As dawn broke, the village was bustling with activity and noise.
Awakened by the noise, Ruan Miaomiao remembered that today was the day the production team had to hand over its grain quota, so she decided to take this opportunity to go to the cowshed.
It was late autumn, and after several autumn winds and rains, the weather had turned cool. People in the village started to put on more clothes. Ruan Miaomiao thought of the drafty environment of the cowshed and couldn't help but worry about her parents.
Riding the pink bicycle that Zhou Jingyun bought for her, Ruan Miaomiao sped towards the county town like the wind.
"Huh..."
Did something just pass by?
"It seems to be Ruan Zhiqing. In our Jianshan Brigade, Ruan Zhiqing is the only one who has a pink bicycle."
"Tsk tsk, rushing out so early in the morning, I wonder what they're going to do."
"What else could it be? Maybe they're going to see Yunwazi. After all, we haven't seen Yunwazi for several days!"
"Oh, now that you mention it, I do remember that Yunwazi hasn't been seen for a long time. Could it be that he got into some trouble outside and was arrested?"
"How could that be? You just can't stand to see others do well. We're all from the same village. How can you talk about Yunwa like that? How can you live with yourself?"
"Tch, I'm not just making this up. Tell me, if he wasn't messing around outside, where did Yunwazi get the money to buy Ruan Zhiqing a bicycle, a brand new, Forever brand one at that?"
I bet he's doing some kind of speculative business outside.
Some people who were envious of Zhou Jingyun's family eating meat every week also felt sour upon hearing this: "I think that's definitely the case."
It's fine if Zhou Jingyun engages in speculation and profiteering, but I'm worried that if he gets arrested, it will affect our production team. If we don't get rated as an advanced production team at the end of the year, I definitely won't let him get away with it!
...
As they filled the grain measuring bins with corn, potatoes, and wheat, they gathered in small groups to discuss the matter.
Captain Zhou Jianguo, who was smoking a pipe and whose head was covered in spiderwebs from the drizzling rain, heard the discussion and his face darkened: "They're all clueless guys. They don't know how powerful Yunwazi is now!"
He roared with a touch of authority:
"I think you guys got up too early and are just spouting nonsense here."
"Hurry up and pack up the grain, deliver it to the commune as soon as possible, and come back to get your share!"
Upon hearing that the grain was to be distributed, the villagers, who were still somewhat resentful after being yelled at, completely forgot about it and worked hard to load the grain. They even called upon the village's only two horses and six cows to help transport the grain later.
The weather is fine today, the crops in the fields have yielded a good harvest, and the cattle and horses of the production team are also well-fed and strong. It would be as frustrating not to take them for a stroll around the commune area as eating pork and not telling the whole village...
On the other side, in the cowshed, Qin Fengying heard the commotion in the village and couldn't help but stand at the door, anxiously looking out.
However, through the gray drizzle, she couldn't see the granary at all, let alone find her daughter.
Seeing his wife's anxious look, Sun Deming brandished the sickle he was using to cut grass, leaned close to Qin Fengying, and whispered, "Don't worry, when I go to collect the grain later, I'll find a chance to talk to Miaomiao and remind her then!"
"Why……"
Despite the man's promise, Qin Fengying was still extremely worried.
That day, she heard noises coming from the cattle pen and assumed it had been burgled, so she rushed in without thinking.
However, as soon as he peeked inside, he heard an unfamiliar girl cursing her daughter viciously, even swearing that she would never let her daughter go.
She immediately hid back, wanting to find an opportunity to remind her daughter.
However, now that she is considered a "bad intellectual" (a derogatory term for intellectuals with negative social class backgrounds), she doesn't dare to get too close to her daughter in public.
In fact, she wouldn't even say a word to her daughter in front of outsiders, for fear of involving her daughter.
Finally, upon hearing that today was the day for distributing grain, she immediately thought of an opportunity to strike up a conversation with her daughter while collecting the grain.
If all else fails, you could leave a note in your daughter's yard to remind her.
If all else fails, the only option is to sneak into the village at night while everyone is asleep...
Unaware that her parents were worried about her, Ruan Miaomiao rode at full speed and finally arrived in the county town more than two hours after dawn.
Despite it being late autumn, Ruan Miaomiao was covered in sweat from exhaustion.
Sweat soaked her forehead and clung to her fair face, but she didn't care. She went straight to the state-run restaurant, packed five servings of braised pork, two servings of pickled cabbage and pork hock, and twenty large meat buns. Carrying her full basket, she found a secluded spot after leaving the restaurant, hid everything in her spatial storage, changed her clothes, and then went to the supply and marketing cooperative in the county town.
When she arrived at the county supply and marketing cooperative, besides buying some White Rabbit milk candy, malted milk powder, and brown sugar, Ruan Miaomiao specifically looked for a cotton-padded jacket made of local blue cotton cloth.
Although the cotton-padded coat isn't thick, it's just right for this season.
After buying a cotton quilt for each of her parents, she used her meager cotton ration coupons to buy about five kilograms of cotton, tied it to the back of her bicycle, and rode back home.
Halfway there, after confirming that no one was around, she only kept two kilograms of cotton tied to the back of her bicycle, and put the rest into her spatial storage. She then rode her bicycle towards Jianshan Brigade.
When they arrived, the production team had just returned from delivering grain, with two horses, six cows, and the village's strong men shouting as they walked back.
Upon seeing Ruan Miaomiao, he greeted her from afar:
"Oh, Ruan Zhiqing, where have you been coming from?"
Hearing someone greet her, Ruan Miaomiao immediately slowed down her bicycle and replied, "Oh, Uncle, this isn't my first year working in the countryside, so I'm not familiar with the climate in our Jianshan Brigade. I didn't expect it to get so cold after the rain. I brought a lot of food with me, but I didn't prepare a thick cotton coat. Last night I couldn't stand the cold, so this morning I ran to the county town to buy some cotton to wear under my coat..."
Upon receiving Ruan Miaomiao's reply, the happy man immediately started rambling on as if he knew a lot: "Oh my, I always said that you educated youths are young, and you all care about dressing up. But can dressing up block the wind or keep out the rain?"
Winters here are freezing cold, so cold they'll chill you to the bone. Ruan Zhiqing, you'd better prepare plenty of warm clothes and firewood too..."
"Okay, Uncle, I'm off now, I need to get back to make clothes!"
Ruan Miaomiao greeted him with a smile, and without waiting for the man's response, she rode her bicycle away.
Watching Ruan Miaomiao's retreating figure, the people behind her started whispering again:
"Oh my, this educated youth Ruan, despite coming from a big city, is quite thrifty. She even knows to add cotton padding to her cotton-padded coat."
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