CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 89: REFUSING THE PACKAGE

He was thinking that if he hadn’t gone to his daughter’s place to help build the houses, Yang Gengtian wouldn’t have been able to take charge of those two small courtyards. But things are already this way, and I can’t bring the matter of the houses out into the open, so I’ll have to think of another way. Here in Songling Village, on my own turf, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish. Now that I’m back in the village, it all depends on whether that Chu Zhiqing knows how to conduct herself. If she can’t satisfy me, then I’ll have plenty of ways to deal with her in the future.

「*」

After Yunyi rode back to the commune on the ox cart, she jogged to the post office to collect her parcels. "Comrade," she said, handing over her identification, "I’m here to pick up a parcel."

The clerk checked it, then got up and went to the back.

But when Yunyi saw the number of parcels, she was dumbfounded. "Are all these mine?"

The clerk looked at her with envy and nodded. "Yes."

Two of them were sent by her, but unexpectedly, there were three others.

Upon examining them one by one, she realized one was from the Gu Family and another from the Hua Family. To her surprise, there was also a parcel from the Qin Family in Beijing. Without having to think about it, she knew it must have been arranged by Old Master Qin.

Since the two families no longer had any relation, Yunyi naturally didn’t want to accept the parcel, so she refused the one from the Qin Family.

The staff on-site were surprised. "Are you sure you want to refuse this parcel?" one of them asked.

Yunyi nodded. "Yes, please return it to the sender as soon as possible."

After signing for and collecting the other four parcels, she said to the clerk, "Comrade, I’ll take two to the cart first. I’ll come back for the remaining two in a moment."

After the clerk nodded, Yunyi left the post office with the parcels from the Gu Family and the Hua Family.

No sooner had she stepped out than the office staff gathered. "I’ve never seen anyone refuse a parcel in all my years working here," one remarked.

"This girl’s family must be really well off."

"Seems like all her relatives are well-off. Didn’t you see the addresses on those parcels are all different?"

"Ah, it really makes one envious."

As they were eagerly discussing, Yunyi walked in again, picked up the remaining two parcels, and thanked everyone. "I’ll be taking the parcels now," she said.

Fortunately, most people who had business at the commune had already returned to the village. Otherwise, the ox cart truly wouldn’t have been able to carry everything.

With no one else around the ox cart, Old Lock casually glanced at the large parcels. "Girl," he said, "I’ll move some things for the team aside, and then you can put two of the parcels in."

Seeing Old Lock’s action, Yunyi understood his intentions. "Thank you, Uncle," she said.

So she skillfully tucked the parcels from the Gu Family and the Hua Family into the pile of production materials from the village, leaving only the two she had sent herself out in the open.

Right after she had finished arranging everything, those who had gone to attend to their affairs or find a restroom returned.

Old Lock glanced at the sun. "It’s about time," he announced. "Get on the cart, we’re heading back to the village."

At that moment, a woman who had not been seen in the morning eyed the two large parcels on the ox cart. "Chu Zhiqing," she asked, "did you go to the city?"

Yunyi politely nodded. "Yes."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Wang Lanhua came running over with a basket, out of breath. "Glad I made it in time!"

The woman who had spoken before turned to look at the basket in Wang Lanhua’s hands. "Wife of the guard," she asked, "what brings you to the commune?"

Wang Lanhua stepped onto the ox cart first. "Second Sister-in-law," she said, "I took the ox cart to the county this morning. I just happened to meet my second brother coming to pick up my mother, so I got a lift back to the commune with them."

Wang Lanhua waved towards Yunyi. "Chu Zhiqing, come on up!"

Knowing Yunyi wasn’t familiar with the villagers, Wang Lanhua explained, "This is my second sister-in-law, Feng Simai. Her husband is my husband’s cousin, Gao Chuanbei. You can just call her Aunt Chuanbei."

At that moment, Ma Simai also climbed onto the cart and glanced at her sister-in-law’s basket. "What good stuff have your sister and brother brought you this time?" she asked.

Wang Lanhua knew Ma Simai’s personality all too well. "In these times, no one has it easy," she replied. "How can they keep sending things to me?"

Ma Simai was about to reach out and lift the lid of Wang Lanhua’s basket, but seeing that her sister-in-law had already hugged the basket close, she turned the subject to Yunyi. "Chu Zhiqing," she asked, "are these parcels from your family?"

Yunyi responded indifferently, "Yes."

Ma Simai touched her chin, her eyes never leaving the two large parcels. "Let your aunt help you take them back," she offered.

Old Lock, who was driving the cart, heard this and immediately refused on Yunyi’s behalf. "Chu Zhiqing already told me to help take them to her courtyard," he stated.

Old Lock knew that, given the girl’s character, she wouldn’t accept help for free. He couldn’t let this woman (Ma Simai) snatch the task. Besides, there were still two parcels buried under the production materials for the village, and Feng Simai absolutely couldn’t find out about them. That woman’s (Feng Simai’s) mouth was too loose; if she saw them, the whole village would know by nightfall.