Chapter 49. Phoenix Brand Bike
Initially, Mother Zhou was still a bit worried. But after these days, her heart settled down. It seems that Fourth's wife had accepted Fourth's retirement.
So she listened to Father Zhou and decide not to govern too much.
After drinking the sweet and nourishing ginger, date and brown sugar soup, Mother Zhou washed the bowls and the insulated lunch box and then returned the insulated over.
She found the mother and sons engaged in making sticky bean paste buns.Mother Zhou asked, "Where's old Fourth?"
"He went to the county city." Lin Qing He replied.
"Why go to the county city?" Mother Zhou was taken aback.
"Had him go buy some cloth. He doesn't have many clothes. Later on, I have to borrow the sewing machine from the house and make him two sets." Lin Qing He answered with reluctance.
Hearing this, Mother Zhou said nothing.
"When will Xiaogu get her holiday and come back?" Lin Qing He asked casually.
It was impossible to say that the original owner had no friends in the village. She had a very good relationship with Zhou Xiao Mei, the younger sister of Zhou Qing Bai. The two had similar temperaments. They especially love to be smug and vanity.The difference was that the original owner relied on the husband, Zhou Qing Bai, while Zhou Xiao Mei relied on herself. She was a worker in the food factory over at the county city, which was particularly decent.
But her temperament was too spoiled and had compatible offensiveness with the original owner.
Why? The original owner was pretty. Her speech was more superior, which got a flair of city folks. According to Zhou Xiao Mei's words, it was probably only Fourth Sister-in-law who was worth to show-off out of the whole family.
The other three weren't good enough.
Most importantly, was that when Zhou Xiao Mei went to apply for this job, the original owner bought two tins with a wave of her sleeve. She told her to secretly give it to her director.
With this, she got the job and deepened Zhou Xiao Mei's relationship with the original owner. She often stood up for the original owner, saying that a beauty like original owner, a beauty, stayed home like a widow for her Fourth Brother. Her Fourth Brother must have accumulated eight lifetime worth of good fortune.
Mother Zhou was so close to breaking her lackey legs when she heard this.
But these words entered the original owner's heart. The sister-in-law duo was like two snake-rats were in a nest. Their relationship was close-knitted.
Zhou Xiao Mei was Mother Zhou's youngest daughter, but her status was far inferior to Zhou Qing Bai. There was basically no doubt about this.
What's more, she wasn't the only girl in the family. Before Zhou Qing Mu, the eldest brother, was two elder sisters. This meant, Father Zhou and Mother Zhou have a total of four sons and three daughters. Whether it was a daughter or a son, neither was rare.
The most doted one was still the youngest son Zhou Qingbai, who was also the most outstanding one. The rest can sit on the side.
Mother Zhou responded: "Last time, I entrusted someone to bring words back. Said that she would come back next month. I don't know when she'll plan to marry. The sooner she does, the sooner she can marry off."
Truthfully, she was a little annoyed by this youngest daughter. Her monthly salary was 16 yuan, but she was only able to send home 3 yuan. The rest 13 yuan was wasted by her.
And also, every time she comes back, she had to come over and run off at the mouth about how her Fourth Brother mistreated her Fourth Sister-in-law. Clearly, a person who stirs trouble. She had enough of her.
"I guess it's almost time. Xiaogu is twenty-two this year." Lin Qing He said.
"Twenty-three after the New Year. She's not small anymore." Mother Zhou stated.
"Did Mother keep an eye out for her?" Lin Qing He's hands kept moving as she asked.
"How could she fancy a rural guy? Every day, she thinks about eating commercial grain." Mother Zhou Mu grumbled.
"With this kind of mentality, Xiaogu is being ambitious." Lin Qing He said.
Mother Zhou thought, 'Pursue what ambition ah? Is it that easy to marry a city guy?'
Even if her daughter had a real job and it was decent to be in the city, but Mother Zhou still doesn't think her daughter can marry into the city.
Lin Qing He didn't discuss any more with her on this. Chen Daniang came back at this time and knocked at the door.
"Chen Daniang, we're home. Come in." Lin Qing He shouted.
Chen Daniang entered. When she saw Mother Zhou, she greeted with a smile. Mother Zhou politely made small talks.
"You're right, Qing He. There was no brown sugar in the supply and demand cooperatives. Old Second is a blockhead. He made no preparation. Can you see how much you have and share some with Daniang? Daniang will pay for it." Chen Daniang spoke.
"Okay, just go according to the supply and demand cooperative's price. How much do you want Chen Daniang." Lin Qing He affirmed.
"Are there two jins?" Chen Daniang asked.
"Yes." Lin Qing He went in, portioned out two jins of brown sugar, and put it in the jar brought by Chen Daniang.
The quality of the brown sugar was satisfactory to Chen Daniang. Lin Qing He said: "It's only because it's you, Chen Daniang. If it was another, I might not necessarily give it. This is what I brought back from the long journey to the county city last time. "
Chen Daniang beamed and said that when she need help in the future, just ask. No need to be shy. And then she hurried back.
Mother Zhou made no comment. She just thought that Fourth's wife really wants to live well now. She knows to sell favors and the like.
It was normal to give brown sugar out in exchange for money. It counted as a favor for willingly exchange it to deal with an emergency.
"It's almost time for Third Sister-in-law, right?." Lin Qing He mentioned.
"This time next month." Mother Zhou nodded.
Lin Qing He nodded. Zhou Qing Bai went to the county city in the morning. Because of the bike, the journey back and forth was quick. He arrived home at eleven.
He brought back a bolt of earthen cloth. This earthen cloth doesn't require a coupon. Usually, it wasn't available in supply and demand cooperatives. One can only go to the black market and the price was slightly more expensive.
If it was bought from a supply and demand cooperative, it can be a lot cheaper.
A piece of earthen cloth, red dates, ginger, shrimp skin, seaweed, and the like. Besides those, were several jins of rice. More importantly, he brought back a jin of lamb!
Overall, a lot of products were bought back this time.
But the most important of these things was Zhou Qing Bai's bike.
He didn't go to the county city today by himself. He went with the leader's elder son, as he also needed to go to the county town to buy things there. So they went together.
This time, Zhou Qing Bai rode his own bike back. A brand new, Phoenix brand one. Lin Qing He gave him 300 yuan. This one cost around 250 yuan as well as 32 industrial coupons. It was expensive as hell.
However, Lin Qing He didn't feel distressed at all. She grilled Zhou Qing Bai in high spirit: "Why is it available now? I thought it would be next year."
"I got special permission." Zhou Qing Bai stated.
Lin Qing He understood. He had his channels. Although she saw that his expression was cold, there was a hint of 'praise me' from his eyes.
Lin Qing He could tell without him saying, said, "This whole must be freezing. Hurry in and wash your face with hot water. Then moisturize with little vanishing cream."
"You help me." Zhou Qing Bai stared at her.
"OK!" For the sake of starting her own business next year, Lin Qing He will serve him.
She scooped hot water for him to wash his face and then smeared him with vanishing cream.
Got to say, when she was applying the cream on him, his intense gaze focusing on her made her heart beat faster.
Xiao Gu: her husband's younger sister, so sister-in-law as well. Keeping it in pinyin, so we don't mix up with current sister-in-law(her husband's brother's wife)
