After a satisfying dinner, Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun went into their spatial dimension early. Regardless of whether Zhao Chen and Zhao Xi in the yard or the men in the front yard had caught any chickens, the two of them went to sleep in their spatial dimension early.
After that, Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun worked hard with the villagers to prepare for winter. The expanded woodshed in the backyard was filled with firewood, and the white radishes they brought back from the carpenter aunt had been dried and pickled in a salted vegetable jar by Lin Qing.
Like little hamsters, Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun would occasionally go up the mountain to gather wild game and hunt small animals. Over this period, they accumulated a lot of persimmons, chestnuts, and walnuts. Lin Qing also found a bunch of wild grapes—small, black ones—which she washed and made into jam, filling three large jars. Lin Qing would often make herself a glass of grape juice when she had free time.
As time passed, it was already October. According to the village elders, winter comes early in Heilongjiang Province, and it usually snows by the end of October. Lin Qing was also three months pregnant.
Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun got up very early today. They planned to go to the post office to mail some things and letters to their families. Lin Qing was three months pregnant, and it was time to tell her family. The things they were mailing home were mountain produce that Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun had collected recently. Lin Qing, Zhao Chen, and Zhao Xi had been cleaning, shelling, and drying the wild game they had gathered from the mountains, and they had also made cured meat from the game that Gu Nanxun had hunted.
During this time, Gu Nanxun not only hunted a lot of pheasants, but also a small wild boar. Lin Qing made the pheasants and wild boar into dried chicken and cured meat.
"Are you all done? Let's go!"
Gu Nanxun placed the two burlap sacks on the front crossbar of the bicycle and then tied the seat cushion made by Zhao Xi to the back seat.
"Alright, let's go!"
Lin Qing put on her hat and scarf, then sat on the back of the bicycle and naturally hugged Gu Nanxun.
Gu Nanxun took Lin Qing to the post office and mailed the things Lin Qing had prepared to four different places: his home in Beijing, his uncle's place, Lin Qing's home, and the Tibetan area where Lin Qing's eldest brother lived. As for Lin Qing's second brother, Lin Changyuan, there was no need to mail anything, since he was currently recuperating at home. Lin Qing mailed not only four packages but also four letters that accompanied them.
"Nanxun, do you think Mom and Dad will be shocked when they receive the letter?"
After mailing the letter, Lin Qing and Gu Nanxun walked out of the post office together. As they walked, Lin Qing said to Gu Nanxun.
"My parents will be overjoyed, but your parents will probably be shocked!"
Gu Nanxun pushed his bicycle with one hand and held Lin Qing's hand with the other, chatting with her as they walked.
"I hope they won't be too surprised... I hope what I send back will let them know I'm doing well."
"Don't worry! Your parents will be even more relieved when they receive the things we send back. At least being able to send things back means they're doing well."
"I don't know why, but my heart is pounding really hard. I have a feeling that something bad will happen after I send this letter."
"Don't overthink it. If you're really worried, why don't you make a phone call?"
Hearing Gu Nanxun's suggestion, Lin Qing stopped and thought for a moment, "How about we make a call?"
Gu Nanxun heard Lin Qing's words but said nothing. He simply turned around, took Lin Qing's hand, and walked towards the post office.
"Go ahead, I'm right here, don't be afraid."
Gu Nanxun rubbed Lin Qing's head and said encouragingly. He knew Lin Qing was timid. This silly girl was afraid of being blamed by her parents for marrying him in this way, so she never dared to call them.
Gu Nanxun knew that nothing he did would be of any use. The only way to dispel Lin Qing's parents' worries was to take Lin Qing back home for the New Year. However, things didn't go as planned. Lin Qing's pregnancy forced him to abandon the plan before it could even be carried out.
Who are you looking for?
"Comrade, could you please help me find Comrade Dong Xiulan?"
Upon hearing the phone answer, Lin Qing quickly spoke.
"Looking for Comrade Dong Xiulan? May I ask if you are Comrade Dong Xiulan?"
Lin Qing was puzzled by the question, but still answered seriously, "Is Dong Xiulan my mother? Could you please call her for me?"
"Take your call elsewhere! Dong Xiulan has already been fired from our factory."
The person on the other end hung up the phone after speaking. Lin Qing stared blankly at the disconnected phone, wondering what had happened. Why was her mother fired?
"Qingqing, what's wrong? Don't worry, what happened?"
Seeing Lin Qing's flustered expression, Gu Nanxun quickly hugged her and gently comforted her by patting her shoulder.
Gu Nanxun's words brought Lin Qing back to her senses. She unconsciously grabbed Gu Nanxun's clothes and said anxiously, "Brother Nanxun, they said my mother was fired from the factory. How is that possible? My mother is a long-time employee. Something must have happened."
Gu Nanxun couldn't help but cup Lin Qing's cheeks and comfort her, "Qingqing, don't worry, do you have any other phone numbers you can call? How about Dad? Can he answer the phone?"
"Yes, I'll call Dad!" Upon hearing Gu Nanxun's reminder, Lin Qing quickly dialed the steel factory's number.
"Hello, who are you looking for?"
"Hello, comrade, could you please help me find Lin Jianguo?" Lin Qing said quickly as soon as the call was answered.
"Okay, call back in 20 minutes."
After saying that, the other party hung up the phone. Lin Qing breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the other party's reply. Fortunately, she could still get through to her father.
Twenty minutes passed quickly, but for Lin Qing, it felt like an eternity. It was the first time Lin Qing had ever felt that twenty minutes could be so long.
Finally, 20 minutes passed, and Lin Qing anxiously called again. The call was quickly answered, "Hello, is this Qingqing?"
Upon hearing the man's voice on the other end, Lin Qing's tears suddenly fell. "Dad, it's me, it's Qingqing!"
"Qingqing, what's wrong? Don't cry. Did someone bully you? Was it Gu Nanxun? Did he bully you?"
As soon as Lin Jianguo received the call, he heard his daughter crying through the phone, and he panicked instantly.
"Dad, no, Nanxun didn't bully me. I just called Mom, and the people at the textile factory said she was fired. Dad, what happened? How could Mom be fired!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
