Chapter 1039: Chapter 912: Another Spring Arrives
How does the pattern change? Is it with social status or with experience? These questions, slowly, they as a couple will naturally come to understand.
On the contrary, with Zhou Xiaozheng as such a powerful father, for others, the days filled with crises and fear have quietly slipped by, remaining calm until entering the twelfth lunar month.
After the first snowfall, Beauty Liang fell into a predicament once more. This time, following her man’s downfall, she ultimately became worse than an abandoned pawn.
This outcome did not surprise Zhou Jiao at all.
On the day Liang Shengnan was taken away and exiled from Beijing, she stood quietly at a distance to see her off.
Perhaps for some people, the other party’s crime is not worthy of death.
But there are more innocent people in this world, implicated by the other’s restless maneuvers, causing the downfall of many meritorious and innocent individuals, especially with the other party personally involved in the chess game.
Some rejoice, some grieve, while more people wait for warmth after the snow. But history tells people, with the change of generations, after early winter comes the harsh winter.
Sure enough, soon after, with the passage of time, the streets could no longer remain peaceful, with larger and more frequent conflicts breaking out. Even Doctor Hu, a retired physician, could no longer take leave, let alone Zhou Jiao’s fellow apprentices who were too busy to find time for a sip of water or a casual chat.
In mid-winter, every household, aside from habitually curling up for warmth, is more worried about being innocently affected and harmed. As a result, only a bunch of children unafraid of the cold are chasing and playing in front of their homes.
The small courtyard in the alley, truly at the foot of the Imperial City, had plenty of patrolling guards nearby, making the security relatively reassuring. Its location was just a turn left by the park from the other side.
Upon entering the main house of the courtyard, lifting the thick cotton curtain, a gust of warm air greeted, making it a world apart from the freezing cold outside.
Aunt Chen, for the winter, had switched to a new handicraft, knitting sweaters, not for themselves, but apparently for a sweater factory, earning three to five cents per adult sweater.
Zhou Jiao wasn’t quite sure why she was so tirelessly enthusiastic about contributing everything for her family’s nephew, but she didn’t want to comment much, for fear of being seen as meddlesome.
Doctor Hu was idly roasting potatoes by the stove. Upon seeing her enter, his eyes lit up, smiling as he was about to stand up, only to suddenly frown and give her a glare.
"Yesterday, two gangs got into a bloody fight again. Many had broken arms and legs. Be sure to be careful commuting, and if you see a brawl somewhere, don’t go joining the crowd to watch..."
Zhou Jiao smiled knowingly, "Master, haven’t I not visited for a week? How have you been recently? I brought you some lamb leg for a meal."
Doctor Hu’s eyes flashed with amusement, but he reiterated his advice to his apprentice, "There’s nothing urgent here. Better stay put. The alleys are linked; who knows if someone might suddenly brawl inside."
Finishing, he worriedly furrowed his brow, "Also, put something on your face for protection, and make sure the three kids are watched closely, don’t let them leave the house."
Zhou Jiao forced back a smile, nodding obediently.
"Ah, I feel like leaving again."
"Master, there’s no use going anywhere, with disturbances here, there might be bigger ones outside. I heard from a classmate that they’re really fighting with real weapons in some places."
"Really?"
Zhou Jiao nodded, "They probably wouldn’t lie to me."
Doctor Hu sighed repeatedly, lamenting aloud, but avoided meeting his apprentice’s eye.
"It’s safer in the countryside. So many young city dwellers aren’t studying or working. They’re just brimming with energy. If these young rascals were sent to the countryside for farm work, that would surely calm things down."
Doctor Hu’s offhand comment brought a wry smile to Zhou Jiao’s face. Master, you shouldn’t have pursued medicine; you’d have a brighter future being a shaman!
Since even the elderly have thought of this, there’s bound to be new policies introduced soon if the unrest continues. It’s better sooner; she’s always anxious commuting to work.
It’s truly unsettling when, out of the blue, a swarm rushes towards you, staging a live martial arts play, especially now when they’re wielding those wooden gun props.
Hearing colleagues talk about who occupied whose turf and left pools of blood makes Zhou Jiao nervous to the point she doesn’t dare mention such things at home.
Even with her father and Zhang Guoqing always reminding her and asking her about it, she feigns ignorance, otherwise, she might end up jobless.
"Liu Yi and May 1st, those two little ones aren’t they always clamoring to learn Martial Arts? I checked on them recently, they still need those medicinal baths, but perhaps they can practice horse stance at home this winter."
Zhou Jiao chuckled, "Master, let’s wait a bit, they’re currently building houses at home."
"Oh, playing house, that’s good then, better than going out."
"Hmm, pretty much." Zhou Jiao amusedly glanced at her master. You’re really underestimating those three kids; they’re planning to build an igloo by the courtyard.
After chatting for a while, confirming all was well, and delivering the items, with the short winter days, Zhou Jiao heeded the advice and said her goodbyes to leave, planning to take a walk outside first.
Notifications of the New Year holiday not being granted had already been announced in advance, marking the start of a new era in the lunar calendar year of 1967. The streets adorned with new year prints and couplets exuded a strong sense of the times.
From spring to year-end, batches of people were reassigned to the countryside, yet the lines for purchasing New Year’s goods were undiminished. It seems the capital has always been bustling with people from ancient times.
During a late summer, early autumn outing, aside from some visible gifts, with Zhou Xiaozheng and his son-in-law covering, Zhou Jiao secretly converted everything she could into tangible items.
Thus, this time, she only bought red paper and year prints, redeeming all cloth tickets and industrial coupons, with spare time she thought of acquiring some new comic books for the children.
After visiting the bookstore, Zhou Jiao examined her attire, found it unassuming but decided to visit the nearest scrap yard, hoping to possibly find some rare old books during the year-end.
The scrap yard, with its weathered, dark old wooden door, had a large hole under the left eave. Garbage scattered on the ground was messily strewn about, the air in the courtyard pungent with damp mildew, extremely unpleasant.
This... truly is a scrap yard.
Zhou Jiao, concealing her surprise, straightforwardly told the approaching aunt she was looking for some comic books and textbooks, not forgetting to discreetly slide her a dollar.
Indeed, money makes the mare go, and the other party even pointed to the warehouse inside, instructing that a few items couldn’t be taken out as they were considered contraband.
Zhou Jiao smiled at her, noting her efficiency, guessing this wasn’t her first time at such dealings. Her purpose wasn’t about gains, but simply to see the circumstances Zhang Guoqing mentioned about the scrap yard.
This district scrap yard, aside from the snow-covered garbage mountain in the courtyard, had two warehouses devoid of anything good, just shattered pots and bowls, torn newspapers, and scraps of paper.
Making a round, even without removing her mask, the stench was unavoidable. Zhou Jiao briefly observed, feeling her dollar was truly wasted.
