Chapter 364: Will she agree?

"Exactly. That machine costs several hundred yuan! Do you even have a hundred? You open your mouth to use someone else's things; why don't we ever open our mouths like that? Is it because we don't know that a washing machine is easier than hand-washing? You're young, you should be more grounded. Don't always think about getting something for nothing." The captain's wife couldn't help but say.

She was someone who flattered the high-status but didn't trample on the low-status, so her reputation wasn't bad.

That young wife hadn't seen Lin Zhao lose her temper since marrying into the village. She thought Lin Zhao had a good temper and thin skin, unable to refuse others, but she didn't expect the Gu family to be right there. Where would she even need to speak?

"I just heard Zhaozhao say... she wanted to use it enough to make it worth it, it was just a joke..."

Wang Chunhua laughed, "Doesn't look like a joke. It looks more like you wanted to take the lead and get us all riled up to force Zhaozhao to agree."

Seeing the young wife's face turn bright red, she added, "Country folk speak directly, don't take it to heart."

The young wife gave an awkward smile, feeling both embarrassed and angry inside.

She cast her gaze toward Lin Zhao, who had ignored this farce.

"Zhaozhao..."

Lin Zhao raised her hand, "Call me Comrade Lin. 'Zhaozhao' is for close people to call me. I don't even know your name; our relationship isn't close enough to call me by my nickname."

"I'll say..." Yunjin couldn't help but interject, "My sister wouldn't have a friend who is so oblivious and just opens her mouth to take advantage of people."

Lin Zhao tapped his forehead lightly, "That sounds really harsh."

Yunjin gave a hehe laugh and muttered, "I'm not wrong. She called my sister by her name, of course I misunderstood."

Gu Qingzhou echoed, "It is indeed easy to misunderstand."

The young wife felt the gazes of everyone on her. Her face turned even redder, and she left in a huff, deciding to break off relations with Lin Zhao!

In her heart, she was still cursing Lin Zhao for being stingy!

She just wanted to use that broken washing machine to wash a few diapers, she was really petty.

Lin Zhao didn't know about this, but if she did, she would definitely throw the diapers in the other person's face. How could someone be so shameless!

With this little interlude, the atmosphere was strange. Gu Fu shot a few glances at the captain, and the captain understood.

He started shooing people away.

"Go do what you need to do, don't just stand here. Isn't there cleaning to do at home? Have you washed the clothes that need washing? Have you prepared all the missing New Year's goods...? A pile of things to do, why are you joining in the fun!"

Everyone dispersed, looking back every three steps.

The captain's wife nudged her man's arm with her elbow, "Why so many words! I haven't even finished washing one piece, I still wanted to see if the washing machine washes clean! It's all your fault!"

The captain kept a wooden face.

Heavens, distinguish the loyal from the treacherous!

Was it that he didn't want to watch? Old Gu's face was almost twitching!

In less than two minutes, the courtyard became empty.

Lin Zhao: "Finally, I can breathe freely. This reminds me of the time Gu Chenghuai bought the sewing machine back; it was just as lively."

She looked at Gu Mu, "It was also Mother who shooed away some people who wanted to take advantage, giving me peace. Thank you, Mother."

"What's this about." Gu Mu waved her hand, "The vast majority still have a sense of propriety. Those who love to take advantage are, after all, a minority. Don't take it to heart."

Lin Zhao said 'un'.

Uncle Song rarely saw Zhaozhao interacting with her mother-in-law. Seeing Gu Mu protecting his Zhaozhao, he felt very relieved.

His Zhaozhao is so good, she deserves all the favoritism.

"It's getting late, Yunjin, we should go home."

Yunjin, like a bear, hung his whole body on Lin Zhao, "Dad, I don't want to go. I want to stay. I'll help my sister wash the bed sheets, quilt covers, and curtains!"

Uncle Song guessed it would be like this, "Fine, you stay. Listen to your sister, be observant."

He walked toward the flatbed cart. This thing was borrowed, it had to be pushed back and returned to its owner.

Lin Zhao couldn't bear to let her uncle push the cart back alone. Thinking of her uncle walking on the road all alone, she couldn't stand it.

"Uncle, you ride my bicycle home. Yunjin and I will push the cart back tomorrow morning."

Yunjin said excitedly: "Sure, I'll push my sister to work."

Uncle Song agreed.

Lin Zhao walked to the kitchen, packed a small basin of fried goods, secured it with a net bag, and hung it on the handlebars, "Uncle, these are fried goods I made. Take some back, Aunt can just heat them up and eat them directly."

"Good."

After Uncle Song left, the old couple of the Gu family also went back to the old house. Gu Qingzhou was left behind. Gu Fu asked him to give Song Yunjin a hand, still afraid that the young man wouldn't be able to handle such a big thing as a washing machine.

Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao stood in front of the washing machine, heads together whispering, investigating where the boom-boom sound was coming from.

Curiosity was curiosity, but they didn't reach out to touch it randomly. There was a sense of maturity that didn't match their age.

Yunjin put his arms around the shoulders of the two cubs and said to Lin Zhao: "Sister, I'll wash slowly. You go back to the room and rest. Whatever you want to eat, Qingzhou and I will cook later."

There was wind outside, and Lin Zhao really didn't want to stay out long.

"You decide what to cook, call me when it's ready." As she said this, she took the cool hands of Qian Bao and Seeing Yaobao and went into the room.

Soon she came out again.

When she came out, she was holding two wool hats.

She said to Yunjin and Qingzhou: "You two take one each, discuss how to divide them yourselves."

After speaking, she turned and went back into the room.

"I want the black one." Yunjin said first.

"Then I'll take the gray one." Qingzhou didn't mind and put the hat on directly. His head suddenly felt less cold.

"Very warm." He said.

With Third Sister-in-law, from last year to this winter, he hadn't felt cold again.

Gu Qingzhou was full of gratitude toward Lin Zhao in his heart. He clenched his fists secretly, swearing that he must get ahead and repay Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law for their kindness to him.

"Sister, did you knit the hat? It's really warm." Yunjin faced the room and shouted.

Before Lin Zhao could answer, Xiang Yubao stood up straight and said: "Yes, my mother knitted it while at work. Isn't it pretty? I have one too."

"Pretty, prettier than the ones you buy." Yunjin touched the hat on his head, feeling warm inside.

At this time, the sound of the washing machine stopped. It was washed clean, but the foam hadn't been spun dry yet. He lifted the lid, put the hose connected to the faucet into the spin tub, and injected water.

"Twist this button." Gu Qingzhou studied the manual and twisted the round button on top.

Yunjin closed the lid and frowned, "Stirring back and forth like this, will it tear the clothes?"

"Probably not. The people who researched this must have tested it; it would only be sold if there were no problems." Gu Qingzhou said calmly.

"Makes sense, worthy of being the one who will become Engineer Gu." Yunjin reached out and patted his shoulder.

Gu Qingzhou's handsome, fair face flushed slightly, "What Engineer Gu, I'm still far from it." He said embarrassedly.

"Not at all!" Yunjin's voice rose slightly, "My dad said you have great talent, and you will definitely succeed in time."

His father even regretted that there was no college entrance exam; if he could have attended university and received systematic training, his apprentice's starting point would have been even higher.

Hearing his master's praise for him from Yunjin's mouth, Gu Qingzhou's eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily.

"I will continue to work hard."

Yunjin clenched his right fist and tapped it lightly on his shoulder, "Let's work hard together."

Two clear, moon-like voices drifted into the room from outside, and Lin Zhao's lips curled up.

"Mom?" Qian Bao asked in a whisper, confused why his mother's storytelling voice had stopped.

"It's nothing, continue." Lin Zhao rubbed her son's fine, soft hair and continued reading.

Qian Bao's sleeping posture was obedient, his long eyelashes blinking, both obedient and cute.

Outside, Yunjin and Qingzhou worked for several hours, finished washing the large items in the house, and spread them out to dry on the hanging rope in the courtyard.

"Really clean, even Seeing Yaobao's urine stains are gone!" Gu Hangbao checked the sheets, couldn't find that yellowish lump, and exclaimed.

Xiang Yubao circled his neck and covered his mouth, "Lower your voice, don't let Seeing Yaobao hear. Little girls all love face. If you don't leave her face, she will cry. If she cries, you'll be in trouble."

He reminded his younger brother, "Don't forget, Dad is coming back soon!"

Gu Hangbao pinched his own mouth, "I didn't say anything."

Yunjin laughed to death. "Are you that afraid of your dad?"

"Uncle, don't laugh. You're also afraid of Great-Uncle, why are you laughing at fifty steps with a hundred steps!" Gu Hangbao retorted.

Yunjin suppressed his laughter and pinched his cheek, "That's not fear, that's respect, respect! Do you know? You kid actually know 'fifty steps laughing at a hundred steps'!"

Gu Qingzhou smiled, "I taught him."

Gu Hangbao pulled down Uncle Yunjin's hand and snorted, "You are respect, then I am also respect."

Yunjin: "..."

A new brain really reacts fast!

The news that the Gu family's third branch had added a washing machine spread throughout the village and also reached the educated youth spot.

The educated youths from the city were all shocked.

They went to Lin Zhao's house as a group to take a look and left with complicated feelings.

With Gu Mu's previous scolding of the villagers, they didn't make any excessive demands, leaving only pure envy.

Why?

Why does someone from the countryside live more comfortably than them, the city folk?

Heaven really doesn't open its eyes!

Wen Huaiyuan looked at Song Qian, "Brother Qian, Comrade Lin's uncle is just a technician at the cotton textile factory, how could he even get a washing machine!? Isn't this thing very hard to get? My mom has wanted one for a long time and never got it."

Song Qian said: "Don't know."

These two had subsidies from home and didn't need to rely on farming to eat. Their lives were quite good, and they went to the state-run restaurant for a good meal every few days. Their condition was much better than the others.

Wen Huaiyuan said enviously: "I also want a washing machine, washing clothes is so troublesome. Brother Qian, you say... if I go to Comrade Lin to borrow the washing machine, will she agree?"

Song Qian looked over.

Wen Huaiyuan hurriedly said: "I'll pay to borrow it, five mao a time. Can she agree?"

"Don't know." Song Qian was still the same answer, "However... if you have the awareness to pay, Comrade Lin shouldn't chase you out with a broom."

"So there's a chance?" Wen Huaiyuan's eyes were expectant.

He was really fed up with washing clothes! He would rather carry manure than wash clothes!!

Song Qian's expression flickered, "You can ask."

"Try it, I'll try it!" Wen Huaiyuan clenched his fists, "I'll ask in a few days."

Meng Xiaoying couldn't help but interject, "Five mao a time is too much, I think giving one mao for one use is already a lot! Nobody's money is blown in by a big wind!"

Wen Huaiyuan hated Meng Xiaoying's calculating look the most, as if she were the smartest in the world and everyone else was a fool.

"I don't care what you think, I care what I think! How I quote the price is my business, what does it have to do with you."

Meng Xiaoying was furious, "I'm doing this for your own good..."

"Forget it, I don't need it." Wen Huaiyuan curled his lips, "You're doing this for this person's good, then for that person's good. Who are you? Even the Bodhisattva in the old temple would have to move their butt to let you sit."

"Pfft!!" Several educated youths couldn't help but spray-laugh.

Educated Youth Wen is too sharp, how is he so good at retorting? Learned it, learned it!

In the future, if Educated Youth Meng meddles in other people's business again, they will all retort like this, hehe!

Meng Xiaoying was annoyed in her heart, feeling that these people were all bullying her. She stomped her feet angrily and ran away first.

No one cared about her mood, and the chat atmosphere even became better.

"The annoying pest finally left." Wen Huaiyuan said with a sigh of relief.

Song Qian looked at him.

Wen Huaiyuan covered his mouth, "I won't say it anymore, I must treat revolutionary comrades with the warmth of spring breeze..."

Even if that person is purely stupid.

"I understand."

Song Qian said lightly: "Don't harbor private agendas in your heart."

Wen Huaiyuan: "!!!"

Lin Zhao sat on pins and needles on her last day of work before the festival.

She just felt, why did time pass so slowly!

She didn't even want to touch the wool, just hoping for that bell to ring.

Li Fen couldn't help but laugh, "Zhaozhao can't hold back at all."

Lin Zhao pressed her head against the counter and said in a muffled voice: "Yeah, can't hold back, just want to go home for the New Year."

The salesperson surnamed Qi looked over, "Comrade Lin is like this, making me unable to sit still either."

Li Fen could sit very still and laughed: "You'll be able to sit still after working for a few more years. You young people, so restless. If you can't sit still, stand up and move around."

Lin Zhao raised her head, her expression resentful.

Work for a few more years? What cold words.

Li Fen gave Zhaozhao a handful of melon seeds, "Crack some melon seeds, have something to pass the time, and it won't be so hard to endure."

"Thank you, Sister Fen."

Just at this moment, the windbreak curtain of the supply and marketing cooperative was lifted.

A young child came in.

"Third Aunt!"

This voice was very familiar.

Lin Zhao spat out the melon seed shell and looked in the direction of the sound. It was Little Stone, and standing beside him were Gu Chan, Wei Xiangdong, and Big Stone.

"Little Stone is back." She stood up and said happily.

Little Stone trotted over, his face full of happiness, "Yeah, I'm back for the New Year."

He looked back and his smile widened, "My dad, my mom, and my brother picked me up."

Lin Zhao touched the little guy's head across the counter, "Surprised to see them?"

"Super surprised!" Little Stone was like a fish jumping into a river, happy and jumping.

Lin Zhao filled his pockets with sesame candies, "Eat some candy."

"Thank you, Third Aunt." The child thanked her politely.

"Sister, how did you and Brother-in-law take Big Stone over? I didn't even hear you talk about buying tickets." Lin Zhao asked Gu Chan.

Gu Chan replied, "Your brother-in-law used connections to buy the tickets. Time was tight, didn't have time to tell you."

"Did you take Big Stone around to look when you were over there?" Lin Zhao laughed.

"Yes, the provincial capital is really prosperous." The one speaking was Big Stone. From him, Lin Zhao truly felt the connotation of 'reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles'.

"Our Big Stone is also a teenager who has been to the provincial capital." Lin Zhao said with a smile.

Big Stone scratched his head.

Gu Chan's family didn't stay long. They just came in to greet Lin Zhao and ask when she would be on holiday. They didn't delay her work, and the family went home.

"Can have a reunion dinner this year." Lin Zhao's tone was gentle, and she was in a good mood.

"Did your man say when he's coming back?" Li Fen asked, "There are only two days left before New Year's Eve, if he doesn't come back, he won't make it."

"Said it would be these few days, should be soon..." ===== CHAPTER 365 =====