Chapter 66 (Catching Bugs)
The village also experienced a power outage due to the rain. Zhang Baosheng arranged for an electrician to check the situation while sending someone to call the team leaders to notify the members of their team to discuss and learn how to farm.
He also said: "Only one person from each family is allowed to come. If you don't want to come, don't force it."
In the past, there might not be many people coming, but since everyone knew that the brigade would reward outstanding members with trips to the provincial capital, everyone was very excited and almost everyone came.
Zhou Jiani consciously assisted, mainly letting Comrade Xiao Qiu speak, as he had a more thorough understanding of the material. She then supplemented the discussion, took notes, and recorded everyone's questions.
While the discussion in the house was lively, it started to rain heavily outside. It stopped for a while and then started to rain again in the evening.
No one can go to the fields. Except for those working in the processing workshop and those who are exchanging and learning, everyone else is resting.
While having dinner in the evening, Yu Wanxia suggested that they go out for a day if it didn't rain tomorrow.
That day her brother said that Brother Qiu had suggested going to the county to see a movie together, and now is a good time since everyone is on holiday.
It's still cloudy outside, and looking at how muddy the ground is, even if it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll probably have to take a break.
Zhou Jiani sipped her porridge from her bowl and said, "Okay, as long as it doesn't rain, we'll go out and play for the day."
We agreed to take a photo together the day we first arrived, but we haven’t taken any yet.
There will be no study session tomorrow. Qiu Zeming finally suggested that everyone go back and digest today's discussion carefully, and then find time to hold another discussion meeting of this kind.
Sun Ping also responded positively.
Even though the weather is bad, everyone's enthusiasm for going out and playing remains undiminished. They just hope it won't rain again tomorrow.
After dinner, Yu Wanxia ran to find Bai Haoyang to discuss going out for fun tomorrow.
After washing her feet, Zhou Jiani sat on the kang and read a book against the wall, occasionally using it as a cover to check her phone. The small spray bottle and anti-wolf equipment she wanted were all received. She asked for a high-voltage arc and baton model, which also came with a window breaker. It was black and had a good texture, but she only took it out and took a look at it, and hadn't studied it carefully.
That solar charging panel has never seen the sun.
The small spray bottle is empty for now, so take some time to make some chili water and pour it in.
The group is currently promoting group purchases of floor fans, sewer insecticides, small electric cookers, and ice cream, none of which Zhou Jiani needs. She glanced at them, then retracted her attention and started reading.
Sun Ping was bored, so she also took Zhou Jiani's textbook to read.
Yu Wanxia came back not long after and said excitedly, "It's a deal then. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the county."
Sun Ping put aside the textbook she had not been reading for a long time and started looking for clothes to wear tomorrow.
It rained again at night, but stopped in the morning. The sky looked like it was going to clear up, which was exactly what they wanted.
After breakfast, several people carried their backpacks and water bottles, met at the village entrance, and walked to the town to catch a bus.
Although there was an ox cart, it would take most of the day to store the luggage there. Not only were Uncle Liu and Uncle Zhang worried, but even Zhou Jiani herself was worried, so she simply walked.
It's just that the muddy road is a bit difficult to walk on and it also wears out your shoes.
When they moved out of the village, they saw Wang Changzheng carrying a woven bag in front of them. It looked like he was carrying food and was heading towards the town.
Some educated youth bought food from their fellow villagers and sent it back home, so they were not surprised to see Wang Changzheng carrying food to the town. They tacitly agreed not to call him. When they arrived in the town, they went to the intersection to wait for the bus and did not pay attention to where Wang Changzheng went.
Perhaps because of the rain, many members and educated youth were resting. There were many people going to the county town today, and the car was very crowded. Bai Haoyang and Wang Qianjin bumped into each other and attracted a lot of scolding, but they successfully separated Zhou Jiani and other female comrades from other male comrades.
I couldn't find a seat, so I stood all the way to the county town.
But it doesn't stop everyone from having fun.
After getting off the bus, Sun Ping said with emotion, "When I arrived here the first day, I got on a truck as soon as I left the station and was taken to the commune. I didn't even have a good look around."
"We have plenty of time to watch today." Yu Wanxia said with a smile: "Let's go to the movies first, and then go to the supply and marketing cooperative here. Didn't Jiani say that the supply and marketing cooperative in the county town is very big?"
"It's about three times the size of the town's supply and marketing cooperative," said Zhou Jiani.
Wang Qianjin said, "Just don't delay the afternoon bus."
The main purpose of coming out was to watch a movie, so we went to the cinema first. There were still old movies playing, and the new movies had not been shown yet.
Bai Haoyang went to queue up. Qiu Zeming looked around and walked towards someone who was peeking in the corner. He came back after a while with two more bags of melon seeds in his hands. He handed one bag to Zhou Jiani, grabbed a handful of the other bag, and gave the rest to Wang Qianjin.
Zhou Jiani asked Yu Wanxia and Sun Ping to grab a handful, she also grabbed a handful and put it in her pocket, and handed the rest back to Qiu Zeming.
Qiu Zeming waved his hand: "Take it and eat it!"
Zhou Jiani took it back.
As soon as Zhou Jiani sat down in the cinema, Qiu Zeming sat down next to her and whispered, "Comrade Xiao Zhou, this cinema is smaller than the ones in the provincial capital, right?"
Zhou Jiani pursed her lips. Comrade Xiao Qiu was really obsessed with the topic of the size of the cinema. After a moment, she said, "It's several times smaller."
I heard the person next to me chuckle and say, "Then take me to the cinema in the provincial capital next time."
Zhou Jiani was silent for a long time before she coughed lightly and said, "Okay...Okay!"
In the dim light, Qiu Zeming slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
Most of the people present had seen the film "Red Lantern" shown today, and some had seen it more than once, but they still enjoyed watching it and discussed it enthusiastically when it came out.
After coming out of the cinema, they went to the photo studio to take pictures. Zhou Jiani and the other two took a group photo, Yu Wanxia and Sun Ping each took a solo photo, and Zhou Jiani did not take any solo photos.
Wang Qianjin pulled Qiu Zeming to take a group photo as well, and finally the six of them took a large group photo, paid the bill, took the bill and went to eat.
These days, no one has enough money, and everyone spends their own money.
Because Qiu Zeming treated everyone to melon seeds, he had one less food coupon for lunch.
When they finished their meal and went to visit the supply and marketing cooperative, Wang Changzheng stood at Song Jiefang's door and called Liu Ailing out. He bent down to scrape the mud off his feet on a nearby tree trunk and said, "I delivered the food to Weiguo. He's in good condition, but he said he's tired and has more work than back home. The farm isn't just for people who made mistakes; there are also educated youth who were assigned there normally. But their work is light, while Weiguo and his crew have the hard work."
"There are people who came over there from the provincial steel company a few years ago. They live in the same family compound as Zhao Weiguo, so although they are tired, they haven't suffered any other problems. Don't worry."
Liu Ailing smiled and said, "I'm glad to know that Comrade Zhao Weiguo is okay. Comrade Wang has worked hard as well."
Wang Changzheng waved his hand and prepared to go back.
Liu Ailing didn't seem to notice he was about to leave, and casually asked, "What kind of work do farmers do? Do they grow vegetables and crops?"
Wang Changzheng said, "Not only that, but we also raise livestock. The products are richer than those in the brigade. But it's not as free as in the brigade. For example, you can't ask fellow villagers to buy some coarse grains. You can't do that there."
"I haven't seen what the farm looks like yet." Liu Ailing nodded and smiled. "Okay, I'll go see Comrade Zhao Weiguo when I get a chance. Although he's no longer with the Qianjin Brigade, we came here together from the provincial capital. Let's not let Zhao Weiguo think we've abandoned him."
Wang Changzheng sighed. Zhao Weiguo was punished to go to the farm. Apart from himself, the only one who still cared about him was probably Liu Ailing.
It seems that what Zhao Weiguo said is correct. Comrade Liu Ailing is indeed a good comrade.
So, he asked me to take good care of her, and if it wasn't a difficult task, I would lend a hand when it was necessary.
After watching Wang Changzheng leave, Liu Ailing returned to the house and scraped the soles of her shoes on the threshold before going in.
Meng Jiandi is sewing a cloth bag.
It seems to have come from Zhou Jiani, and more and more lesbians are wearing hair bands on their heads, which also came from Zhou Jiani.
She pursed her lips and subconsciously raised her hand to touch her hair.
Zhou Jiani had given her hair flowers and hairpins before, and every time she bought something, she would buy a pair and give her one.
Liu Ailing will never forget the smile that appeared on Zhou Jiani's face every time she bought something, which highlighted her reserved and inferior self-esteem.
The more inferior she feels, the more she wants to prove that she is better than Zhou Jiani. Zhou Jiani's good food and clothing are just a result of her reincarnation. She wants to prove that she is better than Zhou Jiani in other ways. She wants to find a way to stand out and suppress Zhou Jiani's halo.
"Alas, it's still too unstable."
Maybe I was a little too anxious. Now I regret my haste. I wrote that letter and sent it out too early.
It has become a dead end now, all plans have collapsed, and nothing good can be gained.
Meng Jiandi saw her staring at the schoolbag in her hand in a daze, but now Liu Ailing had been classified as a 'dangerous person' by her. She did not want to make friends with such people, but also tried not to offend them. She just maintained a polite appearance and said with a smile: "Wait until I have sewn it. If you want to do it too, I can help you."
Liu Ailing smiled and shook her head, saying, "No, I don't have any extra cloth to make a schoolbag."
There were so many things she didn't have. She didn't even have the army green cross-body backpack that Zhou Jiani and the others carried. But she did have a patched cloth bag from school, which she left for her younger sister.
I remember when Zhou Jiani's father bought her a crossbody schoolbag, Zhou Jiani put it on her back beautifully and said with a smile, "Ailing, I'll give it to you when I don't have to carry it anymore."
Except for the worthless hair ornaments, everything else she gave herself was used up by her, without ever considering the self-esteem she had buried deep in her heart and tried so hard to maintain.
Liu Ailing is very good at observing people's words and expressions, so how could she not see Meng Jiandi's estrangement? But it doesn't matter, she doesn't care. She only cares about how to go in the future and she needs to plan it again.
After a day of playing in the county town, watching a movie, taking group photos, and buying what they wanted, they came back to rest for another day. Zhang Baosheng walked around the fields, looked at the moisture of the soil, and took people up the mountain for a walk. After coming back, he rang the gong to call everyone to work and arranged some work that could be done.
A few days later, Zhou Jiani had just signed a rental agreement with the team and was discussing with Zhang Baosheng about going to the provincial capital to deliver goods when Li Jingdang rode up on his bicycle and asked Zhang Baosheng to go to a meeting at the commune. He looked at Zhou Jiani and said, "Comrade Zhou, are you just going to be a salesperson?"
Zhou Jiani glanced at him and jokingly said, "Ha, you can be a factory manager too. I'm thinking since I don't have much experience, I'll just be a salesperson first."
Li Jingdang's mouth twitched. Comrade Xiao Zhou really dared to think so.
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