I'm still up late today! I'm even moved by my own efforts!

"Hahahaha, Sister Jiang, I like you so much, really, you're so cute."

"Keep your voice down, you brat, everyone's watching us."

Liu Jingze heard what the two girls said, and felt both helpless and amused.

Because of Xiao Jiang, Zhang Hongmei and her husband each bought fourteen catties of sugar, which was quite a haul.

"What's the point of us buying so much candy, Hongmei?"

"Of course, we can't eat glutinous rice balls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Last year, some people from the supply and marketing cooperative made things difficult for us, and we almost had to eat glutinous rice balls that weren't sweet. So, whenever I see candy, I always buy the largest quantity I can."

Besides, it's almost Chinese New Year, and giving candy as a New Year's gift would be very nice. Have you gone silly from studying all that?

"Hehe, I really didn't expect that." Liu Jingze retaliated against Zhang Hongmei for calling him an idiot, and as he rode the bike, he swerved, which startled Zhang Hongmei, who screamed. Liu Jingze then laughed along with her.

They arrived home laughing and joking. Liu Jingze carried sixteen pounds of candy home. His grandmother was quite happy, but the old lady gave Liu Jingze a disapproving look and said, "Hongmei asked you to buy this, right? I knew girls were more thoughtful."

Liu Jingze was embarrassed. Was he being disliked by his ancestor?

After that, Liu Jingze helped Zhang Hongmei organize her textbooks during the day. The two became more and more familiar with each other, and Zhang Hongmei genuinely regarded Liu Jingze as her male best friend. He was considerate, sensible, and handsome!

On the fourteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Er Ya and Zhu Zi returned. They were on holiday for the New Year. Shi Tou and San Ya Elementary School were also on holiday.

The market was especially crowded on the fifteenth of the month. Zhang Hongmei and Er Ya were still carrying baskets on their backs, but they could barely walk.

There were practically no food vendors at the market this year, not even any local produce. Many people went home disappointed, and the market became much quieter after that.

There wasn't much to sell, but it was still a pleasant surprise for Zhang Hongmei.

An old lady was sitting on a small stool with a complete white jade tea set in front of her.

Zhang Hongmei ran over excitedly, "Grandma, how much is this tea set?"

"We won't sell for money, we'll sell grain."

Er Ya secretly tugged at Zhang Hongmei, but Zhang Hongmei's eyes were glued to the tea set, and she completely ignored Er Ya.

Liu Jingze also saw Zhang Hongmei, came over and laughed, "This girl!"

"Grandma, how much grain do you want to exchange?"

"Fifty catties of grain."

"How about dried pumpkin or dried sweet potato?"

The old woman was in a dilemma. She had been without food for two days, and none of her sons cared about her. She was on the verge of starving to death; what did she care about material possessions?

"middle."

"Sister Er Ya, go to my storeroom and get 25 jin of this. I need to keep an eye on it, otherwise what if someone else takes it?"

"You spendthrift! Who trades food for money these days? I just can't do anything with you. If my mom finds out, you'll definitely give me another lecture."

"Dear sister, please don't tell my family that I'll be heartbroken if I can't get my hands on this tea set."

"I've won! I'll go back and get it right now."

The old woman looked at the two little girls and whispered, "Do you want one?"

"Yes, I'll wait here. My sister will go back and get the food."

Zhang Hongmei then noticed that Liu Jingze was also there. "Brother Jingze, you've come to the market too?"

"Yes, I didn't know you liked old things so much until I came."

"Hehe, just display it." The two stood next to the old lady.

"I see the young lady likes old things. Do you like this one?"

The old woman pulled a rope from around her neck, which turned out to be two jade pendants. "These have been passed down in my family. There are two, one a dragon pendant and the other a phoenix pendant. If you like them, you can have them. You can't take them with you when you die, so what use are they to me? I might as well exchange them for something to eat."

Before Zhang Hongmei could speak, Liu Jingze asked, "Grandma, how do we exchange these jade pendants?"

"Thirty catties of grain, we want the grain, but not dried pumpkin or dried sweet potato or anything like that."

"I'll take it and go back to get it now. Or you can tell me your address and I'll deliver it to you?"

"No need, I can take it back by myself. You go and get it."

Zhang Hongmei was furious; someone had even tried to steal her thunder.

Liu Jingze whispered in Zhang Hongmei's ear, "Don't rush, we'll each take one."

"Isn't this inappropriate? These are a pair; you'll have to give them to my sister-in-law in the future."

"It's yours, who said it has to be for the couple?"

"That's true. I have some sorghum at home. Why don't you go get it, or should I go?"

"That's none of your business. Grandma, shall I give you some food coupons?"

"Okay." The old lady thought to herself that giving her grain coupons would be better, since they could be hidden.

Zhang Hongmei waited here for an hour and a half until Er Ya came over, and then they switched places.

Liu Jingze also gave the old lady thirty jin of grain coupons.

The old lady took out a wooden box from the basket next to her, filled it with teaware, and handed it to Zhang Hongmei.

This is a steal! This box is worth more than the tea set.

The old lady handed the jade pendant back to Liu Jingze, looking quite reluctant to part with it.

Liu Jingze untied the rope and handed the phoenix pendant to Zhang Hongmei, saying, "Here, keep it safe."

"Okay!" Zhang Hongmei took the phoenix pendant and clutched it tightly in her hand like a country bumpkin, but then felt it was inappropriate and put it in her pants pocket.

"Alright, I'll have my grandma braid a red string for you to wear around your neck tomorrow." Liu Jingze looked at Zhang Hongmei's cowardly appearance with helplessness.

"Hongmei, shall we go home? There's nothing left to sell."

"I still need to find the old lady who sold shoes last year; the shoes she made were especially durable and comfortable."

"Then let's go. When are you going to make yourself a pair of shoes?"

“I used to have big dreams, and I made all my own clothes, shoes and socks, but reality hit me hard. It made me lose the courage to try.”

"You've been talking for so long, but all you've said is making excuses. Just say you're lazy, that's all."

"Really unlikable. Brother Jingze, are you still going to stroll around with us?"

"Yeah, I'm free too. I just wanted to see how good the shoes you mentioned are?"

"Hehe, you don't need to buy them. I've seen my big boobs making shoes for you all the time."

"I'll make it for you if you say so."

"That's not good."

Both of them turned their heads away dismissively after hearing Zhang Hongmei's words.

Zhang Hongmei panicked. What did she mean by saying something wrong? Just as she was about to get back at him, she saw a stall selling jars and earthenware pots. She immediately stopped and refused to move, ignoring the urging from the two people next to her.

"Uncle, how much is this jar?"

"The big ones here cost one dollar, the small ones cost five cents. The big ones over there cost two dollars."

"Hongmei, why did you buy it? You're going to school in the city soon, what's the point of keeping it at home?" Er Ya was really anxious and didn't even care that the salesperson was rolling their eyes at her.

"I want to take it back to the city to use! They'll need to pickle vegetables there too."

"Why don't you go to the city to buy it? It's so heavy, how are you going to transport it there?"

"That's true. Then forget it."

Er Ya grabbed Zhang Hongmei and left; that brat was hopeless.

I finally found the shoe seller. "Auntie, I'm here to buy shoes again. There aren't many shoes available this year."