"You’re always envious of everything. What’s there to be envious of? If we weren’t just passing through, I’d definitely spruce up the place nicely. Once the building behind us is completed next year and our family gets an apartment through Yang Wei, come see our place. My decorating will look much nicer than hers."
Their voices grew quieter, and in the end, Sun Yu actually brought some snacks from inside for Miao Miao to eat.
Listening at the door, I chuckled and shook my head. Where there’s women, there’s always gossip. I haven’t even done anything, and they’re already talking about me.
Lin Wan didn’t pay much mind to it. She returned to the room and frowned at the floor covered in sunflower seed shells.
After tidying up the room, Lin Wan put away the clothes she had brought in the wardrobe one by one.
There wasn’t much, besides the clothes she wore, Lin Wan only brought some innerwear and heavy winter clothes for outside.
The rest were just some yarn, and five rolls of toilet paper.
Just as Lin Wan finished organizing the clothes, Wang Guihua came over again, this time bringing her some potatoes.
Two of them, small enough to fit in her palm, yet Lin Wan was still quite grateful. Every household isn’t well off, and two little potatoes can make a meal.
She initially planned to visit Huang Lianzhang’s house, but with the two of them coming over, she got delayed. Seeing that it was getting late, she decided not to disturb them further.
However, Huang Lianzhang’s wife, Zhang Cuiping, came over with Pidan.
"I heard from Old Huang at noon that you’d come, didn’t want to disturb you, so I didn’t come earlier."
"Hello, Auntie," Pidan greeted sweetly as soon as she saw Lin Wan.
"Oh, what a sweet child," Lin Wan thought, unlike Wang Guihua’s Miao Miao, who hadn’t greeted her since she arrived.
"Please, Saozi, bring the child inside. I was going to visit your place, but got delayed by a neighbor. I’m so thankful for your help last time," Lin Wan said as she welcomed Zhang Cuiping inside, then went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks and candies for Pidan.
Zhang Cuiping looked around Lin Wan’s tidied room and laughed, "You just got here and already made it so cozy. Obviously, you’re still newlyweds. With kids, our place is a mess every day. By the way, I brought some steamed buns I just made for you and some potatoes too."
"You’re very thoughtful, Saozi. My family sent a lot with me when I came, we’ve got all the essentials, it’s just that I didn’t bring much fresh produce. Feng Zhi’s wife just gave me two little potatoes; you’ve brought us too much, Han Yi and I can’t finish it all."
"We’ve got plenty at home. These are all from the small market, they’re not worth much. Villagers nearby grow them in the mountains and secretly bring them here to sell. The sunlight isn’t great there, so they’re small and sell cheap, only a penny for two pounds. No ration tickets needed. Everyone in our compound has bought quite a lot."
Oh, no wonder Zhang Guihua’s so "generous." "You just moved, probably didn’t prepare much yet. Get by for a few days, and I’ll take you to the small market up front tomorrow to see if there’s anything else you need."
"There’s a market here?" That was unexpected.
"It’s not really a market, just some local villagers secretly bringing their carts to sell produce they grow themselves, like veggies, chicken, ducks, and fish. They come every Wednesday and Friday morning, just for about an hour, sell out and leave quickly. A lot of locals also carry baskets to sell things near the courtyard gate; as long as you pay attention, you’ll notice them every day."
"I see," I responded, considering that where there’s a community, there’s consumption. Since the country’s reform, though it hasn’t started here, it’s not far off—maybe just a year or two. The brigade has loosened rules, allowing households to raise chickens and ducks and plant some vegetables in their yards.
But times are hard, and many households are thinking of using these to earn some extra money.