Chapter 90 Scarf
The next day at work, Zhao Yaqin arrived exceptionally early.
As soon as Nan Zhiyi entered the office, she rushed up to her and said, "Zhou Zhengping told Li Weidong last night that he's inviting us old friends to dinner. I've already prepared the red envelopes."
She pouted, "Li Weidong even quoted Zhou Zhengping's exact words: it's not that we didn't invite you, but we're afraid Lu Linlang will take this opportunity to cause trouble and upset you."
"Mm." Nan Zhiyi nodded; she didn't want to get involved in those things.
"This is so annoying! I don't want to go either!"
Zhao Yaqin scratched her braid in frustration. "But if I don't go, that woman will definitely think I'm afraid of her and dare not show my face!"
She rolled her eyes and muttered a complaint about Lu Linlang's hypocritical behavior.
They were all girls of the same age who grew up in the same compound, and it was inevitable that their elders would compare them over and over again.
From childhood to adulthood, from school to work, twenty years have passed, and she and Lu Linlang have gradually become like oil and water.
Lu Linlang always tries to outdo everyone else, even her affection for Fifth Brother is probably just a way of proving that she is the most outstanding girl...
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
The two returned to the office from the cafeteria at noon, and soon after, Lu Linlang arrived.
She stood at the door with a dignified smile. "Yaqin, Zhiyi, Zhengping and I thought we'd have a simple get-together at the regimental canteen tonight since we've all grown up together. You two absolutely have to come!"
Zhao Yaqin and Nan Zhiyi were both stunned, completely unexpected that Lu Linlang would come to invite them in person.
The two exchanged a quick glance, both seeing the same astonishment in each other's eyes.
Zhao Yaqin reacted quickly, forcing a smile: "Oh, Dr. Lu came to invite me personally? Don't worry, I'll definitely come."
Nan Zhiyi politely replied, "Okay."
"Then it's settled." Lu Linlang's smile deepened, making one feel inexplicably uneasy. "See you tonight."
Wait until she's gone.
Zhao Yaqin rubbed her arms: "Hiss... her smile just now sent chills down my spine. I have a feeling that tonight's dinner is a trap."
Nan Zhiyi also frowned slightly.
Lu Linlang's initiative to show goodwill was really unusual...
After get off work, Nan Zhiyi rode her bicycle with Zhao Yaqin on the back, all the way to the regimental canteen.
The private room was full of familiar faces.
Several of Zhou Zhengping's close colleagues from the military, two female colleagues Lu Linlang knew from the hospital, Li Weidong, Sun Guodong, and Qian Shengli were also present.
At first glance, the atmosphere seemed quite harmonious.
Zhou Zhengping had a gentle expression and greeted the guests with his usual politeness.
Lu Linlang wore a smile throughout, like the most dutiful hostess.
Zhao Yaqin and Nan Zhiyi followed suit and handed over the prepared red paper packets.
When Zhou Zhengping took Nan Zhiyi's portion, he said softly, "Thank you." His gaze lingered on her face for a brief moment before quickly looking away.
Lu Linlang smiled and thanked the two of them, "Thank you, Yaqin, thank you, Zhiyi. Please have a seat."
During the meal, Lu Linlang was impeccable, serving food, wine, and engaging in conversation with great care.
Zhao Yaqin was seething with anger and too lazy to deal with it, so she simply pulled Nan Zhiyi aside and focused on eating.
Nan Zhiyi was happy to have some peace and quiet, only occasionally chiming in with a couple of words.
The meal ended in a harmonious atmosphere.
It was completely dark outside.
Lu Linlang, arm in arm with Zhou Zhengping, stood at the entrance of the small canteen seeing off the guests.
Nan Zhiyi followed Zhao Yaqin and finished exchanging pleasantries and saying goodbye.
“It’s getting dark, and the road is difficult to walk on. We’ll take you back,” Li Weidong said.
Zhao Yaqin nodded vigorously: "Yes, let's go together."
Nan Zhiyi knew they cared about her, so she didn't refuse: "Okay, thank you for your help."
Li Weidong pushed his bicycle, while Zhao Yaqin and Nan Zhiyi held hands, their figures blending into the deep night.
Seeing that all the guests had left, Zhou Zhengping forcefully pulled his arm out of Lu Linlang's grasp and walked straight toward the single dormitory.
Lu Linlang stood behind him, her face grim.
Life is like a mountain stream, flowing clear and cool as it moves forward.
Nan Zhiyi devoted herself to her work and life.
On September 30th, she received her allowance for the past month or so.
The envelope wasn't thick, containing a stack of small bills and a few large unity bills, all brand new and crisp.
She carefully counted: from the end of August to the end of September, she was responsible for updating the bulletin board of the fifth section of the military camp, writing three short news articles, and drawing seven propaganda posters of various sizes. In the end, she earned thirty-six yuan and fifty cents. The grain coupons were for ten jin (5 kg), half refined grain and half coarse grain.
She earned this herself.
She carefully placed the envelope into her cloth bag.
After getting home from get off work, she picked up a pen and wrote a letter to Gu Xiao, rambling on about everyday trivialities, and finally mentioning the amount of her salary.
She folded the letter and put it in a book, waiting for Gu Xiao to write back so she could send it back to him.
Once National Day was over, the wind in the mountains suddenly became stronger, carrying a biting chill.
Zhao Yaqin asked Li Weidong to get her several feet of thick blue cloth, hoping to make a new cotton-padded coat.
Nan Zhiyi then introduced Sister Wu, whom she had met before in the factory's residential compound in the back mountain area. She said that Sister Wu was skilled and straightforward.
On her day off, Zhao Yaqin followed Nan Zhiyi to the factory's residential compound.
Wu's small living room doubled as her workspace, where the sewing machine hummed.
When they met them, Sister Wu was very welcoming. She took Zhao Yaqin's measurements and helped her choose styles. She ordered two thick cotton-padded coats and two pairs of thick trousers in one go.
Nan Zhiyi didn't make any new clothes; she had enough to wear.
On the way back, the wind picked up a bit more.
Zhao Yaqin shrank her neck: "The weather in the mountains gets cool really fast. I'll go to the service store to buy some yarn and knit a scarf for Li Weidong."
Nan Zhiyi remembered that she had a lot of yarn balls at home, and she became interested as well.
"Then I'll buy two knitting needles and knit a sweater too." She knew some simple knitting techniques.
The two then went to the military service store and bought the tools.
Zhao Yaqin is the type of person who acts on her impulses.
On her next day off, she took two balls of dark blue yarn and a few knitting needles and knocked on Nan Zhiyi's door early in the morning.
"Come, I'll keep you company!"
"I couldn't be happier. I can ask you for advice."
Nan Zhiyi served melon seeds, snacks, and tea.
The two sat down together, each working on their own yarn, and chatted about gossip.
Zhao Yaqin is skillful and quick-witted, the knitting needles moving nimbly in her hands.
Nan Zhiyi, on the other hand, seemed much more clumsy, having to stop every now and then to remove a few stitches and start over with a frown.
Zhao Yaqin is impatient. She knits at home at night and takes a break during her lunch break to knit a couple of stitches in the office.
In just a few days, a thick and smooth navy blue scarf was finished.
Li Weidong came to pick up Zhao Yaqin from get off work that day.
She proudly wrapped the scarf around his neck.
He gave a slightly embarrassed smile, reached out and touched the soft yarn, and said softly, "It's nice."
Nan Zhiyi watched from the side and praised her for her good skills, saying that the colors suited Wei Dong Ge well.
Zhao Yaqin raised her chin: "That's right! Don't you even know who I am!"
Li Weidong looked at her tenderly, and she looked back at him, their affection lingering.
The young couple said goodbye to Nan Zhiyi and left hand in hand.
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