Chapter 93
Gu Xi bought sixty catties of meat in one go, which was considered a big purchase in those days.
Even during holidays, very few people buy this much at once.
However, apart from doubting whether she could carry it, Uncle Qiu had no objection to her buying so much meat. After cutting the meat, he thoughtfully wrapped it in oil paper and put it in the cloth bag she brought.
These days there are no shopping bags, so Gu Xi used a cloth bag made of coarse gray cloth, designed to be durable and sturdy, so that no one could see what was inside when the meat was placed inside.
The cloth bag had a large capacity; she packed all the meat into one bag and then stuffed it into her basket.
Today she brought a large bamboo basket, specifically to see if there was any meat; if so, she'll buy more to store.
Upon noticing some cleaned pork and beef bones in a large basket nearby, Gu Xi said, "Third Uncle, I bought so much meat, could you give me some bones too?"
Uncle Qiu readily agreed, "Why don't you add two more dollars, and I'll give you all these bones?"
Gu Xi readily agreed. She had brought all the meat coupons she had at home today to buy meat, and they were almost used up.
After paying for the meat and paying the ration coupons, Gu Xi slung the basket over her shoulder and picked up the bag of bones with one hand.
She lifted it very easily, but she didn't show it in front of Uncle Qiu. She deliberately paused for a moment before lifting it.
Uncle Qiu glanced at her; her scarf covered half her face, making it impossible to tell if she was struggling with carrying so much. However, judging from her slow pace, it must have been quite a burden for her.
This woman is just a bit thin, but she's actually quite brave. If she weren't brave, she wouldn't dare to go to the black market to buy meat so often.
**
This was a very fruitful trip; Gu Xi bought a lot of meat, which put her in a good mood.
Back at the food stall, Qiao Hui was sitting there, idly eating her now-cold honey cake, her eyes habitually observing the people in the market, as if she were appreciating the ordinary human moments.
She was wearing a warm cashmere coat and a scarf around her neck, which she deliberately pulled up to cover most of her face, not wanting anyone to see it.
When Qiao Hui saw Gu Xi carrying things over, she wanted to help carry them, but Gu Xi avoided her.
"What did you buy?" Qiao Hui asked, noticing that Gu Xi's basket was full and she was also carrying things in her hands. She didn't think much of it, assuming that Gu Xi had bought other things besides meat.
No normal person would imagine that this basket was full of meat.
Gu Xi didn't say much. She sat down and ate something to fill her stomach. She asked the stall owner for a bowl of hot fruit wine. After eating it, she felt warmer.
She said, "Qiao Hui, do you still want to shop? If not, let's go back."
Qiao Hui shook her head. "I've bought almost everything. If I buy any more, I won't be able to carry it all back." She wasn't very strong, and even with a bicycle, she couldn't carry so much stuff back.
However, she was in a good mood while shopping. Although it was winter and everything was covered in white, she enjoyed the rare experience of riding her bicycle and chatting with her friends.
After Gu Xi finished eating, the two went back.
They went to get the bicycle first, tied the things to the back seat, and pulled it back.
Gu Xi not only had a large basket tied to the back seat of the car, but the small basket in front of the car, which was used as a basket, was also full of things, and there were also things hanging on the handlebars and the front bumper...
Qiao Hui's eye twitched involuntarily. Just how much stuff did they buy?
She gained a clearer understanding of Gu Xi's strength once again. Seeing how she could ride her bicycle so easily with so many things strapped to it, without being affected at all, she couldn't help but feel a little envious.
Back home, Gu Xi stood at the door and said to Qiao Hui, who was coming in from next door, "I'll bring you some meat later! By the way, do you want any bones? I bought some bones too."
"Then give me some, it's great for making soup and hot pot."
"OK."
After saying goodbye to Qiao Hui, Gu Xi helped her bicycle into her home.
The three people inside the house came out when they heard the noise, and when they saw Gu Xi had returned, they rushed over to help.
Xu Yuansheng helped unload the large basket from the back of the car. When he lifted it, his hands felt heavy, and he bent over in surprise. He said, "Sister, what's in here? Why is it so heavy?"
Xu Huaisheng also helped move the items from the bicycle basket.
Since Gu Tuantuan couldn't do any work, she stayed around them, chattering away and providing them with emotional support.
Gu Xi said with a smile, "It's all meat inside."
"Meat?"
The Xu sisters both looked over, then at the basket on their backs, which was already full.
Xu Huaisheng asked, "Big sister, is this all meat?"
“Yes,” Gu Xi said, taking a bag of bones that was stuck on the front bumper of the car. “This bag contains pork and beef bones. We’ll make soup today.”
The group of people unloaded the bicycle's contents one by one and placed them on the kitchen counter.
Gu Xi bought a lot of things this time, all sorts of things, which dazzled Xu Yuansheng and the other two girls.
Gu Xi took out a bag of peanut candy and sugar crisps, handed it to Gu Tuantuan, and said, "Tuantuan, these are peanut candy I bought for you, but children shouldn't eat too much, or they'll get cavities."
Gu Tuantuan, holding peanut candy in her hands, smiled sweetly at her aunt and thanked her.
Then Gu Xi took out the meat she had bought that day and cut it with a knife.
Xu Yuansheng went over to help, and when he saw so much meat, he was shocked and said, "Big sister, why did you buy so much meat? Are you alright?"
The older sister went to the black market to buy meat, and she was very worried that her sister would run into the police.
"It's alright, I'm perfectly fine here now." Gu Xi lowered her head to cut the meat. "This is meat for the New Year. I'll give some to Qiao Hui later, and some to my brother and sister-in-law as well. This is enough to last until after the Lantern Festival. The market in town won't be open from New Year's Day to the Lantern Festival, and I heard the supply and marketing cooperative doesn't have much meat to sell..."
Hearing this, Xu Yuansheng no longer felt that he had bought too much meat today.
This will take more than half a month to eat, and even if it's divided among the three families, it probably still won't be enough.
Gu Xi was strong and cut the meat beautifully into strips, separating the meat for Qiao Hui and Gu Yuanyang's families and putting it in a basket.
Of course, I kept the rest for myself.
After cutting the meat, Gu Xi washed her hands and took the cut meat to her neighbor's house.
Qiao Hui was organizing the things she bought at the market today. When she saw her, she poured her a cup of jujube tea. The steaming jujube tea had a slightly sweet taste, which was very pleasant.
Seeing the meat Gu Xi brought over, Qiao Hui exclaimed in surprise, "So much?"
"Of course, we bought a lot of meat today, so we'll give you some extra," Gu Xi said. "This is enough to last until after the Lantern Festival."
Qiao Hui didn't ask where she bought it, only how many kilograms of meat it was, and offered to give her money and coupons. Gu Xi refused, telling her to accept them, and then left.
A little later, Qiao Hui brought over a basket containing seafood and dried meat, all rare and delicious items. She said they were sent by relatives living on the coast and she wanted them to try them.
"Thank you so much!" Gu Xi said happily without refusing. "I really like seafood, but unfortunately I live inland and rarely get to eat it. Besides, it's expensive here, and they don't even sell it here."
Qiao Hui smiled and said, "If you like them, I'll have my relatives send you more after the New Year."
"Okay, I'll pay you then."
Qiao Hui said, "If you're going to give me money, then I'll have to pay for the meat I just ate."
Gu Xi: "..."
The Xu sisters next to her couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh.
They knew that Gu Xi and Qiao Hui were good friends, and both were generous. They would send over any good things they had without asking for money.
They were very happy that their eldest sister had made good friends here.
-
In the evening, Shen Mingzheng returned home from get off work and saw the things Gu Xi had bought in town that day, and his eyelids twitched involuntarily.
"Are you tired?" he asked with concern.
"Not yet." Gu Xi smiled at him, full of energy and joy at the harvest.
After dinner, they took Gu Tuantuan home and also delivered some meat to Gu Yuanyang and the others.
Since Gu Tuantuan started her vacation, she has completely become Gu Xi's child. Except for going home to sleep at night, she stays here all the time. Gu Xi takes her home every day after dinner.
Because of their busy work schedules, Gu Yuanyang and his wife usually eat at the cafeteria. If they get off work early, Gu Xi will invite them over for a meal, which means their family hasn't cooked at home for a long time.
Gu Xi held the little girl's hand, and Shen Mingzheng carried a basket covered with a cloth. The three of them walked in the family compound like a family of three.
People in the family compound greeted them warmly when they saw them.
Since learning that Gu Xi had become a "writer" and could earn money by writing articles, the people in the family compound have become even more enthusiastic towards her, but there is also a bit of awe in their enthusiasm, and they dare not say anything bad about her.
At least not to his face.
The aura of being a "cultured person" still carries considerable weight here, mainly because most military families have low levels of education and have a natural reverence for those who can write.
It was already dark, and Gu Yuanyang and his wife were both at home today.
"Brother, sister-in-law, have you eaten?"
Gu Xi greeted them, and Shen Mingzheng handed them the basket he had brought.
Gu Yuanyang was somewhat surprised to see the basket of meat and asked, "Did you order this meat from the logistics department?"
Although meat can be ordered from the logistics department during holidays, the quantity is limited, so it's first come, first served, and if you go late, you won't get any. With the New Year approaching, there are plenty of people who want to order meat from the logistics department, but unfortunately, the quota has long been exceeded, and the logistics department can't provide them with that much meat. Gu Yuanyang went late and didn't manage to order any meat.
Shen Mingzheng glanced at Gu Xi and gave a faint "hmm," letting him misunderstand.
Actually, Gu Xi had connections to buy meat on the black market and was too lazy to compete for a spot with everyone else at the logistics department.
Ji Ya seemed to understand, smiled but didn't say anything. She pulled Gu Xi to sit down and asked her if she would be spending the Spring Festival here or back in Beijing this year.
There are only a few days left until the Chinese New Year, and they haven't made any moves yet, so they're probably spending the holiday here.
“We’re spending the Spring Festival at the military base this year. Mingzheng’s leave is too short to go back to Beijing,” Gu Xi said. “We’ll go back next year when we have enough leave.” Then she asked, “Sister-in-law, are you spending the Spring Festival here too this year?”
“Yes,” Ji Ya said. “I’m busy with work and can’t take much time off. Besides, my family is in the city center, which is quite close. We’ll take Tuantuan to see her grandmother on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Her grandmother has been looking forward to seeing her.”
Ji Ya's family home is in the city, so it's convenient to go back and doesn't take much time.
I heard that her father passed away when she was very young, leaving Ji Ya and her mother behind. Later, when Ji Ya was ten years old, her mother remarried through a matchmaker.
Gu Xi asked Ji Ya when she would finish working, and when she learned that she would have to work overtime on New Year's Eve, she felt sorry for her and said, "Why don't you come to my place for a reunion dinner? It'll be more lively with more people."
Seeing that she was sincere in her suggestion, Ji Ya smiled and said, "Okay, then we'll go and bother you." Then she added, "Have your brother go over early so he can cook for you. He's good at making noodles, so you can ask him to make whatever you want to eat."
Hearing this, Gu Yuanyang chimed in, "Okay, tell me what Xixi wants to eat."
This year, his younger sister and brother-in-law are spending the Spring Festival here. Gu Yuanyang also wants to get closer to his sister, so the two families will have a reunion dinner together.
He was thinking to himself that he would go to an acquaintance at the meat processing plant in the city to get some meat to nourish his sister.
Unlike Shen Mingzheng, who had only been in the military for a year, he had been here for many years and was quite familiar with the area. He had made many friends and knew where to get good things if necessary.
**
Since the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, people have been coming to Xu Yuansheng to have clothes made in an endless stream, with people visiting his door almost every day.
Xu Yuansheng was busy until the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, when she finally finished making all the clothes. She then said that she would no longer take on any more work and would enjoy the New Year properly.
Although he was busy, he did earn a lot of money. Xu Yuansheng took out most of the money he had recently earned and gave it to Gu Xi.
"This is my and Huaisheng's food money, please keep it, sister."
Gu Xi looked at the money in her hand, knowing that she would feel bad if she didn't accept it, so she accepted it directly and asked, "Could you earn this much back in your hometown?"
She never imagined that tailors could make so much money.
“No, not many people in my hometown want to make clothes, and the only time to earn money is around the New Year.” Xu Yuansheng said while sweeping cobwebs from the eaves with a bamboo pole wrapped in rags. “Everyone wants to make a new outfit for the New Year. Uncle Qi is too busy, so he shares some work with me. I do it quickly and well, and they all like it…”
Xu Huaisheng, who was sweeping the floor nearby, said, "Some people also give Second Sister food, but she can't take it home. So she leaves it at Seventh Uncle's house, cooks it, and lets me go over to eat it."
Although her eldest sister had passed away, she was still able to fill her stomach most of the time thanks to her second sister.
The three sisters chatted about the past while quickly cleaning the house to prepare for the New Year.
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