Chapter 105: She Is Meritorious

Regarding the price the Manager gave, Yang Qing agreed outright; it wasn't extremely cheap, but relatively it was already very cheap.

This old bed is not the same as a modern bed.

A modern bed is just a bed, whereas an old bed is different.

The ones with a frame that can support a mosquito net are called frame beds.

Those that add a screen partition, like a little hut, are called pull‑step beds.

There is also a guest‑reception resting bed called Arhat bed; the kind often shown on TV where people lie on a bed and pull out longevity cake is exactly an Arhat bed.

The bed Yang Qing liked has a frame; it is a frame bed.

Although the frame is plain, without much decoration or pattern, it is still a genuine frame bed.

It is worth this price.

A plain elm board bed, the ancestor of modern beds, still costs a dozen or twenty yuan.

After paying and receiving the receipt, Yang Qing did not leave but went to the camphor furniture section.

Camphor wood repels ants and cockroaches and also has some mouse‑repelling effect; the famous camphor pills are made by purifying and processing camphor tree branches and leaves.

However, Yang Qing was not there to buy large furniture; he wanted to buy camphor wood boxes for storing somewhat valuable items.

The two boxes cost Yang Qing seven yuan.

Camphor wood is so good—why didn't Yang Qing buy a camphor wood tall cabinet or similar large furniture?

Because camphor wood has slight toxicity and may cause miscarriages in pregnant women, it should be avoided in daily use and not employed on a large scale.

After paying again and receiving the receipt, Yang Qing bought no more furniture.

In his bedroom there is also a tall cabinet made by Master Lei; the old lady cannot use that many, so he can move one over and leave a camphor wood box for the old lady.

Leaving the furniture area, Yang Qing walked to the book section.

He now urgently needs to read and study, otherwise many things later cannot be resolved.

Moreover, whether escaping to Xianggang or seeking a chance to leave Jingcheng, literacy is a crucial requirement.

Xianggang now, although it adopts a lenient stance toward immigrants, does not grant residency to just anyone; literate people obtain status easily, while illiterates know nothing and will be stuck for a long time.

The chaos of Jiulong Chengzhai stems from many reasons, chiefly that it gathers a large number of illegal households and vagrants.

The current book area has many books; Yang Qing even saw some that seemed to be ancient editions.

However, those are not his target; his target is elementary school textbooks, middle school textbooks, and the Xinhua Dictionary.

The Xinhua Dictionary was the first traditional‑character reference book published by the new state in 1953.

With the promotion of simplified characters beginning in 1956, the new edition of the Xinhua Dictionary is also in simplified characters.

The new edition is almost absent in the old‑book section, which exactly matches Yang Qing's intention.

"Give me a set of elementary school textbooks, a set of middle school textbooks, a set of high school textbooks, a workbook, a bottle of ink, a fountain pen, and a dictionary."

The salesperson, having learned from the lesson of Changjiezhou, did not cause any trouble but patiently explained to him.

"We have elementary, middle, and high school textbooks, but there is no simplified dictionary at the moment."

Yang Qing showed a look of regret.

"Then give me a traditional‑character one; I'll use it for now."

The salesperson briskly organized the items for him.

"Will you take them yourself or have someone deliver them to you?"

Yang Qing pointed to the Manager.

"Deliver them together with my furniture."

"Your Manager said delivery is free."

The Manager, hearing that, said irritably,

"Make arrangements and send them together."

He really didn't want to hassle with Yang Qing; this merchandise is truly hard to deal with.

"Next time don't come; if you do come, it'll be as if you never came."

"Others treat us like masters; when you come, we must treat you as a master."

"Bullying the weak and fearing the strong, it's the same everywhere, and no one thinks they have a problem."

"The seller's market is like this; if you have the ability, don't buy."

"Not everyone will label others like Yang Qing does."

"Even though the nation has been founded for over a decade, the notion of the people not fighting officials still spreads widely."

"Under this zero‑sum shift, bureaucratism also flourishes."

"This may also be one of the main reasons the old man has been mobilizing for ten years."

"This thing is deeply rooted, hard to change, and already too big to be cut off."

"If it were him, he would watch his painstakingly built new world being seized by this group of power‑wielding people."

"He wouldn't be happy; a person with lofty ideals cannot tolerate such filth."

"Yang Qing can understand but will not support it; it's a structural issue, not something that can be changed by a little hassle."

"The root issue is still a structural problem, and with a structural problem, everyone is a black smear; once it shifts, the nature of many problems changes."

Yang Qing spent over thirty yuan buying a pile of books, dictionaries, and stationery.

He finally walked out of the Xin tuo shang dian's gate.

Watching Yang Qing leave, the Manager let out a sigh of relief.

He turned back and said to the salesperson,

"From now on, when he comes, no one is allowed to provoke him?"

After lecturing everyone, the Manager finally returned to his office to drink tea.

After finishing this matter, Yang Qing came to the Jiedao office.

Director Wang was busy cooperating with the police bureau on screening work, so he was checking various household registration information.

Seeing Yang Qing, she raised her head, glanced at him, and continued to be busy.

"Speak, what matter do you have today?"

Yang Qing took out a package; inside were the silver coins he had prepared and the money for selling silver coins.

"Aunt Wang, I'm here to return the silver coins and money."

Director Wang looked up at him, then glanced at Yang Qing again, and then buried himself back in the documents.

"Take it, this is the reward the Jiedao gave you."

Yang Qing didn't shamelessly take it back; instead, he pushed it toward Aunt Wang again.

"Aunt, I can't take this money; if people find out, wouldn't I be harming you?"

"Moreover, if I use this money, how would the fallen comrades view me?"

"Or rather, give it to those fallen people."

He still remembered his identity; this thing looks fine now, but a few years later, once it's exposed, comrades risking their lives, Yang Qing getting rich.

Thus, whatever he will encounter can be imagined.

Moreover, this matter, he used the Jiedao and the police bureau, and caused major casualties.

Even if others don't say it, some people inside absolutely have no good impression of him.

Even though Yang Qing helped the Jiedao clear out hidden hazards, the fact that they were used by Yang Qing is also true.

Everyone is not a fool.

Aunt Wang naturally also understood Yang Qing's meaning.

She thought for a moment, then still put these things away.

Used to compensate those fallen people, it can regain a bit of goodwill for Yang Qing.

"That's fine."

"Put the money here; later I'll have finance issue you a receipt."

Then she glanced again at Yang Qing, who wanted to speak but hesitated, and asked.

"Any other matters?"

Yang Qing embarrassedly nodded.

"I just want to ask, is there anything wrong with Chen Xueru and Xu Huizhen?"

Director Wang, hearing this, stopped his work and then seriously looked at him.

"You and they won't have anything else, right?"

"I heard Chen Xueru went to your place several times at night and stayed for a while."

"You must not make a mistake, do something that lets down Chen Hong."

Yang Qing laughed and cried.

"How could that be? We're innocent; wasn't the pistol given to me by Chen Xueru? Without this pistol, who knows how many more would have died."

"I owe this favor."

On the surface he is acknowledging this favor, but actually he is indirectly telling Director Wang: Chen Xueru has merit.