December 5, 1972.
The road that was blocked by heavy snow was finally open. The twins' school had already had its winter vacation. Shen Anning got up early, prepared breakfast and lunch, and left Shen Zixi at home to be looked after by the twins for a day.
The snow on the road has not completely melted yet, and she is going to take the bus into the city today.
Heavy snow blocked the roads for more than ten days. This time, there were many people entering the city, so two extra buses were added. The first bus left at six o'clock. Shen Anning rushed to buy a standing ticket.
Wearing a thick cotton-padded jacket, I squeezed into the crowd, but other than a slight numbness in my legs and feet, I didn't feel cold at all. The smell in the carriage wasn't very pleasant, and the talkative elderly people had lost their desire to chat. The silence inside the carriage was filled with only the sounds of panting and chewing.
I have to say that the driver's skills are really good. He drove very fast while sliding all the way and arrived at the county town at 8:30.
Being taken off the bus by the crowd, Shen An Ning did not dare to stay and trotted to school. Today was the final exam, which started at nine o'clock, so she had to run.
She rushed into the classroom before the teacher handed out the test papers and found an empty seat in the corner to sit down. Shen Anning looked around and found that there seemed to be fewer people in the classroom today than last time.
There was no time to think, as she wrote one test paper after another. Her fingers were numb from writing, and Shen An Ning secretly used a hot water bottle several times to hold on to the end. This time, although she also hid her shortcomings, if nothing unexpected happened, she would do very well in the exam.
The children in the family are growing up, and her temper has to become tougher. Only if you have strength do you have the right to speak tough words!
The exam ends at half past twelve.
Geng Yue is going back with her today because it is cold in winter and the snow might fall any day. If the road is blocked, it will be difficult for children from the countryside to travel. As for the report card, they can wait until the next semester starts and they pay the tuition to get it.
Geng Yue had packed the luggage and brought it to the classroom long ago, and Shen Anning helped pick up a snakeskin bag.
"Yueyue, let's go eat first. I asked this morning and the bus doesn't leave until 2:30 in the afternoon."
Rubbing his hands, Geng Yue nodded and said, "Okay, let's go to the state-owned restaurant to eat noodles. It's too cold, so we'd better have something with soup."
There were quite a lot of people in the state-owned restaurant at this time. Each person ordered a bowl of sauerkraut and shredded pork noodles, which had more vegetables and less meat. It cost thirty cents plus two taels of food coupons. The two of them sat at a table in the corner and ate without even raising their heads.
Only after finishing a bowl of noodles did Geng Yue feel alive again. After a whole morning of exams, her hands and legs were so cold that they were numb. She had eaten breakfast too early, and her stomach had been acting up several times.
"An Ning, let's go to the supply and marketing cooperative. This holiday is nearly two months long, and I want to buy some things."
"Okay, I'll go check it out too. I haven't been here for a long time."
As soon as she entered the door, Shen Anning first looked for Li Fang. She was counting on this sister for her honeycomb coal this year.
"Sister Fang."
"Hey, girl, it's you. Wait a moment, I've written this order." Li Fang quickly wrote the order in her hand, clipped it with a clip and flew it to the counter opposite.
"Sister, how many pounds of coal do you have this year? It's so cold, I'm afraid I need to buy more this year!"
Li Fang took out a piece of approval slip from the bag. "Five hundred kilograms, sister. The coal market is good this year, so it's hard to get. The most I can give you is five hundred kilograms."
"Okay, thank you Sister Fang, just tell me the amount." Shen Anning gestured, meaning that she would pay this time.
Li Fang understood it immediately and raised her hands to make a fifteen.
It was a bit more expensive than last year, and Shen Anning could understand that. She readily took out fifteen yuan and secretly stuffed it into Li Fang's sleeve, and took away the approval slip.
After buying a few more rolls of paper, Shen Anning went to meet Geng Yue. Seeing Geng Yue carrying a lot of things in her hands, she asked, "Why did you buy so much? Are you preparing for the New Year?"
"Hehehe, isn't it vacation time? I saved up my pocket money for the whole semester and bought some food for my brother, and also some daily necessities."
"Okay, I'll get you some."
Arriving early, Geng Yue and I were lucky enough to find a seat. Looking out the window, Shen An Ning saw two new male educated youth, Li Haotian and Yang Zhengcheng. They were standing on the street corner, exchanging things with a few people. Squinting his eyes, Shen An Ning saw that several men were wearing leather boots, very similar to military ones, but their standing posture was very different from that of soldiers.
Soon, more and more people got on the bus. When there was no room left, the driver finally started to refuel. Shen Anning looked over and saw that the group of people had not left yet. Although they were standing a little scattered and did not seem to be together, their gestures still betrayed them.
They were still a little far away, and Shen Anning couldn't tell what they were talking about, but she was already alert in her heart, thinking that these new educated youth might have some secrets.
The car drove a little slowly on the way back. It was almost five o'clock when we arrived in the town. It was already dark. Because he was with Geng Yue, Shen Anning was not in a hurry to buy coal. On the way back to the village, they met the farm's ox cart and the two of them rubbed their hands for a while.
Shen Anning helped Geng Yue send her luggage back to her home. Grandma Li took her hand and asked her to stay for dinner, and asked Guoqing to go back and call An Yu and An Xuan.
Shen Anning pulled Geng Guoqing and said, "Grandma, it's really not necessary. It's too late today and the weather is cold. I will come over another day. Leave the food in your house for me."
"Okay then, An Ning, you must bring your brothers and sisters over next time!"
"By the way, wait a minute, bring this garlic eggplant." I watched Grandma Li trot to the kitchen and bring out a small wooden basin.
"Okay, I won't be polite with you. It's cold, grandma, please go in quickly. I'm going back too."
Ana Shen was in a very good mood on the way home, carrying the wooden basin.
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