Reborn in 1977

Chapter 300: Only Eating Small Rice Balls

Inside the educated youth compound, while the girls were busy bustling about, Chen Fan found an opportunity to say to Jiang Lili, "I might be staying at the prefectural committee for a few days this time. Do you have anything or any letters you want me to take home?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lili couldn't help but feel a little tempted, but she was also hesitant, "Wouldn't that be inconvenient?"

Chen Fan chuckled, "What's inconvenient about it? They can't possibly keep me working all the time without giving me a break, right?"

After a pause, he added with a smile, "Even if they really don't give me a break and I have to come back right after finishing the business, I should still have time to make a phone call, right? You can always have your sister come and get it from me then, can't you?"

Jiang Lili was still somewhat hesitant and turned to look at Huang Ying and the others, obviously not wanting them to know.

Chen Fan followed her gaze and chuckled, "That's easy. I'll keep them occupied for you. After you've prepared it, just put it in my bag."

Hearing him say this, Jiang Lili finally smiled faintly and nodded at him, "Okay, then... I'll have to trouble you."

Chen Fan pointed to her room, "It's still early. I'm not afraid of being late for the 2 o'clock bus. Go and prepare first; I'll wait for you."

Jiang Lili nodded vigorously and turned to run out.

Chen Fan then rolled up his sleeves and headed towards the kitchen, "Xiaodan, you said last time that you wanted me to teach you how to cook, but I haven't had the time. I happen to be making some food to take with me, so come and learn from me."

Liu Dan's eyes immediately lit up, "I'm coming!"

Huang Ying and Yang Ju had nothing to do on the side and were feeling a little lost. Hearing their words, they couldn't help but run over as well, "Teacher Chen, can we learn too?"

Chen Fan originally wanted to lure them over, so he naturally agreed readily.

Although Liu Dan was reluctant for them to learn with her, she could only silently accept since Teacher Chen had already agreed. She then asked Chen Fan, "Teacher Chen, are you going to teach me how to make buns?"

Entering the kitchen, Chen Fan sat down casually, cleared his throat, and said, "I'm leaving later. Although the bus is at 2 o'clock, I can't delay for too long. So, we can't make steamed buns or mantou, which require the dough to rise."

Liu Dan couldn't help but feel a little disappointed upon hearing this. She thought they were going to make buns.

Chen Fan continued, "Steamed buns, mantou, and also flatbreads and griddle cakes are common staple foods in the north. Do you know what people in the south used to bring as staple food when traveling long distances?"

The three of them looked at each other in confusion and shook their heads together, "We don't know."

They hadn't traveled far before, and their families hadn't either, so how would they know?

Chen Fan smiled, "Northerners eat wheat, and southerners eat rice, so wheat-based foods are common in the north, and staple foods are also mainly wheat-based. In the south, naturally, rice products are the main ones."

Hearing this, the three of them finally realized and said in unison, "Rice balls!"

Although they hadn't left the courtyard, it didn't mean they hadn't eaten staple food.

During the busy farming season, the adults at home were too busy to come back for lunch, so they would usually bring a rice ball and a pot of boiled water to eat in the fields, which was considered lunch.

It's just that they couldn't immediately connect rice balls with traveling long distances.

Chen Fan smiled and nodded, saying, "That's right, rice balls."

After a pause, he continued, "There are generally two ways to make rice balls. One is to mix the cooked rice with various cooked fillings and then knead them into rice balls. The other is to use rice as a dough and wrap various fillings inside, which is similar to buns.

Of course, the simplest is to directly knead the rice into a ball without any filling and eat it dry, or with pickles. But this is too simple, so there's naturally no need to learn it.

Today, I'll teach you how to make these two types of rice balls with fillings. The key is the method of making the fillings. Now I'll tell you from the side, and you do as I say. Let's start preparing."

Under Chen Fan's guidance, Liu Dan and the other two bustled around the stove, completely forgetting about Jiang Lili.

Unknowingly, a pot of rice was cooked, and several different fillings were stir-fried.

Chen Fan tasted it, and although it wasn't as good as what he made himself, it was above average and much better than what they usually made.

It wasn't until this time that Jiang Lili walked in, blinked at Chen Fan, and then joined them in kneading rice balls.

Before long, a dozen rice balls were kneaded, wrapped in washed dried lotus leaves, and placed in a small cloth bag with a dozen tea eggs.

Chen Fan adjusted his backpack to a shoulder bag mode, which made him look more mature. He also looked at his bag, which now contained an extra letter and a small cloth bag. The envelope had Jiang Tiantian's name and address written on it.

He smiled, zipped up the bag, picked it up, and slung it over his shoulder. Then, he slung the kettle on the other side, carrying only a PPK pistol at his waist. The tea eggs and rice balls were in the canvas bag that Jiang Lili had contributed, and the kettle was slung together. Then, he strode towards the brigade headquarters.

......

"Ah? They're accompanying me?"

When he arrived at the brigade headquarters, all the leaders were there. Chen Fan wanted to get the letter of introduction and leave, but he was stunned to hear Secretary Yang say that he was sending Zhang Wenliang and Zhang Juemin to accompany him.

Secretary Yang looked at him, "What's wrong, are you unwilling?"

Chen Fan immediately shook his head, "How could I be?"

He then looked at Ye Shubao with a slightly puzzled expression, "I mean, Captain Ye only approved 50 jin of food stamps and 20 yuan. That's definitely enough for me alone. But now that there are three people..."

That expression, that look, that tone, the meaning was self-evident.

He wanted more money!

Everyone wasn't surprised by Chen Fan's reaction.

Ye Shubao pointed at him angrily, "Do you think I'll cheat you out of money?"

Zhang Juemin was a little embarrassed, "Actually, I can pay for myself."

Going to the prefectural health department this time was also a qualification for him. He would definitely have priority in future training at the health center or when the health center recruited formal doctors. Not to mention that going to the prefectural health department, if all went well, he could not only learn some new techniques but also get to know some leaders in the bureau.

With such a good thing, he would be happy to pay for it himself.

Secretary Yang waved his hand, "This is official business, how can we let you pay for it yourself?"

He turned his head and said to Chen Fan, "You're still too young after all. When you go out, you might be looked down upon. Although Dahu and Sanhu haven't traveled far, with them there, there will be more people and more strength, which will also take care of you."

Chen Fan nodded without thinking and smiled, "I definitely understand that."

He then looked at Zhang Juemin and Zhang Wenliang and said with a smile, "I'm more than happy to have Brother Dahu and Brother Sanhu accompany me."

After a pause, his expression became a little hesitant, "It's just that our brigade only has one doctor, Dahu. If he leaves..."

Before he could finish speaking, Captain Zhang said with a smile, "I know what you mean. You're worried that if Dahu leaves, the villagers won't have a doctor to see, right?

What you're considering is reasonable, so when you weren't here just now, we discussed it with the health center. Dean Wang said that in order to thank Lujiawan for contributing the 'First Aid Manual,' they will send a medical team to Lujiawan for a mobile clinic."

He gestured, "One team will stay for one day, a total of 12 teams, which is 12 days. You should be back in 12 days!"

Secretary Yang and the others muttered in their hearts, "If you're not back in 12 days, we'll go to the prefectural committee to snatch people back!"

Chen Fan only felt that Captain Zhang's tone was a little strange, but he didn't think much about it. Hearing this arrangement, he immediately nodded and smiled, "Then there's no problem."

Then he got the letter of introduction and collected the travel expenses. Everything went smoothly.

Chen Fan carried his own bag, Zhang Wenliang also carried the weasel skin backpack that Chen Fan had made for him a few days ago, and a pistol was also tucked at his waist. He was eager to try.

Only Zhang Juemin carried a canvas bag, with seven parts anticipation and three parts trepidation, and set off with them.

......

The three of them first went to the town. Zhang Juemin pointed to the front and said, "The bus station is in front. We need to buy tickets first."

Zhang Wenliang was a little confused, "It seems that Cadre An said that we can get on the bus first and then buy tickets. If we get on late, there might not be any seats left."

Chen Fan was still thinking about things in his mind. Hearing this, he subconsciously said, "Those without connections buy tickets first, those with connections get on the bus first."

The Zhang brothers looked at him together, "How do you know?"

Chen Fan then came back to his senses and shrugged, "Logical deduction."

Actually, he heard it from the ticket seller when he sent Jiang Tiantian off on the first day of the new year.

At that time, someone got directly on the bus. A rather simple young man next to him asked that person why he didn't buy a ticket. The ticket seller directly responded to him with this sentence. That young man was quite resentful and clamored to go and complain. The ticket seller was quite considerate and immediately took him to the station office in another place to complain.

That young man was unwilling, saying that he was afraid of missing the bus. The ticket seller said that a real man should be as good as his word. Whoever doesn't go to complain is a grandson...

Chen Fan didn't know what happened later. Anyway, that young man didn't catch that bus. As for the ticket seller, he was still doing the job of selling tickets.

This incident also reminded Chen Fan that he should sing the song of whatever mountain he was on. As long as he didn't suffer too much, he shouldn't argue with people, otherwise, he would be the one to suffer.

The three of them walked and talked, and soon arrived at the bus station.

The so-called bus station was at the intersection. In fact, there was only a sign, and there wasn't even an office.

The ticket seller moved a chair and sat at the door of a household, with ticket clips on the table, smoking with his legs crossed, and chatting with several people around him.

The bus to the county was parked not far away, with the doors closed and no one on it.

Chen Fan was the youngest, so he naturally didn't have to worry about buying tickets. Zhang Juemin went over to buy three tickets, which cost one yuan and five jiao. Then, they went to the bus to wait for it to start.

While waiting for the bus, Chen Fan took out the still-warm rice balls, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Here, one for each of you."

Zhang Wenliang was also not polite. He took it, tore open the lotus leaf, and took a bite, "Hmm, delicious."

Zhang Juemin also took one.

Then, seeing Chen Fan picking and choosing inside, taking a small one, he couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you eat a big one?"

Chen Fan smiled slightly, "I have a small appetite, I only eat small rice balls."

There were two types of rice balls in the bag, one slightly larger and one slightly smaller. The larger ones were kneaded by Huang Ying and the others, and the smaller ones were kneaded by Jiang Lili, it was that simple.