After Xu Ning finished knitting the sweater, she had about a pound of yarn left, so she knitted a vest as well. It took her nearly half a month to complete both items.

Once the sweater was done, she started making jerky. She spent three days working alone and managed to produce less than thirty pounds of jerky.

Xu Ning planned to send the package out the next day. She organized the items for Lu Xiaoran: a bag of pine nuts, a bag of hazelnuts, two pairs of cotton shoes made by Aunt Lu, a pound of brown sugar, and five pounds of jerky.

For Xu Yang, she included ten pounds of jerky, two pounds of White Rabbit milk candies, and two pounds of fruit candies.

For Lu Xiaotang, she packed a sweater, a vest, and ten pounds of jerky.

Xu Ning placed everything into three bags she had sewn together. Seeing that there was still a little space left, she rummaged through her supplies and pulled out a few scarves, a cotton hat, and gloves. She had bought many of these items before crossing over, and she wanted to send them a little something. After all, she was receiving so much money from them each month; it felt uneasy not to help them in return.

Lu Xiaoran was working as an educated youth in Xinshi, where it was quite cold. Xu Ning prepared two scarves—one red and one blue—for her, along with a cotton hat and two pairs of cotton gloves.

Xu Yang was also feeling the chill in Jin City, so she included two scarves, a cotton hat, and two pairs of cotton gloves for him.

Lu Xiaotang, however, was in South City, where it wasn’t as cold, so she decided not to send him a hat but included two scarves and two pairs of gloves instead.

The three bags were packed full, and Xu Ning sewed them shut before adding a woven bag on the outside. She planned to send them off the next day once Xu An and Xu Mo finished writing the letters that evening.

Later that night, after Xu An and Xu Mo had completed their letters, Xu Ning still intended to add a few lines at the end. She glanced at the letter addressed to Lu Xiaoran, which was written quite subtly. She mentioned that the pine nuts and hazelnuts were collected from the mountains. Following Xu Mo’s suggestion, she highlighted how Little Mo had carried a small basket while foraging for mountain goods.

She then explained that the shoes were handmade, the scarves, hat, and gloves were flawed items purchased at the supply and marketing cooperative, and the brown sugar was meant to help her regain her strength. She even described how the jerky was made.

In contrast, the letters for Xu Yang and Lu Xiaotang were filled with exaggerated tales. Her brothers vividly described the two wild boars fighting in the mountains, as if they had witnessed it firsthand.

Xu An wrote about how her sister had sat in a tree, watching the two boars battle to the death, and then took advantage of the situation.

He also detailed how they had bled and skinned the pigs in the backyard of the cattle shed, filling two large basins with blood sausages that were incredibly delicious. The letters were filled with chaotic stories that covered two large sheets of paper.

At the bottom, Xu Ning wrote some recent events, reassuring them that everyone was well and there was no need to worry.

Xu Ning thought for a moment and added a note at the end of Lu Xiaotang’s and Xu Yang’s letters: “Don’t believe the tall tales from Xu An and Xu Mo.”

After mailing the letters and packages, she decided to visit Grandpa Wang and Grandma Wang, unsure when she would next have the chance to go to town.

She took thirty eggs, three pounds of green beans, three pounds of yellow beans, and two ducks from her space. She still had not eaten many of the one hundred local ducks she had bought before crossing over.

When Xu Ning arrived, the elderly couple was home, and they were very happy to see her. Grandma Wang took her hand and invited her to sit on the kang, while Grandpa Wang went to boil some water.

Xu Ning began to unpack the items from her basket and placed them on the table in the main room.

Seeing her take out more things, Grandma Wang quickly said, “Xiao Ning, you don’t need to bring any more. Your grandpa and I can’t finish what we already have. The meat you brought last time hasn’t even been touched. You should take these back to eat.”

Xu Ning replied, “Grandma Wang, this might be the last time I come this year.”

She had heard that a heavy snowstorm was expected soon, which would make it difficult to get in and out once the mountains were snowed in. “You should rub some salt on the ducks and keep them for later. They won’t spoil, and save these few pounds of yellow and green beans for sprouting,” she advised.

Grandma Wang looked at her lovingly and said, “Yes, it’s going to snow. You can see how cold it is. Xiao Ning, the cotton boots you bought for me and your grandpa must have cost quite a bit, right?”

Xu Ning shrugged it off, saying, “Grandma Wang, I bought mostly flawed items; they didn’t cost much at all, and I didn’t even need a receipt.”

Grandpa Wang had finished boiling the water and placed two bowls on the table, urging Xu Ning to drink quickly.

She asked him, “Grandpa Wang, do you still need to boil water fresh? Don’t you have a thermos?”

He sighed and replied, “We used to, but a few years ago, those people took it away.”

Xu Ning said angrily, “Those people are too despicable! Do they still come to your house to take things?”

“They don’t dare anymore. Ever since the shoe factory got a new manager who taught them a lesson, no one has dared to come back,” Grandpa Wang explained.

Xu Ning spent some time chatting with the elderly couple and also taught Grandma Wang how to sprout the beans.

Noticing that it was getting late, Xu Ning said, “Grandpa Wang, Grandma Wang, please take care of yourselves. I’ll come to see you again soon.”

Grandma Wang quickly replied, “Xiao Ning, why don’t you eat something before you go? I’ll make something right now.” She headed toward the kitchen.

Xu Ning gently pulled her back, saying, “Grandma, don’t bother. I really can’t stay. I still need to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a few things.”

As she stepped outside with the elderly couple, she said, “Grandpa Wang, Grandma Wang, you should head back inside. It’s cold out here. I’ll be leaving now.”

Instead of going to the cooperative, she took a thermos from her space and brought it back to the two elderly people.

When Grandpa Wang opened the door, he hadn’t even spoken yet when Xu Ning handed him the thermos, saying, “Grandpa Wang, I bought you a thermos. You can use it. I’m off now!” With that, she hopped on her bike and rode away.

Xu Ning first went to the supply and marketing cooperative to find Su Hongying. She mentioned that she wanted to buy a radio.

Su Hongying took her to the counter where radios were sold to learn more. Each radio cost one hundred twenty yuan and required three industrial coupons. Xu Ning decided to buy one on the spot.

When she returned home, she turned on the radio. Since she had some free time, she planned to make delicious food to help with her growth. She took out a piece of wild boar meat and chopped it up to prepare for frying meatballs.

When Xu An came home from school, he was excited to see the radio. “Sister, where did this radio come from? Did you buy it today?”

Seeing him so enthusiastic, Xu Ning smiled and replied, “It’s ours! Just bought it today. Hurry and help me start a fire; we’re having fried meatballs for dinner!”

After frying the last batch, Xu Ning filled a basin with meatballs and asked Xu An to take them to the cattle shed while he went to bring Xiao Mo back. She also made a sour soup with an egg to accompany the meatballs.