Since they were old partners, Hei Zi made a decisive decision after seeing the samples Chen Shuning brought: he would take as many of Chen Shuning's items as there were.
So, in just over an hour, Chen Shuning, besides a box of jewelry, also exchanged the simplest cashmere coat, bed sheets and duvet covers, watch, and fruit in her space for more than 38,000 yuan.
Having grown accustomed to such large sums of money, Chen Shuning calmly tossed the money into the bamboo basket behind him, earning Hei Zi's admiration.
They became increasingly hesitant to even consider secretly investigating Chen Shuning, so much so that when Chen Shuning led them to the abandoned courtyard next to the black market again, Hei Zi and his men all looked completely unfazed.
After Hei Zi's men finished counting the goods, Chen Shuning ran off without stopping for a moment.
The last oxcart trip back to the brigade was scheduled to depart at 3:00, and it was already 2:40, so she couldn't afford to be unhurried.
He practically ran all the way back to the state-run hotel, and from afar he saw Chen Jiandang looking around anxiously.
Chen Shuning hurriedly called out to the people, "Chen Jiandang, over here, hurry up and go to the big tree at the entrance of town to catch the car, I'll be there soon."
Chen Shuning was too exhausted to run any further; the bamboo basket behind her was now completely full.
There was no other way; with Chen Jiandang, that clever little devil, watching over her, Chen Shuning had to be extremely careful when taking things out of her spatial storage.
She was extremely careful about how much food she ate and used, afraid that her brother would discover anything amiss.
As a result, when preparing for the New Year today, Chen Shuning had to prepare a lot of things. The bamboo baskets behind him were very heavy, and his back almost broke from carrying them all the way.
The siblings hurried and climbed onto the last oxcart before it departed; it was Old Jiang's oxcart after all.
There were fewer people on the bus than when we arrived, and it wasn't the same group of people who had come before.
Chen Shuning was starving, so he took the water turtle that Chen Jiandang handed him and stuffed it haphazardly into his clothes.
"I'm starving! Did you buy the steamed buns I asked you to? Give me one now."
"I bought it. Sis, why don't you wait a bit before eating? You just ran around and got a stomachache, so eating right now might cause a stomachache."
"Alright then! It's really cold today. By the way, where did you get your hot water?"
The water in the water turtle had long since cooled down along the way, but the water bag that Chen Jiandang had just given her was still scalding hot.
Chen Jiandang placed the bamboo basket that Chen Shuning had carried back a little closer to the inside of the oxcart to prevent it from falling off due to the bumpy road.
While casually replying, "I got it at the state-run restaurant! That waitress was so nice. She not only filled my water bottle with water but also replaced it with hot water. Sis, you can drink some hot water to warm your stomach first, and then eat the steamed buns."
Chen Jiandang's words startled Chen Shuning. In her memory, the waitress at the state-run restaurant had always been a middle-aged woman in her forties. Just now when she bought food, it was the same plump waitress. When did the staff change?
Thinking of this, Chen Shuning asked, "Sister? Is it that chubby waiter from earlier?"
"Yes, it's that lady who looks particularly plump."
The oxcart had been running for a while now, and Chen Jiandang finally handed the steamed buns he had been carrying to Chen Shuning.
His words left Chen Shuning stunned on the spot, and she couldn't help but sigh that her brother was a master of lying through his teeth.
The waitress looked older than her mother, yet this guy called her "sister" this and "sister" that without blushing at all. He's quite something.
He reached out and took the oil paper package, opened it, and took a big bite of the bun to calm his nerves.
By the time Chen Shuning and his group's last oxcart returned to Qingshan Brigade, it was already completely dark.
But when Chen Shuning and the others returned to the educated youth settlement, they found that the gate was not closed.
Chen Jiandang, the gossip, went to the front yard and came back to tell Chen Shuning some news that had caused a sensation throughout the village that morning.
Shen Wenge has really disappeared, just as the villagers on the oxcart this morning said.
Shen Wenge has been away from home for more than ten days. Not only has he not visited his three older sisters, but even his usual friends have said that they haven't seen him for more than ten days.
This morning, Granny Shen took her three daughters to the brigade headquarters to cry and make a scene, begging the brigade leader to organize the villagers to help find the person.
Although Shen Wenge's character and interpersonal relationships were not good, he was still a villager of Qingshan Brigade no matter what.
Upon hearing that the person had been missing for more than ten days, the captain was quite anxious. He quickly arranged for someone to report the case to the town's public security bureau while simultaneously organizing villagers to search for the person in the vicinity.
Even the educated youth at the designated settlement went to search for her for a whole day. The female educated youth didn't return until evening, but the male educated youth who went up the mountain to search for her still haven't come back.
Chen Shuning didn't care at all about Shen Wenge's life or death, so he glared at Chen Jiandang, who was excitedly saying that if the man hadn't been found by tomorrow, he would also go with him to look for him.
"What are you doing getting involved, you little brat? Hurry up and go to the woodshed and get some firewood and coal. You may not be hungry, but I am. Start a fire and prepare to cook. Remember to lock the woodshed door when you come out, don't forget to lock it like last time."
Chen Shuning knew that the boy was getting restless from not being able to go up the mountain, so while he was heating up a portion of braised pork that he had brought back, he was thinking about what to do for the boy.
The siblings had just set up the table and were about to eat when they heard a commotion coming from the front yard.
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