Chapter 31 Chapter 31

One week later.

Sister Zhao and Su Rui stood in front of the engineering team, welcoming their arrival together with the female comrades.

A few days ago, Sister Zhao communicated with the troops about the pre-buried cables, and the communication went smoothly. After calculation, although the pre-buried cables from Xiaoba Village detour a short distance, it can be connected to the newly built Aimin Road, which will be more beneficial to the future development of Aimin Road to the north and south.

Qingnan Village refused to cooperate and demanded money and housing, otherwise they would block the construction. It seems that construction in Xiaoba Village is the right choice.

Sister Zhao's enthusiasm impressed the troop leaders, and after the calculations were completed, construction would begin today.

Thinking of the people of Qingnan Village's resistance to the project, the engineers carried a lot of vegetables and fruits as gifts to give to the women of Xiaoba Village, hoping that they would not object too fiercely.

However, when we arrived at the site today, we saw banners on the roadside saying "Welcome the construction troops" and "Good luck with the start of the project", and a women's yangko group was beating gongs and drums in front of them.

Chen Haiyan is a local who was chosen to participate in this project. He spent the entire night preparing how to convince the women to start the work, but when he arrived today he was dumbfounded.

"I thought that even if the village officials agreed, the local people might not agree." Chen Haiyan, with a wreath of flowers around her neck, couldn't help but grin and said, "We in Xiaoba Village are still very foresighted."

Sister Zhao smiled and said, "After all, we have all been educated in the ideological class. We, the majority of women comrades, have complete faith in our military comrades. We are willing to cooperate with your work to the utmost."

Chen Haiyan said, "Don't worry, Sister Zhao. We promised that we would lay the cement road for you after you finish repairing the cables. We guarantee that it won't collapse for a hundred years. We will never break our promise."

Su Rui excitedly grabbed Su Hongpei's hand and said, "We must also have cement roads in our village." If you want to get rich, you must first build roads. Xiaoba Village has a promising future.

Sister Zhao didn't expect the army to be so easy to talk to. They turned over their land and helped them repair the road. They just needed to pay for the materials. Everyone worked together and tightened their belts, and everyone paid for the materials.

"We have discussed this. This period is a period of leisure. We women comrades will help you work together. You don't need to pay us."

Auntie Song beat the gongs and drums and shouted, "Yes, we are all working voluntarily, we don't want any money!"

Su Rui spent several nights going door to door explaining to them the importance of infrastructure. The female comrades had no other opinions. When they heard that with cables there would be electricity, they all agreed.

Some even said: "We trust the army and the village committee. Sister Zhao and you won't lie to us!"

So early this morning, Xiaoba Village was bustling with activity and firecrackers were set off.

Wu Dan pretended to be passing by in a donkey cart. He asked people and learned that Xiaoba Village allowed the troops to dig as they pleased, without asking for money or land, and would even help with the labor. He cursed, "A bunch of stupid women," and then drove away in the donkey cart.

He was in a hurry to go to the township to ask for this year's poverty-stricken village grants. They didn't keep the money, but paid out of their own pockets. There is no one more stupid than these women.

He held a cigarette in his mouth and said to his fellow travelers, "So, women can't be cadres. Look at the village, there is no place to stay. The whole village has become a ruin."

Su Rui came over with other women carrying shovels to help. Chen Haiyan stopped them and said, "Things are different now. The troops are well-manned. You should go underground or up the mountain. If there is any need, you must speak up."

Su Rui said cheerfully, "Sure, I'm afraid I'll make things worse. You guys go ahead and do your job. I'll go make some tea for you guys."

When Chen Haiyan heard that Su Hongpei was also there, he touched his dark face and said sheepishly, "Thank you for your hard work."

Su Rui said to Chen Haiyan: "I will call you later, you must come over."

Chen Haiyan remembered what Su Rui had said to him, and felt both expectant and uneasy.

Yan'er and Su Rui went to the collective cafeteria to find Su Hongpei. On the way, Yan'er asked Su Rui: "Actually, I also think your elder sister is interested in him."

Suri said, "You noticed it, too."

Yan'er said gossipingly, "I think Chen Haiyan is good, and he's a military officer with four pockets. I tell you, some things are better seen with your own eyes, so it's better to let your sister get married as soon as possible."

Suri said, "Seeing is believing?"

Yan'er looked behind her and said, "Didn't you see that no one from the Su family came out? It's been several days, and Su Chang'e hasn't seen anyone. Su Yuqin didn't come out to show off either, but she went to the supply and marketing cooperative every day with a sad face to buy wine and meat. We all felt that this didn't act like a military officer."

It would have been fine if they had never seen a military officer before, but they had seen a lot of military officers in Xiaoba Village in the past one or two years, and they knew that they were strict with themselves, so it was impossible for them to drink and eat meat in other people's homes all day long.

"Hey, last time you said that I was right, saying that her boyfriend was a labor camp inmate." Yan'er took Su Rui's arm and said, "Now I really think you were right."

Su Rui said, "I'll ask my elder sister later."

Yan'er said, "If your elder sister had Chen Haiyan to take care of her, the Su family wouldn't do anything to her. But you have to be on guard against others, after all, there's an outsider."

Su Rui smiled and said, "Why don't you go and talk to my eldest sister yourself?"

Yan'er said, "I have sharp eyes and sharp tongue, and sometimes I say things that are not pleasant to the ears. Tell your elder sister that if she doesn't want to be with Chen Haiyan, tell me earlier. I think Chen Haiyan is pretty good."

Su Rui stopped, looked at her and said, "You want to steal the show?"

Yan'er pushed her and said, "What the hell, we agreed to give her a stab today. I don't want to find a man in my life, I just want to stay at home with my mother."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Su Rui, wanting to see her reaction.

Su Rui didn't think there was anything wrong. Although marriage is important, it is not everything in life. She didn't want to dictate other people's lives: "Then let's work together later."

"Don't worry." Yan'er breathed a sigh of relief. It was a challenge for her to say that she would never get married in this environment. Fortunately, Su Rui didn't show any surprise, which made her feel that it was no big deal.

"Sister, is the tea ready?" Su Rui stood on the threshold of the collective cafeteria and looked out.

Su Hongpei shouted from the other end of the steam, "Okay, okay, one cup of Platycodon grandiflorum chrysanthemum tea and one cup of mung bean soup, come over and get them."

Yan'er deliberately shouted, "Give me Chen Haiyan's portion and I'll deliver it to him."

Su Hongpei paused, immediately poured her a bowl and said, "He likes mung bean soup, tell him not to drink it in a hurry."

Yan'er said in a smirk, "Then I'll go outside and give him a blow job."

Su Hongpei was startled, then took out a rag to wipe the stove.

After Yan'er left, Su Rui whispered, "What's going on with Su Chang'e? Why is there no movement?"

Su Hongpei said: "I couldn't see clearly either. The man went into the main room and drove Su Yuqin to the east room to sleep, and then he slept with Lao Er. ... What do you think Lao Er did? She accompanied others to drink and eat meat these days. Not only did she spend money, but her character was also corrupted."

Suri said, "No wonder I didn't see her."

Su Hongpei said, "I think that man looks ferocious, you must not go there."

Su Rui said, "What about you? What do you mean to Brother Chen Haiyan?"

Su Hongpei said: "I am three years older than him, and such a family is not worthy of him."

She grabbed her clothes. She thought she could accept other lesbians being nice to Chen Haiyan, but now she felt really bad. Yan'er was not an outsider. She was of the right age for Chen Haiyan and had a good job. But she felt really bad.

Su Rui said, "He has been interested in you for a long time. If you keep pretending, you might get snatched away by someone else."

Su Hongpei lowered her head and said, "I'll think about it again. I don't want him to be a brother-in-law with someone like that."

Su Rui said, "So do you like him?" Under normal circumstances, Su Rui would never ask such a question, and Su Hongpei would not tell her either if she asked.

Let's talk about this here today. Su Hongpei didn't want to deny her inner feelings. Seeing that there was no one else in the room, she whispered, "Who wouldn't like a person like that? I just don't want him to be dragged down by me."

"I'm not afraid of you being a burden!"

Suddenly, Chen Haiyan's voice was heard outside. Yan'er grabbed him and blocked the door. Although it was not glorious to eavesdrop on Su Hongpei's conversation, he really wanted to know Su Hongpei's true feelings.

Su Hongpei cried out "Ouch!" and her face felt like it was burning.

Yan'er stood at the door and roughly stuffed the green bean soup into Chen Haiyan's mouth. She said to Su Hongpei, "If you hesitate, I will take it away from you."

Chen Haiyan quickly said, "No, no, no, Comrade Yan'er, I like Comrade Su Hongpei. I'm sorry."

Yan'er spat on the ground and said with a smile, "I gave you a pole and you really climbed up. Xiaorui and I are waiting to drink your matchmaking wine."

"Yes, as many as you want." Chen Haiyan looked at Su Hongpei foolishly and said nervously.

Su Hongpei realized that Su Rui had tricked her into talking to him, and she complained and clenched her fist to hit Su Rui. Su Rui dodged with a smile, "You guys chat, Yan'er and I will serve tea."

Chen Haiyan watched Su Rui and Yan'er leave with gratitude, then walked into the house, faced Su Hongpei, and stammered, "I, I'll go file a report."

Su Hongpei asked, "What report are you making?"

Chen Haiyan shouted: "I want to marry you, I will file a marriage report!"

Su Hongpei covered her face and stomped her feet in anger facing the wall: "How can you be so impatient!"

Chen Haiyan looked at her thick braids and really liked her: "Why should I be impatient? I have liked you for many years. Comrade Su Rui can testify that she told me everything you like to eat, drink, fabric and flower. Your joys and sorrows are my joys and sorrows. Su Hongpei, give me a chance to love you."

Su Hongpei was so embarrassed that she wanted to bang her head against the wall. She wondered what medicine Chen Haiyan had taken wrong today.

Outside, Su Rui and Yan Er were walking and saying, "Let me love you."

"I love you, too."

Su Rui and Yan'er, who were leaving, huddled together and laughed.

Yan'er said: "How do you know that calling Chen Haiyan over will work?"

Su Rui said, "He is worried that my eldest sister is being bullied in the Su family. I have seen it all these years. I think it is better to do it now than to wait for a day. The good time does not wait for anyone. Let's just say it today. Give a definite answer whether it will work or not, so that everyone won't be so anxious."

The important thing is that she sees that Su Hongpei also seems to be interested in Chen Haiyan, so she is happy to give her a push.

Su Rui was still laughing at others dating. She and Yan'er came to the village entrance to serve tea to the soldiers. As soon as she looked up, she saw Fang Chiye's jeep coming down the mountain.

Fang Chiye first inspected the cable project. When he saw the construction line in Xiaoba Village marked with white lime, he said to Sister Zhao, "Please don't travel for the next six months."

One can imagine what the road in Xiaoba Village will look like after being dug up.

It would be easy to restore the dirt road, but the women of Xiaoba Village gave up their work to save face and tightened their belts to build a cement road, which would take another quarter.

"It's okay, everyone is happy."

Fang Chiye nodded: "Thank you for your cooperation, the troops will always remember it."

After greeting Sister T Zhao, Fang Chiye slowly came to stand beside Su Rui.

Su Rui didn't say anything. She just hung her hands down and felt the May breeze, feeling extremely comfortable.

Suddenly, the back of her hand felt a little itchy. She looked down and saw Fang Chiye secretly pinching her with his fingertips.

Su Rui pursed her lips and smiled. Fang Chiye smiled and said, "Give me some tea?"

Suri said, "I'll buy you a soda, shall we?"

Fang Chiye said: "It just so happens that I brought you something delicious."

Then he took out a bag of tiger skin chicken feet from his pocket and handed it to Su Rui, saying, "Remember that you like to eat it."

One dollar and five cents for only five, these spendthrift old men!

Su Rui took the chicken feet and swallowed. It was really delicious.

Forget it, let’s just go on a poor journey.

They walked together to the supply and marketing cooperative, the two of them were close to each other, and they didn't care about what others would think. When they were almost at the door of the supply and marketing cooperative, two people came towards them.

Fang Chiye's eyes were very good, and he whispered, "Zhan Huan?"

Across the street, Su Chang'e looked haggard. She had taken Zhan Huan to the village committee to look for Su Rui but couldn't find her. She was about to go to the construction site when she unexpectedly ran into her. She couldn't see her face clearly, but she could still recognize her walking style. She was far away, but she was already waiting with her arms crossed.

Zhan Huan had grown a beard. He put his arm around Su Chang'e's shoulder and squinted his eyes as he said, "Is that your little sister?"

Su Chang'e said flatteringly: "Village girl, very beautiful. She is only eighteen this year, very tender."

Zhan Huan moved his chin and clenched his fists, "Who is next to her? Wearing green clothes? Are you trying to mess with me?"

Su Chang'e suppressed the fear in her eyes and whispered, "She should be a soldier helping to build the road. You keep an eye on her today, and I'll help you get her later—"

Zhan Huan pulled her hair and forced her to raise her head: "You are such a bad guy."

Su Chang'e didn't dare to shout, because at home the more she shouted, the harder Zhan Huan would beat her. Instead, she kept her tail between her legs and served her cautiously, and he was able to hold back from hitting her.

"Go over and say hello to your good sister."