Chen Lishu smiled, "Sister-in-law, I finished two finished products today. I'll show you later."
"Okay," Zhang Qin nodded, her hands unconsciously quickening their pace.
As soon as she finished cleaning the kitchen, she followed Chen Lishu back to the room. The 'fake collar' was quite simple to cut as it had no sleeves. Zhang Qin took a look, then took the sample and fabric and eagerly returned to her own room to start cutting.
Next, Chen Lishu asked Li Xiulan, who was also very willing to take on making 'fake collars'.
"My eyesight isn't good as I'm getting older, so sewing is a bit difficult, but cutting this is just right."
Seeing Li Xiulan agree, Chen Lishu divided some of the patterns and fabric for her.
Because her family was busy building houses recently, Chen Lishu planned to tell Wu Chunmei next time she had the chance.
At night, Chen Lishu was reading as usual. She copied down all the difficult problems she encountered these days that even Gu Xingping couldn't solve into a notebook, planning to ask Xu Ning at the educated youth point for help when she had time tomorrow.
The next day, she was engrossed in cutting clothes at home when someone called from the courtyard gate, "Is anyone home?"
Chen Lishu heard the voice, put down her work, pushed the door open, and saw Tian Baolin from the village looking in through the courtyard gate.
Tian Baolin was over fifty years old. His family had been landlords, and after being criticized during land reform, his background was poor, and he was responsible for odd jobs in the village.
"Uncle Baolin, what brings you here today?" Chen Lishu opened the courtyard gate with a smile. Da Feng Novel Network
Hearing Chen Lishu call him uncle so politely, Tian Baolin was a little flattered. He quickly took out a letter from the tattered cloth bag he was carrying, "The commune postman came to the village today to deliver mail. I saw there was one for your family, so I brought it over."
Chen Lishu took the letter and saw it was from Gu Xingdong. Looking at the date, it had been several days. She roughly calculated that he must have written the letter a day or two after she left. Chen Lishu then belatedly realized that Gu Xingping was on vacation, and letters in the village could only be sent to various brigades by special personnel after the township had accumulated enough for one dispatch.
"Thank you, Uncle Baolin," Chen Lishu thanked him with a smile.
"You're too kind. I have to go to the next house. Have a good day, great niece." This was the first time someone had thanked him, and Tian Baolin's hands were sweating with excitement.
Chen Lishu watched him walk away before closing the courtyard gate and returning to the house.
As soon as she tore open the letter, something fell out along with the letter paper. Chen Lishu picked it up and saw it was a bicycle ticket.
"...Last time you came, you said it was too far and inconvenient to go to town every time, so I got you a bicycle ticket to buy a bicycle. Don't be stingy, your man earns money to spend on you."
After reading the letter, Chen Lishu couldn't help but smile. She never thought that he would remember such a casual complaint.
Thinking that she could pick up a bicycle when she went to town in a couple of days, it would be much more convenient to travel back and forth.
In the evening, when Li Xiulan and the others returned from work, Chen Lishu had already prepared dinner. After dinner, Chen Lishu took her copied problems to the educated youth point to find Xu Ning.
"Where have you been these past few days? I haven't seen you for days," Xu Ning complained when she saw her, and tried to invite her into the house, but Chen Lishu shook her head and refused.
"It's not convenient to talk with so many people inside. I have a few problems I want to ask you. We can just sit in an empty spot in the yard."
Xu Ning thought for a moment and nodded, "Wait a moment, I'll go back and get some newspapers for us to sit on." With that, she turned and went back into the house.
As she was about to come out, she remembered the book she had already finished reading. She took it out from under the pillow and tucked it under the newspapers to return to Chen Lishu later.
Zhao Hong was sitting by the bed combing her hair. She saw Xu Ning's actions clearly but said nothing.
She was in a good mood today and had specifically gone to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a tael of osmanthus hair oil. She planned to meet Lu Chengming later to tell him some good news, so even if she saw something, she pretended not to.
Xu Ning left the dormitory and found a spot near the wall with Chen Lishu. They picked up two bricks, put newspapers on them, and then sat down.
"I'll tell you something in secret," Chen Lishu whispered to Xu Ning after they sat down. "You said you hadn't seen me for a few days. I rented a house in town, a detached courtyard. I'll write down the address for you later. When you have time to go to town, you can also stay there for a night."
"Really?" Xu Ning was a little surprised, then she thought of something and couldn't help but sigh, "You're really brave."
They had a good relationship, and Xu Ning knew about Chen Lishu's business. Renting a house in town must have been to facilitate her business.
After chatting a bit more about the new house, Chen Lishu took out the problems she didn't know. Xu Ning took them, glanced at them, and began to explain them to her earnestly.
...
Zhao Hong finished combing her hair, then used a red paper to touch up her lips before getting up to go to the boys' dormitory opposite. As soon as she entered, she saw Lu Chengming standing by the window with his back to the door.
"Sister-in-law, dressed so beautifully, looking for Brother Ming again. You live in rooms across from each other but are still so clingy?" a male educated youth teased her with a smile as she entered.
Although they hadn't explicitly stated they were dating, it was obvious to anyone with eyes.
"Who's your sister-in-law? I haven't agreed yet," Zhao Hong playfully chided him and walked towards Lu Chengming.
"Chengming, come out for a moment. I have something to tell you."
After Zhao Hong finished speaking and saw that Lu Chengming didn't respond, she couldn't help but move closer. Following his gaze, she saw Xu Ning and Chen Lishu by the courtyard wall. She immediately understood that he was captivated by Chen Lishu and was staring at her in a daze.
Her heart was filled with jealousy and anger, wishing she could grind her teeth into powder.
"Chengming, come out for a moment. I have something to tell you." Zhao Hong couldn't help but say it again, but her voice had dropped a couple of degrees.
"If you have something to say, just say it. I can hear you." Lu Chengming withdrew his gaze from the courtyard, sat back on his bed, and lay down.
Zhao Hong pursed her lips, and seeing his attitude, her heart grew a little cold. "What I have to say is not convenient to say here. You come out with me."
"I'm tired today and don't want to go out." Lu Chengming thought she wanted to do something intimate. He rolled over, facing inward, and closed his eyes.
"No need to go out. We're going to wash clothes by the river. You can talk in the room if you have something." The two educated youths sharing the room smartly took out basins from under the bed and left the room to the two of them.
Zhao Hong bit her lip, hesitating, and then said, "Chengming, I'm pregnant."
Lu Chengming's eyes snapped open upon hearing this, and he turned to look at her. "How can you be pregnant?"
Zhao Hong was stunned by his question, "We've been together for so long, isn't it normal to be pregnant?"
Lu Chengming frowned, "Are you sure you're pregnant? Is it mine?"
Zhao Hong, who had been feeling some joy and caution, turned pale upon hearing his question. "Lu Chengming, what do you mean? I gave myself to you when I was pure and innocent. Who else could it be besides you?"