Delivered at midnight! Treat me to something nice!

Liu Jingze knocked on the door early in the morning. Zhang Hongmei had made noodles, and each of them had a big bowl. She also poached two eggs for Liu Jingze.

Zhang Hongmei was fully disguised with a hat, mask, scarf, coat, and cotton shoes; outsiders couldn't recognize her at all.

Zhang Hongmei sat in the back seat and went to Liu Maocai's house with Shi Tou and San Ya, letting the two of them sit in the front.

The winter coats are thick, and from a distance, a bicycle looks like it's full of people. In fact, it is.

When they arrived at school, it was still early, so Shi Tou and San Ya went to the classroom to study by themselves. The exam was in a few days, but Shi Tou didn't care.

Zhang Hongmei is now 163cm tall, and with all the layers she's wearing, standing next to the handsome and dashing Liu Jingze at the station, she looks like a middle-aged woman no matter how you look at it.

Sensing the strange looks from outsiders, Zhang Hongmei moved to the side, distancing herself from Liu Jingze.

Liu Jingze watched Zhang Hongmei's actions with amusement, then moved closer to her, sitting right next to her.

Zhang Hongmei thought to herself, "How annoying. Why are they standing so close? Can't they see everyone else is looking at them?"

After boarding the bus and buying a ticket with her letter of introduction, Zhang Hongmei finally took off her hat and scarf. She also took off her coat, but kept her mask on.

The smell is awful, I'll keep wearing it.

Liu Jingze sat down next to her, and the two chatted quietly.

"Hongmei, let's take a walk around the county town. The supply should be quite good now, after all, the New Year is coming soon."

"It's too much trouble. We won't have much to offer here. We might as well go to the market. I bought a lot of things last year. The market is on the 15th of the lunar month, and I'll go again this year."

"I'll go take a look too. I haven't been to a market in years."

"Hehe, it's good that you go. You can help Auntie carry things. Last year, Brother Zhu and Brother Er Lengzi helped me carry my things back."

"Yes, I've never been a dutiful son. I've always been away from home. My mother has had it the hardest."

"Hehe!" There was no way to continue the conversation that day.

The two remained silent for a moment, until the crowd boarding the bus broke the silence.

Two young men, with slicked-back hair and powdered faces, came up and sat behind Zhang Hongmei. They were the effeminate young men of later generations.

As soon as they got in the car, they started chattering loudly and talking nonsense.

It was particularly offensive, Zhang Hongmei sighed helplessly. Liu Jingze had also recovered from his earlier feelings of self-reproach.

"Hongmei, does the person you're looking for work at the post office?"

"Yes, last time I sent something to Uncle Zhang, he must have been craving it and asked me to buy him some meat. I didn't expect I actually managed to buy some. But I don't know if he'll be willing to help."

"It's okay if you don't help. I'll figure something out later. In any case, you must read the newspaper more."

Even after the two got off the bus, the two young men behind them continued to chat.

After getting off the bus, Zhang Hongmei rubbed her ears. The voice was deafening! It was the voice of a martial arts master!

Liu Jingze felt that he and Zhang Hongmei laughed a lot.

When she arrived at the post office, she saw the man. Zhang Hongmei took off her mask and asked, "Comrade, do you still recognize me?"

"I know you, I know you. I'll never forget you, no matter who else I forget!"

Why does this sound so awkward?

"Comrade, I've come here today with a favor to ask."

"You said that I would never refuse to do anything that I could do."

"I'd like to subscribe to the People's Daily. Is that possible?"

"That's a bit difficult. There's a shortage of supplies right now. Newspapers are also rationed, so I can't issue them either. But I can leave you the newspapers from our post office; you can come and pick them up once a week. Is that alright?"

"This is troublesome. I'm going to high school in the city after the New Year, so it's really inconvenient."

“It’s even easier in the city. My sister works at the post office there. I’ll write you a note and you can go find her. It shouldn’t be a problem. Wait for me, I’ll write your name down for you.”

Zhang Hongmei accepted the note and thanked them again before leaving the post office.

"Hongmei, shall we go check out the supply and marketing cooperative?"

"Come on, I still have a lot of tickets. Third Master gave me quite a few."

"That's because Third Master treats you well; others don't receive the same treatment."

"Hehe, are you jealous?"

"Jealous? Oh. Not really, it's just that everyone around you is really nice to you."

"That's right, I'm a beautiful girl that everyone loves and flowers adore, of course people like me, that's because they have good taste."

"Hahaha, that's a pretty accurate description."

The two chatted and laughed as they arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative. Good heavens, it was packed with people, if not overflowing! Were they all so wealthy?

"Brother Jingze, let's not go in. I don't need anything."

"Okay, let's not go." Liu Jingze was also frightened. The two went to the food supply station again and Zhang Hongmei bought two catties of brown sugar. She didn't need anything else.

Liu Jingze also bought two jin of brown sugar for your family, but I don't know if your family needs anything else.

Liu Jingze glanced at the time; it was almost eleven o'clock. "Hongmei, I'd like to invite you to dinner."

"Sure, but don't be disappointed, there's not much good food in the county."

"There's none in the city either. As long as we have something to eat, we won't be cold and hungry."

The restaurant was serving radish-filled steamed buns today. Zhang Hongmei ordered one, Liu Jingze ordered two, and finally ordered egg drop soup. The egg drop soup not only had few eggs, but also very little soup.

"Brother Jingze, these vegetable buns taste pretty good. Buy a few more later, I think Grandma will like them."

"Okay, I'll go buy it now, lest it run out."

Liu Jingze bought ten more. Luckily, there weren't many people eating today, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to sell them to him, even though he's quite good-looking.

The waitress also liked Liu Jingze's appearance and had been secretly watching him for a while.

When Liu Jingze returned, he saw Zhang Hongmei smirking. He glared at her helplessly; this girl was making a fool of herself.

The two decided to take a car home after leaving the restaurant, as it was too cold and there wasn't much else to do.

Upon arriving in the village, Zhang Hongmei decided to visit the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Sister Jiang, I've come to see you."

"Hongmei, you're here? Are you a dog? Why is it that you always come over whenever I have something good?"

"How dare you talk like that? It's just that I'm lucky. Tell me, what good stuff do you have today?"

"Would you like both white sugar and brown sugar?"

"This is amazing! Is there a purchase limit?"

"No one gets more than two jin, but there are still five jin inside."

So, does that mean I can buy seven pounds of each item?

"Um."

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and issue me the invoices. For two people."

Xiao Jiang lowered her voice and said, "I was just about to ask, who is this man? He's really good-looking."

"Isn't one of the older brothers in our village handsome?"

"Yeah, he's too handsome to look at! My aunt said that she doesn't let me get close to anyone who's good-looking, whether it's a man or a woman."