Chapter 98

On October 3rd, the short-distance bus service between the county and the town was launched.

The first driver from the town was Mr. Song.

As Mr. Song drove the bus closer, he could see many people waiting at the station, and there was even a gong and drum team. When they saw his bus, the drums started beating, the cymbals clashed, and the wind instruments played.

The waiting passengers cheered, “It’s here, it’s here, the real bus is here!”

It was lively, like welcoming a relative.

Mr. Song: “…”

He parked the bus at the station, and as soon as the door opened, someone came up and led him down.

A red ribbon was draped over his shoulders, and a big red flower was pinned on him. Someone who looked like a cadre shook his hand vigorously, saying, “Are you Mr. Song?”

Mr. Song was bewildered, “Yes, yes!”

“Oh, we’ve been waiting for this bus for a long time. It was sudden to hear that it’s been launched. We didn’t have much time to prepare. Mr. Song, this is a token of appreciation from our town government. Please don’t mind.”

A ham, a bag of rice, a bottle of oil, and two pairs of work gloves.

It was not shabby at all; it was very generous for a driver.

And it was like it fell from the sky.

Mr. Song hugged the items, knowing they were for him, and his mouth stretched from ear to ear.

As for the demands raised by the town, Mr. Song reassured, “As long as a driver surnamed Song is driving, the bus will never be late. Rain or shine, everyone can check the time and won’t have to freeze outside!”

Qiao Wei, holding Yan Xiang, secretly enjoyed the scene behind the drum team.

Switching to taking the bus to work meant her commuting time was now the same as everyone else’s in the county.

Overall, considering the harsh winter weather with wind, rain, and snow, switching to the bus reduced the difficulty of her commute and improved its quality.

Especially after the bus entered the county, it would stop at the county government’s gate, so getting off the bus almost required no walking. Leaving work meant walking out and immediately boarding the bus.

After the festival, there were only two days of work before Sunday.

Although only one day off was given for the festival, without needing to take compensatory leave or working continuously for a long time, Qiao Wei especially hoped that those in charge of holiday planning in the future could see how their predecessors did it.

On Sunday, Mr. Lu, the director of the supply and marketing cooperative and also Lu Manman’s father, led Lu Manman, carrying a bunch of things, to visit.

Lu Manman’s blind date was a success.

She was now seeing the platoon leader introduced by Yan Lei.

Yan Lei was not only the matchmaker but also the superior of the man. Director Lu brought Lu Manman to visit.

The two men sat in the yard, smoking and chatting.

“After introducing so many people, when I saw Xiao Li, I knew Captain Yan, you were really serious,” Director Lu sighed. “Originally, Man’s mother wasn’t keen on finding someone in the military, but when she saw Xiao Li, she nodded her head like a chicken pecking at rice.”

Li, the platoon leader, was talented and had a generous demeanor. Although he was from a rural background and had only completed primary school, he was very proactive in the army, displaying a masculine and hearty manner.

Manman’s mother was immediately taken with him!

So, the preference for good looks wasn’t just a random trait; it must have been inherited from someone.

Director Lu, who came from a purchasing background at the supply and marketing cooperative and had traveled extensively, had seen all kinds of people. At a glance, he could tell that this young man had a bright future ahead.

When he learned that there were several older brothers in his family, according to custom, the eldest son’s family would be taken care of, so Li, the platoon leader, wouldn’t have to take on those responsibilities in the future. Manman wouldn’t have to serve her mother-in-law.

He was paid at Level 20, which was 72 yuan a month. It was almost equivalent to two and a half months’ salary for an ordinary worker. He voluntarily confessed that he would send ten yuan home every month.

This way, he would have 62 yuan to spend as he pleased.

Director Lu was satisfied with this allocation ratio.

Turning to look at the two women, they were just giggling foolishly at the young man.

The more Manman’s mother looked at him, the more she liked him. If she had found such a handsome man back in her day, her daughter’s face would have been even more beautiful.

But it didn’t matter; with such a son-in-law, her grandchildren would be good-looking in the future.

When Lu Manman saw Xiao Li, she wanted to get married on the spot.

He was exactly like a young version of Captain Yan!

Exactly what she wanted!

Thanks to her sister!

Qiao Wei and Lu Manman chatted privately in the house for a while, taking the opportunity to educate her young sister on some personal hygiene knowledge.

Lu Manman blushed and nodded repeatedly, “Okay, I got it, mm-hmm!”

They only went out when they heard Director Lu calling for Manman outside the room.

Outside, Director Lu held Yan Lei’s hand with both hands and said, “Brother Yan, I’ll leave it to you!”

Yan Lei said, “Don’t be polite.”

Director Lu called his daughter, “Let’s go home, quickly!”

He seemed a bit anxious.

Qiao Wei politely pretended to delay their departure as guests, but they didn’t stay, rushing off in a hurry.

Qiao Wei asked, “What’s going on?”

Yan Lei said, “I suggested they get married this month. He’s going home to discuss it with Little Lu’s mother.”

Qiao Wei exclaimed, “Huh?”

She was a bit bewildered. “They only just met a few days ago?”

Yan Lei glanced at her. “We got married a week after we met.”

Qiao Wei paused.

Indeed, they did.

After their blind date, they gave their answer in three days, and once it was confirmed, he took a leave of absence and they went to register their marriage and take photos.

Usually, after a blind date leading to marriage, there would be a few months’ time given. Mainly because the bride needed time to prepare a dowry, make new clothes, sew beddings, and so on, which took time. The groom would tidy up the new home, prepare furniture, and it was considered decent to have “36 pairs of legs” (meaning everything necessary) before getting married.

But for someone like Qiao Wei, who was alone and had no family left to provide her dowry, it was different.

Especially since her family’s house was in the workers’ compound, and she had no property rights to the house. Although the whole family used to live there, it was actually the property of the factory. If she could take over her father’s job, she could continue to live there, and the factory wouldn’t take it back.

But since she couldn’t do the job, the factory had talked to her.

If she couldn’t do the job, she couldn’t live in the house either.

It was fine for three generations of the family to live there before, but now that she, a non-worker, occupied it alone, with so many people queuing up to apply for houses, who could tolerate her occupying several rooms alone?

Qiao Wei chose marriage. After a week of being matched, they got their marriage certificate and packed their bags, and her new husband picked her up from Lin City and brought her to Xiahekou Town.

Qiao Wei reviewed this memory for a moment, paused, and said, “But still, we shouldn’t meddle in other people’s affairs.”

Yan Lei hesitated for a moment.

Qiao Wei noticed and asked, “Is there something going on?”

Yan Lei looked at Qiao Wei’s expression and said cautiously, “There’s going to be an empty house in the compound soon. It’s the one… that’s being vacated… Not many people know yet. If Xiao Li can get married this month, I can help him out…”

The houses were limited, and the company commander involved in the leak would definitely be sent home packing. His house would become vacant. Not many people knew about it yet. Taking action now, Yan Lei was confident he could secure it.

Opportunities like this were rare.

If they missed this one, and if Captain Li and Lu Manman were to apply, they would only have the old houses in the old district left.

“Marrying for the sake of a house…” Qiao Wei felt a mix of emotions.

It sounded somewhat pitiful. But that was how life was. The objective conditions were just like that.

One couldn’t compare it to the requirements for love and marriage in a prosperous society in the future.

“Well, we’re just making a suggestion anyway,” she said. “Ultimately, whether to marry or not is up to them.”

“Yeah, in the end, it’s their decision,” Yan Lei said cheerfully. “We’re just making a suggestion.”

Hearing this, Qiao Wei felt a bit relieved.

After all, you couldn’t decide other people’s major life events.

But she glanced at Yan Lei sideways. “Why were you so nervous just now?”

Captain Yan tensed up. “Nervous? Why would I be nervous?”

Qiao Wei rolled her eyes at him.

“If we’ve already given up the house and done good deeds, then we should see it through to the end. We can’t give up halfway; we need to see things through. Otherwise, all the effort we put in before will be wasted,” she turned and walked back into the house, “You can rest assured, I’m quite comfortable living in this house now, and I don’t want to move.”

Captain Yan followed behind, saying very sycophantically, “Yes, I know you’re enlightened.”

He was laying it on thick.

Qiao Wei couldn’t bring herself to compare her enlightenment to that of the people of this era.

In the face of good things, she would definitely fight for herself.

But Yan Lei had already established himself as an enlightened person. No, he really was enlightened, not just putting on a show. But from Qiao Wei’s perspective, since the actual benefits had already been given up, the persona had been established, and in the long run, this would definitely be politically correct for his career.

There was no need to ruin all the previous efforts for a brick house.

In the courtyard, each family didn’t have its own toilet; they used a shared public one. They were all dry toilets, with no difference between them. If you had to go to the bathroom at night, you had to go outside, which was less convenient than having a private dry toilet in your own yard.

Tap water also didn’t enter the households; it was in the public area, and it wasn’t as convenient as having a hand-operated well on your own property.

But if tap water could enter the households, Qiao Wei might consider it. But under the current circumstances, there was no need. Absolutely no need.

She was still thinking about Lu Manman’s situation. “Would they really get married so soon?”

Introducing someone is one thing, but having them apply for a marriage certificate three days after they meet is another thing altogether.

The pressure was quite high.

As they walked,Director Lu told Lu Manman about what Yan Lei had said earlier. “Don’t go spreading it around. No one knows about this house now. If you go blabbing about it, and it gets out, someone else might snatch it, and then you’ll have nowhere to cry.”

Lu Manman’s face flushed, and her head felt dizzy. “Are we… really getting married?”

Director Lu said, “Once you miss it, it’s gone. In the compound, those are red brick houses with big tiles. As soon as you have a child, you can throw them over there, and it won’t interfere with you earning a salary. There won’t be anything more convenient than this.”

Lu Manman stammered, “B-but, do I… do I have to discuss it with Li Aiguo first? What if… what if he doesn’t want to get married so soon?”

Director Lu laughed at the silly girl and said, “He doesn’t want to? If you tell him about this, he’ll want to even more than anyone else.”

Introduced by a leader, the daughter of the supply and marketing director, she was not ugly, she was a radio broadcaster at the town committee radio station. If they got married right away, the leader would help him with the house.

If Li Aiguo wasn’t stupid, he’d want to get married overnight.

“I didn’t expect…” Director Lu sighed as he walked with his hands behind his back. “Captain Yan’s own house is like this…”

The topic changed, and Lu Manman regained her composure, saying, “I didn’t expect it either.”

Qiao Wei, who knew how to take care of herself, was a neat person. Before Lu Manman went, she had imagined that Qiao Wei’s home must be quite grand. But the result… a yellow mud brick house?

Indeed, she had heard that the houses in the old housing area were not that good.

It was said that when the new compound was completed, there were many people fighting openly and secretly, using connections to get through back doors, and complaining to leaders to gain sympathy… The people in the town enjoyed the show.

But she really didn’t expect the houses in the old area to be like this.

Lu Manman felt a bit sad for her sister Qiao Wei.

“Then… let’s not apply,” she said, “Since there’s a house available, let’s leave it to them.”

“Don’t be silly,” Director Lu said, “Since Captain Yan told us about this, he won’t apply for it himself.”

Indeed, the appearance of the yellow mud house was a bit sad, but Director Lu had keen eyes. The yard was neatly arranged, and the house was clean and tidy with white walls and full of furniture and household items. Although the exterior of the house looked simple, it was clear that they lived comfortably.

“Since he’s become such a high-ranking cadre at such a young age, don’t you think he knows what he’s doing?”

“Just accept this favor graciously.”