Xibao used to eat any fruit that wasn’t available outside without asking when he was very little, but now that’s not the case anymore.
This kid is very smart, and he likes to get to the bottom of things.
When eating an egg, he would ask where the egg came from.
When others saw him and Fubao looking rosy and healthy, clearly well-nourished, they would sometimes ask what he ate. Although Xibao was smart, he was young and couldn’t lie, so he would honestly tell them about the food at home, which inevitably aroused suspicion.
"Eat meat?" Feng Qingxue was a little troubled, "All right, let’s go to the service society and see if there’s any meat."
A service society was established at the entrance of the residential compound for the military families, which was Feng Qingxue’s suggestion. It occasionally provided some fresh meat, while other industrial and subsidiary goods were distributed from the military unit. The main consideration was for some of the jobless accompanying family members who couldn’t just go to the canteen for their meals; they shouldn’t be deprived of the taste of meat, should they?
With this service society, the lives of the accompanying military families had become much more convenient.
At least, they no longer had to travel to the service society in the camp to buy everyday necessities like needles, thread, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
Feng Qingxue and Lu Jiang were generous with their children. Xibao frequently visited the service society and upon entering would say, "Uncle Ding, we’re buying meat, the big cuts, do you have any?" He would ask in a very lavish manner.
While handing over two needles and a ball of cotton thread to Huang Xiuzhi, Xiao Ding smiled and said, "Yes, there is some, but not much left."
Feng Qingxue greeted Huang Xiuzhi and walked over to look at the pork on the counter. There was only a small piece of loin left and half of a pig’s head, "This should be enough for the two kids. Xiao Ding, weigh this for me and let me know the total."
Xibao stood on tiptoe to look and shook his head, "Mom, it’s not enough, I want to eat a lot, a lot!"
"I want to eat too!" Fubao exclaimed loudly.
As for the virtue of modesty? There was no sign of it on them for now.
Huang Xiuzhi teased, "Fubao, your little braids are so pretty, who did them for you?" Those familiar with the Lu Family knew that Fubao was particularly fond of beauty, so complimenting her looks was always a hit.
Fubao’s face lit up with joy, "Mommy!"
Xibao said, "Auntie, I’m very good-looking too, you should compliment me."
Huang Xiuzhi covered her mouth and laughed, praising him a few times until Xibao was satisfied and nodded.
Feng Qingxue spent four mao and a few Meat Tickets to buy the small piece of loin and the half pig’s head.
The pig’s head didn’t require tickets, which was really great.
"Qingxue, you really don’t hesitate to spend." Although Wu Lei’s salary wasn’t low, Huang Xiuzhi never spent extravagantly because Wu Lei often had to help support his impoverished relatives back home.
Feng Qingxue smiled, "We have just these two treasures at home. If we have meat tickets, of course, we’ll spend them on them."
As she spoke, she placed the meat into the bamboo basket cradled in her arm.
"It’s all the same. In our family, we have to split our meat tickets into several portions each month to buy meat, getting about two liang at a time, or buy some offal that doesn’t need tickets, which is then cooked just for Little Stone to eat." Huang Xiuzhi and Wu Lei never ate the precious meat dishes that came by once a month.
The two of them left the service society with the children, walking through the residential compound, faintly hearing the arguments between Jiu Hong and Lu Pendi.
Huang Xiuzhi whispered, "I’ve been hearing them argue a lot lately, not sure what about." Since Lu Pendi had given birth to Jiu Pendi and finished her confinement, she hadn’t been out much, probably afraid of being the subject of gossip for not having a son. She also ignored the pair of daughters fostered in Tian Ling’s family, which only worsened her impression with the others.
Feng Qingxue said lightly, "Everyone has their own life, and marriage is like drinking water; you know best whether it’s warm or cold."
"That’s true," Huang Xiuzhi agreed.
They parted ways, each returning to their own home, not dwelling on the matters concerning Jiu Hong and Lu Pendi.