ming hurriedly looked away after speaking, and a smile involuntarily spread from her heart to her eyes, turning into a circle drawn by her fingertips on the seam of her trousers.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Gao Ming shook his head from side to side, seemingly wanting to turn away, but then suddenly remembered something, and a blush quickly crept up his ears. He turned and left almost in a daze.
"No need...you're welcome."
The voice came from afar, completely devoid of the composure he had deliberately feigned just minutes before.
Chen Yun turned her face away to look out the window, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed the smile that was not yet formed.
Ruanqiu's eyes darted left and right, suppressing her laughter and not exposing him.
These two... have potential.
"I choose this stove."
The north-facing window faces the stove next to a wall, and there's plenty of room to put things on the windowsill, which is about two hands wide.
"Then I'll sit next to you."
“I see that Li Huguo bought a lot of vegetables. I’ll help you pick the vegetables and cook for you in a bit, and we can work on my stove tomorrow.”
The two wasted a lot of time queuing in front of the store, and with the sun already hanging precariously on the horizon, they didn't know when they would be able to eat if they didn't cook soon.
Chen Yun put her pots and pans in the cupboard, thinking that she would have to buy a lock tomorrow. When she turned around, she found Ruan Qiu, who had been silent for a long time, staring at the stove in a daze.
"What's wrong?" Chen Yun asked.
When cooking rice, should you add water first or rice first?
Chen Yun: "..."
Most people have a tough life, but that definitely doesn't apply to Ruanqiu.
Just by hearing her name, Chen Yun felt that Ruan Qiu must have been born into a highly educated and artistic family. It was normal for her to be pampered and never have to do any housework.
"I've never been in a kitchen since I was little; my grandma always did the cooking at home," Ruanqiu said, raising her chin with great seriousness.
"Let's pick the vegetables first! We'll start cooking once the honeycomb briquettes arrive."
Chen Yun glanced around and noticed a piece of fatty meat with skin on the table, which Li Huguo must have bought specifically for seasoning the pot.
"You can actually cook!" Ruanqiu exclaimed in surprise.
"He can't compare to the chefs in state-run restaurants, but he's better than the chefs in our factory canteen."
"Haha, you're quite the braggart!"
Ruanqiu laughed so hard she almost fell over, her clear laughter like a wind chime, which made Chen Yun feel happy as well.
"You'll find out soon enough whether it's just bragging or not."
Ruanqiu smiled and nodded: "I can eat anything, you're better than me no matter what."
"If there's food ready to eat, I'll eat anything!"
Chen Yun studied away from home for eight years.
Starting from cooking instant noodles in a small pot in the dormitory, and eventually being able to cook for the Chinese New Year, I went through countless failures along the way.
I can't compare to a master chef, but enough to meet my basic needs for survival is sufficient.
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