Luo Cheng bought a lot of food and ate freely, but even then, he could only manage three. His grandmother, worried that eating too much suddenly might upset her stomach, also ate three.

People in these times had been starving for so long that their digestive systems had adapted to prolonged hunger. Those who were constantly malnourished might not feel full even when they had eaten enough, making it possible to overeat and die from it.

When starved for an extended period, the sensation of fullness is often delayed. By the time the stomach has enough food, the body may still be sending false hunger signals. Many desperate people, unable to sense when they’ve eaten enough, ended up eating themselves to death.

This delay in feeling full meant they didn’t notice during the meal. It wasn’t until they rested for a while that they realized their stomachs were uncomfortably full.

Of course, this varied from person to person. At least, it couldn’t be analyzed from Luo Cheng’s perspective. In these times, most people lacked proper nutrition, so being able to eat a lot was considered normal. For instance, Luo Cheng’s father, Luo Wen, only ate one large flatbread—not because he couldn’t eat more, but because if he did, the food Luo Cheng bought wouldn’t be enough.

Each flatbread weighed over half a jin (about 300 grams). Luo Cheng could feel full from it, but for his father, it only slightly satisfied his hunger.

“Shishi, take two flatbreads and give one to Aunt Zhao and the other to Aunt Li,” Luo Xiaoyu and Luo Shishi were eating flatbreads in their room when their mother called out to them.

Such errands were typically assigned to Shishi since she was the youngest in the family.

Aunt Zhao and Aunt Li were neighbors who lived nearby. As the saying goes, “Distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors.” In times like these, maintaining good relationships with neighbors was important. If emergencies arose, neighbors were the ones you could rely on for help.

In earlier years, when harvests were better, children often visited each other’s homes to play and would usually get some snacks. Back then, food was already considered valuable, but it wasn’t as scarce as it had been in the past two years.

Each flatbread was only about half a jin. With the eldest son returning home, giving a flatbread to the neighbors was a gesture of goodwill—a way to show they hadn’t forgotten them.

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“Uncle, remember to bring a stool and come to our house for lunch. Aunt and Qiangzi are coming too, and don’t forget to bring a cloth bag,” Luo Bing said to his uncle, Luo Wu, early in the morning to inform him and ensure he’d have no conflicting plans. His other uncle, Luo Quan, who lived closer, had already been informed.

“It’s been years since I’ve seen your brother. I wonder how much he’s changed. Bingzi, go on with your tasks; we’ll be there on time.”

Luo Bing’s message was clear—Luo Cheng had returned, and they’d soon be going to the grain station to buy food. Although there might not be much food, Luo Wen’s family wanted to support their siblings. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked them to bring a bag.

Among brothers, there was no need for formalities. Luo Wu and Luo Quan were both farmers and worked in the same production team, so they were well aware of each other’s circumstances.

After leaving Luo Wu’s house, Luo Bing headed to his aunt’s home. Unlike his uncles, who lived nearby and were easier to keep in touch with, his aunts, having married into other families, lived far away. Recently, there hadn’t been much interaction with them. Still, since they were also married into rural families, their circumstances were well understood—none of them were living well.

In these times, having a decent life was nearly impossible unless one held a government job that provided commercial grain. Business was prohibited, and farmland was collective property. Even in good harvest years, most households only raised a few chickens, with few able to afford pigs or cattle.

Perhaps his aunts felt embarrassed returning to their maternal home empty-handed, which explained the lack of contact. They were also aware of Luo Wen’s situation—having many children, most of whom were at an age where they ate more than they contributed. As the eldest son, Luo Wen also bore the primary responsibility for supporting the elderly.

In these times, caring for parents wasn’t a shared responsibility as it often was in later generations. Typically, parents lived with the eldest son, while other sons moved out when they started their own families. Any possessions the parents left behind were also primarily passed down to the eldest son.

During holidays, other children might bring some gifts when visiting their parents, but beyond that, contributions were limited.

If parents were healthy, they could often assist the eldest son’s household. But if they were old and frail, they became more of a burden.

This custom was prevalent in many places: benefits and responsibilities were intertwined. In families with multiple children, younger siblings rarely competed with the eldest for inheritance. From a young age, rural children were taught that most family resources belonged to the eldest. If disputes arose, neither relatives nor outsiders would side with the dissenters.

Luo Cheng’s eldest aunt, Luo Juan, lived relatively close, while his younger aunt, Luo Hong, lived a little farther away, in a more remote direction. However, in terms of actual distance, there wasn’t much difference between the two homes.

“Juanzi, don’t be mad. It’s not like I have a choice. I know Yuanyuan is still young, but she’s already fourteen, and it’s not like she can’t get married. This year’s harvest is poor, and we barely have any work points. The grain we’re allocated won’t be enough to get through the year.”

Luo Juan and Wang Lin (Luo Juan’s husband) were already awake. The harvest had been completed long ago, and there wasn’t much farm work left in the village. At most, they could plant some hardy vegetables, but seeds often had to be borrowed from the village on credit.

Early in the morning, the two had gotten into a heated argument in bed. Wang Lin wasn’t the eldest son in his family. Shortly after marrying Luo Juan, he had split from his family and moved out. This wasn’t because marriage required separation, but there simply wasn’t enough space for everyone to live together.

For instance, if Luo Cheng were to get married under the current conditions, his two sisters would likely be forced to sleep in the woodshed.

Wang Lin’s parents were still healthy and could earn work points. While they could provide some support, Wang Lin’s elder brother also had several children. His eldest nephew was already married with children, meaning Wang Lin’s parents prioritized helping the elder brother’s family.

Wang Lin’s family, on the other hand, was struggling through famine. It wasn’t that his parents didn’t want to help; they simply couldn’t.

If the famine had lasted only a year, rural families could manage. But after two years, Wang Lin’s parents had already helped multiple times. Each time they helped, his sister-in-law complained, as her own family was also starving. They couldn’t all afford to die of hunger.

Wang Lin’s current situation was dire. His family lived on thin porridge daily. Their eldest daughter, Wang Yue, was fourteen—old enough to work in the fields and earn work points, even if counted minimally. However, she stayed home to care for her younger siblings because the family had too many young children.

Wang Lin proposed marrying off Wang Yue to reduce the burden on the household. At fourteen, rural girls could marry, and he wasn’t expecting a large bride price—just enough to ease their situation. If the groom’s family was decent, they could marry her off for a modest price.

However, if the prospective groom was older, unattractive, or had other shortcomings, a higher bride price would be required.

While Wang Lin considered this plan practical, Luo Juan opposed it. Though early marriages existed in rural areas, they were rare, and most girls married at sixteen or older. Even then, Luo Juan wanted her daughter to marry a good man, not someone chosen purely for grain or money.

“Aunt, Aunt, are you home?”

“Who… Who is it? It sounds like Bingzi.”

While arguing, Luo Juan heard a familiar voice outside. Since their house was separated from the village’s densely populated area, she was sure the call was directed at them.

“Could it be someone from your family, coming to borrow food?” Wang Lin said in surprise. It wasn’t an unreasonable guess—relatives visiting outside of holidays often meant they needed help, especially with food. Even hosting a meal could be a challenge for many families.

“Why can’t my family visit just to see me? Maybe my nephew just misses me. I’m going to check.”

While annoyed by her husband’s assumption, Luo Juan couldn’t help but worry. If Bingzi really was here to borrow food, how could she refuse without straining their relationship?

“Bingzi, it really is you! Why have you come here? Is something wrong?”

Seeing her nephew, Luo Juan smiled, though her heart was still uneasy. She feared he might be here to ask for food, something her family couldn’t spare.

“Aunt, my eldest brother has returned from the military. My grandmother and father asked me to invite you all to our house for lunch today. Father said to bring Uncle, my cousins, and don’t forget to bring stools and bowls. Both Uncle Luo Wu and Uncle Luo Quan will be there too. After this, I need to go to our younger aunt’s house to inform her as well.”

“What? Your eldest brother is back? That’s wonderful news! Your uncle and I have been thinking about him constantly. Of course, we’ll go! Oh, this is such good news. You must be tired from walking. Come inside and have some water.”

Hearing that her eldest nephew, Luo Cheng, had returned, Aunt Luo Juan was genuinely delighted. Her worries that Luo Bing might have come to borrow food quickly dissipated. After all, gathering the brothers and sisters for a meal meant the family was doing reasonably well. Otherwise, even close relatives would feel embarrassed about hosting a meal in these difficult times.

“Aunt, no need. I’m not tired right now. I’ll drink some water when I get to our younger aunt’s house. After that, I need to return home to go with Father and my brother to the grain station to buy food. Father said to remind you to bring a cloth sack. My brother received some money and ration coupons from the military.”

Luo Bing explained thoughtfully, choosing his words carefully. Asking them to bring a sack clearly implied that they’d receive some food. Mentioning that it was thanks to Luo Cheng’s coupons and money subtly highlighted the elder brother’s contribution, ensuring his efforts wouldn’t go unnoticed.

Of course, the Luo family hoped that Luo Cheng would never find himself in such dire straits as to ask for help. This was more about maintaining familial bonds and mutual care.