A charming widow in her 70s married a factory manager and raised his children.

Chapter 31 I'll help you.

Lu Congyue is going on another business trip, which will probably last two or three days. Before leaving, he put another ten yuan in the envelope.

Zhuang Qingxiang had never had so much money in either of her two lives.

She counted it; it was a full eighteen yuan.

"Buy whatever you need. Don't try to save money for me. If you need anything, you can go to the infirmary and ask Shi Peiran or his wife for help."

These were Lu Congyue's words before he left.

Actually, the child only drinks some milk every day; it's her food and drink expenses that are high.

Zhuang Qingxiang always felt that she had to do something for Lu Congyue to feel at ease.

After Lu Congyue finished making clothes for the children with the fabric he brought back, Zhuang Qingxiang had a few scraps left. She carefully cut and sewed them, making a small floral handkerchief for her daughter, a white one for herself, and a dark blue one for Lu Congyue.

She glanced at her sewing kit, took out an embroidery frame, and embroidered a simple pattern on the corner of a dark blue handkerchief: a pine tree.

Xiao Qianyue's handkerchief, like her clothes, had a small floral pattern. Since it wasn't appropriate to embroider any more flowers, she embroidered a crescent moon in one corner, which was her name.

Little Qian Yue jumped up and down happily with the handkerchief in her hand: "Mom, it's so pretty, this is Yueyue's handkerchief."

Zhuang Qingxiang smiled and embroidered a peach blossom on a white handkerchief; this was hers.

I had just finished my work and hadn't had time to tidy up when Sun Yongxian came over.

"Sister Zhuang, I came to see you and the child. Director Lu said that you can tell me if you need anything, and I will take care of it for you."

After he finished speaking, he saw the handkerchief on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Wow, it's so beautiful!" Sun Yongxian exclaimed, picking up the embroidery and looking at it with admiration. "Sister Zhuang, did you embroider this? You can embroider too?"

"I've been studying for several years," Zhuang Qingxiang said with a gentle smile.

In fact, she started using needles when she was four or five years old, and she continued to learn from her mother until she passed away.

Her mother worked as a maid in the farm, and her best skills were cooking and embroidery, which she taught to her.

The more Sun Yongxian looked at the handkerchief, the more beautiful it seemed. The ones they usually used were never this exquisite, and none of the people she knew knew how to embroider.

"Sister Zhuang, can you sell me these two handkerchiefs?" Sun Yongxian was reluctant to let go.

"this……"

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone outside. We'll do it secretly." Sun Yongxian hugged Zhuang Qingxiang's arm and acted coquettishly. "Sister Zhuang, I really like it, so please sell it to me."

Zhuang Qingxiang was very tempted, but she didn't dare.

These days, private buying and selling is not allowed. If no one knows, then it's fine, but what if someone does?

She thought for a moment and said, "If you like it, you can take it. It's free. But I'll have to trouble you to buy me some needles and thread, okay?"

"Really? No problem!" Sun Yongxian said happily, "I'm going to the county the day after tomorrow, I'll buy you whatever you need!"

Zhuang Qingxiang asked her to bring back some embroidery thread, and it would be even better if she could help find some scraps of fabric.

Sun Yongxian liked her more and more the more she looked at her. She was fair-skinned, beautiful, and gentle, and she could even embroider. She snuggled up to Zhuang Qingxiang and said, "Sister Zhuang, let's forget about what I said last time. You're so good, none of those stinky men are good enough for you!"

That Liang Xinzheng is over forty, more than ten years older than Sister Zhuang, it's not suitable! Absolutely not suitable!

Sun Yongxian felt that she deserved better.

Zhuang Qingxiang felt embarrassed and glanced at Xiao Qianyue, signaling Sun Yongxian not to talk about such things in front of the children.

Sun Yongxian chuckled and chatted for a while. Seeing that Zhuang Qingxiang had nothing else to do, she said goodbye and left.

After seeing Sun Yongxian off, Zhuang Qingxiang breathed a sigh of relief. She had never been in contact with such an enthusiastic person before and felt a little uncomfortable. She preferred to stay at home quietly and keep busy.

After finishing cooking, Zhuang Qingxiang found that most of the food had been eaten.

She was worried because she had to go out to buy some groceries tomorrow, since the nearest place was Dongya Village, and she would inevitably have to deal with the villagers when she got back. She was afraid of running into her former mother-in-law.

But the vegetable garden at home hasn't grown yet, so even if I don't want to go, I have to.

The next day, Zhuang Qingxiang finished her chores, fed the children, and put them to sleep. She then left with Xiao Qianyue by herself, carrying the money in her pocket.

She had to go and come back quickly, so she walked very fast, almost bumping into someone at the factory gate.

"I'm sorry." That was her first reaction.

"Comrade Zhuang Qingxiang, where are you going in such a hurry?" the other party asked.

Zhuang Qingxiang looked up and saw that the face looked familiar: "You are...?"

"We met before. I was with Comrade Li Shengnan from the union. My surname is Liang, Liang Xinzheng," Liang Xinzheng replied amiably.

Zhuang Qingxiang then remembered: "Oh, Comrade Liang, I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry to go out and buy groceries."

"You're going out by yourself? Where's the child?" Liang Xinzheng asked with concern.

"My daughter is watching." Zhuang Qingxiang was anxious. She couldn't be away from home for too long, but this Comrade Liang was blocking her way.

"Comrade Liang, I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry, goodbye."

She was about to leave when Liang Xinzheng stopped her.

"What do you want to buy? I'll go buy it for you." Liang Xinzheng said with concern, "Factory Director Lu is away on a business trip, and it's not good to be without an adult at home. I'm going out anyway, so I'll buy whatever you need for you."

Seeing Zhuang Qingxiang hesitate, he added, "Don't worry, I won't charge you extra money. I'm just helping Director Lu."

Zhuang Qingxiang guessed that this person wanted to curry favor with Factory Director Lu, and she felt she shouldn't block his way, so she hesitated and nodded: "Alright then, just buy some vegetables."

"Okay, I'll deliver it to your house in a bit," Liang Xinzheng said with a smile.

Sure enough, less than an hour after Zhuang Qingxiang returned home, Liang Xinzheng brought over the vegetables, including eggplant, chives, chayote, winter melon, and several other kinds.

"There's quite a lot of stuff, let me take it in for you." Liang Xinzheng squeezed through the gate with great enthusiasm and took the vegetables into the kitchen.

After delivering the goods, he didn't rush to leave. His gaze swept over the small vegetable garden and chicken coop in the yard, and he said with a smile, "I didn't expect Director Lu's house to have changed so much. Did you do all of this?"

"Ah? Um..." Zhuang Qingxiang responded, explaining, "I think it's a bit of a waste to leave Director Lu's yard empty..."

Liang Xinzheng was very satisfied; she was a woman who could manage a household.

His deceased wife was no good; she didn't know how to manage a household, and his mother was very dissatisfied with her because of this.

If Mother knew that Zhuang Qingxiang was so diligent and good at managing her household, she would probably be very satisfied with her.

"It's good." Liang Xinzheng's attitude became even more gentle. "Director Lu's house used to be deserted and he didn't tidy up the yard. It's good now."

Seeing that he was older, and hearing that he sounded very familiar with Director Lu, Zhuang Qingxiang became even more careful and respectful in her attitude.

"Thank you for your help this time. Please have a seat, I'll get you a glass of water."

Zhuang Qingxiang respectfully brought him a glass of water, standing aside with unease in her heart: Why hasn't this person left yet?

Liang Xinzheng was very satisfied with her attitude.

She is obedient, honest, good at managing a household, and knows how to serve others. Compared to these qualities, her good looks are just an insignificant little advantage.

Liang Xinzheng drank the water in one gulp, feeling particularly comforted, and then got up to say goodbye and leave.

"By the way, if you need to buy groceries in the future, just let me know and I'll bring them back for you, so you don't have to run around."

Zhuang Qingxiang gave a few perfunctory words and saw the person off.

Just as I was about to close the gate, someone suddenly rushed over and blocked it.