“I didn’t say a word to her, and you’re jealous about this?” Li Chengze acted like an adult. “Hurry up and try it on. Let me see if it’s pretty.”

Su Xiangwan had bought a large bag of flour and was busy kneading and letting it rise.

“I’m dirty right now, so I can’t wear it. But the dress is really beautiful. Thank you, really,” she stopped for a moment and said seriously.

Li Chengze had spent a lot of money, fifty yuan to be exact, and proudly said while sitting on the kang: “That’s right. If you’re good to me, I’ll remember it. When I make a lot of money in the future, I’ll spend it all on you and Zhi Zhi, really.”

Sweet talk.

The little guy began bragging about his little cow again: “Also, you know, our family has a lot of good things. If you continue to be good to me, I might give you half of them.”

“If I want them, I’ll take all of them. What’s the point of half?” Su Xiangwan rolled her eyes. “Do you think the food at our house is free? We keep track of it, and we charge ten times the interest. You need food, drink, and clothes, right? That all costs money. Maybe your family’s property won’t even cover the bill.”

Being just a child, Li Chengze immediately straightened up.

After waiting for a while and seeing that Su Xiangwan wasn’t speaking, he guessed she was lying, so he slipped off the kang and went to play with Zhi Zhi.

“Mom, are you making pancakes tonight?” Lu Dan asked as he saw Su Xiangwan busy by the stove.

Su Xiangwan was indeed making pancakes.

However, since there was no lard available locally, she couldn’t make the crispy oil pancakes. She was preparing to make lamb fat pancakes instead.

“Why aren’t you playing?” Su Xiangwan asked. “Aren’t there footballs left by Liu Zaiye? Go play football with the local kids.”

Lyu Dan stuck out his tongue. “My foot’s too strong. I kicked a kid earlier and made him bleed from the nose. I’m not kicking anymore.”

Su Xiangwan had seen Lu Dan’s foot strength before and could only say that this guy had a heavy hand.

“Well, in that case, go pull some wheat straw from the wheat field. If you bring it back, I’ll make lamb noodle soup for you tonight,” Su Xiangwan said.

“Lamb noodle soup? What’s that?” Lyu Dan asked.

Su Xiangwan flicked his little face and said, “It’s just something really delicious.”

Lamb meat was cheap locally, and the state-run restaurant’s cooked lamb could be bought for money.

Su Xiangwan had bought two kilograms of cooked lamb when the market was open, and now she was stewing it in the pot.

Once it was cooked, she would add the hand-pulled noodles she brought with her and two big radishes. It was essentially just a simple lamb soup.

At home, there were already pancakes baked. Su Fufu and Li Chengze had both eaten lamb noodle soup before and refused to eat it again.

Su Xiangwan then pulled the sweaty Gou Dan from playing and called Zhi Yinshuang back from the field. Each of them received a full bowl of lamb noodle soup.

Song Qingshan ate well in the Civil Engineering Bureau, but he was also fond of lamb.

He soaked the pancakes and ate two full bowls of lamb noodle soup.

This time, there was no interference from Liu Zaiye, and fortunately, the people from the Civil Engineering Bureau had already bought the tickets for Song Qingshan, so he would be able to return home early the next morning.

It was still hot late at night, and everyone was sitting in the big wheat field.

Before heading out, Su Xiangwan deliberately changed into the light green blouse that Li Chengze had bought.

This kind of blouse was probably best described as a nun-style, as it was long-sleeved, with a high collar, and the skirt almost touched the ground.

When worn, it made her look like a nun.

Zhi Zhi had apparently been carried somewhere else.

In the wheat field, Zhi Yinshuang was chatting with several local women.

They were still talking about the watermelon Su Xiangwan had killed two days ago, discussing how sweet and fragrant it was, who had eaten how many pieces, and who had even eaten the rind.

During such a period of extreme material scarcity, people were accustomed to reminiscing, like old cows chewing cud, recalling the delicious foods they had eaten.

That process of reminiscence was a kind of enjoyment for everyone.

Su Xiangwan quietly listened, watching the children who had filled their bellies with lamb meat play and laugh in the wheat field.

She couldn’t help but feel that, compared to her past life of always sitting in front of a computer for work, this life, full of earthy smells, was hard but meaningful.

“Xiangwan, I need to talk to you,” Zhi Yinshuang hesitated for a while before speaking.

“Zhi Zhi, Zhi Zhi?” She was running around the wheat field and the street, asking everyone she met, trying to find out where her daughter had gone.

After searching everywhere, she finally found Li Chengze, Zhi Zhi, and Song Qingshan by the livestock shed at the very back of Team Seven.

But it didn’t look good, because Li Chengze was standing there with his hands in his pockets, looking down, his lips white from biting them, clearly dejected.

Zhi Zhi was eating something, nibbling away like a little hamster, and still scolding Li Chengze.

As for Song Qingshan, he remained silent, only staring at Li Chengze.

“You’re a thief, just like Dad said. Why did you steal someone else’s chocolate?” Zhi Zhi said while licking her lips, with chocolate smeared around her mouth.

“Song Nanxi, shut up!” Song Qingshan scolded his daughter, then turned to Li Chengze, “Where did you steal the chocolate from? Tell me, I won’t hit you, but I have to pay the person back.”

Li Chengze still didn’t speak. He turned away, leaned both arms against the livestock shed, and said, “Don’t ask anymore. If you want to hit me, then hit me. Anyway, I bought the chocolate, just so you know.”

Zhi Zhi continued, “He should be hit. Thieves should be punished. Dad, hit him already.”

Song Qingshan motioned for Zhi Zhi to step aside, spat into his palm, raised his hand, and was about to strike when Su Xiangwan hurried out. “Don’t blame Chengze, I bought the chocolate. He didn’t steal it.”

Actually, the chocolate was indeed bought by Su Xiangwan.

After all, she had grown up in a wealthy family, and while she liked things like chocolate and candy, she wasn’t particularly fond of them. She had bought them to share with her two younger brothers, but got busy and forgot.

Li Chengze, who was quite partial, hadn’t forgotten the chocolate.

He secretly took Zhi Zhi behind the livestock shed and fed it to her alone.

Unfortunately, Zhi Zhi was always difficult to feed. Her cheeks were puffed up like a hamster’s, and she was still helping Song Qingshan scold Li Chengze.

Li Chengze finally cleared his name. He picked up Zhi Zhi and pretended to throw her on the ground angrily.

The little girl was still busy stuffing chocolate into her mouth, completely unaware that her brother was already grinding his teeth in frustration.

So, there she was, sitting on Li Chengze’s neck, eating chocolate and shouting.

Li Chengze was so mad he nearly exploded.

Finding a corner where Su Xiangwan couldn’t see, he gave Zhi Zhi two solid slaps on her backside, making her cry before the matter was settled.

As the couple walked back, Song Qingshan suddenly turned around, as if he was going to punch Su Xiangwan. She was startled and slapped him first. “Song Qingshan, what’s your problem? Just because I said, ‘If you die, I’ll marry again,’ you want to hit me?”

“The chocolate, didn’t you buy it yourself? I’ve never eaten this stuff. You should try it yourself, see what it tastes like.” Song Qingshan opened his hand, and a piece of chocolate wrapped in tin foil melted and oozed out.

Su Xiangwan took it, peeled it, and tasted it. How should she describe it? Soviet chocolate didn’t have the rich, smooth taste of later chocolates; it was bitter.

“Is it good?” Song Qingshan asked, swallowing.

Su Xiangwan licked it clean with her tongue and then realized that, despite being bitter, this dark chocolate actually left a nice aftertaste.

“It’s not tasty on its own, but because you gave it to me, it’s delicious. Really,” Su Xiangwan said, taking a step back on purpose.

Song Qingshan stopped and looked around. He sighed suddenly. “Su Xiangwan, you know, sometimes I really want to do something with you, but now is not the time. This place isn’t right; it’s not good enough for you.”

Song Qingshan, a very simple person, had never heard such sweet talk before. It nearly blew up like the mountain behind him, but with the livestock shed and a tiny bed only a meter wide, it was impossible to do anything.

“So, what are you running for?” Su Xiangwan asked, seeing him roll up his sleeves and leave.

Song Qingshan waved his hand from a distance. “Just going to find a cool place to relax. You go back home and sleep.”

Su Xiangwan thought she had met everyone she needed to today.

But unexpectedly, as she walked down the alley, she saw Su Xiaonan, standing there with both hands folded, looking just like a local woman.

It seemed that she had been transferred from Team Twelve back to Team Seven, and her luggage was already dropped off.

The two of them walked forward together.

“Why do those kids like you so much when they aren’t even your children?” Su Xiaonan couldn’t understand that.

“I never made them wash my clothes or cook for me. I make sure they have enough to eat, never hit them, and don’t encourage them to steal. They’re just kids. As long as you feed them, why wouldn’t they like me?” Su Xiangwan retorted.

Su Xiaonan sighed and said with a hint of regret, “I saw Liu Zaiye. I never expected him to be the one who released me.”

A group of people they both knew, involved in a strange fate.

“But don’t get too proud. Liu Zaiye was in the military, has some education, and you know that when those troublemakers go to Qingshui County, none of them are easy to deal with. I advise you to be careful.”

Su Xiaonan folded her arms and spat on the ground, looking just like a local woman.

The “troublemakers” she referred to were actually the jerks she had written about, the ones who bullied her previous self.

Ironically, Su Xiaonan had also encountered men like Wang Hongjun, but couldn’t do anything about it.

Su Xiangwan smiled and didn’t say much more. She turned and walked away.

At first, she hated Su Xiaonan, but now she decided to be a bit kinder.

Of course, Su Xiaonan would never be mentally balanced, but as long as she didn’t reflect on herself, she would never have the chance to walk out of here.

Because she had to rely on her own two feet to leave this place, otherwise, no one could help her.

It was just a pity that she couldn’t realize this herself.

The next morning, after making a large batch of dry food, the whole family crowded onto the bus, which was even more packed than a tin of fish. They first went to Haixi County, then switched to a train to head home.