Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 828 827 Affection Between Man and Woman?

When they got home, Xiao Wang had already bought Tang Zhitong a hat, the kind woven from bamboo strips.

"Come on, try it on and see if it fits." Xiao Wang enthusiastically put the straw hat on her husband's head.

Tang Zhitong was momentarily dazed. A few days ago, when he went to attend the Cultural and Educational Association meeting, his classmate Xiao Wang told him to "be more presentable and not embarrass himself." Today, he was given a bamboo hat just like the one worn by the monk Haizhu.

Tang Zhitong felt that he would be letting down Xiao Wang's kindness if he didn't swear at him.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Ms. Wang noticed her husband was distracted, looking left and right, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"No, it's fine. With this hat, I won't get tanned." Tang Zhitong turned his head, looked down and then up, the straw hat was firmly in place.

"That's good. I was worried it wouldn't fit and was planning to go back and exchange it with someone else." Seeing her husband's satisfaction, Xiao Wang smiled happily.

"The craftsmen in our country are very skilled." Tang Zhitong took off his straw hat.

This thing has a long history. It is said that people were compiling it as early as the Neolithic Age. It has also been written into poems by many poets that have been passed down for generations, such as "Wearing a green bamboo hat and a green raincoat, I don't need to go home in the slanting wind and fine rain" and "An old man in a straw hat and raincoat on a lonely boat, fishing alone in the cold river snow".

In ancient times, bamboo hats might have been expensive, but nowadays they are not expensive and are very common. From heads of state to ordinary farmers, almost everyone has worn one.

However, with the development of technology, hats have become made from a wider variety of materials, and the market for this kind of handicraft has gradually shrunk.

However, many places still include this skill in the list of intangible cultural heritage.

Thinking about this, Tang Zhitong felt that this thing could be used to generate foreign exchange. Perhaps foreigners weren't that skillful?
"Fengzhen just said that their departure date for the countryside has been set, one day later than yours, next Monday," said Xiao Wang, taking the straw hat from her husband and casually hanging it on the washbasin stand.

"Really?" Tang Zhitong asked, looking at her younger sister who was focused on her homework but was listening intently to their conversation. "Fengzhen, are you mentally prepared?"

"Well, the teacher said they won't assign us any heavy work, just helping to move wheat and pick up some ears of wheat," Fengzhen said, putting down her pen and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"That's alright. No matter what work you're assigned, remember to work slowly and remember to stay hydrated." The wheat harvest is all done under the sun, and although the temperature is still manageable right now, prolonged exposure to the sun still carries the risk of heatstroke.

After instructing his younger sister, Tang Zhitong said to Xiao Wang, "Please give the water bottle to Fengzhen so she can fill it with water to drink tonight. I'm worried that since they eat communal meals over there, they won't have time to boil water at night."

"Okay. Do you think we should bring a mosquito net? I heard there are a lot of mosquitoes in the countryside. I wonder where they sleep when they go there, and whether they have fleas or bedbugs. It will definitely be cold down there at night. Should we bring a thin blanket? They haven't suffered much hardship at home. I don't know if they can handle going to the countryside for the first time." Little Wang rambled on like an old mother.

"Fengzhen, are all of you going in the first year of junior high, or is the whole school going? Are you going to the countryside on foot?" Tang Zhitong asked Fengzhen again after listening to Xiao Wang's rambling.

"All the students in the school walk there, but they don't all go to the same place."

"I see." Tang Zhitong stroked his stubble and analyzed, "Since there are a lot of students going, the accommodations probably won't be very good. They might have to sleep on the floor. Walking there and carrying too much stuff will be tiring. Bring a thin blanket and a sheet. If you're sleeping on the floor, just put the blanket on the floor."

As for mosquitoes, fleas, bedbugs, and the like, there will probably be plenty in the rural environment, so I'll just have to wait until I get back to take a bath.

"Oh, right, bring two bottles of medicated oil for Fengzhen and Jingying. Apply a few drops to their wrists and ankles before bed; it will repel mosquitoes." Tang Zhitong worried along with Xiao Wang, but as for whether the mosquitoes would bite others after being driven away, that was beyond her control.

“We’re not that delicate. We’ll do the same thing as everyone else.” Seeing her son and daughter-in-law worrying about their daughter going to the countryside, Zhang Guifang muttered something but didn’t really stop them.

Friday, September 5st.

When Tang Zhitong arrived at work, he got some hot water, poured himself a glass of cold water, and was about to take out a pen and paper to write a letter to Miao Xiaoqin about the foreign exchange earnings from straw hats and bamboo hats when Ma Wei's voice came from outside the door: "Good morning, Section Chief."

"Ma Wei? What brings you here? Didn't you say you were going to stay home and rest for a while?" Tang Zhitong was a little surprised to see Ma Wei at work.

"I've been resting for over half a month and I'm fully recovered." Ma Wei smiled and pulled out a chair, starting to tidy up her desk.

"It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, it won't heal so quickly. Don't bother packing, hurry home." Tang Zhitong waved his hand to stop Ma Wei's actions. After all, Ma Wei was injured because of him, and with Fang Yuan and Sister Chen's permission, there was no need to rush her to work.

"That was really efficient." Ma Wei said, taking two steps to prove she wasn't lying.

"No, no, you're still walking a bit off-center. What if you don't recover now and it stays like this forever?" Tang Zhitong watched Ma Wei walk. Her injured leg was still hesitant to put weight on it when landing, which made her limp slightly.

"It can't be that bad, can it? They've already pulled the thread." After Tang Zhitong said that, Ma Wei also hesitated.

"Don't take the risk. Just walk around at home a little to get used to it, and you should be fine in a month or so. Did you come by bike?" Tang Zhitong continued to urge Ma Wei back. If such a good girl were to develop a chronic illness and walk with a limp, she would probably regret it for the rest of her life.

"No, I came by bus." Ma Wei bit her lip and shook her head. When Sister Chen visited her last time, she had already given her bicycle. She originally planned to ride her bicycle here today, but her parents strongly disagreed. Even if she took the bus, her parents were not happy for her to come to work. However, they couldn't persuade her otherwise, so they let her come.

"Let's go, I'll bike you home. There's no rush to go back to work these next couple of days, wait until you're fully recovered." Writing letters can wait, Tang Zhitong got up and was about to go out to ride her bicycle.

"Section Chief, I'm already here, just let me sit here for one day. I'm practically rusting away at home." Ma Wei stretched out her arm to stop Tang Zhitong and pleaded.

"No, why are you acting like a scoundrel?" Tang Zhitong was both amused and exasperated, and quickly stepped aside. If outsiders saw this from outside the door, they would think that Ma Wei was opening her arms to hug her.

"I heard that our department is going to do labor on the farm, so I figured we couldn't allocate enough manpower in our department. I thought I'd come and do my part, at least I could contribute." After Tang Zhitong moved aside, Ma Wei realized that her actions were a bit inappropriate. She sat down in the chair with a red face and explained.

"Compared to your recovery, these are all minor matters. The farm isn't far from our workplace; I can just go back and forth." Upon hearing this, Tang Zhitong became even more reluctant for Ma Wei to come and work. He had already made an appointment with his classmate Xiao Wang to come back every two or three days. If Ma Wei were to work here, he would have no reason to come back, and how could their baby-making plan proceed?

"That's not good. I didn't contribute anything, and I'd feel embarrassed to take the subsidy when it's paid out," Ma Wei said somewhat apologetically. "This is a work injury, not shirking work. Nobody can or will have any complaints. Don't worry. Come on, let me take you home," Tang Zhitong said, turning to leave.

"Section Chief, please, I've come all this way, just let me sit here for a while." Seeing that Tang Zhitong was determined to send her away, Ma Wei immediately clasped her hands in a pleading manner, then lay down on the table, looking like she was determined not to leave.

"That's not very ethical of you. Fine, then, you'll be back by the end of lunch at the latest." Tang Zhitong had no choice but to give in when faced with a colleague like this.

"Okay, I'll go back this afternoon." Hearing Tang Zhitong's approval, Ma Wei raised her head with satisfaction, looking smug.

"It's not good for you to focus so much on your work. Be careful you don't end up not finding a husband later," Tang Zhitong said jokingly.

"If we can't find it, we can't find it. Human life is only once, and it is extremely precious. I am willing to dedicate it to the magnificent cause of our motherland without regret." Ma Wei clenched her fist as she said this, as if she were making a vow.

"Good, that's ambitious." Tang Zhitong gave Ma Wei a thumbs up. Ma Wei's words were a quote from Pavel Korchagin in the book "How the Steel Was Tempered".

Pavel Korchagin is an idol for many young people today, and will even be a role model for young people to learn from for the next twenty years. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Pavel Korchagin also fell to the ground, and fewer and fewer people are watching him anymore.

Listen carefully to the implication; Ma Wei's reply also indicated that she currently does not have a boyfriend, and Tang Zhitong felt that he could now give Wu Aijun a satisfactory answer.

"Section Chief, a while ago, a comrade named Wu Aijun came to me to inquire about the details of the case. Is he your friend?" Ma Wei asked, placing her handbag on her desk.

Hearing Ma Wei's question, Tang Zhitong's eyes lit up. Goodness, she's asking about Wu Aijun as soon as she gets to work. Has she taken a liking to him?

"Yes. Wu Aijun is a good young man. He grew up in Yan'an and had the idea of ​​serving the country and making contributions back then."

For this reason, he didn't even attend high school after graduating from junior high school, and then directly joined the army.

Later, due to family reasons, he transferred to the municipal public security bureau as a traffic police officer.

Being a traffic policeman was just the beginning for him. At the beginning of the year, he switched to criminal investigation. He is very down-to-earth and meticulous in his work.

Remember that fraud case you mentioned a while ago? He played a part in solving it.

Because of his outstanding performance, he has not only been commended but also selected to study at the Police Academy.

A promising young man with a bright future.

Tang Zhitong was generous with his praise, but he was basically being realistic. He suddenly realized that, according to the values ​​of later generations, Wu Aijun and Ma Wei seemed to be quite mismatched apart from their family backgrounds. Ma Wei was a proper college student, while Wu Aijun's first degree was only junior high school.

"Oh dear, Section Chief, why are you talking like you're introducing someone to a potential partner?" Ma Wei blushed, sensing the subtle hint of matchmaking in Tang Zhitong's words.

"Is it that obvious? Comrade Wu Aijun has devoted himself to his work and hasn't given much thought to his personal feelings, which is why he's still single. His family is getting anxious, and they even mentioned recently that they've been trying to find him a partner."

However, the child was stubborn and disagreed with the family's introduction, saying that he wanted to find someone with the same interests.

Given the situation, my explanation is useless.

Tang Zhitong smiled. He hadn't seen Wu Aijun for a while. He had only heard about Wu Aijun's case-solving, meritorious service, further education, and even the matchmaking from Director Ye.

"Section Chief, I remember you're from Beijing. Are you classmates?" Hearing Tang Zhitong's words, Ma Wei's embarrassment eased slightly, and she continued to ask.

"Oh, that's a long story. To be precise, Wu Aijun and my wife are childhood friends. I met Wu Aijun through my wife, but he's a really good young man." Seeing Ma Wei's interest, Tang Zhitong praised Wu Aijun again.

Wu Aijun's first degree is indeed a major weakness, but he has already gone to the Police Academy for further studies, which can barely make up for this deficiency. Besides, there is no such thing as a requirement for promotion based on academic qualifications at present. Even if such a regulation is introduced later, there is still the option of continuing education while working...

"Oh. When I came in just now, I saw that girl feeding the chickens looked unfamiliar. Is she a new employee?" Ma Wei didn't ask any further questions after hearing that Tang Zhitong's lover was involved.

Tang Zhitong just pointed out that Wu Aijun grew up in Yan'an, and now she says that her husband and Wu Aijun are childhood friends. Doesn't that mean that her husband also has a background there?
In this kind of situation, it's fine for two people to discuss a third party in person, but it's not appropriate to pry into each other's affairs. If you really want to know, it would be more suitable to find an opportunity to ask Wu Aijun...

"Her name is Yu Ying. She climbed onto the roof of the armored truck from Gansu Province and followed it all the way to Beijing. Director Fang and Sister Chen felt sorry for her and let her stay at the transport office for a few days. They plan to find her a husband when they go to the farm in a couple of days so she can settle down." Tang Zhitong also saw Yu Ying this morning, but she wasn't feeding chickens then; she was sweeping the floor with a broom.

Yu Ying is a restless girl. She swept the floor after weeding yesterday, and swept it again today. It's just that there's no evaluation of civilized and hygienic units yet. If there were an evaluation now, Tang Zhitong thinks the escort department should keep this girl and submit the materials for evaluation.

"No wonder. I thought she was a new employee because she was wearing our security department's uniform. So, our department raised money for her?" Ma Wei was quick-witted and immediately understood the key point.

"Yes, everyone contributed in some way, more or less." Tang Zhitong nodded in acknowledgment. With Fang Yuan and Sister Chen taking the lead, the staff of the escort department all contributed in some way.

"It's a good thing I came today, otherwise I would have missed it." Ma Wei said, and started rummaging through her pockets. For Yu Ying's situation, food coupons were the most practical thing, but she didn't bring them today. "I didn't bring food coupons today, so I can only give you some money."

"It's all the thought that counts. Even if you don't give it, no one will say anything." Tang Zhitong neither objected nor particularly supported. Doing some things in front of the leader is just showing respect, but if you make up for it afterward, the effect will be greatly reduced.

“No way, I’m part of the security detail, no matter what.” Ma Wei said, and started to walk out with the money.

"You sit down, I'll call Yu Ying over." Tang Zhitong knew that Ma Wei's leg hadn't fully recovered yet, so he left the finance office and waved to Yu Ying, who was sweeping the floor: "Xiao Yu, come here for a moment."

Upon hearing Tang Zhitong's call, Yu Ying ran over with a broom in hand...

(End of this chapter)