Rebirth in a Book: The Road to Breakthrough

At this time, Liu Xing drove a mule cart slowly over, with more than ten people already sitting in the cart. The car stopped, but there was no sign of Xixi. Yu Congcong looked left and right, and saw Xixi appear at the intersection, so she hurried over to support her. The two held hands, but there was no room left in the car, so Yu Miaomiao stood up quickly and let Yu Congcong sit down and hug her. Widow Wang squeezed in hard, trying to make room for Xixi. The educated youth at the back were unhappy and grumbled, "Don't push, we're all going to fall off. You're not in a hurry, why don't you go next time? Why do you have to go today?"

Yu Congcong looked at the source of the voice and found it was Shen Qingqing. She immediately understood. This girl always likes to lecture others from a high position.

Widow Wang was not happy to hear this and retorted, "The harvest will start tomorrow. If you don't go today, you can ask for leave when the harvest starts. That won't work. You will be criticized for shirking your duties."

"I didn't ask you to take time off. I just said you are not in a hurry. Just go when you have time next time."

"The double harvest has already begun, how can you still have time?" asked Widow Wang. Shen Qingqing had nothing to say, so she had to shut up.

Widow Wang was very interested in asking others about the gossips of the neighbors. Yu Congcong was also very interested, listening attentively with her ears erect and her big, bright eyes blinking. Time spent listening to gossip always passed very quickly. Before we knew it, it was almost 11 o'clock in the afternoon, and the group arrived in the town. The town was not very lively. We could only see a few young men wearing red armbands running around like loaches.

Yu Congcong and Xixi had a clear goal and went straight to the supply and marketing cooperative. They had no intention of going anywhere else. The eight educated youths followed them. Hou Bao and Feng De caught up with them and asked, "Comrade Yu Congcong, are you going to the supply and marketing cooperative too?"

"Well, yes, you are going to buy a lot of things today! Then you have to go quickly, otherwise you won't be able to buy them." Yu Congcong replied.

"Well, let's go together! We don't know the place very well." Hou Bao continued, Feng De followed beside him and secretly glanced at Yu Congcong, whose face turned red in an instant.

Yu Congcong glanced at Feng De in surprise, and muttered to himself: How come this guy can't stand the sun? His face turned so red in just a short while. Could he have been sunburned?

"Well, then you just follow me. It's just around the corner." Yu Congcong said.

After Yu Congcong informed them of the situation, the eight educated youths showed no intention of leaving. Yu Congcong ignored them and walked leisurely with Xixi to the supply and marketing cooperative.

The supply and marketing cooperative is packed with people today, perhaps because the double harvest season is approaching and everyone is rushing to shop before the two seasons.

"Queue up, queue up!" a waiter shouted loudly.

"Queue up, queue up, we won't sell anything if you don't queue up!" The people lined up in a long queue very obediently. The pork stall had the longest queue, followed by the cake stall, and there were also many people at the cloth stall. Most of the educated youth needed to buy thermoses, pots and other items. Yu Congcong and Xixi were queuing at the cloth stall when they suddenly heard a familiar voice saying, "Go call the manager."

Yu Congcong turned around and saw that it was Yuan Zhe talking to a waiter selling thermoses.

"Just shout if you want to?" The waiter ignored him.

"Can't you see the words on your head? They say 'Serve the People'. What's your attitude?" Yuan Zhe's voice became louder, and people around him looked over. Some people who like to join in the fun came over and said, "That's right, you serve the people. Look at your attitude."

"This is my attitude. You don't have to buy it!" the waiter still said in a bad attitude.

This time she offended the onlookers and aroused their anger: "Find your leader!"

"Yes, what's your attitude?"

"Today, I have to talk to your leader."

At this time, a slightly plump middle-aged man came down from upstairs, walked steadily into the crowd, and said, "I'm the manager here. If you have any questions, please talk to me."

"Since you're here, I just want to buy a thermos. There are clearly seven or eight left there, but she said it's sold out."

"Tell me, what is going on?" Yuan Zhe described the facts calmly.

"Xiao Li, what's going on?" The manager turned and asked the waitress Xiao Li.

"Manager, this is what your mother ordered for someone else. I..."

"No need to explain, apologize quickly and get the thermos for them." The manager interrupted the young waitress Xiaoli without any hesitation. Although the waitress was interrupted, everyone present understood instantly that the biggest culprit was this manager.

Xiaoli reluctantly apologized to Yuan Zhe, and everyone thought that the matter would be over. However, Yuan Zhe did not give in, but stared at the manager expressionlessly. The manager felt a little guilty, "Comrade, is there anything else you are not satisfied with? Let's go to the office to talk."

"Well, no need. Let's talk here. Let Comrade Xiaoli finish what she is saying." Yuan Zhe spoke slowly, word by word.

"Comrade Xiaoli has finished speaking. Look, Comrade Xiaoli has also apologized. Let's not hinder other comrades from buying things. Let's go to the office to talk." The manager said stiffly with an apologetic smile.

"Yuan Zhe, let's go to the office and let others who need thermoses buy them first." Su Ting looked at the people around him, turned around and said to the manager, "Comrade, we won't be without thermoses once we turn around and leave, will we?"

"No, no, absolutely not." Sweat broke out on the manager's face. The aura of these two people was too strong.

The manager led Yuan Zhe and Su Ting to the office. Su Ting walked around the office and came to the window. Through the window, she could see the red armbands questioning pedestrians on the street. She immediately said, "Manager, if I shout, can those Red Guards hear me?" Su Ting's voice was neither hurried nor slow, sounding like she was chatting.

The manager was frightened. "Ahem," he said after adjusting his mood, "Ladies, you are quite fond of joking. If you two need anything, just let me know."

"There's nothing I need. I just got here and don't know the situation. I want to find someone to ask." Su Ting's tone was still the same as when he was chatting.

"What do you want to know? I'm an old resident of this town. I know most of the information, so just ask." The manager said with a sigh of relief.