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After finishing their meal, it was already past ten o’clock.
Realizing they still had time, Ye Xin was eager to make the most of it. “Let’s explore the black market in the county! I haven’t bought any meat yet, and I bet the selection here is better than in town. Just thinking about beef and lamb makes my mouth water!”
She also wanted to check the grain prices. In the town, she hadn’t dared to sell rice and only sold some paddy, as rice fetched a better price. She had a good stash of rice in her space and planned to trade some for meat.
So, after lunch, Ye Xin and Shen Zhuo set off to wander the streets of Jinhe County, exploring the unfamiliar alleys with their backpacks.
Jinhe County was named after its rivers, particularly during the rainy summers when the rivers swelled and the water turned muddy. To avoid calling it “Muddy River,” they opted for the more appealing name “Golden River.” As they strolled, they passed the county hospital, a park, and a school, gaining a rough understanding of the county’s layout.
However, Ye Xin knew the black market wouldn’t be found on these main roads, so she suggested they venture into the quieter alleys.
It wasn’t long before they stumbled upon a small alley, where they encountered two officers wearing red armbands. They called out loudly, “Where are you from, and what are you doing here?”
This time, Shen Zhuo stepped in front of Ye Xin, answering quickly, “We’re from the countryside, just here to buy some things.”
Ye Xin kept her head down, slightly disgusted by the encounter, but they both knew better than to provoke these men and forced themselves to endure it.
The officers scrutinized their identification and letters of introduction, grilling them about which commune and brigade they belonged to, when they arrived, what they had purchased, and when they planned to leave.
After a thorough investigation, they finally allowed the two to pass.
Once outside the alley, Ye Xin felt a wave of relief wash over her. This encounter had made her realize just how strict the authorities were here compared to the town, and the black market likely posed some risks. She scolded herself for being so reckless and adventurous in an unfamiliar place.
“I think we should head back,” she told Shen Zhuo, turning on her heel.
He nodded in agreement, “Yeah.”
He didn’t want to linger in the county either. The way that officer had been staring at Ye Xin made him uneasy.
Though the Fengshui Brigade was relatively quiet and isolated, rumors from the outside world had a way of creeping in. He had heard plenty of disturbing tales while working.
The pair made their way directly to the bus station.
They arrived just in time to catch a bus at noon. They sat down, and the bus started moving almost immediately.
The bus was cramped and had an unpleasant odor. Ye Xin, worried she might feel nauseous, leaned over to Shen Zhuo and whispered, “Can you get that scarf out and wrap it around my neck?”
Concerned for her, Shen Zhuo immediately pulled out his black wool scarf from his backpack and handed it to her.
Ye Xin wrapped it around her neck twice, covering her face as well. The thick wool helped filter out the smell of gasoline, replacing it with the comforting scent of new fabric. It felt warm and soft against her skin, and she sighed in relief.
When she looked up, she saw Shen Zhuo watching her. She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling.
Seeing her smile eased his worries, but he couldn’t help but keep glancing at her.
The scarf covered the lower half of her face, and her thick, dark hair framed her features. Only her big, bright eyes were visible, accentuating her fair, flawless skin. She looked exceptionally beautiful.
The bus journey stretched on for over two hours, and by the time they arrived back in Hongze Town, Ye Xin felt disoriented from all the bumps.
As soon as they got off the bus, Ye Xin removed the scarf and handed it back to Shen Zhuo, taking deep breaths of the fresh air.
After catching their breath, they began to walk.
Since they hadn’t bought any food in the county and it was now afternoon, the agricultural market was likely empty. They whispered among themselves before finally deciding to knock on the door of the Chen family courtyard.
Today wasn’t a market day, so the shop usually wouldn’t be open. However, since they were regulars, Chen Er welcomed them in with a smile.
Once inside, Ye Xin felt a bit apologetic. “Sorry, Brother Chen. We had some business in the county yesterday and just got back. Before heading home, I wanted to buy some food. I’ve grown so used to buying from you that it feels incomplete not to stop by, so I hope you don’t mind us dropping in.”
Chen Er, a towering figure with a boisterous personality, chuckled. “No problem at all! We still have goods, just not arranged as neatly as usual. Business is business; you’re always welcome!” He gestured for them to follow him to the left room.
As Ye Xin scanned the courtyard, she asked, “Is it just you here today, Brother Chen?”
He nodded. “Yes, the others are out gathering supplies. I’m just here keeping an eye on things.”
Understanding dawned on her. It made sense that the other brothers were out hunting for goods while Chen Er, being the strongest among them, was left behind to ‘guard the fort.’
Upon entering the room, Ye Xin noticed that the usual display of meat and eggs wasn’t as orderly as before. Chen Er asked what they needed and then fetched items from the cabinet to weigh out for them.
As always, Ye Xin picked up some meat and eggs, then inquired about beef and lamb.
Chen Er shook his head. “Those are tough to come by. We don’t slaughter cows often, and the meat plants can’t keep up with demand. As for lamb, we don’t raise many sheep around here, and most people aren’t fond of the smell, so we hardly see any.”
Sighing in disappointment, Ye Xin settled for some mountain mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, along with ten pounds of flour.
By the end of her purchases, it came to just over ten yuan.
Chen Er’s face lit up. He had recognized that this girl always bought a lot and considered her a valued customer. His brothers had even remarked that they should give her a discount since she was such a regular. Just yesterday, they had seen her lugging in over a hundred pounds of grain and off-season vegetables to sell, which had only raised her profile in their eyes.
After finishing their shopping, they exited through the back door and wound their way through the narrow alley back to the main street.
Passing by the post office, Ye Xin decided to pop in for a moment.
To her surprise, there was a letter waiting for her—her family had sent it, and the postman hadn’t had the chance to deliver it yet. She took a quick glance at the address but decided to wait before reading it.
After asking if there were any packages for her and hearing that there weren’t, she looked into the mailbox and found letters from Zheng Wenwen and Zhao Zhonghua, two educated youth. She took those as well.
Next, they headed to Doctor Xu’s shop to retrieve her bicycle. Doctor Xu lived in the town and opened his pharmacy daily. The bike, which had been tucked away in a corner of the shop, had been moved to the back where his family lived due to concerns about prying eyes. They expressed their sincere gratitude once again.
As they prepared to ride back at the town’s entrance, Ye Xin insisted that Shen Zhuo put on the new windproof gear they had just purchased.
Shen Zhuo hesitated. “But it’s not cold yet, and the sun is still up. I’ll probably get hot once we start riding.”
Ye Xin insisted, “Even if it’s warm, your head, neck, and limbs can get chilled by the wind. You should wear it.”
He remained reluctant. “It feels a bit flashy. Buying all these things from the county…what if people see?”
Ye Xin rolled her eyes slightly. “It’s just some small items, not new clothes. What’s flashy about that? We bought them to wear, or else we’re just wasting money!”
Eventually, Shen Zhuo couldn’t argue any longer. He reluctantly donned the gloves and scarf, which were less conspicuous. He decided against the hat and earmuffs, finding them too eye-catching for the moment.
Ye Xin smiled, satisfied, and hopped on the bicycle as he pedaled them home.
They returned to Liangshuitang around four-thirty, just as the sun was setting and a chill began to settle in.
Ye Xin instructed Shen Zhuo to head up the hill first while she went to the educated youth dormitory to deliver the letters for Zheng Wenwen and Zhao Zhonghua.
Since the educated youth hadn’t worked that day, they were busy preparing dinner in their small plots. When they heard that Ye Xin had brought their letters, they hurried out, pleasantly surprised and grateful.
Zheng Wenwen exclaimed, “I was just saying how long it’s been since I received a letter! I was thinking of going to the town the day after tomorrow. You’ve saved me a trip!”
Zhao Zhonghua added, “Thank you, Ye Xin!”
“Ah, it’s nothing,” Ye Xin waved her hand dismissively.
Just as she turned to leave, Sun Weiqiang peeked his head out, his eyes fixated on her basket. Unfortunately, the straw covered it too well for him to make out what was inside, so he asked directly, “Ye Xin, I heard you and Shen Zhuo went to the county yesterday. Did you just get back?”
Liu Hongxia couldn’t hold back her curiosity either. “What did you buy? Any good stuff?”
Their questions drew the attention of the others around them.
Ye Xin sighed, knowing she had to respond. “What good stuff could I get? With the end of the year approaching, I wanted to use up the fabric coupons my family had given me before they expired. I also picked up some salt, kerosene, and other daily necessities. And since Shen Zhuo has to get up early for a long trip, I went with him to buy some gloves, a hat, and a flashlight.”
As she spoke, she brushed aside some of the straw from her basket to reveal a piece of deep blue fabric. Although it was just a glimpse, it satisfied their curiosity, and her detailed explanation made it seem credible enough for them to believe her.
Ye Xin understood these people well: the more you tried to conceal something, the more they wanted to pry. It was better to throw them a few bones to keep them quiet.
Sun Weiqiang smirked, “You’re really treating Shen Zhuo well these days.”
Ye Xin chuckled at his remark. “We’ve been living together, so who else should I treat well if not him?”
Sun Weiqiang was momentarily speechless.
Ye Xin continued, “But I can’t take credit for being nice; all the money comes from his medicinal herb sales. I’m just tagging along to see what’s out there.”
Liu Hongxia chimed in, “Your lives seem to be getting better. Didn’t you bring back some meat to celebrate?”
Ye Xin sighed dramatically. “If we hadn’t bought all that, we could’ve splurged on some meat to indulge ourselves. But it’s not even New Year, so why bother? We might as well stick to the cabbages and radishes from the fields.”
With that, she decided to cut off the conversation and waved at Zheng Wenwen and the others. “You all carry on. I’m heading back to make dinner.”
Zheng Wenwen waved back, watching Ye Xin’s petite figure as she walked away with her large basket. Then she turned back to the two gossipers. “Honestly, I think even a dog passing by would end up as a topic of conversation with you two.”
Liu Hongxia didn’t feel she had done anything wrong. “We’re just chatting. It’s not a big deal.”
Sun Weiqiang scoffed. “Oh, please. As if you’re not the least bit curious!”
As Ye Xin walked a few steps up the slope, she spotted Shen Zhuo waiting for her halfway.
She hurriedly approached him. “Didn’t I tell you to head back first? I was just chatting for a bit.”
Shen Zhuo replied, “I didn’t wait long. I was taking a break.”
In truth, he recalled the last time she spoke with the educated youth, she had seemed a bit down afterward. He was concerned that it might happen again.
After spending so much time together, he had begun to feel as if they had been living side by side for ages. It was only when they encountered other educated youth that he was reminded of her background, the fact that she came from a distant, unfamiliar place.
He didn’t want her to socialize too much with the others, fearing she might fall into that same melancholy again, or even worse, grow distant from him.
Oblivious to his complex feelings, Ye Xin simply thought he was waiting for her to return home together. She cheerfully said, “Let’s go! I need to feed the chickens!”
Hearing her familiar tone relaxed Shen Zhuo’s heart, and he pushed the bicycle up the hill.
As they rode, Ye Xin vented about the earlier conversation. “Some people are just so nosy, asking what we bought.”
Shen Zhuo smirked, “Just ignore them.”
Ye Xin replied, “It was just about delivering letters this time. I usually don’t even hang around them.” It was a bit frustrating; she felt her good deed had been met with unnecessary gossip.
Then she remembered something and said, “When you show off your new hat, water bottle, and lunch box, they’ll be dying to guess how much you spent!”
Shen Zhuo shrugged nonchalantly. “Let them guess. I won’t pay them any mind.”
Ye Xin’s smile brightened. “Exactly! We bought these nice things to use, not to hide away. Let them be envious!”
Shen Zhuo glanced at her, knowing she was deliberately saying this to reassure him not to worry about what others thought.
She was so thoughtful, so attentive…so wonderful.