Chapter 21

Recently, for some reason, the hens at home had been eating more than usual, yet not laying a single egg.

If Jiang Yao had told her earlier, she could have gone to a neighbor to trade for a few eggs and some white flour. There wasn’t much white flour left at home—just enough to make steamed buns for one breakfast.

If it weren’t so late, she could’ve exchanged enough flour to make buns for Jiang Yao to bring with her. That way, if she got hungry at work, she could quietly eat one.

But it was already late at night. If she knocked on someone’s door now, she might startle them—they’d think there was an emergency.

“Grandma, did you forget what Doctor Chen just said?”

“He said you shouldn’t get your hand wet for the time being.”

Li Guihua didn’t take Jiang Yao’s words to heart. “Silly girl, there’s just a few of us at home. Your sister-in-law went back to her mother’s house, your grandpa needs rest, your dad’s busy with brigade affairs, and now you’re off to work in the county. If Grandma doesn’t do it, who will? You think we can rely on those troublesome neighbors next door?”

Li Guihua scoffed. Even if the neighbors offered to help, she wouldn’t want it.

They hadn’t visited in forever, and the one time they did, both she and her husband got hurt. If something like that happened again, the two of them couldn’t handle it.

“Oh right, let me ask—since the county’s so far from our brigade, will the leaders at the supply and marketing cooperative help you with lodging arrangements?”

If there was no place to stay, how could her skinny little granddaughter manage the daily commute between the county and the brigade?

“I’m not sure yet, Grandma. I’ll only find out once I start work tomorrow.”

Jiang Yao had completely forgotten to ask about lodging.

“Old woman, why ask about such trivial things? The leadership will handle it. And even if they don’t, our Yao Yao will overcome it.”

At this moment, Jiang Jianguo’s eyes were filled with pride as he looked at Jiang Yao. If he’d been touched earlier by her concern for him, now his attitude toward her matched that of his regard for her older brother.

His grandchildren were outstanding—one had joined the army and risen to platoon leader, and the other had always been good at studying and now had even found herself a job.

Seeing how thrilled the three of them were, Jiang Yao’s face lit up with barely contained happiness. She took the opportunity to propose:

“Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, now that I’ve just started working, can we put off the matchmaking for a while?”

“I still want to earn money for a few more years and be good to the three of you. If I marry, I won’t even be able to see you often, let alone take care of you.”

Jiang Yao rested her chin on her hand and sighed. “Just thinking about using the salary you all helped me earn to support you, only to have to consider my in-laws’ opinions—it really gets me down.”

She believed the Jiang family would understand her implication. She was painting them a pretty picture—giving them hope for her salary—to dissuade them from matchmaking for the time being.

She would later give part of her salary to improve their lives. After all, the Jiang family had genuinely loved the original Jiang Yao.

“Silly girl, your wages are for you to keep, save up and use as dowry. We have your grandfather and your father—you don’t need to support the family.”

“Your grandma’s right,” Jiang Chaomin added. “With me here, we don’t need your salary. Use it to get yourself some nice things, dress like the girls in the county.”

Looking at his daughter in her plain gray outfit, he wanted her to spend her money on herself. He was still young and not yet at the stage where he needed support from his children.

“As for matchmaking, it’s up to you. I won’t pressure you.”

“And matchmaking can wait until your sister-in-law comes back from her mother’s place,” added Li Guihua.

She was torn. On one hand, she was tempted to use her granddaughter’s new job as a shop assistant to find a proper city husband. But on the other hand, Deng Hongda, the current candidate, was from her daughter-in-law’s home brigade. If Jiang Yao were ever mistreated after marriage, the Jiang family could go to his village and demand justice for her.

If something happened, they’d hear about it quickly. But if she married into the city, where they knew no one, and Jiang Yao only told them the good and not the bad, they’d never know if she was being mistreated.

So, Li Guihua didn’t give a clear answer. She wanted to wait until the sister-in-law returned before making a final decision.

“Now that our Yao Yao has a job, she’s even more compatible with that Deng boy. She’ll have more confidence marrying into his family.”

Once she held the job for a year, her household registration could be transferred to the collective. Then her future children could have urban status and food ration booklets.

That would give her more say in the Deng family. If she lived in the county, she wouldn’t have to rely on her in-laws. If the whole family lived in the county, and her in-laws were petty, they might make comments about her being from the countryside.

“Yao Yao, Grandpa knows you’re reluctant to leave us, but a girl has to marry eventually. How about this: go meet the boy first.”

“If you like him, you don’t have to get married right away. Get engaged first, build some feelings, and then get married. What do you think?”

Jiang Jianguo had thought it through. His granddaughter was resisting matchmaking because she thought meeting someone meant immediate marriage. Leaving the home she’d known for over twenty years was terrifying.

But if she got to know the young man gradually and developed feelings, she might not be so resistant when the time came.

“Grandpa, let’s wait until my sister-in-law returns. You all should rest—I’m going to wash up now.”

Jiang Yao felt exhausted. Even after everything she said, only her father seemed to soften. Still, judging from her grandparents’ tone, they weren’t in a hurry to marry her off—that was progress.

Since they had all just encouraged her to keep her salary for herself, Jiang Yao felt even more warmth toward this family she’d only just joined. She didn’t mind using gentle persuasion to dissuade them from matchmaking.

If it had been the second branch of the family, Jiang Yao knew she wouldn’t have had the patience. She would’ve moved to the county as soon as she got the job, transferred her household registration, and lived life on her own terms.

“All right, go get some rest. Chaomin, you go back too. I can handle things here.”

After leaving the main house, Jiang Yao went to check the cabinet in the kitchen.

Since the family split, there were only a few people left in the household. Unlike other families in the brigade who locked their grain away or kept it in their bedrooms to prevent others from sneaking food and running out before the next ration, Li Guihua left a portion in an unlocked cabinet in the kitchen. The rest was stored in the cellar.

There wasn’t much in the cabinet—some cornmeal, sorghum rice, produce from their own plot, a small jar of pickled vegetables, and a half-used jar of lard.

Beside the cabinet were half a basket of sweet potatoes and a tub of potatoes—long-lasting staples.

Jiang Yao opened the cookbook that existed in her consciousness, looked at the available tasks, and frowned. Most were too complicated for how late it was.