Chapter 107: What’s Mine Is All Mine!
When Lu Qiaoge walked into the Lu Family Courtyard, she found that everyone at home was still awake.
Meng Xia first looked at her daughter’s complexion.
As usual, even if looked at carefully, nothing different could be seen.
Hey, this girl is putting on such an act.
Dating such a handsome young man like Representative Qin, what could there be to be unhappy about?
Meng Xia still asked anxiously: “Where did you two go to eat? Did you watch a movie? Did you go for another stroll? He sent you back, right?”
After this string of questions, Lu Qiaoling nearby muttered: “What’s the use of asking so much? We all know Representative Qin is not unreliable. Unless there’s a war, how could he possibly not send my sister back? That’s basic politeness. What I want to say is, Mom, although my sister is a girl, shouldn’t she have some money in her pocket? Aren’t you thinking of giving my sister some pocket money?”
Meng Xia turned her head and said grumpily: “I think it’s you who wants pocket money. Do I not want to give it? I also want to give you pocket money and buy you pretty clothes to wear, but our family owes money. Several families are waiting for us to pay them back on the 15th of this month. Aren’t you tired after working a day? Go to sleep quickly.”
Nowadays, the salary payment date is fixed, the 15th of every month.
Lu Qiaoge started work in June, and now it’s early July, so even if salary is paid, it’s not for a full month.
She and Meng Xia were both like that.
What Meng Xia didn’t say was that Grandma Sun’s daughter-in-law, from whom she borrowed money last month, complained behind her mother-in-law’s back about being poor yet generous. She said, how could the Old Lu Family have no money? If no money, how could Lu Qiaoge buy a bicycle?
Grandma Sun is a good person with a kind heart. She had to pay her back as soon as salary is paid this month, so she wouldn’t always be nagged by her daughter-in-law.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t know that the salary hadn’t arrived yet, but she had already gone out.
She still answered Meng Xia’s question first. Although the topic had veered off, it would be brought back soon.
“We ate at Red Star Restaurant, three dishes and one soup. Um, the sweet and sour pork ribs tasted super fragrant. We also watched a movie called The Story of Willow Fort. He sent me back, and only rode his bicycle away after I entered the courtyard.”
Meng Xia’s heart settled down. That was good, that was good. It proved both were quite satisfied.
“Then you two…”
“Okay, okay, don’t ask anymore. Qiao Ge is only nineteen years old. Marriage isn’t urgent. Let them take their time dating.” Old Lu was the one who stayed calm.
That young man Representative Qin, in today’s terms, was so arrogant. Don’t think just because he could get along with the workers, ordinary people couldn’t catch his eye.
Being able to date basically meant it was a done deal.
Meng Xia glared at him: “I just want to ask if they set a time for the next meeting. I want to make a skirt for my daughter.”
Ready-made ones were too expensive. They had a sewing machine at home, and she knew sewing. The second daughter was pretty and looked good in anything.
Lu Qiaoge said: “Don’t make a skirt yet. My previous one is already very nice. Besides, I ride a bicycle a lot, and skirts aren’t convenient. Give that fabric to Qiao Ling. She’s about to become a worker at the Food Factory and needs a new piece of clothing.”
Nowadays, almost every family was like this: the eldest wore it until worn out, then the second wore it, and the youngest rarely got new clothes.
The Lu Family was the same. Lu Qiaoling’s clothes were all ones Lu Qiaoge no longer wore.
But in any case, they didn’t have many clothes.
Fortunately, in this era, there was no comparison. Simplicity was beauty, was the mainstream.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t have too many ideas. She didn’t like the polyester that young people liked nowadays—it wasn’t breathable. She preferred clothes made of cotton cloth and linen fabric.
Her shoes were the same. If not cowhide, cloth shoes were more comfortable.
Meng Xia disagreed. How was it inconvenient? He could ride the bicycle and take you.
But she didn’t say this out loud after all.
Lu Qiaoge glanced at Meng Xia, who wanted to say something but stopped: “We didn’t set a time for the next meeting, but he said he’d bring some small fish for our calico cat tomorrow. It might be very early, and he’ll leave it at the main door.”
Hua Hua happily meowed meow meow.
Although there were many rice fish in Hongxing Lake, someone had to catch them for it.
The little master was busy as a bee every day and had no time to care for it. Though dried fish were getting less, it still ate its fill every day.
Of course, fresh small fish would be even better.
Meng Xia smiled: “This child is still shy about it. If he’s giving it to our family, it’s for our family. He insists on saying it’s for Hua Hua.”
Old Mrs. Lu also chuckled: “Alright, everyone go to sleep. It’s not early anymore.”
The calico cat jumped up and down, meowing nonstop to correct them.
【What’s for me is for me. Representative Qin really likes me, meow meow meow!】
【You humans are just borrowing my good fortune.】
Hua Hua smugly circled in the courtyard, its fluffy tail tip twitching up and down, extremely arrogant.
【Meow meow meow…】 Hua Hua lightly jumped onto the courtyard wall, its eyes sparkling as it gazed toward the courtyard gate: 【Tomorrow before dawn, I’ll be guarding here! What’s mine is mine!】
Old Mrs. Lu said: “Hua Hua understood that, right?”
Meng Xia laughed and cursed: “Greedy things are usually clever.”
Then she said to Xiao Si, who was huffing and puffing wiping the bicycle over there: “Go to sleep. In the pitch dark, can you even see?”
Lu Xiaosi responded loudly: “Mom, it’s not dark at all. Besides, I can wipe it even in the dark.”
Ever since promising the bicycle to Xiao Si for him to inherit later, the bike-wiping chore had been taken over by Xiao Si.
Lu Qiaoge was also happy to have one less thing to do and guaranteed to use it sparingly, so when giving it to him, it would be at least half new.
Night deepened. Lu Qiaoge thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but she fell asleep soon after lying down and slept dreamlessly through the night.
Early the next morning, there was indeed a small iron bucket at the Lu Family main door, containing Hua Hua’s favorite rice fish and two palm-sized grass carp.
Meng Xia joyfully carried it in and glanced outside—no one was in sight, obviously he had left it at the door and gone.
The Lu Family was very busy today, including Su Hui, who was dressed neatly. She was also going to report to the Pickle Factory.
Actually, everyone was quite uneasy inside, always worrying what if something changed midway?
That kind of anxious gain-and-loss feeling.
Lu Qiaoge comforted them: “It’s just a Food Factory, run by the Neighborhood Committee, and self-sustaining. As long as there are people, it can be built up. Nothing will change.”
Unless Old Hu was ousted and the factory department all replaced.
Lu Qiaoge was going to work and told Lu Qiaoling to take Su Hui to the Pickle Factory to wait for her.
After Lu Qiaoge arrived at the Neighborhood Committee, Old Hu and Old Huang both looked at her eagerly.
Lu Qiaoge then remembered that these two were also matchmakers.
So, she nodded reservedly.
Old Hu felt relieved. This proved the two had a very smooth meeting this time.
And Lu Qiaoge naturally asked Old Hu for the key.
The key to the Pickle Factory’s main door was in Old Hu’s hand. He looked at that key and knew in his heart that once he gave this key to Lu Qiaoge, shouldn’t the position of Factory Director for this yet-to-be-built Food Factory also go to Lu Qiaoge?
