In the book, the female supporting role dreams of being an idle fish

"We went to the supply and marketing cooperative today. I remember it was there. I don't know if you noticed it."

"We can prepare quilt covers, bed sheets, and duvet covers slowly, but we need at least two sets. They'll be easy to change and wash."

"From now on, we'll have two tooth cups, one for you and one for me."

"We'll decide after we return to the village."

"I also need new slippers. You and I are about the same height. I'll ask my little sister if she has any new slippers ready."

"Clothes drying racks, 100 pieces, 30 each for us and Xiu."

"Use one piece of soap for washing clothes and shirts, another for washing socks, and use soap for washing your face. One piece for you and one for me. We have to keep them separate."

"We need at least two oil-paper umbrellas. One large and one medium."

"Thermos, there's one in our room. I have the habit of getting up at night to drink water."

"Brand new toothpaste, a wide comb, and a thin comb."

"How do you shave your beard? Do you use a razor blade? I'm very good at using razors. I can shave you when I have time."

"I also want to buy a pair of leather shoes. I have been wearing cloth shoes that I sewed myself all my life. I want to try on a new pair of leather shoes."

"I need to buy paper and pencils, erasers, pens, ink, etc. I need all of these. I need to work and study."

Jiang Wen, "We have some Mo Shui at home. My eldest brother has one, and I have one too."

"Go find Xiu'er later and ask her to make a rag out of some tattered clothing. We can't let my little sister clean our room."

"I need a brush for cleaning my shoes and a pair of rubber shoes for rainy days."

"There are also two summer cloth mosquito nets, made by sewing ramie yarn into linen cloth. They are light, thin and breathable."

"I need to buy the most important feminine products, toilet paper and menstrual pads, mainly because I don't know when my period will come."

"After we build a new cabinet, we'll move the one my parents used for their wedding to the floor and put it next to the mirror. I'll put my comb and hairbands there, and then I'll put a thermos and two enamel jugs for drinking water."

"And the windows, because they're made of paper, they get torn by the wind, and they get pricked by accident when the windows are opened. There are also all kinds of holes on the windowsill made by mischievous children. If someone stood outside and stared at me while I was sleeping at night, I'd be scared to death. Let's replace the windows with glass. And make a curtain out of scraps of cloth."

"Our kang and floor are paved with red bricks. Because the outside is yellow earth, it feels like dust is everywhere when we walk around. Now the walls are all yellow. So we have to buy some cement and re-pave the kang. The earthen kang will be replaced with cement, and the floor and walls will need to be repainted."

"I can't think of anything else right now, but we'll buy it when we need it."

"Jiang Wen, go find the remaining tickets at home, and bring some money, and we'll go shopping."

"Hey, this little third child, he woke up just after we finished talking. I think the child wants to find his aunt. I have to carry him over. I'll go to the main hall first."

Gu Lixia quickly walked into the main room holding the third child who was about to cry.

Seeing his aunt and brother, the third child burst into tears. Jiang Xiu took him and said, "We are all here. Don't cry, don't cry."

"How's the writing going?"

"The last one is almost finished. There are only a few words left. My aunt writes faster than me. I need to copy what she wrote. After I finish writing, my aunt and I will take Huaibei and Huaixi to the post office to mail the letter."

Jiang Wen walked in with a stack of bills and sat down.

Jiang Huainan jumped down and said loudly, "I'm done, let's go."

Jiang Wen said, "Wait a minute, let me add a few more words." He added to what the two of them had just discussed.

"Let's go together. We need to go to the supply and marketing cooperative. Your aunt and I plan to buy some cement, river sand, and gravel. We'll pave the red brick kang and the floor with cement, and then repaint the walls. We'll start with the two rooms on our right, then your room in Huainan, and finally the main room and kitchen."

"As for our windows, we're planning to replace them with glass too. Let's do it together. When I finish my night shift and wake up in the afternoon, I'll go ask them about the cost and the tickets."

"This money will first be paid from the remaining funds in the treasury, because marrying a daughter-in-law is the responsibility of the parents. The same applies to renovating the house. This house is for all of us to live in together. There can be no favoritism. I will live in the new house, and you can live in the old one."

"Xiu'er, go to your room and get the rest of your bills."

Jiang Huainan was very enthusiastic. He must be tempted by the prospect of living in a nice house. "I'll go, I'll go now. I know where it is. Auntie's money and notes are always kept in one place. In a biscuit box. I'll bring the box with me."

The book describes an era of planned economy in 1970, when commodity supply was extremely scarce. In order to ensure a balance between supply and demand, the state implemented a planned supply system for daily necessities such as food, clothing, and other necessities for urban and rural residents, and issued special vouchers such as grain coupons and cloth coupons based on population quotas. These vouchers were collectively referred to as "tickets."

The history of tickets at this time can be described as a solemn and profound history of national entrepreneurship, a history of struggle against poverty and hunger, a history of development encompassing agriculture, commerce, industry, and services, and a true portrayal and proof of this period of planned economy history.

Tickets bear witness to the memories of a generation.

Since the first food coupon was issued in 1955, the people have entered a long "coupon era", and these coupons have been deeply engraved in the memories of a generation.

The tickets include grain tickets, meat tickets, cooking oil tickets, cloth tickets, and even feces tickets and urine tickets. A small ticket covers all aspects of life, including eating, drinking, defecating and urinating. These numerous tickets cover more than 2500 cities and counties across the country, which can be called the "largest in the world."

Commodity coupons in various places are usually divided into three categories: "food, clothing, and daily necessities".

In addition to various grain and oil tickets, there were also pork, beef, mutton tickets, chicken, duck, fish and meat tickets, chicken and duck egg tickets, various sugar tickets, various soy product tickets and various vegetable tickets, etc.

In addition to various cloth coupons, there are also chemical fiber coupons, cotton coupons, sweatshirt coupons, vest coupons, cloth shoe coupons, cotton quilt coupons, etc.

The items used include handkerchiefs, soap, toilet paper, laundry detergent, matches, rag tickets, kerosene tickets, various coal tickets, commodity purchase certificates, electrical appliance tickets, bicycle tickets, watch tickets, temporary tickets, motor vehicle tickets, etc. They are varied and cover all aspects of various fields.

In short, most goods were supplied with coupons. You had to use the corresponding coupon to purchase the goods you bought, and no one was left out. Special coupons were also issued to honor veteran cadres, senior intellectuals, scientific researchers, and others who had made special contributions.