Chapter 30
When they arrived at the station, Qiu Zeming carried the vegetables, Liu Tong carried the woven baskets strung together with hemp ropes, and Zhou Jiani was responsible for carrying her and Qiu Zeming's bags.
Uncle Liu pulled the ox cart and waited by the side.
As they walked in, they encountered people going out. Two or three female comrades looked at the woven baskets and their eyes lit up. They came over and asked, "Comrade, how much are these woven baskets?"
Liu Tong was delighted. He hadn't expected to open the shop before he even boarded the train. Just as he was about to quote the price, Zhou Jiani behind him said, "This is the goods ordered by the provincial department store. We're not selling them."
Liu Tong almost stumbled. He looked back with difficulty and thought to himself that this girl really dared to say anything.
After Zhou Jiani finished speaking, she heard a surprised voice: "Eh? Comrade, it's you? Do you still remember me?"
I didn't expect to meet an old customer while taking a taxi.
Zhou Jiani smiled with her eyes curved, and said sweetly, "Big sister, we are really destined to meet. Are you here to pick someone up or to send someone off?"
It was the groceries lady who chose the stir-fried green beans recipe that day.
Shao Xuezhen was also happy to see Zhou Jiani. She asked first, "I'm here to pick you up. Are you here to see you off?"
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "I'm on a business trip to Qiyang. These baskets were made by our Qianjin Brigade's weaving workshop and are ready to be delivered to the Qiyang Department Store."
He pointed at Liu Tong and said, "This is our village accountant. Sister, if you want to buy it, just wait a day or two. The county supply and marketing cooperative should be ready soon."
Liu Tong wiped the sweat off his face and only dared to nod and say hello, not daring to respond. He also glanced at Zhou Jiani.
When will the county supply and marketing cooperatives be included in their basket? How come he doesn’t know!
"Really? Then I'll be waiting for it." Shao Xuezhen walked around the shoulder pole Liu Tong was carrying, looking at the baskets again and again, and felt that all of them were beautiful.
Zhou Jiani said, "Really? I just don't know how much to supply to the county supply and marketing cooperative. Please go and ask."
The people next to Shao Xuezhen discussed with each other: "Little comrade, why don't you just sell a few to us?"
Zhou Jiani smiled apologetically: "Sister, these are really the goods that people ordered. Take a look, are there any with words and some without words?"
The styles are the same, but they are divided into one with words and one without words.
Shao Xuezhen was puzzled: "What does this mean?"
Zhou Jiani opened her mouth and said, "The ones with inscriptions are supplied to the department store to be sold over the counter. The ones without inscriptions are the ones that the department store employees asked us for privately. We don't have any extra ones."
She described it with such detail that even Liu Tong felt it was true.
Shao Xuezhen had no choice but to say regretfully: "Okay, then I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative when I have nothing to do."
He said goodbye to Zhou Jiani and walked away, looking back every few steps.
Liu Tong turned around and watched the man walk away before wiping his sweat and saying, "Comrade Xiao Zhou, wouldn't it be exposed if they went to the supply and marketing cooperative and asked?"
When people go to the counter to ask, the teller may not even know there is a place called Qianjin Brigade.
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Don't worry. Go back and ask Uncle Si and the others to compile a few more of each type. Then bring them to the county supply and marketing cooperative in a couple of days."
"Don't be afraid of being caught. If that lady asks you about it, just say it must have been the buyer or the boss who didn't pass it on."
Liu Tongdao: "Okay, I'll do it when I get back."
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Remember, come back and ask with the goods in two or three days."
Liu Tong asked again who the lady was, and Zhou Jiani told him that she was the customer who bought vegetables that day, and she gave him a recipe for stir-fried green beans.
Liu Tong felt a little uncomfortable.
Comrade Xiao Zhou has really spent a lot of money for the village.
There weren't many people on the bus at this time, so there was no need to squeeze and rush to get in, but there were many people on the bus, lying in a row in the aisle, and snoring sounds could be heard one after another.
Liu Tong finally found a place to help them put the vegetables and woven items. Looking around, he felt really sorry.
I got up in the middle of the night to hurry on my way, but I hadn't bought a seat ticket yet, so I had to stand all the way to the provincial capital.
People obviously don't have to be so tired. They can just carry a bag and move freely, walk to other carriages, and if they are lucky, they can quickly grab a seat when they meet someone getting off the train. But with all these things, they can't go anywhere and can't even take a nap.
After repeated instructions, Liu Tong got off the bus just before departure. He stood outside and waved at the two of them until they could no longer be seen from the window, then he left.
After returning to the village, she went to find Zhang Baosheng and told him about Zhou Jiani's encounter with an old customer. Zhang Baosheng was pleased and moved, and said, "How come this girl is so smart?"
It doesn’t matter whether the goods you bring are sold in the provincial capital’s department store. Who would go there to ask?
But what she said invisibly raised the level of their advancing team.
He even felt that even if this year's greenhouse experiment was not successful, it would not matter, as the village's income this year would definitely be higher than last year's.
Hurry up and find Zhang Laosi.
On the train, as soon as the train started, Qiu Zeming unpacked and adjusted the goods they had brought. He put Zhou Jiani and the two baskets of vegetables in a corner, opened his bag, took out a square piece of sackcloth, put it on the ground, and said, "You sit down and take a nap. You can eat when you wake up."
Zhou Jiani said in surprise, "Comrade Xiao Qiu, sure!" She then said shyly, "Why don't you go to bed first?"
Qiu Zeming said unhappily, "If you hadn't sat on it yet, I would have believed it!"
Zhou Jiani sat firmly on the sack, looked up and smiled, saying, "Comrade Xiao Qiu, you are such a kind person. I will treat you to a meal when we get to the provincial capital."
Qiu Zeming couldn't help laughing for a moment, and then it felt like someone hit his chest, so he quickly looked away.
The train was rattling along, and Zhou Jiani was sleeping soundly with her head tilted in the corner between the vegetable basket and the carriage.
When she regained consciousness and opened her eyes, she found herself wearing a thin coat. When she moved, something seemed to fall from her ear on the side closest to the carriage. She reached out to grab it and found it was a gray-blue plaid handkerchief folded into a square.
Although Zhou Jiani was still a little confused, she recognized that it was Qiu Zeming's thing.
"Are you awake? Do you want to eat something?" Qiu Zeming's voice came from above.
Zhou Jiani nodded blankly, struggled to get up, and said in a vague voice: "You should get some sleep!"
He glanced at his watch and his eyes widened instantly: "It's almost half past ten?"
Qiu Zeming smiled and said, "I slept soundly!"
"Thank you."
Cover her with clothes and put a small handkerchief next to her head.
Qiu Zeming yawned and said nonchalantly, "We're comrades fighting together. Besides, I'm mainly worried that you'll get a head injury from all the bumping around. I won't be able to sell my products in department stores."
Zhou Jiani unscrewed the kettle and drank half of it in one breath. She said unhappily, "Yu Wanxia also said that you are introverted and don't talk much. You are serious and don't talk much. You are just talking nonsense."
Qiu Zeming touched his nose uncomfortably, and the tips of his ears felt slightly hot.
He couldn't control himself. Whenever he met Comrade Xiao Zhou, his mind and mouth became particularly active.
"Finished your water? Let me fill it up for you." Qiu Zeming picked up a teacup from the ground beside him and said, "I've never used this cup before. The conductor just passed by with a thermos and asked me to refill it."
Zhou Jiani handed over the kettle.
The train rattled and rattled, and people standing or sitting swayed with the rhythm, but Qiu Zeming held the teacup in one hand and the kettle in the other, and poured water into the spout, but not a drop spilled out.
"I'm going out, come sit down and take a nap."
"No need. I just closed my eyes against the wall. We'll be there in a few more hours. You should eat something."
The train stopped twice and many passengers got on. Some were carrying loads on their shoulders, some were carrying luggage, and some were carrying chicken cages filled with live chickens and ducks, probably to sell in the city.
Zhou Jiani looked a little envious, but Comrade Xiao Qiu only had two shoulders, and he really couldn't carry much as he had to pick up vegetables and rattan products at the same time.
She couldn't guarantee that her parents would be able to meet them at the train station.
Qiu Zeming took a sip of water from his water bottle. When he lowered his head, he saw Zhou Jiani's eyes moving back and forth on the chicken coop that he and the auntie next to him were carrying. She moved her eyes back and forth several times and finally sighed with regret.
I suddenly felt happy.
He looked at the pile of things under his feet and said, "We don't use the donkeys in our production team like this."
Zhou Jiani gave him an embarrassed smile and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Xiao Qiu. When we get to the provincial capital, in addition to the meal we promised, I'll have my mother make you some stewed pork ribs with dried cowpeas and bring it back to you."
Qiu Zeming lives in a guesthouse, so she must go home and live there, and bring him some when they go to the plastic factory together.
"Okay, Comrade Xiao Zhou, you must keep your word!"
Zhou Jiani nodded seriously: "Of course, eat more to gain more strength, and try to lift 200 kilograms at a time next time."
Qiu Zeming: ...
She had never experienced such a crowded train before. When the train was about to arrive at the station, Zhou Jiani felt her scalp tingling as she watched the people gradually gathering at the door.
Qiu Zeming gathered their things and said, "Let's move them over to the window. You wait there. When the car stops, I'll pick out the vegetables and go out. You can then pass the basket out through the window."
"good!"
The two moved the things over and asked Zhou Jiani to watch the woven basket here, while Qiu Zeming squeezed back in with the vegetables and waited for the door to open.
She could lift the strung-together baskets and slide them out through the window, but she really couldn't move the two baskets of vegetables, otherwise they would all have slipped out through the window.
The train gradually stopped, and a few people jumped out of the window. After Qiu Zeming squeezed out and came around, Zhou Jiani began to hand things out.
When she was halfway through handing the things over, she tilted her head and saw two familiar and anxious faces. They were running towards her while looking towards the door. Zhou Jiani's eyes instantly warmed up. She stretched out most of her body and waved her arms vigorously, shouting, "Dad, Mom——"
The crowd was bustling, and Zhou Wanli and Yu Huifang didn't hear anything. They were still looking inside, thinking that no one was running down the carriage.
"Comrade Zhou Wanli, your daughter is here—"
Zhou Wanli finally heard the shout, turned his head and looked over there, he saw his precious daughter half of her body almost coming out of the car window, waving her arms at them, with a smile on her face like a flower.
"Nini is there!"
"Oh my god, my big baby!"
The couple rushed over and almost dragged Zhou Jiani out.
"Wait wait, there's more."
He hurriedly handed the remaining things out and climbed out of the window.
Yu Huifang was overjoyed. She hugged her daughter tightly, then let go and looked at her: "Let mom see, have you lost weight?"
"I'm neither thin nor fat!" Zhou Jiani turned around and let her parents check it out.
Zhou Wanli said cheerfully, "It's just a little dark."
Yu Huifang said unhappily, "Where is she dark? My daughter is fair."
Zhou Jiani remembered that there was Qiu Zeming next to her, and quickly said, "Mom and Dad, let me introduce you. This is Comrade Qiu Zeming who came on this business trip with me."
Yu Huifang then noticed a handsome young man standing next to her. Her eyes widened with smiles as she asked enthusiastically, "Hey, where are you from, young man?"
It's rare to see someone so handsome.
Zhou Wanli shook hands with Qiu Zeming and said, "Hello, Comrade Qiu!"
"Hello uncle, hello aunt, I am an educated youth who came from the capital to the Qianjin Brigade." Qiu Zeming said with a smile.
Yu Huifang laughed and said, "Oh, are there such handsome guys in your place?"
The tips of Qiu Zeming's ears turned slightly red.
Zhou Jiani held her forehead and said speechlessly, "Mom, let's go out first and send Comrade Qiu to the guesthouse. Comrade Qiu has been up since midnight and hasn't slept a wink yet."
"Yes, yes, yes, go out first." Yu Huifang hurried to help get the things.
Seeing Qiu Zeming was about to pick out the vegetables, she quickly stopped him: "Xiao Qiu, let your uncle pick this. Don't let such heavy vegetables crush you."
Zhou Wanli: ...
Qiu Zeming smiled gently and said, "It's okay, Auntie. Comrade Xiao Zhou encouraged me to carry 200 kilograms next time."
Zhou Jiani was glared at by her mother.
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