Chapter 74: Accordion

Chapter 74: Accordion

Su Zhaozhao had originally planned to go to the office before leaving work to have a chat with the two procurers, but unexpectedly, Lu Haoran came up front himself.

"Sister Su, I heard from the section chief that you want to buy an accordion, is that right?"

"Yes, I was just thinking about going in to ask for your help."

Lu Haoran grinned, "No need to be so polite, it's just a simple matter. I'm going to the city tomorrow anyway, so I'll bring one back for you. By the way, Sister Su, what price range are you looking for?"

"I'm not very familiar with accordions."

Su Zhaozhao had seen them in TV dramas and novels. She knew that accordions were one of the popular instruments of this era. Although it was a Western instrument, it had become widely popular. She assumed that the price wouldn’t be too expensive.

If the price were too high, it wouldn’t have become popular during tough times.

Lu Haoran, being a procurer with a relatively well-off family and broad experience, explained to Su Zhaozhao, "The accordion is a Western instrument. If you buy an imported one, it will definitely be expensive and harder to get because there’s limited stock. However, our Sea City set up an accordion factory a few years ago, and the prices are much cheaper now. You can get one for two to three hundred. It just depends on whether you want an imported one or a domestically produced one."

"Domestic, of course domestic. We should always support domestic products, no matter the time!"

"Alright, I'll bring one back for you tomorrow. Since it's for the kids to learn, let's not get anything too expensive. Cheaper is better."

Su Zhaozhao didn’t have any money or vouchers with her and promised to give it to him early the next morning.

Lu Haoran said, "No rush. We can process it through the commune's procurement order, and the finance department will handle the payment. When the goods arrive, you can just pay the finance department."

Xiao Tang clicked his tongue, "Accordions are so expensive! More expensive than bicycles and watches."

"Of course, it's a Western instrument. If you were to learn a traditional Chinese instrument, it would be cheaper. A flute, for example, only costs a few dollars."

Su Zhaozhao nodded, indeed, it wasn’t cheap. Gu Heng had a high salary, and their family could afford it.

"Mom, did you go to the school at noon?" As soon as he got home from school, Gu Nian ran to the kitchen to ask.

"Yes," Su Zhaozhao, holding the handle of the large iron kettle, poured the boiling water into the thermos, "Did Teacher Zheng tell you?"

Gu Nian nodded, "Teacher Zheng asked me to learn the accordion with her, saying that you had already talked to her and everything was settled. She also said that the school is preparing a choir performance for National Day and that I would be the lead singer. Mom has already agreed. Teacher Zheng also selected a few other students and asked them to inform their parents that the performance costumes would need to be prepared by the families. If any parents aren’t willing, they should go to the school to talk to her."

The little boy chattered excitedly, "My brother was also selected, as well as Xiaojun. Xiaojun said that Wang Auntie just made him new clothes and she definitely wouldn’t want to spend more money on a performance costume. He said Wang Auntie didn’t make him suspender pants."

Su Zhaozhao put down the kettle, "Xiaojun might be mistaken. For a performance during National Day, your Auntie Wang will definitely agree."

As soon as she finished speaking, cheers erupted from the neighboring yard. Zhou Xiaojun shouted in the yard, "Gu Xiang, Gu Nian, let's start rehearsing together tomorrow."

The school scheduled the rehearsals during lunch and after school, starting tomorrow, so the kids would be coming home an hour later each day.

Su Zhaozhao didn’t tell the children about buying the accordion, planning to give them a surprise once it was bought.

The pickles in the jar were ready, and she simply made a sweet potato porridge for dinner, accompanied by pickles. It was a simple meal.

After dinner, Su Zhaozhao took out the yarn she had bought earlier and sat in a rocking chair, trying to knit.

Gu Nian, with her small hands supporting her chin, watched from the side, "Mom, are you knitting a sweater for us?"

Su Zhaozhao, lowering her head to arrange the needles, said, "I'm just trying to see if I can knit something."

"Mom will definitely succeed!" The daughter had great confidence in her mother.

"I think I can do it too."

Not long after she said that, she was proven wrong. Su Zhaozhao had dropped a stitch.

"Mom, there's a hole here."

"I see it." Su Zhaozhao, without changing her expression, took it apart and started again, "I didn’t cast on enough stitches. Stand up, let me measure your size."

Gu Nian obediently stood up, allowing her mother to measure her neck with her hands.

An hour later, Su Zhaozhao finally knitted a shallow collar.

Looking at the semi-finished product in her hands, she was extremely satisfied, "It's not that difficult after all."

Glancing at the time, she realized it was already late. She quickly sent the two children to bed and went to wash up.

Sneakily, she took half a bowl of goat milk from the cupboard and, using a clean towel, dampened it to apply to her face.

Fortunately, Gu Heng wasn’t home. If he had seen her, he would have said she was wasting food.

In these times, goat milk was considered food.

She was really going all out just to get her skin to whiten.

……

Sujia Village.

A villager working in the fields had just raised his head when he saw a military green truck approaching in the distance. He thought he might be seeing things and quickly rubbed his eyes.

"Hey! Look, is that what I think it is?"

His shout caused several hunched-over villagers to straighten up, leaning on their hoes and squinting in the direction he was pointing.

A villager with some knowledge immediately recognized it, "It's a truck! My goodness, a truck has come to our village! Could it be that a big leader is visiting the countryside?"

"Someone go quickly, run to the village office and notify the village head and secretary!"

Several young men dropped their tools and ran towards the village office.

By the time the village officials arrived, the truck had already stopped not far away, where the road ended.

The villagers stood not too far and not too close, not daring to approach and speak. They always felt that there must be some important leader in the car. After all, even the town mayor could only ride a tractor.

Just as Su Gensheng and the others arrived, the person in the truck opened the door and stepped down, wearing a green military uniform and carrying a net bag in his hand. Inside the bag, wrapped in paper, was… possibly a piece of cloth?

"Comrade, is there something you need...?" Su Gensheng had a feeling he knew why this person had come.

"Is this Sujia Village?"

"Yes, this is Sujia Village."

"Could you please show me the way? I need to find Village Head Su and Guo Cuihua."

"I am Su Gensheng. Are you the comrade sent from the unit? Did Su Zhaodi's husband arrange for you to come and collect the grain?"

A few days earlier, they had received a letter from Su Zhaozhao, which mentioned that someone would be coming to collect the grain.

The driver nodded. "Yes, Captain Gu sent me."

Whoa! Zhaodi's husband is a captain!

Su Gensheng was startled. He had thought at most he was a battalion commander.

He's really made something of himself! Zhaodi and the two children will be living a good life.

It wasn't just Su Gensheng who was startled; the other villagers were too.

Some didn't understand what rank a captain was, so those who did explained to the others.

"To put it this way, he's on the same level as the county magistrate!"

Once they heard that, everyone understood.

A county magistrate!