Chapter 66 : Visiting Geng Changqing

Because she had a big meal at noon, Su Mo didn’t cook at night. She took two buns from the space and ate them for dinner.

She washed a bunch of grapes as fruit after the meal. These fruits were scarce and difficult to transport, so she had to eat them herself.

After taking care of herself, Su Mo closed the doors and windows as usual and started her knitting project.

Knitting a sweater is a delicate task. According to the book, if she knits in the morning and evening, she can probably finish it in a week. If she only knits at night, it will probably take half a month or even longer.

Su Mo planned to knit more diligently, finish the sweater as soon as possible, and send it to Lu Changzheng before the snow fell.

Anyway, there were many people going up the mountain to harvest the autumn crops during this period, so she didn’t plan to go up the mountain at this time. She would wait until after this period.

Her battery still had half power left. Based on her current usage, it could probably last about a month. However, she must fully charge the battery before the snow fell to ensure she had enough electricity for the winter.

When it was almost time to knit, Su Mo went to bed.

The next day, she got up early as usual and took care of the vegetable garden first.

Previously, when Su Mo sowed the seeds, she scattered them directly, so the vegetables grew densely in some areas.

Su Mo first reduced the burden on the radish field by pulling out some radish seedlings in densely growing areas, leaving only those with more vigorous growth, ensuring that the remaining radish seedlings had enough space to produce large radishes.

In this way, a basket full of radish sprouts was pulled out. Tender radish sprouts are delicious, perfect for boiling meat or egg soup, or even stir-frying, so they should not be wasted.

Su Mo collected part of them into the space and divided the rest into two portions, one for herself to eat at noon, and the other to send to Li Yue’e at noon.

After transferring supernatural powers to the ginseng, Su Mo sat on the kang and started knitting the sweater.

At around ten o’clock, Su Mo heard Li Yue’e calling her, “Third daughter-in-law, are you home?”

Su Mo was sitting on the kang, so she didn’t plan to go down to greet her. She leaned over the window and called out, “Mom, I’m in the room, come in.”

Li Yue’e came in carrying a bamboo basket. Seeing Su Mo knitting a sweater on the kang, she had already knitted a short section. She asked with a smile, “Is this the sweater you knitted for the Long March?”

“Yeah,” Su Mo nodded.

Li Yue’e wiped her hands on her clothes, reached out, and touched the sweater. It was surprisingly soft and comfortable. She asked in surprise, “Is this from the third brother’s family? Is this pure wool?”

Su Mo smiled and said, “Yes.”

Li Yue’e smacked her lips. Pure wool yarn was very valuable, and the third family was really willing to spend on it.

She loves men!

“Mom, what do you want from me?” Su Mo asked.

Li Yue’e sat down beside the kang, lifted the cloth covering the bamboo basket, and took out two pieces of cloth.

“This piece of plaid cloth from the third brother’s family was given to you by Xiaolan. You can make a piece of clothing for yourself. You gave her a Dacron shirt, and she was very happy. She has always remembered it.” Li Yue’e said.

“When you got married, she didn’t want to be too obviously different from her two brothers, so she didn’t send any. Now that the beautiful cloth has arrived, she immediately tore it off and asked me to bring it to you.”

Su Mo was a little surprised. She didn’t expect Lu Xiaolan to tear cloth for her to make clothes.

“Mom, we are a family, and there’s no need to be so polite. During the days I was in the hospital, Xiaolan took a special leave to take care of me. It’s nothing to send her a piece of clothing. I have plenty of clothes, so I’ll give the cloth back to Xiaolan to make her own clothes.”

Cloth coupons were very hard to come by these days. To tear off such a large piece of cloth, Lu Xiaolan must have saved up the coupons for a long time.

“If she gives it to you, just keep it. She works at the supply and marketing cooperative, and they sometimes have defective cloth to deal with. It’s easier for her to get cloth than for us,” Li Yue’e said. “Just don’t tell anyone, or the eldest and second eldest families will complain.”

Li Yue’e placed the plaid cloth on the kang for Su Mo, and took out another piece of black cloth. She said to Su Mo, “This is what your mother tore for you. Make a pair of pants for yourself, and you’ll have a new outfit.”

Su Mo quickly stopped knitting and waved her hands, saying, “Mom, I have enough clothes to wear, really. You can take it back and make one for yourself or to dad.”

Li Yue’e pressed down Su Mo’s hand and said, “You should keep this. It’s our old man’s intention. We should have given you some when you got married, but the fool Third brother didn’t even give you any cloth to make new clothes.”

Su Mo defended Lu Changzheng, “He gave me the cloth coupons, but I didn’t make any more clothes because I had too many. I bought the cloth for my cotton coat with the cloth coupons.”

Li Yue’e smiled, “That’s different. Anyway, you can keep the cloth and make yourself some new clothes when spring comes.”

Since Li Yue’e said so, Su Mo accepted it and said, “Thank you, mother and Xiaolan.”

Li Yue’e smiled and waved her hand.

“When the family was divided, the third child suffered a great loss, but there was nothing parents could do. He was the most promising one, and when he was still in the family, they had to let him down. Now that you have started your own family, parents have completed their mission for them. Now that the family is divided, you just need to live your own lives.”

Su Mo understood. In this era, people valued a big family. It was normal for the successful ones to advance, while the unsuccessful ones fell behind. Li Yue’e and her husband were already very open-minded. After everyone got married, they divided the family and allowed everyone to live their own lives.

If you encounter in-laws who want to control the financial power after marriage, life can be difficult.

Li Yue’e nodded with relief, fearing that the third sister’s family might feel uncomfortable.

“You’re a good one. Go knit the sweater. Mother is going back.”

Li Yue’e stood up, preparing to leave. Su Mo quickly got off the kang and handed the radish seedlings to Li Yue’e. Li Yue’e took them with a smile and went back.

In the afternoon, Su Mo filled a large bag with chestnuts and walnuts in a net bag and also packed some dried hazel mushrooms. She also used a sack to fill most of it with chestnuts and walnuts, and packed a large bag of hazel mushrooms. She wrote a letter, briefly describing the situation there, and stuffed it into the sack.

The items in the net bag were meant for Geng Changqing, and the items in the sack were meant to be mailed to Su Tingde.

After putting the items in the bamboo basket, Su Mo set off on her bike.

She first went to the commune post office and mailed the items to her uncle. Since the distance was far, the postage cost 1 yuan.

Then, she carried the items in the net bag and entered the commune office building.

After telling the clerk on the first floor that she was Geng Changqing’s niece and needed to discuss something with him, the clerk made a phone call, and soon a young man came down to pick her up.

“I’m Fu Ming, the secretary of the Party Committee. Secretary Geng asked me to take you upstairs,” said the young man.

Su Mo followed Fu Ming all the way to the third floor and arrived at Geng Changqing’s office.

When Su Mo entered, Geng Changqing was eating from a lunch box. The rice had already cooled and clumped together. He poured some hot water from a thermos, mixed it, and continued eating.

Seeing Su Mo looking at him in surprise, he pointed to the stool beside the table and said, “Why are you standing there like an idiot? Sit down.”

“Uncle Geng, why are you eating now?” Su Mo had purposely come in the afternoon, thinking that he wouldn’t be as busy at this time.

After all, isn’t work usually more hectic in the morning and more relaxed in the afternoon? In the original owner’s memory, that had been the case.

Geng Changqing smiled and said, “I’ve been a bit busy lately because I have to prepare for the payment of public grain.” In fact, there wasn’t a day when he wasn’t busy, and it was common for him to forget to eat.

Su Mo raised the net bag in her hand and said, “Uncle Geng, I’ve collected some mountain products recently. I brought you some to try.”

“Did you pick it up from the mountain yourself?”

Su Mo nodded.

Geng Changqing smiled, “I didn’t expect you would do this.”

Su Mo smiled and said, “We’re already in the countryside, so we should follow the local customs.”

“Okay, you picked it yourself, I must try it. Just leave it there,” Geng Changqing said, pointing to the table by the window.

Su Mo went over, placed the net bag on the table, and then returned to sit down.

Geng Changqing finished his meal in a few bites, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and then stood up to pour a glass of water for Su Mo.

“Why do you have time to come see me today?”

Su Mo smiled awkwardly, “Isn’t this the mountain products I picked up and dried? I hurried to bring them to Uncle Geng to try.”

She explained, “Uncle Geng, I didn’t know you were here. My family didn’t tell me. As soon as I got to the countryside, it was time for the autumn harvest, so I didn’t have time to come to the commune and didn’t know the leadership team here.”

Geng Changqing waved his hand, “It’s fine. Come to me if you have any problems in the future.”

Su Mo nodded.

Geng Changqing opened the drawer, took out a stack of banknotes, and handed them to Su Mo. “Here, you’ll need money for a lot of things.”

Su Mo’s eyes flashed. From what he said, it seemed that he knew she had sent gifts to her parents. She asked tentatively, “Do you know?”

Geng Changqing nodded, “Xiaomo, you did a great job. If you have any problems in the future, come to me. But you must also pay attention to your safety.”

For some things, it was indeed more convenient for Su Mo to come forward than for him.

Su Mo nodded quickly. It was good that he had made his position clear and was willing to help.

After all, according to the original owner’s memory, she hadn’t seen Uncle Geng for three or four years, and she didn’t know what his attitude was.

Geng Changqing pushed the bill forward again. “Here’s the money. When we were little, you always asked me to buy you candy. Now you’re being polite?”

Su Mo chuckled and took the money.

Oh! It’s really hard to get used to the days when everyone seems to want to give her money.