The parcels came from the Northeast and Inner Mongolia. If they weren’t from Lu Jiang, Wang Jiao showed no interest in teasing Feng Qingxue.
Feng Qingxue felt comfortable knowing this; regardless of what Lu Jiang’s comrades sent, she didn’t want to be forced to open them.
She glanced at her watch; Wang Jiao exclaimed in surprise, "It’s eleven o’clock already, I need to go home."
"You don’t have to cook, why go home? Have lunch at my place." Feng Qingxue courteously offered.
Wang Jiao waved her off, "I’m going to my mother’s house to help her cook, so my father won’t accuse me of freeloading if I stay for a meal. Your house reeks so much, there’s no taste in whatever delicious thing I eat. I better not stay." Since eating at her parents’ home significantly reduced the food supply she brought back to her in-laws, they didn’t mind her not doing house chores.
Feng Qingxue watched as Wang Jiao’s figure gradually receded into the distance. She shook her head and returned inside to open her letter and parcels.
As expected, they were sent by Lu Jiang’s comrades.
The things they sent before were leftovers from the previous year. This time, they sent this year’s game and local specialties. Autumn and winter brought a bounty of fat wildlife. They hunted a fair amount but kept it hidden and didn’t dare to eat it. Especially Hu Ping, who lived among the army. He feared the smell of food would invite suspicion and reports of undermining socialism, so the food Feng Qingxue sent them was more practical.
Zhou Dingguo, the comrade from Inner Mongolia, was lucky. They lived on the grasslands where they could ride for a day and night without encountering anyone.
Besides, Hu Ping sent a few mink skins, some deer antler, and two wild ginsengs. Zhou Dingguo sent several old sheepskins and two wolf skins, urging they make winter clothes for Feng Qingxue and her family.
Feng Qingxue quickly mixed in some supplies she retrieved from her storage. The quantity doubled in no time.
She had previously travelled all over, collecting countless local products from every region, including the Northeast and Inner Mongolia.
However, she didn’t intend to serve all at once for her family’s consumption. Cooking a meat dish every three or four days was enough to prevent them from gaining weight and arousing suspicion. She also didn’t give them to friends and relatives, fearing it would cause trouble.
After experiencing Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu’s criticism, she became increasingly low-profile and cautious.
Now, she wore the clothes and shoes she had before marriage. These clothes have already been worn in public, so anyone who saw them now would know they weren’t new, even though they seemed to be. Lu family’s clothes were patched up, and even if hers didn’t need any, she added a couple, trying to blend in with others.
In public, Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu kept their distance from Feng Qingxue and her family.
Father Lu agreed with this, "With Ajiang at home before, we allowed ourselves to be flamboyant in your marriage. Now, we live humbly as we can."
"With Ajiang’s salary, who would believe we’re living in poverty?" Feng Qingxue laughed.
"Even so, we don’t need to flaunt it." Father Lu finished, glancing around at those assembled, "Do you know why families like ours end up impoverished? Apart from those who get their just deserts, it’s envy of the rich! The vast majority of farmers have finally climbed up, standing as their own masters, of course, they don’t want us to be well off. Green-eyed envy is a disease that’s been incurable since ancient times."
Uncle Xu nodded approvingly, "Indeed, it’s true. We become destitute, living more wretched lives than them. It pleases them, it gives them satisfaction, they stop targeting us."
Feng Qingxue didn’t say anything, merely sighed. Wasn’t a lot of what would happen in the next few years caused by this attitude?
Therefore, she must change her previous spendthrift habits.