To celebrate Yang Yuan getting a job, the Yang family prepared an unusually lavish dinner that evening.
Yang Wenping’s cooking skills left much to be desired, so after returning from work, Yang Mother took over in the kitchen. She steamed a pot of mixed rice, harvested a fresh batch of mung bean sprouts, stir-fried cabbage with the last two liang of pork they’d bought that morning, and served a plate of pork aspic.
It was the last of the aspic left over from the New Year.
Yang Father even brought out some homemade rice wine and shared it with Yang Wenping.
Father and son each had half a cup, savoring every sip.
Before going to bed, Yang Yuan slipped into the east room, closed the door behind her, and quietly asked her mother,
“What are we going to do about Zheng Yuyin?”
“My fourth brother hasn’t been himself all day.”
Yang Mother instinctively opened her mouth to answer, but stopped after uttering only a single word.
“You little girl.”
“Why are you sticking your nose into grown-ups’ business?”
“Mind your own affairs.”
“I’m worried about Fourth Brother.”
Yang Yuan stubbornly lifted her chin.
“How can I not feel bad for him after something like this?”
She absolutely refused to admit she was simply curious.
Yang Mother shot her a knowing glance.
The meaning was obvious.
No matter how much Yang Yuan pouted, wheedled, or acted spoiled, she couldn’t pry a single word out of her mother.
“That’s enough.”
“It’s getting late.”
“Your father and I both have work tomorrow.”
She handed Yang Yuan some money and ration coupons.
“Take these.”
“Ask your second sister to help you buy some good fabric.”
“When you’ve got a new outfit made, you’ll look much more presentable when you start at the textile factory.”
“Off you go.”
She was clearly using the money to send her daughter away.
Yang Yuan protested,
“But Second Sister’s still at home recovering after giving birth.”
“I can’t exactly find her at the supply and marketing cooperative.”
Yang Mother rolled her eyes.
“Then go visit her at home.”
“With your sister there, nobody at the cooperative will dare cheat you on the measurements.”
“Now go, go!”
Grumbling under her breath, Yang Yuan returned to her room.
Lying in bed, she couldn’t fall asleep.
The matter of the job had finally been settled.
Song Can would soon leave for the countryside.
Once she delivered the cotton she’d promised…
There would no longer be any connection between herself and the novel’s original heroine.
For the first time since arriving in this world…
Yang Yuan truly relaxed.
From now on…
She would make herself part of this era.
And live her own life.
The Song household remained eerily peaceful over the next few days.
It felt as though everyone was holding their breath.
Song Father neither agreed with nor opposed his wife’s proposal.
His silence only strengthened Stepmother Song’s confidence.
No matter how much Song Can resisted, she believed the girl could never escape this family.
She intended to let Song Can calm down for a couple of days and accept reality.
After all, there were only a few days left.
Whether she wanted to or not…
She would have to give up that job.
Once Song Father confirmed that the position couldn’t simply be transferred to Song Can’s younger brother…
He never mentioned it again.
His indifference chilled Song Can’s heart even further.
Her younger half-brother was named Song Qi.
The workshop where he worked as an apprentice was some distance from home, so he stayed there during the week and only came back every five days.
Ever since learning that Song Can would be sent to the countryside, however, he’d been coming home every day.
“Big Sister…”
He looked at her with obvious concern.
Song Can smiled gently.
“What are you afraid of?”
“I’ll just be an educated youth.”
“If other people can do it, so can I.”
She brushed the dust from Song Qi’s clothes.
“When I’m gone…”
“Dad won’t stand up for you.”
“You’ll have to be more careful.”
“Your apprentice’s allowance is nine yuan a month.”
“It’ll increase later.”
“Work hard.”
“Try to become a regular employee as soon as possible.”
She continued patiently,
“Nine yuan is enough to cover food and daily expenses if you’re careful.”
“You could even afford a new set of clothes every six months.”
“When your allowance goes up…”
“Don’t hand the extra money over to the family.”
“Save it yourself.”
“And every now and then…”
“You can even find an excuse to ask Dad for money.”
“Xiao Qi.”
“As long as your stepmother and Ma Yingying are in this house…”
“It’ll always be a bottomless pit.”
“When Little Brother grows up…”
“There’ll be even less left for you.”
“Once I’m gone…”
“You have to learn to look after yourself.”
“Remember that.”
Tears shimmered in Song Qi’s eyes.
He nodded vigorously.
That night, the siblings talked for a very long time.
Although Song Qi continued coming home every day…
He became noticeably quieter.
Sometimes he’d simply stare without blinking, his dark eyes fixed on nothing in particular.
Nobody knew what he was thinking.
Whenever Ma Yingying caught him looking like that, she’d shiver involuntarily and mutter that he was bad luck.
Most of the ration coupons Yang Mother had borrowed could only be used within the city.
Only a handful of the grain and cloth coupons were valid nationwide.
Song Can worried that she might be assigned to some remote village.
If that happened, even having money wouldn’t guarantee she’d be able to buy necessities.
So she began shopping immediately.
But with her stepmother and Ma Yingying at home…
She couldn’t safely store anything there.
To the east of the Yang family’s house lived an elderly widow surnamed Wang.
All of her sons had died in military service.
After her husband passed away, she’d continued living alone.
Because she lived nearby, Yang Yuan and Song Can had loved visiting her as children.
Grandma Wang always had delicious treats waiting for them.
Song Can brought her a jin of egg cakes and asked if she could store her belongings there for a few days.
Grandma Wang agreed without hesitation.
When she heard Song Can was being sent to the countryside, she grabbed the girl’s hands and launched into a furious tirade against her stepmother.
“That woman’s no good!”
“Her heart’s blacker than the bottom of my cooking pot!”
“She’s got children of her own, yet she hasn’t accumulated a shred of virtue.”
“She looks like a human being, but she’s never done a decent thing in her life.”
“My dear granddaughter, don’t worry.”
“I’ll keep an eye on your things.”
“That woman won’t have a good life in the future.”
“She’s spoiled that little boy rotten.”
“When he grows up, don’t expect him to be filial.”
“And Ma Yingying isn’t any better.”
“You think she’ll take care of her mother someday?”
“Hah! Dream on!”
“And your father…”
“That muddleheaded fool…”
Aside from Song Can and Song Qi, Grandma Wang cursed every member of the Song family.
Then she spent a long time comforting Song Can.
She even explained in detail what life in the countryside was like and personally taught her how to light a traditional earthen stove and cook over it.
When Song Can finally left…
Tears streamed down her face.
Ever since her own mother had died…
No one had ever cared about her this sincerely.
No one had patiently taught her, step by step, how to survive.
It was different from Song Qi’s concern.
With Grandma Wang…
She didn’t have to pretend to be the strong, dependable older sister.
She could finally admit…
That she was afraid.
She wiped away her tears, wrapped her cotton jacket more tightly around herself, and headed for the supply and marketing cooperative.
No matter how hard life became…
She would keep living.
And she would live well.
Going to the countryside was only temporary.
One day…
She would come back.
She believed that with all her heart.
Figuring that the Yang family would give her either the promised cotton or a finished quilt, Song Can first went to the state-run tailor.
She ordered two thick cotton-padded outfits and a pair of winter shoes.
She only owned two padded jackets and one pair of cotton shoes, all several years old.
They barely kept her warm in the city anymore.
If she wore them in the countryside…
She might freeze to death.
After paying the required money and ration coupons, she secretly slipped the tailor another two yuan.
“I’m leaving for the countryside.”
“Could you please finish them as soon as possible?”
“And… make them extra thick.”
Afterward, she went to the supply and marketing cooperative.
She bought yarn and fabric.
Since her city-only coupons couldn’t be used anywhere else, she had no choice but to spend them now, even if carrying everything would be inconvenient.
The yarn could be knitted into sweaters.
The fabrics she chose were green, blue, and black—perfect for making lighter clothes once the weather warmed.
She also set aside six chi of army-green fabric for Song Qi.
She wanted him to have a new outfit.
Finally, she bought some fine cotton cloth for underwear and undergarments.
A thermos.
Washbasins.
An enamel mug.
Soap.
Toilet paper.
Her stepmother certainly wouldn’t let her take any of those from home.
She had to buy every single item herself.
By the time she finished, her arms were nearly full.
That was all she could carry today.
Mentally reviewing what remained, Song Can realized she still had sugar coupons, pastry coupons, and miscellaneous food coupons.
She didn’t really need them.
Perhaps she could exchange them with other people.
Ideally…
She’d trade them for nationwide grain or cloth coupons.
If that wasn’t possible…
Cash would do.
When Song Can returned home, her stepmother and Ma Yingying were both out.
Only Song Father had come home early.
He was amusing his youngest son, smiling warmly.
It was only at moments like these that he truly looked like a father.
Song Can no longer cared.
She headed toward her tiny room as usual.
Halfway there…
She suddenly changed her mind.
Picking up a small wooden stool, she walked over and sat beside her father.
It was time…
For the two of them to have a proper father-and-daughter conversation.