When they reached the entrance of He Rujin’s apartment complex, Shen Zhihuan used the excuse of needing the restroom to ask Li Qiuhua and Xiao Weidong to wait under a sycamore tree nearby. She then quickly made her way to the complex.

“Mom, are we really going to eat shredded pork noodles and braised pork later?” Xiao Weidong asked while nibbling on his peach crips.

It was his first time eating such a delicious treat, and he couldn’t bear to eat it quickly. He took small bites, savoring its crisp and sweet flavor as much as possible.

“Weidong, after we get back home, you mustn’t tell anyone we came to the county today, understand?” Li Qiuhua looked around nervously to ensure no one was paying attention to them and reminded him again.

“Mom, I know,” Xiao Weidong nodded seriously.

Though he didn’t fully understand the conversation his mom and third sister had last night, he knew enough to keep family matters secret, not even sharing them with his friend Xiaopang (Little Fatty).

Inside the apartment complex, Shen Zhihuan navigated easily to He Rujin’s building. After knocking twice, the door opened to reveal He Rujin’s cheerful face.

“Sister, come in quickly,” He Rujin said with a smile, stepping aside to let her in.

Once Shen Zhihuan entered with her basket, He Rujin glanced around to ensure no neighbors were outside before firmly shutting the door.

“Sister He, I’ve brought this much today. Let me know if there’s anything you like,” Shen Zhihuan said, uncovering the old clothes hiding the fruit in her basket.

“Sister, if I don’t like your fruits, then there’s no good fruit left in the county,” He Rujin laughed.

Even her picky younger brother-in-law had sung praises about Shen Zhihuan’s fruits, not to mention the rare smile her mother-in-law had shown after tasting them.

Thinking back to that rare moment of approval from her strict, high-ranking mother-in-law, He Rujin felt a surge of satisfaction. For years, no matter how hard she tried to please her mother-in-law, the older woman always remained cold and indifferent.

Who would’ve thought that a few kilos of cherries could change the dynamic?

In the end, He Rujin kept everything: ten kilos of lychees, ten kilos of cherries, eight kilos of apples, and eight kilos of Shine Muscat grapes.

Shen Zhihuan priced the Shine Muscat grapes the same as the cherries, and the total came to 108.40 yuan. She accepted 105 yuan and some ration tickets, waiving the remainder. Additionally, she left the bruised fruits that He Rujin had set aside.

“This… I don’t know if I should…” He Rujin said, but her hands didn’t stop gathering the fruit.

“Sister He, don’t worry. The fruit may look bruised, but it tastes just as good,” Shen Zhihuan smiled and picked up her basket, preparing to leave.

Her mother and younger brother were still waiting outside, and she didn’t want to linger.

“Sister, I work at the county hospital. If anyone in your family gets sick, feel free to come to me,” He Rujin said, walking her to the door with a smile.

“Thank you, Sister He,” Shen Zhihuan replied with a smile.

People inevitably get sick, and having a connection in the hospital could be helpful—not necessarily for special treatment, but for reliable advice.

Outside, Xiao Weidong nibbled on his peach pastry while keeping his large, round eyes fixed on the apartment gate. As soon as Shen Zhihuan emerged, he rushed to her.

“Why were you gone so long? Are you feeling unwell?” Li Qiuhua asked, scanning her daughter with concern.

The moment Shen Zhihuan had left, Li Qiuhua regretted not going with her. Leaving her son alone was risky, as kidnappers could be lurking. Years ago, the son of Liu Ergou from a neighboring village had been abducted while playing outside, and they still hadn’t found him.

But taking her son along might’ve meant Shen Zhihuan couldn’t find them upon returning, creating another risk.

“No, I was just walking quickly and got a bit hot,” Shen Zhihuan said, wiping sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

“Mom, while I was in the restroom, I heard someone say the department store is nearby. Why don’t we check it out? Little Brother’s clothes are either too small or too torn; it’s time we got him a new outfit.”

In this era, there weren’t many places to shop besides supply and marketing cooperatives, department stores, and state-run food shops. For buying clothes, the department store was the best choice.

“Weidong’s clothes can be mended; they’re still wearable,” Li Qiuhua frowned.

In their village, kids wore clothes patched repeatedly, even adding extra length to make them last. Clothes weren’t discarded until they were beyond repair.

“Mom…” Shen Zhihuan pouted.

“Fine, we’ll buy them,” Li Qiuhua relented, smiling stiffly. She couldn’t resist her daughter’s pleas.

At the department store, they headed straight for the fabric counter. The shelves were lined with colorful fabrics organized by material, thickness, and price, filling an entire wall. Seasonal prints, poplin, and seersucker fabrics were displayed prominently, while out-of-season corduroy, wool, and tweed sat on lower shelves.

Shen Zhihuan pointed to a few plain cotton fabrics on the counter. “This one… and this one. Cut enough for my Little Brother to make two sets of clothes.”

“Zhihuan, didn’t you say just one outfit for Weidong? Why two now?” Li Qiuhua exclaimed, grabbing her daughter’s hand.

“Mom…” Shen Zhihuan pouted again.

“Fine, two it is,” Li Qiuhua said, forcing a smile as she withdrew her hand.

“Third Sister, I already have clothes,” Xiao Weidong whispered, tugging at Shen Zhihuan’s sleeve.

“Be good! I’ll buy you some White Rabbit candies later,” she said, ruffling his hair.

At five years old, she had only cared about eating and playing, unlike her sensible younger brother.

“You should get yourself some nice fabric too. I’ll sew you some clothes when we get back,” Li Qiuhua said, pulling out fabric ration tickets from her pocket.

“Okay!” Shen Zhihuan nodded with a smile but quickly turned to the counter and said, “These two floral prints—cut enough for my Mom to make two outfits.”

“Zhihuan, I have plenty of clothes…” Li Qiuhua started, but her daughter’s stern gaze made her stop.

The salesperson at the counter smiled warmly. “Ma’am, your daughter is so filial. Many little girls bring their parents to ask for this and that, but never mention buying anything for their parents. You’re very lucky.”