Chapter 6 Section VI

A three-way intersection is a fork in the road extending from the city to the country.Cao Runsheng rode his bicycle to Sanchakou. It was the most crowded time of the day on the road. Big trucks, walking tractors, single-set carriages and bicycles all gathered at Sanchakou.It was getting late, and the long-distance and short-distance drivers and drivers were all hurrying on their way. In winter, the weather in the north was short, and it was already dark before five o'clock.There is no traffic police here, drivers are honking their horns desperately, bicycle bells are ringing, and the three-way intersection is still congested.Runsheng jumped out of the car, left the road, walked around the wheat field, and took another side road.

In the triangular area of ​​the three-way intersection, a three-story building was built. On the concrete gatepost next to the iron gate, there was a prominent wooden sign in black on a white background: Hewan Township Sand and Stone Management Station.Any car that wants to enter Hewan Township to load stones must come here to register and issue a ticket to get a "pass". The address of this management station is really well chosen. Runsheng supported the car and parked beside the gate.How many times he has passed by this three-way intersection in the past, it seems that he has never noticed the existence of this gravel management station, let alone thought that he will walk through this iron gate one day.Now, he was about to step into the gate of this concrete pavement for the first time, and he was going to find his classmate Liu Xiaolan, but where is the ordinary classmate!He had a heartbeat, stopped for a while, stabilized his emotions, brushed his hair, patted the dust that fell on the road, and pushed the car in.

As soon as he entered the yard, Runsheng saw Xiaolan.She pushed a small-wheeled bicycle and walked down the steps from the door opening of the building.He could barely recognize her, a red flower blouse on a black background was tightly wrapped around her waist, the high collar of a beige woolen sweater was exposed on her neck, her hair was loose on her back, fluttering against the cold wind , looks more handsome.He suddenly thought of the brave and innocent Japanese girl in the movie "The Manhunt", who was dressed in this way, and she and her appearance really looked like a god. "Ah! Runsheng—" she also saw him, walked a few steps, stopped the car, and asked with a smile on her face, "Did you just come?"

"I have something to do with you." His heart was beating uncomfortably, and he tried to look indifferent, as if he really wanted to do some business, "Are you... busy?" "get off work." Before Xiaolan could speak, a young man walked up to him and spoke first, showing a bored tone.Runsheng saw that the young man had thin skin and tender flesh, a delicate face like a woman's, and was fair and clean, but there was a look of detachment and superiority in his eyes, which made Runsheng feel uncomfortable.He continued to say in a tone as if eliminating some burden: "It's off work. If you have anything to do, let's do it at work tomorrow!"

"This is my classmate." Xiaolan quickly turned her head and introduced to the young man, "He has never been here before, let's sit in the room!" Runsheng was a little hesitant. Seeing how she and the young man were pushing the cart at the same time, they probably went home on the same road.He suddenly felt disgusted, I'm looking for Liu Xiaolan, it's none of your business!If you are afraid that you will be late coming home from get off work, just get on your bike and get out!I didn't look for you again! "You..." Xiaolan was a little unnatural, and said to the young man, "Why don't you go first? Or wait a while!"

"I'll wait for you." The young man said without hesitation, "Don't forget, the movie at a quarter past seven." Runsheng's heart moved, she went to the movies with him.When he looked at Xiaolan, it seemed that Xiaolan's eyebrows flicked slightly, showing some not-so-obvious embarrassment.He seemed to be sensitive to something, so he said, "Forget it, don't go inside the house!" "Aren't you busy?" Xiaolan said, "I haven't said anything, how can I leave?" "It's nothing... a big deal." Runsheng stammered.It's only an hour for her to watch a movie, what can he talk to her about?When he came today, he originally planned to have a pleasant chat with her at night, but he hadn't seen her for more than a month, and he missed her very much.Now, he had no choice but to prevaricate the matter of selling stones entrusted by Uncle Changcai, as if he was here to beg for mercy and go through the back door, "I think... you can send a few more cars to pass by my Cao Village. I am alone Old uncle, he is honest, he can’t sell the stones he fished out, the family has some urgent business to do and needs money..."

"Send him a few cars!" The young man interjected, looking impatient, and said to Xiaolan, "We haven't even eaten yet!" "Okay!" Xiaolan obviously showed embarrassment this time. The young man's tone and attitude probably revealed a subtle relationship between them. She was embarrassed and said casually, "I'll transfer you tomorrow." Take the car and let the driver find you, don't worry!" "Then... I'm leaving!" Runsheng had nothing to say, the quiet and detached young man stood beside him and her, and he didn't want to say a word, "You... go to... a movie."

"Let's go together!" Xiaolan said. "No...I want to..." Runsheng instinctively declined, "to do...another thing..." "Let's go!" The young man had already pushed the bicycle, urging Xiaolan. The three walked out of the gate, and Runsheng lied that he was going to the other road at Sanchakou. Liu Xiaolan and the young man got into the car one after another, and disappeared into the already thick twilight. Eighteen-year-old brother Cao Runsheng suddenly felt jealous.She and he rode away side by side, went to eat, and then went to Wuli Town Movie Screening Station to watch some interesting movies.He stood alone at the three-way intersection, and for the first time in his life, he felt the loneliness he had never had before.The congested vehicles have already left, and occasionally a car drives past the three-way intersection, and the bright headlights push out a fan-shaped light in the field.The wind began to blow in the early winter night, and the power lines were whining.He was very stuffy in his chest, bored, and his legs and legs were weak. He pushed his bicycle onto the road unhappily, but he didn't want to step on it, so he walked slowly along the road.

Who is that?On his fair and delicate face, there was a pair of purple-red glasses, resembling a well-educated college student's air, the strands of detached and superior look projected from his eyes completely overwhelmed those who were fishing for stones. Cao Runsheng treats him like nothing!Damn, is that the general's son?Look at that look!What is his relationship with Xiaolan?Xiaolan didn't seem to disobey him at all, was she afraid of offending him?still…… He stepped on the bike, and even though he was riding slowly, he still felt the cold of the north wind.is it possible?Xiaolan never told him about any new changes!And just two months ago, he went to her and said that he wanted to buy bees, but he didn't have enough capital, so he wanted to get a loan from a credit union.She excitedly launched the bicycle and went to the credit union with him.

"Will the credit union lend us money?" He worried. "The newspapers and the radio are saying to support professional households!" she said, "How can we not get loans?" "I think so too." The two were speeding on the road, talking and laughing, the mature autumn crops flashed past the eyes, the corn cobs were hanging, the ears of grain bent the stalks, the eyes were golden, and a small piece of radish or cabbage , dotted with green in yellow fields. "I just came back from school for two months, and I'm so bored!" Xiaolan said, "I went out to work with my mother and father, and I couldn't even speak a word. When I got home, the hen in the backyard and the hen in the front yard Cows, quacking and mooing, I'm bothered..."

"Me too." Runsheng echoed, "My mother and my father regard those chickens and pigs as precious things. Old people love to pet those things. Young people can't play tricks on them..." "It's good for you. I bought the bees and released them outside. It's so fun." Xiaolan said sadly, "What should I do? I have nothing to do..." "Follow me to release the bees!" Runsheng said with a smile. "Not shy..." Xiaolan smiled. Walking into the large office room of the credit union, the two of them stood in front of the chest-high concrete counter, and saw three or five desks, each with an abacus, each busy with its own financial affairs, and no one looked up.It seems that a serious and meticulous atmosphere naturally forms here, and it is a special job to deal with large amounts of RMB from morning to night.Runsheng didn't know who to turn to, so Xiaolan called out generously, "Comrade!" "What's the matter?" A middle-aged man asked without looking up, his fingers still on the abacus. "I want a loan." Runsheng said hurriedly. "What kind of loan?" The middle-aged man still didn't look up. "It's just a loan!" Runsheng couldn't figure out what the loan was, wasn't it just money? "Well! There are poverty loans, investment loans, private loans, and unit public loans...you are lucky, you can borrow money!" The middle-aged man finally raised his head, smiled coldly, and said mockingly, "I'm doing this here. After more than ten years, I have never heard anyone talk about loans! Money and money are the same thing!" The two young lesbians at the next table giggled. Xiaolan glanced at him and couldn't help laughing. "I want to buy bees." He ignored the loopholes in his words and said hastily, "I need a thousand dollars!" "He wants to be a professional beekeeper." Xiaolan also handed in a message, "Develop the beekeeping business!" "Of course that's good!" The middle-aged man propped his chin on his hands and looked up at them from the table in the counter. "It's a side job for the family, and we fully support it." "That's great!" Runsheng said happily, "Can I get the money now?" "Where's your application?" The middle-aged man said, holding out a hand. Suddenly, Runsheng realized that he didn't know that he had to submit the application form first for the loan. He took a look at Xiaolan, and the two of them smiled embarrassedly at their reckless behavior.He hastened to make amends and said, "I don't know the procedures for writing an application form. That's easy, can I write it now?" "This is a loan, not you asking for tuition fees from your family!" The middle-aged man teased funnyly, "Daredevil!" Everyone at the counter laughed. "After handing in the application form, what else is there to do?" Runsheng asked carefully this time. "After submitting the application form, it will be reviewed by me first, and then approved by the leader, and it will be completed." The middle-aged man said. "How long do we have to wait?" Runsheng asked hurriedly. "Come back after the Spring Festival!" said the middle-aged man, "This year's loan has been used up, and next year's task will be after the holiday." "Ahhh..." Runsheng's heart turned cold, and he suddenly realized that this middle-aged man, who was neither yin nor yang, was probably sitting at the counter bored, deliberately making fun of him!Since there is no money to borrow, why didn't we say so sooner?How could he wait until next spring!He said ruefully, "Oh, well..." As soon as he and Xiaolan walked out of the gate of the credit union, they looked at each other and burst out laughing, laughing at their ignorance that they didn't know how to write an application for a loan!After laughing, the two got on the bike. "What should I do?" Xiaolan asked. "Forget it! No more loans." Runsheng said. "How do you buy a bee?". "I'm going to kill the sheep and sell the mutton! If it doesn't work, I'll go down to the river beach to fish for stones." "Killing sheep is so cruel! Fishing for stones is too hard!" Xiaolan disapproved of him doing these jobs, "Go and see my uncle! He works as the director of the township industry office, and I have already entrusted him to find me a job. Let's Let's go find him together and ask him to find you a job in the township factory." "I won't do the job of setting up a factory in the township." "What's wrong?" "You don't make much money." Runsheng said, "Killing sheep and selling meat, don't look bad, you can earn money! Although fishing for stones is harder, you can also earn money! I don't care what dirty work I do now, as long as I earn money. I have a lot of money, I am not afraid, I want to save a sum of money before the New Year, and bring over the ten boxes of bees from Dongyang Village..." "It's great that we all work in a social-run factory!" Xiaolan said softly, "In order not to run around..." "I don't like staying in one place all the time, it's boring!" Runsheng said, "Take the bees and travel around, how beautiful! I dreamed for several nights that I became the king of beekeepers! Ha..." On the night of the small river in early winter, the wind is getting colder and colder.Runsheng was cycling on the river road, and his heart gradually calmed down.Perhaps, the gravel management station distributed movie tickets to the employees, and the young man went to the movies with Xiaolan, so why should I be jealous?Xiaolan didn't introduce him to who he was, so how could she be suspicious for no reason?Since Xiaolan had such an unexpected encounter with herself, she would never... He thought about it this way and that way, and the reason why he couldn't figure it out was because he didn't have a chance to talk to her, and after talking, all doubts would be cleared up.He has to meet her again and have a good talk, he likes to be clear and can't stand being sticky...