Starting a new chapter in life

Jingyan chuckled: "How could that be? I asked Sister He to help me collect these in their company. I wanted to dry them and mail them to my parents-in-law. These are local specialties. The backyard is covered with them. We moved them here because there wasn't enough room in the backyard to dry them."

Chen Xinyue followed her into the house and asked in a low voice, "Can He Chunni's company still harvest mushrooms? If so, I'd like her to help me get some. How much does it cost?"

"Eight cents a pound. If they're dried, about ten pounds of fresh mushrooms can yield one pound of dried mushrooms." Jing Yan felt that as long as someone wanted them, He Chunni could definitely get them.

"Call me when she's coming so I can discuss the dosage with her," Chen Xinyue asked.

Jingyan nodded in agreement: "She should come again in a few days. She brought me some mushrooms today, and she'll also visit Sister Gao on the way. If you're in a hurry, you can go to Sister Gao's house now; you might be able to catch her there."

Chen Xinyue thought it made sense, thanked Jing Yan, and went out to find Gao Mei.

After watching the people leave, He Zhijun came out of the kitchen and said gently, "They say that people who live near mountains live off the mountains, and people who live near the sea live off the sea. It's really true."

He Zhijun went back to work. Before leaving, he told her not to bring him tomatoes and cucumbers, and that he could eat them when he came home for the holidays. Since he didn't need them, Jingyan didn't bother to do it. It was too hot, so it was better to stay home and relax.

However, she didn't have much free time at home either. She was busy collecting the dried mushrooms, as these were the only ones she could mail back now. By the time they were all completely dry, several days would have passed.

When He Chunni came to deliver mushrooms to Chen Xinyue, she also brought over a hundred earthworms. Jingyan thought He Zhijun's previous method was quite good. The chicks went to the wooden trough to find earthworms every day, so they had something to eat and something to play with. It was good. The two laying hens had been laying eggs quite frequently recently, one a day. The other four were also growing fast. Jingyan was very satisfied with this and hid the hundred eggs in the soil in the wooden trough.

When He Zhijun returned at the end of August, he said, "Jingyan, I've already talked to Battalion Commander Gao. His family will come to our house for dinner tomorrow. We have most of the day to prepare, so we won't go to the state-run restaurant. We'll cook at home ourselves."

Jingyan had no objection: "Tomorrow morning I'll go to the meat processing plant early to buy some meat from Section Chief Zhou. Let's also buy some bones. We'll make pork ribs stewed with hazel mushrooms. We happen to have mushrooms at home."

He Zhijun nodded: "Okay, we'll decide what to buy tomorrow morning, and I'll take charge of the cooking."

The next morning, after the two had breakfast, it was still early. Jingyan was still thinking about treating everyone today. "I'll go buy some meat later. Is there anything else you want to buy?"

He Zhijun was washing dishes in the kitchen when he thought for a moment: "Is there any wine left at home? If not, I'll have to buy some more. I'll have a few drinks with Battalion Commander Gao."

Hearing him say that, Jingyan rummaged through the kitchen. "There's still some bulk liquor left, but not much. I'll go buy some more. If I can find some soda, I'll buy some too. We have a baby tomorrow. We still have some candy. I'll also buy some fried dough sticks. Is there anything else you need?"

"That should be enough. The vegetables we have in our garden are sufficient. Let me check the seasonings... Hmm, we don't need to buy any extra. That should be enough." He Zhijun rummaged through the kitchen and felt that it was about right.

Jingyan packed some money and tickets into her small bag. Before leaving, she thought for a moment and then took out some dried hazel mushrooms wrapped in brown paper. "Jingyan, why are you bringing mushrooms?"

"I bring some meat from the old man who guards the gate at the meat processing plant. I always get my meat from him when I go to buy it. You have to be on good terms with him. I can't bear to spend money on expensive things, but I occasionally bring over some of these novelties that I already have at home as a token of my appreciation."

"Well, actually I've always felt that his relationship with Section Chief Zhou is unusual. The two of them seem very familiar with each other, and Section Chief Zhou is also very respectful to the old man. It doesn't seem like just respect for an old man, but more like respect for an elder. Anyway, I don't understand it, but I know that it's always good to make good connections. Do you think I'm too mercenary?" Jing Yan was a little uneasy.

He Zhijun touched her forehead and laughed, "What's so mercenary about this? We're not scheming against others. In other people's eyes, you're just being polite. You're the one overthinking things. Go on, I'll make some mung bean soup at home so you can drink it when you get back."

Jingyan went out and first went to the meat processing plant to find someone. When she arrived at the gate, she saw a square table under a big tree outside the duty post. There were four small stools on the table. The tree was lush and leafy, and dappled light shone through the shade, making it look quite cool.

The old man, who seemed to be in good spirits, sat on one of the stools, holding a large bowl, slurping the noodles in it, and eating with great relish.

An elderly woman sat next to him, fanning herself and occasionally taking a sip from the teacup on the small table, creating a serene and peaceful scene.

She walked up to him with a smile: "Grandpa, having breakfast?"

The old man looked up and saw it was her. He grinned and said, "Little Zhang, it's been a while since you've been here. Didn't you say you weren't planning to go to the market before October? Are you just passing by or do you want to buy some meat to take home?"

Jingyan replied, "My husband's colleague came to visit with his wife and children today. So, I can't be too perfunctory with the food, right? We've been eating meat occasionally lately, and we've almost used up our meat coupons. I have no choice but to swallow my pride and come here to buy some. Sir, could you do me a favor?"

The old man ate the noodles and soup in the bowl in one gulp, then handed the bowl to the old woman next to him, wiped his mouth, and asked, "How much do you want?"

"Three catties of pork ribs and two catties of pork belly." Jing Yan didn't stand on ceremony with him and directly gave him the numbers.

The old man stood up and said gently to the old woman, "My dear, you stay here and keep an eye on things for me. I'll go check in the back and bring them to her if I find anything."

The old woman smiled and said, "Okay, go ahead."

The old man turned around, his tone no longer as gentle as before, and held out his hand to Jing Yan: "Where's the money? You want to buy meat without paying?"

Jing Yan was speechless, thinking to herself, "You didn't say you'd pay first and then give me the meat." But she didn't have the courage to say it aloud. She took out a ten-yuan note from her wallet, handed it over, and forced a smile, "Then I'll have to trouble you, sir."

The old man took the money, turned around and left. The old woman watched his back, walked to Jingyan's side and said gently, "That old man is just so stubborn. He's been like that his whole life, but he's also kind-hearted."

“I know, ma’am. My surname is Zhang. I’m a military dependent. I used to work as a helper in the canteen of the construction corps. Later, when the canteen was no longer short-staffed, I stepped down. After that, I sold braised meat at the market every month. The meat is from Section Chief Zhou. Our corps logistics has a partnership with the meat processing plant, so it’s legal for us to buy meat.” Jing Yan felt she had to explain clearly that she hadn’t broken any rules, lest something bad happen later.

The old lady laughed: "I've heard Xuyang mention this before. You even gave them some of the braised meat you made before, and I tried it. It really tasted good."

Upon hearing this, Jing Yan knew that Section Chief Zhou and this old man indeed had a special relationship; their attitude was far too familiar. However, she didn't want to pry into other people's privacy, so she simply ignored it and took a brown paper package from her basket, handing it to the old woman.

“Auntie, these are mushrooms I picked from the mountain near the company a while ago. I picked out the hazel mushrooms and dried them. I brought some with me this time. You can take them back. You can have them with ribs or something later. It’s a good dish.”

The old woman smiled at her and didn't refuse. She readily took the paper package. "Thank you, Xiao Zhang. Mushrooms are in season now and taste the best. But I'm too old to climb mountains or walk, so I haven't made this for years."

"Don't you have them at the supply and marketing cooperative? Aren't these vegetables too?" Jing Yan asked curiously. She had been here for more than half a year and had never seen dried mushrooms for sale at the supply and marketing cooperative. She hadn't paid attention before and really didn't know if she hadn't seen them or if they didn't exist.

The old woman shook her head: "The supply and marketing cooperative sells mushrooms in limited quantities. Mushrooms are all wild, so the quantity can't be guaranteed and they can't be sold through the cooperative. There are some at the market, though. I should be able to buy some fresh mushrooms there next month. They are picked by people from nearby production teams and carried to sell. But dried mushrooms are very rare. How many mushrooms can each household pick? It's enough for their own consumption. Besides, most families have a lot of people, so they probably don't even have enough for their own consumption. They hardly sell any."

Jingyan then realized this and secretly rejoiced. If she hadn't met He Chunni, she wouldn't have been able to find many things, let alone enjoy the convenience of not needing tickets. In her previous life, she had settled here in the 1980s, when large markets were already common, held once a week, and there were still quite a few people selling these mountain products. In this life, she came earlier, and the market hasn't opened yet, so she overlooked these things.

As the two chatted, the old man came out carrying a piece of pork belly in one hand and a rib in the other. Jingyan saw this and quickly went forward to take them, but the old man stepped aside, walked to the table, and threw the meat and ribs into his basket.

"The meat is two and a half jin, and the ribs are about three and a half jin, so let's say three and a half jin. That leaves three yuan and fifty cents." The old man took the remaining change out of his pocket and handed it to Jingyan.

Jingyan took the change, pulled out a cloth bag and covered the meat with it. After thanking the old man, she picked up her basket and left. The old man smiled as he watched her go. The old woman glared at him and said, "You old man, you always look so serious and scary. You like this girl, don't you? You never smile. Is it fun to always have that long face?"

The old man touched his nose somewhat embarrassedly: "You don't know, at my age, it's better if I'm not easy to get along with. Otherwise, people will think I'm easy to talk to and will keep bothering me. Where will I find peace and quiet? This girl is sensible and knows when to advance and retreat. She's not greedy for small gains. I think she's alright, so I'm willing to give her some face."

The old lady didn't want to talk to him, so she didn't dwell on it. She gestured towards the paper package on the table and said, "She brought you some dried hazel mushrooms. She said she picked them herself from the mountain a while ago and dried them. She's adding some vegetables to your meal."

The old man opened the paper package. "She's quite sensible. She packed quite a lot, probably half a pound. She's an honest child."

The old lady stepped forward and looked at it: "Hmm, it was cleaned before drying. She's meticulous. No wonder Xuyang is willing to give her some convenience. It's comfortable to be around this kind of person. You don't know, after I greeted her just now, she hurriedly explained to me why she could buy meat without a ticket, especially emphasizing that what she did was not against the rules. She's a very cute kid."

The old man nodded: "These days, it's only right to be careful. Old woman, when are we going to stew these mushrooms?"

The old lady replied to him irritably, "I'll bring it to you tomorrow night. Remember to take the ribs home with you tonight. If you don't bring any meat, you can forget about eating it."

The old man readily agreed, and the old woman didn't say much either. She packed up and left.

Jingyan went to the supply and marketing cooperative with a basket on her back and bought two jin of fried dough sticks. Then she went to the liquor section to buy two bottles of bottled liquor. When she got to the counter, she saw buckets of liquor in plastic containers. The bulk liquor she had bought before was scooped out of the vat, but she didn't see it in plastic containers. Out of curiosity, she went up to ask, "Comrade, is this also liquor? How much does it cost?"

The sales clerk was initially reluctant to talk to her when she saw the bottles of wine she was pointing at. Only people who really enjoy drinking would ask about such a large quantity, and eight out of ten would think it was too expensive. How could this woman buy so much wine for her man?

But she still replied coldly, "Ten pounds, twelve yuan."

"Do you need tickets?" Jing Yan asked.

The salesperson shook his head: "No ticket needed, but we don't sell them individually."

Jing Yan nodded: "What temperature?"

"Sixty Degrees"

"I want a bucket." Jing Yan took out the money and handed it to the cashier. The cashier looked shocked. In the gap between writing out the receipt, the cashier sighed, "You really love your man, buying so much at once."

Jing Yan smiled and said, "I was planning to buy it anyway. I originally wanted to buy bottled wine, but I just happened to come across this kind. Now that I have the barrels, I can just bring them over to buy bulk wine when I'm done drinking it. It's quite a good deal."

The salesperson thought about it and agreed, so she didn't say anything more. After the barrel of liquor was in hand, Jing Yan glanced at it and saw that it was called "Northeast Small Liquor." A simple red label was the trademark at that time, but even so, it was considered high-end.

Carrying a wine barrel, a basket, and a paper bag filled with fried dough sticks, he was practically decked out in his clothes. When he got home, he put the wine at the entrance to the living room, the snacks on the table, and the basket on the floor in the kitchen.

He Zhijun was sprinkling a thin layer of white sugar on the sliced ​​tomatoes when he saw Jing Yan come in. He smiled at her and said, "You're back. I'll pour out some sugar water for you to drink later."

Jingyan found it somewhat amusing: "I'm not a child anymore, I don't need to be coaxed with sugar water. Are you starting to prepare now? Isn't it a bit early?"

He Zhijun glanced at his watch: "It's already ten o'clock, not early. Let's keep lunch simple: one tomato salad with sugar, one pork rib stew with green beans, and some steamed rice. For dinner, let's have rice and vegetables."

Jing Yan nodded indifferently: "It's up to you. Everything you make tastes good."