The candidates who took the exam stood in groups of three or four when they walked outside. Those who knew each other gathered together to discuss the exam questions. From their words, Shen Anning knew that this exam was still difficult and not many people performed well.
Looking at Liu Jiaman standing next to her, Shen Anning felt a little strange, "Don't you want to go over and talk to them?" She thought Liu Jiaman had acquaintances here?
Liu Jiaman shrugged and said, "I'm not very familiar with them. By the way, how are you going back?"
"First take the bus to the commune, and then take an oxcart back if available."
Liu Jiaman thought for a while and asked: "I came here by bike. Do you want to have dinner together? I can take you back and we can take turns riding on the way." Liu Jiaman thought that she had ridden a bike for more than an hour in the morning and her butt still hurt. She was really tired.
Shen Anning was secretly happy in her heart. She was thinking about how to get in touch with Liu Jiaman. She agreed without thinking. This kind of good thing can kill two birds with one stone!
The two agreed to go back home after dinner, so they walked to the state-owned restaurant together. It was busy at that time, so they lined up together, looked at the blackboard for the day's rations, and ordered a plate of cabbage with oil residue, a plate of pork head, and two bowls of rice. The total cost was 95 cents, 4 taels of food coupons.
Shen Anning took out the money note and prepared to pay first, then said to Liu Jiaman: "I'll give it to you first, and you can give it to me later."
Liu Jiaman was not a shy person, so she agreed immediately. However, when she saw that the ticket Shen Anning took out was valid nationwide, she quickly pulled it out, took out the local food coupons from Liao Province from her bag and handed it over, ignoring the waiter's eyes that were about to roll up to the sky.
Shen Anning didn't say anything. After paying for the ticket, he found a seat and sat down.
Liu Jiaman was a little embarrassed. "Well, Shen Anning, your ticket is valid nationwide. Our farm has more local tickets and fewer national food tickets, so I want to exchange with you. Of course, if you don't want to, then forget it. As for what happened just now... please don't be offended." Liu Jiaman took out fifty cents and a food ticket and handed it to Shen Anning.
Because pig head meat does not require meat tickets, it is more expensive, 60 cents per portion, about half a pound.
"It's okay. Didn't you give me an extra five cents? I still have national food coupons. If you need them, we can exchange them next time we meet. It's all the same to me anyway." Shen Anning was thinking about how to get in touch with Liu Jiaman. She had food coupons, and she could ask her aunt to send some to her in the future, and she could exchange some of the food she had.
Liu Jiaman was a little excited after hearing this. Although her father was the second in command of the farm, he couldn't get as many national food coupons as he wanted. Her eldest brother had gone to the countryside in the northwest so that she and her brother could stay on the farm and be with their parents. They didn't have enough food every month, and her family would send some every month, but food was too eye-catching. National food coupons were used to supply food first, and her family was short of that.
After a meal, the two quickly became good friends. They were of similar age and had common topics, and now they were even closer because of food coupons. Girls' friendship is that simple.
After dinner, the two were not in a hurry to go back. After all, they had come to the county town with great difficulty, so they naturally had to buy the things they needed. They went to the department store first, and Liu Jiaman wanted to buy some daily necessities.
"Hello, comrade. I need two rolls of paper, two bars of soap, and a tube of toothpaste."
"Soap is thirty-five cents a dollar, toothpaste is eighty cents, and paper is seventeen cents a dollar. That's a total of one dollar sixty-seven cents. Two soap tickets, two paper tickets, and one toothpaste ticket."
Liu Jiaman handed over the money and didn't spend much time in the department store. Although her father had a salary every month and they didn't have to worry about food and drink at home on the farm, she and her brother had to pay tuition every year. Her two older sisters were married and came back from time to time, so the family needed some financial support. Her eldest brother also needed help, so there was not much money left at home every month.
Fortunately, she graduated from high school this year. As long as she passed the exam to become a commune doctor, she could earn a little money every month. She wouldn't have to work in the fields every day and could get work points. At least she could earn enough for food and drink.
After strolling around the grocery store, Shen Anning bought a pound of oven-baked fruit and a pound of large biscuits, which were snacks with Northeastern characteristics that she had never eaten before. Liu Jiaman bought a pound of trough cakes.
After buying the things, the two prepared to go back. They took turns riding bicycles along the way, which was not too tiring. In less than an hour and a half, they arrived at the commune town.
The Second Farm is quite close to several communes in Heishan County, but it is closest to Fangshan Commune. The farm has cooperative relationships with the grain and oil store and the supply and marketing cooperative in the commune. On weekdays, the farm residents come here to purchase daily necessities when they need them. In autumn, when the farm is too busy with the harvest, it also asks nearby villagers for help.
"Jiaman, just take me here. It's only ten minutes' walk back from here." Seeing that they were about to reach a fork in the road, Shen Anning hurriedly asked Liu Jiaman to stop.
"Okay, then I won't see you off. I'll come over to play with you when I'm free. If you're free, come over to see me and mention my name. The gatekeeper will let you in."
"Okay, Jiaman, ride slowly on the road."
After saying goodbye to Liu Jiaman, Shen Anning was about to jump up while walking. He looked at his watch and it was only two o'clock.
The trees in May have sprouted and grown. Looking around, the country roads are lined with light green, looking vibrant. Today's harvest is great, and Shen Anning feels that the future is promising!
While everyone was still working, Shen An Ning walked into the grove, found a place full of straw, entered the space, picked out some things and put them in the backpack.
We didn't meet many people along the way. Now that the weather is warmer, many children went to the river to catch fish. Although the river between Wangtu Village and Gengjiatun is a bit wide and requires a bridge to cross, it is only half a person deep, so the villagers usually agree to let their children catch some small fish in the river.
Shen An Ning returned home and stood at the door to see his younger brother and sister playing by the river. There were also a few elderly people from the village who were not working sitting on the rocks on the shore. Since someone was watching them, Shen An Ning did not call them.
She went home first to pack up her things and tidy up her younger brother and sister's rooms. They didn't have many clothes, and they could take off their cotton-padded jackets now, so she prepared a few single jackets for each of them, and packed a few pairs of long pants and long sleeves and put them in the closet. She made the bedding and put a single quilt on the kang, so she wouldn't feel cold when she slept at night. She also put some snacks and desserts in each of them, and took out two thermos bottles and put them in each of their rooms, as she didn't need them herself.
The two of them will have to sleep separately tonight. Firstly, she is old enough, and secondly, she has to go into the space to do things at night, and it is always inconvenient for her younger brother and sister to be around.
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