When He Caiwei woke up the next day, she heard her mother and aunt talking. The whole room was filled with things. She didn't know how her aunt had arranged them. How could so many things be put in just a few bags, and most of them were fabric?
"You're awake! Come here quickly, come here quickly. See if there's any fabric you like. Then your mother can make you some nice clothes. These are all things your aunt exchanged at the department store in Kyoto, specially for making clothes for you." Wu Meifang was especially happy to see this pretty and capable girl. She reached out and held the girl's hand, inviting her to come and choose fabric.
"Good morning, Auntie. I have plenty of clothes, so I don't need to make any new ones." He Caiwei knew that these fabrics were very precious these days. Although the factory had production slips, not every worker had one.
Workers below the third grade did not receive cloth coupons or industrial coupons; only workers at the fourth grade received one foot of cloth coupon and one industrial coupon per month.
To buy a kettle, you need two industrial coupons and two yuan; to buy a smaller wok, you need ten industrial coupons and ten yuan.
Industrial coupons and cloth coupons were highly sought-after ration coupons, and workers like He Yuping did not receive either.
Fortunately, when Zhang the tailor was about to sell the fabric in the shop, the mother and daughter bought a lot of it and put it in their space.
Although Zhang the tailor has closed his shop, he still secretly takes on some mending and sewing jobs for people.
The two apprentices in the tailor shop were laid off. Later, when the textile factory was recruiting, they went to work there. However, Zhang the tailor was too old, and no factory would hire him at that age. So he could only secretly take on sewing and mending jobs to support himself.
No one on this street, except for Old Man He, knew that this tailor Zhang used to work in the palace. After being dismissed, he took some money and left that troublesome place, coming here. Fortunately, he had some skills; the clothes he made were finely stitched and quite durable. The neighbors all liked his clothes, which allowed him to live a peaceful life here.
Old Man He knew that it was because Zhang the tailor had invited him for drinks before, and Zhang the tailor had blurted it out while drunk. From then on, Zhang the tailor never touched a drop of alcohol.
Zhang the tailor bought this shop himself. More than 20 years ago, Zhang the tailor left the capital. After buying the shop, he moved the things he brought from the palace into the courtyard little by little and put them into the cellar that he dug by hand.
Only Old Man He knew about this. Zhang the tailor even told Old Man He the exact location where he hid the things, just in case he suddenly lost them one day and didn't know who would benefit from them.
It would be better to tell Old Man He that if he passes away before Old Man He, Old Man He can collect his body and all his belongings can be given to Old Man He.
Zhang the tailor was afraid that speaking would expose his secret, so even while running his shop, he tried his best not to speak.
Everyone assumed he just had a sore throat and wasn't very good at speaking, so they didn't insist. After all, literate people can write things down, and illiterate people can remember what they want just by saying it.
Wu Meifang ignored the little girl's opinion and picked out all the fabrics she had chosen for the girl. She then had He Yuping put the rest away to make clothes later.
He Yuping had no choice but to accept everything after being pestered so much. If she really couldn't refuse, she would make one or two sets for each of her elder brother and sister-in-law's families when she made clothes in the future, as a way of repaying her sister-in-law for giving her so much fabric.
Because there were enough people in the family, He Caiwei went to and from school on time every day before the wedding banquet. Lu Qingfeng would slowly follow behind her until she entered the school, and then he would take the bus back.
He Caiwei had no idea what he wanted to do. He didn't say anything, he just followed her to the school gate, watched her enter the school and then left. This went on for two or three days, which left He Caiwei a little confused.
The day before the banquet, He Caiwei mysteriously pulled Lu Zhiheng aside and found a quiet corner to talk to him about it.
The house was the liveliest place right now, so they could only talk outside. But the two of them had only just come out and walked a short distance when they discovered that Lu Qingfeng had also come out with them.
"What's wrong with my daughter?" Lu Zhiheng had no idea what was wrong with his daughter; she was completely bewildered after being brought out.
“That’s how it is now. Go ask Lu Qingfeng why he’s following me. He comes to school with me every day, do you know that?” He Caiwei ignored him and spoke directly.
Lu Zhiheng paused for a moment and then nodded: "I know, what's wrong? I just want him to protect you. He will graduate from university in two years, and I want to bring him here. He's too conspicuous in Kyoto, and I'm afraid something might happen. I want him to get used to life here first."
He Caiwei couldn't understand why they would bring him here instead of staying in Kyoto. It was only 1954, and 1956 would be two years from now, which was still a long time away.
"It's because my older brother's position is too conspicuous. I'm afraid someone might have ulterior motives. Also, documents are being drafted now. There are too many people in the city, and some need to be moved to the countryside to farm. Bringing him here is better than sending him to the countryside to farm." Lu Zhiheng only learned about this matter after his older brother had vaguely mentioned it before.
It was only then that He Caiwei remembered that the first batch of people sent to the countryside was in 1955. These people were far too politically sensitive.
"Oh, okay then. I wondered why he was following me. By the way, Dad, I want to take the high school entrance exam for the final exams this semester. The principal has already recommended me." After hearing his reason, He Caiwei stopped worrying about it and suddenly remembered that she hadn't told them that she was going to take the exam next month.
"Oh, I see. Aren't you only in the first year of junior high? Why are you taking this exam?" Lu Zhiheng knew that this girl was always very smart, but he didn't know that she could skip grades so quickly.
“I’ve finished learning all the material for the second year of junior high. The principal thinks I’m wasting a lot of time at school, so he wants me to take the exam early and graduate from junior high a year earlier.” Of course, He Caiwei wouldn’t tell him the real reason.
However, what she said was justified. Indeed, the principal saw that she had finished her coursework and recommended that she take the high school entrance exam.
"Alright, I understand. You can decide for yourself. If you find studying too difficult, then take it easy. Let's go home, or your mother will worry." Lu Zhiheng slowly walked towards his house. He could now walk quite a distance with just the help of his cane.
He Caiwei didn't urge him, and slowly followed beside him. The father and daughter chatted casually as they returned home.
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