The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 102: There’s Plenty of Time in the Future to Slowly Repay! (420+)_1

Chapter 102: Chapter 102: There’s Plenty of Time in the Future to Slowly Repay! (420+)_1

After giving the gift, He Tiantian felt that Niu Lili became even more amiable.

"I didn’t bring much this time, but next time I will definitely bring more delicious food from Nan City for Sister Lili." He Tiantian said with a smile, making a promise, knowing that maintaining a friendship with Niu Lili could be of great help to her in the future.

"Then I won’t be polite." Niu Lili left with a box of pastries, leaving He Tiantian alone in the dormitory.

After washing up in the bathroom with Niu Lili’s washbasin, He Tiantian took off her outer clothes and lay down on the bed to sleep.

As for Niu Lili, she took the pastries to the back kitchen. The chef was a chubby man surnamed Wang, who gave a thumbs up and said, "This is a top-notch lotus seed paste cake from Nan City, made by the famous Xinghua Building. Ordinary people can’t buy it even with money; you need a coupon to get it."

"Brother Wang, you better not be fooling me," Niu Lili said as she took a piece and had a bite, "Oh, it really tastes good, delicious."

"Your little sister’s family must not be ordinary," Fatty Wang whispered, "I went to Nan City with my master once. I had it once, and back in the day, only very wealthy people could afford it."

One could tell one’s social standing from a box of pastries.

Niu Lili took note and decided to treat He Tiantian with even more courtesy in the future.

Times change, and fortunes can shift; thirty years can bring the east wind as well as the west! Now He Tiantian is young, but who knows what achievements she might have in the future! It’s all uncertain. Anyway, it’s right to be kind to people.

That evening, Niu Dajun returned to the commune post office dormitory. When he heard from his colleagues that his cousin had come looking for him, he quickly went to see her. Seeing that He Tiantian had come back, he breathed a sigh of relief. Without having time to check the mail, he ran over to talk to He Tiantian, to update her on the latest news.

"Tiantian, you finally came. How did things go in Nan City?" Niu Dajun asked eagerly. Every time he passed through Qijia Village, Xiao Yan would ask about He Tiantian’s situation. In fact, aside from taking He Tiantian to the train station, he knew nothing else! But seeing Xiao Yan’s worried face, he kept comforting her, saying He Tiantian was fine.

Patting her olive-green backpack, He Tiantian said, "My dad already found the director of his workplace to write a certificate as well as proof from the street office, and as for the official letter, it should have reached Taoyuan County by now, I guess."

"That’s good," Niu Dajun said with relief, "You don’t know, these past few days Xiao Yan has been really worried about you, not eating well, not sleeping well, and she has lost weight."

"I’ll make sure to thank Xiao Yan and you properly when I get back," He Tiantian smiled, "Brother Dajun, here are some pastries my mom asked me to bring for you; take two boxes back to enjoy."

"These are things girls like to eat, just give them all to Xiao Yan; I don’t need any," Niu Dajun said with a simple smile, "Alright, now that you have your documents here, you can hold on for a while. If anyone causes trouble, you’ll be able to explain the situation. Don’t worry, even here in Taoyuan County, there’s still justice to be found."

He Tiantian couldn’t help but notice that Niu Dajun mentioned Xiao Yan in every sentence. Was she overthinking it?

"Hmm, I believe," He Tiantian said. It wasn’t her place to ask about uncertain matters, especially when her own affairs were not yet settled, "It’s just that I will have to trouble you again tomorrow, Brother Dajun, to take me back."

"It’s not a problem; I have to go that way to deliver some mail anyway," Niu Dajun said, "Alright then, you rest. I’ll go grab something to eat; there’s still work to do."

After eating something, Niu Dajun went to the postal office to sort out the new mail that had arrived.

Niu Lili brought He Tiantian a big bowl of rice topped with appetizing hot and sour shredded potatoes. He Tiantian wanted to pay Niu Lili, but Niu Lili refused to take the money. Niu Lili asked her to help check if the official letter had arrived when she had time at the commune.

He Tiantian felt she owed Niu Lili even more favors now.

There will be plenty of time in the future to repay her slowly!

Early the next morning, Niu Dajun took He Tiantian, driving through the concrete roads of the commune, leaving the county town.

As they passed the newly built Civic Square of the commune, He Tiantian’s gaze involuntarily fell on the River Guardian Beast Statue. It was placed in a corner, shining brightly, presumably polished by kids riding it back and forth.

He Tiantian sighed, her own issues still unresolved, so the matter of the River Guardian Beast Statue would have to be set aside for now.

Niu Dajun only rested for a short while mid-journey and, after four hours, they reached Qijia Village. Because he had ridden fast and had been carrying a passenger and some luggage, his legs were sore, so he went straight to Village Chief Qi’s house to rest.

Village Chief Qi, seeing He Tiantian’s certificates, nodded, "Hmm, I didn’t expect you to have not only the city’s but also the sub-district office’s, very detailed. Keep them safe; with these, no one dares to bully you."

"Thank you, Village Chief Qi," He Tiantian said, "There’s a wild chicken at Grandma Qi’s place. I’ll bring it over, hoping Village Chief Qi can help me entertain Brother Dajun with it."

At Village Chief Qi’s house, Niu Dajun had finished his meal and could rest for a bit. It wasn’t convenient to do so at Third Grandma Qi’s place.

"You don’t need to bring anything, I’ll take care of it," Village Chief Qi laughed, unconcerned, "You must be tired too, go rest."

He Tiantian took four boxes of snacks out of the wicker basket, "These are snacks from my hometown. I gave two boxes to Brother Dajun yesterday, but he didn’t want them, saying they were for Xiao Yan. So I’ve left them all here."

Qi Xiaoyan had been wanting to talk to He Tiantian. Now hearing what He Tiantian said and seeing those four boxes of snacks, she felt a warmth on her face, blushing shyly.

"Xiao Yan, I’ll be going back first, and I’ll come to find you later to hang out," He Tiantian said, looking at the blushing Qi Xiaoyan and blinking, thinking there might really be something going on!

Facing He Tiantian’s expressive eyes, Qi Xiaoyan was suddenly too shy to speak. Did Sister Tiantian notice something?

When He Tiantian got home, Third Grandma Qi was twisting threads! Using a chopstick with a copper coin secured at the bottom, she would extract fibers from a cotton ball, twirl them around the chopstick, and twist them into fine threads. In ordinary households, such thread was used for making clothes or sewing quilts, eliminating the need to spend money on it and thus saving money.

"Grandma Qi, I’m back," said He Tiantian crisply, placing a box of snacks on the table.

Since He Tiantian’s departure, the quietness at Third Grandma Qi’s house felt too profound. She had become accustomed to having someone at home, sometimes even unconsciously calling out He Tiantian’s name. It was only when there was no response that she remembered He Tiantian had urgently returned to her hometown and not yet come back, which made her feel even more desolate.

"It’s good you’re back. Did everything go smoothly?" Third Grandma Qi asked with concern, "You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll go make you something."

"I haven’t eaten yet. Oh, Grandma Qi, we still have that wild chicken at home. I was thinking of taking it to Village Chief Qi’s place so he could help me entertain Brother Dajun. He rushed to take me to the train station the other day, and today he brought me back again. Secretary Qi wouldn’t let Niu Dajun come over to eat, insisting on hosting him at his place. I feel bad and want to take something over," He Tiantian explained, hoping Third Grandma Qi would understand her.

There were still more in the back hills, and He Tiantian would catch some later for Third Grandma Qi to help nourish her body!