Chapter 445 The Third
More than a month later, Song Lubai returned to Shicheng and took the opportunity to visit Secretary Pei.
When Secretary Pei heard that she had gone to the mainland for an inspection with the leaders, he inquired about the situation carefully. After listening, he nodded in agreement, thinking that someone like Song Lubai would eventually rise to prominence.
With Secretary Pei's introduction, Song Lubai met the leaders of the wool mill.
After both sides understood the situation, the leaders of the wool mill said they would send someone to the 18th Regiment after October to specifically purchase the wool, and also gave instructions on how to store the purchased wool.
With the business settled, Secretary Pei took the initiative to invite Song Lubai to a restaurant for dinner.
Secretary Pei said with a smile, "You always used to treat me, but today I'll treat you to a bowl of noodles. Don't think I'm stingy."
Song Lubai smiled and said, "Nobody's money and tickets come from thin air. Everyone has to save them to live a good life. The fact that you're willing to spend money to treat me to a meal shows that you consider me a friend. I'm overjoyed. Even if it's just a cup of tea, I'll still be happy."
Secretary Pei felt a warmth in his heart after hearing this. Although he hadn't interacted with Song Lubai many times, he felt that she was a really good person. He had originally intended to just treat her to a bowl of shredded pork noodles, but once they entered the restaurant, he couldn't resist ordering a plate of braised pork as well.
Song Lubai said, "Why waste money like this? It would be better to save the meat coupons to buy some meat for the family."
Secretary Pei laughed, "We're friends, how can we entertain friends without meat?"
Song Lubai said, "Once the cannery is built and officially put into production, I'll send you some canned food."
Secretary Pei nodded, "Okay, then I'll be waiting."
The next morning, Song Lubai had to go back with Yu Lin and the others, so she didn't have much time to see her old friends. However, on the way back to Baishui City, the group encountered a mutton vendor at the bazaar.
Song Lubai couldn't eat boiled mutton, and neither could her child, but Wei Yang could, so she still bought him two jin of mutton.
I traveled light when I left, but came back with a cloth bag full of trinkets, including various small ornaments I brought back for my daughter from Shanghai.
She couldn't buy the items that required tickets, but she bought quite a few trinkets that didn't require tickets.
Yu Lin and the others all work in Shicheng, but Song Lubai is the only one who has to go back to the 18th Regiment. It's getting dark and she can't leave yet, so she plans to stay at Wei Zhao's house for the night.
To her surprise, Wei Zhao's family had guests.
The guest was a young man who looked to be in his thirties. As Song Lubai sized him up, he was also sizing her up.
"Sister-in-law, you're back. This is Wang Dong, the nephew of the director of your Yangcheng ** Association. He's from the same hometown as you and just came here this year. He's sharing an office with me now. Chen Yu went to collect firewood today, and it's fortunate that he showed up in time, otherwise..."
Wang Dong?
This name sounds familiar; I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.
Song Lubai nodded to Wang Dong and greeted him politely.
Wang Dong didn't linger. He asked Chen Yu a few more questions and then left Wei Zhao's house.
The door closed, and Song Lubai asked curiously, "He was perfectly fine in Yangcheng, how did he end up here?"
Wei Zhao said, "His uncle, Wang Changping, was murdered, and the case is still unsolved. His family was afraid that something might happen if they stayed there, so he brought his family here."
Song Lubai pouted.
Anyone who can rise to the position of director of the Gobi Desert Committee in the early stages is definitely not a pushover.
"Have you done too many bad things?"
Wei Zhao also felt that way. She still remembered Wang Changping's attitude towards her when she went to Wang Changping's house that year.
It is estimated that Wang Changping's death was not innocent.
Wei Zhao looked at Chen Yu and said, "From now on, you shouldn't go to collect firewood anymore. Let Shao Hua and the other two do it. Also, keep your distance from Wang Dong from now on."
Chen Yu pursed her lips and asked, "Why? He did help me today."
Wei Zhao noticed that Chen Yu's attitude towards Wang Dong was somewhat unusual, which is why he meddlesomely gave him these few words of advice.
“He used to be in power, and he’s not as kind as he appears on the surface. His uncle was murdered, and he has enemies who are close to him. I’m worried that other problems might arise.”
Song Lubai asked, "He looks quite old, why isn't he married yet?"
Wei Zhao said, "I heard him say that he had a serious illness when he was a child. His family was quite superstitious, and a fortune teller told him that he couldn't date before he was thirty-five, or he might die."
Song Lubai said in surprise, "They actually believe that? They're not just saying it to make a lie, are they?"
She simply couldn't believe that Wang Dong had never had a girlfriend at his age.
Chen Yu lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought. Wei Zhao was afraid that she might have other feelings for Wang Dong, so he wanted to say more but was afraid of backfiring and could only remain silent.
The name Wang Dong sounded familiar. In a flash of inspiration, Song Lubai remembered some things Wei Yang had told her. "Isn't this Wang Dong Lu Jianxi's enemy?"
After Song Lubai reminded him, Wei Zhao also remembered that Wang Dong seemed to have been involved in the events that happened at Song Lubai's family home in Yangcheng that he had witnessed before.
Wei Zhao nodded, glanced at Chen Yu, and said, "Yes, it really is him. I heard that those two groups of people have done nothing good. Every household is afraid of them. They've done things that can even stop a baby from crying."
Song Lubai shook her head, "I didn't expect that. He looks so refined and gentle."
Wei Zhao nodded, "That's right, there's truth to the saying 'you can't judge a book by its cover.'"
Song Lubai brought back a lot of pretty little hair accessories and gave some to Chen Dongyang.
The little girl has reached the age where she likes to dress up, and she's overjoyed.
While making the bed, Wei Zhao said softly, "My elder sister wrote a letter saying that the situation might improve someday and asked if I wanted to go back."
Song Lubai said, "If you can go back, you should. I saw it all during my trip. Our area is so far behind the big cities. It's backward in almost everything. I don't know how many years it will take for it to develop."
Compared to bustling Shanghai, this place is like two different worlds.
Wei Zhao sat on the edge of the bed and said, "Let's wait and see how things go after Jingwen finishes junior high school."
After talking for a while, Song Lubai lay down on the floor to sleep.
She had another dream that night.
I haven't had this kind of dream for years. In the dream, there was Wang Dong, whom I had only met once, and Lu Jianxi, whom I had only met once, who was smashed into a pulp by Lin Dahai and died a terrible death.
She couldn't tell which year it was in her dream, only that Wang Dong was her third fiancé.
Wang Dong and Lu Jianxi didn't get along. In her dream, Lu Jianxi's gaze made her shudder. Not long after she and Wang Dong got together, Wang Dong died.
When Song Lubai realized it was a dream, she kept trying to wake herself up. When she opened her eyes, she remembered what Wei Zhao had told her about the fortune teller who had told Wang Dong's fortune.
Could it be that Wang Dong's fate is destined to be with her?
Her dream was a jumbled mess, and she didn't want to sort it out; reality and dreams were completely different now.
She was glad that she had signed up to come to Xinjiang Province.
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