Lin Mingyong didn't know what Shao Shengan was planning. In fact, Shao Shengan's coldness had already made him very angry. After getting home from get off work, he complained to Yu Manshu.
"No wonder they are a couple, they are both so uneducated!"
Yu Manshu is now her cousin's assistant. Yu Jingshen brought a new team here. If he wants to take root and have a say, he must first show results. Yu Jingshen was so busy that Yu Manshu was naturally busy like a top. She didn't even have time to eat three meals. After working all night for several days, she came home and was so tired that she could only lie on the bed to rest. After listening to Lin Mingyong's words, she didn't have the energy to comfort her husband. She could only wink at her daughter and let her do it.
Lin Weini comforted him softly, and finally managed to coax Lin Mingyong into calming down and going to take a shower.
"Mom, Qiao Qingqing and her husband are really too much. No wonder Dad is angry."
Yu Manshu's eyes were bloodshot as she looked at her daughter who had grown into a graceful young lady. Her every move and gesture were those of a young lady from a wealthy family. She spoke in a soft voice, and when she lowered and raised her eyes, she looked delicate and pitiful. She sighed in her heart.
What a pity!
This was her first child. She couldn't have an abortion due to physical reasons, so she decided to give birth to the baby. She had high standards and was not in a hurry to get married until she was 36. Fortunately, she had always had good taste and the men she met during playtime were all good. Lin Mingyong was tall and handsome. Although his education, family background, and career were not as good as those of the men she had dated before, she could barely accept him for his face. With her family background, she didn't need to find a very powerful man to add icing on the cake.
Marriage was not a necessity for her, but her child needed a father. For the sake of her child, she chose to marry Lin Mingyong.
Winnie was her first child, so she naturally had high hopes for her. She had spent a lot of time and effort to train her daughter. She had originally planned to send her daughter to study abroad, so that she could find a marriage partner after she came back. With her daughter's looks and talent, she could easily choose any young talent in Huacheng. However, the natural disasters in the past few years delayed everything. Now her daughter is 21 years old, and should be a blooming university graduate, but she can only stay at home every day to escape the summer heat.
"Weini, don't worry about what's going on with Qiao Qingqing. You were young before, and you felt uncomfortable when you heard that there was a sister there, so you did some undignified wrong things. What's past is past, and she has nothing to do with you. Even if our family is worse off now than before, she still can't catch up with you on horseback, and she will be like that for the rest of her life, but you are different. Ahem! Weini, you should take a long-term view, and don't let indifferent people pollute your emotions and turn you into a sarcastic person, which will make you ugly! After the base is built, order in all aspects will naturally be rebuilt. Class will not disappear, and our family will definitely be at the top. When the time comes, your marriage partner will naturally be chosen from the top. Isn't her husband working on the construction site now? Your future husband is definitely not at his level. Do you understand what I say, Weini?"
Hearing her mother talk about her marriage so bluntly, Lin Weini felt a little shy. She tilted her head and brushed her hair: "I know, Mom, don't worry."
"Ahem, that's good. You should also take good care of your brother. You siblings should support each other. He is immature, and as the elder sister you should watch over him more." Yu Manshu held her daughter's hand. "I only have two children, and I had you when I was 36. You are my first child. I will give you the best, and you have to match what I give you, understand?"
Lin Weini nodded again: "Mom, I have never slacked off in my studies at home. I am still reading books and practicing the violin. I will make you proud in the future."
Yu Manshu smiled with relief, but at the same time couldn't help coughing a few times. She didn't know where the coughing affected, and she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She groaned and clutched the clothes on her chest.
"Mom! Mom, are you okay?" Lin Weini was terrified.
It took Yu Manshu a long time to recover. She held her daughter and said, "It's okay! Don't make a fuss. This is an old problem. I've had heart surgery before... Don't worry, it's okay. I'm just too tired recently. Your uncle has already found some medicine for me. I'll take it when it's brought back. I'll be well soon."
"Mom, why don't you take a break? You've been so busy lately that you don't even have time to sleep."
"I can't rest. There's no time to rest now. We have to strike while the iron is hot. Opportunities are hard to come by. If you can't make a future now, there will be plenty of time to rest in the future!"
After working for fifteen days, Shao Shengan took a break, a total of two days. Shao's father and mother, who were demolishing houses in Qiuye Village, also got a holiday, but they didn't feel tired at all. Work made them feel like they were in their second spring and they couldn't stop. They didn't want to take a vacation, so they asked Shao Shengan to go home to visit their eldest son and say hello to his mother-in-law and Qingqing. Shao Shengan had no choice but to go home by himself.
When Shao Shengan returned home, Qiao Songzhi didn't dare to recognize him.
"How did he become so dark!" She was surprised and distressed. He must have suffered so much.
"Didn't they say we work at night and rest during the day?" Qiao Qingqing was also very distressed.
"It's just a rush job. Sometimes I have to work during the day. It's okay. Everyone does it."
Seeing how he made light of it, Qiao Qingqing felt uncomfortable.
"Take a shower first and change your clothes to be more comfortable." Qiao Songzhi said hurriedly, "The water from the sun during the day is still warm, go take a shower."
"Okay, thanks, Mom."
While taking a shower, Shao Shengan accidentally used too much force and the towel rubbed off a piece of skin on his forehead.
"Hiss." He carefully tore off the skin, frowned as he looked at the tender red flesh, and the action of frowning made him feel the pulling pain in the broken skin.
The wound could not be concealed, so after he came out of the shower he asked Qiao Qingqing for ointment.
"Let me help you." Qiao Qingqing gently applied the medicine to him without saying anything during the process.
After dinner, Qiao Songzhi took Shao Shengfei to bed so that the couple could have some time alone.
"I thought you were going to say something." Shao Shengan lay on his side and looked at her.
Qiao Qingqing also turned to face him and whispered: "What did I say?"
He reached out and grabbed her hair: "Like, asking me not to go to work anymore or something like that."
"Will you listen if I tell you?"
Shao Shengan smiled but said nothing.
"Remember to apply the sunscreen and ointment I packed for you. Don't forget to apply the physical sunscreen. Don't get tanned like this next time you go home."
"I see. I took off my hat once because it was too hot. I won't forget it."
He did not tell Qiao Qingqing about his encounter with Lin Mingyong, nor did he tell her that he had really found an opportunity to beat him up, for fear that his wife would be upset when she heard his name. During the rare holiday, he accompanied Qiao Qingqing well and did not go anywhere.
As for the sweet potatoes he brought, Qiao Qingqing suggested cooking them together with the sweet potatoes left at home.
"Mom has figured out a new way to eat it, making sweet potato cakes. After frying, they become crispy and taste even better."
"Then I must try it."
Qiao Songzhi used all her skills to make sweet and delicious sweet potato cakes. Shao Shengan sincerely said that this was the best sweet potato cake he had ever eaten: "There are cakes on the construction site, but they are whole grain cakes. Originally, those cakes would be very fragrant if they were made well. I don't know how the kitchen made them. It was like eating sand. It tasted light and irritated my throat."
"It's a pity the weather is too hot, otherwise I would make some more and bring them to you."
"It's okay, I'll just eat more at home."
After two days of vacation, Shao Shengan went back. Qiao Qingqing watched him leave again, and looked forward to her husband's next return home.
The hot days continued, and several villages near Yeshan were all demolished in a hurry. The ruins were leveled, and all the machinery and equipment were in place. After the demolition, the foundation was laid.
This is a major post-disaster construction. Government agencies are being rebuilt, military forces are being gathered, plans to build a base for survivors are being gradually implemented, research on heat-resistant crops is being advanced overtime, and grassroots epidemic prevention work is being followed up...
Material and human resources are integrated and allocated, and in the high temperatures, human desire to survive is equally strong.
Coming here, Qiao Qingqing truly felt the powerful driving force of the desire to survive. In her previous life, when she came to the survivor base, she was a little bit unbelievable when she learned that the new community was built in half a year. But now that she has witnessed the construction of this post-disaster new city with her own eyes, she knows that as long as human beings unite as one, they can do anything.
If that’s the case, then after that devastating earthquake in the previous life, humans would surely have been able to stand up again, right?
Of course you can.
Occasionally, Qiao Qingqing would go out to deliver relief supplies directly to the gate of the community. She went out to familiarize herself with the surrounding environment. During those few times when she was wandering around, she met Yu Manshu.
Yu Manshu was wearing a mask and directing disinfection workers to carry out routine disinfection. She looked very busy.
"Hey, over there! Spray over there too! Over there, yes, that's right! There's a manhole cover, open it and see if there's a rat's nest inside, if there is, take them all away for me!" Tired and out of breath, Yu Manshu took off her mask, took a few deep breaths, and then put on her mask to continue working. From a distance, Qiao Qingqing could still see the other person's purple lips, and when she saw Yu Manshu rubbing her chest, she vaguely knew how Yu Manshu died in her previous life.
In fact, in her previous life at the survivor base, she had never heard of the name of Yu Manshu's cousin Yu Jingshen among the senior leaders. Lin Mingyong's subsequent failure to succeed and his behavior of sacrificing his children for power must have been related to Yu Manshu's death and Yu Jingshen's departure from the senior leadership.
She looked coldly at Yu Manshu who was busy and confused, then turned and walked another way.
Everyone has his or her own destiny. Qiao Qingqing is extremely grateful to be able to start over. If she doesn't seize this opportunity, she will hate herself.
During this relatively stable period, she has never stopped moving forward.
She is busy and fulfilled every day, exercising, honing her medical skills and enriching her experience.
Her husband comes home for two days every half a month, and her parents-in-law come home once a month. For Shao Shengfei, the two days when her parents and brother come home at the same time are as happy as Chinese New Year.
Later, during the days of wandering, Qiao Qingqing would occasionally think of this period of time. It was the most stable and happiest time after they were at their home in Huacheng and after they moved into the new community.
In the autumn of the fourth year after the apocalypse, the new community was initially built. According to Shao Shengan, the planning was quite thorough, with the garrison area, government administrative area, residential area, medical area, educational area, and deep water well decentralized management area all planned and constructed.
"Let's go draw a house together tomorrow and see if we can get the top floor."
"It won't work if no one is watching at home. You guys go!" said Shao's father.
In the end, Qiao Qingqing, Shao Shengan and Shao Shengfei went together and entered the venue with the lottery qualification certificates issued by Village Chief Ye.
The lottery site was packed with people. When it was their turn, Shao Shengan gently pushed Qiao Qingqing and said, "You come and draw."
The lottery is drawn by computer, which is very similar to drawing a license plate number. After clicking "draw", it depends on fate.
Qiao Qingqing took a deep breath and pressed the "Select" button steadily.
The computer screen changed a lot, various numbers kept rotating, and finally the screen froze on "Room 601, 6th Floor, Building 20, Ping'an Community".
"Room 601, 6th floor, Building 20, Ping'an Community? Okay, come over and sign!"
Shao Shengan asked hurriedly: "Isn't it the head of the household who can sign? I want my wife to sign."
"Alright, sign it. There are three signatures in total. Don't miss any."
Qiao Qingqing exhaled and picked up the pen to sign.
"When you have time, go to the Housing Management Office to get a new property certificate, and then go to the Household Registration Office to change your registered address to the new address. Now you're ready for the next one!" the staff member shouted.
Qiao Qingqing took the credentials and stepped back, and another family behind her sat down impatiently.
In the crowded crowd, Shao Shengan held her hand tightly and said with a smile: "The sixth floor is very good. The highest floor of these new houses is only the seventh floor. Let's see if there is a way to change to the seventh floor when the time comes."
“We can see if there are any units left on the seventh floor later and buy one.” Not only for installing solar generators, but also in the days of eternal night, high floors are safer.
"good."
They squeezed out of the crowd and the temporary lottery hall was overcrowded. Fortunately, there were armed police with guns to maintain order, otherwise it would have been a mess.
When I arrived at the door, I heard a loud roar from outside.
"Why can't we go in? Why can't we draw lots? This is unfair! Where did this come from? Ask him to come over and explain it to us!"
"Yes! Why? Where will we live in the future? Isn't this going to kill us?"
"I clearly saw Qiu Fugui, who is from the same hometown as me, also go in. Why can he get a chance to draw a new house but I can't? It's not fair!"
…
The armed police who were maintaining order blocked the gate and prevented them from squeezing in. A staff member from the Household Registration Office stood on a chair and explained loudly through a loud speaker:
"Don't push or make a fuss! We are all following the rules issued by our superiors. The survivor base has expropriated land from several villages in Qiuye Village. It is only natural that we should provide priority housing supply to local villagers. We are all following the rules..."
"Nonsense! How did my relative get the lottery qualification certificate when he is not from here? You have a shady business, you gave him a backdoor, it's not fair! Everyone, listen to my protest to the end, fight for your rights, the water here is too deep, if I don't speak up today and you don't speak up, there will be no way to get justice in the future!"
"Justice! We want justice!"
"Reject the shady dealings!"
"Don't go through the main door, go through the side door! Follow me!"
The people who were selected couldn't get out, so the staff took them through the side door.
Qiao Qingqing and the others followed the crowd and could still hear the noise there even after they were several hundred meters away from the lottery hall.
"I just saw Lin Mingyong." Qiao Qingqing said, "I was suspicious at first, but now I can be sure. Sheng An, we took a ride with Lin Mingyong and his group. After we settled in Qiuye Village, Lin Mingyong and his group also came one after another... They already had accurate information."
Shao Shengan held her hand with one hand and Shao Shengfei with the other. After hearing what Qiao Qingqing said, he nodded: "It is obvious that they got the news earlier, and Village Chief Ye should also know it, so we have hardly seen him since the lottery qualification certificates were issued."
"He's in hiding."
Qiao Qingqing still remembers the chaos when the lottery qualification certificates were distributed three days ago. At that time, Village Chief Ye and several burly fellow villagers were distributing them in the community. Even if it was distributed privately and low-key, how could other people who lived in the same community not hear the noise?
Questioning, anger, venting anger, and taking action...
Later, the security team came and suppressed the riot. I heard that the riot in the neighboring village was even worse. The village chief used a loudspeaker on the first floor of the community to call people to come down to collect their certificates. After those who did not get the lottery qualification certificates knew that they could not move into the new community, some people could not control their emotions and threw a pot from a high-rise building, injuring the village chief and some residents who were collecting the certificates downstairs. One person died on the spot.
"It's better to hide. The situation is too bad now." Shao Shengan could understand the feelings of those people. He originally thought that everyone would have a share after the base was built, but he didn't expect that the newly built base was not for everyone. But as a vested interest, he couldn't say anything, which seemed hypocritical.
Qiao Qingqing does not have as strong a sense of morality as Shao Shengan. In her previous life, she lived on the outskirts of the base and never complained about her fate and just worked hard to live. In this life, she seized the opportunity to gain benefits for herself and her family. She also fought for it herself and she did not feel ashamed.
"Let's go home. We are going to move as soon as possible."
"good."
Shao Shengfei clapped happily: "Great! We're moving to a new home!"
Moving again, the process was also very tiring.
When they found Building 20 of Ping'an Community, it was already dawn. They had no time to pack their things, so they locked the door, quickly ate some buns as a snack, and went to bed.
Before falling asleep, Qiao Qingqing thought vaguely: When will this life of reversed day and night end?
After sleeping until the afternoon, everyone got up, washed up and started to eat. Shao's mother kept muttering, "Every day is either eating or sleeping. Why do people have to eat and sleep? I don't know who invented eating and sleeping." Qiao Songzhi laughed when he heard it, "Where did you learn this joke from?"
Mother Shao said embarrassedly: "I heard what others said, and I think it makes sense. It would be great if people could live without eating or sleeping. When I was cooking in the factory cafeteria, I cooked three meals a day. I had to prepare lunch right after breakfast. After lunch, I didn't have much time to rest and had to pick vegetables and prepare dinner. I cooked all day without a break. Oh! It would be great if people could live without eating, drinking, or sleeping!"
"People are like iron and rice is like steel. If you don't eat, you will be hungry." Shao Shengan said with a smile, "Come and eat. Qingqing said that we will have pig's trotter rice for lunch this afternoon."
The pig's trotters were braised by Qiao Qingqing in the past. At that time, there were continuous heavy rains, but there were no power or natural gas outages. She stayed in the kitchen at home almost every day. Among the finished foods, there were 200 pig's trotters. In addition to pig's trotters, she also braised tea eggs, quail eggs, chicken feet, fried pork skin, pig ears and other ingredients. At that time, Shao's father and mother did not know the existence of the space. There was a braised dish every two days. When they smelled the fragrance, they did not doubt it. After all, it takes time to braise things. It takes two days to make them taste good. So it is not strange that there is fragrance in the kitchen every day.
Most of the foods with strong aroma and flavor were made during that time.
The pig's trotters that were braised three years ago still look the same as freshly braised ones. When I scooped them onto the rice with a spoon, the bright red skin trembled slightly, and it was obvious that they were braised very tenderly.
Each person's bowl was filled with a large spoonful of pig's trotter, plus a spoonful of braised and fried pork skin. The marinade was soaked into the rice and mixed a little, and the aroma filled the air. This bowl of pig's trotter rice looked extremely delicious.
"The vegetables are ready, too. Take as much as you want." Shao Shengan took out the blanched lettuce and put it in a large bowl, announcing happily, "We can eat now."
The first proper meal after moving into a new home starts with delicious braised pork trotters.
At this time in her previous life, Qiao Qingqing was still wandering. She didn't remember what she ate at that time. Maybe it was compressed biscuits, roasted rat meat, or dried mushrooms dug from the corner of an abandoned house.
At this moment, she was eating the delicious braised pig's trotters. Sitting next to her were her lover, mother, parents-in-law and elder brother. Her sense of happiness doubled.
After dinner, Shao Shengan said he wanted to go downstairs to fetch water.
"Every community has a deep well. I just saw residents carrying buckets to the east. The deep well should be there. I'll go and find out where it is so I can get some water later."
Qiao Qingqing was too lazy to move, so Shao Shengan took Shao Shengfei with him.
She sat down for a while and then started packing her luggage.
The house they were assigned was a rough-finished house with two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom, but no balcony. The staff said that only households with more than ten people could get a three-bedroom apartment, and households with more than five people could get a two-bedroom apartment. Households with fewer than five people could only get a one-bedroom apartment. For a family of six, it was already good to be able to live in a two-bedroom apartment, as other families with nine people could only squeeze into a two-bedroom apartment.
As usual, I used curtains to nail the windows, but fortunately, I didn’t have to install the main door myself this time, as the house was already equipped with an entrance door.
"It's not bad, it's so new!" Shao's mother liked the new house very much and said happily, "There's no bad smell at all. I haven't lived in such a clean house for a long time since I left Huacheng!"
Father Shao inspected the house and decided where to hang the clothes. "Qingqing is lucky. This house faces south and the sun won't be that strong. It doesn't matter if there's no balcony. In such hot weather, clothes can be dried without being exposed to the sun. When the time comes, set up the clothes drying rack in the living room and the clothes will dry quickly."
"It's too crowded to hang clothes at home, so let's hang them outside the window," said Shao's mother.
"That's fine, I'll nail the clothesline."
"Dad, don't do it yet. Sheng An and I have discussed buying a house on the seventh floor. The seventh floor has a rooftop, which is convenient for drying clothes. We can also install a solar generator when the time comes, which will make life more convenient."
Father Shao understood: "Can I buy it? How expensive is it?"
"I haven't asked yet. I plan to ask when I go to the Housing Authority to get the new property certificate."
Father Shao nodded quickly: "Okay, okay, then wait for Sheng An to come back and let him go with you."
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