Chapter 7 What kind of life is it to be able to afford sugary porridge?
When she woke up again, her stomach was rumbling normally, and it was almost time for her to get up and go to work the next day.
The sky outside was still dark, around four o'clock.
She got up, using the strength of her hands to support herself. The blisters on her palms had already burst, and the pain made her let out a soft cry.
Ji Yueyan rubbed her eyes and sat up. Seeing her like this, she said irritably, "Can you manage by yourself? Why didn't you ask me for help?"
Yin Xiaoyin smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble you. I brought a first-aid kit; there should be some useful medicine inside."
The two lowered their voices so as not to wake the two people living in the house.
Ji Yueyan carefully popped the blister, applied medicine, and bandaged it. Then she said, "After it breaks and heals, do it a few more times. Once you have calluses on your hands, it won't hurt so much."
Yin Xiaoyin looked at her wound with curiosity.
She had only ever lost limbs or suffered cuts from prosthetic arms before; this was the first time she had ever experienced such a soft wound.
Human skin is really quite delicate.
She needs to adapt to and learn human feelings.
"You're awake now. You'll probably be out in the fields around noon and won't be back. I'm getting up to prepare some food. Do you want to come with me?"
Ji Yueyan changed her clothes and asked a question. Yin Xiaoyin nodded, showing great interest and curiosity about everything.
The public canteens that started in the 1950s were changed a few years ago, and the food rations were distributed to each household, including those in the educated youth settlements.
At first, everyone's rations were kept together, but later, some people complained that they hadn't eaten enough, while others ate too much. These trivial matters caused conflicts, so in the end, everyone's rations were simply divided among themselves, and they could manage their own.
When educated youth go to the countryside, they can usually give the village some money in advance. But for Yin Xiaoyin, Yin Haiqiang and Liang Minying were afraid that their daughter would be wronged, so they brought her plenty of food, all of which were fine grains, and also packed a lot of grain, oil and meat coupons.
So what she brought to the kitchen was half a bowl of flour and sugar.
Ji Yueyan didn't have much food left, so as usual, she took some and haphazardly mixed it together to make dumplings. They were easy to carry, didn't taste very good, but they filled her stomach.
Yin Xiaoyin watched for a while as she learned how to use firewood to heat the pot, and then recalled Liang Minying's cooking, where she made a sweet and fragrant paste with flour.
These days, if you go to someone's house and they serve you a ceramic bowl of sweet soup, you're definitely a highly valued guest, let alone sweet porridge.
What kind of day is this?
Ji Yueyan couldn't help but swallow, then reassured herself that she had food too, and that was enough.
But Yin Xiaoyin generously took her bowl after finishing, not giving her any chance to refuse, and filled her bowl to the brim. She also filled her own bowl and said, "After we rest, I'm going to go and get some more eggs and meat. Eggs and meat are very nutritious, right?"
Ji Yueyan paused for a moment, then nodded.
"But, but this..."
Flour and sugar are precious, and she was too embarrassed to eat them.
"Eat quickly, eat quickly, everyone will get up soon, and the kitchen won't be big enough..."
Yin Xiaoyin blew on the steaming hot batter and said.
The aroma of food had an unparalleled appeal in those days, especially in a small educated youth settlement where many people would get up just by smelling the aroma.
"It smells so good! Oh well, I need to be careful with my food rations. I ate too much at the beginning of the month."
"No, I'll lend you some later. We're all exhausted from the autumn harvest right now, and if you faint from hunger in the fields, we can't carry you."
People gradually got up and started washing up and walking around in the yard.
While eating in the kitchen, Yin Xiaoyin's ears twitched. Immediately afterward, a snake as thick as a wrist fell from the thatched roof. However, it barely struggled before Yin Xiaoyin grabbed it by the neck and swiftly brought it down with a knife.
Ji Yueyan turned pale with fright. If Yin Xiaoyin hadn't acted quickly, both of them would have been bitten by the snake.
That, that's deadly.
The commotion in the kitchen alerted the others, and after seeing what had happened, they couldn't help but pat their chests in relief.
One of the educated youth said, "Why would a snake fall from the roof all of a sudden?"
"Yeah, that's really bad luck!"
Before anyone else could say anything, Yin Wenying stepped forward, her face full of worry: "Xiaoyin, are you alright? You scared me to death. You've been through a lot like this since you were little, it always makes me worry."
The others were stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered what Yin Wenying had said about Yin Xiaoyin's bad luck.
Although Confucius did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits, could it really be true?
This made those who originally wanted to establish a relationship with Yin Xiaoyin take a few steps back.
Yin Xiaoyin casually tossed the meat in her hand aside: "What's there to be unlucky about? What's there to worry about? Isn't it good to have meat delivered to your door? I'm planning to make snake meat soup. Anyone want some?"
Ji Yueyan, whose face had been pale, gradually regained her composure and immediately said, "Then you must give me a bowl."
The others couldn't help but swallow hard at the thought of the taste of snake meat.
Although Yin Wenying often managed to acquire some wild animals, she probably used them to trade for other things after they saw them. After all, they were hers, and since they didn't benefit from them, no one could say anything.
Therefore, the people in the educated youth settlements could not afford to eat meat.
We only get to eat a little bit of meat during the Lunar New Year, but now it's right in front of us, who wouldn't want to eat it?
"I, I, I..."
Immediately, the first person responded, followed by a second, a third...
In an instant, the entire educated youth settlement became lively.
Yin Xiaoyin looked at Yin Wenying and said with a smile, "Cousin, even though you don't say anything, we're all sisters, so naturally I have to share a bowl with you. Don't be shy with me."
Yin Wenying forced a smile: "No need, I don't have much of an appetite this morning."
On this day, the people at the educated youth settlement all had smiles on their faces when they went to work, and even their steps were light and quick.
The group didn't want Yin Xiaoyin to provide meat and also be responsible for food, so they pooled their resources and a bowl of mixed grain noodles and snake meat soup was served piping hot. Everyone ate it with great relish.
Moreover, since he was indebted to her, he couldn't help but say nice things about Yin Xiaoyin during the meal.
"I don't think Yin Xiaoyin, the educated youth, is the same as Yin Wenying, the educated youth, who used to say she was delicate and unlucky?"
"He's quite hardworking, and I think he's really lucky—the snake meat just came to him!"
"She's incredibly bold. Even we grown men would be terrified if we encountered something like this, but she just swiftly and cleanly disposed of the body! In a word, amazing!"
"That's right, Wenying, you are indeed lucky, but you can only make us feel envious with a bitter heart. Yin Xiaoyin, the educated youth, was unlucky, but at least we got to eat meat."
"It's time, I'll go to the field first."
She was so angry she couldn't listen anymore. These short-sighted people gave stiff smiles and left the educated youth settlement.
After Yin Xiaoyin and the others finished breakfast, they went to the fields while listening to the radio. Before Yin Xiaoyin could even get to the field, the village chief called out, "Yin Xiaoyin, you educated youth, come here and let me see the proportions of this herbicide."
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