Chapter 571 Encountering a Sad Woman
Cheng Hai held the purchase list tightly in his hand, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, checking the goods on the shelves one by one.
He would bend down from time to time, pick up a product, and carefully check whether the packaging was intact, whether there were any signs of damage or moisture, and he would mutter to himself:
"This is a key material for our supply and marketing cooperative. We can't be careless at all."
Cheng Erhua and Liu Erzhu followed behind Cheng Hai like two loyal guards.
Cheng Erhua was in charge of counting the quantity. After counting each box, he carefully made a mark in the notebook. If he found that the number was wrong, he would immediately shout loudly:
"Brother Hai, there seem to be a few items missing. Come and take a look!"
Liu Erzhu took advantage of his youth and strength to help move the goods, moving the goods that needed re-inspection to an open area. He did not stop even when he was exhausted and out of breath.
When they encountered something large and heavy, the three of them worked together and shouted slogans to move them. Cheng Hai was in the front directing:
"One, two, lift! Everyone, hold on, don't fall."
Once, when Liu Erzhu was carrying a heavy box, he accidentally slipped and almost fell. Fortunately, Cheng Hai was quick-witted and caught him, thus avoiding an accident.
But even so, Liu Erzhu just patted the dirt off his body, smiled and said:
"It's okay, let's get on with it!"
In his busy schedule, Cheng Hai would communicate and coordinate with the staff of the supply and marketing cooperative to learn about the latest arrangements for cargo transportation to ensure that the supplies could be delivered back to his hometown on time and safely.
Sometimes he frowned in thought, sometimes he nodded in agreement, and he took great pains to ensure that every detail was in place.
In this way, in different places, several people use their own actions to interpret their persistence and perseverance in their future careers.
Although they are in different places, their hearts are together. Every drop of sweat and every effort they make are like stars, gathering into the dawn of hope, illuminating their way forward and laying a solid foundation for the upcoming construction journey.
On this day, as the morning sun first appeared, the soft light shone through the windows of the hospital corridor, casting patches of mottled light and shadows.
Zhao Shuzhuo got up early, washed up simply, and prepared to go to the cafeteria to prepare a sick meal for Secretary Dong.
He knew very well that Secretary Dong was in poor health and needed nutritious and easily digestible food to recuperate, so he did not dare to delay for a moment.
The hospital corridor was filled with the smell of disinfectant. Occasionally, the hurried footsteps of medical staff and the sound of carts passing by could be heard, breaking the silence of the early morning.
Zhao Shuzhuo walked towards the cafeteria with brisk steps along the familiar route.
Along the way, he was still thinking about the details of the brick factory construction he discussed with Secretary Dong and Wang Jianguo yesterday, thinking about how to do things more thoroughly so that Secretary Dong would worry less.
Soon, he arrived at the cafeteria. At this time, there were already many people queuing up for food in the cafeteria. Zhao Shuzhuo hurriedly joined the queue, staring at the dishes that were displayed in the window one after another, selecting food that was suitable for Secretary Dong.
There were light vegetable porridge, soft and glutinous steamed eggs, and carefully stewed fish soup. He beat some of each and carefully packed the food into an insulated lunch box to ensure that Secretary Dong could eat hot meals.
After preparing the meal, Zhao Shuzhuo carried the lunch box and walked along the stairs to Secretary Dong’s ward.
The lunch box in his hand was emitting a slight heat that was rising up, forming a sharp contrast with the cool air around him.
When he was halfway up the stairs, he heard a faint cry in the quiet air.
The crying sound was intermittent, like a thread, echoing in the empty stairwell, making people feel pity.
Zhao Shuzhuo's footsteps stopped instantly, his brows furrowed, a puzzled look on his face.
Who is crying so early in the morning? He thought to himself, and began to look carefully for the source of the crying sound.
He first held his breath, listened attentively, and then judged the direction of the sound and slowly walked down the stairs.
He took every step carefully, for fear of disturbing the sad person.
As the footsteps approached, the crying became clearer and clearer. Finally, in a corner under the stairs, Zhao Shuzhuo saw a girl in a nurse's uniform.
She was petite, squatting there, hugging her knees with her hands, her head buried deep between her arms, her whole body trembling slightly because of sobbing.
The nurse's uniform on her was as white as snow, but at this moment it seemed to carry endless sorrow, and the corners of her clothes swayed gently as she trembled.
Zhao Shuzhuo took slow and cautious steps and slowly walked towards the sad and crying figure at the bottom of the stairs.
He knew very well that the girl was immersed in grief at the moment, and was afraid of disturbing her by carelessness, so every step he took was very light, as if the ground beneath his feet could sense his caution.
When he got closer, he bent down slightly, trying to make his posture as calm and friendly as possible, and asked in a tone as gentle as the spring breeze:
"Girl, you...what's wrong with you? You're crying so sadly, is there something wrong?"
The tone was full of concern and sincerity, as if a caring brother was comforting an injured relative.
The female comrade was immersed in her own sad world. When she suddenly heard someone asking her, her body shook violently, as if she was suddenly awakened from a sad dream.
She raised her hands in panic and wiped the tears from her face with her sleeves. The action was a bit hasty and shy, as if she didn't want others to see her in such a miserable state.
Then, she supported herself with her hands and stood up from the ground. As she stood up, Zhao Shuzhuo was able to take a closer look at the woman in front of him.
I saw that she was tall and slender, and her figure was like a delicate willow branch in spring, swaying gently in the wind. She looked unhealthily weak, as if a stronger gust of wind could blow her down.
Her black hair was neatly combed into the iconic 60s braids, with the ends of the braids slightly raised, swaying gently with her movements, adding a touch of rustic charm to her.
She had a pair of single eyelids, but her eyes were surprisingly big, and her pupils were black and bright. Although they were full of tears at the moment, they were still as moving as clear lake water. One could see the sadness hidden in her eyes at a glance.
But her face was a little sallow, as if eroded by the vicissitudes of time, or troubled by physical discomfort, and had lost its rosy luster, making her look even more pitiful.
As Zhao Shuzhuo looked at her, his sympathy grew stronger and he became more determined to help her solve her problems.