Chapter 38: First Time’s Awkward, Second Time’s Easy
Lu Qiaoge was born in the Military Factory Family Courtyard, so she definitely has many acquaintances.
She thought carefully, then remembered that this man who called himself Uncle Wei seemed to live upstairs from Liang Aishu’s home.
Since Lu Qiaoge had reached out to handle this trouble, there was no reason for her to let it go.
She pressed down on the bookshelf, smiling brightly as she flatly refused: “No, I want this bookshelf too.”
“You don’t go to school, what do you need a bookshelf for?”
Old Wei asked with a furrowed brow.
Lu Qiaoge asked back displeased: “Not going to school means I can’t have a bookshelf? Uncle Wei, what kind of thought is that?”
Old Wei: ……
Everyone says this girl is good for nothing and as stupid as a pig, but actually she’s very sharp-tongued.
But he wouldn’t stoop to robbing scraps from a little girl, so he turned away with a cold face and left.
Lu Qiaoge barely scraped together the junior and senior high school math, physics, chemistry, and Chinese language textbooks; as for politics, that wasn’t urgent.
Lu Qiaoge first carried the books to the main door, then went with her younger sister to lift the cabinet.
Old Zhong was still listening to the radio, though he had turned down the volume.
Lu Qiaoge busily asked Old Zhong with a smile how much all of it added up to.
“Three yuan!” Old Zhong Tou said without lifting or opening his eyes.
Seeing his manner, Lu Qiaoge completely dismissed the idea of handing over the textbooks and money and tickets to him.
She had one yuan in hand, so she could only temporarily borrow the textbooks inside for now, but before she could hand over the money, Old Wei came out from inside. The scrap station only had a few broken cabinets, and this one was the most intact. Though not good wood, it was sturdy and could be used after a cleanup—he really had his eye on it.
Old Wei said to Lu Qiaoge: “Your family’s house is so small, won’t it take up space if you buy it back?”
Lu Qiaoge originally didn’t want to pay him any mind, but this man then added: “If this were Shen Yun, she would’ve happily let me have it after I said that. You’re really not as sensible as her!”
Lu Qiaoling glared: “Why do you talk so unpleasantly?”
Lu Qiaoge pulled her huffing younger sister and said slowly: “Uncle Wei, if you hadn’t mentioned Shen Yun, I might really have agreed, but you just had to mention Shen Yun. In that case, I’d rather carry it back, chop it up for firewood, than let you have it!”
Old Wei: ……
This mouth really is asking for it.
The matter of falling into water and engagement cancellation was almost spreading throughout the compound, and Liang Aishu lived right downstairs from him. Liang Aishu was now on good terms with Shen Yun, and his wife had told him several times.
So why mention anyone but Shen Yun?
Lu Qiaoge handed the money to Old Zhong and said to Lu Qiaoling: “Carry it back, chop it up, and burn it for firewood.”
Lu Qiaoling wasn’t one to take a loss.
“You talk so unpleasantly. My older sister is my older sister, Shen Yun is Shen Yun—how are they even remotely related? What’s that supposed to mean? Handing it over makes one sensible, not handing it over makes one senseless? And what about you, snatching things we’ve set our eyes on? How about I say you, a big cadre, are acting like a robber—want to hear that?”
Old Wei also glared his eyeballs; Old Lu’s two daughters weren’t easy ones.
Lu Qiaoge affectionately gave Lu Qiaoling a thumbs up, then put the books into the cabinet and tied the cabinet doors shut with the rope she had just picked up. She took the heavier end, without even looking at the displeased Old Wei, and the two sisters lifted the cabinet and left.
Once the two had walked far away, Old Wei said with a face flushed red: “Birds of a feather flock together, both like shrews. No wonder Liang Aishu looks down on her.”
Old Zhong glanced at him, turned up the volume, and continued listening to the radio.
Old Wei walked around once, then finally left in a huff.
The Scrap Collection Station wasn’t close to the Lu Family, but Lu Qiaoge had great strength, so Lu Qiaoling didn’t feel it took much effort before they got home.
The Lu Family Courtyard gate opened, and Lu Qiaoge and Lu Qiaoling carried in an old bookshelf.
Meng Xia thought it was given by someone else, but heard Lu Qiaoge say: “Mom, it wasn’t given; us two bought it at the scrap station for two yuan.”
Even though Meng Xia felt Lu Qiaoge was doing her proud, she was angry at that moment too.
“Our home is just this big, where are you going to put a broken cabinet? You really don’t know how expensive firewood and rice are until you’re in charge. Don’t you know how many things two yuan can buy? You prodigal…”
Lu Qiaoge and Lu Qiaoling set down the bookshelf, and the calico cat jumped up and clawed at one of the drawers.
【Right here right here, little master, hurry and open it to see.】
Lu Qiaoge said to it in her mind: “Open it in a few days, otherwise discovering one mechanism and then another—smart people would get suspicious.”
There weren’t that many coincidences for her alone to encounter two in one day.
The calico cat lost interest and jumped down from the top in a flash.
Old Mrs. Lu sat under the tree fanning herself. She squinted and said slowly: “I just feel this calico cat understands human nature so well. Did it remember that dressing table incident this morning and think there’s treasure in this cabinet too?”
Then she said to Meng Xia: “It’s already bought, so stop talking.”
Lu Qiaoling ran off to wash a rag and volunteered: “Second Sister, you did almost all the lifting just now; I barely put in any effort, so I’ll wipe the cabinet.”
What worried Lu Qiaoge was still having to ask Meng Xia for money.
This was also a case of first time awkward, second time familiar. She thickened her skin: “Mom, lend me ten yuan; I’ll pay you back when salary payment comes.”
Meng Xia glared: “You’ve only worked one day and already spent nearly half a month’s salary, and our family still owes money.”
Lu Xiaosi came over and tugged at Meng Xia’s clothes, saying softly: “Mom, I feel much better these past few days. Next month, can we not buy medicine?”
Every time they bought medicine, it cost thirty yuan, and he felt like he was just a burden and bundle.
Besides, he didn’t like taking medicine.
It was really so bitter.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t understand pharmacology, but from the old turtle she knew this prescription was acceptable, just a bit expensive, but there was no method—now many Chinese medicines weren’t for sale, and that old traditional Chinese medicine doctor had only agreed to see him on Lu Da’s account.
Though Meng Xia grumbled, she readily took out the money, but said to Lu Qiaoge: “I only have twenty yuan left in my pocket; you have to spend it sparingly, hear me?”
Lu Qiaoge nodded obediently.
She had to find a way to make money.
Of course, before that, she still had to make a trip to Hongxing Lake.
This time Lu Qiaoling shamelessly tagged along, and naturally Lu Xiaosi too.
But several old men were fishing at the lakeside where Lu Qiaoge often went today.
The old turtle and big carp showed no movement at all; they must have gone far away.
Lu Qiaoge led her younger sister and younger brother toward a place with no one.
They had brought two small iron buckets today.
Planning to get a lot back all at once.
Meng Xia knew her second daughter always returned fully loaded, so she happily cleared out a large iron basin.
What couldn’t be eaten could be kept inside to eat slowly.
The rest could be dried into dried fish.
The three and one cat walked very fast, almost in the blink of an eye they had run to the other side.
The several old men breathed a sigh of relief; if they didn’t leave, with all the noise and fuss, they wouldn’t catch any fish.
The calico cat stood on a relatively high large rock, stretching its neck and meowing meow meow.
This was calling its familiar old turtle and big carp.
Unexpectedly, the naughty swallow flew over from the lake surface, with a stalk of grass in its mouth.
Lu Qiaoge stretched out her hand, and the recovered naughty swallow placed a palm-length white glistening water grass in Lu Qiaoge’s palm.
