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The reborn of paranoid boss cannon fodder wife(306-310)
🕑 Added 2024-03-05 15:49:47 +0000 UTCChapter 306 Research Together
Unfortunately...
Unexpectedly, Bai Lu's guess was right.
Several of the appliances that Xiao Cheng received in the store a few days ago had some malfunctions. When he tried to contact the manufacturer, the phone number was not in service, and both the appliance factory and the boss had disappeared without a trace.
Fortunately, Xiao Cheng was always distrustful of outsiders, even his business partners, so he hadn't paid much in advance.
After discovering the problem with the first TV set, he didn't pay the final installment.
Even though they were minor issues and didn't require returns, Xiao Cheng remained indifferent to the factory's financial urging.
Unable to detect any problems through conventional methods, Xiao Cheng used his own method to delve deeper into the internal testing of the appliances. To his surprise, he found hidden faults in other appliances as well.
By the time the factory's financial department stopped calling him for the final payment, it was because they were no longer in existence.
Xiao Cheng quickly learned about the disappearance of the factory because during his last visit to Guangdong Province, he didn't just interact with one appliance factory but also visited others.
He had left his contact information with them, so when he couldn't reach his cooperating factory, Xiao Cheng contacted other local appliance factories under the pretext of cooperation, using the opportunity to inquire about the situation of the previous factory.
The owner of the previous factory had clashed with government officials, and ten days before the factory was sealed, they had started planning to flee.
The latest shipments were all returned for repair, and after changing the outer shell packaging, they were sold as new products.
For minor issues, they were casually repaired, but for major problems, they were handled with the usual method of covering up and could remain hidden for several days. Now that the malfunctions were frequent and couldn't be concealed any longer, the consignment dealers came knocking, but it was too late.
With the disappearance of the factory personnel and the inability of the authorities to locate them, there was nothing to be done but accept their misfortune.
Fortunately, Xiao Cheng wasn't the most unfortunate one.
For minor issues, both Xiao Cheng and others could fix them, but there were only five problematic TV sets.
Since the final payments hadn't been made, even if those five TVs became useless, there were other good appliances and TVs to be sold, which could offset the losses. It would only be a loss of five to six hundred yuan.
No one has smooth sailing in their first business venture; some losses are inevitable to accumulate experience in overcoming obstacles.
The entrepreneurial experience of Bai Lu's cousin was the most obvious example: experiencing failure and setbacks, turning defeat into victory, and eventually establishing a stable position in the business world.
Bai Lu admired Xiao Cheng's decisive decision to switch to a new factory for cooperation without wasting time investigating the previous factory's escape.
However, she didn't appreciate his plan to sell those five TV sets as scrap.
Selling them as scrap wouldn't yield much money, resulting in a loss of five to six hundred yuan. But if they were repaired and sold, given the size of those five TV sets, they could net tens of thousands of yuan in second-hand value.
"It's possible that the motherboard is the problem. Why don't you take the TV set home first, and we can study it together?" Bai Lu didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to earn tens of thousands of yuan in profit.
Even though the chances were slim, trying out different methods might lead to a miracle.
This ten-thousand-yuan miracle would undoubtedly contribute to the construction of the Chinese-style mansion, making it even more beautiful!
Xiao Cheng was proficient in repairing issues like loose or missing solder joints, loose wires, and crossed lines on the TV motherboard. He had taught Zhang San and Li Si as well. If customers encountered any TV problems, they could directly approach Zhang San and Li Si.
All three of them had already inspected the five faulty TVs and concluded that there was no hope left for repair.
But upon hearing Bai Lu's suggestion of "studying them together," Xiao Cheng didn't hesitate and instructed Zhang San to bring the five faulty TVs over.
Studying them together.
As Zhang San set down the TVs and heard Bai Lu's words, he earnestly expressed, "Sis-in-law, we've already spent several days studying these five TVs, and they're beyond repair."
"One TV screen occasionally flickers, another goes black intermittently, one has vertical stripes appearing in the middle, and the longer you watch, the more there are, until the entire screen is filled with colored lines within the last half hour... and two of them frequently shut down automatically.
"We've checked the signal lines and found no problems. We've also checked the solder joints on the circuit board and fixed any loose ones. We've even reorganized the internal wiring, but the issues remain unresolved."
It sounded quite serious.
But upon opening up the TVs, it became even more severe.
With three large circuit boards, two speakers in between, and a heap of intertwined wires and connectors, Bai Lu's head spun from the complexity, suspecting that the motherboard might be fried.
Having visited LCD TV factories with her cousin in the future and seen the manufacturing process, Bai Lu found the structure of LCD TVs to be simple: a display screen, a motherboard that combines all circuits, two small speakers, and a few wires connecting the control panel and the remote control.
The shell was thin, and the wiring was clear and straightforward, unlike the complexity of old-fashioned TVs.
A tangled mess.
As Zhang San watched Bai Lu and Xiao Cheng use multimeters inside the disassembled TVs, probing and checking the wiring and soldering in a professional manner, he was dumbfounded.
Half of his astonishment stemmed from Bai Lu's ability to repair TVs.
The other half came from the fact that even though it was clear the TVs couldn't be fixed, Xiao Cheng still let Bai Lu handle them.
Wasn't the big boss afraid of his wife getting electrocuted?
People who could repair TVs were also at risk of getting shocked. Sometimes, accidentally touching the wrong spot could cause the circuit board to malfunction, and the current could shock the hand, causing it to smoke before it could be pulled away.
Without plugging in the TV, testing couldn't be done, and without testing, the problematic areas couldn't be identified. To identify the issues, testing was necessary, but testing also posed dangers.
Zhang San couldn't understand why the big boss would allow his wife to take the risk of getting electrocuted for such a meaningless task.
But the big boss didn't need his understanding. He simply told Zhang San to go back and attend to the store.
Zhang San promptly left.
If the big boss wanted to tinker with those broken TVs with his wife to strengthen their bond, it was better not to interfere.
After all, the TVs were beyond repair anyway, so the worst-case scenario had already been reached. If they got worse, they could just be thrown away.
Besides, the big boss wasn't short of money from selling scrap TVs. Fixing them might enhance their relationship a bit, which would be the greatest contribution before the broken TVs were thrown away for good.
Bai Lu had only visited an LCD TV factory with her cousin in the future, seen the manufacturing process of LCD TVs, and visited the repair department. She hadn't received specialized training in TV repair.
She wasn't proficient in TV repair, but she understood some principles of troubleshooting. After practicing on the large-screen TV at home several times, she eventually ended up breaking it.
After several more attempts, she finally fixed it.
It was a bit of a desperate move.
Setting aside the more complex issues for now, Bai Lu decided to start with what seemed simpler to repair. Seeking Xiao Cheng's opinion, she asked, "The flickering issue could possibly be due to a faulty display tube. There are no soldering problems with the pins, and you've also checked the wiring. Should we try swapping the display tubes from other TVs and see if it makes a difference?"
The display tube was the screen of the old TV, quite large and with complex wiring.
Xiao Cheng had only inspected the original TV, so he hadn't replaced the entire display tube, which could potentially resolve some issues.
Chapter 307 Don't Let Go
The television and the electric chestnut roaster are not the same. The latter has a simple structure and does not require a mainboard for operation.
However, the television has multiple circuit boards with many components, each serving different functions and power levels.
If the replacement work is not done properly by a professional repairman, it is very likely to short-circuit.
Sure enough, smoke emerged when Xiao Cheng replaced it.
With a crackling sound, electricity surged.
Bai Lu saw Xiao Cheng's arm stiffen for a moment, his hand still on the small power switch outside the cathode ray tube.
Immediately reaching out to pull his right hand out, but being blocked by his left hand, he pressed the power switch and only then allowed her to pull his right hand out.
"Are you okay?" Bai Lu nervously checked Xiao Cheng's arm, as cold and solid as usual.
Nothing could be seen.
Rolling up his sleeve and looking, his skin was normal, without any signs of electrical burns, so he should be fine.
Xiao Cheng's entire right arm had been numbed by the electric shock.
No sensation, unable to feel the warmth of Bai Lu's hand as she rolled up his sleeve, unable to feel the force of Bai Lu shaking his hand, only able to silently watch her shaking it back and forth.
Calmly, he replied, "I'm fine."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Wei, who sympathized with the hard work of his older brother and sister-in-law in repairing the TV, poured two cups of tea: "Brother and sister-in-law, have some water."
Bai Lu thanked the little guy, took the cup of water, drank it, and only then realized that the little guy in front of her hadn't left.
He was still holding the cup of water intended for Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng hadn't taken it, so he kept holding it, motionless, his little face full of earnest anticipation.
Xiao Cheng said, "I'm not thirsty."
At this moment, Xiao Cheng's left hand was holding Bai Lu's hand. Since he blocked Bai Lu from touching the TV just now, he hadn't let go, and Bai Lu hadn't let go either.
As long as Bai Lu didn't let go, Xiao Cheng wouldn't let go either, let alone take that ordinary cup of water.
As for his right hand...
Bai Lu had already taken the cup of water from Xiao Wei, brought it closer to him, and looked at him with a smile.
She said to him, "Have a drink of water and then continue."
Xiao Cheng: "..."
"I'm not thirsty."
Bai Lu felt that he must be thirsty: "How can you not be thirsty? We've been repairing the TV all afternoon. Although we haven't made any progress yet, we still need to drink water. I'm thirsty, how can you not be thirsty? Work is never more important than health. Come on, drink some water to moisten your throat..."
Xiao Cheng moved his right hand slightly, but didn't take it.
Xiao Wei, full of hope, looked at him and said, "Brother, if you don't want tea, I'll go back and get you a cup of hot water. Sister-in-law is right, no matter how busy you are, you need to drink water. I'll go back and pour you a cup of hot water."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and ran back into the house.
Soon, he came out with a cup of hot water.
Seeing that Xiao Cheng was not taking the tea water, Bai Lu thought that Xiao Cheng indeed wanted to drink hot water, so she decisively exchanged cups with Xiao Wei and brought it to Xiao Cheng again.
"The water's not hot, go ahead and drink it."
Xiao Cheng glanced at the hot water in front of him, raised his eyes slightly, and looked at the girl's smiling eyes.
For a moment of silence, he slowly lowered his head.
"Knock knock knock—"
Who's bothering the boss to drink water again!!
Bai Lu suddenly turned her head, her gaze fixed on the figure that appeared after Xiao Wei opened the door, but it wasn't just one person.
It was a group, as if they had gone through untold hardships, finally mastered peerless martial arts, raised their eyebrows in triumph, clear and refreshed, almost moved to tears by their own achievements.
Each holding a chestnut roaster, they were excitedly reporting good news: "Brother Cheng, sister-in-law, we can set up a stall now!"
Setting up a stall meant they could continue to earn big money.
There was hope of taking over the remaining one-third of the market.
Bai Lu immediately forgot about Xiao Cheng drinking water, and went out with Xiao Cheng to congratulate the brothers.
"Congratulations to the brothers on starting a new life. Teaching points and marketing strategies, as well as profit sharing, were all discussed with you three days ago. You can start setting up stalls with sugar-roasted chestnuts tomorrow and get ready to teach and earn big money."
The brothers nodded like little chickens, each offering a handful of candied chestnuts to the older brother and sister-in-law to taste.
Luo Shiliu, Xiao Dashuang, and Wang Hao, three old teachers, felt truly gratified for the first time in history, looking at Ah Dai and the others with eyes that said they were worthy of being taught, nodding in approval.
Bai Lu looked at the goodwill in the brothers' hands and smiled, taking one candied chestnut from each person.
Xiao Wei was on the side, holding a plate to continue receiving.
After receiving thirty-five candied chestnuts, Bai Lu smiled at them and said, "Ah Cheng and I have a new plan that can open up the market faster and allow students to make decisions quickly.
"The electrical appliance stores in the city have ten new electric chestnut roasters. Starting tomorrow, you will take turns to operate them on-site and sell them immediately. Show everyone, both near and far, how efficient and capable the electric chestnut roasters are, and how profitable the business is.
"If someone asks, you don't need to hide anything, talk in detail on the spot. Teaching and selling electric chestnut roasters can be done simultaneously, as long as you sign up and pay the tuition fee, you can start learning immediately. Electric chestnut roasters are limited in quantity, so the earlier you sign up, the earlier you can learn."
Luo Shiliu and Ah Dai and the others' minds turned, suddenly understanding the brilliance of Bai Lu's new sales method.
Using the time-saving and labor-saving electric chestnut roasters to instantly fry up hugely profitable sales, stimulating the business people's desire to make money.
And with the open teaching for everyone, the urgency of the limited quantity, those students who had intended to sign up for a long time would push themselves to make decisions immediately.
If they didn't, they would be robbed of the opportunity by their peers.
Three spots, not to say they were few, but rare to the point of being precious, one second late would mean missing out on wealth.
Whether it was students who had intended to sign up early or other business people taking courses or buying electric chestnut roasters, they could quickly achieve their goals.
Or, it could be said, Bai Lu's goal was to take over all thirty-eight market sales points.
The tuition fees would be shared by everyone.
The brothers were marveling at the cleverness of their sister-in-law, and the elder brother spoke up.
"Ah Wen will accompany two colleagues to take you to the operating points, morning and evening."
The last thirty-eight market operating points were quite far away, and the speed of the van was much faster than that of a motorcycle.
Moreover, the motorcycle they had rented last time wasn't theirs, they had rented it from someone else.
They couldn't afford to crash it.
Ah Dai and the others suddenly realized that this time Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu were determined to confront Li Chengbin.
In the struggle for resources, it wasn't just brute force that mattered, but also intelligence and the ability to make decisions at any time and place.
In the end, the brothers were sent away by the big boss with cold blades, to the point where they even thought highly of the sister-in-law.
"Sister-in-law is really good, both smart and gentle, teaching people with special patience, speaking softly and gently, and laughing more beautiful than flowers. I really like sister-in-law!"
Ah Dai's words were echoed by all the brothers.
And Luo Shiliu, very rarely, clapped his hands in approval, and with a serious tone, suggested, "You're right, you're absolutely right. If you praise the sister-in-law with these words in front of Brother Cheng, Brother Cheng will definitely reward you generously!"
"I suggest you turn around and go back to praise the sister-in-law now. Brother Cheng will definitely give you a heavy reward to take home."
Chapter 308 Awesome
Wang Hao nodded earnestly, "Yeah, Ah Dai, it's been a while since you received Brother Cheng's care. Seize the opportunity now, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"
Xiao Dashuang felt like Luo Shiliu and Wang Hao were trying to trick him, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
Ah Dai was also half-believing and half-doubting: "Why do I feel like you guys are pushing me into a fire pit? Brother Cheng just drove us away with a cold blade, obviously annoyed by us disturbing him and Sister-in-law. Wouldn't it be more disturbing if I went back now?
"Intentionally disturbing Brother Cheng and expecting a reward? Brother Cheng would probably punch me away!"
This naive guy, when did he grow a brain and become smarter?
Luo Shiliu rubbed his chin and said seriously, "You like Sister-in-law so much, your praise is so sincere and brave, so honest. Brother Cheng won't hit you, he'll reward you before you know it~"
Seems like it makes sense.
But Ah Dai felt like he needed to explain: "When I say 'like', it's not the kind of like Brother Cheng has for Sister-in-law. Don't get me wrong. My like for Sister-in-law is, uh, admiration! Yes, it's admiration, and respect!
"Like the respect I have for Brother Cheng."
Luo Shiliu made a disdainful "Huh~" sound, "I didn't expect you, Ah Dai, to have such a hobby. Stay away from me!"
Ah Dai: "..."
"Not what you're thinking! I'm not talking about romantic liking between men and women!"
"I know, liking between men~"
"Not... what are you saying? I didn't expect your taste to be so unique, leave me alone!"
"Not... don't come over here!"
"..."
After Xiao Cheng's right hand regained sensation, he drank the cup of boiled water Bai Lu gave him and then another cup of tea.
After drinking, he continued to study the television with Bai Lu.
That damned cathode ray tube, he swore he wouldn't touch it again!
"Ah Cheng, one of the solder joints on the cathode ray tube's pins is loose. Should we re-solder it and then try turning it on again?" Bai Lu was full of anticipation.
Xiao Cheng: "Okay."
After soldering the joint, Bai Lu pointed to the wires around the circuit board, "Ah Cheng, the wires here are too messy. Should we tidy them up?"
Xiao Cheng: "Okay."
"The speaker wire is somehow connected to the power supply board and wound into a big mess. If it short circuits, it'll be troublesome. We need to put it back in its original position."
"Okay."
"Ah Cheng, why is the high-voltage board smoking..."
"No problem, I'll fix it..."
After Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu's repeated efforts and their unparalleled repair skills of patching up one thing while breaking another, the faulty television with the replaced cathode ray tube was finally fixed.
"Wow! Acheng, you're amazing! The TV isn't glitching anymore, it can be used normally now!"
Xiao Cheng looked at the girl's sparkling eyes, filled with admiration, and casually put his hand behind his back.
Calmly nodding, he said, "The direction you proposed for the repair was correct."
Bai Lu didn't dare to take credit, shaking his arm with a smile, "What I said wasn't entirely correct. It was you who found the right direction through practice. You haven't learned TV repair from a professional, but you managed to fix it by yourself. You're really amazing, you're the best."
Bai Lu truly felt that Xiao Cheng was amazing. Throughout the entire repair process, Xiao Cheng did everything himself, not letting her intervene, only letting her watch and help plug in the wires on the side.
He said he couldn't free his hands to plug them in when he was too busy.
Although they discussed the problems encountered during the TV repair process together, Xiao Cheng was the one who carried out the final testing and checks. He always looked at her and said she had a sense of direction, and let her help plug in the wires after successfully fixing it each time.
After he confirmed that there were no problems, he would let her do a comprehensive check to see if there were any hidden faults.
The final test result was also based on her standards. When she said it was okay, he stopped.
Fortunately, heaven helps those who help themselves. After much hardship, the repair was finally successful!
Everyone was delighted!
Bai Lu was ecstatic to see Xiao Cheng's extraordinary hands-on abilities. Forgetting whether it was polite or not, she gave him a big kiss on the cheek without hesitation.
"You're the most talented person I've ever seen at hands-on work, so awesome~"
This was the first time he had been rewarded intimately by someone he liked. Xiao Cheng's rational and clear mind went blank for a moment, his normally cool face suddenly heating up.
Xiao Cheng didn't know whether he blushed or not, but he felt his ears heat up, and his heart trembled.
When the warmth that burned on his face spread to his body, limbs, arms, and palms.
Regaining sensation in an instant.
The girl's radiant smile in his eyes bloomed like fireworks, not fleeting, but deeply stored in the depths of his eyes.
Meeting Bai Lu's unwavering gaze, he suddenly remembered the incident from that night when the child insisted she should patch up the other side of his face. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching.
Quickly, he let her patch up the other side of his face too.
Just as Xiao Cheng's brain regained normalcy, his entire body's blood cells boiled, and a surging force raged through his body like a raging flame, burning away his rationality. In his eyes, a large net completely enveloped Bai Lu.
Xiao Cheng knew how polite and courteous Bai Lu was, but now she was twice as intimate, ignoring all etiquette.
Perhaps, this would be the only time in his life.
"You just said that the other TV that often automatically shuts down might work with a new power board. Shall we try it now?"
Bai Lu was shocked by Xiao Cheng's decisive speed of action, staring at him dumbfounded as he moved on to another TV.
Looking at his serious profile in the setting sun, she hesitated and said, "The sun has already set. Let's make dinner first and then continue, okay?"
This reason obviously lacked persuasiveness, unable to shake Xiao Cheng's earnest persistence in repairing the TV.
He even said, "Xiao Wei can do it."
Bai Lu glanced at the kitchen where a busy figure was carrying a basket of freshly picked vegetables from the backyard to wash in the sink, followed by washing fresh bamboo shoots.
The fresh bamboo shoots were peeled by him in the afternoon, and there was a dish that everyone liked for dinner, stir-fried duck with bamboo shoots.
After washing the bamboo shoots, the figure took out the cured duck soaking in warm water, placed it on the cutting board, and wielded the kitchen knife.
The hand rose, and the knife fell.
Just before it fell, Bai Lu grabbed the handle, "Let me do it. You go help your brother. It's not difficult, just occasionally help him plug in the wires."
Xiao Wei felt that plugging in wires was even more difficult than chopping duck: "You should go plug them in."
If he went to plug them in, his big brother would despise him to death.
"You and Big Brother have been repairing TVs for so long, you have better understanding. Big Brother needs your help."
"Plugging in wires doesn't require much understanding. Anyone can do it."
"Big Brother wants you to do it."
"You can do it too."
"It's not the same. Look, Big Brother is waiting for you."
After a moment of staring at each other...
Xiao Cheng was forcibly dragged back by Bai Lu to cook...
Chapter 309 She's Jealous
Finally, those five faulty televisions were repaired through the hard work and cooperation of Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu.
With their unwavering spirit of never giving up until the last circuit board was fixed.
Finally, two televisions were repaired.
The other three, with parts swapped and reassembled, almost all components exchanged, disassembled, reassembled, and tested repeatedly to solve the problems more comprehensively each time.
Finally, they were fixed.
When Zhang San and Li Si received the repaired televisions from Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu, their jaws dropped in shock.
Seeing the televisions turning on and off, tested repeatedly, with the picture, sound, and screen all normal, without any previous issues reappearing, and confirming that they were three fully functional televisions ready for sale.
They were even more shocked, to the point where they ran away like stray dogs on the roadside.
The broken televisions they had been struggling to repair for so long were actually fixed by the boss and his wife?
Since the discovery of the television faults, the boss had often come to the store to discuss and repair them together. After a long time, the broken televisions they couldn't fix were finally repaired!
Are the boss and his little wife the best partners?
Are the boss and his little wife extraordinary geniuses, perfectly matched in intelligence and mental prowess?
Are they too stupid, too useless, too redundant, and holding back the boss?
But why did the boss's hand seem a little weak when signing the documents, and the pen strokes seemed lighter than before?
And when he held the teacup to drink, it seemed to tremble a bit. Maybe they were just seeing things.
After all, he was back to normal the next day.
It must be because repairing televisions was too exhausting and tiring, making the boss's arms a bit weak.
Indeed, any miracle of success requires countless efforts, intelligence, and abilities.
The achievements are naturally incomparable to ordinary people.
Zhang San and Li Si were completely convinced by Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu, no, they had been convinced long ago.
Now they were worshipping gods!
The teaching of candied chestnuts was progressing in an orderly manner, and the electrical appliance store had also reconfirmed the new manufacturer.
Despite being able to confirm over the phone, Xiao Cheng insisted on personally going to Guangdong Province to discuss cooperation.
And to select materials for building the new house.
No one knew about the additional personal exchange.
Bai Lu didn't know either because, on the evening before they left, she was still discussing the television issue with Xiao Cheng.
"Those two faulty televisions had all their mainboards burnt out. The manufacturer you are cooperating with now is not the same brand of electrical appliances as before. The models are different, and the circuit boards are not compatible. If it doesn't work, let's just give up."
The television in the room was playing a comedy, and the family sat in front of the television, with Xiao Wei enjoying it.
Xiao Cheng glanced at Bai Lu, swirling the tea cup in his hand. "Let's try first. If it doesn't work, we'll see."
"As you say."
Bai Lu was convinced by the last sentence. Well, since she also wanted to contribute to the new house.
Those two faulty televisions were indeed useless, with all their circuit boards burnt out, basically scrap.
Xiao Cheng and Bai Lu's original intention was to buy the same model of circuit board from the new manufacturer and try replacing them.
Of course, before purchasing the new circuit boards, Xiao Cheng would go to the manufacturer's workshop to observe the operation process in the name of discussing long-term cooperation, to ensure the safety and performance.
The repair department would also go along for a visit.
The repair department was part of the manufacturer's confidentiality work, and under normal circumstances, outsiders were not allowed to enter casually.
The cooperation was not yet officially settled, but the manufacturer's representative, eager to please the new client for better performance, naturally wouldn't refuse.
Repairing electrical appliances wasn't easy to learn, and no one could master it after just one look. When the manufacturer's representative heard Xiao Cheng mention this matter, he agreed without any hesitation.
Bai Lu sighed that the manufacturer's representative was a good person while also looking forward to another matter.
Turning her head to ask Xiao Cheng, "You're going to Guangdong Province to select materials for building the house. Bricks should be bought here, right? Have you talked to the brick factory owner? When will they deliver the bricks? Should I move the firewood from under the big tree opposite the house and clean up the area to place the bricks?"
Every time she talked about the new house, Xiao Cheng's calm heart would ripple.
His tone also lost its usual coldness, slightly softening. "No need. The bamboo firewood in the space outside the fence has already been moved. When they deliver the bricks, they'll see where to place them."
There was an empty space outside the fence between Xiao Cheng's house and Xiao Zhongbiao's house, jointly owned by both families.
The bamboo firewood on the empty space was cut by Wang Cuihua at the riverside bamboo forest and brought back with Xiao Dashuang's help using a wooden cart, stored for use as firewood.
One person didn't need much firewood for cooking, so the bamboo firewood had been sitting there, accumulating higher and higher due to Wang Cuihua going to the riverside to cut bamboo whenever she had time. Xiao Dashuang was busy helping Xiao Cheng repair the television these past few days and didn't have time to pay attention to what was happening next door.
The sound of testing the television was not small, and even if there were sounds of moving firewood outside, she wouldn't have heard them.
That wasn't the point. The point was, "The bamboo firewood on the empty space is so high. Wang Cuihua can't move it herself, right?"
Seeing Bai Lu's standard smiley face, Xiao Cheng's mind conjured up the image of that pitch-black night when she accidentally fell on him.
Knocking his mouth.
When he got up to turn on the light, she stared straight at the corner of his mouth with that meaningful look in her eyes.
The same as her current look.
Xiao Cheng pursed his lips, a faint smile appearing in his deep eyes, almost imperceptible. "Xiao Dazhuang helped her move it."
Bai Lu gave a meaningful "Oh~" sound.,
Xiao Wei, who was watching TV, suddenly felt a chill at the back of his head. In his mind, he suddenly remembered the night when Wang Cuihua asked his big brother to help change the light bulb, and Bai Lu made the same "Oh~" sound.
She didn't believe it.
Xiao Wei decisively abandoned the comedy show and turned to explain to Bai Lu, "Big brother's words are true. I saw Xiao Dashuang and Uncle Yong next door help Wang Cuihua move the bamboo firewood."
"And, big brother didn't tell Wang Cuihua to move the firewood. I told Wang Cuihua. I said that our family is building a new house and needs the space to place bricks. I asked Wang Cuihua to move the bamboo firewood. Big brother didn't talk to Wang Cuihua or help her move the bamboo firewood."
Xiao Cheng's time away from home was spent balancing the books at the electrical appliance store in the city, which Bai Lu knew.
She was just asking casually and didn't expect the little guy to react so strongly and explain so clearly.
Well, the child can be taught.
"Xiao Wei has a really good memory. He's great."
Bai Lu praised with a smile before continuing to ask, "Do you know why Wang Cuihua gave us chestnuts?"
"When your silly brothers were learning to make candied chestnuts those three days, they roasted quite a few chestnuts, at least two to three hundred catties. I heard they were all provided for free by Wang Cuihua. Why was she suddenly so generous?"
Chapter 310 A Kiss that Stirred
Such a big event, how would Xiao Wei know about it?
Wang Cuihua didn't give him any chestnuts. If he answered wrong, would he be kicked out of the house?
Xiao Wei hesitated for a moment, then boldly raised his head, casting a pleading look to his elder brother for help.
Xiao Cheng calmly spoke, "Go to bed."
Xiao Wei promptly got up, expressing his gratitude and bidding goodnight, "Goodnight, big brother, goodnight, sister-in-law."
As soon as he finished speaking, he returned to his room and closed the door.
Bai Lu was still waiting for an answer, but in an instant, the chair beside her was empty.
The next moment, it was occupied by someone else.
The newcomer extended his long arm and draped it casually over the back of the chair, his cool hand resting lightly on her shoulder.
With a low, mellow voice carried by the faint night breeze, he said, "The chestnuts Wang Cuihua sent were a token of gratitude for saving her life."
Bai Lu turned her head in surprise, looking at the man's clearly defined profile through the light and moonlight. "When did I save her? I don't recall."
Xiao Cheng casually changed the channel with the remote control and, upon hearing her words, glanced at her before helping her recall.
"That night..."
That night... Everyone was either barbecuing or singing and dancing. Amidst the laughter and chatter, someone mentioned that someone had fallen into the water over there.
Everyone rushed over to help.
Upon arrival, they found Wang Cuihua, who had fallen into the water, already rescued by Chen Dafu and lying motionless on the grass.
Bai Lu remembered, "I only performed CPR on Wang Cuihua at that time. It was Chen Dafu who saved her life. He's the one she should be grateful to."
"If she wanted to show gratitude, she should have thanked Chen Dafu, not me..."
Xiao Cheng didn't know either and wasn't interested in guessing Wang Cuihua's intentions. "She left the chestnuts at the door and told me the reason before leaving."
"Just like that?"
Bai Lu was surprised. "She didn't chat with you or say anything else?"
Xiao Cheng looked at Bai Lu's hesitant expression and chuckled, asking, "What else?"
"Uh..."
Bai Lu suddenly looked up and met Xiao Cheng's smiling eyes, realizing what foolish thing she was doing.
She cleared her throat and decisively changed the subject. "Nothing, the TV show is really good."
Indeed, it was good, it was a movie channel.
In the clear view of the dilapidated house on the screen, a man in old blue clothes was washing rice to cook. Suddenly, the cloth curtain was lifted, and a man rushed in.
"Lao Xu, do you want your wife?"
As soon as this classic scene appeared, Bai Lu couldn't help but recite the famous line word for word.
Without missing a single word.
Xiao Cheng, feeling somewhat surprised, glanced at the TV screen before turning his gaze to the smiling girl beside him.
"Have you seen it before?"
Bai Lu nodded instinctively, then paused, realizing something was amiss.
She quickly explained, "This movie was also aired on the movie channel a few days ago. It's 'Horseman', released in 1982. I watched the whole thing from start to finish the other day and really liked the plot and the profound meaning conveyed by the film. That's why I remember the lines so clearly."
Seeing the fleeting memories in her eyes, Xiao Cheng turned his hand and pulled her into his arms.
In a low voice, he asked, "What's the movie about?"
The crisp scent of her breath mingled with his, bringing Bai Lu back from her slight daze, her thoughts eased by the familiar sense of security in his arms.
After a moment's pause, Bai Lu, nestled against Xiao Cheng's chest, began summarizing the movie's plot based on her memories.
"In 'Horseman', there's a pure and simple love between the male and female protagonists, the kindness and warmth of the pastoral villagers, and a complete embodiment of patriotism...
"The male protagonist was born into a wealthy family and excelled in his studies from a young age. However, due to some political reasons at the time, he was sent to labor on a rural ranch.
"The warm and kind villagers provided him with the motivation to persevere in the harsh environment... When the male and female protagonists met, both had nothing. The two of them got married with two red books for marriage certificates arranged by others, binding them together.
"In that dilapidated house, the male and female protagonists understood and supported each other, shared porridge and meals, faced difficulties together, endured hardships together, shared dreams, and relied on each other...
Hearing Bai Lu's words, Xiao Cheng instinctively lowered his gaze, coincidentally meeting the girl's eyes as she looked up at the ceiling.
Caught off guard by their eye contact, she froze for a moment before they both smiled at each other.
The roof was made of black tiles, with only a few stars shining through. One of them fell through the transparent tile in the middle of the black tiles.
Half landed on Xiao Cheng's head.
The other half landed in Bai Lu's eyes.
With a smile in her eyes, she outshone the starlight.
Xiao Cheng caught a glimpse of his reflection in her clear eyes and the face she saw when she looked at him.
For a moment, he felt content. "Is it over?"
"Not yet." Bai Lu asked, "Do you want to continue?"
Xiao Cheng: "Hmm."
"What does 'hmm' mean?" Bai Lu asked curiously.
Xiao Cheng looked deeply into her eyes, remained silent for a moment, then leaned down and whispered two words softly.
Bai Lu's ears turned red. She pushed his face away, cleared her throat solemnly, and continued speaking about the movie, "Later, the male protagonist's father found him and they reunited. The father wanted the male protagonist to go to the United States to live with him.
"The father had a business in the United States and was wealthy. If the male protagonist went with him, he could live a better life.
"At that time, our country's reform and opening up had just begun, and the whole country and its people were in a positive state of prosperity, striving for the construction of a better homeland. The vitality of the nation was flourishing.
"The male protagonist refused the opportunity to live in the United States and decided to stay behind to build the motherland. The motherland nurtured his life, the loess land accompanied his growth, his wife and children were his family, and the simple and kind villagers were his friends.
"He couldn't bear to leave his wife and children, his home, his beloved homeland, or his duty to teach and educate. He couldn't bear to leave the eager students who loved learning. He decided to stay and work together with the country towards a better future..."
Perhaps it was too quiet at night, or perhaps the girl's impassioned voice was too loud, but the sentiment of patriotism gushed forth.
It made Xiao Cheng, who had always been indifferent, reassess the significance of patriotism.
For the past Xiao Cheng, patriotism had been meaningless, providing neither sustenance nor warmth, nor a shelter from the wind and rain.
It was useless, insignificant.
In Xiao Cheng's eyes, patriotism had always been contemptible and ironic.
Like countless times of questioning the meaning of life, it was meaningless, neither here nor there.
Until...
Xiao Cheng lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the girl in his arms who was still talking animatedly, and found his answer.
Perhaps, all the meaningless existences were just waiting for her to arrive.
She was the meaning of everything.
As Bai Lu was talking about the movie, her chin was suddenly lifted, and a cool breath enveloped her.
Xiao Cheng's forehead touched hers, his deep eyes covering her, and a tender kiss pressed against her lips.
The night was enchanting.
The lingering and affectionate kiss was even more alluring.
