Chapter 17
Zhou Jiani recalled that not long after she came here in her previous life, two mules were added to the team.
But at that time, she was one of the people who was always looking for trouble and was punished to carry manure. She worked herself to death every day, and the stench and resentment were overwhelming. She didn't care about other miscellaneous things in the village at all.
Even the first letter I wrote to my family was more than a month later.
Unexpectedly, it was the mule that Qiu Zeming bought when he went to the county with him.
Zhou Jiani glanced at Qiu Zeming with a hint of surprise. Earning work points to visit the county town? Sure. Normally, this kind of thing would be assigned to someone from the village, or at the very least, an old educated youth they knew well. How had Qiu Zeming managed to show it off?
That's true. After all, in my previous life, I left with my household registration before I had stayed here for two years. How could I not have some ability?
However, others came out quietly, while Liu Ailing ran around the village, trying hard to get everyone's praise, and successfully returned to the city relying on her amazing mass base.
Zhou Jiani admitted that no matter what method was used to make a future for herself, it was other people's ability, as long as they didn't step on her head.
The accountant's name is Liu Tong. He went to the county yesterday afternoon and stayed there for one night. He asked relatives in the county town to help him pick a mule, and then he went to handle some miscellaneous procedures.
After buying the mule, buy the jar, and Uncle Zhang will just drive the cart over to bring it back.
They definitely couldn't take the car back to the village, so the four of them, including Uncle Zhang, all followed.
When encountering an uphill road, I have to help push the cart for a while, for fear of tiring the ox out.
Unfortunately, the two little mules were a bit naughty and would often stay on the side of the road and refused to move. They had to be coaxed by petting them. Finally, the two mules were willing to move, their tails wagging and pulling. Liu Tong called out, "Xiao Zhou, pick up the manure."
Zhou Jiani seriously suspected that Qiu Zeming asked her to wait for them just to have an extra helper for this journey.
Less than halfway through the walk, Qiu Zeming noticed that Zhou Jiani had glared at him twice, openly, and secretly, three times.
After the two men were pulled away from the oxcart by the mule, Qiu Zeming suppressed a smile and said, "Accountant Liu asked his relatives for some defective cloth. He doesn't need a ticket, so he hid it in the jar on the left. You can be considered a creditor. Don't rush back to the village later. Come back to the team with us."
Zhou Jiani stroked the soft fur on the colt's neck and raised an eyebrow. This was more than enough. She said modestly, "Actually, I'm not after that kind of thing. I originally planned to rush back at noon so I could catch up on some sleep in the afternoon..."
Qiu Zeming chuckled: "I'll give you another three kilograms of rice. It's up to you whether I give you a ticket or not."
"Thank you, Comrade Qiu, you are so generous!" Zhou Jiani's eyes were curved with smiles, and she said that Qiu Zeming would definitely not be honest after going to the county.
She had to go to the county after harvesting corn and before planting wheat.
When we arrived at the village entrance, Zhang Baosheng strode towards us.
There were also several old men around fifty years old, all of whom focused their eyes on the mules held by Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming.
Zhang Baosheng looked at the little mule and smiled so hard that his eyebrows were not visible.
The others were similar, their eyes overflowing with love. They gathered around with joy and caution, patting this one, touching that one, praising one, "Good animal!", "This animal is good!", "These two animals are not bad."
Zhou Jiani quickly pulled Qiu Zeming out, fearing that these old men would praise them as well.
After handing over the stubborn little mule, they considered their mission accomplished and were about to follow the ox cart back to the team. As soon as they turned around, Zhou Jiani was blocked by people.
"Jiani, why didn't you tell me you were going to town?" Liu Ailing's eyes were slightly red, and she asked in a reproachful tone, "Our relationship can't be so bad, right?"
It was a coincidence that she was assigned to gather sweet potato vines in the field in the morning. In the afternoon, she found out that Zhou Jiani did not go to work today and went to the town to mail a letter. She was suddenly a little panicked.
Zhou Jiani had a very unhappy quarrel with her family before going to the countryside. Normally, someone like her who had been spoiled since childhood would not be so embarrassed to contact her family so soon. It would take at least some time.
In addition, Zhou Jiani's awkward behavior in the past few days seemed like she was blaming me for encouraging her to go to the countryside and she regretted it.
The more she regrets, the less likely she is to contact her family who originally opposed her going to the countryside. Zhou Jiani has her little pride.
So I waited here after work, eager to confirm it.
What if she was just going to the town for a stroll, or to a state-owned restaurant to satisfy her craving?
She was in a state of anxiety the whole afternoon. If she had known what would happen that day, she would not have rushed to ask Meng Jiandi to help her send the letter. But it was too late to say anything now. Judging by the time, the letter should have reached her family.
Hearing Liu Ailing's questioning, Zhou Jiani suddenly realized that the distance between her and Liu Ailing had really widened.
When she went to the town to mail a letter, she never even thought of asking Liu Ailing if she needed any message or something to be delivered.
Unlike in my previous life, I would go to Liu Ailing for decisions on everything. Even when I was struggling to contact my family, I would talk to Liu Ailing first and listen to her advice.
Liu Ailing also went along with her temper. Knowing that she was embarrassed because of the quarrel with her family, she suggested that she calm down before writing to her family. She also said: "You are full of resentment now. I am afraid that you will write something nonsense. It would be the least of your worries to upset your uncle and aunt. But if you make grandma angry and cause harm, I wonder how you will explain it to them."
At that time, she was very touched by Liu Ailing's thoughtfulness.
Of course, thinking about it now, there was nothing wrong with what she said. She was indeed full of resentment at that time, blaming the heavens, the earth and the air, but she didn't realize that it was all caused by her own stupidity.
Well, forget about it. No matter what she did, she couldn't hide the fact that she was stepping on her. Besides, the two of them had become estranged since Liu Ailing's fame. Before they became estranged, she even pua'd her. Anyway, after hearing those words, she felt extremely guilty and promised on the spot that she would not tell outsiders that they were good sisters, for fear that her bad reputation would affect Liu Ailing.
Liu Ailing said with relief: "Jia Ni, it's good that you understand in your heart. One of us has to go back."
She even foolishly cooperated with Liu Ailing in acting out several scenes of bad relationships, but she didn't know that Liu Ailing took it seriously and others also took it seriously.
Now when I think about how stupid I was back then, I wish I could die right there.
For now, this plastic friendship still needs to be maintained in front of others.
No matter what, Liu Ailing had taken good care of her on the way here, and many educated youth had seen it. She couldn't make enemies with Liu Ailing in public and give her a ladder for no reason.
"Ailing, we've always had a good relationship," Zhou Jiani said aggrievedly, "but lately you've been rushing back and forth every day to offer warmth, too busy to even bother to say hello to me. My request for leave was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and I left in a hurry this morning. How can I tell you this?"
Liu Ailing opened her mouth, but before she could find a way to refute, Zhou Jiani pulled her hand back and forth, shaking it and said coquettishly: "Ailing, you are not angry with me because of this, are you?"
Liu Ailing bit her lip and said, "Of course not." She tried to remain calm and asked with a calm smile, "You wrote a letter home? But you complained again?"
Zhou Jiani's heart was filled with alarm. She smiled and said, "What are you complaining about? This place is much better than I expected. What do I have to complain about? I just want to let my family know I'm safe and share some of our lives here. Ai Ling, I was negligent in forgetting to ask you if you wanted to send a message this time. But I heard from Accountant Liu today that people from the village supply and marketing cooperative often go to town, and the educated youth in the village ask them to help mail their letters. If you don't have time to go to town, go to the supply and marketing cooperative and ask."
A hint of nervousness flashed across Liu Ailing's face, and she smiled and said, "No need, Jiani, I was just worried about you. Now that I see you back, I'm relieved. Go back and rest quickly. I'm going back to eat."
He left in a panic.
Zhou Jiani was a little confused and muttered, "Why is she panicking? Why is she running?"
**
At Qiyang No. 2 Textile Factory, Yu Huifang hurried home as soon as the time came. She was smiling all the way. After entering the house, the smile on her face did not fall. She said to her mother-in-law: "Mom, Nini called today."
Jiang Xinfeng had just tiptoed a few steps anxiously when her expression fell again. She lowered her mouth and said unhappily, "It's up to you to fight or not."
Yu Huifang was stunned for a moment, then said with amusement, "Mom, are you still angry? I don't know who it is, but he's so worried about his granddaughter that he can't even eat."
She was lucky to have a good mother-in-law. After she got married, she gave birth to Jiani. There was no movement in her belly for several years, but her mother-in-law never said a bad word and loved her granddaughter to the core.
Alas, the whole family dotes on only one daughter, and she has become spoiled.
I don't know what happened a few days ago, but he insisted on going to the countryside.
Who in the family would be willing to let her go? They were secretly working hard, but she ended up secretly registering her name, and her mother-in-law almost cried to death.
Although she was angry, anyone with a discerning eye could see that the old lady had lost her energy and spirit in the past two days.
There were no outsiders around at the moment, and the old lady was still acting with her. Just as she was about to make a joke, Jiang Xinfeng slammed the table and said angrily, "I don't care. Is she raised by the Liu family or ours? She turns a deaf ear to what her closest relatives say, but listens to everything outsiders say."
Yu Huifang hurried over to comfort her: "Mom, isn't that just a suspicion? We can't be sure whether it was the third daughter of the Liu family who instigated Nini. Isn't that what you said?"
"That's not it." Jiang Xinfeng wiped her eyes, still feeling annoyed, and said, "The third daughter of the Liu family wrote back, saying that our Nini is still feeling awkward, and she urged Nini to write to us, but that damned girl of ours just wouldn't write. The Liu family daughter said she would help persuade her to write a letter home. Listen to what's this? She has to be persuaded by outsiders to write a letter home, and we stopped her from going to the countryside to suffer, and now we're even causing a grudge? She can write or not, I don't care."
Yu Huifang had not expected this to happen. The joy she felt at receiving a call from her daughter disappeared. She felt choked up and her eyes turned red with anger.
Jiang Xinfeng took a deep breath and said, "I think the girl from the Liu family helped me with this call. I'll go get some eggs for them later."
Yu Huifang didn't want to go. Her mother-in-law suspected that Liu Ailing was the one who instigated Nini to go to the countryside. These days, whenever she saw Lu Cuilan (Liu Ailing's mother), she ignored her.
Jiang Xinfeng knew what her daughter-in-law was upset about and said, "We're just guessing, but what if we figure it out? We didn't stop them. Now they're both in the same place. Liu Ailing is cunning, and my son is stupid. Don't we have to rely on others to keep an eye on them?"
Yu Huifang nodded with red eyes, feeling very aggrieved.
Just as I was about to get the eggs, I heard the old lady ask anxiously, "Can you tell me what our ancestor said on the phone? Did he get angry with you?"
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