"Two pairs of yellow boots cost nineteen yuan and forty cents, a pair of leather shoes cost twenty-one yuan, fifteen feet of cloth cost eight yuan and one cent, and two jin of peach cakes cost one yuan and forty-four cents..."

Zhang Honghua followed behind the two, silently keeping track of how much money Lu Fangfang had spent.

After a while, she turned her head away, not daring to look anymore.

In less than an hour, Lu Fangfang had already spent seventy or eighty yuan.

Oh dear, her heart ached terribly, as if the money she spent was her own; it was such a waste.

I glanced at Zhuang Mingcheng beside me and saw that he was holding something and his face was expressionless.

Zhang Honghua thought for a moment and whispered, "Brother-in-law, my sister Fangfang spent a lot of money today."

Zhuang Mingcheng glanced at her, feeling utterly bewildered.

Seeing that he didn't understand her meaning, Zhang Honghua whispered again, "Brother-in-law, shouldn't you advise Fangfang to be more frugal?"

“That’s money my wife earned herself, she can spend it however she wants.”

Zhuang Mingcheng replied irritably, then picked up his things and quickly followed.

My wife earns over two hundred yuan a month in royalties, what's wrong with spending a little? Besides, it's not like she's spending it recklessly. Everything she buys is used, so no one else needs to tell her what to do.

He couldn't help but feel even more dislike for Zhang Honghua. He wasn't stupid; he knew this little girl was stirring up trouble.

"Brother-in-law..."

Zhang Honghua's face suddenly burned; she really hadn't expected her brother-in-law to be so indifferent.

As for what her brother-in-law said, she didn't believe it at all. She knew Fangfang, who didn't even need to go to the military camp to join him when she was in elementary school. How could she have earned so much money?

She stood there stunned for a moment, and seeing that the group had walked away, she quickly followed them.

...

"Mingcheng, should we buy some firecrackers?"

Lu Fangfang looked at the firecrackers on the counter and felt a little nostalgic.

"Buy two, we can put them out during the Chinese New Year."

Zhuang Mingcheng looked at them and immediately asked for two firecrackers.

After his wife paid, he took the firecrackers and called her to the dried goods section. Today was considered an early stocking up on New Year's goods.

After browsing around the department store a few more times and seeing that there was nothing else to buy, Lu Fangfang pulled Xiuxiu away.

Once they got on the bus, she told Xiuxiu to put on the boots she had just bought. The city was at a lower altitude and the temperature was higher, but they wouldn't be able to stand wearing cloth shoes on the plateau.

"Mingcheng, let's go to the grain station again and buy some grain."

"OK."

Zhuang Mingcheng responded and drove the jeep to the grain station.

Lu Fangfang hadn't yet spent the grain coupons she received as a reward for her meritorious service from the military region, so this time she bought more grain, enough for her family to eat for two or three months.

After finishing her work, it was getting late, so she quickly told her husband to drive back.

The weather wasn't good today. As soon as the car arrived in the county, a strong wind picked up, carrying snow particles.

"Sis, look, it's snowing."

Xiuxiu leaned against the car window, staring blankly outside.

The environment here is different from her hometown; it has a desolate beauty that is truly captivating.

"Is it snowing?"

Lu Fangfang turned her head to look outside, feeling slightly relieved.

She didn't want the heavy snow to block the mountain pass at this time, otherwise she wouldn't be able to send Zhang Honghua off.

"That snow was blown down from the mountain, not falling from the sky. Look, that white expanse over there is the snow-capped mountain. I'll take you to see it sometime when we have the chance."

"Snow-capped mountains?"

Xiuxiu looked into the distance and indeed saw a white snow peak.

Seeing this scene for the first time, she was stunned in the car, exclaiming, "So beautiful!"

"Beautiful my foot!"

Beside her, Zhang Honghua cursed inwardly. Looking at the increasingly desolate environment, she suddenly panicked.

Is this where she'll be assigned to the military after she leaves?

"Sister Fangfang, how much longer do we have to walk? Is our base somewhere nearby?"

"No, this is the outskirts of the county. I live quite far away, on the highland grasslands to the west. It will take more than an hour to get there."

"ah?"

Zhang Honghua was somewhat stunned.

Another hour's drive? That must be so desolate!

Soon, she witnessed just how desolate it was. The undulating grassland was covered with withered yellow grass, without a single field or a single person.

In the distance, a white mountain range, just looking at it makes one feel cold.

After driving for half an hour, she still hadn't seen a single village. All around was barren grassland, even more desolate than her hometown.

"Sister...brother-in-law, why are you stationed in such a godforsaken place?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Mingcheng's expression was indescribable.

He glanced back at Zhang Honghua, but said nothing.

"Zhang Honghua, we didn't invite you here, yet you're being so picky. If you don't want to stay, then go back!"

Xiuxiu was not happy to hear this.

"I...I was just saying it offhand."

Zhang Honghua quickly shut her mouth and lowered her head. Thinking of the money Lu Fangfang had just spent, she secretly cheered herself up.

So what if it's desolate? At least military officers have higher salaries, enough to support their families, and they even have cars to ride in.

Outside, the wind was howling, and the jeep continued westward.

Soon, the car reached a fork in the road, and Lu Fangfang suddenly saw a familiar horse-drawn carriage through the front window.

"Oh? It's Uncle Guo and Old Xu. Mingcheng, stop up ahead for a moment."

Zhuang Mingcheng also saw the two of them. He slightly accelerated and quickly caught up with the carriage.

"Beep beep~"

"Whoa~"

Uncle Guo noticed the jeep approaching from behind, and he slowly brought it to a stop by pulling on the reins.

"Old Xu, look! It's Comrade Lu and Comrade Zhuang."

Xu Huayun snapped out of her daze.

Seeing two people get out of the jeep, he wrapped his sheepskin coat tighter around himself and quickly jumped off the carriage.

"Uncle Guo, Old Xu, what have you been up to in this freezing weather?"

Lu Fangfang walked forward quickly with a smile on her face.

She hasn't seen Lao Xu since she gave him the corn last time; it's been several months now.

Zhuang Mingcheng followed his wife and looked Xu Huayun up and down. He noticed that the man had a stubble beard and looked more haggard than he had a few months ago.

"Old Xu, you don't look too good. Did something happen?"

No, no.

Xu Huayun hurriedly waved his hand, but the expression on his face betrayed him.

"Hey, a new deputy director has been appointed at the farm headquarters. As soon as he took office, he started a campaign, making Lao Xu report for duty every few days. Just now, I brought Lao Xu back from the farm headquarters."

Uncle Guo, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, jumped off the carriage.

He sighed as he spoke.

Now he's hoping for a heavy snowfall so that Lao Xu can stay safely in the sixth team.

Otherwise, if this continues, Old Xu will definitely get sick from all the torment they've caused him.