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墨書 Inktalez
The stagecoach rattled along until evening, finally arriving at the county town. "Yezhi, should we settle in first or go to Zhang Dou's House?" Yezhi glanced at the hurried people on the street and decided to head to Zhang Dou's House first. If they couldn't find anyone tomorrow during the day, it would delay the Cart Master from reporting back to the village, and Aunt Zhou would surely be worried!
Relying on memory, Yezhi led the Cart Master around the county town until dark but still couldn't find Zhang Dou's House. In the end, the Cart Master drove the cart to the County Public Security Bureau.
"Who are you looking for?" shouted the gatekeeper from the window.
"I'm looking for Zhang Dou!" Yezhi shouted back.
"Comrade Zhang is off work!"
"What do we do now?" the Cart Master asked. Since they couldn't find him, they would have to wait until tomorrow. "Cart Master, let's settle in at Big Cart Inn first!" Yezhi said as she climbed onto the cart.
"Yezhi!" A deep and magnetic voice called her name. Yezhi turned to see a blurry figure at the corner approaching. Under the dim light of the gatehouse, she recognized him, "Oh! Xiaobinzi, it's you!"
When Lin Haitao heard the name Xiaobinzi, he suppressed his smile and nodded. "Xiaobinzi, take us to Zhang Dou's House; I forgot how to get there. Every alley looks the same!" She finally found a savior and didn't care whether Lin Haitao was willing or not; she pulled him onto the cart.
Once Lin Haitao settled in, he nodded to the Cart Master. "Cart Master, hello!" The Cart Master certainly remembered Officer Lin who drove the iron cart. "Officer Lin, it's good to see you; otherwise, we would have to come back tomorrow!"
Under Lin Haitao's guidance, the stagecoach wound through streets and alleys until it finally stopped in front of a brightly lit Tile House. Lin Haitao jumped down from the cart and pushed open the wooden door. "Zhang Dou, someone is looking for you!"
The door creaked open, and Zhang Dou emerged holding chopsticks in one hand and a White Noodles bun in the other. "Hai Tao, what brings you here? Is there an operation?"
"Zhang Dou, it's me!" Yezhi bounced in front of Zhang Dou, who joyfully exclaimed, "Yezhi, it's you! My mom just said you were coming soon, and here you are!"
"Yes, I'm here to learn!" Yezhi replied cheerfully.
"Sister Yezi, it's you! Come in quickly!" Zhang Dou's Sister warmly pulled her inside. "Don't rush..." Yezhi ran back to the cart and picked up two Wild Boar Piglets. The Cart Master unloaded the sacks, and when Zhang Dou's Mom and his dad heard that Yezi had arrived, they also came out of the door.
"Yezi is here! You must be tired from your long journey! Come in, Auntie will stir-fry a couple of dishes for you to eat!" Zhang Dou's Mom greeted her enthusiastically.
"Auntie, Uncle, hello! I brought Wild Boar Piglets!" Zhang Dou's family, especially Auntie, was so touched that they didn't know what to say. Uncle was more composed and invited everyone inside.
Zhang Dou's Sister took the oily and slippery Wild Boar Piglet from Yezhi's arms, exclaiming, "So cute!" Auntie looked at the mountain of goods piled high in front of the Cart Master and said, "Yezi, this... this is..."
The Cart Master chuckled and said, "Little sister, this is rice grown in our village, Yezi's oats, and some mountain goods. Please don't reject them!" Auntie quickly waved her hands, saying, "How could we reject them? It's just that we can't accept them!" Zhang Dou and Lin Haitao exchanged glances; they had experienced the warmth of Zhoujiatun people before. Uncle Zhang stepped forward, saying, "Brother, life isn't easy for you either; we really can't accept it!" Both sides were being polite, pushing back and forth. Yezhi couldn't stand it any longer and exclaimed, "Uncle, Auntie, please accept it! This is my heartfelt intention!" Zhang Dou lifted the heavy sack. "Mom, let's put it in the kitchen!" Lin Haitao also picked up two bags and followed Zhang Dou into the kitchen.
Uncle Zhang seriously looked at the Cart Master and Yezhi, nodded to Auntie, then led Yezhi and the Cart Master inside. As soon as they entered the house, Yezhi saw dishes and steamed buns on the wooden table. She felt a bit embarrassed to interrupt their meal.
"Yezi, we should leave!" The Cart Master also felt the same way and whispered in Yezhi's ear.
"Uncle, Cart Master and I have something to discuss; we won't stay today but will come back another day!" Yezhi said before trying to leave with the Cart Master.
Zhang Dou's Dad wouldn't let them go so easily; he pulled the Cart Master aside to ask about life in the mountains, especially about the new policies implemented by the production team and how their village was recovering after the disaster.
The Cart Master was very open: "The new policy is good; everyone is full of energy. From now on, the land belongs to us; whatever food we grow is ours after paying taxes. Who wouldn't work hard?" Uncle Zhang nodded with a smile. "After our village suffered a disaster, we reclaimed over 100 acres of rice fields... The cabbages and radishes planted in the fields have yielded great harvests; life is getting better every day!" Hearing this, Uncle Zhang clapped his hands in laughter, his eyes filled with excitement. "Self-reliance and self-help; Zhoujiatun villagers are doing great!"
"What are you so happy about?" Auntie came in with two plates of dishes while Zhang Dou brought in a pot of hot Thick Soup. Yezhi didn't see Lin Haitao. "Where's Xiaobinzi?" As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Haitao entered carrying a bag of fragrant sauce bones. Wow! So delicious! Yezhi smiled brightly at Lin Haitao: Xiaobinzi did well; he even went out to buy good ingredients in the dark!
Everyone sat together at the table. Uncle Zhang took out his treasured liquor and chatted with the Cart Master while drinking. Usually, Auntie wouldn't let Uncle Zhang drink alcohol, but today he was so happy that she indulged him.
Auntie sat next to Yezhi, either serving her food or serving Xiaobinzi. Yezhi used both hands to gnaw on the sauced bones; the bones were truly fragrant, the meat tender and not greasy, leaving a lingering taste. Yezhi, who loved meat, was completely captivated! Auntie, Zhang Dou, and Xiaobinzi saw how much she enjoyed it and refrained from eating themselves, instead sending food to her bowl. After Yezhi finished wolfing down her meal, she wiped her mouth and said, "I'm done eating; you all take your time!"
"Why are you eating so little? Have a couple more pieces of meat!" Auntie's suggestion was tempting. Having not eaten pork for several months, Yezhi truly felt she hadn't had enough. However, she still patted her belly and pretended to look stuffed.
The meal lasted over an hour. As they were about to leave, Auntie went to the back room and brought out a few bills from Unity, handing them to Yezhi. "Yezhi, take this money; don't think it's too little."
Yezhi smiled and pushed it back. "Auntie, I'm not here to sell things at your house; I'm leaving!" Auntie looked at Yezhi awkwardly, unsure whether to give it or not. Lin Haitao took the money and shoved it into Yezhi's hand. "Come on! You think this lady will be swayed by a man’s charm?"
Yezhi gritted her teeth and glared at Lin Haitao. "Just take it! Uncle Zhang can't casually accept gifts!" This statement was quite strange. Lin Haitao supported Cart Master while pulling Yezhi out of Zhang Dou's house.
Cart Master lay confused on the cart bed while Lin Haitao drove the carriage with Yezhi sitting beside him. "Xiaobinzi, Uncle Zhang is an official!"
"Yeah!"
"Uncle Zhang must be a good official!" Yezhi said confidently. Lin Haitao smiled broadly. "Of course!" Curious, Yezhi asked, "What kind of official?" This question caught Lin Haitao off guard for a moment, but he eventually answered honestly, "County Party Secretary!"
"What!" Yezhi jumped up in surprise. The person living in that rundown house was our county's County Party Secretary? Before she could fully process this shock, Lin Haitao stopped the carriage in front of an unfamiliar brick building. "Get off!"
"Are you lost? This isn't Big Cart Inn!"
"Go inside; this is the County Guesthouse. Big Cart Inn is messy; it's not convenient for girls to stay there." Before Lin Haitao could finish speaking, Yezhi exclaimed, "Why aren't you speaking with a lisp anymore!" She realized she had been slow to catch on; when she first met Lin Haitao, she sensed something was different about him but couldn't pinpoint what it was. "A lisp? Me?" Yezhi nodded vigorously. "I never had one!" After Lin Haitao clarified with a straight face, he helped Cart Master get up and walked into the guesthouse to check in.
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