Reborn in 1977

Hearing Chen Fan's words, Captain Yang immediately burst into laughter, bending over with mirth. "Hahahaha, so there are things you can't do!"

Cooking, speaking Mandarin, repairing radios, and even writing articles. When we were reinforcing the dike this morning, the villagers were all discussing what Chen Fan couldn't do.

Well, now Captain Yang knew—he couldn't drive a mule cart!

Chen Fan didn't mind and chuckled, "There are plenty of things I can't do. I just happen to know a few things. When it comes to farming skills, I'm not as good as our villagers."

Captain Yang slapped his thigh and said to him with a smile, "Never mind about the others, your attitude is very good. Unlike some young people who think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread just because they have a tiny bit of skill."

Chen Fan chuckled and didn't respond to that.

If he accidentally offended someone, who knew if they would secretly draw circles and curse him behind closed doors.

Captain Yang didn't say much more and then changed the subject. "Is today's Yunhu Daily at the brigade headquarters?"

That mailman is really something. He doesn't even bring the newspaper when he's delivering good news. Does he think I'll short him five cents?!

These days, no newspaper costs more than a dime. At most, they're eight cents a copy. As a local newspaper, Yunhu Daily costs the same as most newspapers—five cents a copy. Who can't afford five cents?

As soon as Chen Fan heard this, he understood what he meant and immediately said with a smile, "Today's Yunhu Daily was delivered to the brigade headquarters this morning. The newspaper with our report was put in a large frame by Captain Xiao and hung in the brigade office."

When Captain Yang heard this, his eyes darted slightly. Then, he said solemnly, "Well, Xiao Chen, if you have something to do, go ahead and do it. Today, our Sixth Team has completed all the dike reinforcement. I have to go to the brigade headquarters to report it."

The little son, Yang Jun, was too ignorant and shouted when he heard this, "Dad, didn't you already report it by phone?"

Captain Yang's face darkened, feeling an itch on the soles of his feet. He wouldn't feel better until he kicked someone.

Chen Fan quickly said, "A phone call isn't as clear as reporting in person. I just heard Captain Xiao say that he's going to ask the technicians from the Water Conservancy Bureau to come for inspection this afternoon. Captain, you should go over there quickly. A clear report will facilitate the inspection."

Captain Yang immediately stood up. "Oh, the inspection is this afternoon? Then I have to go quickly. I'm leaving then. You go find Old Liu who manages the livestock. There shouldn't be any problems."

Chen Fan stood at the door of his house, waving at the disappearing figure, and muttered, "Actually, Captain, you'd get there faster on horseback."

After saying goodbye to Aunt Yang and Yang Ju, Chen Fan walked forward amidst greetings along the way. Soon, he arrived at the livestock shed at the entrance of the village.

He had been here twice before, but only lingered at the entrance, never actually going inside.

Now, as soon as he entered, he found that the place was quite large, but there weren't many livestock.

There were two rows of houses facing each other, running north and south. One row faced east, and the other faced west, with a passage in the middle for ventilation. Both rows of houses were made of earthen walls, and the opposite inner walls were only one meter high, so the inside was clearly visible.

The west side was the pigsty, but in the ten-meter-long pigsty, there were only three pigs lying down, and they didn't even make a sound when they saw people.

The east side was the "apartment building."

A mule, a donkey, and two cows all had single rooms. These livestock were the main assets of the Sixth Team.

It was a pity that he had to go to the Tenth Team to pick up goods now and had to go back to work in the afternoon. Otherwise, he would have at least chatted with these four big brothers for two cents' worth.

Continuing inside, Chen Fan saw plows, harrows, carts, stone rollers, windmills, mixing buckets, threshing machines, and other "large farm tools."

Looking around, Chen Fan shouted loudly, "Master Liu, Master Liu?"

Captain Yang said that Old Liu was in charge here, but he didn't say whether it was Grandpa Liu, Uncle Liu, or Brother Liu. In this situation, calling him Master Liu was definitely correct.

After shouting twice, a loud voice came from the innermost corner, "Who is it?"

Only then did Chen Fan realize that there was also a small "duty room" inside.

That's right, this was where the production team's important property was located. It wouldn't make sense not to arrange someone to be on duty.

Chen Fan quickly shouted, "It's me, Chen Fan."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw an old man with white hair walking out, squinting at Chen Fan, and laughing, "Oh, it's Master Chen."

Chen Fan quickly said, "You're too polite, old man. Just call me Xiao Chen."

Master Liu followed suit, "Okay, I'll call you Xiao Chen. You're not at work today. What brings you here?"

Chen Fan smiled, "I applied to Captain Yang to borrow a cart. He told me to come to you."

Master Liu said, "Borrow a cart, right? Come, come, I'll get it for you."

Then he walked towards the place where the large farm tools were kept.

Don't look at the old man with almost completely white hair, he was quite strong. He pushed open the wooden fence, pulled out a cart, and then asked, "I still need to register it. How long will you use it, and when will you return it?"

Chen Fan said, "I'm going to the Tenth Team to pick up something. I'll return it around two o'clock in the afternoon."

Master Liu nodded and looked up to ask, "Picking up things? Do you need a mule?"

Chen Fan wanted to cry but had no tears. "I can't drive it."

Master Liu clicked his tongue. "Oh, then there's nothing I can do. I have to be on duty and can't help you drive the cart."

Chen Fan slung the cart's rope over his shoulder and turned back to smile. "I can do it myself. You rest."

Master Liu waved his hand, his face beaming with smiles. "Okay, okay, take it easy."

After a pause, he shouted again, "When you go to the market in a couple of days, I'll teach you how to drive the cart on the way."

Chen Fan turned his head again. "Thank you very much!"

He waved his hand again before pulling the cart away.

Back at the educated youth spot, Jiang Lili had already prepared lunch.

The dishes were a bowl of pickled vegetables, a bowl of kimchi, and half a bowl of leftover fish from yesterday.

The braised fish had deliberately had half a bowl of water added, and the extra fish soup was frozen into a jelly-like fish jelly by the low winter temperature.

In the Yunhu area, fish jelly is one of the children's favorite dishes in winter.

Although Chen Fan wasn't a child, he also liked to eat it very much.

First, he picked up a piece of fish jelly and threw it into his mouth, experiencing the icy and bouncy feeling. Then, he picked up a piece and placed it on the scalding hot rice, and the fish jelly immediately melted into fish soup, soaking the rice.

Chen Fan took a bite of the soup-soaked rice and said to Jiang Lili, "I'll go by myself later. Anyway, there's a cart. I can load everything onto the cart and pull it by myself."

Jiang Lili was stunned for a moment, glanced at him, and said cautiously, "Or, I should go with you. There are so many things, it'll be easier with two people."

Chen Fan originally wanted to refuse, mainly because he was afraid of troubling her. After all, a round trip would take three or four hours, and it would be quite tiring for a girl to walk.

But when he saw the expectant look in Jiang Lili's eyes, the words that came to his mouth went back down, and then he smiled and said, "I'm just hoping someone will help. If you're not afraid of getting tired, then let's go together."

Jiang Lili immediately beamed with joy. "I'm not tired at all."

Chen Fan simply thought that she wanted to go out for a walk and get some fresh air, so he smiled and said, "It's good that you're not afraid of getting tired. Eat quickly, and we'll set off after we finish eating."