"Aluminum pots are toxic? That can't be!" Chen Guizhi was shocked. Her family had a frying pan and a rice cooker, both of which were made of aluminum.
"Xiao Qiao, where did you hear that from?"
It is now common knowledge that aluminum pots are toxic, and excessive intake can lead to brain and neurological diseases and affect memory. However, at this time, no one had yet raised this claim.
Fang Qiao explained, "I saw it by chance in a book. It said that aluminum is poisonous and can cause poisoning if ingested. Mild cases may cause dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting, while severe cases may cause drowsiness, convulsions, and difficulty breathing. I thought that since aluminum pots are made of aluminum, we would inevitably ingest some when we use them to cook. To avoid trouble, it's best to use an iron pot."
Chen Guizhi was somewhat skeptical: "Really? Aluminum is toxic, but aluminum pots can't be, right? If aluminum pots were toxic, who would use them? I've never heard of anyone getting sick from cooking with an aluminum pot."
Fang Qiao knew, of course, that cooking with an aluminum pot would not directly cause poisoning; otherwise, aluminum pots would not still be produced and used in later generations.
However, aluminum pots release aluminum during high-temperature cooking. Especially now that metal spatulas are commonly used, it's inevitable that the spatulas will come into contact with the aluminum pot while cooking, and these actions will also release aluminum. When this aluminum is ingested along with the food, long-term excessive intake can lead to problems such as aging, decreased intelligence, and memory decline.
However, even if Fang Qiao knew this, Chen Guizhi would most likely not believe her if she told her this.
Fang Qiao could only say, "It'll be fine for a while, but who knows if there will be any problems in the long run? Just to be on the safe side, I definitely wouldn't dare use an aluminum pot."
Fang Qiao said she wouldn't buy an aluminum pot, so she didn't. She looked at all the pots in the supply and marketing cooperative, and finally set an example by buying the big iron pot for eighteen yuan and letting Cheng Baidong carry it.
This made Chen Guizhi start to have doubts.
Could aluminum pots really be toxic?
Not finished with the pot, Fang Qiao started a shopping spree at the supply and marketing cooperative.
Oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, bowls, chopsticks, plates—a little of everything—and put it all into the big iron pot.
The tickets became thinner and thinner with each use, and the large iron pot grew heavier and heavier. Cheng Baidong had no choice but to secretly channel his spiritual energy to support some of the weight.
Fang Qiao noticed Cheng Baidong's difficulty and said to him, "Baidong, take these things and go back first. Sister-in-law Guizhi and I still need to buy some more vegetables."
Cheng Baidong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, "Then I'll be going now."
As soon as Cheng Baidong left, Chen Guizhi looked at Fang Qiao with envy and said, "Qiao, your boyfriend is so good to you. He has a good job, is handsome, and is incredibly caring and considerate. You really married the right person. If it were my husband, I would be exhausted from shopping on the street and he wouldn't even lend me a hand."
Fang Qiao smiled and simply echoed her praise, saying only, "He's always been a good person."
As for what she said afterward, just listen to it and ignore it.
It's fine for the couple to criticize each other, but outsiders shouldn't chime in, or they'll definitely cause trouble.
"By the way, your boyfriend was transferred to our pharmaceutical factory. What kind of work does he do?" Chen Guizhi asked curiously. "I heard from my husband that the factory set up a special research department for him. It's full of students specially recruited from the medical school of Peking University. The political review is very strict. Ordinary people can't get in. Do you know what they research?"
"I don't know. I never interfere with his work," Fang Qiao said honestly.
Chen Guizhi sighed somewhat disappointedly: "Okay."
Her nephew graduated from medical school last year and had always wanted to work in a pharmaceutical factory. This time, he finally heard that they were hiring, but when her husband went to the personnel department to inquire, he found out that it was an internal recruitment process, and the lowest possible educational background was a graduate student from Peking University's medical school, plus a background check.
Her nephew graduated from a vocational college, so he has absolutely no chance.
Unfortunately, the director of this special research department was parachuted in from the military!
Although upon meeting him I found him to be tall and handsome, not the roughneck I had imagined, but unfortunately his major was not a good match for my job, which made me wonder: Can someone with a military background really do medical research?
The two walked out of the supply and marketing cooperative side by side and turned into the vegetable market next door.
The market is open-air, with each stall neatly separated.
You need vegetable coupons to buy vegetables and fruits. Fang Qiao didn't have many coupons. In addition, it was only early spring, and the stalls didn't have much besides radishes and cabbages. The variety of vegetables she grew in her space was much better. Fang Qiao looked around but didn't want to buy anything. However, because Chen Guizhi was watching, she bought a large cabbage as a token gesture. She planned to buy some meat to take home and stew pork and cabbage with sweet potato noodles for lunch.
Chen Guizhi also bought a cabbage; she picked the smallest one.
As Fang Qiao strolled through the stalls, she finally spotted a tofu stall at the very edge.
Soybeans are a rare treat in the countryside, and she hasn't had tofu in a long time.
Fang Qiao's face lit up with surprise: "How much is the tofu?"
The salesperson pointed to the neatly cut squares on the stall and said, "One yuan and twenty-five cents, plus two ounces of tofu coupons."
Fang Qiao nodded: "Okay, please install one."
The sales clerk held out her hand: "Where's the bowl?"
"I'm sorry," Fang Qiao said somewhat embarrassedly, "I... I didn't know I needed to bring a bowl."
"I brought some, put it in my bowl first," Chen Guizhi said. "Put two pieces in, I want one too."
When she came out, she was carrying a shopping basket containing two large bowls, which held just the right amount of tofu.
"Sister-in-law Guizhi, thank you so much."
"No need to thank me, we're neighbors, it's just a favor." Chen Guizhi said, taking out the handkerchief containing money and coupons from her pocket. She untied it, looked through it, slapped her forehead, and said, "Oh dear, look at my memory! I was in a hurry today and only brought vegetable coupons, not tofu coupons. Xiao Qiao, why don't you pay for me first, and I'll pay you back when I get home."
Fang Qiao nodded and agreed: "Okay, I'll pay for you first."
Since others have already helped her buy the tofu, what's wrong with them paying for it for her?
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