Chapter 42

Qiao Wei used a branch to draw a square on the ground, found an umbrella, and propped it up on the ground: "You stay under this, don't let the sun shine on you."

She taught Yan Xiang: "Only dig inside this line, don't dig outside."

Yan Xiang had a small shovel and a small tin bucket. I remember that Yan Lei had someone make them for him.

Although it was a mini size, it was indeed usable.

It was just right for Yan Xiang.

Yan Xiang squatted under the umbrella at first, and then sat down. He dug with a shovel under the shade of the umbrella. The soil he dug out was first put into the small tin bucket, and then dumped into the corner of the yard.

The child was not afraid of being tired when doing work. Qiao Wei looked at him with a smile.

The mung bean soup that had been soaked in the hand-pressure well in the morning was already cool. Qiao Wei filled a cup and brought it to Yan Xiang.

Yan Xiang raised his two hands that were covered with mud, and gulped down half a cup with his mother's hands: "It's delicious!"

Sugar was added to the mung bean soup, which was cool and sweet, and really delicious. It was a pity that there was no refrigerator here, so the mung bean soup was also cold, not iced. It would be really delicious to drink it in the summer after it was iced.

Qiao Wei asked Yan Xiang: "Have you ever had soda?"

Yan Xiang shook his head.

Qiao Wei felt that Yan Xiang was so pitiful, he had never even had soda. But then I thought about it and realized that I only saw people selling popsicles at the market yesterday, and I didn't see anyone selling soda. Maybe it's mainly because the place is small.

After all, it's just a small town. If you go to the city, there should be people selling soda.

"Mom, is soda delicious?" Yan Xiang asked curiously, "Why is soda called soda? Is there air in the water? Like a fish blowing bubbles?"

Qiao Wei was amused. What a smart baby.

"Soda is made by pumping a gas called carbon dioxide into water." She told him, "This water looks no different from ordinary water, but when you open the lid, it starts to bubble. It's like a lot of small fish blowing bubbles at the same time."

Yan Xiang imagined it for a while and held his face: "How scary."

He forgot that there was dirt on his hands, and his face suddenly became a little clown.

Qiao Wei laughed: "It's not scary at all, don't be afraid."

Yan Xiang was curious: "When you drink soda, will bubbles appear in your mouth?"

"Yes. There will be very, very small bubbles that sting your tongue." Qiao Wei said, "That feeling is very wonderful, you will like it when you drink it." The

thing that was praised by his mother like this must be a good thing. The child couldn't help but show a yearning expression.

Qiao Wei softened her heart and promised: "When we have time in the future, Mom and Dad will take you to a big city. There must be soda for sale there. We will drink enough then."

Yan Xiang clapped his hands: "Okay!"

Although Yan Xiang was young, he was a very determined child and was very focused on what he did.

He sat under the umbrella and concentrated on digging his own sand pit.

Qiao Wei prepared the ingredients for dinner first, washed her hands, went into the house and looked at the Sanwu brand clock. It was almost 3:30 in the afternoon.

She called Yan Xiang to come over and wash his hands: "Let's go, let's go get something from the tailor."

"Let's go!"

The sun was too hot at 3:30, Qiao Wei gave the straw hat to Yan Xiang and made an umbrella herself.

The adult straw hat was too big for Yan Xiang. Yan Xiang even shook his head deliberately, making the hat tilt left and right, laughing all the way.

When they arrived at the tailor shop, the three cushion covers were already made.

"Okay, that's it, this is what I want." Qiao Wei folded them up happily and put them in the basket.

This woven basket is really easy to use, easy to carry, and has a large storage space. When it gets dirty, just rinse it with water and it will be clean. Qiao Wei likes to bring this woven basket when she goes out now.

The old man pushed his glasses: "Have you decided what to fill it with?"

Qiao Wei: "Uh..."

The "uh" shows that she hasn't decided yet.

But Qiao Wei has always been a humble person who is willing to learn. She thought that since the old man asked this question, he must have some ideas, so she asked, "What do you think?"

Sure enough, the old tailor said, "Although you cadres have good salaries and benefits, if you use cotton to fill the space, it will still have a bad impact on your wife if people find out."

Qiao Wei nodded vigorously: "Yeah!"

Seeing that she was learning, the old man had the motivation to continue persuading her. He suggested: "The first method is to use old clothes that are torn and can't be worn, such as bed sheets, cut them into strips, crumple them into a ball and stuff them in."

"The second method is to use regenerated cloth directly. Regenerated cloth has been re-woven once, and although it is easy to rot,

it is more fluffy than worn-out clothes. Remember to cut it into strips." "The third method is to use hay. Don't look down on hay, hay is also very fluffy. It is harder than regenerated cloth, but it rebounds better than regenerated cloth after being compressed."

"You can also fill regenerated cloth and hay together, I think the effect will be better." "

Great, thank you!" Qiao Wei was happy, "It solves a big problem of mine."

The old man asked: "What level is your wife?"

"Leader."

The old tailor was a little surprised. Because Qiao Wei was very young, she looked like she was only nineteen or twenty years old. He thought her husband was the battalion commander.

"Not bad, not bad." The old man nodded and said no more.

The two agreed on a time to pick up the clothes. The old man said, "Wednesday, come in the morning. Your flat cutting is simple."

That's pretty fast.

But it's not so much because the flat cutting is simple, it's better to say that...

Qiao Wei looked around the shop, which is not a big room. Qiao Wei said, "You don't have much business here."

The old tailor picked up the enamel teacup, opened the lid, and took a sip of the strong tea: "You don't make many clothes all year round."

Originally, the rise of garment factories has impacted traditional tailoring. Materials are scarce, and ordinary people have to sew and patch up a piece of clothing for several years.

The families in the military district here are well-off, but they prefer to go to the city to buy ready-made clothes in department stores.

"That's good. I can get paid even if I don't work. That's good." The old man waved his hand.

Craftsmen like them have been incorporated into the state and are paid. The salary is not linked to performance. Whether there is business or not, they will get paid.

Qiao Wei comforted him: "It's stable, a stable job, and it will be good for retirement."

The old man recalled his heroic years: "I made a custom wedding dress for someone, and the hem dragged three meters on the ground."

"It took me three days to fold the pleats on the skirt."

"The customer was very satisfied and gave me a reward..."

"Ahem!" Qiao Wei coughed loudly and interrupted him.

The old man woke up with a start, sweating slightly: "Oh, oh, well, that, what was it?"

"Wednesday." Qiao Wei said nonchalantly, "I'll come to get it on Wednesday morning." "

Okay, take care."

"See you on Wednesday. Xiangxiang, say goodbye to Grandpa."

"Goodbye, Grandpa."

"Good kid, good kid."

Seeing the young woman leaving with the polite and lovely child, the old man picked up the palm leaf fan and waved it twice.

Really, how can you be so careless with your words. You can't just forget about the past.

"It's said... a virtuous wife brings few troubles to her husband." The old man sang a line in an operatic voice.

Just after he finished singing, Qiao Wei poked her head in again and asked embarrassedly: "Um, where can I buy the rehabilitation cloth?"

The old man: "..."

It turns out that rehabilitation cloth is sold in the supply and marketing cooperative.

The supply and marketing cooperative sells almost everything. As for the farmers' market, it is actually under the jurisdiction of the supply and marketing cooperative.

Qiao Wei took Yan Xiang to the supply and marketing cooperative. As soon as they entered the store, they saw the salesman named Xu sitting on a square wooden stool inside the counter, hugging his chest, leaning his back against the shelf, sleeping soundly with his head tilted.

My mouth was watering.

This is small town life. Except for the farmers' market in the morning, nowhere is busy, and everyone is leisurely.

He was sleeping so soundly that Qiao Wei was a little embarrassed to wake him up, and planned to leave and come back another day.

Salesman Xu suddenly woke up.

He was here to watch the store, because if a needle was missing from public items, they had to pay for it themselves. Otherwise, he would have gone to sleep in the back. He was very alert when he slept. He woke up when Qiao Wei made a sound. He was irritable because he was woken up

. He rubbed his eyes and said unhappily, "What are you doing? I didn't see you... Hey, it's you."

He recognized this military dependent. A few days ago, he gave him an industrial coupon to buy more canned food.

Salesman Xu immediately put on a smile: "Come on, what do you want to buy today?"

Qiao Wei asked, "Do you have rehabilitation cloth? I want to buy some rehabilitation cloth."

Salesman Xu asked curiously, "Why do you want to buy that?"

Rehabilitation cloth is cheap and does not require cloth coupons, but it will tear if it is torn. It is a substitute chosen by some families with poor economic conditions out of helplessness.

Qiao Wei, who was given an industrial coupon at the first time, could not wear rehabilitation cloth.

Qiao Wei took out a cushion cover and showed it to him, then told him her needs, and said, "I don't know how many I need, can you help me check."

Salesman Xu said, "Wait a minute, I'll ask someone to go to the back and see how many there are."

He opened a door and shouted at the top of his voice, "Xiao Liu, Xiao Liu! Don't sleep!"

Someone in the back responded lazily.

Salesman Xu called out, "Bring me the rehabilitation cloth."

He turned his head and said, "Wait a minute."

Qiao Wei waved her hands and smiled, "No hurry."

She asked again, "Do you have any more canned food?"

Salesman Xu sneered, "Good things never last more than a day."

"But I have other good things, do you want them?" He said, "You haven't been here for the past two days, so they were all bought. I kept them specially, thinking that you might come someday."

Qiao Wei's eyes lit up, "Thank you so much. What is it?"

Salesman Xu squatted down, opened the counter, and took out a square jar, "Cream biscuits. This is high-end stuff." It

was indeed high-end, and the four big characters "High-end biscuits" were printed on the square jar.

Yan Xiang: "Wow~"

Just by hearing the sound, you can tell how much the child wants it. Qiao Wei smiled: "I want it. Brother Xu, thank you so much."

Salesman Xu specially reserved it for her. This is a favor, and she must accept it. Otherwise, they won't reserve it for you next time they have something good. They did

n't even ask about the price. They are really from a cadre family.

Salesman Xu was envious and said politely: "No, I will reserve it for you when I have something good in the future. Just remember to come and have a look every now and then."

Qiao Wei smiled: "Hey!"

At this time, a female salesman came out with a bundle of gray and fluffy cloth and threw it on the counter.

Salesman Xu asked: "Are there any more?"

"No." Xiao Liu said, "That's all. It's all here."

Qiao Wei touched it with her hand.

The so-called regenerated cloth is recycled cloth, which is made by breaking up old cotton wool and rags and respinning them. The quality is very poor, it is easy to break and crack, but the advantage is that it is cheap and does not require a ticket.

But when you touch it, it feels not very good in texture and elasticity.

Salesman Xu asked: "Is it enough?"

Qiao Wei took out the cushion cover and gestured: "Almost..."

She remembered the suggestion given by the old tailor: "I'll put some hay in it, and it should be done."

"You are so creative." Salesman Xu said.

Qiao Wei smiled: "You have to make your own way in life."

But Qiao Wei was still holding a weaving basket, a large bundle of raw cloth, and a can of newly bought biscuits. The biscuit can was not small either, and it was impossible to stuff the cushion cover into the weaving basket.

Qiao Wei was worried: "How do I get it?"

"Ah~ah." Salesman Xu made a disdainful sound.

Salesmen of this era also have some skills. He first took a bundle of plastic rope, wrapped it around his hands a few times, and then pressed it on the cookie jar. He moved quickly, twisting it left and right, tying a knot, and cutting it.

The plastic rope became like a net bag and held the cookie jar, like magic.

After tying the knot, there were two handles on it, so you can carry it by hand, it's magical.

Yan Xiang: "Wow~"

Salesman Xu picked up the rehabilitation cloth and asked again: "You want to tear it up anyway, right?"

After getting confirmation, he directly took a pair of scissors and cut a few small holes in the cloth, and then tore the cloth with his bare hands. He tore out several long strips of cloth, and in case they were not strong enough, he stacked several strips together for reinforcement.

He asked Qiao Wei to turn around and bend slightly, and asked Xiao Liu to help support her, and put the bundle of rehabilitation cloth on Qiao Wei's back.

Then he used long strips of cloth to wrap around Qiao Wei horizontally and diagonally. Finally, he tied a knot.

Qiao Wei stood up, looking just like the mothers and grandmothers carrying babies on their backs in the town.

Needless to say, this method is really useful. Now Qiao Wei was carrying a weaving basket in one hand, high-quality biscuits in the other, and a rehabilitation cloth on her back. She was all set.

When she happily left with Yan Xiang, Xiao Liu muttered, "What does this person do?"

You say she is poor, but she buys high-quality biscuits. You say she is rich, but she buys rehabilitation cloth.

It's inexplicable.

Xiao Liu wanted to go back to the back to sleep, but the salesperson Xu said, "You sit in the front for a while."

He went to the back to rest.

Tsk.