Chapter Forty-Six: Selling Braised Pork Offal!
Song Xingzhi's ears burned from Zhong Xiaoxiao's flattery, and he quickly waved his hand.
"Xiaoxiao, please don't say that. I... I'm not as good as you say." He himself felt a little embarrassed.
Zhong Xiaoxiao pouted and shook her head like a little adult.
"Secretary Song, you are really that good, no, you are even better than I described!"
Zhou Mingli listened from the side. Although she didn't quite understand what her sister-in-law was up to, it was a certainty that Secretary Song had done her a great favor.
She quickly nodded in agreement, looking at Song Xingzhi with gratitude: "Yes, yes, Secretary Song, we really owe you a lot this time! You've really helped our family a great deal!"
The group thanked him one after another, and Song Xingzhi's face grew even hotter as he repeatedly said, "It's my pleasure, it's my pleasure."
He stole a glance at Zhang Chunxue and found that she was also looking down, her cheeks flushed, whether from embarrassment or heat, he couldn't tell.
A smile unconsciously crept onto Song Xingzhi's lips as he cleared his throat.
"Alright, that's all for now. I still have some work to do at the brigade headquarters."
He paused, then instructed Zhou Mingli, "Comrade Mingli, you can just go to the personnel department of the town hospital to report tomorrow. They've already made all the arrangements."
Zhou Mingli nodded excitedly, "Yes! Yes! I understand! Thank you, Secretary Song!"
Seeing that Song Xingzhi was about to leave, Zhang Chunxue quickly got up.
"Secretary Song, let me see you off."
She escorted Song Xingzhi all the way to the gate of the courtyard.
Standing on the threshold, Zhang Chunxue looked at Song Xingzhi, her voice filled with genuine gratitude: "Xingzhi, thank you so much for today... you've worked so hard."
Song Xingzhi turned to the side and looked at her gently: "Sister Chunxue, this is nothing to me."
He paused, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of tenderness that was barely perceptible: "Besides, it's for you, Sister Chunxue."
Something seemed to have subtly changed in the air; the faint, ambiguous feeling between the two drifted gently like willow catkins in early spring.
Zhang Chunxue's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed even more.
Just then, with a whoosh, a figure suddenly poked its head out from the corner of the wall.
"Secretary Song? What brings you here?" Zhong Chengyi exclaimed curiously. "Mom, what are you two whispering about here?"
Zhang Chunxue was startled by the sudden sound, her heart pounding as if she had been caught red-handed doing something wrong.
She explained somewhat flusteredly, "No...it's nothing! It was Clerk Song who arranged a job for your second sister-in-law, and I...I'm just thanking him!"
Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengyi's sleepy eyes immediately lit up.
"What? You'll arrange a job for me?" He rushed over to Song Xingzhi in a few strides, his face beaming with a fawning smile. "That would be wonderful! Secretary Song, could you... arrange a job for me too?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chunxue was furious. Before Song Xingzhi could speak, she immediately interjected, "Your second sister-in-law works as a cleaner at the hospital, sweeping floors and wiping tables! If you're willing to do that too, I'll have Secretary Song arrange a job for you cleaning public toilets, how about that?"
Zhong Chengyi's smile froze instantly, and his lips twitched.
Cleaning public toilets? The smell... just thinking about it gave him a headache.
"Mom, I...I was just joking, just joking!"
He chuckled dryly, afraid that his mother would really let Song Xingzhi find him a job shoveling night soil, which would make him extremely embarrassed.
Zhong Chengyi's eyes darted around, and he darted away like a greased rag doll, muttering, "I...I have something to do, I'm leaving now!"
Watching Zhong Chengyi's retreating figure, Zhang Chunxue snorted in annoyance.
She then turned to Song Xingzhi and said apologetically, "Xingzhi, don't pay any attention to him, and don't actually think about getting him any job."
"This kid is smart, but unfortunately, he doesn't use any of it for good."
Zhang Chunxue sighed, her voice lowering slightly: "You know, Zhong Chengyi... in the past ten years, he followed those people and did a lot of smashing and burning. He has a crooked mind and is not someone who can work peacefully."
Song Xingzhi's smile remained gentle as he nodded, "I understand, Sister Chunxue."
He looked at Zhang Chunxue with focused and serious eyes: "In my heart, there is only you, I have never thought of anyone else."
Seemingly realizing that his words were a bit too direct, he paused, then added with a smile, "Of course, Xiaoxiao is alright too, she's quite clever."
Zhang Chunxue's face flushed even redder, like a ripe apple, and even her ears burned.
She lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly and urged softly, "You...you should go back to work quickly, don't delay your important business."
Song Xingzhi gave her a deep look, his smile deepening.
"Then I'll be going, Sister Chunxue."
He turned around and left the Zhong family courtyard with light steps.
Song Xingzhi's figure disappeared at the alley entrance, but the heat on Zhang Chunxue's face lingered.
She stood at the gate of the courtyard, her heart pounding like a little rabbit.
"Sister Chunxue, in my heart, there is only you."
Song Xingzhi's deep, earnest words echoed in her ears again and again.
Zhang Chunxue took a deep breath, trying to suppress the strange feeling in her heart, and turned to go back into the house.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.
Zhou Mingli quickly fed Zhong Yuanyuan, who was still in swaddling clothes. The little girl smacked her lips and then fell into a deep sleep.
"Mom, I'm going to the hospital to report now," Zhou Mingli said quietly.
Zhang Chunxue nodded: "Go ahead, be careful on the road, and do a good job."
"Yes!" Zhou Mingli responded and walked out the door with light steps.
The room fell silent, with only Zhong Yuanyuan's soft breathing remaining.
Zhang Chunxue sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), watching the sky gradually brighten outside the window, her mind wandering.
Song Xingzhi helped his second daughter-in-law find a job, so he owed her a favor.
But relying on others for help is not a long-term solution; she has to find a way to earn money herself and support her family!
It's only 1979 now. Although it's a bad year, I've heard that the policies from above have loosened up a bit and aren't as strict as before.
Some bolder people in the city have set up stalls on the roadside, selling things like needles and thread, melon seeds and peanuts.
Although no one is making arrests anymore, many people are still worried, after all, what if the policy suddenly changes again?
Zhang Chunxue wasn't worried about these things, since she already knew how the future would unfold.
So she wondered if this "individual business" approach might be a viable option?
What can we sell?
She was a rural woman with no special skills or resources.
After thinking it over, Zhang Chunxue's eyes lit up.
Braised pork offal!
Yes, we sell braised pork offal!
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