Starting a new chapter in life

Sister Liu stepped forward to do the math: "Jingyan, thirty yuan for six jin of pork, forty jin of mutton, and let's say two mao for the mutton bones. That's enough for forty-five jin. Chef Lin, our two sheep only yield about forty jin of bones."

Xiao Zhou laughed and said, "I just weighed it, it's forty-six jin, so I'll give it all to Jingyan."

Zhang Jingyan handed the money to Sister Liu. Granny Gao and Aunt Xing packed all the meat into the basket she had brought. There wasn't enough room for the bones, so they rummaged through the kitchen and found a basket, threw the bones in, and handed it to her: "Here, I don't know how long this basket has been sitting here, take it back and use it."

"Thank you, Auntie and Madam." Jingyan took it and placed it on the ground beside her legs, waiting for Chunlai to arrive.

Sister Liu continued calculating: "Six catties of pork and eighty catties of mutton came in spring, which cost thirty-seven yuan."

Chunlai counted out the money and handed it to Sister Liu. Sister Liu took it and went back to the cashier to record it in the books.

Granny Gao and Aunt Xing also helped Chunlai pack the meat. Chunlai brought two baskets, and Aunt Xing asked in confusion, "Chunlai, how are you going to carry these two baskets back? Why don't you have Xiao Zhou accompany you and deliver them to you?"

Chunlai smiled and said, "My brother is coming to pick me up later."

The meat was all packed. Looking at the sheep's head on the cutting board, Chef Liu pondered for a moment and said, "It's almost Chinese New Year. You two can each take one of these sheep's heads home. It's still meat, so consider it a perk."

The two of them laughed and agreed, each carrying one sheep into their baskets. A sheep's head was sticking out of Jingyan's basket, which was a bit creepy.

Sister Liu then returned to the kitchen and looked at the two of them: "This is the last month of the year. There are still a few days before the full term is reached. Let's count it as a month. Ten yuan each, have a good New Year."

The two were even happier. They took the money and put it in their pockets, then cheerfully picked up their baskets. Xiao Zhou carried Chunlai's other basket, saying he would take it to the gate so they wouldn't get tired of carrying it.

When they arrived at the door, Brother Peng was already waiting outside. He rushed over to greet them as soon as they came out, took the basket from Xiao Zhou and carried it on his back, thanking him repeatedly. Xiao Zhou watched the three of them leave before returning to the cafeteria.

They were on holiday, but the rest of the staff in the canteen still had to work. The soldiers who stayed behind also needed to eat, and there was also the New Year's Eve dinner, so the workload was actually quite heavy.

As the two families were about to part ways at the crossroads, Peng asked somewhat shyly, "Jingyan, can I be your fourth brother-in-law?"

Zhang Jingyan...

Peng Chunlai smiled and explained on behalf of her brother: "Didn't you tell me before that Fourth Sister didn't have any plans to get married? But you asked her, and she said she didn't dislike my brother. So I told my brother that he was probably asking you what you thought. Would you mind if our two families became in-laws?"

"As long as my fourth sister is happy and the man isn't particularly bad, I have no objections. The key is my eldest brother's opinion; he's the one who can influence my fourth sister's marriage. You've asked the wrong person." Jing Yan finished speaking and turned to leave with a cheerful smile, leaving the Peng siblings staring at each other.

When Peng Chunlai got home, she took off her basket and went straight to her mother to complain, leaving two baskets for her brother to clean up. Peng's brother watched his sister's hurried figure, shook his head helplessly, and took the baskets to store them.

"Mom, let me tell you, my little brother is so useless. I've been encouraging him, but he still doesn't dare to directly tell Fourth Sister his feelings. Today, he actually asked Jingyan if she would accept him as Fourth Sister's husband. Tell me, how is Jingyan supposed to answer? If she agrees, she can't make the decision for Fourth Sister. If she doesn't agree, that doesn't seem right either. Isn't he just making things difficult for her? He's so stupid."

Mrs. Peng watched her daughter complain with a smile, and finally spoke gently after she finished complaining: "Jinghuan and Jingyan are both filial. Even if they talk about marriage, they can only get married next year. It is indeed not good for a daughter to settle down so easily. After all, they have two older brothers who can make decisions."

Don't worry, Jing Tian and Jing Zhao will definitely come back for the New Year. I'll take your brother and you to visit them and sound them out. If they have no objections, we can settle things first and get married next year. Jing Huan is a good girl, gentle and quick-witted. If your brother can marry her, he'll be incredibly lucky!

Peng Chunlai was very happy. "If we can finalize the deal, then should we prepare to build an extension? We're fine living here now, but if my sister-in-law has another child and gives birth to my nephew, we won't have enough room to live in the house."

"Once both sides have reached an agreement, if their family has no objections, we'll allocate a plot of land in the village and build a separate house for them. After they get married, they can move out and live separately. With Jinghuan around, we won't have to worry about your brother's life. He's a very capable person," Peng's mother said with a smile.

“Jingyan is very capable too. I wish I had an older brother,” Peng Chunlai said, pouting.

Aunt Peng patted the top of her head: "Jingyan is different. If she gets married, she will most likely still live in the current house. This is the old house, which was left to her by her mother. I was there when the family divided the property. Sister Zhang made it very clear that she wanted to live with her youngest daughter and be supported by her. Although she didn't end up doing that, this house belongs to Jingyan. However, Jingyan has high standards. I don't think any of the young men in our village will be interested in her, not even your brother."

Peng Chunlai wrinkled his little nose: "I don't want Jingyan to marry someone from another place. If that happens, we won't be able to be together, and I'll miss her. She's my best friend."

"It's alright. Wherever Jingyan marries in the future, Mom will help you find a husband nearby, okay?" Peng's mother teased her.

Jingyan returned home carrying a basket on her back and a hamper on her shoulder. After bolting the door, she put the things on the ground outside the window. Zhang Jinghuan heard the noise and came out of the house. He was surprised to see that his sister had brought back so much meat and bones: "So much stuff, is thirty yuan enough?"

Jingyan nodded: "I bought it for thirty yuan. The lamb bones were two mao a pound, so I spent the thirty yuan. The lamb head was a gift from Chef Lin. Chunlai and I each got one. Fourth Sister, look, the meat has already been divided. Let's cut it according to our needs. It will be very convenient to use it in the future."

Jinghuan examined the meat, saying, "Tomorrow, let's scald the remaining hair on the sheep's head again, clean it, and then make braised sheep's head. We have quite a few spices at home. Although it can't compare to the chef's skills in the cafeteria, it's still flavorful enough for our own consumption."

"Fourth Sister, you can make the decisions. I'll help you out." Zhang Jingyan isn't a great cook, but she's good at everything else.

After warming up inside for a while, Jinghuan, who had already eaten, and her sister cut off the fatty parts of the pork to render oil for tomorrow. They cut the remaining pork into pieces and put them in the storage jar outside the door.

They picked out a few large pieces of mutton and hung them separately under the eaves, waiting for their eldest and second eldest brothers to come back and take them away. The rest were also cut up and stored separately in a jar. By the time the initial preparations were finished, it was already late. They put the sheep's head in a basin in the kitchen, preparing to continue the next day. Nothing more was said that night.

The villagers began to hibernate, and the soldiers who were going back to visit their families also set off one after another. He Zhijun was one of the most eager among them. He was one of the most sought-after in the marriage market. At the age of 22, he was in his prime, educated, and worked in the army. He had only two brothers, and three generations of his family were soldiers. They were the standard third generation of the Red Army. Although no one had become a high-ranking officer, they were still considered to be a very prestigious family.

His family did try to find him a wife, a female soldier, or a child of a military officer. The least eligible woman was a town girl with a stable job. Unfortunately, he didn't like any of them. He either thought they were too weak, too short, or not good-looking.

His mother even began to suspect that there was something wrong with her son. After all, while some people do care about looks, they're not that many. Most people are more concerned with whether someone is good at managing a household or taking care of others; physical appearance isn't such a high priority. Suddenly, this oddball appeared, and the family stopped caring so much. After all, when it comes to aesthetics, everyone is different.

He traveled by train for nearly three days and finally arrived at his hometown, a small town in Jiangnan. The town was filled with the soft Wu dialect and delicate women. Compared to the freezing cold and white landscape of Northeast China, this place was still lush and green even in winter.

Carrying a military green travel bag, he walked down the street with a straight posture in his military uniform, attracting a lot of attention. Soldiers are a profession that many people admire and admire, and even passersby on the street give them the highest respect.

Upon arriving at the gate of the military region's military dependents' compound, the soldiers guarding the gate were not familiar with him, but they did not lower their guard because of his military uniform. They carefully inquired about his identity information, and after carefully comparing it with his letter of introduction and officer's ID, they asked him to register before giving him a military salute and politely letting him pass.

Even though he hadn't been home for two or three years, he still found his way back home. No one was home yet; his parents hadn't gone on vacation. He put his travel bag on the ground by the door and stood guard at the gate.

As noon approached, more and more people began to move around in the courtyard. The younger ones would only glance at the people with curiosity before quickly moving on, while the older ones would look more closely. "Oh, you're Old He's youngest son? It seems like we haven't seen you for a few years. Have you been transferred back?"

"Yes, it's me. We got an early holiday this year, and the army allowed us to take leave to visit our families. I thought it had been a few years since I'd been home, so I came back to visit. I'll go back to the army after the New Year," He Zhijun replied politely.

"That's great, that's great. Where is your unit located? Why are you on leave so early?" the visitor couldn't help but ask curiously.

"In Panxian County, Liaoning Province, in Northeast China, it gets cold early. The soil is already frozen solid, and the local people have started to hibernate, so we've had some free time."

"Oh, do they not work in winter over there? Do several people freeze to death every year?" Upon hearing that it was so cold over there, the visitor couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Haha, Uncle, you're so funny. It's cold over there, but there's a kang (heated brick bed) at home. Once you light the fire, the house is warm. It's much better than winter here. It's just that it's cold outside, but it's not as cold as here. If I weren't homesick, I would rather spend the winter there. It's so comfortable inside." He Zhijun explained good-naturedly.

"Oh, is that so? The people are so lucky. They only have to plant one crop and then stay home all winter. Unlike us here, the land is always busy all year round. It's so hard work!" the man couldn't help but sigh.

After exchanging greetings, the visitor glanced at his watch and said, "Your family should be back in about ten minutes. I'm going home for lunch and a nap, so I won't keep you company any longer. Come visit me sometime; we're neighbors, so let's keep in touch." With that, he left.

He Zhijun watched as the person entered the neighboring courtyard before turning his gaze away and waiting quietly at the entrance.

The man was right. Soon after, his mother, Cui Hongru, returned home. When she saw a man in military uniform standing outside her door, she thought it was someone from the army looking for her husband. It wasn't until he got closer and she saw his face that she realized it was her youngest son.

She quickly ran a few steps to He Zhijun's side, and looking at her son who looked even stronger than a few years ago, she couldn't help but choke up a little: "Xiaojun, why didn't you send a telegram or something to let us know you were coming back? If I had known you were coming back today, I would have taken the day off to cook something delicious for you."

As she spoke, she took out her keys and opened the door. She turned around to take her son's hand, but seeing that the child was already a head taller than her, she withdrew her hand and instead patted his arm: "What are you standing there for? Come in quickly. It's only been a few years since you came back, why are you acting so distant?"

He Zhijun smiled, bent down to pick up the travel bag from the ground, and followed his mother into the house. Apart from the addition of a set of rattan tables and chairs, there were no major changes in the yard. The cement ground was swept clean, and the clothesline in the middle of the yard had been changed from wood to iron, nailed to the ground with two large nails, looking sturdy.

The furnishings inside the house haven't changed much, remaining the same for years. I put my travel bag on the floor near the door, changed into slippers with my mother, and was then pushed onto the sofa by her. The sofa is made of solid wood, and when I suddenly sat down, my bottom ached a little. Ah! This heavy maternal love~.

“Sit down and rest. When did you get home? You’ve been standing outside the door the whole time. Are you stupid? You know no one’s home, why don’t you go to the gate and call my workplace? Even if you didn’t bring any money, you could have put it on our bill. Why are you so inflexible…” Cui Hongru kept nagging, but she didn’t listen to her actions. She pressed her son down to sit down, tied on an apron, and went to the kitchen to cook.

He Zhijun sat for a while, then got up and walked to the kitchen door. He leaned against the door frame and watched his mother busy in the kitchen. His eyes showed a hint of tenderness: "Mom, I haven't been back for long. I'm not tired from standing at the door. I also happened to run into the neighbor's uncle and chatted with him for a while. He said that the family would be back in about ten minutes at most, so I didn't bother to do anything."

"By the way, why are you back at this time? Don't you usually not even get holidays during the Spring Festival in the Production and Construction Corps? How long will you stay this time? Will you be able to spend the Spring Festival at home?"

“Our unit has moved to Liaoning Province in the Northeast. It’s cold there in winter. It starts snowing in November and by the end of December, the ground is frozen solid and can’t be dug up. We’ve made good progress on construction this year, so we gave leave to those who wanted to go home to visit their families. I missed you, so I came back as soon as I got leave. I plan to go back after the Lantern Festival. So I can stay at home for a month and a half.”