"Comrade Shuhua, you haven't been to work these past few days. Are you sick?"
Worried that someone might see him talking to Zhou Shuhua, Shen Qingming tried to lead her under the old willow tree.
He also subtly expressed his feelings: "I would like to visit you, but I'm worried that my reputation in the village isn't good these days, and I'm afraid it might affect you..."
After being tormented at home for several days, Zhou Shuhua felt that everything she had suffered was worthwhile when she heard the man's caring words.
With red eyes and a choked voice, she said, "Shen Zhiqing, thank you for your concern. I'm fine, it's just that my family has changed completely since they found out I helped you pay off your debts..."
Zhou Shuhua rattled off a whole story about what had happened recently.
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingming understood immediately: Just as he suspected!
Accountant Zhou usually seems like a fair person, but I never expected him to be so snobbish. Knowing that he was poor, he wouldn't let his daughter associate with him.
He gave a wry smile, his tone full of mockery, and said:
"Comrade Shuhua, it's not worth it. It's not worth falling out with your loving family over a stranger like me!"
The more reasonable Shen Qingming acted, the more Zhou Shuhua felt that her family was being unreasonable.
She replied sullenly, "Hmph, if they really care about me and love me, they should respect me. I just wanted to help you, Chen Zhiqing..."
Shen Qingming comforted Zhou Shuhua a few more times, then sent her away. Watching her retreating figure, he cursed inwardly.
You idiot, if someone can make you casually hand over fifty dollars, isn't that because they love and care for you?
Touching the five eggs that the other person had just forced into his pocket, he sighed, "They're a bit silly, but they're still somewhat useful."
I hope I can bring some money next time.
After all, I'm not exactly short of eggs these days.
******
"Oh, Ruan Zhiqing, come in and sit down!"
In the morning, Zhao Cuihong, who had just returned from visiting her eldest daughter, had just gotten up and was combing her hair in the yard when she saw Ruan, the educated youth from next door, walking towards her house. She immediately greeted him warmly.
Ruan Miaomiao smiled and agreed. After entering the courtyard, she took out the two yuan she had prepared and stuffed it into Zhao Cuihong's pocket.
Pork was 79 cents a pound, and the rabbit weighed about three pounds. She paid two dollars, so it wasn't like she was taking advantage of the other party.
Zhao Cuihong was stunned when she saw the money in her hand: "Ruan Zhiqing, what are you doing?"
Ruan Miaomiao smiled, glanced at the house behind Zhao Cuihong, and whispered, "Auntie has given birth to a filial son. Last night, Comrade Zhou Jingyun sent me a rabbit and asked me to give you the money."
Hearing this, Zhao Cuihong felt a warm glow in her heart: her youngest son was so filial.
His wrinkles were practically bulging from laughing so hard they looked like trumpet flowers. He lavishly grabbed a handful of peanuts he'd grown himself, still in their shells, from the kitchen cupboard and handed them to Ruan Miaomiao.
He kept praising his youngest son, even as white foam appeared at the corners of his mouth, but he didn't stop.
Worried that Zhao Cuihong would continue praising Zhou Jingyun all day if she didn't change the subject, Ruan Miaomiao pointed to the chickens eating rotten vegetable leaves in the corner of the yard and began to speak:
"Auntie, you've raised these chickens really well; they're so shiny and healthy."
Hearing Ruan Miaomiao's words, Zhao Cuihong's interest instantly grew even stronger. She slapped her thigh and said with a smug look:
"Oh my, Ruan Zhiqing, you have a really good eye. This old woman not only raises her son well, but she also raises the livestock well."
I'm quite skilled at raising pigs and chickens in our Jianshan brigade. Come on, let me show you my big piglets..."
Without waiting for Ruan Miaomiao's consent, he pulled her towards the pigsty.
And you know what? The pig in the pigpen was so plump and white, it even had a pinkish tinge, making Ruan Miaomiao think of braised pork hock, sauerkraut pork knuckle...
He swallowed hard.
"Auntie, you have such a good eye and so much experience, you must be good at picking chicks too. I'd like to trouble you to help me pick five chicks, so we can at least eat some eggs."
Suppressing her longing for the fat piglets, Ruan Miaomiao spoke to Zhao Cuihong.
Zhao Cuihong was so flattered by Ruan Miaomiao that she was completely smitten. How could she possibly refuse?
He patted his chest and promised to get Ruan Miaomiao the chicks in a couple of days.
Upon hearing that the other person wanted to exchange eggs in the village, he immediately and enthusiastically helped them exchange twenty eggs for five cents each at the neighbor's house.
After Ruan Miaomiao went home, Zhao Cuihong pulled her neighbor aside and praised Ruan Miaomiao, saying that she was indeed a well-mannered intellectual from Haicheng and that her words were pleasant to hear, which made Zhao Cuihong feel very happy.
When Ruan Miaomiao was exchanging eggs, she gave the other party 1.2 yuan and bought the basket the other party had used.
Just as I reached the gate of the courtyard carrying the eggs, I saw a woman dressed in a blue homespun cloth shirt standing there.
At first glance, I realized it was Zhou Weihong, a former educated youth.
Ruan Miaomiao felt a great liking for this righteous old educated youth who was the only one who had ever helped the original owner of this body, and immediately greeted him with a smile:
"Sister Wei Hong, is there something you need from me?"
She moved out of the educated youth settlement on her second day in the countryside. Logically speaking, she wasn't very familiar with these people, so they must have something to ask her.
Zhou Weihong was surprised that Ruan Miaomiao would call her "Sister Weihong" so enthusiastically. She felt a little confused, but faced with that smiling face, she couldn't refuse and could only bite the bullet and agree.
“Young educated youth Ruan, the corn harvest will begin in a few days and we may be busy for a month. We young educated youth are thinking of going to the brigade's supply and marketing cooperative to buy some things to prepare for the autumn harvest. You are also one of us young educated youth, so I thought I would ask if you would like to come along.”
"OK!"
Ruan Miaomiao just happened to want to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some things, otherwise, what would she do with the rabbits in her yard?
After all, she didn't buy any meat on the surface. If she cooked meat that night, wouldn't people become suspicious?
So she decided to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some meat.
After putting down the eggs and carrying the basket, Ruan Miaomiao went to the educated youth settlement.
When she arrived, all ten educated youths at the settlement were standing at the door, seemingly waiting for her.
"Sister Wei Hong, I'm all better now, let's go!"
Ruan Miaomiao warmly took Zhou Weihong's arm and walked forward, appearing to be very familiar with Zhou Weihong.
Afterwards, Shen Qingming and Zhao Xiuyun, who had been thinking about how to get along with Ruan Miaomiao, were completely ignored, and their faces showed an indescribable embarrassment.
Li Yuying, arm in arm with Zhao Xiuyun, looked at Ruan Miaomiao's back with indignation and muttered, "So what if her family has some money? What's she so smug about?"
Wang Heping, who was walking beside him, chimed in, "That's right. We were all sent-down youth together. Who's better than whom?"
"Hmph, she moved out as soon as she arrived, making it seem like we're trying to take advantage of her!"
...
The two people were speaking loudly, seemingly deliberately speaking so that Ruan Miaomiao in front of them could hear.
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