After breakfast, Xu Chuan took Cheng Baozhu on the village donkey cart to the county.
Today was market day, and even the rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the commune members rushing to the county.
With the next round of farm work approaching, many women on the donkey cart chatted about how to nourish their families.
In the countryside, “nourishing the body” usually meant eating a few extra eggs or stewing a bit more meat, though no family could afford to do this every meal.
So the women started planning, counting on their fingers, tallying exactly how many jin of meat they needed to buy this trip.
The journey was bumpy. Cheng Baozhu curled up in the corner, Xu Chuan pressed close to her, though it didn’t draw anyone’s attention.
Cheng Baozhu quietly counted on her fingers too. Rest days were rare here; from memory, the autumn harvest had just ended, and winter sowing would begin soon.
What were they planting?
In her recollection, all nearby communes planted barley and wheat in winter.
There was a local saying: “Early Cold Dew, late Beginning of Winter, sow wheat at Frost Descent.”
Frost Descent had passed, and commune members needed to plant barley and wheat before Beginning of Winter, meeting quotas for the next year.
Cheng Baozhu listened closely, growing more anxious.
What did that woman just say? “Ah, heavens are kind, a few rains make it easier to work in a few days, but once we start, we’ll be at it until the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month, not sure if our old backs can take it.”
Twelfth day of the twelfth month!
Terrified, Cheng Baozhu poked Xu Chuan’s hand after getting off the cart. “Everyone’s talking about planting wheat. Do we have to?”
Xu Chuan grabbed her hand. “Plant what? Too much suffering. I didn’t plant rapeseed last time, won’t go this time either.”
Cheng Baozhu’s eyes lit up. “Really? If you’re not going, I won’t either!”
“Fine, we both stay away.” Xu Chuan guided her through the crowd.
Passing by fellow villagers, it was impossible not to notice—they truly made a matching pair.
The market was crowded, rain-filled, streets dotted with umbrellas or people in raincoats.
Xu Chuan first brought Cheng Baozhu to the supply and marketing cooperative. At the door, he handed her a stack of money. “Buy whatever you need, then wait here. I’ll go elsewhere first and come back for you.”
Cheng Baozhu blinked, asking nothing further. “Okay.”
Curiosity wasn’t strong in her, and she had no intention of adventuring with him.
Why call it an adventure?
Earlier that morning, she had seen Xu Chuan sneak along a path to King Mountain, returning with a bag of items.
She didn’t ask what they were, but after seeing him take a chicken from the bag into the kitchen, she had an idea.
She didn’t think further, keeping the money tucked away to shop.
The cooperative had plenty of necessities, each item tempting her.
She had cash but not enough to buy large items like watches or bicycles, so she reluctantly looked away.
Even without big purchases, she still spent a fair amount.
She bought toilet paper, sanitary pads, toothpaste, toothbrushes, enamel cups, as well as stationery and pencils.
While Cheng Baozhu shopped, Xu Chuan, cloaked in a thick brown raincoat, entered an alley and knocked on a courtyard door.
Xu Jialiang carried a large bag, whispering, “Chuanzi, finally you’re here.”
Xu Chuan smiled. “I’ll have to leave early anyway.”
“Fine, let’s get this done quickly.”
This was a private trading spot in the county. In recent years, looser supervision has allowed such places to exist. It was safe, rumored to be backed by a relative of a Revolutionary Committee leader.
Xu Chuan didn’t earn official shares, but why did he have money? He made it here—occasionally setting traps on the mountains, sometimes buying items from friends in the transport team, and selling them here.
Though not much, it was enough to get by.
“This haul’s not bad,” said the courtyard’s foreman, roughly in his thirties, squinting as he exhaled smoke. “Heard you got married?”
Xu Chuan weighed his goods. “Yes, I got married the day before yesterday, a girl from Cheng family village.”
The foreman nodded. “Married men should find proper work. Relying on luck to make money isn’t sustainable.”
Even Chen Bing, selling food here, was more reliable than trapping in the mountains.
Chen Bing was a wild operator in this courtyard, relying on his wife’s steamed buns to earn quite a lot. Initially, no one expected him to build a successful stall.
Others tried to imitate him but failed—Chen Bing’s wife’s skills were exceptional, even plain vegetable buns could make people lick their fingers.
Xu Chuan quickly bought several beef buns. Chen Bing handed them wrapped in greaseproof paper: “Perfect timing, otherwise the beef would’ve sold out. Here’s a bean-and-minced-meat bun as a bonus.”
“Great!”
Squatting beside him, Xu Chuan whispered, “Old Chen, how much can you really make selling these buns?”
Chen Bing immediately stepped back, wary. “What, you want to do this with me?”
Xu Chuan patted his shoulder, smiling. “No way, we’re too close for that. I couldn’t pull it off.”
Chen Bing relaxed.
Xu Chuan added, “I want to try something different.”
Chen Bing tensed. “Don’t breathe heavily talking to me, I don’t like being scared.”
Xu Chuan reassured him: “You do savory, I do sweet. You sell cheap, I sell expensive. How about that?”
Chen Bing: …
“You really left me no choice, huh?”
“So, Chuanzi, what exactly do you want to sell?”
Xu Chuan grinned mysteriously, patting his back. “Can’t tell you yet, don’t worry, I won’t cheat you.”
He collected money from the foreman, bought more items, and hurriedly left with Xu Jialiang.
Xu Chuan’s trapping skills were good. This haul earned twenty-eight units, giving Xu Jialiang seven in their share.
Xu Jialiang was the only one in Laokeng Village who got along with Xu Chuan. Though younger, they were the same age, calling each other brother, collaborating for two years.
Their roles were clear: Xu Chuan handled mountain trapping, Xu Jialiang had a bicycle for transport, and Xu Chuan’s network in the trading courtyard earned Xu Jialiang a quarter of the share.
One outing could feed them for a month. With such profits, who would bother farming?
The uncle and nephew left the alley quietly. Xu Jialiang rode home, carrying rice Xu Chuan had entrusted him with.
Xu Chuan went to the supply cooperative and indeed found a sulky Cheng Baozhu.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said courteously, placing a candy in her mouth and taking the bags she held.
The candy plumped up her right cheek adorably.
She hummed and lightly kicked him. “Standing here in the wind made me cold. Hurry and take me home.”
“Alright, my queen!” Xu Chuan chuckled, feeling the warm buns in his arms, leaning under the umbrella. “Back home, I’ll give you something tasty.”
Cheng Baozhu paused, then quickened her steps shyly.
Xu Chuan laughed. The couple carried several bags onto the donkey cart, naturally attracting attention.
Onlookers thought, such extravagance.
Aunt Bai Feng scolded, “Chuanzi, you two really should be more frugal. Not just for future children, even your roof needs money to fix.”
Married people shouldn’t be so wasteful, and many resolved to discuss it with Jiang Yulan when they returned.
Cheng Baozhu obediently sat, looking sensible.
Xu Chuan, as usual, paid no attention. The cart passengers assumed he had bought everything.
Truly… Cheng Baozhu seemed like a well-behaved girl, perfectly matched with him.
On the way back, the rain poured harder.
The donkey cart had a canopy, raindrops falling densely on it.
They reached Laokeng Village by afternoon. Cheng Baozhu’s stomach growled.
Still, she was happy, laughing along the way home.
Xu Chuan reached over to rub her head, pretending to scold, “I took the blame for you, hearing everyone nag you, aren’t you pleased?”
Cheng Baozhu shook her head, walking briskly indoors.
Xu Chuan chuckled and followed.
Back home, she eagerly went to change her rain-soaked pants.
Opening the room door—
“Xu Chuan!”
The courtyard erupted with her shout, startling the swallows under the eaves.
Cheng Baozhu’s eyes widened. “Come see, I told you, we need a new house!”
Xu Chuan, startled, quickly took off his raincoat and ran to her side. “What happened?”
No further explanation was needed—large patches of the room were soaked. The roof was leaking.
Xu Chuan froze, scratching his head, helpless.
“You just say if we’re building a new house! If not, I’ll do it myself!”
Cheng Baozhu shook his arm, not being unreasonable—this place was uninhabitable.
“Build, build, build!”
“Ah,” Xu Chuan exclaimed, scratching his head again. No wonder they said shoulders get heavier after marriage.
Before marriage, he could sleep anywhere. Now he had to consider if his wife could live comfortably.
“Get a basin, I’ll check the roof. I owe you one.”
Cheng Baozhu went for a basin, shouting, “No kidding, I’ve suffered enough!”
She was indignant!