He Jinxuan’s lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile, "It’s nothing, this way you’ll find it more convenient tomorrow as well."
Seeing that the items were delivered, he didn’t plan to stay long, "It’s getting late, you should rest early, I’ll be heading back now."
Xinyan quickly spoke up, "Wait a moment, how much do these cost in total? I’ll pay you."
Hearing Xinyan mention money, He Jinxuan interrupted her, "Focus on your exam tomorrow. These items will be useful later on, consider them an early high school exam gift."
Just as Xinyan was about to say something, He Jinxuan was already walking into the rain.
After a few steps, he didn’t forget to turn around and remind her, "Close the main gate properly after I’m gone, and rest early."
Xinyan nodded, draped in a plastic sheet, she followed him out of the courtyard, "Take care and stay safe."
After leaving Xinyan’s place, He Jinxuan didn’t head straight home. Instead, he turned towards the Duan Family, with whom he had a good relationship. Their granddaughter, Duan Ruilian, also had to go to the city for the exam tomorrow.
A few days ago, Ruilian’s father, Duan Guangshan, had asked him for a favor, so visiting now didn’t seem abrupt.
Knocking on the Duan’s gate, Duan Guangshan saw He Jinxuan, "Director He, why are you here at this hour? Come in, come in."
He Jinxuan didn’t refuse, but instead of entering the house, he stood under the miscellaneous shed in the courtyard, "Mr. Duan, the matter you asked me to handle a few days ago has been taken care of. I just wanted to let you know, since many people want it, you’ll need to pick it up in the next day or two, otherwise, it might be gone."
Duan Guangshan gratefully said, "Director He, you’ve been a great help. The rain is heavy, why not come in and have a drink, wait until it lightens up before you leave."
He Jinxuan waved his hand, "No need, my two nephews are still waiting at home, I won’t go in."
Looking towards the rain, he inadvertently said, "I wonder when this rain will stop?"
Duan Guangshan, catching on, replied, "Yes, tomorrow my Ruilian has to go to the city for the exam. This rain could have fallen earlier or later, but it had to be today. Even if it stops tomorrow, the road will be hard to traverse, it’s really worrying."
He Jinxuan had been waiting for this statement, "The high school exam can’t be delayed. I heard on the broadcast that there might be rain these few days. You should consider gathering a few parents and speaking to the factory director about it."
As soon as He Jinxuan mentioned it, Duan Guangshan had a sudden realization, "Right, regardless of whether the rain stops or not, if the factory can help, the children would suffer less. You really have a sharp mind."
With that, Duan Guangshan told his family briefly, then donned a raincoat and ventured out into the rain. There were three children in their alley who needed to take the high school exam, and on his way, he called on several other families, and together they headed grandly towards the factory director’s house.
He Jinxuan watched them enter the factory director’s gate, only then did he silently retreat, quickly making his way home.
Based on his understanding of the factory director, the matter would likely be resolved. This way, little Xinyan wouldn’t suffer as much tomorrow, and it would be reassuring.
After He Jinxuan left, Xinyan closed the gate and returned to her room. Seeing the brand new raincoat, umbrella, and boots, her heart felt warm. Even someone slow to warm up could feel He Jinxuan’s thoughtfulness.
After spacing out for a while, she packed the things she would need for tomorrow, carefully checking everything before taking them together into the space.
First, she went to the kitchen to let the noodles rise, preparing to steam some dry food as a backup, making the coming days easier.
She washed over twenty eggs to boil; these were exchanged for fish from the Yuquan River previously. There were still quite a few in the space. She planned to pick some fresh tea tree leaves from the hill later to make tea eggs.