Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 335 Congratulations
The phonograph was placed in the corner next to the sofa in the living room, so it could be operated while sitting on the sofa. When not in use, the large brass horn could also serve as a decoration, making it look very impressive.

Opposite the sofa, in the middle of a row of windows against the wall, was an old-fashioned radio. Above the radio, on the wall, was a brand-new 555 wall clock that Chen Fan had bought from the commune's supply and marketing cooperative.

(This is it)
The clock ticked away without stopping, striking the hour every hour—once at one o'clock, twice at two o'clock, and so on. Its working principle was exactly the same as the clock that the brigade headquarters had given Chen Fan before.

As for the mechanical clock, Chen Fan also dug it out, put the bell-ringing parts that had been removed earlier back in, and placed it on the desk in the study on the second floor.

He hid the clock he had repaired to conceal his mechanical repair skills and avoid being seen as a workhorse.

Now, of course, he doesn't need to do that anymore. He's now a "cattle herder." As long as he brings a few people along, not only can he live a better life, but he can also make his days easier.

With a song playing from the gramophone, Chen Fan walked to the coffee table, picked up the bundle of cloth, and headed towards the tea table.

This tea table is 1.2 meters wide and about 2 meters long. Although it is smaller than the cutting board, it is still barely enough.

Chen Fan pulled out a piece of cloth and spread it on the tea table. He frowned slightly and carefully observed the color difference on it.

If it hadn't been dyed badly, this would definitely be a top-quality piece of fabric, but now it can only be used as a second-rate product.

A moment later, he continued to pull the fabric outwards until he had seen the entire piece.

Jiang Lili stood to the side, glancing at the fabric and then at him, and asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

Chen Fan looked up at her and smiled, "You do fashion design, huh?"

"Fashion design?"

Jiang Lili looked puzzled. "How can you design something from just a piece of cloth?"

There was also clothing design in this era, especially in clothing factories in big cities, where there were dedicated designers, although they didn't have that name, but they did the work of clothing design.

Some of them copied clothing styles from photos in foreign magazines, while others combined various elements to improve existing clothing.

Those knee-length floral dresses, ruffled collars, double-breasted styles, modified Liberation caps, as well as the patterns on sweaters, the subtle waist cinching, and the gradually narrowing trouser legs, all showcase the design sense of the clothing.

These designs, however, represent a clash between aesthetics and the times.

(Clothing from the mid-to-late 70s)

However, those were all designs for styles and patterns. Now that there's only one piece of fabric, how is Chen Fan supposed to design it?
Looking at Jiang Lili, Chen Fan pointed to the varying shades of color on the fabric and smiled, "Look here,"

Then, pointing to another spot, he said, "Look here, aren't the colors very similar?"

Jiang Lili looked around, then her face lit up with realization. "You mean, by piecing together the same or similar colors, you can make a garment that's the same color?"

Chen Fan nodded first, then shook his head, and laughed, "You guessed half right. Well, I can't explain it to you now. You'll understand once I make one. Could you get me the scissors and tape measure first?"

Jiang Lili puffed out her cheeks, turned around and ran to the tool cabinet, rummaged through it and pulled out a large pair of scissors and a measuring tape, then quickly ran back.

Chen Fan had already pulled the cloth back to the scrap heap, took the scissors from Jiang Lili, and began to snip the cloth.

Jiang Lili's eyes widened. "Just like this?"

No need to draw diagrams or take measurements?

Chen Fan looked at her and said with a smile, "I'm very confident, so don't you dare follow my example."

With his current mental and intellectual capacity, he can quickly memorize the color differences and quantity of the fabric, recombine them in his mind, and then consider what kind of clothes to design based on the quantity of these different colored fabric pieces.

Seeing his confidence, Jiang Lili couldn't help but wrinkle her nose slightly. "Just say I'm stupid."

Chen Fan turned to look at her and laughed, "Not bad, not bad, you've learned to joke now."

Jiang Lili pouted again, but less than two seconds later she couldn't help but laugh.

Chen Fan moved quickly, a pair of scissors flying across the cloth. With a series of snips, the whole piece of cloth was broken into pieces of different sizes, and then thrown on the ground according to their colors.

After a while, the 54 feet of cloth were completely dismantled.

Jiang Lili looked at the pile of fabric. "What should we do next?"

Chen Fan picked up two pieces of cloth, spread them on the tea table and pieced them together. He then turned to look at Jiang Lili and said, "Next, we need to sew these pieces of cloth back together."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly frowned slightly, turned to look out the window, and said to Jiang Lili, "Someone's coming. Go turn off the phonograph."

Jiang Lili turned and ran, quickly removing the needle and stuffing the record into the cabinet below, all in one smooth motion.

Chen Fan was dumbfounded. This person's agility is not much different from his own!
The music stopped, and Jiang Lili breathed a sigh of relief. She turned and walked to the window, looking around. "I don't see anyone?"

Chen Fan whistled, and the falcon immediately flew down from the branch, landed on the floor of the covered walkway, and then flew onto the windowsill.

Jiang Lili immediately beamed and reached out to touch it, "So it was you who was the sentry." The falcon turned its neck and chirped.

Chen Fan blew a whistle again, and the falcon immediately spread its wings and flew away.

When Jiang Lili followed the falcon's gaze, she saw a person walking up the slope below; it was Captain Yang.

Chen Fan also saw him from the window, so he turned around and went out to greet him.

Captain Yang strode over, saw Chen Fan, immediately raised his right hand and waved, grinning and laughing, "Congratulations, congratulations!"

Then Jiang Lili came out from the gate, and her face immediately stiffened.

In this situation, was it a bit inappropriate for me to say this?

Chen Fan took out a cigarette and offered it to him, asking with a puzzled look, "What's the good news? Did they get the water pipes back?"

A month ago, Secretary Yang and Captain Zhang went to the commune and submitted an application to Secretary Qian to build a small water tower.

Since Lujiawan was able to procure a diesel engine on its own, Secretary Qian was happy to support it. He not only agreed to the Lujiawan production team's request, but also helped them find a second-hand water pump. As for water pipes, he issued an approval document so that they could purchase them from the county. In addition, he approved a sum of money, which effectively reduced Lujiawan's economic burden.

Nevertheless, Secretary Yang and his team emptied their savings, begged and pleaded everywhere, and tried every possible means to raise enough money to buy water pipes and pumps. Yesterday, Zhang Wenliang and Ye Shubao went to the county to buy water pipes and pumps.

Captain Yang came over with good news at this time. Could it be that the goods have been brought back?
But this shouldn't be good news shared with me.

He was puzzled, but on the surface he didn't stop and invited Captain Yang into the house.

He then said to Jiang Lili, "Little Jiang, prepare two more dishes tonight."

The implication was that they wanted Captain Yang to stay for drinks.

Jiang Lili nodded quickly, "Oh, I'll go right away."

He started to run outside as he spoke.

Captain Yang lit a cigarette and grinned, "Hey, Xiao Jiang, cook some extra rice later, Company Commander Zhang is coming over too."

Jiang Lili replied without saying a word, "Oh."

But in my heart I was wondering what day it was, and why they had all come.
Just as she took a few steps forward, she heard Captain Yang say, "The water pipes and pumps have been brought back, but this is a great event for the production team, not for you personally."

Upon hearing this, she couldn't help but slow down.

Captain Yang continued, "Just now, the postman specially delivered a package to the production team. Guess what's inside?"

Chen Fan frowned slightly, looked up at the sky, and saw a package? A happy event?
His eyes flickered slightly, and he said with a delighted expression, "The First Aid Manual has been published?"

A package and good news—besides this book, there can't be anything else, right?

Captain Yang nodded immediately and laughed, "That's right, the First Aid Manual has been officially published. After Company Commander Zhang received the package, he saw that it was sent by the Prefectural Committee's Health Department, guessed that it was a book, and immediately called me. He arrived shortly afterward."

Upon hearing the result, Jiang Lili couldn't help but beam with joy, and her steps became lighter as she skipped and hopped down the stairs.

She had just run down the slope when she saw Zhang Wenliang riding over on horseback. She quickly stopped and stood by the roadside to greet him, "Hello, Company Commander Zhang."

Ever since his last visit to the prefectural committee, Zhang Wenliang had felt that Chen Fan and her relationship was not as distant as it seemed on the surface.

Of course, it doesn't necessarily mean they're in a romantic relationship. There are three other people living in the courtyard, and she shares a room with them. If there were really something going on, they would have noticed.

The most likely explanation is that Chen Fan and Xiao Jiang became friends, but they couldn't make it public because of Xiao Jiang's identity.

Thinking about it carefully, this possibility is quite high. After all, the two of them lived together in the yard for a month before, so it would be impossible for them not to have communicated with each other. This situation actually makes more sense.

Having made up his mind, Zhang Wenliang's attitude towards Jiang Lili also changed.

Seeing Jiang Lili greet him, he smiled kindly and said, "Little Jiang, is Teacher Chen upstairs?"

Feeling flattered by such gentle treatment, Jiang Lili quickly nodded and pointed upwards, saying, "Teacher Chen is in the living room, and Captain Yang just came over too."

As she spoke, her gaze involuntarily drifted to the basket on the horse's back, thinking to herself that Xiao Fan's book must be in that basket.

Zhang Wenliang only exchanged a few polite words with her to show his attitude, and didn't say much more. As he dismounted, he smiled and said, "Oh, Captain Yang is here too."

First, he tied the horse to the shed that Chen Fan had built to shelter the building materials from the wind and rain, which was next to the wall of the educated youth compound. Then, he took out a large square package and a large oil can from the basket and carried them up the hill.

Jiang Lili waited until he was far away before turning around and entering the back gate of the educated youth compound.

(End of this chapter)