RYEY – Chapter 164 Switching the Bricks

“My body has recovered. Uncle Ye really knows his stuff. In the first few days after I took the medicine, you wouldn’t believe how bad the smell of my poop was—it was so foul that it drove my husband outside to smoke,”

Cheng Qiao laughed, revealing two deep dimples. Chen Daniu looked at Cheng Qiao, still looking like a young girl, and felt envious. She grabbed Cheng Qiao’s hand—so soft and fair.

“Educated Youth Cheng… this rogue—no, this guy Huan seems ordinary, but he treats you so well. Otherwise, tell me, which young bride after marriage would still look as fair and tender as you do?”

Qiu Min smiled and nodded, then greeted her colleagues and headed to the office at the back. Skinny Hou had already discreetly informed the office director and even sent a gift, so the work proceeded smoothly.

“Daniu, today’s my last day at work. If you want to learn, you can stick with me, but even if you work today, there won’t be any pay.”

“I want to learn. No pay is fine—what’s more important than learning?”

Qiu Min was pleased with Daniu’s attitude. Don’t underestimate the work at the supply and marketing cooperative. No matter how easy it seems, you still need to memorize the prices of every product and treat different customers accordingly.

Cheng Qiao pointed to a few pastries and handed over money and tickets. Qiu Min quickly reported the amounts, neatly placed the pastries on kraft paper, tied them with twine, and even issued an invoice.

Seeing Qiu Min clip the money and tickets together and push them along a thin wire, the old accountant behind the high counter worked the abacus with a crackling sound, stamped the invoice, clipped it, and sent it back along the wire to Qiu Min’s hands.

Qiu Min gave the change and invoice to Cheng Qiao, completing the transaction. Chen Daniu watched intently, memorizing every step.

Cuihua felt eager too. Qiu Min glanced around and whispered a few words to Daniu and Cuihua, who both nodded happily.

It turned out that pastries came whole or broken. Whole ones sold to customers required payment and a ticket; broken ones were considered defective, costing over half less and didn’t need a ticket.

Thinking of Chen Weidang, who loved sweets, Cuihua handed over ten cents, and Daniu packed a bag of broken biscuits. This time, Daniu wrote the invoice herself. Though her handwriting was rusty, it was still neat.

She clipped the invoice and money together and pushed them along the wire. Perhaps she pushed too hard, and the clip rotated slightly at the counter due to the force.

The old accountant standing at the counter had to pull the clip with a long rod, putting in some effort, and even shot Chen Daniu a glare.

Daniu shrank her head and blushed. Qiu Min quietly reassured her: with time, she’d know how much force to use, no need to worry.

Seeing Daniu getting along so well with Qiu Min, Cuihua happily held her items and prepared to leave with Cheng Qiao. Meanwhile, Xu Laidi sat in a room, staring at Wang Ping in a daze.

Wang Ping was actually quite attractive; otherwise, Chen Dazhu wouldn’t have been obsessed with her. But after being gone for only a short time, Wang Ping seemed ten years older.

“Xu Laidi, what are you doing here?”

“Chen Dazhu is dead, my son is crippled, and I was driven out by the Chen family. I have nowhere to stay at the youth work point. The village chief asked me to come discuss renting your little shed.”

“I’ll rent it to you if you do one thing for me.”

Wang Ping had thought that the small shed she spent a fortune on had been confiscated. She didn’t expect to still have the right to decide. Her spirits lifted.

All the money on her had been confiscated. Although it would be returned when she got out of prison, she didn’t know the details and didn’t count on it.

Alone in prison, seeing other inmates receiving packages from family while she got nothing, she was often bullied by the older inmates.

“You write a letter to my mother, asking her to send me supplies. You can give her the rent payment later.”

“How much is the rent per month?”

“Two yuan per year.”

Wang Ping had a favor to ask of Xu Laidi. Besides, the money wouldn’t go into her own pocket, so she didn’t ask for more. In fact, she even lowered it; renting a broken house in Xiangyang Village for a year would normally cost two yuan.

“Fine. Give me your mother’s address, I’ll write the letter when I get back.”

Wang Ping quickly recited it, but Xu Laidi, perhaps due to memory problems after having a child, couldn’t remember the long address even after three attempts.

“Comrade, can you give me a pen and paper? My classmate here can’t remember the address.”

The guard was delighted. This was exactly what he had been waiting for. He took a fountain pen and a sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Wang Ping.

After Wang Ping wrote it down, she handed it to Xu Laidi. Just as he was about to take it, the guard snatched it: “All items must be checked before I can give them to you.”

Xu Laidi didn’t know the rules. He glanced at Wang Ping, and seeing her nod, didn’t take it seriously. Wang Ping was already familiar with the routine: all items, whether entering or leaving, needed strict inspection.

Outside, Li Huan copied the address, expressed thanks, handed out a round of cigarettes, and rode his bicycle to the post office.

“Old Ma, keep an eye on this address these next two days. Any mail sent here, stop it for me.”

Old Ma felt something in his pocket—a box of cigarettes—and smiled, nodding. He sorted mail daily by address, so intercepting a letter not yet sent was easy. Sure enough, the next day Li Huan received a call from Old Ma and rushed to the post office.

Cheng Qiao opened the letter. Xu Laidi wrote about Wang Ping’s miserable situation, how she had been sent to prison, and requested supplies.

Cheng Qiao sneered. She knew what kind of person Xia Fen was. With Xu Laidi’s letter, Xia Fen would only stay away and certainly wouldn’t send anything.

Cheng Qiao imitated Wang Ping’s handwriting and personality, writing a letter to Xia Fen praising life in Xiangyang Village as even better than Huizhou.

She described how the village had finished paying grain tax, would soon distribute money and grain, followed by a long winter rest. What did “winter rest” mean? Sleep whenever you want, wake whenever you want.

There were wild chickens and rabbits in the mountains, which would obediently stay still when people approached, perfect for making soup and stir-fry. Life was incredibly comfortable, so Xia Fen should come and keep her company.

To make it seem even more convincing, Cheng Qiao included half a marinated rabbit with the letter, handing it all to Li Huan. She believed that if Xia Fen thought life in Xiangyang Village was so good, she would definitely be fooled.