《Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife》


 Chapter 1 - 1 0001 The Mustard Seed 1_1

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 0001 The Mustard Seed 1_1 Chapter 1: Chapter 0001 The Mustard Seed 1_1 Mount Sumeru is contained in a mustard seed; the mustard seed resides in Mount Sumeru.


    Feng Qingxue used to scoff at these kinds of statements until something miraculous unexpectedly happened to her.


    One day, a space abruptly appeared on her body.


    It was a personal space, just like what was described in some novels.


    A spacious, perfectly squared, estimated-to-be-boundless space.


    Superpowers had appeared. Could this mean the apocalypse is imminent?


    Thinking about the doomsday theories that had been all the rage a few years earlier, Feng Qingxue became terrified and immediately went into action.


    Through her experiment, she found out that this space could only store nonliving objects like rice, oil, cooked food, raw meat, clothing, jewels, furniture, etc., but not organisms like chickens, ducks, geese, sheep, plants, trees, etc.


    Time in this space was still. The way things were when put in, that¡¯s exactly how they would be when taken out, even after several days.


    Half a month passed, and the space still did not disappear, and the things stored in it were still fresh as ever.


    In fact, even after acquiring this space, Feng Qingxue was still worried.


    What if the space disappeared? What if the end of the world didn¡¯t come?


    In the end, Feng Qingxue gritted her teeth and decided to take a chance.


    She still needed to prepare, just in case the apocalypse came. She couldn¡¯t risk being caught unprepared.


    The appearance of the space was surely not without reason.


    If it appeared, there must be a change coming.


    So, Feng Qingxue sold both the house her parents left her when they died in a car accident and the one she bought on a mortgage after she came of age.


    The two houses were both located in the commercial street in downtown with a favorable location and decent size. Even after lowering the price for a quick sale, she still made about 5.2 million.


    Because she bought the mortgaged house quite long ago when the price was much lower, the loans she needed to repay though not insubstantial, they weren¡¯t excessive either.


    After paying off over a million in debts, she still had four million in hand.


    For buying supplies, this few million was more than enough, especially since the cheapest thing to buy nowadays was food.


    Feng Qingxue used this few million added with her own savings of over two hundred thousand and over two million insurance compensation from her parents¡¯ car accident to aggressively buy and store various supplies, amounting to over six million in total.


    With the looming disaster, Feng Qingxue focused on practicality, rather than aesthetics and luxury.


    First, she went to several flour factories and ordered ten thousand bags of quality flour that tasted good. She paid a large deposit and specifically told them not to add any whitening agents or anything similar.


    The wholesale price was seventy-five per bag, each bag twenty-five kilograms, which immediately cost her 750,000.


    In order to prevent any jealousy arising from people who might discover that she had been eating from her own flour, she also ordered 1000 bags each of millet, brown rice, fine wheat bran, coarse wheat bran, black wheat flour, cornmeal, corn grits, sweet potato flour, and sorghum flour from the flour factories.


    Each bag was fifty kilos, contained no additives, which also meant spending several hundred thousand more.


    Food is the heaven for the people, it¡¯s always the most crucial thing.


    Feng Qingxue was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to exhaust all this grain in her lifetime, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to prepare more.


    She stocked up on coarse grains so she could still eat during food shortages without arousing suspicion.


    Fearing others would find out, Feng Qingxue rented several warehouses in desolate suburbs. She had the flour factory deliver the grains in batches, then she stored them in the space bit by bit, telling the flour factory that the previous deliveries had already been shipped out.


    Nowadays, people were apathetic and no one would bother to investigate these things too deeply.


    Then, she went to the three provinces in the Northeast and bought high-quality rice from different factories, and stored it in the space in the same way.


    ...First, I would like to make it clear that this novel is a mix of fiction and reality. The details that can be verified are kept as accurate as possible, while the made-up parts are for the sake of plot development and I ask for your understanding. Please don¡¯t be overly critical of minor errors.

 Chapter 2 - 2 0002 The Mustard Seed 2_1

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 0002 The Mustard Seed 2_1 Chapter 2: Chapter 0002 The Mustard Seed 2_1 Rice grown on black soil is the most delicious, as everyone knows.


    After several purchases, Feng Qingxue had bought four to five thousand bags of rice, worth several hundred thousand yuan.


    Being from Jiangbei, Feng Qingxue had a preference for noodles, so she had bought nearly half as much rice as flour.


    With the main staples purchased, Feng Qingxue began to buy side dishes and other items.


    Feng Qingxue started in the Northeast, buying various game, dried meat, blood sausage, red sausage, wood ear mushrooms, tea tree mushrooms, hazelnuts, pine nuts, honey, and large barrels of loose liquor. The wines from the Northeast are all brewed from pure grains, which are delicious and strong.


    Everything was purchased in large quantities and was of excellent quality and cheap.


    Then, she bought a variety of fur from the northeastern mountain villages, from expensive mink fur to cheap rabbit fur.


    During her shopping, she didn¡¯t forget to buy well-known local products such as mountain ginseng and badger oil.


    Feng Qingxue made a trip to the Great Plains, buying up large quantities of fur, and sheep, beef, and horse meat as well as dried beef, cheese, sheep milk wine, horse milk wine, wool yarn, cashmere yarn, wool felt, sheepskin coats, and even two Mongolian yurts.


    Next, Feng Qingxue began to travel across the country.


    In the Great Northwest, she bought walnuts, red dates, raisins, pine nuts, gray dates, white apricots, almonds, black Goji berries, red Goji berries, and many compressed cotton and cotton cloth, as well as lamb, wool blankets, wool quilts, wool yarn, sheepskin jackets and so on.


    The Northwest region is known for large-scale fruit cultivation, and when the market is unfavorable, a lot of it is abandoned and used to feed sheep.


    So, Feng Qingxue was able to buy a large quantity of fruits and vegetables for very little money.


    She bought several hundred acres of cantaloupe for a thousand yuan, and thousands of acres of watermelon for a few cents to a couple of dimes per kilogram. Each acre can yield up to five to six tons. There were even many fruits and vegetables rotting in the field because no one wanted them, the owner simply let her transport them away, the only cost was the freight.


    After buying everything she could buy, Feng Qingxue flew to the Southwest Region.


    The Southwest Region is most famous for its cured meat, sausages, chili peppers, and chili sauces from the Sichuan-Guizhou area.


    Then, Feng Qingxue visited Jiangnan Water Town, buying Jinhua ham, rice cakes, glutinous rice, dumplings, seafood... She didn¡¯t miss out on any tropical and coastal areas, buying many local specialties.


    During this time, she also went to mountain villages across the country to buy black pig meat, local chickens, ducks, and geese, as well as goats and cattle. She would hire butchers to slaughter them, and under the pretense of shipping them to the rented warehouse, she actually collected them into her space.


    Though the price was a bit high, the taste was excellent.


    Since she had better choices and enough funds, why skimp on herself?


    While buying raw meat, Feng Qingxue also bought all kinds of eggs and vegetables. However, she couldn¡¯t neglect to prepare cooked food.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t know if she would have time to cook in the future. After all, in the face of the apocalypse, everyone was struggling to survive, who had time to cook? Therefore, she had to prepare a large amount of ready-to-eat food.


    Mantou, baozi, pancakes, flapjacks, steamed twisted rolls, dumplings, fried cakes, local bread, stuffed buns, doughnuts, scallion pancakes, vegetable pancakes, chives dumplings, and all kinds of roasted, braised, stewed, and boiled chicken, duck, goose, sheep, pork, and beef as well as eggs could be bought in as many quantities as possible, all classified and stored in her space.


    Boxes of frozen dumplings, frozen wontons, frozen glutinous rice balls, instant noodles, sausages, marinated eggs, chicken legs, duck legs, canned goods, milk, biscuits, sesame paste, oatmeal, eight-treasure porridge, candies, mooncakes and more were all available.

 Chapter 3 - 3 0003 The Mustard Seed 3_1

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 0003 The Mustard Seed 3_1 Chapter 3: Chapter 0003 The Mustard Seed 3_1 Feng Qingxue put about a dozen barrel-shaped steel pots in the space, each filled with steaming rice porridges, rice, and soy milk.


    Besides that, Feng Qingxue¡¯s space also housed a tremendous amount of fresh fruits and vegetables from all over the country, a large number of dried vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, seaweed, kelp, dried beans, a bulk amount of onions, ginger, garlic and pickled vegetables such as sugar garlic, pickled vegetables, and sauerkraut, a mass quantity of grains like red beans, green beans, black beans, yellow beans, black sesame, white sesame, pearl barley, oats, a multitude of cooking oils such as peanut oil, soybean oil, tea oil, sesame oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil, a lot of condiments such as oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, star anise, Sichuan pepper, shrimp paste, bean paste, various kinds of sugars such as brown sugar, white sugar, black sugar, rock sugar and so on.


    Looking at it, it truly was a feast for the eyes.


    Many of the items were purchased wholesale from the place of origin. Even the cooking oils were pressed from purchased peanuts, soybeans, sesame, rapeseed, sunflower seeds, at an oil mill. The leftover meal from these oil extraction processes such as soy-cake and peanut residue were kept in the space, lowering the cost greatly.


    Medications were essential, like common anti-inflammatory drugs, cold drugs, fever reducers, Band-Aids, trauma medication...


    Just preparing food and medicine wasn¡¯t sufficient, Feng Qingxue particularly purchased a large amount of fabric, clothes, and shoes from fabric factories, clothing factories, and shoe factories. They were suitable for men, women, the elderly, and children, covering all the four seasons. Although they were not necessarily visually appealing, they were durable and wear-resistant.


    If a yurt proved to be inconvenient, there were also tents, sleeping bags and other essentials for outdoor living, as well as rain gear like umbrellas, raincoats, and rain boots.


    Considering that she was at the prime of her life and might get married and have children, Feng Qingxue also prepared a large amount of infant and toddler supplies.


    Baby formula, baby bottles, medications, clothes, diapers...


    Of course, Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t forget to prepare her personal hygiene products, bedding, and toiletries that would last for over a decade.


    By the end of it all, Feng Qingxue had also gathered various types of seeds.


    After deep consideration, Feng Qingxue bought many kitchenware items, such as portable iron stoves, coal ball stoves, a large number of coal balls, coal, a bulk quantity of pots, bowls and spoons, thermal flasks, thermos mugs, various knives, and lighting equipment.


    The knives included vegetable cutters, bone choppers, and also those to defend against enemies, such as big machetes, military knives, daggers, etc.


    The unknown is the most dangerous so it¡¯s crucial to make preparations for her own safety.


    No rice means no meals, and no kitchenware would also lead to the same.


    After the apocalypse, no one knows what the situation would be like.


    Who hasn¡¯t read post-apocalyptic novels, even if they haven¡¯t experienced one?


    Even though those post-apocalyptic novels are fictional, many of their plots are likely to happen.


    Having bought many fabrics and woolen yarns, Feng Qingxue also bought scissors, needles, woolen yarn needles, and sewing machines. The sewing machines were the old-fashioned type you operate with your feet. She had learned to use them when she was young, being taught by her grandmother and mother. It was the Phoenix Brand.


    Mainly because Feng Qingxue only knew how to use this type of sewing machine and feared that electricity would be unavailable in the post-apocalyptic world.


    Nowadays, many people no longer sew clothes. Even tailors who alter clothes use more advanced electric sewing machines. Therefore, these old-fashioned sewing machines were particularly cheap. Feng Qingxue bought ten at once, and the costs for the necessary accessories were minimal.


    In the post-apocalyptic world, without clothing factories and purchasable clothes, self-mending will inevitably become necessary.


    Under the strict requirements of her grandmother and mother, Feng Qingxue has some sewing skills.


    In fact, many young women in this era no longer observed such craft. However, she did. Her grandmother and mother often said that the more skills one has, the better they are prepared for any situation, realizing how valuable a skill could be.

 Chapter 4 - 4 0004 The Mustard Seed 4_1

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 0004 The Mustard Seed 4_1 Chapter 4: Chapter 0004 The Mustard Seed 4_1 Feng Qingxue planned that no matter whether the apocalypse came or not, she would always keep a few tens of thousands of money for her daily expenses, enough to rent a house.


    As for food, clothing, and necessities, she had them in her space.


    She also thought that if the apocalypse didn¡¯t come within three months, she would rent a shop in the city and open a grain, oil, and fruit store, selling the goods in her space. After selling them, she¡¯d continue to purchase, keeping her space fully stocked at all times.


    In this way, she could not only ensure her daily life but also make sure she wouldn¡¯t be flustered in case a crisis comes.


    She bought the goods at wholesale prices, so naturally she could make a lot of money selling them as the difference between wholesale and retail prices is quite large.


    Moreover, she bought many items directly from the source, so their taste was better than what was available in the market.


    It was not that she was belittling things sold in the marketplace; rather, this was just the truth.


    Flour in the market has whitening agents, and cooking oil also has additives. This was the reason why she specifically pointed out when buying flour.


    In addition, she heard from a local boss in the Northwest region that the best fruits and dried goods were always sold to first-tier cities. Second-tier and third-tier cities hardly received the best watermelons, grapes, raisins, and cantaloupes, sometimes even selling those that were discarded or used to feed sheep.


    If it¡¯s like this in the Northwest region, one can imagine other areas are likely the same.


    After making these plans, Feng Qingxue carefully calculated that she still had more than half a million to spend.


    With her space loaded with numerous supplies, she racked her brain to thoroughly check and supplement any shortages.


    It seems that her space was quite large, given that she bought so many things and only filled less than one-third of it.


    There was still plenty of space left for many more items.


    Remembering apocalyptic novels where water and electricity were quickly cut off, Feng Qingxue swiftly purchased dozens of large white plastic barrels capable of holding three to four tons of water, filled with warm water that had been filtered and boiled by a water purifier, ready for instant consumption.


    Furthermore, she didn¡¯t forget to buy two cedar wood bathtubs for herself.


    All her new clothes, washed and dried, were stored in the space as well. Even her old ones were also put away.


    Everyday furniture and supplies, along with gold and jewelry, were placed into the space early.


    She forgot to buy instant noodles, so she needed to get fifty boxes from the wholesale market.


    Seeing an old woman in the market selling handmade shoes, cotton shoes, and slippers of excellent craftsmanship, at affordable rates ¡ª children¡¯s shoes for ten yuan a pair and adult¡¯s shoes for thirty yuan a pair ¡ª Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t resist buying in bulk.


    The old woman said she had many more shoes at home made by herself. Feng Qingxue decided to buy all of them the next day.


    With her extravagant spending, she exhausted the half million very quickly, only leaving three to four thousand for daily expenses.


    Yet Feng Qingxue was not done. Swiftly, she sold some gold and jewelry left to her by her parents and some that she had bought over time.


    Some branded jewelry could be sold back to the original store at nine-tenths of the original price. A few pieces of jade collected by her ancestors sold for hefty prices due to the inflated market. Though she saved the valuable pieces for herself, the rest fetched a good price.


    Instantly becoming extravagantly wealthy, Feng Qingxue again initiated a shopping spree.


    An unexpected stroke of luck prompted her to buy many farming and household appliances, small machinery, and books on mechanical farming and husbandry.


    When the space was about two-thirds full, Feng Qingxue then used the remaining money to buy precious nourishing goods.


    Bird¡¯s nest, donkey-hide gelatin, sea cucumber, Korean ginseng, American ginseng, cordyceps, and others.


    To save money, she specially flew to the places where these things were produced. The prices there were not only cheap, but she didn¡¯t need to fear inspections when bringing them back in her space.

 Chapter 5 - 5 0005 The 1960s 1_1

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 0005: The 1960s 1_1 Chapter 5: Chapter 0005: The 1960s 1_1 Without having filled the space, Feng Qingxue woke up from a deep sleep and found that she had been transported into a different body in a different location.


    Sitting inside the dilapidated straw shed that was drafty from all sides, Feng Qingxue was dumbfounded.


    After being shocked, she felt like crying but no tears would come.


    Her stomach was convulsing, a clear result of hunger.


    Clutching her stomach, Feng Qingxue¡¯s first reaction was to check her space. She discovered that the items stored in it had traveled with her. Nothing was missing. Relieved, Feng Qingxue took a deep breath.


    Fortunately, she had her space and all the resources it contained, so she would not lack food and clothing.


    In life, the most crucial things are food, clothing, shelter, and travel, with food and clothing being paramount.


    As long as you have these two things, you won¡¯t freeze or starve to death.


    Taking in her surroundings, she found herself in the middle of the night. The straw shed was situated at the back of the Feng family¡¯s small thatched house and was rather secluded. No one would come here, and no one would find out.


    Feng Qingxue carefully took out a bowl of white porridge from the space. As she sipped the porridge, she reflected on her circumstances.


    She had been reincarnated into the body of an eighteen-year-old girl.


    This girl was also named Feng Qingxue, ten years younger than her, and had a much harsher fate.


    Feng Qingxue was born into a family that favored boys over girls during the Sino-Japanese War era and had never lived a peaceful day in her life.


    In a family that prefers boys to girls, what girl could live a good life?


    Under the threat of the Japanese and the atmosphere of her family, Feng Qingxue was never fed or clothed adequately. After surviving through fear and hardship every day till the founding of the nation and learning a few words in literacy classes, she found herself facing years of natural disasters just a few years later.


    It was the disaster that persisted from the late 1950s to the early 1960s.


    To leave the scarce food for their descendants, Feng Qingxue¡¯s grandparents committed suicide one after another.


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s parents, who also favored boys over girls, starved to death one by one to save food for their sons and grandsons. Yet, their two married sons disregarded their sisters Feng Qingxue and Feng Qingyun entirely.


    Just when Feng Qingxue had just turned eighteen, she was driven out of the family by her brothers and their wives, with her little sister Feng Qingyun, to fend for themselves.


    In the era of famine, food was precious, much more valuable than Gold.


    Food can fill stomachs and save lives, but Gold cannot.


    During the period of communal dining, each person had less than 3 taels of coarse grains to eat.


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s reincarnation was ill-timed. The communal dining had just disbanded.


    After the autumn harvest this year, the production team had distributed leftover grains to each family after turning over the required portion to the state. While Feng Qingxue¡¯s brothers and their wives tightly controlled their family¡¯s food rations, even though it was just a daily average of 3 taels of coarse grain, it was enough to survive.


    Alas, Feng Qingxue and her sister were pitiful. They were unable to get even one tael of food into their mouths each day.


    After the distribution of food, they were expelled from the house. Combined, the two of them had less than thirty jin of sweet potatoes.


    Due to their shared plight, Feng Qingxue doted on her little sister, who lost her parents to famine and received no attention from her brothers and sisters-in-law. She gave most of the already scarce food rations to her sister, which led to her own starvation and eventual demise.


    Feng Qingxue died one night in late autumn, undiscovered.


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s brothers and their wives wouldn¡¯t come to the grass shed behind the house unless it was important. Feng Qingyun, although she lived in the same straw pile as Feng Qingxue, was just five years old and was in a deep sleep.


    Long-term hunger made Feng Qingxue¡¯s appetite extremely small. Feng Qingxue did not dare to eat and drink too much; half a bowl of porridge filled her up.


    After putting the remaining half bowl of porridge into the space, Feng Qingxue finally had time under the moonlight to take a good look at her sister.

 Chapter 6 - 6 0006 The 1960s 2_1

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 0006: The 1960s 2_1 Chapter 6: Chapter 0006: The 1960s 2_1 With a head disproportionately large for her small body, and with gaunt limbs with skin clinging to bones, her sparse, straggly, wheat-coloured hair stirred visages of a malnourished toddler. She wore a tattered, oversized, black cotton jacket passed down by adults. Her barelegs and feet tucked protectively beneath that jacket, she slept, uncomfortably, beside her own feet. Her fade eyebrows was furrowed in discomfort.


    Feng Qingxue herself was enwrapped in a ragged, stiff cotton jacket ¨C her body bare underneath ¨C and a worn-out cloth smock. Being the elder sibling and thus with responsibilities to work daily, she did possess a pair of moth-eaten cotton trousers which she wore along with a paupered pair of cloth pants.


    Their clothes were in such disrepair that it seemed unimaginable the patched rags they wore had once been whole, there were even a few places where rips hadn¡¯t been patched due to lack of scraps.


    She wore worn-out cotton shoes that revealed her toes, without any socks, her toes reddened and chapped with cold.


    An autumn breeze swept through them, chill seeping through the threadbare cotton.


    Inside their shanty, the sisters had nothing: No bed, no bedding, only their threadbare clothes and the three or four sweet potatoes Feng Qingxue had saved from a previous meal. Nearby lay a broken basket, a crumbling clay pot, two broken china bowls, and a pair of worn bamboo chopsticks on their makeshift stone stove.


    Feng Qingxue sighed deeply, she hadn¡¯t waited for the apocalypse, but had instead slipped back to the 1960s.


    She had not personally experienced the tumultuous periods of the 1960s and 70s and hardly understood it.


    But she had heard stories from her grandparents and had a vague knowledge of those times.


    Social unrest, extreme hardship, but the people were pure, innocent, determined, forming the backbone of the next generation.


    Most importantly, this era was safer than living in the apocalypse.


    Of course, what truly gave Feng Qingxue the courage to face it all was the availability of supplies in her private space.


    These supplies were enough for her to live several lifetimes.


    ¡°Qingyun, wake up.¡±


    Knowing the discomfort of sleeping on an empty stomach, Feng Qingxue washed the broken china bowls with water from her space, scooped out a small bowl of brown rice porridge for her sister, and then woke Feng Qingyun.


    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to serve her sister white rice porridge, but white rice was precious in those times and would stand out.


    Feng Qingyun rubbed her eyes, ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°Good girl, get up, have some porridge, then go back to sleep.¡± Feng Qingxue coaxed as she brought the small bowl of porridge to her sister¡¯s mouth.


    The smell of fragrant brown rice porridge stirred Feng Qingyun¡¯s senses, awakening her completely.


    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s rice porridge! Where did you get this?¡± Feng Qingyun was young but shrewd and spoke in a whisper.


    Feng Qingxue chuckled, ¡°While you were sleeping, I went begging in the dark and ran into a wealthy and kind family. They heard about our situation and filled two bowls of porridge for us.¡±


    Under Feng Qingyun¡¯s gaze of astonishment, Feng Qingxue added, ¡°They gave us a few eggs too. We¡¯ll boil them for breakfast tomorrow morning. Make sure not to tell anyone about this. If others find out, we won¡¯t be able to eat.¡±


    To prepare for the unexpected bounty in the morning, Feng Qingxue decided to lay some groundwork.


    Feng Qingyun nodded vigorously, ¡°I know, sister. I won¡¯t mention it. It¡¯s so wonderful, I have never eaten eggs before. When sister-in-law boiled eggs for Dabao and Erbao, it smelled divine.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Feng Qingxue felt a pang in her heart.


    Dabao and Erbao were sons of her eldest brother while second brother only had a daughter named Dani.


    Children with both parents always led happier lives than those without.

 Chapter 7 - 7 0007 The 1960s 3_1

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 0007: The 1960s 3_1 Chapter 7: Chapter 0007: The 1960s 3_1 No matter how severe the famine, parents will always try to feed their children first.


    Feng Qingxue tilted the porcelain bowl in her hands, allowing Feng Qingyun to drink the porridge from the edge of it, while she gently stroked her head with her other hand.


    ¡°Qingyun, listen carefully. Don¡¯t tell anyone anything, and elder sister will make sure you have an egg to eat every day.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Elder sister, I won¡¯t say anything.¡± Feng Qingyun repeated.


    No one understood the preciousness of food better than Feng Qingyun.


    When they were living together in the three thatched huts with their two elder brothers and sisters-in-law, they would hear them accuse Feng Qingyun and her sister of wasting food.


    It was not talked about behind their backs, but openly.


    Feng Qingyun, being clever and with a good memory, clearly remembered that if it were not for her elder sister¡¯s desperate resistance, her brothers and their wives were planning to marry her sister off to the tenth team, which had several bachelors, in exchange for food.


    If her elder sister did not agree to this, they were threatened with eviction from the thatched huts.


    Although Feng Qingyun did not understand what being a wife meant, she knew it couldn¡¯t be good, otherwise her elder sister would have agreed to it.


    Her elder sister was always good to her, so she trusted her decisions.


    After finishing the porridge, Feng Qingyun touched her slightly bulging little belly, smacking her lips.


    ¡°Elder sister, the rice porridge tastes really good.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re full, then go to sleep.¡± In the moonlight, Feng Qingxue could see that not a grain of rice remained in the porcelain bowl.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Feng Qingyun, feeling satisfied, curled up her legs in her torn cotton coat, snuggled against Feng Qingxue, and fell asleep quickly.


    But Feng Qingxue simply couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    It was late autumn, and winter was inching closer. They couldn¡¯t keep living in the straw shed. They needed to find a more secure dwelling.


    Finding a place to live should be easy, as the famine had greatly reduced the population of the Caohu Production Team, leaving many vacant houses. Even though the houses were made of mud walls and thatched roofs, and were in poor condition, with a little repair, they could provide shelter from the wind and rain.


    The key was, they needed to find a way to move into one of these thatched houses.


    The most important things thereafter were food and clothing. Objects taken from their personal space should be reasonable and not attract attention.


    Fortunately, the original sisters had already set up their own households and did not have to live under the watchful eyes of their brother and sisters-in-law. If they were still living together, their clandestine actions would certainly be discovered.


    After a night of contemplation, Feng Qingxue managed to clean herself secretly behind the pile of firewood near the straw shed, using a bathtub and warm water from her personal space.


    While bathing, she also washed her hair.


    After washing, she applied a coat of body cream and used hair conditioner.


    In order to avoid any suspicion, she specifically chose the scentless kind of lotion, as well as shampoo and conditioner.


    Then, Feng Qingxue put on undergarments and thermal underwear made of modal fabric in her empty cotton coat. The low-necked, close-fitting clothes were not noticeable after she put on the cotton coat.


    She truly wanted to bring out clothes for Feng Qingyun, but the timing was not right, so she restrained herself.


    Just as dawn was breaking and before Feng Qingyun woke up, Feng Qingxue went outside the straw shed and squatted behind the pile of firewood to wash up.


    The straw shed did not have any water containers, so she had to get water from her personal space again.


    After taking out her regular toiletries from the personal space, Feng Qingxue brushed her teeth, washing her hands and faces, then carefully applied a layer of colourless and odorless cream on her face, neck and hands.


    After finishing washing up and putting away her toiletries, only then did Feng Qingxue have the chance to look at her own looks in a small mirror.


    Just like Feng Qingyun, her shoulder-length hair, which was twisted into two braids, was yellow and dull, and her face skin was stretched tight over her bones. It was hard to tell whether she had an oval-shaped face or a melon-seed-shaped face, but it was clear that she wasn¡¯t ugly. Should her skin become plump again, she would undoubtedly be a beauty.

 Chapter 8 - 8 0008 The 1960s 4_1

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 0008: The 1960s 4_1 Chapter 8: Chapter 0008: The 1960s 4_1 ¡°Beauty is in the bone, not the skin.¡±


    The original owner¡¯s bone structure was excellent. Her forehead was full, her nose charmingly straight, her eyebrows curved, and her lips small. Even though her face had become gaunt, her cheekbones protruding, and her eyes appeared even larger due to this, it was still somewhat pleasant to look at.


    Her facial skin was dark and coarse, but the pores were very fine, and the skin under her clothes was very white.


    Though her teeth were covered in tartar, they were neatly arranged.


    Feng Qingxue was very satisfied. She put away her mirror, finished the remaining half bowl of porridge from last night, and ate a few dates and a handful of nuts.


    Dates help replenish blood, and nuts provide nutrition.


    The porridge had been kept in her space and was still warm.


    After finishing her meal, Feng Qingxue put the date pits and nutshells into her space, washed the pottery pot clean, and set it on the stove made of stones.


    There would be enough firewood, but alas, there was no fire starter.


    In her memory, the original owner always borrowed fire from the neighbors, so Feng Qingxue sighed, took out a lighter, and lit the fire.


    The pottery pot was not an easy cooking vessel to heat. The firewood didn¡¯t last long. It took quite a while to boil a pot of water.


    While the water was boiling, Feng Qingxue took a warm egg from her space.


    Right after boiling it to satisfaction, she had placed it in the space. When she took it out, it was still warm.


    It took Feng Qingxue a while to find a broken wooden basin. She woke up Feng Qingyun and poured some hot water for her to wash her face and hands in.


    By the time the basin was found, the hot water had cooled.


    Although very poor, the original Feng Qingxue had always been very clean.


    Under her sister¡¯s influence, Feng Qingyun too, would carefully wash her face and hands as a matter of routine.


    ¡°Alright, now that you¡¯ve washed your face, it¡¯s time to eat something.¡± Feng Qingxue handed her the warm egg, ¡°We get one egg a day to eat, after you¡¯ve finished this one, your sister will find a way to get more.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Accompanied by the warm water in the porcelain bowl, Feng Qingyun savored the egg bite by bite. She was elated.


    ¡°Sister, the egg is really delicious.¡± Feng Qingyun, small in size with a smaller appetite, was satisfied after having an egg and burped contentedly.


    Feng Qingxue patted her head, ¡°Tomorrow, your sister will boil another egg for you to eat.¡±


    Feng Qingyun nodded and then asked, ¡°Sister, have you eaten yet?¡±


    ¡°I ate when you were still sleeping.¡± Feng Qingxue answered calmly, destroying any trace of the eggshell.


    Although Feng Qingyun was smart, she was still young and thus, believed Feng Qingxue¡¯s words.


    Of course, Feng Qingxue had indeed eaten.


    By now, daylight had fully arrived.


    Feng Qingxue looked at the sky, lowered her head, and said to Feng Qingyun, ¡°Qingyun, wait for me at home. I¡¯ll go out to beg for food.¡±


    ¡°Sister, take me with you. The kind-hearted people might give more to eat if they see your pitiful sister with you.¡± Feng Qingyun, clutching her sister¡¯s clothes and not wanting to leave her, smartly suggested a good method.


    ¡°No.¡± Feng Qingxue firmly declined.


    What a joke! If she brought her along, how could she take anything from her space?


    Seeing Feng Qingyun¡¯s disappointment, Feng Qingxue quickly explained, ¡°Silly little sister, you don¡¯t have any trousers to wear. Your legs are bare, your feet are bare, how can I bear to let you trudge through mountains and rivers with me? Wait for me at home, I will definitely bring back food.¡±


    After hearing these words, Feng Qingyun drew her legs and feet back into the ragged cotton-padded jacket.


    The worn cotton-padded jacket had originally been worn by their father before his death. Since he had died in the summer, he wasn¡¯t buried wearing it.


    Otherwise, Feng Qingyun would not even have such a coat to wear.


    Of course, even if he had died in winter, this cotton-padded coat would not have been buried with him.


    The family was too poor. The clothes worn by the dead were kept as they were the best ones.

 Chapter 9 - 9 0009 County Town Trip 1_1

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 0009: County Town Trip 1_1 Chapter 9: Chapter 0009: County Town Trip 1_1 After much persuasion, Feng Qingyun allowed Feng Qingxue to take care of her. However, Feng Qingxue wasn¡¯t at ease leaving her alone in their home so she took Feng Qingyun to their uncle¡¯s house for her aunt to look after.


    Their uncle was Feng¡¯s father¡¯s younger brother. He lived not far from their house in a small, three-room thatched cottage. He was married with three sons, the eldest of whom was already married while the middle and youngest sons were still unmarried.


    Nevertheless, they had more hands on deck, so their living standards were a bit higher.


    During the distribution of grain after the dissolution of the communes, they received much more than others due to their greater manpower.


    ¡°Aunty, Qingyun and I are running out of food, I plan to go out and beg for some. Could you please take care of Qingyun for me?¡± Feng Qingxue asked.


    The aunt was a good-natured person, but like everyone else, she was struggling to make ends meet. Unable to babysit Feng Qingxue and her sister, she agreed to watch over Feng Qingyun for the meantime, without them asking for food or drinks.


    ¡°Alright, you go ahead. Leave her with me, you can put your doubts to rest.¡±


    Feng Qingxue planned to head into the city with a basket on her back that she brought from the shed, which contained nothing but four sweet potatoes.


    She had never been to the city before, neither did she know the way there. So, after asking her uncle and aunt for directions, she headed north from the commune.


    A few kilometers to the north lay a mountain range. To head north, one had to cross these mountains.


    As she rested in a valley, she dug out her hidden books from the space ring.


    She was from a scholarly family and under the influence of her elders, grew up curious and well-read. She had a considerable collection of books in her space ring, most of which she had already read, including one about this era.


    She flipped through the pages, trying to understand this period in detail.


    Having grasped the basics, with a thought, some threads and cloth appeared in Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand.


    She sewed a few small cloth bags, filled them with rice, flour, coarse rice, and eggs, put them back into her space ring. Once in the city, she intended to use her mental control to put them into the basket- eggs on top.


    Asking for directions along the way, it took her two full hours to reach the county town.


    Upon seeing the buildings in the town, Feng Qingxue was stunned.


    The county town was so backward?


    The buildings were low and squat, made of brick and wood. There was a mix of thatched cottages, brick-tiled houses, and even a few two-story buildings.


    The two-story buildings were so scarce that they almost went unnoticed.


    The roads were uneven and dusty.


    The town¡¯s folk seemed much better off than the peasants, both in terms of dress and speech. However, they had one thing in common, they were gaunt and simple.


    Approaching noon, the tantalizing aroma of food wafted from the roadside eateries. Feng Qingxue¡¯s stomach growled and she blushed a little.


    The original host had a small appetite, and after walking for so long, she hadn¡¯t expected to get hungry so quickly.


    With her hand in her basket, a plain bun appeared out of thin air in Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand. She then took it out.


    She squatted in a corner and ate the bun leisurely.


    As a result of her upbringing, she didn¡¯t like the idea of eating while walking ¨C that wasn¡¯t etiquette.


    Seeing her eat the white bun, some people looked on with envy.


    An old lady with a pale and thin face approached her, crouching down beside her and watching her eat.


    Halfway through her bun, Feng Qingxue lost her appetite. She looked up at the old lady and gave a small smile, ¡°Granny, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Girl, where did you buy this bun?¡± The old lady asked bluntly.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Feng Qingxue enquired.

 Chapter 10 - 10 0010 County Town Trip 2_1

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 0010: County Town Trip 2_1 Chapter 10: Chapter 0010: County Town Trip 2_1 ¡°Ah! Daughter, let me be honest with you. The famine is so serious, even cornmeal is now classified as refined grain. Good stuff like rice and white flour is extremely scarce, only available in small quantities during festivals, and still, the demand far exceeds the supply.¡±


    The old woman sighed softly.


    ¡°My daughter-in-law has just given birth and she can¡¯t eat a bite of refined grain. The baby, born three days ago, is crying from hunger because her milk supply hasn¡¯t come in. If you have some connections, could you please help me? I won¡¯t lie, getting high-priced grain in the black market at several dollars per pound isn¡¯t guaranteed. I won¡¯t treat you unfairly on the price.¡±


    Food is the people¡¯s heaven. In this era, grain is indeed more precious than money.


    Feng Qingxue had read about the black market in her materials. The state strictly prohibits buying and selling illegally.


    Simply put, it bans private transactions among the people.


    But, under hunger, there are many who dare to take risks. It¡¯s common knowledge that the black market exists, whether it¡¯s transactions in alleys, under trees, at bridges, or at train stations. The locations often change.


    Some even negotiate deals during the day and trade goods at night.


    Everyone is having a tough time, unless they strictly obey the national regulations. Usually, they turn a blind eye.


    Because Feng Qingxue has a lot of stored goods in her space, she thinks of selling some grain. Although there isn¡¯t enough grain, having money helps. Thankfully, grain is more important than money. Now that the old woman inquires, her request fits with Feng Qingxue¡¯s intentions.


    She loves to read and understands micro-expressions, so she can tell if the old woman is lying.


    The old woman isn¡¯t lying, so she speaks softly.


    ¡°Do you need rice and flour? Eggs?¡±


    The old woman was taken aback, a trace of joy flashing in her eyes before she quickly returned to calmness. She quickly nodded, ¡°Daughter, do you really have it?¡±


    Feng Qingxue patted the basket at her feet.


    The old woman was overjoyed, grabbed her hand, and whispered, ¡°I want it all.¡±


    After saying this, she raised her voice, ¡°Silly girl, I walked up to you because you looked familiar. I didn¡¯t realize that you¡¯re a relative from my mother¡¯s side. How can relatives not come and visit? Get up, come to my house and have some hot water.¡±


    Even with money, one can¡¯t necessarily buy the precious refined grain on the black market now.


    So, the old woman did not want to let Feng Qingxue go.


    ¡°Auntie, I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± Feng Qingxue said, standing up and strapping the basket to her back. ¡°But I have someone to meet later, so I won¡¯t be going to your house.¡±


    After saying this loudly, Feng Qingxue whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s find a quiet place to trade, we don¡¯t need to go to your house.¡±


    Caution is always necessary, especially since she¡¯s an unarmed girl.


    The old woman nodded without objection.


    ¡°My dear, I¡¯ll go home to get the money and a bag. Where should I meet you?¡± The old woman was experienced in black market trading.


    Feng Qingxue thought for a while, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you under the old elm tree nearby. There are too many people here.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you go ahead, I¡¯ll follow.¡± The old woman obviously also knew the landmark tree.


    ¡°Just to clarify, Auntie, what price can you offer? If the price is right, I won¡¯t look for others.¡±


    ¡°In the black market, grain tickets are five dollars a pound, refined grain like rice and white flour are a dollar more expensive, and eggs are also five dollars a pound. My dear, I will pay six dollars a pound. No matter how much you have, I¡¯ll buy it all, please don¡¯t sell to other people.¡±


    Note: During the three years of hardship, black market prices are extremely high. According to records, grain tickets are priced at five or six dollars per pound, dried yams are six dollars per pound, refined grain and eggs are five or six dollars per pound, coarse grain is two or three dollars, limited to the black market only, not representing the price level of the entire 60s and 70s era. I understand the price level well.

 Chapter 11 - 11 0011 County Town Trip 3_1

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 0011: County Town Trip 3_1 Chapter 11: Chapter 0011: County Town Trip 3_1 Feng Qingxue thought the price was agreeable and agreed to the transaction.


    ¡°I brought about twenty jin of rice and flour, and twenty to thirty eggs, but I didn¡¯t bring a scale.¡±


    ¡°We have one, I¡¯ll take it over in a moment.¡±


    The old woman hurriedly ran off. Feng Qingxue quickly finished her bun and headed toward the old elm tree.


    Upon waiting under the elm for a short while, Feng Qingxue saw from a distance the old woman approaching with a man in his thirties carrying a bamboo basket on his back. They moved quickly.


    ¡°This is my son.¡± The old woman pointed to the man but did not tell his name.


    Feng Qingxue followed the old woman behind the elm. The man kept watch.


    When nobody was around, Feng Qingxue first opened the bag of eggs to let the old woman inspect.


    ¡°Oh, they are real eggs, they look so fresh.¡± The old woman was delighted, quickly weighed them ¨C a total of three jin and two liang. She efficiently placed them in her small basket, then weighed the rice and flour that Feng Qingxue brought.


    There were five jin and one liang of rice, eight jin and five liang of flour, and seven jin and three liang of brown rice.


    Although it was brown rice, it was still considered to be a fine grain.


    After a final calculation, Feng Qingxue rounded down the total, ¡°The rice and flour are one hundred and twenty yuan, and the eggs are fifteen yuan.¡±


    The rice and flour were calculated at six yuan per jin, while the eggs were calculated at five yuan per jin.


    Upon hearing this, the old woman grimaced in pain.


    It was expensive, but she still had to buy it.


    Grains had become such a precious commodity that you couldn¡¯t buy them even if you had the money. The old woman didn¡¯t want to miss this rare opportunity.


    Moreover, these fine grains could be exchanged for sixty to seventy jin of coarse grains.


    Thus, the old woman swiftly fished out several large bundle of notes from her bosom, counted fourteen notes, and handed them to Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°Girl, I know these things aren¡¯t easy to come by, so I won¡¯t take advantage of you. Here¡¯s one hundred and forty yuan. Remember to look for me when you get hold of good things next time. The wall you were leaning against while eating the bun is my house.¡±


    ¡°You have my word.¡±


    Feng Qingxue took the money without any hesitation and placed it in her purse, which was actually her space.


    She couldn¡¯t think of a safer place than that.


    Then, the old lady and her son with the bamboo basket quickly left, and Feng Qingxue also left the old elm shortly after.


    After wandering around for half an hour and discovering two black market trading venues, Feng Qingxue returned to the market with her empty basket on her back.


    Now with money, Feng Qingxue felt confident enough to enter a general merchandise store.


    There were not many people in the store, and among those who were, most were simply browsing and few were buying anything.


    The sales clerks behind the counter were so idle that they were cracking jokes, and they couldn¡¯t care less about the customers.


    Feng Qingxue wanted to buy a pair of shoes for herself and her sister ¨C one pair for now and one pair of cotton shoes for winter. She also wanted to buy clothes for Feng Qingyun to prevent her from wandering around with bare legs. Thus, she walked to the clothing and shoe counter.


    ¡°Comrade, how much for that pair of shoes?¡± Feng Qingxue asked, pointing to a pair of cloth shoes suitable for children.


    The sales lady was knitting a sweater. When she heard Feng Qingxue¡¯s question, she looked up and snorted, ¡°Do you have coupons?¡±


    ¡°Coupons?¡± Feng Qingxue looked surprised, as she momentarily forgot the fact that this era was a coupon era.


    The sales lady sneered, ¡°Why are you coming to the general merchandise store without coupons?¡±


    A sense of contempt was clearly emitted.


    Feng Qingxue felt uneasy and asked, ¡°Do you need coupons to buy all merchandise? Can¡¯t you buy it with money?¡±


    ¡°Of course, buying things requires both money and coupons. You can¡¯t buy without any of them,¡± the saleswoman said arrogantly, ¡°Don¡¯t loiter around here without coupons. You¡¯re blocking the light I need to knit.¡±

 Chapter 12 - 12 0012 County Town Trip 4_1

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 0012: County Town Trip 4_1 Chapter 12: Chapter 0012: County Town Trip 4_1 After saying this, the salesperson muttered under her breath: ¡°Really, these poor peasants dare to step inside a department store without any ration tickets.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was filled with rage, but didn¡¯t want to cause a scene, so instead, she spun around and left.


    Could they not go shopping without these tickets?


    Just now, Feng Qingxue had been reminded of a passage from a document she had read that morning and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    She now remembered that in the 1960s and ¡¯70s, one needed ration tickets for most commodities. Regardless of how much money one had, without tickets, it was impossible to buy things. Conversely, even with tickets, but no money, you couldn¡¯t purchase anything either.


    There were many pieces of clothing, shoes, and socks in her storehouse, most of which did not conform with the aesthetics of the period, but some could be worn by people of Feng Qingyun¡¯s age.


    The handmade shoes she had bought at the marketplace did meet the era¡¯s aesthetic, but as they were all new, despite fitting into this era¡¯s aesthetic, Feng Qingxue dared not let her sisters wear them casually. It would draw too much attention and would be challenging to explain their origins.


    She was prepared to artificially age any new clothes they got, and if she couldn¡¯t buy new ones, she¡¯d take some from the storehouse and age them.


    An elderly, sallow-skinned woman dressed in humble but clean clothes couldn¡¯t bear to see what had just transpired and approached Feng Qingxue to kindly suggest, ¡°Young girl, why don¡¯t you go to the second-hand clothes counter and see if they have any old shoes? They don¡¯t require a ticket.¡±


    Feng Qingxue asked in amazement, ¡°They sell second-hand items?¡±


    The old woman thought for a while before she understood the term ¡®second-hand¡¯. She nodded her head and said, ¡°Some people want to keep up with fashion and wear new clothes. But if they don¡¯t have enough money, they would sell their old clothes at a lower price, and then use cloth tickets and money to buy new ones. And some people who don¡¯t have tickets will buy these second-hand clothes and shoes. It¡¯s a win-win strategy.¡±


    ¡°Dear old lady, thanks for your suggestion. I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡±


    Feng Qingxue slipped her hand into her basket and conjured two buns. Quietly, she placed the buns into the old woman¡¯s pocket.


    The old woman was taken aback, but she quickly placed her hand over her pocket.


    ¡°Dear girl...¡± She moved her lips, felt the soft warmth beneath her hand but ultimately didn¡¯t decline their offer. She kept repeating, ¡°Thank you, my child, thank you.¡±


    With these two buns, her grandchild would enjoy two more meals.


    The old woman knew better than anyone how precious grain was. Even in her own family, it would be tough for her grandchild to enjoy white bread.


    With her keen eyes, Feng Qingxue could tell that this old woman was even more destitute and frail than the previous one. The most common reason for such destitution and frailty was undoubtedly a lack of food, without exception.


    Moved by the old woman¡¯s kindness, when they brushed past each other, Feng Qingxue whispered to her, ¡°Tomorrow, I will be at Red Army Bridge. I plan to barter the food that I managed to scrounge together for money and goods that I do not have.¡±


    Red Army Bridge was the place where a black market operated on the outskirts of town.


    Mentioning Red Army Bridge was akin to mentioning the black market.


    The old woman¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy, and she hurriedly returned home.


    After standing for a moment, Feng Qingxue found the second-hand clothing counter the old woman had mentioned. True enough, old clothes and shoes were displayed there, albeit in limited quantities, and there were even fewer other second-hand items.


    The salesperson here was friendlier than the previous one; seeing Feng Qingxue approach, she quickly got up and greeted her with a warm smile.


    ¡°Comrade, what would you like to buy?¡±


    Feng Qingxue stated her requirements, and the salesperson immediately brought out a selection of children¡¯s clothes and shoes for her to choose from.

 Chapter 13 - 13 0013 My Own Home 1_1

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 0013: My Own Home 1_1 Chapter 13: Chapter 0013: My Own Home 1_1 ¡°How much are these shoes? And these clothes?¡±


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t dare to buy much, so she chose a pair of cloth shoes and a pair of cotton shoes for Feng Qingyun, along with a whole outfit of clothes. The outfit consisted of a small cotton jacket with a red foundation and floral pattern, small cotton pants with blue foundation and white flowers, and an olive-green coat and blue pants to be worn over the cotton clothes.


    The clothes were second-hand, but six to seven tenths new, and clean with no patches.


    Feng Qingxue had never taken care of a child before, so she had to judge by sight when buying clothes for Feng Qingyun.


    The salesperson responded, ¡°The single shoes for children are three mao, and the cotton shoes are seven mao. Although these clothes are second-hand, the family who sold them were well-off. The child only wore them for less than two years. No cloth tickets are required, just give me twelve yuan.¡±


    Those who act swiftly get, those who hesitate lose.


    In this era of scarcity, many things are scarce and in demand.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t hesitate to pay the money, grabbing the few clothes and shoes.


    Afterward, Feng Qingxue picked out a pair of black cloth shoes with a thousand-layer sole for herself, spending two yuan.


    After thinking for a while, she spent another two yuan on a worn-out white jacket patched with cloth for Feng Qingyun.


    No ticket required, even though it¡¯s second-hand, it¡¯s a bit more expensive.


    The salesperson said this while she was paying.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t buy clothes for herself, she decided to make do with her ragged clothes for now. When conditions allowed, she would make her own clothes or modify the clothes that matched the aesthetics of this era from her space to wear.


    Her primary purpose to come to the city was to buy clothes and shoes for Feng Qingyun.


    The little child wearing an adult¡¯s old cotton jacket was truly pitiable.


    Even if Feng Qingxue wasn¡¯t the original host, seeing Feng Qingyun like this tugged at her heartstrings.


    Furthermore, every causing has its effect, she was reborn in the original host¡¯s body, she should bear the responsibility of the original host¡¯s life before.


    Once out of the department store, Feng Qingxue, not in the mood to wander around, made her way toward home.


    When she was close to the entrance of the village, Feng Qingxue had a thought. Three cornmeal lumps mixed with cabbage leaves appeared in her bamboo basket, sized like fists, lying on top of the clothes and shoes she had bought.


    A few decades later in the 21st century, many people pay attention to healthy eating, consuming coarse grains, so there are shops selling miscellaneous grain buns in every street and alley.


    When she was hoarding ready-to-eat foods, Feng Qingxue had bought a lot and put them in her space.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t go to her second uncle¡¯s house to pick up her younger sister, but went in the direction of the team leader Feng Shuanzhu¡¯s house directly.


    ¡°Second Uncle, Second Aunt, are you home?¡±


    Feng Qingxue called out twice at the door, and out came a thin old man still in his patched old military uniform.


    Calling him ¡®old man¡¯ isn¡¯t exactly appropriate as Feng Shuanzhu was just fifty years old at most


    However, Feng Shuanzhu¡¯s hair was already gray, and his bronze face was full of wrinkles.


    ¡°Qingxue? Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?¡± By virtue of the generations, Feng Shuanzhu was Feng Qingxue¡¯s uncle. He was the second eldest among the brothers, so Feng Qingxue called him Second Uncle, and he was quite affable.


    By this time, it was already noon. However, since every family was short of food, lunch was pushed back to around two o¡¯clock.


    That way, they ate two meals a day, and went to sleep directly when it got dark.


    So many people were sunbathing at the door while chatting leisurely. When they saw Feng Qingxue looking for Feng Shuanzhu, their eyes turned to watch.


    ¡°Where can I be coming from? I went out begging for food, else Qingyun and I would go hungry.¡± Feng Qingxue explained the reason of her going out, and said bluntly, ¡°Second Uncle, I came to ask you a favor.¡±

 Chapter 14 - 14 0014 My Own Home 2_1

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 0014: My Own Home 2_1 Chapter 14: Chapter 0014: My Own Home 2_1 ¡°What is it? Just speak up, if I can help, I certainly won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    The implications of Feng Shuanzhu¡¯s words were clear, if he couldn¡¯t help, he couldn¡¯t be blamed for not helping, especially in regards to the grain.


    Feng Shuanzhu was aware of Feng Qingxue¡¯s family affairs, but every household had its own difficulties, he couldn¡¯t interfere with theirs.


    Not only Sister Qingxue was starving and freezing, so many people had succumbed to hunger and cold that he had become numb to it.


    Feng Qingxue smiled, then sighed, ¡°It¡¯s not much, I¡¯m asking you to pity Qingyun and me, and to assign us one of our production team¡¯s vacated decrepit houses.¡±


    At this point, Feng Qingxue wiped her eyes, which looked to others as though she was wiping away tears.


    ¡°Qingyun is young and relies entirely on me to beg for food to sustain her. Occasionally, we come across a good Samaritan who provides us a meal. But we can¡¯t keep living in a makeshift shack, the weather is getting colder, and we don¡¯t even have bedding to keep us warm. So, I thought of those abandoned houses at least they have walls to shield us from the wind.¡±


    Before Feng Shuanzhu could speak, Feng Qingxue hastily said: ¡°We don¡¯t need anything big or fancy, as long as it can block the wind, shelter us from the rain, at least it would be a home.¡±


    Feng Qingxue made this request upfront to not allow Feng Shuanzhu to make a scene.


    She had already planned to secretly send Feng Shuanzhu a gift, nothing more than a bag of grain. But not now, giving it later would be seen as repaying a favor; giving it now has the stigma of bribery and could lead to a reporting incident.


    Although everyone was living a tough life, no one would hold this against them on this matter.


    As expected, as soon as she finished speaking, the villagers sunbathing nearby spoke up.


    ¡°Chief, just agree to her, as she said, at least it would be a home.¡±


    ¡°We all live hard lives, but this is something we can help with, Qingyun is only five years old!¡±


    ¡°A five-year-old child looks just like a two or three-year-old, how pitiful!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Shuanzhu, just agree to it. We aren¡¯t envious of the two sisters getting a house.¡±


    Hearing the commotion, Feng Qingyun ran out barefoot from her uncle¡¯s house.


    ¡°Sister!¡± Running to Feng Qingxue, Feng Qingyun stopped and clung tightly to her leg.


    Although many people were walking barefoot, seeing such a skinny child, dressed in worn-out adult cotton-padded clothes and barefoot, made everyone feel pity.


    Feng Qingxue quickly picked up her sister, ¡°Qingyun, I didn¡¯t go looking for you, why did you come out.¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡± Feng Qingyun clung tightly to her neck, her large eyes warily watching the crowd.


    Seeing this, Feng Shuanzhu let out a deep sigh.


    In fact, many people wanted those vacant houses to live in, but he had never given his approval.


    Like Feng Qingxue¡¯s brother and sister-in-law, who share three thatched huts between two families, have had their eyes on the houses left by deceased families in the production team.


    In things like this, one leads to another, so Feng Shuanzhu couldn¡¯t agree.


    But as everyone said, the sisters Feng Qingxue were different.


    They had been expelled from their home and were setting up their own household, a young girl taking care of a little one.


    ¡°Since everyone is saying so, I¡¯ll find a ruined house left by deceased families for the two sisters to live in. As everyone said, not for anything else, just so they have a place to shield from wind and rain. But, if anyone else comes to ask, I won¡¯t agree, unless they bring food or goods to exchange at the production team.¡±

 Chapter 15 - 15 0015 My Own Home 3_1

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 0015: My Own Home 3_1 Chapter 15: Chapter 0015: My Own Home 3_1 After hearing this, everyone laughed.


    ¡°We have no objections. If the broken house is too dilapidated, we will help with the repairs.¡±


    ¡°Yes indeed, what matters the most in our house are the walls and the roof. My family has gathered quite a bit of thatch, we originally planned to use it as firewood. If Qingxue needs it, it can be used for the roof.¡±


    Feng Shuanzhu immediately answered, ¡°No need, I¡¯m giving her the three thatched cottages to the far west. Those cottages were abandoned less than half a month ago; the walls and roof are intact, no need for repairs.¡±


    Uncle Feng hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too far?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s too far about it? Our production team¡¯s territory stretches less than a mile from east to west. If anything happens, a shout will alert everybody,¡± Feng Shuanzhu waved his hand, ¡°only that house is a bit better, the other houses don¡¯t even have roofs.¡±


    The thatch could also be used as firewood; those who were quicker had taken it away already.


    Hearing this, Uncle Feng stopped talking.


    Since no one else voiced objections, Feng Shuanzhu led the Feng Qingxue sisters westward.


    As he said, it wasn¡¯t far.


    Soon enough, they arrived at a three-room thatched cottage with its fence torn down and no yard left.


    No one had taken care of it and even though just half a month had passed, the front and back of the house looked deserted. The yellow wild grass was dancing in the autumn wind.


    ¡°Ah, when I came to see it yesterday, it was all right. Today, the two wooden doors have disappeared. I wonder whose hands were so quick,¡± Feng Shuanzhu stomped his foot. He led Feng Qingxue into the house, and it was dim inside.


    The windows of the thatched cottage were very small and the light was weak. Fortunately, the sunlight was shining through the doorway, which allowed them to see the inside clearly.


    Feng Qingxue laughed and said, ¡°No door is fine. At least the east and west parts of the house can block the wind and rain. It¡¯s much better than the grass shed.¡±


    She was genuinely content.


    Inside the house was empty; the original furniture had long been stolen. Only in a corner were a couple of broken porcelain bowls and a few pairs of chopsticks, most likely left because they belonged to the deceased and were very dilapidated, so no one wanted them.


    Feng Shuanzhu escorted Feng Qingxue and Feng Qingyun out of the house and took them for a walk around the back.


    Overgrown weeds were the only residents at the back of the house. Two ragged beds that were used to lay corpses leaned against the wall, extending three to four meters back to a river flowing southeast. On the riverbank stood a few Poplar trees, their tops the only thing left with foliage.


    The leaves were falling, and the sound of the river flowed softly.


    It was a bit secluded, but exceptionally tranquil.


    After Feng Shuanzhu left, Feng Qingxue hugged Feng Qingyun and kissed her forehead.


    ¡°Qingyun, we have our own home now, aren¡¯t you happy?¡±


    ¡°Our own home¡±, Feng Qingyun repeated, seeing her sister nod, she squinted her eyes happily, ¡°that¡¯s wonderful sister, we have our own home, we don¡¯t have to live in the grass shed anymore.¡±


    Who would choose to live in a grass shed if they had a house?


    What pleased Feng Qingxue the most was that their location was a little distant from other people in the production team.


    That is to say, it was about forty to fifty meters away from the penultimate house to the west of the production team, meaning they could cook without the smells reaching the others.


    Before heading to Uncle Feng¡¯s to pick up Feng Qingyun, Feng Qingxue took out the mantou from her basket. She also took out two bun-sized steamed cakes filled with a plain stuffing and let them cool down in the basket, simultaneously taking a small bag of rice out of her space.


    If the food she brought back from begging was still hot when she got home, that would be weird.


    After it cooled down, Feng Qingxue took it out, ate one herself and gave one to Feng Qingyun.

 Chapter 16 - 16 0016 My Own Home 4_1

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 0016: My Own Home 4_1 Chapter 16: Chapter 0016: My Own Home 4_1 ¡°Qingyun, I met a lot of kind people today. Some gave me buns, some gave me cornbread, and another gave me a small bag of rice. You should eat the buns quickly. Once you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll boil some water for you to bathe. Some kind people even sent you old clothes and shoes!¡±


    Feng Qingxue carefully chose her words when telling this to Feng Qingyun.


    ¡°Sister, the bun tastes so good! I¡¯ve never had something so delicious before.¡±


    Feng Qingyun¡¯s eyes lit up the moment she saw the buns. She had just taken a bite when she heard Feng Qingxue¡¯s words.


    ¡°Rice? Clothes?¡± Feng Qingyun was extremely surprised, ¡°Sister, are kind people really that good? Do I really have clothes to wear now?¡±


    Feng Qingxue took out the rice and clothes with one hand while holding the bun in the other.


    Upon seeing these items, Feng Qingyun had no more doubts¡ªshe was just excited and started to jump around in joy.


    ¡°Sister, this is amazing! I have clothes to wear, I have shoes to put on, and we¡¯ll have rice porridge to drink!¡±


    ¡°Lower your voice, don¡¯t make too much noise that others will hear.¡±


    Hearing Feng Qingxue say this, Feng Qingyun immediately shut her mouth. She cuddled next to Feng Qingxue, hungrily eating her bun, her eyes stuck on the clothes and shoes in the basket, full of excitement and delight.


    ¡°Sister, this is so great. I¡¯m so happy, I have clothes to wear, and shoes too.¡±


    Feng Qingyun couldn¡¯t contain her excitement, and kept repeating these sentences while eating.


    Feng Qingxue smiled, ¡°Qingyun, I promise you, I will make sure you have a good life.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡± Feng Qingyun believed that her sister wouldn¡¯t lie to her.


    After finishing the bun and easing her hunger a bit, Feng Qingxue asked Feng Qingyun to stay at home and watch over their basket while she went to move their belongings from the straw shed.


    All of their belongings consisted of pottery jars, wooden basins, ceramic bowls, and some firewood.


    From the original owner¡¯s memory, she knew firewood was also very precious.


    Therefore, Feng Qingxue put the ceramic bowl in the pottery jar, then the pottery jar in the wooden basin, carrying the wooden basin in one hand and a bundle of firewood on her back in another. However, just when she was about to leave the straw shed, Feng Er Sao interfered.


    ¡°Feng Qingxue, you can go, but the firewood must be left behind, it¡¯s ours.¡±


    Feng Er Sao had a bitter and harsh tongue instead than a bitterly sarcastic face. She couldn¡¯t stand seeing the house she and her husband wanted, being taken by Feng Qingxue and her sister without giving anything in return.


    Feng Qingxue gave a cold smile, ¡°Really? But this firewood is something that I painstakingly carried back from the mountain.¡±


    Although the original owner was not weak, she was afraid to confront her brother and sister-in-law. However, the current Feng Qingxue would not be bullied so easily.


    ¡°I say it¡¯s ours, so it¡¯s ours.¡± Feng Er Sao stubbornly insisted.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s have everyone come and judge this matter. Maybe we can ask the team leader to reallocate the grains that were distributed after autumn. The original owner often worked and had work points, so the amount of grain she received based on these points was definitely more than just twenty to thirty jin of sweet potatoes. Moreover, Feng Qingyun should also have some rations. I can only say that everything else was swallowed by our two brothers and sisters.¡±


    This kind of thing is not enquired if the people don¡¯t tell the officials.


    Feng Qingxue never sought anyone¡¯s help, so relatives would not bother. Everyone knows that officials have a hard time dealing with domestic affairs.


    Hearing Feng Qingxue say this, and seeing her firm attitude¡ªwhich was quite different than before¡ª Feng Er Sao backed down. She really didn¡¯t dare to let others judge the matter, because they were inherently unfair. Feng Er Sao gave Feng Qingxue a resentful glare, spat on the ground, turned around and went back to the house to discuss it with her husband and her sisters in-laws.


    Many people, like Feng Er Sao, take advantage of the weak but fear the strong.

 Chapter 17 - 17 0017 Entering the County Town Again 1_1

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 0017: Entering the County Town Again 1_1 Chapter 17: Chapter 0017: Entering the County Town Again 1_1 Feng Qingxue carried back to her home more than a dozen bundles of firewood in one breath and brought a few bundles of thatch. Once at home, she quickly built a mud stove with stones at one side of the door, setting a pottery pot on it.


    The water in the pottery pot had been scooped from the river.


    The fire was lit with matches, which, she told Qingyun, were given to her by a kind person.


    But were they?


    In reality, she was afraid that the lighter might become unusable one day, so she stored a lot of matches in her space for such an eventuality. Now, they were coming into use.


    It wasn¡¯t due to her foresight, but because she understood the fact that an ordinary lighter becomes useless once its liquid fuel is used up.


    Qingyun squatted in front of the stove, lighting the fire, and the flame reflected on her excited face. ¡°Sister, that kind hearted person was so nice!¡± she exclaimed.


    Feng Qingxue shook her head and smiled faintly.


    While Qingyun was busy watching the water boil, she made a rough clean up of the room, laying a thick layer of thatch in the corner of the east wall.


    This pile of straw was to be their temporary bed.


    When the hot water was ready, it was poured into a wooden tub, mixed with some cool water, and used for Qingyun¡¯s bath. Qingyun was then helped into the floral underpants that Feng Qingxue had sewn on the way home, and then she put on the cotton suit and outerwear she purchased that day.


    It wasn¡¯t because she had no regard for cleanliness that she would have Qingyun wear the newly purchased clothes immediately. It was because Qingyun was in dire need of clothes.


    However, the tunic to be worn by Qingyun wasn¡¯t an unpatched one, instead it was patched.


    The clothes seemed a little loose on Qingyun and looked a bit baggy, but Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t help it. She had no experience with sizes, and without any standard measurements, her estimates might not be accurate. Also, Qingyun was growing, so the size being a bit large was just perfect.


    Qingyun tugged at the collar of her new clothes, stamped her feet, and grinned from ear to ear.


    ¡°Sister, Sister, I have clothes now, I have shoes now!¡± she repeated impatiently, over and over again.


    ¡°If anybody asks you where you got your clothes from, tell them that I got them from begging from various households,¡± Feng Qingxue advised.


    ¡°Sister, we did beg for them!¡±


    Feng Qingxue just smiled. ¡°Yes, we did beg for them. However, do not tell anyone about how we got buns, eggs and rice too. If anyone asks what delicious food we managed to get, simply tell them that we¡¯d been given steamed buns made of sweet potato mixed with sorghum flour.¡±


    Qingyun nodded her head, ¡°I understand, Sister. If they knew that we begged for good food, they¡¯d also start begging. Then there will be more people begging, and we¡¯d get less food. I would not tell them! The steamed buns made of sweet potato mixed with sorghum are delicious too. I would simply say that we got them from our own dining hall.¡±


    Food from the dining hall? Feng Qingxue was confused.


    Soon, she remembered.


    The collective dining hall had just been disbanded. Previously, everyone ate from the same large pot. The steamed buns there were made of sweet potato mixed with corn and straw stalks boiled together, and these stalks took up two-thirds of the total ingredients.


    Even though such buns were that mix, everyone treasured them like a precious item, only managing to eat them during busy farming seasons, while usual meals comprised a thin gruel.


    ¡°You are such a clever girl!¡± Feng Qingxue patted Qingyun¡¯s head.


    Despite only having spent half a night and half a day with her, Feng Qingxue had realised that the little girl before her was extremely sharp-minded.


    Such a smart child deserves to be in a school. It would be a pity otherwise.


    Feng Qingxue resolved to send her to school when she was a couple of years older. When the university entrance exams doors opened, she herself would be well into her thirties, thus she might not get a chance to take them, but Qingyun would be in her early twenties, just the perfect age for university. It was only this way that the latter could have a better future.

 Chapter 18 - 18 0018 Entering the County Town Again 2_1

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 0018: Entering the County Town Again 2_1 Chapter 18: Chapter 0018: Entering the County Town Again 2_1 They busied themselves all afternoon until the sun went down.


    Feng Qingxue washed two ounces of rice, and cooked it into a rice soup for dinner.


    The oil in the rice soup was the most nutritious part. She and Feng Qingyun had been lacking in nutrition for a long time, and their stomachs had gradually shrunken due to hunger, so they needed to gradually nourish their stomachs and bodies, and then they could resume a normal diet balanced in meat and vegetables.


    Even though it was just a bowl of rice soup, Feng Qingyun savored it like a precious treasure, blowing on it gently and finishing it in small sips.


    After rinsing her mouth, Feng Qingyun contentedly snuggled into Feng Qingxue¡¯s arms.


    The two sisters huddled on a pile of straw, covered in the tattered padded jacket that Feng Qingyun no longer wore.


    The jacket, having been unwashed for so long, emitted an unpleasant odor.


    Feng Qingxue frowned slightly but endured it.


    Yes, she was a stickler for cleanliness, but times were different now. If she could bear wearing the original owner¡¯s clothes, naturally she could tolerate this tattered padded jacket. If she wanted to maintain hygiene, it would take slow and steady effort.


    Only with means, could one talk about hygiene.


    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s really nice.¡± Feng Qingyun hugged her sister¡¯s sleeve and murmured.


    As Feng Qingxue stroked her light, fluffy yellow hair, she said, ¡°Qingyun, your sister wants to make a stand for ourselves so we can have a better life. Following our brother and sister-in-law means depending on others, which would leave us forever hungry and cold.¡±


    Feng Qingyun tilted up her little face, ¡°Sister, what does it mean to depend on others?¡±


    ¡°To depend on others means relying on them to survive, unable to make decisions for yourself.¡±


    Feng Qingxue explained simply what it meant to depend on others, but before she could continue, Feng Qingyun said, ¡°Sister, I understand now. It¡¯s just like when we were living with our brother and sister-in-law, relying on the little bit of vegetable gruel they gave us to live on. If we were still living there, even the good food we begged for ourselves wouldn¡¯t end up in our own mouths.¡±


    ¡°Very clever!¡± Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t help but praise.


    This child, she learns so quickly!


    Feng Qingyun felt incredibly proud, complimented by her sister!


    Feng Qingyun, who had been raised single-handedly by Feng Qingxue since birth and never had a quiet day, now felt incredibly blessed.


    Having food to eat, clothes to wear, and a roof over her head.


    Having food in her belly guaranteed a restful night¡¯s sleep.


    Waking up early the next day, Feng Qingxue cooked more rice soup and took two cooked eggs from her storage space while Feng Qingyun was still sleeping. She woke up Feng Qingyun, and the two sisters shared the eggs.


    After they had finished eating and rinsed their mouths, when the taste in their mouth had disappeared, Feng Qingxue sent Feng Qingyun to their uncle¡¯s house and entrusted her to their aunt¡¯s care.


    Feng Qingxue did not know when she would return, so she left a steamed bun for Qingyun, hidden in a pocket sewn into her jacket, instructing her to eat it by herself if she came back late in the afternoon.


    As for the rice and the coat without patches at home that Feng Qingyun was concerned about, they were put into Feng Qingxue¡¯s bamboo basket to be carried with her.


    Although people were currently living upright lives and every household was destitute, reaching a point where doors were left unlocked at night and nothing was ever lost on the road, who could guarantee that no one, out of extreme hunger, would sneak into their empty house and steal things?


    Upon seeing the sisters, Feng Qingxue¡¯s aunt noticed Feng Qingyun¡¯s clothes first, which greatly surprised her.


    ¡°Qingxue, where did Qingyun¡¯s clothes come from? They look really nice.¡±


    Feng Qingxue smiled, ¡°I brazenly begged from house to house to put this outfit together. Some well-off good-hearted people, hearing how pitiful I was, gave me their children¡¯s old clothes that they no longer needed.¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 0019 Entering the County Town Again 3_1

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 0019: Entering the County Town Again 3_1 Chapter 19: Chapter 0019: Entering the County Town Again 3_1 ¡°Such a good thing?¡± Aunt Feng couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Just lucky, I guess.¡± Feng Qingxue evaded with ambiguity, unwilling to elaborate, ¡°Auntie, could you watch Qingyun for me so she doesn¡¯t wander off and get taken by someone? I¡¯m going out again to get some food; otherwise, we won¡¯t make it through this winter.¡±


    Hearing Feng Qingxue say this, Aunt Feng didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate to press further. ¡°Go ahead, you can leave Qingyun with me without worry.¡±


    Upon nearing the county town, Feng Qingxue moved the original items in her basket into her space, then extracted a bag of flour and a bag of cornmeal from the space. Not wanting to attract attention, she took nothing else.


    Upon further thought, Feng Qingxue also took out thirty eggs and two kilograms of soybean oil.


    The oil in her space was stored in large plastic tubs or sand jars ¨C for bulk quantities, these containers were used. Smaller quantities were stored in pottery jars, small plastic tubs, and glass bottles.


    Feng Qingxue, eyeing a bargain, had gathered many inexpensive containers for storage purposes.


    The plastic tubs and glass bottles were inconvenient to remove, but she managed to find a pottery jar of soybean oil tucked away in a corner.


    She had originally planned to take some meat out ¨C her space contained a lot of it, but considering the houses in town were quite close together and the smell of stewed meat could easily waft into others¡¯ nostrils, inviting trouble, she decided to just take out the eggs and oil instead.


    Upon reaching the county town, she didn¡¯t go anywhere else, proceeding directly to Red Army Bridge.


    There were a fair few people hanging around the bridge and its surrounding areas of Red Army Bridge, scattered here and there, ignoring each other while glancing around nervously. Some huddled in twos or threes, speaking briefly before parting ways; others watched for any danger from afar.


    The gaunt and poorly dressed Feng Qingxue was clearly not a black market enforcer, so no one stopped her from approaching the bridge.


    Noticing Feng Qingxue¡¯s seemingly heavy basket, a sixty-year-old lady of refined demeanor approached her straight away. Adorned in clean old clothes, she had a malnourished look and a basket strapped to her back. She greeted her in a low voice.


    ¡°Miss, do you have any grains to sell? Coarse or fine, I¡¯ll take it all. I have items to trade with you.¡±


    Feng Qingxue had been looking at her in a daze. Upon hearing this, she replied quietly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, grandma, I¡¯m actually waiting for someone. If she doesn¡¯t want all the grains I¡¯ve brought, then I¡¯ll trade with you. Is that acceptable?¡±


    Having always been respectful of the elderly, she felt deeply for the older woman who was reluctantly dealing with the black market to get food.


    Fortunately, Feng Qingxue had plenty of supplies in her space.


    The old woman gratefully agreed and shuffled away to wait.


    After looking around for a while, Feng Qingxue noticed the old lady who had warned her last night had been waiting for a while over there, and she hurriedly walked over.


    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Similar to the refined old woman from earlier, this old lady also had a bamboo basket covered with a piece of ragged cloth.


    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s find another place to trade. There are too many prying eyes here.¡± This was the first thing the old lady said upon seeing Feng Qingxue.


    Feng Qingxue understood completely.


    So, they left the area, one following the other.


    A dozen or so minutes later, the two met up again, but did not trade straight away. They switched locations again, this time to a place where no one was around.


    ¡°Grandma, how much do you want?¡±


    ¡°Miss, how much do you have?¡±


    The first thing they said when they were ready to trade was this, which they both said simultaneously, their words overlapping.


    Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t help but smile, and the old lady laughed as well.

 Chapter 20 - 20 0020 Entering the County Town Again 4_1

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 0020: Entering the County Town Again 4_1 Chapter 20: Chapter 0020: Entering the County Town Again 4_1 Feng Qingxue extended her hand, inviting the old woman to speak first. The old woman did not refuse and said straightforwardly, ¡°My dear, you are a good girl, I won¡¯t hide it from you. My family is struggling these days. The meager forty to fifty yuans we have scraped together is why I am here. Please see how much grain I can buy with this. We need both fine and coarse grains, as our whole family is relying on these high-priced grains to survive.¡±


    Listening to the old woman, Feng Qingxue¡¯s heart ached.


    She respected and pitied the people of this era, as her grandparents were living through these times as well.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, let¡¯s be honest. I¡¯m not considering the market price of grain since I do not have any scales to weigh. Hence, I¡¯m giving you all the grains I have, for the money you have,¡± Qingxue said.


    Feng Qingxue opened her bag, revealing two bags of grain inside.


    Although the cloth bags didn¡¯t hold that much grain, they were about 13 to 14 pounds each, bringing the total to over 26 pounds.


    Gauging by the current grain prices, it was quite costly.


    Tears welled up in the old woman¡¯s eyes.


    She clearly realized that she couldn¡¯t afford so much grain without at least a hundred yuan.


    ¡°My dear, thank you...thank you...¡± she said.


    The old woman bowed deeply in gratitude, hastily taking out a hanky from her chest and unwrapping it to reveal a stack of money. There were ten yuan bills, as well as smaller denominations, totaling forty-eight yuan, fifty cents, and seven fen.


    Feng Qingxue took the money and poured the grains from her bag into the container the old woman had brought with her.


    The old woman also noticed the eggs and cooking oil in the bag.


    She moved her lips slightly, but ultimately remained silent. She then bowed to Feng Qingxue, lifted the bamboo basket and hurried away.


    Feng Qingxue was concerned about the elderly woman waiting at the Red Army Bridge. She thought that the woman had a demeanor very similar to that of her own grandmother. She filled two to three more bags with both fine and coarse grains and returned to the Red Army Bridge.


    The elderly woman hadn¡¯t managed to buy any grains yet. Seeing Feng Qingxue, she quickened her strides up to her, whispering, ¡°My dear...¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t ask her what price she could offer for the grains. She said this word and turned to leave.


    A moment later, the elderly woman caught up to her, surprise and happiness painted on her face.


    In a corner where no one was paying attention, the elderly woman asked, ¡°My dear, are you willing to exchange your grains with me?¡±


    ¡°What do you have for exchange?¡±, Feng Qingxue asked with a smile.


    At this moment, Feng Qingxue thought to herself, as long as it wouldn¡¯t harm her, she might as well try to help. After all, money and possessions were temporary. But this old woman resembled her grandmother so much. Seeing her felt like seeing her own grandmother.


    The old woman pulled out a small black cloth bag from her sleeve and handed it to Feng Qingxue.


    When Feng Qingxue untied the bag, she was taken aback by the shimmering light of two gold bracelets, each as wide as a finger. They were beautifully crafted with ruby inlays, nearly identical.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am...¡± Feng Qingxue gasped in surprise.


    ¡°Take it, my dear. It¡¯s very kind of you to be willing to exchange food with me.¡±, the old woman said.


    Feng Qingxue swiftly drew the bag closed, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is too precious.¡±


    ¡°No matter how precious, it was only so in the past. Now, we can neither eat nor drink it.¡±, the old woman laughed bitterly, her words harmonizing with her grim expression, ¡°My dear, I won¡¯t lie to you. Although the bank purchases gold to fund national construction, they only buy the gold. It would be a waste to remove the gems as they are the work of renowned craftsmen of the old times. But most importantly, I dare not go to the bank.¡±

 Chapter 21 - 21 0021 Finding Treasure in the Trash 1_1

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 0021: Finding Treasure in the Trash 1_1 Chapter 21: Chapter 0021: Finding Treasure in the Trash 1_1 Feng Qingxue felt a pang in her heart. So, the old woman dared not go? That indicated a dire family background and if discovered trading jewelry for bank services, it would certainly become a target of envy and endless hassles.


    Since the founding of the country, combat against landlords and land redistribution had been carried out with immense momentum, resulting in many wealthy families losing their fortunes.


    Although the true catastrophe had yet to come, everyone had been categorized due to their social class and life was difficult for those of lower status.


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s grandmother belonged to the underprivileged class and had suffered a great deal during this era.


    The so-called underprivileged were mainly those from families of merchants or large landlords who owned a lot of land. They were referred to as capitalists exploiting the laboring masses, as vampires that needed to be defeated.


    Besides them, the intellectuals were derogatively called the ¡®stinky old nines¡¯.


    ¡®Stinky old nines¡¯ was an offensive term. Looking back at the history of a thousand years, only during the Yuan Dynasty had intellectuals been ranked lower than courtesans.


    Well, everyone was equal. Courtesans too were pitiful and shouldn¡¯t be discriminated against. But that doesn¡¯t mean one should offend intellectuals.


    In fact, every era witnessed turbulence following the establishment of a new dynasty.


    All things considered, it was a struggle for power and a clash of social classes.


    Most importantly, Feng Qingxue hailed from the 21st century and thus, unlike the people of this time, did not despise those from a lower social class. She put the small black bag into her own pocket, signaling that the transaction was successful.


    Seeing this, the old woman was overjoyed, ¡°Thank you, thank you, my dear girl!¡±


    Without uttering a word, Feng Qingxue unloaded her bamboo basket, taking out three bags of grain, one of black flour, one of cornmeal, and one of wheat bran.


    Like before, every bag weighed between six to eight, even up to ten pounds.


    Considering the weight and exquisite craftsmanship of the gold bracelet she had received, she also took out some soybean oil and eggs, and after reaching into the basket and mentally preparing herself, she pulled out a cured meat stashed away in her space. It weighed about two pounds.


    Upon seeing all these items, the old woman was startled, ¡°My dear girl...¡±


    Feng Qingxue smiled, ¡°Madam, I know the value of things too. You traded such an item for grain while risking so much. It is clear that you are struggling to get by. I have ways to obtain these items and I lack nothing. You take these, I assure you that with those two bracelets, I am not at a loss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you... thank you...¡± The old woman clasped her hands, tears glistening in her eyes.


    Feng Qingxue stuffed everything, including the oil can, into the old woman¡¯s basket and covered it with a piece of worn cloth that she initially had in her basket.


    ¡°Madam, I felt a closeness towards you the moment I saw you. You should also stop trading with others for grain to avoid being anonymously reported and implicating your family. If you trust me, I can come again tomorrow before dawn. However, we must arrange to meet in a different location.¡±


    The old woman was overwhelmed with emotion, ¡°Okay, my dear child, I will bring my husband tomorrow. Let¡¯s avoid going under the bridge to escape the risk of being discovered.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s meet under the large elm tree. Not many people pass by there and it¡¯s quite open. We¡¯ll be able to spot anyone coming from afar. Madam, whatever you need, I¡¯ll try my best to arrange it.¡±


    ¡°Times are tough, grain is the most important thing,¡± the old woman sighed.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Feng Qingxue nodded.


    The old woman clutched her hand, ¡°My dear girl, my family¡¯s surname is Guan and my husband¡¯s family name is Xu. You can call me Madam Xu.¡±

 Chapter 22 - 22 0022 Finding Treasure in the Trash 2_1

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 0022: Finding Treasure in the Trash 2_1 Chapter 22: Chapter 0022: Finding Treasure in the Trash 2_1 ¡°Madam Xu.¡± Feng Qingxue called out, then said, ¡°Please call me Qingxue.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Madam Xu responded, her eyes red, ¡°My girl, Qingxue, I don¡¯t want anything else, just grains, coarse or fine, you can just bring them here. Even if I can¡¯t offer anything valuable in return, my old friends still have quite a stash. We old folks, each one of us just hanging on by a thread, every household needs food to survive.¡±


    ¡°I understand, I get it.¡± Madam Xu¡¯s identity determines her social circle, her old friends are either capitalists or from the Scholar Gentry, large landlords and such, all of them from unfavorable backgrounds.


    ¡°There are still more good people in this world! See, I¡¯ve met you today.¡± Madam Xu sighed with feeling.


    Feng Qingxue gave a slight smile, ¡°Madam Xu, I spend all year dealing with food in the countryside, so I rarely venture into the city. I want to ask where I can find old furniture or windows and doors.¡±


    Now that she¡¯s left with nothing more than an empty house, she needed to install some doors and windows, and acquire a bed and some chairs.


    Hearing Feng Qingxue¡¯s question, Madam Xu was startled, but quickly got her bearings.


    ¡°Dear girl, if you want old furniture, try visiting the junk collection center. During these years of ransackings, the possessions in our homes, aside from what couldn¡¯t aid in national development and was therefore destroyed, were either turned over to the state or ended up in the junkyard. The flea market also has people wanting to sell these old things for food, but it¡¯s not as economical as the junk collection center.¡±


    Upon saying that, Madam Xu gave it some thought and whispered, ¡°My girl, I can tell you¡¯re sharp-eyed. If your family background is good and you have a place to hide things without them being discovered, try visiting the junk collection center and the flea market. You¡¯ve got food, what good thing can¡¯t you barter for? Countless people sell things for money but still can¡¯t buy food. This is an opportunity.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was stirred and nodded.


    Madam Xu sighed regretfully, ¡°In chaotic times, gold is precious. In prosperous times, antiques. Although these are not exactly chaotic times, life barely differs. But you¡¯re young, you can wait until prosperous times arrive. Then, when people¡¯s standard of living improves, they will appreciate refinement, focusing on antiques.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember, Madam.¡±


    Feng Qingxue sighed, truly an insightful elderly. No wonder there¡¯s a saying that having an elder in the family is like a treasure.


    Madam Xu patted her hand, ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Not daring to linger, after exchanging words, they each went their own way.


    Feng Qingxue put the bracelet into her space, carrying an empty basket, headed towards the junk collection center mentioned by Madam Xu.


    Madam Xu had given her directions to both the junk collection center and the flea market. It was easy to find.


    Madam Xu¡¯s words reminded her, countless cultural relics were destroyed during this era.


    Her grandmother once said that her greatest regret in life was to watch her house being ransacked and destroyed, countless antiques burnt on the spot, including many lost-transmission books.


    Therefore, Feng Qingxue intended to acquire as many antiques from the junk collection center as possible.


    She had space, so storage was guaranteed.


    The policy of destroying old ways brought a brief boom to the junk collection center.


    Although their town was small and relatively had fewer rich people, the junk collection center was not that big, yet when Feng Qingxue arrived, there were still two or three flatbed trucks carrying junk in, filled with scrap metal and such.


    There was also staff guarding the junk collection center, sunbathing at the gate, needless to say, they were still thin and pale.

 Chapter 23 - 23 0023 Finding Treasure in the Trash 3_1

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 0023: Finding Treasure in the Trash 3_1 Chapter 23: Chapter 0023: Finding Treasure in the Trash 3_1 When he looked up to see Feng Qingxue, the worker said listlessly, ¡°Comrade, may I help you with something?¡±


    ¡°Hello comrade, I am looking for some old furniture and books, do you have them?¡±


    Feng Qingxue began to express her grievances: ¡°Comrade, it¡¯s a shame to waste. I¡¯ve come here because I have no other choice. My five-year-old sister and I were driven out of our home by our brother and sister-in-law. We¡¯re living in a house left by a family who has no successors. There¡¯re no doors, no windows, no beds, no tables. I can bear it, but my little sister can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have money to buy new furniture from stores, so I¡¯m here to check if there are any suitable old furniture here. I also want to see if you have any porcelain bowls and books because I want to teach my sister to read. I do not want her to be illiterate.¡±


    The worker, a middle-aged man who seemed honest and straightforward, said, ¡°You can go to the warehouse, there are plenty of old furniture and also some old wood and books, which are meant to be sent to support national construction. Development through recycling is a good virtue. You can go in and pick, but you can¡¯t take books written by counter-revolutionary capitalists. Moreover, you have to pay for these things by weight.¡±


    Feng Qingxue understood him. Even junk is part of the national inventory, of course it has to be bought.


    *Cough* *Cough*....


    Upon entering, Feng Qingxue almost choked on the overwhelming dust.


    The recycling center was without a warehouse. As soon as you entered, there was a large courtyard filled with heaps of old furniture, scrap metal and such. Underneath the makeshift shelter was a variety of books and waste paper, presumably to keep them from getting wet in the rain.


    At that moment, several people were weighing the wares they had brought in.


    The ones who brought and unloaded the items were clearly waste collectors, while the ones weighing the items were workers from the recycling station.


    Feng Qingxue did not dare to stay too long and quickly headed under the shelter.


    Since there were people around, she couldn¡¯t blatantly add items to her void. Instead, she silently transferred the ancient books and scrolls she found interesting into the void while flipping through the textbooks.


    Fortunately, all she had to do was touch the object and think about it, and it would appear in her void.


    She didn¡¯t want to steal these antiquities, but she was forced by the circumstances of the times to commit this act.


    She was filled with sympathy for these artifacts that were being destroyed.


    When the country starts to value these things in the future, she will donate the valuable cultural relics she has stolen from the recycling station. She won¡¯t keep them for herself.


    Not for any other reason, but because these items were stolen, not bought by herself.


    If she had bought them, they would rightfully belong to her. If they are stolen, they do not, and it will weigh heavily on her conscience.


    ¡°Righteous wealth should be obtained in a decent way,¡± she thought.


    Coming from a family of Scholar Gentry, she had been exposed to physical artefacts under the influence of her elders, so naturally she knew a little about the appraisal of cultural objects. She could tell at a glance whether an ancient book or painting had any value.


    There weren¡¯t many valuable cultural relics, ancient books or paintings here, the majority were textbooks, magazines and newspapers.


    Feng Qingxue quickly moved the valuable ancient books and paintings to her void. In her hands were just textbooks and unused paper from this era. It took quite a lot of effort to gather all the necessary textbooks; a set for primary school, one for junior high, and another for high school. Most importantly, she found two and a half sets of the ¡°Self-Study Series on Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry¡±.


    One set consists of seventeen volumes, but she was only able to gather two complete sets, and despite rummaging through the entire pile of scrap papers, she failed to complete the third set.


    This book may not be known to many people born after the 80¡¯s, but those who sat for the 77¡¯s college entrance examination would be very familiar with it. At the time, this book was an absolute treasure. Many people queued overnight to buy it, and the printing house was also working overtime to print it, even using the paper that was reserved for printing red treasures.

 Chapter 24 - 24 0024 Finding Treasure in the Trash 4_1

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 0024: Finding Treasure in the Trash 4_1 Chapter 24: Chapter 0024: Finding Treasure in the Trash 4_1 Having selected all the books she could, Feng Qingxue moved to the yard.


    The old furniture piled up like a mountain, most of which had already fallen apart. Very few were intact, and if they were, it was ordinary wood, scarce in quantity. The isolated pieces, however, were of high-quality wood, including rosewood, Wamara, and mahogany...


    Seeing this, was there anything Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t understand?


    The good wood furniture had fallen apart precisely because they were broken during raids, some even bearing signs of being burned.


    These belonged to wealthy families. Only the wealthy got raided.


    As it approached noon, the sun shone bright. Those unloading waste materials and weighing them weren¡¯t in the yard anymore.


    Feng Qingxue acted swiftly and stealthily, quietly collecting the best furniture parts into her space, then picked out the second-best with common wood such as walnut and wingceltis all mixed together, neatly piled up on the side along with the other two pieces of furniture.


    One was a small square table made of old elm wood, the other was a teak bench barely holding together.


    Fearing any detection, Feng Qingxue purposely messed up the pile of old furniture, making it appear on the surface no pieces of wood were missing.


    Following this, Feng Qingxue turned to other places, pulling out a large brass kettle for boiling water, some big and small bowls and dishes, jars and pots, all are porcelain, covered in dust, their original beauty could no longer be seen. Also, she found many broken porcelain pieces.


    Before weighing, the staff carefully checked, mainly inspecting textbooks to see if there were any inappropriate papers hidden.


    As for the wood and bowls, dishes, jars and pots, the staff didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    ¡°Comrade, the wood is a total of one thousand four hundred and fifty-two pounds, one cent per pound, you need to pay me fourteen Yuan fifty-two cents. Waste paper is also one cent per pound, thirty-eight pounds, you pay me three yuan eight cents. Those few bowls, dishes, bottles, pots and broken porcelain, you give three yuan. This large copper pot weighs three pounds, three yuan.¡± The staff calculated the total, fifteen yuan fifty cents.


    Feng Qingxue gladly paid the money, but then was worried about how to transport everything home.


    Seeing her still lingering, the staff was puzzled. When he found out her difficulty, he couldn¡¯t help but smile, pointing to a flatbed cart not far away. ¡°Comrade, use that flatbed cart to pull it home. Just return it tomorrow.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was taken aback, ¡°You trust me to use it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there not to trust?¡± The staff found her reaction amusing, ¡°Just take it and remember to return it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, thank you. May I ask your honorable surname?¡±


    ¡°My surname is Li.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Li, I will return the cart tomorrow.¡±


    Uncle Li appeared as honest as he looked, he helped her organize the table, stool, and the wood, books onto the flatbed cart, and tied down everything with two hemp ropes to prevent them from falling off.


    ¡°Uncle Li, thank you, thank you.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was physically weak, she put part of the stuff into her space halfway, only after sweating profusely did she pull the cart home, and it was already dark.


    Feng Qingyun was sitting at the door, when she saw her return, he jumped up, ¡°Older sister, you¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Qingyun? Weren¡¯t you at Uncle¡¯s house?¡± Feng Qingxue wiped off her sweat.


    ¡°They were going to bed at my uncle¡¯s house, so I came back.¡± Qingyun circled around her, ¡°Anyway, everyone is poor now, no one wants to trick my mouth that wastes food!¡± She knew what her sister worried, worrying that she would be kidnapped.


    Feng Qingxue patted her head lightly and turned to move the stuff from the cart into the house one by one.

 Chapter 25 - 25 0025 Helping Out In Time Of Need1_1

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 0025: Helping Out In Time Of Need1_1 Chapter 25: Chapter 0025: Helping Out In Time Of Need1_1 Once everything was moved, Feng Qingxue took out the rice, clothes and other items that now belonged to her family from the space, and grabbed a few different types of mixed grain cornbread to appease Feng Qingyun.


    ¡°Sister, where did all this stuff come from? And the flatbed cart!¡± Feng Qingyun washed her hands, and as she ate the steamed bun Feng Qingxue had brought her, she asked, her eyes sweeping over the wooden books, bowls, plates, and other items.


    Feng Qingxue answered, ¡°The things were collected from trash, and the flatbed cart is borrowed. I need to return it before dawn tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sister, are you going out again tomorrow? Can¡¯t you take me along? I can beg with you. You said last time that I didn¡¯t have trousers and shoes so you didn¡¯t take me, but now I have clothes and shoes to wear.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Feng Qingxue flatly refused.


    ¡°Why?¡± Feng Qingyun was greatly disappointed.


    Of course, it¡¯s because if you¡¯re around, I can¡¯t take things out of the space! Feng Qingxue thought to herself.


    However, she said, ¡°Silly girl, other than a few patches on your gown, none of your other clothes have any patches. One look and people will know our family¡¯s conditions aren¡¯t that bad, they won¡¯t give us any food.¡±


    Feng Qingyun looked down at herself, then at Feng Qingxue, and fell silent.


    Of course, she wore nice clothes now, while her sister dressed in the old rags from before, looking like a poor person at first glance.


    They washed up and slept that night, and the next day, around three in the morning, Feng Qingxue set off. Considering Qingyun¡¯s cleverness and her own intentions, Qingxue decided to leave her at home, promising to bring back some nice food for her.


    Feng Qingxue, pulling the flatbed cart, arrived at the old elm tree at five o¡¯clock.


    On the flatbed were sacks of food she had picked up on the way, a half sack of cornmeal, and over half a sack of whole wheat flour.


    Whole wheat flour is flour that hasn¡¯t been separated from the wheat bran, which counts as fine grain now, even cornmeal is classified as a fine grain.


    The sacks were hard-won, taken out from the space. The food she initially purchased was all contained in nylon bags that were sealed with white thread, these few sacks were used when she was trading in mountain goods.


    Besides those grains, Feng Qingxue also put small cloth bags filled with rice, millets and other valuable grains into the basket on the cart.


    Aunt Xu and Uncle Xu walked around the old elm, dripping with dew, clearly having waited a long time.


    ¡°Aunt Xu.¡± Feng Qingxue hurried to greet her.


    The two old people stopped in their tracks, looked at her in joy.


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re here!¡± Aunt Xu¡¯s heart that had been hanging in the air finally dropped.


    Feng Qingxue sized up Uncle Xu a few times, he was an interesting old man, tattered clothes couldn¡¯t hide his clean and cultured demeanor, and there was a noble air about him, like a pampered young master.


    ¡°Uncle Xu, hello.¡± Feng Qingxue was the first to greet him.


    Uncle Xu gave a small smile, ¡°Girl, thank you, the food you gave my wife yesterday saved at least three lives.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that several old folks were starving to death, and absolutely out of options, his wife would never have dared to brave the big risk, trading the dowry she had barely managed to hide for food on the black market.


    Feng Qingxue laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, I got some good things from Auntie. Now, have a look at the grain I¡¯ve brought.¡±


    Seeing that the sacks on the cart were all full of grain, the two old people wept with joy.


    ¡°So much grain, I¡¯m afraid what we brought isn¡¯t enough.¡± Aunt Xu hesitated for a moment, then said to Feng Qingxue.

 Chapter 26 - 26 0026 Timely Assistance in the Snow 2_1

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 0026: Timely Assistance in the Snow 2_1 Chapter 26: Chapter 0026: Timely Assistance in the Snow 2_1 Feng Qingxue wiped the sweat off her brow, laughing, ¡°It¡¯s not about what¡¯s enough or not, I¡¯m not only after your belongings. If I was after money, all I¡¯d have to do is go to the black market. There¡¯s no shortage of people willing to buy or exchange with jewelry. Instead, I worry that you won¡¯t be able to manage this much grain. We¡¯d better take this flatbed cart and send the grain to your house before daylight.¡±


    ¡°We are truly grateful, my girl.¡±


    How could Mrs. Xu possibly refuse? If there were ill intentions involved, they wouldn¡¯t have arranged so much grain for them. Their social status led many people to shun them.


    Everyone usually had two meals a day and got up rather late, so Feng Qingxue and Gangzi encountered very few people while making their furtive journey.


    Upon reaching Mr. and Mrs. Xu¡¯s home, all three of them exhaled with relief.


    Mr. and Mrs. Xu lived in a small wooden hut located beside the public toilet behind the department store building.


    The solitary wooden house had no courtyard, was quite low and small, making it chilly in winter and roasting hot in summer.


    Mrs. Xu, however, seemed quite comfortable about it, saying, ¡°The state has given us jobs. One of us sweeps the streets, and the other cleans the toilet. It¡¯s perfect. Living here is very convenient.¡± Her tone was full of self-mockery.


    Feng Qingxue sighed, holding her hand, ¡°Mrs. Xu, all these difficulties will eventually pass.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, they will pass. But we don¡¯t know if we can live to see that day,¡± she added.


    While they were talking, Mr. Xu carried the bags of grain into the house first. He then moved a bed in the house, opened the entrance to the cellar beneath the bed, and poured the grain into the barrels in the cellar. All of these actions were done without concealing anything from Feng Qingxue.


    Feng Qingxue did not inquire further and took the goods out of the basket. ¡°Mr. Xu, Mrs. Xu, please take this and replenish yourselves.¡±


    In addition to a small bag of rice and millet, Feng Qingxue had also prepared for them thirty to forty eggs, two pieces of cured meat, and more than ten sausages, for their convenience.


    Something about Mrs. Xu¡¯s appearance and demeanor made Feng Qingxue want to be kind to them.


    Mrs. Xu covered her mouth, her face wet with tears.


    ¡°My dear girl, I don¡¯t know what to say to express my gratitude,¡± she said.


    Mr. Xu also felt that the items he had initially prepared to exchange for the grains didn¡¯t seem sufficient now. He covered the entrance to the underground cellar, moved the wooden bed back to its original place, and informed his wife before stepping out of the door.


    ¡°My dear girl, please sit.¡± Mrs. Xu pulled Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand, inviting her to sit on the edge of the bed.


    Their home had no table or chairs, only a coal stove and a small bed. Upon the stove sat a small iron pot, next to which a few pieces of honeycomb briquettes were placed. At the head of the bed was a wooden box, on the lid of which were two sets of bowls and chopsticks, two enamel jars, and a thermos wrapped in a woven bamboo shell.


    Mrs. Xu filled one of the enamel jars with hot water for Feng Qingxue. ¡°My dear girl, our hospitality is poor ¨C please don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°How could I, Mrs. Xu? Times are hard for everyone,¡± said Feng Qingxue, accepting the enamel jar.


    The thermos might not have very good thermal insulation properties; the water in the enamel jar was warm, not scalding hot, but it was just right for drinking.


    Feng Qingxue, having come a long way, was quite thirsty. She drained the jar in one gulp, showing no signs of discomfort.


    Noticing that their quilts were rather thin and the cotton inside had hardened, Feng Qingxue put the jar she was holding onto the lid of the box and whispered, ¡°Mrs. Xu, I will bring some raw cotton over in a few days. It will be good for making winter clothes and quilts.¡±


    Mrs. Xu it on the edge of the bed, holding Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand. ¡°My dear girl...¡±


    Feng Qingxue noticed Mrs. Xu¡¯s hand trembling slightly ¨C she was touched and emotional.

 Chapter 27 - 27 0027 Delivering Aid In Time Of Need3_1

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 0027: Delivering Aid In Time Of Need3_1 Chapter 27: Chapter 0027: Delivering Aid In Time Of Need3_1 ¡°Auntie,¡± Feng Qingxue clasped her hand, gently shaking it. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ve felt really close to you ever since I met you, as if we had some kind of bond in a past life. So please, don¡¯t stand on ceremony with me. Life these days is hard for everyone. I¡¯ve recently found a way to procure some goods, let¡¯s just strive to keep surviving.¡±


    Auntie Xu nodded vigorously, wiping away her tears. ¡°Yes, yes, we must survive.¡±


    Uncle Xu walked in from outside, upon hearing those words, he strongly agreed. ¡°Exactly, as long as we¡¯re alive, we must carry on. Once we die, all is done. Only in living there¡¯s hope.¡±


    ¡°Did you bring the stuff?¡± Auntie Xu asked.


    Uncle Xu nodded slightly, pulling out a palm-sized Rosewood Jewelry Box from under his old quilted jacket and handed it to his wife.


    A small copper lock with a key was attached to the jewelry box. Auntie Xu opened the lock, opened the box, and put it in front of Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°My girl, I won¡¯t lie to you. The events of those years happened so unexpectedly, we, an old couple, managed to hide some things which were not confiscated. It¡¯s always a hassle to keep them, so you can take this jewelry if you don¡¯t mind. Nowadays no one dares to wear jewelry. It¡¯s better to pass it on to the younger generation.¡±


    The jewelry box may look small, but it holds a world of its own.


    Moreover, the jewelry inside is particularly tiny, so there¡¯s quite a lot of pieces in the box.


    Uncle Xu kept watch outside while Auntie Xu took out a pair of jade bracelets, nearly identical, wrapped in red velvet. The bright positive green color dominated a large portion, about two-thirds, the remaining part was as clear and translucent as white ice.


    ¡°These were betrothal gifts that your uncle gave to me. Sadly, these bracelets can¡¯t even get us a few pounds of food.¡±


    Feng Qingxue estimated that the water texture of the bracelets reached the level of Ice Jade in later classification, the jade color was bright and very expensive.


    The luster reflected off the old style Jade felt cold, virtually flawless.


    Next, Auntie Xu took out a pair of gold filigree earrings set with ruby and two rings of the same design. ¡°It¡¯s a pity to separate these from the bracelet I gave you yesterday. They¡¯re a set. Take them.¡±


    The color of the ruby was quite even, which was particularly pleasing to the eye.


    The weight of the gold was not heavy, but the craftsmanship was exquisite, which would only be seen in museums in later times.


    This was instantly recognized by Feng Qingxue, who had specialized in jewelry appraisal before crossing over.


    Along with these, there were a few odds and ends of jewelry, all precious in later times, but worthless at present.


    Auntie Xu closed the jewelry box, locked it, and stuffed it into Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand along with the key.


    Just as Feng Qingxue was about to decline, Auntie Xu said: ¡°My girl, you brought us so much food, we didn¡¯t refuse that. You don¡¯t need to refuse this either. Take it, take it. These things are nothing compared to the value of food.¡±


    Feng Qingxue accepted it, planning to send more supplies to the elderly couple in the future.


    ¡°My girl, it¡¯s almost dawn. You should leave quickly. It¡¯s not good for you if people see you hanging around with us,¡± said Auntie Xu, her intent to send off Feng Qingxue was for her own good. Feng Qingxue knew when to express gratitude and promptly got up to leave. ¡°Okay, Auntie, I¡¯ll be on my way. I love the things you gave me. If any of your friends have more, feel free to contact me. Don¡¯t risk going to the black market.¡±


    Auntie Xu was taken aback, then whispered, ¡°My girl, can you really get hold of a lot of supplies?¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 0028 Timely Assistance in the Snow 4_1

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 0028: Timely Assistance in the Snow 4_1 Chapter 28: Chapter 0028: Timely Assistance in the Snow 4_1 ¡°We can gather quite a lot of various supplies through legitimate means, with no risks. You can rest assured.¡± Feng Qingxue nodded slightly.


    Aunt Xu contemplated for a moment, ¡°That¡¯s good, girl. Please scramble some fine grain and rare goods for us. Those old folks were used to luxury before, but now living in such turbulent times, they have hoarded a lot of things. Yet, they are at a loss on how to get food and are getting desperate.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Auntie. I¡¯ll figure out a way.¡±


    ¡°You must be very careful in your actions. Do not attract any unnecessary attention.¡±


    Aunt Xu watched her leave as she saw her off.


    After her departure, the old couple hurried back into the house and closed the door.


    ¡°My dear, in a few days when we get our salary, we should send some grain to our children. Let¡¯s first send a telegram to ask them to send money back home. Since Qingxue is willing to help us out of pity, we cannot let her suffer any loss.¡±


    That being said, if jewelry cannot be sold, it is no better than cash. At least with cash, one could buy high-priced grain from the black market.


    Uncle Xu nodded, ¡°Alright, our children¡¯s wages aren¡¯t low, it¡¯s just the grain ration that¡¯s low. If we use the money to buy grain, they will surely be glad.¡±


    Aunt Xu sighed, ¡°When will these hard times end?¡±


    Uncle Xu held her hand, saying nothing.


    Meanwhile, when Feng Qingxue arrived at the entrance of the scrap collection station, Uncle Li and others had not yet started work and there were no pedestrians on the road. She pretended to take two or three tofu-filled small buns from her basket, eating them with enjoyment.


    Midway through her meal, the sound of someone swallowing saliva suddenly came from the side.


    Feng Qingxue raised her head and saw a bony little boy, about five or six years old, standing barefoot, swallowing saliva incessantly. His eyes, excessively large in his gaunt face, stared fixedly at the bun in Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand, displaying a desperate longing.


    Seeing this, Feng Qingxue sighed and waved him over.


    At her beckon, the little boy ran over to her, swallowing saliva, ¡°Sister...¡±


    ¡°Eat.¡± Feng Qingxue took out a vegetable-filled big bun from her basket and gave it to him.


    The little boy¡¯s eyes sparkled like light bulbs. As quick as lightning, he grabbed the bun out of her hand and then with a shy expression said, ¡°Thank you, sister.¡±


    Feng Qingxue laughed heartily and patted his head, ¡°Eat up, it¡¯s from your sister, no need to be polite.¡±


    While the little boy sat next to her eating the bun, Feng Qingxue found out about his name and his family situation.


    His name was Zhao Tianqi, seven years old that year. The previous year, his grandfather had been sent to the countryside for labor reform. His parents had divorced shortly after, with his father disappearing into the crowd. He lived with his mother in his grandfather¡¯s house and took on her surname.


    At present, besides his grandmother and his mother, he had an uncle serving in the army at the border.


    Upon hearing the term ¡®labor reform¡¯, Feng Qingxue sensed that the child didn¡¯t come from a simple background.


    Those who were subjected to labor reform were either high-ranking officials, acclaimed intellectuals, or scientists.


    Feng Qingxue had no intention of taking advantage of the situation; after all, legal rehabilitation wouldn¡¯t happen for another twenty years. Thus, she listened to the child speak without interruption.


    ¡°My uncle¡¯s name is Zhao Anbang, Anbang as in ¡®to ensure the stability of the country¡¯. He¡¯s really good at fighting, but I rarely see him.¡± Zhao Tianqi tore off a third of the bun for himself, eating and talking, ¡°Sister, this bun is delicious. Ever since my mother was taken away and my grandmother fell sick, I haven¡¯t eaten for a long time. Neither has my grandma. I will save the remaining bun for her.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was taken aback, ¡°Your mother was taken away?¡±


    Zhao Tianqi nodded, tears rolling down his cheeks, sobbing, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my mom in two days.¡±


    Feng Qingxue felt a pang of sympathy.


    At present, no news is the best news. Once there was news, it would inevitably be disastrous.

 Chapter 29 - 29 0029 Offering a Helping Hand 1_1

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 0029: Offering a Helping Hand 1_1 Chapter 29: Chapter 0029: Offering a Helping Hand 1_1 ¡°Good boy, don¡¯t cry. All you can do now is wait.¡± Feng Qingxue tenderly touched his head regardless of the dirt, ¡°Your grandmother is sick? Could you take me to see her?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zhao Tianqi happily nodded.


    The child was hovering around the entrance of a waste recycling station, so his house was certainly nearby. It didn¡¯t take long to walk there.


    The living conditions of his family were a lot better than those of Uncle Xu and Auntie Xu. Their low stone wall enclosed a small courtyard, with three brick-tile houses standing firm inside it. There was a kitchen and a toilet set up on the side, and a well, too.


    ¡°Grandma! Grandma! I brought a sister to see you!¡±


    As Zhao Tianqi shouted, he pushed the door open and ran into the house.


    Feng Qingxue parked the flatbed tricycle in the courtyard and followed him inside, only to find that the interior was just as empty. An emaciated old woman was lying on an old, wide wooden bed with pedal-like legs, covered by an old blue and white patched quilt. Her white hair spread out across the pillow, her cheeks flushed and eyes tightly closed. She was gasping for breath.


    The vastness of the bed made the frail and petite person on it look even more pitiful ¨C it was a truly bleak sight.


    Seeing this, Feng Qingxue sighed softly. She moved closer, gently touched the old woman¡¯s forehead and felt its burning heat. She then bent down to look at the phlegm on the ground, ¡°It¡¯s a fever caused by a cold.¡±


    ¡°Sister, will Grandma get better?¡± In Zhao Tianqi¡¯s eyes, tears glistened as he held onto two-thirds of his bread roll.


    The boy looked even more pitiful now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she will get better.¡± Feng Qingxue comforted him. She noticed there was a kettle and an enamel jar nearby, so she poured half a jar of water. Although it wasn¡¯t very hot, it still had a bit of warmth.


    Then, Feng Qingxue took out cold and fever medicine from her bag behind Zhao Tianqi¡¯s back.


    Having carefully examined the phlegm and tongue coating of the old lady, she concluded it was a wind-heat cold. Therefore, the medicine she took out was effective.


    The medication she took out was in capsules. Since capsules can¡¯t be revealed, she emptied the powder from the capsules into the enamel jar and shook it, allowing it to melt. Then she threw the capsule shells back into her bag. She held the potion, sat on the edge of the bed, and while half helping Zhao Tianqi¡¯s grandmother, she fed her the potion.


    The old woman seemed to have regained some consciousness, and she slowly swallowed it down.


    Feng Qingxue, who had taken care of her grandparents before, gently patted the old lady¡¯s back until she completely swallowed the potion before she let her lie down again.


    Those with a cold and a fever should eat light meals. Feng Qingxue told Zhao Tianqi to finish eating the bun and then went to look inside the kitchen.


    There was a clay cooking range in the kitchen and a coal stove next to it. There was a pile of honeycomb coal and firewood, but the fire in the stove had long been out. The water in the bucket had almost run out. The pots, pans, spoons, and bowls were all there, as was the salt, but they were out of oil.


    Feng Qingxue pretended to take a small bag of yellowish rice and a small bag of flour mixed with cornmeal out of her basket.


    After thinking for a bit, she also pulled out three cooked salted duck eggs.


    Seeing this, Zhao Tianqi came running with admiration in his eyes, ¡°Sister, is your basket a treasure box?¡±


    ¡°My basket isn¡¯t a treasure box, but I myself am a treasure box.¡± Feng Qingxue answered with a smile, walking to the well to draw a bucket of water. She cleaned all the pots, pans, spoons and other kitchenware, along with the cutting board and kitchen knife.


    ¡°Sister, what are you doing?¡± Zhao Tianqi asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m making something for your grandmother to eat.¡±


    Feng Qingxue rinsed the rice, put it in a pot, and lit the fire. Her movements were brisk and efficient.


    Smelling the fragrance of the plain porridge and watching Feng Qingxue stoke the fire, Zhao Tianqi¡¯s mouth started watering.


    ¡°Sister, it smells so good!¡±


    Feng Qingxue served him a bowl of porridge with a salted duck egg, and then carried a bowl of porridge into the room.


    The old lady was now awake. Sitting on the bed, she had tears in her eyes. She weakly muttered, ¡°Thank you, my girl. Thank you, I can feel it.¡±

 Chapter 30 - 30 0030 Offering a Helping Hand 2_1

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 0030: Offering a Helping Hand 2_1 Chapter 30: Chapter 0030: Offering a Helping Hand 2_1 ¡°Please, don¡¯t hesitate. In life, who hasn¡¯t encountered tough times? I offer you a helping hand today. In the future, when I face difficulties, perhaps I will also encounter a kind person who will help me.¡± Feng Qingxue scooped a spoonful of porridge to feed her. ¡°Eat something. A good meal will lift your spirits, much like how a cured illness will. You must get well, for Tianqi¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I have Tianqi. I must live well.¡±


    Each spoonful of porridge tinged with tears, Mrs. Zhao swallowed down. She choked up numerous times in the process.


    After she finished the porridge, leaving the salted duck egg untouched, Feng Qingxue placed the egg on the elderly woman¡¯s bedside table. She then moved to the kitchen, washed the bowl, and after asking Zhao Tianqi, she mixed the flour and cornmeal into the Zhao family¡¯s grain jar. She took out a piece of white paper from the space, cutting it open, she poured the powder of cold medicine and fever reducer onto the paper, and carefully wrapped it up. She returned to the room and handed it to the old lady.


    ¡°Mrs. Zhao, take it three times a day, one packet each time. This is a three-day supply. Mix it in water and drink it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you... Thank you...¡± Apart from expressing her gratitude, Mrs. Zhao didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    Feng Qingxue said, ¡°Mrs. Zhao, the leftover porridge is in the pot. Heat it up and have it with Tianqi for lunch. I have to leave for now as there¡¯s something I need to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Tianqi, help your grandmother see off your sister.¡± Mrs. Zhao couldn¡¯t manage to get up, so she could only ask her grandson to see the guest out.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Zhao Tianqi straightforwardly agreed, seeing Feng Qingxue out the door, his large round eyes filled with gratitude. ¡°Sister, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Good boy, you must take good care of your grandmother. I will come to see you and your grandmother in a few days.¡± Feng Qingxue patted his head, sighed, and without lingering, she turned and walked towards the scrap collection site where workers had already begun their shift.


    How many more situations like this were there?


    She could only help those she encountered. If she didn¡¯t encounter them, she was powerless to do anything.


    Feng Qingxue returned the flatbed cart to Uncle Li, and found that more people had delivered a lot of junk, including scattered and broken copper, waste paper, battered wood, etc. She went over and selected a few items.


    The biggest surprise for her was finding a painting of shrimp by Qi Baishi and another painting of a horse by Xu Beihong among the waste paper pile.


    The edges of the two paintings were slightly damaged, but the main images were in very good condition.


    Carefully rolling up the two paintings together with the other books and scripts, Feng Qingxue quickly stowed them into the space without anyone noticing. She only took out the carefully selected books and a bundle of Rosewood furniture parts to be weighed and paid for. She also picked up some pottery jars and glass bottles for her own use.


    Good wood is heavy, even though there wasn¡¯t much lumber this time, it might still weigh two to three hundred pounds.


    Feng Qingxue felt embarrassed about borrowing the flatbed cart again to haul the wood back, so she borrowed a sled from the junk collection station instead, and slowly dragged the timber home.


    When she got home, she gave Qingyun a few green onion flower rolls and two unwrapped fruit candies.


    Qingyun¡¯s eyes were squinted in happiness. After finishing the flower rolls, she held a candy in her mouth, reluctant to swallow the saliva, fearing that the saliva would wash away the dissolved sugar.


    ¡°Eat it. After you finish it, I¡¯ll figure out a way to get you more.¡±


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    The lunch was nothing but green onion flower rolls paired with rice porridge. After the meal, Feng Qingxue started working.


    Although she didn¡¯t know carpentry, much of the furniture from the past didn¡¯t use nails and other things. The joints were all dovetailed, an indescribable design where one was protruding and the other was recessed, precisely fit to each other. She had seen such old furniture in her house when she was young, so she understood.

 Chapter 31 - 31 0031 Offering a Helping Hand 3_1

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 0031: Offering a Helping Hand 3_1 Chapter 31: Chapter 0031: Offering a Helping Hand 3_1 She had specifically picked out pieces of a disassembled frame at the scrap collection station. Once she cobbled them together, the bed was only missing one leg.


    Feng Qingxue then made a makeshift coffee table, placing it under the short end of the bed. The bed corner was now slightly elevated, but it was tolerable.


    As for making doors and windows, Feng Qingxue was at a loss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it as is for now. After all, we don¡¯t have anything worth stealing in our house.¡± Feng Qingxue clapped her hands, glancing at the sky. She had hustled an entire afternoon away, and dusk was near.


    Qingyun was buzzing around the bed, ¡°Sister, we have a bed now. If only we had a quilt.¡±


    In the past, she and her sister did have a quilt; old as it was, her sister always kept it clean, with soft, fluffy cotton battings. But when they were driven from their home, their sister-in-law claimed it for herself.


    The sister-in-law was the worst ¨C nasty and domineering.


    The oldest sister-in-law was no better, as she had seized their clothes and shoes.


    Feng Qingxue placed the prepared rice soup on the makeshift table, which only took up half of the supporting bed frame.


    ¡°Sister will find a way to get two new quilts. Come and have some rice soup.¡±


    A thick layer of rice oil coagulated on the soup surface. Feng Qingxue and her sister ended up sharing it, each having also half a sesame cake made with black flour.


    After dinner, Feng Qingxue carried two jins of sorghum flour mixed with black flour and went with Qingyun to find Fen Erhu, the old carpenter from the production team.


    Fen Erhu was sworn brothers with Feng Qingxue¡¯s father, a man known for being honest and loyal yet savvy. It was assumed that he agreed to help out of loyalty to his brother, but truthfully, the most imperative factor was his discretion. This was why Feng Qingxue asked his help with the doors and windows, promising an additional three jins of sweet potato flour as his wages after completion.


    Fen Erhu agreed without a word.


    Five jins of flour in total. It was enough to sustain his family for a good couple of days.


    Fen Erhu didn¡¯t ask Feng Qingxue where she got the grain. These were hard times, and who didn¡¯t have a secret or two? Besides, the sisters Feng had been having a tough time themselves; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t need to beg for food every day.


    The next morning, Fen Erhu arrived with his eldest son, Dazhu, along with the tools they had borrowed from the production team.


    Upon seeing a bed missing one leg and a scrubbed clean house, there was a moment of surprise in Fen Erhu¡¯s eyes. But he quickly hid it away. Everyone knew how obsessively clean Feng Qingxue was.


    Dazhu, already a married man with a child, was as simple and honest as his father. He got to work as soon as he arrived.


    Seeing them arriving so early, Feng Qingxue figured they hadn¡¯t had breakfast, so she made thick porridge with the remaining sweet potatoes she and Qingyun had gotten, mixed with a bit of unrefined rice and corn grains.


    ¡°Uncle, you and Brother Dazhu should have some breakfast first before working,¡± Feng Qingxue served two full bowls of porridge, while Qingyun brought over two loaves of bread.


    One was made with corn flour, and the other was a mix of bran and sweet potato flour.


    These were, of course, what she had brought back the previous day.


    Because Qingyun believed every word she said, she had returned with a little extra food.


    The bread and buns she brought back were all different, showing that they were begged from different households.


    Upon seeing the thick porridge and the fist-sized loaves, Fen Erhu quickly refused, ¡°No, no, you¡¯ve already paid us wages, how can we eat your and Qingyun¡¯s food? This is the kind of good stuff we can¡¯t even afford on New Year.¡±


    Continuous natural disasters had led to extreme scarcity of resources. People hadn¡¯t had a decent meal in a long while.


    Fen Erhu, being skilled, got more work points than most from the production team and had better meals, but still, even on New Year¡¯s, they didn¡¯t have pure wheat bread.

 Chapter 32 - 32 0032 Offering a Helping Hand 4_1

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 0032: Offering a Helping Hand 4_1 Chapter 32: Chapter 0032: Offering a Helping Hand 4_1 Feng Qingxue insisted on giving them the rice bowl, ¡°Uncle, you and Brother Dazhu should not be so polite. We need a full stomach for energy, right? Besides, I beg for food often these days. If I visit a few more houses and come across charitable people, I can always secure enough for Qingyun and me.¡±


    Hearing the phrase ¡®begging for food¡¯ made Fen Erhu feel very uncomfortable.


    But there was no choice. Firstly, they were in no position to help Feng Qingxue and Qingyun. Secondly, they too had gone out begging due to the increase in destitute people.


    Having eaten, Fen Erhu and his son worked even harder.


    ¡°Qingxue, the wood you bring is excellent. The worst is old elm, and the best turns out to be golden pear-tree. These would previously only have been used by wealthy families,¡± remarked Fen Erhu, who was an experienced woodworker.


    Feng Qingxue smiled, ¡°I asked for them all from the waste station, and others who didn¡¯t need them.¡±


    Fen Erhu simply nodded without asking anything further.


    Lunch is still sweet potato porridge and cornbread, but it warmed the hearts of the father and son.


    Following Feng Qingxue¡¯s instructions, they installed the doors and windows they made. They made them sturdy, followed by constructing a bathtub, a wardrobe, a cabinet, and four small stools with the remaining wood.


    Most items were furniture parts, which made Fen Erhu¡¯s work much easier since he didn¡¯t have to chop, shave, or polish wood.


    However, the lack of matching parts resulted in the furniture pieces looking a bit comical when combined.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t mind at all. If everything was perfect, it would attract attention, which wouldn¡¯t be a good thing.


    Fen Erhu and his son Dazhu rearranged the composite bed prepared by Qingxue, adding a bed leg made of hard wingceltis wood.


    None of the remaining materials were wasted either, as Fen Erhu and his son made a washbasin and a footbath, tightened with bamboo strips.


    Despite their hard work, it took the father and son two full days to complete all the furniture. When they returned home at night with the three kilos of sweet potato flour given by Feng Qingxue, no one else but Fen Erhu¡¯s wife knew about her paying them in food for their labour and feeding them.


    They behaved this way to avoid causing trouble for Feng Qingxue.


    Now that the doors, windows, tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets were installed, the house finally looked complete.


    Feng Qingxue was satisfied. The first thing she did was fill up the somewhat uneven large copper kettle that had seen better days at the waste station with water. After cleaning the bathtub, she enjoyed a good bath.


    She had been on the go every day, and the evening rub-down before bed didn¡¯t make much of a difference ¨C she felt as though she were going sour.


    She also bathed Qingyun after her bath and put on fresh underwear.


    While she was bathing, Qingyun was on guard outside; otherwise, Qingyun might have discovered her underwear. But used underwear couldn¡¯t be washed, so she could only temporarily put it in the laundry basket in the space.


    As Qingyun was sleeping soundly, Feng Qingxue sorted through the supplies in the space and pulled out a lot of old-fashioned thermal underwear material from a heap of various fabrics. There were light yellow background small broken flowers, light pink background small broken flowers, light blue background small broken flowers, and pure blue background. She sewed two sets of thermal underwear for herself and Qingyun overnight, one light blue, the other light yellow.


    When Qingyun woke up and saw the new clothes, she was so excited that she danced in the bed.


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re wonderful,¡± Qingyun snuggled in her arms, her eyes closed with satisfaction, ¡°After moving out with you, I¡¯ve been living much better than before. I have food to eat, clothes to wear, a house to live in, and a bed to sleep in.¡±


    With her fingers outstretched, Qingyun¡¯s genuine happiness amused Feng Qingxue immensely.


    Holding this smart and witty little girl, Feng Qingxue earnestly said, ¡°Sister will let you live an even better life.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Qingyun believed she would keep her word. After all, wasn¡¯t she already living the dream life she had yearned for?

 Chapter 33 - 33 0033 Rich Reward 1_1

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 0033 Rich Reward 1_1 Chapter 33: Chapter 0033 Rich Reward 1_1 Feng Qingxue was keeping Aunt Xu in mind, and the next morning she went to the city to return the sled, then prepared some supplies to bring over to her.


    These included the cotton, sheepskin, and rabbit fur she had promised to the elderly couple, as well as enough material to make clothes and quilts. The materials were not of high quality, but in this era they were considered top-notch. She also brought cotton, fabric, and threads for Aunt Xu to make padded jackets for herself and Qingyun.


    It wasn¡¯t that she couldn¡¯t make clothes, it¡¯s just that she couldn¡¯t explain their origins while making them at home before Qingyun.


    In addition, she also brought some staple and non-staple foods, including rare supplies like brown sugar and oil.


    ¡°Auntie, keep the fabric for you and Uncle to make clothes and quilts. If you have old clothes, dismantle a few pieces for Qingyun and me to make padded jackets and outerwear. Wearing old clothing won¡¯t attract attention. After you¡¯re finished, I¡¯ll pick them up in a couple of days,¡± Feng Qingxue sincerely said.


    Aunt Xu didn¡¯t quite understand why she was doing this but agreed anyway.


    ¡°Alright, my girl. We old folks might not have much, but we do have plenty of ordinary old clothes. After all, they¡¯re not worth much, even if some were burned, there are still plenty left. You don¡¯t mind us, I¡¯ll find a few suites of my old clothes, wash them, and use them to make garments and padded shoes for you and your sister. Just give me your sizes.¡±


    Feng Qingxue felt relieved and thanked her profusely.


    She had been racking her brain just to have clothes to wear.


    As with food, once eaten it won¡¯t be discovered, but clothes worn will always be seen.


    ¡°My dear, you don¡¯t need to thank us. We should be the ones thanking you. Without your grains, we wouldn¡¯t have survived,¡± Aunt Xu held her hand, repeatedly expressing her deep gratitude. ¡°Oh yes, your Uncle has an old friend who lives not far from here. He was a capitalist, his children and grandchildren disowned him, leaving him and his wife close to starvation. We gave them a bit of food, and he gave us an old item asking us to trade with you for some grains, either coarse or fine.¡±


    With that, Aunt Xu turned and retrieved an ordinary-looking wooden box from the head of the bed. As she handed it to Feng Qingxue, she gave her a wink. ¡°Your Uncle is a learned man, we have limited wealth, but their family was quite prosperous before the founding of the country.¡±


    Feng Qingxue smiled as she opened the wooden box, astounded by the dazzling jewelry inside.


    Perhaps considering she was a girl, and girls naturally love jewelry, the item Uncle Xu¡¯s friend had given them was a set of jewelry.


    The box was divided into squares, lined with black velvet. Rings, earrings, and brooches were set into holes in the velvet, and necklaces, pendants and bracelets were secured with needles and thread onto the velvet.


    Each square held a set of jewelry, with a total of two squares.


    One set was a suite of intense-green jade jewelry, including a pair of bracelets, earrings, a ring, a string of beads, a brooch, and a pendant. The vibrant and uniform color glittered brightly, illuminating Feng Qingxue¡¯s face with a green hue.


    There were some minor imperfections, such as remnants of cotton and threads, but they were easily overlooked. The jade¡¯s brilliance eclipsed its minor defects.


    The difference in variety, color, and quality could result in a tenfold or hundredfold difference in price.


    This set of jade jewelry was worth far more than the jade bracelet Aunt Xu had given her.


    The other set was diamond jewelry, a necklace, earrings, and a ring, all primarily pink diamonds, surrounded by white diamonds.

 Chapter 34 - 34 0034 Rich Reward 2_1

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 0034 Rich Reward 2_1 Chapter 34: Chapter 0034 Rich Reward 2_1 Never mind the main diamond being of substantial size, even the side diamonds were quite sizable too, in fact, whether pink diamonds or white diamonds, their brilliance was extremely good, but the style was a bit old fashioned, it looked very similar to what Feng Qingxue had seen in movies or TV shows, like the ones from the ¡¯20s or ¡¯30s of Old Shanghai.


    The jade and diamonds were of top-notch quality.


    Even though Feng Qingxue was prepared, she just couldn¡¯t take her hands off these two sets of jewelry.


    They were simply too beautiful and too valuable.


    In her previous life, she lived so many years, apart from seeing such top-notch items on the news, owned by the wealthy, where else could she have had the opportunity to see such things in real life, let alone own them?


    Now, these top-notch jewels were right in front of her eyes, about to be hers.


    Seeing her delight, Aunt Xu gave her a knowing smile.


    ¡°Back then, oil-drill diamonds were bought with gold, one karat was worth dozens or even hundreds taels of gold.¡± Aunt Xu said.


    Feng Qingxue was intrigued, ¡°Auntie, by your tone, did you live in Old Shanghai?¡±


    As far as she knew, only people from Old Shanghai referred to diamonds as oil-drill diamonds.


    ¡°I lived there for more than a decade.¡± Aunt Xu¡¯s voice was filled with nostalgia, ¡°That¡¯s where I met these two old friends of mine today. But we all originally came from here, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t be such good friends, we also went through labor reform here.¡±


    Aunt Xu closed the wooden box and shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore, it¡¯s all sorrowful.¡±


    Who could have imagined that they, once the proud children of heaven, would fall to such a state? It was like falling from heaven to earth. If they hadn¡¯t donated most of their family wealth to resist Japanese aggression, and made contributions to the country, they might not even be alive now.


    ¡°Okay, Auntie. I will come over early tomorrow morning.¡± Feng Qingxue packed up the jewelry.


    Before she left, Aunt Xu reminded her, ¡°That old lady lives a more refined life than I do, and her old man spoils her. If you could get more refined food, please do. With me and your uncle here, they will not treat you unkindly.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Feng Qingxue agreed to Aunt Xu¡¯s request, and then went to visit Zhao Tianqi¡¯s house.


    After she knocked, a middle-aged woman opened the door.


    Although it¡¯s not entirely accurate to call her a middle-aged woman, since she was only about thirty. She had a clear and bright appearance, her features were not bad, but the era had left her face full of hardship and pallor, along with bruises all over her face.


    ¡°Comrade, hello, I¡¯m looking for Old Zhao and Tianqi.¡± Feng Qingxue guessed she was Zhao Tianqi¡¯s mother.


    She was right, the woman was Zhao Tianqi¡¯s mother, Zhao Guohong. She looked at Feng Qingxue for a moment, initially did not react, but once she did, she immediately greeted her warmly, ¡°Comrade, are you the kind sister that Tianqi mentioned? Comrade, thank you for saving my mother and my son, please come in, come in. Tianqi has gone out to play, my mother is at home.¡±


    As soon as they walked into the yard, Old Zhao, who heard the voice, came out from inside the house.


    ¡°My girl, you¡¯re here, come sit inside.¡±


    It seemed that Old Zhao was already recovered, she moved agilely.


    While they were sitting and talking inside the house, Zhao Guohong quickly served a porcelain pot of water, ¡°Comrade, have some tea. If we hadn¡¯t met you, who knows what would¡¯ve happened to my mother and Tianqi.¡±


    Thinking of what her family had been through, the tears involuntarily fell from Zhao Guohong¡¯s eyes.


    Feng Qingxue sighed. Apart from comforting her, there was nothing else she could do, after all, these difficult days would last for more than a decade.


    With the calamity of ten years not yet arrived and life is already so difficult, what will it be like when the time comes?

 Chapter 35 - 35 0035 Rich Reward 3_1

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 0035 Rich Reward 3_1 Chapter 35: Chapter 0035 Rich Reward 3_1 ¡°Big sister, wipe your tears away. We mustn¡¯t cry. In this world, tears are cheap. Many people can hardly take care of themselves, let alone feel pity for us because of our tears. Big sister, you have the elderly above and the young ones below you. You must be strong. I know, I haven¡¯t experienced what you have. It might sound inappropriate for me to say these things, but it¡¯s an undeniable fact.¡±


    Mother Zhao nodded her head, completely agreeing.


    ¡°Guohong, this girl speaks the truth. It¡¯s better to survive than to die. Endure the torment of now. Endure for as long as we can, because only by enduring can there be hope. When we die, we lose everything.¡±


    The old woman couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about the past to teach her daughter.


    ¡°When your father and I joined the army to fight the invaders, was there any hardship we didn¡¯t experience? Any punishment we didn¡¯t bear? We¡¯ve crawled out from piles of corpses. We¡¯re not refined folk who care about elegance and face. If we are told to write self-criticisms, we will write them. Told to engage in re-education through labor, we will do. We¡¯ll do whatever they command us to do. Lowering our stance and obeying makes our lives much easier than those who are obstinate.¡±


    Guohong, eyes filled with tears, nodded intently.


    Feng Qingxue was quite taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected this elderly woman to be so open-minded and adaptable. But it made sense; in this era, one had to have an open mind to survive. People who clashed head-on and ran into dead ends didn¡¯t they throw away their lives?


    ¡°You and uncle have been on the battlefield?¡± That makes you war heroes. Feng Qingxue said with admiration.


    Mother Zhao nodded, ¡°We joined the army when we were young. We found our revolutionary comrades there, fought wars for over ten years until we established our country. Guohong and that son of mine you¡¯ve never met, they were born on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re veterans, you should be treated well. Yet, why... ¡±


    ¡°Sigh! I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d understand, but we used to fight wars, now we¡¯re running the country. People like your uncle and our family sometimes get involved without cause. Last year he was sent to Northwestern China, and we still haven¡¯t heard any news about him.¡±


    ¡°We came back to our hometown during that time. It¡¯s better here than in the whirlpool of the Capital City.¡± Guohong added.


    Feng Qingxue, who had witnessed this slice of history, immediately understood, and she asked no more.


    Mother Zhao, remembering something, took out a roll of money and food ration tickets from her pocket and handed them to Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°Grandma, what are you doing?¡± Feng Qingxue tried to push the money and tickets back.


    ¡°My dear, the last time you helped us in a big way and saved both Tianqi¡¯s and my life. By the time Guohong came back yesterday, we were almost on the verge of dying. I know how precious food these days is, and that money can¡¯t even buy it. Keep this money and the food ration tickets, otherwise, we would feel guilty. Most importantly, I don¡¯t want Tianqi to develop a habit of getting rewards without working for it.¡±


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand paused before accepting the money and tickets. She didn¡¯t even count before putting it into her basket. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll accept it, Grandma. Next time, I¡¯ll bring some grain for you, regardless of its quality, so we can all survive this difficult time together.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was filled with respect for formerly defending their homeland against the invaders. Even though they weren¡¯t well-off now and could mean trouble for her, she decided she would continuously help them.


    Without soldiers, where does our home or country come from?


    It¡¯s the soldiers¡¯ sacrifice on the battlefield that leads to civilians living peacefully.


    However, she only planned to provide temporary relief, not to become responsible for their livelihood in the long term.


    After leaving some fruity hard candy for Zhao Tianqi to trade for goods, Feng Qingxue left the Zhao¡¯s house.

 Chapter 36 - 36 0036 Rich Reward 4_1

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 0036 Rich Reward 4_1 Chapter 36: Chapter 0036 Rich Reward 4_1 Feng Qingxue pondered over the amount of supplies she had remaining in her hidden space, considering whether they would last for another 20 years, then she remembered the money and vouchers Zhao dame had given her.


    She took them out and counted, there were a total of thirty-two yuan, four dimes, and three cents, and a pile of cloth tickets measuring to five feet and two inches. There were no grain tickets, but she did have a bicycle ticket, which would expire at the end of the year.


    A bicycle ticket!


    She recognized it, and had found out through researching that in this era, a bicycle was equivalent to a small sedan!


    Moreover, it was a Phoenix Brand, a well-known one at that!


    In her previous life, when she was a child, there was a Phoenix Brand bicycle and a Phoenix Brand sewing machine at home. It was quite large and heavy. She remembered falling when learning to ride the bicycle. These items were part of her grandmother¡¯s dowry, along with a Shanghai Brand wristwatch.


    However, as she grew older, the bicycle and watch had deteriorated to a point nearing uselessness, while the sewing machine was still able to work and proved very durable.


    If she could get a bicycle now, it would be far more convenient to go in and out of the town, not to mention reaching the city area.


    As for whether it would be discovered by the neighbors, Feng Qingxue said that her hidden space could come into play.


    Therefore, she eagerly ran to the general goods store.


    She had noticed the larger commodities there in her last visit to the store, but she did not have the money or tickets to buy them.


    She heard the tickets were also in high demand.


    Upon entering the store, she spotted the counter selling bicycles, sewing machines, watches, and other items, hosting multiple sales clerks¡ªmost of whom were women sitting around gossiping and knitting, while the quantity of goods was not much.


    ¡°Comrade, how much is a Phoenix Brand bicycle?¡± Feng Qingxue asked directly at the bicycle counter.


    The sales clerk was a woman, who looked at her and replied, ¡°One hundred and fifty-eight yuan. You need a ticket to buy it.¡±


    So expensive!


    Feng Qingxue was taken aback.


    Through her interactions with Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Zhao and others over the past few days, she had learned much about the general prices of goods.


    Despite the high prices for grain in the black market due to famine, the food sold through official channels by the state was extremely cheap, which made the high prices of industrial products stand out even more.


    Fortunately, she had enough money.


    But it seemed better to avoid unnecessary expenditure.


    Feng Qingxue muttered to herself, and pulled out one hundred and fifty-eight yuan and the bicycle ticket.


    After validating the ticket and counting the money, the sales clerk promptly brought out a bicycle.


    It had a large crossbar, a black base, and was adorned by phoenix-shaped patterns on the diagonal bar¡ªmaking it look quite beautiful, dignified and grand.


    The brand new bicycle, besides the tyres and pedals, was gleaming all over.


    The steel-white handlebar gave out a crisp and pleasing sound when the bicycle bell was pressed.


    Under the bicycle head, a phoenix-shaped emblem, along with the word ¡®Phoenix¡¯, was nailed onto a black pillar, making it look quite impressive.


    Feng Qingxue pushed the bicycle out of the store, mounted the seat, cycled hard against the wind. The wind hitting her face caused a stinging sensation, and her hands instantly felt cold.


    With plenty of time on her hands, and being short of money, she decided to visit some black markets around the city.


    She sold some coarse and fine grains in batches to different people, about eighty-plus kilograms, earning her over four hundred yuan.


    Within a short span of time, she had replenished the money spent, and earned a few times more.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t encounter anyone else like Mrs. Xu who was willing to trade precious jewels for grain, but she did come across an elderly couple about to fall unconscious from hunger. She gave them some steamed buns and returned home without waiting for their names.


    She rode all the way to the foot of the mountain. Checking to see that no one was around, she took the bicycle into her hidden space. Then with the load on her back, she climbed over the mountains and valleys.


    Upon reaching home, Feng Qingxue was startled by who she saw in her house.

 Chapter 37 - 37 0037 Uncle and Aunt 1_1

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 0037: Uncle and Aunt 1_1 Chapter 37: Chapter 0037: Uncle and Aunt 1_1 In the room sat four middle-aged men and women, clothed in patchwork attire, their faces weathered with time. Three men and one woman, each with a carry basket by their feet. On the floor lay two hemp sacks and two small cloth bags, each equally patched up. These bags were filled with items, not full to the brim, but plump nonetheless.


    Additionally, there were two old quilts on the bed.


    Qingyun sat on the lap of the middle-aged woman, munching on a piece of corn cake with a smile on her face.


    They were facing the door and saw Feng Qingxue the moment she walked in. Qingyun immediately jumped down, shouting, ¡°Sister!¡±


    As Feng Qingyun called out, the gaze of several people in the room immediately turned to Feng Qingxue.


    With proper nourishment, the Feng sisters ¨C Qingxue and Qingyun, have finally put on some weight, looking healthier rather than skeletal. Feng Qingxue, who was taking good care of herself, had delicate and radiant features, beginning to manifest the beauty of a blossoming young girl.


    ¡°Snow!¡±


    The middle-aged woman called out, and numerous memories flooded into Feng Qingxue¡¯s mind as she recognized these people¡¯s identities.


    They were the main character¡¯s three uncles and one aunt.


    The Feng¡¯s mother was from the Wang family, which consisted of seven siblings ¨C four brothers and three sisters. She had three older brothers, one older sister, one younger brother, and one younger sister. All of them survived and were well established, which was much admired by the locals.


    Only the fourth uncle and the oldest aunt were not present today.


    In Feng Qingxue¡¯s impression, these two were as stingy and harsh as her two older brothers.


    Among all her relatives, including her parents, her fourth uncle and oldest aunt were the most capable.


    The oldest aunt married a government official. After the founding of the country, with her mother-in-law¡¯s assistance, she got a proper job. The fourth uncle was a regular employee at a city coal mine, who apart from his monthly salary, enjoyed a considerably high food allowance.


    ¡°First Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Aunt, you¡¯re here!¡± Feng Qingxue put down her carry basket and hurriedly greeted them.


    In the memory of the original character, these elders were kind-hearted and never discriminated against girls. Their family conditions were better than the Feng Family¡¯s. In the past few years of the famine, the Feng Family had struggled, but none of the Wang families had ever withheld help.


    Originally, the entire Feng Family could have survived, if only the parents hadn¡¯t been consumed by the love for their children.


    After the death of Feng¡¯s mother, they had less frequent contact with the Feng Family.


    They were well aware that the grains they usually gave to the Feng Family were not enough to fill their stomachs fully, but at least they could keep the Feng siblings from starving.


    ¡°Ah!¡± First Uncle Wang answered, ¡°You two sisters were chased out of your house, with nothing on you. Why didn¡¯t you come to find us? Even in the worst case, we would not let you go hungry.¡±


    Aunt Wang stood up and added, ¡°Exactly, Snow, it¡¯s understandable that Xiaoyun is young, but you¡¯re not. Plus, you know the way, nearly starved to death, had to beg for food, why didn¡¯t you think of coming to us? If we hadn¡¯t heard about your situation from local folks at the fair yesterday, we wouldn¡¯t have known.¡±


    Although their words were filled with reproof, their tones were full of concern.


    Feng Qingxue felt a warmth in her heart.


    Ever since her transmigration, she had helped many people, but this was the first time she received concern from others.


    ¡°Aunt, I was wrong.¡± Feng Qingxue immediately admitted her mistake. ¡°I thought about the continuous famine over the past two or three years, and how every household was having a hard time, so I didn¡¯t dare to disturb you and add to your burden, mainly because the food I asked for was enough to sustain Xiaoyun and me.¡±


    Aunt Wang patted her shoulder, ¡°You stubborn child.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that, let her keep the things we brought first.¡± First Uncle Wang said, with the second and third uncles agreeing.

 Chapter 38 - 38 0038 Uncle and Aunt 2_1

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 0038: Uncle and Aunt 2_1 Chapter 38: Chapter 0038: Uncle and Aunt 2_1 Aunt Wang hastily opened the hemp bags and small cloth bags after hearing them.


    A bag of potatoes, a bag of sweet potatoes, and a small cloth bag filled with sorghum flour and sweet potato flour, weighing about ten pounds.


    Aunt Wang turned to Feng Qingxue, ¡°Qingxue, our families have gathered some grain to send to you. It¡¯s getting colder, so you don¡¯t need to go out begging for food. Take good care of Qingyun. Now he can only rely on you. Later, I will have your uncles dig a root cellar for you to store these sweet potatoes and potatoes, to prevent others from finding out. Once you finish the food, we will figure out other solutions.¡±


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s nose turned sour, and her tears were just about to fall.


    ¡°Auntie...¡±


    To her knowledge, these families were financially better off than the Feng Family, but they had also been hit by continuous years of famine, and the state was controlling the supply of goods very tightly. They were often aiding the Feng Family and had their own family members to care for. They made ends meet even without this massive amount of grain they brought. Their profound affection was as deep as the ocean and as high as the mountains.


    A bag of grain, in the black market, is worth as much as a gram of gold.


    It¡¯s recorded that currently, the gold purchase price of banks is five Yuan a gram.


    How could Feng Qingxue not be moved?


    Being moved, she felt regretful as well. Regretful for not paying a visit to these relatives who once kindly treated the original host sisters.


    Aunt Wang took out a bundle of clothes and some dried vegetables and dried sweet potatoes from the baskets, ¡°We brought you a few pieces of clothing, all of them are old ones that our family used to wear. They were specially washed clean before bringing them over. We¡¯re all family and no strangers to illness or disaster. You two sisters can get by wearing them. I heard that you were thrown out of the house completely destitute, and Qingyun¡¯s clothes were even begged back.¡±


    Mentioning this, Aunt Wang felt anger towards her two nephews.


    When disaster struck, it should be the time for a family to unite and face the challenges together. But, her two nephews actually drove their sister out, revealing their cold-heartedness.


    Just like her elder sister and younger brother.


    They hadn¡¯t even made a fortune yet, but they already disowned their brothers and sisters, fearing that they would drag them down.


    ¡°Auntie, actually...¡±


    Feng Qingxue almost revealed the fact that she had some grain, but swallowed her words. This matter was a secret and was not to be disclosed. ¡°You and Uncle don¡¯t need to worry about us, I can raise Qingyun.¡±


    To assert her assurances, Feng Qingxue opened the basket in front of them.


    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t want to frequently give Feng Qingyun fine food to nurture a dependency, so she had only prepared coarse grains for the day.


    In the basket, a small cloth bag contained three to four pounds of mixed flour of sorghum, bran, black wheat, corn, and sweet potato. Another small bag contained four to five cornbread and rolls, some made from cornmeal, some from sorghum, and some mixed with vegetable leaves, whole pieces and halves, clearly begged from different households.


    ¡°There are indeed more good people in the world. By visiting several well-off families and letting them know of my difficulties, they warmly lend a helping hand. A little from each family adds up to enough food for Qingyun and me,¡± said Feng Qingxue.


    Aunt Wang fully agreed with her viewpoint, ¡°Yes, there are more good people in this world, it¡¯s just a matter of luck to meet them.¡±


    Uncle Wang, who was the oldest and in his fifties, knocked his smoking pipe against the leg of a chair, ashed his pipe on the ground, then stood up and said to Feng Qingxue, ¡°Qingxue, come out with me and your Aunt.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Although Feng Qingxue was puzzled, she followed her Uncle and Aunt out of the house, stopping a few meters away from the doorway.

 Chapter 39 - 39 0039 Uncle and Aunt 3_1

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 0039: Uncle and Aunt 3_1 Chapter 39: Chapter 0039: Uncle and Aunt 3_1 Uncle Wang was simple in character but astute, serving as the backbone of the Wang Family.


    He was also the secretary of Wanglou Production Brigade where the Wang Family lived, and he concurrently held the post of brigade captain.


    He was able to hold two posts because he had been a companion reader for the landlord¡¯s son in his younger years¡ªhe could read and do accounting. Combined with his positive personal qualities, impartial and just character, the local people greatly supported him since the founding of the country.


    If it were not for his love for the Wanglou Brigade that made him unwilling to leave, he would have been promoted to the commune a long time ago.


    According to the original owner of Feng Qingxue¡¯s body memory, her second and third uncles, as well as her aunt, deeply respected Uncle Wang. Many times, they would consult him before making any decisions.


    ¡°Uncle, please speak up if there¡¯s anything,¡± Feng Qingxue initiated the conversation due to Uncle Wang¡¯s silence.


    ¡°Younger sister, you should speak,¡± Uncle Wang suggested, surprising Aunt Wang.


    Aunt Wang nodded, took Feng Qingxue¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Xue, would you let your uncle and me introduce a potential marriage partner to you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Feng Qingxue was stupefied. The original owner was just eighteen. Was it time to discuss marriage already?


    Being not from this era, she didn¡¯t realize that girls of this time usually got married at the age of seventeen or eighteen.


    Eighteen was the legal age for marriage.


    ¡°Your uncle hesitated for a long time, fearing that you would not approve of this marriage proposal. But I insisted that we should at least ask for your opinion,¡± Aunt Wang went on to express her concern.


    ¡°Despite being thrown out, I still don¡¯t trust your brother and sister-in-law. They were the ones who came up with the idea of marrying you off to a bachelor in exchange for food. If they were ever reduced to extreme poverty, they might even sell you and Qingyun. Even if you live separately, I fear it won¡¯t help you keep your house safe. After all, we commonly say that the elder brother is like a father and his wife like a mother. Since your parents are no longer around, they have the right and means to interfere in your affairs,¡± Aunt Wang warned.


    Feng Qingxue was taken aback upon hearing these words, something she had not previously considered.


    ¡°So, the priority is to get you married off so that you and Xiaoyun can leave this place, the further the better and the less troublesome,¡± said Aunt Wang, straightforward as a machine gun. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree with the person your uncle has in mind, I will look around for you. It¡¯s just that times are tough now, and many families don¡¯t want an extra mouth to feed.¡±


    ¡°Aunt, what kind of person is Uncle referring to?¡± asked Feng Qingxue curiously.


    ¡°Xue, don¡¯t get mad at your uncle. His name is Lu Jiang, ten years older than you. He¡¯s handsome, good-natured, a man of talent, and a military man for twelve years. It¡¯s just that his family background isn¡¯t good, his father was a landlord, who now has nothing left. That¡¯s why his marriage got delayed,¡± whispered Aunt Wang, her tone not as cheerful as before, but still insisting on revealing the information.


    Feng Qingxue had thought of many possible suitors, but never someone from such a family background.


    ¡°Landlord? Is he connected to the landlord¡¯s son who studied with Uncle?¡± asked Feng Qingxue as she had a spark in her mind.


    Aunt Wang cast an appreciative look on her.


    ¡°Lu Jiang¡¯s father is the young landlord Lu Zhiyuan who your uncle used to accompany in his studies. After the founding of the People¡¯s Republic of China, their lands and properties were confiscated by the state and distributed among the poor and middle peasants. The landlord and his wife couldn¡¯t bear the taunts of the emancipated serfs and both passed away after experiencing such great changes. Their eldest son and daughter-in-law, who had lived pampered lives and couldn¡¯t bear hardships, didn¡¯t survive either. The two younger sons were left behind to fend for each other. Only their youngest son, Lu Jiang, had joined the army before the founding of the People¡¯s Republic of China and hence was not greatly affected. But it doesn¡¯t bode well for his future prospects,¡± said Aunt Wang, concluding her narrative.

 Chapter 40 - 40 0040 Uncle and Aunt 4_1

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 0040: Uncle and Aunt 4_1 Chapter 40: Chapter 0040: Uncle and Aunt 4_1 Only after Aunt Wang finished talking did Uncle Wang speak up, his voice low.


    ¡°Xue, I am not such a foolish uncle who will send his niece to the tiger¡¯s den. I think Lu Jiang is a remarkable man, steady and reliable, intelligent and capable. As a soldier, his only flaw is his family background. Given your current circumstances, I thought to introduce him to you.¡±


    Feng Qingxue hurriedly said: ¡°I know my uncle would never harm me.¡±


    If he really wanted to harm her, he wouldn¡¯t have travelled all the way and gathered so much grain for her.


    Moreover, a man like Lu Jiang, even if she refused to meet him, there will certainly be astute individuals who will not care about his family background, and hence, may end up marrying him.


    In this era, the status of a soldier is quite high.


    Hearing Feng Qingxue say this, Uncle Wang felt a sense of relief and a smile crept up from the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, the Lu Family is widely respected for their kindness. They are not those who would mistreat their tenants. When they selected a study companion from the children of the tenants, I was fortunate enough to study with Lu Zhiyuan for more than a decade ¨C from the age of seven to when I turned twenty and got married. The Lu Family always treated us graciously. During times of war, we were spared the hardships some others had to face. Now that the Lu Family has fallen from grace due to the national situation, I can¡¯t turn my back on them like others. That¡¯s why I refused to leave the Wanglou Brigade, because as long as I am there, I can secretly take care of them and guard them from further disgrace.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, you know to repay kindness. You are a righteous person and a role model for us younger generations.¡± Feng Qingxue sincerely admired Uncle Wang.


    How many people can sincerely repay a favor given their circumstances? How many people are willing to lend a helping hand in face of adversity? Many might add fuel to fire during a disaster, but few can help when in dire straits.


    Uncle Wang felt reassured by what Feng Qingxue said. ¡°You have a good perspective on this. Actually, when Lu Jiang joined the army at only sixteen, he participated in numerous wars and earned numerous merits. He had a promising future, but due to the class division following the founding of the nation, his family, being landlords, became targets of attack. He missed several opportunities for promotion due to this. However, having participated in numerous battles and proven his mettle saved him from disgrace. Xue, I don¡¯t understand the current national situation or predict the future, but it could be both good and bad to introduce you to someone with a good status like you.¡±


    In today¡¯s marriages, it isn¡¯t like old times when marriages were based on matching statuses. Now it¡¯s about marrying within the same class ¨C the ¡®red¡¯ class marries with the ¡®red¡¯, the ¡®black¡¯ with the ¡®black¡¯, and the ¡®gray¡¯ with the ¡®gray¡¯. Crossing these class boundaries, it¡¯s difficult to predict the outcome.


    Aunt Wang, who also belonged to the Wanglou Brigade, added: ¡°Lu Jiang is a soldier, seldom home throughout the year. You would have to take care of the old and the young by yourself. I fear life won¡¯t be easy for you, and you will face discrimination due to your class. However, a family like his would not refuse to have you marry into their family along with Xiaoyun. Lu Jiang and Lu Zhiyuan have to take care of their two nephews until they can fend for themselves. Other families, as I mentioned earlier, find it challenging to manage their existing affairs, thus, they don¡¯t wish to provide for an extra mouth.¡±


    These days, the number of young men and women getting married is significantly less than before, as everyone has their plans.


    Of course, there are also some instances of marriage in exchange for return favors or marriages happening for a little food.

 Chapter 41 - 41 0041 To See or Not to See 1_1

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 0041: To See or Not to See 1_1 Chapter 41: Chapter 0041: To See or Not to See 1_1 Upon hearing cousin¡¯s words, the first thought that came to Feng Qingxue was the immense secret she bore¡ªher possession of the space. It felt safer when her husband wasn¡¯t around for a long time.


    She¡¯d never intended to tell this secret to anyone, including her future partner.


    However, the social status of Lu Jiang¡¯s family posed a problem.


    Even though she wasn¡¯t born in that era, she¡¯d heard about it. Her own grandmother suffered due to social status discrimination. She didn¡¯t know whether she could endure the risk that might last for over a decade, resulting from her husband¡¯s poor family background.


    She admired soldiers, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she had the courage to marry one and endure the long, separate lives they would have to lead.


    ¡°Cousin, before the founding of the nation, marriage was based on the compatibility of family backgrounds¡ªnot like now, where social status matters. It used to be about affluent families marrying their children to those of other affluent families, and the same went for less privileged ones. Regardless, the Lu Family used to be affluent, and Lu Zhiyuan lived a privileged life since childhood. Would they fancy a poor girl like me? Would the soldier Lu Jiang be willing?¡± Feng Qingxue voiced her doubts.


    Cousin Wang simply chuckled after hearing this, ¡°No matter the past or future, it¡¯s now an era where peasants are admired. Moreover, if they aren¡¯t willing to marry a girl from a peasant family, I wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it to you in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, I think I need some time to ponder.¡± She couldn¡¯t promptly make a lifetime decision.


    Cousin Wang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right. Even after meeting, it¡¯s not certain if it will work out.¡±


    After wrapping up the discussion, Aunt Wang went back to her room first.


    Cousin Wang lagged behind and lowered his voice, telling Feng Qingxue, ¡°Qingxue, aside from his family situation being a concern, there¡¯s nothing wrong with Lu Jiang in any other aspect. You will find out later. I can¡¯t say more now.¡± A good catch should not end up with others.


    If it weren¡¯t for his daughter, Wang Jiao, who was utterly against it, he would have preferred to form a matrimonial relationship with Lu Zhiyuan.


    Thinking of this, Cousin Wang could only sigh with regret, blaming his daughter for her poor judgment.


    The daughters of other siblings were already married and had kids. Now, the only unmarried girls were Feng Qingxue and her sister Qingyun, and his own shortsighted daughter. Among them, Qingyun, who was just five years old, was not a concern.


    After rejoining his siblings in the room, Cousin Wang, along with his two brothers, dug a cellar in the corner of the wall to store potatoes and sweet potatoes.


    Once everything was in place and no signs were left on the surface, Cousin Wang, wiping his sweat, said, ¡°We¡¯ve seen each other, and the goods have been delivered. We should be heading back. It¡¯s hard to walk when it gets dark.¡±


    Feng Qingxue quickly removed miscellaneous grain bread and rolls from her carry-all. ¡°Uncle, have something to eat before you leave.¡±


    ¡°You two keep it for yourselves.¡± Touching Qingyun¡¯s head, Cousin Wang looked at Feng Qingxue affectionately, ¡°Qingxue, think carefully about the matter I discussed with you. If you agree, let me know, so that I can ask Lu Jiang¡¯s father to ask him to meet you during his vacation.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Hearing her clear response, Cousin Wang, carrying his empty carry-all and hemp sack, led the way out of the house.


    Feng Qingxue, accompanied by her sister, went a long way to see them off. She watched them leave until they were out of sight before returning to the house.


    ¡°Big sister, our uncles and auntie are really kind.¡± Qingyun was the first to break the silence.


    Just like Feng Qingxue, she was deeply moved and shoved the half piece of cornbread she was holding into her sister¡¯s mouth.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°That¡¯s why we need to show our gratitude to them in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 0042 To See or Not to See 2_1

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 0042: To See or Not to See 2_1 Chapter 42: Chapter 0042: To See or Not to See 2_1 Feng Qingxue cooked some mixed grain porridge and the sisters had their dinner with corn bread.


    The two quilts sent by their uncle and aunt were like sending charcoal in snowy weather. Although they weren¡¯t new, and the white background and blue flowered quilt cover had several patches, it was very soft and carried the smell of the sun.


    Qingyun took off her shoes, dressed in autumn clothes, happily rolled around on the bed covered with a quilt.


    The weather was getting colder and colder. Having a quilt during this time was definitely a blessing.


    Qingyun rubbed her little face on the quilt, looking completely satisfied.


    ¡°Sis, when I grow up, I will definitely take good care of Uncle and Auntie!¡± Qingyun jumped up and announced loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember, and I will tell Uncle and Aunt next time!¡±


    Feng Qingxue smiled. She had originally planned to bring two old quilts back under some pretext in a few days, but Uncle and Aunt had brought them over, saving her lots of trouble.


    When the weather gets colder, she will thicken the cotton inside these two quilts, which should be sufficient for the winter.


    The clothes that were sent were also very clean. There were three sets of clothes in total, one big and two small. Feng Qingxue finally got replacement clothes for the outside.


    The undershirt and underwear she was wearing inside was still her own, stored in her space.


    Early the next morning, before dawn, after eating a hot sweet potato meal, she dressed in these clothes, carried a basket on her back, pushed a bicycle, and appeared at the door of Old Man Xu and Old Lady Xu, with two sacks of grain on the back seat of the bicycle.


    Because they had agreed early, Old Man Xu and Old Lady Xu were waiting at the door. Seeing her, they promptly ushered her into the house.


    The sacks contained coarse grain, half a sack of wheat bran, and half a sack of cornmeal.


    In the basket was fine grain, small cloth bags filled with white flour, black flour, brown rice, about five or six catties each, a bag of eggs, a dozen sausages, and a small jar of yellow peanut oil.


    Since she received top-tier jewelry from the friend of Old Man and Old Lady Xu, Feng Qingxue was not stingy with giving out grains.


    Anyway, the grains in her space would be enough for quite a few people to eat for a long time, until the 80s and 90s when life gets better.


    After arriving in this era, Feng Qingxue was always grateful for her decision after receiving the space.


    Seeing these things, Old Man Xu and Old Lady Xu finally realized Feng Qingxue¡¯s capabilities.


    These fine and valuable things were definitely not something that could be obtained with money.


    However, they cleverly didn¡¯t ask where they came from.


    ¡°Qingxue, these grains, along with the supply grains from the city, will be enough for us old folks to eat for a while. Don¡¯t send any more grains here for the time being, so as not to be targeted by those with ulterior motives,¡± Old Lady Xu instructed.


    Feng Qingxue agreed, ¡°Alright, auntie, when you need more, I¡¯ll find a way to get it. Just make sure not to starve yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say polite things to you,¡± Old Lady Xu said.


    After storing the grains and seeing Feng Qingxue off, she took out a cloth bag from the box and stuffed it into Qingxue¡¯s hands, ¡°Take this.¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡± Feng Qingxue asked.


    ¡°Last time you sent grains, we shared some with several old friends. They can¡¯t just take them for free, so they picked some things as a thank you gift for you. They only had these things. They can¡¯t eat them, and they don¡¯t dare to sell them. It¡¯s really like the saying ¡®having a mountain of gold and silver but nothing to eat¡¯.¡±


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t even look and put it straight into her basket, and then rode away on her bike.


    While crossing mountains and ridges, Feng Qingxue finally had time to open the cloth bag given by Old Lady Xu.


    The cloth bag contained four small boxes, the larger one about the size of a palm, the smaller one only half a palm, all made of good wood, either zitan or huanghuali, and the least of which was hong sour branch (a type of red wood).

 Chapter 43 - 43 0043 To See or Not to See 3_1

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 0043: To See or Not to See 3_1 Chapter 43: Chapter 0043: To See or Not to See 3_1 The materials are so good, and the craftsmanship is exquisite, so the things inside are naturally of substantial value.


    Without exception, they are all jewelry pieces.


    Some are better than those given by Mrs. Xu, some are not as good, but none of them are cheap.


    Gold jewelry is scarce, most are jade and gemstones.


    These are currently the most worthless things on the market, Feng Qingxue chuckled.


    Gold can be sold to banks, but jade and gemstones are of no interest to anyone.


    Having carefully stored them away, Feng Qingxue returned home.


    The sisters¡¯ stomachs were getting better, she specially brought back a piece of mutton with a large bone attached. As soon as she took it out of the basket, it was seen by Feng Qingyun who was about to express her love for the towel. Feng Qingyun was so surprised that she jumped up.


    ¡°Sister, is this meat? Is it meat? Is it the same meat that father and mother secretly gave to my elder and second brother?¡±


    Although she hadn¡¯t eaten it before, she had seen it. The smell when cooked was really good.


    A pang filled Feng Qingxue¡¯s heart.


    The meat that the Feng family used to eat was given by Uncle Wang, unfortunately, only the males of the Feng family got to eat it.


    Not to mention Qingyun, even the original Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t have a bite.


    The difference was that Feng Qingxue¡¯s childhood living conditions were much better than those in the famine era. She was able to eat a piece or two of meat on holidays, while Feng Qingyun really never had a chance to eat meat since birth.


    ¡°Yes, it is meat, it¡¯s mutton.¡± Feng Qingxue¡¯s voice was soft, ¡°Sister will make mutton soup for you.¡±


    Mutton soup is good for the stomach.


    ¡°Wonderful, wonderful, we¡¯re having meat!¡± Feng Qingyun¡¯s face lit up with joy, she bounced and jumped around.


    She didn¡¯t ask a word about where the stuff came from.


    Feng Qingxue sighed a breath of relief, her biggest fear was her sister relentlessly asking where things came from.


    The mutton was washed clean and cut into pieces and put in a ceramic pot, filled with enough water. After boiling and skimming off the scum, some slices of ginger, which was also brought back by Feng Qingxue, were added, and the fragrance permeated the whole house.


    Feng Qingyun was smacking her lips, happily stoking the fire in front of the stove, her eyes fixed on the ceramic pot gleaming with light.


    Before the mutton was cooked, it started to rain outside.


    The cool breeze seeped through the doors and windows, penetrating straight into the house.


    Feng Qingxue chuckled, ¡°Mutton soup is the best for keeping out the cold, Qingyun, eat more mutton later.¡±


    When she was young, in her previous life, she often had mutton soup all year round.


    Feng Qingyun nodded vigorously. After the mutton was cooked, she drank a big bowl of soup and ate several pieces of mutton. The taste was wonderful, even after eating so much she still wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    Feng Qingxue rarely eats meat at night, she only scooped up a bowl of clear soup, soaking a piece of multigrain bread in it.


    This was because Feng Qingyun lacked nutrition, otherwise, she would not have made mutton at night.


    ¡°The leftovers will be eaten tomorrow. It won¡¯t turn bad now because it¡¯s cold.¡±


    When Feng Qingxue said this, Feng Qingyun, who was always looking at the pot, reluctantly withdrew her gaze.


    After dinner, Feng Qingxue had Feng Qingyun walk around the house to digest before going to sleep, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be comfortable sleeping after eating so much. ¡°Eat well in the morning, eat plentifully at noon, and eat less at night,¡± is a principle.


    In her sleep, Feng Qingyun kept smacking her lips, shouting, ¡°The mutton is delicious!¡±


    Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t fall asleep because of what Uncle Wang had told her. Hearing this talk in her sleep, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and feel a little sad.


    In an era with scarce resources, everyone had a strong desire for food.


    After tucking Feng Qingyun in, she closed her eyes too.


    Her eyes were closed, but she isn¡¯t asleep.


    She was thinking about Lu Jiang, considering if she should meet him.

 Chapter 44 - 44 0044 To See or Not to See 4_1

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 0044: To See or Not to See 4_1 Chapter 44: Chapter 0044: To See or Not to See 4_1 She clearly remembered the old stories told by her grandparents, in this era, lifestyle was of great importance. Young men and women often met with each party¡¯s elders usually having a good grasp of the situation. As long as there were no major problems, a meeting would normally finalize things.


    Any engagement that did not aim for marriage was considered hooliganism.


    She was not a young girl full of romantic fantasies, she had many things to think about.


    People, family, and most importantly the current era.


    She held a prejudice against evil people, but not against people with a poor class status.


    There could be bad people among those with a good class status, just as there could be good people among those in a bad class status.


    Good and evil were not determined by social standing.


    With her mind in a tumult, as the relentless rain fell, Feng Qingxue drifted into a drowsy sleep.


    When she woke up the next day, the rain still hadn¡¯t ceased.


    The clay pot was filled with leftover lamb soup from yesterday, so the sisters reheated it and soaked some steamed cornbread for breakfast.


    The nature of lamb was warming, so eating it made you feel toasty.


    Feng Qingxue could not go out because of the rain, nor did she intend to, instead, she took out textbooks that she had bought from the scrapyard and started teaching Feng Qingyun how to read.


    This child was naturally bright and had an excellent memory. Many things only needed to be taught once for her to remember.


    She truly was a gem!


    Feng Qingxue was determined to nurture her, she would send her to school in the spring. This would not only give her the chance to do her own things but also equip the child with knowledge. If what she learned at school wasn¡¯t enough, there was always herself at home, to give extra lessons.


    A few days later, Feng Qingxue visited Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu with a piece of lamb, while she collected the clothes she had asked Aunt Xu to make.


    They had arranged this last time.


    However, Uncle Xu was not at home, only Aunt Xu was.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Seeing Feng Qingxue¡¯s brow furrow in subtle distress, as though she was troubled by something, Aunt Xu couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Feng Qingxue was in need of someone to confide in and couldn¡¯t help but tell Aunt Xu about the marriage proposal from her uncle and humbly asked for Aunt Xu¡¯s opinion.


    After listening, Aunt Xu thought for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°Qingxue, although I don¡¯t know about your family conditions, I can tell that you are an exceptional and kind-hearted girl based on your demeanor. If you don¡¯t care about class status, why insist on marrying someone with a good status? It¡¯s not that I think highly of us, the so-called ¡®bad status¡¯ people, but most of those with a good status are not intellectuals or spirited individuals with aspirations but are often illiterates who can¡¯t recognize a single character. Such uncouth people may not be deserving of your intelligence and beauty. I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t look forward to a life of toiling in the fields all your life either. You might as well meet this Lu Jiang. If he really is as good as your uncle claims, and you grow to like him, it could turn out to be a good match.¡±


    At this juncture, Aunt Xu let out a long sigh, ¡°I understand your hesitation though. Life is indeed hard for people of low class status in this era. They live under constant scrutiny and face various forms of discrimination, as you can see from our own circumstances. Fortunately, that Lu Jiang is a military man, and as a military member¡¯s spouse, with your own prestigious background, you shouldn¡¯t face too much criticism. Although, his father and nephew might be a different story.¡±


    Feng Qingxue looked thoughtful.


    Aunt Xu went on to say, ¡°Marriage values compatibility. When two people are compatible, that¡¯s when feelings grow. I know your great-uncle and I might seem old now, but back in our day, we came together because we were compatible in our interests and aspirations.¡±

 Chapter 45 - 45 0045 Set Your Mind 1_1

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 0045 Set Your Mind 1_1 Chapter 45: Chapter 0045 Set Your Mind 1_1 Feng Qingxue walked her way home, pondering Madam Xu¡¯s words and questioning herself in her heart.


    Are you sincerely willing to marry a peasant who has a good background, but lacks much in the way of education?


    Are you truly willing to live a life where you work from sunrise to sunset, counting how many work points and how much grain you can get by the end of the year, living a life devoid of any soulful interactions¡ªjust waiting for the end of this cultural catastrophe?


    Are you content to pin your hopes on the next generation for the rest of your life?


    No, she isn¡¯t!


    She truly isn¡¯t!


    It¡¯s not that she despises illiterate farmers; in her heart, all people are equal regardless of wealth and status. This is what her grandparents and parents taught her, something she has always remembered and upheld. However, when it comes to whether one¡¯s background is good or not, she lacks the courage to marry a man with no cultural literacy at all. She cannot accept that while she talks about Dream of the Red Chamber, he discusses how much manure they used in the fields and how many bushels of grain it will yield this year.


    With mismatched cultural backgrounds and tastes, resentment would only deepen over time¡ªwhich definitely wouldn¡¯t lead to a good outcome.


    It¡¯s not that there are no people with good backgrounds and high cultural literacy, but the majority are in the cities. Many units tend to select people based on their backgrounds and cultural knowledge. In this tough era, with the given circumstances of her predecessors, besides her beauty, people might not appreciate her.


    Now, with widespread disasters across the country, the supply of commercial grain in urban areas is interrupted from time to time¡ªhow many are willing to marry a country woman?


    Based on her understanding, even if she married a man from the city, her household registration would not change to an urban one; instead, it would increase their living pressures.


    Furthermore, she plans on living with Feng Qingyun after marrying.


    Perhaps, she should really meet Lu Jiang.


    As her Uncle Wang said, there is nothing wrong with Lu himself. The only concern is regarding his family background.


    In her view, one¡¯s family background is not the standard for evaluating a person¡¯s character. The main concern was the storm that the Cultural Revolution could bring due to one¡¯s family background.


    However, without trials and tribulations, how can one have a rainbow?


    Who can guarantee smooth sailing throughout one¡¯s life, even if one marries someone with a good background?


    With such thoughts, she shifted her direction: before heading home, Feng Qingxue decided to go to the Wanglou Brigade.


    Even though replying Uncle Wang right now seemed to be a bit impatient, not showing enough restraint, it won¡¯t do to drag one¡¯s feet in some matters. From Uncle Wang¡¯s words, it seemed that Lu was also awaiting her response.


    She put the clothes from Madam Xu into her space, and took a few things from her space and put them in her carrying basket.


    And thus, Feng Qingxue walked into the Wanglou Brigade.


    The former Feng Qingxue held a deep impression of the Wanglou Brigade.


    This was due to Uncle Wang¡¯s shrewd and decisive personality. He didn¡¯t follow official guidelines in growing crops, instead encouraging the Wanglou Brigade to plant high-yield crops such as sweet potatoes and corn. The area was mountainous and perfectly suited for these crops, leading to good harvests. Thus, even during times of famine, the people in this area thrived, their spirits a hundred times stronger than those in the Feng Family¡¯s village.


    It had been a long time since she last visited¡ªthe people of the Wanglou Brigade no longer recognized Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°Oh, who¡¯s the pretty lass? Whom are you looking for?¡± A middle-aged woman passing by couldn¡¯t help but inquire, having noticed Feng Qingxue¡¯s beauty and the graceful composure that set her apart from the local women.


    The Wanglou Brigade was a small place, and everyone knew each other. Therefore, a stranger would naturally attract attention.


    Feng Qingxue swiftly greeted the woman with a smile, ¡°Good day, Auntie. I¡¯m here to find my uncle.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s your uncle?¡±


    ¡°My uncle¡¯s name is Wang Zhengguo.¡± The name Zhengguo had been chosen by Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s parents.

 Chapter 46 - 46 0046 Set Your Mind 2_1

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 0046 Set Your Mind 2_1 Chapter 46: Chapter 0046 Set Your Mind 2_1 Upon hearing that Feng Qingxue¡¯s maternal uncle was Wang Zhengguo, this woman became even more enthusiastic, ¡°You are the brigade leader¡¯s niece, no wonder you are so good-looking. Which family are you from? You should call me cousin-in-law, you can¡¯t call me aunt.¡±


    Generation classification is very strict.


    This woman, Jin Cuihua, is Wang Zhengguo¡¯s nephew¡¯s wife, so of course Feng Qingxue has to call her cousin-in-law.


    ¡°Hello, cousin-in-law.¡± Feng Qingxue immediately corrected herself, and then said her surname was Feng.


    Jin Cuihua immediately remembered, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from the Caohu Production Team, the virgin daughter of the brigade leader¡¯s second sister.¡±


    Feng Qingxue cheerfully affirmed.


    ¡°Now that the wheat has been planted, everyone is idle. I just saw your uncle chopping wood at the front of his house. Go, go now.¡±


    Hearing Jin Cuihua¡¯s words, Feng Qingxue bid her farewell, picked up her basket, and headed towards Uncle Wang¡¯s house at a brisk pace.


    With the memory of the original owner, she naturally knew the way.


    Along the way, a child suddenly ran from the side and accidentally bumped into Feng Qingxue, nearly knocking her over.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Feng Qingxue helped him, and saw a few children chasing after him, shouting loudly.


    Listening closely, Feng Qingxue found that they were all yelling insults.


    ¡°Down with the landlord!¡±


    ¡°Down with the reactionaries!¡±


    ¡°A reactionary¡¯s brat is still a reactionary! We¡¯re going to beat him up!¡±


    ¡°Landlords devour people and spit out their bones! Down with them!¡±


    Feng Qingxue knew without thinking that the child who bumped into her must have come from a bad family background. Other children learn from what they see and came to bully him. After steadying him, she said in a low voice, ¡°Run fast! I¡¯ll hold them back.¡±


    The child looked up at her and quickly ran away.


    Upon looking up, Feng Qingxue saw that he had beautiful eyes, dark and large, bright like stars.


    Within moments, the four or five children chasing him had reached Feng Qingxue.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t confront them directly. Instead, she took a peeled candy from her basket and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m here to pay a visit to your brigade leader. I¡¯m not sure where he lives. If any of you can show me the way, I¡¯ll give you candy.¡±


    As soon as they hear the word ¡°candy,¡± the five boys of different ages immediately started drooling.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show the way!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show the way!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show the way!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show the way!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show the way!¡±


    They all spoke at the same time, eager to run in front to show her the way. They quickly forgot about their previous actions.


    Uncle Wang, Wang Zhengguo, was indeed chopping wood at the front of the house.


    He was chopping roots of shrubs and tree knots from the mountains into small pieces, which are convenient for lighting fires.


    Wang Zhengguo wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked up to see Feng Qingxue standing before him with a cheerful smile.


    Noticing the four or five children next to her, Wang Zhengguo raised his eyebrows in surprise. Before he could ask, he saw Feng Qingxue distribute pieces of candy among the children, and they scattered all at once.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Once the children had left, Wang Zhengguo asked.


    Feng Qingxue spoke lightly, ¡°Nothing, just asked them for directions.¡±


    Wang Zhengguo didn¡¯t pursue it further, believing in his niece¡¯s good judgment and that she wouldn¡¯t do anything inappropriate.


    ¡°Dad, who¡¯s here?¡± Aunt Miao Fengqin came out of the house when she heard voices. She wiped her hands, which were washing clothes, and did not recognize Feng Qingxue at first. ¡°Who is this?¡±


    With beautiful eyebrows and eyes, rosy face, and luscious lips, where did this pretty girl come from?


    Feng Qingxue smiled, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s Qingxue. Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡±

 Chapter 47 - 47 0047 Set Your Mind 3_1

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 0047 Set Your Mind 3_1 Chapter 47: Chapter 0047 Set Your Mind 3_1 ¡°Qingxue?¡± Miao Fengqin was taken aback, ¡°Indeed, you¡¯ve blossomed into a stunning beauty! You used to be skinny, and although you weren¡¯t ugly, we never envisioned you growing up to be this beautiful, the most beautiful in the whole region.¡±


    Having lived for so long and having married Wang Zhengguo, Miao Fengqin was more worldly than many others.


    Feng Qingxue was even more beautiful than the main actresses in movies, even if she was still a little thin. If she put on a bit more weight, she would be even lovelier.


    However, Feng Qingxue started to feel a bit embarrassed by all of Miao Fengqin¡¯s praises, ¡°Aunt!¡±


    ¡°Come inside, come inside, let¡¯s chat indoors.¡± Miao Fengqin said, pulling her inside with a smile.


    Wang Zhengguo, thinking that his niece was about to reply him, hurriedly washed his hands and entered the house with an axe, leaving the firewood at the doorway, since no one would dare to steal it anyway.


    As soon as he entered the house, he heard Miao Fengqin scolding Feng Qingxue: ¡°Why did you bring these? Your visit is all that matters.¡±


    Wang Zhengguo looked, only to see four or five tangerines, the same number of autumn pears, a large piece of cured meat, and a handful of sugar cubes on the table, along with a pottery jar. He couldn¡¯t tell what was in it.


    Wang Zhengguo¡¯s expression immediately changed, ¡°Qingxue, where did you get these?¡±


    Feng Qingxue quickly explained, ¡°Uncle, Aunt, don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯ve been running around these days, not idling, with the surplus grain I¡¯ve managed to scrape together, I¡¯ve traded for these things.¡±


    Following up, she added, ¡°Xiaoyun is too young, and it isn¡¯t safe at my place. I didn¡¯t dare to store the goods at home, nor tell Xiaoyun about it. I¡¯ve kept it hidden outside. I only brought it over when I came to visit uncle and aunt. I just want to let you know, there¡¯s no need to worry about Xiaoyun and me, I can take care of her.¡±


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t do anything bad?¡± Wang Zhengguo asked with a lack of certainty.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t!¡± Feng Qingxue seemed almost ready to swear to heaven.


    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t do anything bad, you should minimize involvement in such affairs.¡± Wang Zhengguo seriously said, ¡°I¡¯ve been to the black market, I understand the risks. You are young, you are a girl, don¡¯t attract the attention of bad people. I¡¯ll repeat it once more, you and Xiaoyun are in good hands with me and your aunt.¡±


    That was the dignified stance of an elder.


    Feng Qingxue was moved, ¡°I understand, Uncle, I now know the consequences.¡±


    Meanwhile, Miao Fengqin opened the pottery jar, finding it full of bean oil. It weighed at least three or four pounds.


    ¡°Qingxue, these goods must have taken you a lot of effort, right?¡±


    Upon hearing Miao Fengqin¡¯s question, Wang Zhengguo asked the same.


    ¡°I have some connections outside.¡± Feng Qingxue vaguely said, swiftly changing the subject, ¡°Uncle, Xiaoyun is waiting at home, so I have to go back soon. I am here to let you know, I agree to the matter you mentioned last time.¡±


    Miao Fengqin promptly asked what she was talking about.


    Wang Zhengguo calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s about proposing marriage for Lu Zhiyuan. Jiaojiao was completely against it, so I thought of Qingxue.¡±


    At the mention of Lu Zhiyuan, Miao Fengqin¡¯s face changed.


    ¡°Knowing full well that it isn¡¯t a good family, why did you propose Qingxue? Jiaojiao was right to refuse. Anyone who would accept is a fool! What¡¯s our status and what¡¯s theirs? Aren¡¯t you just harming Qingxue?¡±


    ¡°What do you know? I¡¯m doing this for the child¡¯s sake.¡± Wang Zhengguo said.


    If the Lu family were not good, would he suggest his daughter or niece as a bride for their family?

 Chapter 48 - 48 0048 Set Your Mind 4_1

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 0048 Set Your Mind 4_1 Chapter 48: Chapter 0048 Set Your Mind 4_1 Miao Fengqin sneered, ¡°The way things are in this world now, I¡¯ve seen no benefit in marrying into the Lu Family.¡±


    Turning to Feng Qingxue, she took her hand and said earnestly, ¡°Qingxue, your uncle may be confused, but you must not be. This is a matter of your lifetime, so don¡¯t just listen to him. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll introduce you to a man from a well-bred family.¡±


    Men always prefer pretty women.


    With Feng Qingxue¡¯s beauty, it¡¯s easy to find a good match. Who in the Wanglou Brigade wouldn¡¯t want to marry the niece of the brigade leader? Their work allotments and food rations depend on him, after all!


    ¡°Aunt, I know you mean well, and I also know that Uncle won¡¯t harm me. I spent a long time considering this decision. After all, I have to take care of Xiaoyun. With our parents gone and my brother and sister-in-law being such people, Xiaoyun would surely starve if left alone at home. Only the Lu Family would accept me, given that I¡¯ll be bringing Xiaoyun along.¡±


    Upon hearing Feng Qingxue¡¯s words, Miao Fengqin stayed silent.


    She had her own grandchildren to take care of and couldn¡¯t adopt Feng Qingyun. Even if she and her husband were willing to, their children and children-in-law would probably not be happy about suddenly having another child around, who couldn¡¯t work and needed to be fed.


    Wang Zhengguo, afraid that his wife¡¯s words might deter Feng Qingxue, hurriedly led her outside.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a stroll around the brigade.¡± He said, but in reality, he intended to show her the Lu Family¡¯s situation.


    Feng Qingxue understood his meaning.


    As they walked, Wang Zhengguo murmured, ¡°Qingxue, I promise I won¡¯t harm you. Don¡¯t listen to your aunt¡¯s nonsense. The Lu Family isn¡¯t as simple as it seems. When you marry into it, you won¡¯t suffer. Although I can now support you and Xiaoyun, having a large family with many descendants, it¡¯s not everyone will be happy about it. To avoid potential trouble later, it¡¯s better to make good arrangements for you now.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, I understand.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wang Zhengguo was immensely pleased, his eyes crinkling with joy as he and Feng Qingxue strolled around. They then stopped at a cattle shed located a distance away from most residential areas.


    Sitting on a rock in front of the cowshed was an elderly man in his fifties. He was lean with snow-white sideburns and wearing a patched, old military coat.


    On seeing Wang Zhengguo, he promptly stood up.


    He didn¡¯t speak, but Wang Zhengguo nodded at him and smiled, ¡°My niece hasn¡¯t been here for a long time, so I brought her along for a walk.¡±


    At these words, the old man¡¯s eyes lit up. He carefully looked at Feng Qingxue before a hint of joy appeared on his face.


    Feng Qingxue recognised this elderly man as Lu Zhiyuan. Not being one for timid affectations, and unsure of the appropriate demeanor to adopt, she straightforwardly greeted him.


    ¡°Good! Very good!¡± replied Lu Zhiyuan, expressing his immense satisfaction with a string of affirmatives.


    Once Wang Zhengguo and Feng Qingxue left, Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s smile lingered on his face for a while. After some time, he murmured, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect the junior to be so lucky.¡±


    As wily as they come, Lu Zhiyuan could not have failed to appreciate Feng Qingxue¡¯s qualities. After all, demeanor is telling. Without certain substance, one can¡¯t cultivate the kind of poise she possesses.


    To Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes, Wang Zhengguo¡¯s niece was far superior to his own daughter. Not having been impressed by Wang Jiao earlier, Lu Zhiyuan encouraged her reluctance and asked Wang Zhengguo to find someone else. Anxious about any potential changes, he went to see Wang Zhengguo that very night, getting straight to the point, ¡°Zhengguo, could you do me a favor tomorrow morning? Please send out a telegram to Lu Jiang and ask him to come home and meet your niece.¡±

 Chapter 49 - 49 0049 Main Male Character Appears 1_1

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 0049 Main Male Character Appears 1_1 Chapter 49: Chapter 0049 Main Male Character Appears 1_1 Wang Zhengguo, wearing an old cotton-padded jacket, welcomed Lu Zhiyuan into the parlor and gave a laugh at his words, ¡°You are that satisfied?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Lu Zhiyuan took a sip of the hot water poured by Wang Zhengguo, his face full of smiles. ¡°Lu Jiang is a lucky boy to receive such a favorable opportunity from you. Now it all depends on whether he is fortunate enough.¡± After all, things might not necessarily materialize as expected.


    Besides, as a military man, Lu Jiang had to file a report for dating and another for marriage, both of which required approval.


    If he failed the political review, he wouldn¡¯t be allowed to fall in love or marry, even if both parties were willing.


    Now the fortunate circumstance for Lu Zhiyuan was Feng Qingxue¡¯s satisfactory background, coupled with Wang Zhengguo¡¯s familial ties to help facilitate matters, often solving what others might find troublesome.


    As his own social status was not favorable, it unfortunately reflected on his descendants. Now, all he could do for Lu Jiang was this.


    Marrying a girl from a reputable background would hardly be a burden, but rather, it would lend support.


    Such is the world and powerless to resist it, one could only compromise.


    His biggest fortune was that this girl was far more outstanding than he had imagined. Now it was up to Lu Jiang whether he would come to like her.


    Lu Jiang is exacting. If not for this, he would not have been unmarried till this point.


    But, he could hardly blame him.


    It was he himself who set the criteria for his son¡¯s bride: she must be literate, with a certain degree of cultural literacy and refinement. He always believed that only through education can one gain wisdom, and only with wisdom can one manage a household and nurture children.


    Even though intellectuals now found themselves in disfavor, Lu Zhiyuan was still insistent on his requirements.


    Even if his future bride was illiterate before marriage, he would make sure she learned to read afterward.


    That¡¯s why, in this tense situation, he sought the help of Wang Zhengguo, to introduce Lu Jiang to a girl with a good background and character, but she must meet his standards for Lu Jiang to return.


    Although he was not particularly discerning, girls these days were straightforward, and one could easily understand their nature.


    Feng Qingxue was not as Wang Zhengguo had mentioned, merely attended anti-illiteracy classes. Her every move clearly showed deep cultivation by books. This sort of temperament that soaked into one¡¯s bones was not readily visible, yet, on closer examination, you would discover the stark difference between her and an ordinary country girl. It was like comparing chalk and cheese.


    He puzzled over what kind of past this girl had to develop such a grace about her.


    Due to the prevailing boy-favored mentality, many girls didn¡¯t have the opportunity to go to school or join anti-illiteracy classes. Lu Zhiyuan suspected Feng Qingxue had a private tutor unknown to others, instructing her privately.


    Such situations were not uncommon, as the division of classes had led to the downfall of many intellectuals.


    But again, it came down to whether Lu Jiang was lucky.


    Lu Zhiyuan then went on to compliment Feng Qingxue a few more times.


    Wang Zhengguo heard the praise slip through his conversations, it was clear he was genuinely pleased with Feng Qingxue.


    The years they had known each other were more than that of a couple, they knew each other¡¯s character and thoughts well.


    ¡°Alright then, I will go to the commune tomorrow. What should I telegraph to Lu Jiang?¡±


    ¡°Just mention there is a marriage prospect, and he should return home promptly.¡± As Lu Zhiyuan gave the money, he instructed, ¡°Use the express telegram. He will understand when he receives it.¡± As for the report on courtship and marriage, they had to meet each other and confirm mutual consent before escalating.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go first thing in the morning.¡±


    After saying this, Wang Zhengguo took the money and asked, ¡°Anything you want me to bring back?¡±


    Lu Zhiyuan thought for a while and shook his head, ¡°Nothing for now. Once Lu Jiang sends money and tickets back, I will have to impose on you again. If the two of them hit it off, I should start making preparations.¡±


    ¡°Alright! Whether they end up liking each other or not, when Lu Jiang gets married, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to get him two rooms.¡±

 Chapter 50 - 50 0050 Main Male Character Appears 2_1

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 0050 Main Male Character Appears 2_1 Chapter 50: Chapter 0050 Main Male Character Appears 2_1 While Wang Zhenguo and Lu Zhiyuan were talking, Feng Qingxue returned home to face total disarray.


    The doors and windows were wide open, mess scattered everywhere inside the house.


    The furniture made by Fen Erhu and his son, such as cabinets, tables and basins, had disappeared ¨C all that remained was a single bed and a few textbooks that she hadn¡¯t stored in her space. Even the bed was empty ¨C no quilts left, and the pair of sisters¡¯ spare clothing was also missing.


    Feng Qingyun, dressed only in her underpants, lay in a corner, shivering from the cold, her forehead bleeding and her life hanging by a thread.


    ¡°Qingyun!¡±


    Frightened, Feng Qingxue tossed aside a large bag she was holding and rushed to her sister, cautiously checking her for breathing.


    She was still breathing!


    Aside from superficial injuries on Feng Qingxue¡¯s head, there were no notable injuries on her body. After assuring this, Feng Qingxue carefully moved her to the bed, where she laid out a coat made of coarse cloth and sheepskin that Madam Xu had made, and hurriedly brought out a first aid kit to clean her sister¡¯s wounds.


    The injury was not too severe, it seemed like a bruise. After disinfecting it, she sprinkled some Yunnan Baiyao medicine on it and wrapped it up with gauze.


    And yet, there were two heavy slap marks on Qingyun¡¯s cheeks; they were already swollen. Feng Qingxue sprayed some anti-swelling potion on them.


    At this moment, she felt simultaneously relieved and regretful.


    Relieved because she had prepared numerous medications and had learned a lot of first aid techniques; regretful for leaving young Qingyun at home alone.


    It was apparent that they had been looted!


    Feng Qingxue helped Qingyun dress in the clothes and socks made by Madam Xu, a burning rage ignited in her eyes.


    ¡°Sister!¡± After a long while, Qingyun regained consciousness. The first thing she did, besides calling for her sister, was to sob and accuse, ¡°Sister, our sister-in-laws and Dani, Dabao and Erbao took away all our things!¡±


    Older sister-in-law!


    Younger sister-in-law!


    Very well, very well!


    Feng Qingxue gritted her teeth, ¡°Qingyun, how did you get hurt? Who hit you?¡±


    ¡°It was Younger sister-in-law. I was trying to stop them from taking our things, so she slapped me twice! Sister, the steamed cornbread you left in the cupboard for my lunch was eaten by Dabao and Erbao!¡± Qingyun felt heartbroken; she hadn¡¯t managed to protect the things their sister had worked so hard for, ¡°Dabao pushed me down, and I hit my head on the wall, and then I don¡¯t remember anything else.¡±


    Feng Qingxue held her, gently patting her back over and over again, ¡°Tell me, is your head spinning?¡±


    Please, don¡¯t let it be a concussion.


    ¡°It¡¯s not spinning, but my forehead hurts so much!¡±


    Feng Qingxue gently blew on the wounded area wrapped in gauze, ¡°Then tell me, who undressed you?¡±


    ¡°Clothes?¡± Qingyun questioned, and upon looking down noticed that she was not wearing the clothes from the morning. She quickly lifted her head to look at Feng Qingxue, ¡°Sister, where are my clothes? When did I change my clothes?¡±


    Upon saying this, Qingyun burst into tears.


    It had taken her so long to finally have her own clothes, including the new autumn clothes that her sister had made specially for her, and now they were gone!


    ¡°Sister! My clothes are gone! My clothes!¡± She loved her baby pink autumn outfit so much.


    ¡°When I came back, you were lying on the ground wearing only your underpants. I was about to ask you about that.¡± Feng Qingxue said softly, then comforted, ¡°Sister will figure out a way to make you new clothes, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Having seen many news stories before her journey here, she was particularly worried that her sister had been violated. Fortunately, her inspections showed that she hadn¡¯t.


    Qingyun sniffed and shook her head to indicate she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Sister, they must have taken off my clothes and taken them away after I passed out.¡±


    Although she was a child and her clothes were children¡¯s clothes, they were very, very good clothes.


    Dabao, Erbao, and Dani were also children, but what they usually wore was much shabbier than what she was wearing now.

 Chapter 51 - 51 0051 Main Male Character Appears 3_1

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 0051 Main Male Character Appears 3_1 Chapter 51: Chapter 0051 Main Male Character Appears 3_1 ¡°After Feng Qingyun finished speaking, she said with relief, ¡°Thank goodness Sis took the food that Uncle¡¯s family sent with her when she left, otherwise they would have taken it. The sweet potatoes and potatoes in the cellar were not discovered either.¡±


    Feng Qingxue patted her little head, ¡°In such a situation, the most important thing is to protect yourself. Material items are insignificant.¡±


    Being robbed is a minor incident compared to Feng Qingyun being harmed.


    This debt, she would not let her two sisters-in-law from the Feng Family off so easily.


    After comforting Feng Qingyun and feeding her, Feng Qingxue prepared a bowl of brown sugar water for her to drink, and especially took out some red dates from her space for her to nibble on.


    Blood loss should be replenished.


    Then, having slightly organized the things she brought along, and repacking the sheepskin coats she took out into the bundle, Feng Qingxue took out an axe from her backpack. The age of a cleaver is easily discernable, but not an axe.


    The axe was very sharp, the edge glinting coldly in the light.


    Heavy, but Feng Qingxue did not find it burdensome.


    ¡°Sis, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get our things back.¡±


    Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t dare leave her sister at home alone anymore, so she carried her on her back, securing her with a strip of cloth. Even though Feng Qingyun had gained some weight recently, she still only looked two or three years old, weighing a little over twenty pounds.


    Carrying Feng Qingyun on her back and holding an axe, Feng Qingxue headed straight for the Feng Family¡¯s thatch house.


    The two Feng Family brothers lived together in one thatched house, saving her the trouble of going to two separate places.


    Feng Qinglei and Wind Qingyu were the names of the two brothers.


    Being born into a family of peasants, their father and mother naturally couldn¡¯t have come up with such refined names. Many people were called names like Tie Dan, Goudan, Gousheng and so on. So these pleasant names were given by their uncle from the Wang Family.


    The brothers¡¯ names were pleasing and refined, but their characters were not so admirable.


    Before getting married, the two brothers were simple and aloof, but they both shared a common trait ¨C cowardice.


    Sometimes, in family life, cowardice represents cruelty.


    In any matter, without their own opinions, they always sided with their wives. Whether right or wrong, they indulged their wives, for example in the act of driving away their two sisters. If not cruelty, then what?


    While Feng Qingxue was on her way, Li Guohong and Zhao Guihua, the wives of the two brothers, were in the house dividing up the items.


    One quilt per family, clothes split in half, one family got the wardrobe, the other took the clothes cabinet, a table in the living room, and two stools per family.


    While dividing, Li Guohong sighed, ¡°That girl Qingxue has only been out a few days? She has so many things.¡± Even though these things didn¡¯t look valuable, they couldn¡¯t get them without money.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to be so generous, actually sending so many things for the two girls.¡± Zhao Guihua remarked.


    ¡°I heard they went there with a sack. We should look for where they hid the grain tomorrow. With the grain they provided, we can have a better winter. I don¡¯t want to live days unsure of the next meal.¡± Li Guohong, who was particularly astute, had already learned that several uncles from the Wang Family carried quite a lot of things there, including grain, which would be more important than these odds and ends.


    Zhao Guihua nodded fervently, ¡°Yes, yes, they must have given grain, it¡¯s just that the younger girl has a very tight lip.¡±


    Mentioning this made Zhao Guihua exceptionally angry. Other people could exchange their daughters for grain, why couldn¡¯t they? It was infuriating, they must think of a way to get Feng Qingxue married.


    She is good-looking, at least it could exchange for two hundred pounds of dried sweet potatoes.

 Chapter 52 - 52 0052 Main Male Character Appears 4_1

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 0052 Main Male Character Appears 4_1 Chapter 52: Chapter 0052 Main Male Character Appears 4_1 Although Feng Qingxue had become gaunt, her natural beauty was undeniable. Could anyone deny that she had the makings of a beauty?


    Li Guohong shared this sentiment and scoffed, ¡°What good does keeping your mouth shut do? A good beating will pry it open. I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s a child in the world who isn¡¯t afraid of being hit. Once Daya gets married off, isn¡¯t the little girl left to be moulded as we please?¡±


    As she spoke, Li Guohong¡¯s face flickered with a cold harshness, her eyes were brutal.


    Li Guohong, who had always been in charge of the Feng Family¡¯s affairs, was not an easy person to grapple with. If someone defied her, she would make their life utterly miserable.


    Even Zhao Guihua, as a sister-in-law, duly followed Li Guohong¡¯s lead.


    Just as they were in the swing of their conversation, with a ¡°thud¡±, two feeble wooden doors collapsed.


    Both women suddenly looked up to see Feng Qingxue carrying Feng Qingyun on her back in the doorway.


    With the light behind Feng Qingxue, they couldn¡¯t make out her expression.


    But there was an intimidating air about her that was especially startling, even giving off a slightly eerie feeling.


    ¡°What are you up to?¡± Rather than feeling guilty, Zhao Guihua fiercely challenged her instead.


    ¡°What am I up to? What do you say I¡¯m up to?¡± Feng Qingxue sneered. Step by step, she walked in and slammed an axe directly onto an old wooden table in the Feng Family¡¯s hall.


    She used a lot of strength. Although she hadn¡¯t split the table in two, she had made a deep gash in it.


    Then, she pulled out the axe. The cold reflection on the blade mirrored the chill on her face.


    Zhao Guihua and Li Guohong shrank with fright. There was no one who wouldn¡¯t fear an axe, even the most vicious of people feared this kind of weapon.


    Feng Qingxue lifted the axe, flicked her wrist, turning the blade upwards, aiming it at Zhao Guihua¡¯s neck.


    Both sisters-in-law were huddled up together. Zhao Guihua, being on the outer side, naturally drew the short straw. Feng Qingxue wouldn¡¯t go past her to aim at Li Guohong¡¯s neck, what if Zhao Guihua managed to escape?


    She had come with no intentions of letting either of the two go.


    Helping others is a commendable act, but the saying ¡°good is rewarded with good and evil with evil¡± is, in her opinion, just a psychological comfort for people.


    Feng Qingxue never believed in such things.


    All she knew was, ¡°If one repays kindness with hostility, then how does one repay kindness?¡±


    If Zhao Guihua and Li Guohong dare to raid her sister¡¯s house, she would dare to wreak havoc on theirs.


    While she may not be a shrew, sometimes being one was the best solution to a problem in a place like this.


    ¡°Feng Qingxue, what are you trying to do?¡±


    Li Guohong was still able to question harshly. Zhao Guihua was too scared to speak, trembling all over.


    Feng Qingxue gave a smile. It seemed very gentle, but her words were icy cold, ¡°I¡¯m not up to anything. I just came across someone stealing from my house, so I came to retrieve it.¡±


    Feng Qingyun peered over her shoulder from her back, looking at their two terrifying sisters-in-law.


    They were ashen and trembling like leaf.


    Feng Qingyun suddenly felt lifted, realizing that they weren¡¯t invincible; they could be frightened too.


    ¡°Sister, all our stuff is here!¡± The sharp-eyed Feng Qingyun spotted the items that hadn¡¯t yet been returned to their rooms after being divided up, and immediately informed Feng Qingxue while glaring furiously at Zhao Guihua and Li Guohong.


    News of the two sisters carrying an axe over to the old Feng house had spread around, and many people saw them arrive.


    Feng Qinglei and Wind Qingyu, the eldest and second brothers, hurriedly rushed over upon hearing the news. Upon seeing the situation in the house, the highly wife-doting Wind Qingyu immediately bellowed, ¡°Daya, what are you planning? That¡¯s your sister-in-law!¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 0053 Main Male Character Appears 5_1

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 0053 Main Male Character Appears 5_1 Chapter 53: Chapter 0053 Main Male Character Appears 5_1 At the sound of Wind Qingyu¡¯s fierce shout, Feng Qingxue remained unmoved.


    Her hand stayed steady, gripping the axe handle firmly, the blade of the axe against Zhao Guihua¡¯s neck didn¡¯t sway in the slightest, the edge of it glinting with a fatal cold light.


    ¡°Sister-in-law?¡±


    Feng Qingxue let out a soft laugh, dripping with pure sarcasm.


    ¡°Who¡¯s sister-in-law would kick out her poor sister-in-law after her parents-in-law passed away? Whose sister-in-law would heartlessly rob from her niece¡¯s house? The elder brother just watches as his wife treats his little sister that way and now tells me they¡¯re my sister-in-law¨C isn¡¯t that ironic?¡±


    Feng Qinglei¡¯s face flushed and then paled.


    However, everyone¡¯s faces were thin and sallow, plus he often worked outdoors, and his skin was very dark, so the changes of color were less visible.


    Wind Qingyu, ever the eloquent one, didn¡¯t answer his sister¡¯s questions, and instead kept saying, ¡°Daya, you mustn¡¯t disrespect your elders like this.¡±


    Feng Qinglei also followed up with, ¡°Put the axe down, now!¡±


    Feng Qingxue replied coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t stand there lecturing me like brothers do! I don¡¯t have any brothers like you! Return our property just as you took it, or else don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡±


    As she spoke, Feng Qingxue put some force into her grip on the axe. The blade immediately drew a line of blood on Zhao Guihua¡¯s neck.


    The cut was thin, but it was enough to draw a trickle of blood that made the onlookers turn weak at the knees.


    ¡°Return! We¡¯ll give it all back!¡± Zhao Guihua wailed in pain, terrified to her core.


    Li Guohong, also fearing the axe might next land on him, swiftly nodded, ¡°We¡¯ll return it all! Daya, put down the axe, we can talk things out.¡±


    ¡°I have always thought an axe is the best medium for conversation!¡± Feng Qingxue was not nai?ve enough to be tricked.


    Seeing that he could not fool her, all Li Guohong could do was to give his husband a significant look.


    ¡°Husband, hurry up, hurry up and return Daya¡¯s things!¡±


    No matter how valuable material goods were, they could not compare to a life.


    Li Guohong valued his life more than anyone else, and he was also more astute than anyone else.


    Revenge could wait until after they dodged this bullet, she had never suffered from such dishonor before!


    Everyone knew that Feng Qingxue, who was now living alone with Qingyun, had become particularly bold and fierce. Feng Qinglei and Wind Qingyu dared not delay and quickly asked the neighbours, who were watching the drama but not stepping in to mediate, to help return the goods back.


    Furniture, clothes, bedding, they returned everything one by one.


    Suddenly, Qingyun spoke up, ¡°Sister, the clothes Sister-in-law number two is wearing are yours! They also seized our quilts.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t forgotten that when she and her sister were kicked out of the house, their quilts and clothes were occupied by them.


    Feng Qingxue swept her cold eyes over Li Guohong, Li Guohong gritted her teeth in hatred deep inside, but she didn¡¯t dare to show it on her face, she had to take off the coarse red checkered jacket which she wore over her padded jacket.


    Li Guohong was arrogant and domineering, but her figure was similar to Feng Qingxue¡¯s, and she had taken a few of Feng Qingxue¡¯s clothes.


    This jacket was one of them, the rest of the clothes were in the house.


    Zhao Guihua also wanted them, but her figure was far from Feng Qingxue¡¯s, so she only took the quilts.


    The two families divided the belongings of the Feng Qingxue sisters, and the split was pretty fair.


    Under the guidance of Qingyun, all of them were found and returned, along with the items that had been stolen previously, and brought back to their small cottage.


    Feng Qingxue gripped Li Guohong¡¯s wrist tightly in one hand and held an axe to Zhao Guihua¡¯s neck with the other, following the crowd back to her house. Once she verified that all their possessions had indeed been returned, she finally shoved the pair of sisters-in-law out the door.

 Chapter 54 - 54 0054 Main Male Character Appears 6_1

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 0054 Main Male Character Appears 6_1 Chapter 54: Chapter 0054 Main Male Character Appears 6_1 These days, due to her good meals, she was strong. Her opponents on the other hand were weak from conserving food. They were all knocked to the ground.


    ¡°If you dare to threaten Qingxue and me again, the outcome won¡¯t be as smooth as today. If Qingxue and I can¡¯t get by, I won¡¯t mind killing to scrape along! I, Feng Qingxue, always keep my word!¡±


    Feng Qingxue was not joking.


    Leaders from the brigade office wouldn¡¯t intervene in these domestic disputes, and Feng Shuanzhu didn¡¯t either.


    Out of fear of the murderous intent on Feng Qingxue¡¯s face, the couples Feng Qinglei and Feng Qingyu left embarrassedly.


    Seeing the ruckus was over, most of the others also left, with only four or five young women staying behind to help tidy up.


    Of course, the most important thing was to gossip.


    When they were idle from farming, these people enjoyed exchanging stories about each other¡¯s households.


    ¡°Qingxue, you are really brave! Holding an axe to your sister-in-law¡¯s neck, aren¡¯t you afraid of their revenge?¡±


    The speaker was Feng Qingxue¡¯s younger cousin, Hongling.


    Two years older than Feng Qingxue, Hongling had married Guo Guangcheng of their brigade last year. Her skinny body now carried a significantly large belly, causing shock to those who saw her. Yet, her eyes and face revealed her curiosity.


    While putting down the axe and Qingyun, Feng Qingxue declared indifferently, ¡°What is there to be afraid of?¡±


    What is meant by ¡°preying on the weak but fearing the strong¡± and ¡°bullying the good but fearing the wicked¡±? Most people, like Zhao Guihua and Li Guohong, were like that.


    Also, there¡¯s another saying that goes, ¡°the soft fear the hard, the hard fear the fierce, the fierce fear those who don¡¯t fear death¡±. Currently, in her in-laws¡¯ eyes, she was the one who didn¡¯t fear death.


    Having given up on life, what else was there to fear?


    Hearing Feng Qingxue¡¯s statement, Hongling felt a deep admiration. She quickly changed the subject, ¡°Where did you get the axe?¡±


    This question was on everyone¡¯s mind there.


    A few years back during the mass steel-making campaign, every household¡¯s iron utensils were collected, including pans, kitchen knives, and farming tools. Many trees were cut down to fuel the fires, yet the result was far from satisfying.


    At that time, everyone was eating in communal canteens, paying little notice. But now, those utensils weren¡¯t distributed back when the canteens were dismantled, forcing everyone to figure out ways to cook. Thus, the majority of households were without iron utensils.


    Families like Feng Qingxue¡¯s, using earthen jars as pots, were not unique. Almost every family in Caohu Brigade was doing the same.


    These jars may serve as a pot, but boiling water or cooking was all time-consuming and did not work well. Not to mention, it also required a lot of firewood.


    So, Feng Qingxue¡¯s axe was an eye-catcher.


    Regardless, an axe is an iron tool!


    Feng Qingxue understood their surprise and answered casually, ¡°My uncle brought it for us on his last visit. He said that we sisters needed something to defend ourselves from being bullied.¡±


    She would need to ask Wang Zhengguo to cover for her next time they met.


    Hearing that it was a gift from Wang Zhengguo, everyone fell silent.


    Everyone knew about the well-off living conditions of Wanglou Brigade. They survived the famine thanks to large-scale cultivation of staple foods like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn. As both the team leader and Party Secretary, Wang Zhengguo certainly had the connections to get these things.


    Wang Zhengguo¡¯s abilities were known to all surrounding brigades.


    ¡°Having a good uncle is so great.¡± Hongling said enviously.


    ¡°Yeah, Qingxue, your uncle is so capable! Ask him to get you an iron pot, it¡¯s way more practical than an axe.¡±


    Hearing the anonymous comment from the crowd, Feng Qingxue smiled faintly, ¡°Having a mere axe already makes us a target. If we had an iron pot, wouldn¡¯t we have to keep anticipating a thief every day?¡±


    Everyone fell silent.

 Chapter 55 - 55 0055 Main Male Character Appears 7_1

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 0055 Main Male Character Appears 7_1 Chapter 55: Chapter 0055 Main Male Character Appears 7_1 ¡°Lu Jiang, you have a telegram!¡±


    Lu Jiang had just come down from the training ground, wiping his sweat with a towel when he suddenly heard these words.


    Besides his dear father, no one else would say it that way.


    Upon realizing this, Lu Jiang quickly went to get the telegram. Seeing that it was an express telegram, he grew increasingly worried about his father and his two nephews.


    An ordinary telegram costs three cents per character, whereas an express one costs eight cents.


    Unless something is particularly urgent, most people would not send an express telegram.


    Lu Jiang knew very well that his family¡¯s social status wasn¡¯t good. His mother¡¯s and sister-in-law¡¯s deaths were related to such class distinctions. He was aware of the difficult times his father and nephews were going through, but he was helpless.


    Though he had entrusted a few comrades who transferred to his hometown, he still felt uneasy.


    Fortunately, express telegrams were delivered around the clock. As he read the few words on the telegram, Lu Jiang felt relieved. As long as it¡¯s not a disaster at home, he thought, lifting his sharp brows as he read about the marital candidate.


    He had firm confidence in his father¡¯s judgment. His father wouldn¡¯t send an express telegram unless he was particularly content.


    No one knew his father better than he did.


    Last year, when he went home on a family visit, his father told him that he had found him an eligible girl for him to meet during his vacation. If they agreed, they would report their intention immediately.


    The implication was simple. It would be perfect if they both liked each other, but if not, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    Lu Zhiyuan was very enlightened.


    However, he had long told his youngest son that there were three kinds of women he mustn¡¯t marry.


    Unless he had deep and profound feelings for a woman that he couldn¡¯t live without her, there were three types he should avoid marrying.


    Don¡¯t marry comrades, who are female soldiers on the battlefield.


    Lu Jiang had a strong personality, and Lu Zhiyuan really did not wish his daughter-in-law to be such a person. Even if they shared the same ideals and aspirations, it might not be beneficial to the family. Most female soldiers were not soft-natured, and their headstrong interactions might not lead to happiness.


    Don¡¯t marry artistic soldiers, female soldiers in the arts and literature troupe who were generally morale-boosting singing and dancing artists.


    Lu Zhiyuan did not despise artistic soldiers and knew that there were many upright and honest women in the troupe. Those with bad social status wouldn¡¯t be selected into the troupe, but there were indeed quite a few women who would do anything to climb the social ladder. Could such women keep a good home when Lu Jiang went to the battlefield?


    Don¡¯t marry a woman of the same social status as his own.


    The social status of the Lu family was not good. Lu Zhiyuan would certainly not despise people of the same social status as himself. But he was aware of the importance of social status, which is why he didn¡¯t want a woman of a lower class to affect his youngest son¡¯s future.


    At present, the only hope for the Lu family lies in Lu Jiang. Lu Zhiyuan had to plan carefully.


    If Lu Jiang really fell in love with a woman from any of these three types, and it reached a point of no return, Lu Zhiyuan would have no choice but to accept it. He wouldn¡¯t actually ruin his son¡¯s happiness.


    Luckily, Lu Jiang had served in the military for twelve years. He was dedicated to his work and had no women in his eyes.


    Because of this, Lu Zhiyuan decided to find a mate for Lu Jiang in their hometown.


    While Lu Jiang was reading the telegram, his comrade Zhao Yong asked, ¡°Ajiang, is something wrong at home?¡±


    Zhao Yong was one of Lu Jiang¡¯s best friends in the military, a life-and-death buddy.


    It was Lu Jiang, who was injured himself, who rescued the heavily injured Zhao Yong from a pile of bodies on the battlefield. Without Lu Jiang, Zhao Yong would have surely died there. Even so, Zhao Yong spent a whole year recovering from his injuries.

 Chapter 56 - 56 0056 Main Male Character Appears 8_1

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 0056 Main Male Character Appears 8_1 Chapter 56: Chapter 0056 Main Male Character Appears 8_1 After that incident, Zhao Yong became more concerned about the man who had saved his life on various matters.


    Unlike Lu Jiang, whose family background was not great, Zhao Yong came from a good lineage. His father was a veteran revolutionary military officer. Although he didn¡¯t hold a particularly high rank, he still had some say in their army division.


    Zhao Yong was two years older than Lu Jiang, but they both joined the army in the same year. Now, Zhao Yong held a rank higher than Lu Jiang.


    One could say, Zhao Yong was Lu Jiang¡¯s direct superior.


    Realizing it was Zhao Yong, Lu Jiang felt relieved, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you, commandant. I received a telegram from my father. Everything at home is fine, he mentioned introducing me to someone and asked me to visit home during my leave.¡±


    Having nothing to hide, Lu Jiang spoke honestly.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good news!¡± Zhao Yong¡¯s son was already eight years old, but Lu Jiang was still single.


    If Lu Jiang were still young it wouldn¡¯t matter, but he was getting closer to thirty.


    Zhao Yong was often worried about Lu Jiang¡¯s marriage, but was always deterred by the demands of Lu Zhiyuan.


    ¡°It must be a good match, or else your father wouldn¡¯t send a telegram specifically for this.¡± Zhao Yong was well aware of the affairs of the Lu Family.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Lu Jiang nodded, ¡°My father didn¡¯t specify, I will know what kind of girl she is when I go home.¡± He believed in his father¡¯s judgment ¡ª if she wasn¡¯t a good girl, she wouldn¡¯t catch his old father¡¯s eye.


    Zhao Yong patted his shoulder, ¡°Your home leave is next month, you better work on your request now.¡±


    He didn¡¯t continue his sentence, but Lu Jiang clearly understood.


    Zhao Yong must have wanted to say that he would help expedite the approval so he could go home sooner.


    ¡°Thank you, commandant.¡± Lu Jiang didn¡¯t say much in response to the polite words.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the formality between us? I have plenty of tickets. Take them all when you go on leave next month. If you find a girl you like, you should take her to a state-run restaurant for a meal, and then buy her some things from the department store. You don¡¯t need to worry about the rest of the tickets, I¡¯ve got them covered.¡± Zhao Yong volunteered, noting that many soldiers didn¡¯t have families and therefore had a lot of saved up tickets.


    Military grain tickets were universally accepted, and they even had a higher face value than national grain tickets.


    So, Zhao Yong had already planned to let Lu Jiang take a sufficient amount of military grain tickets with him. Other military supply tickets were easy to get in the army, and they were not accessible to other units.


    It was common knowledge that the best supplies were given to the military.


    As they walked back to the dormitory together, Zhao Yong added, ¡°I have a new sheepskin-lined military coat at home, never worn, you should take it with you when you go home and give it to the girl you like. It¡¯s a high-quality item that¡¯s not available outside.¡±


    Lu Jiang smiled and nodded, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°My wife, Xiuying, has two pairs of new shoes, issued by the military. I¡¯ll give them to you to take back.¡± Zhao Yong continued without stop.


    Zhao Yong¡¯s wife, Guo Xiuying, wasn¡¯t a soldier but a field medic, her living expenses were all provided by the military.


    ¡°Alright, then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡±


    Lu Jiang immediately drafted his request and submitted it. Knowing that he was of marriageable age and causing concern within the military, when they found out he was going home not only for family visit but also for a meet-up, and with Zhao Yong¡¯s backing, the approval came quickly.


    Once he got the approval, Lu Jiang immediately packed his bags.


    Being the deputy commandant of the division under Zhao Yong, the handover of his responsibilities went smoothly.


    Zhao Yong took over everything.


    The bond among comrades was the strongest. There were many unmarried soldiers of a certain age, so when they found out Lu Jiang was going home for matchmaking, they handed him all kinds of ration tickets they¡¯d stashed away, ¡°You must seize the opportunity, don¡¯t disappoint us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡±


    The next day, Lu Jiang took the army procurement vehicle into town, and soon got on the train home.

 Chapter 57 - 57 0057 First Meeting Between Both Sides 1_1

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 0057 First Meeting Between Both Sides 1_1 Chapter 57: Chapter 0057 First Meeting Between Both Sides 1_1 Lu Jiang brought a lot of luggage. Other than the military coat and military boots that Zhao Yong mentioned, there were presents from comrades, and new and old military supplies that he had packed himself. The old ones were intended for his father and nephew.


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to give new ones, but he knew that doing so would only bring trouble.


    Thus, getting on and off the vehicle, Lu Jiang was always lugging, carrying, and holding large and small packages.


    As a soldier, he had priority when boarding the vehicle. The train attendant helped him when dismounting, and before leaving, Lu Jiang had sent a telegram to his father. Ten days later, when he walked out of the train station with the crowd, he indeed saw his waiting old father and Wang Zhengguo in the chilly wind.


    Lu Zhiyuan wore an old military coat while Wang Zhengguo wore an old cotton jacket. They were stamping their feet and rubbing their hands together to keep warm, and behind them, a bullock cart stood.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Lu Jiang? It¡¯s getting dark soon.¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, his frowning face expelling a puff of white breath as he spoke.


    Wang Zhengguo laughed, ¡°The train might be delayed again, you know this happens often.¡±


    Just as he finished his sentence, he saw Lu Jiang.


    It¡¯s hard not to notice anyone in a military uniform, let alone when that person is tall and well-built like Lu Jiang.


    ¡°Ajiang is here!¡± Wang Zhengguo pulled Lu Zhiyuan, alerting him, then quickly stepped forward to take Lu Jiang¡¯s luggage. Looking up at Lu Jiang, who was tall, with long legs, and sharp eyebrows, he was extremely pleased.


    Lu Jiang, now relieved of his burden, courteously greeted Wang Zhengguo, ¡°Hello Uncle Wang.¡±


    ¡°Good, good! You too.¡± Wang Zhengguo responded repeatedly, beaming.


    Lu Zhiyuan was also very happy to see his son, helping to move the luggage onto the bullock cart. ¡°Ajiang, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    At this time, Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s voice sounded particularly bright.


    Both his sons were his pride, but it was a pity that his elder son died young. Now, he only had this son left. Seeing him, Lu Zhiyuan was naturally recharged and filled with pride.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going home yet.¡± Lu Jiang quickly sorted out the luggage on the bullock cart and turned back to his father and Wang Zhengguo. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the state-owned restaurant and have a meal, then we¡¯ll go home.¡±


    He would also bring something to eat home from the state-owned restaurant for his two nephews since there would be no time to cook once they get home.


    Having come home on a visit last year, Lu Jiang knew his family¡¯s situation quite well.


    Wang Zhengguo was about to refuse, but Lu Zhiyuan cut in, ¡°Exactly, exactly. It¡¯s right for you to treat your Uncle Wang to a meal since he came all this way to pick you up. Zhengguo, don¡¯t be so polite, let¡¯s go to the state-owned restaurant!¡±


    Hearing this, Wang Zhengguo had to swallow the words he was about to utter.


    The three men then took the bullock cart to the nearby state-owned restaurant. They left the cart and the luggage by the roadside, in front of the restaurant. Once they walked in, the female waitress immediately greeted them, clearly noticing Lu Jiang who looked impressive in his military uniform.


    ¡°Serving the people. Please come inside, comrades. What would you like to eat?¡±


    As Lu Jiang gestured to his father and Wang Zhengguo to find a seat, he asked, ¡°What dishes do you have here?¡±


    The waitress crisply replied, ¡°We only have noodles and cabbage radish now, nothing else.¡±


    ¡°No meat?¡± Lu Jiang frowned.


    ¡°No. Today, only half a pig¡¯s head was roistered to our restaurant, and it was bought by a cadre from the coal factory early in the morning.¡±


    Wang Zhengguo quickly said, ¡°Ajiang, there¡¯s a food shortage everywhere in the city and the countryside. Let¡¯s not fuss about that, a bowl of noodles is good enough.¡±


    Left with no choice, Lu Jiang ordered three bowls of noodles, a bowl of cabbage and glass noodle soup, and a plate of stir-fried shredded radish.

 Chapter 58 - 58 0058 Meeting For The First Time 2_1

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 0058 Meeting For The First Time 2_1 Chapter 58: Chapter 0058 Meeting For The First Time 2_1 After ordering, the waiter immediately calculated the cost.


    ¡°Noodles are eight cents a bowl, two grain tickets, cabbage stew with noodles is five cents, shredded radish is three cents, a total of six grain tickets, and thirty-two cents.¡±


    ¡°Comrade, do you have any food that is convenient to take away here? Buns, steamed buns, or pancakes all would do.¡± Lu Jiang was thinking about the two nephews left at home, while he pulled out his money and grain tickets to ask the server.


    The busy waiter responded with a smile, ¡°The only staple food we have here is noodles.¡± It was the same reply she had given earlier.


    ¡°Alright, when we leave, please pack five pounds of noodles for us to take home.¡±


    ¡°Sure, comrade, one pound of noodles costs one grain ticket.¡±


    After Lu Jiang heard the price of the noodles from the waiter, he immediately paid with money and grain tickets.


    Seeing the military grain tickets, the waiter¡¯s eyes lit up even more.


    In these times, military grain tickets were rare to come by. And holding a military grain ticket would give you priority at the grain shop. She quickly took them into her hands, gave back the change, and turned to ask the kitchen to start cooking the orders.


    When the waiter left, Lu Jiang turned to Wang Zhengguo and said, ¡°Uncle Wang, we may not have ordered enough noodles. Let¡¯s order more.¡±


    ¡°We have enough, enough. Ajiang, you don¡¯t need to spend more money.¡± There was already a full large bowl of noodles, along with cabbage and spring onions. Although it was made of dark noodles, it was still fine grain. And during the slack farming season, Wang Zhengguo¡¯s appetite was not as big as one would imagine.


    The noodles were overcooked and slightly clotted together, but no one complained.


    It was challenging for both Wang Zhengguo and Lu Zhiyuan to finish the noodles with the side dishes. They were so full they felt like they could choke, but Lu Jiang was still hungry and ordered two more bowls of noodles, and finished all the remaining dishes.


    ¡°Soldiers need to eat a lot, otherwise they won¡¯t have enough energy for training and fighting,¡± Lu Zhiyuan explained with a smile.


    Wang Zhengguo quickly agreed, ¡°I understand; soldiers are tasked with the responsibility of defending our country. You must eat well to have the strength for war.¡±


    As far as he knew, the best resources were mostly reserved for the military.


    After Lu Jiang was well fed and satisfied, the three left the state-owned restaurant, drove the ox cart back to the Wanglou Brigade.


    By then it was getting late and night was beginning to fall.


    As he sat side by side with his son on the ox cart, Lu Jiang briefly explained the family conditions of Feng Qingxue. ¡°Your Uncle Wang made it quite clear. The girl wants to live with her five-year-old younger sister. I¡¯ve agreed to it. We¡¯ve also got your two nephews at home whom we¡¯ll need you to support in the future. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to refuse her the right to take care of her younger sister.¡±


    Lu Jiang nodded slightly and had a positive impression of Feng Qingxue.


    In this hard age, many people are in a state of hunger and it is not uncommon to hear of female infants being drowned. Choosing not to abandon her young sister after the death of their parents speaks highly of the girl¡¯s character.


    Considering his own family¡¯s status, he wouldn¡¯t dare to bring in a girl with a bad character, out of fear that she might not treat his father and nephews well.


    However, any girl willing to meet him would probably have already accepted his family status, so there wouldn¡¯t be any trouble down the line because of it.


    ¡°Of course, we couldn¡¯t possibly separate the sisters.¡±


    What is empathy? This is it.


    Supporting his two nephews, he should naturally empathize with the girl¡¯s decision to take care of her younger sister.


    When he hears Lu Jiang say that, Wang Zhengguo, who was sitting behind, was particularly gratified. ¡°Ajiang, I¡¯m really glad to hear you say that. Not to flatter my own niece, but she¡¯s several times better than an average village girl. She is a child who knows how to be grateful and reciprocate. I guarantee that she won¡¯t let you down.¡±

 Chapter 59 - 59 0059 First Meeting Between Both Sides 3_1

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 0059 First Meeting Between Both Sides 3_1 Chapter 59: Chapter 0059 First Meeting Between Both Sides 3_1 Wang Zhengguo dared to say that because Feng Qingxue was truly promising.


    The other day he saw Feng Qingxue, who had come to deliver goods to his family. She looked as gorgeous as a daffodil blooming in spring.


    Everyone appreciates beauty. The first impression someone leaves on others is usually based on their appearance. A beautiful girl inevitably leaves a notably good first impression. Only after spending more time with her do others begin to discover additional virtues, such as talent, character, and depth. If a girl is not good looking, men may not even be interested in getting to know her. How can they excavate her inner qualities?


    In this respect, Feng Qingxue is certainly able to leave a good first impression.


    Perhaps because she had been well-nourished and warmly clad recently, Feng Qingxue was no longer a skinny, pale girl. Though she still didn¡¯t have thick black hair, her clear eyes and radiant smile made her especially attractive. If she continued to take good care of herself, she would look even better.


    Anyhow, Wang Zhengguo had never seen a girl prettier than his niece.


    Though the Wang family was merely tenants of the Lu family, living in poor conditions, the sisters of Wang Zhengguo were all famously pretty in their youth. His daughter, Wang Jiao, is also beautiful, but Feng Qingxue outshines her.


    No, she is not just slightly better. She is far superior.


    As a man, Wang Zhengguo very well understood the nature of men. A beauty is always more cherished and treated preferentially.


    Lu Zhiyuan also gave full praise to Feng Qingxue, ¡°She is a very good girl. We will have to see if Lu Jiang has such good fortune.¡±


    If so, everyone would be delighted.


    If not, they could only lament.


    ¡°Young master, don¡¯t be so modest. Lu Jiang is the best there is. I¡¯m just worried that Qingxue might not be as fortunate!¡± In his excitement, Wang Zhengguo involuntarily called Lu Zhiyuan by the name he used to use for him.


    While they were talking about Feng Qingxue, Lu Zhiyuan suddenly asked, ¡°Zhengguo, isn¡¯t the girl ahead your niece?¡±


    Hearing this, Wang Zhengguo paused and looked in the direction Lu Zhiyuan had indicated.


    A young girl was quickly walking ahead not far from the roadside. Despite her worn-out cotton clothes, her slender figure was evident. She was carrying an old bamboo basket on her back. Even though she was walking briskly, her demeanor was distinctly different from the other pedestrians.


    After seeing this, Wang Zhengguo also thought she looked much like Feng Qingxue. As they drove closer to the girl, he called out.


    ¡°Qingxue!¡±


    Upon hearing her name called, Feng Qingxue turned around in surprise.


    Even though her face was tightly wrapped with an old gray woolen scarf leaving only her clear, beautiful eyes exposed, Wang Zhengguo recognized her immediately, ¡°Qingxue, it¡¯s really you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Wang?¡± Feng Qingxue responded in surprise. Seeing Lu Zhiyuan and Lu Jiang in the oxcart, she paused for a moment.


    She recognized Lu Zhiyuan, so she naturally deduced that the soldier beside him must be his son, Lu Jiang.


    Lu Jiang?


    Realizing this, Feng Qingxue quickly greeted Lu Zhiyuan politely.


    Although she only glanced briefly, she clearly saw Lu Jiang¡¯s handsome features, out of her expectation!


    A square face, tanned skin, but his sword-like brows, shining eyes, broad shoulders and long legs all projected a sturdy impression, full of vigor and vitality.


    Out of politeness, when she greeted them, Feng Qingxue also pulled down her scarf, revealing half of her face.


    When she was incapable of protecting herself, she dared not let her beauty be exposed too much. It¡¯s a rather ironic reality that for thousands of years, while society has never required men to refrain from committing wrongs, it has always instructed girls to protect themselves.


    As Feng Qingxue moved, Lu Jiang had a sparkle in his eyes.

 Chapter 60 - 60 0060 First Meeting Between Both Sides 4_1

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 0060 First Meeting Between Both Sides 4_1 Chapter 60: Chapter 0060 First Meeting Between Both Sides 4_1 Lu Jiang couldn¡¯t express the feeling when he first saw Feng Qingxue, it was like a pearl gleaming in the darkness, unrivaled in its brilliance, or a flower blooming a vibrant hue of spring amidst winter¡¯s snow, exceptionally exquisite.


    ¡°Thump! Thump! Thump!¡±


    He could practically hear his own heartbeat.


    So intense, so excited, so out of rhythm.


    When Feng Qingxue looked at him, Lu Jiang responded with a big bright smile, his teeth standing out white.


    Lu Jiang and Lu Zhiyuan were sitting side by side at the front of the cow cart. When Feng Qingxue greeted Lu Zhiyuan, it seemed like she was looking at Lu Jiang. Her heart skipped half a beat when she saw Lu Jiang¡¯s smile.


    This man was truly handsome, a grade-one hottie even in the twenty-first century.


    Moreover, he was handsome with a masculine aura.


    Feng Qingxue had noticed something; although people in this era dressed in a manner that seemed outdated to a person from the twenty-first century like her, they were all naturally attractive.


    Perhaps it was because their looks echoed their heart, and many people from the twenty-first century didn¡¯t seem as spirited and righteous as those from this era.


    Of course, there were also those with unattractive looks or low-grade behavior.


    Feng Qingxue preferred men like Lu Jiang; she never found delicate and fair-skinned handsome men appealing.


    After her racing heartbeat calmed, Feng Qingxue fought back the blush on her cheeks and responded with a polite smile.


    Lu Zhiyuan and Wang Zhengguo watched this, sharing a knowing smile between themselves.


    Now it was good, there was no need for a planned meeting, even if it were arranged, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry that it couldn¡¯t happen.


    Lu Jiang quickly jumped off the cow cart.


    It seemed it was natural for males to show off in front of females, Lu Jiang¡¯s jumping off the cart was agile, his posture was attractive, and his voice was bright and vigorous, ¡°Hello, comrade, I¡¯m Lu Jiang.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Comrade Lu Jiang.¡±


    Feng Qingxue nodded at him before turning her head to speak to Wang Zhengguo, ¡°Uncle, I should hurry back.¡±


    After the incident of her sisters-in-law forcefully taking her things, despite leaving Feng Qingyun with her uncle and aunt before she left the house, she was still not at ease and stopped going out every day.


    It had been almost a month since the incident, and this was only her third time going out.


    Wang Zhengguo had heard about the incident and had even made a special trip with his brother and sister to warn their nephews and their wives not to make trouble. Now, upon hearing what Feng Qingxue said, he hastily replied, ¡°Get in the car; we¡¯ll take you home. You¡¯re a young girl, you shouldn¡¯t be out late. If you¡¯re lacking food, just tell me.¡±


    Feng Qingxue was about to refuse when Lu Zhiyuan chimed in, ¡°Girl, your uncle is right, get in the cart.¡±


    Before, when Feng Qingxue was pale and skinny, she didn¡¯t draw much attention. Now that she had become increasingly beautiful, she needed to be careful. There were many people in this world who were jealous and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to tarnish her reputation.


    Feng Qingxue considered for a moment, got into the cart, and sat in the back with Wang Zhengguo, separated from the Lu father and son by some luggage.


    The luggage was placed strategically, effectively blocking the chilly wind for the people at the back.


    Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t help but feel glad she¡¯d decided to leave her bicycle in the space because of the cold.


    Barely settled in the cart, Lu Jiang quickly took out his regular military coat from his bag and handed it to Feng Qingxue, ¡°The weather is so cold, use this military coat to block the wind.¡±

 Chapter 61 - 61 0061 Formal Blind Date 1_1

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 0061: Formal Blind Date 1_1 Chapter 61: Chapter 0061: Formal Blind Date 1_1 Hey, kiddo, you are pretty gallant, aren¡¯t you?


    Lu Zhiyuan immediately threw his son an approving look, instantly saying to Feng Qingxue with a smile, ¡°Yes, missy, it¡¯s really cold today, and it gets even more brutal when it¡¯s dark. You¡¯re a girl, you should dress warmer.¡±


    Wang Zhengguo, who was keen to help arrange the marriage, also chimed in with his agreement.


    Feng Qingxue, wearing her old cotton clothes over extremely warm cashmere thermals, did not feel the cold much because she was walking home instead of cycling¡ªmovement generated heat. But riding in a vehicle was a different story.


    The chilling wind cut like a blade and of course passed through clothing. The warmth created from walking would soon dissipate.


    The most crucial point was that Feng Qingxue also wanted to continue developing her relationship with Lu Jiang, so with a shy and timid demeanor, she accepted the army coat.


    Really warm!


    Not to mention the fabric of the army coat, which is the best material available now, the lining was made of lambskin.


    With good fabric and good lining, not a hint of wind could penetrate.


    Although she had a lot of fur items in her space, she couldn¡¯t take them out for the time being. When she had time, she¡¯d definitely find a piece of fabric of a similar color to the army coat and make a few to wear.


    As Feng Qingxue thought so, her cheeks flushed a little warmer.


    Worried about the cold wind chapping her skin, Feng Qingxue quickly pulled up her scarf, covering most of her face, leaving only her eyes exposed.


    Seeing Feng Qingxue wrapped in his army coat and her face covered, Lu Jiang¡¯s eyes held a hint of amusement. Silently praising her caution, he quickly returned to his seat and urged the ox to move on.


    Although the ox was not fast, having it pulling the luggage greatly eased the human effort.


    Lu Jiang intended to show off, and Wang Zhengguo quickly gave him the opportunity, turning his head and laughing, ¡°Lu Jiang, what do you guys do in your spare time when you¡¯re in the army doing all sorts of training? How many times can you come home a year?¡±


    No one knew more about how many times Lu Jiang came home a year than Wang Zhengguo.


    Only in the past two years, when Lu Jiang was not on the battlefield, he had only one home leave a year. In the previous years, he hadn¡¯t come home for five or six years straight.


    Wang Zhengguo was quite clear about the army regulations¡ªafter all, he was the one in the Wanglou Brigade who had the most contact with the Lu family¡ªso he didn¡¯t ask about any military secrets. Lu Jiang quickly replied, ¡°We can¡¯t miss out on training even for a single day. The more diligent we are in training, the higher our chances of survival on the battlefield. Therefore, even during our rest time, we persist in training, and then we clear and farm the land.¡±


    At this point, Lu Jiang chuckled, ¡°With the widespread famine around the country, even if we aren¡¯t short of the army¡¯s food supply, we have to find a way to get some food ourselves. We can¡¯t only rely on that bit of supply.¡±


    Military training was intense and their appetites large, often they were not full, so they devised all sorts of ways to get food.


    Continuing, Lu Jiang then laughed, ¡°Our training base is deep in the mountains and old forests, so occasionally we also go into the mountains to hunt some game as a treat.¡±


    ¡°What kind of game can you guys hunt?¡± Feng Qingxue couldn¡¯t help her curiosity and asked.


    Lu Jiang immediately perked up, ¡°Wild rabbits and chickens are quite common. If we¡¯re lucky, we¡¯ll catch some in the autumn and winter and hand them over to the cooking squad. If we¡¯re unlucky, we¡¯ll encounter crop pests like wild boars.¡±


    Feng Qingxue blinked, ¡°Wild boars are huge and yield a lot of meat. Killing one can feed many people, how could that be considered bad luck?¡±


    Rabbits and boars couldn¡¯t be compared at all.


    Lu Jiang just laughed, ¡°Wild boars have thick skin and tough meat, which is hard for ordinary people to handle. It takes a lot of effort to kill one and there are always some who end up injured. Besides, the taste of wild boar meat is nowhere near as tender as that of wild rabbits.¡±

 Chapter 62 - 62 0062 Formal Blind Date 2_1

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 0062: Formal Blind Date 2_1 Chapter 62: Chapter 0062: Formal Blind Date 2_1 In her past and present life, Feng Qingxue had eaten wild rabbit meat, but never wild boar.


    Back in their rural hometown, every harvest season, the uncles and brothers in their family would finish their work, and oftentimes at night, they would ride thin, lengthy motorbikes and set their thin, long hunting dogs loose to catch rabbits and wild chickens in the mountains and fields.


    They didn¡¯t make a fuss about it, and if they caught more wild chickens and rabbits than they could eat, they offered the surplus to their neighbors for a taste.


    Wild rabbit meat was tender, and wild chicken was solid; the taste was genuinely good with a wild flavor.


    But, Feng Qingxue did hear elders in her family talking about hunting wild boars when they were young. An elder who was older than her grandfather had a disability in his left leg due to a wild boar¡¯s attack.


    They used to say, skinning wild boars was laborious, cooking the meat was a waste of firewood, and even eating it required great effort.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a wild boar, nor have I tasted its meat.¡± Feng Qingxue responded to Lu Jiang.


    Lu Jiang beat about the bush, ¡°If I happen to hunt a wild boar when I return to the regiment, I¡¯ll have it smoked and send some pieces to you.¡±


    ¡°How is that acceptable?¡± Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t believe she had such a charm, ¡°Comrade Lu Jiang, hunting wild boar is strenuous and risky, so please don¡¯t take such risks just because of my comment. You are soldiers, and your duty is to protect the country, not to satisfy the palate of a girl like me. Moreover, I don¡¯t really want to taste it, I¡¯m just a bit curious about wild boars.¡±


    Lu Jiang responded vaguely, but he made up his mind to go hunting in the mountains for the people when he returned to the regiment.


    With such a rare opportunity to engage closely, Lu Zhiyuan was also actively involved.


    ¡°Girl, what books do you like to read normally?¡± Lu Zhiyuan firmly believed that Feng Qingxue was a cultured girl, and he didn¡¯t plan to ask her about her housework skills or how much work points she could earn.


    Had it not been for the establishment of new China breaking down social classes, the Lu family, even if not wealthy, would still have everything provided for them.


    Having lived in luxury for half his life, Lu Zhiyuan carried the temperament of a scholar deep within his bones.


    Feng Qingxue glanced at Wang Zhengguo, and upon seeing his nod, indicating that she could be honest with Lu Zhiyuan, she began to speak with a smile: ¡°I have never formally gone to school or studied, and all my learning comes from textbooks and books I scavenged from the recycling station. I remember my teacher in the illiteracy class taught us that knowledge brings wisdom, so I have never given up on myself. Uncle Lu asked me about my favorite books, well, I like many books¡ªpoems, songs, literature, classics, there is nothing I do not like.¡±


    Pause in here, Feng Qingxue continued: ¡°The current situation is too complicated, I am too timid, so I never mention my self-study or my favorite books outside.¡±


    The books she enjoys most are the Four Great Classical Novels, especially ¡°Dream of the Red Chamber,¡± which dominates half of the literary world. Can she mention that?


    Even though he didn¡¯t get a clear answer, this was enough for Lu Zhiyuan to feel very pleased. Her being able to express herself this way showed that she is well-read and cautious, which is needed in the present times.


    The era indeed requires caution.


    As Lu Zhiyuan was about to say something more, he noticed that the oxcart had arrived at Caohu brigade.


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t need to get off, wait here. I¡¯ll take Snow home.¡± Wang Zhengguo thought more thoroughly. By his proposition, both Lu Zhiyuan and Lu Jiang had no objections, even if Lu Jiang really wanted to accompany Feng Qingxue home himself, but he had to be mindful of being discreet.


    As Wang Zhengguo is her biological uncle, him escorting her niece home wouldn¡¯t invite gossip, but it¡¯s different for Lu Jiang.


    If the two were engaged, no one would object to Lu Jiang escorting Feng Qingxue home. Unfortunately, they were not.

 Chapter 63 - 63 0063 Formal Blind Date 3_1

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 0063: Formal Blind Date 3_1 Chapter 63: Chapter 0063: Formal Blind Date 3_1 Lu Zhiyuan was so clever and quick-witted, and Lu Jiang was no different.


    ¡°Uncle Wang, I¡¯ll accompany you,¡± Lu Jiang spoke crisply and simply, decisively jumping off the ox cart, ¡°I¡¯ll let my dad watch the luggage here. We¡¯ll go send Comrade Qingxue off and then come back.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wang Zhengguo was left speechless.


    Feng Qingxue found this a little amusing and somewhat self-satisfying.


    Having the attention of men, especially those who are pleasing to the eye, makes any woman proud, no matter how aloof she may pretend to be.


    Men who pay attention and do so appropriately always easily win a woman¡¯s favor, without exception.


    As she was about to take off her military coat after getting off the car, she was stopped by Lu Jiang.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it off. The wind here is strong. When you take off the coat, you will feel both hot and cold, and it won¡¯t be good if you catch a cold.¡±


    Feng Qingxue thought about it, stopped her hand, and smiled, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll take it off when I get home and return it to you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pick up your little sister first? Keep it on for now.¡±


    Lu Jiang carried Feng Qingxue¡¯s backpack and accompanied Wang Zhengguo to Feng Qingxue¡¯s doorstep before leaving.


    All along, Lu Jiang didn¡¯t give Feng Qingxue the chance to take off the jacket to return it to him.


    Perhaps due to the cold weather, everyone was hibernating. So, despite it being evening, there was already no one to be seen on the road, with only a few children responding to the adults yelling and running home.


    Watching Wang Zhengguo and Lu Jiang leave, Feng Qingxue gave a leisurely smile, letting her hand that was on the button drop.


    Upon returning home, Feng Qingyun was fascinated by the military coat that was draped on the bed.


    ¡°Older sister, where did this military coat come from? It looks really nice!¡± As they were cooking, Feng Qingyun chatted nonstop behind Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°It belongs to someone else, we¡¯ll have to return it tomorrow.¡±


    After Feng Qingxue finished speaking, she simply made two bowls of green onion noodles, with two poached eggs inside.


    This noodle weighing about two pounds wasn¡¯t brought back by her, but appeared in the backpack.


    It must have been Lu Jiang who put it there, no one else could have done it.


    There were several small cloth pockets at the bottom of her backpack, some containing various kinds of flour, some containing steamed buns and rolls. The noodles were placed on top of these cloth pockets, they did not touch the bottom and were still very clean.


    The remaining noodles that weren¡¯t made, Feng Qingxue stored in a cabinet.


    After experiencing what her two sister-in-laws had done, Feng Qingxue got a big copper lock from Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu to lock the door.


    Of course, there is also the general in the space, but the models are different now, it¡¯s too conspicuous.


    After finishing the soup and noodles, Feng Qingxue washed the dishes, boiled some water to clean her face and feet, and then talked to Feng Qingyun, ¡°Xiaoyun, would it be okay if your older sister took you to live somewhere else tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Where to? Isn¡¯t it good here?¡± Feng Qingyun thought this was already the best place she has lived.


    Feng Qingxue touched her head and laughed, ¡°We¡¯ll go to our uncle¡¯s place. Uncle has found a suitor for me. I¡¯ll meet him in a few days. If we get along, I¡¯ll take you with me.¡±


    Suitor? Feng Qingyun understood what this meant, ¡°Is elder sister going to find a brother-in-law for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Upon hearing Feng Qingxue¡¯s response, Feng Qingyun asked, ¡°Would they be willing to let sister bring me along to live?¡±


    ¡°Of course they would. If they¡¯re not, I wouldn¡¯t agree to meet.¡±


    Feng Qingxue understood better than anyone that her little sister has always lacked a sense of security, and she did her best to reassure her, without any intention of hiding anything from her.


    Because of this trust, because she does not lie to kids, Feng Qingyun quickly accepted it.


    However, neither of them expected the Lu Family to be so anxious.


    Early the next morning, their aunt came looking for them, saying that Wang Zhengguo had arranged for Feng Qingxue and Lu Jiang to meet today.

 Chapter 64 - 64 0064 Formal Blind Date 4_1

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 0064: Formal Blind Date 4_1 Chapter 64: Chapter 0064: Formal Blind Date 4_1 The visitor was my young aunt, not my elder aunt-in-law. Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t find this strange at all.


    Recently, there had been much interaction with my uncle and aunt¡¯s family. She knew very well that her elder aunt-in-law didn¡¯t agree with her marriage to Lu Jiang from the beginning. She thought the Lu Family had a poor background and that no matter how capable Lu Jiang was, he couldn¡¯t shake off his familial origin.


    Many people, like Miao Fengqin, held the same view. Feng Qingxue never considered changing their minds.


    The span of this era was too long, so long that it drove many people to despair, and it seemed safer to go with the flow.


    My Aunt Wang was also wary of the Lu family¡¯s background, but she believed her elder brother wouldn¡¯t harm her niece. Moreover, she was always grateful for the help the Lu family gave her own family when she was a child. She couldn¡¯t return kindness with enmity just because times had changed.


    When she was a child, she used to visit the Lu family, and the family matriarch gave her two gold coins. When she got married, the old lady also added to her dowry.


    Her name was Fengqiao, a name given to her by the matriarch of the Lu family.


    This kindness was something Aunt Wang always remembered.


    Therefore, like Wang Zhengguo, she sincerely hoped that the Lu family could live well.


    Feng Qingxue frowned, ¡°So soon? Didn¡¯t Lu Jiang just come back yesterday? I haven¡¯t even taken the time to dress up yet.¡± At least take a bath, wash and dry her hair, and change into decent clothes, right?


    Aunt Wang looked at her niece from top to bottom, ¡°You¡¯re already great as you are, reflective of a farmer, no need for any further dressing up.¡±


    In these times, dressing up too extravagantly would simply invite gossip, wouldn¡¯t it?


    Feng Qingxue had a good foundation, even without meticulous dressing, she was enough to dazzle Lu Jiang.


    Yesterday was rather dark, but now the weather was clear and the light was bright.


    Feng Qingxue entered the room with the light behind her. In Lu Jiang¡¯s eyes, it was as if he was seeing a fairy stepping lightly towards him.


    The thick and simple winter clothes couldn¡¯t hide her graceful figure, nor mask her elegant demeanor.


    When Feng Qingxue stepped into the house, she took off her large scarf, revealing her vibrant face completely. After more than a month of careful skincare, her complexion bloomed like the first flowers of spring, her skin delicate and fairer than most.


    Even though she didn¡¯t find herself perfect, others saw her as outstanding.


    Her brows stretched like distant mountains, and her eyes were reminiscent of autumn waters.


    Her nose was as delicate as goose fat, and her cheeks were as peachy as new lychees.


    Lu Jiang felt a turbulence in his heart, with countless beautiful phrases flashing in his mind.


    The meeting place was at Wang Zhengguo¡¯s house. After all, during this cold winter, no one would meet for a blind date outdoors. Therefore, when Aunt Wang and Sister Qingxue arrived, Lu Jiang and his father had been waiting in the main room of Wang Zhengguo¡¯s house for quite some time.


    Father Lu was in his usual attire, while Lu Jiang was dressed exceptionally dashing.


    Compared to when he had just gotten off the train, the current Lu Jiang, free from the dust of the journey, was even more handsome.


    His uniform was neatly pressed, his shoes glistening, and his body was immaculate.


    With vivacious eyebrows and bright eyes, he was tall and leggy, exuding an aura of righteousness.


    What caught the eye the most was a large number of military medals on his chest, they were extremely dazzling.


    Looking at these medals, Miao Fengqin¡¯s face finally eased a bit. Regardless of family background, the common folk always held respect for soldiers who defended their country and homes.


    Wang Jiao, who didn¡¯t want to marry Lu Jiang, had taken her food and gone to live at her grandmother¡¯s place. Even though the bride was now Feng Qingxue, she hadn¡¯t returned.


    Wang Zhengguo coughed to interrupt the young people¡¯s scrutiny of each other, ¡°Qingxue, Lu Jiang, you two met yesterday, so I won¡¯t introduce you again. You two sit in the room and talk. We old folks have some things to discuss.¡±


    Giving Father Lu a signal, they filed out one after another. Aunt Wang did not forget to take Feng Qingyun with her.

 Chapter 65 - 65 0065 Shopping together 1_1

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 0065: Shopping together 1_1 Chapter 65: Chapter 0065: Shopping together 1_1 Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue stood facing each other, both slightly taken aback.


    Regardless of how composed a person may be, it¡¯s impossible to maintain such calm amid the calculating actions and reactions around the one they fancy. Anyone who could manage that would surely be a god, not a human.


    In the silence of the room, Feng Qingxue took the initiative, clearing her throat as she began, ¡°Comrade Lu Jiang...¡±


    Simultaneously, Lu Jiang also spoke, ¡°Comrade Qingxue...¡±


    The words tumbled out of their mouths at once, only to be cut short, as they both chorused, ¡°You go first!¡±


    Amused by their in-sync interaction, Lu Jiang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, and Feng Qingxue was equally cheerfully amused, her smile sweet and captivating.


    ¡°Please sit here,¡± Lu Jiang was the first to find his words again. As Feng Qingxue took her seat, he quickly brought over the array of treats that Miao Fengqin had prepared for them back at Wang Zhenguo¡¯s house.


    The items were all from his military supplies, rare commodities in the countryside.


    A tray of milk candy, a plate of coconut dates, a serving of biscuits, and a dish of milk cake.


    Each plate held only a small quantity, but they were all rare treats.


    Feng Qingxue had only ever seen milk candy and biscuits in the county town, and those had required a ¡®Grain Ticket¡¯ for purchase. She¡¯d never encountered coconut dates or milk cake before.


    As Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue sat opposite each other at the table, he picked up a red metal thermos from the floor beside him and made Feng Qingxue a cup of malt essence. The can of malt essence, also brought by him to Wang Zhenguo¡¯s house, sat on the table.


    ¡°Try this while it¡¯s hot. I¡¯ll send you more when I return to the army,¡± Lu Jiang said, handing Feng Qingxue the steaming hot malt drink.


    Warmth spread through her chilled hands as she cradled the hot cup. After taking a sip of the malt essence and taking in Lu Jiang¡¯s words, she flashed him a fleeting smile, her dimples showing briefly as she said, ¡°That sounds wonderful. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    She had plenty of supplies in her space and didn¡¯t lack malt essence, but it gave her an opportunity to provide for Feng Qingyun on more formal grounds.


    Lu Jiang felt an anxious weight lift from his chest at her willing acceptance, his face breaking into a bright, joyful smile.


    Her acceptance implied readiness to formalize their romantic relationship and, potentially, future matrimonial ties.


    Thus, the ensuing conversation flowed naturally, becoming increasingly casual.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve got ways to get grains. It¡¯s not like what people say about me begging. I can absolutely provide for Xiaoyun and myself. You don¡¯t need to worry about grandfather Lu and the others going hungry. You take part in training often, so feel free to use the grain tickets for yourself.¡± After chatting for a while and discussing sending money and grain tickets every month, Feng Qingxue quickly set him straight.


    Surprise flickered across Lu Jiang¡¯s face, swiftly followed by a proud grin.


    This showed that Feng Qingxue was just as his father had said, not as simple as her exterior appearance and conversations implied.


    Of course, his father didn¡¯t imply she was conniving, but rather praised her for her deep insight and commendable ability.


    A capable person, regardless of their situation, never allows themselves to be without options.


    Lu Jiang unwrapped a large piece of white rabbit milk candy and handed it to Feng Qingxue, saying, ¡°Compared to other units, the army provides the best, not just clothes and shoes but also abundant food. Most salaries and subsidies are almost never used.¡±


    Having said that, he leaned in closer to ensure no one was approaching, lowering his voice to reveal his salary details to Feng Qingxue.


    Currently, as Deputy Troop Leader, he earned 175 yuan a month. An additional 15% bonus was allotted due to his twelve years of military service. With only a modest personal expenditure and regular 20 yuan remittance to his father, he managed to save most of his income.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hand it all over to you in the future; feel free to use it as you wish,¡± Lu Jiang said, chuckling.


    Ah, what a good man ¨C any man willing to surrender his salary is certainly a good man.


    Just as Feng Qingxue was about to respond, Miao Fengqin¡¯s voice could be heard outside, announcing her imminent entry, causing Feng Qingxue to quickly swallow her words.

 Chapter 66 - 66 0066 Shopping Date 2_1

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 0066: Shopping Date 2_1 Chapter 66: Chapter 0066: Shopping Date 2_1 Not only Miao Fengqin came in, but also Wang Zhengguo¡¯s siblings, Father Lu, and others.


    Although everyone was willing to give the young men and women in the blind date a private space to chat, they wouldn¡¯t give them too much time.


    Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue stood up, each calling their elders, seeing Aunt Wang leading Feng Qingyun. Lu Jiang immediately took many milk candies from the plate, squatted down and stuffed them into her pocket.


    ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Feng Qingyun stared with big eyes, noticing that Lu Jiang was a handsome and talented man. She was delighted for her sister¡¯s sake.


    Despite Feng Qingyun¡¯s young age and poor development, her intelligence was indeed beyond the ordinary.


    ¡°Good child.¡± Lu Jiang gently touched her head and stood up.


    A hint of a smile flickered in Feng Qingxue¡¯s eyes.


    Prepared in mind, Father Lu had observed everything. He laughed, took out two big bags of sugar cubes from his military-green canvas sling bag, and put them on the table, ¡°Commander Wang, let¡¯s finish here for today. Lu Jiang and I will go back. I¡¯ll leave the candy here for everyone to taste.¡±


    Having formally met, the initial stage was passed. As long as both young people were willing, everything would go well afterward.


    After all, Lu Jiang was allowed 20 days of home leave every year, and many things were not urgent.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Wang Zhengguo did not decline.


    In their place, the custom was that men and women in a blind date must have celebration candy. However, due to the shortage of supplies, it was rare for the man to give candies. Everyone was poor, and one might not even get to eat the celebration candies at their wedding.


    Lu Jiang dropped his head towards Feng Qingxue, saying: ¡°I¡¯ll take you shopping in a couple of days. We can buy anything you like.¡±


    He had loads of ration coupons of various types.


    When his comrades learned he was going home for a blind date, they took out all their coupons and earnestly told him not to be stingy while shopping with the girl. Anything that is available in the store and liked by girls, he must buy it for her. He had to be generous and attentive.


    As for money, he had no worries at all. Over the years, apart from sending money to his old father and the families of deceased comrades, he saved the rest.


    Actually, without his comrades reminding him, he knew how to treat the girl properly.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Feng Qingxue nodded gently after hearing Lu Jiang¡¯s words.


    She didn¡¯t fully understand the blind dating process of this era. But since her aunt and uncle didn¡¯t object to Lu Jiang¡¯s proposal to go shopping, it meant it was normal, and wouldn¡¯t stir up gossip.


    When Lu Jiang and Father Lu left, they were somewhat reluctant, constantly looking back at Feng Qingxue who accompanied the elders to see them off.


    How could Feng Qingxue not feel Lu Jiang¡¯s naked gaze? Her face turned red immediately.


    Her skin was fair, the blush was very evident, making her look more beautiful and attractive.


    In the end, Father Lu had to drag his son home in one breath, which was the cattle shed where they currently lived.


    Father Lu lived in the cattle shed. Even when Lu Jiang came back on home leave, he didn¡¯t stay anywhere else but chose to sleep on the straw mat in the cattle shed with his nephews.


    The cattle were the primary labor force. The production brigade would rather mistreat people than the beasts, so the cowshed was built very solidly, with several rooms filled with fodder. It was better than many people¡¯s houses and more spacious.


    Wang Zhengguo had banished Father Lu to the cattle shed, but he was actually protecting him indirectly, providing him with a place to shelter from wind and rain.


    The father and son sat opposite each other in the room with thick straw on the floor. Father Lu started, ¡°When are you going to go shopping with Snow girl? Bring lots of money and coupons. Buy her anything rare from the city. Our family has hit the bottom and can¡¯t offer a grand betrothal like before, but we shouldn¡¯t neglect the girl.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 0067 Shopping Date 3_1

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 0067: Shopping Date 3_1 Chapter 67: Chapter 0067: Shopping Date 3_1 Lu Jiang had an impression of the incident his father was reminiscing about.


    His older brother and sister-in-law got married after the traditional three letters and six etiquettes. Their dowry could not compare to the wealthy families of the city, but it was complete with gold, jewelry, silk, and satin. The sister-in-law¡¯s dowry was also substantial.


    The marriage between his eldest brother and sister-in-law was certainly a match of equality in social status, a combination of talent and beauty.


    The grandeur of their engagement and marriage ceremony is still fresh in people¡¯s memories.


    When Lu¡¯s father spoke in this way, he genuinely felt that Feng Qingxue was being wronged.


    Same as his sons, but their marriage ceremonies couldn¡¯t be more different.


    Lu Jiang smiled, ¡°Different times, different customs, we can¡¯t make equal comparisons. Qingxue is broad-minded and does not care about these things.¡±


    ¡°Even if Snow is not concerned, we should not take it for granted.¡± Lu¡¯s father thought for a moment and made a decision, ¡°Whatever we have in our private collection, I¡¯ll give it to your wife after you two get married. Although it cannot compare to the dowry at your brother¡¯s wedding and the property share I gave him, it constitutes all we can offer from our family.¡±


    Lu Jiang always knew that his family was not as destitute as it appeared to be and he was aware of the hiding place of the family property. He didn¡¯t expect his father to hand over the family property to Feng Qingxue so trustingly. This shows the extent to which he approves of Feng Qingxue.


    It is worth mentioning that, after his elder brother and sister-in-law got married, his father carried out a long inspection before he finally divided the family property to them.


    ¡°Father, considering the current tense situation, there¡¯s no need to take it out so soon. I will discuss with Qingxue when the time comes.¡± What if someone found out once it¡¯s taken out? Nowadays, everyone seems to be all ears.


    Lu¡¯s father nodded, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait and see what Snow thinks, then.¡±


    After a pause, he took a string of copper keys from his bosom and handed it to Lu Jiang. ¡°However, you must give the gifts expected when she first visits our family. Go and pick two nice things. If the girl¡¯s family likes jewelry, choose the best. Along with that, pick out a golden headdress as well. Traditionally, there¡¯s gold jewelry when a marriage is arranged. Though it¡¯s out of fashion now, we cannot go without it.¡±


    Liang Jiang was his only son, and Lu¡¯s father didn¡¯t want to leave any regrets behind.


    Lu Jiang left briefly and indeed brought back two jewelry boxes: a rosewood carving box and a black wood mother-of-pearl box.


    The rosewood carving box contained a complete set of ruby inlaid gold hairpins, of an old design typically owned by wealthy families of old. In addition to earrings, rings, and bracelets, the hair ornaments included a phoenix head hairpin, temple hairpins, golden flower hairpins, and heart piercers, amongst others¡ªtens of pieces in total. Fortunately, the gold was of excellent quality, the rubies were exceptionally even, and the filigree work was exceptionally exquisite.


    The black wood mother-of-pearl box was slightly smaller, lined with red velvet, with two jade bracelets wrapped in red cloth ¨C Hetian Jade of the best quality, flawless, like mutton-fat white, glossy with a slight transparency. The two were almost identical.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. The jade bracelets will serve as the gift when she visits for the first time, and the golden jewelry will be the engagement gift,¡± Lu¡¯s father was very pleased.


    Before Feng Qingxue had even made her first visit, Lu¡¯s father neatly sewed the two jewelry boxes into Lu Jiang¡¯s old military cotton coat.


    The military coat that Lu Jiang had lent Feng Qingxue to keep warm was delivered to the Wang family when Feng Qingxue came to visit. Lu Jiang draped it over himself, and the faint lingering fragrance was completely different from his own sweat.


    Seeing his father about to speak, Lu Jiang hurriedly said, ¡°I brought a new coat specifically today, which I will give to Qingxue when we go shopping.¡±


    After hearing this, Lu¡¯s father nodded his head in satisfaction. If they treated the girl well, she would be willing to marry into the family.

 Chapter 68 - 68 0068 Shopping Date 4_1

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 0068: Shopping Date 4_1 Chapter 68: Chapter 0068: Shopping Date 4_1 Without the military coat, Feng Qingxue did not feel the cold.


    The reason was simple, she was wearing cashmere clothes underneath her padded jacket, which was incredibly warm.


    After seeing off the Lu family father and son and returning to the room, Miao Fengqin handed two packets of sugar cubes to Feng Qingxue, ¡°We rural folks don¡¯t have any sugar tickets and can¡¯t buy such things. Your uncle has ways to get them at home, but you two sisters can¡¯t get them, so take them to sweeten your mouths. If anyone asks about your meeting today when you get home, just distribute a few sugar cubes to them, if no one asks, keep them for yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Leave one packet for yourself, sister-in-law, I only need one packet,¡± Feng Qingxue pushed back one packet.


    She couldn¡¯t hide her meeting with Lu Jiang from the people of the Wanglou Brigade, it was impossible that no one would come and inquire about the details. If her uncle¡¯s house ran out of sugar, it wouldn¡¯t be good either.


    ¡°That works.¡± Miao Fengqin thought for a moment, ¡°Lu Jiang brought two cans of malt essence, you take one with you.¡±


    Because Wang Zhengguo was capable, they had all necessities at home, so Miao Fengqin was always generous in her actions and wasn¡¯t stingy.


    This time, Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t refuse, she wanted to nourish Feng Qingyun¡¯s body as soon as possible more than anyone else.


    Miao Fengqin also gave the sisters some milk candies, coconut dates, milk cakes, and biscuits on the table as snacks, but as a mother with children on her mind, she did not give all the snacks to her nieces, and no one found it inappropriate.


    After lunch, Wang Zhengguo allowed his nieces to go home.


    The lunch was not extravagant, with porridge, stir-fried cabbage, stir-fried radish and mixed grain steamed bun, but it was much better than an ordinary household.


    Aunt Wang and her nieces left her brother¡¯s home and walked quite a distance before taking out a grey handkerchief bundle from her bosom and handing it to Feng Qingxue, ¡°I have some money here, take it. Tomorrow when you and Lu Jiang go shopping, don¡¯t let him pay for everything.¡±


    Feng Qingxue pushed it back, smiling, ¡°Auntie, I have money.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the money from?¡± Aunt Wang asked incredulously, she did not believe Feng¡¯s parents would leave any money for their daughter.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry, the money I have is honestly obtained. I¡¯ve grown up so much, I¡¯m not completely useless.¡± Since it was a secret, Feng Qingxue had no intention of elaborating, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about our livelihood, Auntie.¡±


    Aunt Wang looked at her, ¡°Alright, if you need anything, just tell me.¡±


    Saying so, she took the handkerchief back.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand the secret resource Feng Qingxue had, she knew that she would not allow herself to be wronged.


    The news of Feng Qingxue taking an axe to her brother¡¯s house could not be kept a secret and soon the entire Wanglou Brigade knew about it.


    After knowing that Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue had met, some people mentioned it to Lu¡¯s father and Lu Jiang, hoping to ruin their marriage. After all, Lu Jiang himself was an excellent match, and there were plenty of girls who wanted to marry him.


    However, both Lu¡¯s father and Lu Jiang were not bothered, instead, they admired Feng Qingxue¡¯s warrior spirit.


    ¡°Softness coupled with hardness, she is admirable!¡± exclaimed Lu¡¯s father.


    The date for shopping was set beforehand. On this day, Lu Jiang went to Wang Zhengguo¡¯s house early and, as expected, met Feng Qingxue.


    Because it was not a formal visit, Lu Jiang could not just go over to the Feng family¡¯s house to meet Feng Qingxue, so, the two had to meet at the matchmaker¡¯s house.


    Feng Qingxue learned from her aunt that if the living conditions of both sides were not good, if they didn¡¯t have money or tickets to buy things in the city, they would skip the shopping date and go straight to the formal introduction.


    Upon seeing Lu Jiang, Feng Qingxue gave a small smile.


    He was dressed in old military uniform today, without his usual military medals, yet he was still tall, handsome, and had an imposing aura.

 Chapter 69 - 69 0069 Shopping 1_1

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 0069 Shopping 1_1 Chapter 69: Chapter 0069 Shopping 1_1 Lu Jiang borrowed a bicycle from a comrade who had transferred to the city. The bike, a Phoenix, was nearly identical to the one Feng Qingxue had bought, only older. It had been well-maintained, so it was still shiny, virtually indistinguishable from a new one.


    Affixed to the back seat was a brand new, double-breasted military coat, with a face of pure wool trousers fabric, attracting a lot of attention.


    Lu Jiang walked over to the bicycle, picked up the military coat, and draped it over Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold outside; wrap up to stay warm,¡± he said.


    He then gave Feng Qingxue a still-new Lei Feng hat he had received recently while putting on an older one himself. He pulled out a pair of leather gloves from the pocket of his own military coat and gave them to Feng Qingxue to wear.


    Wang Zhengguo and Miao Fengqin, seeing this, felt reassured, gaining a more intuitive understanding of Lu Jiang¡¯s abilities.


    None of these items were ones that an ordinary person could easily obtain.


    Like the military coat ¨C there was nowhere to buy it, even if you had the money.


    Lu Jiang rode the bicycle with Feng Qingxue sitting sideways behind him, making sure there was a cushion of fur underneath her; it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable at all.


    As they left the Wanglou Brigade, Lu Jiang rode his bicycle and told her about the origin of the new coat, ¡°The coat was given to me by Commander Zhao, who also gave a pair of new shoes issued to his sister-in-law in the army. I¡¯ll give them to you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s very warm!¡± Feng Qingxue¡¯s eyes crinkled as she laughed, the dimples under her scarf subtly revealed. Unfortunately, Lu Jiang couldn¡¯t see it.


    Despite being fully equipped, it wasn¡¯t cold on the bicycle.


    The road was not completely flat; it was mostly dirt. They reached a rough and bumpy stretch, where even with the fur cushion, the ride was quite jarring. Feng Qingxue immediately spoke up.


    ¡°Brother Lu, this section of the road is too bumpy and uncomfortable. Let me get off.¡±


    ¡°All right, hold tight, I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Upon stopping the bike and allowing Feng Qingxue to dismount, Lu Jiang strolled alongside her, bicycle in tow.


    By that time, they were a long distance away from Dawn Commune.


    If they crossed the Red Flag Commune, they would reach the county town.


    The current hierarchical system from low to high was: production team, production brigade, communal, county, city, province.


    The Caohu Production Team where Feng Qingxue was based, and the Wanglou Brigade managed by Wang Zhengguo, were both production brigades, part of the Dawn Commune, each comprising twelve production teams, with a team leader for each.


    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed with my dad, and we¡¯ll come to acknowledge the relationship in a few days. We¡¯ll finalize the marriage before my home leave ends.¡±


    Times have changed, the process of matchmaking and formalities had been simplified, and many young men and women considered it settled after acknowledgment.


    Despite accepting the current trend, Lu Jiang attached great importance to wedding etiquette and wanted to acknowledge the relationship first followed by a formal engagement ceremony. He didn¡¯t want to be perceived as uncouth.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m a soldier; we can get married only once I¡¯ve reported back and passed the political review.¡± Lu Jiang frowned as he said this, ¡°Being a soldier ties you down. Even after passing the review, there¡¯s no telling when my next leave will be.¡±


    Obviously, they would have to wait until next year¡¯s home leave to get married.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Feng Qingxue did not object, instead, she chuckled.


    Her joy came from Lu Jiang¡¯s regard for her.


    Lu Jiang¡¯s plans reflected his heart; he did not simplify the wedding process due to the hardships of the era.


    Compared to his time at the Wang family, Lu Jiang was far more talkative outdoors. After all, it was inconvenient to talk about many things at the Wang¡¯s place. Seeing Feng Qingxue¡¯s response, he knew she understood his intentions, and his smile beamed more brilliantly than ever.

 Chapter 70 - 70 0070 Shopping 2_1

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 0070 Shopping 2_1 Chapter 70: Chapter 0070 Shopping 2_1 With company and idle chatter along the way, time flew by and they quickly arrived at their destination.


    Lu Jiang didn¡¯t take his girlfriend to the county town, but went straight into the city.


    In these two days, he was never idle. He visited old friends and used his comrade¡¯s bicycle to familiarize himself with every nook and cranny of the county town and city. Whether it were the department stores, the state-run restaurants, or the black market, there was nothing he didn¡¯t know about.


    Of course, Feng Qingxue also knew all this well. After getting the bicycle, she often wandered around the city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, then go to the department store.¡±


    They had been idling along the way, and it was already noon.


    Lu Jiang had arranged in advance with the staff of the state-run restaurant that if there was meat today, they would save it for him.


    He was a soldier and had military supply tickets, so he had priority.


    Indeed, when he and Feng Qingxue arrived at the restaurant and asked the waiter, they found out that the restaurant had received a pig¡¯s knuckle in the early morning. The chef had cooked it early, and it was just ready for lunch. Even if a leader came to buy it, they wouldn¡¯t agree to sell it.


    Lu Jiang was overjoyed, ¡°Comrade, thank you for your troubles. Please bring it up now.¡±


    He also ordered a stewed cabbage with glass noodles, stir-fried radish shreds, scrambled eggs with garlic sprouts soup and ten large rolls from the limited restaurant menu, along with the reserved pig¡¯s knuckle. He paid both money and tickets.


    The cost of living in the city was the same as in the county town. A plate of stir-fried radish shreds costs three cents, a large bowl of cabbage stewed with glass noodles was five cents, an egg soup was ten cents, a two and a half pound pig¡¯s knuckle required two and a half pounds in meat tickets plus two bucks. Each bun was worth two two-ounce grain tickets, plus five cents more. Altogether, the meal cost two pound grain tickets, two and a half pounds of meat tickets, and 2.68 dollars.


    ¡°Are these military supply tickets really that useful?¡± Feng Qingxue asked after the waiter had left.


    ¡°Of course, all over the country, military supply tickets come first,¡± Lu Jiang explained to her, ¡°Take the military ration tickets, for example, when you take them to the grain store, without a word, the staff will neatly give you your grain. If you use other grain tickets, you have to queue up, and even then, no one can guarantee that there will be any grain left when it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Feng Qingxue suddenly realized, yes, soldiers got priority in transportation, accommodation and everything else, so of course, buying grain was no exception.


    Soldiers protect their homes and the country, so it¡¯s important to ensure their food, clothing, housing and transportation. The importance of military supply tickets is self-evident.


    With the benefit of priority, the state-run restaurant naturally prioritized Lu Jiang, no wonder the staff were so friendly.


    During the conversation, the delicious and oily red braised pork knuckle was served first. The soy-colored skin glowed red, and the broth had nothing but green onions, ginger, peppercorns, and star anise, yet it smelled so good it made one drool.


    The soup and buns were also served at the same time, the soup was steaming hot.


    Feng Qingxue glanced at it and estimated that there was only one egg in this large bowl of egg soup, because she could clearly see the bottom of the bowl. However, there were more garlic sprouts floating in the soup.


    Lu Jiang asked the waiter for two bowls and soup spoons and served Feng Qingxue a bowl of soup first.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, have some soup first to warm your stomach.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, let¡¯s have it together.¡± Feng Qingxue handed him a roll.


    The rolls were not hot, made of black flour mixed with sorghum flour. They were a bit hard in the cold weather, and could only be softened by dipping in the soup.


    She didn¡¯t have a big appetite, a bowl of soup, a roll, a bit of meat and vegetables, and she was almost full. But Lu Jiang was different, he soaked three rolls in the soup, and after making sure that Feng Qingxue was full, he finished off the rest of the soup and vegetables.


    With such a good appetite, she had to carefully plan the food in her space. Feng Qingxue murmured to herself in her heart.

 Chapter 71 - 71 0071 Shopping 3_1

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 0071 Shopping 3_1 Chapter 71: Chapter 0071 Shopping 3_1 After the meal, they walked down the street, full of energy.


    Lu Jiang took Feng Qingxue to the department store, stopping in front of the fabric counter, and pulled out a large pile of cloth tickets.


    ¡°Comrade, we are buying fabric, bring out a few samples for us to have a look.¡±


    Seeing both of them dressed in military coats, with Lu Jiang wearing an unbuttoned coat, under which was a military uniform, the badges on his shoulders all too evident, the salesclerk, who was knitting a sweater at the counter, immediately stood up and greeted them warmly.


    ¡°What kind of fabric do you want to look at, Comrade? Our newly arrived products are all of the highest quality.¡±


    ¡°Qingxue, what color fabric do you prefer for your clothes?¡± Lu Jiang turned his head to ask Feng Qingxue. ¡°Pick the fabric you like. Let¡¯s first purchase fabric, then buy clothing, shoes, and socks.¡±


    ¡°I have enough clothes to wear; there¡¯s no need to waste money.¡±


    Indeed, she had enough clothing to wear exchanged from what Aunt Xu made and retrieved from the Feng Family.


    However, Lu Jiang said, ¡°How is this a waste? Pick whatever you want to buy; the tickets I have should be plenty.¡±


    Feng Qingxue hesitated for a moment. Then, she carefully looked at the fabric set out on the counter. There were much more selections and they were of better quality than those in the county department store. There were varieties like cotton, khaki, labor cloth, corduroy, and more. The colors were mostly black, blue, and grey. The brightest color available was military green, and there was also a piece of plaid woolen fabric in black, red, and gray. Apart from these, there were no bright colored fabrics.


    The saleswoman in her thirties was very observant and immediately asked, ¡°What color do you like, Comrade? Whichever one you want, just let me know. Look at this plaid woolen cloth; it looks great when made into a shirt. Also, here¡¯s a piece of green khaki.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take this piece of plaid wool,¡± Lu Jiang said, settling on the only piece of wool before Feng Qingxue could reply.


    The saleswoman responded with a full-faced smile, ¡°Sure thing, Comrade.¡±


    After careful consideration, Feng Qingxue chose blue labor cloth and a piece of army green khaki. She only asked for enough for making a single garment of each and said, ¡°This should be enough.¡±


    ¡°How is this enough? As I said before, don¡¯t hold back with me.¡±


    After finishing his sentence, Lu Jiang pointed at blue and black labor cloth, black and blue corduroy, blue, green, and black khaki fabric and ordered: ¡°I need twenty feet of each. Also, tear two twenty-feet pieces of thin cotton cloth, one in blue floral print and one in white.¡±


    Feng Qingxue quickly said, ¡°Brother Lu, there¡¯s no need to buy so much fabric!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not often we make the trip, let¡¯s just buy it. The army provides us with food, shelter, and seasonal clothing, so all these cloth tickets gathered from my comrades would be wasted if not used. I won¡¯t need them in the future anyway,¡± said Lu Jiang, who had intended to buy her many clothes from the start.


    Back in the day, when her brother proposed to his wife, he presented her with as many as eighty bolts of silk and satin, along with ten sets of different seasonal clothes.


    Compared to that, what he can do for her now seems so negligible.


    Feng Qingxue had to give in and watched as Lu Jiang paid for the fabric with cash and cloth tickets.


    The cotton cloth was 60 cents a foot, khaki fabric was 80 cents, labor cloth and corduroy were 1 yuan per foot, and the plaid woolen cloth was the most expensive¡ª10 yuan per foot. The whole piece was eight feet-stick six inches in length, costing a total of eighty-six yuan.


    Buying fabric not only required money but also cloth tickets.


    The clerk clipped the tickets and money to the wire contraption hanging above her head. With a swoosh, the trolley carrying them was pulled away.


    After a short while, the trolley returned, with only spare change and receipts attached to the clip.


    The clerk handed the change to Lu Jiang, and after cutting the designated fabrics swiftly, folded them neatly and said, ¡°Comrades, we also have yarn here, both wool and mixed yarn. Would you like to buy some? They are also new arrivals. The sweaters made from them will keep you warm.¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72 0072 Shopping 4_1

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 0072 Shopping 4_1 Chapter 72: Chapter 0072 Shopping 4_1 These were all previously scarce goods that would quickly sell out as soon as they were placed on the shelves after winter had begun.


    However, these past two years have not been great, who doesn¡¯t understand the effects of the famine? Groceries in the city have been rationing their food supply, and everyone with some money is rushing to buy expensive food from the black market, not really caring so much about clothes, wearing anything was fine.


    Therefore, department stores now have an ample amount of inventory, and items like imported watches have been piling up unable to sell.


    After listening to the salesperson and seeing the colorful yarn they brought out, Lu Jiang was very tempted. He believed that a red sweater made from the yarn would look extremely beautiful on Feng Qingxue, however, he was aware that he didn¡¯t have any wool ticket.


    ¡°Do I need a Wool Ticket to buy yarn?¡± Lu Jiang asked.


    ¡°You can also use Cloth Tickets.¡±


    Upon hearing he could use Cloth Tickets to buy wool, Lu Jiang quickly took out a stack of those. He immediately picked out the red wool yarn.


    Wool yarn was quite expensive, twenty yuan a pound, while half wool half cotton yarn was ten yuan a pound. Lu Jiang, however, was not short on money. He purchased four pounds of red wool yarn, as well as four pounds of blue wool yarn, and four pounds of the half wool half cotton yarn in one go.


    Twelve pounds of yarn, it could be knit into several sweaters.


    Feng Qingxue was astonished.


    ¡°Brother Lu, that¡¯s enough. Why are you buying so much? It isn¡¯t my money you¡¯re spending, but I still feel heartbroken.¡±


    All told, he spent hundreds just on fabric and wool.


    How exorbitant was that? For what she knew, many urban workers only earn twenty to thirty yuan a month.


    Feng Qingxue made Lu Jiang leave the counter despite his reluctance.


    ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t bought you any clothes or shoes yet!¡± Seeing Feng Qingxue heading towards the exit, Lu Jiang quickly spoke up.


    Feng Qingxue stopped in her tracks, turned to face him, obviously disapproving, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had two pairs of shoes from Chairman Zhao¡¯s sister-in-law? Why buy more footwear? And this fabric is enough to make plenty of outfits.¡±


    ¡°We may not need to buy clothing, but we should at least buy a pair of shoes.¡±


    Lu Jiang was adamant, took her to the shoe counter, and directly chose the best pair of Blue Begonia leather shoes, spending twenty-six yuan.


    While buying the shoes, the salesperson informed Feng Qingxue that the Shanghai-made Blue Begonia leather shoes were nationally renowned, even the wives of national leaders wore this brand. They were exceptionally fashionable and high-grade.


    The black leather shoes were indeed exquisite, comfortable to wear, and Feng Qingxue chose a classic evergreen style.


    She thought the shopping trip was over, but Lu Jiang then led her to the watch counter.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any Watch Tickets on me, let¡¯s buy an imported one. I remember the Chairman mentioning that imported watches don¡¯t require a ticket and are incredibly durable. Among them, Swiss watches are the best, the Chairman has one.¡±


    Without giving Feng Qingxue any chance to respond, Lu Jiang directly asked the salesperson if they had any imported watches for women.


    ¡°Yes, yes, women¡¯s watches right? We have several kinds, Rolex, Omega, IWC, as well as Rado and Tissot!¡± The imported watches were not selling well, so upon hearing there was a potential buyer, the salesperson was very enthusiastic, presenting each type one by one on the counter for Lu Jiang to see.


    What kind of discerning eye does Lu Jiang have? Having grown up with everything at his fingertips, he wouldn¡¯t accept anything less than the best. He immediately set his sights on the only Rolex watch. It had seventeen jewels, a steel frame, was water and shock resistant, and had dual dates. It was more refined and luxurious than the other imported watches. So, he pointed at this watch and asked the salesperson, ¡°How much is this one?¡±


    The salesperson responded promptly, ¡°The price has gone down compared to previous years. It¡¯s now four hundred and fifty yuan, the price is the same for men¡¯s and women¡¯s watches.¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73 0073 Reciprocity 1_1

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 0073 Reciprocity 1_1 Chapter 73: Chapter 0073 Reciprocity 1_1 Four hundred and five!


    Feng Qingxue gasped. Imported watches were so expensive!


    She was just thinking about buying an imported watch for Lu Jiang, since they didn¡¯t require any coupons.


    Simply put, in this era, watches were like the wedding rings of later generations.


    Lu Jiang had bought her so many things, which deeply touched her. She also wanted to reciprocate in kind.


    She wasn¡¯t short of money.


    Her space was also filled with plenty of goods.


    Although imported watches were very expensive, she could afford them. Moreover, Rolex watches had always been a relatively value-holding luxury.


    Moments after she made up her mind, Lu Jiang had been shocked for a few seconds after the salesperson had spoken, ¡°After the price adjustment, it¡¯s indeed lower than previous years. I remember Zhou Tuanzhang bought a Rolex a few years ago for five hundred and fifty.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the prices have dropped a lot. Also, Soviet watches are cheaper, ranging from seventy to a hundred and fifty.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s buy this one. No Soviet watches.¡± In the world of watches, Swiss watches have always been top-notch.


    Lu Jiang finished speaking and deftly took out money to give to the salesperson. He was secretly glad that he had brought enough money today. Like the salesperson who sold cloth, she clipped the money and receipt onto a clamp on the wire above her head, swiftly moving it back and forth.


    Only then did Feng Qingxue notice the crisscrossing wires overhead, which seemed to be controlled by tracks.


    How strange, this was her first time seeing such a thing. The department stores in the county didn¡¯t have this.


    ¡°Here, let me put this on for you.¡± After clearing payment, Lu Jiang took the watch and put it on Feng Qingxue¡¯s left wrist.


    Looking at the shiny watch on her fair wrist, the watch chain was a bit loose, so Lu Jiang adjusted it. He had no choice but to settle for less in the absence of jewelry. He still felt sorry for his future wife on this, ¡°It looks nice, keep it on.¡±


    Feng Qingxue smiled, ¡°Will wearing it arouse people¡¯s jealousy? Where there¡¯s jealousy, there¡¯s trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say in these times.¡±


    Lu Jiang knew his family was always under scrutiny and should be more cautious.


    The pair left the department store with bags of goods and headed into the grocery store. Many counters were empty. There were no foodstuffs like chicken eggs and pork left, but some candy still remained.


    Lu Jiang took out his egg tickets and bought two pounds of cake, and with his candy tickets he bought a pound of hard candy along with the only remaining pound of brown sugar in the store.


    ¡°Young ladies should have more brown sugar, it¡¯s beneficial and harmless.¡± Lu Jiang informed Feng Qingxue.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Besides these two words, Feng Qingxue was so moved she didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    They passed the cinema, and Lu Jiang wanted to take her to see a movie, but they were not showing any film today, so they had to return regretfully.


    They entered Wanglou Brigade and when they were about to reach Wang Zhengguo¡¯s house, Lu Jiang got out of the car and walked side by side with her, unable to bear parting, ¡°I¡¯ll come to pick you up at your house in three days, take you to my place for a meal, and then send you back in the afternoon.¡±


    Feng Qingxue had no objections, and Wang Zhengguo was happy about it.


    As an elder, after Lu Jiang bid farewell, neither Wang Zhengguo nor Miao Fengqin asked what Lu Jiang had bought for their niece. Seeing them bringing back big and small bags of goods, they knew Lu Jiang had spent a lot today.


    Feng Qingxue divided the bought cake, hard candy, and brown sugar in half and gave them to Miao Fengqin, but she refused.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be polite with me. Take them back to replenish your body along with Xiaoyun. You both need it more than anyone else,¡± Miao Fengqin said.


    Upon hearing this, Feng Qingxue reluctantly took it back.


    She had heard from Lu Jiang that he had been sending money and coupons to his father over the years, often giving Wang Zhengguo some grain tickets, sugar tickets, cloth tickets, and so forth. So, the fine goods that were hard for others to obtain were actually easy for Wang Zhengguo to get.

 Chapter 74 - 74 0074 Reciprocity 2_1

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 0074 Reciprocity 2_1 Chapter 74: Chapter 0074 Reciprocity 2_1 On one side, Feng Qingxue left the Wang Family with her sister, while Lu Jiang arrived home on the other.


    Seeing his father feeding the livestock, Lu Jiang quickly took off his military coat to help, pouring sacks of fodder into each stone trough.


    Because of the natural disaster, the so-called fodder was the wheat straw, corn straw, bean straw, sorghum straw, rice straw, and vines of sweet potatoes and peanuts, which households were forbidden to use for boiling water and cooking. Occasionally, there was also grass cut into small pieces with a forage cutter and dried in the sun.


    In slack farming seasons, Lu Jiang¡¯s father would be doing these chores. It wasn¡¯t too tiring, but it wasn¡¯t exactly easy either. One person couldn¡¯t cut the grass alone, he needed his grandson¡¯s help.


    Having completed their chores, father and son sat down to rest on the pile of straw.


    ¡°Where are Tianjun and Tianzhi? Why aren¡¯t they home?¡± asked Lu Jiang about his two nephews.


    ¡°I had Tianjun take Tianzhi to practice their writing on the sandy soil by the river behind the house. I will call them when it¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father never planned to let his grandsons interrupt their study. He had been cultivating their reading and writing habits from their childhood, and he didn¡¯t abandon traditional academics just because the world considered it worthless.


    Lu Jiang said, ¡°I brought back ten steamed buns. I¡¯ll roast them over the fire later.¡±


    The steamed buns were from a state-owned restaurant. He had six left from lunch, and then he bought ten more. He gave six to Feng Qingxue and brought ten back himself.


    The buns were hard but became aromatic and crispy when roasted!


    ¡°Did you buy all the clothes and shoes for Qingxue? If not, you can buy more next time,¡± Lu Jiang¡¯s father was very concerned about his son¡¯s marriage, ¡°If you run out of money, I still have some left over. You¡¯ve been sending money home all these years, but there¡¯s nowhere to spend it.¡±


    Lu Jiang took off his military coat and draped it over his father. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯ve bought everything. I just bought a little fabric, some yarn, a pair of leather shoes, and a watch. I wanted to buy clothes for Qingxue, but she didn¡¯t want me to. The clothes in our city have unattractive colors and styles, and their quality isn¡¯t that great either. So, I agreed with her. Next time, I¡¯ll ask someone to buy two nice outfits from Shanghai and send them here.¡±


    His father nodded slightly and accidentally touched something hard in the pocket of the coat. He took it out.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The father asked, looking at the nicely-wrapped box he had taken out.


    ¡°Huh? When did this box get into the coat pocket? It¡¯s not mine.¡±


    Lu Jiang always kept his money in his uniform pocket, he had no idea what was in the package. He opened it and found it was a box for a watch from a department store. Inside was a Rolex watch with stainless steel, 17 jewels, waterproof, anti-shock, and gold convex font. It was heavy-duty, practical, and not flashy.


    His father leaned in to take a closer look, ¡°Where did this come from?¡± This watch did not look cheap.


    ¡°It must be from Qingxue. She probably bought it secretly because she didn¡¯t want me to disagree. She tucked it into my pocket.¡± Lu Jiang quickly remembered. After leaving the department store, Feng Qingxue had left him for about ten minutes on the pretext of running an errand. She also carried his coat on the walk that had made them both sweaty.


    No one else would buy such an expensive watch for him besides her.


    Lu Jiang took off the Omega watch he had been wearing for many years and replaced it with the new Rolex. It looked good no matter how he looked at it.


    On hearing this, his father was very surprised, and then laughed, ¡°She¡¯s more capable than we thought. It seems she isn¡¯t planning to keep any secrets from you.¡±


    If Feng Qingxue were just an ordinary country girl, she wouldn¡¯t be able to afford hundreds of dollars, let alone the guts to buy a watch.


    Who besides the extremely wealthy would be willing to buy an imported watch?

 Chapter 75 - 75 0075 Reciprocity 3_1

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 0075 Reciprocity 3_1 Chapter 75: Chapter 0075 Reciprocity 3_1 Despite being stuck in the Wanglou Brigade, Lu¡¯s father retained some freedom of movement due to Lu Jiang¡¯s military service, thus he was well informed of the outside world.


    In an era where the average monthly wage was thirty yuan, a watch cost about a year¡¯s wage. Most wage earners had to bear the burden of supporting their entire family, including high-ranking officials, so they simply had no spare money to buy imported watches.


    Only single young men like soldiers and sailors like Lu Jiang, who had no family burdens and higher wages, could afford to buy them.


    The majority of imported watches sold, like Rolex, Omega, and Dita Von Teese, were bought by them.


    Feng Qingxue was indeed not simple.


    Lu¡¯s father and Lu Jiang exchanged a glance, an unspoken understanding between them.


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s honesty made them feel reassured and pleased.


    For the next two days, Lu Jiang kept running back and forth to town, buying candies, grain, and vegetables.


    Candy was to be presented when visiting the prospective bride¡¯s home, while grain and vegetables were for preparing the meal when they welcomed Feng Qingxue at the door.


    Lu Jiang¡¯s main goal for going to town was to buy meat, a task which he found incredibly difficult. He even queued overnight only to find that there was no meat left by his turn in the early morning. In the end, he could only get a piece of pork bone and a pig¡¯s ear through asking for someone¡¯s help.


    Seeing that the dishes prepared at home were not enough, Lu Jiang went hunting in the mountains.


    Truth be told, due to extensive logging during the Great Leap Forward and the shortages caused by famine, many people had taken to the mountains for sustenance. Thus, game was rare in the past two years. However, Lu Jiang managed to hunt down two wild rabbits and a pheasant in the deep woods, and also caught a large wild black fish along with some small crucian carp and white barber fish in the mountain brook.


    Meanwhile, Lu¡¯s father took his two grandsons to clean the cowshed in which they lived, even going so far as to scrub the entire bodies of their cows, horses, mules, and donkeys, in an earnest effort to leave a good impression on Feng Qingxue.


    Even if they were living in a cowshed, they still kept it impeccably clean! That¡¯s the mark of decent people!


    Despite their change in circumstances, Lu¡¯s father still maintained his meticulous habits from childhood.


    At the same time, Feng Qingxue was not idly sitting at home either.


    Firstly, she used the decent malt essence sweets she had brought back to nourish Feng Qingyun, while secretly nourishing herself with more nutritious foods from her storage space. Secondly, she entertained the curious villagers who came seeking news and sweets, given that her meeting with Lu Jiang was public knowledge.


    Feng Qingxue, with her sufficient food and clothing, was becoming increasingly beautiful, attracting the attention of many. On hearing that she now had a boyfriend, some were curious as to why she chose Lu Jiang, whose family background wasn¡¯t great, while others regretted not having sent a matchmaker earlier.


    Once she managed to see off these inquisitive villagers, Feng Qingxue focused on making clothes.


    She was about to officially visit the Lu family, and wanted to make a good impression. Hence, she decided to dress up nicely.


    The dressing up started, first and foremost, with clothing.


    She made an overcoat from the newly-bought plaid wool, specifically in the style of a trench coat with a notched lapel and double-breasted buttons. It wasn¡¯t particularly unusual for the time, reached just to the knees and she wore it with black corduroy pants and Blue Begonia leather shoes.


    Although she could do patchwork, she was not fast, so she secretly used a sewing machine to make it in time.


    The black buttons and thread came from her space, as did the unobtrusive but very soft grey fabric used for lining. She had prepared these items when setting up the sewing machine and now they came in handy.

 Chapter 76 - 76 0076 Reciprocity 4_1

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 0076 Reciprocity 4_1 Chapter 76: Chapter 0076 Reciprocity 4_1 The clothes were finished on the morning of the formal acquaintance day.


    Feng Qingxue tried them on immediately, They were slightly loose, considering she still had room to grow.


    Feng Qingyun squatted on the side, her hands propping up her cheeks, ¡°Sis, it¡¯s so pretty!¡±


    The person was charming, and so were the clothes.


    This was the first time she saw such pretty clothes, and she couldn¡¯t help but resolve to ask her sister to make her a similar set when she grew up.


    The idea popped out of her mouth without a second thought.


    Having felt Feng Qingxue¡¯s meticulous care over time, Feng Qingyun, who had been sensitive and timid since childhood, finally learned to boldly voice her demands rather than treading on eggshells as before.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Feng Qingxue agreed instantly, reaching out to tousle her sister¡¯s sparse, fair hair as she spoke.


    Feng Qingyun was five this year. When she grew up, it would be the seventies, so this style of clothing would still be in fashion.


    ¡°Thank you, Sis!¡± Feng Qingyun¡¯s eyes curved in a grin like a crescent moon.


    Feng Qingxue took off the new clothes and folded them neatly. She randomly picked up two pieces of cake from the cabinet and gave them to her sister as snacks.


    The cakes were actually made from eggs, flour, and sugar. They were baked into a brownish color, very soft and sweet. Feng Qingyun had loved them since her aunt first introduced her to them.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t like them, so when her sister asked if she wanted some, she shook her head, ¡°You eat it.¡±


    The sun was glorious that day. Its warmth caressed one¡¯s body. Feng Qingxue boiled a lot of hot water, mixed it with cold water, and brought it out to the yard. She undid her braids, gave them a quick comb, and carefully washed her hair. Then, she towel-dried it and let it dry in the sun.


    Looking at her hair hanging down, Feng Qingxue sighed; time had been too short.


    Her hair quality was dry and yellow, a clear symptom of malnutrition.


    Although she cared greatly for her grooming after becoming Feng Qingxue, it was impossible to reach a healthy level in such a short time.


    She¡¯d have to double her efforts!


    Feng Qingxue bounced back quickly. She was in no shortage of time at the moment.


    Malnutrition was essentially a lack of qi and blood. She was secretly relieved that in addition to hoarding materials, she had prepared a lot of nourishment for her qi and blood. Now was a good time to put them to use.


    When her hair was thoroughly dry, Feng Qingxue combed it hundreds of times, tied it loosely into a low ponytail, entrusted her sister to her aunt, and went out for a while. When she returned, she had brought gifts prepared for the Lu Family. Even though many people didn¡¯t care about such formalities these days, she still abided by the proper etiquette. She never intended to visit the Lu Family empty-handed, just like when Lu Jiang came to pick her up, he didn¡¯t come empty-handed.


    When Lu Jiang visited, he brought a bag of candy, along with two cans of malt essence and two bottles of canned peaches. It was very thoughtful.


    Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t get along with her siblings-in-law, and there were no elders at home, so her uncle and aunt were asked to act on her behalf. They found Lu Jiang to be a fine gentleman, and his gifts very valuable. They were extremely satisfied and their attitude was very warm.


    Most people were aware that soldiers have plentiful resources. Many fellow villagers from the Caohu village came over to ask for candy.


    The men did not have the nerve to come, so the women and children did, their eyes fixed on the candy on the table.


    Before leaving the army, Lu Jiang got a lot of sugar tickets from his comrades, so he bought quite a bit of candy, about three to four pounds. All were fruit candies, as the department store in the county town did not sell milk candies.


    Feng Qingxue was never a stingy person. As people came, she gave them handfuls of candy.


    With everyone having a share, not much candy was left on the table.


    Seeing this, Feng Qingxue¡¯s aunt was distressed. She quickly put the malt essence and canned peaches into the cabinet, then hurried Lu Jiang to take Feng Qingxue away. As an elder from the bride¡¯s side, she gave Feng Qingxue some advice, only keeping Feng Qingyun at her home.

 Chapter 77 - 77 0077 First Visit to the Lu Family1_1

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 0077: First Visit to the Lu Family1_1 Chapter 77: Chapter 0077: First Visit to the Lu Family1_1 The Wanglou Brigade wasn¡¯t far from the Caohu Brigade, but it was quite cold as Lu Jiang cycled against the wind. Before getting into the car, Feng Qingxue put on the military coat that Lu Jiang had gifted her, drawing the attention of the crowd lingering around the gate.


    It was then that they noticed Feng Qingxue was dressed rather differently, previously they had been too preoccupied with their food.


    The candies were precious; even just three or four of them could make them happy for a long time.


    ¡°That¡¯s a military coat, right? It¡¯s new and really nice-looking,¡± someone first broke the silence, leading to a chorus of comments.


    ¡°I know, I know. I heard that Lu Jiang gave it to Qingxue, he specially brought it back from the military. I¡¯ve seen it at Qingxue¡¯s home and touched it a few times. The lining is made of lamb skin, it¡¯s particularly soft and warm.¡±


    ¡°I heard that only senior military officers get this kind of material for their coats. Regular soldiers do not get this type.¡±


    ¡°Senior officers? How high ranking must the officer be to be considered as such?¡±


    ¡°At least a major.¡±


    ¡°My goodness! So this means Lu Jiang must have quite a high military rank.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it seems.¡±


    ¡°Those leather shoes are really shiny too, those must also be bought by Lu Jiang, right? Besides Lu Jiang, who else? Plus, Qingxue doesn¡¯t have money, we all know how these two sisters leave their homes without a penny to their name.¡±


    ¡°And the plaid coat and corduroy pants, they are all new.¡±


    ¡°Remarkably lucky, that Qingxue girl, who would¡¯ve thought she would get married to someone like Lu Jiang. He is a soldier after all, he has money.¡±


    ¡°Qingxue is really pretty. Have any of you seen a more beautiful girl in our brigade?¡±


    ¡°True that, we knew she was a beauty even when she used to be skinny. Now with her uncle sending food over, she has naturally gained some weight, making her look even more attractive. Qingyun, the little girl, has also changed quite a lot.¡±


    Amidst these whispers and murmurs, Feng Qingxue and Lu Jiang left the Caohu Brigade.


    ¡°Qingxue, what¡¯s in the basket? It¡¯s so heavy,¡± Lu Jiang asked while pedaling his bicycle.


    Before leaving, he had taken over Feng Qingxue¡¯s basket, which weighed quite a bit, perhaps several dozen pounds. At present, the basket was attached to the side of the bicycle¡¯s back seat, not obstructing Feng Qingxue from sitting behind.


    Feng Qingxue laughed: ¡°Just some gifts, nothing else.¡±


    What sort of gifts could possibly be so heavy? Lu Jiang was perplexed. But once they got home and Feng Qingxue started unpacking the basket, he understood.


    The most conspicuous gift was a jar of wine, the jar itself with the wine weighed over twenty pounds.


    Feng Qingxue had asked her uncle about Lu¡¯s father before and knew that he liked to sip on a drink or two. Even now, every time Lu Jiang came home on leave, he would bring a few bottles of Maotai for his father.


    Lu¡¯s father was used to the good life and was very picky about what he ate and drank. He was not willing to drink just any wine.


    The wine that Feng Qingxue had prepared was not exactly the top-level national liquor, but it was some of the best pure grain wine from Northeast. She had stockpiled a lot of this middle-upper level pure grain wine, distilled and not the type blended with essence.


    ¡°Good, good! Good child, good wine!¡± Lu¡¯s father opened the jar on the spot, inhaling the fragrant aroma of the wine, and wore an intoxicated expression.


    The seal was naturally something that Feng Qingxue had modified¡ªit was not originally sealed with mud. Otherwise, the brewing dates would have easily given the game away.


    Besides this jar of wine, Feng Qingxue had also prepared some fruits and snacks to go with the wine.


    The fruits were not that great in terms of appearance- apples, tangerines, oranges, while the latter comprised of flavored peanuts, fried broad beans, preserved eggs and soybean curd flavored with soy sauce. They were all items that had appeared on the market.

 Chapter 78 - 78 0078 First Visit to the Lu Family2_1

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 0078: First Visit to the Lu Family2_1 Chapter 78: Chapter 0078: First Visit to the Lu Family2_1 Upon seeing these items, Lu Jiang immediately said, ¡°Qingxue, you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    Feng Qingxue chuckled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so modest with me. These aren¡¯t anything particularly valuable.¡±


    ¡°Even if they aren¡¯t valuable, they¡¯re still hard to come by. Good girl, you¡¯re so thoughtful.¡± Both Lu Jiang and his father knew these items were in short supply, often limited for sale, and priceless.


    The implication was that even if you had the money, you had nowhere to buy them.


    Take their city dwellers¡¯ lives as an example; each person had an annual supply of half a pound of peanuts in their shells or half a pound of sunflower seeds, only available during the New Year festivities and always in high demand.


    In his military unit, Lu Jiang had enough to eat, but most of his meals were simple and plain and these scarce goods were also rationed.


    They couldn¡¯t help but admire Feng Qingxue for managing to get these items and realized they had underestimated her.


    Due to Lu Family¡¯s unfavorable social standing, the people of Wanglou Brigade kept their distance. Even though they knew Lu Jiang would be welcoming Feng Qingxue home today, and there would be candies for the visiting neighbors, no one indulged in the spectacle.


    Wang Zhengguo and his aunt did want to visit, but they were too worried it might draw attention to them ¨C they decided it was better not to come.


    Before this, the siblings had already informed Lu Father.


    Lu Father wasn¡¯t concerned, and he felt more at ease without outsiders intruding on them.


    ¡°Tianjun, Tianzhi, come over here!¡± Lu Tianjun pulled his younger brother Lu Tianzhi from behind the cowshed. As soon as they entered, they heard their grandfather¡¯s voice calling them and rushed over instantly, curiously sizing up Feng Qingxue, their future aunt.


    As the younger, Lu Tianzhi¡¯s eyes widened upon this sight.


    Feng Qingxue also recognized him. He was the child that she had encountered on her initial visit to the Wanglou Brigade, who was being verbally attacked by a group of children and called a ¡°black fifth-class brat¡±. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be Lu Jiang¡¯s nephew!


    ¡°Aunt!¡± Lu Tianzhi burst out.


    Lu Tianjun, who was a step behind, could only look at his brother helplessly and then called her aunt as well.


    Even though Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue hadn¡¯t married yet, the engagement was practically confirmed, so it wasn¡¯t inappropriate to call her aunt.


    Feng Qingxue¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment.


    ¡°You can call me Aunt Snow.¡± She tousled Lu Tianzhi¡¯s hair; she didn¡¯t mind the title, but also felt she couldn¡¯t bear it yet.


    Lu Father and Lu Jiang evidently understood this. Even though they were happy to hear the children call her aunt, they knew the title change should only take place after the wedding and decided to respect the courtesy. So, Lu Jiang said, ¡°You should call her Aunt Snow for now.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Snow!¡± Lu Tianjun and Lu Tianzhi complied, changing their addresses.


    But Lu Tianzhi, who was looking up at Feng Qingxue, seemed very pleased; his eyes reduced to slits from smiling.


    Lu Father and Lu Jiang were puzzled. Lu Jiang asked promptly, ¡°Tianzhi, do you know Aunt Snow?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do! Didn¡¯t I tell you, grandpa? That day when lots of people were chasing me to hit me, calling me a black fifth-class brat, a really beautiful auntie protected me. It was Aunt Snow!¡± For all his young age, Lu Tianzhi understood his lowly social status, and to have an aunt who didn¡¯t care about that and was willing to treat him well, was a very happy thing.


    His brother had told him in private that their future head of the household would certainly be their aunt. They needed to behave appropriately. Only if their aunt liked them, would they be able to grow up safely. If their aunt didn¡¯t like them, they would have hard days ahead.

 Chapter 79 - 79 0079 First Visit to the Lu Family3_1

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 0079: First Visit to the Lu Family3_1 Chapter 79: Chapter 0079: First Visit to the Lu Family3_1 After hearing Lu Tianzhi¡¯s words, Father Lu realized.


    Lu Jiang was oblivious to this incident, but Father Lu had a clear understanding of it. On that day, Lu Tianzhi told him about it. It turned out that the girl who helped Lu Tianzhi evade a group of children was Feng Qingxue! What a great destiny it was.


    The most important point was that the incident proved Feng Qingxue really did not care about social status.


    Father Lu¡¯s regard for Feng Qingxue increased by three points in his heart, secretly pleased that he still entrusted the matchmaking to Wang Zhenguo for Lu Jiang even when Wang Jiao disagreed with the marriage. Therefore, he constantly urged Lu Jiang to start cooking.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to help!¡± Although she was a guest, Feng Qingxue could not comfortably sit and let others prepare the meal for her.


    The Lu Family did not have a kitchen, instead, a simple stove was set up under the straw shed outside the house.


    Livestocks were more important than people. During winter, they were often fed boiled fodder, so every production team¡¯s cowshed had a stove.


    The two-hole stove made of earthen bricks, with a large and a small iron pot covered with wooden lids on the stove top, was piled with firewood made of shrub branches, cotton stems, corn cobs, and tree limbs in front of it.


    Lu Jiang was busily scrubbing the pots and starting the fire, occupied on both ends.


    He had been in the cooking squad when he was in the military, but having not done it for many years, he was rusty at it. It looked like he needed to relearn it.


    ¡°You take care of the fire, I¡¯ll handle the rest!¡± Feng Qingxue casually tied on the black apron Father Lu usually used when cooking.


    ¡°How can that be?¡± Lu Jiang wiped his face, unknowingly smudging it with firewood ash.


    Feng Qingxue smiled and said, ¡°Why not?¡±


    All the vegetables and meats were already cleaned and placed in various size dishes, with oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar prepared very completely. Feng Qingxue¡¯s main task was to fry each dish and meat.


    Although she had no professional training as a chef, her cooking skills were at the level of home-style dishes, which were good enough.


    According to the Lu Family¡¯s preparation, Feng Qingxue quickly came up with the menu after a brief thought: braised wild rabbit, radish stewed spare ribs, hot and sour shredded potatoes, and crucian carp soup. Radishes and potatoes were common winter storage vegetables at home.


    As for the other vegetables and meats, she didn¡¯t plan to cook it all but saved them for the Lu Family to eat later.


    Lu Jiang was sitting on the futon in front of the stove, making a fire, and casually buried a few sweet potatoes in the ash underneath the stove.


    Before the meal was ready, the sweet potatoes in the ash pile were cooked through.


    Lu Jiang used a fire hook to dig out the sweet potatoes, ¡°Qingxue, eat something first.¡±


    With the big pot stewing wild rabbit and the small one stewing spare ribs, Feng Qingxue was kneading dough in a sand basin, mixing cornmeal with sorghum flour and wheat flour. Hearing Lu Jiang¡¯s words, she turned around and smiled, ¡°Serve it hot to Uncle Lu and the two kids. I¡¯m not hungry now, and I¡¯m busy.¡± She was busy sticking a round of pancakes to the big pot. When the rabbit meat was cooked, the pancakes were also ready.


    ¡°Alright then.¡± Lu Jiang called his nephew, ¡°Take the sweet potatoes to eat, and give one to grandpa.¡±


    The sweet potatoes were still very hot, holding a sweet potato, Lu Tianjun had to switch it between his left and right hand due to the heat, and he breathed heavily onto the sweet potato. When it was finally not so hot, he peeled off the blackened skin, and smudged his fingers black, revealing the white, tender inside of the sweet potato that was giving off an enticing aroma.


    Lu Tianzhi was standing on his tiptoes, looking in the big pot, ¡°Auntie Xue, what are we having for lunch?¡±


    It smelled so good, Lu Tianzhi couldn¡¯t help but take a breath, his eyes glittering, and then swallowed several times.


    They had been eating meals cooked by Father Lu these years. Father Lu¡¯s cooking skills were mediocre which usually resulted in the food either being half cooked or burnt, and the noodles were often boiled into a lump, and they were tasteless.


    Feng Qingxue stuck the last piece of pancake to the pot, covered the pot, and smiled, ¡°I made a lot of dishes, eat more later.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±

 Chapter 80 - 80 0080 First Visit to the Lu Family4_1

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 0080: First Visit to the Lu Family4_1 Chapter 80: Chapter 0080: First Visit to the Lu Family4_1 The table was set with three dishes and a soup, complete with the appetizers Feng Qingxue had brought over for dinner. The table was filled to the brim.


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father sat at the head of the table, taking a deep breath. His expression was identical to his son Lu Tianzhi¡¯s.


    ¡°The dishes are beautiful, delicious, and fragrant. Now, this is a proper meal for a human. Everything was quite similar to swine food compared to what we have been eating before,¡± he boldly expressed without the slightest concern that he was critiquing his own culinary skills.


    Feng Qingxue barely smiled with her mouth closed.


    Lu Jiang poured his father a bowl of wine, and Feng Qingxue promptly handed over the chopsticks.


    Although the Lu Family had fallen into hard times, they were not lacking any household utensils, presumably left over from their better days. After all, how could an ordinary person possess chopsticks made from rosewood or wine bowls and plates from the official kilns of the Qing Dynasty?


    After having a sip of the wine Feng Qingxue had brought and savouring a couple of peanuts, Lu Jiang¡¯s father spoke: ¡°The people who once raided our home didn¡¯t know the value of what they saw. Thanks to them, these kitchen wares were mostly spared. But the brocade, silk, gold, silver and jewels were quickly snatched away. Just because they didn¡¯t know the value of things didn¡¯t mean they weren¡¯t malicious. Many of our antiques and furniture were destroyed or burned. But among them were also those who were cunning and kept things for personal gain. Just wait and see, someday our treasures will resurface in the world.¡±


    Feng Qingxue agreed with that.


    Of course, they destroyed many cultural relics to muddy the waters.


    These people hid away the ancient artifacts and paintings they had seized very well, due to which they were able to make a fortune decades later with discreet sales.


    Feng Qingxue was very much aware of their trickery because her grandmother had once told her that, decades later, art collections will become a rage and the prices for antiques soaring. The precious artefacts and paintings, which were not all destroyed during the raid on her ancestral home, started appearing in the market. Only then did her grandmother realize that not all their ancient artefacts and paintings were destroyed.


    Further investigation revealed those artifacts came from the people who raided their home in the first place.


    ¡°The most important thing is that we are alive. In these trying times, no matter how precious an antique or painting, they are nothing compared to the value of life.¡± Feng Qingxue said, while she used a clean pair of chopsticks to serve food to the two kids as words of comfort.


    Lu Jiang nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s well said. Life is the most important. Without it, we would have nothing.¡±


    Lu Jiang¡¯s father was becoming more and more fond of Feng Qingxue, ¡°Lass, they can eat by themselves. You should eat some more. Don¡¯t be shy in your own home.¡±


    Saying that, he truly considered Feng Qingxue as part of the family.


    ¡°Uncle Lu, please eat. I¡¯ll not hold back.¡± responded Feng Qingxue.


    Among the dishes was a white stew made from crucian carp. Seeing that, Feng Qingxue didn¡¯t make any porridge separately. Everyone served themselves a bowl of the stew. The soup was so smooth and flavorful that it almost melted on their tongues.


    After having their fill, Lu Tianjun took his younger brother out to play, leaving the adults to chat inside.


    When Feng Qingxue finished washing the dishes and came back into the room, she saw Lu Jiang¡¯s father presenting her with the meeting and engagement gifts.


    When opening the jewelry box, Feng Qingxue was taken aback.


    ¡°Uncle Lu, this is too valuable! I can¡¯t possibly accept it.¡± Every single piece was worth a fortune.


    ¡°Ajiang, put the jade bracelet on Qingxue¡¯s wrist.¡± After Lu Jiang¡¯s father said that, he turned to Feng Qingxue and said, ¡°Dear child, don¡¯t stand on ceremony with your uncle. The jade bracelet is not only a meeting gift but also part of the dowry left by Ajiang¡¯s mother. The gold jewelry is the engagement gift I prepared. Nowadays, traditions like sending a betrothal gift are not considered essential, thus I am giving it to you now. Keep it safe and sound.¡±