After Zhao Xueer left, Wu Qiang was busy for a while. He looked at the time and saw that it was time to go to the clothing factory.

He carried a net bag filled with oranges and walked slowly towards the clothing factory.

I estimated the distance in my mind, and when I almost reached the garment factory, it happened to be the end of work time in the factory.

Wu Qiang glanced at the female workers coming out of the factory in groups through the big iron gate.

Then he walked to the door of the guard room and said, "Hello, uncle, I'm looking for someone. She works as a female worker in this factory, her name is Dou Hongxia, and her family asked me to help bring some oranges to her."

After saying that, he also lifted up his net bag and showed it to the guard.

The guard looked through the list of personnel at the table and said, "Dou Hongxia...oh, there is this person, I will ask someone to call her."

"Hey, good." Wu Qiang responded with a smile, and then stood on the side of the gate waiting.

As soon as Dou Hongxia came out of the factory, someone sent word that someone from home was waiting for her at the gate.

She immediately started running happily, it must be Xue'er coming.

When she panted and ran to the door, she looked around and saw only a man leaning against the wall with his back to her.

Where's Xue'er?

Dou Hongxia was confused and just asked the guard, "Uncle——"

A tall figure stood in front of her.

Wu Qiang leaned against the wall boredly for a while, when he heard a gentle female voice coming from behind him.

When he looked back, he saw the woman who was following Xue'er girl and whom he had met once or twice.

Walking forward quickly, he handed the orange to her, "Comrade Dou Hongxia, this is what Miss Xue'er asked me to give to you."

Dou Hongxia looked at him in surprise and recognized who this person was.

Mainly because of the beard on his face, which is so impressive and looks very fierce.

She took the bag of oranges and held them heavy in her hands. They were all from Xue'er and the others' wishes.

She lowered her eyebrows and looked at the oranges in her hand tenderly. She could imagine the scene of little Xueer picking oranges in the mountains with a bamboo basket on her back.

When Wu Qiang saw that the things had been delivered, he turned around and left after giving instructions.

Dou Hongxia immediately woke up and quickly thanked her.

But he only waved his hand and did not look back.

Dou Hongxia smiled, carefully carrying the orange, and walked into the clothing factory.

...

Next, the garment factory became busier and busier. She was supposed to go home at the end of the month, but Dou Hongxia couldn't make time.

I worked like this for another month, and finally finished batch after batch of military coats at the beginning of winter.

Garment factories were also able to take two days off.

Not only are we on vacation, but we are also getting paid.

Dou Hongxia opened the envelope and counted the money inside, feeling extremely happy.

It was already early December, and Dou Hongxia had received one and a half months' salary, totaling 27 yuan.

She carefully put the money away and went to Director Wan to buy the defective cloth from the factory.

This is also a benefit to garment factory workers.

Flawed fabrics cannot be sold in supply and marketing cooperatives, nor can they be made into finished clothes.

So, I sold them to factory employees at employee prices. Although the fabric was defective, it was pretty good to make clothes for myself.

Moreover, the key point is that there is no need to post tickets, nor is it speculation, so everyone can buy with peace of mind.

Dou Hongxia immediately went to find Director Wan, fearing that she would be late and not be able to grab it.

The defective fabric from the factory only costs 50 cents per foot, which is actually half the price.

Dou Hongxia looked at the fabric that was only contaminated by dye in some places, feeling secretly happy in her heart.

These flaws are nothing in her eyes.

In the end, she spent twenty yuan to buy forty feet of cloth.

These cloths are not enough to make cotton-padded clothes for a family, but they can be used to make cotton vests.

Dou Hongxia thought to herself and set off on her way home carrying a bamboo basket filled with cloth.

*

In Yushu Village, deep in the mountains, a figure is busy.

After Zhao Xueer pruned the branches of the orange tree, she sat aside and looked at the orange tree in front of her.

Since she got a book on fruit tree planting from Uncle Wu last time, she has been coming here often to think about planting fruit trees.

She has buried a lot of orange seeds in this field and planted the pruned branches in the ground.

As for whether there will be seedlings growing next spring, she is not sure.

We can only wait until next year to find out.

Zhao Xueer ate the last orange segment in her hand and carried another basket of oranges down the mountain.

And this basket of oranges is the last basket of this year.

All the way down the mountain, when she reached the door of her house, she stopped and looked to the right.

A slender figure was coming in the direction of their home.

That person was none other than Dou Hongxia.

Zhao Xueer opened the door with a smile, put down the bamboo basket, and went to pick up Dou Hongxia.

The two returned home talking and laughing.

As soon as he opened the door, Ping An, who was squatting and playing in the yard, screamed happily and threw himself into Dou Hongxia's arms.

"Aniang~ I miss you so much in peace~"

Ping An, who was almost two years old, still had some weight. He suddenly rushed over and hit Dou Hongxia, causing Dou Hongxia to stumble back several times.

After being supported by Zhao Xueer, she stood firm and caught Ping An.

"Did Ping An get naughty when grandma was away?"

Dou Hongxia gently pinched Ping An's face and asked gently.

Ping An quickly shook his head, "Ping An is good, Ping An is very good."

Yun Xiaotang and Zhao Tian'er, who were sitting in the main room writing, put down their pens, walked to the yard, and shouted in unison, "Aunt Dou."

Dou Hongxia happily responded, "Eh~"

Putting Ping An down, she took out the purchased cloth from the bamboo basket and handed it to Zhao Xueer.

He took out the remaining seven dollars from his inner pocket and handed it to her as well.

Zhao Xueer took the cloth, but she didn't want to take the seven yuan.

"Auntie, keep this money for yourself. When you are alone in the town, there will always be things you need to spend money on."

Dou Hongxia smiled and took Zhao Xueer's hand and put the money into her hand.

"I'm in the factory. I have a canteen to eat and a dormitory to live in. Why do I need money?"

In the end, Dou Hongxia kept two yuan, and Zhao Xueer took the rest.

We have cloth, but we still lack cotton.

Zhao Xueer plans to save some more money and buy cotton from Uncle Wu.

I have to wait for Aunt Dou to come back from her next vacation to make this cotton vest.

She doesn't know how to sew, so she can only help Aunt Dou.

...

During the two days that Dou Hongxia was at home, Ping An was very happy and particularly clingy.

Wherever her mother goes, she goes, just like a little tail.

Yun Xiaotang and Zhao Tianer still went to the commune to attend classes at night.

In early winter, the temperature drops sharply at night.

I was walking on the road holding a kerosene lamp when a cold wind blew, causing the flame in the lamp kettle to sway constantly.

It felt like the flame was about to be blown out at any moment.

When we arrived at the classroom, the doors and windows were tightly closed.

But the window was leaking, and the students sitting by the window couldn't help but wrap up their clothes tightly.

Wei Zhenzhu, who was teaching, saw all this. After class, she discussed with Bian Zhuang and found the old newspapers she had brought.

Two educated youth teachers took advantage of the daylight to put newspapers on the window sill with glue.
Chapter completed!