“I was planning to wait until everyone left before I went down!” Su Jiaojiao stood there, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Since that attendant was part of the train crew, he only helped Su Jiaojiao take her luggage off the Huoche.
Su Jiaojiao sincerely thanked him before they parted ways.
Uncle Zhong carried one bag in each hand and walked toward the train station exit.
Su Jiaojiao still had to carry her Píxiāng and kettle, having to trot to keep up with him.
……
With a "bang~," the trunk door closed, and Su Jiaojiao also got into the co-pilot seat of the Shanghai-brand car.
Uncle Zhong, seated in the driver's seat, looked at her apologetically and began, “Jiaojiao, originally I planned to take you home for a good meal, but another group of Educated Youth arrived two days ago, and you few are the last ones in this batch. Every Brigade Headquarters has to come to the Educated Youth Office to pick people up today, so you all have to go to the countryside today. There might not be enough time for a meal. Only when you are free can you come to town, and Uncle will treat you to a meal at my home.” As he spoke, he started the car.
“Oh? Is today the last day? Then there’s nothing to be done,” Su Jiaojiao said with some regret.
“I was also planning to go see Grandpa Zhong today. Grandmother made some Beef Paste and asked me to bring it to Grandpa Zhong to taste. It seems I’ll have to trouble Uncle Zhong to take it back.”
Saying this, she turned her head to look at Uncle Zhong, blinked her eyes playfully, and spoke, “I still have some things on the way. Inside, there is wine that Grandpa brought for Grandpa Zhong. It will be the same to visit Grandpa Zhong with that wine later. Make sure you tell Auntie to cook something delicious for me then.”
Uncle Zhong let out a deep laugh upon hearing this. His face, which was stern when he wasn't smiling, looked much softer when he smiled now.
“That is certain. I have an older brother and an Older Sister at home. You can play with them when you come over,” Uncle Zhong said, smiling as he spoke of his children, his eyebrows and eyes full of smiles.
And so, Su Jiaojiao chatted with Uncle Zhong all the way to the Educated Youth Office. He even thoughtfully delivered her luggage inside and placed it by the door, staying to accompany her until she registered at the office before leaving.
Su Jiaojiao also followed instructions and left three bottles of Beef Paste in his car.
By this time, several people were already waiting inside the Educated Youth Office. When they saw that Su Jiaojiao had been driven over by a car, their gazes toward her immediately became varied.
Su Jiaojiao didn't really care. She looked around, didn't see a place to sit, and directly sat down on her Píxiāng by the door, looking toward the entrance bored.
The evening glow of June shone upon the face of the person by the door, truly deserving the description, "A person more lovely than a flower!"
The staff at the Educated Youth Office were also whispering amongst themselves, occasionally glancing over at Su Jiaojiao. Her Divine Soul was powerful, and her five senses were sharp; she could actually hear them!
“Hey~ Who do you think she is? She’s so fair and pretty, and she calls Director Zhong ‘Uncle.’ Director Zhong personally drove her over?” She said this with eyes full of envy.
“The letter of introduction says she’s from the Capital City. Since Director Zhong personally delivered her, her family background must be quite good.”
“Who knows~ What good is being fair and pretty? She’ll get tanned after a few days of farm work. With her small arms and legs, can she endure the hardships of the countryside? Don't let her end up like other female Educated Youth, unable to bear the suffering and directly marrying some peasant.” As she spoke, she glanced sideways, sizing up Su Jiaojiao by the door from head to toe.
The employee who first praised Su Jiaojiao’s beauty nodded in agreement and added, “Isn’t that the truth? What a pity. With those small arms and legs, she comes to build up the countryside? What is she thinking? Look at her clothes—not a single patch. Her family background must be decent.”
This comment was quite objective and not malicious, as work in the countryside is physical labor.
In the past two years, Educated Youth who could return to the city were all finding ways to do so. For those who couldn't return, especially the female Educated Youth who couldn't endure the hardships of the countryside, marrying locally was extremely common.
The voice that said Su Jiaojiao would marry in the countryside spoke up again, “To say she isn't favored at home~ Look at that Píxiāng and the leather shoes on her feet—they are brand new, and you can only buy them at the Friendship Store. But if you say she is favored at home? How could she bear to come Go to the countryside?”
Tsk tsk~
……
Su Jiaojiao watched the crowds coming and going at the entrance and actually overheard quite a bit of news.
For example, it was already late June.
Heh~ Going to the countryside is great~
The countryside looks so lively!
Su Jiaojiao rode for half an hour, but this wait lasted for over two hours before everyone else arrived. After they finished registering, the staff from the Educated Youth Office also came out.
“Please wait a moment. The people coming to pick you up might all be at the Agricultural Machinery Cooperative right now.” After saying this, they went back inside.
They truly didn't offer a single extra explanation. Most people who have a stable job now look down on others.
Among the last batch of Educated Youth to arrive, Su Jiaojiao also saw that girl from the Train Station. Now, her skin, which was already somewhat dark, appeared slightly pale.
Su Jiaojiao knew that when she looked at that Big Sister, she had also seen her. Along the way, she had been chewing steamed buns and drinking cold water.
After registering at the Educated Youth Office, she just sat next to her luggage, closing her eyes to rest.
Su Jiaojiao continued to watch the entrance, probing for more information.
Just as she was about to grow impatient waiting, several people appeared in Su Jiaojiao’s Line of sight.
Some people looked quite unhappy, while others were beaming with smiles, which left Su Jiaojiao completely confused.
The few of them walked straight into the Educated Youth Office upon entering. Su Jiaojiao listened in and found out they were going in to get the list of which Brigade we Educated Youth would be assigned to.
Oh~ I know I’m going to Big Locust Tree Village!
As expected, when the Village Chief of Big Locust Tree Village called out her Name, Su Jiaojiao was not surprised at all. What was surprising was that the girl from the Train Station was also going to Big Locust Tree Village.
Her Name is Yu Meiya. Su Jiaojiao thought that Name sounded very nice.
There was also a male Educated Youth named Cao Jianguo, who wore glasses and looked refined and scholarly. He was someone who had arrived at the Educated Youth Office even earlier than Su Jiaojiao.
When the Village Chief of Big Locust Tree Village saw that the three of them did not look like people who could do farm work, his face, which had been smiling like a blooming flower upon entering the door, lost its smile.
Was he naturally disinclined to smile?
No!
It was just that his smile would shift, because looking at Su Jiaojiao made him want to smile.
“Follow me!” The Village Chief led the three of them out with an unhappy expression. Looking at his face, the three exchanged glances, not daring to say a word, and followed him out with their luggage.
Outside, there were two Tractors and five Ox Carts. The Village Chief walked directly to one Tractor and said something to a young man standing on it. The young man glanced in their direction before nodding in agreement.
Only then did the Village Chief turn to the three of them and say, “Put all your luggage onto this Tractor. If there is too much luggage and not enough space for people, ride the Ox Carts in the back.”
At this moment, Su Jiaojiao understood why the staff at the Educated Youth Office said they went to the Agricultural Machinery Office—they probably went there to borrow this Tractor. Those with unhappy expressions must not have managed to borrow one.
The bed of this Tractor wasn't very large, so it took the three of them two trips to move all the luggage onto the Tractor.