Chapter 301 Seeing an Old Friend Again
When Geng Qiaoju was in the hospital, Cheng Yaoyao gave her a plan and asked her to turn this place into a scenic spot.
The Ma Mansion was directly taken over by the Yi County government and set up as a scenic spot to sell tickets. At the beginning, they didn't know whether anyone would go there, so they sold them at a low price, with tickets costing 10 cents each and a pass costing 20 cents each.
The pass allows you to visit the houses where President Luo and Marshal Feng lived, but the ticket only allows you to see the house where Ma Youguang lived.
It will also provide facilities for photography, accommodation and dining, making it a comprehensive tourist attraction.
The servants in the Ma Mansion were all given severance pay after their property was searched, and we can recruit some of them back this time. There are many jobs available in the scenic area.
Geng Qiaoju arranged the so-called NPC according to Cheng Yaoyao's plan. She didn't know what Enpixi was, but Cheng Yaoyao said it was interesting and could interact with tourists, which would definitely become a selling point.
So she called back the two maids and the fat aunt, with the maids acting as guides in the front yard and the fat aunt in the back yard. When tourists approached, they could ask them about the stories of "Miss Qin" and "Miss Xiaoqi".
Geng Qiaoju was afraid that no one would go, so she posted a big-character poster at the city gate to promote the event.
As a result, there were huge crowds of people on the first day.
By the afternoon, tickets had sold for more than two hundred yuan, and she was so happy that her legs didn't even hurt anymore.
When she went in, she saw people everywhere, even around the pigpen. Fat Aunt was talking to everyone with gestures.
"The other day, the manager brought Xiao Qi here. I felt that this girl must be an extraordinary person. She has a big body, her eyes are full of majesty and dignity, and her hands are so strong that she can lift four dung buckets with one hand.
At that time I said, Xiao Qi, don't work too hard. Just do the work for the corrupt official as long as you can.
The feces is so smelly. If you don’t want to pick it up, just leave it there and I will help you pick it up.
Xiao Qi said, "No need. Auntie, I can tell from your appearance that you are a good person with a kind heart. How can I let you do this kind of work? I am young, I will do it!"
Oh, I didn’t know she was Marshal Feng at that time. I just thought that this young person had a good personality and temper, and she was also particularly... charming. Didn’t you see Marshal Feng cleaning the pigsty?
She held the big brush in both hands and kept brushing. I advised her to take a break, but she said no, she wanted to work as hard as the working people.
The onlookers were fascinated by what they heard, clapped wildly, and praised: "Marshal Feng is such a good official!"
Luo Jiu and the others were hiding in the crowd. They almost laughed out loud when they heard this. She whispered to Feng Qi, "Is this true? Did you say this?"
Feng Qi was speechless. "She talked for a long time, but only one sentence was barely true, which was the day we left the Ma Mansion. I told her that she was not a bad person. The rest was all made up by her."
Zhong Jialing almost couldn't stand laughing. "Oh my God, you've only been with her for two or three days and she can make up so many stories. If you say a few more words to her, she'll dare to say she's your real aunt."
Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "Fortunately, she didn't say anything bad about you. She only praised you. Just think that she was spreading good things about you. Keep it to yourself."
Feng Qi smiled bitterly, "What's the point of having a reputation as a dung carrier?"
After everyone came out of the Ma Mansion Scenic Area, they saw a group of monks passing by on the street.
Zhong Jialing said: "Yi County is really popular. Even monks have come here."
Cheng Yaoyao said, "Eighty percent of them are here to participate in the selection. Tomorrow is an open selection day. With these monks here, maybe our football project will have hope."
Feng Qi pointed at a few nuns not far away and said, "What's so strange about monks? Look, even nuns are here."
Luo Jiu looked over with a smile, and was suddenly stunned.
Among several nuns, she saw familiar faces.
Although they had not seen each other for many years and the man's attire was very different from before, Luo Jiu still recognized him at a glance.
Cheng Yaoyao looked at her surprised expression, followed her gaze, and couldn't help but exclaimed: "Meng Hu!"
Meng Hu became a nun? The four of them looked at each other, all a little excited, and they couldn't help but walk over.
The actions of the four people quickly attracted the attention of the nuns. They turned around and were shocked. Meng Hu recognized their identities at a glance, "Aren't you..."
Luo Jiu nodded slightly and hushed, saying that there were many people here and it was not appropriate to cause a commotion.
She asked Meng Hu softly, "Are you here to participate in the selection?"
Meng Hu said happily: "Yes, we are here to contribute to the Olympics as well."
"Then you must come tomorrow." Luo Jiu patted her shoulder gently and left quickly.
Meng Hu looked again and saw Feng Qi's eyes were red. He choked up and said to her, "You have to come. There are many things waiting for you to do in the future. You have to stay with us."
Seeing that Feng Qi was about to lose control of her excitement, Cheng Yaoyao hurriedly pulled her away. Zhong Jialing hurriedly said "See you tomorrow" and disappeared into the crowd.
The senior sister next to him asked Meng Hu curiously: "Have you met them?"
Meng Hu shook his head, "I haven't seen him before, but I feel as if I knew him in my previous life."
The old nun said, "Perhaps it's because of the unfinished relationship. It's not surprising. Xiaohu, I've long said that you have not severed your earthly ties. If you pass this selection, you can stay in the earthly world and return to secular life."
Meng Hu touched the Buddhist beads around his neck. Although he did not nod in agreement, he secretly agreed in his heart.
She felt that what the nun said was right, because she had been staying in the nunnery for more than ten years since she took refuge there. During this long period of time, she had practiced martial arts very well, but she had not understood the Dharma at all, and she had no idea that she had a connection with the Buddha. Just this one time when she came down the mountain, she actually felt that these laymen looked very familiar, as if they had met before, and maybe it was because of their unfinished earthly connection.
She said shyly: "This is all for the future. I am not sure whether I will be chosen or not."
The next day, the official selection began.
The four of them sat in the judges' seats and glanced at the crowd several times before finally seeing Meng Hu.
Feng Qi couldn't help but shed tears when she went back yesterday. Among so many children in the Thorn Team, Meng Hu is the most like her.
In the previous time and space, she taught her martial arts step by step, and also taught her how to fight alongside her friends when she was not very smart.
I never expected to see her again here. She is two years older than Jiu Mei and is also in her thirties. But maybe it’s because she became a nun, but she looks in good spirits.
Everything is fine except that the body is a little thinner than in the previous time and space.
Luo Jiu said: "No matter how she behaves, we have to find a reason to keep her. We can't let her suffer outside."
Feng Qi said: "I have never had a guard assigned to me. If she is not selected, I will let her stay and serve as my guard."
Zhong Jialing couldn't help but laugh and said, "You? If someone is your bodyguard, do you protect her or does she protect you?"
Feng Qi said: "I will protect her. She can do anything she wants, even chanting sutras for me."
Cheng Yaoyao smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry. We will definitely have some staff members for this Olympic team. If she can't be selected, we can let her be an accompanying assistant. Even if she just has to carry clothes and pick up balls, we can still make her enough food to eat and earn money. If it really doesn't work, we can deduct it from our salary and pay her ourselves."
Zhong Jialing said, "If it doesn't work, we can put her file in the pharmaceutical factory. My parents and my great-grandmother are all family members there. The pharmaceutical factory is now a national leader and is already studying export. It's very profitable and can even support a thousand Menghu. It's just a matter of a word from me, don't worry."
There was no need to worry. When the selection started the next day, the four people realized that they were worrying too much.
Although Meng Hu did not grow up with them this time, she has practiced Kung Fu in Mount Emei for more than ten years. Although she is in her thirties and not as strong as young people, she can still dance the long sword up and down on the stage and do seven or eight somersaults in a row without any effort.
There was applause from the audience. Feng Qi was so happy that he almost clapped his hands. All four of them cast their votes, and Meng Hu was selected on the spot.
Several of her fellow sisters in the same school, who also knew some martial arts, were also selected.
Knowing that President Luo and others would be in charge, everyone was very enthusiastic about participating.
Even the big master pulling the cart put the cart aside and went on stage to perform a set of Tai Chi.
Feng Qi smiled and said, "Your punches and kicks are really ordinary, but you are very tall, 1.98 meters tall, it would be a pity if you didn't play basketball. You have been selected, go back and pack your things, wait for the notice, and then come back to Beiping with us."
The big guy jumped off the stage with joy, finished work immediately, and drove the cart home.
There was a little girl about ten years old who climbed up from the stage and started doing somersaults around the stage at such a fast speed that everyone was dazzled.
She was wearing old clothes that were obviously too big for her, and she did more than thirty somersaults in one breath. Perhaps because she was young, she didn't quite understand the selection process. After she finished somersaults, she looked around blankly, jumped off the stage and was about to leave.
Zhong Jialing hurriedly said: "Call her back quickly and tell her that she has been selected."
Gu Meng hurried over and pulled the little girl back, "What's your name?"
"Zhang Pan'er."
"Can you write? Write your home address on it. I will take you to Peking and you can participate in the Olympics next year."
Zhang Paner took the pen, wrote down the address stroke by stroke, looked at Gu Meng and said, "You must not forget me."
Gu Meng smiled, "I won't forget it."
Zhang Paner thought for a moment and added, "You must take me away."
"Of course."
Zhang Paner then left, walked to the side, picked up her bamboo basket full of sweet potatoes, and shouted on the street: "Selling sweet potatoes! Big and sweet, ten cents a pound!"
The selection lasted for a full ten days, and from more than 8,000 talented people, 200 people with unique talents and strengths were selected.
Lu Qingyun contacted the railway department, booked a group ticket, and prepared to return to Peiping.
There is another selection there, and it is expected that a team of five to six hundred people will be formed.
All selected candidates will be notified two days before departure and check into the same hotel the day before departure.
Gu Meng checked the number of people and suddenly found that one was missing.
Zhang Paner, the face of that little girl suddenly appeared in her mind.
When I looked at the sign-in sheet, she was missing.
Gu Meng followed the address left and arrived at the outskirts of Yi County, where he found a dilapidated farmhouse.
A woman with a big belly was washing clothes in the yard, with a child of two or three years old on her back.
She patted the gate and said, "Hello, is this Zhang Paner's house?"
The woman glanced at him warily, "Yes, who are you looking for?"
Gu Meng pushed the door open with a smile, "I'm looking for Zhang Pan'er. Didn't she tell you? She participated in the Olympic trials and has been selected by the State Sports Department. She can go to Beijing with us for training."
The woman glanced into the house. "She said we won't let her go."
Gu Meng was stunned, "Why?"
The man in the room came out, reeking of alcohol, and said, "I didn't let her go. Why would a girl go so far? She's already eleven years old, and she'll be married in two years. She doesn't know how to attend any of these events."
Gu Meng quickly explained: "The Olympics is for winning glory for the country. We can take her abroad to compete with the best athletes in the world."
When they heard about going abroad, the couple reacted very strongly.
"Then you can't go! How can she come back after running so far?"
"We worked so hard to raise her. It's time for her to repay us. You want to take her away? No! You can't go!"
Gu Meng frowned as she listened to this. She grew up in a privileged environment as the only daughter in the family. Her parents and even her relatives were all intellectuals, well-educated and well-mannered. She had never met such parents that were difficult to communicate with.
Gu Meng gritted her teeth in anger, "It's not up to you to decide whether to go or not. She was chosen, I want her to decide whether to go or not."
"I'm her father, she has to listen to me whether she goes or not. Go away, you are not welcome in my house."
The man picked up the broom beside him and began to sweep the floor, raising dust maliciously.
Gu Meng hid while trying to reason with him.
"Why do you make decisions for her? She has her own life. What can you do by tying her to your side? Are you going to let her live a poor life with you for the rest of her life?"
The woman rubbed the clothes and said disapprovingly: "What are you talking about? How can she live with us for the rest of her life? After she gets married, she belongs to her husband's family and has nothing to do with us. Why does she have to rely on us for the rest of her life?"
Gu Meng almost doubted her own ears. "What are you talking about? Don't you have to be responsible for her after you gave birth to her? Is she an object? After you handed her over to the man's family, she was already delivered, and you don't have to take care of her anymore?"
The man said angrily, "You are such a jerk, woman. Haven't you heard the saying? A married woman is like spilled water? Why should we care about her after she gets married? We don't care, so why should you care? Who are you?"
During the quarrel, Zhang Paner came back from selling sweet potatoes and threw herself into Gu Meng's arms excitedly, "Sister, are you here to pick me up?"
Gu Meng hurriedly took her hand and asked, "Are you going to Peking?"
Zhang Paner nodded vigorously, "Go."
"Why are you going?" The man picked up a broom and hit her on the back, "You can't go anywhere!"
Red marks immediately appeared on Zhang Paner's back. She was beaten and ran around the yard. Gu Meng, who was protecting her, was also hit several times.
The man grabbed the child's arm and pulled her into the house with force. Gu Meng hugged Zhang Paner's waist and struggled with him.
At this time, the pregnant woman poured a basin of laundry water over, soaking her and Zhang Paner like drowned rats.
Zhang Paner cried loudly because of the pain in her arm. She wiped the water off Gu Meng's head and cried, "Sister, I can't leave. Please leave, please leave quickly, or they will beat you to death."
The child was dragged into the house by the man. The woman stood in front of her with her hands on her hips and began to curse her with dirty words she had never heard before.
"A bunch of scoundrels!" Gu Meng nodded and wiped the water off his face. "Just wait."
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