Chapter 50: Wedding Preparations, Resources Prove Their Worth

The door knocker sounded twice, neither light nor heavy, its noise striking into the night.

Zhao Jianguo stayed still, his ear still pressed against the pillow, yet his eyelids lifted a sliver. He had just finished stuffing the medicine, and now someone knocked; ten out of ten chances it was for the medicine packets hidden in the brick cracks. He held his breath, reached toward the bedside, and gripped the cold iron rod—if anyone outside dared to kick the door, he'd first give them a split on the forehead.

Outside fell silent for a moment, then the knocker sounded twice more, lighter than before, with a hint of hesitation.

Then a low voice came: "Jianguo… asleep? Jianguo?"

It was Yanbugui.

Zhao Jianguo relaxed, placed the rod back, slipped on his shoes, and before opening the door casually tucked the little notebook from the kang into the mattress.

When the door opened, Yanbugui leaned on his cane at the threshold, a smile plastered on his face, yet the cane was planted firmly in the ground, unmoving, like a wooden stake.

"San Daye, what's the matter so late?" Zhao Jianguo rubbed his eyes, looking just woken.

"Cough, I'm trying to sleep, I just lay down," Yanbugui forced a laugh twice, "but there's something on my mind, turning over like a pancake I can't sleep. Thinking of you being young, quick‑witted, I wanted you to help me mull it over."

Zhao Jianguo sneered inwardly: "What a charade, I haven't forgotten the subsidy ruse." He showed no expression, stepped aside and said, "Come in? It's chilly tonight."

"No, no," Yanbugui waved his hand quickly, "just stand for a moment, these legs… are weak." He leaned forward half a step, his voice even lower, "I'll tell you, the factory just hired a female technician named Su Qing. Pure and upright—her father is a veteran of the Korean War, her mother is an active member of the Street Office, she herself is a Youth League committee member, and she looks proper. Most importantly, she has no suitor."

Zhao Jianguo was stunned, thinking to himself: "With that setup, even a marriage bureau would put her at the top."

He deliberately furrowed his brow: "With those qualifications, could I be the one?"

"Oh, look at you!" Yanbugui slapped his thigh, almost throwing his cane, "I'm not just watching you lately… you've been quite active. I didn't see the medicine thing, but I know the gist. In these times, who doesn't have a connection? The key is reliability."

Zhao Jianguo felt a knot tighten, but kept a smile: "San Daye, don't guess wildly; the medicine came from the factory, I just borrowed a bit of light."

"Enough, fine. You can hide it from others, but from me?" Yanbugui squinted, "Today I fetched water and saw Sha Zhu pulling Banlangen from a crack in the well‑stone, muttering 'Zhao Jianguo hides deep.' Do you really think everyone's blind?"

Zhao Jianguo scratched his head, saying nothing.

Yanbugui, seeing this, leaned closer: "Su Qing doesn't care about wealth, but values sincerity. If you can make her think you're capable and reliable, this has a chance. I'll set up a connection; tomorrow afternoon she'll be on duty at the factory library, go borrow a book and we'll 'accidentally' meet."

Zhao Jianguo blinked: "Then should I borrow Mechanical Principle Lesson or Mao's Selected Works?"

"Mao's Selected Works!" Yanbugui declared firmly, "She's a Youth League committee member; if you borrow Mechanical Principle Lesson, do you still want to improve?"

Zhao Jianguo nodded: "Alright, as you say."

Yanbugui was finally satisfied, limping away with his cane. At the Courtyard Gate he turned back and added, "Don't go empty‑handed, bring a token of goodwill!"

Zhao Jianguo shut the door, didn't return to the kang, pulled out the notebook, turned to a fresh page, and wrote: "Marriage plans initiated. Su Qing, pure and upright. Must establish prestige."

He stared at the two characters 'establish prestige' for a few seconds, then closed the book and lay down.

The next day at noon, Zhao Jianguo got a Meal Ticket in the cafeteria, deliberately lingering at the window for a while.

He heard the administrator Old Li whispering with the kitchen squad leader: "Southern dried bamboo shoots… arriving next Wednesday… internal exchange for two Meal Tickets…"

His ears perked up, and he noted it.

In the afternoon he really went to the library and borrowed Volume Two of Mao's Selected Works. While registering his hand trembled, writing 'Zhao Jianguo' as 'Zhao Jianguo'.

Su Qing looked up at him, her brows twitching: "Comrade, the characters are wrong."

"Ah, sorry, I'm nervous," Zhao Jianguo scratched his head, "first time coming, I'm restrained."

Su Qing neither smiled nor wore a stern face, just said, "Be careful next time."

Zhao Jianguo didn't leave, stayed there flipping the book, pretended to read two pages, then lowered his voice: "Comrade Su, I heard the cafeteria will receive southern dried bamboo shoots next Wednesday, can exchange for two Meal Tickets; is this information reliable?"

Su Qing snapped her head up, eyes sharp: "Where did you hear that?"

"It's from the factory," Zhao Jianguo said with an innocent face, "I just overheard. If it's true, I'd like to exchange some; the elders at home like that."

Su Qing stared at him for five seconds, then slowly said, "If it's not confirmed, don't spread it."

"Don't worry!" Zhao Jianguo pounded his chest, "I was just mentioning it to you. If it gets out, you can report me for speculation."

Su Qing's mouth twitched, as if about to laugh but held back: "You're quite aware."

Zhao Jianguo chuckled, returned the book and turned to leave.

Leaving the library, his smile stretched to his ears.

There was a door.

Early on the third day, Zhao Jianguo pulled up the system interface and clicked 【Material Restoration】.

He dug out a cracked enamel jar from under the bed, its body split, the bottom dented, a piece of junk he'd picked up some year.

He selected it and clicked 'Restore'.

System Prompt: "Consume 10 points, confirm?"

Zhao Jianguo gritted his teeth: "Confirm."

The enamel jar flashed 'swish', the cracks vanished, the dent disappeared, its blue base with white speckles shone like new.

He etched a 'Qing' character on the jar's bottom, small but clear.

He carried the jar to knock on Yanbugui's door.

"San Daye, a favor," he handed over the jar, "My Nainai left it, I repaired it. Please pass it to Comrade Su Qing and say… restoring an old item is also a token of goodwill, not worse than a new one."

Yanbugui took the jar, turned it over and over, exclaiming in amazement, "How does this look repaired? It's like it just came out of the factory! Your craftsmanship is superb!"

"Just nonsense," Zhao Jianguo waved his hand, "don't say I repaired it."

Yanbugui laughed merrily, leaning on his cane as he headed to Su Qing's house.

Zhao Jianguo returned to his room, just sat down, and heard a ruckus outside.

He peeked out, and saw a crowd gathered around the well platform of the whole courtyard.

Yanbugui held up the jar like displaying a plaque: "Look! Jianguo is thoughtful! The broken jar is as good as new, even etched! Su Qing is pure and upright, can an ordinary person reach her? Jianguo relies on his skill!"

Qin Huairu, holding a child, leaned in: "Oh, it even has a 'Qing', is that a token of affection now?"

Sha Zhu, cigarette between his lips, squinted: "Jianguo, where did you repair this jar? My pot is cracked too, can you fix it?"

"Can't," Zhao Jianguo shook his head, "this one alone is fate."

"Nonsense," Sha Zhu said distrustfully, "you're definitely hiding something."

Jia Dongxu came over and patted his shoulder: "Alright, you're finally showing up. Su Qing is a fine girl, delicate and capable, a perfect match for you."

Zhao Jianguo said nothing, saw Yi Zhonghai squatting at the Courtyard Gate, clutching a broken broom, his dead eyes fixed on him, the broom's tip dragging a deep groove in the ground.

Zhao Jianguo pretended not to see, turned and went back inside.

In the evening, Yanbugui came back laughing, pointing at the writing on the jar's bottom: "Su Qing read it, said nothing, but blushed. When the jar was placed down, she didn't retreat."

Zhao Jianguo nodded: "The first step is done."

"What about the next step?"

"Wait until she drinks from this jar," Zhao Jianguo laughed, "once she uses it, she's accepted this bond."

Yanbugui gave a thumbs‑up: "High, truly high!"

Zhao Jianguo said little, opened his notebook, and added a line on the "Marriage" page:

"Token sent, awaiting feedback. Next step: continue supplying information, build reliance."

Just as he finished, footsteps sounded outside.

It was Su Qing.

She stood at the doorway, cradling the jar, steam rising from inside as if fresh brown‑sugar water had just been poured.

"Zhao Jianguo," she said, voice low but steady, "did you repair this jar?"

"Yes."

"How did you repair it?"

"An ancestral craft," he laughed, "passed down to men, not women; passed within, not outward."

Su Qing stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly asked, "Next Wednesday the dry bamboo shoots go into storage, do you know anything else?"

Zhao Jianguo felt a surge of joy inside, but said aloud, "Better not say much; the channel is critical."

Su Qing nodded, turned to leave, then stopped: "This jar… I used it. Thank you."

She left.

Zhao Jianguo stood at the doorway, grinning.

Inside, the notebook lay open; he lifted his brush and added two characters after "Reliance":

"Already achieved."

At the Courtyard Gate, Yi Zhonghai was still squatting, the broom unmoved, his gaze as deep as well water.

He clutched a sheet of paper, a Photocopy of Su Qing's file, red‑ink circling "Political status: Party member cultivation target."

He murmured lowly, "Zhao Jianguo… what exactly are you calculating?"