Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 108 mainly focuses on not knowing how.

Today is Thursday, the day we agreed to pick up the quilt.

After the morning broadcast ended, Chen Fan put the prizes into his bag and ran home.

Jiang Lili was busy in the yard as usual.

Dike repair and ditch renovation were both desirable jobs, and since they were only for men, she naturally wouldn't get a chance to do them. She couldn't even get the job of lighting the fire and cooking; she could only stay at home and do chores.

Chen Fan couldn't understand where Jiang Lili got so many things to do.

If it were me, I wouldn't know what to do besides cooking, washing clothes, and sweeping.

Looking at her again, she was busy washing and sewing, watering the vegetables, and tidying up the woodpile. It seemed like she had endless chores to do all day long.

In response, Chen Fan could only say that different people have different talents, and there's no need to force it.

Upon seeing Chen Fan, Jiang Lili put down her needlework, strode over, and smiled, "I heard your article was published in the Yunhu Daily?"

As Chen Fan took off his bag, he asked curiously, "How did you know?"

He did bring back today's Yunhu Daily, but one copy was missing. Without a doubt, Secretary Yang had intercepted that newspaper.

Xiao Liewen even found a large picture frame, put the entire newspaper page into it, and then Zhang Wenliang took nails, Zhang Changjiang handed over a hammer, and Ye Shubao checked the angle, and hung the picture frame in the brigade office, afraid that others would not see it.

When Chen Fan returned, many members of Team 5 were still gathered there watching the excitement.

In reality, most people can't even read all the words on the newspaper, but they seem to feel proud to be crowding around there.

Hearing Chen Fan's words, Jiang Lili smiled and said, "Huang Ying came to tell me this on her own. She said that when the postman delivered the mail today, he made a special detour to Team 6 just to tell everyone this news. There are also portraits of Captain Yang and the others in the newspaper."

Chen Fan was somewhat surprised, but not because of the mailman's message: "Huang Ying has become your friend?"

He had been here for more than ten days and had never seen anyone take the initiative to speak to Jiang Lili. But today Huang Ying came to tell her this news. This was a big change.

Jiang Lili smiled slightly, but shook her head. "We're not really friends. We just chatted a bit more at Uncle Huang's house last time."

That's what she said, but you could tell she was quite happy.

Chen Fan laughed and said, "Friendships always start with chatting, right?"

Of course, there is another possibility: Huang Ying came specifically to find out some inside information.

But no matter what, change is a good thing.

While they were talking, Chen Fan had already gone into the house, first taking everything out of the bag and putting it on the table, then hanging the bag on the wall.

Jiang Lili immediately noticed the folded certificate and couldn't look away. "Is this a certificate?"

Chen Fan glanced back and said, "Ah, this was given to me by Secretary Yang and the others. They said it was a reward for publishing an article in the Yunhu Daily."

Jiang Lili looked at him. "Can I take a look?"

Chen Fan laughed and said, "Take a look."

Jiang Lili carefully picked up the certificate and opened it, looking at the words "Advanced Worker" on it with envy in her eyes.

She worked diligently for three years. She certainly couldn't compare to the veteran members here, but among the educated youth, she was definitely the most hardworking and had the best work performance. She was even better than many of her peers. However, she was never selected as an advanced educated youth every year.

Seeing this certificate now, I naturally feel very envious.

Chen Fan noticed the expression on her face, pursed his lips and remained silent. If it were anything else, he wouldn't mind giving it to her, but this certificate, if he said he was giving it to someone else, they might think he was insulting them.

He rubbed his hands together and naturally changed the subject, "I'll go pick up the cotton first. Also, bring out the two bowls from when I bought tofu last time, and two more bowls. If there's any tofu left, I'll buy some more."

Jiang Lili snapped out of her daze and said, "Ah, we probably can't carry it in baskets; we'll have to use a cart to pull it."

Chen Fan was a little puzzled, "Why was it okay when we went there, but not when we came back?"

Jiang Lili put down the certificate and gestured as she said, "When cotton is fluffed into wadding, it expands in volume a lot. The basket can't hold six quilts, and the basket can easily tear the cotton yarn."

Unless we wrap it tightly in cloth and carry it back on a shoulder pole, but we don't have that much or that much cloth.

If there are only two quilts, you can wrap them in a sheet and tie a knot to carry them. But if there are a total of 6 quilts, there won't be enough cloth to wrap them.

Chen Fan blinked. "Alright, I'll go find the captain to borrow a cart." He then walked outside.

He just gave Captain Yang and his team a lot of credit, surely he wouldn't refuse to lend them even a handcart.

As he walked up the village road, people from the houses he passed all came out to greet him.

"Master Chen is back."

"Master Chen is really talented; his articles have even been published in the prefectural newspaper."

"Have you eaten, Master Chen? We made some meat at home today, come over and have a drink."

Chen Fan patiently responded to each and every one of them.

"Ah, just got off work."

"Thank you, thank you. It was just luck. No one else had written it, so I was chosen."

"Please eat, please eat. I've already eaten. I need to go find the captain up ahead to discuss something."

An article was published on the county radio station and in the Yunhu Daily, and Chen Fan's image in the minds of the commune members changed again.

Previously, he was capable, but since he was just someone close to me, he didn't seem as impressive.

This is no ordinary case. An article that gets published in the prefectural party committee's newspaper—can just anyone write that? It has to be written by a cultured person, a literary genius!

How does it feel to have someone like that living in our team?!

It was a feeling of both awe and pride. To be able to exchange a few words with such a person would be a source of great pride!

Chen Fan arrived at Captain Yang's house under such scrutiny.

The team leader was unusually enthusiastic today, pulling him aside to ask him all sorts of questions.

"Why didn't you give us a heads-up about something this big?"

Captain Yang, beaming, criticized Chen Fan, "And you only drew the three of us, but you drew me so big. It's such a bad influence."

The familiar taste made Chen Fan say without hesitation, "Next time, definitely next time."

Captain Yang knew when to stop, saying, "Okay, I'll be more careful next time."

Neither of them mentioned what they should pay attention to next time.

After a pause, Captain Yang looked at him and said, "Didn't you rest at the brigade headquarters at noon? I heard that mental labor is different from physical labor; it involves using your brain, so you must make sure you get enough rest. You've worked hard writing articles, so don't overwork yourself."

Chen Fan chuckled. "Well, there's market day in a few days, so I was thinking of taking the cotton the team gave me to make cotton wadding, and selling a few quilts. I'll send them to Team 10 to make the wadding. I'm going to pick up the cotton wadding today."

Captain Yang raised his head. "Oh, I see."

Then, looking at him, she asked, "So you came to see me...?"

Chen Fan rubbed his hands together and said with a smile, "There's just a lot of cotton wool, and the baskets might not be able to hold it all. I'd like to borrow the team's cart."

Without saying a word, Captain Yang said, "It's no big deal. Just go to the livestock shed at the village entrance, tell him what I said, and you can get it from him."

Afterwards, he even thoughtfully asked, "Would you like me to get you a mule?"

These words really surprised Chen Fan. Although he had only been here for less than half a month, he was very clear about the significance of livestock to the production team.

Before today, Captain Yang would never have offered to give the mule, and he would most likely have refused even if Chen Fan had made the request.

Who knows if someone who's only been here for less than half a month will run away with a mule?

But now, he actually offered to borrow a mule.

Seriously, I'm so touched!

Chen Fan looked extremely grateful. "Thank you, Captain. We don't need the mule; I don't know how to drive one."

I don't know if it's a sheep or the flu, but my brain seems to be sealed shut. Please give me some votes to comfort me o(╥﹏╥)o
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(End of this chapter)