Xu Ningyan followed Lin Hong onto the bus and got off at the county machinery factory stop. After entering the machinery factory with Lin Hong, Xu Ningyan realized that Lin Hong's home was actually in the machinery factory.
Lin Hong's home is in the staff quarters of the machinery factory, not in a tenement building, but in a small courtyard.
There was a pomegranate tree in the yard, and the pomegranate flowers on the tree were bright red, which was very festive.
Several small vegetable plots have been cultivated nearby, planted with scallions, ginger, and some chili peppers.
In the corner of the wall, vines of loofah and cucumber grew, and fruit was hanging from them.
It looks very homey.
The house has a living room and three bedrooms, with the kitchen and toilet on either side.
Although Lin Hong's house was not big, it was very clean and cozy.
Xu Ningyan sat down at the desk. Lin Hong poured her tea, brought her a small dish of melon seeds, and washed a few plums and brought them over as well.
I sat on the bed and talked to her.
Xu Ningyan then learned that Lin Hong's father was a long-time employee of the machinery factory, while Lin's mother worked for the county government.
She has two older brothers; she is the youngest daughter.
One of her brothers was in the army, and another had been accepted into a machinery factory. She was the only one who was too young and was originally supposed to go to the countryside.
Lin's parents couldn't bear to part with their little girl, so they pulled a lot of strings to find her a job at a department store.
Lin Hong used to have a classmate she got along with very well. That classmate's family didn't find her a job, so they sent her to the countryside as an educated youth.
When her classmates heard that Lin Hong had a job, they became jealous and secretly wrote her a letter of complaint.
Fortunately, Lin Hong's parents, worried that things might change if they waited too long, had already secured a job for her and went to great lengths to keep her in the city.
After that incident, Lin Hong was also afraid.
She was originally supposed to be a sales clerk at the counter, but she switched jobs and now spends her days in the warehouse, where she doesn't have to deal with many people, and the benefits are quite good.
She no longer dared to make friends with just anyone, for fear of being stabbed in the back again.
Therefore, I have been working at the department store for two years, and I always keep to myself.
The reason I took the initiative to greet Xu Ningyan this time was twofold: first, after learning that Xu Ningyan had returned the lost money, I felt that she was of good character; second, I heard from my mother at work that she had mentioned something to me, saying that if Xu Ningyan was really someone worth befriending, we might as well get to know her slowly and learn from her.
Lin Hong was initially reluctant, but after thinking it through, she took the initiative to do so.
Unexpectedly, the two hit it off immediately.
Lin Hong was still a little embarrassed when she said this.
Xu Ningyan, however, did not take it to heart. If she were really a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, she would definitely feel that the friendship between the two had become impure, and that Lin Hong was too mercenary. In a fit of anger, she might actually break off the friendship.
But she's just old wine in a new bottle; inside, she's an adult who doesn't care about these things anymore.
Whatever the reason, the fact that she and Lin Hong get along well and feel relaxed and comfortable with each other is enough.
So I smiled and said, "Do you think we're good friends now?"
Lin Hong nodded repeatedly: "You are now my best, my only good friend! I swear!"
The little girl blushed with anxiety and held up two fingers, afraid that Xu Ningyan wouldn't believe her.
"That's settled then! In the end, it's because I have a lot of personal charm that you hit it off with me so quickly!" Xu Ningyan joked.
Lin Hong was amused and couldn't help but pounce on Xu Ningyan to tickle him. The two of them started playing around, and the awkwardness from before immediately disappeared.
After things were out in the open, Lin Hong regarded Xu Ningyan as her closest person even more, and wished she could share everything with Xu Ningyan.
Even though Lin's father was afraid of his wife and Lin's mother favored her eldest brother the most, Lin Hong shared all the details about how Lin's eldest and second brothers were, including how old they were when they wet the bed, how old they were when they were beaten, and when they secretly dated other people.
Xu Ningyan couldn't sit still any longer. If she stayed any longer, the Lin family would have no secrets left from her.
He hurriedly interrupted Lin Hong, saying, "I heard that the supply and marketing cooperative of your county's machinery factory is even more impressive than our department store. They have many trendy goods that our department store doesn't have. Why don't you take me there to broaden my horizons?"
At that moment, Lin Hong felt that Xu Ningyan was the best friend she could ever be, and she wished she could give her her whole heart. When she heard Xu Ningyan say that she wanted to go and see, she immediately pulled her outside.
As they walked, he explained, "As you probably know, this machinery factory was originally a military factory, which was later separated. Most of the long-time employees here are still from the original military factory. Even though it was separated, its connection with the military hasn't been completely severed!"
"So some military supplies are allocated to this area! It's not as bad as the rumors outside say."
Xu Ningyan was quite interested in this and couldn't help but ask a few more questions.
Lin Hong then explained to Xu Ningyan in detail what everyone already knew.
The two chatted and laughed all the way for about ten minutes before finally arriving at the entrance of the factory's supply and marketing cooperative.
The supply and marketing cooperative was small and didn't have many people.
As she walked in, several sales clerks who were chatting glanced at Lin Hong and greeted her with smiles: "Hong girl, what brings you here today? Is there something you can't buy at your department store?"
Lin Hong rolled her eyes. Do you know why she doesn't like coming to the supply and marketing cooperative? Ever since they found out she was going to work at the department store, the aunties and uncles at the supply and marketing cooperative have said the same thing every time they see her.
However, with Xu Ningyan beside her, she reluctantly patiently said, "I brought my friend here to shop today."
The sales clerks sized up Xu Ningyan. Although she was a bit dark-skinned and thin, her features were delicate. She was wearing a trendy blue plaid shirt made of Dacron, a rare color that their supply and marketing cooperative didn't have in stock.
To be able to wear this outfit, one must not be from an ordinary family.
Indeed, how ordinary could someone be friends with Lin Hong and get along with her?
The sales clerks composed themselves and greeted her warmly: "Young lady, is this your first time visiting our machinery factory's supply and marketing cooperative? We have some great things here that you can't buy anywhere else! Would you like to take a look?"
Some had already noticed Xu Ningyan's military green backpack. "Little girl, where did you buy that backpack? It looks like the style of our army's backpack—"
These words resonated with many, and the group forgot to greet Xu Ningyan, focusing instead on her handbag.
The supply and marketing cooperative wasn't very big; it was much smaller than a department store, about the same size as the commune's supply and marketing cooperative.
Xu Ningyan looked around and saw several things that couldn't be found outside, such as compressed biscuits and military-grade water bottles.
Everything else aside, she did take a liking to this military water bottle. Things at that time were of good quality, especially military supplies.
Gu Zhiyuan had a military water bottle that she had been eyeing for a long time.
Now that I see they're for sale, I naturally don't want to miss out.
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