The 1970s: Military Family Beauty

Jiang Furong went to buy a train ticket and then quietly explained to her grandmother and aunt why she had to buy sweet potatoes in the provincial capital.

On her way to the train station, she passed a bus stop and looked at the sign. Tickets started at two cents.

If they want to take the bus with luggage, they have to buy an additional luggage ticket for the extra luggage, and if the driver is a bully, they have to buy two more tickets.

Just think of it as hiring a car for free for this journey.

Jiang Xiaocui laughed out loud, pulled Jiang Furong's braid and shook it twice, then turned back to Grandma Jiang and said, "Mom, I told you Furong is smart!"

Grandma Jiang was very relieved: "That's right! Before we came, your grandfather always said that if the bus was late, and we couldn't buy a ticket, we would have to go back to the train station square and sleep overnight. We couldn't sleep too hard in the middle of the night because we had to be careful of pickpockets. He made my heart skip a beat."

Jiang Xiaocui took over and said, "We're worried that the train will be delayed and we might miss the long-distance bus. We'll really have to sleep against the wall of the train station. Furong, look, I even brought my bedding."

"I thought you knew we didn't have any quilts!" Jiang Furong stuck out her tongue and quickly changed the subject: "Aunt, your quilt is so new, how could my uncle be willing to bring it out for you to sleep on the floor?"

Jiang Xiaocui curled her lips and said, "Who cares if he's willing to part with it or not? This quilt is mine. He has no right to stop me from taking it with me wherever I want."

Grandma Jiang's face looked a little ugly. She sighed softly, and forced a smile that was not funny at all. She said to Jiang Furong, "Your aunt has such a bad temper. Fortunately, you are not like her."

Jiang Xiaocui was unhappy: "What's wrong with being like me? If she was like me, would my sister-in-law still beat her all day long?"

"No more, no more," Grandma Jiang turned her face away: "Stubborn donkey!"

Jiang Xiaocui muttered softly, "You also gave birth to that stubborn donkey!"

Phew~, Jiang Furong couldn't help but hugged her grandmother's arm and laughed.

This kind of conversation is what a loving family should have!

Jiang Furong had two cents left in her pocket. Thinking that she had nothing else to spend the money on, she took the big teapot that Grandma Jiang had brought with her for drinking water on the road and went to the restaurant near the station to buy some noodles and two sesame cakes. She brought them back for her grandma and aunt to have a meal together.

It was already past three in the afternoon when we took a long-distance bus back to the county bus station. Grandma Jiang and Jiang Xiaocui were both carsick. They felt dizzy as soon as they got on the bus and looked very tired after getting off.

Jiang Furong ran to the ticket window to ask, and found out that there were no more buses passing by the compound.

Jiang Furong felt the last six cents in her pocket and realized that it was no longer possible to use the same trick to hire a free car.

Besides, even if she could afford to hire a wheelbarrow, it would take more than an hour to walk from the county bus station back to the compound, which was too tiring.

"Furong," Jiang Xiaocui saw her niece's dilemma and asked, "What's wrong? No car? I have money, how about buying another bag of sweet potatoes?"

Jiang Furong shook her head: "There's no one selling sweet potatoes."

It was neither early nor late at this time. The students had not yet finished school and the factories had not yet closed for get off work. There were few people walking on the streets. The restaurants next to the station had not even lit the stove and looked deserted.

There was a man carrying a basket looking towards them. A little further away, there were a few idle men squatting in a circle by the roadside, seemingly playing poker, with two donkeys tied next to them.

Jiang Xiaocui also saw it and asked, "Furong, look over there. They have a donkey, so there must be a cart nearby. Should we go ask them?"

Grandma Jiang hit her daughter and said, "What do you know? You can't just ask casually. What if you meet a kidnapper? If you want to learn something, you should use your brain first. Furong didn't even say a word!"

Jiang Xiaocui was scolded so hard that she pouted and dared not say a word.

Jiang Furong thought about it and felt that what her grandmother said made sense. When they were in the provincial capital, they walked on the main road, where there were people everywhere and it was safe.

Now on the way back to the compound from the county town, you have to pass through the sorghum fields and fish ponds in Xiaogou Village. There are no residents nearby and it is very secluded. If any disaster really happens, you can't escape it.

"Grandma, you guys wait here. I'll go to the station to ask people." Jiang Furong gained her grandmother's trust and suddenly felt that her responsibility was even greater.

When I went out this morning, I took a ride, bought a train ticket, and bought a standing ticket, all thanks to Wei Heng. I didn't have to think of any solutions. Now I have to rely on myself for everything. I feel lost and my eyes are a little wet. Why?

She remembered that when Wei Heng went to find someone to do something, he always went straight to the stationmaster's office, so she bravely knocked on the door of the stationmaster's office.

A man with a cigarette butt in his mouth came to open the door and said in a very aggressive manner: "Who are you looking for?"

Jiang Furong was most annoyed by people who judged others by their appearance, but since she was asking for help, she could only bite the bullet and ask, "I live in the Fanhao compound. Is there any other car I can take to get there?"

She spoke clearly in Mandarin. As soon as she gave the number, the person who opened the door immediately became more polite. He opened the door a little further and turned around to ask, "Stationmaster Liao, there's a woman asking for a ride."

"Where are you going?"

"The compound over at Xiaogou Village."

"How many people?"

Jiang Furong quickly raised three fingers.

The man at the door took a look and said, "Three, all women."

"Tell her to go across the street and find Huazi to see when his donkey cart will be back and whether he's willing to take them with him."

Jiang Furong turned to look across the street. She saw the donkey cart and Huazi, who must be the same people. She quickly thanked them and asked if the ride cost money.

"Just give it to him. You are so brave. He won't dare to say anything if you don't give him money." The man smiled and said casually.

Jiang Furong was relieved now. It was the donkey cart introduced by the stationmaster, so at least the three of them were safe.

The dark-faced man named Huazi had just lost a game of poker and had notes stuck all over his face. He took this opportunity to throw away his cards and quit playing.

The donkey cart driven by Huazi was not big, and after putting the luggage in it, it could only seat two people.

Jiang Furong let Grandma Jiang take the bus, while she and her aunt each sat for a section and took turns walking.

The donkey cart moved very slowly and it took more than an hour to reach Xiaogou Village.

When Jiang Furong was about to reach the gate of the compound, she took out all the six cents in her pocket and gave it to Huazi: "The fare for the three of us is based on the bus fare!"

Whether it's the fare or the tip, getting home safely is better than anything else.

Huazi thought he was guiding Stationmaster Liao's relatives for free, but he didn't expect to receive money in return. He was so happy that he insisted on helping them carry their luggage all the way home.

Jiang Chaohui had already returned home from school. When he saw his grandmother and aunt, whom he still remembered, he greeted them shyly and went to the kitchen to cook.

Jiang Furong was so tired that she almost collapsed. She calmly asked her sister to carry firewood and boil water in a large pot. "Grandma and Aunt took a train for two days and two nights. We need to welcome them home."

There was no wine or meat to welcome the guests at home, so all she could do was boil some hot water to welcome them home.

Then he led his grandmother and aunt into his small bedroom and said, "You two sleep here tonight. My sister and I will sleep in the small room at the back."

Jiang Xiaocui went to see the small dark room and immediately moved the bedding roll she had brought with her over: "I'll just sleep in the small room from now on."

This is a bit too much information.

Jiang Furong couldn't help but turn her gaze to her grandmother.