Chapter 9

The next day, Zhao Zhazha was to be sent to the water dungeon, and Qiao Xiazhi naturally would not miss the scene of him being taken away.

However, in order to avoid causing unnecessary trouble, she just glanced at the crowd quietly.

Zhao Zhazha was detained in the police station for a few days. He had an untidy beard and looked extremely haggard.

However, Qiao Xiazhi did not sympathize with him at all. On the contrary, he felt very happy.

He deserved his fate. She was just doing justice and eliminating the scourge for the country.

“Grandma, we have finished our work here. If there is nothing else, we will go back in the afternoon.”

After watching Zhao Zhazha being taken away in the morning, Qiao Xiazhi went to the police station and made a simple statement.

When Qiao Xiazhi returned home for lunch at noon, he prepared to say goodbye to the old man.

Hearing this, Grandma Jiang looked reluctant and said, “Why are you leaving so soon? Didn’t you say you wanted to stay here for a few more days?”

Qiao Daguo smiled and said, “Grandma, we have been out for three days. When we first came out, we told our family that we would only be out for two days. We should have gone back yesterday, but because of something else, we were delayed for a day. We must go back today. There are still many things waiting for us at home.”

Grandma Jiang was still not giving up, so she said, “Then come back early tomorrow morning. Let Yun Chen take you back in person tomorrow. Let him take you out for a walk in the afternoon and buy some things for your family.”

Qiao Xiazhi quickly refused, “Grandma, no need. There is everything in the countryside. And I already bought a lot of things yesterday.”

Grandma Jiang: “What you have is yours. We buy it out of our hearts. Be obedient, or I’ll be angry.”

“Let’s go back tomorrow. I have to go out tomorrow, so I can take you back. I have nothing to do in the afternoon, so I can take you for a walk and buy some things. After all, we have come to the city, so how can we go back empty-handed?” Jiang Yunchen said.

Hearing that her grandson had grown up, Grandma Jiang said happily, “That’s right.”

“Yun Chen, when the time comes, you can buy some good things for Xia Zhi’s family, especially the grandparents, parents, and grandpa. You can buy some cigarettes and alcohol for grandpa and dad, and buy two cans of malted milk for grandma and mom. It’s nutritious.”

Qiao Xiazhi: “Grandma, it’s really not necessary. There’s no need for rural elderly people to drink these. Grandpa at home can make wine himself, so there’s no need to waste that money.”

Although Qiao Xiazhi usually didn’t care about those jokes with her grandmother, she was never the kind of person who took advantage of others. She didn’t get angry about those jokes because she felt sorry for her grandmother, not because she wanted to curry favor with them or for Jiang Yunchen.

And now she is capable of making money herself.

“Grandma just said that what belongs to you is yours, and what belongs to me and Yunchen is mys. When I feel better, I will bring Yunchen to your house and ask him to marry you as soon as possible.”

After hearing what grandma said, Qiao Xiazhi had no choice but to agree: “Then grandma, you must get well soon. Otherwise, I will marry someone else.”

“Okay, okay, grandma, I will get better soon. You must promise me that you will wait for me.” Grandma Jiang agreed with a smile.

“Wait, wait, wait. I’ll go back tomorrow morning. Grandma, eat more. The more you eat, the better you will be.” Qiao Xiazhi said as he picked up a piece of tender tofu for grandma. As the tofu passed through his hands, a special power was silently injected into the tofu.

As Grandma Jiang ate the tofu, the supernatural power began to work in her body.

After a few days, grandma no longer had tears in her eyes so easily, and her eyes could see more clearly.

Qiao Xiazhi didn’t dare to be too harsh, as if the recovery was too obvious it would easily arouse suspicion.

Although she will be going back tomorrow, she has already tampered with grandma’s eye drops. As long as grandma insists on using the drops to clean her eyes every day, it will gradually be effective.

In the afternoon, Jiang Yunchen took Qiao Xiazhi and Qiao Daguo to the department store.

During the few days he’s been here, Qiao Xiazhi has not been to the department store except for going to the black market.

In this fictional 1970s, department stores were also very prosperous, and the Internet had not yet emerged at that time. People’s daily needs were all met by going out to buy, so the streets and alleys, especially the department stores, were very bustling.

Jiang Yunchen started to buy according to grandma’s request. Qiao Xiazhi stopped him and said, “You really want to buy it? I only agreed to buy it to reassure grandma. When grandma recovers, she might have forgotten me.”

Jiang Yunchen: “No, although grandma is not in good health, she will definitely not forget you.”

Qiao Xiazhi: “Even if you won’t forget, when grandma is well again, you can tell her the truth. I believe she will understand when you tell her the truth. There’s no need to spend money.”

Jiang Yunchen: “Since it’s a matter for the future, let’s talk about it later.”

“We just met, and you’re so considerate of grandma’s health. As a thank you, it’s only right that I buy something for your family.”

Qiao Xiazhi: “My elder brother and I have been staying at your house for three days, so let’s call it even.”

“These things are extremely expensive. Even if you buy them, my grandparents and my parents may not be willing to eat them. It will be such a waste if they expire.”

Jiang Yunchen: “No, I believe they won’t be reluctant to eat it until it expires.”

“Besides, I bought it as a token of my love, not as a gift to you. It’s not up to you to decide whether to accept it or not.”

After Jiang Yunchen finished speaking, he called the salesperson over and began to tell the store what he wanted to buy: “Please help me get two packs of Double Happiness, two bottles of Moutai, two cans of malted milk, and two packs of Little White Rabbit candies.”

Hearing Jiang Yunchen counting the money without paying, Qiao Xiazhi widened his eyes and said, “You are crazy!!”

After that, she apologized to the salesperson, “I’m sorry, please wait a moment, let’s discuss it first.”

Qiao Xiazhi motioned Jiang Yunchen to go to the side and talk. When the three of them came to a place with few people, Qiao Xiazhi lowered his voice and said:

“If you insist on buying it, I won’t stop you, but it’s too expensive. I absolutely don’t agree, otherwise I won’t let you send us back.”

“No one’s money comes from the wind. Your money was earned with your life.”

“Listen to me, just show your appreciation. Just bring a bundle of tobacco, a stack of cigarette papers, and two bottles of Erguotou.”

Seeing that Qiao Xiazhi was serious, Jiang Yunchen no longer insisted. Other girls would want to move their family there when they returned to their parents’ home, but she felt sorry for him risking his life to make money.

Jiang Yunchen felt warm in his heart, “Then listen to you, we will buy some good ones next time we come to your house formally.”

Seeing that he was obedient, Qiao Xiazhi didn’t say anything more.

She didn’t take his words about visiting her formally next time seriously.

Who can predict what will happen today or tomorrow?

Afterwards, Jiang Yunchen obediently listened to Qiao Xiazhi’s words and bought him two packs of ordinary cigarettes, two packets of malted milk, and two packets of milk candy.

When he was ready to pay, Qiao Xiazhi asked the salesperson to deliver two more boxes of matches.

If you buy so many things, especially two packs of cigarettes, you will usually get matches as a gift.

The salesperson thought Qiao Xiazhi had blocked her from a big business deal and felt it was not fair, so she did not offer to give it as a gift. It was only after Qiao Xiazhi asked that she gave it to him.

After shopping, they wandered around the department store for a while.

“I’m going to the toilet. Why don’t you two go out and wait for me at the door? I’ll be there in a minute.” Qiao Xiazhi said.

Jiang Yunchen didn’t think much about it at the time. He nodded, and went downstairs with Qiao Daguo.

Qiao Xiazhi watched the two of them go downstairs. After she went to the toilet, she turned a corner and when she reappeared, she had two more cans of milk powder in her hands.

“Why did you buy milk powder?” Qiao Daguo knew that his sister still had some money, but he didn’t expect her to buy milk powder.

Qiao Xiazhi directly replied: “I want you to mind your own business.”

Qiao Daguo immediately shut up.

Jiang Yunchen said, “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to buy milk powder? Why didn’t you buy them all at once?”

“I bought it for my grandma. Let’s go home.”

I bought it for my grandma. I’m leaving and going home. Jiang Yunchen’s heart was beating fast.

It was just a casual remark, but he regarded it as the most beautiful and gentle words in the world.

When Qiao Daguo, who was standing by, saw this scene, he felt bitter inside. It seemed that he was redundant.

Although his sister has changed now, but not much, and is still as mean to him as before.

Look at how she treated Jiang Yunchen, she has never been mean to him.

However, it would be nice if Deputy Captain Jiang could really become his brother-in-law.

He has good conditions, good looks, and most importantly, he is not stingy. He seems to be pretty good to his sister. Although they have only been together for a few days, he is a million times better than that scumbag Zhao in every aspect.

Qiao Daguo didn’t act like a light bulb. He walked a little ahead of the two of them, holding the milk powder and secretly eavesdropping on their conversation.

It seems like his sister never has a dull moment and always has various topics to talk about along the way.

She can even chat enthusiastically with others about trivial matters in the countryside.

What with going up the mountain to pick bird eggs and going down to the river to catch fish and shrimps? A girl like her is not afraid that the men around her will despise her for not being gentle at all.

But what Qiao Daguo didn’t know was that Jiang Yunchen listened to what Qiao Xiazhi said very seriously, and the corners of his mouth were always raised.

It was just a short journey home, but in the past ten years or so, the corners of his mouth had probably never been raised as many times or for as long as this time.

It seemed that he rarely smiled since his parents died when he was ten years old. He always had a grim face and gave people a very serious feeling.

Therefore, in the army, his soldiers privately called him “Thousand-year Ice” because it could neither be warmed up nor melted.

In fact, he had also stolen bird eggs before, but before Qiao Xiazhi met him, he never thought it was interesting. At that time, he just did it to fill his stomach.

It’s the same with fishing in the river. The purpose is to fill the stomach, so I never think there is anything fun about these things.

Now that he heard her say that, he felt that the process of many things could also be a kind of pleasure.

“We’re home.” Qiao Daguo, who was in front, didn’t want to disturb the conversation of the two people behind him, but he couldn’t stand outside the house with them all the time, so he could only shout at the door, then pushed open the gate and walked in.

Jiang Yunchen then looked up and realized how he got home so quickly.