Chapter 221 Departure
With Lu Jianxi's big problem resolved, Zhang Cui no longer planned to go to Xinjiang Province with Wei Yang and his sister.
Upon hearing this, Wei Yang stopped trying to persuade him.
Zhang Cui went to the store to buy soy sauce. Several children were playing downstairs, while the siblings sat inside.
Wei Yang was suddenly interrupted by Wei Zhao saying, "I know why your girlfriend signed up to go to Xinjiang Province."
Seeing her certain expression, Wei Yang asked, "Why?"
Wei Zhao said, "Don't you think that Aunt Zhang doesn't really care about her daughter? It's not that she doesn't care, it's that she doesn't care that much. I dare say that if her son were in the frontier and something like this happened at home, she would think of going to that child for help without anyone having to persuade her."
Following her words, Wei Yang asked, "Just like you said, she doesn't want to cause trouble for her daughter."
Wei Zhao shook his head. "You don't understand. In the eyes of the older generation, the one who can solve problems is the one to rely on. In Aunt Zhang's heart, her daughter is not a reliable person."
Wei Yang remained silent for a long time.
Thinking of Song Lubai, he felt a pang of sadness.
He didn't know what kind of life she had lived at home in the past. He had only heard her say that she hated her stepfather, that Lin Dahai was not a good person, and that her mother did not value her very much. He wondered what kind of mood she was in when she got a job and was able to make up her mind to go to the frontier.
With Lu Jianxi's matter resolved, Wei Zhao said, "After dinner, go to the countryside with Aunt Zhang to buy grain. Come back tonight, and we'll leave tomorrow. Your work can't be delayed."
Wei Yang nodded.
The sound of Zhang Cui and Lin Dahai arguing came from downstairs, so the siblings went down to see what was going on.
Lin Dahai knelt down before Zhang Cui again, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face.
"Cui'er, I've already dealt with Lu Jianxi. I'll be going back to the factory in a while to get my job back. Just let me go home, okay? I'll do whatever you ask from now on, and I promise I'll never lay a hand on you again..."
Zhang Cui's legs were being held by Lin Dahai, and she couldn't pull them away. Wei Yang stepped forward and pulled Lin Dahai's arms off.
Wei Zhao muttered disdainfully from the side, "They really have no backbone at all."
She turned to Zhang Cui and said, "Auntie, we have things to do this afternoon, we need to go back and cook."
Zhang Cui nodded, looked at Lin Dahai again, and turned to go upstairs.
Just then, the postman arrived.
The postman delivered the photos that Song Lubai had sent back.
When Zhang Cui saw the photo of Song Lubai and Wei Yang, she smiled and said to Wei Yang, "Is that really you in the picture?"
These words made the siblings laugh.
Wei Zhao said, "Do you think we're all lying to you? If you didn't trust us, why did you let us stay here?"
Having said the wrong thing, Zhang Cui smiled sheepishly and said, "Who would lie and give away a radio? My family doesn't have anything to lie about."
While they were talking, Lin Dahai was still wailing and howling downstairs. Niu Lili, who was standing at the door next door, said, "Zhang Cui, you are too cruel."
Others chimed in, "I think he really knows he was wrong. That other guy has already been arrested, so just let him go home."
Neighbors offered various words of advice, and Lin Dahai lay downstairs crying. Zhang Cui remained resolute, saying, "Whoever feels sorry for him can take him home. He'll have a job in the future, so it won't be a loss for you to take him in. Even if I, Zhang Cui, starve to death with my child, I won't let him step into my house."
She finally managed to kick it out, how can she take it back? Did all her suffering go to waste?
After dinner, Wei Zhao stayed inside the house to watch over the children, while Zhang Cui and Wei Yang rode their bicycles to Zhang Lan's house in the county town.
When Zhang Lan heard that Wei Yang was Song Lubai's boyfriend, she circled around him, looked him over, and praised his good looks. When she heard that Wei Yang was a deputy regimental-level cadre, she thought Song Lubai had good taste.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhang Lan pulled Zhang Cui aside for a private conversation and asked, "What do you think of Xiao Wei?"
Zhang Cui was extremely satisfied with Wei Yang. She told Zhang Lan about the situation after Wei Yang arrived, and Zhang Lan praised him, "Great! Lu Bai found a good partner! He's handsome, generous, and has good qualities. He'll also support you."
"That's good. Now that Lu Bai is over there by herself, we don't have to worry about her being bullied."
Zhang Cui said with some worry, "What if he hits someone?"
There are plenty of men like Lin Dahai who have no other skills but how to beat people. If Wei Yang is the same kind of person, what will happen to her daughter?
Zhang Lan glared at her, feeling that her words were unlucky. "Shut your mouth. Even if he hits someone, Lu Bai's temperament won't let him hit her."
…
After discussing the issue of food, Zhang Lan felt that her own family also needed to prepare, so she sent her family members, Zhang Cui, and Wei Yang, to the countryside together.
Buying grain in the countryside is quite risky, so you can only rely on acquaintances.
Fortunately, Zhang Cui's family had brothers in the village, and after arriving, they asked her brothers to find a family they knew to exchange her for someone else.
This is still the lean season; the rice is still growing in the fields, and the winter wheat has just begun to be harvested. Every household only has the leftover grain from last year, and there's not much left.
Although there isn't much grain, if you try to exchange it with several different vendors, you can still get some.
Eggs, this year's new potatoes, last year's millet with the husks not completely removed, and sorghum flour.
Forget about rice and flour; every household in the village doesn't have much rice or flour.
Wei Yang wanted to use his own money to buy it for Zhang Cui, but Zhang Cui forcefully stuffed it back into his hand.
She has savings and can afford to buy this grain.
They waited until dark before heading back, and it was already midnight when they returned to the city.
Zhang Cui didn't go to sleep right away when she got home; instead, she kneaded a bowl of dough.
Wei Yang said, "Stop working and go to sleep."
Zhang Cui kept working, "You're leaving tomorrow, so I'll make some steamed buns for you to take with you, and also bake some flatbreads to eat on the way. It'll be ready in a little while."
The next morning, Zhang Cui got up early to steam buns with a filling of wild vegetables and eggs.
Besides steamed buns, I also made some leavened flatbreads in oil and boiled twelve eggs.
After finishing everything, I found a bottle and filled it with watermelon sauce beans.
It would take at least seven or eight days to travel this route. If it weren't for the fear that the food would spoil in the heat, Zhang Cui would have prepared all the food for the next few days for them.
Wei Yang wouldn't let her see him off, but Zhang Cui insisted on taking him to the train station, and the twins followed along eagerly.
Watching the five of them board the train and leave, the twins pouted and said, "Mom, don't you miss your sister? I want to go to Xinjiang too."
Zhang Cui said, "Of course I want to! I'll see her when she comes back next time!"
Lin Jianshe: "Shall we go to Xinjiang Province together to find my sister?"
Zhang Cui said, "If you have money, go ahead and do it. I'm not stopping you."
Lin Jianshe stomped his foot angrily, "I meant the whole family should go, so we can be with my sister."
Zhang Cui remained silent.
Leaving isn't that easy. Lu Jianxi has already solved it, so she doesn't need to go so far.
The weather in Shicheng was already very hot in early July.
The supply and marketing department continued its work as usual. While the matter of Deputy Minister Lou was still unresolved, the department also launched a vigorous ideological education campaign.
The first person in the supply and marketing department to be blown down by this gust of wind was Wang Haiquan from the political and administrative office.
When Wang Haiquan spoke, someone seized on his words and found fault with him.
After the meeting, Song Lubai was so sweaty that her clothes were soaked.
Despite the sweltering heat, she was sweating profusely. When she saw Wang Haiquan on the stage, Song Lubai couldn't bear it and looked away.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
