They hauled the packed "parcels" from Changqing Garden back to the machinery factory's residential compound. They set aside a portion of the goods, which they gave to Uncle He along with the rest of their luggage from the trip.
Uncle He would need to arrange for a truck returning to the county town that night to take these things back for them. The transport route was run almost entirely by acquaintances, so they weren't worried about anything getting lost.
Once that was arranged, Uncle He insisted on taking the two of them to one of the factory's cafeterias for dinner. When they came out afterward, their plan to go to the station and catch a bus to the mining district was shot down.
As Uncle He put it, the idea was ridiculous. With him around, how could he fail to find a truck heading to the mining district? The thought of them having to lug their baggage onto a crowded bus was out of the question.
