Chapter 122: Learning
“Sister Su, are you saying there is medicine that can treat the scar on my body?”
For so many years, the whole family had racked their brains for the scar on her body, even trying many folk remedies, but with no effect.
Even she herself had long since given up all hope, yet now Sister Su said there was a hereditary secret recipe that could remove scars?
Although they had only just met not long ago and she didn’t know her well, deep down she inexplicably wanted to believe the person in front of her.
Even if disappointed once more, she was unwilling to disappoint this kindness.
“Mm, yes.”
“Sister Su, I believe you. I… I want to try it.”
Somewhat surprised that the little girl trusted her so much, Su Ning smiled and patted her hand: then she would certainly not disappoint this trust.
……
“One two, one two three!”
Powerful chant voices came through.
One net after another was dragged ashore, and the fat fish thrashing their tails in the nets made everyone unable to stop smiling with joy.
The happiest among them was Brigade Leader Qin Fen, who knew the acquisition price this time, after all, the fatter the fish, the greater their earnings.
Casting nets, salvaging, weighing—everything proceeded in an orderly and rapid manner.
Soon the fish and shrimp on the task list were packed and loaded onto the tractor. Qin Fen watched the whole time, not only having people pick the largest and best to pack, but also giving full weight and even exceeding it by quite a bit.
Cadre Xiao Su had given their production team such a favorable price, so of course they couldn’t let her take a loss or get criticized.
People are just like that.
“Hey, Cadre Xiao Su, you came at the right time. The goods are all loaded. Come on, I’ll go with you to check them!”
“Good, thank you, Brigade Leader.”
Seeing the two get down to serious matters right away upon meeting, Xiao Lian silently swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue, thought for a moment, then lifted her feet and followed behind them.
Until the goods were fully counted, the two successively signed their names on the form.
Qin Fen gave a look to the man beside him. That man wiped his sweat with a grinning laugh and dragged out a bamboo basket full of fish and shrimp from who knows where, placing it in front of Su Ning.
“Brigade Leader Qin, this?”
“Hahaha, Cadre Xiao Su, the fish from our Du Yan Reservoir are different from elsewhere, especially in the autumn harvest season—they’re even fresher. You’ll know once you taste them back home!”
Compared to that kid Qin Jianjun, Cadre Xiao Su was not only straightforward but also kind-hearted. Having been Brigade Leader for so many years, how could Qin Fen not understand favors and worldly matters.
This basket of fish and shrimp was only about twenty jin, not much but it was their kindness.
Before, Qin Jianjun had worn out his lips begging, and no matter the hints overt or covert, he pretended not to understand, just unwilling to give.
Now changed to Cadre Xiao Su, without her even mentioning it, he took care of it first. The difference in treatment was simply too great.
“Cadre Xiao Su, trust me, no matter how you cook this fish, it’s delicious!”
Thinking it over a bit, she understood the meaning behind his words, and Su Ning suddenly felt a mix of amusement and exasperation— she hadn’t raised the price for this ‘benefit’.
But she couldn’t do something crude like refusing outright and embarrassing him, so she just smiled and thanked him, secretly calculating the price of this bamboo basket of fish and shrimp to sneak it into the payment later.
“Thank you, Brigade Leader. Then I’ll have to taste it properly when I get back.”
“Hey, that’s right!”
Seeing her accept it, Qin Fen breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart. “Look, it’s getting late. Cadre Xiao Su, do you want to go back with the tractor driver?”
If there was a ride, how could she not take it, but…
Su Ning turned her gaze to Xiao Lian, who had an extremely low presence nearby. “Brigade Leader, Xiao Lian she…”
“Dad, come here a moment.”
Xiao Lian, with a smile in her eyes, nodded to her indicating she’d handle it, and pulled the baffled and bewildered Qin Fen to an open spot not far away.
Qin Fen looked at his little daughter who had clearly grabbed his arm because she had something to tell him. When his gaze touched the scar on her face, a flash of pain passed through his eyes.
His expression couldn’t help but soften even more. “What’s up, Lian Wazi?”
“Dad, I want to go to Sister Su’s home and stay for a few days.”
“Mm mm, good… Huh? Slow down, who did you say? Go where? For how many days?”
Qin Fen, who always indulged his little daughter’s every request, habitually said good good good before reacting and barely stopping himself to hurriedly ask.
Ever since the scar on Xiao Lian’s face scared the little boy next door into crying nonstop and having a high fever for two or three days.
The guilt-ridden Xiao Lian had become even more reluctant to go out.
This fishing trip had taken the whole family taking turns to persuade her, with her mother even using her trump card to coax her out for some fresh air, otherwise they worried she’d really get stifled at home someday!
But now, just now, what did he hear?
His little daughter actually took the initiative to say she wanted to go out, and for several days at that?
Could it be that the pillar of incense they had finally grabbed this year really worked, with the ancestors blessing it?!
“I said I want to go to Sister Su’s home for a few days to use the medicine to treat the scar on my body.”
“Ha?”
Qin Fen’s eyes were full of big question marks; the more he listened, the less he understood.
When he heard her recount their previous conversation, and upon hearing Su Ning say there was a hereditary secret medicine specifically for removing scars, Qin Fen excitedly turned and walked away, leaving his daughter in place.
Striding over to Su Ning, the iron-willed man had red eye rims and incoherently asked, “Cadre Xiao Su, you said there’s a hereditary secret medicine that can treat scars—is that real? Can it remove the one on Xiao Lian? How much does it cost?”
“No, I’m not doubting you, Cadre Xiao Su. I just want to ask, can we try the secret medicine first?”
“I’m not at ease with Xiao Lian going alone. Can we go with her? We’ll bring our own ration, bring our own…”
Unlike Xiao Lian, who no longer held expectations for removing the scar on her body after repeated disappointments, he and her mother were unwilling to miss any possibility, no matter how slim.
His daughter was still so young, fifteen or sixteen—the prime of her youth. They were willing to support her for life, but as father and mother, how could they not hope she could have a complete life, that later she could have someone to love her, have babies, and not grow old alone.
Besides, Cadre Xiao Su didn’t seem like someone who spoke empty words. If that hereditary secret medicine really had miraculous effects to remove the scar, he’d be willing to spend any amount.
“Brigade Leader Qin…”
“No need to be so polite. You can call me Uncle Qin.”
“Uncle Qin, I do have a hereditary Jade Visage Paste specifically for removing scars. If you’re not at ease, you can accompany Xiao Lian. We can try it on the hand first to see the effect. As for the money for the ointment, we can settle it after Xiao Lian is really cured.”
“Hey, good good, Xiao Su wait, wait a sec!”
Qin Fen spoke while impatiently turning and running back.
……
By the reservoir, everyone was queuing to divide the fish. Qin Fen quickly scanned the line, spotted his wife, and immediately went up to drag her away without explanation.
“Hey, it was almost my turn. What are you doing, the kids’ dad!”
“A Fen, A Fen hurry home, home to pack things!”
“What’s this about? Pack what things, why pack things?”
It took great effort to shake off his iron-clamp-like big hand. Gao Fen glared irritably at her man, not knowing what madness had seized him.
“Aiya, we’ll talk on the way!”
“The fish…”
“What fish? Even if you don’t see the fish, can they run or fly? Let the eldest daughter-in-law go!”
The two rushed home at top speed, packed a few clothes, brought a bag of ration, told the inconvenient-legged old mother in the room and explained clearly, then hurriedly headed back to the tractor.
When they arrived, seeing the pretty Su Ning still standing there waiting, the two simultaneously panted heavily.
After a simple greeting, the group carefully squeezed into the tractor bed, heading to Gu City amid the tractor’s rumbling roar.
Even if anxious at heart, they had to first follow her to the textile factory to submit the task and settle the payment.
After going through all the procedures, it was completely dark.
Bringing Qin Fen’s family of three back to the small courtyard, Su Ning called for them to rest while she went to prepare dinner.
Unable to resist Xiao Lian and her mother’s enthusiasm to help, the dinner was quickly made in the hands of three equally deft women.
After eating and resting a bit, without making them wait too long, she got up and returned to her room to take out that ‘soap’-like block of Jade Visage Paste from Peach Blossom Spring Courtyard.
“Xiao Lian, come with me first and wash your hands clean.”
“Good, Sister Su.”
