Chapter 7: Shiny Thing In The Reed Thicket
Huang Juan was stunned for a moment, then said: “This time more than half are unmarried young people. If they really get admitted, the future work will be full of trivial matters, and family matters will be the most numerous. How about this, I’ll go to the Lu Family to take a look first.”
—
Lu Qiaoge felt that the Neighborhood Committee wouldn’t pay attention to Duan Xiaoxiang’s words, but they should consider her grades appropriately.
Unexpectedly, they gave her another exam question.
At this moment, she was looking at the information.
Meng Xia hesitated beside her: “My Qiao Ge is a little girl. Wouldn’t this exam question be more suitable for a man?”
Huang Juan asked Lu Qiaoge: “What do you think?”
Lu Qiaoge had also finished looking at the information in her hand.
This dispute was still a family matter. Yao Kai from Workshop Two and Qi Shuang had been married for two years. Three days ago, Qi Shuang came to the Neighborhood Committee and said that except for the wedding night, Yao Kai had never touched her again. The two rarely spoke, she didn’t want to endure it anymore and decided to divorce, but Yao Kai disagreed, so she moved into the work unit and didn’t go home. She wanted the Neighborhood Committee to intervene: divorce if possible, and if not, at least tell her why.
Qi Shuang had gone all out, otherwise her mother-in-law scolded her every day for being a hen that doesn’t lay eggs.
Previously, she didn’t dare to say it out for the sake of face, but recently her mother-in-law even forced her to drink bitter and disgusting herbal soup.
Moreover, Yao Kai liked cold violence. Although he didn’t hit her, when they argued fiercely, he could go half a year without saying a word to Qi Shuang.
As for Old Chen’s son getting beaten, it was because he ran to ask Yao Kai if that thing wasn’t working, then suggested he go to the hospital to see a doctor.
That Yao Kai was now being educated in the Security Department.
But Yao Kai remained silent and wouldn’t say the reason even when the leader asked. Director Hu’s opinion was still to visit Qi Shuang.
Because Qi Shuang, who works in the workshop, was dazed yesterday and almost had an accident.
Qi Shuang had reported this divorce matter to the Neighborhood Committee. If it wasn’t resolved well and something happened, everyone would be in trouble.
After all, after Qi Shuang exposed it, Old Yao’s wife hated her to death. It was said that she even hit Qi Shuang last night.
If it could be mediated, that would be the best.
Lu Qiaoge put away the information and said: “Aunt Huang, tomorrow I’ll go find Qi Shuang first.”
Huang Juan nodded and smiled at Meng Xia, who wanted to say something but hesitated: “Don’t worry, it’s just to find Qi Shuang to understand the situation, not contacting Yao Kai, nothing will happen.”
After Huang Juan left, the Lu Family members in the courtyard looked at each other.
Meng Xia thought for a moment and said: “I’ll go visit a neighbor to see if I can help ask something out for you.”
Su Hui hesitated for a moment, but still said: “Then… do you want me to go with you tomorrow?”
Lu Qiaoge shook her head and said no need.
If the Yao family hadn’t pushed Qi Shuang too hard, she probably wouldn’t say such a private matter, especially in this era.
Lu Da was tired after a day and exhorted Lu Qiaoge a few words before going to rest.
Lu Qiaoge felt that this day had been too fulfilling, so fulfilling that it felt unreal.
She also went into the bedroom to prepare to rest, not even having time to see what was in the room.
Unexpectedly, her younger brother Lu Xiaosi knocked on the door and came in. He pulled Lu Qiaoge’s arm, blinking his big black eyes, looked up and whispered pleadingly: “Second Sister, I can go with you too.”
Lu Qiaoge rubbed Xiao Si’s head. This child had poor health. Ming Ming was already eleven, but he was as thin and small as an eight-year-old child.
Lu Qiaoge said: “No need to accompany.”
Xiao Si then lowered his head in some disappointment.
Lu Qiaoge thought for a moment and said: “Tomorrow morning I’ll take you to Hongxing Lake to fish, okay?”
Lu Xiaosi’s eyes lit up: “I… can I go?”
Lu Qiaoge: “Of course you can.”
Hongxing Lake, tomorrow she had to take the calico cat along to check it out.
Lu Xiaosi’s eyes were sparkling. He considerately helped his second sister pull the curtains properly, closed the door, and happily left.
At this time, night had already enveloped the entire sky.
The light from the distant street lamps seemed not as bright as the fireflies in the wilderness.
But tonight the moon was very big and round, gently shining into the bedroom through the gap in the curtains.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t wait for Meng Xia to return, lay down and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
—
The next morning, the Lu Family members went to work if they had jobs, looked for odd jobs if they didn’t. Meng Xia hadn’t asked any useful information last night either. After exhorting Xiao Si not to run out to play, she hurried out the door.
Meanwhile, Lu Qiaoge carried the fishing rod made by Old Lu and a net bag for scooping fish, with a calico cat following beside her. Lu Xiaosi carried a small iron bucket. The two wore straw hats and went to the place where Lu Qiaoge fell into water yesterday to fish.
This was the west side of the lake, with a large pine forest in the distance.
Because they came early, no one was seen.
Lu Xiaosi asked Lu Qiaoge in surprise: “Second Sister, why is this cat always following us?”
Lu Qiaoge: “Yesterday I gave it dried fish and steamed buns, maybe it recognizes me as its owner.”
Lu Xiaosi oh-ed.
He didn’t take it to heart, because he was very excited. It was his first time being taken out to play by his siblings, though he couldn’t make paper boxes today.
He suddenly remembered something and said uneasily: “Second Sister, yesterday I went to the Neighborhood Committee to pick up the paper boxes, two hundred in total, now still short more than eighty. This task is urgent, if not completed they’ll deduct money.”
Lu Qiaoge stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Lu Xiaosi, who wanted to play but also wanted to go back to make paper boxes.
Making paper boxes was work that Meng Xia took from the Neighborhood Committee. Lu Qiaoge and Xiao Si, who stayed at home, also helped make them.
Five paper boxes for one cent of labor fee.
But the original host always found excuses to run out to play, only Xiao Si diligently helped Meng Xia make paper boxes.
Meng Xia couldn’t control Lu Qiaoge much, after all, she was already engaged and would get married soon, so being lazy was fine.
At this time, Lu Qiaoge touched her pocket, it was empty, really not a single cent.
If she couldn’t find a job, Meng Xia would definitely make her make paper boxes.
Lu Qiaoge patted his head and said boldly: “It’s okay, we’ll make them together in the afternoon.”
Only then did Lu Xiaosi relax.
Without needing Lu Qiaoge to exhort, Lu Xiaosi chose a safe spot himself and even told Lu Qiaoge to stay away from the water.
Seeing Lu Xiaosi had such strong safety awareness, Lu Qiaoge felt relieved.
She told the calico cat to look for water mice nearby, while she stood by the lakeside, carefully listening to the sounds in the lake.
【My scales had a piece scraped off, it hurts so much.】
【There’s a round sparkling thing in the reeds, you can get one to stick on.】
【But the scattered sparkling things were all taken by the crabs, those iron boxes can’t be opened.】
【I want to bask in the sun, but that human who fell into the water came again, making it so this old man can’t even stretch his limbs.】
【She even brought a skinny little boy.】
【Definitely wants to catch fish to nourish his body.】
【Later I’ll tell everyone not to fall for it.】
【Sigh, the little boy’s body is very weak. If my owner were still alive, it would be great.】
Lu Qiaoge didn’t hear them chatting about the steel billet at the lake bottom; it must be commonplace and not a topic anymore.
But she knew there were a few iron boxes in the reeds to the east, with sparkling things inside.
Silver coins or some other good things?
Lu Qiaoge suppressed her eager heart; she could only go check after the steel billet at the lake bottom was salvaged.
Also, the one wanting to bask in the sun was the old turtle, actually over a hundred years old, whose previous owner was an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor…
