Although Xu Ningyan has been in this world for several years, she has never actually visited such a large market.
The original owner was the same; in the past, everyone in her family could go to these big markets, but she couldn't! She had to stay home to cook, wash clothes, feed the pigs, and do endless chores.
He could only hear other members of the Xu family boasting about it, and he couldn't help but feel envious.
After she goes to the capital, she will probably have few opportunities to see such an authentic and lively market. Today, she should at least broaden her horizons.
I wandered around in the crowd for a while before emerging, carrying quite a few things in my hands.
There was homespun cloth woven by locals, various medicinal herbs, eggs, and other mountain products.
Putting everything else aside, she wanted to buy more of these mountain products to take to the capital so that Jiang Yuan and the others could also try them.
These things are cheap at the market, and they're all good quality.
I couldn't carry any more in my hands, so I bought a big basket and put the things in it. When no one was looking, I moved some of them to my storage space.
I bought so many things at once before I finally managed to squeeze out of the crowd.
I first went to a state-run restaurant and bought a bowl of noodles, then asked them to make a few large meat buns. I put a few in my storage space and only kept two in my basket.
Looking at my watch, I realized it was almost time, so I headed towards the meeting point for the oxcarts of the Unity Brigade.
Just as she expected, the oxcart from the Unity Brigade was still waiting there.
The bus was already quite full, and Old Yang was still driving it.
The mountain wind was making her head ache, so Xu Ningyan copied the aunties and wrapped her head and face with a scarf, leaving only her eyes exposed.
As he approached the car, Old Yang looked it up and down, feeling that it was somewhat unfamiliar, yet somehow vaguely familiar.
After looking at it suspiciously for a while, he asked, "Girl, this is an oxcart from the Unity Brigade. Where are you going?"
Xu Ningyan pulled off her scarf, revealing her nose and mouth, and smiled at Old Yang: "Uncle Yang, it's me!"
Old Yang rubbed his eyes and exclaimed in surprise, "Siya? It's you! You're back? How are you feeling?"
Those waiting in the car were all from the Unity Brigade. Upon hearing this, they all stood up and craned their necks to look in this direction.
Several sharp-eyed aunties recognized Xu Ningyan and quickly gathered around to offer their concern: "Siya, it's so good that you're alright!"
"You've suffered terribly, haven't you? Poor thing! All that fat you gained has gone to waste—"
When did you get back?
"What are you going to do with all this stuff?"
...
Several women couldn't squeeze in and had to stand aside.
Someone nudged a young woman with her head down next to them with their elbow: "Isn't that your sister-in-law? Why don't you go say hello? She's really doing well now, she has a job in the county town! I heard that after her accident, her ex-husband even took her to Beijing for treatment! Judging by this, your sister-in-law is really going to rise to a high position! Don't you want to benefit from her?"
The woman with her head down was Xu Yejun's wife, Tian Jiaojiao. The moment Xu Ningyan revealed her entire face, she was stunned for a moment, but quickly came to her senses. Her first reaction was to cover her face tightly with a scarf and shrink back, afraid that Xu Ningyan would discover her.
Unexpectedly, the people around her, as if afraid she wouldn't be discovered, deliberately spoke so loudly, which immediately annoyed her.
With his head down, he said irritably, "What is their status now, and what is ours? We wouldn't dare to try to climb such a high branch!"
Perhaps they had such unrealistic ideas before, but ever since their aunt Xu Zhenzhu had that incident, the Xu family's reputation has plummeted, and their status in the Unity Brigade has also declined.
Fortunately, they had many men in their family, who were the main force in the brigade's work. Others couldn't say anything to their faces, but they certainly gossiped about them behind their backs.
Even the younger brothers-in-law in the family are finding it very difficult to get married these days. As soon as people hear that it's their family, they immediately shake their heads, and even matchmakers won't take the job.
Needless to say, after the poisoning incident, all the families in their Tuanjie Brigade were investigated by the military personnel several times, especially their family, who were questioned again and again because of their old grudge against Xu Ningyan.
Everyone else was released, but his family members were interrogated day and night, and they were all exhausted.
When he was finally released, his legs were wobbling.
Since that incident, the Xu family has come to a profound realization of the gap between themselves and Xu Ningyan.
Now they wish they could stay far away from them, for fear that if Xu Ningyan saw them and remembered what happened before, and if she didn't like them, their whole family would suffer again.
When the aunt next to her saw Tian Jiaojiao say this, and then thought about how the Xu family had treated Xu Ningyan before, she also felt embarrassed and immediately fell silent.
They were so close that even when they spoke in hushed tones, Xu Ningyan could still hear them.
She pretended not to hear, took a meat bun from her basket and stuffed it into Old Yang's hand: "Uncle Yang, you must be starving after waiting all this time! Eat this while it's hot to fill your stomach!"
Old Yang tried to refuse, but Xu Ningyan forced it into his hand, so he reluctantly accepted it.
He's an elderly man living alone and receiving government assistance; no one has ever shown him such care before.
Although catching the train is an easy task, he has already made three trips since he got up this morning in this freezing weather.
He hadn't even had a sip of hot water. The leftover rice he cooked in the morning and the steamed bun he made had long been digested. Now he was starving, and cold and hungry.
The aroma of the meat buns was irresistible, and I stuffed them into my mouth in a few bites. I ate them so fast that tears welled up in my eyes.
After eating a meat bun, Old Yang felt a little warm. He breathed on his hands to warm them up, then gestured for everyone to get on the cart. He raised his whip to start the journey.
She was grateful to Xu Ningyan. Although there were hardly any seats left on the bus, she managed to squeeze out the best seat for Xu Ningyan among a group of women and various baskets.
Everyone dared not speak out and gave in.
Although the oxcart was slower, it was more stable.
The journey was shaky and bumpy, and several aunties tried to strike up a conversation with Xu Ningyan.
Xu Ningyan only told Old Yang, "Uncle Yang, I got up too early today and got a little carsick. I'm going to take a nap. Call me when you get home."
Old Yang naturally agreed.
Those around her knew that Xu Ningyan didn't want to talk, and several kind-hearted aunties even shared some of their old quilts with her so she could drape them over her legs.
By the time we reached the Unity Brigade, it was almost one o'clock.
After everyone got off the bus, Old Yang drove the oxcart to the brigade headquarters.
Xu Ningyan is back, so we definitely need to let the captain and the others know, since everyone is concerned about her.
Sure enough, the brigade leader and the brigade secretary saw Xu Ningyan and almost jumped up.
Seeing Xu Ningyan's complexion, the anxiety that had been building up finally subsided completely.
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