Chapter Forty-Seven: A tricycle? That's a rare find!
When she lived with her parents, she learned a few skills in making braised dishes from her maternal grandmother. While she wouldn't say the taste was top-notch, it was definitely not bad.
Also, make some braised large intestines, braised pig ears, braised dried tofu, and those fried peanuts that men love when they drink.
We'll use a shabby little cart to haul it to the gates of those big factories in the county town to sell.
After a day of physical labor, the workers, with a little money in their pockets, would find it hard to resist the aroma and a bowl of braised meat to go with their drinks.
The more Zhang Chunxue thought about it, the brighter her eyes became. This could work!
Once she made up her mind, Zhang Chunxue started making arrangements like a wound-up top.
The first thing is transportation.
If you want to sell things in the county, you can't just carry them on your back or on your shoulders; that would be exhausting.
Ideally, you'd get a tricycle, with a front for riding and a back basket for carrying pots, pans, and ingredients.
Zhang Chunxue made up her mind that very day.
She carefully tucked Zhong Yuanyuan into a cloth bag and locked the courtyard gate before heading straight to town.
She remembered there was a scrap metal recycling station in town, where she might be able to find a used tricycle that was neither new nor old.
Upon arriving at the recycling station, a mixture of rust and old objects wafted towards us.
Zhang Chunxue covered her mouth and nose and found the person in charge.
"Comrade, do you have any used tricycles for sale here?"
The person in charge was a thin, middle-aged man. Hearing this, he looked her up and down and then waved his hand lazily.
"A tricycle? That's a rare find!"
"These days, who has one of those things? They're either in the transport business or hauling goods, they treasure it! Even if it breaks, they'll repair it and keep using it. Who would be willing to sell it as scrap?"
The manager's words were like a bucket of cold water, splashed onto Zhang Chunxue's heart.
She didn't expect that she would get stuck right after taking the first step.
A hint of melancholy crept onto his face.
"Then...not even a little bit? A little breakage is fine, I can fix it myself." She was still somewhat unwilling.
The person in charge shook his head: "Really, we don't have any. If you want some, come and check every few days, just in case someone brings some over."
This is as good as saying nothing at all.
Zhang Chunxue sighed, picked up her child, and left the recycling station.
Looking at the sky, I guessed that Zhong Yuanyuan must be hungry.
She went to the town hospital and found Zhou Mingli.
Zhou Mingli was wearing her newly issued white work uniform. Although she was just a cleaner, she looked much more energetic.
"Mom, what brings you here?" Zhou Mingli asked, somewhat surprised.
“Yuanyuan is hungry, I’ll bring her here to have some milk.” Zhang Chunxue said, finding a quiet corner, untying the cloth bag, and letting Zhou Mingli feed the child.
Watching her granddaughter gulp down her milk, Zhang Chunxue suppressed her disappointment.
There are always more solutions than problems. We'll figure out a way to deal with the tricycle issue when we get back to the village.
After feeding the baby, Zhou Mingli had to go back to work. Zhang Chunxue said goodbye to her and prepared to return to the village.
Just as I reached the entrance to the town and was about to turn onto the dirt road into the village, I heard a clear bicycle bell ringing behind me.
"Ring ring—"
"Hey, isn't this Aunt Chunxue?" a young voice rang out.
Zhang Chunxue turned around and saw a young man in his early twenties, wearing a clean white shirt, riding a shiny old-fashioned bicycle with a canvas briefcase hanging on the handlebars.
She recognized the man; he was an officer in the brigade headquarters, surnamed Zeng, named Zeng Fan. Everyone called him Little Zeng. He was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, a very energetic young man.
“Oh, it’s Zeng,” Zhang Chunxue smiled. “Where are you headed?”
Zeng stepped off his bicycle and said with a smile, "I'm going to deliver some documents to Lijia Village next door. Aunt Chunxue, are you going back to your village? Perfect timing, I'll give you a ride!"
These days, bicycles are a precious commodity. Getting someone to give you a ride is considered a great honor.
Zhang Chunxue quickly thanked her, "Oh, thank you so much, Zeng! I'm carrying a child on my back."
"It's alright, Auntie, sit tight!" Xiao Zeng patted the back seat of the bicycle, gesturing for Zhang Chunxue to sit down.
Zhang Chunxue carefully supported Zhong Yuanyuan on her back and sat down sideways.
Zeng pushed off with his leg, and the bicycle wobbled onto the road.
The country roads were a bit bumpy, but much less strenuous than walking.
Zhang Chunxue patted the child's bottom with one hand and gently held the back of the bicycle frame with the other.
On the way, she chatted with Xiao Zeng casually.
"Xiao Zeng, your bicycle looks brand new and shiny. It must have cost a lot of money, right?" Zhang Chunxue asked casually.
Upon hearing this, Zeng immediately perked up, his tone tinged with pride.
"That's right, Aunt Chunxue! This 'Forever Brand' camera cost me 180 silver dollars! And I only got the ticket by asking a friend for help!"
He patted the handlebars, "I really cherish it, I keep it shiny every day!"
One hundred and eighty! Zhang Chunxue secretly clicked her tongue in amazement. That was enough for an ordinary family to eat for several years if they were careful with their money.
A thought struck her, and she asked, "Xiao Zeng, do you know if anyone in this town or nearby villages sells used bicycles, or... used tricycles?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zeng scratched his head.
"Old bicycles? I haven't paid much attention to that. Tricycles are even rarer; those things are more valuable than bicycles!"
He thought for a moment and then said, "But if you really want it, Auntie, I can help you ask around. I know a lot of people at the brigade headquarters, and I'm well-informed."
"Oh, that's great! Thank you so much, Zeng!" A glimmer of hope rekindled in Zhang Chunxue's heart.
The bicycle soon arrived at the entrance of the village where the Zhong family lived.
Zhang Chunxue got out of the car, and her feet felt a little light on the ground.
"Xiao Zeng, thank you so much for today. Otherwise, I would have walked for ages with the baby on my back." She thanked him sincerely.
Zeng laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Auntie, you're too kind! It's no trouble at all."
He paused, as if remembering something, and then said, "Besides, Brother Song... that is, Secretary Song, he has already spoken to the people in our brigade headquarters."
"Brother Song said that it's not easy for Aunt Chunxue to raise the child all by herself. If there's anything we can do to help, we should help her out as much as possible."
Zhang Chunxue's smile froze slightly when she heard the words "Brother Song".
She paused for a moment, looking at Xiao Zeng with some surprise.
Song Xingzhi... he actually specifically told the people at the brigade headquarters about this?
When Zhang Chunxue got home, she saw her eldest son, Zhong Chengfa, huddled up with his grandson, Zhong Hongqing, playing in the mud in a corner of the yard.
The two, one big and one small, looked like two frightened quails.
The slight ripples in Zhang Chunxue's heart caused by Song Xingzhi were instantly extinguished by her good-for-nothing son, and her anger flared up again in an instant.
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