Dawn.
Zhao Yi arrived at Li Dequan's house carrying two pieces of pastry that Su Hong had given him yesterday.
"What are you doing up so early, kid?"
Li Dequan was sitting on the doorstep eating breakfast.
There was still about an hour before work started. As the Brigade Leader, he needed to meet with the various team leaders in advance to assign tasks, so he usually got up quite early.
"Brigade Leader, I have something to attend to today and can't work. I'd like to ask for a day off."
Zhao Yi handed the pastries in his hand and a fish weighing about three jin to Li Dequan.
"You kid and your flashy gestures. Everyone has urgent matters sometimes. I'll approve it. Finish your business early – there's nothing crucial these days anyway. Come back to work when you're done."
Even as he spoke, Li Dequan accepted the pastries. These were precious treats that his grandson adored. The only time the family had tasted them before was when Su Hong, the Zhiqing, had given them some.
After getting his leave approved, Zhao Yi headed into the mountains with his bamboo basket on his back.
Li Dequan watched Zhao Yi's retreating figure and shook his head.
"The head of household gave you so many things. Why are you shaking your head?"
Li Dequan's wife Wu Lan had just seen Zhao Yi giving both fish and pastries.
"I'm shaking my head for Zhao Dahai's sake. This kid doesn't seem like an ignorant child at all – he's quite the old hand when it comes to social niceties. We've accepted gifts from him twice now, but has he ever asked us for anything?
He didn't even need to tell me about taking leave – he could have just gone to his team leader directly. He was just using it as an excuse to bring gifts.
Not many people are as sophisticated as this kid."
Li Dequan explained.
"Don't worry so much about other people's business. I don't think this child is the ungrateful type. The way he treats his father-in-law's family is beyond reproach. There must be some other reason why he's slightly less attentive to his own parents."
Wu Lan thought for a moment before speaking.
Besides, Li Dequan's relationship with Zhao Dahai was only average.
After reaching the mountains, Zhao Yi began checking his traps. After dismantling all seven or eight traps, he only harvested two wild rabbits.
Wild rabbits reproduced particularly quickly and were one of the most common animals in the mountains.
Tossing the two rabbits into his basket, Zhao Yi hid the materials used for making traps nearby, then hurried toward the city.
Black market.
After paying ten cents, Zhao Yi squatted in a corner and placed the two wild rabbits in front of him.
Soon enough, both rabbits were sold. At fifty cents per jin, and the two rabbits weighing about ten jin total, Zhao Yi made four yuan and fifty cents before leaving the black market.
Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
He handed the list Su Hong had written to the shop assistant, along with the money and coupons Su Hong had provided.
"We don't carry medicine here at the Cooperative. You'll need to go to a hospital or clinic for that." The shop assistant took a pen and circled several medicinal items, then began gathering the goods according to the list.
"These items total five yuan seventy cents. There's four yuan thirty cents left. Comrade, please count it."
After handing all the items to Zhao Yi, the shop assistant gave him the remaining money.
"Thank you, comrade."
Zhao Yi nodded, then headed to the nearest clinic to purchase the remaining medicines before starting back the way he came.
After finishing all the dry provisions he'd brought and drinking some water from a mountain stream to quench his thirst, he hurried along and finally managed to reach home just before dark.
Main room.
Su Hong was chatting happily with Zhang Jing about something.
Seeing Zhao Yi return, Zhang Jing quickly ran up to greet him with a cheerful smile.
From Su Hong, Zhao Yi learned that he was helping her buy things in the city, earning a fifty-cent fee per trip. She would continue hiring Zhao Yi for future purchases.
Zhao Yi handed the basket to Su Hong and passed over the medicine he had been carrying in his arms.
Su Hong carefully checked the list, nodded with satisfaction, then took out fifty cents and offered it to Zhao Yi.
"After buying all your things, there's three yuan and fifty cents left."
Zhao Yi didn't reach for the money. Instead, he took out the money from his pocket, selected one fifty-cent note, and returned the remaining money to Su Hong.
Su Hong accepted the money with a nod, shouldered the basket, and left Zhao Yi's home, heading toward the cowshed.
"Husband, how much did all these things cost?"
Zhang Jing looked at Zhao Yi and asked curiously.
Although she was now the lady of the house, Zhang Jing had never formally gone shopping at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
"Over six yuan. Bought two jin of cotton and some fabric."
Zhao Yi didn't mention the other items, as they weren't particularly relevant to him.
"Educated Youth Su is really wealthy."
Zhang Jing remarked with admiration.
"You need to hurry up too. Here's the money. Tomorrow go ask my mother for the fabric coupons – she has both cotton and fabric coupons. We need to prepare our winter clothes, otherwise working in winter will be unbearable."
Zhao Yi said cheerfully.
In rural areas, cotton-padded clothes and shoes were mostly handmade. Buying materials now would allow time for sewing.
After work in the afternoon, there were still several hours before dark. Sometimes it wouldn't get completely dark until 8:30. By autumn and winter, it would already be getting dark before work ended.
Kerosene lamps didn't provide illumination as good as natural light.
The brigade distributed fabric coupons to Commune Members every year. Those too poor to buy fabric would sell their coupons to city buyers at two fen per chi. Most families sold their fabric coupons.
Only those planning to make clothes kept theirs.
Li Daju had been saving all her fabric coupons.
Su Hong hadn't gone far before turning back.
"Sorry, I forgot about the fish."
Zhang Jing now knew where Zhao Yi placed the fish traps. When Zhao Yi wasn't home, she would check them herself, then throw in cooked corn kernels before returning the traps to the water.
Su Hong's sudden return startled Zhang Jing, who had been happily counting the money in her hand.
With today's earnings from running errands for Su Hong, Zhao Yi had made five yuan. Combined with the few yuan in the box, they now had over ten yuan saved up, getting closer to their dream of buying a piglet to raise at home.
"Oh, tomorrow when you go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy fabric and cotton, remember to get some sugar. I'll make you something delicious."
Zhao Yi reminded Zhang Jing as if suddenly remembering something.
"Everything tastes better with sugar added."
Zhang Jing said cheerfully. Having spent more time with Zhao Yi, she had started occasionally joking with him.
"Is that so? Then tomorrow I'll put sugar on some nettles for you to eat. That should taste good."
Zhao Yi said with a laugh.
Nettle grass was very common in rural areas – almost every child could recognize it. Those who didn't know about it learned the hard way from other children, as accidentally touching it would cause pain for quite some time.
"You go get it yourself and eat it."
Zhang Jing quickly retorted.
"Alright, you get it for me and I'll eat it."
Zhao Yi nodded with a smile.
"I wouldn't dare! You get it yourself."
Zhang Jing immediately shook her head.
Without rubber gloves for picking and washing, most people wouldn't dare reach out to handle this thing. Actually, it's edible—tastier than many wild vegetables—but its frightening appearance makes people hesitant to touch it.