Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 309 Hua Tang Searches for Someone
Stepping out of the clinic, Zhang Wenliang was so excited he almost went overboard, gesturing wildly as he exclaimed, "Wow, that's a university!"

Zhang Juemin nodded repeatedly, his face flushed. "Teacher Chen can teach at the regional health school, which is equivalent to being a university teacher, right?"

Zhang Wenliang immediately said, "Of course! Besides university professors, who else can give lectures at universities? And this isn't some kind of speech about exemplary deeds..."

Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly turned to look at Chen Fan and said, "Actually, given your deeds, it wouldn't be a bad idea to hold a lecture on your exemplary deeds."

Chen Fan felt it was a bit absurd, shook his head and laughed, "Then tell me, what advanced deeds have I accomplished?"

"Why isn't it there?"

Zhang Wenliang counted on his fingers, "He volunteered to teach the people of Lujiawan veterinary medicine and medical skills. That day, he saved Lao Gao's son, and then selflessly contributed his medical skills, first teaching them to the people of Lujiawan, and then coming to the prefectural committee to teach them medical skills..."

"Stop, stop, stop."

Chen Fan raised his hand to interrupt him, "What you said is too exaggerated, making me sound like Norman Bethune. Actually, these are nothing. If we really want to talk about advanced deeds, we should bring out our Captain Xiao. He participated in the wars in the south and north, and then went to fight in the north. After the war, he returned to his hometown to farm. That's what makes him a hero."

Zhang Wenliang chuckled, a proud look on his face, "Uncle Xiao is definitely right, but you're not bad either."

After chatting and laughing for a while, a sidecar came speeding by without stopping. Instead, it slowed down and the rider waved to Chen Fan, saying, "Teacher Chen, wait two minutes. I'll go fill up the tank and come back to pick you up."

Chen Fan readily agreed, waving his hand and smiling, "Thank you for your hard work."

As the tricycle drove away, Zhang Juemin casually asked, "Where are you going next?"

Chen Fan turned to look at them and said, "I'll find you a place to wait for a while. I'm going to meet someone, and I'll come find you afterwards. Hey, are you going to the department store or the Xinhua Bookstore?"

After he finished speaking, he turned around and saw the two of them staring at him with wide eyes. He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Zhang Wenliang swallowed hard and asked in a low voice, "Who are you going to see?"

Zhang Juemin's eyes showed a hint of nervousness. "Is it someone we used to know?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "We're acquaintances, I guess."

Seeing the two of them tense up instantly, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "She's Jiang Lili's older sister. She visited Xiao Jiang during the Spring Festival. When I came to the prefectural committee this time, I asked Xiao Jiang if she had anything to bring to her family. She asked me to bring some things over. It's that simple."

Hearing this, Zhang Juemin and Zhang Wenliang finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

Thankfully, Xiao Chen hasn't remembered where he came from yet.

Once he came to his senses, Zhang Wenliang casually said, "It's just carrying some things, why do we have to go separately? Let's go together, you can just give the things to her, that's all."

Chen Fan looked at him, then at Zhang Juemin, and said softly, "Brother Da Hu, do you think so too?"

The two exchanged a glance, then looked at Chen Fan and said in unison, "Is something wrong?"

Chen Fan turned his head and looked around, then put his arm around Zhang Wenliang's shoulder and said in a low voice, "Have you forgotten about Xiao Jiang's family situation?"

Zhang Wenliang and Zhang Juemin exchanged another glance, paused for two seconds, and then Zhang Wenliang frowned and said, "Aren't you afraid?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "I'm not leaving Lujiawan, so what's there to be afraid of? Are you going to criticize me just because I helped her with a small favor?"

Before they could speak, Chen Fan continued, "But you're different. Brother Sanhu, you're the militia company commander, so you have to set an example. It's fine if you just nod and say hello to Xiao Jiang in the production team, but if you go to his house, that's a problem."

Then he looked at Zhang Juemin and said, “Brother Dahu, you have made a contribution by contributing the notebook of the first aid manual. When you go back this time, after the health department publishes the book, you will be rewarded according to your merits. You will have a good chance of being transferred to the commune health center. You might even be able to get an official position and become a cadre. At this time, you should try to avoid any possible ‘stain’.”

Zhang Wenliang and Zhang Juemin both felt that his analysis made some sense.

After a two-second silence, Zhang Juemin pulled Zhang Wenliang aside and said, “Sanhuzi, now is not the time to be willful. You are the militia company commander, and you not only have to set an example, but once the breeding farm is established, you will also serve as the deputy director. Who knows, one day the breeding farm might be taken over by the commune like the construction team, and then you will be a leader of a regular unit. You must ensure your integrity and not do anything that could cause misunderstandings, understand?”

He paused for a moment, then looked at Chen Fan and smiled, "Teacher Chen didn't even take a position in the health department; he's wholeheartedly dedicated to serving in our Lujiawan community. What do we have to worry about?!"

Chen Fan chuckled dryly twice. "So you all came with me because you were afraid I'd run away?"

Zhang Wenliang quickly gave an awkward laugh, "It's mainly to make it easier to take care of you."

Chen Fan waved his hand with a smile, "The team owes several thousand yuan in breeding fees. If it were me, I would also be afraid that the people would run away."

The two could only chuckle awkwardly, saying, "Long live understanding."

Chen Fan looked at the sidecar motorcycle chugging towards him in the distance and asked, "Have you decided where to wait for me?"

Zhang Wenliang thought for a moment, "What are you planning to do after you finish your business?"

Chen Fan: "I want to go to Xinhua Bookstore."

Zhang Wenliang: "Then we'll wait for you at the nearby Xinhua Bookstore."

Zhang Juemin smiled and said, "Okay, I'll study hard today and try to read a few books in the bookstore."

The tricycle stopped in front of them, and the three people got on one after another.

The rider asked Chen Fan, "Teacher Chen, where are you going?"

Chen Fan gave Jiang Tiantian's address, but only the street name, not the house number. He then asked, "Sir, is there a Xinhua Bookstore on this street?" The rider thought for a moment and replied, "I haven't been there much, so I'm not sure."

Then he smiled and said, "But it's okay, let's go there first and ask someone."

After saying that, he drove off in his tricycle.

The tricycle drove in the middle of the road, and bicycles swerved to make way for it, leaving behind envious glances.

It took about twenty minutes for the car to slow down.

The rider turned to look at Chen Fan and said loudly, "This is the northern part of Yunhu, the largest cotton mill in the region. The Yunhu Cotton Mill is located here. This cotton mill is only slightly smaller than the cotton mill in the provincial capital. It is the second largest in the province, with several thousand employees. In addition, there are affiliated units and employees' families. Nearly 20,000 people live here and depend on the cotton mill for their livelihood."

Chen Fan nodded, indicating that he had heard what he said. At the same time, he looked around the street and found that many people were wearing cotton mill work clothes that resembled kitchen aprons. There were also significantly more bicycles here than in the city center, while there were relatively few pedestrians.

As expected of a top-tier large organization in the Yunhu area, its benefits are truly exceptional.

After driving for a while, the car stopped in front of a Xinhua Bookstore on the side of the road. The rider pointed to the intersection ahead and said with a smile, "What a coincidence, there's a Xinhua Bookstore right here. The intersection ahead is the place you're looking for."

Chen Fan got up and got off the bike. He first handed the rider a cigarette and thanked him. Then he said to Zhang Juemin and Zhang Wenliang, "You two stay here and read for a while. I'll be back when I'm done."

In front of outsiders, the two of them didn't say much, just nodded slightly, watched Chen Fan walk to the intersection, and then turned around and went into the bookstore.

Chen Fan walked forward for several dozen meters and saw a narrow path that was only about ten meters wide.

Compared to the wide main road outside, this road is more like the main thoroughfare of the residential area, instantly creating a more vibrant atmosphere.

It's just that today is Monday, so people are either working or going to school, and there aren't many people on the streets.

He walked along the road and soon saw a shop with a sign that read "Street Supply and Marketing Cooperative Store". This was where Jiang Tiantian worked.

I looked inside from the doorway. There weren't many people in the store, except for two sales clerks sitting behind the counter chatting.

Chen Fan went inside, took out four White Rabbit milk candies he had pilfered from the guesthouse room, placed them on the counter, and said with a smile, "Hello comrade, may I ask if Jiang Tiantian works here?"

The two sales clerks turned to look at him, their gazes falling on the candies on the counter, but thankfully they didn't give him a sour look.

Even though they worked at the supply and marketing cooperative, it wasn't easy for them to buy rare and precious items like White Rabbit candy.

Because these "high-end candies" are generally sold through department stores, which are not the same as supply and marketing cooperatives. Department stores are specifically for cities and are large shopping malls, while supply and marketing cooperatives are for streets and towns and are more like "shopping outlets". The difference is quite big. For some high-end products, it is naturally not so easy to get your hands on them. Although two candies are not much, they are good to take home to appease the children.

One of them asked curiously, "Who are you to her? What do you want with her?"

Faced with this question, Chen Fan had already anticipated it and said naturally, "I came from Nanhu Commune in Gufeng County. I was on a business trip to the prefectural committee and was asked by her sister to bring her some things."

"younger sister?"

The sales clerk became even more curious, looking Chen Fan up and down. "What's your relationship with her sister?"

Chen Fan's expression remained unchanged. "It's nothing, we just happen to be in the same production team, so you could say we know each other."

Hearing this answer, the saleswoman seemed not very satisfied, but she couldn't tell anything from Chen Fan's face. Finally, for the sake of White Rabbit milk candy, she pointed outside and said, "Someone was looking for her just now, it seemed to be someone from the cotton mill. They went outside to talk, they should be in the alley across the street, go and look for her."

Chen Fan glanced back and indeed found a small alleyway diagonally opposite. He thanked them and then turned and left.

After crossing the road, Chen Fan arrived at the alley entrance. He looked inside but didn't see anyone. Instead, he saw a row of uneven house walls and wondered if they were in some corner.

After a moment's thought, Chen Fan looked around and quickly found the spot where there were signs of rats.

He looked around again, and seeing no one on the road, he took out a piece of candy, unwrapped it, and threw it to the side of the road.

A little while later, a mouse peeked out cautiously. When it saw Chen Fan, it wasn't afraid, but just tentatively took a few steps.

Chen Fan squeaked a few times, and the mouse froze.

What does this mean? How can this guy talk like that? He wants me to go find someone? And if I find them, there'll be something delicious to eat?

The sweet taste didn't make it think too much; it immediately rushed over, grabbed the candy, swallowed it whole, and then dashed into the alley.

Less than two minutes later, the mouse rushed back, squeaking at Chen Fan, "There are two people inside, where's the candy?"

Chen Fan smiled slightly and tossed another candy to it, saying, "Take me there."

With the mouse leading the way, he'd save himself the trouble of searching for people, so why be stingy with a piece of candy?

The mouse leaped up, bit down, and then turned and ran inside.

Chen Fan followed the rat with an uncanny gait, each step covering more than a meter, running unhurriedly into the alley.

It went quite deep inside; after walking for about fifty meters, we could faintly hear voices speaking from ahead.

Chen Fan's ears twitched slightly, and he recognized that it was Jiang Tiantian speaking. However, judging from her tone, she seemed very impatient, as if she was arguing with someone.

This is interesting. The Jiang sisters are already living very cautiously these days, so how could they possibly have a dispute with someone? Especially in such a secluded place?
(End of this chapter)