Yun Ting smiled, unconcerned.“What’s wrong? Don’t be like this. I’m just going to the countryside—it’s not like I won’t come back. Don’t we get home-visit leave during the New Year?”
Her mother held her hand and began giving instructions.“Daughter, when you get to the countryside, be smart. Don’t wander off alone. Don’t work yourself too hard—just do enough to get by. We’ll send you money and coupons from home, so don’t worry about going hungry…”
“Second Sister, how about I stop studying and go to the countryside with you?” Yun Xu had barely finished speaking when he received a slap from his father.
“Stop talking nonsense… If you go along, your sister will have to take care of you.”
“I can take care of Second Sister,” Yun Xu declared confidently.
“Little brother, you must study. Do you want to become illiterate? Second Sister hopes you’ll study well,” Yun Ting said earnestly. She knew the college entrance exam would eventually be restored, but her family didn’t know that, and she had no way to explain.
“That’s right,” their father said. “Our family’s children must finish high school no matter what.”
After lunch they took a short nap, and then everyone went back to work or school.
Before leaving, Yun’s mother stuffed ten yuan and some coupons into Yun Ting’s hands.
Yun Ting was about to refuse, but her mother seemed to know what she was going to say.
“Don’t push it back. If I’m giving it to you, just take it. You spent quite a bit this morning, didn’t you?”
“Mom, I still have some.”
Her mother waved her hand and hurried out the door.
Watching her back, Yun Ting felt warmth spreading through her heart.
That afternoon, with nothing else to do, she went into her space to plant crops. She repeatedly used her wood-element ability to speed up the growth of rice, and also matured some vegetables.
Perhaps because she had been drinking the spiritual spring water from the space, using her powers no longer drained her mental energy as quickly.
At the moment she only had rice, but she liked eating noodles too, so she still needed to get some wheat seeds.
Later that afternoon she went out for another stroll and stopped by her sister’s workplace to tell her to bring her brother-in-law home for dinner.
She also slipped into the black market again, but couldn’t find any wheat seeds. However, she saw a woman selling tofu and bought some.
In the evening, she steamed a pot of mixed rice—half white rice and half cornmeal. That was already considered pretty good; some families could only drink corn gruel so thin you could practically see your reflection in it.
She had originally wanted to cook plain white rice, but there were many people in the family. At lunch she had already seen her mother’s pained expression at the amount of rice used, so she didn’t dare push her luck.
Dinner wasn’t particularly lavish: braised pork, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, smashed cucumber salad, mapo tofu, and a large basin of stir-fried green beans and eggplant.
There was no helping it—this season didn’t offer many vegetables. Aside from the cucumbers, Yun Ting didn’t dare bring out anything else. It would be too hard to explain. For now, she had no intention of telling anyone about her space.
When Yun Shu and Jiang Dong arrived, they carried a large snakeskin sack. When they noticed some gossiping aunties staring curiously, Yun Shu smiled and explained:
“My little sister is about to go to the countryside. Our parents asked us to prepare some things for her.”
“Oh! No wonder. Xiao Ting is going to the countryside? Then you really should prepare more.”
“Ah, that girl has such delicate skin. How will she endure life in the countryside?”
The aunties continued gossiping. Yun Shu didn’t want to deal with them, so she quickly walked home with Jiang Dong, her expression slightly gloomy.
“What’s wrong? Worried about your sister?” Jiang Dong asked with concern.
“Yes. Xiao Ting has never really done hard work since she was little. I’ve seen people who came back from the countryside… they were worn down terribly. I’m worried…” Yun Shu’s voice choked with emotion.
“When the time comes, we’ll send her more food, money, and coupons so she can live a little better. Don’t cry—if she sees you like this later, she’ll feel sad too,” Jiang Dong comforted her.
Before entering the house, Yun Shu had already composed herself.
“Xiao Shu, Jiang Dong, you’re here,” Yun’s father greeted them.
“Dad.”
“Big Sister, Brother-in-law.”
“Little sister, these are the things we prepared for you. Take a look—if you still need anything, your brother-in-law will help you get it,” Jiang Dong said with a smile as he set the sack down.
“Thank you, Brother-in-law and Sister. You don’t need to prepare too much. The journey is long, and it won’t be convenient on the train.”
“That’s true. If necessary, we can mail things to you after you arrive.”
Yun Ting felt the care everyone in the family had for her. It was something she had never experienced as an orphan during the apocalypse.
“This cucumber dish is really tasty!”
“And the tofu too—Little Sister’s cooking is excellent!”
The family happily enjoyed dinner together.
After eating, they chatted for a while before Yun Shu and Jiang Dong prepared to leave. Just before going, Yun Shu stuffed fifty yuan into Yun Ting’s hands.
“Little sister, this is from me and your brother-in-law. Don’t think it’s too little.”
Then she turned and hurried away, afraid Yun Ting would push the money back.
“Hey, Sis…”
Yun Ting stood there helplessly, watching her sister run off with the money still in her hand.
“Just keep it,” her father said. “It’s their goodwill.”
“And this is from Mom and Dad—keep it safe. There are many pickpockets on the train.”
Her mother took out a thick stack of money—five hundred yuan in total—along with some scattered coupons.
“When you’re far from home with no way out, having money with you is better than anything. But remember, never show your wealth…”
“And another thing—don’t start a relationship there. If there’s a chance, your father and I will try to bring you back to the city. Remember what Mom says.”
“Okay, I’ll remember.”
Her mother kept giving instructions one after another. Yun Ting listened obediently. Instead of feeling annoyed, she actually enjoyed it.
When a child travels far, a mother’s heart worries endlessly. No matter how far they go, her concern is like a kite string, always tied to the heart.
Her older brother also handed her fifty yuan.
“Little sister, when I get my salary next month, I’ll send you more.”
“That’s enough, Big Brother. If I run out of money, I’ll tell you. Carrying too much money isn’t safe.”
In truth, she had her space—how could it be unsafe? She simply didn’t want her family to give her too much money.
“Alright, but don’t be polite with your big brother,” Yun Zhao said, ruffling her hair.
“Of course not. You’re my real big brother,” she said playfully, blinking.
“Haha…”
Yun Xu slowly shuffled over.
“Second Sister, this is my pocket money. It’s all I have. Don’t dislike it.”
Yun Ting looked at the crumpled bills he handed her—mostly small change, five yuan in total. Clearly he had saved it for a long time.
“I don’t dislike it, but you should keep it. Second Sister has money. When you grow up and start working, you can give it to me then,” she said, pretending to push it back.
He immediately jumped away.
“Second Sister, you can’t treat people differently! You accepted theirs—you have to accept mine too.”
“Haha. You brat, is that how you use that idiom? Fine, I’ll take it. But don’t regret it and come asking for it back tomorrow.”
“A gentleman’s word is as good as his bond…”
“Oh please—you, a gentleman? Go wash up and get to bed,” their mother scolded with a playful slap.
Watching the close bond between her children filled her with relief.
Back in her room, Yun Ting opened the snakeskin sack her sister had brought. Inside were an enamel basin, an enamel mug, a piece of floral cloth, a piece of dark blue cloth, a thermos, a towel, and a packet of brown sugar.
As she took the items out one by one, a piece of paper fell to the floor. She picked it up and read:
“The floral cloth can be used to make clothes—it will look nice on you. The dark blue one is flawed cloth; you can make a bed curtain or bedsheet with it. Keep the brown sugar for yourself—drink it with hot water during those days…”
Reading her sister’s careful instructions, Yun Ting’s eyes grew moist.
Coming into this family, she was truly fortunate.