Chapter 14: Troika Driver
Huo Qingqing hadn't been to the Youth League compound for a long time, and since she didn't go to work there, she had no idea what was going on there.
Song Xiaoyue said, "Every day there are a lot of messed up people and bad things. It's better not to listen! Instead, you should hurry up and collect the debt."
Huo Qingqing originally planned to wait for Han Jianwu to come back and look after the child while she went to collect the debt.
"I asked you two to come to my house but you didn't come. Since we just happened to meet, why don't you come to my house and play?" Huo Qingqing said.
Lin Anan said, "I won't go today. I'll go to your house and play with the baby when it rains and I can't work."
Song Xiaoyue complained, "It's strange, why is the weather so good every day recently!"
Lin Anan curled her lips, "You just wish it would rain every day so you can be lazy in the dormitory!"
Song Xiaoyue, "You talk as if you really enjoy working." To be honest, these educated youth were indeed ambitious when they first arrived, but once the novelty wore off, it was no longer the case.
Huo Qingqing asked, "Haven't you two received any news of returning to the city recently?"
The two girls shook their heads and said, "No, nothing." Just hang in there!
Nowadays, educated youth return to the city mainly through three channels: joining the army, being recruited by factories, or taking over their parents' jobs. If none of these three opportunities are available, they have to continue to work in the countryside and wait for another opportunity.
Soon, groups of people returned to the village after work, including many educated youth. The educated youth were different from the farmers, as they were always young and energetic. The scene of them returning to the village carrying farm tools and singing out-of-tune folk songs was another form of entertainment for the people of Hanjiagou.
Then the largest and most luxurious three-horse carriage with large rubber wheels from Hanjiagou entered the village. Who else could be sitting on the shaft if not Han Jianwu!
There were no tractors in Hanjiagou, so transportation was done by relying on a few single-horse carriages and a large three-horse carriage.
The rest depends on manpower or handcarts or three-wheeled carts.
Not everyone can drive a troika of horses. To drive three horses at the same time and to be able to move forward or reverse smoothly on a mountain road requires some courage and ability. You really don't dare to be a coachman in this seemingly noble but very dangerous job.
Therefore, Han Jianwu's work points were the highest in Hanjiagou.
As soon as the carriage arrived on the village road, pedestrians stepped aside to make way and cast envious eyes at the man on the shaft. Some malicious people cursed him in their hearts, "Sooner or later, I will fall to my death, you son of a bitch, and I will let you show off."
Huo Qingqing looked at the people in the carriage like a madman without even blinking.
"Oh~"
Three tall horses stopped with their hooves stomping. Han Jianwu jumped down from the shaft and handed a basket of shepherd's purse to Huo Qingqing. His eyes were filled with a smile and he said in a low voice, "Shepherd's purse."
Huo Qingqing then retracted her gaze and asked, "Where did it come from?"
Han Jianwu raised his eyebrows and said, "I asked my sister to help dig it."
The "sister" Han Jianwu mentioned is Han Chun'e, the only daughter of the old Han family. She married into the same village at the easternmost end of Hanjiagou. She is seven or eight years older than Han Jianwu. Han Jianwu was basically raised by this sister when he was a child. They have a very good relationship. Huo Qingqing and Han Jianwu got together because of this sister. So, when Huo Qingqing filed for a divorce and returned to the city, Han Chun'e was scolded by the whole family and she still dares not go back to her parents' home.
Huo Qingqing said, "You too, how can you bother your sister when she's so busy? I just went to pick a basket of alfalfa sprouts."
Han Jianwu glanced at the alfalfa sprouts in the basket on the ground and asked, "Did you bring your baby with you?"
Huo Qingqing, "It's good to take the kids out to bask in the sun when the weather is warm."
Niuniu in Lin Anan's arms stretched out her hand, "Dad!"
Han Jianwu's fatherly heart melted. He said hello to Lin Anan and Song Xiaoyue, then he took his daughter into his arms and smacked her, "Call me daddy again?"
"Baba~Dad~"
Huo Qingqing said, "I was playing in the fields in the afternoon when I suddenly called dad."
Han Jianwu kissed his daughter's face again, then gave it to Huo Qingqing and said, "You go home first. I'll send the carriage back and then go home."
Zhuangzhuang pulled his father's pants, "Dad, I want to ride in a carriage."
Huo Qingqing, "No, you are too young. Wait until you grow up before riding in a carriage."
Zhuangzhuang, "No, I am big enough to ride in a carriage. Daddy will take me in the carriage."
Han Jianwu picked up his son and said, "Okay."
Huo Qingqing was angry, "No, why do you spoil the child so much?"
Han Jianwu, "It's okay, I'm being careful!"
Niuniu: "I want one too~"
“…”
Huo Qingqing, "No, Mommy will take you in a carriage some other day, okay?"
Niuniu: "Okay!"
The educated youth passing by all came to tease Huo Qingqing's child. Han Jianwu held his son and sat on the shaft of the carriage. With a few flexible maneuvers on the spot, the carriage turned around and drove away.
Several male educated youth were extremely envious. Sun Jiawei said, "Brother Han is awesome. I have tried to learn from him many times but I still can't learn to drive a troika. I can only drive one horse, which is boring. A troika is more fun."
Liang Jianjun said, "You are better than me. I can't learn the horse set now, mainly because I don't dare! Hahaha..."
Song Xiaoyue said, "I want to ride a horse."
Lin Anan, "You still want to fly a plane!"
Several male educated youth encouraged Song Xiaoyue to borrow a horse from the team to learn horse riding next time, and they went to cheer her on.
Huo Qingqing said, "Don't encourage her. Falling is no joke."
Baojuan and her sisters also came back and helped Huo Qingqing carry Niuniu and the vegetable basket back home.
Han Jianwu parked the carriage at the door of the stable. The breeder came forward, removed the bridle, and led the horse to the stable to feed it.
"The little educated youth is so handsome!" said the breeder with a smile.
Han Jianwu, "He has to be handsome! His father is so handsome too."
The uncle laughed out loud and said, "You are the only kid in Hanjiagou who dares to speak like that. You are almost three years old, right?"
Han Jianwu, "Zhuangzhuang, you're two and a half years old now. Why don't you call me grandpa?"
Zhuangzhuang, "Grandpa!"
"Hey! That's great!"
Someone in charge of carriages came and towed the carriage into the shed for inspection and maintenance.
Han Jianwu put his son on his neck. The little guy rode on his father, holding his father's big head with both hands, and happily kept shouting "Gee~Gee~"
The two faces, one big and one small, look as good as if they were carved from the same mold.
As soon as Han Jianwu got home, he asked Huo Qingqing for the IOUs from Zhang Guohua and Gao Yunxia.
Huo Qingqing said, "You take care of the baby while I go get it myself."
Han Jianwu stretched out his hand, "I'll go and get it by myself." He was very strong today, so Huo Qingqing gave it to him and said, "Don't get into conflict with others."
Han Jianwu said, "No."
Huo Qingqing seldom went out recently and didn't know anything about the educated youth, but Han Jianwu knew everything. He must get back Huo Qingqing's money and tickets today.
As soon as Han Jianwu arrived at the educated youth compound, a male educated youth asked, "Brother Han is here?"
Han Jianwu said, "I'm here to collect my debt."
Zhang Guohua was also very tough today. Without saying a word, he gave Han Jianwu the money and tickets he had prepared in advance. Han Jianwu struck a match and burned the IOU in front of him.
Gao Yunxia also obediently took out the money and bills, and Han Jianwu burned the IOU in front of her.
He asked for the money back without saying a word during the whole process.
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