Yunyi pointed to the few pieces of furniture she had chosen, and Carpenter Yin gave a simple smile as he quoted a price, "Consider the carrying basket a gift. You just need to give me a total of twenty-eight yuan."
Then looking at the cabinet Geng Erhong had pointed out, he added, "That cabinet of yours, twelve yuan."
Yunyi took out the money from her pocket. "Uncle Yin, I’ve rented the little courtyard that Yan Zhiqing lived in before. Today, the uncles in the village are helping me fix the house. Please deliver them in the evening if it’s not too much trouble."
Carpenter Yin smiled as he took the money. "Alright."
After receiving the money, Carpenter Yin called out to his son, who was working in the family’s private plot, "Qiangzi, come on, help deliver a cabinet to the Zhiqing Point."
Yunyi did not follow them back but went straight to the commune with the carrying basket on her back.
Geng Erhong didn’t have much to buy and had originally planned to go with Yunyi. However, I still haven’t had breakfast, and I need to get the cabinet settled. It wouldn’t be right to make Yunyi wait for me. With this in mind, the two decided to go their separate ways.
Yunyi, with a quick pace, arrived at the commune in forty minutes.
She first visited the post office, where she learned that the luggage she’d mailed hadn’t arrived yet. She bought several sets of stamps and envelopes, then left.
There wasn’t much to see in this commune, just this one main street. She went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a medium-sized iron pot and an ax for chopping wood. It’s a good thing I have industrial coupons, or I wouldn’t have been able to buy these.
Seeing a spice vendor nearby, she decided to purchase some as well.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard someone nearby filling kerosene. That’s right, the Zhiqing Point used a kerosene lamp last night! She quickly sifted through the vouchers from the Hua Family and, sure enough, found a kerosene voucher.
She spent two Mao to buy a glass bottle and filled it with a pound of kerosene. I have kerosene now, but I still don’t have a lamp. "Comrade, do you have any kerosene lamps for sale?"
The salesperson glanced at her. "No stock."
A kind-hearted woman standing by offered advice, "Girl, buy a can of canned food, eat it, and use the empty can to make your own kerosene lamp. It’s more economical that way." Read full story at novel{f}ire.net
The other woman with her gave her a nudge. "Wherever she goes, she can’t stop meddling in other people’s business. Can the one you make yourself be the same as a bought one?"
"Why not? As long as it works, it’s fine. The canned food will fill your stomach, and the can can be used as a kerosene lamp. Quite economical."
"Why don’t you mention that if you use a homemade kerosene lamp for one night and stay too close, your nostrils will be all black? Can that compare to the ones with lampshades? Let’s go, let’s go."
They mean well, Yunyi thought, giving them a smile. Then she said to the salesperson, "Please give me a pack of candles and one pack of matches."
Seeing it was getting late, she did not delay any longer and left the supply and marketing cooperative to head back.
When she was near the entrance of the village, she found a secluded spot to take quite a few items out of her space and placed them in her carrying basket before heading directly to the rented courtyard.
The Branch Secretary had indeed been very helpful, and the people he found to do the work were also efficient. By the time she got back, they had already cleared the part of the rooftop that needed repair and were preparing to replace the rafters. Nearby, many sorghum stalks were piled, ready to be laid flat before the tiles were set.
Yunyi saw someone using a handcart to bring new tiles, and the Branch Secretary was there too. Curious, she asked, "Branch Secretary, you’ve managed to buy the tiles so quickly?"
The Branch Secretary chuckled. "It’s not that quick. The tile factory is several miles away from us. Since you needed to move into the house urgently, we borrowed some tiles that the accountant’s family had prepared. We’ll return them once we buy new ones."
Upon hearing this, Yunyi was very grateful. "I really can’t thank you enough for taking the trouble."
Seeing Yunyi was sensible, the Branch Secretary waved his hand. "We’re all from the same village; no need to be so polite."
Regardless, Yunyi took this kindness to heart. I should send something over later to express my thanks, she thought.