Chapter 19

Making jam didn’t really require much skill. In the later days of the apocalypse, when supplies were scarce, Gu Yueqian had built up strong survival skills. Forget about just making jam—even if she had to live alone deep in the mountains for a month, it would feel no different than going back to her hometown.

The little stove was easy to control, and before long, she had finished cooking down a whole pot of blueberries. She found a lidded ceramic jar to hold the jam. The freshly made jam gleamed like oil mixed with honey, shining brightly under the sunlight.

“Yao Yao, come taste this.”

Gu Yueqian scooped out a spoonful. Just as Lu Yao had set the pig grass to boil, she came over. At a glance, she saw the dazzling blue jam and the leftover yellow rock sugar on the side. She couldn’t help but sigh—her sister-in-law was far too generous. Rock sugar was an incredibly rare and precious thing!

If the sister-in-law across the way knew about this, she would definitely scold her for being wasteful, then throw herself on the ground screaming and rolling around.

But her brother was different. He would only praise his wife for being amazing!

Just as she was thinking that, her mouth was stuffed with a spoonful of jam. The sweet fragrance mixed with the blueberry’s unique tartness—it was so delicious that for a moment, Lu Yao nearly cried out loud.

The little girl covered her mouth in disbelief. “So good! Is this what jam is? It’s even better than sugar!”

Gu Yueqian smiled, then ladled two spoonfuls into each of several bowls. It wasn’t much, but in these times it was already a great luxury. Who else would be willing to use rock sugar to make jam?

In an era where people barely had enough to eat, this was pure extravagance. So two spoonfuls was already plenty.

“Take some to the brigade leader’s family, to Xiuyun’s house, and to the one who sold meat to your brother. Do you know who that is?”

“I know—the accountant’s house!” Lu Yao nodded.

“Mm. And also the three households who go with us to gather firewood and cut pig grass. Give each family a share.” Gu Yueqian portioned out the jam.

“All of them? That much?” Lu Yao’s heart ached. This was her sister-in-law’s treat—she herself hadn’t dared to eat much, and now her sister-in-law was giving most of it away.

Gu Yueqian tapped her on the nose with a smile. She had her own reasons. “Go on, be good.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” The little girl loaded the bowls into their big eating basin and dashed out in a flash. She didn’t really understand, but if her sister-in-law said to give them away, then she would.

Lu Yao first ran to the brigade leader’s house. Just as luck would have it, he had come home midway. “Brigade Leader, my sister-in-law said this is for you.”

She handed him a bowl without waiting for him to respond, then took off to deliver the next.

“This child—slow down, you’ll trip!”

Carrying things in her arms, and she still ran so fast. Shaking his head helplessly, Lu Zhenzhong finally looked down at what he was holding. At first he couldn’t tell what it was, but after dipping a finger in for a taste, he realized—it was sugar!

The taste was unusual—sweet, but with a fruity note. The bluish color threw him off for a moment, but remembering the wild blueberries from a few days ago, he suddenly understood.

“Blueberries with sugar?” He had tried a few wild blueberries before, but they were so sour he didn’t care for them.

Who would’ve thought you could cook them with sugar into something like this? A waste of sugar, really!

Still, he couldn’t help admiring Lu Cheng’s wife for knowing how to deal with people. Last time, he had merely spoken a few fair words in her favor, and now she sent over sugar treats the very next day. Quickly, he carried the bowl inside. He wasn’t about to eat it himself—he’d save it for the children as a snack.

After dropping off the brigade leader’s share, Lu Yao went on to Xiuyun’s house, the accountant’s family, and the others. Once she’d made all the deliveries, she ran back to report in.

But barely had she returned when Xiuyun came over with two eggs in hand.

Her family hadn’t wanted to accept the jam, but since Lu Yao had dropped it off and run away, and because Xiuyun had learned that morning that her sister-in-law was pregnant, she’d suggested giving two eggs in return.

They kept an old hen at home, and every so often it laid a couple of eggs. They rarely ate them, saving them to sell at the supply and marketing cooperative for a little cash.

So Xiuyun’s grandmother fetched two, washed them, and sent Xiuyun to deliver them.

“Lu Yao-sis, my grandma said this is for you. I’m off!” Xiuyun put the eggs down and dashed away again, leaving Gu Yueqian both amused and helpless.

Lu Yao hurried to pick up the eggs and put them inside. “Sister-in-law, Xiuyun is really such a good person.”

Gu Yueqian nodded. “It’s thanks to them looking after you all these years.”

She scooped out two more spoonfuls for Lu Yao. The girl grinned sheepishly, using her chopsticks to savor the jam bit by bit while sitting on the threshold, her eyes squinting shut from the sweetness.

The sisters-in-law were still laughing together when two educated youths returned from work. Since they were newcomers, they’d been given lighter duties to help them adapt. Even so, having never done such heavy labor before, they looked completely worn out.

As soon as Liu Jilan came back, she saw Lu Yao grinning on the doorstep and blurted, “What are you eating that makes you so happy?”

Gu Yueqian noticed them, and also spotted Wen Yan walking behind. She hadn’t taken a good look yesterday, but today she saw clearly—Wen Yan really was refined, scholarly, and carried herself with grace.

In the original story, after Wen Yan was reborn and sent down to the countryside, she approached Lu Cheng’s family on her own, suggesting they eat together. Because Lu Cheng worked hard and had many chores at home, Wen Yan often helped Lu Yao. The little girl grew very fond of her.

Gu Yueqian smiled. “I made blueberry jam. Comrade Liu, Comrade Wen, would you like to try some?”

“Jam?” Liu Jilan’s eyes lit up. She leaned over for a peek, then hurried back to grab bowls for herself and Wen Yan. “Thanks, sister-in-law, then I won’t be polite.”

She dipped in a finger to taste first. At once her eyes sparkled. “So sweet! So good! What is this made from? It’s even sweeter than sugar!”

Gu Yueqian laughed. “Wild blueberries and rock sugar.”

“Rock sugar!” Liu Jilan winced. This sister-in-law of Lu Cheng’s was really generous. Rock sugar! People usually couldn’t even bear to eat it.

She immediately regretted her carelessness. How much rock sugar must have gone into this? It must have been worth a fortune, and yet she had so shamelessly come and asked for a share. She felt both guilty and embarrassed.

She handed Wen Yan her bowl. Wen Yan accepted it and turned straight back to her room.

Liu Jilan followed after. At the door, she glanced back, embarrassed, and said, “Thanks for the jam, sister-in-law. If you ever need help, just call me, I’ll be there right away.”

“No need to be so formal,” Gu Yueqian said with a smile.

Back inside, after shutting the door and windows, Liu Jilan beat her chest in frustration. “Why can’t I fix this bad habit of mine? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have asked. So embarrassing…”

“It’s nothing—just a little sugar.”

Just sugar… Liu Jilan choked on the words. “Maybe for your family. My family isn’t that well-off.”

She thought Wen Yan looked a little upset. Just as she was about to ask if it was because of the exhausting fieldwork, Wen Yan said, “In the future, don’t touch my things without my permission.”

“I’m sorry…” Liu Jilan regretted it all over again. She really hadn’t thought it through—what a mess she’d made.

Then she saw Wen Yan stand up and pour the jam out.

Liu Jilan’s eyes went wide. “Why did you throw it away?”

“I don’t eat other people’s food.”