Reborn 73 years later, he takes his mother-in-law hunting in the mountains.

Lu Yao laughed and said, "No need for that, Godfather. Actually, I also want to rid the people of this scourge. It's just that we don't have enough weapons, and Company Commander Wang doesn't give me anything good. Right now, the whole team only has two Garand rifles."

Ju Zhenghua nodded: "Lu Yao, I can lend the gun to the commune militia company. However, you can't borrow it in your personal name; that would be against discipline."

Ju Wen also understood the law: "Yes, you can have your commune leader write an application. My dad won't stop you. He'll just approve it directly, and you can go to the county armory to retrieve the weapons. The bullets will be counted, and the guns will be returned after use."

Lu Yao laughed: "What would it matter if the commune leaders were willing to help me? They would find all sorts of excuses and wouldn't write an application for me."

As a minister, Ju Zhenghua was well aware of the ways things worked within the circle.

Lu Yao injured Yang Shouye's son. As the commune director, Yang Shouye couldn't openly seek revenge, but he would definitely make things difficult for Lu Yao at work.

However, he was a cautious person and it was not appropriate for him, as a superior, to directly manage the militia of a certain commune.

At that time, there were very strict constraints on leading cadres.

Even leading cadres cannot cover up everything, as that would easily give their colleagues leverage against them.

"Here's what we'll do. You go back first. I'll talk to my superiors tomorrow. If they have no objections, I'll lend you a batch of weapons directly. But it still needs the commune leaders' signature and approval."

Lu Yao's presence here was merely a strategic move.

They didn't expect to be able to borrow the gun back immediately.

So he nodded:

"Oh, right, Godfather, there's one more thing."

"explain."

"Could you give me a note so I can buy some hunting rifles at the supply and marketing cooperative?"

At that time, the Northeast region was sparsely populated and had many mountains and forests.

Many communes needed to reclaim wasteland.

Hunting rifles are permitted to be sold in order to protect against wild animals.

However, strict approval is required for the purchase.

Hunting rifles were considered agricultural tools, not just weapons.

However, it is very difficult for individuals to obtain approval easily.

Back then, a hunting rifle would cost anywhere from fifty to over a hundred yuan.

In an era when the average annual income of rural commune members was around 100 yuan, very few individuals could afford to buy such items.

Production teams also need approval from the county-level public security or armed forces departments to make purchases.

Only with a letter of introduction and certification from the management department will the supply and marketing cooperative dare to sell to you.

That's why Lu Yao came to ask Ju Zhenghua for permission to issue a note.

Otherwise, we're going into the mountains tomorrow, and we're waiting for Ju Zhenghua to discuss with his superiors whether or not to borrow a gun; we're afraid there won't be enough time.

Ju Zhenghua nodded: "That's fine, but there are regulations now that supply and marketing cooperatives are no longer allowed to sell military firearms. They can only sell small-caliber sporting rifles for personal use. And each person is limited to no more than three. I'll help you get a letter of introduction, and once it's stamped with the official seal, you can take it to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy it."

Sporting rifles have a small caliber and short range, making them suitable for shooting rabbits and birds. They are only somewhat effective against wolves within 30 meters.

But having something is better than having nothing.

Lu Yao quickly thanked him.

Ju Zhenghua went inside to get the letter of introduction.

Yu Lan went to the kitchen to see if the frozen pears and persimmons were ready.

And I washed a few apples.

In the dead of winter, very few families can afford to eat fruit.

At this moment, Ju Wen was sitting alone in the living room with Lu Yao.

Lu Yao asked Ju Wen, "Sister Wenwen, do you know anyone at the grain store?"

"I do know someone there, what's wrong?"

Lu Yao smiled and said, "I need your help. I want to buy some wheat flour and rice for my mother and sister to treat them to something nice for the New Year. My family hasn't eaten refined grains in years."

"Really?"

Ju Wen was born into a cadre family. Although life was difficult at that time, it was still much richer than in the countryside.

Although they all received their food rations from grain ration coupons, the proportion of refined grains in the diets of intellectuals and cadres was much higher.

Most importantly, the family of three usually eats at the company cafeteria.

Many years have passed since the Great Famine, and rice and wheat flour are no longer a rarity in the canteens of government agencies.

Therefore, her family had a large surplus of refined grains in their grain register.

Lu Yao asked her, not because he wanted to borrow her family's grain ration book.

It was around that time that the practice of "going through the back door" began to take hold.

Given Ju Wen's family's social standing, buying some refined grains at a grain store shouldn't be a problem.

Ju Zhenghua is a very rigid person; it's better to ask Ju Wen for help with such a small matter than to ask him.

Upon hearing what Lu Yao said, Ju Wen looked him over again.

Although his clothes were clean from head to toe, there were patches on his elbows, knees, and buttocks.

Moreover, the cuffs are a bit short, indicating that it has been worn for many years.

Little did they know that Lu Yao had picked up his father's clothes, which had the fewest patches.

So he nodded: "Okay, the director of the Fifth Grain Store is my classmate's father. I'll talk to him and ask him to find you a grain ration book to use. Buying a few dozen kilograms shouldn't be a problem!"

Lu Yao quickly saluted Ju Wen:

"Thank you, sister."

Ju Wen smiled wryly: "Is that all you're thanking me for?"

"What should I do? Do you have any chores? I'll help you!"

Ju Wen giggled: "I don't need you to do any work for me. How about this, you come with me to a movie. I specially asked a colleague at work to buy me two movie tickets. I was originally planning to go with my classmate, but you're lucky."

"What movie is it?"

"Flower girl! It's so popular, tickets are hard to come by. My comrade had to ask someone to buy one for him."

Lu Yao knew about this film; it was a North Korean melodrama.

Lu Yao really didn't want to go.

People back then probably considered watching movies a very fashionable form of entertainment.

People in rural areas have even fewer opportunities to watch movies; some have never been to a movie theater in their entire lives.

Even when city film companies went to the countryside to show films, it was always in a large open-air venue, with people from many villages crowding together to watch.

Lu Yao in his previous life would definitely have been willing to watch.

They went early to grab a spot.

But after experiencing one lifetime, I'm already tired of watching movies, TV series, and short videos.

They couldn't capture anything that would attract Lu Yao.

But seeing Ju Wen's cheerful invitation, it wasn't easy to refuse.

When asked about the movie time, it was 11 o'clock.

That works too, but we can't delay buying food and guns.

You can't just ask people for favors and then refuse their small requests.

At this moment, Ju Zhenghua produced a letter of introduction:

"Xiao Lu, the official seal is locked in the filing cabinet at my workplace. I need to go to the office to get it stamped for you."

Ju Wen quickly said, "Dad, then I'll take Xiao Lu there. I'll take him to the supply and marketing cooperative later."

Ju Zhenghua frowned: "I'll show you. I'll go by myself."

Ju Wen came over and snatched the letter of introduction and the company keys from her father's hand:

"I already told you you don't need to go. I'm worried about you riding your bike in this heavy snow."

Yu Lan brought out some fruit: "Then let Wenwen go. Xiao Lu, you can stay here and eat fruit while you wait. I'll fry those two yellow croakers for lunch later."

Lu Yao quickly stood up and waved his hand: "No, thank you, godfather and godmother. I have things to do at home. We'll eat next time."

Yu Lan sincerely tried to persuade him to stay, but Lu Yao said he had something to do and could only let him go.

Watching Ju Wen and Lu Yao leave together, pushing their bicycles away, Ju Zhenghua frowned deeply.

Yu Lan asked, "Zhenghua, why are you looking so stern? Did you scare Xiao Lu away?"

"Hmph, he's not afraid of me at all. He wouldn't have taken my daughter away right in front of me!"

Yu Lan laughed and said, "Jealous? I think Wenwen took him away. Besides, this young man is handsome and eloquent. What, you're not going to be friends with Wenwen?"

Ju Zhenghua still shook his head: "Lu Yao is a good kid, but they're not a good match. Don't ruin Wenwen's future..."

Yu Lan laughed and slapped Ju Zhenghua:

"Little Lu never said he was pursuing your daughter, so what are you so smug about? I think this kid is destined for greatness; he'll make something of himself someday. Zhenghua, don't underestimate a young man's potential!"

Her attempt to persuade Ju Zhenghua only made him angrier:

"Who complains that he's poor? You've all misunderstood me. I just felt that my daughter and he weren't a good match."

Seeing how enthusiastic Ju Wen was towards Lu Yao, Ju Zhenghua became a little worried.

Although my daughter works in a government agency, she's not very shrewd and lacks social experience. I hope she doesn't get taken advantage of by this guy!