Chapter 31.2

The leeks cut from Zhuzi’s house yesterday are tender. Su Xiaoxiao mixed the noodles, chopped the leeks, and sprinkled some salt to remove the moisture. Then she cracked two eggs, wrung the water out of the chives, and put it in the beaten eggs. Then she added a little salt for seasoning. 

Finally, she sprinkled a pinch of shrimp skin on it and mixed it. A bowl of fried Chinese leek dumplings filled with more chives and fewer eggs was ready. There’s nothing she can do about it. There was no hen at home to lay eggs, so it was hard to buy more eggs at the market. She can only make do with the ingredients she has on hand.

Su Xiaoxiao feels that her cooking is already very fuel-efficient, but the oil at home is still decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye. She feels that she needs to take some time today to go to the black market. Even if she can’t buy oil, she must buy some fatty meat and make some lard.

Not to mention, if you can add a little lard residue to the leek stuffing, it would be the best.

Unfortunately, she can only think about it.

Su Xiaoxiao’s Fried Chinese Leek Dumplings, a healthy and less oily version, are ready for cooking. The three pillars of the country who went out running are also back.

Fantuan had a sharp nose and said after entering the house, “Wow, it smells good. I didn’t lie to you, Zhuzi. The dishes my mother cooks every day are new and delicious. Today’s dishes are more delicious than yesterday’s.”

Su Xiaoxiao took a towel to wipe the baby’s sweat and tapped at Fantuan’s nose: “Your mouth is the sweetest. Please wait and take care of your brother at home with little Zhuzi. Your father and I will go to the market later. You can’t go out of the yard before we come back. Watch your brother and listen to Zhuzi. Can you do that?”

Zhuzi is very capable. Although he is only one year older than Fantuan, Su Xiaoxiao thinks he is much calmer than Fantuan. Having this big brother with kids, she and Han Cheng are relieved to go away for a while.

Fantuan wrinkled his nose and disagreed: “We usually go to the market as a family. Why can’t we go today?”

“Because your father and I are going to do something, it is inconvenient to take you and your brother with us. Mom promised to make delicious food for you. If you’re obedient, you will be rewarded with a fried Chinese leek dumpling. If you’re not obedient, you can only eat one.” Su Xiaoxiao said.

Fantuan smelled the fried Chinese leek dumplings and felt they were too fragrant. For the sake of the fried Chinese leek dumplings, little Fantuan reluctantly agreed: “Well, okay, then you should come back early.”

“Yes, we will be back soon.”

Su Xiaoxiao made a bowl of malt cream for each of the three children and gave Fantuan and Zhuzi two fried Chinese leek dumplings and Xiao Doubao one to eat slowly.

Zhuzi only drank malt milk when his father was still alive. His mother said that it was a child’s drink. He didn’t need to drink it when he grew up. It’s been a while, so he had long forgotten the taste: “Aunt Su, I won’t drink it. Give it to Doubao to drink.”

Before Su Xiaoxiao said anything, little Fantuan said, “Everyone has a share of everything in our family. If you don’t drink it, I and Doubao can’t drink it.”

What a clever Fantuan. Su Xiaoxiao patted Zhuzi’s head: “Fantuan is right, drink it together with your friends.”

Xiao Zhuzi stretched out his tongue and licked it. He couldn’t bear to swallow a sip.

Su Xiaoxiao touched the children’s heads one by one and repeatedly told them that they couldn’t walk around and do anything dangerous. 

Su Xiaoxiao has already eaten a fried Chinese leek dumpling, so she only asked Han Cheng to take two for him to eat while walking. She also told Zhuzi a few words before holding Han Cheng’s hand and going out.

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The time would be less than seven o’clock, and there were no pedestrians on the road. Han Cheng let Su Xiaoxiao lead him away while eating the fried Chinese leek dumplings, without asking where Su Xiaoxiao would take him.
When they saw the market from afar, Su Xiaoxiao asked Han Cheng, “Do you know where the black market is?”

Han Cheng almost choked on the last bite of the dumpling: “Is this why you dragged me out so early? Do you want to go to the black market?”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded: “Yes, the oil at home has bottomed out, and it is almost ten days before they issue you the oil ticket. According to our family’s way of eating, we will have to eat boiled cabbage tomorrow, and we will have to eat boiled dishes for more than a week if we don’t have oil. However, if we can’t buy some oil, we can buy some fats and make it ourselves.”

Although Han Cheng has never been to the black market to buy things, he knows where Chen Aimin often goes. When he comes back, he will talk about it a lot, so it is difficult for him to not know where the black market is. 

He has never cared about the daily necessities of his family before. The food in his family is delicious, but he has not seen how much oil Su Xiaoxiao puts in. So he didn’t know that their family had run out of oil.

“You should have said so earlier, this is not the right direction,” Han Cheng said.

Su Xiaoxiao took out his handkerchief and wiped the oil on the corner of Han Cheng’s mouth, then said softly, “I saw you eating happily, so, I don’t want to interrupt you.”

Han Cheng smiled. The food she cooked was so delicious. How can he not eat it happily?

Han Cheng pulled her hand back and pointed in a direction: “It’s over there. Let’s go. It’s a bit far. We should go by bike.”

In this era, people pay attention to men’s and women’s interactions. There are a few couples walking down the street hand in hand, such as Han Cheng and Su Xiaoxiao. They usually carry two small light bulbs everywhere. They usually carry two small light bulbs with them wherever they go. Only now does Su Xiaoxiao feel a little bit in love.

It’s not easy.

However, in a crowded place, she took the initiative to let go of Han Cheng’s hand so as not to be the topic of gossip among these people.

The so-called black market is under the bottom of a bridge in the easternmost part. There are only two or three people who are buying and selling things. At this time, they are strictly controlled. It is illegal to trade privately. Su Xiaoxiao heard Aunt Rong say that it will only disperse from 5 to 7:30 in the morning, and there are not many varieties of things, but they are all scarce materials.
Su Xiaoxiao knows that in a few years, the planned economy will move towards the market economy, and buying and selling what you like is not illegal at all. So, she didn’t have any psychological burden from buying goods on the black market.

Han Cheng didn’t either. In his view, this unbalanced supply-demand relationship will be broken sooner or later. It is only a matter of time, so, just like Su Xiaoxiao, he didn’t feel any burden buying things on the black market.

Su Xiaoxiao just didn’t expect to meet Zhou Yuhua here.

“Han Cheng, go back first. I’m always worried about the children’s well-being. They are home alone. I’ll go shopping with Sister Yuhua and try to go back before you go to work.”

Han Cheng frowned.

Zhou Yuhua said, “What? Are you worried that I will sell your wife? Speaking of it, Xiaoxiao can be sold at a high price.”

Su Xiaoxiao pushed Han Cheng away: “Come on. Sister Yuhua, don’t tease him. Go back.”

Han Cheng said, “Don’t take her to a messy place.”

Zhou Yuhua jumped and said, “Hey, Han Cheng, what do you mean? Where is this messy place?”

Su Xiaoxiao took Zhou Yuhua and said, “Let’s go. If we don’t go, the stalls will be closed by then.”

Zhou Yuhua: “This old Han is very attentive to you. It’s like he’s too protective for his eyeball ^[1]the apple of one’s eye/favorite person. I haven’t seen him act like this to Yangmei before…”

Realizing that she had said something wrong, Zhou Yuhua said, “I’m sorry, Xiaoxiao. My mouth has no filters. She’s not here anymore, and I won’t mention her again. You treat her child like your own, and her spirit in heaven will only thank you.”

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, “It’s okay, I don’t mind these things.”

Su Xiaoxiao is a person who looks at things with a clear conscience.

Zhou Yuhua changed the topic: “Let’s go, I’ll take you to a good place…”

Su Xiaoxiao: “What’s this ‘good place’?”

Zhou Yuhua: “You will know when you get there.”

……