On Wednesday, Jiang Xinyu received a call from She Xiaoyun inviting her to dinner at her home that evening.
"Sure, I’ll come by the supply and marketing cooperative after work to find you."
"Okay, the cooperative received some soybean oil today, do you want any?"
"Yes, I have an oil ticket for ten pounds. I’ll use it all today."
"How come you have so many oil tickets?"
"Two pounds every six months, so that’s six pounds, the rest are rewards. I also want to buy a plastic oil drum."
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Xinyu took out all her tickets and sorted out the oil tickets, realizing she actually had twenty pounds. She figured some were given by Wei Kaiyun, but if she wanted to buy twenty pounds, the cooperative wouldn’t sell it to her. She’ll decide later.
"Xinyu, what are you up to?"
"Sister Meng, I’m counting my oil tickets, planning to check out the cooperative this afternoon. My friend said there’s soybean oil."
"Really? I also have oil tickets, I’ll go buy some oil too."
"Yeah, don’t go too late or else I think you might not be able to buy any, there hasn’t been any supply over the past couple of years, everyone’s been saving them."
"True, I’ll go after work."
Jiang Xinyu didn’t lack oil, but she still had to put on a show. She would see the situation; if oil was too scarce, she would just buy a pound and leave the rest for later. She wasn’t being saintly, rather, at this moment, there’s really no need to scramble, it felt wrong.
She went to notify Wang Ailing, using her six pounds of oil tickets to buy oil for her. Forget it, she wouldn’t buy for herself, she would just help her buy.
Life passed day by day, and soon it would get better. Her impression was that the weather should be favorable in the coming years.
Everyone was having a tough time, but it would soon be over.
After work, Jiang Xinyu rode her bike to the cooperative, there was already a queue, Xiao Xu glanced at Jiang Xinyu.
She nodded and went to find She Xiaoyun at the back.
"Sister She, news travels fast, huh?"
"It does, now it’s limited, each household can only buy a maximum of two pounds. But your ten pounds have been filled for you, it’s right there."
"That’s great, I was worried there wouldn’t be any."
"This time three tons of soybean oil arrived, another three tons will come in ten days."
"This eases the situation a lot. Sister She, you don’t look well? Got heatstroke?"
"Really?" Jiang Xinyu asked excitedly. "That’s great news, is it morning sickness?"
"Yes, uncomfortable, can’t eat much."
"I have canned peaches and apricots, I’ll bring you a few jars; try them and see which helps."
"Canned fruit?" She Xiaoyun thought for a moment, nodded, "Alright, I don’t think it’ll make me feel nauseous."
"You need to find a way, you can’t eat anything , how will the baby grow? You should at least try to eat enough even if there’s not much good stuff now."
"I’m trying, just not sure what to eat, with just a couple of choices."
"I still have three hundred pounds of wheat, I’ll share a hundred pounds with you, I’ll bring it over this evening."
"Xinyu, no need, you keep it for yourself."
"It’s alright, I can’t eat three hundred pounds by myself, and besides, our village had a good wheat harvest this year, I’ve been enjoying the new flour, you’re more important now."
She Xiaoyun felt a bit embarrassed. Last time Jiang Xinyu gave her some wheat, she sold it for money, leaving not much behind, considering she wasn’t settled at the time.
"Don’t worry, we’ll keep sharing resources. I have it now, and you can use it without feeling pressured.
By the way, how much is the oil drum?" Jiang Xinyu quickly changed the topic.
"A ten-pound oil drum needs a manufacturing ticket, and it’s one dollar and fifty cents."
"Got it, can I leave the money with you then?"
"Sure, ten pounds of soybean oil is ten dollars and ten pounds of oil tickets."
Jiang Xinyu took out eleven dollars and fifty cents, ten oil tickets, and one manufacturing ticket.
"By the way, is there a two-pound oil drum?"
"A two-pound plastic drum is not cost-effective, it’s eighty cents and still needs a manufacturing ticket."
"Then it’s better to buy the ten-pound one, give me another oil drum. I’m helping Wang Ailing get oil too."
"She doesn’t have ten pounds, does she?"
"Okay, I’ll sort it out for you after work."
Jiang Xinyu nodded with a smile and handed over the money.
"After work, I’ll bring the oil home first and then take the wheat over to your place."
"I won’t be too polite with you, but let Wang Tongzhou come to pick it up."
"Sure, I’m also worried, thinking of packing it in two bags, else I won’t be able to carry it up, it’s stored in a big jar in the cellar."
"Xinyu, you can start looking for someone now, it’s too hard being alone."
"Haha, I haven’t thought of that yet. I’m still not old enough." She had to keep her relationship with Wei Kaiyun secret.
"You can start dating even if you’re not old enough. Don’t be like me, missing out for years. Honestly, looking back at those days, I find it funny, I felt silly."
She Xiaoyun nodded, "Yes, regrets."
"Sister She, have you ever heard this phrase, people all have their youthful follies?"
She Xiaoyun froze for a moment then burst into laughter, "I’ve never heard such wild words, but it’s true."
The end-of-day bell rang, and the two went out seeing there was still a long line, but it was already closing time, people left disappointed, planning to come earlier tomorrow.
After waiting for another ten minutes, they closed the doors, each counter handed over to She Xiaoyun.
"Xiao Xu, fill up six pounds of oil." She Xiaoyun handed over the plastic drum.
"Director Jiang, you have so much oil?"
"It’s not for me, it’s for my sister, she’s on the night shift, couldn’t come, I’m helping her buy some."
"Alright, just a moment."
The two parted ways, "I’ll be at home waiting for you all."
"Okay, I’m heading home now, Wang Tongzhou is already home."
Once at home, Jiang Xinyu prepared two bottles of canned food to take along, looking at them, they seemed particularly appetizing.
She needed to find Ding Shihong when she had time, perhaps she’d be able to buy chili peppers?
Ten minutes later, She Xiaoyun and her husband arrived. Jiang Xinyu went down to the cellar, while Wang Tongzhou pulled from above.
"Xinyu, let’s go, home for dinner, today it’s sorghum rice water, eggs, and red pickles."
"Great, let’s go together." Actually, having a meal ready to eat is also happiness, right?
After dinner, She Xiaoyun handed Jiang Xinyu fifty dollars, she didn’t refuse. Maintaining a relationship would make it last.
At noon the next day, Jiang Xinyu told Wang Ailing the soybean oil was at her home.
"Xinyu, leave it at your place for now, I’ll go get it when I return."
"Okay, I’ve placed it in the cellar, you can pick it up whenever."
The oil was meant to be taken home, actually, Jiang Xinyu felt girls were always thinking about their families; after marriage, men tended to focus more on their own household, otherwise, couples wouldn’t fight over helping their mothers out.