CHAPTER 194: CHAPTER 194: GLOATING

She had already come in, and doubted her eyes were hallucinating, so she stepped out to check the door number, as if confirming if she was in the wrong place, before coming back in.

With a face full of shock.

Yi Chichi turned to look at her and seeing her eyes wide as if she had seen an alien, couldn’t help but laugh, "Are you really that shocked?"

"No, it was all good when I came in the morning."

No wonder she had that expression.

Yi Chichi then recounted what had happened. After listening, Yang Qing was silent for a moment, then finally said, "Then Madam Ji might have a hard time finding someone now."

"Why?"

"I saw Yuan Chu and the others ran out to play."

Around the residence, apart from the native villages, there aren’t any dangerous places.

The beach is populated day and night with patrols happening 24 hours, so even if the kids run to the beach to play, it’s not actually dangerous.

The result being that the kids who leave the yard play joyfully everywhere and won’t return until mealtime.

Yi Chichi laughed, "No worries, Yuan Chu is definitely not escaping a beating this time."

Might even get a combined punishment.

Thinking of Ji Jian and his wife and the little rascal Lin Yuanchu, Yang Qing burst into laughter.

"This family is quite interesting."

Whether it’s interesting or not, Yi Chichi wasn’t sure since she hadn’t known them for long and didn’t know them well.

But as for the couple, they were both nice, generous, warm and straightforward.

Lin Yuanchu, in her impression, was also a polite kid.

As for being naughty...

Everyone goes through this age, and at seven or eight, being annoying is quite normal, doing things that could drive their parents crazy.

Therefore, she didn’t continue discussing this topic, but instead asked her, "Why did you come at this time?"

"There’s a high tide tonight, want to go beachcombing?"

Yi Chichi gave an apologetic smile, "You should invite Madam Ji and the others. I don’t have time tonight."

"What for?"

"I took a job at the Friendship Store, have to deliver by the end of the month."

"Then never mind, I’ll ask you when you’re free."

"Alright."

Yi Chichi poured her some water, "There’s nothing here, just make do with this first, I’ll take good care of you next time you come."

Yang Qing didn’t care about such matters, took the cup and drank half in one go, then with a face full of worry said, "I also want to find a job to do."

On this, Yi Chichi was helpless.

Nowadays, finding a job wasn’t easy, even temporary jobs required connections and information sources.

Official positions follow a strict one-to-one ratio, even transferable or inheritable.

None of it is easy.

"You could ask your man."

"I did, no suitable positions."

The two of them looked at each other, then Yang Qing sighed deeply, "I’ll go beachcombing then, at least it’s some income."

"??? You can sell the things from beachcombing?"

"Yes, you didn’t know?"

"I didn’t know."

Then, Yang Qing told her that the market collects seafood.

Apart from buying from fishermen who went out to sea, beachcombers who find good stuff can also sell at the market.

The price isn’t high, but it’s legal.

Yi Chichi had an epiphany, thinking that it didn’t earn much.

There are quality and species requirements, meaning even with a great haul, not all items might sell.

But it’s better than nothing.

The two idly chatted a bit, then Wen Shi returned, looking very happy.

He was carrying pillows, a basin, and such.

Yang Qing, "..."

She turned to Yi Chichi, "You guys registered?"

"We did."

"Good for you two."

She gave an ambiguous smile, as legally married they could now live together.

"I won’t disturb you both, will come find you to hang out another day."

As she finished her sentence, she hopped off the chair like a rabbit and ran out, calling Vice Commander Wen as she passed Wen Shi.

Wen Shi said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, why don’t you stay a while longer."

"No, Old Huang is probably almost home for dinner, I’ll go prepare dinner first."

"Take care, don’t forget to visit our Comrade Xiao Yi."

With a slight face of worry, it seemed Wen Shi feared Yi Chichi had no friends, and Yang Qing stumbled a step with a laugh, "Okay, I’ll definitely come find her."

Yi Chichi found their conversation amusing yet exasperating, waited for Yang Qing to go far before taking the items from him and laying them out, "Not going back to the dormitory anymore?"

"Cannot do."

Wen Shi was like a lost puppy, following her around, saw her pick up a cloth to wipe the table and took it over to say he’d do it, saw her take a broom to sweep the floor, rushed to say let him do it.

Guessing he worried she couldn’t sit still, he directly pressed her onto a chair and pulled a bunch of lychees from his pocket for her, "You eat lychees, I’ll handle the chores, your hands for embroidery need to stay soft."

Yi Chichi responded softly, obediently sat on the chair and peeled lychees for herself, also feeding him.

"Do you need to work tomorrow?"

"No, I can accompany you for another day; the day after I need to return to the team, but on normal hours."

That’s good.

She fed him another lychee, "Seen Old He?"

"Amphibious training."

This meant not seeing He Yunsong anytime soon, as amphibious training isn’t a one or two day matter.

She looked at the time and said, "With this weather, amphibious training must be brutal."

"Habit forms eventually."

Though he said so calmly, Yi Chichi felt a hint of heartache.

But there was no good solution.

Not even medicine works, only through getting used to it until calluses develop.

"Is that medicine finished?"

"No, I gave it to three people, asking them to record the daily usage and their feelings. If you want to know the result, you have to wait for their return."

That meant going out to sea.

"Honey, what’s with the yard?"

Yi Chichi burst into laughter, "Madam Lin said it was her Yuan Chu who did it."

Wen Shi was speechless, "This kid doesn’t learn, no wonder I saw sister-in-law asking everyone if they had seen her Yuan Chu with a stick in hand."

"Did she find him?"

"Found him."

He grinned mischievously, "Watch, Old Lin is about to get off work, that kid will surely get a beating tonight."

Indeed, first getting a beating from Ji Jian who found him.

Then again in the evening, caught and beaten by his father returning from work, crying to the heavens, attracting neighbors to watch the spectacle.

And took the chance to educate their own kids.

"See? Kids who don’t listen and do bad things get a beating."

This was political commissar Qi Zhiyuan, educating his five-year-old daughter Qi Jia.

The little girl had two pigtails; although not entirely clean-faced, she wasn’t exactly fair-skinned either.

Her big eyes were full of cleverness.

Hearing her father’s words, she blinked twice with those big eyes, "The definition of a naughty child is all set by you adults. And the teacher also said, there must be reason first, why do you adults not even ask and just give us kids a beating, we’re not convinced."

"Yeah, not convinced."

Little Lin Yuanchu, who was being beaten and howling, yelled loudly, "The bad stuff wasn’t done only by me, Jia Jia and the others did it too, why am I the only one getting beaten!"