When Xie Jinghao entered the room, she saw Shen Meng frowning as she stared intently at a letter in her hands. This expression was new—she’d never seen her sister-in-law looking so perplexed.

“Sister-in-law, are you reading a letter?”

Shen Meng looked up, feigning frustration. The Shen family was good in many ways, but they hadn’t let the original Shen Meng study long, which was truly a pity.

“Reading what?” Shen Meng sighed dramatically. “It’s all just a bunch of squiggly marks on paper—I don’t know them, and they don’t know me! Jinghao, come take a look. Maybe you recognize some of these words and can help read what your brother wrote?”

Xie Jinghao blushed. When her grandmother was alive, she had made it to the third grade, but her schools back then wasn’t like it is today. They mostly memorized quotes, and during harvests, she had to work for work points, so she wasn’t too confident in her reading skills.

“Well… alright, I’ll take a look.”

Carefully, she scanned the letter. To her relief, there weren’t any unfamiliar words; she could recognize everything, even if some of it took a second glance. She and Shen Meng stepped outside and read the letter aloud to the children.

Lu Mingkai, who had never met his father, stared hard at the paper, as if trying to see his dad’s face there.

“I’ve put away the money order, food coupons, and the receipt to claim the package,” Shen Meng announced. “Tomorrow, I’ll take the ox cart into county town. Jinghao, is there anything you need that I could bring back?”

Xie Jinghao was especially kind to the kids, and with her due date approaching, Shen Meng wanted to do something for her in return. Plus, her sewing skills were better than Shen Meng’s, and she’d be invaluable in the future.

“Oh, no need, sister-in-law,” Jinghao said quickly. “Jiasheng will be back soon, and he can bring things for me. You’ve got four children to look after and plenty on your plate already. But… are you sure you’re well enough for the trip tomorrow?”

Shen Meng laughed lightly. “My injuries aren’t nearly as bad as they look; I’m already feeling much better. I’ll be fine going into town, but I’ll wait until everyone heads to the fields first, so no one spots me.”

Reassured, Xie Jinghao relaxed. She’d been a little worried that the kids had barely begun to see better days and might soon lose their mother. As long as her sister-in-law was healthy, good times were sure to follow.

Meanwhile, in the yard, Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang exchanged a knowing look. They’d suspected all along that their mother had been pretending.

Early the next morning, Shen Meng shook Lu Mingyang awake.

Still half-asleep, he jolted in surprise at the sight of his mother’s face right in front of him, nearly tumbling off his bed in shock.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Shen Meng chuckled. “I’m leaving early to catch the ox cart. I’ve made breakfast for you all. If I’m not back in time, go ahead and eat. Share the eggs with Xiaogang, alright? And if your Auntie Jinghao looks unwell at any point, go find the village leader right away. Got it?”

Trying to calm his racing heart, Lu Mingyang replied, “Y-yes, Mother.”

“Good. I’m off then.”

Shen Meng left before dawn, wearing a scarf on her head. After paying the fare, she settled onto the cart. Some fellow passengers tried to chat, but she ignored them.

The ride took nearly two hours. The ox cart jostled her so much that she breakfast almost came out, but finally, they arrived in town. She went straight to the post office, picked up her money and package, and struggled to hoist the large parcel onto her shoulder. Bent under its weight, Shen Meng could feel tears prick her eyes. It was heavy as anything! What on earth had the soldiers sent over?

After weaving her way into a quiet alley, she quickly stored everything in her personal space and took a well-deserved break, napping for a couple of hours before heading to the supply store.

The county store was larger than the one back in the commune, and there was more—clothing, food, and household items. Shen Meng jostled her way inside. The clerk looked annoyed but helped each person without a fuss, packaging their goods and handling payments.

“Comrade, I’d like a meter of blue polyester, two pairs of rubber soles for toddlers, and a kilo of Golden Monkey milk candy. Thank you,” Shen Meng said, pointing to the counter display. She wanted to bringing something back for Xie Jinghao to show her gratitude.

“Wait your turn.”

Shen Meng breathed a sigh of relief. Although the salesperson had a bad attitude, he did not make things difficult for her like in the novels. She guessed that since she was not the protagonist, she did not have the honor of arguing with the salesperson.

With her shopping done, Shen Meng took a stroll around town. She was moved by the liveliness—songs on the loudspeakers and people bustling by, all with a hopeful energy that lifted her spirits.

She stopped by a recycling depot (scrap yard), but there wasn’t much of value; she only found a few decently clean old newspapers, which earned her an odd look from the old man at the entrance. Embarrassed, she hurried off.

Later, in the space, she treated herself to a hearty meal of sukiyaki and milk tea and took a refreshing nap. After that, she packed a burlap sack with essentials—two comforters, outfits for each child, a pair of Liberation shoes, fabric, yarn, two changes of clothes for herself, dishes, new toothbrushes, cups, a couple of enamel basins, a thermos, three pounds of pork belly, two pounds of lean meat, five pounds of ribs, some candy, and both brown and white sugar. She filled the sack to the brim.

Shen Meng missed the ox cart back, but then she ran into someone with a tractor from a neighboring commune. Once they heard she was a soldier’s wife, they helped her load her things and gave her a ride home. When they arrived, she handed the driver a handful of candy, and embarrassed but grateful, he carried the bag into the house for her.

Inside, Xie Jinghao was working on her sewing, and Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang, who were still up, were shocked to see the two huge burlap sacks.

“Sister-in-law… did Big Brother send all of this?” Xie Jinghao asked, wide-eyed.

Shen Meng, feeling a bit rattled from the bumpy ride, laughed. “No, this bag here is what I bought myself. We’re low on everything—how can we get by without stocking up?”

The three stared at her in disbelief.

Lu Mingyang and Lu Mingliang’s jaws nearly dropped. How much did all this cost? How could they live in the future? ? ?