Chapter 5

Early the next morning, Ye Xiaoxiao woke up.

She couldn’t sleep well in a new place, and the room was really cold.

For the first time, Ye Xiaoxiao realized that poverty and coldness were directly proportional: the poorer you are, the colder it is.

It was the 1980s, an era of golden opportunities.

But the spring breeze of the times hadn’t reached the small town of Songlin. There were no vast plains, no roaring steel mills, and no open coastal areas.

Even the only logging yard in the village that needed labor would soon be shut down due to calls for environmental protection.

Money, money, money from everywhere, flying into my arms…

Ye Xiaoxiao chanted this mantra in her heart before starting her difficult climb out of bed.

However, as soon as her skin touched the cold air, goosebumps appeared, and she couldn’t leave the blanket at all.

She understood that perhaps an iron will was forged through such hardships.

Ye Jianguo and Ye Changqing woke up even earlier. Seeing that Ye Changsheng was much better, they wanted to slip away quietly, but Miao Fengshan stopped them. They were only allowed to leave after taking the packed food.

Before leaving, Ye Jianguo told Ye Changyuan to take good care of his younger siblings and go home when the weather got better.

Ye Changyuan readily agreed.

When Ye Xiaoxiao opened the door, Ye Jianguo and his father had already left.

Ye Changsheng looked much better too. He was no longer the sickly figure he was yesterday. He was sitting at a table on the kang, reading a book.

Ye Xiaoxiao remembered that he should be in his senior year of high school.

In the past two years, there had been national education reforms, changing the original two-year high school system to a three-year system.

The first people affected were children from poor areas. An extra year of schooling was a burden that some families couldn’t afford.

“It’s winter break now, what are you reading?”

Ye Xiaoxiao sat on the edge of the kang, trying to make conversation.

Ye Changsheng ignored her. He was reading some old teaching materials left by his grandfather. The college entrance exam was only half a year away, and he wasn’t confident.

Although he was considered a good student in Baichuan County, the local teaching quality was very poor, and it couldn’t compare to other places. The number of students who passed the college entrance exam each year was very small.

The Ye family encouraged education, but his brothers had all failed to pass the college entrance exam.

Ye Changsheng, “You wanted to leave, right? Now no one is stopping you, you can leave anytime.”

Ye Xiaoxiao suddenly smiled and said deliberately, “But Mom and Dad don’t want me to leave. I’ve decided, I’m going to stay here and live with you.”

Even if the Ye family wanted to chase her away now, she wouldn’t return to Beijing.

The original book mentioned that Ye Xiaoxiao returned to Beijing. At first, there were many children from big families who protected her and helped her bully Hao Yan Yan. But later, under the influence of the heroine’s aura, those who were hostile to Hao Yan Yan were conquered by her.

Ye Xiaoxiao, who was originally the white moonlight, fell from grace and suffered a tragic fate.

To change her fate, she had to stay away from the heroine and live her own life well.

Ye Changsheng, “Suit yourself. Anyway, life here is hard. I don’t believe you can handle it.”

Ye Xiaoxiao, “Let’s wait and see.”

Ye Changsheng: “…”

After breakfast at her grandfather’s house, Ye Xiaoxiao continued to give Ye Changsheng injections. She was getting used to it now, and he had accepted his fate. This time, he didn’t struggle.

After breakfast, Ye Xiaoxiao noticed that Miao Fengshan was limping slightly on his left leg. She sat on the kang and took his pulse.

“Grandpa, you have an old injury in your left leg, right? The cold weather recently has caused it to act up.”

Miao Fengshan nodded, “It’s an old problem, it’s nothing serious.”

Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t say anything, but she had already made a decision.

When she had some free time, she would take Ye Changyuan out.

“I didn’t bring enough clothes with me, and I need to buy some daily necessities.” This was the truth.

Ye Changyuan scratched his head, “Then just buy cloth and cotton, and have Second Aunt make clothes for you. Second Aunt’s skills are excellent.”

“Okay!”

But just as they were about to head out, they were stopped by Ye Changsheng.

Worried that they would get into trouble outside, he insisted on following them.

Ye Xiaoxiao wasn’t planning to do anything wrong, so she wasn’t afraid of him following.

The three of them went to the supply and marketing cooperative nearby. The town’s supply and marketing cooperative wasn’t big, but they could buy anything.

But after entering, Ye Xiaoxiao discovered a problem: she didn’t have coupons.

In the 1980s, China was still in a situation of material scarcity and supply shortages. To buy things, you needed not only money but also coupons.

“I don’t have coupons.” Ye Xiaoxiao had never experienced the situation of having money but not being able to buy things. She stood awkwardly inside the supply and marketing cooperative.

“You’re so stupid.”

Ye Changsheng said disdainfully, then reached out, “Give me the money.”

Ye Xiaoxiao handed him two big unity notes.

This money was equivalent to a worker’s monthly salary, enough to buy a lot of things.

Ye Changsheng took the money and went to talk to the saleswoman. After a while, he called Ye Xiaoxiao and Ye Changyuan over.

The saleswoman had some spare coupons and was willing to sell them. After Ye Changsheng’s negotiation, they got a few cloth coupons and daily necessities coupons.

After buying the things, they were about to leave when Ye Xiaoxiao suddenly said, “Isn’t our family short of food? Why don’t you ask her if she has any food coupons?”

Ye Xiaoxiao had bought seven feet of cloth and five pounds of cotton, as well as towels, toothbrushes, face cream, and other daily necessities.

The original owner didn’t bring much with her. To stay here for a long time, she definitely needed to prepare more.

Not to mention, face cream and hand cream were essential. Ye Xiaoxiao had only been out for a short while, and she could already feel her face burning from the wind.

“What are you doing… our family doesn’t need your money.”

Ye Changsheng was already heartbroken seeing her spend money like water. As they were about to check out and leave, she said she wanted to buy more things. He didn’t understand.

“I’m not buying things for you, I just want to eat better.”

Ye Xiaoxiao pouted.

Ye Changyuan, “I know a good place to buy food. It’s a little more expensive than the grain store, but you don’t need coupons.”

People from Baishi Village often came out to buy things, and they had their own connections.

Ye Xiaoxiao, “Where?”

Ye Changyuan hesitated.

Ye Changsheng knew where they were going, so he said directly, “That kind of place, it’s not suitable for you. If you really want to buy, we can go there together when it’s dark.

But it’s agreed beforehand, the grain store sells for three cents a pound that place sells for five cents. It’s the end of the year, so it’s definitely more expensive.”

Ye Xiaoxiao knew they were going to the black market. After thinking for a moment, she agreed.

The three of them left the supply and marketing cooperative, and Ye Changyuan carried all the things.

They walked halfway, and Ye Xiaoxiao stopped again.

Ye Changsheng, “You want to…”

“Where is the place to buy Chinese medicine? I want to get some medicine for Grandpa.”

Ye Xiaoxiao was born into a family of medicine. Her grandfather was a Chinese medicine practitioner, and her grandmother was a Western medicine practitioner. Under the influence of her family environment, although she studied Western medicine in college, she actually knew both Chinese and Western medicine.

Ye Changsheng shut up.

Seeing him speechless, Ye Xiaoxiao felt a little smug.

Didn’t expect that, I’m not the old Ye Xiaoxiao anymore.

The simple-minded Ye Changyuan quickly pointed the way, “There’s a Chinese medicine hall ahead. It opened in the past two years. I don’t know where the old man came from, but he has a bad temper. No one goes there to see a doctor.”