Along the way, the mother and her two daughters secretly ate quail eggs. These eggs were small and one could eat each one. It was difficult for people pulling carts or carrying loads on the road to notice what they were doing.

Although the two girls were very tempted by the aroma of the spiced quail eggs, they firmly refused their mother's feeding them after eating two.

"Mom will save it for you to eat in the evening."

"Why don't you like eating this?"

"Of course not. I've never tasted anything more delicious than this. Oh, no, the dumplings and eggs that time were also delicious."

"Then why don't you eat it? The biscuits are taking up space in your stomach."

"As long as we are full and not hungry, it's fine. We can save the good stuff and exchange it for coarse grains so that we can have more meals." Dahua said, and Xiaohua added, "We can also exchange it for cloth and cotton. Winter is coming soon, and the little one can't wear our cotton-padded clothes this year."

The two young ladies looked at her and sighed, with an expression that said, "You really don't know how to live a life that makes people worry about you." Gu Yan was of course happy that the child was so sensible despite being so young. Her original intention was to make her children confident, independent, well-educated and capable of living the life they wanted. In addition to having enough food and clothing, understanding the ways of the world is of course an important lesson.

"Okay, keep it for something else. Then just eat another one."

When she stuffed the food into their mouths, the two girls squinted their eyes because of the delicious smell. I had a biscuit with my breakfast porridge. I’m not hungry at all now, but the smell is so tempting that I might as well have another one.

He carried a large bag of rags to the woman's house, but was locked out by the police. A neighbor, an old lady with silver hair, said she had gone to work, and if you wanted to find her, go to the supply and marketing cooperative.

Gu Yan thanked him and took the child to the supply and marketing cooperative. It turns out that this woman is an employee of the supply and marketing cooperative. No wonder she came out of the supply and marketing cooperative last time. She thought it was just a customer who happened to bump into her while shopping.

"Hey, big sister, are you here?"

The woman was actually at the cloth counter at the back. No wonder she didn't notice her last time. The mother and her two children's clothes were full of patches, but their hair was combed sleekly, and the two children had smooth and delicate skin, looking very clean and tidy. It won't make people look down on you.

The woman gave them some instructions and pulled them out. I walked to a deserted place on the gable of the house and then whispered, "Did you get the yarn so quickly?" No way? That thing is a rare commodity. How can a poor man like you get any access to it?

Gu Yan nodded and opened a corner of the bundle to show her. The wool yarn craftsmanship of later generations was advanced, and the yarn was delicate, smooth, and brightly colored. The woman loved it at first sight, so she secretly opened it to check it all, and quickly wrapped it up again with rags.

"How about I give you an old adult cotton-padded jacket?" Seeing that Gu Yan didn't say anything, she quickly said, "I'll give you a child's cotton-padded jacket. Although it's old, it only has one or two patches, so it's still very warm."

"...I want a chimney."

The woman was stunned by the request for a moment, then she began to persuade him, "Just let it cool down over a low fire, it's fine, there's no need to buy that thing. We burn coal in the winter, how about I get you some?"

As far as I can remember, almost everyone here lives like this. The coldest temperature in winter is over ten degrees below zero, and the water tank in the corner of the house can be frozen because the curtains are always lifted to let in the smoke. The only way to keep warm is to sit around the kang and roast fire.

"I want coal too. It's better to bring some lumps of carbon so that I can burn them to keep warm." Recalling the value, she found that her memory was blank about this. The coal is distributed by the brigade every year, and her mother-in-law takes it home to manage it. There is only one basin of coal mud in a room a day, and a small fire is enough as long as it doesn't freeze the baby.

"How much is a ton of carbon? I want a ton of carbon and a ton of coal for face. You see what you want in exchange, and I'll find a way to get it."

The woman was stunned by her boasting. You, with rags on your body, actually insist on burning incense and even asking for a chimney. Are you sure you have the ability to enjoy such city life? It would be better to use this money to make a few more sets of cotton-padded clothes. After all, the charcoal will be gone once it is burned, but the cotton-padded clothes can be worn for several years. Cheaper than burning charcoal.

The woman tried to persuade the man with all her heart and with all her heart, but the man remained unmoved and was determined to get the coal. She tried to persuade him for a long time but it was useless even though she was dry-mouthed.

Well, if people want carbon, then let them have it. Anyway, her husband drives a truck to haul coal in the mine. He has everything, including this. It's worth exchanging it for a woolen pillowcase.

It's the busy farming season now and there's basically no one on the streets. The two of them did not go home, but negotiated the price in this shady place.

"One ton of carbon costs 11 yuan, and coal powder costs 8 yuan. One pound of good wool yarn costs 7.3 yuan. Since your quality is good, I won't be crazy about you, so I'll charge you 7.3 yuan. Give me two tons of coal..."

"I have four pounds here. Can you help me get a pair of pipes?"

"Sister, we really can't get chimneys. Our commune doesn't have any, and the county supply and marketing cooperative only supplies a small amount. Now that they are making steel, everything made of iron is out of stock!"

"Then give me two more cotton coats!"

"Okay. I'll give you some more newspapers to paste on the walls during the New Year."

After agreeing on the price, the two of them began to discuss what to say when they delivered the coal to her. After making the arrangements and putting on the necessary things, Gu Yan hesitated whether to go to the county town.

There is no shuttle bus now, and this place is nearly 30 kilometers away from the county town. She touched her big belly and wondered if she could make it. Even if I go, I don’t know if I can find the goods. Will it be a wasted trip?

"Mom, what's that chimney? Do we really have to have it?"

"Yes, every family doesn't use chimneys. All they need to do is to let the smoke cool down. Old Monster Xu got poisoned because he burned wet coal without letting the smoke cool down."

The two children were obviously quite "adaptable". They felt that it was already good enough to have cotton-padded clothes to wear and new quilts at night, not to mention that she had just changed two tons of charcoal. It's much better than burning stinky coal.

Gu Yan was at a loss as he couldn’t get this rare item. She was not feeling well now, and it was not convenient for her to walk to the county town for this adventure. If something broke down on the way, it would be fatal in such a cold weather.

On the way back, she began to search the space carefully. My consciousness passed through containers and warehouses until I got back home, but there was still no sign of this thing.

As she was walking down the stairs, she suddenly came to her senses. If there was no such thing, then there was no such thing. If she really asked her to find two large iron chimneys for the boilers, they would probably be taken away by the fanatical iron smelters, right?

After returning home, they cooked paste and the two of them worked together to paste the wall. After an entire afternoon, the dark house finally began to shine. The window paper was replaced with brand new white cotton paper and the windowsill was wrapped with newspaper. Now the wind no longer blows through and it looks much better.

"It would be even more beautiful if we put some red window paper-cuts on it."

"I still want red window paper-cuts, but the supply and marketing cooperative doesn't have any red paper for sale."

Xiaohua wanted to say that her mother could perform magic tricks, but when she thought about the fact that the tissue paper for pasting the windows had to be exchanged for eggs at the supply and marketing cooperative, it seemed that her mother was not omnipotent. I have to be more careful with my spending in the future and not be so greedy.

"I'm just saying. It's very beautiful now, clean and tidy. I guess Dad would be shocked when he comes in and think he's in the wrong place."

"Yeah. I don't want Dad to come back. His feet are smelly and he never washes them. He also likes to beat people. I'm afraid of him..."

"I'm afraid of him, too."

As Xiaohua spoke, the two sisters sighed sadly like little adults. Gu Yan secretly shook his head, if being a parent also required taking an exam, there wouldn't be so many children sighing helplessly when they mentioned their parents.

"Our kang is so small. If we add two more kids, there won't be enough space for them to sleep. Let them live in the main room."

When she said this, the two girls agreed unanimously, "Well, each of them should go to their own mother. He should stay with his mother and not come back."

This topic has been brought up twice. It seems that the young ladies have a huge psychological trauma towards this father. Children of single parents may be mentally unhealthy, but such fathers will cause greater harm to their children. Gu Yan doesn't mind being a single parent to the end.

"Mom, why are you talking about two little babies? Did you know you were pregnant with twins?"

"Well, it should be a little brother and a little sister."

"Okay, Xiaohua and I can take one each."

"Have you prepared a blanket and clothes for your sister?"

"Of course I've prepared it, and it's very beautiful." Gu Yan opened the box and took out the windmill patchwork quilt. The two children stroked it and admired it.

"So beautiful. The colors of the windmills are different. Mom, you have great craftsmanship. The stitches are so even!"

It's made by a sewing machine, how can it not be symmetrical? Gu Yan smiled and took out the things she had prepared for the two children to show her two daughters. Since the two little sisters were so concerned, she was of course happy to let them participate in raising their younger siblings.

The next day, he continued to ask for leave, and the captain looked gloomy and unhappy. "Han, you are not even old enough to give birth yet, so you can't be so lazy. Nowadays, everyone is a big pot, and your man being lazy and not working is already undermining socialism. If you continue to be so lazy, won't your family become parasites of society?"

These words were so harsh that Gu Yan was so angry that he no longer had any face for this captain who bullied the weak and feared the strong. In Team 5, a widow can get food just by throwing a tantrum. There are three idlers like Han Laoer in the team. If you ignore them, you will focus on us weak women. If you don't give birth to the child in the field, it won't show that you are capable as a captain, right?

"Don't feed Han Lao Er if he's lazy. What's the point of telling me this? I'm a woman with two children and a big belly about to give birth. Do I have to support a grown man with all the necessary limbs?"

"You..." The captain was speechless. When did this young wife become so powerful? "Han Lao Er is your man, if you don't take care of him, who will?"

"Of course it's the team leaders who are in charge! It's your responsibility to educate the members. Who do you want to blame if you don't do anything?"

"He...we are all outsiders, how can we manage him?"

"He has a public job. Since you think he has made no contribution and is undermining socialism, then you can just cut off his food and let him die wherever he wants."

"If I... someone dies, will you be responsible?"

"Why should I be responsible?" Gu Yan snorted coldly. "I am not the one who said he was undermining socialism. I am not the one who was in charge of the team's rations. I am not the one who made the punishment. Does this have anything to do with me? Responsibilities and powers are mutual. If you don't have the skills, don't take on the job. If you are not cut out to be a leader, you should step down as soon as possible."

The captain of Team 5 was speechless, and Gu Yan turned around and left. I really give you face. You insisted on stopping me, a pregnant woman who is about to give birth, from going to work, and you couldn't discipline Han Laoer, a tall and strong man. I have never seen such an incompetent leader as you. It is true that one incompetent general can lead to the death of the entire army.