Educated Youth in the Countryside: She is the Village's Embroidery Queen!-Chapter 361: A Few Words Before Leaving

Yi Chichi felt there wasn’t much hope; tiger head shoes were really too niche with few potential buyers.

Moreover, there were limited foreign guests nowadays.

Also, the south was truly where needlework thrived, a characteristic left by geography and ancient economics.

If they really wanted to do this, the Friendship Store in Shanghai could easily find local people, which would be more convenient than collaborating with the secretary.

But since the secretary was so enthusiastic, Yi Chichi didn’t want to dampen his spirits.

She could only smile and see them off, then turned around with a fallen expression.

If the market doesn’t open up, the economy can’t grow.

However, this matter can’t be rushed. In the tidal wave of the times, individual power is insignificant, making it as hard as climbing the sky to change things, having no choice but to be swept along.

So, wait, wait for the reform and opening up, then spring will arrive.

She sat back in front of the embroidery frame, picked up the silk thread, and started working.

After a while of stitching, the team leader uncle and Uncle Yaozi, who accompanied the secretary’s departure, came back.

They came not for anything else but to ask Yi Chichi if what the secretary said was reliable.

Her answer was simple, "I don’t know."

"Weren’t you just back from Yangcheng?"

"Coming back from Yangcheng doesn’t mean I know about this."

Yi Chichi found it both funny and annoying at the team leader’s words, she patiently explained, "I work as an embroiderer at the Friendship Store, not selling merchandise. I haven’t studied the shopping intentions of customer groups and haven’t seen tiger head shoes being sold there."

Uncle Yaozi immediately got it, "So you mean this business might not work."

Who knows about that.

"Let’s wait for the secretary and their news."

She couldn’t worry about it, nor was it her place to.

If it really goes through, it would be beneficial for the Baoshan Commune, and it would even add to the secretary’s achievements, aiding his upward movement.

If not, there wouldn’t be much loss either.

"Just wait patiently; being anxious won’t help."

The team leader lit a cigarette, took a couple of puffs, and sighed, "How can one not be anxious? If it works out, we could also secure two apprentice spots."

Yi Chichi didn’t say anything, but Uncle Yaozi became interested, "If it works out, who are you planning to give the spots to?"

"One to a female educated youth from the educated youth point, and one to Zhuzhu and them."

This was a good team leader, already thinking about how to allocate spots for something uncertain, not even neglecting the educated youth point.

Thinking about Zhou Qiuyu and them, Yi Chichi hoped it could succeed.

However, her hope was useless. This thing didn’t depend on their side, mainly on the Shanghai side.

She looked at the team leader, then at Uncle Yaozi, and said, "Why are you two so free? Have you finished the work in the fields, and is the herbal storage in the team’s medical room all set?"

Not saying this would have been better, as soon as she mentioned it, Uncle Yaozi immediately replied, "Speaking of herbal storage, you have to help me with something."

"What help?"

"I’m going into the mountains to gather herbs tomorrow; you need to teach Lang Zhiqing to cut sanqi and things like that."

Yi Chichi gritting her teeth gave herself a slap, telling herself if she hadn’t blabbed, nothing would have happened, but she mentioned it and got herself conscripted.

"Uncle, can I not go?"

Uncle Yaozi stared straight at her, "Aren’t you my favorite niece?"

She really didn’t have a way out of this one.

Biting down and steeling herself, she nodded, "Okay, Uncle, you can go into the mountains tomorrow without worry, I promise to teach Lang Zhiqing properly."

Satisfied with the response, Uncle Yaozi was willing to leave, pulling the team leader along to say goodbye and leave, as the team leader grumbled, "You let me scold her a few words before leaving."

"No way, I still need her to work tomorrow."

If he scolds her to tears, refuses to work, what would he do?

"I..."

"What the heck, just keep your mouth shut, do you still want to drink or not?"

At the word ’drink,’ the team leader instantly quieted down like a chicken, following closely behind.

Wen’s mother returned at this time and upon entering the yard, saw the two of them with arms around each other’s shoulders headed out and laughed, "Are you heading back?"

"Heading back."

"Then come play again next time?"

"Sure."

"Why not stay for a meal?"

"No, we have food at home, it’d be wasteful if not eaten."

Not wanting to continue this topic with her, the team leader waved her off, "We’re leaving, you and your daughter-in-law get along well."

"Alright."

Wen’s mother stood at the door watching them leave, then took off her shoes, lifted them, and shook out the dirt. Yi Chichi came out with water and, seeing this scene, asked puzzled, "Mom, did you go dig ground?"

"Yes, went to dig a bit of ground."

She said, reaching out to take the teacup from Yi Chichi and gulp down more than half of it, finally taking on an expression of being revived, she said, "What do you want to eat tonight?"

"Make the crucian carp."

The second day after she came back, Uncle Yaozi brought over five crucian carps, each lively, weighing over a pound, currently kept in the large water tank in the backyard.

"Okay, I’ll cook them all, and later you send three over to your grandfather."

"Alright."

Five crucian carps, with the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law plus Qin Jiu eating two, and grandfather’s family eating three, it was a perfect division.

However, when dinner time came and she returned after delivering crucian carp and rabbit meat, she found the fish heads missing.

Looking down, good heavens, Big Orange and Da Li each were happily gnawing on a fish head, while little rascal Qin Jiu was covertly feeding them rabbit meat.

Wen’s mother saw but didn’t say anything.

Yi Chichi also remained silent, what’s there to say, the rabbit was brought back by Big Orange and them, being freeloaders, they had no right to speak.

"Aunt, hurry up and eat, the rabbit brought back by Big Orange is delicious."

Seeing her sitting down, Qin Jiu quickly served her a spoonful of rabbit meat chunks into her bowl.

"Thank you, Xiao Jiu, you eat yourself, if Aunt wants more, I’ll serve myself."

"Okay."

Then, the three people and two cats entered a pleasant dinner time.

While eating, they chatted mainly about Yi Chichi asking about Qin Jiu’s homework.

There was still some time before the summer vacation ended, Qin Jiu was running around with Zhuangzhuang and them like a free spirit, self-discipline reduced significantly.

He needed someone to keep an eye on him for his studies.

"I’ll go do my homework after I finish eating."

Just as she asked, the little guy grinned at her in an ingratiating manner.

Wen’s mother clicked her tongue, "You were much more obedient before, how come once your aunt comes back, you start being so inattentive?!"

"Grandma, you don’t scold me."

The little guy had reasons, "Auntie is different; she not only scolds me but also hits me. I feel like it’s been so long since I heard her scold me. Let me enjoy it for two days before returning to my normal routine."

This answer left the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in silence.

After a while, Yi Chichi said helplessly, "This hobby isn’t good; it needs to be more noble. You shouldn’t misbehave just for Auntie’s scolding."

"Affectionate!"

The little guy beamed.

Wen’s mother smiled along, "He hasn’t seen you for so long, he misses you."

He needed to get scolded some to confirm her return’s reality.

"Finish your food quickly; after eating, Auntie will give you a few new problems."

"Alright."

Big Orange and Da Li had quite the appetite; after finishing what was in their bowls, they came over, meowing and rubbing, to ask for more.

Wen’s mother had prepared in advance, cracking two eggs onto the raw rabbit meat before sharing it with them.

With food again in their bowls, they buried their heads and gobbled it up with satisfaction.

Seeing this, Wen’s mother turned her gaze back, "We’re running low on oil at home, so tomorrow I’ll go to the grain and oil store, and by the way, to the supply and marketing cooperative. Is there anything you need me to bring back for you?"