"Second Uncle, do you think they’ll accept it?" Li Shuangjiang felt this trip would be in vain.
"Try to make them accept it. They’ve helped us a lot. In the future, we might need them again, and we can’t just take advantage of them for free."
Li Shuangjiang had great faith in Li Yungui. If Second Uncle said so, then it must be that way.
Li Yungui also had so people cover the cabbages with straw mats before tying them up with ropes.
The two were wearing cotton hats and cotton coats. Li Shuangjiang was afraid that wearing cotton gloves would affect driving the tractor, so he didn’t wear them.
"Put them on quickly, how can you bear this cold?"
"Second Uncle, I’m afraid my hands will slip."
"Soon your hands will get stiff, and you still won’t be able to hold the steering wheel." Li Yungui handed the cotton gloves to Li Shuangjiang, while he kept his hands tucked inside his sleeves.
Honestly, the weather was really cold now. The wind felt like knives cutting on the face.
The military camp wasn’t close. The two drove for more than half an hour to reach the entrance of the camp.
There was a guard there. Li Shuangjiang stopped the tractor. Li Yungui jumped down and walked up to the young soldier.
"Comrade, hello, we’re from Li Family Village. We ca today to deliver cabbages grown in our fields to the soldiers of the camp."
"Villager, please wait a mont. I’ll go get our company commander."
A young soldier ran inside, and Li Yungui and his nephew waited at the gate.
"Second Uncle, I feel anxious."
"You’re such a coward, what’s there to be anxious about?" Li Yungui glanced at Li Shuangjiang.
Actually, he was a bit uncertain inside too, knowing they had rules and fearing they wouldn’t accept it.
The two were pacing back and forth, partly because it was too cold, and partly due to impatience.
After a while, a few people ca out. Li Yungui thought Wei Kaiyun was already good-looking, but this man was about the sa, too handso. Anyway, the two had never seen anyone better looking.
"Villager, thank you very much, but we have rules, and we can’t accept even a needle or thread from the people."
"Comrade, this is a donation to the camp." Li Yungui, quick-witted, suddenly rembered sothing Jiang Xinyu had said before, and imdiately borrowed it.
Yang Zhongyi was taken aback for a mont, then smiled. This wasn’t sothing a farr would usually say.
"Villager, we really can’t accept it."
Li Yungui now knew what to say as well. "Comrade, the military and the people are one family. This year our village had a bumper harvest of grains and vegetables. The villagers discussed it, and they wanted the children stationed here to have so fresh greens to eat.
Listening to this commanding officer’s accent, he isn’t a local. In our place, it’s not easy to get fresh vegetables.
This is everyone’s sincere wish. Please, the commander, accept it."
Li Yungui spoke very earnestly, giving people the feeling that he was a straightforward and honest man.
Yang Zhongyi thought for a mont and suddenly smiled. He knew this was the village with the tractors, and they were repaying a favor.
But they put it so nicely.
"Thank you, villager, then."
"You’re welco, you’re welco. To be honest, if you really didn’t accept it, I wouldn’t know how to explain it when I went back."
"Haha, thank you, villager."
Li Shuangjiang started the tractor and drove straight in. A soldier jumped on the tractor to guide them directly to the canteen.
Yang Zhongyi and Li Yungui walked side by side. "Villager, did your village have a bumper harvest this year?"
"Yes, with the rototiller, seeder, and herbicides, it wasn’t as tiring as previous years, but we cultivated a lot more wasteland."
"Hmm, indeed, we need to achieve chanization in the future. You’re good, very adaptable."
Li Yungui smiled and waved his hand. "No, no, it’s just that we benefited from it, so we were willing to accept it."
Yang Zhongyi laughed; this one was an honest man indeed.
The two also reached the canteen, by which ti many cabbages had already been unloaded.
"Villager, these cabbages look really good and solid."
"They were grown in the top-tier fields in the village, so they’re really good. I even want to apply to be a vegetable farr in the village."
"That’s not impossible."
"Everyone’s unwilling. They’re all afraid of going hungry as before, thinking it’s better to grow grain. I’m actually worried too."
Yang Zhongyi just smiled, but one shouldn’t underestimate old farrs’ knowledge. They’ve fard all their lives and have a certain understanding of nature.
Just then, the canteen’s squad leader ran over. "Company commander, I want to ask the villager for advice on how to pickle sauerkraut."
Li Yungui nodded with a smile, "I can pickle sauerkraut. Let tell you."
"Villager, I still have work. Thank you very much to all of you."
"Commander, go ahead. We’ll head back after we’re done unloading the cabbages."
"Okay, convey our thanks to everyone."
"I certainly will. I’ll make sure to tell everyone."
Li Yungui and the canteen’s squad leader went in. "Villager, we’ve always pickled sauerkraut, but it never turns out right."
"Actually, our temperatures here are too low. This ti when pickling sauerkraut, you need to place it in a slightly warr place, but not too warm."
Li Yungui looked at their sauerkraut, "These won’t last. You blanched the cabbages too much during the process. Just pickle them raw in the future. Your kitchen’s temperature is quite high; raw pickling will be no problem."
"Are the steps the sa?"
"Yes, all the sa."
"Thank you, villager."
"No need to be formal. The military and civilians are one family. If anything cos up, just find us at Li Family Village."
The pair got back on the tractor and drove out of the camp.
At this ti, Yang Zhongyi was calling Xing Mingying. "A tractor load of cabbages was delivered by Li Family Village."
"Hehe. Li Yungui is a perceptive person."
"Yes, I accepted it."
"If you didn’t, he’d overthink it. So, are you going ho this year?"
"I’m not going back. He Run is accompanying the old man, and besides, I can’t leave easily. How about you? Going back?"
"No, staying here with my wife and kids is fine. Others don’t care about our family, so I’ll just stay here quietly."
"Makes sense. Just stay put then."
"Are you coming over for dinner at New Year? Your sister-in-law said she’d introduce you to soone."
"I can’t make it; I’ll be spending New Year with the soldiers. Also, tell my sister-in-law not to introduce anyone to in the future. I have no intention of finding soone here."
"Alright, I’ll tell her. But this ti, it’s not soone from here; it’s her cousin."
"Then I won’t et her even more. Alright, I have things to do. Call if anything cos up in the future."
Yang Zhongyi hung up the phone, feeling a bit annoyed. He had a good relationship with Xing Mingying but really disliked his wife. One would think with them both being here, they’d be close. But because of that woman, he didn’t visit Old Xing’s house; she was too annoying.
When Li Yungui and his nephew got ho, Li Shuangjiang cleaned the tractor thoroughly, drained the water from the engine, and covered it with a straw mat.
User Comments
0 comments from readers