Chapter 52 The mother and daughter went off affectionately...
The mother and daughter went to the bike shed affectionately, rode their bicycles, and headed straight for the state-run restaurant.
On the way there, the two were worried that the state-run restaurant wouldn't have any roast chicken, but when they arrived, they found four roast chickens in the window.
Cheng Xiuying squeezed to the front, "Comrade, I want half a roast chicken and two bowls of plain noodles." Pointing to one of the chickens, she said, "I want half of this one."
The waiter took a roast chicken, chopped it in half, cut it into pieces, plated it, and placed it at the window. "That's ninety cents plus half a jin of meat coupons. Plain noodles are three cents plus four liang of grain coupons."
Yu Jiajia said, "Sister, two more bottles of chilled soda."
She handed over two yuan and then said to Cheng Xiuying, "Mom, you provide the grain coupons and meat coupons."
Cheng Xiuying pulled Sibao behind her, handed the waiter 1.6 mao, and counted out half a jin of meat coupons and four liang of grain coupons.
Yu Jiajia was unhappy: "Mom, it's a promise, I'll treat you to dinner to celebrate your glorious promotion to section chief!"
Waiter: !!! Section Chief?
Section chief at the steel rolling mill?
Cadres!
Everyone looked at Cheng Xiuying with envy!
Most workers earn a regular wage of 36 yuan their entire lives, while some work as apprentices for half their lives.
Cheng Xiuying looks very young, how did she become a section chief?
Is it a full section chief or a deputy section chief?
A deputy section chief earns about 70 or 80 yuan a month, while a section chief earns 90 yuan a month. There are also various subsidies!
In this era, wages are very transparent; if you know a person's job title, you also know their salary.
Cheng Xiuying was overjoyed, feeling as comfortable as if she had drunk a bowl of cool water on a sweltering summer day. Her sweet child was so good at talking! She smiled so broadly that her eyes disappeared: "Sweetie, when your salary comes in, Mom will definitely not rush to pay for it." She handed a roll of small bills and the corresponding grain and meat coupons to the waiter.
The waiter took the money and tickets, his smile visibly warming up even more. He quickly counted the money and then took out two bottles of chilled soda from the box. With two 'bangs! bangs!', the bottle opener deftly pried open the tin caps, and a sweet orange aroma mixed with the cold air wafted out: "Don't forget to return the bottles after you finish drinking."
Cheng Xiuying, holding two bottles of chilled soda in one hand and a roast chicken in the other, found a seat by the window and sat down.
Yu Jiajia grinned and held up her soda bottle: "Mom! Congratulations on becoming the head of the security department! From now on, the safety of our factory will depend on you!"
Cheng Xiuying chuckled at her daughter's teasing, then pretended to put on a serious face, clinking her soda bottle against her daughter's: "I'm just destined to worry and suffer. Don't worry, with Mom here, I guarantee not even a mouse will be able to steal a single piece of iron slag from the factory!"
With a crisp "ding," the glass bottle made a delightful clinking sound. The orange-yellow soda bubbled and frolicked inside, its tiny bubbles rising eagerly, much like the surging passion in Cheng Xiuying's heart. She tilted her head back and drank the soda, the cool sweetness seeping into her heart.
Feeling the blessings from those around her, Cheng Xiuying was overjoyed and looked forward to the promotion ceremony that afternoon.
Yu Jiajia handed the big chicken leg to Cheng Xiuying.
Cheng Xiuying refused, insisting on giving the chicken leg to Sibao.
Yu Jiajia refused: "Mom, I love chicken wings! You can have chicken legs today."
That's the truth. Now that we have plenty of meat, I actually love gnawing on chicken wings even more.
Cheng Xiuying smiled, pursing her lips, "Okay."
Thinking to myself, next time I'll buy a roast chicken, and we can each have a chicken leg.
After the noodles were ready, the waiter brought them to the two of them. Cheng Xiuying said, "Thank you, comrade. I can do it myself. I don't want to cause you any trouble or delay your work."
The waiter smiled and said, "There aren't many people right now, so it won't interfere with our work."
Cheng Xiuying truly felt the benefits of becoming a section chief. Others looked at her with more respect. Normally, these self-important waiters wouldn't even serve her food.
The mother and daughter slurped up the fragrant noodles and ate the tender and flavorful roast chicken, occasionally clinking their ice-cold soda bottles together. Their mouths were glistening with oil, and they smiled happily, enjoying their blissful life to the fullest. They had no idea about Yu Hongding and Yu Songqing back at the factory.
The father and son waited in the canteen but did not see Cheng Xiuying and her daughter. They did not dare to eat first. When everyone else had almost finished eating and still did not see them, they went out to look for them. When they inquired, they heard people congratulating them on becoming the head of the security department.
Moreover, Section Chief Cheng goes to eat as soon as he gets off work.
Yu Hongding and Yu Songqing exchanged a glance, both happy for Cheng Xiuying. Having a section chief in the family was a great blessing, bringing them increasing prosperity. However, this joy was tinged with a hint of unease; the mother and daughter were probably out eating out behind their backs.
Yu Songqing: "...Did my mom take Jiajia out to eat?"
To confirm their guess, the two went to the bike shed, but Xiao Lü wasn't there! She must have gone out to eat.
Yu Hongding was incredulous. He said sourly, "Your mother has forgotten me?"
Yu Songqing was also heartbroken; not only had his father forgotten him, but he had forgotten him too. Couldn't they celebrate such a wonderful occasion together?
Yu Hongding: "Go eat, I'll wait for your mother here."
Yu Songqing: "I'll wait with you."
Yu Hongding: "Leave me alone."
Yu Songqing hesitated, not wanting to leave. The two of them waited by the bike shed, with him keeping a distance so that Yu Hongding could have some peace and quiet.
On this sweltering day, the longer I waited, the more stuffy it became, so I simply went to wait at the factory gate.
At the state-run restaurant, the mother and daughter were stuffed. The noodles were plentiful and affordable, and the roast chicken was very plump. After eating and drinking their fill, they returned the soda bottles and got their 10-cent deposit back. Yu Jiajia slapped her forehead and said, "Mom, we forgot about Dad and my older brother!"
Cheng Xiuying: "...Forget it, forget it. It's not like they can't feed themselves."
Yu Jiajia hesitated: "What if we don't have any? Let's buy four more meat buns."
The two then bought four large meat buns. Cheng Xiuying instructed, "We ate chicken noodles, so please don't say we ate roast chicken."
The two ate chicken and noodles, which was chicken and noodles, so they weren't lying!
Yu Jiajia: "Mom, I'll do whatever you say."
Cheng Xiuying even used a handkerchief to wipe Yu Jiajia's mouth. It was so shiny, it was obvious she had eaten something good.
The mother and daughter rode their bikes back to the factory and saw Yu Hongding and Yu Songqing from afar at the factory gate. They looked down and didn't seem to have eaten.
Cheng Xiuying: "Luckily, I bought meat buns."
She was willing to let her eldest son go hungry, but she couldn't bear to let her husband go hungry.
Upon reaching the two, Cheng Xiuying said, "Hey, what are you doing here?"
A joyful smile spread across Yu Hongding's once dejected handsome face. He bent down and took out a red book tied with a red silk cloth from his satchel. It was "Selected Works of Chairman Mao." He held the book up and handed it to Cheng Xiuying, his voice low and sincere: "Xiuying, I am proud of you."
Cheng Xiuying immediately felt guilty. She took the "Selected Works of Chairman Mao" and stroked the pages. Looking at her husband's handsome face, which had remained unchanged for more than 20 years, her heart fluttered with emotion and regret. How could she have forgotten her handsome husband?
Yu Jiajia, standing to the side, was dumbfounded, thinking to herself: Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! The old fox is still the most cunning! Her father's gift was both thoughtful and appropriate, completely outshining everyone else!
Her cake can't be late either! She can't lose this battle for family status!
Yu Songqing: !!! He felt a bit superfluous, his toes almost wearing through the soles of his shoes. He quickly forced a smile and stepped forward, saying, "Mom! Congratulations! You are truly a shining example for our whole family!"
Cheng Xiuying's cheeks flushed slightly under her husband's gaze, and a flood of heartfelt words were about to spill when her eldest son's loud congratulations cut her off. She felt a lump in her throat and couldn't help but glare at Yu Songqing: This eldest son of hers really has no tact whatsoever!
The family of four couldn't keep blocking the factory gate indefinitely. After parking their bicycles, Cheng Xiuying gave Yu Songqing two meat buns to send him away. Yu Jiajia also tactfully left, leaving space for Yu Hongding and Cheng Xiuying.
After eating the steamed buns, Yu Songqing escorted Yu Jiajia back to her office. On the way, he finally asked the question he had been wanting to ask, "Jiajia, what was in the bag that the wild boar carried away?"
Yu Jiajia didn't hide anything: "It's a wild ginseng that's over fifty years old! It's a pity that the wild boars ate it all, leaving only a little bit of the rootlets. We'll make chicken soup with it later."
Yu Songqing was shocked that there were wild ginseng on the mountain, and that Yu Jiajia was so lucky to find it. He was also saddened that the wild ginseng was eaten by wild boars, but if the wild ginseng had not been taken away by the wild boars, there would have been no other opportunity.
Although I don't know what it is, it must be incredible luck!
He said, "Jiajia, let's go to the mountain to pick medicinal herbs again next time we have a holiday!"
Yu Jiajia smiled dismissively, "Okay, okay."
Yu Songqing didn't ask Yu Jiajia what she saw in the cave. There was no need to ask about things that shouldn't be asked.
He left after dropping Yu Jiajia off downstairs. As soon as he got to his office, he saw Lu Xiaoqing sitting at his workstation.
Yu Songqing: ? ? ?
With tears in her eyes, Lu Xiaoqing said, "Song Qing, I've finally found you."
Everyone in the office was staring at Yu Songqing. He looked respectable, but it turned out he was a scoundrel who played with women's feelings!
Zhao Jianshe: "Songqing, really! How could you just disappear like that? How could you play with Comrade Lu's sincere feelings like that!"
Yu Songqing frowned, not expecting Lu Xiaoqing to appear in the office. He said, "Comrade Lu, you were the one who broke up with me first. Now that we've broken up, let's not see each other anymore. It won't be good for either of us."
Lu Xiaoqing burst into tears. Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the table. "Your mother didn't approve of us, that's why I broke up with you. But I can't live without you. Songqing, I can't live without you."
Yu Songqing's mind was filled with thoughts of "cursing him, cursing him, cursing him," implying that it would negatively impact his wealth and fortune, and even lead to an early death... Looking at Lu Xiaoqing's tearful face, he felt no pity whatsoever. He pitied her, but who would pity him?
He said, “Comrade Lu, don’t put the blame on my mother. When your aunt used her power to force our family, it was impossible for us to leave. Besides, you were the one who gave up on this relationship first. We have broken up and have no relationship with each other anymore. Please leave my seat.”
Lu Xiaoqing shook her head, crying, "No, you've misunderstood."
Yu Songqing was also heartbroken, but fate had other plans. They were destined to be apart. "Go," she sighed, "there's no future for us."
Lu Xiaoqing seemed to be completely devastated by those words. She covered her face and wept bitterly, then turned and staggered out.
Zhao Jianshe glared at Yu Songqing with a complicated expression, sighed heavily, and chased after him without saying a word.
Yu Songqing stared at Zhao Jianshe's hurriedly disappearing figure, somewhat puzzled. When did Zhao Jianshe become so familiar with Lu Xiaoqing?
However, he quickly put aside these emotions and threw himself into his work.
After returning to work in the afternoon, Yu Jiajia and Liu Weidong worked together on the blackboard bulletin board. She then took a break and went to the security office, but couldn't find Cheng Xiuying. Instead, she saw Chen Hongmei and ran over to her, asking, "Aunt Hongmei, where's my mom?"
Chen Hongmei smiled broadly, "It's Jiajia! Your mother is a very busy person. She was just promoted to section chief and is currently in the logistics office picking up her cadre uniform! What's wrong? Do you need to see her? If it's urgent, Auntie will take you there."
Yu Jiajia was delighted to hear this: "No need, no need, I'm not in a hurry, I'll just wait for her here."
A moment later, Cheng Xiuying walked over smartly, a bright factory badge pinned above her left breast pocket, a bright red "Security Department" armband on her arm, and a wide, brown leather belt tightly around her waist, making her look exceptionally smart and capable. She was also carrying a net bag containing several neatly folded new clothes.
Yu Jiajia's eyes lit up, and she flew over like a little bird, circling her mother and praising her, "Section Chief Cheng! You're so impressive! Just standing here at the factory gate, let's see which bad guys dare to mess around!" As she spoke, her little hand curiously touched the net bag, "Wow, so many new clothes!"
Cheng Xiuying couldn't hide her smile as she casually patted her daughter's hair: "One summer outfit, one spring/autumn outfit, that's two sets! We'll get the winter clothes next month when it gets colder. What are you doing here?"
Yu Jiajia's attention was completely drawn to her mother's attire. She cautiously touched the cool factory badge with her fingers, then enviously stroked the thick, shiny belt! This wasn't the treatment ordinary workers received; it was a symbol of a cadre! She whispered, "Being a cadre must be great!"
Cheng Xiuying followed her example, bending slightly forward with a smug smile on her lips, and whispered, "Of course!"
After whispering for a while, Yu Jiajia got down to business: "Mom, I'm going to find my second brother after get off work, don't wait for me."
Cheng Xiuying: "You ride your little green bike, and I'll go with your dad."
Yu Jiajia: "I'll take the bus there, and then ride my second brother's bicycle home." She wants her mom to have a good time showing off today. It's a pity she doesn't have a watch yet, otherwise this outfit would be so impressive.
Worried that Yu Songyan would leave after get off work, she asked her section chief for an hour's leave and went to the food factory early. She was stopped at the entrance of the food factory, and the security guard wouldn't let her in.
Yu Jiajia: "Then could you please call Yu Songyan for me, Uncle? I'm his sister, Yu Jiajia."
A young man riding a bicycle next to them skillfully braked and stopped, bracing himself on one foot. He smiled and interjected, "Jiajia, are you looking for Songyan? I'm just going in, I can give you a ride!" He turned to the security guard and nodded, "Master Liu, I know him, I'll take her to Yu Songyan."
Seeing this, the security guard waved for Yu Jiajia to go in.
As he pushed his bicycle alongside Yu Jiajia on the factory road, the young man was exceptionally enthusiastic: "Jiajia, let me introduce myself. My name is Zhou Bin, and I work as an accountant in the finance department. I'll take you there. Songyan got a promotion today; he's been transferred to the newly opened pastry production line as a team leader."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but glance at Yu Jiajia a few more times. He never expected that Yu Songyan would have such a fairy-like younger sister!
Yu Jiajia: "Thank you, Comrade Zhou. You can just call me Jiajia."
"Hey, don't be so polite," Zhou Bin laughed even more heartily, pulling a handful of hard candies from his pocket and shoving them at me. "Then don't call me Comrade Zhou anymore, it's too formal. Just call me Zhou Bin. Here, have some candy!"
Yu Jiajia didn't want to call him by his name directly, so she smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhou." She picked up a piece of candy, but didn't eat it.
The food factory was quite large, and it smelled wonderful, very fragrant. It was Yu Jiajia's first time there, and she was quite curious. Whenever she met someone, she would call Zhou Bin "Accountant Zhou."
Being an accountant in a factory is a highly coveted position; most people wouldn't dare offend you.
The two quickly arrived outside a factory building with a sweet aroma. Zhou Bin neatly propped up his bicycle and said to Yu Jiajia, "Jiajia, wait here for a moment, I'll go in and call him for you."
Not long after, Zhou Bin came out, but no one followed him: "I told Song Yan that he still has some finishing work to do, but he'll be done soon. He'll ask you to wait a few minutes."
Yu Jiajia quickly said, "Thank you, Brother Zhou. I'll wait here. You go ahead and do your work, don't delay me."
Zhou Bin waved his hand and smiled very solicitously: "It won't take up any time. I'm not in a hurry. I'll wait with you for a while until he comes out before I leave."
About ten minutes later, the factory door opened, and Yu Songyan came running out, his forehead still covered in a thin layer of sweat: "Jiajia, were you waiting long? I just finished taking inventory and had some things to tell you."
Yu Jiajia went up to him: "No rush, I just talked to Brother Zhou for a while. Second Brother, are you off work yet?"
Yu Songyan nodded: "Yes, I just finished my shift, perfect timing." He looked at Zhou Bin: "Accountant Zhou, thank you."
Zhou Bin, being perceptive, immediately smiled and took his leave upon seeing this: "Don't mention it. Now that Song Yan is out, I'm relieved. I'll be going now! See you later."
After saying that, he got on his bicycle and left.
After Zhou Bin left, Yu Jiajia immediately put on a bright smile, looked up at her second brother, and said with sparkling eyes, "Congratulations on your promotion to team leader, second brother! Your demeanor has changed since you became a team leader. Second brother is so handsome!"
Yu Songyan was amused: "I have to thank Jiajia for her help. What brings you here all of a sudden? Did Mom get the job as the head of the security department? Are you celebrating?"
Yu Jiajia gave a thumbs up: "Second brother is amazing, you guessed it right away! We're making a cake tonight, all we need is milk."
Yu Songyan took Yu Jiajia to the dairy factory to buy milk. The milk was freshly squeezed from the cow and still warm! After buying the milk, the two went straight home.
Yu Songchuan has not returned yet.
Grandpa Yu and Grandma Yu were both home. Little Huaiyuan was running around in the yard with a rabbit on a leash, surrounded by several other children. Yu Jiajia patted Little Huaiyuan's head and said, "Hurry up and play. When your mom comes back, she'll have to kill the rabbit."
Grandma Yu: "Siya, your mother hasn't gotten off work yet?"
Yu Jiajia: "Grandma, my name is Jiajia."
Grandma Yu: "Siya, when are your parents coming back?"
Yu Jiajia: "Grandma, my name is Jiajia."
Grandma Yu: "Songyan, when are your parents coming back?"
Yu Songyan: "Grandma, my little sister's name is Jiajia."
Grandma Yu: ...
She rolled her eyes so hard they were practically pointing to the sky.
Yu Jiajia and Yu Songyan started making a cake. The cake base was relatively simple, similar to a steamed rice cake, but the base was made into a round shape. They used a small enamel basin from home, placed it on a steamer, and steamed it. When it came out of the steamer, they got a round, fluffy, golden cake.
The most important ingredient in a cream cake is the cream.
This is where butter comes in. Butter was very rare in those days. It was probably only available at Friendship Stores, and you needed foreign exchange certificates to buy it. I didn't even want it.
Then use steamed milk paste instead.
Under Yu Jiajia's direction, the precious milk, snow-white flour, and sugar were poured into a small aluminum pot and stirred into a smooth batter.
Yu Songyan was in charge of watching the fire, carefully turning on the air damper of the coal stove and adjusting it to a low flame.
Yu Jiajia stirred the batter in the pot with chopsticks, gradually filling the air with a sweet, milky aroma. Only when the batter became incredibly thick, so thick that it flowed smoothly down the chopsticks without breaking, did Yu Jiajia quickly ask her second brother to take the pot down. While it was still hot, she scooped in a small spoonful of lard; with a sizzle, the rich, oily aroma instantly infused the batter, stirring until no oil droplets were visible. Then she placed the entire pot in a pre-prepared basin of cold water to cool it completely.
Finally, scoop the whipped egg whites into the cooled milk paste in several batches, and gently fold them up and down with your wrist until they become a smooth, slightly yellow paste.
The steamed milk paste is now ready.
She picked up a little with her chopsticks and tasted it. It was very sweet, with a strong milky aroma and an exceptionally rich texture. It didn't melt immediately in her mouth; she had to gently lick it with the tip of her tongue before it slowly spread out. She picked up a little more, stood on tiptoe, and held it to Yu Songyan's lips: "Second Brother, try it!"
Yu Songyan took a bite, and the unprecedented sweetness and rich aroma instantly filled his mouth. He had never eaten anything like it before, and was immediately amazed by the taste. He couldn't bear to swallow it in large gulps, but only savored it little by little on the tip of his tongue. He was extremely satisfied with the wonderful food: "Is this cake cream?"
His sister is amazing; she can do everything.
Yu Jiajia nodded, "There's no time to spare, so this is the only way. If we extract the butter from the milk, it will be more suitable for making cream. Next time, we can make some butter, which will have a richer and smoother flavor."
Grandma Yu followed the sweet aroma into the kitchen, sniffing the air as she asked, "Songyan, Jiajia, what are you two doing? It smells so good, let Huaiyuan have a taste too."
Before she could finish speaking, she spotted the eggshells in the trash can and the leftover egg yolk in the bowl. "Oh dear, these two good-for-nothings have wasted so much good stuff. Quickly, give Huaiyuan half a bowl."
Yu Jiajia refused: "Grandma, this is a promotion gift for Mom. It's not finished yet, so we can't eat it now. We'll eat it together tonight!"
Grandma Yu: "Promotion?"
Yu Jiajia puffed out her chest, her face beaming with undisguised pride: "That's right! My mom is now the head of the security department at the steel rolling mill! Isn't that amazing!"
Grandma Yu seemed dazed, as if she hadn't heard clearly: "What? Cheng Xiuying? The head of the security department...?" She looked her granddaughter up and down suspiciously, "You little rascal, are you trying to fool this old woman? Is it true or not?"
Yu Jiajia: "Why would I lie to you? My mom is really something!"
Grandma Yu didn't even care about asking for anything to eat; her mind was filled with thoughts of the 'head of the security department'.
Yu Jiajia washed the grapes and apples. She cut the grapes in half, removed the seeds, and put them in a bowl. She also diced the apples and put them in the bowl.
After the cake base is steamed, take it out of the enamel basin, scrape it into a rounder shape with a knife, then cut the cake base into two layers. Spread a layer of steamed milk paste in the middle, then add diced apples. Press the other layer of cake base on top, and continue to spread steamed milk paste on the outside. After spreading it evenly, start decorating with piping, trying to control it as much as possible to make it look nice.
Finally, garnish with purple grapes.
When Yu Jiamin returned, she saw this cake and was amazed. "It's so beautiful, exactly the same as the cake in the newspaper."
Yu Jiajia took a small sip of the steamed milk custard with her chopsticks and whispered, "Sister, you should try it first."
People these days eat less sugar and prefer a rich, sweet taste. Old-fashioned cakes have a rich milky and sweet flavor, which suits the tastes of this era.
Yu Jiamin tasted it carefully: "It's delicious."
Grandma Yu eavesdropped outside but couldn't hear anything! She went straight in and was about to speak when Yu Jiajia said, "Grandma, you should try it."
Grandma Yu happily took the remaining small amount of steamed milk paste, about the size of a fingernail, to feed her great-grandson.
Yu Jiajia and Yu Jiamin made a small red flag together. Yu Jiajia wrote in a fountain pen: 'Section Chief Cheng: Serving the people wholeheartedly!'
The cake was finished after two hours!
After eating a little steamed milk paste, Xiao Huaiyuan fussed and wanted more, so Grandma Yu asked Yu Jiamin to cut a big piece for him.
Yu Jiajia threatened him, "Kids need to be polite, or the big bad wolf will carry you away."
Xiao Huaiyuan: "There is no big bad wolf in the world. I want to eat cake! I want to eat cake!"
Yu Jiamin thought her younger sister was adorable; she was so gentle even when scaring people. She picked up Xiao Huaiyuan and tossed him out of the kitchen. She then took a kitchen knife and went out to butcher the rabbit.
Xiao Huaiyuan stopped fussing about eating cake and protected the rabbit, saying, "The rabbit is so cute, don't kill it."
Yu Jiamin naturally ignored him. This rabbit was destined to become a dish on the Yu family's dinner table. She replied, "The rabbit is so cute, you can watch us eat it. Be good, stay away, or the cleaver will chop your head off."
Little Huaiyuan covered his head and cried, "Waaaaah, Aunt Jiamin is so mean!"
Yu Jiamin slit the rabbit's throat with a knife and dripped the rabbit's blood into an enamel bowl.
Little Huaiyuan cried even harder.
Grandma Yu silently carried little Huaiyuan away. This Yu Jiamin was just like Cheng Xiuying! No, Yu Jiamin looked even more dangerous.
Little Huaiyuan cried loudly.
Yu Jiamin, carrying the blood-soaked rabbit, said, "Don't cry."
Xiao Huaiyuan thinks Yu Jiamin is so scary, boohoo.
Yu Jiajia was lying next to her, laughing so hard, hahaha.
When Yu Hongding and the other two returned, it was almost dark. She saw Yu Jiamin peeling a rabbit and said, "Songqing, go and prepare the rabbit." Then she called to Yu Jiajia, "Sweetie, Jiamin, come and see my new clothes!"
This is a cadre's uniform!
Grandma Yu and Grandpa Yu looked at Cheng Xiuying at the same time. She was wearing a red armband on her sleeve, a golden factory badge on her chest, and a brand-new brown leather belt around her waist!
Old Yu asked tremblingly, "Second son's wife, you've become an official?"
Even though I had already heard Yu Jiajia say it, seeing it with my own eyes was still shocking.
Someone from the Yu family has become an official? And it's their daughter-in-law who's married into the family?
My God, is the ancestral grave emitting auspicious smoke?
Cheng Xiuying smiled and nodded: "Although I am now the head of the security department, don't get cocky or try to get special treatment because of this. If anyone uses my name to do something that harms the motherland, I will not let them off lightly."
Grandma Yu and Grandpa Yu: ...
Yu Jiajia happily followed Cheng Xiuying into the house to look at the cadre uniforms.
Before Cheng Xiuying even entered the house, she smelled a rich, sweet aroma and exclaimed in surprise, "A cake?"
Yu Jiajia smiled and said, "Of course! It's a gift we prepared for Mom!" Just as Yu Jiajia was about to say that it was a surprise and they would see it during dinner, Cheng Xiuying had already rushed into the kitchen to look at the cake.
Under the dim light, a delicate and beautiful cake sat on the cutting board, with a small red flag stuck on it. The sweet, milky aroma emanated from the cake.
Cheng Xiuying's eyes welled up with tears again. She hugged Yu Jiajia and said, "My darling, I love this gift so much."
Yu Jiajia: "Mom, I'm glad you like it. I'll make you a cake again for your birthday. Mom, try it."
Cheng Xiuying reached out and carefully dipped her finger in the cream, then put it in her mouth. "It's so delicious, the best pastry I've ever eaten."
Yu Jiajia was very happy that her mother liked the gift she had carefully prepared for her.
Yu Jiajia: "Mom, let's go look at clothes!"
Cheng Xiuying showed off her new clothes to everyone, including summer and spring/autumn outfits.
Summer attire consists of a light blue polyester shirt and navy blue work trousers. Spring and autumn attire includes a deep blue serge Zhongshan suit.
Yu Jiajia: "It looks so good! Mom, you should try it on!"
Cheng Xiuying had wanted to try it for a long time! Hearing her daughter's words, she smiled and said, "Then I'll give it a try."
Cheng Xiuying pulled up the work cloth curtain printed with the red characters "Increase Production and Save Resources," creating a small space. She changed into a brand-new Dacron shirt and work trousers. The crisp fabric rustled as it rubbed against the fabric. She carefully tucked the hem into her trousers and finally straightened the hem.
She picked up the brown leather belt again, deftly wrapped it around her waist and pulled it to the front, tightening it with a 'click'.
Yu Jiajia's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands loudly: "Mom! You are so majestic! Just like the heroines in the newspaper! Even more upright than the figures in the militia pictorials."
Cheng Xiuying looked at herself in the mirror again and again, then pulled back the curtain to let others see.
Yu Hongding's eyes were filled with a smile, no longer reserved, as he looked directly at his wife.
When Cheng Xiuying met that gaze, she felt her cheeks flush.
Oh dear, we've been married for so long, why are you still looking at her like that?
Everyone kept praising Cheng Xiuying, but Old Man Yu and Old Woman Yu felt uneasy. Why did their second son's wife get an official position first?
Cheng Xiuying tried on a Zhongshan suit again, with four pockets on the chest. She looked so dashing and stylish! If it weren't so hot, she wouldn't have taken it off.
I was happy on my first day as Section Chief Cheng.
She changed out of both outfits, put on the shirt and pants she had been wearing before, and carefully put away the new clothes. She didn't want to get them dirty before dinner.
Yu Songqing and Yu Songyan were in the kitchen making spicy rabbit, stewed cabbage and pork with vermicelli, and steamed some mixed flour buns.
When it was time to eat, Yu Songchuan still hadn't returned.
Yu Jiajia: "When is Songchuan coming back?"
Grandma Yu was in a hurry to find an excuse to delay the meal. It wouldn't be good to say, "Your eldest brother's family hasn't arrived yet, let's wait until they come before we start eating." Now that she had a good excuse, she quickly said, "Let's wait for Songchuan to come back before we eat."
"Just before I was about to leave work, He Liang went to the factory and told me that Songchuan would be back in a few days." Cheng Xiuying: "We don't need to wait for Songchuan for dinner."
Yu Jiajia: "That's good!"
Even meals need a sense of ritual. First, bring out the cake along with the cutting board, and then Section Chief Cheng will give a speech.
Section Chief Cheng stood up, spoke briefly in official jargon, and then said, "Thank you, Lao Yu and the children, for the gift you prepared for me. I really like it. When I get busy in the future, my family will need you even more."
Everyone applauded enthusiastically.
Yu Jiajia handed the kitchen knife to Cheng Xiuying and asked her to cut the cake.
Grandma Yu was extremely anxious. Why hadn't the eldest son's family arrived yet? She tried to stall for time, but no one paid any attention to her, and she even received a few glares from Cheng Xiuyin.
I always thought Cheng Xiuying was fierce, but now that she's the head of the security department and an official, her eyes are like sharp blades, making me afraid to resist.
Cheng Xiuying solemnly picked up the kitchen knife and cut the cake into nine unequal pieces.
One piece per person.
She handed two pieces of medium-sized pieces to Old Man Yu and Old Woman Yu, the largest piece to Yu Jiajia, one of the two larger pieces to Yu Hongding and the other to herself, the remaining medium-sized pieces to her other children, and the smallest piece to Yu Huaiyuan.
This cake is about the same size as a modern five-inch cake, one slice for each person, and it's not very big.
Yu Jiajia swapped her cake with Cheng Xiuying's. "Mom's eating the biggest cake today!" She took a bite of her cake, satisfied!
Cheng Xiuying was touched; her four treasures only had her in their hearts! She looked at Yu Jiajia with affection and said, "Let's eat!" She was reluctant to eat her own cake, so she took a small bite and found it more and more delicious! She didn't want to finish it all at once, so she put it aside and ate the meat first.
Yu Hongzhi's family is probably on their way, so hurry up and eat, and try not to leave a single bite.
No one in the family is stupid; they could tell from Grandma Yu's words and actions that they all put their cakes aside and ate the meat first.
Grandma Yu was anxious, but there was no use in doing so. She quickly put a few pieces of good meat on Yu Huaiyuan's plate, and she ate them quickly too, otherwise all the meat would end up in the stomachs of the second son's family.
Eating it is a win.
I don't know what the eldest brother's family is dawdling about. They already said there would be rabbit and pork tonight!
Yu Jiamin: "Huaiyuan, eat more. Rabbits are cute and taste even better."
When Yu Huaiyuan learned that it was rabbit meat, he cried and refused to eat it: "Rabbits are so cute, how can you eat rabbits?"
Grandma Yu: ...
He picked up a piece of rabbit meat and stuffed it into Yu Huaiyuan's mouth. Yu Huaiyuan was so captivated by the aroma that he forgot how cute the rabbit was and ate it with relish.
As Grandma Yu had been eagerly awaiting their arrival, Yu Hongzhi and his family finally came, brought over by the hospitable Grandpa Wang.
Old Man Yu had finished his cake, and he licked his lips with a lingering sense of satisfaction. Old Mrs. Yu, on the other hand, pushed her precious piece of cake forward to her grandchildren: "Song An, you can share it."
Looking at the delicious food and cake on the table, Old Wang felt as if he had caught the Yu family red-handed. He stared at the cake as if it were a mental enemy: "Your Yu family is so powerful now! You've started eating this bourgeois stuff? This sweet poison is meant to erode our steely will! If you eat it, your bones will soften, your minds will rust, you'll forget your roots! You'll be letting down Chairman Mao and the poor and lower-middle peasants!"
In an instant, the cheerful atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze.
Old Mrs. Yu slammed her chopsticks on the table, put her hands on her hips, and yelled, "What the hell are you talking about! Are you out of your mind? Open your eyes and look at your brain! This flour was given to us by the grain station according to the ration book! These eggs were dug out of the chickens' rear ends by my mother working from dawn till dusk! These sugar coupons were saved ounce by ounce from between our teeth! From head to toe, we're all red-blooded socialist planned resources! What, eating our own food according to the state's rations is breaking your family's rules?!"
She was cursing so hard that she spat all over Grandpa Wang's face.
Grandpa Wang was stunned by the barrage of angry words. He instinctively wiped his face, his imposing manner diminishing slightly: "Speak properly..."
He had only been a revolutionary committee cadre for a day and wasn't yet skilled at waving the flag. When faced with Old Lady Yu's genuine talent for cursing, he was momentarily speechless.
Grandma Yu shoved Grandpa Wang: "Get out! Get out of here! You can't catch any legitimate class enemies, but you're eyeing me! I think you're not a progressive old coffin-head, you're a vulgar old rogue! You old scoundrel!"
Everyone: ...
Grandpa Wang fled in panic, saying, "I'm not going to lower myself to your level, you shrew."
Cheng Xiuying found Grandma Yu more agreeable and realized that she did have some redeeming qualities.
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Author's note: Although it's late, I've reached 10,000 words in a day! I'm so proud.
Thank you, babies, for the landmines and nutrient solutions. Love you all.
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