Chapter 31

Comrade Ning Shu,

I am Lin Guodong, and I am delighted to receive your letter.

In contrast to Ning Shu’s letter, Lin Guodong’s letter was precise and formal.

I have received your request, and I have sent the money for the bicycle ticket and the purchase of the bicycle.

This month, a total of 250 yuan has been remitted. Among them, 40 yuan is for monthly expenses.

In the future, I will continue to remit this amount. Over the years, raising three children has been hard work for you, and I am deeply grateful.

I also apologize for not being there for you and the children.

The remaining 210 yuan is for buying the bicycle and some money for tofu milk.

The tofu milk is delicious, and I shared it with my comrades.

They asked me to convey their gratitude to you and expressed their desire for more.

I wonder if you could buy a few more bottles? If it’s convenient for you, please purchase as many as you find suitable.

If not, it’s okay not to buy them.

Additionally, I heard from the sister-in-law of the political commissar’s family in the army that there is a limit on the number of bicycles available at the department store each month.

If you need a bicycle, you need to make arrangements with the people at the department store in advance.

I have entrusted my high school classmate, Meng Jie, to help.

He works in the county government. His office number is 6XXXXXX. Before you go to buy the bicycle, you can call him to inquire about the situation.

Furthermore, if there are any difficulties at home, please write to me. If the situation is urgent, you can also call the army at XXXXX. This is the telephone number of the gate guard booth.

Lin Guodong X month, 1970

After reading Lin Guodong’s letter, Ning Shu felt that he was a very thoughtful man. It had to be said that the original owner had good judgment.

She hadn’t met Lin Guodong in person and could not judge his character and conduct solely based on the memories of the original owner.

In fact, the original owner’s memory of Lin Guodong was almost nonexistent, summed up in three words: tool person.

But this letter successfully outlined Lin Guodong as a man who would automatically provide his wife with living expenses, which must be a good man. It’s worth noting that there are many men who, despite not being able to earn money themselves, still blame women for spending too much. Another point that Ning Shu admired about Lin Guodong was that he didn’t look down on his wife who was a full-time caregiver; instead, he recognized her hard work. This is a very commendable quality. She had seen many women comrades complaining online about their husbands, saying that although their husbands complained about how comfortable women were staying at home every day with the children, they completely failed to appreciate the hard work their wives put into full-time caregiving.

Finally, what Ning Shu admired about Lin Guodong was that he knew bicycles were hard to come by, so he arranged the purchase in advance and even included the money for buying one. A man who takes responsibility by providing both money and tickets.

Of course, Ning Shu only appreciated Lin Guodong’s character and conduct. As for anything between her and Lin Guodong, she didn’t consider it. Why bother thinking so far ahead?

“One Bao, look after your younger brothers. I’m going home for a while.” Ning Shu informed One Bao. She needed to take the letters and remittance slip back home. She wouldn’t work in the afternoon. She would call Meng Jie, her classmate working in the county government, at the post office in town.

The fact that Lin Guodong could mention him indicated that their relationship must be good. But no matter what, if she bought a bicycle through Meng Jie’s connection, she would owe him a favor. Lin Guodong would remember this favor because she owed him.

“I understand, Mom. I’ll look after Two Bao and Three Bao.” One Bao could tell his mom was in a good mood. Dad wrote a letter again, so Mom would go to the county tomorrow, right?

One Bao knew that whenever Dad wrote a letter, Mom would go to the county the next day. One Bao was curious about the county. As a child who had never left the village, he also had lofty ideals. He wanted to go to the cooperative store. Zhuang Xiaopang said it was a very powerful place.

One Bao didn’t dare to ask Mom if she could take him to see it. He wasn’t sad either. When he grew up and knew the way, he could go by himself.

People in the area saw Ning Shu going home, envy in their eyes and bitterness in their hearts. Lin Guodong must have sent her money again. This Ning Zhiqing was just lucky.

Especially those who had doubted that she came to work because she had no money felt even more uncomfortable. Look, her money bag has arrived.

Ning Shu naturally didn’t know what everyone was thinking, and even if she did, she wouldn’t care. She went back home, hid the letters and remittance slip, and then cheerfully returned to work.

“Mom, look at the snails I picked.” Er Bao boasted proudly. “Mom, am I good?”

Ning Shu looked at his radiant smile in the sunlight and smiled from the heart. “Yes, you’re good.” She had been raising three treasures for more than twenty days now, and their changes were obvious.

Originally, each treasure barely had any flesh on them, but now, while she wouldn’t say they had gained a lot of weight, it was visible to the naked eye that they had put on some flesh, and their complexion was also very good.

No wonder they say gaining weight is easy but losing weight is hard.

Upon hearing his mother’s praise, Er Bao hummed and worked even harder to pick snails.

Under the clear sky, the common people were all diligently harvesting rice, with more or fewer children behind them, some picking rice ears, some picking snails, all bustling with joy.

Finally, a loud whistle ended everyone’s busy morning.

“Finished work…”

“Finally finished work…”

“Finally, I’m so tired.”

“My poor back.”

“I wonder how many good rice ears those little brats picked.”

“We can eat snails tonight, haven’t had meat in a long time.”

As they chatted happily, they walked away. Snails were everyone’s favorite food in this golden autumn. A simple method, just boiling them in water with a little salt added, was considered a delicious dish compared to not having meat at all.

Ning Shu carried Er Bao’s small basket in one hand and held Er Bao’s hand as they reached the shore. Seeing Three Bao already asleep on the mat and One Bao looking listless, she smiled and said, “One Bao, seeing your brothers working hard, I’ll reward you at noon.”

“What about me, Mom?” Er Bao was a kid who fought for his own benefits.

“You worked hard picking snails too, just like your brother, so you’ll also be rewarded.” Ning Shu naturally wouldn’t forget him. With that, she picked up Three Bao again. “I’ll go cook first, you guys go slowly.”

“One Bao: “Okay.”

“Er Bao: “Mom, we can walk fast too.”

The tools didn’t need to be returned at noon; they were taken home directly because they would be needed in the afternoon. Although Ning Shu didn’t plan to come in the afternoon, she took the sickle home because she didn’t need to return it at noon.

Once home, she put Three Bao on the bed and immediately went to cook.

It was the middle of the day, after a busy morning, and her stomach was growling. She really didn’t feel like cooking now, so she didn’t. She took out the leftover rice cakes and ribs, ready to make braised ribs with rice cakes.

The ribs were actually quite dirty and needed to be washed with hot water.

Washing the ribs with hot water was quite simple. First, rinse the ribs with cold water, then add cold water to the pot. After the water boils, and the rawness of the meat is no longer visible, remove the ribs. At that point, any blood and other impurities in the ribs would have been cooked out.

Afterward, rinse the ribs with warm water.

Once washed, she began braising the ribs. While braising the ribs, Ning Shu set aside a piece of fatty rib. She placed this rib into a bamboo tube, added some washed rice and cold water, then sealed the bamboo tube tightly. She placed it into the fiery charcoal under the stove to start making bamboo tube rice for Three Bao.

The bamboo tube was made by Ning Shu’s request to Lin’s father, who knew exactly what to do as soon as she mentioned it.

“Mom…”

“Mom, we’re back.”

Just as Ning Shu placed the bamboo tube rice on the stove, the two boys returned carrying a small basket and a bamboo mat.

“Why did you take so long? Did something happen on the way?” Ning Shu felt that even if the two boys were walking slowly, they shouldn’t have taken this long to return.

“Mom, we saw someone fighting,” Er Bao quickly replied.

“Yeah,” One Bao nodded.

“When you see people fighting, stay away and be careful not to get hit,” Ning Shu warned, afraid the boys might get too close to the front.

“We know, Mom. Do you know who was fighting?” Er Bao pretended to be mysterious.

“I don’t know, can the clever Comrade Lin Er Bao tell me?” It seemed like they knew the people involved.

“Of course, of course,” Er Bao said proudly. “It was the young woman who gave us candy.”

Ning Shu was surprised. The young woman was quite delicate-looking, not someone she would expect to be involved in a fight. “Hurry up and tell me, who was she fighting with?” Ning Shu was curious.

“She was fighting with the uncle from Grandpa Captain’s house,” Er Bao said.

Huh? A woman fighting with a man?

This drama is a bit unbelievable.

One Bao really wanted to roll his eyes at his little brother. Seeing his mother’s stunned expression, he sighed and explained, “It was the young woman who gave us candy fighting with another woman, and then Uncle Zhenxing was trying to separate them.” Lin Zhenxing, the youngest son of the village head.

Two women fighting over a man? A love triangle?

Ning Shu’s gossip factor was growing rapidly inside her. Since she arrived in this era, busy digging wild vegetables, she, who had always been the center of gossip for others, couldn’t help but get excited hearing gossip for the first time. In this age without technology, if she didn’t gossip, she wouldn’t be considered human. “And then? How did the fight go?”

“Then Uncle Zhenxing separated them, and he left with the young woman who gave us candy,” One Bao said.

“That’s it?” Ning Shu felt a bit disappointed not hearing anything more exciting.

“There’s more,” Two Bao raised his little hand. “That woman called the young woman who gave us candy a fox spirit. Mom, what does fox spirit mean?”

Ning Shu: “Fox spirit… It refers to a very beautiful and charming young lady.”

Two Bao’s eyes lit up. “Mom, then you’re also a fox spirit! You’re even prettier than the young woman who gave us candy.”

Ning Shu: “…” Thank you very much.

Unbeknownst to her, Two Bao was still feeling elated. He thought his mother was the most beautiful fox spirit in the entire village.

If Ning Shu knew what he was thinking at that moment, she might have taken off his pants and given him a good spanking. A beating would have been light punishment. Seeing Two Bao covered in dirt, she went to fetch well water. “Wash yourselves, and we’ll have lunch later.” After fetching the water, she covered the well.

“Mom, what are we having for lunch?” One Bao asked curiously.

“Braised ribs with rice cakes.”

As soon as they heard there was meat to eat, both boys sped up their handwashing.

The ribs for braised ribs with rice cakes needed to be stewed until they were tender, so it would take some time. Ning Shu took the opportunity to cut some bok choy, wash it along with the rice cakes, and prepare them.

Then she thought about what reward to give the two boys.

She actually liked eating fried rice cakes while drinking beverages. In the app, she had coconut water and North Ice Ocean soda stored. She hadn’t taken them out before because there were fruits to eat, but now she decided to bring them out. Mainly because she had bought six coconuts, and their shelf life was relatively short, so she needed to consume them daily. On the other hand, the North Ice Ocean soda was durable. Although she bought 10 bottles, it was fine to take them out and leave them there.

Which one to choose?

She wanted to drink coconut water.

Since she was going to town today, she decided to take out the coconuts and see if Zhang Min wanted any. Except for buying toothpaste and toothbrushes for the two boys, she hadn’t been to town in over half a month. Before, she pretended to go to town just to have a source for meat and other food, but in reality, she never made it to town.

However, she probably couldn’t give Zhang Min the tofu anymore. The extra four bottles she had decided to send to Lin Guodong. Considering how well he arranged the bike and increased the family’s expenses.

However, if she sent things to the military, she had to share some with his comrades, so four bottles of tofu seemed a bit too little. But it would take seven to eight days for the package to arrive, and not everything could be sent.

It had to be something durable.

Suddenly, Ning Shu thought of snail meat. There were plenty of snails now, and making pickled snail meat with wine lees was not only fragrant but also delicious and durable. It was very suitable.

There were also two packs of large roasted eye fish in the app. These large roasted eye fish were roasted and then sun-dried. When you wanted to eat them, you just needed to steam them. They tasted amazing, with each one weighing about a pound.

Considering his generosity in giving money and tickets, she was willing to send a little more.

Thinking this over, Ning Shu took out the coconuts and began to cut a hole with a kitchen knife. She cut two coconuts. Although one coconut weighed about 900 grams, that was the whole weight including the shell. After removing the shell and pouring out the coconut water inside, it was probably only around 300 grams. One coconut wouldn’t be enough for her alone, so she would drink one, and the two boys would share the other.

After frying the rice cakes and pouring out the coconut water, Ning Shu took out the bamboo tube. She wrapped the bamboo tube lid in a cloth, unscrewed it, and a fragrance wafted out. However, the bamboo tube porridge was still a bit raw, so she placed the bamboo tube in hot water to heat it up. Estimating that it would be ready soon, she called out to the boys outside, “One Bao, Two Bao, wake up Three Bao, it’s time to eat.”

“Here they come…” The two older children moved quickly. Just as Ning Shu finished setting the food on the table, they arrived, each holding one of the younger children’s hands.

The youngest, just woken up, had a few stray hairs sticking up on his head. Rubbing his eyes, he seemed still half-asleep.

“It’s mealtime for the little ones,” Ning Shu said as she went over and lifted him onto the child’s seat. She then brought over wooden bowls and spoons, pouring a little coconut milk from her own big bowl into each wooden bowl, just a little, about a third of the bowl. “Here, this is sweet, drink it yourself.”

Her bamboo tube porridge was too hot; it needed to soak in cold water for a while.

“Mother, what’s this?” The second child looked at his own and his brother’s bowls, curious.

“This is juice from a kind of fruit I saw when I was picking wild vegetables a few days ago. I forgot to take it out.” Ning Shu casually made up an excuse. Fortunately, due to the influence of the previous owner, the children never rummaged through the kitchen, so they didn’t know what food was available at home. Ning Shu provided whatever she could.

The eldest child sniffed it. “It smells good, like milk, but it tastes different.”

Both the eldest and second child didn’t doubt Ning Shu’s words. Firstly, there were many wild fruits on the mountain, and some did indeed have juice inside. Secondly, their natural trust in her due to her identity.

Even though when Ning Shu had just arrived, they had yelled that they would complain to their father, they never doubted the taste or source of the food Ning Shu gave them.