Chapter 17 Wisdom
Nan Zhiyi wrote down everything: To save oil: Wipe the pot with a cloth dipped in oil, and render lard. For laundry: Wash large items at the barracks, and dilute small items with hot water.
"And there are needles and thread; clothes and socks need to be mended promptly when they are torn, and cloth ration coupons are scarce. Don't rush to throw away old clothes; alter them so they can be worn by younger children, and take apart those that are truly unwearable to make shoe soles or rags. There's also a trick to sealing the coal stove; if it's sealed properly at night, you can add some fresh coal the next morning and continue using it, saving coal..."
She talked on and on, sharing the most down-to-earth survival wisdom.
Nan Zhiyi's pen flew across the page, and soon two pages of her notebook were filled with writing.
Seeing that she remembered things carefully, Sister Wang spoke even more enthusiastically: "Look, take our family for example. We have four children, and the head of the household's allowance is only so much. We rely entirely on careful budgeting. At the end of the month, we can always save two or three catties of grain coupons, and one or two ounces of oil. As for money, we tighten our belts and can still save a little for emergencies. That's how we make a living, bit by bit."
Nan Zhiyi thanked her earnestly, "Sister-in-law, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known there were so many intricacies to living a good life. If I don't understand something in the future, I'll have to ask you often. Don't find me annoying, okay?"
"Okay, come to me if anything happens. I'll ask you to come with me when I go to the market later."
Nan Zhiyi smiled and handed the brown sugar water on the table to Sister Wang. "Have a sip of water to soothe your throat. You've been talking to me for so long, your throat is so dry."
Sister-in-law Wang quickly declined, saying, "Oh, Nan, how could I possibly accept this..."
"Sister-in-law, why are you being so formal with me? You've taught me so much, what's a little bit of sweet soup?"
She picked up another peach shortbread and held it to Sister Wang's mouth: "Sister-in-law, you should try this peach shortbread too. It won't be crispy if it's left out for too long. I can't finish it by myself, so you and Xiaoling can help me share some."
Wang's sister-in-law was a little dizzy from her series of warm and thoughtful actions.
This girl looks like someone from a painting, and her voice is sweet and soft, every word soothing to the heart.
The way she described those precious brown sugar water and peach shortbread made it seem like she was actually helping her out.
The slight unease Wang's sister-in-law felt about giving away pickled radish strips as a gift dissipated, leaving only a comforting warmth.
She reluctantly accepted the peach shortbread, took a bite, and found it to be crispy, crumbly, and sweet but not cloying—a treat her children rarely get to eat.
"Mmm, it smells delicious!" Sister Wang exclaimed sincerely.
Nan Zhiyi smiled even more sweetly, took a small bite herself, and chatted with him.
After Wang's wife and Xiaoling finished their snacks and brown sugar water, Nan Zhiyi stood up, picked up the rough porcelain bowl that Wang's wife had brought for holding pickled radishes, and walked to the chest of drawers in the storage room.
"Sister-in-law, your pickled radishes smell so good, they're so appetizing. I'll have to save them and eat them slowly."
She poured the pickled radish strips from the bowl into an enamel basin in her own home.
Then, I opened the paper package containing the pastries and stuffed the remaining peach shortbread, two pieces of mung bean cake, and a handful of colorful fruit hard candies into the rough porcelain bowl, piling them up to the brim.
"Oh dear! Nanmei! This is too much! It's too precious!" Sister Wang immediately stopped her when she saw it.
Nan Zhiyi smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, look at you, why are you so particular about me? These snacks are just sitting here anyway, you can take them back and give them to Xiaoling and her older brothers and sisters to sweeten their mouths."
The children are happy, and so am I. You've taught me so much today; you can't refuse this small token of your gratitude, otherwise I'll never have the face to ask you for help again!
Her voice was soft and gentle, with a touch of coquetry, making it impossible to refuse.
Sister-in-law Wang was both touched and felt bad, and finally sighed, "You really are something else. I guess I'm biased towards you."
Her smile deepened, clearly indicating that she had a very good impression of Nan Zhiyi.
Nan Zhiyi personally escorted them to the courtyard gate and patted Xiaoling's head, saying, "Xiaoling, come visit your auntie again when you have time."
The little girl nodded shyly.
As Wang's wife led Xiaoling away into the distance, Nan Zhiyi's smile slowly faded.
She leaned against the wooden frame of the courtyard gate, gazing at the lights of the barracks in the distance, lost in thought for a moment.
Gu Xiao walked towards the courtyard carrying two aluminum lunchboxes, clearly having just returned from getting food from the cafeteria.
He spotted the slender figure leaning against the gate of the courtyard at a glance. Was she waiting for him to come home?
A feeling of joy welled up inside him.
When he got closer, he saw that Nan Zhiyi's cheeks were a little pale from the wind.
He frowned: "Why are you standing in the wind?"
Nan Zhiyi chuckled: "I just saw Sister Wang and the others out and stood there for a while."
Gu Xiao didn't ask any more questions and led her into the house.
At the dinner table.
Nan Zhiyi picked up her chopsticks and ate in small bites, her appetite still not very large.
"Eat more." Gu Xiao looked at her pointed chin and couldn't help but say, "You're too thin."
Nan Zhiyi paused in her chopsticks, then looked up at him.
Under the light, her eyes looked like black glass that had been soaked in water.
She tilted her head slightly: "Isn't it better to be thinner? A slim beauty is beautiful."
The words, the tone, the expression...
It was no longer the forced calm and aloofness of the past few days.
She seemed to have regained her former liveliness and cunning.
Gu Xiao's heart stirred slightly, his gaze deep: "Beautiful."
Nan Zhiyi's ears felt hot, and she lowered her head to pick at her rice, no longer speaking.
After dinner, Gu Xiao sat at his desk looking at documents.
Nan Zhiyi picked up her notebook: "Fifth Brother, I have something to tell you."
Gu Xiao looked up from the document: "Hmm?"
"I want to cook for myself! Sister Wang taught me a lot today. Cooking for myself is much cheaper than eating in the canteen. It can save a lot of money and food coupons!"
She proudly displayed the notebook on the table in front of him, pointing to the contents with her finger.
"Look, I've written it all down. It's cheaper to buy vegetables at the back street morning market. Grain coupons should be mixed with coarse grains and used sparingly. Use a cloth to wipe the bottom of the pot with oil... I also want to buy a small coal stove so that it's convenient to cook and boil water."
Her enthusiasm was particularly striking.
After a long pause, he said, "Eating in the cafeteria is convenient, you don't need to do these things. Washing clothes, cooking... these tasks are too tedious, and the water is cold in winter."
He couldn't imagine that the little princess would have to haggle with the villagers at the market to save a few cents of food coupons, and calculate how much cornmeal to put in a pot of porridge.
Nan Zhiyi could see the heartache in his eyes.
She raised her chin: "If Sister-in-law Wang can do it, and others can do it, why can't I? I'm not stupid!"
She looked at Gu Xiao's furrowed brows and softened her tone, "I know you're busy, and you'll have to go on missions in the future, so you can't always be at home. These things... I have to learn them eventually. I can't always rely on you to get me food, or on you... to protect me."
His gaze lingered on her face. Finally, he sighed, a sigh of helpless resignation mixed with a deeper pity.
"good."
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