Xu Ning took the two to the village to buy cotton after lunch the next day. The three of them first went to Aunt Dashuan's house. They had just finished lunch. Aunt Dashuan saw Xu Ning and greeted him warmly, "Xu Zhiqing, why are you here? What's the matter? Come in and sit down."
Several people walked into the house, and Xu Ning said, "Auntie, these are the new educated youth, Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei. The cotton coats they brought with them are too thin, so they want to ask if you have extra cotton. They want to buy some."
"I have some cotton at home, but not much. This year I made a set of cotton clothes for Jianmin. It's too cold for them to go to school, so I made him a big one to wear over his old one," said Da Shuansheng.
After that, he took out a bundle of cotton from the cupboard and said, "That's all. There are almost five pounds left. If it's not enough, my aunt next door also has some. She planted a lot of cotton in her private plot this year."
Wei Lanlan said, "Aunt, these are only enough for one of us. Could you please ask her if she will sell them? We want to buy some more."
"What's the trouble? Just wait, I'll call you." Then he walked into the yard, stood by the wall and shouted to the other side, "Old Fourth's, Old Fourth's,"
A woman's voice came from the other side, "What are you yelling about, you old bastard?"
The two of them whispered to each other in the corner, and soon a woman came over with a bundle.
The two of them bought five kilograms each. The fourth aunt asked Xu Ning, "Xu Zhiqing, do you want some? I still have some at home. If you want some, I'll go back and get it for you."
Xu Ning said, "Aunt Si, last time I went to my sister-in-law's house, she gave me a few kilograms, enough for me and my brother to use this year."
When they returned, Xu Ning said to the two men, "The remaining cotton can be used to fill the quilt," and they both expressed their gratitude to Xu Ning.
Wei Lanlan said that in the next few days, several more educated youth went to the village to buy cotton.
The weather has been gloomy these past two days. Grandpa Qi said it is going to snow heavily. Xu Ning plans to go into the city today to get some things out of the space.
As soon as he arrived at the gate of the Youth League Home, he saw Wei Lanlan, Yang Xiaomei and several other Youth League members coming out together. They were probably going to the city as well. Xu Ning nodded to them and left on his bicycle.
As soon as Xu Ning arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, Su Hongying saw her and immediately came over to greet her warmly. She pulled her aside and said mysteriously, "Xiao Ning, do you still have the bed sheet you took last time? Our director took five of the twenty sheets, your brother-in-law's factory took ten, and our supply and marketing cooperative distributed the other five sheets. Those who didn't get any came to me to ask."
Xu Ning thought for a moment and said, "Sister Hongying, the twenty pieces were meant for my friend to take to Hai City, but I kept them. Even if he has them, he should keep them there first. When he left last time, he said he would come here again. I'll ask him if he can get some more."
Xu Ning didn't plan to take out much at a time. Twice a year would be enough. If he took too much, it would be difficult to explain where it came from.
Su Hongying also knew that such good stuff was in great demand everywhere, and anyone who wanted it could get it. The twenty beds were given to her because of her good relationship with Xu Ning.
Su Hongying figured it out and stopped asking about the sheets. She took Xu Ning's hand and whispered, "There are a few teacups in the warehouse. Do you want some?"
Xu Ning nodded happily and said, "Yes, Sister Hongying, how many do you have?" Su Hongying asked her to wait here while she went to the warehouse to get them. There were four in total, all of which had some porcelain missing, but it did not affect their use at all. Su Ning took all of them.
She bought a lot of military kettles before she crossed over, but forgot to buy ceramic cups for drinking water. Thinking of the 50 military coats in the space, she said to Su Hongying, "Sister Hongying, my brother sent me two military coats from the army some time ago. I brought one from home, but I can't bear to wear these two. Do you want them?"
Su Hongying nodded excitedly and said, "Yes, I want both." Nowadays, military coats are not available to everyone. Even if she works in a supply and marketing cooperative, she cannot buy such a rare item as a military coat.
Xu Ning said that he would bring it to him next time he went to the city. He also bought candles, lamp oil, matches and other daily necessities at the supply and marketing cooperative. It would be getting colder in the future, so he should prepare more and try not to go out if possible. He also bought a notebook and pencil for Xu An.
When Xu Ning returned, he saw Old Chen's ox cart still parked there. He called out "Grandpa Chen" and rode back to the village.
When he was almost home, Xu Ning took out the prepared things from the space and put them in the backpack.
She took out a leg of lamb. Although it hadn't snowed in the past few days, it was still very cold and gloomy, and it felt like the wind was about to blow into the bones. Her father and Uncle Lu had to get up in the middle of the night every day to feed the cows and cook some mutton soup for the two of them. She also took out a pair of pig offal and planned to wash them first so that she could take them out directly when she wanted to eat them. It would be inconvenient to wash them if it snowed.
Xu Ning pushed the bicycle into the house. Xu An and Xu Mo were reading picture books on the kang. When they saw her coming back, they put down the picture books and came down to hold her hand. Xu An said, "Sister, hurry up and get on the kang to warm up," and then went to pour her some hot water.
Xu Mo pushed her to sit on the kang, squatted down to take off her shoes, and then put her cold feet in her cotton coat to warm them. Xu Ning's heart felt softer than ever before.
She carried Xu Mo onto the kang as well and said, "Little Mo is so good. Sister won't feel cold sitting on the kang anymore!"
Xu An also brought over some hot water, gave it to Xu Ning and said, "Sister, I put two spoons of brown sugar in it for you, drink it while it's hot to warm your body." Xu Ning asked Xu An to get on the kang as well, and the three siblings sat on the kang and talked affectionately.
"Xiao An, Xiao Mo, my sister bought some mutton today. How about we have mutton soup tonight?"
Their eyes lit up. After Xu Ning warmed up, she asked them to read a story on the kang while she went to fetch water to wash the pig's offal. After Xu Ning finished washing the offal, Xu An's dumpling soup was ready. The wind outside the door was howling and the sky was gloomy.
After the three of them had finished their meal, the room was dark and it felt like night in the afternoon. Xu Ning lit a candle and placed the five cotton hats and five pairs of gloves that he had taken from the space last time on the kang. He cut the tattered clothes that Xu Mo wore when he came into pieces and sewed them on the cotton hats and gloves. After sewing, they became a few tattered hats and cotton gloves with patches all over them. Xu Ning took a look and was very satisfied. His craftsmanship was really getting better and better.
I looked at the time, it was almost three o'clock, so I cooked the mutton in the pot and put some pancakes on it. The mutton soup is only as good as the pancakes.
Two hours later the whole kitchen was filled with the fragrant smell of mutton soup. Xu Ning served three bowls and the three siblings ate first. It was a bit early to deliver the food there and he was afraid of running into anyone.
Xu Ning didn't let Xu An drink so much soup, but let him eat more meat, fearing that he would wet the bed at night.
After the three of them finished eating, Xu Ning took a jar and filled it with the remaining mutton soup. She also made a dipping sauce with the chili sauce that Dalin had brought over last time. She didn't take the pancakes, as her mother and Aunt Lu would make pancakes or steamed corn bread every night. She also took the hat and gloves that she had sewed in the afternoon, and three teacups that she had bought today, leaving one for use at home.
It was difficult for Xu Ning to carry the things by herself, so she asked Xu An to carry a backpack and put the hat, gloves and teacup in the backpack. She asked him to hold the dipping water while she held the pottery jar, and the brother and sister walked towards the cowshed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com