After finishing the meal, Song Fanghua successfully obtained the Song family's household registration booklet using the excuse that she needed to go to the Jiedaoban.
Jiedaoban.
Li Youde had already been waiting there early with his youngest son.
"Dad, is Song Fanghua really willing to give her job to us?" Li Youde's youngest son, Li Jun, asked in confusion.
After all, every family nowadays was hoping to find a job for their son (or daughter) to keep them from being sent to the countryside.
But Song Fanghua was different—she had a perfectly good job yet didn’t want it and even volunteered to go to the countryside.
Li Youde looked in the direction of the Song family and sighed, saying, "That's not something you should worry about."
The two of them chatted idly until they saw Song Fanghua actually arrive, at which point Li Youde finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"Song girl, shall we go handle the job transfer first? We can take care of the countryside assignment afterward?" Li Youde's tone carried a hint of urgency.
"Alright, Uncle Li." Song Fanghua didn’t object, as she could sense Li Youde’s impatience.
So, the group first went to the dye factory to transfer the job to Li Youde’s youngest son, Li Jun.
Afterward, Li Youde took Song Fanghua back to the Jiedaoban.
Everything went smoothly.
In just one morning, Song Fanghua not only transferred her job but also signed herself up for the countryside assignment, choosing a coastal location.
When Li Youde saw her selecting Haijiao Cun, he tried to dissuade her, saying that Haijiao was a remote fishing village, extremely far from Jiangcheng—even visiting family in the future would take several days.
He suggested she choose somewhere closer to home.
But Song Fanghua didn’t see it that way—she liked that Haidong was far enough.
Haidong was not only far away but also enjoyed spring-like weather year-round. Although transportation was underdeveloped, the key was that it had the sea, which would allow her to leverage her future advantages as a seafood tycoon.
So, she declined Li Youde’s well-meaning advice and firmly chose Haijiao Cun in Haidong.
After completing the countryside assignment procedures, Song Fanghua went to the Gongxiaoshe to look around and check out the goods and prices of this era.
As she neared home, Song Fanghua found a secluded spot and secretly purchased some cotton bedding, pots, bowls, and utensils from her Kongjian—items appropriate for the era.
After all, she was about to go to the countryside, so she needed to prepare some things in advance to keep up appearances.
"Fanghua? How much money did you spend? Buying all this stuff?"
Zhao Guilan, Song Weiguo, and Song Lili were originally drinking meat soup when they saw Song Fanghua return carrying a large bundle of items, their faces filled with distress.
In their eyes, Song Fanghua’s five hundred yuan rightfully belonged to them, so buying so many things was equivalent to spending their money.
"I just bought some bedding. The bedding in my room is unusable. Why, are you asking about the price because you want to give me money?" Song Fanghua changed the subject as she walked toward her small room. "Was this meat soup simmering for me since this morning?"
Zhao Guilan’s face showed some embarrassment as she forced herself to say, "Yes, it was simmering for you. We just drank some because you hadn’t returned and it was already noon. There’s still some left in the pot. Come, let Mom help you put these things down, and I’ll go get you a bowl."
As she spoke, Zhao Guilan tried to help Song Fanghua with her belongings, but in reality, she wanted to see what was inside.
"No need, I've already eaten at the Guoying Fandian. You all go ahead." Song Fanghua dodged Zhao Guilan's hand, directly carried her things into her small room, and even kicked the door shut with her foot.
Zhao Guilan still wanted to say something, but after being glared at by Song Weiguo, she finally closed her mouth. The three of them ate a meal that was utterly tasteless.
Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day to go to the countryside, which was also the day Song Lili was leaving for the island to join the army.
Early in the morning, Song Fanghua heard the clattering sounds of several people outside the door packing up and leaving.
Only after the noise had completely died down did she shoulder her own belongings and walk out.
At this time, Song Fanghua had no idea that even more coincidental events would happen later.
Song Weiguo and Zhao Guilan cheerfully saw Song Lili off at the train station. To ensure she suffered less hardship, they specially bought her a hard sleeper ticket.
Song Lili had very little luggage—just two bundles of clothes. Everything else had been exchanged by Song Weiguo for money and ration coupons.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry. Once I get there, I'll write to let you know I'm safe. When times get better in the future, I'll definitely send you more money," Song Lili said, her eyes reddening.
Zhao Guilan was the same; after all, she had raised this daughter for twenty years and still had feelings for her.
"Don't worry about home. Take good care of yourself over there. When you have time, come back and visit more often," Song Weiguo instructed. "Stay alert on the journey. Keep your money and coupons safe, and make sure no one steals them. Also, be careful of human traffickers."
Just as the three were reluctantly saying their goodbyes, Song Lili caught a glimpse of a somewhat familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.
"Dad, Mom, look over there—isn't that Sister?"
Zhao Guilan and Song Weiguo turned to look in the direction she pointed.
At that very moment, Song Fanghua successfully stepped onto the train.
"No, there's no one! Lili, are you seeing things? Your sister is probably still sleeping at home right now.
Today she's supposed to go to the Zhang family. Later, when we go back, we'll find a way to coax that five hundred yuan out of her and send it to you." Zhao Guilan and Song Weiguo were a step too slow and didn't see Song Fanghua, so they assumed Song Lili had mistaken someone else.
Song Lili glanced suspiciously in that direction again and, after confirming she saw nothing, nodded.
On the other side.
Only after boarding the train did Song Fanghua let out a long sigh of relief. She had set out right after the three from the Song family left, almost at the same time, and had spotted them early on.
However, when she realized they were taking the same train as her, Song Fanghua was speechless.
Neither the Song family nor the Zhang family knew she was going to the countryside. If she were discovered, Song Fanghua knew she would likely be dragged back.
So she had no choice but to try to avoid them, never expecting that Song Lili would still catch a glimpse of her back.
But after boarding the train and seeing the crowded crowd ahead, Song Fanghua sighed again.
Originally, she had planned to upgrade to a sleeper berth, as the journey seemed to take three or four days.
However, the tickets for going to the countryside were all hard-seat tickets uniformly purchased by the Jiedaoban. By the time she went to inquire, the sleeper tickets were long gone.
Even if there were any available, they often had to be bought in advance or through connections.
"Little girl, move forward. Don't block the doorway."
Just as Song Fanghua stood there in a daze, the train attendant urged her.
Song Fanghua had no choice but to shoulder her luggage and squeeze her way into the carriage.
As she squeezed through the crowd, Song Fanghua checked the seat numbers above.
Inside the 1970s train carriage, the air was thick with the mingling scents of sweat, poultry, and cheap tobacco—a combination that made Song Fanghua feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Yet, it had to be said that this noisy environment was also brimming with vitality.
Compared to the cramped storage room back at the Song family home, this crowded carriage gave Song Fanghua a sense of freedom.