Chapter 35 : Preparing Supplies

Sun Dashu and Han Lei were already waiting there with a cart.

Since there was a lot to do today, Han Zhenyu explained to them as they walked.

“Dashu, Leizi, come back this afternoon and help me clean up the shabby house next to the homestead. My grandpa and uncle will stay there to look after things.”

He would bring back the bricks tomorrow, as well as various tools and materials for building the house, so someone needed to be there to watch over them.

Han Lei asked, “Brother, are you talking about the adobe house of Landlord Feng?”

Han Zhenyu nodded, “That’s the one. I went to check it out the day before yesterday. The wall is still good, but the roof needs fixing, and a door needs to be installed.”

“But you two will definitely not be able to finish it in time, so find someone in the village who is free and ask them to help. I’ll pay them 80 cents a day.”

“Brother Zhenyu, don’t worry about it. Leave it to us. We’ll get it done for you this afternoon,” Sun Dashu said confidently.

Han Zhenyu smiled and patted both of them on the shoulder. “Thank you, brothers. I feel relieved with your help. I’ve already informed the captain, and he agreed to let me use the house. You can just go and pack it up.”

Han Lei smiled and said, “Brother, why are you being so polite? You’ve done a lot of good things for us in the past two years. We remember it in our hearts.”

He wasn’t just saying this for the sake of saying it. When he and Sun Dashu got married, Brother Zhenyu had helped them get bed sheets, quilt covers, and kettles. Sometimes, Brother Zhenyu even helped them exchange sugar coupons and industrial vouchers. Two months ago, he even bought each of them a pair of Liberation Shoes.

Han Zhenyu smiled and said, “I exchanged those with others in the factory. I’ll be a regular employee next month, and my benefits will improve. If you need any tickets, let me know in advance so I can keep them for you.”

Han Lei and Sun Dashu exchanged confused looks. Wasn’t Brother Zhenyu selling goods? Why did he want to be a regular employee?

Han Lei hesitated for a moment and asked, “Brother, can I get a permanent job as a trader?”

Han Zhenyu glared at him and said, “What are you talking about? Who’s a trader? I’m a driver at a machinery factory. You see, I often go on long trips. That’s when I take the truck on long trips.”

“Ah, working as a driver in a machinery factory?” The two were very shocked.

Sun Dashu said, “Brother Zhenyu, why haven’t I heard you mention such a good job?” If it were them, they would have boasted about it to everyone in the surrounding villages.

Han Zhenyu feigned surprise, “I thought you two knew I was working in the city. Who knew you’d think otherwise?”

The three of them looked at each other and finally laughed.

“By the way, Brother Zhenyu, does the team leader know that you work in a machinery factory? I see you always ask him for a letter of introduction. Can’t your factory issue it?” Han Lei asked.

“The captain knows I’m learning to drive,” Han Zhenyu said evasively. “I asked him for a letter of introduction so I could go to the city. If I go to other places, I’ll get one from the factory.”

He had only worked at the machinery factory for a year, and he had used the letters of introduction from the team leader to get goods from other places.

Even if he were to go out now, he would need two letters of introduction.

Sometimes, when it was inconvenient to use a work permit, he would use a letter of introduction issued by the village.

However, once his job became regular, he could no longer get a letter of introduction from the brigade because his household registration would be moved to the machinery factory in the city.

This was also the reason he was in a rush to get the foundation approved.

If his household registration moved, it would be difficult for Su Xieqiu to get a land grant on her own.

He had once thought about moving his household registration to the machinery factory to live in the dormitory, then finding a way to get Su Xieqiu retired due to illness. They would divorce, and he would send her back to Haicheng. But she insisted on staying in the village to build a house, so Han Zhenyu had to change his plans.

The three of them walked quickly. The journey that usually took an hour only took 40 minutes today because they were in a hurry.

Sun Dashu waited outside the supply and marketing cooperative, pushing the cart, while Han Zhenyu and Han Lei went in to buy things.

They were fortunate that the last iron pot was bought by Han Zhenyu.

Then he bought bowls, chopsticks, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and various daily necessities.

The house was about to be renovated, and these things were expensive, so Han Zhenyu used all the tickets he had brought.

When looking at the grain prices, Han Lei pulled him outside and whispered, “Brother, don’t buy grain here. I’ll go to the village and buy it for you as much as you want. The price is about the same as here, and you won’t need grain coupons.”

Han Zhenyu glanced at him, smiled, and nodded, “Then buy me 100 kilograms of cornmeal, 100 kilograms of sorghum flour, 20 kilograms each of white flour and rice. If you have chickens and eggs, please help me collect some as well.”

The construction was about to start, but there was nothing at home yet.

When the house was being built, his grandpa, uncle, and great uncle would definitely have dinner there.

He needed to prepare everything before he left, otherwise, Su Xieqiu would definitely not be able to handle it all by herself.

“Okay, I’ll go ask for you tonight,” Han Lei said mysteriously. “Brother Zhenyu, my eldest brother caught a roe deer in the mountains the day before yesterday. My parents didn’t want to eat it, so they pickled it with salt and plan to sell it in two days. I think the roe deer is quite fat. Do you want one?”

Han Zhenyu immediately said, “Don’t sell it. Keep it for me. When my grandfather and uncle come, you can take the food and the roe deer to the adobe house on the other side of the foundation.”

The brigade headquarters was some distance away from the foundation, and there were people coming and going every day, so it wasn’t convenient to cook. It would be better for Su Xieqiu to cook over at the house being built.

“Okay, I’ll go back and tell my parents and ask them to keep it for you,” Han Lei said.

Han Zhenyu reminded him with a smile, “Count the money, and I’ll give you the money for food in the evening.”

“Brother, why are you in such a hurry? Let’s wait until the grain is harvested,” Han Lei said indifferently.

Han Zhenyu smiled, patted his shoulder, and then put the things he bought on the cart.

“Leizi, Dashu, go wait for me at the entrance of the state-owned restaurant. I’m going to get something from my friends.”

The two nodded, “Okay, Brother Zhenyu.”

When Han Zhenyu came back, he was riding a bicycle with two fertilizer bags hanging on the bike. They were bulging with something, but no one knew what was inside.

The two looked at the brand-new bicycle curiously and asked, “Brother Zhenyu, did you buy this bicycle?”

Han Zhenyu smiled and shook his head. “No, I borrowed it from a friend. I have to go to my grandfather’s and my aunt’s house later, and I also have to go to the brick factory. I don’t have time to walk.”

He parked the bicycle, then hurried into the state-owned restaurant, and soon came out with two bags of steamed buns.

“It’s not time for dinner yet. There are only some steamed buns in the house. You two can eat this one on the way, and the remaining one is for your sister-in-law to take back.”

“Brother, why did you spend this money? We came here after having dinner, and we are not hungry now.”

The two of them felt a little distressed when looking at those steamed buns. The food in state-owned restaurants was so expensive, and they required food coupons. They could save at least half by making them at home.

Han Zhenyu smiled, waved his hand, stuffed the steamed buns into their hands, and put the two fertilizer bags from the bicycle onto the cart.

He then instructed the two men, “Go back and help me clean up the adobe house. Put two wooden beds inside and build a simple stove at the door.”

“Got it, Brother Zhenyu, let’s go back first.”

Han Zhenyu nodded and rode his bike to the brick factory.