Chapter 22: “keep Dawdling”
Gu Chenghuai didn’t rush back to the dormitory, but went to the family committee and found the Director of the Women’s Committee.
The Director of the Women’s Committee was Qian Guiying, over fifty years old, a real iron lady, more capable than men.
Qian Guiying also had a special identity; she was the wife of the highest leader in the military region.
This wasn’t strange; not just anyone could be the women’s director in the military region.
The family members who came to accompany the army had husbands who were at least at the battalion level. These people had varying levels of education, different personalities, and came from all over the country. Without some means, one couldn’t keep them in check.
Qian Guiying was very surprised by Gu Chenghuai’s visit.
She had only seen Gu Chenghuai at her home; this was her workplace, and the people who came here were usually because of compound disputes. What was he here for?
Soldiers valued quick decisions. After exchanging polite greetings, Gu Chenghuai mentioned the matter he had just heard about.
The smile on Qian Guiying’s face disappeared instantly.
There was such a thing?
“I know about this matter,” she said seriously. “We will investigate. If the investigation results are really as you said, I will handle it according to the rules.”
“Then I’ll trouble you,” Gu Chenghuai thanked her.
Qian Guiying often heard her husband praise how excellent the young man in front of her was. Her original impression of Gu Chenghuai was that of a sharp knife, but now looking at him, his image became more three-dimensional and vivid.
He was not only the military region’s sharp knife, but also a girl’s husband and the father of several children.
“No need to thank me. It shouldn’t have been you who came to me; it was my negligence at work,” Qian Guiying said, her voice full of apology.
“You’re too serious,” Gu Chenghuai replied.
Some people in the family building were each difficult in their own ways. Even though he didn’t live there, he had heard a little about it, and they were much harder to manage than the soldiers under his command.
Qian Guiying thought of something and asked, “Are you planning to bring your wife and children to accompany the army?”
“It depends on what my wife thinks,” Gu Chenghuai said.
His expression and tone were no different from usual, but Qian Guiying still heard the indulgence in the young man’s words.
“You discuss it with your wife. Being separated for so long doesn’t seem like husband and wife. If you have the idea, you need to apply for a house in advance.”
Gu Chenghuai nodded. “Mm.”
In the short term, Zhaozhao probably didn’t have the idea of accompanying the army; he would grind her down when he got back.
He was a man with a wife and didn’t want to sleep in a cold dormitory either.
These thoughts were unknown to anyone, all hidden on that indifferent but truly handsome face.
–
Lin Zhao took the two cubs out of the post office.
Er Zai suddenly slapped his forehead and said annoyedly, “Ah, I forgot to ask Dad for the bicycle ticket!!”
“No rush, mention it next time.” Lin Zhao knew how hard it was to get a bicycle ticket. A classmate of hers had wanted to buy a bicycle and couldn’t get a ticket; she waited three years without success, and she didn’t know if she had bought one now.
“Okay.” Er Zai still felt it was a pity.
He was an optimistic cub; he regretted it for less than a minute before throwing the matter to the back of his mind.
After walking a bit, Da Zai asked, “Mom, where are we going now?”
“First to the county government building. I need to find your dad’s comrade to ask about something.” Lin Zhao smiled and replied, “Watching the movie will be a bit later, okay?”
“Okay! Mom’s business is important!” Da Zai said.
Er Zai thought of his dad’s words and turned to look at Lin Zhao. His black-and-white eyes were full of eager light. “Mom, are you going to ask about work?”
“Yes.” Lin Zhao felt a bit sweet inside. “Your dad helped find it.”
Heaven knew that when she was angry, she wrote randomly without any expectation. She knew better than anyone how hard it was to find work.
Especially the kind of work she wanted had to be decent and easy. She didn’t want to do workshop work; she heard it was noisy there, hot like a steamer in summer, stuffy in winter. She couldn’t stand that hardship.
Unexpectedly, the cubs’ dad found her such a good job as a salesperson. As expected of her man; he had the ability!
She hadn’t had the nerve to say it on the phone just now; she would write a letter praising him when she got back!!
“Mom’s going to be a salesperson?!?!” Da Zai asked excitedly.
Countryside kids all knew what it meant to be a worker.
Lin Zhao was also excited, trying to stay calm, but her mouth kept curving up. “Not certain yet, but probably eighty or ninety percent.”
A salesperson job! She hadn’t even dared to think about it before!
Da Zai didn’t understand the second half of what Mom said, but he understood the first half.
Mom meant she couldn’t guarantee it.
“Mom will definitely be a salesperson!” he said seriously.
Er Zai nodded like pounding garlic. “Grandma said Dad is an excellent soldier. Brave warriors don’t lie. If Dad says there is, there is!”
Lin Zhao believed it too.
She just felt dazed.
The first reaction when a dream came true was daze, right?
“I’ll borrow your good words.”
The mother and sons walked lightly and quickly arrived at the entrance of the county government building.
It was called a building, but it was just a three-story red brick house.
It wouldn’t stand out in the future, but now… it was definitely eye-catching.
Lin Zhao told the doorman whom she was looking for, and the doorman went to call.
Hearing someone was looking for him, Yang Junzhi immediately guessed who it was and went downstairs without delay.
Seeing Lin Zhao and Da Zai and Er Zai, his gaze paused.
Chenghuai’s sons were already this big?
“Are you Director Yang? I’m Gu Chenghuai’s wife, Lin Zhao,” Lin Zhao said proactively.
Da Zai and Er Zai obediently called out, “Uncle Yang.”
Both knew this was their dad’s comrade. In a little friend’s heart, comrade meant good brother, like him and Tie Chui.
“I know you, Da Zai and Er Zai.”
Er Zai’s eyes widened, grinning as he asked, “Did Dad talk about me?”
“Yes, your dad said he has a clever Er Zai and a steady, sensible Da Zai even at a young age.”
One sentence made the two little friends beam with joy.
Yang Junzhi took them to his office.
He got cups and poured tea, then took out some candy for Da Zai and Er Zai. “Here, eat candy.”
The two little brothers didn’t take it but looked at Lin Zhao. Only after she nodded did they take the candy, smiling and thanking him: “Thank you, Uncle Yang.”
Yang Junzhi was also married but had no children yet; he was at the age of envying other people’s kids. Seeing the two little friends so obedient and clever, he felt even more fondness.
“Really sensible,” he said.
He hoped his children would be like the two cubs in the future.
“Younger brother’s wife, Chenghuai told you, right? About the supply and marketing cooperative,” Yang Junzhi said to Lin Zhao.
“Yes, this matter troubles you,” Lin Zhao said gratefully.
“You’re too polite, younger brother’s wife. Chenghuai and I have years of friendship. It just happened to have a spot available; otherwise, I wouldn’t dare guarantee it. Besides, I didn’t lose out; I even earned one hundred yuan.” Afraid his comrade hadn’t discussed it fully with his wife and given him extra money, Yang Junzhi said it in a joking tone.
The extra money, he had given to his brother-in-law, only asking him to take good care of his comrade’s wife.
“It should be. Work is hard to come by; I can’t let you work for nothing,” Lin Zhao said sincerely.
Yang Junzhi could naturally see her sincerity and thought his comrade had good taste.
No wonder he didn’t fancy the female soldiers from the cultural troupe introduced by the troop leaders. It turned out he liked this type—suitable and complementary to him. They would surely live harmoniously in the future.
“Younger brother’s wife, the work matter is basically settled. Like this: tomorrow morning, I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative. Bring the brigade’s letter of introduction. After the exam…” Afraid Lin Zhao would be nervous, he added: “The exam is just a formality. You’re a high school student; no need to worry. After going through the process, I’ll take you to transfer the grain registration, and the matter is done.”
Lin Zhao got the quasi-confirmation, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
“Thank you.”
Yang Yunzhi remembered another thing his comrade had entrusted and said, “Right, the brick and tile coupon is also gotten. So many bricks would be hard for you to handle. I found a friend from the transportation team to help deliver them then.”
With this connection, Lin Zhao certainly wouldn’t pretentiously refuse.
“I was just worrying about how to transport them. This really troubles you! When the cubs’ dad comes back, we’ll invite you and that comrade from the transportation team to a meal.”
Yang Yunzhi didn’t stand on ceremony. “Okay.”
After finishing the main business, he saw Lin Zhao and her three sons off the building.
After leaving the county government building, Lin Zhao could no longer hold back her excitement and said to the two cubs, “Da Zai, Er Zai, Mom’s about to have work! A salesperson at the supply and marketing cooperative.”
“When I was in school, I really envied the salespeople standing at the counter. I thought that was the best job in the world. Great, now I have one too.”
Da Zai and Er Zai were also happy for their mom.
“If I go to work, you two will have to eat at the old house, okay?” Lin Zhao asked again.
The two little brothers had only recently become close to Mom and were at the clingy stage, so they weren’t too willing, but seeing the smile on Mom’s face, they couldn’t say no.
Da Zai spoke first: “That’s fine.”
Er Zai, seeing his brother say so, also nodded: “If brother can, I can too.”
He didn’t forget to make a request: “Mom has to prepare things for me and brother like she does for San Zai and Si Zai.”
“Of course,” Lin Zhao said softly. “Just that one lunch; in the afternoon, you two still eat at our house.”
“There are rest days too. On rest days, I can bring you to the county,” she painted a picture for the two cubs.
Da Zai and Er Zai, coaxed by their mom like this, felt it was okay for Mom to go to work; they would see her in the evening.
“Great! Mom, shall we go watch the movie now?” Er Zai asked.
“Yes.”
The mother and sons went to the movie theater again.
Lin Zhao had watched a movie with Gu Chenghuai before and was somewhat familiar with the county movie theater.
The ticket window was on the street-facing wall, over a meter high from the ground, requiring three steps to reach with hands.
The window was square, two feet long and wide, with double doors, and steel bars outside the doors.
The movie theater presold tickets starting at 2 p.m. usually, and it was just past 1 p.m., but a long line had already formed in front of the ticket window.
“So many people,” Er Zai said.
Da Zai frowned worriedly: “Mom, can we buy tickets?”
“Let’s go see first.” With so many miscellaneous people here, afraid the two cubs would be taken away, Lin Zhao never let go of her sons’ hands.
She walked straight to the ticket counter and looked up, seeing a familiar face.
The ticket seller also saw her and showed surprise, poking her head out and laughing, “Zhaozhao?! Long time no see. Here to watch a movie?”
“Yes, want to bring my sons to watch one. Don’t know if we can buy tickets; quite a lot of people,” Lin Zhao said.
On such a hot day, she thought there wouldn’t be many people, but she had underestimated everyone’s enthusiasm for watching movies.
The ticket seller winked at Lin Zhao; as she turned her head, the small braid on her collarbone swayed a few times.
“Definitely can buy.”
This meant she would save tickets.
Lin Zhao smiled. “I’ll borrow your good words.”
The ticket seller saw it was too sunny outside and said, “Zhaozhao, find a shady spot first to wait. Be careful the little friends don’t get heatstroke.”
“Okay.”
Seeing she was about to get busy, Lin Zhao took her two sons away from the ticket window.
“Mom, who was that?” Er Zai was curious about everything and had to ask any questions in his belly.
“That’s Mom’s junior high classmate,” Lin Zhao replied.
When she was in school, she studied well, had a good temperament, was pretty, had good popularity, and got along well with the girls in the class.
Even though they hadn’t seen each other for years, she wouldn’t refuse to save a few tickets.
“Little Uncle is also in junior high,” Da Zai said.
“Yes, after junior high comes high school,” Lin Zhao shared useless little knowledge with her son.
Da Zai immediately declared: “I want to go to junior high and high school too later.”
Lin Zhao said, “Above high school there’s university.”
The books said the college entrance exam would resume later. By the time Da Zai and Er Zai finished high school, the college entrance exam should resume, just in time.
“If I get into university, will Mom be happy?” Da Zai asked.
“Of course she’d be happy.” Lin Zhao said subconsciously, then worried about giving her eldest son too much pressure, she changed her tone: “As long as Da Zai is an obedient cub who follows the rules, even if he doesn’t get into university, Mom will be happy for you and proud of you.”
Da Zai nodded obediently, still determined to get into university.
Er Zai wasn’t interested in this. Seeing his mom pass several shady spots without stopping, he asked, “Mom, where are we going? Not buying tickets anymore?!”
“That auntie is saving tickets for Mom. I’m going to buy her a popsicle,” Lin Zhao said.
Popsicle!!!
Er Zai’s eyes lit up instantly, and he wheedled, “Mom, brother and I want to eat too.”
“Buy,” Lin Zhao agreed immediately. As a little rich woman, she could satisfy her sons’ small requests.
“Mom is the best~” Er Zai’s voice softened a bit; a pampered child’s eyebrows danced with flowers of happiness.
Lin Zhao gauged the time and bought four popsicles: one each for Da Zai and Er Zai, one for herself, and the remaining one saved for Meizhu.
“Mom, it’s still steaming,” Da Zai said. He had never eaten a popsicle, not even seen one.
“Eat quickly; it’s hot, it’ll melt soon,” Lin Zhao took a bite first. Coolness came, as if all the body’s heat was taken away.
Er Zai was chilled and hissed, “Cold! Sweet! Mom, popsicles are so good!”
“Yes, best in summer.” Lin Zhao’s first popsicle in life was bought for her by her uncle.
She thought while biting the popsicle.
Once her work was settled, she would go to her uncle’s house.
Afraid the popsicle would melt, Lin Zhao quickened her pace with the two cubs toward the movie theater ticket window.
In just this short time, the people queuing for tickets were gone.
Ticket seller Guo Meizhu finished her work and came out.
Lin Zhao handed over the popsicle and smiled, “Bought it for you.”
“Thanks.” Guo Meizhu smiled and took it, pulling two tickets from her pocket. “Movie tickets: one for you, one for the two little friends to share.”
Generally, kids Da Zai and Er Zai’s age didn’t need tickets; they could sit with their mom. But seeing Lin Zhao with two little friends, three people on one seat would be cramped, so she simply saved two.
“You thought of everything. Thanks.” Lin Zhao gave her the money.
Guo Meizhu didn’t like back-and-forth either and took it generously, even laughing, “Got a popsicle for free. Next time I’ll treat you.”
“No problem. Without you, I would’ve broken my promise to these two boys. You helped me; treating you to a meal is only right,” Lin Zhao laughed along.
