Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Someone is Looking for Trouble Chapter 196: Chapter 196 Someone is Looking for Trouble After tidying up the front yard, they headed to the back. Two craftsmen were using cement for pointing; truly a lavish undertaking, but the work was about to be completed.
Lu Yichen had already finished cleaning up the remaining bricks in the yard. He had laid a small path from the front yard to the latrine entrance; now there wouldn’t be any mud to deal with when it rained.
Once everything was cleaned up and they had settled the labor fees, only then did he ask the craftsmen to take away the rubble from the yard along with them. As for the soil, Luo Qiao didn’t have it removed.
One reason was that the cart wouldn’t be able to take away so much material; the other was that the latrine’s foundation was quite high, and the soil could be used later to thicken the layer in the vegetable garden.
The pair hurried to lock up and rush to the bus station.
Luckily, they caught the bus just in time. Any later and they would have missed it. They met up just outside the station and boarded the bus to buy their tickets.
By the time they got off the jolting, coach-like bus back at the commune, it was already past six o’clock. Lu Yichen went to fetch his bicycle, and the two headed towards the village.
Not far from the village, Luo Qiao got off the bicycle. Her eyesight was particularly good now; she saw some villagers walking ahead on the road and quietly said, “Brother Lu, you go back to the village first. I’ll walk the rest of the way. It’s not far anyway.”
Lu Yichen thought it made sense; if some blabbermouth found out, it would be a headache later. He, being a man, wouldn’t care, but Luo Qiao was still a young girl.
Luo Qiao took a shortcut up the slope, so she didn’t hear what people were discussing near the bridge.
After Lu Yichen returned and parked his bicycle, he stopped by Luo Qiao’s yard. Handing her the remainder of the money from the day, he said, “The materials today cost thirteen yuan, and the labor was two yuan, a total of fifteen yuan spent. Here’s the rest of the money.”
Luo Qiao smiled and accepted the money, “Today was also about calling in a favor, wasn’t it?”
Lu Yichen chuckled, “It’s no problem. My comrade is at San Jian. I asked him to help out.”
Luo Qiao, grabbing a basket, prepared to go to the backyard to pick vegetables, “I sun-dried quite a lot of honeysuckle flowers. You should take some to give away later.”
Lu Yichen laughed, “Sure, next time I go to the city, I’ll get some from you.”
Luo Qiao was like that; she didn’t want to owe anyone anything.
First, she started boiling millet porridge in the kitchen. Considering the dough she had prepared that morning, she chopped some green onions and made them into flower rolls. Steaming them in another pot, by the time the meal was almost ready, Lu Yichen had finished picking the vegetables. He stewed a dish consisting of green beans, eggplant, and a small piece of cured meat, and also smashed a cucumber to round off the meal.
Dinner was nearly ready when Stone returned like a whirlwind, “Sister Luo Qiao, Brother Lu, I’m back.”
Turning to glance at Stone, Lu Yichen saw a hint of a smile on his face upon hearing Stone’s words, which sounded so much like those of a family member.
Luo Qiao said, “Wash your hands; we’ll eat in a moment.”
Stone washed his hands and then quietly approached Luo Qiao from behind, “Sister Luo Qiao, today I heard Zhang Qiaoyan at the Secretary’s Home speaking ill of you.”
Luo Qiao paused for a moment while picking up the flower rolls, “What did she say about me?”
Stone scratched his head, “She called you an unwanted orphan girl who doesn’t earn work points properly in the village. Said you’re contemplating school, wondering where the money could be from—it might be from dubious means.”
Luo Qiao’s face darkened at that; Zhang Qiaoyan really dared to say anything.
Sitting outside, Lu Yichen also heard Stone’s words, and his expression turned icy.
Luo Qiao handed the flower rolls to Stone, “Who was she talking to when she said that?”
Stone frowned and thought, “Er Gou’s Mother, Shanzi’s Mother, and Accounting’s Aunt Cai Feng, plus a few others were standing nearby, not sure if they heard what she said.”
Luo Qiao was never one to take losses lying down; Zhang Qiaoyan better not find herself facing Luo Qiao directly or her whole family would have a tough time ahead.