Chapter 138: Nie Qiu, Sorry ②
This day, Nie Qiu accompanied Nie Aifang at the vegetable market to sell vegetables. When there were not many customers after two o’clock, Zhang Qitian came to teach Nie Aifang how to pack up. This involved covering the vegetables with a large plastic film. The plastic film was a gift from Zhang Qitian; Nie Qiu herself would not have thought to buy such a thing. After packing up the stall, Zhang Qitian took Nie Aifang and Nie Qiu to a restaurant for a meal, and then they returned to the vegetable market to continue selling vegetables.
At five o’clock in the afternoon, Li Mingxue appeared at the vegetable market on time, bringing boxed meals. She said she wanted to take Nie Qiu to attend Li Kai’s class. Nie Aifang smiled and refused, saying that Nie Qiu needed to help mind the stall while she went to get more goods.
“Qiu Qiu has to help me mind the stall this afternoon. There are still customers coming to buy vegetables when we close, so I need to go get more stock. Young lady, come, come, our vegetables are fresh, pack some to take home and eat.” Nie Aifang refused Li Mingxue while pulling her, urging Nie Qiu to quickly pack some vegetables for Li Mingxue.
Nie Qiu obediently took a bag from where plastic bags were hung on the wall, then packed a few water bamboos, two cabbages, and one cauliflower, and handed them to Nie Aifang. Nie Aifang smiled, took them, and stuffed them into Li Mingxue’s hands.
Li Mingxue was caught off guard and accepted them reluctantly. She looked at Nie Qiu and said, “Then I’ll come pick you up next week.”
“Aunt Li, I help my mom sell vegetables at the market on Saturdays and Sundays, so I won’t be able to come to your house. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to do what I promised you.” Nie Qiu said to Li Mingxue with a hint of apology.
Li Mingxue was a little surprised. Based on what Nie Qiu said, she thought Nie Aifang was making Nie Qiu help, which was why she wasn’t letting Nie Qiu go teach her younger brother. She carried the vegetables Nie Aifang had given her, bid farewell to Nie Aifang and her daughter, and left.
Nie Aifang took twenty yuan from her purse and put it into the public money box. Nie Aifang never took vegetables from her stall to eat at home. If she did, she would weigh them, calculate the price, and put the money into the sales earnings. In her opinion, she was helping others sell vegetables, so she absolutely could not take other people’s things.
Nie Qiu saw this and said nothing, but instead smiled. As she and Nie Aifang sold vegetables, it was time to get off work and school, and more people came to buy vegetables. Not only were the businesses at Nie Qiu’s stall booming, but other stalls were also doing well. When Zhang Qidi brought Huang Yan to the vegetable market, Nie Qiu was startled.
After greeting Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang, Zhang Qidi went to his own stall to help his brother sell vegetables. Nie Qiu looked at Huang Yan, who was smiling. Without waiting for Nie Qiu to ask, Huang Yan happily began to chatter.
“Nie Qiu! Nie Qiu, our school is going to hold the twenty-ninth art festival!” Huang Yan excitedly rested her hands on the vegetable stall and said happily to Nie Qiu.
“Holding an art festival? Did the teacher say so?” Nie Qiu asked while packing vegetables for a customer.
“No, no.” Huang Yan shook her head. Realizing she was blocking business, she quickly moved aside a couple of steps, opened the gate, and walked into the stall. Seeing Nie Aifang, she politely called out, “Auntie.”
Nie Aifang was too busy to attend to anything else and only nodded at Huang Yan before continuing to pack, weigh, and calculate money for customers.
Huang Yan stood beside Nie Qiu and continued excitedly, “We had English class today in the multimedia classroom. We watched foreign films. The teacher said it was to practice listening and speaking skills. We saw people practicing dancing in the music classroom next to the multimedia classroom. Also, when we had our art festival in the first year of junior high, the two hosts from Class 1 were practicing their hosting scripts. They must be preparing for another art festival, which is why people are practicing there.”
Nie Qiu smiled, “That’s great! We’re all in the third year of junior high now, so this might be our last art festival. It should be a lot of fun!”
Huang Yan nodded enthusiastically like pounding garlic, “Yes, yes, yes, yes, that’s exactly what I think. We study so hard every day, it’s time to relax a bit. When we get to the final exams, we’ll definitely do better!”
The exams are still more than a month away! Huang Yan was already thinking about relaxing. Nie Qiu found Huang Yan’s logic somewhat amusing, but she still nodded, “Yes, you’re right. But… Huang Yan, you didn’t come to find me just for this, did you?”
Huang Yan shyly shook her head, then said in a small voice, “Each class has to prepare three programs for the art festival. The homeroom teacher of each class basically entrusts it to the music teacher and the art committee member. Isn’t Chen Li our class’s art committee member? Didn’t Chen Li go to another school because of family matters? If we need to select people to participate, we’ll definitely have to elect an art committee member again. I… I think we should both run for election.”
Nie Qiu’s eyes widened, “Run for election? I… I can’t. I won’t go. Aren’t art committee members supposed to be people who can sing and dance a little? How could I possibly get elected?”
Huang Yan couldn’t help but grab Nie Qiu’s hand, “Oh Nie Qiu, please run for election with me! I’ll only dare to participate if you’re with me! The teachers will definitely elect the art committee member through voting, so please help me! Just accompany me!”
Nie Qiu was helpless and looked at Huang Yan, “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll accompany you, I’ll accompany you.”
“Then I’ll leave first. Remember what you said!” Huang Yan smiled, turned around, opened the gate, and walked out of the stall.
After walking a few steps, she waved to Nie Aifang, “Auntie, I’m going back now.”
“You’re leaving? Come play again next time.” Nie Aifang collected money from a customer and handed them the vegetables, then waved to Huang Yan, “Wait, come here, Auntie will pack some water spinach for you to take home and eat.” Nie Qiu had taken Huang Yan to their house for a meal before, so Nie Aifang knew that this person was close with her daughter. Nie Aifang had been young too and of course had a few best friends, although they didn’t keep in touch much now, she still cherished the memories. Therefore, she always greeted Huang Yan with a smile.
Huang Yan also didn’t stand on ceremony and stopped, standing outside Nie Qiu’s stall, like a customer.
Nie Aifang smiled and used a plastic bag to pack a bunch of water spinach for Huang Yan, then handed it to her, “Study hard.”
Huang Yan smiled and took it, saying loudly, “I know, Auntie. With Nie Qiu here, I will definitely study hard. I’m leaving now!” With that, she picked up the vegetables and turned to leave.
Nie Qiu saw Nie Aifang take another two yuan from her purse and put it into the iron box, and she couldn’t help but smile.
Nie Aifang sold vegetables while turning to Nie Qiu and said, “That young girl is quite lively.”
Nie Qiu made no comment. She was indeed lively, perhaps a bit too lively. However, she was also grateful for Huang Yan’s liveliness, which allowed her to boldly ask questions and have such a lively friend.
