On the third day, Tang Tang arrived at the small forest early in the morning.
She found a hidden clearing and released the clothes from her space.
Seeing that it was still early before the agreed time, she set down the basket she used for appearances, sat atop the pile of clothes, took out some snacks, and ate while waiting.
Not even nine o’clock yet, Jiang Tao came running over.
After searching around, he finally spotted Tang Tang sitting there eating and let out a huge sigh of relief. Standing there with his hands on his knees, he panted heavily.
“Were you afraid I wouldn’t come?”
Jiang Tao straightened up and shook his head.
“If these clothes don’t make it into the workers’ hands, even I won’t feel at ease. I really couldn’t sit still at home.”
Looking at the mountain-like pile of clothing before him, he finally relaxed.
Walking over, he sat beside Tang Tang.
“I already arranged things with the factories. The trucks will arrive at nine-thirty.”
“You already talked to them?”
“Yeah. Everyone got so excited they all wanted to come with me, but I stopped them.”
“Haha…”
“Little sister, this time you really helped us tremendously. If you ever need anything in the future, just say the word. As long as I can do it, I won’t hesitate for a second.
My name is Jiang Tao. I work at the steel factory in logistics. Your sister-in-law works logistics at the textile factory too. Without you, we honestly wouldn’t even have been able to celebrate the New Year properly this year.”
Once he started talking, Jiang Tao simply couldn’t stop.
“The guy who was with me that day was my army comrade—our squad leader. He just retired from the military and came back. I enlisted at sixteen and retired at twenty-three. Our leader enlisted at sixteen too, but by twenty he was already our platoon commander. I’m thirty-three now, retired for ten years already, and my son is seven years old. Meanwhile our leader is already twenty-six and still doesn’t even have a partner…”
So you got married at twenty-five or twenty-six too. How much earlier is that compared to him? Why are you acting proud about it?
Jiang Tao’s rambling drifted farther and farther off topic.
After a while, two trucks drove over.
Jiang Tao had the others begin loading the clothes while he climbed into one truck, grabbed a bag, and then dragged down a woven sack.
“Little sister, regular twill work clothes usually sell for twelve yuan per set on the market. Labor cloth is definitely worth much more than that, but we honestly can’t afford too much. We calculated eighteen yuan per set. Ten thousand sets totals one hundred eighty thousand yuan. This really does make you suffer losses.”
As he spoke, he awkwardly scratched his head.
“I also gathered a bunch of ration tickets for you—every kind of ticket I could find. Take a look.”
He handed over the bag in his hand.
“If it’s not enough, I’ll find more.”
“It’s enough, it’s enough. This is more than enough.”
One glance told Tang Tang that he had gathered absolutely everything he possibly could.
That was sincere effort.
“The factories also know this deal is unfair to you, so after discussing it… each factory decided to give you two additional worker positions. Do you think that’s alright?”
This was obviously a good thing, so why did he sound like he was confessing to a crime?
“Of course it’s alright.”
“This is the money, and these are the acceptance letters. You just need to report within one month. The factories provide food and housing.”
The woven sack contained money…
Right.
Tang Tang had forgotten that the largest bill in this era was only ten yuan.
One hundred eighty thousand yuan really would require an entire sack.
“Alright, I’ll accept it. You all can go now. I’ll leave later.”
Earlier, she had already noticed the workers finish loading the trucks.
Even those loading workers had reddened eyes.
Sigh…
“Alright then, little sister. If you ever need anything, come find me at the steel factory.”
“Wait, this is for you.”
Tang Tang removed the basket from her back and handed it to Jiang Tao.
“It’s a gift. I have uses for those things you helped gather. You worked hard. Take it.”
She had already filled the basket before.
Jiang Tao’s eyes reddened again.
…This little sister was far too sincere!
After watching the trucks drive away, Tang Tang waved her hand and stored everything into her space.
Then she took out another identical basket and slung it over her back.
Time to go home.
Jiang Tao followed the trucks back to the factory and finished arranging the distribution of the clothing.
The matter was so important and exciting that even the factory director personally paid attention to it, leaving Jiang Tao with nothing more to worry about.
Only then did he carry the heavy basket home.
He and his wife arrived home almost at the same time.
His wife had already picked up their son from the nearby kindergarten on the way back.
Only after entering the house did the couple finally open the basket and take things out one by one.
Five jin of rice.
Five jin of white flour.
Two bags of milk powder.
Two bottles of canned food.
Two boxes of pastries without labels.
Five jin of dried noodles.
A large chunk of meat weighing around five jin.
One cleaned chicken.
Four big red apples.
And enough cotton fabric to make an entire outfit for a child.
The couple was completely stunned.
Jiang Tao turned away and secretly wiped his tears.
“That little sister is truly a good person…”
The child’s eyes nearly glowed at the sight of so much food, but without permission from his parents, he obediently stood to the side watching.
Only parents understood how heartbreaking that felt.
His wife pinched off a small piece of pastry for their son to satisfy his craving.
“This afternoon, take leave and bring Mom over. Once autumn harvest starts, we’ll become too busy to look after her.”
“Alright.”
Jiang Tao’s parents-in-law had passed away long ago, and his wife had long treated his mother like her own.
If fine grains hadn’t become impossible to buy in the city recently, he never would have sent his mother back to the countryside.
Tang Tang herself didn’t think too much about it.
No matter the reason, she had always been generous toward people who treated her well.
Carrying her new basket, she returned to the production team.
Work hadn’t ended yet.
Might as well go back and rest.
As evening work ended, Tang Tang headed toward the village chief’s house once again.
Right.
That tall guy, Lin Guanghui, was still there.
Since he knew the whole story, she absolutely couldn’t let him talk.
Correct!
For some reason, Tang Tang instinctively felt that Lin Guanghui would never betray her.
She trusted him inexplicably.
The moment she entered the room, she glared at him first.
The meaning was obvious:
You are not allowed to speak!
Lin Guanghui immediately made a zipper motion across his mouth.
Turning back toward the village chief, Tang Tang carefully chose her words.
“Village Chief Uncle, there’s something I need to tell you. Um… don’t get too excited.”