Cheng Baidong took the red brocade box from Fang Qiao, recalled for a moment, and said, "This brocade box seems to have been given by Jin Xin."
Fang Qiao asked, "Is this wild ginseng?"
This ginseng is robust and vigorous, with long, winding tendrils that resemble dragons and snakes in flight. It has high medicinal and collectible value.
Most importantly, it also contains spiritual energy.
Although faint, the fact that it contains spiritual energy is a miracle in itself.
Because Fang Qiao had never seen a plant containing spiritual energy outside the space.
Cheng Baidong also said that because the process of spiritual energy recovery is very slow, only a year has passed since the rift appeared. Therefore, currently only the air near the southwest rift contains a high concentration of spiritual energy, which allows plants to be effectively nourished by spiritual energy.
Once you leave the southwestern plateau, the spiritual energy in the air becomes extremely diluted. In the capital city, thousands of kilometers to the southwest, the spiritual energy content in the air is practically nonexistent.
This wild ginseng is at least fifteen years old.
The spiritual energy revival has only been going on for a year, so where did the faint spiritual energy contained in this wild ginseng come from?
Cheng Baidong's words confirmed Fang Qiao's guess about the ginseng: "It's a wild ginseng. Judging from the pearl-like spots on the roots, it's probably at least fifteen years old. A fifteen-year-old wild ginseng would sell for at least two hundred yuan in a state-run pharmacy. Why would he give such an expensive gift?"
Fang Qiao shook her head: "I don't know. We were only really close when we were kids. Later, he started school early and I started school late, so we gradually had nothing to talk about. Plus, I went to the countryside and didn't see him for five or six years. When we met, we just treated each other like ordinary neighbors."
"In that case, let's ask them in person."
Wang Yun was also there, so Cheng Baidong didn't want to bring up the matter of spiritual energy directly. Instead, he said, "This gift is too valuable to accept rashly. I'll visit him tomorrow."
"It would be good to go and find out the origin of this ginseng."
Fang Qiao agreed; she too was baffled as to why this wild ginseng possessed spiritual energy.
Cheng Baidong turned to Wang Yun and said, "Wang Yun, I'll be out tomorrow, and Xiao Jing will be busy with laundry and cooking. Could you please come over and help out? Otherwise, Xiao Qiao won't be able to take care of the children."
"No problem, I'll come first thing tomorrow morning." Wang Yun, who likes Chuan Chuan and Yue Yue, would love to come every day if her home wasn't so far away, and she wouldn't want to leave.
When she told Fang Qiao this, Fang Qiao joked with her, "Since you don't want to leave, then stay. Gao Ping's rank is high enough to get an apartment. If you marry him, we'll be neighbors in the same residential compound. If we live close by, you can come and go as you please."
Wang Yun blushed and glared at Fang Qiao, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about? We've only known each other for a short time, it's not time to talk about marriage yet."
Fang Qiao: "I'm not making this up. There are people I met through blind dates who got married the day after we met."
Wang Yun clicked his tongue: "That's too fast, how can you possibly understand anything?"
Fang Qiao gave an example: "People who meet through blind dates usually get married quickly. When I met Bai Dong, we got married after only half a month of meeting."
“That’s different.” Wang Yun shook his head: “Cheng Baidong was on leave at that time, only a month’s vacation in total. He took a fancy to you, and if he didn’t hurry up and marry you, you might become someone else’s wife when he takes his next vacation. He would regret it to death then.”
“Your situation is the same now,” Fang Qiao warned her. “Don’t forget, you’re still an educated youth sent to the countryside. Your files, household registration, and food rations are all in the countryside. If you can’t find a chance to return to the city, you’ll have to leave in a few days. You’ll have to wait until next year’s family visit leave to come back.”
“I know, I haven’t forgotten. I’m already looking for a job, but as soon as people hear that I’m a former educated youth sent to the countryside, they’re not very willing to hire me. Fortunately, two companies haven’t rejected me outright, but their attitudes are a bit ambiguous. They said they need to hold a meeting to discuss it and told me to come back and wait for their notification.”
"So, what are your chances of getting hired by these two companies?"
“Not even a fraction,” Wang Yun said worriedly. “After all, I was a sent-down youth. Maybe they didn’t refuse me outright just because they didn’t want me to lose face in public.”
"What did the educated youth office say?" Fang Qiao asked. "Did you tell them that educated youth in Sichuan Province can now return to the city through work?"
Wang Yun sighed: "I told them, but the leaders of the educated youth office didn't respond. They just said that there's no such policy in Beijing right now."
With the Lantern Festival fast approaching and no progress made in finding a job, she is very worried.
"Since returning to the city through work is not an option, you can consider other methods."
"You mean...marriage?"
Fang Qiao nodded and patted Wang Yun's hand: "If you think Gao Ping is good, you can start thinking about marriage now."
Wang Yun bit her lip, hesitating slightly: "I think he's a good guy, but... but it feels too fast."
“Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.” Fang Qiao countered, “I ask you, if you can’t return to the city this time and miss Gaoping, will you regret it in the future?”
"Definitely," Wang Yun answered without hesitation. "I already like him."
"That settles it then." Fang Qiao was getting a little anxious: "If you like it, what are you hesitating for?"
Wang Yun was bewildered: "I can't quite put my finger on it, it just feels like it's all too fast."
After going around in circles, it ended up back at the far end.
Fang Qiao was speechless.
Wang Yun himself also felt that he was being a bit conflicted.
She laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "I always feel that I am still young and have a lot to achieve in the future. I shouldn't get married so early and spend my whole life revolving around my husband, children, and the kitchen."
Fang Qiao: "Not reconciled?"
Wang Yun nodded: "A little."
"Then go back to the countryside, toil in the fields all day long, facing endless weeds in the wheat fields and countless insects in the cotton fields. Will you be content with that?"
Fang Qiao's words were sharp, and Wang Yun fell silent.
Fang Qiao didn't mean to pressure her; she just wanted to remind her to see reality clearly.
"Xiaoyun, marriage is not the end. Not every married woman is destined to be confined to the kitchen. Even after marriage, you can still work, realize your ideals and ambitions, and have a bright future ahead."
"But you must understand that all of this is predicated on your ability to stay in the capital. If you can't stay in the capital and have to go back to Xiaochengzhuang, all that awaits you is endless work day after day. The heavy labor will only exhaust your youth and waste your prime years. There is no other meaning to it."
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