The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the loudspeaker in the cadre compound started crackling.
Yu Yao opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling above her head.
Coming to her senses, she first checked her body.
Thankfully, aside from a slight soreness, there was nothing seriously wrong. It really is important to know your limits.
The bedroom door opened, and Lu Ze, who had just finished exercising, walked in.
"Lu Ze, what time is it?"
"It's almost six o'clock." Lu Ze took a towel and went to take a shower, but just as he entered the shower room, he remembered something and turned back. "Oh right. My sister-in-law used the leftover locust flowers from yesterday to make locust flower wheat porridge for breakfast. She said she wanted you to help her taste it."
"Sister-in-law made locust flower and wheat porridge?" Yu Yao rolled out of bed. "Then I must try it."
After washing up, Yu Yao changed into a pair of cotton trousers and went downstairs.
I ran into Hu Lingyu as soon as I reached the stairwell.
Hu Lingyu's gaze swept over Zhizhi's face and body, and she said with a smile, "Zhizhi, you're up so early, why don't you sleep a little longer?"
"No, Mom, I made an appointment with Aunt Liu to go to the supply and marketing cooperative this morning."
Hu Lingyu nodded, gazing thoughtfully at Yu Yao's retreating figure.
Judging from my daughter-in-law's rosy complexion, she must be feeling quite well-nourished. I should make more of this medicinal cuisine in the future.
Thinking about the things in the drawer, she turned around and went back to her bedroom. She opened the drawer and wrapped the remaining medicinal herbs in brown paper, enough for two people, intending to have Lu Ze take them back later.
Yu Yao was unaware that Hu Lingyu had already arranged the next medicinal meal, and was currently having breakfast at the octagonal table in the restaurant.
Xiao Hong served Yu Yao a bowl of seafood porridge and pushed the locust flower and wheat rice she had made to Yu Yao in front of her. "Zhizhi, this is what I made according to your instructions. Try it and see how it tastes."
Yu Yao took a sniff and said, "It looks and tastes pretty good."
Sure enough, it tasted great, and Yu Yao gave a satisfied thumbs up.
"Sister-in-law, you really are an educator; your learning speed is amazing! It's delicious!"
Xiao Hong smiled and poured her a glass of milk, beaming. "Zhizhi, your mouth is as sweet as honey. Your sister-in-law loves listening to you talk. Here, have a glass of milk to nourish your body."
It's about taking care of her health again; she's been getting PTSD from hearing that phrase lately.
Her parents, older brother, and sister-in-law treat her very well. She's already an adult, but it still feels like they treat her like a child.
However, it does feel quite nice to be cared for and loved.
Thinking that she had to go to the supply and marketing cooperative later and was afraid that there would be no meat left if she was late, Yu Yao finished her porridge, grabbed a few steamed buns and was about to leave when Xiao Hong stopped her.
"Zhizhi, don't worry. Your older brother will be passing by the supply and marketing cooperative soon, so have him give you a ride."
Lu Guojian put down his chopsticks and said, "I'm done eating. Yu Yao, let's go."
With Lu Guojian's ride, Yu Yao arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative closest to the Canton Fair Building ten minutes earlier than agreed.
"Thank you, brother. I'll head down now."
Yu Yao picked up the smokeless stove and got out of the car.
At that moment, on the other side of the street, Jiang Zhiwei, Duo Hong, and Li Zhaodi had just finished having breakfast at the state-run restaurant.
"Sister Zhiwei, look over there, isn't that woman getting out of the car Yu Yao?"
Jiang Zhiwei followed Duo Hong's gaze and looked over, somewhat surprised: "I didn't expect it to really be her. What a small world. That car looks familiar, and the man who helped Yu Yao carry her things also looks familiar? Isn't he her man?"
Upon hearing this, Li Zhaodi's eyes widened immediately, and when she saw the man's face clearly, she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"Director Jiang, Comrade Duo is really not Yu Yao's man."
A glint of excitement flashed in her eyes. "I've never heard of Yu Yao having any relatives in Guangdong Province. You know, she got out of a man's car early this morning, and the way he treated her so tenderly, their relationship must be complicated. Could he be her lover?"
Duo Hong suddenly spoke up: "I remember who this man is. He's an official in the Ministry of Commerce. I've forgotten his name, but I remember he's married. His wife is an official in the Guangdong education system, her name is Xiao Hong."
Upon hearing this, the three of them exchanged glances.
I hope Yu Yao doesn't actually have promiscuous relationships.
Jiang Zhiwei instinctively used the camera around her neck to take a picture of what had just happened.
If he really is the adulterer, then things will get interesting.
Meanwhile, Yu Yao had already met up with Liu Chaoying.
"Aunt Liu, did you bring the note that the factory manager approved?"
Liu Chaoying patted her pocket: "I brought them all."
"That's good, let's go in and line up first."
After waiting in line for half an hour, it was Yu Yao and Liu Chaoying's turn.
Yu Yao handed the approval slip to the sales clerk, "Comrade, this is the approval slip from the factory and a letter of introduction from the Canton Fair organizing committee. Please help us get ten catties of beef and ten catties of pork."
After the supply and marketing cooperative staff checked their approval slips and letters of introduction and confirmed that there were no problems, they knew that the meat was intended for export to earn foreign exchange, so they specially cut twenty catties of the best meat for them.
Yu Yao thanked her comrade and, together with Liu Chaoying, carried twenty jin of meat to the entrance of the Canton Fair exhibitors' area.
Yin Susu, Tao Xueying, and the other members of the organizing committee who were responsible for assisting them were already waiting there with their things.
The organizing committee members were very happy to see Yu Yao and shook hands with her. "Comrade Yu, I was sent by Committee Member Qian to assist you. My surname is Qu. It is a great honor to meet you."
"Hello, Comrade Qu." Yu Yao shook his hand in return.
The young man was so excited he could hardly speak. "Thank you, Comrade Yu. It's such an honor to shake your hand. You are my role model. What you said at the entrance of the organizing committee office that day was so inspiring. I also believe that a bright future is not far away."
"We have prepared the kitchen utensils and tasting supplies you need. Now I will take you through the staff entrance to prepare."
Yu Yao: "Then I'll have to trouble Comrade Qu."
Comrade Qu was flattered and said, "It's no trouble at all. I'm so grateful to be able to help Comrade Yu. It's an opportunity I've managed to get, something other comrades would envy."
Yu Yao was filled with doubt.
Comrade Qu said somewhat embarrassedly, "To be honest, your speech in the organizing committee office that day has spread far and wide. Even the comrades from the Ministry of Commerce know about it. Everyone thinks what you said was excellent, and some people have even printed out a booklet of what you said and are reading it every day."
"Isn't this a bit of an exaggeration? I was just expressing what everyone was thinking, it's nothing."
"Comrade Yu, you are too modest. You don't know that we have been racking our brains over the issue of insufficient foreign exchange reserves. Your words that day gave us great confidence. You are the representative and role model of our workers."
At this point, Comrade Qu smiled shyly: "Actually, I also ordered a booklet, but there were too many people ordering it, so I haven't received it yet."
The group chatted as they walked until they finally arrived at Yu Yao's booth.
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