When they arrived at the drop-off point, Xiang Wenshan carried the things the two of them had bought and was just about to climb onto the ox cart when Third Brother Song’s wife sniffed the air—she could clearly smell meat buns—and said in a mocking tone:
“Well now, city folks really are different. So many big and small bags. Comrade Xiang, why don’t you let us see what you bought?”
Seeing her hand reach out, Wenshan sidestepped and stared at her coldly. “Big Sister, hasn’t anyone taught you not to touch other people’s things without permission?”
The woman felt a chill under Wenshan’s gaze and withdrew her hand, muttering under her breath, “What’s so great about you.”
Ma Chunhua climbed onto the cart first and called out warmly to the sisters—who had just shared two candies with her each—“Comrade Xiang, Little Comrade Xiang, hurry up and get on.”
Once they were seated and everyone had gathered, Zhao Dazhu drove the ox cart back toward the brigade.
The ride wasn’t boring at all. Ma Chunhua chatted away, telling them all sorts of amusing stories about the brigade.
After arriving at the brigade entrance, everyone got off and headed home.
Wenshan and Wenhui returned to the educated youth dormitory. It was quiet—no one else had finished work yet.
They divided up their purchases and tucked everything into their respective large bundles.
At the supply and marketing cooperative, Wenshan had bought a bar of soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a tin of Snowflake Cream for her face.
She also bought half a jin of White Rabbit milk candies, half a jin of fruit candies, and a jin of sponge cake.
Wenhui had bought only snacks and had wanted to buy even more, but Wenshan stopped her. “Wait until the house is built and we move out. Then you can buy as much as you like.”
For now, living together with everyone else, buying too much would attract envy.
They had all come down to the countryside together—inevitably, there would be comparisons.
Even though everyone got along fine for now, you never really knew what people were thinking.
After putting everything away, Wenshan called Wenhui to go check on the house.
It was nearly finished.
The foreman saw the two educated youths approaching and walked over. “Comrade Xiang, what do you think? Any other requests?”
The structure had taken shape. Wenshan shook her head. “No other requests. We’re just taking a look. Uncle, about how long until it’s done?”
“Three more days to finish. Then it needs two days to air out.”
Wenshan nodded. “Alright. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Don’t mention it. I’ll get back to work.”
After he left, the sisters looked at each other, their eyes full of excitement.
They were about to move out.
“This is great, sis! We’re going to have our own home,” Wenhui said, her eyes shining with anticipation.
Wenshan’s eyes sparkled too. “Yeah. Soon.”
When the others were about to finish work in the afternoon, Wenshan and Wenhui headed back.
As they reached the entrance, they saw Cao Yu running toward them from afar, calling out their names.
They waited for her at the doorway.
The first thing she asked, slightly out of breath, was, “Did you send the letter?”
Wenhui nodded. “We did. The first thing we did at the commune was mail it. Don’t worry—your family will receive it in a few days.”
Cao Yu nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”
“No need to be polite.” Wenshan took out a few coins from her pocket and handed them over. “Here. The leftover postage money.”
Cao Yu accepted it.
That afternoon, everyone else went to work. The sisters didn’t.
They had asked the brigade leader for a full day off in the morning. Since they finally had a chance to rest, why rush back to the fields?
They lay on their beds relaxing.
Wenhui sighed contentedly. “Ahh… days without work feel so good. If only every day could be like this.”
With her eyes closed, Wenshan replied lazily, “Go to sleep. Everything’s possible in your dreams.”
Wenhui pouted. “Sis, let me fantasize a little. If reality won’t allow it, can’t I at least imagine it?”
“Sure. But dreaming is more practical. At least in dreams you actually get to experience it.”
Wenhui looked at her sister resentfully. “Sis, good thing I’m your sister. If you said that to someone else, they’d hit you.”
Wenshan responded without opening her eyes, “They wouldn’t win.”
“…Fair enough.” Wenhui thought about it. Her sister really was unbeatable back home.
After a while, Wenshan spoke again. “Huihui, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“What is it, sis?”
The words reached her lips, but Wenshan hesitated.
Seeing the silence, Wenhui turned her head. “Just say it. We’re sisters. There’s nothing we can’t talk about.”
After a pause, Wenshan said, “I’m getting married soon.”
“What?!”
Wenhui’s head buzzed as she shot upright in bed, eyes wide.
After a long moment, she stammered, “Sis, what kind of joke is that? No, what are you joking about? Sis, how are you getting married? You don’t even have a boyfriend!” She stared at her in disbelief.
Wenshan sat up too, facing her, and sighed. “It’s… hard to explain. To sum it up in one sentence—I’m planning to recruit a husband to marry into our family.”
Wenhui’s mind went completely blank.
What had her sister just said?
Getting married? And recruiting a live-in husband?
She grabbed Wenshan’s arm urgently. “Sis, you can’t think like that! Just because the brigade’s been talking about live-in sons-in-law doesn’t mean you immediately go recruit one! Marriage is a lifetime matter. You can’t decide something like this so casually!”