Jiang Min and Jiang Lin looked somewhat similar, but Jiang Lin was more delicate, while Jiang Min had a more commanding presence with a touch of heroic spirit in her demeanor.

Jiang Min took a handkerchief to wipe her sister and brother’s tears, and said with a smile, “I really didn’t expect you two to come. Is it cold? Look at how bundled up you are, even thicker than a bear.”

She led Jiang Lin and Jiang Xinglei into the house to talk.

It was cold here, with daytime temperatures dropping to minus thirty degrees and nighttime temperatures to over minus forty degrees.

Most people couldn’t handle it when they first arrived.

Inside, there was a large stove burning, the windows were double-paned with thick sawdust stuffed in between for insulation, leaving only a foot-high gap at the top for light to come through.

Here, it started getting dark after 3:30 PM, so they usually had to keep the lights on indoors.

The three of them sat down by the stove.

Jiang Xinglei couldn’t help but ask about her college entrance exam.

Before, Jiang Min had written home saying she hadn’t studied for years and was rusty, so she didn’t want to take the exam.

But not only did she take it, she got accepted but didn’t register.

Jiang Min said she couldn’t be far from home because she had to take care of the kids, but no one believed her, not even Jiang Xinglei, let alone Jiang Lin.

Jiang Lin, worried, asked, “Sister, is someone not letting you go?”

Jiang Min quickly explained, “Don’t worry, I’m really fine. No one is withholding my acceptance letter, and no one wants to do anything to me. It was really unexpected. I just wanted to put my hometown school as the third choice, and no one expected it to be the one that accepted me first.”

“Sister, if you don’t go, you won’t have another chance,” Jiang Lin said seriously.

Only in ’77 and ’78 were age limits relaxed.

Next year, the rule would be that you couldn’t be older than 25.

If someone didn’t like studying and didn’t want to take the exam, she wouldn’t persuade them.

But Jiang Min had taken the exam two years in a row.

The first year, she probably didn’t pass because she hadn’t reviewed well enough.

But the second year, she passed, which showed she wanted to go to college.

To be honest, the students from the “Old Three Classes” were more eager to go to college compared to other grades, because their opportunity was abruptly taken away without any preparation.

This made college a huge thorn in their hearts, a psychological barrier they couldn’t overcome if they didn’t pursue it.

She didn’t want Jiang Min to end up like that.

Hearing this, Jiang Min was moved and was about to say something when she saw Liang Tiefeng and a stern-looking young man walk in.

The young man was very tall and looked down slightly when he glanced at people, giving off an intimidating vibe that made others instinctively want to step back.

She immediately stopped the conversation and got up to introduce them to each other.

Liang Tiefeng greeted them coldly and warily, showing his guardedness and resistance.

Jiang Lin introduced Cheng Rushan to them.

Jiang Min praised, “What a handsome young man. I’ve never seen someone so handsome.”

At that, Liang Tiefeng’s face darkened a bit.

Jiang Min said to Liang Tiefeng, “Old Liang, my sisters must not have eaten yet. Go to the canteen and get some vegetables, meat, and fish. We’ll cook a hot pot and roast fish.”

Although Liang Tiefeng was hostile towards Cheng Rushan, he listened to Jiang Min and went out.

Cheng Rushan offered to help and followed Liang Tiefeng out.

Liang Tiefeng glanced at him, “Special Operations Division?”

Cheng Rushan replied, “Yes, the Special Operations Division.”

Liang Tiefeng asked, “What’s your main job?”

Cheng Rushan answered, “I’m not transferred to civilian work.”

Liang Tiefeng fell silent.

He and his group were technically transferred soldiers, working in agricultural reclamation.

Although he was a platoon leader and received a stipend, it wasn’t comparable to active duty.

Liang Tiefeng wanted to probe Cheng Rushan for information to figure out how to deal with him, but Cheng Rushan wasn’t going to let that happen.

Liang Tiefeng stopped talking, and Cheng Rushan didn’t mind, as he wasn’t there to become buddies.

Liang Tiefeng went to the canteen, found a friendly steward, and bought noodles, cabbage, potatoes, vermicelli, a deer leg, and some large fish with money and tickets.

He also borrowed an old-style hot pot and an iron grill from the kitchen, and then he and Cheng Rushan carried everything back.

“At home, you should follow the rations—three liang per meal?” Liang Tiefeng asked Cheng Rushan.

Cheng Rushan could easily detect the superiority in his tone and replied with a smile, “In the military district, meals are always served casually.”

When referring to three liang per meal, it’s barely enough for a soldier.

They usually get large steamed buns and big baozi (stuffed buns), which might not be luxurious but will keep them from going hungry.

Liang Tiefeng said, “At the army corps farm, everyone can eat their fill. No one goes hungry. If Jiang Min goes back to her family, she definitely won’t live any better than here.”

Cheng Rushan smiled and then asked about Liang Tiefeng’s service years and when he was discharged, as well as what they usually did at the farm.

He quickly found common topics to chat about and headed back to the office with Liang Tiefeng.

Jiang Lin and Jiang Min were talking about family matters, including their parents, older brother, and sister-in-law.

Jiang Min made Jiang Lin a cup of ginger date tea.

She brewed it by pouring hot water over old ginger and tearing in some stir-fried red dates.

After letting it steep for two minutes, it was ready—hot and refreshing.

She also brought out some sunflower seeds for Jiang Lin.

Jiang Xinglei commented, “These are huge melon seeds.”

Jiang Min laughed and said, “These are from the ‘dati’ melon, which is specifically for seeds.

The melon itself isn’t that great.”

Seeing Cheng Rushan and Liang Tiefeng return, Jiang Min immediately took the kettle off the stove and put the gridiron on top. “First, let’s roast some fish for Lin Lin. She loves fish.”

At that time, food was scarce at home.

It was a big deal to have a whole fish for the family, and it was hard to satisfy everyone.

Jiang Min roasted the fish for Jiang Lin, while Cheng Rushan helped Liang Tiefeng wash vegetables and slice meat.

The frozen roe deer meat was hard as a rock, but once slightly thawed, it could be sliced thinly.

It could then be cooked in hotpot, stewed, or made into dumplings—whatever way it was prepared, it would be delicious.

Jiang Lin was really hungry.

Seeing her sister and knowing everything was okay made her happy and relaxed.

As she talked with Jiang Min, she also roasted the fish, adding some salt and chili powder.

The fish had no fishy smell; instead, it smelled crispy and savory, which was very appetizing.

She called her brother-in-law and Cheng Rushan over to try the roasted fish, saying, “Taste my cooking skills!”

She handed a piece of fish to Cheng Rushan, but he picked out the tenderest parts and fed them to her.

When Jiang Lin was full, he chewed up and ate the remaining fish bones.

Jiang Lin was satisfied from eating the grilled fish, but Cheng Rushan and Jiang Xinglei were still hungry, so they took some venison to roast and toasted a few mantou (steamed buns).

Jiang Min smiled and said, “Eat a little to fill up first. We’ll have hot pot for dinner. Let’s start by boiling the bone broth and slowly stewing the meat. By the time it’s ready, it will be perfect for dipping vegetables.” She turned to Liang Tiefeng and said, “Old Liang, let my siblings stay at the team headquarters tonight.”

Jiang Xinglei asked, “Sis, why don’t we stay at your place? Since we’re here, we should at least see your home.”

Xu Aimei had specifically told him to check out their eldest sister’s home, to see how she was doing and to offer help if needed.

But seeing his brother-in-law bring so much good food, he thought things might be fine.

Jiang Min laughed and said, “Our house is really small and can’t accommodate guests. You’ll be more comfortable staying at the team headquarters.”

Cheng Rushan carried bedding and luggage and followed Liang Tiefeng to get settled.

…

After they left, Jiang Lin asked Jiang Min, “Sis, is my brother-in-law good to you?”

Jiang Min smiled and said, “He’s very good. He takes care of everything inside and out and never complains.”

“Then why doesn’t he let you go to college?” Jiang Xinglei was convinced it was Liang Tiefeng’s doing.

“Your brother-in-law didn’t stop me from going. It was me, it really was my own decision…” Jiang Min lowered her head, stirring the bones in the soup pot.

The steam enveloped her delicate features.

Jiang Xinglei still wanted to ask more, feeling anxious and not understanding why his eldest sister wouldn’t explain.

Meanwhile, his second sister kept giving him looks, signaling him to stop asking.

Weren’t they here to figure this out?

Jiang Lin asked her sister about her in-laws, trying to gauge the situation and understand the personalities of the two children and Liang’s temperament.

She assessed their mother-in-law relationship from Jiang Min’s description.

She felt that Jiang Min had a gentle disposition and wasn’t very picky.

The mother-in-law seemed to have some issues, but Jiang Lin didn’t mind too much.

Jiang Min, on the other hand, appeared to be mostly focused on the two children, especially her daughter Xiao Meng.

Jiang Lin took out her notebook and showed Jiang Min some family photos.

There was a family portrait of her own family, a family portrait of the Jiang family, one from the first time she took her whole family back to her parental home, and another from a summer visit to the lake to see the lotus flowers.

“Sister, when will you bring your family back to your parental home? We should take a bigger family portrait,” Jiang Lin tempted her.

Jiang Min’s eyes lit up; she truly looked forward to it, but then the light faded as if she knew it was impossible.

Jiang Lin stopped persuading her and just shared some amusing family stories, especially about Dabao, Xiaobao, Wensheng, and a few nephews and nieces.

“Eldest sister-in-law is seven months pregnant again, and her belly is enormous. I suspect she might be having twins.”

Jiang Min was concerned about her eldest brother, as they were of similar age and had attended school together.

He used to help her with her studies, and their sibling bond was stronger than with the younger brothers and sisters.

“How is eldest brother now?” It had been almost ten years since she last returned.

When she last went back, her eldest brother had looked unwell—not just physically but mentally and emotionally drained.

Unfortunately, everyone was in a bad mood at that time, filled with resentment.

No one was willing to speak or communicate properly.

Everyone was struggling with their own troubles and didn’t have the energy to comfort others.

She had her own grievances back then, though she never voiced them.

Her decision to leave home and return to Beidahuang was partly out of frustration.

But as time passed, her longing for her family made her forget all the unpleasantness; she just hoped that each of them was doing well.

Jiang Lin said, “Eldest brother is now an engineer, earning over a hundred a month. The factory provided him with a house, and he managed to swap it so he and his family still live in the same courtyard as our parents. Life is quite comfortable for him.”

Jiang Min was very pleased to hear this, her face showing a sense of longing. “It’s nice to live together. It means there’s someone to help and take care of things, and eldest sister-in-law doesn’t have to manage the kids alone.”

Jiang Lin then shared news about the second brother. “Second Brother health has improved a lot. He’s seeing someone now, and Mom said he might retire early to take over the family business. After the New Year, they’ll be able to hold their wedding.”

Jiang Min’s eyes lit up with excitement.

She wanted Jiang Lin to tell her more, saying she could listen to family stories for days and nights and never tire of it.

She wished she could hear about everyone she knew.

Jiang Lin told her that they had started a joint venture selling products.

She said to Jiang Min, “Sister, if you had come to school with us, we could have worked together. Making money is secondary; it’s so wonderful to be happy together.”

Having faced setbacks and challenges greater than mere shortages of essentials, they maintained a unique innocence typical of their time.

For these young people, relationships mattered more than money and status.

They felt that doing what they loved while being happy was the most important thing.

Seeing her sister so happy and even noticing a girlish shyness on Cheng Rushan’s face, Jiang Min felt that her sister had truly changed.

Perhaps the rural experience had really shaped their characters and lives, making them stronger, more considerate, and thoughtful of others.

She was genuinely happy for Jiang Lin, for her eldest brother, and for each member of their family.

She turned to Jiang Xinglei, who was still munching on the roasted fish. “Xinglei, do you have a girlfriend?”

Jiang Xinglei replied, “Me? I haven’t had enough fun yet. Why do I need a girlfriend? It’s so much more carefree being single.”

Jiang Lin rolled her eyes at him. “Don’t listen to him. When we had the matchmaking event, his eyes were everywhere.”

The three siblings laughed heartily, and the previous awkwardness and estrangement vanished, replaced by the bond of shared memories and family ties.

Jiang Min also pulled out some photos from her drawer—pictures of Xiaomeng and Xiaojun.

The two children looked very charming.

Xiaomeng, who took after her mother, already showed signs of becoming a beauty at just eight years old.

Xiaojun, who took after his father, had a round, chubby face.

As they continued chatting and laughing, Liang Tiefeng returned from outside.

He told Jiang Min, “I’ve arranged it. You’ll be staying in the two rooms that are the best protected from the fire.”

Jiang Lin held Jiang Min’s hand and said to Liang Tiefeng, “Brother-in-law, I haven’t seen my sister for many years. Can she stay with me tonight?”

Liang Tiefeng immediately rejected the request without thinking, his tone harsh and clearly hostile. “No!”

Jiang Min quickly intervened, “Your brother-in-law means that it’s sudden and you’re tired. Rest well tonight; tomorrow I’ll bring Xiaomeng and Xiaojun over to keep you company.” She shot Liang Tiefeng a disapproving look.

Liang Tiefeng, realizing he had overreacted, awkwardly moved to the side to tidy up.

Jiang Lin walked to the door and asked, “Where’s Cheng Rushan?”

Liang Tiefeng replied, “He went to the regiment to speak with the commander.” He added, “He’s quite capable. He’s been promoted fairly quickly, hasn’t he?”

Jiang Lin said, “Not bad. To get me into college, he managed to transfer from the village to the military headquarters. Now he’s officially on the roster.”

She noticed Liang Tiefeng’s slightly unpleasant expression and was intentionally provoking him.

His earlier refusal wasn’t just rude to her, it was disrespectful to her sister.

The atmosphere became a bit awkward.

Jiang Xinglei, unsure how to diffuse the tension, was relieved when some of Jiang Min’s colleagues and fellow educated youth came by to greet them. “Oh, Jiang Min, you have guests! Where did they come from?”

When they learned the guests were from X Province, they were surprised. “Oh, that’s quite far, a two or three-day train ride, right?”

After some small talk, everyone warmly went to get snacks and fruits for Jiang Lin and the others, including hawthorn, wild jujube, and frozen pears.

They complimented Jiang Min and Jiang Lin, “Sisters really are alike, both so beautiful.”

“Liang Squad Leader is really fortunate. Many people were eyeing this beautiful educated youth back then. Haha.”

Liang Tiefeng’s face grew dark; he wasn’t very good at handling such teasing and didn’t say much in response.

A few of the educated youth invited them, “It’s freezing outside, and there’s nothing to do. Let’s go play mahjong at our place.”

During the winter days, besides reading, most people didn’t enjoy books and gathered to play mahjong for fun.

Jiang Min smiled and said, “You go ahead. My brother and sister just arrived and are tired.” The group then left.