Chapter 69
Wen Xiuwei came over, but her belongings were still in Xujiawan. She couldn't go back on her own, as she had such a deep grudge against the captain of Xujiawan. So, a few days later, Chu Shao and Han Shengyi went to Xujiawan together to retrieve those things for Wen Xiuwei.
In reality, it didn't matter whether she took it or not, because the Chu family had everything, all new, and better quality than her own. These days, she'd been living at the Chu family's, feeling even more comfortable than at her uncle's. She slept on a soft, large bed, and ate a balanced diet with both meat and vegetables. Chu Shao helped her out when she was busy, and Chu Jiujiu kept her company when she wasn't. The only problem was that she had no change of clothes, but the Chu siblings had already agreed that the next time they went to town, they would buy the latest fabrics from the supply and marketing cooperative and make her a beautiful outfit that would be the envy of everyone in Qingzhu Village.
Wen Xiuwei didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had made clothes for them in the first place just to repay their favor, but now, Chu Jiujiu and the others were asking her to repay them again. The word "favor" kept coming back to them. If this continued, sooner or later, they would no longer be able to remember who owed whom and who was due to repay whom. But if that day really came, I'm afraid no one would care about it anymore.
It seems that what Chu Liqiang said is right. Some favors really cannot be repaid. As time goes by, the distant favors will gradually change in nature and become more important family affection, or something else.
Even if she wasn't going, and only Chu Shao and the others were going, Wen Xiuwei was worried. She wanted to take the things she had left in the dormitory, but Chu Shao disagreed. He felt that her life shouldn't be inconvenienced because of someone who didn't deserve it. Living in the same town, while not on a daily basis, the chances of them bumping into the Xujiawan villagers were still high. If she didn't go to get her things now, what would happen in the future? Would they stop going up the mountain? Or to the river? Would they also stop going to the market, the supply and marketing cooperative, the state-owned restaurant—places where Xujiawan people might be?
Wen Xiuwei was unable to answer his questions, and could only remind him to come back quickly after getting his things and not to stay there too long. Also, he should listen to Han Shengyi more and never conflict with the people in Xujiawan.
Chu Shao: “…”
He is the eldest brother in the family, and Han Shengyi is just a younger brother!
However, he was the only one in the village who thought this way. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that between Chu Shao and Han Shengyi, Han Shengyi was more stable. Age was not important, well, it was not important at all.
…
The frustrated Chu Shao called Han Shengyi, who appeared nonchalant but actually gloated over his misfortune, and the two of them headed towards Xujiawan. Because no one in Xujiawan had stopped Chu Shao the last time he came, he thought it would be just as easy this time. But as soon as he passed the weathered memorial archway, a villager inside saw Chu Shao coming in, trotted up to him, and spat fiercely on the ground.
Chu Shao was furious when he saw this. He raised his arm to hit the other man, but Han Shengyi twisted his shoulder to stop him. Seeing that they were motionless, the man chuckled smugly, then turned and walked away slowly.
This was just the beginning. As they walked in, everyone they met, especially the men, would come over and humiliate them. If they didn't use physical force, they would use verbal abuse, either cursing or yelling at them to get out. Chu Shao was angry at first, but then he calmed down. These people acted as if they had made an appointment. It was obvious that they were being ordered around. As for who ordered them to do this, the answer was self-evident.
There was just one thing that made Chu Shao feel strange.
"Why didn't anyone do anything?"
Han Shengyi looked at the villagers left behind by them. After scolding them, those villagers continued to do their own things, as if they had completed a task. Except for some good-natured people who raised their heads and watched them leave, the rest ignored them.
Turning his head back, he replied calmly, "Xu Changhe won't let me."
Chu Shao also knew that it was Xu Changhe who stopped them, but the question was, "Why didn't Xu Changhe stop them from doing it?"
Han Shengyi thought for a moment and said, "I don't know. Maybe he's afraid of making things worse?"
Chu Shao: "That day, Xu Changhe went to the village to ask for someone. At first, no matter what we said, he refused to leave. Later, Chen Sanzhu came and said just two words, and then they left together. I saw Chen Sanzhu riding his bicycle here. People passing by called him Secretary Chen."
After hearing this, Han Shengyi looked at Chu Shao and said, "Chen Sanzhu's brother is Chen Dazhu. It's only natural for him to work for his brother."
Chen Sanzhu is just a small fry. Xu Changhe doesn't listen to him, but to Chen Dazhu. If Chen Dazhu doesn't let him make a fuss, he won't even dare to fart. It feels quite satisfying to think that Chen Sanzhu will also be so servile as to please others.
Chu Shao turned to his right, looking towards the dam, his tone unclear. "Xu Changhe's only connection with the town is this dam. It's been under construction for over two years, and the progress is languishing. I don't know how much benefit this dam has brought to Xu Changhe. Once it's finished, will he be willing to give up these benefits?"
Han Shengyi smiled slightly and said nothing.
Chu Shao's personality was indeed impulsive, but he was also a thoughtful person. He saw and understood many things, but he rarely spoke out. Where there were people, there was no shortage of smart people like Chu Shao, yet the dam continued to be built steadily for over two years. It was unclear whether they chose to keep their minds clear like Chu Shao, or whether after raising their concerns, they were suppressed by those who were profiting from the dam.
These things were too far away from them, the children. If they saw them, they would comment on them. If they didn't see them, it wouldn't have any impact. They retracted their gaze and continued walking forward, soon arriving at the educated youth station in Xujiawan.
There were only two people in the educated youth site, Sun Yuqin and Lu Wanhua. They were still worried and didn't dare to go out. Luo Shuyang's psychological quality was better than theirs. She still went to the elementary school to teach as usual, but her sensitivity to any disturbance was much higher than usual.
After Chu Shao went in, he found Wen Xiuwei's seat and began to pack up. Han Shengyi stood in the middle of the dormitory and smiled at the two educated youths sitting next to him. "Sun Zhiqing, Lu Zhiqing, good morning. We are here to pack Wen Zhiqing's luggage. We will leave after we are done and will not disturb you for too long."
Seeing that he had a good attitude, Lu Wanhua became less vigilant. She looked up and asked Han Shengyi, "How is Wen Xiuwei doing in your village? She didn't even bring any food with her. What has she been eating these days?"
Sun Yuqin was listening nearby and couldn't help but roll her eyes.
He is really petty. No matter where he goes, his main concern is always food.
Han Shengyi replied: "Wen Zhiqing is living well. She lives in the village and eats the same food as the villagers."
Hearing this, Lu Wanhua felt relieved.
Han Shengyi didn't mention that Wen Xiuwei was now living in Chu Shao's house, or that she had no worries about meat and eggs, and that she had at least one meal of fine grains a day, because he knew that if he did, not only Sun Yuqin but also Lu Wanhua would be furious. The wealthy ladies in town wore gold and silver jewelry and ate rice and flour every day, and they wouldn't mind it, but if they knew that Wen Xiuwei, who once shared a room with them and ate from the same big pot, was living like this, they would be so angry that they would become sick.
It is better to have less trouble than more. We don’t know what will happen to Xu Changhe and Xu Jie, so don’t make more enemies for yourself outside.
They wrapped all of Wen Xiuwei's belongings in a bed sheet, picked up her newly bought thermos and basin, and finally took away the food and tickets that Wen Xiuwei had left in the small kitchen. Lu Wanhua went to show them the way. Chu Shao handed the bundle to Han Shengyi and opened their food bags to take a look. There were five people in total, so he only needed to take out one-fifth. As he was weighing, he heard a noise coming from the small kitchen and Ding Yiming ran out of the dormitory.
It has been several days since Ding Yiming arrived at the educated youth center in Xujiawan. Except for the first day, he went to the fields with others. Later, when he saw some people being lazy, he immediately joined the group. Others at least pretended to be lazy, but he didn't even bother and just stayed in the house to sleep.
When he first arrived, Ding Yiming was in a bad mood, but gradually, he discovered the advantages of Xujiawan. He didn't have to work and someone cooked for him. Luo Shuyang would only remind him a few times, and when she saw that he didn't listen, she would leave him alone. She was nothing like Ding Boyun, who nagged him endlessly.
If it could continue like this and no one bothered him, he thought it would be nice to stay in Xujiawan.
But the premise is that he must not see Wen Xiuwei or anyone related to Wen Xiuwei.
The moment he saw them, Ding Yiming would remember that he had been forced to come to Xujiawan. If it weren't for Wen Xiuwei and the others causing so much trouble, he wouldn't have been so scared, not even daring to leave the educated youth camp. It was all their fault, Wen Xiuwei and Chu Jiujiu. They were so pretty, and yet they insisted on going out. Wasn't that just asking for trouble?
There are always people who advocate victim blaming. If they just blame and think secretly in their hearts, perhaps nothing will happen. The problem is that people who have such ideas like to make loud noises and want to tell the whole world so that everyone knows how stupid their brains are.
"What are you doing? Put the food down!"
Ding Yiming suddenly came in. Chu Shao turned around and gave him a puzzled look. "I'm distributing food to the educated youth. I'll leave after I'm done."
Ding Yiming: "If Wen Zhiqing wants to get some food, you should let her come back and get it herself. If she comes back, we can have a good talk with her. She caused us such a big disaster, and she just left without even saying sorry to us. Does she know what she has done to us?"
Chu Shao put down the sack in his hand, stood up, frowned, and asked Ding Yiming: "What did she do to you?"
Ding Yiming: "Because of her, the entire educated youth camp is in a state of panic. No one dares to go out to work. Our normal lives have been affected!"
Chu Shao: "Are you afraid that Wen Zhiqing will suddenly come to your house?"
Ding Yiming sneered, as if he had heard something funny. "Why should I be afraid of her coming to my house?"
Chu Shao asked, "Who are you afraid of coming to your door?"
Ding Yiming: "Of course it's Captain Xu and the others!"
Chu Shao said, "You're afraid Captain Xu will come and beat you up, making you so swollen that you won't even drown in the river. But you think the person who beat you up isn't harming you, but Wen Zhiqing, who did nothing wrong. Is that right?"
Han Shengyi pursed his lips and stood aside. He did not participate, but just watched Chu Shao perform.
Ding Yiming was stunned for a moment, then he quickly said, "Don't confuse right and wrong. It was clearly Wen Xiuwei who offended Captain Xu, but now she's escaped, leaving us in this dangerous place. Besides, I was originally an educated youth from Qingzhu Village. I was exchanged here because I wanted to help Wen Xiuwei. I saved her, so if you really count it, she owes me a life!"
As he spoke, Ding Yiming glanced at the food on the ground again. Seeing his action, Chu Shao laughed, "Shouldn't you say next that Wen Zhiqing owes you so much that she can't take all this food away. Just leave it and give it all to you. Anyway, she is alone in Qingzhu Village with nothing. She deserves to starve to death, right?"
Ding Yiming did think so, but he hadn't brought it up yet. Chu Shao put it so bluntly, and it became very difficult to listen to. He blushed and refuted Chu Shao's words: "Don't misinterpret my meaning. I just want to seek justice for myself."
Chu Shao narrowed his eyes. Arguing with others was not his strong point. It was not that he could not defeat the other party, but he was very impatient. If he had this much time, he felt that he could beat Ding Yiming down several times.
Ding Yiming was short, skinny, and the size of a boiled chicken. He had no flesh on his body, and was as thin as a bamboo pole. He couldn't fight. When he used to hang out with the little hooligans, he only knew how to stab people in the back or do things that didn't require much physical effort. If he fought Chu Shao, he really wouldn't stand a chance of winning.
Han Shengyi lowered his eyes and smiled, feeling that it was his turn to make his debut.
"When Xu Jie was harassing Wen Zhiqing, you were thinking about how to get transferred to Xujiawan. When Xu Jie tricked Chu Jiujiu away, you were talking to the leader of Qingzhu Village about the exchange of educated youth. When Xu Jie was injured, you had finished talking. You returned to the dormitory and imagined how wonderful your life would be if you were transferred to Xujiawan. But when everything happened and the leader of Xujiawan revealed his true colors, you regretted it and didn't want to go to Qingzhu Village anymore."
Han Shengyi tilted his head slightly, looking at Ding Yiming and smiling, "What kind of justice are you seeking? Are you trying to say that you're not such a coward, such a snob, that you're not a wimp, and certainly not a cowardly fool?"
Ding Yiming's face froze at what he said, because that was exactly what he was like. Lu Wanhua, who was standing next to him, pretended not to hear anything. She had never liked Ding Yiming in the first place, because he had taken up half of Ren Shengli's room. If he hadn't come, Lu Wanhua had been planning to marry Ren Shengli, and then they could have lived in the same room. But now, his appearance had disrupted all her plans.
As for Sun Yuqin, she didn't say anything either. She was a bit of a fool, but not that stupid. She had liked Ding Yiming in the past because he was sweet, good at talking, and good at dealing with people, and he always made her happy. But now, his true colors were revealed. It was really a case of being far away and smelling bad up close. She hadn't realized Ding Yiming had this kind of personality. He was even more annoying than Luo Shuyang!
The two female educated youth remained silent, and with no one to help him, Ding Yiming felt even more embarrassed. Outside, Luo Shuyang happened to come back. Seeing so many people gathered in the small kitchen, she asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"
After learning the whole story, Luo Shuyang asked Lu Wanhua to borrow a scale from the villagers. She personally weighed out one-fifth of Wen Xiuwei's grain, as well as oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, and distributed all of them at one-fifth. No one else had any objections, but Ding Yiming did have some objections, but no one paid any attention to him.
Luo Shuyang, like everyone else, disliked Ding Yiming, the latecomer. The fact that he'd changed villages meant he was a fickle person. Furthermore, he'd only been here a few days, but he'd already been complaining about everyone in Qingzhu Village. He'd been saying that no one in Qingzhu Village was a good person and that they were all ostracizing him. But Luo Shuyang had met Ding Boyun, and he wasn't like Ding Yiming described him at all.
He was unstable and could not be tamed. He was a typical ungrateful person. Luo Shuyang was too lazy to put in the effort on him. Who knew, he would just drive her away one day. Moreover, she had just heard from the commune that the country was recruiting workers, peasants and soldiers to study abroad. Qingshi Town had a limited number of places. On average, only one person could go from each commune. Their commune had many villages and many educated youth, so there might be two places available.
No one else was competitive, except Ding Boyun. He came from a wealthy family, had a high education, and was well-connected. Furthermore, he frequently visited the commune and was familiar with the commune leaders. In almost every way, he matched Luo Shuyang's qualifications, making him a formidable competitor. One spot was a sure thing, but two was only a possibility. Therefore, Luo Shuyang had to find a way to surpass him. Because of this, she was incredibly busy lately and had no time to bother with Ding Yiming's antics.
After measuring everything and handing it to Chu Shao, Luo Shuyang said, "Please tell Wen Xiuwei to stay in Qingzhu Village with peace of mind. It's the same here as there. Tell her to live a good life, work hard, and actively contribute to the village. I'll go see her when I have time. Oh, and tell her to remember to fumigate with wormwood before bed. She's so pale that mosquitoes will bite her."
It was just two sentences. After she said them, Luo Shuyang might not really go to Qingzhu Village to see her. However, she spoke these polite words beautifully. Even Chu Shao softened his attitude towards her after hearing them. Wen Xiuwei was even more emotional. Maybe these two sentences were enough to win Wen Xiuwei's recommendation.
The commune told her that the village had to recommend the workers and peasants for university. However, before the village made a recommendation, they had to consult with other educated youth. If the other educated youth disagreed, she wouldn't get the spot. Although Wen Xiuwei no longer lived there, she was still a nominal educated youth from Xujiawan. Regardless of whether she was useful or not, they had to win her over first.
On this side, Chu Shao and Han Shengyi retired after completing their mission. They took the message back, but Wen Xiuwei was not as moved as Luo Shuyang had imagined. She just felt strange because she and Luo Shuyang were not that close in normal times. What she said sounded like she was asking her to do something.
I have to say, grandma's intuition is still very sharp.
…
In April, Chu Shao thought about the matter between Captain Xujiawan and Xu Jie for a long time before writing it down in a letter and sending it to Chu Liqiang who was far away. After receiving the letter, Chu Liqiang immediately sent a telegram asking him to make a phone call quickly.
The telegram arrived at two in the afternoon. Chu Shao put down his homework, called Chu Jiujiu, and also called Wen Xiuwei back from the fields. Han Shengyi was busy planting vegetables, so they didn't call him. The three of them hurried to the post office, where Feng Ruyi was already waiting for them at the door.
"I knew you would come when I saw the telegram. Come on, I'll take you to the office."
The telegram didn't say anything, only asking Chu Shao to read it and make a phone call. Chu Jiujiu was so scared that she thought something had happened in the army. She was worried to death all the way. Wen Xiuwei led her and comforted her. Several people walked to the office together. Feng Ruyi quickly left because she had work outside. After the call was connected, Chu Liqiang's voice was heard from the other end soon.
Holding the phone, he asked Chu Shao to tell him exactly what had happened.
Chu Jiujiu was standing on tiptoe next to the receiver. After hearing this, she relaxed and walked aside to watch Chu Shao deal with Chu Liqiang's various questions.
Chu Jiujiu is a villain, and Chu Liqiang is a big villain. Every time Chu Shao tries to cover up the truth, Chu Liqiang will see through it. Wen Xiuwei and Chu Jiujiu just watch his expression changing from pretending to be calm to sweating profusely.
Chu Jiujiu watched with a gloating look on her face. Not long after, Chu Shao hummed, turned around, and handed the receiver to Chu Jiujiu. "He asked you to answer it."
Chu Jiujiu: “…”
She walked over nervously and took the receiver in her hand. Half a year had passed, and the receiver was still too big for her. When she put her ear to the upper position, her mouth could not match the lower position. She deeply suspected that Chu Liqiang would not be able to hear what she said at all if she spoke like this.
She was worrying too much, Chu Liqiang heard it clearly.
"Wine."
Every time they made a phone call, when it was Chu Jiujiu's turn to speak, she would not use any name. She would have to wait until Chu Liqiang spoke first before she would speak.
Chu Liqiang was silent for a second, then asked, "Is Jiujiu still scared now?"
Hearing this question, Chu Jiujiu couldn't help but glance at Chu Shao beside her. Chu Shao and Wen Xiuwei were both looking at her. Seeing her expression, they were a little curious about what Chu Liqiang said on the phone.
Not daring to delay for too long, Chu Jiujiu turned around and tried to sound calm, "I'm not afraid. I wasn't afraid from the beginning. I'm very powerful. Bad guys bully me, and in the end, they are the ones who suffer the consequences!"
Chu Liqiang's voice was not very clear through the phone line, and there was a crackling sound of electricity. However, when he laughed, Chu Jiujiu's face still blushed.
Chu Liqiang chuckled and said, "Jiujiu is really amazing, but if you encounter this situation again in the future, don't worry about anything else. The first thing you have to do is run, run quickly. It doesn't matter if the bad guys can't catch you. Others may get hurt, but that doesn't matter either. You just have to protect yourself well. To you, no one is more important than yourself, understand?"
Chu Jiujiu blinked her eyes. A few days ago, the village held a cultural performance and invited people from the town's art troupe to sing and dance. Influenced by those programs, Chu Jiujiu's thoughts began to change subtly.
She asked softly into the receiver, "But if we can't catch the bad guy, he'll just go and harm more people. If I let him go, then all the bad things he does in the future will be blamed on me, right? I'll be an accomplice."
In the beginning, Chu Jiujiu loved breaking the rules and doing things her own way. Sometimes, she was so self-willed that she even caused trouble for others. For example, in the beginning, she used deception and even secretly ran away from the social worker. When she was finally caught, she hugged the social worker's legs and cried, and the social worker's tears completely softened her heart and stopped forcing her to go to the orphanage. Only then did she give up. Back then, she didn't think about how others felt, but now, she considers others and makes plans for the future.
Children's personalities are formed gradually. At the beginning, they have many shortcomings, and when they grow up, they will still have many shortcomings, but the fatal and very serious ones have been corrected, and the remaining ones are harmless. After all, no one in this world is perfect.
Influenced by this era and by Chu Shao, the captain and others, Chu Jiujiu has become more responsible. This is a good thing. Chu Liqiang felt relieved when he heard it. However, he still had to tell her some things.
"It's true that bad people do bad things and cause others to get hurt. Good people, because they don't have enough power, don't catch the bad guys, and then everything the bad guys do is blamed on the good guys. This is wrong. If you say that, then everyone who has seen a bad guy but didn't recognize him as a bad guy has become an accomplice. If that's the case, then there are no good people in this world; everyone is an accomplice."
Chu Jiujiu moved her feet, lowered her head, and looked at the surface of her shoes. "Oh, then, in the future, if I encounter a bad guy again, I will try my best to catch him. If I can't catch him, I will run away and protect myself."
Chu Liqiang: "I hope you won't meet any bad guys in the future."
Chu Jiujiu chuckled, "I hope so too, but according to probability theory, that's impossible. So I hope I can become very strong in the future, preferably taller than a tree. That way, even if there are bad guys, they won't dare to bully me anymore. I can just stretch out my little finger and eject them out of the solar system!"
Chu Liqiang: "..."
Chu Shao: “…”
Wen Xiuwei: “…”
Very good, it seems that Chu Jiujiu has reached the age of worshipping superheroes.
After talking to Chu Jiujiu for a while, confirming that she was really fine and that Xu Jie's perversion had not left an indelible psychological trauma, Chu Liqiang hung up the phone. After hanging up the phone, Chu Liqiang felt very regretful when he thought about the leave report he had submitted.
He originally thought that the children were fine in the village, and he contacted Chu Xinghua who was far away in the northwest. The situation there was even worse. In addition, it could be seen from the letter that his father was in a very bad condition, so he planned to use his vacation days to visit him.
It takes two days and two nights to get from here to the northwest by train. It takes two days and two nights to go there, and two days and three nights to come back. He can stay in the northwest for a maximum of two days. If he goes to Qingzhu Village, he can stay there for a maximum of three days. The time is about the same. He can only go to one place in a year. This time he went to the northwest. If he wants to see the children next time, he will have to wait until next year.
Chu Liqiang was in a bad mood, which was also reflected in the meeting before dinner. All the regimental and battalion-level cadres of the division headquarters held a meeting together. Chu Liqiang sat in the front and Nie Bai watched him from behind. He felt that he was in a worse mood than usual. He scratched his head and came over after the meeting.
After closing the office door, Nie Bai asked him, "Political Commissar, what's wrong? Is there something wrong at home?"
No matter how serious the situation at division headquarters, Chu Liqiang remained calm. After all, there had been no fighting in their area. The biggest internal conflicts were insufficient training in a certain regiment or uneven equipment distribution in a certain battalion. If Chu Liqiang's mood got worse, it was usually because something had happened to Chu Shao.
Nie Bai was no outsider. Chu Liqiang took out the letter Chu Shao had written last time and let him read it himself. Nie Bai read it quickly and immediately became furious: "What kind of place is this? How can there be such people? I think they are just bullying Chu Shao and Jiujiu because no one is taking care of them. If I were there, I would have skinned this guy to death!"
People who have served in the military are always more hot-blooded. Nie Bai said what he meant and did what he said. If someone bullied his daughter like this, he would definitely fight to the death. Even if he was shot, he would accept it. He was still there, still indignant, but after hearing this, Chu Liqiang suddenly raised his head and said, "Nie Bai, your father died more than ten years ago, right?"
Nie Bai was stunned, not understanding why he brought this up. "Yes, my father had a miserable life and died young. My mother raised us all alone. I brought her in a few years ago to take care of us in our old age, but she wasn't in good health and didn't enjoy her retirement for long before she passed away to see my father."
Chu Liqiang asked again: "Do you have any relatives who are still around outside?"
Nie Bai waved his hands. When he mentioned this, he looked very reluctant. "Not a single one! The people in my hometown treat me like a hot cake. Whenever I go back, they either ask me to find a job or introduce me to a date. They think all the troops are owned by my family. At the beginning, I helped to introduce two people, but in the end, I didn't say a single good word, only complaints. When others heard that I introduced this one but not that one, they got angry with me and said I had no conscience. It was them who helped send my father away, so they think I have to work like a cow or a horse for them all my life. It's wishful thinking. Since then, I have never returned to my hometown. I have made up my mind. In a few years, my brothers and I will find a way to move my parents' graves to a place with beautiful mountains and rivers. That way, no one will be able to bother me in the future."
Chu Liqiang listened, nodded, and said: "Your wife is a local, she can go back to her parents' home on weekdays."
Nie Bai: "That's right, my father-in-law and mother-in-law are really kind. They treat me as well as their own son. I treat them like my own parents. But, Political Commissar, why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Chu Liqiang stood up and asked Nie Bai for help, "In that case, Nie Bai, could you please go to Qingzhu Village to visit Chu Shao and the others during your leave? My leave application has already been submitted and there's no way to withdraw it. I'll reimburse all your expenses for going to Qingzhu Village. The scenery there is beautiful, and a visit there can help you relax. Haven't you always wanted to eat lard residue made with wine? Now you can have it. Qingzhu Village is full of mushrooms, so you can easily pick a sack and bring it back."
Nie Bai was stunned, then he burst into laughter. "That's it, no problem. I've always wanted to see how big Chu Shao has grown. And Jiujiu, she's definitely a little beauty. Don't worry, Political Commissar. I hardly ever use my leave. The occasional one I use is to work for my father-in-law. Just wait, I'm going home now and telling my wife. She's quite understanding, but I have to discuss this with her in advance. If I act first and ask for her permission later, I won't be able to sleep in my bed anymore."
After Nie Bai finished speaking, he had already walked to the door. Chu Liqiang saw him out and thanked him from the bottom of his heart: "Thank you."
"Political Commissar, why are you still thanking me? If it weren't for your help, I would have been discharged from the army long ago. Okay, I'm going home first and wait for my good news!"
Nie Bai left with a smile. Chu Liqiang watched his back until he turned the corner and returned to the office.
The next day, Chu Liqiang received a reply from Nie Bai. As expected, his wife was a very reasonable person. Not only did she agree, she also asked him to bring more things to visit the children. If possible, she wanted Nie Bai to bring his own children over as well. However, his vacation time was not during the summer vacation, and the children had to go to school and could not leave with him.
After the matter was settled, Nie Bai submitted his vacation application. Since he hadn't had a vacation for many years, his leader took it very seriously and gave him three more days of vacation. He quickly agreed to it and set the vacation time in May, which happened to be a neither too cold nor too hot time. Now, he really wanted to turn this trip into a tour.
To give Chu Shao and Chu Jiujiu a surprise, Chu Liqiang didn't tell them about this. As April began, the rain started to increase, and the mushroom season arrived again. Chu Jiujiu woke up at four in the morning again. This time, their family had a small alarm clock, bought with Wen Xiuwei's industrial coupons. Seeing the minute and hour hands on the alarm clock precisely pointing to 4:20, Wen Xiuwei felt a pang of wanting to go back to sleep.
But it is impossible to sleep. If Chu Jiujiu doesn’t want to sleep, no one else can sleep either.
"Get up, get up! Stop being lazy! The mushrooms on the mountain are waiting for us! Get up quickly and head out towards the rising sun!"
Chu Shao: “…”
Where is the sunrise?
Please look up, the sky outside is darker than your heart. Even Zhou Paopi would not let his farmhands get up at this time!
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