Chapter 40 - 039 More rogue than hooligans
"You wait here for a bit, let me tidy up, and I’ll take you to the supply and marketing cooperative." Aunt Zhong knew she was going to buy fabric.
Tian Sangsang was about to nod when Aunt Li called out to both of them from nearby, asking to go back together since she’d already finished her shopping.
Sangsang offered proactively, "Auntie, how about you and Aunt Li head back first? You’ve already finished buying your things, and I don’t want to trouble you to accompany me for another round of shopping. Besides, it’s my first time in town; I want to walk around more. I don’t know how long I’ll be wandering, so I don’t want to waste your time."
"Alright then." Aunt Zhong had things to do at home and didn’t insist. "I’ll take you to the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative."
"Oh, there’s no need, Auntie. I know the way to the cooperative."
She spoke confidently, but the result—
This street, neither too small nor too big. Initially, Tian Sangsang accidentally walked in the opposite direction, ending up in front of rows of farmhouses. Among them, only one farmhouse stood out conspicuously. For some reason, she suddenly remembered what that woman had been saying earlier—Teacher Xu’s house is near South Third Road—so this must be the place? Red bricks, green tiles, a neatly-built bungalow with a lovely pale-color fence encircling its yard. In the yard stood a longan tree, a large grape trellis stretching overhead, and to the right, a swing gently swaying...
After glancing at it for a while, Tian Sangsang turned back and finally found the location of the supply and marketing cooperative, situated amidst the bustling streets. Among the streams of passersby, there were occasionally a few individuals riding bicycles, dressed in military-green clothes, drawing the curious looks of those around them.
Inside the supply and marketing cooperative, there were two women on either side of the counter.
One was sitting on a chair, her hands busily knitting a brown men’s sweater; the other was leaning idly against the counter. She was plumper than the first woman and reached into a plate, loudly cracking sunflower seeds.