Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

The next afternoon, after returning from Uncle Geng Zhiye's house, Ye Fan no longer visited relatives and friends or went out for a stroll, because she was still a student and had to memorize difficult articles.

After staying at home obediently for five days, Ye Fan decided to go to the food factory to ask if they still wanted to rent a transport truck.

As Yu Wentao said, after the New Year, there were not many places to use cars for production, and the factory had two cars, so one could be used. Ye Fan promised to repair the car if it broke down and refuel it. The director of the production workshop thought that it could continue to be rented to Ye Fan, but the factory director thought it was unnecessary to make such a small profit.

Ye Fan didn't need to beg for such a small amount of money, so he decided to go to another factory to ask. Ye Fan walked to the gate and said "I'm leaving" to the security guard. The workshop director caught up with him and asked Ye Fan to wait.

Ye Fan was surprised: "The factory director actually listened to you?"

The director of the production workshop said, "He didn't listen to me. I told him that I know you, you have a son and a daughter, and you have a happy family. You will definitely not let yourself get into trouble. He doesn't have a grudge against money, but he is about to retire and is worried that the car will get into trouble in your hands, and he will lose his integrity in his later years."

Ye Fan was sure that he had never met the workshop director before renting the car.

The workshop director saw her and was very confused: "Ten years ago, I went to the supply and marketing cooperative with the driver to deliver goods and met you. At that time, I asked you for money. Have you forgotten?"

There were so many people delivering goods to the supply and marketing cooperative every day that Ye Fan couldn't remember them all. But to be honest, they would definitely be unhappy. Ye Fan frowned and pretended to remember something: "Has he changed in appearance?"

It was just nonsense. Who can stay the same for ten years? However, the director obviously didn't think of this. He smiled and said, "Yes. I am fatter than before, and my cheeks are bigger."

Ye Fanxin said that he just tried to come here to ask before the New Year, and they agreed to rent a car. They thought it was because he was a student of Peking University, so he had acquaintances there.

Ye Fan pretended to be enlightened: "No wonder I didn't have any impression of me. I haven't changed much, did you recognize me at first sight?"

The director nodded, but didn't mention that after Ye Fan left, he asked the director of the supply and marketing cooperative why Accountant Ye quit. The director said that Ye Fan went to the south with the army, and he felt sorry for her.

A few years ago, I heard from the security department that a female comrade came to rent a car. She was a student of Beijing University and would be their leader after graduation. She was undecided whether to rent it or not. The director was very surprised. What did a college student want a car for? He asked the section chief what the other party's name was and how old she was. After confirming that it was Ye Fan, the director said to rent it to her first and he would explain to the factory director.

The car had already been rented out, and the factory director said that if he didn't rent it out, he would definitely offend future state officials, so he turned a blind eye. At the end of the year, the car was returned for the holiday, and the factory director specifically instructed the security department to notify him first if Ye Fan came to rent a car again.

That's why today one wants to rent and the other opposes.

The director asked, “When will you use it?”

Ye Fan: "Two days on the 13th or 14th, or maybe one day on the 14th. Tomorrow I'm going to visit the countryside, which is my mother-in-law's family. If there are a lot of things in the village, I'll make two trips. If there are few, it may take half a day. But the fare is calculated based on two days."

The director asked, "Helping the village sell things?"

Ye Fan nodded: "I'll make some money myself."

The director wanted to say, you are not short of money, the main thing is to help the villagers. But seeing that Ye Fan did not want to talk about this, he said, "Next time you come, just go find Lao Liu."

Old Liu was the security guard. When he saw the director coming out, he also came out of the security room. Hearing this, Old Liu said, "Just find me. I'll take you to the car."

Ye Fan thanked him and asked tentatively, "See you another day?"

The director said "bye bye" and prepared to go back to the office. The guard couldn't help but ask, "Do you know him?"

"She used to be the accountant of Haidian Supply and Marketing Cooperative. When I first delivered goods, I would go to her to settle the bill. If the accounts were clear, she would never drag her feet." The director said, "When there were too many people and she was too busy, she would ask us to sit down and rest and pour ourselves some water."

The old man has also been working in this factory for more than ten years. He suddenly had some impression: "I think you said that the accountant has changed. The new one is very strict. Going to her to settle the bill is like asking her for something."

The accountant that Uncle Liu mentioned was Chen Xiaohui. Chen Xiaohui believed that the buyer and seller had already settled the transaction and there was no need to get close to each other. However, the director was not a masochist and naturally wanted to see a smiling face.

But the director was not impressed: "Did I say that?"

"The driver said so." The old man was too old to remember clearly, "The driver said she quit her job as an accountant and ran away to the island with her husband. I thought it was a pity at the time."

The director couldn't help but want to laugh. He had always thought that he was the only one who felt sorry for Ye Fan: "The fact proves that he really doesn't feel sorry for him."

Uncle: "If I can get into Beijing University, I can refuse the position of director of the supply and marketing cooperative."

"Yes." The director said, "She will probably come on the morning of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month."

The old man waved his hand to indicate that he understood, and the director went to the production workshop for a surprise inspection.

Because she took some time to chat with the director, when she arrived at the bus stop, the bus had just left. She had to wait for more than half an hour before the bus came, so Ye Fan got home at noon.

Besides Yu Wentao and Geng Zhiqin, there are four other children in the family: Huihui, Benben, Dabao and Erbao.

Second brother Geng and his wife went back to work a few days ago. Yang Mengxia gave the money transferred by her mother to Yu Wentao. Yu Wentao liked the house, and she brought the money her family had saved over the years to transfer the ownership, and then took the two children back to the southwest.

There was no one to take special care of him at home. Dabao said he was hungry, so Yu Wentao and Geng Zhiqin went straight to cook. When Ye Fan got home, the rice was already steamed.

Ye Fan: "Why are you eating so early? It's not even twelve o'clock yet."

Yu Wentao: "Dabao is hungry. Do you want some steamed buns? I'll heat some in the rice cooker."

The rice cooker has a steamer, which can be used to steam rice and heat up steamed buns. Ye Fan said, "Heat up a few. I'll go get some tea."

Dabao ran to the main room and said, "Mom, I'll pour it for you."

Yu Wentao put the steamed buns in the rice cooker to warm them up and asked Geng Zhiqin to cook. She went to the main room to ask Ye Fan how the talks with the food factory were going.

Ye Fan said briefly: "It's settled. On the 13th and 14th."

Yu Wentao: "Not one day?"

Ye Fan: "The married girls in Yujia Village have returned to their parents' homes these days. Their families have told them about selling vegetables and meat. They are likely to send the goods to their parents' homes and ask their families for help. I estimate that four trucks will not be able to finish the work in the morning and afternoon."

The villagers wanted to make money but had no way to do so. They finally met Ye Fan, who would definitely not let her go. Yu Wentao asked, "How do you sell it? It was just the Chinese New Year and every household was not greedy. They bought a lot of things during the Chinese New Year. They definitely won't be willing to buy more at this time."

Ye Fan: "We'll see when the time comes. By the way, are we going to Yujia Village tomorrow?"

Yu Wentao: "I'm fine with that. I have nothing to do at home. We can go whenever you want."

"Then tomorrow morning, ask Xiaoqin to stay at home and watch over them."

Dabao couldn't help but say, "I'm not running around."

Ye Fan: "Ask my aunt to stay and cook for you?"

"Leave me alone?"

Ye Fan raised his eyebrows: "Want to argue?"

Dabao immediately went to the inner room and looked for his sister on the bed: "Geng Erbao, are you asleep?"

Erbao thought it was too cold outside, so he took off his shoes after breakfast, wrapped himself in a quilt and sat on the bed, then lay on the kang table to write new words.

Erbao was tired from writing and didn’t want to go out, so he pushed the kang table aside and curled up in the quilt to take a nap.

Erbao had just warmed up the quilt, and when she saw her brother coming over, she shrank back and said, "Don't touch my quilt."

"You are also a lazy bum." Dabao jumped out, and when he saw his aunt in the kitchen, he stopped again, "Aunt, do you want my help?"

Geng Zhiqin said without even looking up: "Just be quiet for a while. Otherwise your mother will beat you up. Don't blame us for not helping you."

Geng Dabao made a face and was about to run out, but Ye Fan called him and Dabao's scalp went numb - his aunt was a bad person.

Turning around slowly, Dabao asked pitifully, "What can I do for you, Mom?"

"Come here, I won't hit you." Ye Fan waved.

Dabao moved behind his grandmother when he got into the house. Seeing this, Ye Fan was speechless but wanted to laugh: "If someone asks you what your mother is busy with these days, you can say that she went to the food factory to rent a car first, and then went to the countryside tomorrow to see if there are any pigs. Everything is ready, and we will go to the countryside on the morning of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month."

Dabao frowned: "Who's asking these questions?" They don't care how much money their mother makes in a day. The cold wind must have made her stupid.

Ye Fan saw his questioning expression, but she was too lazy to explain: "Did you remember?"

"Remember this." Dabao said impatiently, "You really are - you even use your own son."

Ye Fan raised his hand and Dabao ran away in fear. When he reached the door and looked back, he saw his mother in the living room without moving. He immediately realized that he had been tricked by his mother again and muttered to himself - fox mother!
Ye Fan came out of the main room, and Dabao hurried to the door and closed it casually.

There is very little rain in the north in winter, and today is another sunny day. Noon is the warmest time of the day, so the elderly and children can't help but come out to bask in the sun.

Dabao moved to the door of the next-door neighbor and saw three boys and girls of similar age. Dabao squatted beside them and asked, "What are you playing?"

The little girl said, "I'm sorting out the candy wrappers. Geng Dabao, do you have a lot of candy wrappers?"

Dabao collected candy wrappers from others on the island for a while, tied several pieces of paper together, and then strung them together. They were shiny and fun. However, he had never lacked toys since he was a child, so he lost interest after playing with them for a few days.

"Erbao has candy wrappers." Dabao gave Erbao all the candy wrappers he had collected. Erbao was obsessed with candy wrappers for a while. Seeing that she was losing her ambition due to playing with things, Ye Fan reminded Geng Erbao to study hard and buy as many as she wanted when she made money in the future.

The fishermen on the island often praised Ye Fan for her skill. Er Bao also wanted to be as good as her mother, so she listened to her mother and put away the candy wrappers to play with them later. After not playing with them for a while, Er Bao forgot about it and only remembered it when she was moving and sorting things out. Er Bao wanted to throw it away but couldn't bear to do so, so Ye Fan asked her to take it back to the capital.

Dabao asked, "Do you want it?"

"No need. Leave it to Erbao to play with."

Dabao stood up and said, "Erbao doesn't want to play." He went into the room and asked Erbao, "Do you want more candy wrappers?"

Those candy wrappers were from a few years ago. They weren’t as new as they are now, nor as pretty as they are now. Erbao waved his little hands and let his brother deal with them.

Dabao went out with the cake box and opened it. The three children exclaimed, "That's a lot!"

"Shall we share it equally?" Dabao asked.

The three children nodded repeatedly, and Dabao divided the candies himself. After dividing them, Dabao was very happy, and he jumped and carried the box back to the house, then came out to ask them what they were going to do with the candy wrappers.

A few kids planned to collect more and string them together to use as door curtains.

Dabao couldn't help but say, "It has to be washed clean. My mom said that hot weather attracts ants. But Erbao's is washed clean, I washed it."

Grandpa Zhang walked over slowly and said, "Dabao is really sensible." Then he lowered his voice and asked, "Dabao, did your mother go to visit relatives?"

Dabao shook his head: "No." I wanted to ask if you were looking for my mom. Suddenly thinking of what his mother had told him before, Dabao thought, my mom is going to become a god. Dabao said calmly: "My mom went to the food factory to rent a car and has come back."

"Didn't you rent it so soon?" Dabao wanted to show off that his mother never did anything without confidence. But Dabao was a good and obedient child, so he didn't talk nonsense and said directly: "It's done. Let's go to the village tomorrow to see if there are any pigs and vegetables. If there are, we will go to the countryside on the 13th morning."

Uncle Zhang nodded to show that he heard it: "Your mother is working very hard."

"Mom works hard but is also happy." Dabao once asked his mother if she was tired, and Geng Zhiye told his son that young people have a lot to worry about. Dabao told him to go back to school quickly.

A few days ago, Geng Zhiye really passed away. Geng Dabao saw his father off to the station like a group of 18 people. Geng Zhiye was relieved and touched. But Geng Dabao would not admit that the poor little guy a few days ago was him.

Uncle Zhang was just asking for something to talk about, not caring about Dabao's answer, "Have you cooked at home?"

Dabao nodded: "It's almost done."

As soon as he finished speaking, Geng Zhiqin called Dabao to go home for dinner. Dabao stood up and said, "Uncle Zhang, I want to go home for dinner." He ran into the house and told his mother that Uncle Zhang wanted to ask him about his mother.

Ye Fan: "As I taught you?"

Dabao patted his chest and said, "Don't worry about me." But he couldn't help but be curious, "Mom, I can't drive and sell meat, what's the point of him looking for me?"

Ye Fan: "You'll know later."

"If you don't want to say it, then don't say it. You're just being perfunctory." Dabao turned around and went to the kitchen proudly.

In the afternoon, Ye Fan washed his clothes and shoes and went back to his room to read.

Seeing that the whole family were holding pens and books, Yu Wentao was afraid of disturbing their studies, so she went out to chat with them.

The current social atmosphere still despises people who set up stalls to sell things, so some people saw that Uncle Zhang was looking for Dabao because he wanted to follow Ye Fan to sell pork. When that person was chatting with Yu Wentao, he did not mention taking care of her family's homeless people.

Later, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang joined in but did not mention selling pork. Yu Wentao thought that Ye Fan was overthinking and that Old Zhang was just asking casually because he was bored.

At around 7pm, Yu Wentao washed her feet and was about to lie down on the bed when there was a knock on the courtyard door. Yu Wentao was startled and told Ye Fan to get up quickly. Ye Fan put on his shoes and tucked the quilt in tightly, "Erbao, Mommy is going to take a look."

Erbao believed that nothing could stump her mother, so she lay back down with peace of mind.

Ye Fan moved the scissors on the long table to the small square table and watched his mother-in-law open the door.

Geng Zhiqin came out of Erbao's room and asked in a low voice, "Who's here so late? The street lights are all off. Aren't you scared?"

Yu Wentao was very nervous because she couldn't figure out who came so late. She breathed a sigh of relief when she opened the door, but she wanted to curse at him: "Are you looking for trouble? Why are you so late?"

The people who came were Grandpa Zhang and his son Zhang Xiaoming. Originally named "Zhang Daming", Grandpa Zhang was very similar to Tao Chunlan in this respect. He was worried that the name would not be enough for the child and he would not live to adulthood, so he changed "Da" to "Xiao".

Uncle Zhang smiled apologetically and said, "I thought your child was too playful and went to bed late."

Yu Wentao: "They all felt cold, so they went to bed right after dinner."

Dabao opened the curtains a little, and with the help of the light from the main room he saw that it was someone he knew, so he lay back down with peace of mind.

Geng Benben asked: "Did they come to talk to my aunt about selling pork?"

"Of course. We are not familiar with the Zhang family, and they are not our relatives. What else can we do except this?" Dabao wrapped himself in the quilt, "Brother Benben, don't move. You've pushed me into the corner."

Geng Benben: "I'll sleep in the back tomorrow."

"And then did you read novels until midnight?" Dabao asked, "My mom would definitely not agree to you going to the back alone."

Geng Benben: "Even my grandma can't control me." The implication is that I'm not afraid of my aunt.

"Do you still want to make money with my mother in the future?"

Geng Benben shut up, pulled up the quilt to cover his head and tried to fall asleep.

As for Ye Fan, she guessed why the father and son came, so she poured them a glass of water and asked them directly what they wanted from her.

Uncle Zhang subconsciously looked at Yu Wentao and wondered if she hadn't told Ye Fan.

In the past, the Yu family was poor and Yu Wentao didn't dare to bully others. Even after she married into the Geng family, she had the support of Geng's father and was afraid of Geng Zhihua, so she didn't develop the bad habit of bullying others.

When Yu Wentao was helping Geng Zhiqin pick a date, she was also looking down on the poor and loving the rich in her own family. When the parents of both parties met, she gave them enough face. So when Yu Wentao saw that Uncle Zhang was embarrassed, she said for him: "It's about the pork sales. Do you remember it?"

Ye Fan nodded: "Xiao Ming wants to sell pork to me?"

Uncle Zhang nodded: "Yes." But he felt embarrassed to say it out loud, "I'm sorry to trouble you. By the way, these are for the children." He handed over the oranges and apples he bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.

Ye Fan saw that the oranges were wilted, and guessed that he had bought them before the New Year. He took them with a smile and said, "You are so polite."

When Grandpa Zhang saw her accept the items, he was relieved. Ye Fan could even hear his breathing, "But I can only sell them for two days. I asked the villagers for help and paid them two yuan a day. Xiao Ming only made four yuan after working with me for two days."

Uncle Zhang: "Let him sell it when school starts, and I'll give you half of the money he makes."

Ye Fan was surprised that Mr. Zhang was so kind. Ye Fan looked at Zhang Xiaoming, who nodded repeatedly and said, "It's my duty."

Ye Fan: "But I rent the three-wheeled motorcycle I use to sell vegetables and the truck I use to sell pork."

Uncle Zhang said he knew.

Ye Fan felt that he didn't understand: "It's hot in the dog days, people don't like to go out, the supply and marketing cooperative business is average, there is no need for the three-wheeled vehicle, you can rent it to me for half a day. Now the factory is not busy, you can rent the transport truck to me for a few days. Xiao Ming wants to sell every day, it's definitely not possible."

Uncle Zhang really didn't know this was so troublesome. He thought it was simple before he came here. "Then can we sell it next time until the summer vacation?"

Ye Fan: "There is a way, but I'm afraid you don't dare to do it. I just bought a house, and my family doesn't have that much money. How about we buy a car, Xiao Ming goes there to pick up the goods in the morning and at noon, and I help him sell on weekends and during winter and summer vacations?"

Uncle Zhang heard from his colleagues that three-wheeled motorcycles are very expensive. If you have connections with state-owned units, you can get the internal price, and a car costs five or six thousand yuan. Half a car is also a huge sum of money for the Zhang family. If you earn twenty yuan a day and work all year round, it will take a year to earn it back.

Seeing the father and son frowning, Ye Fan said, "Why don't you go back and think about it? Whether you have made up your mind or not, you can go with me to the countryside to get familiar with the roads on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month."

Uncle Zhang stood up and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you."

Ye Fan said it was no trouble, and then he walked the father and son out the door. He closed the door only after they turned home.

Yu Wentao asked: "You helped Old Zhang buy a car, will the village also buy one?"

Ye Fan: "Buy it. The capital is so big that a car can't drive through. Besides, if you have someone to go with you, you don't have to worry about hooligans stopping your car. If you sell it before dark, ask your cousin to live in the back. It's your house anyway, so it's empty anyway."

Yu Wentao didn't want to let her nephew live in the house, because there are many in the village, and since her aunt has no son, her nephew is eyeing her private property. Yu Wentao didn't want to buy a house because of this concern. Her nephew seems to be doing well now, but if he is instigated by someone, it will be difficult to get rid of him.

Ye Fan had never been to the countryside, so he certainly couldn't imagine how evil a seemingly kind person could become.

Yu Wentao: "I'll go to the village and ask tomorrow."

"Then go to bed first."

Ye Fan had fallen asleep, but the Zhang family was still discussing the matter by the light of oil lamps.

Zhang Xiaoming's second brother doesn't want his eldest brother to buy a car - the family has only saved two or three thousand yuan over the years. His younger sister and younger brother need to pay for school expenses, and he has already talked to his girlfriend. Because he doesn't have a house, she has other requirements - three turns and one ring.

All the money was given to his elder brother, so how could he marry a wife? But the job was originally for his elder brother, and he took the job with the lame excuse that his elder brother had been in the countryside for many years and didn't know much about the factory. He was the least qualified to object.

Zhang Xiaoming didn't dare to suggest buying it - he was afraid to give him all the family's money.

Zhang Xiaoming's younger brother said, "Let's buy it. We can earn back the money for the car in a year. Even if we quit next year, we can still sell the car for three or four thousand. Big brother and Big Sister Ye can split it equally and get one or two thousand. How many years will it take for our family to save one or two thousand?"

Aunt Zhang: "But your father only makes 20 yuan a day. What if he doesn't make 20 yuan?"

"During the Chinese New Year, if I pull two pigs at a time, twice a day, I can make 40 yuan." said Zhang Xiaodi.

Zhang Xiaoming asked him who told him that. Zhang thought for a moment and said, "The market sells pigs for 80 or 90 cents, and Sister Ye sells them for one yuan. She can make more than ten yuan for a pig. If Sister Ye buys pigs at a low price, she can make 30 cents for a pig. She can make one or two thousand yuan in the twelfth month of this year. Didn't Dad calculate it?"

When Zhang Xiaoming's second brother saw that the deal was going to be done, he couldn't help but say, "We also have to consider the possibility of a flat tire or crashing into a tree. If that happens, the car will be gone and my eldest brother will be injured."

Uncle Zhang knew his second son well and knew that he wanted to buy a car and marry a wife, but he didn't even look at the family's financial situation. Uncle Zhang thought his second son was immature and said unhappily, "It's your eldest brother's bad luck that he crashed the car."

Zhang Erdi: "The car doesn't belong to Big Brother alone. What are you going to use to compensate him?"

"I'll sell my blood for nothing!" Grandpa Zhang stood up, "It's settled. Xiao Ming, go find Accountant Ye tomorrow morning."

The next morning, Zhang Xiaoming got up and went to find Ye Fan to tell him that his father agreed to buy it.

Ye Fan: "Then I'll go back and ask the director of the supply and marketing cooperative to help us bargain."

Seeing that it was still early, Ye Fan and her mother-in-law went to the supply and marketing cooperative to talk to the director about buying a car. The director already knew that no one had bothered Ye Fan to sell things before the New Year, so he said he wanted to talk to Ye Fan.

When Ye Fan arrived at the office, the director said, "You said that more people will set up stalls in the future. Who will come to our supply and marketing cooperative?"

Ye Fan: "Transform. For example, buy a few more refrigerators, and mainly sell popsicles in the summer, and buy an oven to sell freshly baked bread. Stock up the store with goods, and make small profits but quick turnover. You can also continue to sell meat and vegetables. Find villagers to wholesale, and occasionally hold an event to sell at the purchase price. For example, cabbage is one cent per pound, and people who come to buy cabbage will definitely buy something else, so you can make back your money from this aspect."

Director: “That would keep us very busy.”

Ye Fan said: "If you are transferred to another unit in two years, will you be able to feel comfortable here?"

The director is in his early 40s. He is not afraid of being transferred in a few years, but he is afraid of being transferred in ten years. He has no skills and his backing is not strong enough. He may be transferred to some remote place in the future. There are still five or six years left. How can he survive?

"Wait!" The director suddenly thought of bread. "If we make it ourselves, what about the food factory that we cooperate with?"

Ye Fan: "You can ask them to contact the train station and sell it on the train. You guys make freshly baked goods, and they can package them for visiting relatives."

The director immediately understood how he should fool the food factory when they came back to ask for an explanation. "Just prepare the money. I can go to the motorcycle factory with you anytime."

Ye Fan: "Thank you for your help."

The director said jokingly, "We can't hold on any longer. I hope Accountant Ye can give us a hand."

(End of this chapter)