Chapter 61: Biking to Work

“Hello, how much is this bicycle?” The shop assistant looked down on Xu Ying’s attire and said disdainfully, “Can you afford it? It’s one hundred sixty-seven, and you need a ticket too.”

Xu Ying was not surprised by the clerk’s attitude. She touched the bicycle and was very satisfied.

She directly took out the ticket and money, “Here, I’ll take the bike.”

The clerk’s face was in shock, gaping at Xu Ying as she took out the money and ticket.

How is this girl, dressed so casually, so wealthy?

Nevertheless, the clerk didn’t dare to delay. He quickly took the money and ticket and pushed down the bicycle, now treating Xu Ying with much more respect, “Miss, here is your bicycle.”

Xu Ying rode the bicycle around for a spin, and indeed, a new bike rides comfortably.

She then went to buy two pounds of pork, with a mix of fat and lean.

Second Brother Xu and Xu Qiuye had chatted for more than an hour. Xu Qiuye was almost off work, and Second Brother Xu reluctantly left the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

His looking back three times as he walked away made Xu Qiuye feel incredibly sweet. She waved at Second Brother Xu, “Next time I’m off, I’ll come to see you, and we can go watch a movie together.”

After hearing this, Second Brother Xu was so happy he couldn’t tell north from south and walked right into the wall of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative with a thud.

“Hey, too busy watching your sweetheart and not watching where you’re going,” teased a clerk from the cooperative.

Xu Qiuye was startled by him as well and ran over at once. She reached out to touch Second Brother Xu’s head, “Does it hurt? How could you be so careless?”

Second Brother Xu felt the soft touch on his forehead and his cheeks flushed to his ears; he had trouble speaking clearly, “I—I’m fine, you—go back to work quickly!”

Xu Qiuye looked at him bewilderedly, “Really? Then I’ll get back to work!”

Second Brother Xu quickly nodded.

With that, Xu Qiuye returned to her post.

Second Brother Xu fled from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative as if escaping; by the time he reached the doorway, he was incredibly embarrassed. How could such an embarrassing incident happen right in front of Qiuye!

“Second Brother, are you heading back?” Xu Ying waved at him from the roadside.

Second Brother Xu pushed his bike towards her, noticing her new bicycle with some confusion, “Little sister, where did you get this bike?”

“I bought it. Did it fall from the sky?” Xu Ying joked.

Second Brother Xu snorted and walked over, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the new bicycle, lovingly touching it.

“Little sister, where did you get the money to buy a bicycle?”

“I earned it,” Xu Ying boasted. Second Brother Xu didn’t know about the money Huo Chen had given her for the wild goods; he thought she earned it during her recent trips to the county.

His eyes widened in amazement, “That’s a lot of earnings!”

Xu Ying patted his hand, “Hurry back, or Mom will definitely worry at home.”

Second Brother Xu realized it was true. It was almost six o’clock already, and it would be past seven by the time he reached home on the bike.

Autumn days were shorter than summer; they had to hurry back.

Each pedaling a bike, the two headed for the village.

Xu Ying reached the front door and called out loudly, “Mom, I’m back.”

Mrs. Xu, hearing her daughter’s voice, quickly ran out. She had missed her daughter terribly all day. She opened her arms wide and rushed toward Xu Ying, “Daughter, I missed you so much.”

Xu Ying, pushing her bicycle to a stop, Mrs. Xu squinted her eyes, not seeing clearly until she caught a glimpse of her son pushing another bicycle, her eyes immediately bulging.

“Why is there another bicycle?” And it looked stylish, not to mention unusually compact.

“I bought it, not bad, huh? I’ll ride it to work,” Xu Ying boasted.

Mrs. Xu muttered, “Ride it to work?”

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she jumped up with joy, “Oh my goodness, is my daughter going to work at the State-owned Restaurant?”

Xu Ying nodded her head.

Not only did Mrs. Xu burst into smiles, but Mr. Xu, who was splitting wood in the yard, was stunned, the axe hanging motionless in mid-air: “Daughter, what did you say? I didn’t hear it clearly just now, say it again.”

Xu, who was carrying a water bucket, also froze, looking at his sister in shock.

“I’m going to work at the State-owned Restaurant the day after tomorrow, and I’ll ride this bike to work!” Xu Ying said calmly.

In an instant, the eyes of both Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu reddened, “My daughter has made it, she’s going to work at the State-owned Restaurant.@@novelbin@@

She’s not far behind your third brother at all, oh, our Old Xu Family is truly blessed.”

Mr. Xu waved his hand happily and said, “Eldest, go buy a fish at the village entrance, we still have that dried wild chicken at home, let’s cook it together tonight.

I’m heading to the Old Mansion now, let’s get the whole family together to celebrate, oh and, call the third one too.”

After he spoke, he glanced at Mrs. Xu, who nodded her head, feeling so happy right now, she didn’t care whom her husband invited.

She washed her face, changed clothes, and even applied some vanishing cream her son brought back before stepping out smelling fragrant.

She hurried toward the hub of village gossip. Last time she boasted so much about the eggs, this time Mrs. Xu was clever, heading straight to the busiest spot in the village.

People were just getting off work, preparing dinner, or those who weren’t cooking gathered here to chat.

Seeing the team leader’s wife approaching, they could smell the fragrance from afar.

“Big sister-in-law, what brings you here?” Wang Lanhua was surprised to see Mrs. Xu, “Oh wow, what’s that scent? Why does it smell so good?”

Mrs. Xu, acting like a shy young girl, walked up to Wang Lanhua, “I was idle at home and came to chat with you all. The vanishing cream is something young girls’ households use, my daughter insisted I use it too.

Oh dear, I’m old, what need do I have to use it, but I can’t resist my daughter’s wish to cherish me,” Mrs. Xu straightened her back proudly, indulging in a bit of Versailles.

At this, everyone looked envious.

“Sister-in-law, you’re really blessed!”

Now Mrs. Xu was even happier, she sat down with a constant smile on her face.

“I had nothing to do at home, so I thought I’d come out and chat with you all. Look, my daughter is about to go work, and it’ll be just me at home. Ah!

I can barely stand the thought of my daughter going out to work, you say a girl could earn much, but this girl doesn’t want to stay at home, wants to work, and just found a job in the kitchen at the State-owned Restaurant,” Mrs. Xu sighed, quickly looking at the expressions of the others.

Seeing everyone’s shocked faces, Mrs. Xu was delighted, if not for keeping her reserve, she’d have beaten a drum and danced.

Her words set off a ripple in the surroundings, some said with disbelief, “Working at the State-owned Restaurant, sister-in-law, you’re not joking, right?

Can Yingying, a young girl, cook, can she even lift a kitchen spatula?”

“That’s right, the State-owned Restaurant has always not been hiring, how could they let Yingying join?” Not to say working at the State-owned Restaurant was a sought-after job, but considering Xu Ying’s laziness, it seemed impossible.

Some, slightly sarcastic, said, “Team leader’s wife, we shouldn’t spread rumors!”

Mrs. Xu, with a proud face, turned unhappy when she heard the last remark, “Who dares spread rumors about this? My daughter is starting work the day after tomorrow.”

Wang Lanhua believed her sister-in-law, not wanting to speak nonsense and facing embarrassment later, her face full of surprise, “Sister-in-law, this is wonderful.

After this, everyone in your family will be workers.”

At that, everyone agreed even more, aside from Xu and Mrs. Xu who weren’t working, weren’t they all really workers then?