Chapter 123: The Siblings’ Boldness

Chen Tao’s eyes flashed with surprise when he saw Shen Chuning.

Although Shen Chuning had traded with him several times, she always disguised herself when going to the black market.

She wore drab, patched-up clothes, smeared her fair face with dark yellow makeup, adding freckles and a mole on her nose.

She also covered her head and half her face with a ragged headscarf.

Chen Tao had never seen her true appearance and didn’t recognize her.

Seeing Chen Tao still stunned, his sister nudged him, “Brother Tao, what are you staring at? The girl wants to buy meat, hurry up and take her in!”

Chen Tao finally snapped out of it, quickly opening the door wider, “Sister, comrade, please come in!”

Hearing Chen Tao’s address, Shen Chuning realized that the woman was his sister.

These siblings were incredibly bold.

The sister, working at the supply and marketing cooperative, dared to secretly sell goods, and the brother had actually opened a black market.

Although Shen Chuning had cooperated with them a few times, they weren’t close.  Entering their territory made her nervous.

She smiled and said, “Sister, I won’t go in. Please just get the meat for me. Five jin of pork belly, five jin of rump, and if you have any pig’s feet, four.”

“Okay, wait a moment, I’ll get it for you.” The sister understood; her useless brother was captivated by the sight of the girl.

If she were the girl, she’d be scared too!

“Comrade, we only have two pig’s feet left today.” Chen Tao said apologetically.

He knew his earlier behavior had made the woman wary, causing her to hesitate entering.

“Okay, then I’ll take two,” Shen Chuning said.

Soon, the sister brought out the meat.

The pigs raised weren’t the leaner breeds imported from abroad in later years, but genuine large white pigs, with more fat than lean meat.

Pork belly, seven parts fat to three parts lean, was the most popular cut at the time.

The rump had less fat, roughly four parts fat to six parts lean. People lacked oil in their diets, so they didn’t prefer lean meat.

Pig’s feet, though bony, were rich in oil after stewing; even without eating the meat, the broth alone was nourishing.

Five jin of pork belly cost ten yuan, five jin of rump cost nine yuan, and two pig’s feet (about eight jin at 1.2 yuan per jin) cost 9.6 yuan. Shen Chuning paid a total of 28.6 yuan.

She packed the meat into her basket, secured it tightly, and cycled back to the village.

Even after Shen Chuning was out of sight, Chen Tao remained staring.

“Brother Tao, stop looking. The girl is married; her husband is an officer, tall and handsome, a perfect match for her,” his sister said, pulling him away.

Chen Tao was slightly surprised, “She looks younger than twenty, already married?”

His sister glared, “None of your business how old she is. She’s married. Her dowry was bought from your sister, and her husband bought her a watch here!

I’m telling you, even though we do business privately, we can’t do anything unscrupulous!

If you dare to steal an army officer’s wife, I’ll break your legs.”

Chen Tao scratched his nose sheepishly, “Sister, you don’t have to say that. Even if I wanted to, she wouldn’t look at me.

Does she look like she’d be interested in me?”

Chen Ling thought about it.  The girl was wary enough not to even enter the yard, let alone be interested in her foolish brother.

Unable to cycle up to Xiahe Village brigade, Shen Chuning stopped at the foot of the mountain.

She looked at the basket of nearly twenty jin of pork and felt troubled.

Although the spiritual spring water had strengthened her, carrying such heavy meat up the mountain…

Shen Chuning sighed; there was no one to help. She had to do it herself.

As she crouched to lift the basket, she saw a familiar figure descending from the mountain.

Shen Zhengliang silently approached Shen Chuning, picked up the basket, and walked up the mountain without a word.

Shen Chuning sighed again.

After returning from the county committee’s armed forces department, Shen Zhengliang had locked himself in his room for two days before joining his father and brother to help build her teacher’s house.

He went about his work but seemed lifeless, silent and expressionless, sometimes not speaking all day.

Halfway up the mountain, Shen Chuning said, “Wang Yumeng should be back tomorrow.”

Shen Zhengliang paused slightly before continuing his ascent without speaking.

“Second brother, if you really like her, I’ll have Mother arrange a marriage proposal for you,” Shen Chuning said again.

This time, Shen Zhengliang paused longer before finally saying, “No need.”

He continued walking.

Shen Chuning tried talking to him, but he didn’t respond.

Shen Chuning sighed.

When Shen Zhengliang carried the meat to the new house, Shen Chuning placed it on a makeshift table.

The cooks’ eyes lit up, and even the men working felt invigorated by the sight of so much meat.

Meat was rare; except for the annual pig slaughter, who had seen so much meat?

Peng Kaiyuan felt sorry for the meat, pulling Shen Chuning aside, “Ning, you bought this expensive meat, right?  For the banquet?”

Even in cities, a person might only get two slices of meat at a banquet.

Shen Chuning smiled, “It’s for today, but not just the banquet. Brother Yubai and my third brother are with the army in the mountains.

Brother Yubai said they’ve been eating army rations, filling but lacking in oil.

I thought I’d make extra for the banquet and send some to them.”

Peng Kaiyuan nodded repeatedly, “That’s right, that’s right.”

He thought she was using all the meat for the banquet, which seemed extravagant.  Sending some to the army made sense.

Two pig’s feet were stewed into a large pot of radish and pig’s feet soup.  A thick layer of oil floated on top; sprinkled with scallions, the aroma was enticing.

Five jin of pork belly was cooked and sliced, stir-fried with garlic chives and salted vegetables.

The lean rump was stir-fried with lettuce and cabbage. The fat was rendered and used to stir-fry rapeseed.

Besides these meat dishes, three vegetable dishes were prepared.

The vegetables were plentiful, generously oiled, and fragrant.

Shen Chuning divided the dishes into two portions, one for the commune workers and villagers, the other for Zhou Yubai.

But as the feast began, Zhou Yubai was still absent.

Shen Chuning worried, glancing towards the village entrance.