Chapter 18: She is not a monster, she will force a good woman...
If Liu Weiguo wanted to borrow the machine tools from the small repair shop, he had no choice but to go home and ask Liu Daniu.
Liu Daniu was familiar with Xu Wenli, the factory manager of the small repair shop, so he could just say hello. He sat there smoking and pondering, "Did Xiao Qi really tell you that?"
"How can I lie to you? What good is there in lying to you?"
Liu Daniu didn't say anything else. He went out after dinner and came back to say to Liu Weiguo, "Take Xiao Qi over there tomorrow morning."
Not only did he greet him, but he also strolled over the next day to see how Qi Fang was going to repair the small clock.
Xu Wenli led the man inside and couldn't help but whisper the same old things to him, "Can he do it? We're not kidding around with these young people. If your old clock doesn't work, just replace it. It keeps breaking down."
"Just give it a try. You're watching over it, right? It's an old item passed down from my family, and I can't bear to part with it."
"How dare I let them go without my supervision? What if something goes wrong?" Xu Wenli felt his old friend was just asking for trouble. "Didn't I tell you, even if he knew how to use it, this is just basic equipment, incapable of doing anything complex or sophisticated. Otherwise, why send the tractor to the town's machine shop? Wouldn't it be faster to fix it ourselves?"
If it is sent to the town's machine repair shop, the internal combustion engine must be adjusted and you have to queue up, which takes at least several days.
"Give it a try," Liu Daniu said again. "Xiao Qi wouldn't have spoken if he wasn't sure. How could I have let him come?"
Seeing Xu Wenli's expression still tense, he added softly, "I heard that before he came to our forest farm, he worked at the town's machine repair shop."
"How come I don't know the person from the town machine repair factory?" Xu Wenli didn't believe it.
"They say he was demoted after only two months. I don't know if that's true or not. You can see for yourself."
Xu Wenli really didn't dare not watch, so he quickly went over to get protective gear for the two of them.
Just as he was about to explain to Liu Weiguo how to put it on, Qi Fang had already taken it over and done it himself. His movements were skillful and natural, showing that he had done this before.
Xu Wenli couldn't help but look at him again, and helped Liu Weiguo get dressed. He repeatedly emphasized the precautions twice before going to supply power to the workshop.
Generally, machine tools and electric welding are not used. For simple machine repairs, small repair shops do not have electricity and only provide lighting at night.
Qi Fang put on his protective mask and headed straight for the grinder. Xu Wenli and Liu Weiguo quickly followed, but Liu Daniu stayed outside the workshop because he didn't have enough protective gear.
There was no point in just sitting there, so he lit a pack of cigarettes for himself, the old-fashioned ones with wooden stems and copper pots.
The older generation of women in Northeast China also smoke pipes, but they always insist that women have longer pipes and men have shorter pipes. His pipe is shorter, and he only smokes when it is inconvenient to go up the mountain to cut wood.
Even though he said it well to Xu Wenli, he actually had no idea in his heart, but he trusted that Qi Fang would not do anything without a purpose.
After slowly finishing two packs of cigarettes, the noise inside finally stopped.
After a while, Xu Wenli came out, still wearing his protective suit. He only took off his mask and gloves and looked at the two parts in the light.
Liu Daniu was tapping his pipe against the wall next to him and quickly came over to take a look. "Did you get it out?"
"Take a look and see if they are the same?" Xu Wenli simply handed him the parts.
Liu Daniu took it and squinted his eyes to look at it against the light. "It seems to be similar, but not quite," he said, holding up the one in his right hand. "This one seems to have a little flaw."
Xu Wenli glanced at him and said, "This is the worn one from your house."
Liu Daniu was stunned and couldn't believe it, "Is this the one from my house?" He looked at it carefully again and again.
"I took it out myself, how could I make a mistake?" Xu Wenli took the parts back from him and went back in.
This time, everyone had taken off their protective gear. Qi Fang was still saying to Liu Weiguo, "I'll put it on for you later. Try it. If there are no problems, it should last for a few years."
Liu Weiguo nodded repeatedly, carefully wrapped the thing in paper, and put it in his pocket. "You are really good. You can even grind parts. Why didn't I see it before?"
Xu Wenli also sighed: "Your hands are quite steady. I thought our simple machine tools couldn't produce anything delicate." His attitude was different from when he entered.
Qi Fang's expression remained calm. "We have quite a complete set of equipment, which is more than enough."
"It's just basic equipment, discarded from somewhere else." Xu Wenli, a machine repairman himself, knew this. "Old Liu said you might be from the town's machine shop, but I didn't believe you. With your skills, why are you logging here? Isn't that a waste?"
Qi Fang didn't answer, but looked at his watch. "Yan Xue still has to go to Master Jia, so I have to go first."
He was helping the Liu family, so the Lius couldn't afford to waste any more time and immediately told him to leave. Xu Wenli couldn't catch anyone, so he could only sigh with Liu Daniu for a while.
The next afternoon, Liu Weiguo came to tell them the good news, "It worked this time. It wasn't off by a minute throughout the day."
"Have you got the gears out?" Yan Xue asked with a smile when she saw that he looked relaxed.
When they went to the small repair shop yesterday, she didn't join in the fun. Considering that she got into trouble last time after just asking a question, she didn't ask about it after Qi Fang came back.
Liu Weiguo was not like Qi Fang who could keep secrets, and he immediately told her everything that happened yesterday. "You don't know, he knows those machine tools better than he knows his wife. He can finish it in just a few clicks."
Yan Xue, Qi Fang's wife: "..."
Qi Fang raised his eyes and glanced at Liu Weiguo: "..."
However, one of the couple was always smiling, while the other always looked cold. Liu Weiguo didn't notice it. "That's good now. I've been tormented for a whole year."
"No need to go to the county anymore." Yan Xue said.
Liu Weiguo nodded in agreement, "That's right." Seeing that Yan Xue was really a good listener, he told her about the rumor from yesterday.
Yan Xue turned around and glanced at Qi Fang. "Did he really work in the town's machine repair shop?"
Qi Fang said nothing, but Liu Weiguo chattered excitedly, "I don't think it's possible. Who would come to the forest farm from the town? Even if they did, they would have to go to the small repair shop. He has been working in the logging team for more than two years. I guess he just learned a little bit from others before, right?"
This question was obviously addressed to Qi Fang, but unfortunately Qi Fang did not comment and did not answer.
Liu Weiguo took it as his tacit agreement and asked him, "Do you want to transfer to the small repair shop? It's definitely easier than the logging team."
"There are enough people in the small repair shop." Qi Fang finally said.
Liu Weiguo thought so too. "That's a shame. Oh, by the way, your service is almost three years old, right? My dad said he wants to recommend you for sawing training this year. But it's not yet full. My dad is still taking up the job vacated by Li Shuwu. He comes home every night complaining about arm pain."
"Almost." Qi Fang was still indifferent, not looking very interested.
Liu Weiguo was used to it, but instead thought of something else, "Yu Yongzhi thinks you're a big deal. Do you think Director Yu will block your spot when the time comes?"
Although the director is only the second in command and there is a secretary above him, if Director Yu really wants to do something bad, Secretary Lang is not familiar with Qi Fang and may not stop him for Qi Fang.
"How about we look for someone?" Liu Weiguo lowered his voice.
"We'll talk about it later." Qi Fang maintained his attitude and asked him, "Have you packed all your things?"
Tomorrow, the eighth day of the first lunar month, they will go up the mountain to continue logging and will not come down until the snow melts in March or April.
Liu Weiguo nodded and said, "I packed it a long time ago. My mom helped me pack it." Then he remembered something and asked Yan Xue, "Do you still have the blueprints for those roller skates?"
"Yes." When Yan Xue heard his question, she opened the drawer on the desk.
Liu Weiguo came over quickly and said, "Can you lend me some? You don't know, my two little ones are crazy, especially Weibin. They won't sleep at night and insist on getting roller skates. And Chuncai's baby treasures her shoes so much that she won't let you touch them, let alone take them apart to figure out how to make them."
"Just take it. It was originally drawn for Chuncai." Yan Xue handed him the drawing directly. "But this is not the same one I made for Chuncai. There may be some differences."
Liu Weiguo folded it and put it in his pocket. "Thanks. Qi Fang is leaving tomorrow. I guess you two still have a lot to talk about. I won't be a third wheel here." He winked at Qi Fang.
After all, there is still a lot to say and a lot to do, and any adult can understand it.
Unexpectedly, just after Liu Weiguo left, someone else came to the door.
The people who came were some teenagers, about the same age as Liu Chuncai. They knocked on the door and asked, "Is this Yan Xue's house?"
Yan Xue had only been at the forest farm for over half a month, and she was a little curious that someone came to ask her instead of Qi Fang.
It turned out that they were also here to ask for the blueprints. The half-grown children were a little embarrassed. "I saw Liu Chuncai skating this morning, and she said you made it for her."
"Yes, sister, who did you ask to do it? Uncle Jia? Why haven't I heard that he can do this?"
When the word roller skates was mentioned, the children all started chattering excitedly, accidentally revealing their changing hoarse voices.
Yan Xue thought about it for a moment and remembered the people who made fun of Liu Chuncai on the day of fishing.
After being laughed at for so many years, she finally got to hold her head high. Liu Chuncai was sure to show off in front of everyone as soon as she learned how to skate. Compared to regular ice skates that could only be used on ice in winter, roller skates that could be used anytime were obviously more appealing. Remember, it was already late February, and there wasn't much time left before the river thawed.
Yan Xue laughed and said, "I asked someone to make it, and I do have the blueprints."
"Can you lend it to us to take a look?" The children looked anxious. "We'll take a look and return it to you when we're done."
"But the drawings have been taken away by Liu Chuncai's brother." Yan Xue spread her hands.
Facing the children's suddenly disappointed looks, she smiled and said, "If you want to use it, you can borrow it from Liu Chuncai. This was originally drawn for her."
They were laughing at Liu Chuncai, not her. It was up to Liu Chuncai to decide whether to lend the money or not.
They had no choice but to say goodbye and leave. As they were leaving, they pushed each other and no one knew what they were muttering.
These kids were just a little naughty, not really that bad. If they really wanted to borrow the blueprints from Liu Chuncai, they would probably apologize to her.
Yan Xue closed the door and turned around to find Qi Fang leaning against the door of the inner room looking at her.
The man was so tall that Yan Xue often had to look up to see his eyes. His eyes were so peachy, and when he looked at people silently, there was always a sense of deep affection.
Yan Xue felt that she was somewhat immune to it, but she still paused before asking, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Qi Fang looked away calmly.
It's like this again, as if he is always observing in secret, but he is stingy with words. If he doesn't say anything, who knows what he is thinking?
This is only because Yan Xue doesn't have the obsessive-compulsive disorder of asking questions, otherwise she would have been broken down long ago.
The smile Yan Xue usually wore seemed a little fake. Just as she was about to say something, someone outside came to her and asked, "Does Yan Xue live here?"
The tone was not as polite as those children just now, and seemed to contain some emotion.
Yan Xue turned around and saw that it was Liang Qimao's wife whom she had met once before. Behind her was a boy of nine or ten years old, who was crying like a cat.
As they walked, Yu Cuiyun turned back and scolded her son: "You're already grown up and still crying. Aren't you ashamed?"
This time Yan Xue's smile was real or fake. She suspected that the other party had come to settle a score with her.
Although neither she nor Qi Fang would bully a child, the relationship between the two families was indeed not good, and the other party gave off the impression that a parent was bringing their child to seek an explanation.
Yan Xue didn't even bother to open the door, just waiting for the other party to come in. Unexpectedly, Yu Cuiyun asked as soon as she entered the door: "Are you Yan Xue? Do you have that thing at home..."
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she paused. The boy behind her hurriedly reminded her, "Roller skates."
"Yes, roller skates. My son saw someone wearing them today and wants a pair too. Can you lend us the blueprints?"
Just after sending away the group of people who would apologize, the group of people who wouldn’t apologize came.
Qi Fang was so tall and good-looking standing alone inside, Yan Xue didn't believe that he didn't see it, but he still opened his mouth to borrow the drawings, as if it was a matter of course.
Yan Xue stood by the door without moving. "What a coincidence! The blueprints have already been borrowed."
In fact, Qi Fang had another one, but the picture was drawn by Qi Fang. Not to mention that she had no habit of making decisions for others, she didn't want to give it to him even if she could make the decision.
Before Yu Cuiyun could say anything, the boy behind her started yelling, "I want roller skates! I want roller skates!"
Yu Cuiyun was getting a headache from his noise. "Shut up!" She turned around and said in a more serious tone, "My home is behind this house. You can lend us your things. You won't go wrong."
The implication was that Yan Xue was afraid that they would lose it or break it, so she deliberately refused to give it to them.
Yan Xue had seen many unreasonable people in her previous life, so her smile didn't change at all. "It's really lent out. There were a few people who came to borrow it just now."
She also softly negotiated with the other party, "Why don't you wait a few more days? Anyway, I live in the front and back streets, so it's convenient for you to come over." But she didn't mention to whom she lent the things.
As expected, Yu Cuiyun was led in another direction by her, and she didn't even think of asking, "Okay then." She wasn't very willing.
Seeing Yu Cuiyun was about to leave, the boy, who had just calmed down a little, started howling again, "I want roller skates!"
"Are you done yet?" Yu Cuiyun grabbed his arm.
"I don't care, I want roller skates! Everyone else has them, so I have to have them too! Ask her to draw another one!"
Yu Cuiyun had no choice but to look at Yan Xue again. Just as she was about to say something, Qi Fang, who had just entered the room, called out to Yan Xue, "Where are my blue pants?"
Yan Xue quickly responded, "Wait a moment." She smiled apologetically at Yu Cuiyun, "He's going up the mountain tomorrow, and we're packing up here." She turned around and hurried in.
Yu Cuiyun had no choice but to drag her still-crying son away. "It's okay to cry for a while. What's wrong with playing for a few days later?"
After walking a distance, he couldn't help but ask his son, "Do you think she looks familiar? I feel like I've seen her eyes somewhere before."
In fact, Qi Fang didn't need Yan Xue to find his pants for him. He had already packed them himself, and he was just looking for an excuse to help Yan Xue escape.
Yan Xue also knew this, so she didn't search any cabinets when she entered the room. She just smiled and patted her chest, "Fortunately, you reacted quickly."
She was the one who reacted quickly. As soon as he opened his mouth, she knew what to say...
Qi Fang glanced at her lightly and said, "Let's cook." He turned and went to the kitchen to light the fire.
Yan Xue saw that it was almost time, so she followed him out, rolled up her sleeves and prepared to cook. She also picked up a piece of wild boar meat left over from the New Year, fried a large bowl of meat sauce and put it in a can, "Take this with you to the mountains, and eat this if the food is not good." She also filled a can of dried chilies made during the New Year.
This is made from wild boar meat and fried in oil, with peanuts and melon seeds added in. It doesn't work well when spread on pancakes, but it tastes delicious when mixed with rice.
Then there was the pickled radish in vinegar. "This is fresh and will spoil quickly. Share it with your coworkers. Eat this first."
Even though she said no matter what, she still prepared a lot of things and used up all the cans and bottles in the house.
Qi Fang watched her busying around, not saying much. This was a strange experience for him.
His mother died early, and he had been living with his grandfather who lived alone. Although his grandfather treated him well, he was a man after all, and his style was typical of scholars, so he didn't care about these things.
Later, when he got a teacher, his wife would take care of his food and clothing and treat him like her own child. Unfortunately...
Qi Fang lowered his eyes, and his whole body revealed that tiredness again, which made Yan Xue stunned when she turned around and saw him.
Looking at the simple and neat little bag the man had packed, and then looking at the ones she had prepared, Yan Xue smiled and picked them up again, "Forget it, it's not convenient to carry these up the mountain."
"That's convenient." A bony hand reached out, took the thing, and stuffed it neatly into the bag.
The man picked it up and lifted it, looking very relaxed, then put it down and looked at her. "Do you do this often?"
In his impression, Yan Xue has always been a delicate and delicate girl. At first, he was a little surprised to see that she could do housework and cook.
Yan Xue smiled and said, "It's okay. I'm used to taking care of my brother."
In fact, she was used to taking care of her father in her previous life. There was no woman in the family and her father had difficulty walking, so she started doing these things alone when she was very young.
That smile was obviously bright and beautiful, but what Qi Fang thought of was not the delicate flowers grown in the greenhouse in his memory, but the wild flowers that grew tenaciously among the weeds on the roadside.
Walking on the desolate land, but facing the sun, it looks fragile and will break at the slightest touch, but its vitality is stronger than anything else.
What caused such a big change in her?
What happened to the Yan family? Was it because of her brother?
Qi Fang had a rare moment of curiosity, but it was suppressed in an instant. Yan Xue had already changed the subject, as if the smile just now was just his illusion.
Although the two became husband and wife, they drew an invisible line between each other. Everyone tacitly guarded the line and tacitly did not cross it.
Just like sleeping at night, covering the same quilt, but always separated by distance. Even when taking off clothes, they gave each other enough space. Yan Xue would always wash up first, and use the time when Qi Fang washed up to lie down in the quilt. After Qi Fang finished washing up, he would come back to turn off the lights and take off his own clothes in the dark.
Um, today seems a little different.
When Qi Fang came back after washing up, Yan Xue didn't lie down. Instead, she put the quilt on her shoulders and sat sideways waiting for him.
The young girl's braids had been undone, and her long, wavy hair hung down. A few strands had slipped into the corners of the quilt, vaguely covering her fair skin and the small vest that was buttoned below her collarbone.
Qi Fang paused and stood half a meter away from the edge of the kang.
Yan Xue had originally remembered something and was planning to tell the other party about it. Just as she was about to speak, she saw the other party's reaction and couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
Liu Weiguo might not believe it, but after so many days of marriage, she has never even seen what a man looks like under his shirt.
This man wore a shirt and pants when he slept, and he tied them tightly, only exposing a small part of his collarbone. Sometimes she wondered if he was more afraid of what the other person might do than she was.
Is it that so?
She's not a monster that would force decent women and men to...
Yan Xue looked at the other person and deliberately said nothing.
Although she doesn't have a pair of bright and affectionate peach blossom eyes, her eyes are still big and bright, and she has a strong presence.
Besides, the cotton quilt was thick and warm enough, but it didn't fit her body very well. She squeezed it so tightly that it couldn't cover her completely. Although Yan Xue was small and looked a little slender, she was not thin at all. Her waist was thin, and the small vest made her look particularly attractive.
Qi put aside his consciousness and looked away, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Yan Xue smiled and repeated what he said in the afternoon.
This time the man turned his gaze back, looked at her, walked to the other side, got on the kang and turned off the light as usual.
As soon as I lifted my sweater, I heard her say something in the darkness, "You will go up the mountain tomorrow."
Qi Fang paused, this time simply took off the sweater, draped it over his arm, turned around and asked her: "What do you want to say?"
He didn't believe that she had any intention in that regard. These days, every day when he got on the kang, he would just close his eyes and pretend to be asleep. Wouldn't she have secretly breathed a sigh of relief one day?
As expected, Yan Xue had something serious to say. "Aren't family members of forestry workers allowed to work as temporary workers in the family team? I'd like to ask if you know what I need to prepare and who to contact to sign up if I want to go."
The next morning, Yan Xue got up early as usual, and Qi Fang got up even earlier than her as usual. He had already washed up and was standing by the desk, ready to make some biscuits and leave.
"I'll make it. The dry food is ready. I can just make some noodle porridge."
Yan Xue got up from the kang and quickly prepared breakfast. Qi Fang ate the hot breakfast before heading to the gathering point as the sky gradually brightened.
Liu Weiguo arrived a little later, yawning as he walked, clearly having trouble getting up. However, he immediately noticed something different about Qi Fang, "Why does your bag look bigger than before?"
Qi Fang didn't say anything, but Liu Weiguo was very sure, "It is indeed bigger. It looks bigger than mine. Is it your wife who installed it for you?"
He was so curious, "Married people are just different, huh? What did your wife pretend to be for you?"
Qi Fang remained silent, then changed the side of the bag he was carrying.
If his wife didn't give him any good things, Liu Weiguo would write his name upside down.
Just as he was about to ask again, the internal combustion engine that had been heading up the mountain arrived. Everyone rushed forward, some carrying luggage, some carrying bags, and Liu Weiguo had no choice but to swallow his words.
With the sound of whistles, the vigorous logging work once again began.
On the other side, Yan Xue was not idle either. After finishing her meal and cleaning up, she estimated the time and went to the home of the captain of the family team.
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