60s: I have a store

Chapter 570 Making a fool of oneself

The moonlight in the courtyard was filtered into silver fragments by the locust tree. When Zhou Dafu stepped into the courtyard, the glass bottle of Erguotou in his arms made a crisp sound.

"Dazhong!" Zhou Dafu leaned his bicycle against the locust tree and rushed to the corridor in two steps.

Zhou Dazhong was looking at Zhou Dafu with curiosity.

"Do you have any extra wine tickets?" Zhou Dafu squatted down, breathing heavily on the back of Zhou Dazhong's hand, "I want to give Shumin a surprise."

Zhou Dazhong looked at his friend's bright eyes and suddenly remembered the look on Chen Shumin's face when she was staring at the Bamboo Leaf Green drinks that the guests at the next table were drinking at Quanjude during the day.

He sighed and took out an oil-paper bag from his clothes. Inside were a few crumpled wine tickets with a light blue hue. "Be frugal. These are my last wine tickets."

I had been planning to buy a bottle of wine tomorrow and drink it slowly with Li Xiulan, but now I can only help my good friend.

Chow Tai Fook grabbed the drink ticket and when he got on his bicycle, the wheel slipped and he almost hit the millstone.

He pedaled hard, and the bicycle bell rang like a series of sudden rain in the quiet alley.

The neon lights of the supply and marketing cooperative flickered in the night. The clerk behind the counter was about to pull down the rolling door when he was stopped by his breathless "Wait a minute".

The glass bottle felt hot against his palm. He stared at the Fenjiu with the words "Festive Red" printed on the shelf, as if he had already seen Chen Shumin's surprised smile.

After buying the wine, in order not to waste time, otherwise it would be troublesome if Li Feng fell asleep!

I rode my bike quickly to Li Feng's home and soon arrived at a courtyard.

Zhou Dafu knocked on the door with the copper ring.

Uncle Yang heard the noise, put on his jacket, opened the gate of the courtyard, saw a familiar face, and asked, "Da Fu, are you here to see Captain Li?"

Chow Tai Fook hurriedly handed over a cigarette, the flame danced between their fingers, illuminating the tip of his nose which was red from the cold wind.

It was late at night, but a warm yellow light was still coming through the windows of Li Feng's house.

Chow Tai Fook stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, raised his hand and knocked on the familiar wooden door.

The sound of his knuckles hitting the door was particularly clear in the silent night. His heartbeat quickened and the bottle of Fenjiu in his arms swayed gently with his breathing.

"Who is it?" Li Feng's slightly tired voice came from inside the room, mixed with the sound of moving a bench.

"Master, it's me, Dafu!" Zhou Dafu responded quickly, his voice unconsciously rising a few degrees.

The door creaked open and Li Feng appeared, wearing a washed-out vest, holding a half-smoked cigarette in his hand and with messy hair. It was obvious that he had just been woken up from his rest.

The dim light shone on Zhou Dafu. Li Feng narrowed his eyes and looked at the apprentice in front of him who always liked to be lazy and slack off on weekdays.

Zhou Dafu's hair was messy due to the wind, his cheeks were red, and his overalls were stained with mud splashed from riding a bike, but his eyes were shining with a light that he had never seen before.

"Da Fu, it's so late, what do you want to see Master for?" Li Feng stepped aside and motioned Zhou Da Fu to come in. "Didn't you go on a blind date today? How was it? Did you find a girl you liked?"

As he spoke, he bent down and put out the cigarette butt on the brick at the door, and let Chow Tai Fook into the house.

Zhou Dafu walked into the familiar little house. On the wall hung the truck structure diagram drawn by Li Feng when he was just learning to drive. The table was piled with parts and greasy rags.

He suddenly became a little nervous, his throat tightened, and he licked his dry lips: "Master, I... I'm married."

The sound was not loud, but it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples in the house.

"What? What did you say?" Li Feng just picked up the enamel pot to drink water, but his hand shook and the water almost spilled out. "Married? Going on a blind date this morning, and getting married in the evening? Are you kidding me, Master?"

He widened his eyes and looked Zhou Dafu up and down, as if trying to find evidence of lying from him.

Zhou Dafu scratched his head, put on a shy smile, and told everything that happened at the blind date.

From the heartbeat he felt when he first saw Chen Shumin, to the pleasant conversation they had, to finally getting the marriage certificate, he was so excited when he talked, he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

As Li Feng listened, his tense face gradually relaxed, his eyes full of satisfaction: "You're great, kid. You usually look listless, but you're quite capable at the critical moment!"

He reached out and patted Zhou Dafu's shoulder heavily, "What does that girl do? How is her family situation?"

Zhou Dafu quickly replied: "Master, she came here to escape the disaster. She is a very nice person, hardworking and kind. Now she is the only one left at home."

When he said this, his eyes became even gentler, as if Chen Shumin was right in front of him.

Li Feng nodded with satisfaction, and suddenly remembered something, and asked: "Da Fu, you came to see the master so late at night, there must be something else, right? Tell me, as long as the master can do it, there will be no ambiguity!"

Although they came here to escape disaster, Chow Tai Fook’s salary is high, so it is not a problem to support one person.

Zhou Dafu hesitated for a moment, clenched the Fenjiu in his arms with both hands, and said with courage: "Master, I thought you could drive the truck to take us back to Zhoujiazhuang tomorrow. I want Shumin to meet my parents in style. Riding a bicycle is too slow and it is unfair to her."

He raised his head, his eyes full of anticipation and anxiety, fearing that his master would refuse.

Li Feng stared at Chow Tai Fook for a long time. The room was so quiet that the only sound he could hear was the ticking sound of the wall clock.

Zhou Dafu's heart was in his throat and his palms were sweating.

"That's all?" Li Feng suddenly smiled and took the Fenjiu from Zhou Dafu. "Boy, why are you being so polite to the master? Tomorrow morning, go and polish the car until it shines. I promise to send you back in style!"

Zhou Dafu was stunned for a moment. After he reacted, a bright smile instantly broke out on his face: "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"

He was so excited that he was incoherent and his eyes were slightly red.

"Alright, alright, stop acting like a bitch here."

Li Feng smiled and pushed Zhou Dafu, "Go back quickly! Come early tomorrow, we still have to tidy up the car!"

Zhou Dafu nodded repeatedly, turned and walked out of the house.

The night wind blew on his face, but he felt extremely warm.

Looking back at the light that was still on in the house, he knew that it was the master's most sincere blessing to him.

"Da Zhong! Da Zhong!" When Zhou Dafu rushed into the courtyard, he startled the night owl under the eaves.

Zhou Dazhong poked his head out of the house wearing his coat and saw his friend with messy hair but wrinkles on his face from smiling.
The wooden door of the courtyard house was banged against each other, and Zhou Dafu's figure rushed in wrapped in the night dew.

His overalls were still stained with mud from riding his bike, but his eyes were surprisingly bright: "Dazhong! The master agreed! He will drive the truck to take us back to Zhoujiazhuang tomorrow!"

Zhou Dazhong grabbed Zhou Dafu's shoulders, his voice trembling: "Really? Are you telling the truth?"

"Of course it's real!" Zhou Dafu frantically took out the wine ticket stub from his pocket, the corner of the paper was wrinkled, "Thanks to your wine tickets! When the master saw the wine, he agreed without saying a word!"

He gestured excitedly, almost knocking over the enamelware pot on the table, "Tomorrow Shumin and your wife will be able to ride in a big truck into the village, I guarantee everyone in the village will be envious!" Zhou Dazhong suddenly punched Zhou Dafu hard, with such force that the other party staggered two steps: "Good!"

He turned around and paced back and forth in the room, rubbing his hands and smiling from ear to ear, "How long has it been since our Zhoujiazhuang has been so glorious? When the villagers see the bride getting off the truck..."

The cicadas in the summer night have not yet stopped chirping, but the music of Chow Tai Fook and Chow Tai Chung starts on time at four in the morning.

The cold water in the enamel tub splashed on their faces, giving them a start and dispelling any remaining sleepiness.

When Zhou Dafu was tying his tie in front of the mirror, he tied the knot crookedly three times in a panic. Zhou Dazhong repeatedly checked the marriage certificate in his pocket to make sure it was still lying properly in the interlayer.

When the two men rushed into the steel plant on their bicycles, the sky was just beginning to turn pale.

The big iron gate of the factory slowly rose up, and the gatekeeper rubbed his eyes and muttered: "The sun rose from the west today?"

Chow Tai Fook grinned, and the crisp sound of the car bell echoed in the empty factory area, scaring away the sparrows foraging on the coal pile.

Li Feng's truck was parked next to garage No. 3. The body of the truck was covered with a thick layer of dust, and there was still some gravel from the last transportation in the truck bed.

Chow Tai Fook picked up the water pipe from the corner and was unaware of the cold tap water splashing on his trouser legs.

Zhou Dazhong stood on tiptoe to wipe the windshield, and the white breath he exhaled condensed into water droplets on the glass.

The two men cooperated tacitly, one rinsed the car body, and the other carefully wiped the headlights with a rag. Water droplets slid down their arms into their sleeves.

"Oh, are you going to wash the car like new?" A familiar voice came from behind.

Chow Tai Fook's hands shook and the water pipe almost fell to the ground.

Li Feng put his hands in his pockets and walked slowly. Half of a cigarette box was exposed from his overalls pocket. A mischievous smile hung on the corner of his mouth. "You are so anxious to pick up your wife. Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Zhou Dazhong's ears instantly turned red, and the rag in his hand rubbed crooked water stains on the car window: "Master, please stop teasing us..."

Zhou Dafu continued to wash the tires, the mud splashed by the water hitting the ground stuck to his trouser legs, "Isn't this to make Shumin sit more comfortably?"

"Okay, okay, I know you love your wife." Li Feng smiled and took out his pipe. The aroma of burning tobacco mixed with the smell of soapy water filled the air. "But just washing the surface is not enough. Come, give the master a hand."

He opened the hood, revealing the intricate parts. "We need to check the oil line. Don't let it break down halfway and make a fool of itself for the bride."

Zhou Dafu immediately dropped the water pipe and moved over, staring at the master's deft hands, watching him tighten the screws and check the oil. Zhou Dazhong brought a spare tire from the tool room, sweat dripping down his chin onto the hot car body, and a wisp of white smoke rose.

While the three were busy, "The East is Red" suddenly sounded on the factory radio. The morning mist gradually dissipated, and the sunlight penetrated the iron windows of the workshop, casting a layer of gold on the truck.

"Okay!" Li Feng clapped his hands with satisfaction, and the truck looked brand new.

The blue car body sparkled in the sun, and the red ribbon on the front of the car fluttered gently in the breeze - it was tied there specially by Zhou Dazhong for festive occasion.

Chow Tai Fook walked around the car twice, reached out to touch the smooth paint, opened the door, sat in the driver's seat, and turned the steering wheel imitating the way his master drove.

"Alright, alright, let's talk about it after you finish your apprenticeship." Li Feng smiled and threw the car keys to Zhou Dafu, "Go pick someone up, drive slowly on the road."

Zhou Dafu caught the key steadily. He felt the coolness of the metal through his fingertips, but his heart was beating fast.

He and Zhou Dazhong looked at each other, their eyes full of anticipation, as if they had already seen the girls' surprised expressions.

The early morning sun shone obliquely on the mottled brick walls of the shelter. When the roar came from far away, the female comrades who were hanging out their bedding stopped what they were doing.

Some people stood on tiptoe to look, some whispered to each other, until the shiny blue truck stopped steadily outside the gate. The sound of its tires rolling over gravel startled the pigeons under the eaves.

The moment Chow Tai Fook pushed open the car door, he stepped on the ground with one foot, imitating the appearance of a hero in a movie, and swung out the other leg in a cool manner - but unexpectedly, the soapy water on the sole of his shoe caused his foot to slip, and he fell forward as if all his bones were pulled out, and with a "thump" he knelt heavily on the dusty ground.

The crowd was stunned at first, then burst into thunderous laughter, and the sheets on the clothesline began to shake.

"Da Fu!" Zhou Dazhong jumped out of the car in a hurry, the knees of his work pants still stained with foam from car washing.

His face turned red, and he pulled up his friend who was slumped on the ground, and said in a low voice: "You really are..."

Before he could finish his words, he couldn't help but bent over and laughed out loud.

Li Feng, who was sitting in the driver's seat, held his forehead with his hand, watching the farce through the windshield, and wished he could bury his face in the steering wheel - he had trained so many apprentices, but had never seen one who could "make a fool of himself" like this.

Zhou Dafu slapped his trouser legs in embarrassment, and the tips of his ears were so red that they almost seemed to be bleeding.

He glared fiercely at Zhou Dazhong who was still trying to hold back his laughter, then turned around and headed into the shelter. The sound of his canvas shoes stepping on the bluestone slabs was hurried and chaotic.

The corridor of the shelter was filled with the faint scent of soapberries. The two men walked around in the aisle that was hung with banners and finally stopped in front of a dormitory filled with sunlight.

"Shumin! Xiulan!" When Chow Tai Fook pushed open the door, he ran into Chen Shumin stuffing neatly folded blue shirts into a wooden box.

The sunlight came through the window, gilding the ends of her hair. Li Xiulan squatted in the corner, tying up her quilt, her red hair string swaying gently as she moved.

Hearing the shout, the two girls looked up at the same time, with surprise in their eyes at first, and then turning into surprised smiles.

"What are you doing..." Zhou Dazhong took over Li Xiulan's words: "I'm here to take you back to Zhoujiazhuang!" He reached out and took the girls' luggage. The heavy wooden boxes made his arms tremble, but he still walked steadily.

Chow Tai Fook grabbed another bag of bedding and straightened his back deliberately, trying to regain the "handsomeness" he had just lost.

When the four people walked out of the shelter, the entrance was already surrounded by people watching.

The girls' envious gazes fell on Li Xiulan and Chen Shumin like fine raindrops.

Someone whispered: "These two girls are so lucky."

Some people also stood on tiptoe to look at the truck, their eyes full of longing.

Chen Shumin blushed and lowered her head, allowing Chow Tai Fook to help her climb onto the high truck bed. Li Xiulan held onto Chow Dazhong's arm and climbed onto the truck by stepping on the tires. The hem of her floral skirt was lifted up by the wind.

"Hold on tight!" Li Feng turned the key and the engine emitted a low roar.

Just as Zhou Dafu was about to say something sweet, Zhou Dazhong took the lead: "Xiu Lan, you didn't see the posture of Dafu when he got off the car just now..."

He vividly imitated his good friend's awkward kneeling posture, which made Li Xiulan and Chen Shumin hug each other and laugh so hard that they couldn't straighten their backs.

Zhou Dafu wanted to find a hole to crawl into, so he buried his face in his arms and protested in a muffled voice: "Dazhong! You wait!"

The truck jolted off the street, and the shelter gradually became a small black dot in the dust it kicked up.

In the truck bed, the two girls leaned against the quilt, looking out the window at the rapidly receding poplar trees and wheat fields, whispering to each other from time to time.

Chow Tai Fook secretly glanced at Chan Shu-min and saw tears of laughter on her eyelashes. He suddenly felt that the "embarrassment" just now was worth it.

(End of this chapter)