Chapter 244

Li Xiangqian first opened the newspaper package, looked at the two stick-like objects, hurriedly wrapped the newspaper package back up, picked it up with his left hand, and pulled the drawer open with his right hand and put it in.

After putting it in, he looked to see that no one was coming outside, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, and then criticized Li Long:

"Is this how you bring this thing over? You didn't tell me in advance..."

"How could I know that this thing needs to be kept secret?" Li Long said with a cheeky face. "Besides, it's not considered a rare thing."

"Go to hell." Li Xiangqian's heart calmed down, and he followed up with a question: "This is..."

"From a deer," Li Long said firmly. "Hunted earlier, and it was drying at the time, so I didn't take it out. Didn't I say I would give it to you last time? As a result, I was busy all the time and didn't get around to it."

"Bullshit about not getting around to it, you didn't have it in mind at all!" Li Xiangqian exposed him mercilessly. "If you didn't have something to ask of me, would you have sent it over?"

Li Long's intentions were exposed, but he didn't blush, and said with a smile:

"Anyway, I sent it over. Just treat the time in between as me helping you dry it; after all, that fresh thing is smelly!"

"That's true." Li Xiangqian thought about the two deer whips, which were worth at least one red deer whip, so he was in a good mood and said: "Tell me, what's the matter?"

"I'm getting engaged, and my partner has been seconded to the Education Bureau. I plan to buy her a bicycle, but the industrial coupons in my hand are not enough..."

A bicycle coupon can be a separate coupon, or several industrial coupons can be used.

"You're getting engaged?" Li Xiangqian was greatly surprised. "When?"

"Just last Sunday," Li Long said. "Actually, I've been seeing my partner for a while. She's from our village, previously taught in middle school, and only yesterday was it confirmed that she was seconded to the Education Bureau..."

"Then is there a place to stay? If not, I'll help you look for one."

"There is, there is, I bought a courtyard in the county earlier..."

"You kid, not bad. You were prepared early!" Li Xiangqian said with a smile. "Hmm, then this bicycle is indeed needed... I have coupons here."

As he spoke, he opened the drawer, took out a stack of coupons and handed them to Li Long, "Take them. Use the extra to buy some other furniture. You're about to start a family, it wouldn't look right if you didn't prepare some electrical appliances at home... Are you buying a 28-inch or a 26-inch?"

"26-inch," Li Long said. "Since a girl is riding it, it must be a 26-inch."

Actually, Li Long felt that with Gu Xiaoxia's figure, a 24-inch bike would also work, but at this time, 24-inch bikes were almost unseen here. Even for a 26-inch bike, Li Long would have to go to Shicheng to take a look. The streets here were almost all 28-inch heavy-duty bikes, which were sturdy, durable, could carry many things, and were convenient.

"When are you getting married?" Li Xiangqian still felt a bit regretful, after all, he hadn't attended the engagement ceremony. "You didn't even tell me when you got engaged, this is a bit lacking in respect."

"It was just the two families sitting together, right in our village, so far away, it's not good to disturb you," Li Long explained with a smile. "I'll definitely look for you when I get married."

"Hmm," Li Xiangqian thought for a while and said, "That's fine, you must notify me when you get married. I know you kid have money, but given our relationship, I have to send a big gift when you get married."

Li Long joked:

"Then Section Chief, I'll remember these words. If you don't send it then, I'll come and ask for it."

"Fine, fine, fine, I keep my word."

After coming out from Li Xiangqian's place, Li Long went to the township middle school.

Gu Xiaoxia's things were almost packed, and the school didn't need her to participate in work, so she was waiting in the dormitory.

After Li Long arrived, he tied her things to the bike and then took her towards the county.

On the way, Gu Xiaoxia talked about the reactions of her colleagues and also said that she had distributed all the watermelons.

"You didn't eat any?" Li Long asked.

"Didn't eat, couldn't eat it either."

Li Long thought to himself, it would be strange if you could eat it; maybe they were all taken to appease the jealousy of her colleagues.

Last night, Li Long ate more than half a watermelon by himself. People at this time, even children, eating half a watermelon wasn't a big deal. This way of digging and eating watermelon with a spoon was the most refreshing.

Li Long still remembered that when he reached the 2020s in his previous life, watermelons were still sweet, and the price in the Northern Tianshan was still cheap, a few cents per kilogram.

But he couldn't eat it anymore.

A seven or eight-kilogram watermelon, cut open for a family of four or five, one person couldn't eat it after two slices.

Unlike at this time, two people eating one watermelon, it might not even be enough after finishing it!

Li Long remembered that when Li Qiang was twelve or thirteen, he could finish a five or six-kilogram watermelon by himself!

Why couldn't he eat it anymore?

Of course, it might also be related to the improvement of living standards; there was no lack of food in the stomach, no lack of oil and fat, so naturally, eating wasn't as fierce as before.

Riding the bike to the canteen, Li Long said:

"Let's eat first, and after eating, I'll take you to Shicheng to buy a bicycle, and then we'll ride back together."

Gu Xiaoxia didn't want it earlier, but after Li Long said so much, she didn't insist anymore.

"But I'm worried I won't be able to ride it back..."

"Then after we finish eating in a while, we'll find a place with fewer people to practice, and then go buy it after practicing. With your intelligence, you'll definitely learn it today."

Riding a bicycle is just a matter of balance; as long as you master the balance, it's very fast to learn.

"Then let's not eat first, let's practice first!"

"Fine." Seeing Gu Xiaoxia's high spirits, Li Long turned the bike around, went to the large courtyard to put down the things, and then took Gu Xiaoxia to the east of the city. There were tall poplar trees on both sides of the road leading to the experimental station, the middle of the road wasn't exposed to the sun, and it was paved with asphalt, which was relatively flat and more convenient for practicing riding.

Li Long got off the bike, let Gu Xiaoxia sit on the bike first, with her left leg supporting the ground and her right leg on the pedal, while he supported the back seat and directed Gu Xiaoxia to start applying force.

In less than an hour, Gu Xiaoxia was already able to ride the bike alone.

Although she was covered in sweat, she was very excited.

She couldn't carry Li Long yet, but she was already able to ride alone at a very fast speed.

Because the 28-inch heavy-duty bike was adjusted to Li Long's figure, the seat was a bit high, and Li Long told her that when she rode the 26-inch bike, it would be suitable then.

The two of them went to Shicheng together after eating.

The things in the Shicheng department store were much richer. Li Long took out 188 yuan to buy a 26-inch bike—don't look at the small size of the 26-inch bike, but because the quantity was small, it was actually more expensive.

After buying the bike, Li Long also bought a radio. He explained to Gu Xiaoxia:

"You live in the large courtyard, you must be lonely alone. It's good to listen to the radio when you have nothing to do, and learn more about the major events of the country and our region."

Gu Xiaoxia just nodded.

Li Long also took her to stroll around the old street, let her see the place where he set up a stall to sell fish, and took Gu Xiaoxia to drink milk tea and eat naan.

The young Uyghur man selling milk tea asked with a smile:

"Adashi, is this your wife?"

"Yes, she is," Li Long said very proudly. "Pretty, right?"

"Pretty! Pretty! Like a flower, Guli, Yakexi!"

Li Long smiled.

Gu Xiaoxia wasn't used to drinking milk tea, so Li Long drank the rest, and then bought ten naans to take with them.

At this time, there were already shrewd Uyghur small businessmen who carried two sacks and took the train south to Guangzhou to do business. Among the two sacks, one was naan, and the other was raisins. Many wealthy people started from this. "Why did you buy so many naans?" After leaving the old street, Gu Xiaoxia asked curiously.

"Of course, to eat. You keep a few there," Li Long said while riding slowly. "There's no time to cook, so eat them when you're hungry at night. This dries out very quickly, so you'll have to soak it to eat later. Then take a few back, let the family taste them, and put two at your father's place too."

"Hmm." Seeing that Li Long was still thinking about her father, Gu Xiaoxia was very happy.

The 26-inch bicycle was much lighter and faster to ride than the 28-inch heavy-duty bike, and Gu Xiaoxia was much more cheerful, chattering non-stop on the way, and Li Long listened patiently, responding from time to time.

But his mind was thinking about the old street just now.

There were too many hoodlums.

When the two returned to the large courtyard, Li Long originally intended to leave, but seeing that Gu Xiaoxia still seemed a bit afraid, he said:

"Then I'll stay here tonight—rest assured, I'll be in the master bedroom."

"Hmm." Gu Xiaoxia became happy.

Living in the dormitory, although she also lived alone, there were colleagues on the left and right. But now in such a large place as the large courtyard, she was all by herself, and Gu Xiaoxia was really a bit afraid.

"Let's go, let's take the bicycle to the police station diagonally opposite to get a number and get a license."

Li Long wanted to take Gu Xiaoxia to recognize the surroundings, mainly the police station here, so that it would be easy to find someone if anything happened. Gu Xiaoxia hadn't expected that the people at the police station also knew Li Long, and they enthusiastically helped him handle the bicycle matter.

!.

When the two came out, there was already a small license plate under the front handlebars of the bicycle, and this was also a bike with an identity!

Nothing happened all night, and everyone didn't need to think wildly.

The next day, Li Long got up early and knocked on Gu Xiaoxia's door. When Gu Xiaoxia got up to open the door, she looked like she wasn't very awake yet, and Li Long was very happy, which meant Gu Xiaoxia slept well.

"I estimate that my father and Daqiang might have caught fish, I have to go back and see. If they really caught fish, I have to bring the fish over to sell."

"Then you go," Gu Xiaoxia became a bit more awake. "I'll wash up, then cook, and wait for you to come over to eat after you finish selling the fish."

"Fine." With someone cooking, Li Long was naturally happy, and then hurried back home.

With no people or cars on the road, Li Long experienced the feeling of flying, and arrived home in half an hour.

Sure enough, the whole family was gathered in front of the plastic sheet picking fish.

"Without Xiao Long is back?" Li Qing Xia saw him first and then smiled. "If you hadn't come back, I would have planned to go sell the fish myself..."

"Hehe, I took Xiaoxia to buy some things yesterday, and taught her to ride a bicycle, so I came back late and stayed at the large courtyard."

"Hmm." Li Qing Xia felt a little regretful; he actually wanted to go sell the fish himself to see if he could do it.

"Without Xiao Long, the fish caught today is less than when you set the nets, do you think there's a problem?" Li Qing Xia asked again.

Li Long looked and said:

"Eight nets were set yesterday?"

"Yes."

"This fish... more than sixty kilograms?" Li Long looked and said, "Did you set the nets too tightly? Pulled them straight?"

"A little bit..." It was Tao Daqiang who set the nets, and he only remembered that one end of the net couldn't be tied, but he didn't feel anything else.

"Set too tightly, the fish won't drill in once they touch it. The nets should be set looser, so that big fish can get tangled, and small fish won't be too alert," Li Long said casually. "These fish are not few either."

After picking and sorting the fish, Li Long left in a hurry with Li Juan.

"Without Xiao Long... is he planning to live in the county?" Li Qing Xia waited until Tao Daqiang left before guessing.

"Don't talk nonsense," Du Chunfang shook her head. "If he were really going to live there, could he not tell us?"

"Without Xiao Long is grown up, he has his own ideas, let's not interfere too much," Li Jianguo said decisively. "He is capable, we just need to support him. Father, Mother, the team will be harvesting wheat in the next two days, and I and Juan's mother have to work, so the pig feeding will be left to you."

"Fine, fine, fine," Du Chunfang agreed readily. "You guys be busy with your work, harvesting grain is a big deal!"

Ordinary people, especially the older generation who had experienced several major disasters, had a persistence in cherishing grain that later generations couldn't imagine.

Only those who have experienced it know how to cherish it.

Just like that, a few days passed, and by Saturday, Li Long sold the last batch of fish, tidied up in the large courtyard, and went into the mountains.

Gu Xiaoxia rode the 26-inch bicycle home. She had a good relationship with Wu Shufen, so she planned to go back to the Wu family the day before the wedding to see if there was anything she could help with.

After all, they were still close friends before marriage, but after marriage, the relationship would be different. At this time, traditional concepts were still quite heavy, and after marriage, women would prioritize their husband's family, and it wouldn't be easy for friends to play together like before.

In the Wu family's courtyard, two high stoves made of soil and mud had already been set up. Now there was an oil pan on the stove, and the village's skilled chef He Jun was frying meatballs.

The tables and chairs borrowed from neighbors had all been set up, and several aunts and sisters-in-law from the neighborhood were washing the borrowed bowls and plates, gossiping while working.

"Shufen is marrying well, I heard the bride price is one hundred yuan!"

"That's right, she's marrying the son of Old Zhang from the commune store, he eats commercial grain, and the family is very rich."

"Shufen's life will be better after she goes over."

"It's her good fate! The one she talked to before, Li Long, lost his job just like that. Although he has money now, how can it be better than eating commercial grain..."

"Li Long... he's okay. At least he found a few big jobs for the team, and now Xu Chengjun is polite to him. I heard from Ma Hongmei that the leaders of the county supply and marketing cooperative are even calling him brother, and their relationship is very good?"

"Really or fake?"

"Can that be fake? On the phone, he talked to Xu Chengjun like a grandson, and as a result, when Li Long answered the phone, the two of them were joking..."

"Can Ma Hongmei say that about her own husband? You're talking nonsense, right?"

"Ma Hongmei was complaining that Xu Chengjun didn't find a job for her brother..."

"If he has that ability, why didn't he give Gu Xiaoxia a bride price when they got engaged? Is he bragging?"

"That... I don't know. Maybe the Gu family didn't want it."

"Didn't want a bride price? Are they stupid? How is that different from paying to marry?"

As they were talking, they saw Gu Xiaoxia pushing her bicycle into the courtyard.

Then no one spoke.

Their eyes all fell on Gu Xiaoxia's bicycle.

This bicycle... it's even colorful, really pretty!

Gu Xiaoxia actually heard these people's gossip, but she didn't distinguish anything.

The words Li Long and she had these days made her clearly feel that she and these people were no longer on the same level at all.

There was no need to care.

She had already seen obvious jealousy, envy, and even some resentment in the eyes of these people.

She didn't understand, but it didn't prevent her from ignoring them.

(End of chapter)