CHAPTER 215: 215 FRIENDS

"Xinyu, you’ve given me all the oil, what will you eat?"

"I still have some, you eat first."

"Alright, here’s twelve dollars, we’ll slowly save up oil tickets to pay you back."

"Okay, I’m heading back now, you take care."

Seeing Jiang Xinyu off, Chen Guoliang smiled and said, "Wife, your friend is really good to you."

"Yeah, she’s really good to me. Actually, she helped me find this job."

"Director Jiang is quite famous for being capable in our county. Several unmarried folks in our team ask me about her."

"Haha, Xinyu says she’s not planning for it yet."

The couple also have their days going pretty well.

Now, Jiang Xinyu wears a coat to and from work every day, taking it off to wear a shirt when it’s warm at noon.

Entering October, time seems to be rushing by too fast.

On Sunday, Wang Ailing and her husband brought back a big bag of freshly picked, clean peanuts for Jiang Xinyu, along with a big squash and half a bag of white flour.

"Sis, take the white flour home, I don’t need it here."

"My mom also gave me half a bag. You keep it to eat."

"Alright then, come over for dinner tomorrow night, I’ll steam squash and flour mantou."

"The squash isn’t sweet yet, you should let it dry for half a month before eating."

"Really? Okay then."

At night, Jiang Xinyu boiled half a bag of peanuts, which tasted even better than meat.

The next morning, on the way to work, she delivered large bowls to both She Xiaoyun and Wang Ailing. She also brought a lunchbox, sharing it with Song Qingqing and Pan Xiulan at noon.

"Director Jiang, you really know how to enjoy food."

"Right? I think it’s especially tasty as well."

"Director Jiang, do you think Kong Mengjie is about to give birth? Watching her walk feels uncomfortable. Why doesn’t she take a leave and go home?" Pan Xiulan pointed in Kong Mengjie’s direction, raising her chin slightly.

Jiang Xinyu turned to look, "It’s almost time. She’s probably reluctant to give up her salary. There will be more expenses with a child."

A week later, Jiang Xinyu heard Kong Mengjie went into labor in the workshop, and the baby was delivered at the infirmary, a lovely daughter.

Huang Hongwei was really happy, praising the baby’s looks non-stop as he held her.

Kong Mengjie was quite pleased too, even though the baby was a girl, it was her first child after all.

Privately, Jiang Xinyu heard many sneering comments saying they were wicked for not having a son.

In those days, the preference for boys over girls was still strong.

Jiang Xinyu disliked such malicious comments, but as an outsider, there was not much she could say.

Kong Mengjie was carried back home wrapped in a quilt by Huang Hongwei. There was no one offering postpartum care, so Huang Hongwei had to take care of it himself.

The day after the baby was born, Wang Ailing and her spouse went to visit, each giving a dollar, not staying long. Yet Jiang Xinyu thought the baby truly looked pretty, much more than Wang Ailing’s nephew.

Every time he saw Huang Hongwei, he seemed always in high spirits, truly fond of his daughter.

After work, Jiang Xinyu went straight to the restaurant to find Ding Shihong, asking him to help buy two pounds of chili and twenty pounds of garlic.

"Sister, come pick them up the day after tomorrow."

"Alright, thanks Brother Ding. I’ll definitely bring you some chili sauce to taste once I make it."

"Great, I’m looking forward to tasting it."

Jiang Xinyu then hurried to the supply and demand department, "Sister She, I’d like ten pounds of sweet bean paste."

"Okay, but it’ll have to be November. This month, the shipment has already arrived, and even if I gave it all to you, it wouldn’t be enough."

"Can you reserve twenty pounds for me then?"

"Sure, one barrel is twenty-five pounds, I’ll call the pickling factory now."

"Great, make it twenty-five pounds then. I’ll be waiting to make garlic chili sauce with the sweet bean paste."

She Xiaoyun found the phone number and called to arrange for delivery at the end of the month.

Jiang Xinyu paid ten dollars to She Xiaoyun for the sweet bean paste barrel, so now she just had to wait.

Two days later, she found Ding Shihong and brought the chili and garlic back home, preparing them by peeling garlic whenever she had time.

On October 30th, Jiang Xinyu received a call from She Xiaoyun. Excitedly, she brought a large barrel of sweet bean paste home.

Using the entire Saturday, she busied herself making garlic chili sauce, steaming it to preserve it, making fifty whole bottles in total. Just looking at them brought her joy.

When returning the sweet bean paste barrel, she specially brought three bottles to She Xiaoyun, two for her, and one for everyone to try.

She also brought two bottles to Ding Shihong. Being the restaurant leader that he was, he opened them immediately, "Sister, this garlic chili sauce is excellent. Can you sell Brother Ding five extra bottles, it’s also a seasoning for when the higher-ups visit."

"Sure, since Brother Ding asked, no problem. The total cost is just thirty-five, let’s offer Brother Ding eighty cents a bottle."

"Great, give me five bottles for four dollars."

"Alright."

Ding Shihong, being an impatient person, immediately followed Jiang Xinyu back to get the bottles.

The next day, Jiang Xinyu went to deliver two bottles to Wang Ailing, "Sis, when you’re done, come find me for more. Keep the bottles, I plan to make some hawthorn preserve in winter."

"Sure, if you need more jars, we’re returning home for a banquet on November 20th. His sister will definitely return, so I’ll ask them to bring some extra."

"Will you?"

"Xinyu, I’ll call my brother-in-law from the office, but he can’t bring too many."

"Alright, whatever he can bring is fine." A happy surprise indeed.

There were still four bottles left in the bag, given to the two factory directors and Song Qingqing, one bottle each for the four of them.

After lunch, both Qian Jun and Yao Shimin came looking for Jiang Xinyu.

"Director Jiang, this garlic chili sauce is too delicious. Can you give us more bottles?"

"Did it suit Vice Factory Director Yao’s taste? Sure, how many bottles do you want?"

"Give me ten or eight."

"Wow! Vice Factory Director Yao, you’re really asking for a lot. I’ll give you and Mr. Qian five bottles each."

"So stingy, next year I’ll be in charge of the garlic chili sauce ingredients. You’ll have to make me twenty or thirty bottles then."

"Vice Factory Director Yao, eating too much, someone as young as you might get pimples."

"How could it? I’m naturally beautiful, that won’t happen at all."

Jiang Xinyu glanced at him helplessly, thinking he really was impressive!

"Okay, no problem, just that there aren’t enough jars now."

"Go buy more, I’ll pay for them."

"Thanks, Vice Factory Director Qian, for your generosity. But I still need to check with Director Ding if I can buy more chili and garlic. If it’s possible, I’ll drive to the glass factory again."

"Hurry up and call, it’s Ding Shihong you’re asking, right?"

Jiang Xinyu had no choice but to dial the restaurant’s number.

"Sister, ready for two pounds of chili and twenty pounds of garlic again?"

"Is it still available?"

"Yes, come pick them up the day after tomorrow. Brother will make sure the matter is handled for you."

Yao Shimin stood by, listening with a smiling face.