"It's only seven o'clock now?"
After finishing breakfast and washing up, Qiao Baozhu looked at the time and found that it was not yet seven o'clock.
Looking at Shen Xiao again, he had patched up a few places in the house that had not been plastered; he had put enough firewood in the kitchen to last a week; and he had also packed all kinds of autumn vegetables in the warehouse according to size.
Qiao Baozhu's favorability towards him increased a lot. Who could not like a roommate who is diligent, clean and has a keen eye for work?
"Have you packed it?"
Shen Xiao saw Qiao Baozhu changed her clothes and put her hair up in a nice bun, and knew that she was ready to go out.
"Well, I'll go to the field office first to get a leave note and a letter of introduction. Then I'll go to the sewing shop to pick up my things, and then go to the bus station. What about you?"
Shen Xiao didn't need to make any special preparations, a military uniform was decent enough. After listening to Qiao Baozhu's words, he whispered: "The gifts are already in the car, you can pack them up and leave now."
Qiao Baozhu locked the door, got into Shen Xiao's jeep, and soon arrived at the site.
When Director Zhou of the Personnel Department of the field office saw Qiao Baozhu asking for leave again, he was about to say no when he saw a tall man in military uniform following behind him.
The farm is next to the military corps. Even if you don't know much about the officers and soldiers in the army, you can still tell whether they are officers or ordinary soldiers by their uniforms.
Director Zhou saw that Shen Xiao's uniform had four pockets, and immediately said with a smile on his face: "Yes, yes."
"Marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and there are so many things to do. Our farm only gives three days of marriage leave, which is not enough for anyone to get married. Comrade Xiao Qiao, how many days of leave do you plan to take?"
Qiao Baozhu grabbed a handful of candy and placed it on Director Zhou's desk, then asked with a smile, "How many days do you usually stay?"
When Director Zhou saw that there were several White Rabbit candies among the candies on the table, the smile on his face deepened.
"The educated youth from other provinces usually take 28 days off. We have several days off locally. It depends on how your team arranges it."
"Three days of vacation are paid, but the rest are unpaid, and those with poor conditions don't dare to ask for more."
Qiao Baozhu thought about it, smiled and said, "Then I'll take another four days and come to work on the first of next month."
Director Zhou readily wrote out the note. Qiao Baozhu took the note and went to the sewing shop to get back two pairs of black cotton shoes and two pairs of rabbit leather knee pads.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Sitting in the car, Qiao Baozhu found that Shen Xiao would look at her from time to time while driving.
"No, I'm just a little curious."
When Qiao Baozhu heard Shen Xiao say this, she couldn't help but mutter in her heart: Why didn't Qiao Xifeng say before that Shen Xiao is a chatterbox?
Shen Xiao didn't know what was in Qiao Baozhu's mind, and glanced at the cotton shoes she put on her legs.
"Can't you make shoes?"
Qiao Baozhu looked down at the cotton shoes on her legs and suddenly realized: "I can sew the soles and uppers, but the stitches are not pretty enough."
"These two pairs of cotton shoes are gifts I prepared for my parents. I was in a tight time and couldn't make them. I could only take them to a tailor shop and pay for the labor."
Qiao Baozhu had a lot of cloth, and she took it to the tailor shop to make two pairs of cotton shoes for only three yuan.
"Your comrade's family sent us two wild rabbits. We ate the meat that day. I asked a tailor to make two pairs of knee pads from the two rabbit skins I peeled off."
"One pair for my dad, and one pair for you. When winter comes, you two should always be outdoors. Wear knee pads to keep warm, so you don't get rheumatism in the future."
Qiao Baozhu spoke lightly, just like an ordinary couple chatting about family matters.
But these words touched Shen Xiao deeply, and his hands gripping the steering wheel tightened unconsciously.
"I'm sorry to trouble you."
Shen Xiao uttered a few words stiffly, his heart beating thumping non-stop.
When he saw the two pairs of cotton shoes, Shen Xiao had already guessed that the owners of the cotton shoes were his father-in-law and mother-in-law. But what he didn't expect was that Qiao Baozhu also made him a pair of knee pads.
"I'm just paying, it's no big deal. They sent the two rabbits because of your kindness. It's only right that I make you a pair of knee pads."
Shen Xiao pursed his lips and said nothing. There weren't so many things that should be dealt with in this world.
"Oh, by the way, can I ask about your family situation?"
Seeing that Shen Xiao had started talking, Qiao Baozhu guessed that he wanted to fulfill the mutual understanding he had mentioned yesterday.
"My second aunt didn't say much during the blind date. When we get to my house later, my dad will definitely ask you."
Shen Xiao looked forward and said softly: "It's human nature, I can understand it."
There is no other person like them in the whole country. They were forced together like a pair of substitute players. But they each had their own reasons for having to get married, so they had no choice but to go ahead and get married.
Although the two of them have made three rules in private, their parents may not understand them. Especially after seeing the furniture in Qiao Baozhu's room, he was even more certain that Qiao Changhai would not hand his daughter over to someone of unclear status.
"My father is also a soldier, but he is not in our province, but in Fengcheng. My mother passed away many years ago. I also have a younger sister who is seventeen years old this year. She lives with my father and his wife in Fengcheng."
"Your father's wife?"
Qiao Baozhu was stunned for a moment, which meant that Shen Xiao had a stepmother.
"Well, let's get married, will they know?"
Shen Xiao said "hmm" faintly.
"I sent a telegram home. Even if I didn't tell him, he would have seen my marriage report."
Qiao Baozhu's eyelids twitched.
She was not an ignorant little girl, so she could not understand the weight of Shen Xiao's words. He is the battalion commander, and the person who can approve his marriage report is naturally his superior.
In other words, Shen Xiao's father holds a high official position.
Then he thought of how Shen Xiao was a battalion commander at such a young age. Although he had made many military achievements on the battlefield, it was rare for him to have such a smooth career without the blessing of a background.
But Qiao Baozhu is not stupid. From Shen Xiao's tone, she can tell that the relationship between father and son is not very deep.
Since he didn't say anything, Qiao Baozhu didn't bother to ask.
So what if my father-in-law is a high-ranking official? They are more than a thousand kilometers apart.
"Is my sister still in school? After we get married, should I send her something in the mail?"
Shen Xiao said calmly: "She is still in school and will come to stay for a few days during the winter vacation. You don't need to buy anything for her for now."
After saying that, Shen Xiao seemed to have thought of something, and snorted coldly: "Even if you buy it, it won't fall into Qiaoqiao's hands. It will be given to others for nothing..."
Shen Xiao seemed to recall many unbearable past events.
The expression on his face was solemn and cold. The air pressure in the car was very low, so Qiao Baozhu wisely stopped talking.
It seems that the Shen Xiao brother and sister suffered a lot when they were young.
Thinking that Shen Xiao's sister would be here soon, Qiao Baozhu frowned. This was really unexpected.
In her previous life, she had never heard that Shen Xiao had a younger sister.
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