Just as the three of them began to eat dinner, it started snowing. After the meal, Xu An washed the dishes while Xu Ning gathered things to take to the cowshed. It was now the coldest time of the year. Apart from Old Chen, who went every morning to hitch the ox cart and returned it in the afternoon, hardly anyone went to the cowshed anymore. This meant they could cook better food for themselves.

Xu Ning planned to pack more refined grains. Among their small group, only Grandpa Qi received some refined grains each year. His legs weren’t good, so he didn’t need to work in the fields. Instead, he kept watch over a few cows in the cowshed. The village remembered his past kindness and gave him grain every year, counting his contribution as if he had worked in the fields. However, even so, the refined grain he received was still limited.

Xu Ning packed twenty pounds of flour, twenty pounds of rice, five pounds of peanut oil, five pounds of wild boar meat, a leg of lamb, twenty salted duck eggs, a packet of dried wild vegetables, dried wood ear mushrooms, two pounds of brown sugar, one pound of milk powder, and three pounds of pastries.

Lastly, she pulled out a military coat, intending to give it to Grandpa Qi. When Lu Xiaotang had visited, he had brought two military coats. One was meant for Grandpa Qi, while the other was shared by Xu’s father and Uncle Lu. The two of them took turns wearing it at night since they had to get up to feed the cows. However, Grandpa Qi had declined the coat, insisting that Father Xu and Uncle Lu both needed it more.

Xu Ning decided to leave Xu An and Xu Mo at home and head to the cowshed by herself, carrying the bamboo basket on her back.

By the time Xu Ning entered the kitchen at the cowshed, the others had just finished dinner. Her mother and Aunt Lu were tidying up the kitchen. Grandpa Qi, afraid of the cold due to his bad legs, had already gone back to his room. Her father and Uncle Lu were in the backyard fetching hay for the cows to eat overnight.

Mother Xu and Aunt Lu saw Xu Ning arrive and quickly led her into the room to sit on the kang. Xu Ning placed the items she brought on the table and said to them, “Mom, Aunt Lu, the weather is getting colder, and with this snow, no one will dare to go up the mountain. Hardly anyone comes to the cowshed anymore. You all should take this time to properly nourish yourselves. After the New Year, spring planting will begin, and the work will be exhausting. We still have plenty of the wild boar that Big Brother Lu hunted, and there are also several wild chickens and rabbits. I bought a few more geese and half a lamb in town today. We have plenty of food, so don’t be stingy with it. I didn’t bring too much this time, but once it’s gone, I’ll bring more. Dad and Uncle Lu have to get up at night to feed the cows; if they keep this up, their health will deteriorate. These pastries can keep them going when they’re hungry at night. I brought two pounds of brown sugar for the two of you—drink it up, and I’ll bring more once you finish it. This pound of milk powder is for Grandpa Qi to help his health. And here’s a military coat I asked Sister Hongying to buy for Grandpa Qi.”

With that, Xu Ning placed a large bundle she was holding onto the kang and continued, “I brought this back from town today. Sister Hongying saved some cotton and discounted fabric for me. Make whatever you need with it, and if it’s not enough, just let me know, and I’ll buy more. Before Big Brother Lu left, he gave me plenty of money and ration tickets.”

Xu’s mother and Aunt Lu looked at the things she had brought, feeling a mix of emotions. They were the ones who should have been supporting the younger generation, but now, it was the children who were worrying about them.

Seeing the tears welling up in their eyes, Xu Ning comforted them, “Mom, Aunt Lu, we still have a long way to go. Take care of your health now, because better days are ahead.”

At that moment, Father Xu and Uncle Lu entered. Uncle Lu echoed Xu Ning’s words, “Little Ning is right. We still have a long road ahead. No one should lose heart. Let’s all focus on getting healthier, so the children won’t have to worry about us.”

Xu’s father nodded and added, “Listen to my daughter.”

Seeing that everyone had come to terms with it, Xu Ning felt a wave of relief. After all, what people fear most is losing their spirit and hope for the future.

The snow fell continuously for three days, accumulating nearly a meter in depth. For the past couple of days, Father Xu and Uncle Lu had been helping her carry water, but she insisted they stop since the fresh snow was clean and could be melted for water.

When Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei arrived, Xu Ning was learning how to make shoes while Xu An and Xu Mo played chess on the kang. The chess set had been left for them by Lu Xiaotang. On the stove, wild chicken soup simmered, filling the room with a delicious aroma.

As the two girls entered, they couldn’t help but swallow hard at the enticing smell. Xu Ning smiled and said, “The chicken soup still needs a little more time. Let’s have lunch here today.” When they shook their heads, she added, “I’m serious about inviting you to stay and eat, so don’t leave.”

Since she had invited them for a meal, Xu Ning didn’t plan to serve just soup. She prepared a dish of cold wood ear mushrooms, stir-fried radish with oil residue, and made cornmeal flatbreads. It wasn’t that Xu Ning was stingy; it was just that in this era, this level of hospitality was considered quite generous.

Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei gazed at the large bowl of wild chicken and chestnut soup, a plate of cold wood ear mushrooms, a plate of stir-fried radish, and a basket of golden corn flatbreads on the kang table.

With tears in her eyes, Wei Lanlan looked at Xu Ning and said, “Xu Zhiqing, you don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve had such good food. The last time was last year during the New Year when my mom managed to get half a chicken. We made a pot of chicken soup and each of us got only two pieces of meat.”

Yang Xiaomei chimed in, “Xu Zhiqing, thank you for inviting us to such a wonderful meal.”

Xu Ning looked at the two of them and urged, “Go ahead and eat! If it weren’t for my Big Brother Lu hunting those wild chickens, you wouldn’t be enjoying this feast.”

With that, she served each of them a piece of chicken, and then also helped Xu An and Xu Mo get some. In turn, Xu An and Xu Mo each added a piece of chicken to Xu Ning’s bowl as well.

Wei Lanlan asked Xu Ning mischievously, “How old is your cousin? Does he have a girlfriend?” Yang Xiaomei’s eyes sparkled as she watched Xu Ning intently.

Xu Ning was taken aback. How was she supposed to answer that? She didn’t know!

“I haven’t asked if he has a girlfriend. Are you two looking to introduce someone to him?”

Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei both turned to Xu Ning eagerly, asking, “What do you think of us?”

Xu Ning chuckled, “You two? That’s not really feasible; you can only marry one person now, not two.”

With that, Xu Ning, Xu An, and Xu Mo burst into laughter. Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei playfully pretended to be annoyed, trying to pinch her, and soon the room was filled with laughter.

After lunch, once Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei helped Xu Ning wash the dishes, they all sat back down on the kang to chat. From them, Xu Ning learned that Gu Wenping and Lin Miao had reconciled under Yang Wenli’s persuasion. Lin Miao also planned to build her own house after the New Year and live independently. Gu Wenjing liked Yang Wenli and had come to Yushu Village to work in the countryside with him.

From that day on, Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei frequently visited Xu Ning, often coming over after lunch and leaving to prepare dinner at the youth camp, occasionally bringing some snacks to share.

Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, the New Year of 1970 arrived.