Song Yan delivered the hay to the cowshed and also gave Lao Han and the others some tomatoes and cucumbers. The little plot of land they cultivated next door wasn't growing very well, and the produce wasn't enough to feed them.
Old Zeng picked up a red persimmon and ate it; its sweet taste was wonderful.
"I saw you coming back from over there. Did you see the new educated youth?" Old Zeng asked.
"Hmm! Two new educated youths have arrived, one male and one female. What's up?" Song Yan asked.
Old Zeng: "That female educated youth's grandfather, we fought together for many years, and we have a long-standing friendship."
"What do you mean? He still wants you to take care of her? What did you promise them?" Song Yan felt very uncomfortable. Old Zeng had specifically said that it wasn't just a relationship between acquaintances.
"Why are you unhappy? You know her? I didn't agree to anything." Old Zeng stared at Song Yan.
"Are you talking about Fang Jinghua? She's clueless about her own abilities, has an arrogant mother, and a shameless grandmother..."
Song Yan told Lao Zeng everything that had happened related to Fang Jinghua, including Secretary Fang's late-night visit and his subsequent phone call to Secretary Fang. Song Yan told him everything he could remember.
"...I'd almost forgotten about it. I never expected her to come back to me like this. Let me tell you, you're my godfather. If you side with outsiders and expect me to meddle in her affairs, no way. If you speak up for her, you won't get any of the good food next time I want to get some." Song Yan glared at the meddlesome old Zeng.
Old Zeng laughed heartily, "Don't be angry. Putting everything else aside, this just shows that your man is good, and you have good taste."
Song Yan snorted coldly.
"Old Shen's wife was forced into marriage by his parents. It was a feudal arranged marriage. He didn't divorce her even after he became successful, and I admire him for that. However, his wife was indeed short-sighted, and her actions were hard to describe."
"Friendship is friendship, but you can't bully my daughter."
After returning home, Song Yan pondered the matter carefully. Was Old Shen trying to make a statement, indicating that he wanted her child to be punished?
There's no need to associate with people who aren't worth it. Forcing yourself to get along with them is pointless. Fang Jinghua is just a passerby…
There was still quite a bit of grain in their own barn. Even without adding more, it would be enough to last for several months. But Aunt Wei kept going there to check on it. To put the old lady at ease, Song Yan took the opportunity to fill all the grain sacks.
For lunch, we had stewed rabbit, cold black fungus salad, scrambled eggs with persimmons, and a cucumber salad. It was a pretty generous spread, with two hot dishes and two cold ones.
With his mouth full of grease, Wei An asked, "Auntie, how about we have fish tomorrow?"
The mere mention of fish made even Xiaoxiao and Aunt Wei salivate. Song Yan wasn't home, and they hadn't had fish in ages.
Being needed can also bring happiness.
Song Yan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go fishing tomorrow."
In the afternoon, Song Yan tidied up his things at home.
Is Comrade Song Yan at home?
Song Yan looked up and saw that the postman had arrived. He brought four parcel slips.
Song Yan took the package and saw that it was sent in the names of Qiu Hai, Wang Jinhui, and Xu Liangsheng. One of the packages was even addressed to Fang Shengjie.
Fang Shengjie's package might have been sent by Deputy Division Commander Fang. Regardless of who it was, Song Yan didn't want it.
The next morning, Song Yan went to the commune's post office. He refused to accept Fang Shengjie's package, but brought the other three packages back with him.
Song Yan also mailed out the three packages and several letters he needed to send.
These three packages were quite large and stood out conspicuously on the carriage.
When Song Yan got home and opened the package, she was surprised to find herself experiencing the joy of unpacking a blind box.
The packages were full of very practical items. Each one was different. There was brown sugar, white sugar, noodles, fabric, military uniforms, milk powder, and even chocolates and biscuits with foreign labels... They really put their hearts into it.
Each package contained a short letter, the gist of which was that the items were prepared by them, and they didn't know if Song Yan would like them. If he needed anything, he could write to them.
The way people get along really depends on fate.
On his way back, Song Yan casually took out a piece of pork, saying he bought it on the black market. Today we're having celery and pork dumplings.
Chang Xiaohu didn't say much, took the meat and prepared to chop it into minced meat...
When the two children learned that dinner was meat dumplings, they jumped for joy.
As Aunt Wei kneaded the dough, she muttered to herself, "Sigh, I don't know how lucky our family is. We eat meat every day now." She thought to herself, "Song Yan is the luckiest of all." She added, "Since Song Yan came back, Huang Daxian has brought us food."
With Song Yan not home, there's no meat to eat. There are no meat ration coupons in the countryside. The village doesn't slaughter pigs except during holidays like the New Year.
"It's so good that Auntie is back. We got to eat rabbit yesterday, and today we're having dumplings." Wei An ate the dumplings with a happy expression on his face.
When making dumplings, you should make extra. Aunt Wei knew that Song Yan was thinking about those people.
Fu Changlian was absolutely right. They had plenty of food at home, and Aunt Wei didn't mind Song Yan giving some to others. They were all pitiful people; they should help them as much as they could.
Song Yan and Xiao Xiao picked the remaining dumplings into the bowl to prevent them from sticking together.
Wei An took a small bowl and started filling it with dumplings. "Weren't you full?" Song Yan asked.
Wei An nodded, "I'm full. There are so many dumplings, I... I want to take a few out."
Is this a gift?
Song Yan didn't want Wei An to take the dumplings out; white flour dumplings with meat filling were too conspicuous. "These days, very few families can afford white flour dumplings, let alone meat dumplings..."
Wei An hesitated, looking at the dumplings, unsure whether he should take them out.
Song Yan asked, "Who are you going to give the dumplings to?"
"It's for Xiaochun, isn't it? That child used to be able to eat until he was half full. Now he can barely get half full," Xiaoxiao said from the side.
“Auntie, Aunt Xiaochun is so pitiful,” Wei An said, pouting.
Song Yan wasn't heartless. "Try not to let anyone see you, understand?"
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