Starting a new chapter in life

"Yes, yes, tell your grandma so she can be happy too. Four generations under one roof isn't far off. When you visited her last time, didn't she say that she'd move back home once Jingyan got pregnant? Ask her opinion again this time."

"If your grandma moves back, I'll help you find a sister-in-law who's a good cook, can take care of pregnant women, and can help with the kids. Otherwise, I'm always worried about having a pregnant woman and an elderly person at home." Cui Hongru was happy just thinking about it.

“That’s fine, but Mom, you’d better find a sister-in-law who can cook Northern cuisine. Jingyan and I aren’t used to Shanghainese food. Grandma may live a refined life, but she’s not picky about food, so we’ll have to cater to our tastes,” He Zhijun advised.

"Okay, I'll ask around later. If Grandma doesn't move, we'll need to find someone to help Jingyan during her late pregnancy and before the baby turns one year old. We'll see then."

"Is there anything you're missing at home? Just tell me, and I'll have your dad bring it over. Also, let her do less housework. You can take over when you come home for your vacation. If you don't feel like cooking at home, go out to eat. Have your dad take the food coupons and meat coupons over later. You can't go hungry." Cui Hongru gave her a long, rambling list of instructions.

He Zhijun listened to his mother's nagging with a smile. This time, the mother and son probably didn't care about the phone bill. It took about twenty minutes before they hung up. Jing Yan stood next to him, looking at his wide smile that almost reached his ears. She was speechless but also felt happy.

He Zhijun happily settled the phone bill, took Jingyan's hand and walked home. "I'm going to see Grandma tomorrow. Don't bother with the bus, it's too shaky. Just stay home. I want to tell Grandma about your pregnancy and ask her when she plans to move back."

"Mom said that if Grandma decides to move back, she'll find us a sister-in-law to cook for us and help take care of you and the baby. Even if Grandma doesn't move back for now, she'll find us a helper when you're in the later stages of your pregnancy to help us raise the baby to one year old. What do you think of this?" He Zhijun asked her.

Jingyan was somewhat surprised. "Can we hire a nanny now?" She remembered that it wasn't allowed at this time, as it had a capitalist tendency. Wouldn't that be taboo?

He Zhijun jokingly teased her, "Oh, you even know what a nanny is? This isn't a nanny, she's just a distant relative who came to lend a hand. It's not an employment relationship."

Jingyan understood; there's always a way to find a loophole, and this was one of them. "If Grandma comes back, hiring a sister-in-law would be fine. You know how I cook; I can only feed myself, not Grandma."

If Grandma isn't coming back, then there's no need to hire anyone. At most, we can find someone to help with the laundry and cleaning during the postpartum period; it doesn't need to last a whole year.

He Zhijun touched her hand and smiled, "Don't worry, Grandma will definitely come back when you're pregnant, it's just a matter of time."

As they talked, they slowly returned home. He Zhijun entered the house and carefully settled Jingyan in: "When I come back next time, I'll go ask Liu Qiang if he can make us a couch or something to put in the main room, and put a thick, soft cushion on it so you can sit comfortably. I'll also put two chaise lounges in the yard so you can sit anywhere you want."

Jing Yan was speechless: "I'm really not that fragile. You know that there are plenty of women who are heavily pregnant and still have to work in the fields to earn work points in the sweltering summer. Compared to them, I have it so easy. There's really no need to make such a fuss."

“But Grandma is getting old, and the small stools at home are too low, and the chairs don’t have backrests, so it’s inconvenient for her to use them. If this is done, it will benefit two people in the family, so it’s worth it.” He Zhijun thought his idea was pretty good.

Speaking of Grandma Jingyan, there's really nothing to say. After all, people get old and their legs aren't very good. It's convenient to sit down nearby when you get tired of walking. Thinking of this, and looking at the cement ground on half of the yard, she said, "Zhijun, see if you can find out where you can get a rattan recliner. The spring and autumn breeze is comfortable. Put it in the yard, and you can lie down and rock back and forth. It will be absolutely comfortable."

He Zhijun thought for a moment: "I really didn't know about rattan recliners. I hadn't paid attention to them before. But there's a county called Yixian nearby, where there are lots of bamboo forests. Some of my classmates are from there. She said that there are a lot of bamboo-woven home furnishings that aren't expensive. They range from large items like tables, chairs, benches, and beds to small items like baskets and lanterns. Almost every household knows how to make them, but they just can't sell them."

Jingyan's eyes lit up: "If that's the case, then let's not bother making the sofa and stools out of wood. All that sawing and nailing will leave wood shavings everywhere. Let's just ask if we can use bamboo instead. Those should be sturdy, right? How long can they last?"

He Zhijun scratched his head: "It was just casual conversation at the time. I overheard it but didn't take it too seriously. Maybe I'll ask her later. Even if it can be used for ten or eight years, that would be great."

Jingyan also thought it was a good idea, "Okay, then go back and ask. Anyway, we're not in a hurry."

He Zhijun poured her some warm water and told her to sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed): "If you're tired, lie down for a while. I'll go cook."

Jingyan looked at her belly, which showed no visible signs of pregnancy, and nodded helplessly: "Okay, thank you for your hard work, Zhijun."

Seeing him go to the kitchen, Jingyan couldn't sit still any longer. She got up, grabbed a broom, and swept the floor clean. Cement floors are so much better than brick floors, which need to be watered frequently.

After finishing this little bit of work, there wasn't much else to do, so I took out paper and pen and sat in front of the dressing table to practice calligraphy. I thought that Grandma liked reading and writing, so I should add a desk to both rooms. If there was enough space, I could also add a bookcase. I wrote this down and planned to mention it to Zhijun tonight.

When He Zhijun came in to call her for dinner, he saw her practicing calligraphy. He walked closer and watched for a while, then nodded with satisfaction: "Jingyan's calligraphy has improved very quickly. Before, your handwriting was very messy, but now it's not only neat, but also has a bit of style. I'm not good at this, but Grandma is an expert."

Hearing his voice, Jingyan finished writing the remaining two words, capped the pen, and looked up at him: "I was just thinking of telling you that our family is missing two desks and bookshelves. We need them in this room and in Grandma's room next door. Grandma loves reading and writing, so we can't do without them."

He Zhijun nodded: "Okay, don't worry, I'll go to the secondhand market and see if I can find it. If I can't find it there, we'll ask Liu Qiang to make one for us."

The next morning, He Zhijun went to visit his grandmother. When his grandmother heard that Jingyan was pregnant, she was very happy: "It seems that you conceived during the time you came to visit me. Oh, that's great! Do your parents know yet?"

He Zhijun nodded: "I called my mom and she said that if we can bring you back, she'll help find a woman to help with cooking and cleaning. She can also help take care of Jingyan when she's more pregnant, and lend a hand after the baby is born."

"What if I don't move back?"

“Then we’ll wait until the later stages of pregnancy to find someone to help take care of the baby until the first birthday. But Jingyan said that if you don’t go back, she only needs to find someone to help take care of you during your postpartum period,” He Zhijun replied.

The old lady nodded: "Then tell your mother to find someone first. Once she finds someone, have your father and brother come over to help me move. My granddaughter-in-law is pregnant. Although I, this old woman, can't help much, I can keep her company when I go back."

He Zhijun was overjoyed and couldn't help but hug his grandmother: "Grandma, you can finally move back. I'm so happy. I will definitely take good care of you in the future."

The old lady patted his shoulder: "Although you've always been quite lively, you rarely show your emotions so openly. It seems Jingyan has done a good job of training you. You know how to express your happiness and longing. Don't be like your father, always pretending to be serious and never saying nice things to his wife. He's like a block of wood, so boring."

He Zhijun... Could this be the kind of disdain that comes from one's own mother? It seems like this is how his mother dislikes him too. Yes, she's his biological son, that's for sure.

After visiting his grandmother, He Zhijun immediately returned home. Jingyan had packed him a lunchbox full of side dishes that she had just pickled a couple of days ago. They were crisp, salty, and spicy, and tasted great with porridge.

He was touched when he saw the food Jingyan had packed for him. This was the kind of treatment only someone with a wife who doted on him could receive. Very few of his classmates received such treatment, and everyone who asked him was very proud of it.

He told Grandma Jingyan that he was going to move back, and that very night he took his beloved little vegetable back to school. He was determined to study hard so that he could have a wife and children in the future. Full of responsibility, he became even more proactive in his studies, which inspired his roommates to grit their teeth and work hard as well. There was no way they could slack off when someone was leading the way.

In the early stages of her pregnancy, Jingyan didn't feel any discomfort. One morning, there was a knock on the door. When Jingyan went out and opened the door, she saw Yuan Xiaoling and Liu Qiang standing outside. Jingyan quickly welcomed them in.

“Jingyan, didn’t you say last time that you wanted to get a chicken coop and raise a few chicks? I asked my mom when I got home, and she can help me find some chicks. However, each family here can’t have more than four, and it’s not recommended to raise roosters because their crowing is too noisy and disturbs the neighbors,” Yuan Xiaoling said.

"Four is enough. My family isn't large, and we wouldn't be able to take care of more. Liu Qiang, could you please check if we have enough materials left at home to build a chicken coop?"

Liu Qiang nodded: "Brother Zhijun isn't here?"

"He just went back home a few days ago on vacation, and he's not on vacation today."

"Our two schools have different holiday schedules? That shouldn't be the case." Liu Qiang scratched his head.

Jing Yan smiled: "The school holidays should all be around the same time, but he usually comes back once every two weeks, so he didn't come back this week."

After her explanation, Liu Qiang understood: "Let me check the remaining materials in the yard first. If I have everything I need, I'll build the chicken coop today."

"Sister Yuan, if anyone has a cat that has given birth to kittens, please let me know. My family is thinking of getting a kitten to catch mice." Jing Yan thought of this. Although the previous suspicion about the plague was a false alarm, it was still necessary to be cautious. It would be nice to have a kitten.

Yuan Xiaoling didn't refuse and agreed: "Is there anything else the family needs? If there's anything you want to buy, just tell me. After all, I know the area better than you, so it won't be difficult for me to find out."

“There really is one. Look, my grandma will be moving back in a while. These two rooms are missing a wardrobe, a desk, and a bookshelf. It would be best if we could buy secondhand ones, as they are more cost-effective. If not, we’ll just have to build them ourselves.” Jingyan said as she led Yuan Xiaoling around the rooms.

Yuan Xiaoling took out the measuring tape she always carried with her and measured and noted things down. "We'll just buy ready-made wardrobes and desks. Qiangzi's craftsmanship is no problem making a bookshelf. We'll skip the rest. Don't worry, I'll ask my mom to help me find out when I get home."

Jingyan couldn't help but laugh when she heard this: "Does your mother have more and more work to do after you come back?"

Yuan Xiaoling thought about it and couldn't help but laugh: "Now that you mention it, it seems to be true, hahaha. Anyway, she's always been someone who can't sit still, so it's good that she has something to do."

After tidying up for a while, Liu Qiang came in and said, "The materials in the yard should be enough to make a chicken coop. Xiaoling, go find Lao Chen and the others and ask them to come over. The four of us can finish this job today."

"How much does it cost to build a chicken coop?" Jing Yan asked, then, seeing Liu Qiang about to wave his hand, she continued, "If only you are doing the work today, then I won't pay you. But your other three friends can't do that. It's not right to let them work for free. There's no need to do them favors."

Liu Qiang looked at Yuan Xiaoling again, and seeing that she nodded, he quoted a price: "Four yuan, one yuan each is not too little."

Jingyan knew that the cost of living here was higher than in the Great Northern Wilderness, and that the price they were asking for was reasonable, so she nodded and agreed: "Xiaoling, come over later too, and help me make lunch. There's no reason not to provide meals for those who come to work."

Yuan Xiaoling didn't refuse: "I'll go find some people first and have them come over to work. I also need to go home and have my mom find what you need. Then I'll come over. Wait for me to come over so we can work together."

Jingyan agreed. After seeing Yuan Xiaoling leave, she went back into the house, grabbed her small bag, slung it over her shoulder, and picked up a vegetable basket. She said to Liu Qiang, "Brother Qiang, you stay home and do your work. I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative."

Liu Qiang seemed a little awkward: "Why don't you lock the door? I can work in the yard."

"No need. There's a thermos and ceramic bowls on the table inside. If you get thirsty later, just come in and get some water. There's nothing valuable in the house, so don't worry."

Jingyan said, "Indeed, all the money in the house has been deposited in the bank. The passbook is hidden in a secret compartment in the dressing table drawer, so it's very safe."

There aren't many other kinds of food like rice, oil, and flour. If you're going to be interested in these things, you're being too narrow-minded. After all, it's not a famine year now, and there's always enough food. It's just a matter of whether to eat coarse or refined food.

After Jingyan finished speaking, she went out and bought two spare ribs and a piece of pork belly at the supply and marketing cooperative. On her way home, she saw a middle-aged woman by the roadside with two baskets in front of her, covered with cloth. The cloth on one of the baskets was lifted up, revealing eggs inside. The woman was sitting on the ground, very casually.