Chapter 83 I'll Keep Watch for You
Labor is hard work, and lunch breaks and evening rest are always the most relaxing and comfortable times for everyone.
Since she started hauling sand, in just five days, the blisters and sores on Song Lubai's palms have swelled up and formed yellow calluses.
The midday sun was scorching, and for several days in a row, Song Lubai would wash her hair with lanolin soap when she came back at noon.
After washing my hair, I left it down and left it in the sun for about ten minutes until it was completely dry.
The itchy scalp symptoms have indeed been relieved a lot, and I scratch my head much less often each day.
The girls in my dorm all wash their hair with lanolin soap every day, and since we all get treatment together, we're not afraid of getting infected again later.
The downside of using lanolin soap to wash your hair is obvious: the smell left on your hair after washing with it is extremely pungent.
Especially in the sweltering summer, before anyone even gets a meter away from her, they can smell the muttony odor emanating from her head.
The girls from the same dugout village, including Song Lubai, now all have this muttony smell on their heads. They dislike the mutton fat soap, but they have no choice but to use it.
At that moment, Song Lubai was squatting by the well washing clothes with her hair down. When a small shadow appeared in front of her, she looked up and unexpectedly saw Wei Yang's face.
The other person was tall, and his shadow completely enveloped her.
"Comrade Song, you gave me money last time to help you bring steamed buns, and I brought them to you today."
He handed her the bun wrapped in butter paper, bending down halfway, frowning, and twitching his nose: "What does it smell like?"
This smells a bit like the smell of the old men in Uyghur villages.
Song Lubai was a little embarrassed.
She hadn't thought anything of it when people commented on her body odor before, but now she felt extremely embarrassed.
She stood up and distanced herself from him, explaining, "I bought some mutton fat soap at the bazaar earlier, and I used it to wash my hair. The mutton fat smells strong, so if you can't stand it, stay away from me."
Wei Yang touched his nose and stood still.
He regretted speaking too quickly earlier and handed over the things in his hand again.
Song Lubai took the yellow oil paper, touched it, and said in surprise, "Three? I didn't give you enough money."
In my hometown city, a big meat bun costs four cents, and you also need to pay two ounces of grain coupons.
She only gave her one cent, and without food coupons, there was no way she could buy three.
Wei Yang explained, "That's enough. These are steamed buns from our cafeteria. You can buy four for one cent. You didn't take advantage of me."
Wei Yang is lying.
Although the food in their canteen was better than the food in the company's communal kitchen, he had never seen meat buns in the canteen since he reported to the Armed Forces Department.
These steamed buns were bought at the state-run restaurant at the farm headquarters. They cost five cents each and required two ounces of grain coupons.
His rank determined that his salary was quite considerable. If he had the right receipts, he could afford to eat meat buns every day. The fact that he only bought three meat buns for Song Lubai was a result of his self-restraint.
If he buys too much, the seller will definitely give him more money, which would be counterproductive.
Three is just right, enough to satisfy her craving.
Song Lubai handed the greaseproof paper back to Song Lubai, saying, "Please keep this for me until I finish hanging up the clothes..."
She looked around but couldn't find a suitable place for her to eat alone.
She shared a dorm room with several girls, and they all got along well. If she brought the steamed buns back with her, she would definitely share them with everyone.
With so many people, she could only get half a bun at most.
She was starving and really wanted to eat all three big buns by herself.
Unfortunately, the conditions did not allow it.
"Oh well, never mind, give it to me after I finish hanging up the clothes."
Judging from her expression, Wei Yang roughly knew what she had been looking for.
He pointed to the half-built pile of bricks not far away and said, "Go eat over there in a bit, I'll keep watch for you."
Song Lubai: "..."
Are you a tapeworm in my stomach?
She wanted to eat alone, so he had to keep watch for her. He was so perceptive; he must have already seen through her gluttonous nature.
But it doesn't matter anymore.
If they see through it, then so be it.
Practice makes perfect. Next time there's a chance to enjoy something good all to myself, I can ask Comrade Wei to keep watch.
She wrung out her clothes and praised, "Comrade Wei is truly understanding and a good comrade-in-arms on the revolutionary road."
When she leaves this Sixth Branch Farm in the future, she will definitely miss Comrade Wei, who is so understanding.
Wei Yang listened with a relaxed expression and a sense of relief.
He hadn't quite figured out what Xiao Liu meant.
He doesn't want to think about the future right now; he just wants to improve Song Lubai's diet.
All his actions stemmed from his heart.
Song Lubai quickly hung up the clothes, glanced around suspiciously like a thief, and then, clutching the yellow butter paper package, ran to the pile of bricks behind it.
Wei Yang followed slowly behind, neither too close nor too far.
The sun was blazing hot at that moment, and most people were taking a nap under their dugouts.
Song Lubai got up early specifically to wash her hair.
It's probably not long before it's time to start work in the afternoon.
Washing my hair now makes me feel more comfortable working in the afternoon.
This pile of bricks is neither too far nor too close to the camp; it was brought over by the engineering team to build the company.
Song Lubai sat on the bricks and peeled off the greaseproof paper. Inside were three plump, soft, white steamed buns that were glistening with oil. Her eyes curved into crescent moons.
She took a bite and immediately tasted the braised pork filling. She couldn't help but marvel at how thin the bun's skin was.
The filling is made with braised pork and scallions, with more meat than scallions, and a perfect balance of lean and fat. It's not greasy at all, just fragrant.
Song Lubai puffed out her cheeks and glanced back. Seeing Wei Yang sitting upright in the bright sun not far away, Song Lubai asked in a feignedly polite manner, "Comrade Wei, do you want some? I'll share one with you."
Don't agree to that, she can eat all three big buns by herself in one go.
Wei Yang shook his head as she wished, "I've already eaten."
Song Lubai asked again, "What are you doing here today? Why are you alone?"
Wei Yang said, “Recently, some prisoners have escaped, and a robbery and assault occurred in a village dozens of miles to the southwest. Many companies need to be notified, and the farm headquarters also needs to be on alert. There aren’t enough people, so I had to ride my bicycle here myself. I need to inform the political instructor and company commander of the 25th Company to strengthen security in the future, and it would be best to organize people to patrol and stand guard at night. Your dugouts here don’t even have doors, which is very dangerous.”
Upon hearing this, Song Lubai quickly recounted the theft of the pancakes from the camp, and then asked, "Do you know who the escaped prisoner is?"
She didn't want to have the bad luck of running into Liu Mei's whole family here.
Wei Yang knew the ins and outs of what happened in Sanshui Village, and he roughly understood the purpose of her asking this question.
"All eight people who escaped were men. They fled from another branch, and you probably don't know them. These prisoners are all from Sichuan Province."
Song Lubai breathed a sigh of relief.
He earnestly instructed, "You must never be careless. Do not leave the camp area, especially at night. These guys have blood on their hands."
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