Chapter 313 The Atmosphere of Everyday Life

Rong Jiaojiao smiled and said, "I'm here. Come over and cook a delicious meal with your brother whenever you have time."

"Haha, great!"

Seeing that it was almost time, he quickly got up to take out the steamed scallops...

As night falls, the stars twinkle, and the waves gently lap against the shore, providing accompaniment for this seafood feast.

Bathed in the firelight, the brother and sister wore smiles of contentment and happiness.

They enjoyed the delicious food and talked about the future. That night, the aroma of seafood and laughter mingled together, echoing on the beach for a long time, becoming their most beautiful memory.

The next day, the two chose a direction they hadn't explored the previous day and went back to sea, and they still had a good harvest in a day.

After another hearty seafood feast in the evening, the two prepared to return to their lodgings.

As they approached their post, Rong Zhiyuan asked, "Are you sure you don't need me to take you to the county town tomorrow?"

"No need, I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. There are buses, right? Even if there aren't, I can use my lightness technique to travel, it won't take long."

"Alright, I'll take you back to the guesthouse first!"

Rong Jiaojiao didn't argue with him, lest he worry.

After registering Rong Jiaojiao, Rong Zhiyuan carried a bag of spirit fruits back to the camp.

The next morning, Rong Jiaojiao left the guesthouse, her feet glistening with morning dew.

As dawn broke and the sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy scent, brushed against her face.

She tightened the large cloth bag on her shoulder to conceal her identity and walked towards the main road to the county town, encountering a few pedestrians along the way.

Several barefoot fisherwomen carrying shoulder poles walked by. Some carried buckets, while others carried willow baskets toward the sea, clearly heading to the beach early in the morning.

"Girl, need a ride?" A bullock cart creaked to a stop beside her.

The driver was an old man with a wrinkled face, and several baskets of vegetables still covered in dew were piled on the cart.

Rong Jiaojiao shook her head, saying that walking was better than riding in an oxcart!

Rong Jiaojiao politely declined the oxcart offer, waved to the old man, and continued walking along the dirt road.

The morning sea breeze was damp, making the reeds along the roadside rustle.

Several loud bugle calls came from afar, indicating that the soldiers stationed there were beginning their morning exercises.

She moved with light steps, and her cloth bag actually only contained a few changes of clothes and some dry food; the real treasures were kept in her little secret place.

Because she kept encountering people, she didn't use her lightness technique to travel faster. She walked slowly for about half an hour when she heard a "putt-putt-putt" sound in the distance. An old tractor was approaching with a clanging sound, and several villagers wearing straw hats were crammed into the back of the tractor.

"Little girl, going to the county town? I'll give you a ride for a dime!" The man driving the car had dark skin and a voice louder than a tractor, as if afraid that Rong Jiaojiao wouldn't hear him.

Rong Jiaojiao's eyes lit up; this was much more interesting than wandering around alone on the street.

She nimbly climbed into the truck bed, which was piled with several sacks of dried seafood. She found a place to sit down at the back of the truck, and the truck continued on its way.

Several middle-aged women were chatting loudly when they saw her come up. They looked at her curiously, their eyes full of gossip.

"Hey, this little girl looks unfamiliar. Where are you from?" an older woman asked, her voice so loud it seemed to drown out the roar of a tractor.

"Me? I'm in the military," Rong Jiaojiao replied with a smile, secretly plotting how to get them to ask fewer questions.

"The military? You're a military dependent?" Another woman's eyes lit up, as if she had discovered a new continent.

"Yes!" Rong Jiaojiao said casually on purpose.

"Then why did you go to the county town alone?"

When the older women heard that she was a military dependent, they immediately became interested and gathered around.

Rong Jiaojiao raised her head and said, "I'm already eleven years old, what's wrong with me going to the county town by myself? Besides, my sister works in the county!"

An older woman asked slyly, "Young lady, are there many good young men in the army?"

Upon hearing this, Rong Jiaojiao immediately understood what the aunt was thinking. Her eyes darted around, and she said with feigned pride, "Of course! The young men in the army are all very spirited, each one like a hero in a movie!"

The women's eyes lit up as they listened, as if they could already see rows of handsome soldiers.

One of the older women couldn't help but sigh, "Oh dear, I wish my daughter could find a boyfriend like that, she would be so lucky!"

Rong Jiaojiao smiled, but said seriously, "Being a military wife is glorious, but it's not easy either."

Several older women chimed in, "That's true. When the man isn't home, you have to do all the hard and tiring work yourself..."

With each person chiming in, the conversation quickly veered off-topic.

"I heard that the supply and marketing cooperative in the county town has just received a new batch of printed fabric. No coupons are needed, but it's ridiculously expensive," an older woman sighed.

“No matter how expensive it is, we have to buy it. My daughter will be looking for a husband after the autumn harvest. How can she not dress up nicely?” Another aunt immediately chimed in, worried about her daughter’s future.

As Rong Jiaojiao listened, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up. Although the tractor sometimes bounced so hard that it tossed people high into the air, the strong sense of everyday life was a novel experience.

An hour later, the tractor finally drove into the county town, and more and more houses and people appeared on both sides of the street.

Rong Jiaojiao jumped off the bus, dusted herself off, paid a dime, and waved to the aunties: "I'm here, goodbye aunties!"

"Little girl, come visit us again when you have time!" Several middle-aged women responded warmly, as if they had already treated her as one of their own.

Rong Jiaojiao smiled and nodded, then turned and headed towards the Taiyuan County Railway Station.

The sunlight was scorching hot on her body, so she flicked her wrist and stuck a cooling talisman on herself.

The moment the cooling talisman was applied, I felt instantly refreshed, and even the sweltering air became pleasant.

Rong Jiaojiao walked briskly through the main street of the county town.

There was a long queue in front of the state-run restaurant. Several young men who looked like workers were squatting under the shade of a tree eating steamed buns. When they saw her pass by, they couldn't help but take a second look.

Rong Jiaojiao kept her eyes straight ahead, but a sense of superiority suddenly arose in her heart—she still had the braised red-spotted fish that she hadn't finished eating last night in her little secret place. She would secretly take it out and eat it later, which was much better than eating dry steamed buns!

People came and went in front of the train station, including farmers carrying loads, educated youth carrying luggage, and patrol personnel wearing red armbands.

Rong Jiaojiao took out her letter of introduction and successfully bought a hard-seat ticket to Haishi.

With two hours left before departure, she touched her cloth bag, thinking to herself, "It's still early, I might as well go check out the supply and marketing cooperative..."

She turned and walked toward the center of the county town.

The entrance to the supply and marketing cooperative was crowded with people, and several sales clerks stood behind the counter, dealing with customers with impatient expressions.

Taking advantage of her petite stature, Rong Jiaojiao nimbly squeezed to the front and scanned the shelves—sure enough, the newly arrived floral fabrics were neatly arranged, their colors dazzlingly bright, but the prices were indeed exorbitant.