“Are you really going to the countryside, little sister?” Wu Ping’an’s face showed a trace of reluctance.  

Truth be told, the family had mentally prepared themselves for Xiaoxiao’s departure, but now that the decision was final, they couldn’t help but feel sad.  

“Her name’s already been submitted—she has to go,” Wu Chuanfang said firmly. “The train leaves next Wednesday, so hurry up and pack what you need.”  

She went on to explain the destination and the couple’s plans in detail.  

Xiaoxiao’s assigned commune wouldn’t change. Ideally, she’d be sent to Hongshan Brigade, but even if she ended up in another brigade under the same commune, it wouldn’t be too far, and they could still look after her.  

When Wu Pinghui returned, Wu Chuanfang also asked if she wanted to switch locations.  

It would be hard to squeeze into an already full brigade, but with some connections, they could arrange a transfer to one that still had openings. That way, the two sisters could stay together rather than be separated.  

“No way,” Wu Pinghui refused without hesitation. “How can we change things after they’ve already been decided? Going to the countryside is about contributing to our nation’s development. We can’t just—”  

“Enough, enough. Stop rambling,” Wu Chuanfang rolled her eyes.  

She had already known the answer before even asking. Despite her second daughter’s seemingly sharp and capable appearance, of all four siblings, she was the most foolish.  

No matter how much they tried to guide her, she wouldn’t listen, still smug in her own “cleverness.”  

Wu Ping’an scoffed. “So righteous. If Fang Gaoyang were assigned somewhere else, I bet you’d follow him in a heartbeat.”  

“…I wouldn’t!” Wu Pinghui retorted stubbornly.  

Ignoring the siblings’ bickering, Wu Chuanfang busied herself with preparations now that both daughters’ departures were confirmed.  

The Northeast was a good place.  

It was a high-yield region, and educated youths sent there could earn work points through labor. As long as they worked hard, they might not eat luxuriously, but at least they wouldn’t go hungry.  

But winters there were harsh. They’d need plenty of padded clothes and quilts, or else the entire season would be miserable.  

Wu Chuanfang didn’t expect her daughters to rely solely on work points to secure enough food and supplies. As their mother, she had to prepare for them in advance.  

Over the next few days, she did everything she could to exchange for national grain vouchers and industrial coupons, and she prepared two sets of winter clothes and quilts for each of them.  

Thankfully, Wu Chuanfang was an excellent saver. Before giving up her job, the combined salaries of her and her husband had been substantial. Even with four children to raise, they had managed to save a tidy sum every year.  

With money in hand, it didn’t take long before a pile of supplies filled the empty space in their home—all for the two sisters to take to the countryside.  

Seeing the stockpile at home, Rong Xiaoxiao felt increasingly reassured.  

These supplies would be her foundation for a decent life going forward.  

Aside from the family’s support, there was another crucial reason for her confidence—the small golden finger she gained from crossing over.  

A tiny space.

It was roughly one square meter in size.  

Extremely small—so small that it couldn’t even hold all the supplies prepared by the family—making it seem rather useless at first glance.  

However, after some experimentation and observation over the past few days, she realized that despite its size, the space was actually quite practical, especially in her current situation.  

The bottom of this one-square-meter space was soil.  

Any seed planted there would mature in just one day.  

It didn’t matter what kind of seed or how it was planted—within twenty-four hours, it would be ready for harvest.  

If she had an entire field like this, she could easily become a grain merchant.  

But alas, she only had this single square meter. Still, as long as she had it, she would never go hungry. She wouldn’t have to constantly rely on her family’s support or exhaust herself earning work points just to exchange for food.  

Through her experiments, she found that:  

– Planting potatoes yielded three catties (≈1.5 kg) per day.  

– Planting corn or barley yielded one to two catties (≈0.5–1 kg) per day.  

– Planting cabbage yielded two heads per day…  

This was more than enough for her daily needs. In fact, she could even stockpile extra, which could later be traded for other goods. If possible, she might even send some back home.  

At first glance, her family seemed well-off—living in town with both parents earning decent wages.  

But in this era, having money didn’t always mean you could spend it freely.  

In the cities, everyone’s food was rationed. Buying extra was nearly impossible unless one dared to venture into the black market.  

But for families with stable jobs, who would risk going to the black market unless absolutely desperate?  

Getting caught meant losing their jobs and possibly tarnishing their family’s political standing. Who would dare take that gamble?  

In the few months since Rong Xiaoxiao had transmigrated here, she had managed to eat just enough to get by. At most, her family had meat twice a month—and even that was considered better off than most in their compound.  

With two wage earners, shouldn’t they be able to afford meat more often?  

The problem wasn’t money—it was availability. There was simply nowhere to buy it, and few dared to trade for it.  

As for other rare or special foods, it all came down to luck. If you were lucky, you might find something at the supply and marketing cooperative. If not, even with money and ration tickets, there was nowhere to buy them.  

In short, everyone had their own struggles.  

Rong Xiaoxiao’s demands weren’t high. As long as she could eat well and avoid backbreaking labor, she’d be fine anywhere.  

Not being assigned to the same commune as her second sister was actually a blessing in disguise.  

Flying under the radar and quietly securing a comfortable life for herself was much easier alone. Having someone familiar around would only complicate things.  

Of course, even if Rong Xiaoxiao had wanted to stay together, Wu Pinghui would never have given up her “true love” for her little sister.

This was a classic case of ditching friends for love.  

The day before departure, Wu Chuanfang decided to prepare a feast so the family could gather one last time—who knew when they’d all be reunited again?  

Aside from the immediate family, Wu Chuanfang also told the eldest and third son to bring their future wives. Then, she turned to Pinghui and said, “You should invite that young man over too. Ask his parents when they’re free so both families can sit down and talk things through.”  

She truly disliked Fang Gaoyang.  

But since she couldn’t stop her daughter from following him, and with the two of them heading to an unfamiliar place without any elders to keep them in check, who knew what might happen?  

If she couldn’t stop them, then at least she could demand formal recognition—to settle her daughter’s future and give her some security.  

Wu Pinghui was baffled. “Why invite his parents?”  

Wu Chuanfang scoffed. “What else? To finalize your relationship! If we hurry, you two can even get your marriage certificate before leaving for the countryside.”  

Wu Pinghui’s face flushed crimson, and she waved her hands frantically. “Mom! We’re not like that! My relationship with Fang Gaoyang is purely revolutionary comradeship—it’s not what you think!”  

Wu Chuanfang laughed in exasperation. “Stop dodging the question. Just tell me straight—do you like him or not?”  

Wu Pinghui’s face burned, but she couldn’t bring herself to answer.  

“How could she not? She even spent her savings buying him clothes and shoes, yet this sister of mine has never even bought her own brother a piece of candy,” Wu Ping’an interjected, thoroughly exposing her.  

Wu Pinghui stomped her foot. “Who asked you?!”  

Wu Ping’an stuck out his tongue. “Dummy.”  

Enraged, Wu Pinghui raised her hand to hit him, but he dodged and continued twisting the knife. “I’ve never seen anyone as foolish as you. You give him gifts, spend your money, and all you get in return is a ‘pure revolutionary comradeship’ label. What kind of revolutionary comrade accepts clothes and shoes like that? Shameless.”  

“Wu Ping’an! You’re going too far!” Wu Pinghui’s eyes reddened, and she turned and fled to her room. Soon, muffled sobs could be heard from inside.  

Rong Xiaoxiao peeked over, wondering if she should go comfort her.  

Wu Ping’an scratched his head, regretting that he’d actually made her cry.  

In the end, Fang Gaoyang and his family didn’t show up for the farewell dinner.  

No one knew whether Wu Pinghui had never passed on the message or if it had simply been ignored.  

Aside from the immediate family, only the two soon-to-be daughters-in-law joined the gathering.  

The day was lively nonetheless.  

The family had splurged for once—three whole meat dishes graced the table, making it feel like New Year’s.  

Amid the cheerful chatter and laughter, Rong Xiaoxiao tuned out the conversation entirely. Her full attention was devoted to the meat dishes in front of her.