Wang Yan had little hope regarding having a child. “Thank you, sister. I’ll take your kind words. If I really can have a child, I’ll definitely give you a red envelope.”
Jiang Zao chuckled and shook the money in her hand. “The money’s here. I’ll get going first.”
Wang Yan wiped her tears, sighed, and continued working.
That evening, she brought the cured meat and sausages home.
“Mom, my sister from my maternal family knows you like cured meat and sausages. She had someone bring these over. I’ll steam a sausage tonight and slice it up for you?”
Old Madam Zhao had been in a bad mood, but seeing the cured meat and sausages, she couldn’t bring herself to get angry.
She was a native southerner and had lived in the north for decades. She had long missed the flavors of home.
Her eyes reddened. “You… ah…”
The words “had someone bring them” sounded simple, but who knew how much effort it took behind the scenes.
“Don’t worry about it. Tomorrow, you and Tiezhu should go see the doctor again. Observe for another two years.”
Wang Yan’s marriage was extended by another two years.
That night, when Zhao Tiezhu came home and saw the harmony between his mother and wife, he asked about it and learned it was thanks to the sausage.
After dinner, once they closed the door, Zhao Tiezhu asked Wang Yan, “Where did this come from?”
Wang Yan could hide it from anyone but not from him. “Jiang Zao sold it to me. A whole box for just ten yuan.”
Zhao Tiezhu nodded. “Our food factory is hiring. I saw her take the exam too. If she gets in, I’ll look after her.”
Wang Yan responded with a soft “mm.”
After the lights went out, they continued trying for a baby.
Jiang Zao had aimed for Zhao Tiezhu from the start.
He managed transportation at the food factory, traveling all over the country. In the future, if she got anything, she could ask him to help sell it or bring things back—it would be easy to ask favors of him.
Jiang Xing would return tomorrow. Sitting by the bed under the bright moonlight, Jiang Zao made a waistband string just like Wang Yan’s and sewed the ten yuan inside it.
After tying it, she tightened it around her waist.
Just as she lay down, arguing sounds came from outside.
“Why should Big Sister’s sewing machine go to him? Why isn’t there a share for me?”
Jiang Jun made a scene like this every day after school. Though he was only in high school, he was self-aware—he knew he wouldn’t get into university. High school would be his highest education, and after graduation, he would have to find a job and get married.
If everything in the family went to Jiang Ming, would he just sit there and wait to die?
At times like this, Jiang Ming always played dead, never uttering a word.
Liu Chunhua put on her clothes and came out. “What are you arguing about? Your third sister isn’t married yet. Once she gets married, the bride price from the Xiao family will all be yours. When your eldest and third sisters both marry out, their rooms will be freed up for your wedding.”
“With a room and bride price, what are you fighting your older brother over right now?”
“I gave birth to you two brothers and two daughters. Compared to other families with seven or eight sons who are too poor to marry, you should count your blessings. Go to sleep!”
With Liu Chunhua’s shout, Jiang Jun quieted down.
Jiang Zao closed her eyes, gripping her waistband tightly.
In this life, no one would take even the slightest advantage from her.
As dawn broke, Jiang Zao was the first to wake up.
She got dressed, put on her shoes, filled a basin with water, and squatted by the well to wash her face before preparing breakfast.
The large water jar was nearly empty. She tilted it slightly and scooped out the remaining water, then carried several buckets from the well and poured them in.
After that, she moved the stone in front of the stove, placed a winnowing basket at the stove mouth, and used a rake to clean out the ashes, preparing to light the fire.
Though there were six people in the Jiang family—and both Jiang Dashan and Jiang Ming had jobs—none of them had it easy. They still had to send money back occasionally to their rural grandparents and Liu Chunhua’s family. During holidays, when the factory distributed benefits, even vinegar and soy sauce had to be divided and sent out, and gloves had to be split between families.
In the near future, Jiang Ming and Jiang Jun would both need to marry. Weddings meant more going out than coming in. With two daughters in the family, there were also expectations to give dowries.
Not to mention the youngest still didn’t have a job yet.
Everywhere she looked, there were expenses.
Liu Chunhua tightly controlled the household spending.
If there were vegetables, they wouldn’t eat meat. If there was coarse rice, they wouldn’t eat refined rice.
There wasn’t much to cook. Jiang Zao made a cornmeal porridge, adding some mustard greens, turning it into a simple meal.
After finishing breakfast, she steamed a pot of mixed rice in the other stove.
When the Jiang family ate rice, it was always mixed—half rice, half millet. When they ate noodles, it was mixed flour—wheat and buckwheat. Saving wherever possible was Liu Chunhua’s household rule.
After steaming the rice, Jiang Zao peeled potatoes, cut them into chunks, and stewed them with pickled cabbage. Once done, she covered the pot, calculated the time, wiped her hands, and walked out.
“Mom, I’ve finished cooking. Lunch is in the pot. Before eating, just add the sweet potato vermicelli soaking in the basin and cook it for a bit.”
Liu Chunhua walked out from the inner room. “Where are you going now?”
Jiang Zao replied, “I’m going out with Yanqiu.”
“I won’t be back for lunch. Yanqiu is treating me to noodles.”
Liu Chunhua nodded. “Usually you’re so quiet, didn’t seem like my child. Now I see you take after me—always getting treated to meals.”
“Go on, go on. Come back tonight to cook.”
While talking, Jiang Zao didn’t stay idle. She picked up the stones in the yard that hurt to step on and tossed them to the side. Only after getting Liu Chunhua’s permission did she leave.
After closing the courtyard gate, Jiang Zao stood under the willow tree in front of her house for less than two minutes when the gate of a household at the alley entrance opened.
A plump girl in a dark blue blouse with two braids walked out. Without looking around, she headed straight toward Jiang Zao’s house.
When Tao Yanqiu saw Jiang Zao, she excitedly stood on tiptoe and waved. “Zao!!!”
“What are you doing there? I was just about to look for you!”
In an era when every household stretched every penny, the fact that Tao Yanqiu could grow into a chubby girl among so many thin people showed how much she was cherished.
Jiang Zao and Yanqiu had grown up together since childhood. They shared whatever good food they had, copied homework together, and always thought of each other.
Now, Tao Yanqiu’s older brother had secured a clerical job opening at the steel factory for her to take an exam. She had acted cute and begged him to get another slot so Jiang Zao could go too.
In her previous life, Jiang Zao passed the exam, but Tao Yanqiu did not.
Even after Jiang Zao passed, the job ended up going to Jiang Ming’s girlfriend.
These past few days, Jiang Zao had been busy and hadn’t spoken much with her friend. Seeing Tao Yanqiu’s cheerful face, her eyes turned slightly red.
In her previous life, when Jiang Zao was transferred back from the countryside, Yanqiu was already married and unhappy. Her husband cheated, and a mistress tried to seize her property. Despite her own hardships, Tao Yanqiu still secretly visited Jiang Zao and gave her money.
Jiang Zao would not let her repeat that fate.
Tao Yanqiu grabbed Jiang Zao’s hand and whispered, “I came to look for you yesterday afternoon, but you weren’t home. Luckily you came out this morning. Zao, the steel factory is recruiting clerks. My brother told me to take the exam. Come with me. I probably won’t pass—you should go. You’ve always been top of the class since childhood. You’ll definitely get the job!”
“Don’t worry about me. I have three older brothers—they’ll definitely arrange something for me.”
Walking together, Jiang Zao leaned close and whispered, “Thank you, Yanqiu. I’ve already taken an exam at another factory. Don’t tell anyone yet—I don’t want my family to know.”
Tao Yanqiu nodded vigorously.
“Congratulations, Zao!”
Jiang Zao chuckled. “But I can still go take the exam with you. If I get accepted, I’ll transfer the job to you.”