Daily Life in the 70s-Chapter 139 Departure

Yang PeiMin felt helpless, "Well, just give me the money when you earn it in the future."

Pan Shuiqin held her hand, "No, you are about to leave soon. It’s necessary to have a bit more money with you. Here, take this and don’t worry. Although your cousin doesn’t have much, I managed to save a bit from the dividends in the past few months, along with some other funds, so I can afford it. You don’t have to worry about me. We haven’t divided our household, everything is from the public fund, and there’s nothing much to spend on."

"Your cousin is right. Even though there are several months left before the child is born, by then, I believe we can earn this money back. Don’t worry about us."

Since they all said this, Yang PeiMin had no choice.

She accepted half of what she had cut down, 50 yuan.

Zhao ManCang and Pan Shuiqin were both down-to-earth, capable, adaptable, and loyal. Yang PeiMin had high hopes for them. freёnovelkiss.com

Having settled this matter, Yang PeiMin didn’t stay any longer as it was almost time for dinner.

Pan Shuiqin also stood up to see her off, "When are you leaving? Don’t bother others then; just let your brother-in-law take you to the train station in the city area."

However, Yang PeiMin said, "I’ve arranged for my third brother to do this task. It won’t disrupt my brother-in-law’s work. Tomorrow, I’ll drop by my maternal home." She had already planned to have Yang Peihua come to help carry her things. After all, he was her strong and trusted brother. Who else but him? She would treat him to a good meal in return, as he was always quick to enjoy his food.

When she returned home that afternoon and discussed this arrangement, everyone seemed happy. "Minmin, don’t forget to bring back some local delicacies to try, especially the clams from last time."

"We’re already craving; how could she bring so much?"

"Don’t listen to your sister-in-law. Be careful yourself and stay alert. Look after your money closely. Don’t sleep too deeply on the train, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you find any inconvenience... No, I’m still not reassured. You’ve never traveled far before and are on your own..."

Zhang Minghua counselled with a progressively more worried expression, "Why don’t we ask your third brother to take you to Yiguang? It’s not too busy right now, and he could help carry your things too."

Yang Peijun’s eyes sparkled at this idea. The chance to see more of the world—who wouldn’t want that? Just riding the train would give him bragging rights for half a month. "Mother is right. Although times are more stable nowadays, it doesn’t mean dangers don’t exist. Besides, with big sister looking so fair and frail, pickpockets may target her."

Hearing this, Zhang Minghua grew even more anxious, "I think you should pack up quickly, and later, you can go back with her to Shen’s place. Let’s all leave together in the morning."

Yang PeiMin hurriedly intervened, "Mother, there’s no need for third brother to take me far. Him dropping me off in our city area is enough. Yiguang will pick me up there, so I won’t get lost."

Yang Peihua made a face and winked at her.

Yang PeiMin smiled and winked back.

What was he thinking, that traveling back and forth by train was free? It was an unnecessary expense.

Then, Zhang Minghua took her aside, away from the others, and again advised her on methods of childbirth.

To put her mother’s mind at ease, Yang PeiMin obediently agreed to each instruction.

Finally, she declined the items Zhang Minghua wanted her to bring to Shen Yiguang. After dinner, she let Yang Peijun escort her to Shen’s home.

Yang Peijun continued to persuade her, "MinMin, aren’t you afraid to go alone? I’ve heard that it’s not just pickpockets out there, but also human traffickers who specialize in abducting women and children..."

Yang PeiMin cut him off, "Forget this idea. I’ll treat you to meat tomorrow."

Yang Peijun immediately clamped his mouth shut.

Since it was already getting dark, and to ensure Yang Peijun wouldn’t rest poorly, Yang PeiMin had him stay the night at Shen’s house, which had plenty of rooms.

Shen family’s elders were very satisfied that she was accompanied by her own brother.

Knowing they had already had dinner, they even made him a bowl of noodles with an egg as a late night snack.

Yang Peijun went to sleep with a satisfied stomach.

The next day before dawn, Yang PeiMin was awakened by Chen Guizhi.

When leaving the house, people generally choose to get up early not only to manage their time but also out of concern they might not be able to buy a ticket. The current bus schedules weren’t as frequent and convenient as those in the future. If they missed this bus, they might have to wait a long time for the next one.

Yang PeiMin understood this reason well, so as soon as she heard any movement, she got up immediately.

She quickly got herself ready.

The breakfast was similar to the one Zhang Minghua had prepared early when Shen Yiguang went back to his troop during New Year. Yang PeiMin could imagine that she must have gotten up at three in the morning because steaming buns and meat buns for breakfast required the dough to be prepared at least half an hour in advance. Then there was chopping and shaping involved, which took a lot of effort. She felt a warm feeling inside.

You could see that Yang Peijun was also smiling with eyes twinkling, calling everyone over and he first grabbed a meat bun to eat.

Chen Guizhi asked him how it tasted, "The meat was bought yesterday, and I was worried it might go off, so I cured it a bit with salt. After washing, I still wasn’t sure if it was too salty."

Yang Peijun simply put one in her bowl, "Why don’t you try it and see."

Chen Guizhi’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

After breakfast, it was time to set off.

Yang PeiMin helped her carry the light clothes and Chen Guizhi’s prepared dry food for the road. The siblings were then pulled by Zhao ManCang’s ox-cart to the town.

They needed to transfer to a bus there.

The bus from the town to the county ran approximately every two hours, and it wasn’t very punctual. Since it took about an hour from the town to the county, Yang PeiMin suspected that the same bus made the round trips.

Luckily for her, they didn’t have to wait long before a bus arrived.

There were about a dozen people waiting with them, and since this was the final stop, the bus was empty.

People jostled aboard the bus.

The fare for the bus was ten cents per person.

Yang PeiMin handed a stack of coins to Peijun, "You handle it." She quickly found a seat in the back.

The bus was different from the ones she used to ride. It wasn’t about the exterior, but rather the smell. It was an off-putting mix of gasoline, plastic, and leather. Fortunately, the windows could be opened. Since it wasn’t crowded, she might have otherwise felt sick, especially after Chen Guizhi had urged her to eat a lot.

After paying, Yang Peijun sat next to her. Seeing her listless appearance, he asked, "What’s wrong? You’re not getting carsick, are you?"

Not only did the bus smell bad, but it was also bumpy due to the rough rural roads. Yang PeiMin, sitting by the window, initially thought opening it would help, but the dust kicked up by the bus soon covered her in grit.

She quickly closed the window and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to cover her nose and mouth. She wasn’t in the mood to respond to Yang Peijun and just shook her head at him.