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After dinner, the sky had completely darkened. Shen Zhuo was busy washing the dishes and urged Ye Xin, “Hurry and get some water for your bath; it’ll get cold soon.”
“Okay!” Ye Xin called back as she headed to her room for a basin. Winter was different from summer; hot water cooled down quickly.
Shen Zhuo usually bathed with cold water, having grown accustomed to it even in winter. Ye Xin couldn’t stand it and insisted he should use hot water instead. He agreed but preferred to wash in the yard rather than indoors, as it felt less hassle. Just hearing about his cold water baths made Ye Xin shiver.
However, bathing inside was indeed a hassle—worried about wetting the floor, she always felt clumsy, unable to wash thoroughly.
As she scooped hot water into her basin, she mused aloud, “We really should build a proper bathing room; it would make things so much easier.”
While Shen Zhuo didn’t mind too much, he wanted her to be comfortable. Hearing her suggestion, he contemplated the yard layout and replied, “Let’s build it on the right side of the yard, near where we hang the clothes.”
Ye Xin nodded in agreement. “But we can’t use mud bricks for a bathing room; they’ll get damaged when wet and get dirty easily. Wood wouldn’t be a good idea either. Do we have any brick kilns nearby?”
Shen Zhuo happened to know, “I heard from Huang Zhihao from the same production team that in October, they dug a new brick kiln in his village and expanded to form a brick and tile factory.”
Ye Xin recalled Huang’s village; during a heavy summer rain, many roofs leaked, and they bought thirty new tiles from that factory to repair them.
Bricks and tiles were heavy, and since the production team handled the purchase collectively, it had been convenient for everyone. However, if they were to buy bricks themselves, transportation would be an issue; bicycles wouldn’t cut it.
After a moment of thought, Ye Xin suggested, “You should ask him tomorrow what kind of bricks they’re making, how they’re priced, and whether they can deliver. Also, let’s find out how many bricks we’ll need for the bathing room before making any decisions.”
Shen Zhuo nodded, jotting down her requests. “Okay, I’ll ask him tomorrow.”
With that, Ye Xin finished collecting hot water and went to wash up.
The next morning, Shen Zhuo found Huang Zhihao and asked about the bricks as Ye Xin had instructed.
Huang Zhihao looked surprised. “Your family wants to buy bricks?”
“Just checking,” Shen Zhuo replied.
Though Huang was from Huangjia Village, he didn’t work at the brick and tile factory and wasn’t fully informed. He could only jot down Shen Zhuo’s questions. “I’ll ask my family tonight and let you know tomorrow.”
Ye Xin resumed her routine of working half a day and staying home the other half. Since she was expecting Zheng Wenwen and Wang Xiaowei for a visit in the afternoon, she left some charcoal burning after lunch and tidied up the kitchen and living room, making sure to put away any delicate food items like grains, meat, eggs, and oil.
Although Zheng Wenwen and Wang Xiaowei seemed like sensible individuals, caution was essential in this era.
Once everything was in order, she took a short nap.
She was just waking up when she heard a knock at the door. Opening it, she found the two guests had arrived, and she welcomed them inside.
As soon as they stepped in, they curiously surveyed the yard. It was square, neat, and devoid of clutter, giving a bright and comfortable feel.
Zheng Wenwen exclaimed, “Having a yard makes all the difference! It’s so spacious compared to our cramped quarters!”
Wang Xiaowei looked around, feeling a bit nostalgic. “It reminds me of home; we also have yards in every household back where I come from.”
Ye Xin certainly appreciated the spaciousness but played it down a bit, saying, “It’s just that we’re on a hillside, so there’s a bit more room. Sure, it’s spacious, but climbing up and down can be exhausting.”
They all thought about it and realized that even coming up empty-handed was a bit strenuous. If they had to carry something heavy, it would be a different story.
Wang Xiaowei’s eyes landed on the small chicken coop to the left of the gate. “You’re raising chickens?” she asked.
“Yes, we’ve had them for over two months now. We bought them from Grandma Wu at the eastern end of the village,” Ye Xin replied.
Wang Xiaowei nodded. “I remember her. I bought two chickens before, but they didn’t survive; I wasn’t very good at raising them. I was thinking of trying again, but with the cold weather, I’ll wait until spring.”
She squatted down to take a closer look and noticed a rooster and four hens, all healthy and lively, their feathers shiny and the coop clean with no unpleasant odors. “You’re doing a great job!” she praised.
Zheng Wenwen, who had never raised chicks before, looked on curiously. “You have four hens? That means you can collect eggs, right?”
Ye Xin shrugged. “I wish! I check every day, but I come back empty-handed. It’s been frustrating.”
Wang Xiaowei chuckled, “It takes at least three months for them to start laying eggs.”
Zheng Wenwen noticed a neatly stacked pile of wood next to the chicken coop and asked Ye Xin what it was for. Ye Xin explained that they planned to expand the coop.
“Just yesterday morning, we talked about it, and that evening, Shen Zhuo went out to gather some suitable wood. I saw him carving it this morning before I left for work, but I don’t know how late he worked on it.”
She couldn’t help but admire his attention to detail; not only were the logs neatly arranged, but he also cleaned up all the wood shavings. Maybe it was because she mentioned that guests would be visiting today.
Once the two women finished examining the yard, Ye Xin said, “Why don’t you both sit in the living room? I’ll get you some water.”
Zheng Wenwen waved her hand. “Don’t be so polite; we’re not guests!”
Wang Xiaowei chimed in, “How about giving us a tour of your vegetable garden instead?”
“Perfect! That makes it easier for me,” Ye Xin agreed. “The garden is out back; follow me.”
As they stepped into the backyard, the sight before them was breathtaking.
A flat area was divided into several small plots, all neat and orderly, like tiny squares, each planted with different vegetables. The cabbages looked like precious emeralds, the round-headed ones were plump, the radish greens were lush, and the celery was a vibrant green. There were no weeds, no discarded vegetable scraps or rotten leaves—each row was distinct and impeccably tidy.
Surrounding the garden were evenly sized branches arranged in a crisscross pattern, forming a beautiful fence that brought to mind poetic imagery of pastoral landscapes.
Zheng Wenwen couldn’t help but widen her eyes. “You manage your vegetable garden so well! Compared to ours, it’s practically a wild field!”
Wang Xiaowei was equally impressed. “No wonder you can grow vegetables to sell; you’ve clearly put in a lot of effort.”
Ye Xin smiled, “I usually tend to the garden after work, so it looks neat.”
As they took in the garden, the two women continued to express their admiration. They noticed that every vegetable looked vibrant and healthy, and they saw a circle of young fruit trees along the edge, alongside some scraggly medicinal herbs that seemed to be struggling.
Ye Xin explained each one as they went along.
Zheng Wenwen looked at the thriving vegetable garden, a twinge of envy in her voice. “I didn’t understand you before, but now I do. Shen Zhuo’s family has a spacious yard and a separate garden. That alone makes life so much more comfortable!”
Ye Xin smiled, and once they finished touring the garden, she led them to the kitchen.
Despite their insistence that it was unnecessary, she still poured them each a cup of hot water. She would have liked to make tea, but they didn’t have any.
“This kitchen needs some work; it’s drafty,” Zheng Wenwen said as she sat down.
“Not everything can be perfect,” Ye Xin replied with a laugh.
After pouring everyone a bowl of water, she brought out some dried sweet potatoes as snacks and filled a battered pot with charcoal to provide some warmth. The three of them gathered around the charcoal fire, chatting amiably.
They had all been busy lately, and Ye Xin hadn’t noticed how cold it was. Since winter started, she hadn’t used charcoal for warmth, but now, sitting around the fire felt delightful, creating a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of a gathering for tea by the hearth, warm and relaxing.
Zheng Wenwen took a piece of dried sweet potato and nodded in approval. “This is pretty good! But don’t you guys cook porridge?”
Ye Xin couldn’t help but sigh as memories of endless sweet potato porridge came rushing back. “Of course we do! It’s just that we can’t eat it anymore, and they tend to sprout. So we’ve been cooking and drying them instead.”
Zheng Wenwen sighed as well. “We’re in the same boat. We’re tired of eating them, but we have no choice; it’s our only way to fill our stomachs. By the end of the year, we’ll be out of sweet potatoes too.”
Ye Xin reflected on how hard it was to find enough to eat in these times. “We’re running low too; our grain bin is nearly empty.”
Suddenly, Zheng Wenwen had a thought. “Shen Zhuo isn’t bringing sweet potato chips for lunch at the training camp, is he?”
Ye Xin laughed. “He really does! But besides the sweet potato chips, he also takes meals and sometimes steamed buns or mantou. I make sure he doesn’t go hungry.”
Wang Xiaowei chimed in, “Just hang in there; we’ll be getting our grain soon.”
Ye Xin perked up. “When are we getting the grain?”
Wang Xiaowei replied, “It’s usually around the tenth of the twelfth lunar month.”
Ye Xin quickly calculated. “Today is the fourth! That’s soon; it’s only a few days away!”
Zheng Wenwen laughed, “But you don’t have many work points this year. Don’t be short on food!”
“Let’s not worry about that now. Let’s just get through the New Year first!” Ye Xin replied.
Wang Xiaowei, who had been around for a few years, added, “Don’t forget; there will be bonuses at the end of the year. If you run out of food, you can trade with families who have extra. Everyone in the same production team is willing to help each other. Plus, there will be the annual pig slaughter; we won’t be short on pork for the New Year!”
Ye Xin’s eyes lit up. “When do we get the bonuses? When do they slaughter the pigs? Is there enough for everyone?”
Zheng Wenwen picked up the thread of conversation. “Last year, we got our bonuses on the twentieth of the twelfth month, and the pigs were slaughtered on the twenty-third. I was amazed! The pigs were squealing like they were in agony, and I felt so bad, but once it was cooked, it tasted heavenly!” She reminisced fondly.
Wang Xiaowei continued, “Everyone gets pork; it’s divided by family size, so both adults and children get their share. No need to worry about not having enough.”
Ye Xin felt even more excited. Although she and Shen Zhuo had been sneaking to buy meat from the black market, they had only been getting cured meats. Fresh pork would be a whole different experience, and she craved it.
After chatting for the whole afternoon, the sky darkened, and the two women decided to leave.
Ye Xin didn’t insist they stay, but recalling their earlier comment about not having enough vegetables, she handed them a large cabbage and a round cabbage with a smile. “Take these home with you. They’re not worth much, so don’t refuse!”
Both women carried their heavy cabbages back, placing them directly in the kitchen.
Liu Hongxia was preparing dinner and looked astonished. “Where did you get these vegetables? They’re huge! So fresh!”
Zheng Wenwen replied, “Someone gave them to us. We’ll stir-fry this cabbage for dinner; it’ll be enough for all eight of us.”
Liu Hongxia pressed on, “Who gave them to you? And where did you go this afternoon? You didn’t invite me!”
Zheng Wenwen thought to herself, With your knack for probing into everything, who would dare invite you? She retorted, “It doesn’t matter who gave them to us; just be happy we have something to eat!”
Wang Xiaowei dropped her cabbage and turned to leave without saying another word.
That evening, Shen Zhuo returned and told Ye Xin, “Huang Zhihao said he’ll ask at home and let us know tomorrow.”
Ye Xin had to wait.
The next day, Shen Zhuo came back with news. “Huang Zhihao said their village’s brick factory produces red bricks, selling for three cents each. If you buy in bulk, they can send workers to deliver it, but there’s a small service fee. As for how many bricks we need for the bathhouse, it depends on the size and construction method; we’ll have to decide that ourselves.”
He then suggested, “Should we find a skilled worker to ask?”
Ye Xin pondered for a moment and nodded. “That would be a good idea; we don’t know much about this.” She then asked, “Is there a bricklayer in the village?”
“Uncle Jiang Gong is a bricklayer. He helps people build houses in his spare time,” Shen Zhuo replied.
Ye Xin nodded. His name indicated he was part of the Jiang family, sharing the same generational naming pattern as the team leader, Li Jianbang. This naming system made it easy for villagers to identify relations.
She decided to clarify the materials and costs tomorrow, aiming to have the bathhouse built before the New Year. The sooner they started, the more convenient it would be.