Chapter 18: Who doesn’t know your little troubles?

A woman, her voice hushed, called out, “Little wife…the little wife with the red scarf…the one carrying the baby…”  She beckoned to Shen Sisi repeatedly.

Shen Sisi stopped.  “Are you calling me?”

The woman, plain and sturdy in a patched cotton-padded jacket, her face red from the cold, said, “I have free-range chickens in the hills behind my house. Would you like one for your child?”

Seeing Shen Sisi didn’t respond, the woman continued her sales pitch.  “If you don’t want a chicken, you must want eggs! I have laying hens.  If you buy one, you’ll have fresh eggs every day…”

“And I have chicks, but they’re in the alley behind.”  She enthusiastically lifted the lid of a chicken coop revealing several hens, roosters, and a white Silkie chicken.

Shen Sisi had only planned to buy some meat and vegetables before returning home, but the woman’s words stirred her interest.

Gu Chengfeng’s courtyard was large enough to keep a couple of chickens.  A small number wouldn’t make the yard smell bad, and Niu Niu could have fresh eggs daily.

Seeing her hesitation soften, the woman quickly added, “Rest assured, my chickens are the best in the market! Look at this rooster, its comb is so red, and it has spurs a real mature rooster! The hens are excellent layers; they lay several eggs a day!”

Having lived in the countryside, Shen Sisi could tell a free-range chicken at a glance.  The woman wasn’t lying; the chickens looked great, but carrying a basket and a baby made it inconvenient.

“If you really want them, give me your address, and I’ll deliver them,” the woman offered.

Shen Sisi had never encountered home delivery before. This woman was a shrewd businesswoman.

She agreed to buy a rooster and a laying hen.  Just as she was about to give her address, a sharp whistle pierced the air from the alley entrance.  The city’s sanitation and inspection team had arrived.

Instantly, everyone quickly packed up their goods and scattered like startled birds. The woman, abandoning Shen Sisi, grabbed her chicken coop and fled, disappearing into the crowd with surprising speed.

Shen Sisi joined the fleeing crowd; getting caught at the black market would be troublesome.

After running for a while, she found herself near the docks.  The scene was bustling; dozens of large and small cargo ships jostled together, their hulls swaying with the waves.

Busy dockworkers, in tank tops or singlets, their muscles glistening with sweat, a mixture of blood and mud clinging to them, filled the area.

Shen Sisi, catching her breath, observed the scene, witnessing the vibrant prosperity alongside the workers’ hardships.  Torn shoulders, swollen and bruised arms, backs bent from years of heavy labor, some even with deformed joints, yet they persevered.

In a nearby open space, several older workers were rubbing their shoulders with medicinal wine.

One mumbled, “This medicinal wine was somewhat effective at first, but now it’s becoming less so.”

“Brother, you should see a doctor! Your body can’t take this!”

“Oh, people like us don’t have the time or money to go to the hospital…”

Intrigued by the medicinal wine, Shen Sisi approached. “Sir, may I see your medicinal wine?”

The surprised man turned, seeing a pretty young woman, hesitantly handed over the bottle. “What do you want with this?”

“Curiosity.” Shen Sisi took the bottle, sniffing it several times, quickly identifying the ingredients.

She was almost certain it was a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor) with added camphor, cinnamaldehyde, and a small amount of numbing herbs.  It had some effect, but minimal and slow-acting.

Returning the bottle, she asked, “Do all of you use this medicinal wine?”

The workers nodded. “Most of us on the docks use this liniment. It used to be quite effective, but now…”  The rest was unspoken.

Shen Sisi fell silent. The medicinal wine was heavily diluted. The herbs and their proportions needed strict control.  Too much, and the effect was too strong; too little, and it was ineffective.  If it was less effective now, either the workers had built up a tolerance, or the manufacturer was cutting corners.

Regardless, it was no match for her own medicinal oil!

The formula was a gift from an old doctor in Jinfeng Village.  During a difficult time, the doctor was imprisoned, but Shen Sisi had been kind to him, delivering food daily.  Before his death, he gave her several treasured medicinal oil formulas.

Shen Sisi only remembered two common formulas: one for sprains and bruises, promoting blood circulation, and another for treating childhood rashes.  The rest were hidden in her country house.

An idea struck Shen Sisi.  She had been worried about finding a business opportunity, and here it was!

Excitedly, she hugged Niu Niu, showering kisses on her soft face. “Niu Niu, let’s go home, Mommy will make you something delicious…”

Niu Niu, counting the ships, had reached fifteen or sixteen when her mother suddenly showered her with kisses.  Confused at first, her eyes lit up at the mention of food. “Yay, Mommy, I want fish!”

“Okay, Mommy will buy you fish…”

The black market trip was a failure, so Shen Sisi took Niu Niu to the supply and marketing cooperative, buying a large carp, some vegetables, half a block of tofu, and a few bruised apples.

Mother and daughter happily walked towards the military compound.

Upon entering, she noticed the strange looks and lack of usual warmth.  She understood; they must have heard about her.  She didn’t care, walking past them calmly.  But who had leaked her information? Feng Yanzhou, or…?

“Ugh! Slut, shameless…” A slightly overweight woman with dark red skin muttered, spitting at Shen Sisi.  If Shen Sisi hadn’t moved, the spit would have landed on her face.

Shen Sisi frowned and glared. “Who are you? Do I know you? If you dare to slander me again, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

“You dare scold me?! Your attitude is quite arrogant!” Zhang Xiuhong, her nose and eyes narrowed, was aggressive. “You don’t know me, but I know you. You’re quite famous in Lin County…”

Shen Sisi’s heart sank. “Who told you?”

Zhang Xiuhong sneered. “Does it matter? Everyone knows about your little secrets…”

Shen Sisi’s knuckles turned white. Zhang Xiuhong was clearly picking a fight; otherwise, why target her?

Perhaps her target wasn’t Shen Sisi, but Gu Chengfeng.

Realizing Zhang Xiuhong’s intentions, Shen Sisi forced herself to remain calm.  She mustn’t fall for it and cause trouble for Gu Chengfeng.

Taking a deep breath, she ignored the woman and walked towards her courtyard.

Zhang Xiuhong, like a hen ready to fight, was prepared to create a scene and get Shen Sisi kicked out of the compound.  Gu Chengfeng, with his temper, would surely lose his mind.

But she met with silence.  Shen Sisi didn’t react.

Zhang Xiuhong was furious, but unable to escalate the situation, she continued to berate Shen Sisi. “Shameless second-hand goods…pretending! Just you wait!”

Glaring, she bet with the other military wives. “I bet she won’t last a month before she’s gone.”

Yang Qiuxia, a gentle woman, quietly egged her on. “With Sister Xiuhong’s intervention, she won’t last a few days before being kicked out!”