Chapter 126
The driver could obviously understand what Xia Juhua said, but he couldn't speak Mandarin. He was so anxious that his face turned red and he said several sentences to Xia Juhua. He pointed at the sack on the ground, then pointed at his chest, and said "Amu" several times in a row, which was probably his name.
Xia Juhua tried to call out: "Amu?"
Amu nodded repeatedly, bowed to Xia Juhua with a smile, waved his hand, and then went downstairs by himself.
Xia Juhua didn't give it away. Although she admired Amu's keen sense of smell and his ability to seize the opportunity to make money, she was more concerned about what to do with her 150 kilograms of dried shrimps.
Finally, Xia Juhua gritted her teeth and decided to carry it onto the train by herself - there was a car to take her from the guesthouse, and there was also a car to pick her up in the provincial capital, which meant she just had to walk a few steps on the platform when entering the station and when getting off the train. Xia Juhua felt that she could still carry it.
I didn't want to know that Deputy Director Gu was still worried about whether Xia Juhua went to work in the supply and marketing system. After not seeing her all afternoon, I asked my secretary to ask Section Chief Zheng. When he learned that Xia Juhua had returned to the guesthouse, he was relieved and told Xia Juhua that she must sit with me at dinner.
The expo ended successfully. All participants attended a dinner in the evening. Even the leader attended the dinner in person and delivered an enthusiastic speech. In the speech, he praised L Province for its good start and fruitful results, especially Comrade Xia Juhua, and encouraged them to keep up the good work and complete the orders.
As the leader spoke, the participants' attention focused on the area where Province L was located, and they discovered that Xia Juhua was sitting at the table of Deputy Director Gu. Hearing the leader's praise, they both stood up and bowed to the leader to express their gratitude, and everyone burst into warm applause.
Xia Juhua felt a little embarrassed: she had already received a cash reward yesterday, and today she used the reward to buy cashews and dried shrimps. She could give them to Qi Weidong when she got home and get more money in return. Now her leader was praising her in front of so many people. Didn't she feel a little unworthy?
Fortunately, the leader's speech was very brief, and then everyone had time to eat, drink and freely communicate, which made Xia Juhua's guilt go away. She didn't know that it was precisely because the leader's speech was brief and that he praised her in such a brief speech that it seemed more precious.
Even many leaders of supply and marketing systems of brother provinces who participated in the Expo did not ignore Xia Juhua when they came to build relationships with Deputy Director Gu. Instead, they treated her and Deputy Director Gu equally and toasted them at the same time.
Regardless of whether these people toasted sincerely or just to give face to the leaders, Xia Juhua didn't know how to deal with it - she had lived for two lifetimes without ever touching alcohol, and she had no idea how to avoid drinking at the table.
Deputy Director Gu had to personally come forward to defend Xia Juhua from drinking: "Comrade Xia Juhua doesn't drink, and this is her first time attending such an event. Please don't embarrass her."
Those who could come and establish contact with Deputy Director Gu were all of similar rank to him, so they could naturally see that Xia Juhua was indeed not suitable for such an occasion, so they stopped trying to persuade her to drink, and only told Deputy Director Gu about their purchase of 10,000 tons of rubber.
The central idea was very simple, that is, the rubber product factories in L Province were small in scale, so could they get a share of the 10,000 tons of rubber? Everyone knew that the 50,000 tons of rubber purchased by Director Yang must be supplied first to military industry and large state-owned factories. Their local factories, like the factories in L Province, could not be included in other people's supply chains.
Some people were jealous and said: "You are so smart, how come you thought of buying rubber yourself? We all thought that rubber can only be allocated by the state, and never thought of buying it yourself."
Deputy Director Gu looked very pleased with himself. He didn't care even though he could hear the jealousy in the other party's words. "We participate in the Expo to sell our own products and buy the products we need. Don't tell me you didn't expect it. I heard that the orders you signed are enough to feed the entire province's supply and marketing system."
The person who spoke gave Deputy Director Gu an unceremonious look and said, "Everyone knows that you, L Province, are the big winners this year. We didn't sign many orders for the same things. Our friends all went to you. The few orders we signed were for things you didn't have."
After saying the same thing many times, Deputy Director Gu became more comfortable with the response, and even asked others if they could exchange internally about things that were in short supply in L Province but abundant in other provinces.
Other provinces were not unmoved by his request, but if they wanted their things they could go back and ask for instructions. However, they all told Deputy Director Gu that no matter what the leader's opinion was, they would tell the leader that Province L had to use rubber for the replacement.
Deputy Director Gu said to Xia Juhua with regret, "Yesterday you shouldn't have only asked those people about cashews. You should have asked them if they had rubber. If they did, we could have bought it all."
Xia Juhua asked Deputy Director Gu in confusion: "How much money can you mobilize? If you really want it, it's not too late to ask Roberts now."
These words left Deputy Director Gu speechless - he did have partial purchasing authority, but not unlimited purchasing authority. The funds he could mobilize were only enough to pay for the 10,000 tons of rubber. He had to report back and then allocate funds for the 20,000 tons of cashews.
If he hadn't known that Xia Juhua was such a straightforward person (Deputy Director Gu might have misunderstood her), he would have suspected that Xia Juhua was blatantly mocking him. But now he was laughing happily: "Maybe after we return to the provincial capital, we will have to place additional orders for Robert soon."
Xia Juhua nodded affirmatively: "Yes. You have Robert's phone number, so just call him directly, it's so convenient." There is no phone in Ping'an Village now, so she doesn't want to make phone calls.
"When you go to work in the provincial capital, it will be more appropriate for you to take charge." Deputy Director Gu felt that he could now assign tasks to Xia Juhua directly with a smile.
Xia Juhua also felt that she should tell Deputy Director Gu her thoughts: "Director Gu, I feel that I am still not suitable for the job in the provincial capital. It is better for me to stay in Ping'an Village."
Deputy Director Gu stopped laughing all of a sudden: "What did you say?" Why didn't I hear you clearly.
Xia Juhua had to repeat herself: "I want to continue to stay in Ping'an Village. I am too old to work in the provincial capital."
Deputy Director Gu had actually heard it clearly the first time, but he just couldn't believe that there were people who didn't want a city hukou or a stable job at a supply and marketing cooperative these days. "Comrade Xia Juhua, I hope you can go back and reconsider this."
At this point, Deputy Director Gu remembered something, smiled and said, "If you're worried about your children, there's no need to worry. You know we have a succession policy. One of your two sons can take over your job. As for the other, I can report to the leadership when I get back. It's not impossible to make an exception and recruit him into the supply and marketing system."
Based on Xia Juhua's contribution, Deputy Director Gu felt that it was not impossible to make an exception and solve the household registration problem for one child. He said that it should not be a big problem if he went back to study it with the leadership: "In the future, not only your son, but also your grandson and granddaughter can eat commercial grains."
Xia Juhua thought, who cares about those two boys? But if they can really be recruited into the supply and marketing system, whether they are willing to build houses or not, they can stay away from me. It is not impossible to consider it: "Deputy Director Gu, why don't I stay in Ping'an Village and recruit my two sons into the supply and marketing system."
When the people at the same table heard Xia Juhua's request, they all looked sideways and secretly examined Deputy Director Gu's expression.
How could Deputy Director Gu show them a good face? He didn't slam the table and stand up to leave. It was all the result of years of self-cultivation and effort to restrain himself.
It was a nice meal, but it ended in a bad mood. Deputy Director Gu ignored Xia Juhua completely afterwards. However, unexpectedly, at the last moment, Director Yang personally came to the main table of Province L to toast Deputy Director Gu. This was a treatment that no other province had.
This made Deputy Director Gu feel a little flattered: "Director Yang, I should be the one to pay my respects to you and the leaders. But the leaders of Guangdong Province are here, so it is not convenient for me to go over." He explained to Director Yang in a low voice.
When Director Yang came over, he had already noticed Deputy Director Gu's expression of concern, but he pretended not to see it and gestured to Xia Juhua with his wine glass: "Comrade Xia Juhua, this glass is for you and Deputy Director Gu at the same time."
Deputy Director Gu did not block Xia Juhua from drinking. He looked at Xia Juhua who was still holding the glass of water in front of her and said, "Director Yang, I don't drink."
Director Yang smiled indifferently, clinked his glass with Deputy Director Gu, then clinked Xia Juhua's glass and said, "It doesn't matter what you drink. Even if you don't drink, it won't erase your contribution. Besides, we'll need your help soon."
The last sentence reminded Deputy Director Gu that no matter whether it was cashews or rubber, if additional orders were to be placed, Xia Juhua might have to step in. What if the international friend insisted on only recognizing Xia Juhua? Even if he could call Roberts himself, Xia Juhua's role in the line with Director Yang should not be underestimated.
So he put on a gentle smile again and touched Xia Juhua's glass: "Director Yang is right. Comrade Xia Juhua will continue to make contributions in the future."
The three of them drank all the wine and water. In front of everyone, Director Yang left Xia Juhua his address and even his office and home phone numbers, stating that Xia Juhua could contact him at any time. Then he greeted Deputy Director Gu and left with satisfaction.
How could Deputy Director Gu still be so cold to Xia Juhua? When everyone left the cafeteria, they smiled and walked together with Xia Juhua.
直到重新回到招待所，鄭科長把火車票給夏菊花送來的時候，才有空問她：“吃飯的時候，我看顧副主任有點兒不高興，是不是……”
事情明顯瞞不住，夏菊花實話實說：“顧副主任想讓我留在省城供銷系統，我想讓他把我那兩個不争氣的兒子帶到省城去，我自己留在平安莊大隊，他不高興了。”
鄭科長都聽呆了：“你的年紀還有幾年就能退休了，到時候總有一個兒子能接班，幹啥非得這個時候提？”
夏菊花的表情很無奈：“我也就那麽一提，誰知道顧副主任就不高興了，我有啥辦法。”
鄭科長還無語呢，人家好心好意給你将來有個保障，結果你給人家出個更大的難題，人家不生氣才怪呢——真當農業戶口轉吃商品糧，就是上嘴皮碰下嘴皮的事兒呢？
顧副主任咋說也是全省供銷系統的副主任，平時說話在供銷系統不說一呼百應也差不多，要是真因此惱了夏菊花，那承平地區的供銷社……
他試探的問夏菊花：“要不你去給顧副主任道個歉？”
夏菊花并不覺得自己有向顧副主任道歉的必要：顧副主任提出的條件固然不錯，也只是征求夏菊花的意見。即是征求意見，那她有自己的意見不是很正常嗎？
至于說顧副主任會不會因此給她穿小鞋，夏菊花想的很開：真想給她穿小鞋，在她提出想讓兩個兒子去省供銷系統的時候，就已經對她有意見了，道不道歉都會穿的。
她就是一個農村婦女，就算顧副主任給她穿小鞋，還能開除她的農民籍，不讓她種地了？過上幾年春風遍地，她手裏有錢，齊衛東要蓋農貿市場，做買賣掙錢的機會一大把，顧副主任又能拿她咋樣？！
更何況今天楊司長表态表的太明顯，顧副主任那麽精明的人，自己都放軟了态度，夏菊花真不覺得他會給自己穿小鞋。
鄭科長跟夏菊花打交道不是一天半天了，太了解夏菊花看起來好說話，執拗起來誰也不認的性子了，嘆了一口氣沒有再勸，只讓夏菊花好好休息，別誤了明天的火車——L省到羊城還沒有直達車，中間得在京城換一次車，所以他們買的車票是第二天早晨六點的，至少五點就得起來。
夏菊花要到鄭科長走後，收拾起行李來，才發現自己離開平安莊已經十二天了，這是她兩輩子離開最長的時間，有些想念自己低矮的小院子，後院那幾只到冬天就不下蛋的母雞，還有編席組的趙仙枝、常仙草、張翠萍，更想念李大丫、安寶玲這兩個妯娌，還有……
思念是不能起頭的，一開了頭便使人輾轉反側，夏菊花這一晚沒睡好，頂着大大的黑眼圈跟着大家出現在食堂。
鄭科長還以為她是為自己昨天的話睡不着，小聲勸她說：“只要咱們的訂單按時完成，就算是省供銷系統也不能卡咱們。外彙掙得多了，他們還得捧着咱們呢，你別擔心。”
一聽就知道，鄭科長這是誤會了，夏菊花忙向他解釋：“我就是想着自己離家十幾天了，也不知道家裏、隊裏成啥樣了。”
在鄭科長眼裏，夏菊花這就是不好意思說實話呀。你說人家好好的編自己的席、當自己的大隊長，來參加博覽會不光自己簽了訂單，還帶動的L省訂單都增加了不少，替國家創造了多少外彙，咋就非得讓人去省供銷系統呢。
至此，鄭科長心裏竟對顧副主任有了意見，硬按着夏菊花坐到了自己那一桌，美其名曰這幾天夏菊花累的連頓飽飯都沒吃上，實在是為了承平地區供銷社辛苦太過了。
他們兩個不是單獨開桌，同坐的還有其他地區供銷社的人，幾乎個個都受過夏菊花的幫助，一聽鄭科長這麽說，紛紛贊同的給夏菊花遞粥遞馄饨遞燒麥。各種遞的結果就是夏菊花面前堆了四五個碗，四五個小碟子，裏頭的東西再來一個夏菊花也吃不完。
“咋啦，都舍不得跟夏菊花同志分開是不是？放心，回到省城咱們還得開總結表彰會，有的是時間在一起呢。”顧副主任的聲音突然出現在他們這一桌，夏菊花右邊的人便起身給領導讓座——左邊坐的是鄭科長，他也有起身的動作，“恰巧”比右邊的人慢了一拍。
顧副主任不計較這些小節，自來熟的拿起夏菊花面前一個沒有動過的碗，舀起裏頭的馄饨咽下去，才問：“東西都收拾好啦？”
這話只有夏菊花回答：“收拾好啦，就是一會兒得讓鄭科長幫我擡一下。”
顧副主任就笑了：“看來你昨天收獲不小，又買啥好東西了？”
夏菊花如實的說了自己買到海米的事兒，兩人一問一答間吃完早飯，看的鄭科長頭皮一陣陣發麻：顧副主任到底生沒生夏菊花的氣，夏菊花究竟是不是為擔心以後供銷系統穿小鞋睡不着覺的？
兩人表現的也太正常了點兒，他這個自以為清楚個中情況的人，真是一點兒也看不懂了。
別說鄭科長看不懂，就連顧副主任這個當事人，也覺得夏菊花實在太沉得住氣了——倒不是他真生夏菊花氣，一開始的時候确實有點兒好心被人當成驢肝肺的不自在，不過回去顧副主任自己早想通了。
人各有志不可強求，說起來到省供銷系統工作，對夏菊花的生活是一個質的飛躍，可真的如此嗎？夏菊花明明在平安莊大隊過的如魚得水，一年的工分分紅不比城裏的正式職工少，又一心想帶着平安莊所有社員一起奔好日子，突然有人提出讓她離開，那不跟長得好好的樹，不打招呼給挖離地面是一樣的？
還是長了四五十年的老樹，動一動就傷筋動骨的那種。
別說夏菊花，現在誰要說給顧副主任提升到外省做正職，他心裏高興是高興，還得有一些悵然呢。
所以今天顧副主任早打好了主意，在飯桌上不着痕跡的跟夏菊花把話說開，讓她心裏別存了疙瘩。結果一進食堂，夏菊花已經在承平地區那邊坐定了，還頂了兩個大黑眼圈，讓顧副主任心裏都升起負罪感了。
跟鄭科長想的差不多，顧副主任也以為自己是那兩黑眼圈的罪魁禍首，所以也不讓人再請夏菊花到他那一桌，而是自己找到承平地區的桌上。
被領導這麽重視，一般人咋還不得激動、雀躍、亢奮的不能自己？可人家夏菊花就是一臉平常的該吃吃該喝喝，問的話大大方方回答，不問就吃自己的，半點自矜自驕都沒表現出來。
這讓顧副主任在心裏鄙視了自己一回，又把對夏菊花的評價提高一個分級，本來已經熄火的想把夏菊花挖進供銷系統的心，又不安份起來了。
甚至顧副主任又想偏了：說不定夏菊花不是不想自己進省供銷系統，只是身為母親，想給孩子們一個更好的前程，才說讓自己的兩個孩子都進供銷系統呢？
一定是這樣，要不夏菊花不可能一下子提出兩個兒子都進供銷系統。
心裏有了這樣的結論，顧副主任笑的更是如沐春風了：他得好好想想，回去應該咋跟領導彙報，才能讓他們同意夏菊花母子三人都進供銷系統。
又因此，夏菊花的行李都沒鄭科長啥事兒了，人家顧副主任的秘書帶着另一個小夥子，早早來到夏菊花的房間，連海米帶她的随身包袱，都給提到送行的車上去了，就連到了火車站的托運手續，也是人家給辦理的，錢也是人家代付的，沒用夏菊花操一點心。
夏菊花不是使喚人覺得理所當然的人，兩個大小夥子忙的一身汗，她心裏過意不去，下了火車之後直接各送了一斤海米一斤腰果，聲明兩人要是不收的話，那就是看不起她，以後她也不敢請兩人再幫忙了。
兩個小夥子有些臉紅的接過夏菊花的禮物，一再叮囑夏菊花，不管有啥事都要找他們，随叫随到。
沒錯，此時的夏菊花仍然住在招待所裏，只是換成了省城的市委招待所，條件比起羊城來還好一些——所有參加博覽會的人員，都要在這裏統一參加L省供銷系統總結表彰會，夏菊花同樣不能缺席。
好在回程夏菊花雖然胃裏還有些翻騰，不過下車後沒有暈車，休息半下午之後，就能正常參加晚上的慶功宴了：別管取得成績如何，能參加博覽會就是一個勝利，慶功宴擺的理所當然。
而夏菊花竟然被直接安排到了領導那一桌，顯然是顧副主任已經向領導彙報過，領導知道了她在博覽會上的表現和發揮的作用，為表重視才做如此安排。
As a woman from the countryside, Xia Juhua was surprisingly calm and at ease when others thought she would be shy and uncomfortable - she had met leaders as high as the Expo Commander and had reported every situation to them honestly, so Xia Juhua didn't think she had anything to be shy about.
It's the same thing as eating, so it doesn't matter where you sit.
The only drawback was that the leaders at this table had to speak and toast to the people at each table. Xia Juhua could not be like the ones sitting at the Chengping area table, pretending to be serious on the surface but secretly calculating how to sell the cashews and dried shrimps and how much they would be sold for after returning to Ping'an Village - who knew which leader would be in a good mood and would ask her a few questions. If she was stunned and couldn't answer, she would still be embarrassed.
Just now, when the next leader gave a toast to each table, the leader who gave the speech whispered to Xia Juhua: "Comrade Xia Juhua, you have made great contributions to the provincial supply and marketing system this time. The provincial supply and marketing system is very grateful to you. Do you have any requests?"