Chapter 73: Dare To Cause Trouble? Smack ’em Dead
Days got better and better. With the second daughter being so promising, Meng Xia walked with a spring in her step.
She no longer worried about her youngest son. She exhorted him to stay home and keep Grandmother company, not to make paper boxes, to listen to Second Sister, and to study his textbook well.
She also exhorted Su Hui: “You’re already doing great by cooking. Don’t do any other chores. Leave the clothes for Zhi Guo to wash when he gets back. Don’t tire yourself out, got it?”
Although Mother-in-law said this for her own good, she didn’t need to go out for odd jobs now. Just making lunch and dinner was nothing compared to farm work—really not tiring. She could wash clothes too, but Su Hui happily agreed anyway.
Old Lu exhorted Lu Qiaoge: “This market day is your service station’s responsibility to maintain order, but be careful. Make sure there are no arguments or disturbances.”
Lu Qiaoge: “When the market opens, I’ll announce the basic rules of transaction. As long as everyone stays within the designated boundaries, there won’t be any problems.”
For the first market day, she wouldn’t allow any problems either.
Anyone daring to cause trouble would get swatted!
Lu Qiaoling finished helping clear the bowls and chopsticks and said, “Second Sister, I’m off to night school to work. Wait for you at the meeting.”
“Tell everyone to take a rest if it’s too hot.”
After exhorting Lu Qiaoling, Lu Qiaoge was tugged by the calico cat: 【Meow meow meow, I want to eat fish, I want to eat fish… I haven’t had fish for days. Little Master, don’t go to work, take me to catch fish.】
Lu Qiaoge stroked the furry kid’s head. Before she could finish soothing it, Naughty Swallow brought breakfast for his wife from outside, fed her the bugs, then circled around Lu Qiaoge.
【Old Turtle asked me to tell you, if you don’t go see it again, it’ll move away.】
Lu Qiaoge puzzledly asked Naughty Swallow in her mind: “Where does it say it’s moving to?”
Not afraid of getting caught midway and thrown into a pot to stew.
Naughty Swallow giggled, flying around Lu Qiaoge.
【It says it’s going to see the sea!】
Lu Qiaoge smiled, her eyes curving.
Old Turtle had some ideals.
Old Mrs. Lu, fanning herself, squinted her eyes. The swallow that moved in midway wasn’t shy at all, even daring to land on the dining table.
And her second granddaughter seemed especially popular with small animals.
This was a sign of prosperity. But she couldn’t tell anyone—better to keep it to herself, or it wouldn’t work if spoken aloud.
Lu Qiaoge looked at Hua Hua jumping around wanting fish and felt she should go catch some for it.
And Old Turtle and Big Carp who got White Water Bamboo for Xiao Si, and the three big grass carp who diligently herded fish for her every visit.
Time to go see them.
She could understand them speaking, and she was used to it, but for these little creatures, cross-species talk was like meeting an immortal.
So Lu Qiaoge simply decided to go pick up the bicycle at the department store right now.
Of course, she first walked to the neighborhood committee to ask Deputy Director Huang for leave.
Old Huang cheerfully gave her the morning off.
Lu Qiaoge hurried straight to the department store.
Thinking that she’d be riding the bicycle back soon, she didn’t shoo away the calico cat that had sneaked after her.
Soon, girl and cat arrived at the staff department store of the military factory.
She told the calico cat to wait outside, preferably in a safe spot—this vicinity had lots of naughty kids.
The bicycle ticket from Qin Hengzhi was an internal military ticket. Lu Qiaoge had already inquired ahead: a Phoenix bicycle was ninety yuan after discount to pick up.
After buying the bicycle, she’d have ten yuan left.
Don’t underestimate ten yuan—its purchasing power was considerable.
Lu Qiaoge stood at the bicycle counter, beaming at the salesperson: “Comrade, I want that Phoenix bicycle.”
She pointed at the shiny black bicycle, her voice full of joy.
Bicycle models weren’t many at the time, and stock was limited—all planned supply.
But quality was no worry; each one was top-notch.
Though that Phoenix was a 28-inch bar, her long legs made it no issue.
The female salesperson behind the counter was using a matchstick to line her brows in a small mirror. Hearing this, she lifted her eyelids and glanced at her: “Do you have a bicycle ticket?”
“Of course,” Lu Qiaoge glanced at the salesperson, pulled a wallet from her army-green shoulder bag, and showed the bicycle ticket.
The salesperson set down the mirror, leisurely flipping the bicycle ticket over and over, then looked up at Lu Qiaoge. Suddenly she felt familiar—hey, wasn’t this Lu Qiaoge from Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee?
Heard she was formidable—best not to mess with her, just like Duan Xiaoxiang. No good end if she targeted you.
Of course, Duan Xiaoxiang brought it on herself.
Truth be told, since she started work, Sister Duan had always been good to her.
She clutched the bicycle ticket. This was an internal ticket—was it a factory reward for her?
Yeah, merit earned, so definitely a reward.
The salesperson suddenly frowned and said very politely: “Comrade, really sorry, no stock in the warehouse right now. And the bicycle you pointed at was already reserved.”
The salesperson put the bicycle ticket on the counter and asked Lu Qiaoge: “How about coming back next month?”
Lu Qiaoge gave the salesperson a half-smile. She’d overlooked this era’s quirks.
The salesperson might be making things hard for her. There was stock in the bicycle warehouse, but it required backdoor connections.
Or maybe there really was none.
But this sold out too fast.
If no one inside the department store, did that mean she’d never get a bicycle?
Lu Qiaoge glanced at the salesperson and turned to leave.
No point wasting words with her.
She’d just check the warehouse herself.
She knew where the department store warehouse was—once followed Old Meng for a day of temporary work.
Lu Qiaoge went around back. The backyard had a large iron gate, closed at the moment.
There was a guard room at the doorway, but no one inside.
Lu Qiaoge gripped the iron railings of the large iron gate and peered inside.
The calico cat had followed early, excitedly meowing: 【I’ll check the warehouse. Little Master, you don’t move—wait for my good news.】
And at that moment, several thin mouse voices came from inside.
Not just now—even in the future, mice were everywhere.
Let alone these ten big warehouses side by side.
【Don’t eat it. The biscuits have rat poison. You’ll die if you eat them.】
【Squeak squeak squeak, Brother, it bit me. It doesn’t understand me and thinks I’m fighting it for biscuits. Why?】
【It’s just an ordinary mouse. Of course it doesn’t understand our language.】
【But aren’t we on the same side?】
【Humans are on the same side too, but don’t they also divide into men, women, old, young, and all grades?】
【Brother, you’re so smart. If you went to school, you might even get into university.】
This was Rat Two’s adoring little voice.
Lu Qiaoge smiled. She’d run into familiar mice.
Had to say, Rat Big was top-tier smart among mice.
She shouted in her mind: “Rat Big, Rat Two!”
And at that moment, a familiar voice also rang out from behind.
“Comrade Lu!”
Lu Qiaoge whipped around and saw a tall young officer standing by a jeep on the opposite roadside.
Heh, what a coincidence.
