Once this batch of colored lights was finished, Yu Jihong packed them up and prepared to send them to the factory.
“Let’s go together!” Fang San Di suggested.
"We need to put goods on the back of the bicycle, so it's not big enough for two people to ride."
"Then let me deliver it. My leg is better now, and I can ride a bike."
"When you send it over, you need to check it with the factory workers and collect the next batch of materials. You need to record how much material you receive. Don't you understand this if you've never been there before?" Yu Jihong shook the tied bag to check if it was secure.
"You said before that you got it from the boss's wife." Fang Sandi always wanted to find out something.
"Yes, they wouldn't give it to us the first time we went. The proprietress knew Mei Li, so she agreed to give it to us."
"Then why did you mention master?"
"Oh, Master Liu? He's in charge of things inside. The boss's wife isn't in the factory all the time; it's all Master Liu who's in charge."
"Is Master Liu a man?" Fang Sandi asked in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, sounding uneasy.
Yu Jihong immediately raised her head, her eyes sharpening. "What are you trying to say? What do you mean?"
"It doesn't mean anything, I just wanted to ask why you had such a big reaction?" Fang Sandi secretly glanced at Yu Jihong.
"It's not that I'm reacting so strongly, it's that your question is abnormal. Just say what you want to say."
"I really didn't mean to say anything. I just asked casually." Fang San Di's eyes darted around.
"It's alright. Tell me whatever you've heard or whatever you're suspicious about. Don't try to test me by hiding anything. I've heard all sorts of rumors."
Fang San Di blushed a little when asked, "It's nothing, it's just that some people said why you're the only one who can get the goods, while others can't."
"I already told her that the proprietress knows Mei Li, which is why she agreed to let me bring it back to make. Do you want to ask Mei Li? She was the one who went with me to pick it up the first time."
"No need, no need. You go ahead!" Fang Sandi quickly waved his hand.
Yu Jihong didn't say anything more. She kicked away the foot support, stood there stunned for a moment, feeling a tightness in her chest, and then fixed the foot support back in place. "Third brother, take some of the stuff from the back and put it into the front bag."
"Okay!" Fang Sandi came over and did as he was told. "Is it alright to put this many over here?"
"Okay, that's about it. Now tie the back bag to the side and hang it up so people can sit on it."
"ah?"
“You ride, I’ll sit in the back.” Yu Jihong looked at him. “I don’t want to go alone.”
Fang Sandi tied the bag tightly to the right side of the back seat.
"Fang Yu, there's no more room on the bicycle. You're home alone, so don't wander off," Yu Jihong said to Fang Yu.
"Oh, you all went." Fang Yu pouted, looking a little unhappy, as she leaned against the doorframe.
After thinking for a moment, Yu Jihong asked Fang Yu, "Would you like to go to Dongqiang's house to play?"
“Great! I’ll go to Dongqiang’s house to play. He has lots of toys.” Fang Yu laughed when she heard that.
"What's wrong with you today?" Fang Sandi asked, puzzled. Usually, when the children went out, they would play together. Yu Jihong would never send Fang Yu to someone else's house to play.
"I might have to visit Mei Li's family when I get back," Yu Jihong said with some confidence.
Yu Jihong took Fang Yu's hand and led her to Fang Meixiang's house. Fang Meixiang was still sitting inside.
"Meixiang." Yu Jihong called her softly. Fang Meixiang was quite familiar with Yu Jihong, and she stood up with a smile when she saw her.
"Is Dongqiang home?" Yu Jihong asked.
Fang Meixiang pointed outside.
"You went out with your mother, right?"
Fang Meixiang nodded.
"Dongqiang went out with his grandmother, so you'll have to stay home." Yu Jihong turned around and looked down at Fang Yu.
Unexpectedly, Fang Meixiang pulled over a stool, gesturing for Yu Jihong to sit down and wait.
"Are you telling me to sit down and wait for them?" Yu Jihong spoke to Fang Meixiang slowly and softly, as if afraid that if she spoke too fast, Fang Meixiang wouldn't understand, or if she spoke too harshly, Fang Meixiang would be frightened.
Fang Meixiang grinned, "Mmm!"
Fang Meixiang was alone at home and wished Yu Jihong would talk to her like that.
"I have something to do, I'll come over when I have time later. They're not home, so I'll head back now."
Fang Meixiang lowered her head and pulled the stool back to its original position with a hint of disappointment.
Fang Yu pouted, slumped her shoulders, and followed Yu Jihong away. After a few steps, she was still unwilling to give up and turned her head back to look at him longingly.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she broke free from Yu Jihong's grasp, pointing to the intersection. "Mom! Look, look! Dongqiang is back!" Fang Yu shouted. "Dongqiang!"
Fang Meixiang's mother carried a basket, with Fang Dongqiang following beside her. When he saw Fang Yu, his feet seemed to be on springs, and he rushed over with quick, small steps, both flustered and excited.
Fang Yu also ran over, and Yu Jihong returned to Fang Meixiang's house. "Grandma Dongqiang, let's go to town. Fang Yu can play with Dongqiang at your house."
"Okay!" Fang Meixiang put down her shopping basket and said, "Please sit down for a moment."
"No, we'll go now and come back as soon as possible. We'll have to trouble you to keep an eye on things."
"It's okay, they're all grown up, they can play by themselves."
Fang Dongqiang had already brought out his toys to show Fang Yu.
"Fang Yu, be a good girl!"
"Oh!" Fang Yu replied without looking up from the toy.
"Meixiang, you can see the child now!" Yu Jihong called softly to Fang Meixiang again.
Fang Meixiang seemed to have received a mission, and moved the chair next to Fang Dongqiang and Fang Yu to watch.
Yu Jihong walked home quickly and went to the lantern factory with Fang Sandi. Bags were hanging on both sides of the bicycle crossbar and on the right side of the back seat. Yu Jihong sat on the left side.
Fang San Di rode out of the village, and the people who saw him started talking again: "Why are the two of them going together now?"
"Third brother must have found out something, that's why he didn't let her go alone."
"Master Liu, we're here to deliver the goods." Yu Jihong and Fang Sandi took the bags down.
Oh! You two came together today!
"Yes, I came with my husband today. Third brother, this is Master Liu. I get my materials from him."
Fang San Di nodded with a half-smile.
Master Liu emptied out all three bags of colored lights to inspect them.
Yu Jihong waited for a moment and then asked, "Master Liu, some people from our village have also come and asked if we want to make some colored lanterns?"
"Yes, someone asked me about you earlier this year. Oh, they must know you. They even mentioned you."
"Do you outsource processing and distribution?"
"We don't have many orders yet this year, so those of us who are still in the factory are working on them first."
"Will you outsource processing if we get more orders in the future?"
"That depends on what the boss lady thinks, whether she wants to send it out to be done or call someone to the factory."
"I'm lucky. I started doing this last year and I've always had work to do."
"Yes, the factory only assigned it to you. You were lucky. The boss's wife happened to be there that day. We wouldn't have dared to release the goods if she hadn't given her approval."
Yu Jihong turned her head to look at Fang Sandi sideways without saying a word, but Fang Sandi could tell what Yu Jihong wanted to say from her eyes.
"Okay, I understand," Fang San Di replied, looking to the side.
"Load the things onto the bicycle. 'Let's go see Meili,'" Yu Jihong said, jumping onto the back seat.
"Okay, what do you want to buy?"
"I don't know, but I just want to go."
Fang San Di rode his horse into Fang Mei Li's shop.
"Meili!" Yu Jihong called out as she entered the room.
"Hey, Sister Jihong, oh, Brother San came together."
“Merry, we came here together to reminisce with you about last year when you came with me to get the colored lights on a hot day.”
"Huh? Why are you reminiscing about this? We've had these colored lights for over half a year now, they're doing alright, aren't they?"
“It’s great. I’ve been doing it all along. I brought some more over today to work on. Meili, I’m so glad you came with me. The boss’s wife knows you, so she agreed to let me take the goods home and try it out.”
"It's been so long, why bring it up again?" Fang Meili thought Yu Jihong was going to thank her again.
Fang Sandi nudged Yu Jihong with his elbow. "No, I want to say it," Yu Jihong suddenly shouted.
Fang Meili was startled.
"Merry, this isn't something I'm talking to you about."
"Huh?" Fang Meili was even more puzzled.
“Some people in the village are saying that I’m the only one who can get the goods to make products. They want to get them but can’t. They must be saying bad things about me behind my back. Today I’ve called Fang San Di to come with me and see how I get the goods to make products.”
"Sigh, some people are just like that, they can't stand to see others doing well."
“Yes!” Yu Jihong turned to Fang Sandi and asked, “Do you still believe what they say now?”
"I never believed their nonsense in the first place."
"Oh dear, you can't control what other people say. As long as the couple believes in themselves and lives their lives well, that's enough," Fang Meili said, trying to smooth things over.
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