A group of people hurried toward the Shen family’s small storage room.
The moment they reached the doorway, a rich, buttery aroma wafted out to greet them. Everyone instinctively sniffed the air.
“What is that smell? Why does it smell so good?” Wang Chunxia muttered suspiciously as she pushed open the door.
The moment the door swung open, everyone’s attention was captured by the scene inside.
Shen Xiaohua was reclining comfortably against the bed, holding half of a golden pancake in her hands. The pancake looked crispy and delicious, enough to make anyone’s mouth water.
Her little lips glistened with oil, clearly showing that she had just enjoyed a hearty meal, and she was still eating with great relish.
The sight immediately alarmed the crowd.
“Xiaohua! Your leg is injured, and Jiang Qingli is still making you cook for yourself?!”
“Exactly! What kind of sister-in-law does that?”
“Girl, come eat dinner at my house tonight!”
Wang Chunxia looked at the thick splint tied around the girl’s leg. Even moving around was difficult for her, yet she still had to prepare her own meals. Her heart immediately ached.
Jiang Qingli’s reputation in the compound might not be good, but Shen Xiaohua was such a sensible child. How could they let her go hungry?
Shen Xiaohua quickly shook her head and held up the pancake in her hand. Her eyes sparkled brightly.
“I’m not hungry! Sister-in-law made food for me. Look, she made this pancake. It’s really delicious!”
Only then did everyone take a closer look at what she was holding.
The golden crust glistened with oil, looking incredibly appetizing.
“An egg pancake?” someone asked curiously.
“Jiang Qingli can cook?” someone else questioned skeptically.
“Xiaohua, don’t lie to us,” Granny Liu chimed in. Although Shen Li’s wife hadn’t caused trouble yesterday, everyone in the compound knew she couldn’t cook and only knew how to eat.
In this era of scarce resources, every grain of food was precious. Most people only hoped to fill their stomachs.
Shen Xiaohua nodded firmly.
“Sister-in-law didn’t know how to light the stove. I was the one who taught her…”
Just then, a young woman in a floral dress squeezed through the crowd.
She was tall and beautiful, with lively, expressive eyes. It was none other than Su Keqing, the star performer of the performing arts troupe.
The moment she entered, her gaze swept around the room, and she froze.
How has this place become so clean?
The once filthy table now shone brightly. The stove area was neatly organized, and even the floor had been swept spotless.
Could Jiang Qingli, that lazy fat woman, have done all this?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible.
Then it had to be Xiaohua’s work.
Su Keqing thought to herself while maintaining a gentle smile. Sitting down beside the bed, she spoke softly,
“Xiaohua, your leg is injured. It must be inconvenient staying here alone. Why don’t you come home with Sister Su? My family has…”
“That’s right, that’s right,” Granny Liu quickly agreed. “Your Sister Su is the best singer in the performing arts troupe. If you stay at her house, she can even teach you how to sing.”
The moment Shen Xiaohua heard that, her little face tightened.
She immediately pushed Su Keqing’s hand away and declared firmly,
“I don’t want to! I’m waiting for Sister-in-law to come back!”
Her lips pressed together, and her dark eyes were filled with caution.
For some reason, she had never liked Su Keqing.
Back then, Su Keqing was always whispering things in Sister-in-law’s ear. Every time Sister-in-law beat her, Su Keqing had always played a part in stirring up trouble behind the scenes.
“Sister-in-law treats me really well now. I don’t need you to worry about me!”
Shen Xiaohua huffed indignantly, clutching the corn pancake so tightly that it became misshapen.
Golden crumbs scattered onto the blue blanket like tiny flecks of sunlight.
The room instantly fell silent.
Wang Chunxia’s gaze shifted repeatedly between the oil-sheened pancake and the gleaming stove.
Even the smoke-stained earthen walls covered with newspaper had been scrubbed clean.
Could the rumors be true?
Has Jiang Qingli really changed?
She had even heard that it was Jiang Qingli who bandaged the little girl’s wounds last night.
After thinking it over, Wang Chunxia finally nodded.
“Alright then. If you need anything, just call out loudly. I can hear you from outside the compound.”
Although they still found it hard to believe, there didn’t seem to be any problems. It wasn’t appropriate for everyone to continue crowding the room.
Wang Chunxia left behind two eggs and gave Shen Xiaohua a few more instructions before leading the others away.
Anping County in 1975 was still shrouded in the morning mist.
The gray apartment buildings bore faded slogans reading “Grasp Revolution, Promote Production.” Long lines stretched outside the supply and marketing cooperative, while several young people wearing red armbands posted the latest big-character posters.
At the street corner, loudspeakers crackled as they broadcast the newest directives promoting “Learn from Dazhai in Agriculture.”
Jiang Qingli wrapped her navy-blue synthetic jacket more tightly around herself as she walked through streets scented with coal smoke.
The military family compound stood at the eastern end of town, with the words “Remain Vigilant, Defend the Motherland” painted across its red brick walls.
Two miles to the west, at the foot of Elephant Trunk Mountain, lay the May Seventh Livestock Farm, the place where Shen Li had been assigned for re-education labor. Rumor had it they were recently conducting some sort of “scientific pig-raising” experiment.
Several textile factory workers wearing coarse work uniforms passed by carrying mesh shopping bags. The aluminum lunchboxes inside clinked noisily.
Across the street, thermos flasks decorated with peony flowers were neatly displayed in the cooperative’s window. Beside them, a red sign bearing the words “Coupons Required” stood out prominently.
Jiang Qingli’s gaze swept across the blackboard outside the food store:
Ribbonfish: 0.38 yuan per jin (coupon required)
Tofu: 0.12 yuan per block
Ring ring ring!
The crisp sound of a bicycle bell suddenly came from around the corner.
Postman Xiao Zhang braked sharply and stopped in front of her. The corner of a copy of Red Flag magazine peeked out from his green mailbag.
Riding a sturdy black bicycle, Postman Xiao Zhang came to a steady stop before Jiang Qingli, the same issue of Red Flag magazine visible inside his green satchel.
At that moment, Jiang Qingli truly felt the economic reality of this unique era.
Under the planned economy described in the novel, personal commercial activities were tightly regulated.
Private trade and street vending required official approval. Rural market activity was managed through the supply and marketing cooperatives, while industrial goods circulated primarily through state-owned channels.
Nearby, fragments of conversation drifted into her ears.
“Did you hear? Manager Li from Hongqi Restaurant and Director Zhao from Victory Restaurant are at it again.”
“Of course I did. Yesterday Hongqi Restaurant launched a new dish called ‘Revolutionary Stir Fry,’ and today Victory Restaurant immediately put up a sign advertising a ‘Worker-Peasant-Soldier Set Meal.’ They’re obviously competing with each other.”
“When the waitresses from those two restaurants run into each other on the street, it’s like sworn enemies meeting face to face. Even the aunties waiting in line choose sides and support their favorite restaurant.”
Jiang Qingli shook her head with a bitter smile.
In an environment like this, becoming rich through business was practically a fantasy.
Just as she was pondering her options, several weathered characters suddenly came into view on a storefront around the corner: Qingshui Tofu Shop.