Ideals and Youth: I Too Had a Youth (Part 8)...

Although handicrafts are done by hand, they are sold by foot. What you make is not important; what you earn is what you sell.

Ye Xiqing doesn't like doing physical labor, but she likes doing clever things. She has a lot of energy weaving sieves at home every day.

Once you've collected a few, you can carry them in baskets and go to the market to sell them.

To facilitate people's daily lives, there is usually a market within a certain area of ​​rural life, and then several markets are held in rotation in a larger area. Each market is open on a different day, and each market is open for half a day. Local people go to the market to buy whatever they need on fixed dates.

People in the neighborhood usually go to the nearest market, but Ye Xiqing carries her load on a shoulder pole and goes to three markets, visiting every market she can reach on foot.

When she went to the market, she would leave Xiaoya with Wu Guiyun, or have Wu Guiyun take the child to her house to watch the door for a while.

Wu Guiyun was quite happy about it; her family had too many messy affairs, and it was much more peaceful with Ye Xiqing.

Over time, she knew better than Ye Xiqing where Ye Xiqing's things were kept.

When they had nothing to do, Wu Guiyun and the elders in her family would string together some sorghum stalks to make roofing sheets. When Ye Xiqing went to the market, she asked Wu Guiyun to bring two of them with her to see if they could sell them.

These materials are readily available in rural areas and require little technical skill. However, as the economy gradually improves, more and more people are beginning to value their time and are willing to buy some ready-made products.

In those days, industry hadn't developed to that level, and iron sieves and iron grates were everywhere, so these already-made handicrafts found a market.

Ye Xiqing sells sieves that aren't heavy; one or two sieves are enough, so I'll help her sell them. I'll set a price in advance, and if they sell, I'll sell them; if not, I'll take them back. I don't haggle over the price.

While expressing her gratitude for her help, Wu Guiyun also complained to her husband, "Look how capable that woman is, why can't you be more diligent and go out and find a head?"

That's why Cheng Er didn't accept her provocation. Bao Xiangqiao was a divorced woman who had no choice but to do everything herself. Why should he imitate her?

You should be grateful that I'm still supporting you. If you didn't have a man, you would have to suffer the same fate as her.

Wu Guiyun: ...

I really don't want to see this unlucky guy's shameless behavior!

And so, Wu Guiyun began living with Ye Xiqing. She even moved her sewing kit to Ye Xiqing's house and went to work there every day.

The weather is getting colder day by day, and the year is almost over, but Ye Xiqing is still selling sieves outside.

Chinese New Year is the time to make dumplings and also the time to get new things. If your old strainer is rusty, you should replace it with a new one. The price will go up when the New Year comes!

Her hard work paid off; she sold a ladle for 1.5 yuan, and three for 1 yuan each, so she was always able to sell her goods.

Over time, I had some spare money and didn't borrow anything like before.

After delivering the grain to the state, Ye Xiqing kept two bags of the remaining grain to make cornmeal, and sold the rest to pay off his debts.

She paid off the bulk of the debt, and when the corn harvest comes next year, the hole will definitely be completely plugged.

Wu Guiyun watched from the side, feeling both impressed and admiring, but also worried about her.

Why are you in such a hurry to pay back the money? Can two bags of flour last until you grow crops? What will you and Xiaoya eat then? Do you expect to buy grain like the other employees?

Grain is cheap to sell, but expensive to buy back; farmers must be able to do the math.

With the few coins you make selling sieves, can you live the life of a factory worker?

As the weather grew colder, Ye Xiqing would throw the carrying pole into the outer room as soon as she returned, and put her hands inside her neck to warm her almost frozen hands.

When she went out, Wu Guiyun had already heated the kang (a traditional heated bed) for her. Although the room wasn't warm enough with central heating, it was still cozy and she could slowly regain her energy.

Faced with Wu Guiyun's question, Ye Xiqing replied matter-of-factly, "Then could you lend me some more grain?"

“Your family harvested so much grain, and I’m returning so much to you, you must have plenty left over.”

"When I run out of food, I'll borrow from you again. Remember to save some for me."

Wu Guiyun: ...

ah?

The country folk were ignorant and had never seen this kind of "borrowing without permission." They looked at Ye Xiqing speechlessly, thinking, "Then why are you borrowing and in such a hurry to pay it back?"

Ye Xiqing chuckled. She wasn't in a hurry to return it; how could anyone lend it to her a second time?

If you borrow and repay easily, it will be easy to borrow again.

Ye Xiqing left herself no way out, she just went with the flow, and if all else failed, she would just have to beg for food from house to house again, but shame wouldn't save her.

But sometimes that's just how it is. If you don't leave yourself a way out, fate will leave you one. It's like luck is taking up space, waiting to fill in new slots when it's empty.

Just when Ye Xiqing and Xiaoya were living on less than two bags of cornmeal, her mother came to visit her again by donkey cart.

This time, they brought not only most of a bag of millet, but also two pounds of wheat flour, half a bag of dried dates, and a bag of hazelnuts.

Because of their high standard of living, the Bao family didn't grow corn, but millet. The millet was grown on their own land, and the dried dates and hazelnuts were picked from the hill behind their house.

Brother Bao works at a restaurant. Not only is the environment good and the salary high, but he also receives benefits during holidays, such as two jin of pork and ten jin of flour.

The elderly like to help children who are not doing well. The second daughter is currently having the worst time, so of course she needs some help.

The old lady scooped two pounds of flour from the flour sack, took a lot of things, and went to visit Er Yatou at her house.

When Ye Xiqing saw this, she didn't even bother to go to the market anymore. "My dear family, I love it when you come!"

They urgently called on Wu Guiyun to cook a meal for her.

She really can't cook. Even she doesn't want to eat the food she makes. It's rare for people from her hometown to come over, so she cooks something nice.

Accompanying Bao Xiangqiao's mother this time were Bao Xiangqiao's eldest sister-in-law and youngest sister.

Her sister-in-law's daughter was only three years old and needed constant care, so she brought her over.

The youngest sister is eleven years old this year. When she was born, the eldest sister of the Bao family had already gotten married. The younger sister and brother were raised by Bao Xiangqiao, and she had a very deep relationship with her.

Upon hearing that we were going to my second sister's house, I immediately wanted to come with my mother and sister-in-law.

Bao Xiangqiao's sister-in-law was a very straightforward person. She entered the room with her head down, looked at the things inside, and said with a smile, "Not bad, not bad at all. You managed such a big house all by yourself. You're really not bad!"

As the sister-in-law, Sister Bao admired her second sister-in-law's abilities, while Old Lady Wang, as the mother, was worried about her daughter's living environment.

Looking at the empty house, which stretched out to the floor and had everything dragged to the ground, I couldn't help but sigh. How come there's nothing here?

Even though there was nothing else, there was still a pot, and a fire could be started, especially since the visitors brought ingredients.

Wu Guiyun went to Ye Xiqing's house to help her cook porridge and steam noodles, as Ye Xiqing had invited her.

Ye Xiqing then carried a basket to town to buy a few more sets of bowls and chopsticks. Yes, her family didn't even have any extra bowls.

When they returned, Wu Guiyun had already prepared the cornmeal. Sister-in-law Bao followed her to knead the dough, wash the rice and dates, and cook a red date porridge.

When Ye Xiqing returned, she not only brought bowls and chopsticks, but also half a pound of white sugar.

Red dates don't have enough natural sweetness, so you have to add some sugar to make them taste better, otherwise they'll be overcooked and tasteless.

When Sister-in-law Bao saw the white sugar that Ye Xiqing brought back, she exclaimed, "What's going on? We're all family here, why are you making such a fuss!"

Ye Xiqing said earnestly, "That won't do. You've come all this way, and I don't have anything to offer. I have to make sure you have something good to eat."

Sometimes emotional value works like this: achieving the greatest results with the least cost.

On the Bao family's side, it was actually Brother Bao and Sister-in-law Bao who were in charge, constantly giving money out of their own pockets, so they must have something on their minds.

Now that Ye Xiqing had coaxed her like this, she immediately made her sister-in-law happy. She started talking like a family member and helped her with cooking and other household chores.

While cooking porridge, Ye Xiqing kept scooping sugar into it, and Sister-in-law Bao tried her best to stop her but couldn't.

He slapped his thigh repeatedly, exclaiming, "What are you doing?!"

Ye Xiqing didn't hesitate at all; she drank too.

Because they were generous with the sugar, this pot of red date porridge tasted absolutely amazing. Bao Xiangqiao's younger sister, Bao Xiangchun, put down her bowl and exclaimed excitedly, "Second sister, your porridge is so delicious!"

As Sister-in-law Bao, Yang Shufen, fed the child some thin porridge, she clicked her tongue and said, "Of course, it has so much sugar in it."

Wu Guiyun was persuaded by Ye Xiqing's family to stay for dinner. After putting down her bowl, she savored the taste of the porridge and sighed, "Even during postpartum confinement, I wouldn't dare eat like this."

The little girl was very well-behaved when she first met her maternal grandmother. She reached out her chopsticks and picked up a red date from her bowl and gave it to her grandmother, saying, "Grandma, this is delicious. Here, have some."

The old lady was overjoyed. Not only did she refuse the date, she also gave it to the little girl from her own bowl. "Grandma doesn't like it, but the little girl can have it!"

Ye Xiqing put down her bowl, feeling alive for the first time. She turned around and said, "It's okay, it's okay. Money can be earned back. I'm willing to do anything so that everyone can have good food."

As for the specifics of what was paid, don't ask.

Bao Xiangqiao's family brought their own food, and were delighted by a bag of sugar. They stayed for three days, but then Sister-in-law Bao had to go back home because there was no one at home.

When they were about to leave, Ye Xiqing asked the old lady to stay, saying that since they were already there, they could stay until the New Year.

Grandma Wang is a good mother, but not necessarily a good mother-in-law. She heard that her second sister-in-law wanted to keep her mother-in-law, so she agreed.

Since Bao Xiangqiao got married, the mother and daughter haven't seen each other for a long time. Now Bao Xiangqiao lives in her own room and can come and go as she pleases, and the old lady is happy to stay.

With her biological mother moving in, Ye Xiqing had more freedom to work, leaving the children at home without worry, and continued selling sieves.

The market usually only lasts half a day, but the market near the New Year lasts for three days in a row, with a full day each day. Things sell well then, and Ye Xiqing made a fortune, emptying his carrying pole.

It was the little girl who suffered. Winter is a high-incidence period for various diseases, and children have weak resistance, making them especially prone to illness. She also caught it, experiencing a full range of symptoms including a cold and fever.

In this day and age, treating illnesses is simple and brutal: no matter what the illness, just give them a shot in the buttock.

The little girl had to get injections for three days in a row before she felt a little better. She cried and screamed at home while her grandmother applied hot towels to soothe her bottom, and she was kept away from going out by her grandmother.

Then Ye Xiqing returned with all sorts of unpalatable medicines, and the sad little girl cried even harder.

I don't like my mom anymore, and I don't like my grandma anymore!

After visiting the three major markets, the market would close. This was a fine tradition that was still preserved in this era: staying home during the Lunar New Year.

The old lady brought two jin of flour, which she was saving to make dumplings for the New Year. She patted the little girl's bottom and said, "Don't cry, we'll have dumplings the day after tomorrow."

The little girl's bottom was already sore, and now she's crying even harder. She won't forget the pain of her injection even while eating dumplings! One thing at a time!

Even on New Year's Day, Fu Chou Xiao Ya didn't show a smile; she wouldn't give anyone a kind look!

However, the adults ignored her. They were very busy during the Lunar New Year, cleaning the house, tidying up the yard, and performing rituals such as inviting and sending off the gods.

Logically speaking, we should also put up a couplet and set off some firecrackers, otherwise people will laugh at us.

But Ye Xiqing didn't want to maintain that facade that was so easily punctured. Whether her family was poor or not, did others need to look at the couplets and firecrackers to tell? Wouldn't that be obvious at a glance?

Wealthy families can buy firecrackers, hang lanterns, and paste Spring Festival couplets as decorations.

Poor families often try to imitate rich people to show they aren't poor, wasting money and causing them distress. It's best to avoid this trouble.

Bao Xiangqiao's mother was unhappy about this for a long time, and only put on a smiling face on New Year's Eve in order to celebrate the New Year.

No matter how poor you are, you still have to eat something good during the New Year. Ye Xiqing bought two catties of pork and took two sauerkrauts from Wu Guiyun's jar to make sauerkraut dumplings.

Before leaving, he pulled Wu Guiyun aside and said, "I'll come to her house tonight and make dumplings for her."

Wu Guiyun immediately agreed, saying she would definitely go!

When Wu Guiyun's father-in-law saw this, he couldn't help but complain, "We go to her house every day, even during the Chinese New Year."

Wu Guiyun turned around and swung the rolling pin with a loud bang. She could go wherever she wanted; who cared!

After finishing making dumplings at home, Wu Guiyun excitedly went to find Ye Xiqing. Ye Xiqing had also prepared the dough and chopped the filling at home, waiting for Wu Guiyun to help her make dumplings.

One person scoops the dough, and two people wrap it; it's quite fast. They finish wrapping it quickly, put it on the lid, and wait until someone sets off firecrackers before cooking it.

It was still early before the New Year's Eve dinner was to be cooked, so Ye Xiqing called Wu Guiyun over for something else and instructed her to start a fire and boil water. Wu Guiyun was puzzled as to why she needed to boil water so early.

Ye Xiqing chuckled and finally pulled out her secret weapon. Instead of buying firecrackers and couplets, she bought this.

Four packets of instant noodles, each with a distinct presence in various time-travel settings, lay quietly in her hand.

The thought of instant noodles becoming a desirable thing again in this world makes her want to laugh.