It was really tough, staying up until midnight. Thanks to the lovely editor for reminding me right at midnight!
"Ten catties of food."
Zhang Hongmei took the box from Zhang Shouyi and found that it contained only a pair of silver rings, which were of ordinary appearance. She wondered what Zhang Shouyi had taken a liking to.
"Hongmei, wait for me." She reached out and asked the stall owner for the bag.
"OK."
Zhang Shouyi returned shortly afterward, handed the bag to the stall owner, and then pulled Zhang Hongmei away.
They didn't find anything they liked while they were browsing, and besides, the smoke from the kerosene lamps inside made Zhang Hongmei feel very uncomfortable, so the two of them left.
Zhang Hongmei couldn't hold back any longer, "Brother Zhang, you're buying this ring?"
"I just felt a connection with it, so I'll give it to you."
"No, this ring isn't something you can just give away casually. You should save it for my sister-in-law in the future!"
Zhang Shouyi didn't say anything more. In fact, he really just liked the girl. He would give her the baby when she grew up. He shouldn't scare her now.
The two returned to their home in the city, put down the things Zhang Hongmei had bought that day, and then went back to Liujiatun that very night.
Zhang Hongmei prepared two basins of dough. Tomorrow morning, she will steam a tray of meat buns, a tray of sweet buns, and a tray of steamed rolls for them to take on the bus.
I started cooking at five in the morning, when it was still dark. I made rice porridge, shredded mustard greens, pickled cucumbers, and two large plates of fried peanuts. After we finished eating, I let them take the food with them.
After the four finished their meal, Zhang Xingguo took out an envelope and said, "Hongmei, this is for your living expenses. Don't be stingy with it."
"I have money, I don't need yours."
Zhang Shouyi took it and stuffed it into Zhang Hongmei's hand, saying, "This is not only money, but also special receipts for the military. You'll need them, so feel free to take them and use them."
Zhang Hongmei actually used industrial coupons more often than grain coupons, and she couldn't buy much grain from the grain station. She also didn't eat out.
He poured out the money and coupons, counted out the grain coupons, and handed them back. "I'll take everything else, but I don't need the grain coupons. I have my own grain, the grain station doesn't have much, and the food at the restaurant isn't as good as what I cook myself."
Zhang Shouyi took the grain coupons and said, "Okay, here you go. I'll send you grain every two months."
"Really, there's no need. I have enough to eat, and I can eat very well. Don't worry, otherwise I could take the leftover food to the capital, right?"
Zhang Xingguo also thought it made sense. "Okay, let's listen to Hongmei, but you have to take good care of yourself first."
"Don't worry, I won't treat myself badly. These are all steamed buns I prepared; you can take them with you on the road."
"Okay, then we'll be going." Zhang Hongmei saw them off at the door and watched them drive away.
I'm all alone at home now, and I suddenly feel a little unaccustomed to it.
I'm going to go play with Er Ya and the others. It's been so quiet I can't stand it anymore.
He took the remaining milk candy to Liu Maocai's house.
"Hongmei, have Uncle Zhang and the others left?"
"Well, they all still have jobs. It's good that they've stayed for so long."
"Phew! I can finally go to you to read books. Comrade Zhang is always at your house, so I haven't dared to go."
Why?
"I'm afraid of him."
"Heh. He doesn't eat people, what are you afraid of him for?"
"I feel uncomfortable and uneasy when I'm in the same room with him. As for the text about Red Plum, there are many parts that I don't understand. Even though I've memorized them, I still can't comprehend them. And math is too difficult for me; it makes my head spin."
"Then take it out, let me see if I can do it?"
Zhang Hongmei explained to Er Ya word by word from the very first lesson. In fact, this was already in semi-vernacular Chinese, but because she had little exposure to it, she couldn't understand it.
Seeing that the two girls were engrossed in their work, Li Cuihua sent Shi Tou and San Ya out to play, afraid of disturbing them. She then sat on a bench and began sewing shoe soles.
They didn't finish until four o'clock for dinner, and they had already drunk two large glasses of water poured by Li Cuihua.
"Sister Er Ya, can you remember all that I'm saying?"
"I've memorized most of it. You can test me tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll go home to get my bowl. You can wait for me at the cafeteria."
"Okay, now only a few village canteens are still open. I heard that they can't keep them open because there's no food to cook."
"I don't think our village will stop."
“If our village stops feeding, what will everyone eat? The little bit of food that each family contributed would have been gone long ago.”
Zhang Hongmei went home, grabbed her bowl and chopsticks, and went to the canteen. Dinner was a porridge of dried cabbage and sweet potato noodles. After eating meat and fish for several days, she suddenly found this food quite palatable.
Back home, I go into my online space and, whenever I have free time, I take out a novel and continue reading.
I love these sweet, easy-to-read stories; they bring me joy.
The next day, before she had even had breakfast, Er Ya came over, carrying her schoolbag and a bowl of rice.
Zhang Hongmei truly admires the enthusiasm for learning among today's students.
If I had studied and worked like this back then, I might have become the top scholar in the imperial examination.
There are still three hours before breakfast, so I'll use this time to review my math.
Looking at Er Ya and Zhang Hongmei, who were so eager to learn, I felt ashamed of myself for being so irresponsible.
After finishing their meal, Zhu Zi came over with his schoolbag. Zhang Hongmei didn't mind, but Zhu Zi felt embarrassed. However, this was an opportunity, and he wanted to go to high school. His father had said that as long as he could pass the exam, he would let him study there, and he was hoping that Zhu Zi would bring honor to the family.
This went on for four days in a row, until it finally ended on the fifteenth.
Once the Lantern Festival (January 15th of the lunar calendar) is over, the New Year celebrations are considered to be over. During the first month of the lunar calendar, only the hardworking women are still doing housework, while the men are almost all out playing mahjong, cards, and chatting.
Breakfast consisted of cornmeal porridge and pickled vegetables, which was enough to fill you up but not enough to satisfy your hunger.
At dinner, the village pounded half of the last bag of sticky sorghum in the warehouse and made glutinous rice balls. Everyone, adults and children alike, received five, and any extras were given to the elderly. They also steamed cornbread for everyone, which was unusual for them.
Despite this, the villagers were still very happy with the food.
During the Lunar New Year, married daughters and wives who have married into the family must return to their parents' home to learn more about the tragic situation outside.
The daughters went back to their parents' home crying and complaining, but their families had no food to give them, which caused conflicts and quarrels among several families.
The wives all returned home looking disheveled. Their families wanted to help, but they had no grain to offer, only dried vegetables that they had left to dry. This displeased the mothers-in-law, and everything was in chaos.
The men in the family were relieved that the grain was all in the brigade's warehouse. Otherwise, it would have been unreasonable not to help.
Hearing that other village canteens had been disbanded, everyone was afraid that the same thing would happen. Many people went to Wang Hongxi for help, and the final answer was that the canteens would not be disbanded, which put everyone's minds at ease.
Everyone in the village, including those few busy families, hoped that the canteen would continue to operate. With someone taking care of the food, and a hot meal to eat after finishing their work, where else could they find such a good thing?
I'll be going to school tomorrow after the 15th of the lunar month, and classes will officially start the day after tomorrow.
Liu Jingze actually came back right after dinner. University doesn't start until the 25th.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com