Pointing at the mountain-like pile of supplies, Lin Xiaxia explained to Wang Tiezhu, “These are medicinal supplies I purchased for the village clinic, along with some things I mailed here before I arrived. I was worried there wouldn’t be enough food in the countryside, so I sent extra rice and flour.”
Half of the sacks were parcels she had just collected from the post office, while the other half had been secretly transferred out of her storage space.
She had already sorted everything out the night before, so all she had to do today was take them out.
Wang Tiezhu worked quickly and efficiently. Before long, he had loaded everything onto the ox cart. It was packed to the brim, with supplies nearly spilling over the sides.
There was no room left for Lin Xiaxia in the cart, so she could only sit beside Wang Tiezhu at the front.
The ox cart slowly made its way back.
When they passed the county department store, Lin Xiaxia suddenly patted Wang Tiezhu on the arm.
“Uncle, could you wait here for a little while? I want to go inside and buy something.”
“Sure. I’ll park the cart over there.”
Wang Tiezhu guided the ox cart beneath the shade of a tree near the department store entrance and brought it to a steady stop.
Lin Xiaxia hadn’t originally planned to buy anything else, but on the way there, she suddenly remembered the bicycle ration coupon she had in her storage space.
If she had a bicycle, traveling between the village, town, and county seat would be much more convenient than walking everywhere or waiting for an ox cart.
The county department store looked like an enormous supply cooperative. Rows of counters divided the spacious interior, selling everything from fabrics and foodstuffs to daily necessities. Customers came and went, making the place lively and bustling.
Lin Xiaxia first approached the counter selling soy sauce and vinegar. The woman behind it was a friendly-looking auntie.
“Hello, Comrade. Does the department store sell bicycles?” Lin Xiaxia asked with a smile.
The woman pointed toward the eastern side of the store and answered enthusiastically, “You came at just the right time! Three Phoenix bicycles arrived yesterday, and they’re the newest model! But young lady, you need a bicycle coupon to buy one. Do you have one?”
“I do. Thank you, Auntie.”
Lin Xiaxia breathed a sigh of relief before adding, “By the way, Auntie, could I also get some soy sauce, vinegar, and the usual seasonings? Do you sell bottles here?”
“We do, we do!”
The woman pointed toward the glass bottles beneath the counter.
“The small bottles hold one jin, and the large ones hold two jin. Which size do you want?”
“I’ll take the two-jin ones. That way, I can keep more on hand.”
The woman quickly wrote out a purchase slip and handed it to her.
“Take this over there and pay first. Bring the receipt back, and I’ll fill the bottles for you.”
Lin Xiaxia accepted the slip and headed toward the bicycle counter first.
The salesperson behind the counter was talking to someone. When he saw her approach, he asked, “Looking to buy a bicycle? Do you have a coupon?”
Lin Xiaxia handed over her bicycle coupon.
After confirming that it was genuine, the salesperson readily pointed toward the corner.
“There’s only one left. A Phoenix 28-inch roadster. Want to take a look?”
Lin Xiaxia examined the black bicycle.
Its frame was sturdy, and the glossy paint looked brand new. Overall, it was quite good.
A bicycle was already one of the best means of transportation an ordinary person could own in this era. There weren’t exactly many models to choose from either, so this one would do just fine.
“How much is it?”
The salesperson glanced back at the bicycle.
“This is from our newest shipment. Two hundred yuan, one bicycle coupon, and ten industrial coupons. If you want it, I’ll write up the purchase slip.”
“I’ll take it. Please write one up for me, Comrade.”
Her decisiveness made the salesperson glance at her twice. He quickly prepared the slip and sent her to the cashier.
After paying the money and handing over the required coupons, the cashier gave her a receipt that she could use to collect the bicycle.
When she finally took hold of it, the bicycle felt sturdy and solid beneath her hands.
By the time she returned to the seasoning counter, the auntie had already filled glass bottles with soy sauce, vinegar, and rapeseed oil. Each bottle was tightly sealed with a cork, and she had thoughtfully tied them together with hemp rope to make them easier to carry.
Seeing Lin Xiaxia pushing a brand-new bicycle, the woman couldn’t stop herself from praising her.
“Young lady, you’re really capable!”
Her praise left Lin Xiaxia feeling a little embarrassed.
She accepted the bundle of bottles and placed them in the bicycle basket.
“It’s nothing special. My family helped prepare things for me.”
Lin Xiaxia pushed the bicycle outside.
The moment Wang Tiezhu saw it, his eyes widened.
“Educated Youth Lin, did you just buy yourself a bicycle?”
“Mm. It’ll make traveling back and forth much easier in the future. Uncle, I’ve bought everything I need. Let’s head back.”
Now that she had a bicycle, there was no need for her to ride on the ox cart. She could simply cycle back to the village.
Wang Tiezhu clicked his tongue in admiration as he stared at the brand-new bicycle.
This young woman was truly capable.
He flicked the reins, and the old yellow ox let out a low moo. The heavily loaded cart slowly left the county seat and headed toward Gaojiatun.
Lin Xiaxia happily rode her bicycle beside it, enjoying the breeze against her face.
On the way back, she took advantage of their slow pace to carefully observe the road and surrounding terrain.
When they passed a low hill covered in wild grass outside the town, she deliberately took a few extra glances.
The area was secluded, with hardly any houses nearby. Thick trees surrounded the slope, providing plenty of cover from prying eyes.
It seemed like a useful place.
The moment they entered Gaojiatun, Lin Xiaxia’s brand-new Phoenix bicycle attracted the attention of the entire village.
The children were the first to crowd around her. They stood on tiptoe, staring curiously at the bicycle. Even the adults stopped what they were doing and gathered in small groups to see what all the excitement was about.
The village chief, smoking his pipe, circled the bicycle twice before clicking his tongue in amazement.
“My goodness! So this is one of those rare bicycles from the city? It sure looks impressive!”
A teenage boy couldn’t resist reaching out to touch the seat, but the village chief immediately slapped his hand away.
“Shoo! Keep your hands to yourself! Don’t go breaking someone else’s bicycle!”
Huzi’s mother squeezed through the crowd with little Huzi in her arms and asked with a smile, “Educated Youth Lin, I heard these bicycles can go faster than an ox cart. Is that really true?”
“They’re faster on flat roads, but you have to ride more slowly when the road is rough,” Lin Xiaxia explained with a smile.
“I bought one so it’ll be more convenient whenever I need to go to town or the county seat. And if anyone in the village has an emergency and needs to go somewhere quickly, you can borrow it from me.”
As soon as she said that, quiet discussions broke out among the crowd.
Someone cautiously asked, “Educated Youth Lin, you’d really let us borrow it?”
“Of course, as long as it’s for something urgent,” Lin Xiaxia replied with a nod.
Seeing this, the village chief cleared his throat and called out to everyone.
“You all heard her! Xiao Lin said you can borrow it for emergencies. Don’t go bothering her just because you want to have some fun! A bicycle like this is expensive, so if you borrow it, you’d better take good care of it!”
“Don’t worry, Village Chief. We know better than that!” someone replied with a laugh.
Another person asked, “But none of us knows how to ride one. Can we learn?”
“Of course!”
Lin Xiaxia readily agreed.
“Once we finish the work over the next couple of days and the threshing ground is free, everyone can practice there. I’ll teach you.”
Gao Xiulan squeezed her way to the front, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Sister Xiaxia, I’m signing up first!”
“All right. You can be the first to try when the time comes,” Lin Xiaxia replied with a smile.
Just then, Huzi’s father, Daniu, returned from the fields carrying a hoe over his shoulder.
He froze when he saw the bicycle, then scratched his head.
“That thing looks pretty hard to learn.”
“It’s not difficult. You’ll get the hang of it with enough practice.”
As she spoke, Lin Xiaxia pushed the bicycle into an open area.
She smoothly mounted it, pedaled around for a short distance, then came to a steady stop. Her movements were natural and effortless.
The villagers immediately cheered, their eyes filled with admiration and envy.
The village chief laughed and patted Lin Xiaxia on the shoulder.
“You really are something, girl! Not only can you treat illnesses, but you can even ride one of these foreign contraptions. You’re truly capable!”
Lin Xiaxia merely smiled without saying much.
She knew that this bicycle wasn’t merely a means of transportation.
It had also brought her a little closer to the people of the village.
That was how life was.
Through these lively, ordinary interactions, day by day, it gradually became warmer and more fulfilling.
As the crowd began to disperse, Lin Xiaxia called out to Huzi’s mother.
“Sister, when you’re done with your work tonight, could you come over to my place? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“Sure.”