Chapter 549: Nanko Daily (5)

The two stood by the road, waiting for the Transport Vehicle returning to Hexi Village.

Sunlight fell on them and also on the items in their hands, warm and bright.

Not far away, the factory machines were still roaring and the road‑building workers were still busy; the whole Lashu was full of vitality and hope, and their new life began with this bag of flour and a steel pen, gradually moving toward a better future.

Before long, the Transport Vehicle arrived; the two lifted their things, boarded, and drove toward Hexi Village.

"Teacher Zhang, this life has hope!" Chen Da showed the simple smile of a farmer.

"Indeed!" Zhang Ping also hadn't expected that in Nanko one could not only eat their fill but also live prosperously.

Inside the carriage, Chen Da kept hugging the flour with a smile at the corner of his mouth, while Zhang Ping carefully guarded the paper and pen in his bosom, his heart full of anticipation for the future.

They knew that these 10‑yuan and 15‑yuan Nanko amounts, though seemingly small, carried Nanko's care for them, their longing for a stable life, and the hope of the whole Nanko.

When the Transport Vehicle stopped at the entrance of Hexi Village, the figures of Chen Da and Zhang Ping stepping out with their things were seen by the villagers waiting at the village gate.

"Old Uncle Chen! Teacher Zhang! You're back!" Zhejiang girl Lin Xiao was the first to run over, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the bags in their hands.

In an instant, the villagers gathered around, each speaking over the other, hemming the two in so tightly that no one could get through, their faces full of eagerness and curiosity.

"Chen Da, how is it? Can Lashu really sell flour?" Aunt Wang, who came from Henan, squeezed to the front, grabbed Chen Da's arm and asked.

Chen Da laughed, patting the flour bag in his bosom, his voice loud: "Of course! Not only flour, but also rice, cooking oil, and I even bought white sugar to make sweet water for my old partner!"

As he spoke, he took out a small packet of white sugar for everyone to pass around; the villagers crowded over, gently feeling it, their eyes full of envy.

They had never seen such white granulated sugar before; it used to be white with a yellow tinge.

"Teacher Zhang, what did you buy? Paper and pen?" Lin Xiao stood on tiptoe, staring at the cloth bag in Zhang Ping's bosom.

Zhang Ping smiled, opened the cloth bag, and revealed a steel pen, ink, and a notebook: "That's right, I bought a steel pen, ink, plus a notebook and paper; it will make teaching you to read much easier later."

"Wow! What a beautiful steel pen!" Several children crowded over, eyes wide, curiously looking at the black steel pen.

Sichuan man Li Tie rubbed his large hands and asked eagerly: "Teacher Zhang, Old Uncle Chen, is the Lashu store big? What else does it sell? Can you buy a hoe there?"

"Huge! Very huge! A two‑story blue‑brick building, its shelves packed with goods!" Zhang Ping replied with a smile, "There are farm tools, fabrics, daily necessities, and food—everything you could need."

Chen Da added, "Exactly! The store is packed with people; everyone uses Nanko yuan to buy things, not a cent short. Flour is only 0.48 Nanko yuan per bag, five jin per bag—so cheap!"

As he spoke, Chen Da lifted the bag in his hand.

"0.48 yuan a bag? So cheap!" A scholar from Jiangxi adjusted his glasses and said in surprise, "I also want to buy some books, plus brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone."

An elder from Hebei, leaning on a cane, asked shakily, "Does the store have medicine? My old cold leg needs some medicine to rub on."

"Yes! I saw it; next to the daily‑goods area there's a medicine cabinet with all kinds of medicine!" Zhang Ping quickly replied, reassuring the elder.

In fact, medicines shouldn't appear in a daily‑goods department store, but this is a pilot; that is, the Nanko state‑owned store exists to show everyone that the money in your hand can buy everything you need.

If something can't be bought, just tell the store staff; they will tally it, report to the supervisors, and finally report to Lin Yi.

Lin Yi eventually informed Jiang Anguo; it may be a bit roundabout, but that's the process.

It would be absurd for the staff to have Jiang Anguo's contact information, unless Jiang Anguo himself inspected the state‑owned store, learned what's missing, and arranged for it to be shipped.

A woman from Hunan, holding her grandson, laughed, "I want to buy a piece of patterned cloth to make a new outfit for my grandson, and also buy some needles and thread to mend old clothes."

In an instant, everyone started shouting, "You say you want to buy this, I say I want that," their faces full of yearning and their tones full of urgency.

"I'll go to Lashu first thing tomorrow, buy a bag of white flour, and then some assorted grains!"

"I'm going too! I want to buy a hoe to clear the wasteland!"

"Let's go together; with many people it's lively, and we can help each other carry things!"

The villagers grew more excited, each one restless, eager to set off for Lashu immediately to see the bustling store with their own eyes and buy what they wanted.

The village chief, seeing this, quickly raised his hand and pressed down, shouting, "Everyone quiet down, quiet down!"

The crowd gradually quieted, all looking at the chief, their eyes full of expectation.

The chief sighed, saying, "I know everyone wants to go to Lashu to look around and shop, but our village still has many farm tasks, the wasteland needs clearing, the seeds are almost ready, and we can't all go together."

He paused, then continued, "What I mean is that everyone goes to the city to purchase in batches, or have those who go bring things back for others; this way farm work isn't delayed and everyone can get what they need."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately objected, "No, no, I must go myself! I want to see Lashu with my own eyes and pick things myself!"

Li Tie echoed, "Yes, chief, we finally have money; how can we let others carry for us? I'll go myself to choose a hoe, the sturdiest one!"

"Exactly! I'll go myself too; I want to see that two‑story store and buy some food for the children!" Aunt Wang added.

The villagers all echoed, shaking their heads to reject the chief's suggestion, their eyes full of determination.

They not only wanted supplies, but also wanted to go to Lashu themselves, to see the vibrant city and the new life that belonged to them.

Zhang Ping, seeing everyone's excitement, smiled and said, "Don't rush, the chief also wants what's best for the village. How about this: we schedule a few people each day to go, so farm work isn't delayed and everyone gets a chance to see Lashu."

Everyone nodded, smiles appearing on their faces.

Everyone respected Teacher Zhang Ping, not only because he lacks an arm, but also because those above him also respect him.

The common folk are all afraid of becoming officials.

But when the people see officials, they also respect Teacher Zhang Ping so much that they naturally dare not look down on this armless teacher.

Zhang Ping's speaking authority is very high among the villagers.

Li Tie, being proactive, smiled, "Right, that's good. I'll go first tomorrow, bring back things for everyone, and the next day someone else can go!"

In an instant, everyone began discussing again—who goes first, who goes later, what to bring for companions—and the village's laughter and chatter drifted once more toward the stream, full of hope for the future.