TPW – Chapter 56

Xu Haizhou then realized that there was a letter at home.

He opened it, read it quickly, put it away and threw it into the trash can.

Qiao Lu had a bad feeling: “What’s wrong? Another bad word?”

Xu Haizhou shook his head and sat down beside her: “No.”

“You look unhappy.” Qiao Lu poked his cheek.

Xu Haizhou smiled, and a trace of relief appeared in his eyes. Qiao Lu thought she was dazzled.

“What’s wrong? What’s in the letter?”

“You want to read it? Here you go.” He suddenly lowered his head and handed the letter to her, but Qiao Lu put her hands behind her back and refused.

“If you don’t want to read it, you can just say it briefly. If it’s bad, then don’t say it.”

He was silent for a few seconds, and raised his face again, smiling: “After New Year’s Day, let Li Hongjun take care of the store, and I’ll take you back to the north.”

This year’s Spring Festival came earlier than last year, on February 1st. A few days after New Year’s Day, it would be just right to go back to the north to celebrate the Spring Festival.

Qiao Lu was stunned for a moment, thinking that what is coming will always come.

“Well, you arrange it, I can do anything.”

He slowly stroked her palm, his fingertips were slightly rough, and it made her skin itch: “If they don’t like you, I will bring you and An’an back immediately.”

This sentence made Qiao Lu laugh, and she suddenly felt relieved: “Okay, let’s talk about it when we get there. We don’t know what the situation is now.”

He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek: “Don’t worry, I can always give you support, and you don’t need to care about other people’s opinions.”

“Well, I know.” Stuffed the basket into his arms: “Go wash it.”

“Okay.”

Looking at Xu Haizhou’s back, Qiao Lu poured a glass of water to drink. It was a little hot without noticing, and her tongue was slightly numb.

Xu Haizhou cooked tonight, and his cooking skills improved compared to the time when he was newly married. After dinner, he took his son to the park for a walk, came back to take a bath and went to bed.

He was very gentle at night. Qiao Lu vaguely felt that she seemed to be floating on a calm lake, a small boat that couldn’t find the shore, swaying and drifting, and no one knew where the destination was.

The only thing that was clear was that lying in his arms, she felt really safe.

She was so busy with business that she completely forgot about going back to the north. If it weren’t for this letter, the couple probably wouldn’t have remembered it until a few days before New Year’s Eve. She packed up and quickly made a plan to buy train tickets.

There was no such thing as buying tickets online at that time, and it was even harder to get a ticket during the Spring Festival. It was common to see the whole family going out just to buy a train ticket.

Generally, several ticket purchase plans would be made in advance, and people would go to different places to queue up at each station.

During this period, no matter how early you went, you could always see a sea of ​​people in the ticket hall. It was common to queue for three days and three nights to buy a ticket. Not only did you suffer from cold and hunger, but you also felt anxious.

Xu Haizhou had taken a train before, and he had taken one during the Spring Festival. He didn’t want to recall the feeling. He felt creepy when he thought about it.

Can you imagine everyone being squeezed like sardines in a small can filled with all kinds of flavors? And squeezed for three days and three nights or even longer… That was really a memory that he didn’t want to mention.

“I’ll go find someone to see if I can buy a sleeper berth. If I can’t, I won’t go back.” No matter how hard it is, I can’t let my wife and children suffer. Adults can bear it, but children can’t.

Qiao Lu didn’t understand: “Ah? Not going back?”

“Yeah.” Xu Haizhou explained: “You don’t know because you haven’t taken a train. It takes at least three days and three nights to get from Lian to Ancheng. You have to change trains in the middle. It’s so crowded that it’s hard to breathe sometimes. I’m afraid you and An’an can’t stand it.”

Thinking of the scene of everyone sticking together like sandbags, Qiao Lu shuddered: “Then you go find someone. If there is no sleeper berth, we won’t go back. I don’t think I can stand it.”

Xu Haizhou went out to find someone. Qiao Lu didn’t know who he was looking for. She guessed it was Hou Caijun. After all, that man has great magical powers… He left in the morning and came back at noon. Qiao Lu hurried to meet him: “How is it, can anyone buy a sleeper ticket?”

Xu Haizhou walked into the house quickly, the corners of his lips slightly raised, and gave her a relieved look: “Well, it’s done, Li Yu’s father can help us buy it.”

“Great!” She was happy but also a little worried: “I don’t know how to thank him.”

Xu Haizhou smiled nonchalantly and poured himself a glass of water: “We are all friends. Today he helps me, tomorrow I help him, it’s the same.”

Today’s society really lives up to the saying: one more friend, one more way.

“But we can’t buy it now. You can buy us tickets for after the 20th in mid-January, around the 10th.”

“If you buy it then, it will be almost Spring Festival in the north, right?”

“Well, I’ll go back and spend the New Year and come back to take you and An’an to experience the Spring Festival in the north.”

Qiao Lu raised her eyebrows and sat down next to him: “You’re looking forward to it.”

Qiao Lu has been a southerner since she was a child. She has traveled to the north, but she has never spent the Spring Festival in the north. I wonder if the Spring Festival in the north will be interesting.

In the evening, after washing up, Qiao Lu sat by the dressing table and counted the money. She counted the turnover for today, and then compared it with the sales slip to see which clothes were sold, calculated the cost, and subtracted it. Today’s profit is 68.

“Let me do the math… Hongjun’s dividend is 1,800 yuan, we have more than 3,000 yuan, plus your savings before we got married, there are already nearly 5,000 yuan in the passbook. If the monthly profit can be maintained at just over 1,000 yuan, and we get a big order occasionally… in another half a year, we can buy a house.”

Half a year, it seems so short… Can we finally get rid of the public toilet?

But we have to set aside at least 2,000 yuan for living expenses and purchasing expenses.

“I have to trouble Hongjun to watch the store during the first month of the year, so I’ll give him more when the time comes.” Xu Haizhou said, carrying Qiao An, who had fallen asleep after playing, to the small bed and covering him with a quilt.

“Well, that’s for sure. I can probably earn a month’s worth of money in one week during the first month of the year. I’ll give him the big payout then.”

With a smile, Xu Haizhou walked up and put his arms around his wife’s waist from behind: “Have you counted? It’s time to go to bed.”

“What’s the hurry?” Qiao Lu poked him away with her elbow, got up and took a look at the main room: “It’s only half past eight. You’re sleepy, but I’m not.”

“I’m not sleepy either, so let’s do something that will make me sleepy.” Without saying a word, he lifted his wife up by the waist, causing Qiao Lu to scream out. I don’t know if the neighbors next door heard it.

“Ah! Why are you in a hurry? I can walk by myself!”

Xu Haizhou chuckled: “I’m afraid you’ll get tired.”

“Get out!” She twisted his face unhappily: “Why are you so bad? Have you been taught badly by Li Hongjun?”

As she spoke, she pointed her index finger at his nose. Xu Haizhou bent his neck, bit her knuckles with his teeth, and pressed down gently, causing a slight sting.

“You don’t like it?” The man curled his lips, his eyes full of teasing.

“I still like you to be shy in front of me.” Flirting with a little wolfdog is exciting!

Instead of being teased by him, okay!

With his low laugh, she was stripped naked very quickly. His hands were so fast that it was obvious that he had practiced a lot!

His eyes were like rough hands, stroking Qiao Lu from head to toe. After he had seen enough, he stood up and slowly sent her over.

In an instant, her whole body felt numb as if it was surging with electricity. He was getting more and more proficient in how to stimulate her. This time, it seemed that he had opened up her nerve center, and her brain exploded.

From the coccyx to the cerebral cortex, it was numb… very numb…

“Bang——”

“Clang——”

The sound of the door of the room being closed forcefully and the sound of porcelain being broken.

“Come back! Where have you been! Come back here!”

“Huh? What’s going on outside?” While enduring the man’s swift attack, she raised her head and looked out the window.

Because the curtains were drawn tightly, she couldn’t see the scene outside at all.

“…I don’t know, don’t move.” Holding her shoulders and pressing her head down, Xu Haizhou didn’t care about the movement outside, just immersed in his own world.

However, it was a good coincidence that something really happened tonight. The noise outside was getting louder and louder, which made Qiao Lu gradually lose interest. She gently pushed his chest with both hands and muttered: “Hurry up, I want to go out and take a look.”

“What to see, huh?” He leaned over and wanted to seal his lips with a kiss, but she slapped his head away.

“Hurry up, don’t kiss, um… hurry up, let me go out and take a look…” It seemed that there was a quarrel outside, and the noise was quite intense. Qiao Lu was curious and couldn’t resist the big melon.

She has been married to the compound for almost a year, and this is the first time she has heard neighbors quarreling!

“Oh, hurry up, why are you so slow.”

Xu Haizhou: “…”

A few black lines slid across his forehead. The speed was faster, and it was so stimulating that Qiao Lu couldn’t shout a word.

“Ah,”

he finally whispered in a hoarse voice, close to her ear: “Wife, are you going out again?”

Qiao Lu was so tired that she didn’t have the strength to move her fingers, but her mouth was still hard.

“Yes… go out.” As she said that, she pushed him and was about to crawl out.

The man laughed, stretched out his long arm, took her into his arms, and pressed her hard in his arms.

After a long time, there was a heavy tremor, and Qiao Lu’s eyelids were fighting with sleepiness.

“Don’t go out, go to sleep, and talk about it tomorrow.”

“You are annoying…”

“Go to sleep, sleep when you are tired.”

“Don’t be… annoying…” He patted her back gently: “Go to sleep, go to sleep.”

The voice that seemed to be coaxing was brainwashing in her ears over and over again. In a few minutes, Qiao Lu closed her eyes sleepily, and in a few minutes, she actually fell asleep in his arms.

Xu Haizhou smiled, and he slowly stroked the top of her head. That smile was clearly that of a cunning fox.

“Go to sleep and have a good dream.”

The next morning, Qiao Lu went to the next door to find Wu Guifang and asked about what happened last night.

Wu Guifang is the most gossipy person in the whole inner courtyard. She will definitely know the most if she asks!

“What’s wrong? I seemed to hear Aunt Chen’s voice last night. I almost fell asleep and didn’t come out to see what happened.”

Looking around, Wu Guifang hurriedly pulled her into the house: “The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quarreled! Qingping went back to her parents’ home in anger!”

“Ah? What’s going on?”

It turned out that the culprit of everything was that “New Year’s War Jacket”!

It is said that after Song Qingping bought the “New Year’s War Jacket” home, she was often complained by her mother-in-law. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had a big quarrel, but they kept quarreling. Last night, Song Qingping went to the bathroom to take a shower. When she came back, she found that her sister-in-law Chen Jiamei stole the key to the room while she was not at home, opened the cabinet door, and stole her “New Year’s War Jacket”!

Song Qingping was furious. She caught Chen Jiamei and scolded her. The two quarreled fiercely.

Song Qingping was really angry. She only wore the new clothes for half an hour and was reluctant to wear them again, but her younger sister-in-law put them on directly. What she couldn’t stand the most was that she wore them and sat at the dining table for a while. There was a small stain of soy sauce on her buttocks, which made her want to hit someone! She was so angry that she blurted out everything and called Chen Jiamei a shameless thief!

Aunt Chen couldn’t help but slap her.

“What’s wrong with your sister wearing them for a while? Will it make her lose a piece of meat? How can she become a thief? You spent so much money to buy a piece of clothes and I didn’t say anything. Even if your younger sister made a thousand mistakes, it’s not your turn to teach her a lesson!”

Aunt Chen was also angry and confused. Although her daughter often made her angry, she was her own daughter after all. No matter how good her daughter-in-law was, she was still an “outsider”. When she got angry, she subconsciously protected her daughter.

Song Qingping was not someone who could stand humiliation. Although her mother-in-law often suppressed her, she would not hit people for no reason.

She cried in grievance, packed her bag and went back to her parents’ home in a rage, no one could persuade her!

The New Year’s coat was also taken off Chen Jiamei, and before leaving, she glared at her.

Knowing that she was in the wrong, Chen Jiamei didn’t dare to cheat her the whole time.

When she went out, she happened to meet Chen Ershun who was taking the children for a walk. On the way, he bought a bag of peach cakes for his wife.

“Eat, eat, eat! You only know how to eat! Trash!”

Pushing his hand away, the peach cakes broke into pieces on the ground.

“Hey! What’s wrong? Didn’t you tell me to bring it back on the way? Did I bring it to the wrong place?”

Knowing that his wife had returned to her parents’ home, he quickly took his son to chase her. As a result, he was scolded and sent back.

Not only did Song Qingping scold her, but her mother-in-law also scolded her.

Song Qingping’s family is not bad. Her parents are both government employees. If Song Qingping hadn’t fallen in love with Chen Ershun at first sight, her parents would have introduced him to a man with better conditions. However, considering that Chen Ershun was honest and they were in love, they reluctantly agreed after failing to stop him.

Originally, they wanted you to treat their daughter well and protect her. But you not only failed to protect her, but also made her feel wronged, and drove her out of the Song family.

Qiao Lu secretly felt lucky that she didn’t have to live with her parents-in-law.

But in the end, she had to sigh: “To put it bluntly, it’s all about money. If they were rich, everyone would have a woolen coat. Would they still quarrel over such a thing?”

“That’s right… But the Chen family is not poor. Except for the old couple and Jiamei who is about to graduate, the others are all strong laborers. With so many people supporting a family, the conditions are not bad. It’s just that they are stingy. Their daughter-in-law gave him a little grandson, and Qingping hasn’t bought anything good for so many years. Now she buys a piece of clothing to reward herself. Although it’s a bit expensive, it shouldn’t cause such a fuss.”

“Yes, who said it wasn’t.”

Except for the eldest brother’s family, everyone else in the Chen family is worried about Song Qingping’s affairs.

Zhang Hongyan felt that she was not wrong, and Chen Jiamei felt that she was wrong and felt a little guilty, but she also thought that her second sister-in-law’s insults were too harsh and she was a little angry.

Chen Ershun went to his in-law’s house several times but was rejected. After returning, he felt that his wife was driven away by anger, and he had to ask Chen Jiamei and her mother, the culprit, to coax her back.

The family fell out, and it rained for several days over the old Chen family.

But soon everyone had no time to care about the Chen family’s affairs, because the situation had changed drastically!

“The cloth coupons have been cancelled! You don’t need coupons to buy cloth anymore! Comrades, go buy cloth!”

In December 1983, the government issued a notice to cancel cloth coupons. From now on, textiles will be freely available. !

Qiao Lu was dragged away by Wu Guifang early in the morning to buy cloth. Almost all the women who could go out in the inner and outer courtyards ran to buy cloth.

The men were puzzled: You don’t need coupons to buy cloth, but you need money. You are so excited that people who don’t know would think you are grabbing cloth for free!

“Hurry up! I heard it starts at nine o’clock. If you go too late, you will definitely not be able to squeeze in!”

Qiao Lu was inexplicably dragged away when she was halfway through her breakfast. After learning the whole story, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“It’s only 7:30 now, sister!”

“What do you mean it’s only 7:30! Look, everyone in our inner courtyard has run away, and there’s no one in the outer courtyard either. We’re all behind! Hurry, hurry, hurry–“

Since the country has decided not to collect cloth coupons, it means that cloth coupons will no longer implement a planned economy, and the production capacity of cloth has been upgraded. In the past, demand exceeded supply, but now supply exceeds demand, otherwise it would be impossible for people to buy it openly.

So–

“Sister, don’t worry, even if you can’t buy it today, you can buy it in a few days!”

“No, no, everyone was short of cloth coupons before, and now there’s no need for cloth coupons, so why don’t you buy it openly? What can you do if you go too late!” As she spoke, she sped up, “You’re selling clothes, so you don’t have to worry, but I’m so worried! I’m just waiting to buy some cheap fabrics to make new clothes for my baby!”

Okay, it seems that she can’t persuade her anymore, so she can only let Wu Guifang drag her to the department store.

When Qiao Lu ran to the outer courtyard, she remembered that she was a cycle owner, so she turned back to the courtyard, braved the cold wind and rode bicycle to take Wu Guifang to buy cloth together.

Oh my goodness, Qiao Lu didn’t know until she got here. She was shocked. She hadn’t even seen the department store from a distance, but a long line had already formed. The crowd was so dense that she couldn’t see the bottom.

It was only about eight o’clock now, and there was still an hour before the start.

After an hour of cold wind, the door was finally opened and the rush to buy began!

In an instant, people rushed towards the same goal like bees, crowding together, cotton-padded jackets pressed against cotton-padded jackets, and being stepped on, bumped, pushed and shoved from time to time… After all the squeezing, Qiao Lu’s head was buzzing.

Looking at Wu Guifang next to her, she seemed to have taken stimulants and didn’t feel the cold or the crowd at all.

When she arrived at the counter, she strangely met several other aunts in the inner courtyard. At this time, “fellow villagers meet each other”, and their morale was greatly boosted. As soon as they opened their mouths, they said: “Comrade! Give me two meters of cotton cloth! And two meters of wool!”

“I want polyester!”

“I want plain cotton cloth! And twill cloth!”

They were noisy and it hurt my ears.

But the salesperson at the other end of the counter was not in a hurry. She measured the size of the customers and cut the clothes slowly and calmly… Of course, although her face was calm, it was not very good. It was as if she was angry and would not give it to you properly, but would throw it in front of you.

But in this situation, who cares whether the salesperson’s attitude is good or not. It’s good enough that she can buy cloth for you.

After getting the cloth, Wu Guifang happily squeezed out of the crowd. When she saw what Qiao Lu was holding, she was stunned: “Oh! Qiao Lu sister, why did you only take such a small amount of cotton cloth? It’s not even half of mine! You finally squeezed in, why don’t you grab more? What a loss.”

Qiao Lu smiled and didn’t care: “It’s enough to make a few sets of underwear for my family. Why buy so much.”

Besides, there is only one bicycle, and it has to carry Wu Guifang and cloth. How can you go back if you buy a lot!

Besides, there is no need to grab the cloth. Tomorrow, or at most the day after tomorrow, the goods will be replenished for you. Why bother!

Qiao Lu just didn’t want to spoil everyone’s fun, otherwise she wouldn’t come.

“Okay, I’ve grabbed enough anyway.” She patted the cloth in her arms and said, “Qiao Lu, let’s go!”

She handed all the cloth to Wu Guifang, and Qiao Lu rode in front.

Just as she got on the bicycle, the old man next door, Chen, followed with his wife Zhang Hongyan.

“Oh, what a coincidence, you bought it too?”

“Yes.” Wu Guifang hurriedly asked her for credit, covering her mouth and laughing secretly: “Look, I bought so much, even the quilt cover!”

Zhang Hongyan gave her a thumbs up: “You are really good.”

“Are you seated? Let’s go?” Qiao Lu asked.

“Okay, I won’t chat with you anymore.” Qiao Lu didn’t even say hello to Zhang Hongyan, got on Qiao Lu’s car and left.

Zhang Hongyan had to go home after buying the cloth over there, and when she was leaving, she saw Liu Xiaohong standing at the door of the store: “Xiaohong, have you finished buying? Why aren’t you leaving?”

She was seen holding a large piece of cloth, staring at one place absent-mindedly.

“I just seemed to see Youwei.” She said in disbelief.

“What are you talking about? Today is Thursday. Isn’t Youwei working in the factory? You must have seen it wrong. There are so many people who look like him.” Zhang Hongyan was sure that Liu Xiaohong must have been dazzled: “Okay, let’s stop talking. I’m leaving too. You should go home quickly and stop looking. It’s very cold outside!”

After saying that, she was taken away by her husband.

Liu Xiaohong originally had a bicycle. In August this year, her son, who graduated from the college entrance examination, found a job, so she gave it to him. He usually walks to work.

She carried a pile of cloth home, and the figure she saw just now kept appearing in her mind.

How could she have seen it wrong? That dress, those facial features… It’s impossible to see it wrong…

Today’s compound is very lively, and you can hear many arguments everywhere.

Qiao Lu listened and it seemed that someone bought cloth without restraint and bought a quantity that the whole family could not use up. What’s more, she bought a full two hundred yuan!

You say, according to the current price, two hundred yuan of cloth, how many years will it take for the family to use it up?

It’s really exaggerated…

Some are happy while others are sad.

Xu Haizhou’s side was calm.

“–Dad, look! Mom bought a lot of cloth! So much!”

“Where did you buy it?” Xu Haizhou walked over to take a look and laughed.

This kid, it’s so much, just three meters of cotton cloth.

“I can tell you didn’t listen to the news today.”

“News? What news? I was too busy to listen.” There is a single player of Li Hongjun in the store for daily entertainment, but business is busy today and I haven’t had time to listen.

Qiao Lu smiled and said, “From today on, you don’t need a ticket to buy cloth! You can buy it with money!”

Xu Haizhou raised his eyebrows in surprise: “Then the cost of making clothes will be reduced in the future.”

“Yes, you can buy as much as you want!” Suddenly she slapped his head: “Oh, I forgot to check the cotton. I don’t know if cotton is easy to buy. It’s still okay to make a fleece jacket! And leather, I really want to make a leather bag!”

“How much do you need? How about I come back tomorrow to bring it for you?” Xu Haizhou asked her with a smile.

“Okay, thank you, husband~” She gave him a kiss.

It was rare for Qiao Lu to call him husband, and his heart was moved. Qiao An opened his mouth in surprise.

“I, I want a kiss too.”

“Come on, little baby, give me a kiss too~”

A kiss landed on Qiao An’s neck, making the little guy giggle.

The next day, Qiao Lu was making clothes at home, preparing to make a few underwear, and then draw a design.

It was about nine o’clock in the morning, and a fierce quarrel suddenly broke out outside the yard.

Qiao Lu didn’t take it seriously at first, thinking that some couple was arguing about fabric again.

As a result, she listened carefully, and the voice was quite familiar. Was it… Liu Xiaohong?

The voice was very intense, with a faint cry. After a while, the door of Wu Guifang’s room next door opened, and hurried footsteps sounded.

“Ah! Sister Liu, what’s wrong, Youwei? Why are you here? Didn’t you go to work?”

“Youwei! Tell me, are you worthy of your mother? Are you worthy of me?” This was Liu Xiaohong’s heartbreaking roar.

Wu Guifang was confused: “What’s wrong? Youwei, what did you do? Why did you make your mother so angry?”

A few minutes later, Aunt Chen also came: “What’s wrong, what’s wrong, Youwei? Didn’t you go to work? What are you…what are you doing? Oh, my old sisters, why are you crying! Youwei, your mother worked so hard to raise you, why are you angry with her?”

Liu Xiaohong has a good relationship with people in the slum. She has a generous and unpretentious personality. Her husband died a few months after she married into the Fang family. In addition to raising her son, she also had to raise her mother-in-law. The family of three depended on her to pull. She worked hard for most of her life. No matter how hard it was, she never complained or cried like this. Fang Youwei ignored them, just hunched his head and said nothing. His fists hung limply at his sides, and he trembled with every breath.

“Three points! He missed the college entrance exam by three points in the first half of the year, and he said he wanted to repeat his studies. Tell me, with our family conditions, how can we afford to let him repeat his studies for a year? Besides, isn’t a high school diploma good enough in today’s society?”

“He had already promised me that he would not repeat his studies and would find a job in a factory so that mom could enjoy a good life. I really cried at that time. My family has grown up! It can support this family!”

“He said he found a job as a technician in a mold factory, earning 30 yuan a month, and 50 yuan after becoming a regular employee. You know, this salary is great! I don’t ride my bicycle to work every day, I use it for my son Youwei. But, guess what I saw when I followed him out today?” 

“What did you see?” Everyone asked at the same time.

Liu Xiaohong was really angry, and it took her a while to calm down:

“Youwei didn’t go to work at all! He went back to school to repeat his grade!”