By mid-November, it was the off-season for farming, and the entire brigade had nothing to do.
Most people stayed at home, and the educated youth were no exception.
Dull and lonely.
Later, the male educated youth all went to Ma Chaoyang's cave dwelling to listen to the radio, and Qin Hanshu also often went to Zhang Kangmei and Zhang Yao's cave dwellings, where they knitted sweaters together.
Qin Hanshu took out the yarn and cashmere fabric she had bought when she left the capital, intending to make them into clothes.
Zhang Kangmei exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, your suitcase can hold so much stuff!"
Qin Hanshu smiled.
Zhang Yao touched the wool fabric and clicked her tongue, saying, "This fabric feels so comfortable, so light and soft. It must be very warm to wear."
Qin Hanshu said, "It's very warm. I prefer this pure cashmere to synthetic wool."
Zhang Kangmei: "But synthetic wool is more structured, and this is too soft. It's not good for making clothes, is it?"
Qin Hanshu: "Let's give it a try. I heard that Zhang, the tailor from Chenguan Commune, is very skilled. She apprenticed at a well-established shop in the provincial capital before liberation. I plan to have her make it for me."
Zhang Kangmei said, "Then let's go together. Before we left, my stepmother gave me a piece of fabric. I might as well make it into clothes. Anyway, it will spoil if left for too long."
Zhang Yao said, "Your stepmother treats you very well."
Zhang Kangmei said indifferently, "I didn't live with her for long. She ignored me, and I ignored her. It's not really a matter of good or bad. When I came to cut in line, she prepared my luggage. It was my grandfather who told her to do it."
Zhang Yao nodded and didn't bring up the topic again.
Qin Hanshu said, "Then let's go to the commune tomorrow. I heard there are many people looking for Zhang the tailor to make clothes, and we might even have to wait in line. I want to be able to wear them this winter."
Zhang Kangmei nodded: "Okay!"
***
The temperature in Northwest China is so cold that you almost want to take out a light jacket to wear, but in Jiangcheng in the south, people are still wearing short sleeves.
The sun was blazing hot. Qin Feiyang took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead before going inside the building.
When we arrived at Zhou Weiguang's office, the door opened from the inside before we even knocked.
Civil servant Xiao Wang came out, but unexpectedly Qin Feiyang was standing at the door, and the two almost bumped into each other.
From the crack in the door came Zhou Weiguang's booming voice, "It's lucky I saw it! If the regimental commander saw the soldiers dozing off while on guard duty, our entire Second Battalion would be utterly disgraced!"
Qin Feiyang silently withdrew the foot he had been taking towards the office.
He pulled Xiao Wang aside and quietly asked, "What happened?"
“Deputy Battalion Commander Qin,” Xiao Wang said with a bitter face, “a new recruit from the second platoon of the third company was caught dozing off on guard duty last night by Battalion Commander Zhou. At the time, he was not in any danger and even kindly helped stand guard for a while to wake up the new recruit.”
Xiao Wang sighed, "But he flew into a rage early this morning, summoned the company commander of the third company, and I reckon he won't finish lecturing him in less than half an hour."
Zhou Weiguang usually has a serious face, but he is not too serious. He is just very strict when it comes to training and military affairs, and he cannot tolerate the slightest mistake.
He already had a dark complexion, and when he got angry, it was truly terrifying.
Although he wasn't very good at swearing and only used the same few phrases, his voice was loud and aggressive, and he would punish you by making you carry weights for five or ten kilometers at the slightest disagreement.
Even Qin Feiyang didn't dare to go over and invite trouble at this moment.
Qin Feiyang pulled Xiao Wang aside, lit a cigarette for each of them, and began counting watches.
Sure enough, after being berated for 33 minutes, the company commander of the third company finally came out dejectedly. Once he was far enough away from Zhou Weiguang's office, he gritted his teeth and cursed the greenhorn, quickening his pace as he hurried back to reprimand his squad leaders...
Qin Feiyang waited a while longer, estimating that Zhou Weiguang's anger had mostly dissipated, before heading back to his office.
"Knock knock knock".
"Come in!"
We're doomed.
Judging from the sound, it seems like it's still breathing.
But now that things had come to this, Qin Feiyang couldn't just turn around and leave. Besides, this was all for his sister's sake.
Thinking of his younger sister, Qin Feiyang gritted his teeth, pushed open the door, and went inside.
Zhou Weiguang raised his eyelids to see him and asked, "What is it?"
Qin Feiyang paused for a moment before forcing a smile and saying, "Old squad leader, I heard your leave to visit family has been approved? You're leaving the day after tomorrow?"
Zhou Weiguang frowned: "What are you doing, putting on such a big face? Just say what you want to say!"
"Ahem," Qin Feiyang cleared his throat, "I know you haven't been home for many years. Now that you're finally back, you're definitely going to have a good reunion with your family, but... sigh! It's still about my sister!"
"I've already introduced her to you. My sister has been spoiled rotten by my uncle and aunt since she was little. She's been in the countryside for a few months now, and I don't know how she's doing."
"She said she was good in her letter, but I'm worried she's only saying the good things. Could you take a look at her letter when you get back?"
With a "snap," Zhou Weiguang stood up with his hands behind his back and walked out from behind the table.
Qin Feiyang's heart skipped a beat when he saw his face.
Oh no, did I say something wrong?
“I’m telling you, you city kids, you’re all so spoiled! What’s wrong with going to the countryside? What’s wrong with standing guard? You act like it’s your life!”
With his chest heaving a few times, Zhou Weiguang snorted coldly and said, "In my opinion, it's all because we haven't practiced enough! We need to practice hard!"
The company commander of the third company just pleaded for leniency, saying that the soldier who dozed off on guard duty was a city soldier. His parents were strict and demanding, and he always went to bed at nine o'clock sharp. He had developed this habit over the years, and his body hadn't adjusted yet, which is why he dozed off on guard duty in the middle of the night.
Zhou Weiguang had never heard such an outrageous excuse before!
What's wrong? Are soldiers in the city so delicate? They can't even stay up all night?
Qin Feiyang quickly realized what was going on. When he talked to Zhou Weiguang about his sister last time, Zhou Weiguang looked disgusted, but he didn't say anything.
This time it's misplaced anger, not directed at his sister.
"Hehe," Qin Feiyang continued shamelessly, "Didn't I already say that my sister is spoiled because of her poor health? Lin Daiyu! You've read Dream of the Red Chamber, right? My sister is just like Lin Daiyu, she gets out of breath after walking just a few steps!"
Zhou Weiguang was skeptical. "Really?"
"It's absolutely true!" Qin Feiyang said without a hint of doubt.
Because in my memory, although my younger sister was healthy, she was indeed a delicate flower that couldn't withstand the slightest wind or rain.
Even if Zhou Weiguang met him in person, he wouldn't think he was lying.
"Okay." Zhou Weiguang said in a deep voice, "I will pay close attention to this."
Lin Daiyu?
Lin Daiyu, who cries at the drop of a hat, gets angry for no reason, and even builds a grave for flowers?
Do lesbians really exist in the world?
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