Chapter 31: Registration
To take the children to register, Gu Heng took two hours off in the morning. After breakfast and a bit of tidying up, the whole family set out. Since they needed to buy groceries, Su Zhaozhao carried a basket.
Passing by Zhou Xiaojun's house, she saw the gate open and called out.
Wang Chunhua, with an apron tied around her waist, came out, "You're going so early?"
"Need to go to the market after registration. Don't forget to bring Xiaojun over for dinner tonight." Zhou's political commissar had asked Gu Heng to inform them.
"Sure, I'll come over early to help."
Her Xiaojun also needed to register, so Su Zhaozhao asked, "Want to go together?"
"I can't leave here." Wang Chunhua shrugged. She had been busy since morning, cooking, cleaning, and washing the clothes from last night. Somehow, the jar of pickles broke, and before leaving, she was still cleaning up the mess. There was still half a jar of pickles on the ground that hadn't been cleaned up.
Wang Chunhua's eyes lit up, "Why don't you take Xiaojun with you? If no one watches him, he might not get to school until who knows when."
Su Zhaozhao, of course, did not refuse, and Gu Heng nodded as well.
Wang Chunhua quickly went inside and soon came out with Xiaojun, handing him over to Su Zhaozhao, "Thanks for the trouble."
Thus, the family gained a little tail named Xiaojun.
Zhou Xiaojun was lively, much more active than the Gu siblings. With him along, the two siblings truly acted like children their age. The three kids held hands, skipping and jumping, mostly due to Zhou Xiaojun's enthusiasm.
The school wasn't far, only about a ten-minute walk. They arrived early, and there weren't many people at the school yet.
The school accepted not only children from the military but also students from nearby villages.
Even so, the school was small, with only one class per grade, each class having only about twenty students.
Gu Heng was less familiar with the school than Xiaojun, who pulled Gu Xiang and Gu Nian's hands and ran towards the third-grade classroom.
Gu Heng and Su Zhaozhao followed behind.
The third-grade homeroom teacher was a young woman with two braids, round-faced, looking very fortunate.
As soon as Xiaojun entered the classroom, he shouted, "Good morning, Teacher Zheng!"
Teacher Zheng, who had been writing at her desk, looked up, "Zhou Xiaojun, have you finished the summer homework assigned before the break? Bring it to me if you've finished; I need to check it."
Teacher Zheng lived in the residential area and often saw Zhou Xiaojun playing around. She had silently noted that she would need to check his homework carefully when school resumed.
Zhou Xiaojun was startled, "I did, I did, but I didn't bring it today."
"Remember to bring it tomorrow when classes officially start."
"Okay, okay." The lively Xiaojun suddenly lost his liveliness.
Su Zhaozhao found it amusing; throughout history, there has never been a student who wasn't afraid of their teacher.
Mr. Zheng also spotted them and stood up, "Captain Gu, right?"
Gu Heng nodded, "I've brought my two children here to register."
Mr. Zheng looked at Gu Nian and Gu Xiang, and said with a smile, "I've heard from the principal that Captain Gu and the parents can rest assured. I will definitely teach them well, but I'm not sure about their current academic progress."
Almost every year, there are children transferring from rural areas. Some claim to have attended school for a few years, but when they start classes, they struggle with many subjects and can't keep up with the curriculum. This is also due to the lagging educational resources in the countryside.
The children's school of the military, though also adjacent to the village, is not the same as the ordinary rural primary schools. With the military's endorsement, its educational resources are not inferior to those in urban areas, and sometimes can be said to be better, such as in terms of supplies.
Children from military families like Gu Xiang do not need to pay tuition fees; enrolling truly means just enrolling.
Gu Heng was unclear about the children's grades and looked towards Su Zhaozhao.
In the previous exam, Gu Nian scored two hundred points, and Gu Xiang also scored above ninety.
Upon hearing that the child's grades were so excellent, Mr. Zheng's eyes lit up.
"That's wonderful." No teacher dislikes children with good grades.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian felt a bit shy from the praise, while Zhou Xiaojun made faces at them with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Mr. Zheng turned to look at him, "Zhou Xiaojun, you should learn from Gu Xiang and Gu Nian! Don't just focus on playing every day."
Zhou Xiaojun stood still obediently, "Teacher Zheng, I know!"
After registering, Teacher Zheng distributed the new textbooks and asked the children to arrive at school by 8:30 AM tomorrow.
"It's best to arrive at school ten minutes early," Teacher Zheng said to Gu Xiang and Gu Nian.
The siblings nodded, holding their books.
Exiting the school, Gu Heng glanced at the time and noted it was still early, "Let's go to the market together; I should be able to drop you off on the way back."
So they went to the market again, with Zhou Xiaojun following along. He had intended to run away but was caught by Su Zhaozhao. Sister Wang handed the person to her, and she had to return the person to their hands.
Sure enough, there was a long queue in front of the meat stall. Those who had purchased meat were beaming with joy, while those at the back were standing on tiptoe, anxiously peering forward, fearing that there would be none left by the time it was their turn.
Su Zhaozhao still wanted to buy some meat, "Xiao Xiang, you line up behind me and let's see if we get lucky."
Gu Xiang nodded and stood at the end of the line.
Su Zhaozhao then began to purchase other items. Tofu was definitely on the list, and surprisingly, there was a queue at the tofu stall as well?
Then did she get lucky and find some tofu available last afternoon?
Fortunately, there weren't many people, and Su Zhaozhao sent her daughter away, giving her money to buy two pieces.
No one has started growing vegetables in greenhouses yet, so the vegetables on the stalls are all seasonal, with not too many varieties, but it's not a small selection. Su Zhaozhao bought several kinds, filling her basket to the brim.
Gu Heng held the basket in his hand, which she had handed to him while selecting the vegetables, and he kept it with him ever since.
"Is this the casserole you mentioned?" Gu Heng pointed to a clay-colored pot that was a bit larger than a bowl with its lid on.
Su Zhaozhao followed his finger and said, "Yes! That's it!"
Why didn't she see it last time? Or did she just miss it?
It wasn't until she was buying it that she found out— "It only arrived yesterday."
The salesperson thought it wouldn't sell well; most people living around here were from the military, who couldn't afford an iron or aluminum pot?
Who would use a clay pot?
Not only is it fragile, but it also tends to break easily.
Su Zhaozhao became the first customer to buy the casserole.
She didn't just buy the casserole; she also got a kimchi jar.
Kimchi is the perfect match for porridge, and it can be used in dishes and soups as well.
She would have to start pickling kimchi soon.
Fortunately, she had learned how to do it on a certain app before coming here.
Gu Nian had already bought the tofu, and when Su Zhaozhao reached the meat stall, she found that she was almost next in line after Gu Xiang.
The butcher's hands moved swiftly, slicing off a neat strip with each cut, whether it was half a pound or a full pound, he never needed a second cut, no wonder it was Gu Xiang's turn so quickly.
Chapter 32: Studying
"How much?" the master asked without lifting his head.
Su Zhaozhao and her son switched places, "Two catties."
The master glanced at her, "One catty, there's not much left. There are people waiting behind you; leave some for them too."
The people in line also chimed in, "Exactly, why buy two catties? It doesn't keep well in this weather. Can you finish two catties?"
"If everyone buys like you, what will we eat?"
"Leave some for us. I promised to make meat for the kids today; they've been looking forward to it for days."
Well, buying meat with money and still being talked out of it, one would think she bought ten catties.
"Alright, one catty then." For the sake of the mothers behind her who wanted to cook meat for their children, Gu Heng had said he would get meat dishes from the cafeteria anyway.
There was no choice of meat left on the counter; the good parts like pig's feet and fat were already sold out.
These days, fatty cuts were more popular than lean ones. Lean meat had no fat, making it the last choice for most people. So, those who queued up later, like them, were left with only shoulder meat and some poor-quality scraps.
Su Zhaozhao chose a catty of shoulder meat. The shoulder meat had a bit of fat only where it was attached to the skin, which might weigh about two taels after cutting. The remaining eight taels were all lean meat.
It was the first time the family had bought so much meat. Gu Xiang held the meat in his hands, and the siblings kept checking it as they walked, afraid it might drop accidentally.
Gu Heng was in a hurry to get back to the military base and walked very fast. Su Zhaozhao couldn't keep up.
"I'll take the things back first, you can walk slowly."
Su Zhaozhao nodded, holding the newly bought clay pot, watching him carry the jar in one hand and the basket in the other, walking briskly ahead.
By the time they got home, Gu Heng had been gone for a long time.
She filled a basin with water, soaked the pickled vegetable jar and the clay pot, and also salted the meat to prevent it from spoiling in the heat.
Gu Xiang and Xiao Nian were reading their new textbooks in the room.
The courtyard gate, which was slightly ajar, was pushed open from outside by Wang Chunhua.
Just as Su Zhaozhao was about to greet her, Zhou Xiaojun darted in first, holding a textbook in his arms, "Aunt Su, hello!"
He ran into the house while greeting Su Zhaozhao.
"What's the rush? If you're not busy during the day, you'll be anxious at night, and if you wake up at midnight to mend your pants, you deserve to have unfinished homework and be punished by the teacher!" Wang Chunhua, holding two large bowls, couldn't free her hands, and shouted through the window, "Xiao Xiang, Xiao Nian, don't help him."
Su Zhaozhao hurried to take the bowls.
"These are homemade sauces I made. They add great flavor to dishes and stews. This bowl is pickled vegetables; you can try them too."
"It's too much trouble, I've only been here a few days and have eaten so much from your house."
The sauce was dark red, and she didn't know what it was made of. The aroma of the sauce wafted into her nose, and the pickled vegetables looked very appetizing. Saliva quickly built up in Su Zhaozhao's mouth.
Wang Chunhua waved her hand, "A little sauce and pickled vegetables are nothing."
Seeing the jar by the sink, she asked, "Are you planning to pickle vegetables too?"
"Not really. I'm thinking of making kimchi."
"You know how to make kimchi?" Wang Chunhua was from the north and knew how to make pickled cabbage but not kimchi. She had seen others make it and thought it was simple, but when she tried, it didn't taste right.
Su Zhaozhao nodded and went into the kitchen to clear the bowls.
"You're so capable. I can't do this. When I tried, it smelled like stinky feet."
Su Zhaozhao washed the bowls under the tap and smiled, "It's nothing. I can't make such good sauce either. Your pickled vegetables are so delicious; I could never make them taste like that."
"That's great. We can learn from each other. You teach me how to make kimchi, and I'll teach you how to make sauce. By the way, I also have pickled cabbage, which is perfect for stewing with meat. Do you want some? I can bring some over later."
"Sure! Thank you. Just talking about it makes my mouth water."
Su Zhaozhao subconsciously thought of a dish. Perfect, since they bought tofu, they could make pickled cabbage stewed with tofu and some meat for dinner.
"Let me know when you start making kimchi, and I'll come to learn."
"Sure."
Wang Chunhua took the bowls and left, calling out to Zhou Xiaojun before she went. Zhou Xiaojun said he wanted to do homework with Gu Xiang and the others.
He wasn't really doing homework with them; he wanted Gu Xiang to help him.
"Are we not good friends anymore?"
Gu Xiang pushed the workbook back, "It's not that I won't help, but our handwriting is different, and the teacher will notice."
"Just write uglier, then!" Good handwriting can be recognized, but ugly handwriting definitely won't be.
Zhou Xiaojun pleaded pitifully, "Please, I still have six texts to copy and new characters to write. Teacher Zheng asked us to write a page for each character learned last semester, and I've only written six pages..."
Gu Nian asked, "What did you do during the long break?"
"..." Zhou Xiaojun was embarrassed to admit he had just played around.
Even if he didn't say it, the siblings knew. Aunt Wang called him a mischievous monkey who only knew how to play.
Seeing they weren't budging, Zhou Xiaojun reluctantly pulled out two candies from his bag, "Here, have these. Will you help me now?"
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian each got a candy every day, so they were no longer easily tempted by sweets.
Taking his eyes off the candy, Gu Xiang said, "Forget about the candy. Keep it for yourself and eat it. We can help you write, but you have to help us gather reed stalks."
Just this little thing?
If you don't help, I'll still help you gather them!
"Alright!" Zhou Xiaojun quickly put away the candy, "I'll go gather them after school. I promise to get you a big pile in two days!"
"Alright, but if the teacher finds out, you can't rat us out."
Zhou Xiaojun patted his chest, "Don't worry! I definitely won't do such an unbrotherly thing!"
With a little guest at home, Su Zhaozhao cut some apples and brought them in.
The three children were hunched over their desks, writing furiously, not even noticing her arrival.
"Mom." Gu Nian was the first to spot her.
This startled Zhou Xiaojun, who, like a thief caught in the act, slapped his hands down on the desk, covering the textbooks tightly, also startling Gu Xiang, who was copying from a book.
"Aunt Su, hehe!"
Who hasn't been through childhood? And with Wang Chunhua's shout before she came, how could Su Zhaozhao not know what the three of them were up to?
"Stop giggling, have some apple." After saying that, Su Zhaozhao placed the bowl in the middle of the desk and left, not wanting to disturb them.
Only then did Zhou Xiaojun catch the scent of the apples. Seeing the small slices in the bowl, his eyes lit up!
"Wow! Your mom is so nice, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian!" He picked up a piece and stuffed it into his mouth, mmm, the apple was delicious.
Aunt Su would be his favorite person from now on!
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, with apples in their mouths, lifted their chins, "Of course!"
Chapter 33: New Clothes for the Children
In the afternoon, Su Zhaozhao went to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, where she bought schoolbags and pens for the two children.
The schoolbags at that time were of the hanging type, available in only two colors: blue and military green.
Su Zhaozhao chose the military green ones, one for each child.
She had intended to buy a set of pencils to keep at home, but the salesperson refused, "There aren't many left. If you buy them all, what will others buy?"
Upon learning that she only had two children, the salesperson gave her four pencils.
Disappointed, Su Zhaozhao took the schoolbags and pencils to the neighboring tailor shop.
The old tailor had seen her several times over the past few days. As soon as he saw her enter, he pointed to the clothes on the table and said, "These are yours. Two more sets are not ready yet; come back in a couple of days."
Su Zhaozhao's eyes lit up, "So fast!"
She had come hoping for a stroke of luck. School was starting tomorrow, and it wouldn't do for the children to wear patched clothes. She had planned to buy a set from the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives if the tailor hadn't finished them yet.
After checking, she found that the two missing sets were hers, so she wasn't in a hurry.
"Thank you, Master." The old tailor's craftsmanship was impeccable, far better than anything available at the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives.
Su Zhaozhao returned home with the schoolbags and clothes, calling out to Gu Xiang and Gu Nian, "Your new clothes are ready! Come out and take a look. And there are new schoolbags too!"
The siblings put down their pens and ran out, followed by Zhou Xiaojun, who hadn't finished his summer homework.
"Wow! These pants are so nice! Gu Xiang, your pants and your sister's are exactly the same! And new schoolbags, mine are so old, and my mom won't buy me new ones!"
There were differences in the pants, such as the placement of the zipper—front for boys and side for girls.
Gu Xiang's work pants had a front zipper for convenience.
Gu Nian's eyes sparkled as she touched the schoolbag and the new clothes, "Mom, can I try them on?"
"Of course, go try them on in your parents' room and close the curtains." She then said to Gu Xiang, "You should also try them on in your room. If they don't fit, we'll get them adjusted right away."
The siblings entered the bedroom from opposite sides to try on their new clothes.
Zhou Xiaojun followed Gu Xiang but was pushed out by him.
A moment later, the siblings emerged in their new clothes.
As the saying goes, "A person is judged by their clothes, just as a horse is judged by its saddle." It was indeed true!
Wearing the new clothes, the siblings looked completely different. With their new schoolbags slung over their shoulders, they looked like a handsome boy and a beautiful girl.
Children change quickly; in just a few days, their cheeks had filled out, and their sun-tanned skin had lightened. Wearing the new clothes, they looked simply stunning!
And they looked spirited!
No one would dare say her children looked like refugees anymore.
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian loved their new clothes and schoolbags, but they were afraid of wearing them out, so they tried them on and took them off, "We'll wear them to school tomorrow."
Su Zhaozhao didn't stop them, "New clothes need to be washed once. They'll dry overnight."
Both children nodded. Without waiting for Su Zhaozhao, they placed the schoolbags on the bed and took the clothes to wash by the pond.
Seeing Gu Xiang's new clothes, Zhou Xiaojun suddenly felt his new clothes weren't as good, "I'll ask my mom to make me pants like these."
"What do you want?" At four in the afternoon, Wang Chunhua came to help. As soon as she entered, her son pulled her to ask for new pants.
"Just suspenders! Like the ones Aunt Su made for Gu Xiang and Gu Nian." Zhou Xiaojun gestured excitedly.
Wang Chunhua understood and asked Su Zhaozhao, "The clothes were done so quickly?"
"The children's are done, but mine aren't."
"That old tailor works fast." Wang Chunhua had received her new clothes yesterday afternoon.
"Mom, Mom, please make them for me!"
Zhou Xiaojun persisted, but Wang Chunhua slapped his back, "Do you think money grows on trees? You just got new clothes and now you want more? How spoiled can you be! Go stand in the corner!"
She firmly suppressed Zhou Xiaojun.
Zhou Xiaojun pouted, thinking his mother was like a tigress, nothing like the gentle Aunt Su.
Ignoring him, Wang Chunhua entered the kitchen with Su Zhaozhao, "Tell me what needs to be done."
Su Zhaozhao didn't hesitate, "Could you please help me cut these potatoes into strips..."
Gu Heng had invited the necessary guests in the morning and ordered dishes from the military canteen for lunch. He picked them up before leaving.
When he returned, Xiao Xiang was following behind him.
"Hello, Aunts!" Comrade Xiao Xiang greeted Su Zhaozhao and the others as soon as he arrived.
"Hello."
"Oh! It's Xiao Xiang!" Wang Chunhua teased him, "Coming so early, planning to show off your cooking skills?"
Xiao Xiang scratched the back of his head, "I'd love to, but I'm afraid the aunts will find my cooking terrible and waste food. I'm good at stoking the fire though. Before joining the army, I often helped my mother with the stove at home."
With so many dishes to cook, using only the coal stove wouldn't suffice. The earthen stove in the kitchen was put to use, with steamed buns currently being prepared.
Wang Chunhua had made the buns. Su Zhaozhao had initially planned to cook rice, but when Wang Chunhua asked who she had invited and learned that several were from the north, she suggested that buns would be more suitable. If they steamed rice, the small aluminum pot might not be enough, so steaming buns using the large stove was a better choice.
There was no steamer at home, so it was Wang Chunhua who went to fetch one from her own place. Now the pot was steaming buns.
Xiang Beifang found himself a good job, sitting in front of the stove and tending the fire.
Gu Heng thanked Wang Chunhua, "Thank you, Sister."
Wang Chunhua didn't stop her hands, chopping vegetables with a skilled hand.
"What did you buy?" Su Zhaozhao asked.
"Braised pork, braised pig trotters with soybeans, and chicken stewed with mushrooms."
These dishes might not be much in modern times and could even be looked down upon for a dinner party, but in this era of scarce resources, they were top-notch.
Most people couldn't even order such dishes at the canteen.
Gu Heng took out the lunch boxes one by one from the net bag and placed them on the stove to keep warm, so they wouldn't need to be reheated later.
Seeing that he wasn't needed in the kitchen, he went into the bedroom to take off his military uniform and changed into a plain shirt with no markings.
Seeing Gu Xiang and Gu Nian helping Zhou Xiaojun with his homework, Gu Heng thought they were studying and felt reassured. He glanced at them without disturbing them and left.
Gu Xiang sighed in relief; he really feared his father would ask questions.
He quickly finished writing the last word, put down the pen, and said, "That's it. Don't ever make us help you again, or if the adults find out, we'll definitely get scolded."
"I know, I know! I won't do it again." Zhou Xiaojun happily packed up his homework, finally able to turn it in to Teacher Zheng.
"Let's go! We're going to pull reeds!"
Gu Xiang: "We have guests coming, we need to stay and help at home. Let's go after school tomorrow."
Zhou Xiaojun: "There are so many adults here, we're not needed. Come on, I know where there are the most reeds. We can pull a big bunch before dinner."
Thinking about the grass mats their mother needed, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian agreed to go out. However, they hadn't even left the yard when they were stopped by Wang Chunhua.
"Where are you off to? Zhou Xiaojun, take Uncle Gu to your house to borrow some tables and chairs."
Zhou Xiaojun's shoulders slumped, "I know!"
The family only had one set of table and chairs, which was clearly not enough for guests. When guests came, neighbors would lend each other their furniture.
Gu Heng went to Zhou's house to borrow the table and chairs, and Xiang Beifang followed, with three half-grown children trailing behind.
Chapter 34: A Banquet
Zhou Ming was still in the military and hadn't returned home yet, so there was no one at the house. Zhou Xiaojun opened the door and led them inside to move things.
Xiang Beifang had never been to the Zhou family's house before and was amazed by the vegetables in their courtyard, "The vegetables in Comrade Zhou's courtyard are really well-grown!"
They were planted on both sides!
There was a huge difference between the courtyards tended by city wives and those by country wives!
Deputy Regiment Commander Yan's courtyard was full of flowers and trees, not a single vegetable leaf to be seen.
It looked beautiful in spring and summer when the flowers bloomed, but it wasn't very practical, just for show, not for eating.
In comparison, Comrade Zhou's courtyard was better.
At this moment, the Yan family, which Xiang Beifang had compared in her mind, was also arguing over a small matter of whether to go or not.
"Are you really not going?"
Yu Huixin was watering the flowers with a watering can, "No, if they ask, tell them I'm busy at work."
"What could you possibly be busy with at work?" She had already used this excuse with Laogu last time, and now she was using it again. Those who knew thought she had a job; those who didn't might think she was a high-ranking official.
"Let's not talk about work hours, but this is after work." Yan Guang looked disapproving, "You said before that we should improve relations between our families, why aren't you even going to visit them now?"
Yu Huixin rolled her eyes, "What could I do if I went? Help in the kitchen? Forget it, I can't stand the way people from the countryside cook. I advise you to be careful during meals too, don't eat anything you shouldn't."
"Shut up!"
Yan Guang glared at her, "Don't keep talking about people from the countryside, someone might hear and say you have a problem with class stance!"
Yu Huixin wasn't scared at all, "I'm saying it in my own home, who could hear?" She waved him away, "If you're going, go quickly, don't stand here bothering me while I water the flowers."
Yan Guang pointed at her several times but finally had to give in helplessly. After all, he had married a cultured capitalist's daughter despite his better judgment. Over the years, apart from her bourgeois mannerisms, there wasn't much else wrong with her.
"I'll take Xiaowen with me then."
"No!" Yu Huixin, who disliked the idea herself, wouldn't let her son go, "If you want to go, go alone. I'll take Xiaowen to the canteen for dinner later."
"If you don't go, you might as well eat at home. If you run into someone who's going to Laogu's place for dinner, you won't be able to explain yourself."
Yu Huixin didn't respond, just waved her hand impatiently.
Around six-thirty, people started arriving at the Gu family's house. The first to arrive was Comrade Zhou from next door.
Then came the soldiers who had helped out a few days ago. They were all under Gu Heng's command and were particularly diligent, taking care of serving tea and water.
"Sister-in-law, let me, let me…" Su Zhaozhao's pot was snatched away, rinsed under the tap, and handed back to her.
Su Zhaozhao: "…." She was startled, thinking they were trying to take over her cooking duties!
"Old Gu, we're here!" A group of loud-voiced men shouted even before entering the door.
Gu Heng went out to greet them, exchanging punches and slaps. Su Zhaozhao seriously suspected they were doing it on purpose, but the protagonist was sturdy, and his waist didn't even bend.
"Quickly introduce us to your sister-in-law! We've heard about her for days, but we haven't seen her yet." The loudest voice belonged to a man around forty-five or forty-six, who looked around the courtyard as soon as he entered.
"Right, introduce us, where are your nephews and nieces? Let us see them."
Gu Heng called Su Zhaozhao inside.
"Let me introduce everyone to you."
Su Zhaozhao wiped her hands and followed him out.
Gu Heng pointed to the loudest man, "This is Political Commissar Huang from our First Regiment."
Political Commissar Huang laughed heartily, "Sister-in-law, don't be formal. My name is Huang Zhengguang, you can call me Lao Huang."
Despite being surrounded by a group of burly men, Su Zhaozhao wasn't intimidated and smiled, showing eight teeth, "Political Commissar Huang, welcome, welcome!"
Gu Heng was the regiment commander of the First Regiment, and Huang Zhengguang was the political commissar. In appearance and speech, Gu Heng seemed more like an intellectual, while Political Commissar Huang seemed more like a military man.
Gu Heng introduced the others to her, "This is Staff Officer Yang from our First Regiment."
"This is Battalion Commander Li from our First Regiment."
"Hello, Sister-in-law."
"Hello, welcome."
After meeting everyone, Su Zhaozhao noticed that except for Battalion Commander Li, who was about the same age as Gu Heng, the rest were older than Gu Heng.
However, among this group, only Political Commissar Huang and Regiment Commander Zhou from the Second Regiment were at the same level as Gu Heng. The others were of lower rank, highlighting Gu Heng's excellence. At thirty, he was already the full regiment commander of the First Regiment.
Seeing that none of them had brought their spouses, she asked, "Why didn't you bring your sisters-in-law? I've prepared the meal."
"They can eat at home."
"That's right, they have a bunch of kids to take care of."
Before coming, they had agreed not to bring their families.
If they did, their children would come along. If there was only one child, it would be fine, but most families at this age had three to five children. With so many people, the house might not even fit them all.
Another reason was that if everyone went, how much food would they need?
Although the military had good conditions, it couldn't withstand such consumption.
After a brief discussion, they decided not to bring anything and come straight from the military base.
Su Zhaozhao didn't ask further, "Please take a seat, dinner will be served soon."
"No rush, no rush."
"If you need any help, just let us know, don't be formal with us."
Once Su Zhaozhao entered the kitchen, the guests outside began to praise her.
"You're a lucky guy!" Huang Zhengguang gave a thumbs up, "Your sister-in-law looks like a virtuous woman."
With a smile and poised demeanor, her voice was neither too soft nor too loud, not at all like someone from the countryside.
"Look at this courtyard, you've only been here a few days, and it's already well-kept."
"Do you smell that? Your sister-in-law must be a great cook, Laogu is truly blessed!"
Gu Heng modestly replied, "It's okay, you'll see when you taste it later."
"If Laogu says it's okay, it must be very good…"
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian returned, having finished moving the chairs. They followed Zhou Xiaojun to gather reeds. Seeing so many people at home, they stood at the door, unsure how to enter.
Gu Heng saw them and waved them over, introducing them to everyone, "These are my son and daughter. My son is Gu Xiang, and my daughter is Gu Nian."
He then had Gu Xiang and Gu Nian greet the guests, calling those older than their father "Uncle" and those younger "Brother."
"Just look at them, they're definitely Laogu's kids! Look how much they resemble him!" Political Commissar Huang kept staring at the two children, and after he was done, he asked everyone to take a look.
Adviser Yang nodded, "That's right! Their noses and eyes are so alike! The son looks most like his father, while the daughter takes more after her mother."
"It's rare to have twins, let alone a boy and a girl. Laogu, you're really enviable!"
"That's true, we can't beat you in battle, and we can't even beat you in having kids. It's damn frustrating!"
"With the kids around, watch your language. Speak more politely."
Chapter 35 Gossip
One word from you, one word from me, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian looked at each other, unsure of how to address everyone.
Zhou Ming said, "Everyone, stop talking so much, don't scare the kids."
Only then did the siblings get their chance to call out to everyone. After going around, both of their pockets were filled with candies, and even Zhou Xiaojun had a good haul.
Zhou Xiaojun happily showed his father the candies in his pocket, only to receive a light tap on the head.
As they were chatting, Yan Guang arrived, holding a bottle of wine in his hand.
"I'm late!"
"Good that you know, you'll have to drink three cups as punishment later!"
Seeing that no one had brought their families, Yan Guang breathed a sigh of relief; now he wouldn't have to explain to Laogu.
Two tables were set up in the courtyard, and dishes were placed on them one by one.
Tofu and eggplant with minced meat, stir-fried green peppers and potatoes with shredded pork, pickled cabbage and sliced pork stewed with tofu, dry-fried green beans, steamed eggs with minced meat...
As each dish was served, everyone's eyes lit up.
When the dishes from the canteen that Gu Heng had fetched were added, everyone realized that the entire table was filled with meat dishes! Even the vegetables were cooked with fatty meat.
Su Zhaozhao had used a bit of ingenuity, slicing a pound of meat into shreds and mincing it for different dishes. Even the dry-fried green beans were cooked with minced meat, and the vegetables were sautéed with oil from fatty meat.
Each dish had less meat but retained its flavor, enhancing the freshness. This way, every dish had a touch of meat.
Gu Heng hadn't expected her to make so many variations from just a pound of meat and couldn't help but look at her with admiration.
Su Zhaozhao blinked, receiving the message.
"You're really skilled, Sister-in-law!" Everyone praised after tasting the dishes.
"The taste is even better than what we get at our camp's canteen!"
"Try this tofu, it's so fresh! I've never had such delicious tofu before!"
"I regret not bringing my husband over; he should come and see what real cooking is like. The food he makes, even pigs wouldn't eat it."
Su Zhaozhao blushed at the compliments. Her cooking skills were just at a home-cooking level, and she knew more because she often watched videos to learn. To say she could match professional chefs would be a stretch.
Everyone found the food delicious mainly because of the meat. No matter what dish, adding meat made it fragrant.
People nowadays ate less meat, even leaders did.
During the three years of natural disasters, even the old leaders didn't eat meat.
Unlike people in the future, who got tired of eating meat.
Wang Chunhua sat next to Su Zhaozhao, having helped for half the afternoon. She had also learned several dishes, "Tomorrow, I'll buy some tofu and a casserole pot and try making it like you did."
"Sure, there are many dishes you can make with a casserole pot. I'll teach you when the time comes."
"It's settled then."
The women and children, who didn't drink, were the first to leave the table. Su Zhaozhao and Wang Chunhua tidied up the kitchen, chatting as they worked.
"Have you met Deputy Commander Yan's wife?"
Su Zhaozhao bent down to wash the pots, "I saw her once when I first came. She's quite beautiful." It was her first time meeting Yan Guang today, who looked a few years older than Gu Heng, with a decent appearance.
Wang Chunhua pouted, "She is pretty, but she's a capitalist. Do you know her family is capitalist?"
Su Zhaozhao feigned ignorance, "No, I didn't know." She had just arrived and knew nothing.
Wang Chunhua glanced around and lowered her voice, "Her family is from Sea City. People say they used to own a large factory in Sea City before the founding of the country. I don't know who introduced them, but she met Deputy Commander Yan and they got married soon after. At first, the leaders didn't agree, but Deputy Commander Yan insisted on marrying her."
Su Zhaozhao listened with great interest, more detailed than what was written in the book.
"I heard from Lao Zhou that Deputy Commander Yan had a bright future, but because he married a woman with a capitalist background, he's still in a deputy position. He joined the organization earlier than your Captain Gu and fought many battles, earning as many merits as your Captain Gu..."
"Is that so!" Su Zhaozhao said, "Then she must be a good person."
In the book, she was described positively, always interacting warmly with the protagonist and being a close friend.
Characters like Aunt Wang were barely mentioned, leaving little impression.
Wang Chunhua shook her head and spat out two words, "Proud!"
"Your Captain Gu and Deputy Commander Yan have a good relationship, so you'll definitely have to interact with her. Let me warn you, don't offer your warmth to her coldness; she looks down on us rural folks."
The gossip fire in Su Zhaozhao's heart burned brightly. There must be a story here, she asked, "What do you mean?"
"When I first came, I wanted to build a good relationship with the families of the cadres. I spent a lot of oil frying dough twists to give to them. Everyone else was nice and returned gifts, but when I went to her house, humph!"
Wang Chunhua was still upset about it, "I handed her the dough twists, do you know what expression she had?"
"What expression?"
"Just like this." Wang Chunhua pushed her hands forward, stretched her neck back, and mimicked Yu Huixin's voice, "No, no, no one in our family likes to eat this. You take it back."
"You can't imagine how embarrassed I was. At first, I thought she was just shy about accepting it, after all, dough twists are a treat. I kept trying to push them into her hands, but she slapped them into the mud!"
Wang Chunhua was heartbroken over the dough twists; she herself couldn't bear to eat them!
"I've lived for decades, I can tell when someone is looking down on me. She thought I was dirty! She thought the dough twists I made were dirty!"
When Wang Chunhua first arrived, she wasn't much different from Su Zhaozhao now—wearing patched clothes, with rough hands and dark skin, not to mention the two rosy patches on her cheeks, a typical country wife.
"You look down on me, but I look down on you too! What does she have to be proud of? This is a new era; if it weren't for marrying a good man, who knows what she'd be like!"
Afraid that Su Zhaozhao might think she was gossiping, she added, "It's not just me saying this about her; many people say she looks down on others and barely responds when spoken to."
Su Zhaozhao didn't join in condemning Yu Huixin; she just listened as if it were a piece of gossip and smiled, "Alright, I get it. I won't go out of my way to seek her approval."
The family dinner didn't end until nearly nine o'clock. After seeing the guests off, Su Zhaozhao looked at the messy table with a frown.
Cooking delicious food can make one feel accomplished, but washing dishes certainly doesn't.
Wang Chunhua had offered to stay and help, but Su Zhaozhao declined, feeling embarrassed to let someone who had already helped with the cooking also clean up.
Su Zhaozhao really didn't want to wash the dishes, especially so many of them.
Gu Heng had drunk a bit too much. After seeing the guests off and using the restroom, he came out to see her standing in the courtyard with her hands on her hips, staring at the table, her brows furrowed, looking deeply troubled.
Chapter 36 Next Time, Be More Careful
"Let me handle it." Gu Heng took off his shirt and handed it to Su Zhaozhao, then started tidying up in a tank top.
Seeing Su Zhaozhao standing still with the clothes, he glanced at her, "Do you still want to take a shower tonight?"
Su Zhaozhao nodded, "Yes," she was covered in the smell of cooking oil.
"Then go heat up some water."
His gaze seemed to say, what are you standing there for? Are you a lamppost?
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Su Zhaozhao touched her face and went inside to put the clothes away.
What a wimp.
It's just a handsome man who offered to do housework, so what!
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian were originally reading their new textbooks in the room. Seeing the guests leave, they put down their books and went out to help clear the table.
Gu Heng told them to wash up first, "School starts tomorrow, you need to get up early."
Gu Xiang carried a stack of bowls to the kitchen, "I'll go after I finish."
There was hot water in the iron pot on the large stove, warmed by the residual fire, specifically for washing dishes.
After the dishes were brought in, Gu Heng stood by the stove washing them, while Gu Xiang dried and put them away in the cabinet, and Gu Nian wiped the table with a cloth.
Su Zhaozhao placed a full kettle of water on the coal stove, seeing the three of them working well together, she leaned against the door, watching with folded arms.
"Do you want to help?" she asked insincerely.
Gu Nian: "Mom, you rest. You've been busy in the kitchen all afternoon."
What a considerate little boy.
The leather jacket was also considerate, "Mom, sit down, your feet must be tired from standing."
"Okay!" Su Zhaozhao happily agreed and moved a stool to sit by the door.
The yard originally had no lights, but before dinner, they pulled a light from the hall and hung it under the eaves, providing some illumination.
Sitting by the door, Su Zhaozhao lifted her head, gazing at the twinkling stars in the night sky, listening to the croaking frogs, feeling a sense of peace.
Gu Heng looked at her several times.
Apart from the stars and the moon, the sky was pitch black; he wondered what she found so interesting to look at.
"The water is ready."
Su Zhaozhao snapped back to reality, stood up, and went to the kitchen. The kitchen was already spotless, with a large iron basin on the ground, and Gu Heng was pouring water into it.
"You're really capable!" she praised him instinctively.
Gu Heng glanced at her, "Not as capable as you. I'll go get another kettle of water to mix in." He then left.
Was she just complimented by the male lead?
By the time Su Zhaozhao finished washing up, it was quite late. Gu Xiang and Gu Nian had already gone to bed, only the light in the east room was still on.
Gu Heng was sitting at the desk reading a book. Seeing her come in, he closed the book, "Get some rest early."
They lay down on opposite sides of the bed, turned off the light, and that was it...
The next morning, Su Zhaozhao woke up very early.
She got up before dawn, thinking she was the earliest riser, but Gu Heng was even earlier, not in bed.
Stepping outside, she saw him washing himself by the water basin, bare-chested.
"Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"
It was already September, and although it was warm during the day, the mornings and evenings were cool, especially in the morning when wearing short sleeves was no longer appropriate.
He was still washing himself bare-chested.
"No problem, I used to take cold showers often." Gu Heng picked up the tank top hanging on the washstand and put it on.
Su Zhaozhao was surprised, "You still use cold water? There's hot water in the kettle!"
The fire in the stove had never gone out, and a large kettle of water was always kept warm, perfect for morning washes.
She thought he would use the hot water from the stove.
Gu Heng was used to cold water, especially in the morning. Cold water on his face made him feel more alert.
"It's fine, it's still warm, and I'm used to cold water."
"What do you mean 'it's fine'?" Su Zhaozhao disapproved, "Do you think you're still living alone? If you get sick, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian will worry!"
Gu Heng felt a warmth in his heart; he hadn't heard such words in a long time.
"Alright, I'll be more careful next time."
"Not just careful, but definitely." She extended her arm to show him, "Look at this temperature, my skin is covered in goosebumps, and you're still warm? What are you warm about?"
"Go put on more clothes."
He didn't pay attention to himself but knew how to scold her. Su Zhaozhao said deliberately, "It's cool in the morning, but I'm used to it. I'll be more careful next time."
Gu Heng: "..." She really has changed. In the past, she never had such a mouth for arguing.
In his memory, she always kept her head down, and every time he came back, she would secretly glance at him. The moment he looked over, she would hide.
Father and Mother always said she was good, beautiful, and virtuous, and that she would definitely take good care of him and the family in the future.
He also thought she was good; everyone has to get married and have children, so it would be her. But fate played a cruel trick, and when they met again, ten years had passed.
She brought two children to him, both unfamiliar and familiar.
She had changed, still stealing glances at him, but these glances were now bold and confident.
She didn't go in, so Gu Heng entered the room himself, opened the wardrobe, and frowned at the clothes inside.
Su Zhaozhao raised an eyebrow at the clothes handed to her, "Why are you giving me your clothes?"
Gu Heng extended his hand, "Just put it on for now. Haven't the tailor-made clothes been finished yet?"
Su Zhaozhao took the clothes and put them on. His shirt was too big for her, making her look like a child wearing an adult's clothes.
Su Zhaozhao had some romantic thoughts, imagining herself in a man's oversized shirt, just like in novels or movies, how sexy it would be!
But as soon as she saw her claw-like hands, all those thoughts vanished.
Completely shattered!
Her voice was listless, "Not yet, I think they'll be ready tomorrow. Gu Xiang's clothes are already done, and they can wear them to school today."
Gu Heng was puzzled by her sudden lack of energy.
"Are you feeling dizzy?" He reached out to support her, afraid she might fall over again like before.
"No, no." Su Zhaozhao waved her hand. She couldn't tell him that she found herself unattractive. Actually, she was quite pretty, just with some skin issues that needed time to improve.
"Does my appearance embarrass you?" This was the second time he mentioned the clothes.
"It's not that." Gu Heng hadn't thought about it that way. "I'm just worried you're being frugal and want you to live comfortably."
This answer was perfect!
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "I'm not being frugal. I'm just afraid you'll think I spend too much in the future."
She would save where she could, but under suitable conditions, she would create a comfortable living environment for herself and enjoy life. On this point, she wouldn't be frugal.
Gu Heng also smiled, "I won't. Men earn money to spend on their wives and children."
Both of them were orphans, and Gu Heng didn't have to worry about his wife secretly sending money to her family, even if she had a brother who lived far away and with whom they had a poor relationship. So whatever they spent was for their own family.
If Su Zhaozhao heard this now, she would be 99.9% skeptical, and the remaining 0.1% would only believe it if something miraculous happened.
But this was the 1950s, and with the protagonist's character backing him up, she believed 100% that what Gu Heng said was true.
Handing over the bankbook and still not believing him, what kind of person would that make her?
Chapter 37: Exercise? Over My Dead Body!
Preparing breakfast for four people was simple, and Su Zhaozhao didn't let Gu Heng help, sending him to wake up Gu Xiang and Gu Nian when it was time.
"Let them sleep for another twenty minutes."
Gu Xiang and Gu Nian hadn't woken up yet. They went to bed early last night, but the excitement of starting school and meeting new classmates kept them chatting through the wall for most of the night.
Gu Heng ignored the 'when it's time' part and went straight to the west room. He first stood by the bed calling out, but seeing them squirm without getting up, he raised his hand and slapped Gu Xiang's bottom, sparing his daughter.
"Get up quickly, or you'll be late for school."
Hearing about being late for school, the siblings woke up. Gu Xiang was the first to wake, having been slapped awake.
Rubbing his bottom, he got out of bed and put on his shoes, "Dad, what time is it?"
"Seven o'clock."
The siblings paused in their shoe-putting-on, "Dad, the teacher said we need to be at school by eight-thirty."
There's still half an hour left, and you call this being late?
Gu Heng ignored the children's grumbling, hands on his hips, "Soldiers in the army have to get up at five-thirty for training. You're at the perfect age to exercise well. I don't require you to get up at five-thirty, just six-thirty. Go out with me to exercise for an hour, then come back to finish breakfast and go to school, it's just right."
He added magnanimously, "Today is an exception, but we'll start exercising from tomorrow, beginning with running." Then he left.
The siblings looked at each other in dismay.
Gu Nian whispered, "Brother, I'm a girl, can I skip the exercise?"
Gu Xiang, now fully dressed, replied with four words, "Gender equality."
Gu Nian's face fell, Mom, save me!
For breakfast, Su Zhaozhao fried eggs, stir-fried some shredded potatoes, and made a pickled cabbage soup with the pickles Wang Chunhua gave her yesterday. There were still several steamed buns left from yesterday, which served as the main dish for today's breakfast.
"Are you up already?" Su Zhaozhao asked when she saw Gu Xiang and Gu Nian come out.
"Dad woke us up," Gu Nian yawned, noticing that Dad wasn't around, she quickly told her mother, "Dad wants us to get up at six-thirty from tomorrow."
"Why so early?" The school is so close, unlike before in the countryside where we had to go to the town school.
"To exercise, he wants us to exercise for an hour," Gu Nian looked hopefully at her mother, hoping she would talk to Dad and spare her the exercise.
Su Zhaozhao looked at the two small figures, "Exercise! That's good. From tomorrow, you'll follow Dad to exercise. More exercise will make your bodies stronger and help you grow taller!"
Gu Nian: "..." Her last hope was shattered.
Gu Xiang, brushing his teeth, thought, I knew it, Mom will definitely listen to Dad.
Gu Heng came out of the room, having heard everything, and asked, "Do you want to join us?"
Su Zhaozhao shook her head vigorously, "I'll pass. I'll stay home and prepare breakfast for you all, so there's food when you come back."
She found a good reason, "If I go, who will make breakfast?"
"You can eat at the canteen."
"… Eating at the canteen is such a waste! Besides, can the canteen food match the taste of home-cooked meals?"
Over my dead body!
What a joke?
Making a 'lazy person' like her exercise?
And wake up early?
Dream on!
"Alright then," Gu Heng thought for a moment and decided against it. Her body was still recovering, and too much exertion wouldn't be suitable. We'll see about it later.
Su Zhaozhao had no idea that 'later' was still in Gu Heng's mind. If she knew, she would definitely ask him not to 'see about it later.'
"Let's eat breakfast."
After breakfast, Gu Heng took the two children out, one to the military base, and the other two to school.
Passing Zhou Xiaojun's house, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian called him to join them.
Su Zhaozhao watched them walk away from the doorway.
Since the school provided lunch, the children wouldn't return home for meals at noon. Now, she was alone in the house.
Closing the door, Su Zhaozhao gave a perfect spin with a burst of energy!
She pulled a chair under the eaves, leaned against the wall, and hummed a tune, "… I don't have to work tomorrow, how awesome! So comfortable! I don't have to work tomorrow, I can be as lazy as I want …"
Too bad there were no sunflower seeds; otherwise, she would have cracked a few.
"Zhaodi."
It was Wang Chunhua's voice.
Su Zhaozhao stopped her self-indulgence and got up to open the door.
"Going to the market?" Wang Chunhua stood at the door, a basket on her back.
Su Zhaozhao considered for a second, "Sure!"
"Wait for me a moment."
She went back to get the money and tickets, took down the basket hanging on the wall, and went out.
"The pickle jar at home is broken; I need to buy another one," Wang Chunhua said. "By the way, is it a good time to make pickles now?"
"It's fine anytime."
"In that case, I'll buy a pickle jar and a casserole too. You don't know, Lao Zhou was still talking about how delicious your cooking is last night and told me to learn more from you."
Being praised really makes one happy.
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "Actually, it's just ordinary home-cooked dishes..."
The two walked and chatted, quickly arriving at the market.
Seeing there was still meat at the butcher's stall, Su Zhaozhao dashed over, startling Wang Chunhua!
Zhaodi, who looked so gentle, turned out to be quite fast.
Wang Chunhua followed her over.
"Master, please weigh two pounds for me, thank you!" There weren't many people at the meat stall today, so it was soon Su Zhaozhao's turn.
The butcher looked at Su Zhaozhao.
Su Zhaozhao also looked at him, "There's no one queuing today."
Not sure if he recognized her, the butcher held up his knife and asked, "Fatty or lean?"
"Fatty." Su Zhaozhao pointed to a piece of meat with more fat and only a little lean, "I'll take this piece. I'm going to render the fat at home."
The butcher swiftly cut and weighed it, exactly two pounds.
"Thank you, Master." After paying, she took the meat and thanked him again.
The butcher glanced at her once more, finding it rare to meet someone who said "thank you" so often.
Wang Chunhua also smiled, "You're quite polite."
Su Zhaozhao put the meat in the basket, "Politeness never hurts!"
Wang Chunhua glanced at the meat in her basket, "Such good meat, it's a waste to render the fat. If you steam it into braised pork, it will be so fragrant and juicy."
People these days love fatty meat.
"There's still meat at the stall, why don't you buy some?" Su Zhaozhao noticed her swallowing several times, clearly she really wanted to eat.
Wang Chunhua waved her hand, "We had meat yesterday, buying more today would be too extravagant. Once every half month is enough."
Realizing what she said might sound wrong, she quickly added, "I'm not saying you, you're rendering the fat. We have oil at home."
Su Zhaozhao: "..."
No, I am extravagant. Eating once every half month is impossible, maybe every other day.
Chapter 38: This Fungus is Quite Powerful
Commissioner Zhou, after all, is an official; his family shouldn't be so poor that they can only afford meat once every half month, right?
"Still, your family is better off. You just manage your own little household, unlike us, who have a bunch of siblings back home, all relying on us for support..."
Hearing this, Su Zhaozhao understood.
In those times, when one person succeeded, they were expected to help their entire family. If they only cared about their own well-being, they would be seen as heartless.
Passing by the vegetable stall, Su Zhaozhao stopped, "Sister Wang, you go buy the jars, I'll get some vegetables here."
Wang Chunhua held her back, "Come to my place and pick them yourself."
"No, no, I'm buying quite a lot, planning to make pickles."
When someone invites you once or twice, it's out of kindness; three or four times, it's out of politeness. Taking politeness too seriously is being ungrateful.
Hearing she was buying a lot, the hand holding her arm loosened, and Su Zhaozhao took the opportunity to pull away.
"Let's see who finishes first. If I finish first, I'll come find you."
"Aren't you buying jars?" Wang Chunhua asked, "We agreed you'd learn how to pickle vegetables and make soybean paste."
"Let's wait a bit. After I finish this busy period, I'll ask you for advice."
"That works. If you like it, just come to my place and take some."
Su Zhaozhao smiled in agreement.
As she moved forward, she began selecting suitable vegetables at the stall.
Radishes, green beans, garlic, ginger, red peppers, cabbage stalks...
Bay leaves, cinnamon bark, Sichuan pepper, star anise.
Rock sugar, salt, white liquor... she already had white liquor at home.
Su Zhaozhao wanted to be faster, so she carried a basket of vegetables to find Wang Chunhua.
"Sister, you've been choosing for so long. Every jar here is good; we checked them carefully when they arrived."
Wang Chunhua ignored the salesperson and examined the jars closely, "If a jar isn't fired properly, it will crack with use. The one I bought last year did."
Hearing this, the salesperson remained silent, fearing she might demand an exchange, which wasn't unheard of.
Su Zhaozhao arrived just in time to witness this scene.
Wang Chunhua waved her over, "Come help me check if there are any small cracks."
Su Zhaozhao leaned in, "...I don't see any."
"Then this one." She pointed to another selected jar and a casserole dish, "And these two."
After paying, Su Zhaozhao helped put the jars and casserole dish into Wang Chunhua's basket. One jar didn't fit, but it was small enough to carry in her arms.
"Have you finished buying everything?" Wang Chunhua glanced at her basket.
"Yes."
"Is this enough?" It didn't seem like much, and Wang Chunhua thought she would need more.
"Just start with a bit, and add more gradually. Some vegetables become less crisp if pickled for too long," Su Zhaozhao added, "Do you have bay leaves, cinnamon bark, Sichuan pepper, and rock sugar at home?"
"I have rock sugar, and maybe a little of the others. We bought them during the New Year for stewing meat. Do you need a lot?"
"Not much, just to enhance the flavor. If it's not enough later, we can add more."
With nothing else to buy, the two walked home together.
Upon arriving, Su Zhaozhao washed the vegetables she needed for pickling and laid them out to dry in a cool place.
Wang Chunhua followed her example, picking a basket of vegetables from her garden, removing the leaves, and keeping the stems.
"The pickling jars must be washed and dried before use; there should be no water inside," Su Zhaozhao reminded her.
Wang Chunhua nodded and did as instructed.
The vegetables didn't dry quickly, so Su Zhaozhao washed the meat she had bought, cut the fat into pieces, and opened the air vent under the coal stove to let the fire burn. She slowly rendered the fat over low heat.
The aroma slowly filled the air, and she took a deep breath, "So fragrant!"
She never thought she would be so captivated by the scent of lard.
Not only captivated, but almost drooling.
Watching the oil residue in the pot shrink, she was already thinking about how to eat it.
By the time the oil was ready, she realized she didn't have a covered bowl, so she had to use the casserole dish temporarily, planning to buy another one later.
Less than two pounds of fatty meat yielded nearly half a pot of oil. The pig must have been quite fat.
At noon, Su Zhaozhao ate alone, making a bowl of noodles mixed with oil residue, frying chopped dried peppers and garlic in oil, and mixing them with the oil residue. It was incredibly fragrant! She almost ate herself full.
After a nap at noon, Su Zhaozhao started pickling the vegetables when Wang Chunhua arrived.
She had prepared the pickling water the night before.
"These spices should be wrapped in cheesecloth and boiled in water to release their flavors. Once the water cools down, it can be poured into the jars."
The water had completely cooled down, and she poured it into the jar.
"Raw water can't be used; you should also pay attention to this later and avoid getting oil in it."
Wang Chunhua watched intently, "I remember my pickles always smelled like stinky feet. It turns out I added raw water without noticing."
Su Zhaozhao smiled, "Raw water contains various bacteria, especially during hot weather when they multiply very quickly, causing fermentation and spoilage."
"What kind of bacteria?" Wang Chunhua looked puzzled.
"Um," Su Zhaozhao organized her thoughts, "it's like what doctors say about drinking boiled water instead of raw water. Raw water isn't clean; it has invisible dirt that can cause stomachaches and even worms. Boiling the water kills these contaminants."
Wang Chunhua nodded, "Now I understand. Last year, the hospital did a health campaign in our residential area and mentioned this, telling everyone not to drink unboiled water."
Then she added, "These bacteria are quite powerful; they don't stop even in a pickling jar."
Su Zhaozhao laughed, "Exactly."
She poured the water in, then placed the dried vegetables one by one into the jar, added salt, sugar, and Sichuan pepper, sealed the lid, and added water around the rim before placing it in a cool spot. Done!
"The first batch needs to ferment for longer, about ten days before it's ready to eat."
"That's pretty simple!" Wang Chunhua chuckled, hopping up to leave, "I'll go back now. If I have any more questions, I'll ask you again."
"Sure." Su Zhaozhao didn't see her off; after a short rest, she planned to go out again.
She went to the tailor shop.
Before she could speak, the old tailor pointed to a corner of the workbench.
"Master, you're really quick, you finished so soon." Su Zhaozhao unfolded the clothes and tried them on.
The old tailor wasn't busy today; he had set up a rocking chair at the door and was swaying leisurely.
"I couldn't help but speed up with someone constantly hovering around. I told her to come back in two days, but she came the next day."
Su Zhaozhao paused, holding the clothes: ... Was he talking about me?
The old tailor glanced at her, confirming it was indeed about her.
"Master, your rocking chair looks really comfortable," Su Zhaozhao said, eyeing the chair enviously.
The stools at home were extremely uncomfortable, offering no back support and not ergonomically designed at all.
A rocking chair like this would be perfect for a lazy person like her.
"Comfortable," the old tailor said, narrowing his eyes as if taunting her, and he pushed his feet to make the chair rock faster.
Su Zhaozhao really wanted to try it but felt too embarrassed to ask.
How awkward it would be to take someone's chair when they were finally resting!
She had never sat in such a chair before; no one would believe her, but it was true.
She had seen similar ones on TV and in furniture stores, but her small apartment couldn't accommodate one, so it wasn't even an option.
"Where did you get it? I'd like to buy one too."
"This one wasn't bought; it was made by an old carpenter over ten years ago. If you want to know where to buy one, I'm not sure, but there might be some at the city's furniture market. Alternatively, you could find a carpenter to make one."
Su Zhaozhao didn't know any carpenters, but that wasn't a problem. Gu Heng had prepared all the furniture at home, though she wasn't sure if he bought it or applied for it through the military. Asking him would definitely give her an answer.
With the new clothes in hand, Su Zhaozhao turned to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives to buy some fabric.
"Master, could you please make me a few long-sleeved nightgowns and two sets for children, using the measurements from last time, slightly larger would be fine. Also, make one set for me and one men's set based on my measurements."
The old tailor looked at her through his glasses, "So you know about nightgowns? Quite particular, aren't you?"
She didn't look like it from the outside, but her speech gave it away.
Su Zhaozhao: "... Clothes tend to wrinkle at night, so having a set specifically for sleeping is better. With cooler weather, it's also good for getting up at night without catching a chill. Can you make them, Master?"
"Drop the 'can' part. If you want them, I can make them beautifully!" He had been a tailor for decades; what hadn't he seen?
Using 'can'? It was almost insulting!
If it weren't for the fact that reminiscing about the past wasn't fashionable anymore, he would have told her about his achievements in Sea City.
Su Zhaozhao hurried to apologize, "I'm sorry for underestimating you."
"What about the men's size? Have you measured it at home?"
"Not yet, can I give you the measurements tomorrow?"
"Sure, come back tomorrow then." He closed his eyes and rocked the chair gently.
No more interruptions.
Understood.
Chapter 39: The Simple Su Zhaozhao
Returning from the tailor's shop, Su Zhaozhao tried on the clothes—a white shirt and dark blue trousers. She tucked the hem into her pants, but it hung loosely around her waist, lacking any shape.
There was a belt in the wardrobe belonging to Gu Heng. She took it out and fastened it around her waist, then looked at herself in the mirror.
What a simple woman!
Su Zhaozhao covered her face; in other era novels, when the female protagonist dressed like this, she appeared pure and beautiful. But when she wore it, it just screamed "simple"!
So, whether one had nice clothes or not wasn't important; what mattered most was still one's face.
Su Zhaozhao put the belt back where it belonged and pulled the shirt hem out, making her look even simpler.
She resembled the workers in old movies, except her hair didn't quite fit the image. Su Zhaozhao touched the bun at the back of her head; the original body's hair quality was poor, long and dry. Since she arrived, she had been tying it up in a low bun every day.
Speaking of beauty, there was none to be found. In this era, most housewives had similar hairstyles.
Hairstyles like twin pigtails were generally worn by young brides and unmarried girls.
Su Zhaozhao changed out of her new clothes and went outside.
"Wang Dajie, are you home?"
Wang Chunhua was pouring cold water into a jar and called out, "I'm here, the door isn't locked, come in!"
Su Zhaozhao pushed open the gate and walked in a few steps, "I have a question, is there a barbershop around here?"
"A barbershop? Are you planning to get a haircut?"
"Yes, my hair is too long, I want to cut it so it's easier to wash."
Wang Chunhua put down the pot, "Just getting a haircut, why bother with a barbershop! If you don't mind, after I finish my chores, I can cut it for you! I know how to cut hair!"
It's just a few snips.
It wasn't surprising that Wang Chunhua was confident; she had cut the hair of her three children and her own. If it weren't for the barber at the military base who cut the officers' hair, she would have to cut Comrade Zhou's hair as well.
Su Zhaozhao took a step back, afraid.
Zhou Xiaojun's hair looked like it had been chewed by a dog. With such skills, could she really trust her hair to Wang Chunhua?
"No need to trouble you. If there's no barbershop, I'll ask Captain Gu for help."
"There isn't, there isn't." Wang Chunhua laughed, "Your Captain Gu should cut your hair, it will help build your relationship!"
"Hehe..." Su Zhaozhao laughed a couple of times and waved goodbye.
Wang Chunhua thought she was shy, "You've already had two children, what's the big deal?"
Hearing the words behind her, Su Zhaozhao thought that if she told people she and Gu Heng hadn't even held hands, no one would believe her.
Around six o'clock, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian came back from school, each carrying two large bundles of reeds, followed by three boys of about the same age, also holding reeds.
"When did you go to gather reeds?" Su Zhaozhao hurriedly reached out to take them.
"We didn't sleep during lunch break." Gu Xiang directed his friends to stack the reeds under the eaves.
One of the three boys was Zhou Xiaojun, the other two were their classmates, all children of military families, led by Zhou Xiaojun to play with them.
"Hello, Aunt Su!"
Each of them was very polite, calling out as they put down their loads.
Su Zhaozhao smiled warmly, "Hello, thank you, are you tired? Sit down, I'll treat you to some candy."
The boys' eyes lit up!
Just as Zhou Xiaojun said, Gu Xiang and Gu Nian's mother was very generous!
Su Zhaozhao went inside and grabbed a handful of candies, giving each child a small portion.
The boys were amazed; it was the first time they had seen someone give them a handful of candy.
"Thank you, Aunt Su!"
After thanking her, they turned to Gu Xiang, "We'll help you gather reeds again tomorrow, right after lunch, we promised!"
Gu Xiang nodded with a smile.
Zhou Xiaojun called them to leave, and even outside, they could hear him talking, "I told you I wouldn't let you down... When I called you, you didn't want to go..."
Su Zhaozhao looked down at the pouting faces of the siblings, reaching out to pinch both of their cheeks, "What's wrong? It looks like someone owes you money."
Gu Xiang: "Mom, one piece is enough."
Gu Nian twisted his hands together in front of his chest, "Yes, candy is expensive."
Su Zhaozhao pinched their cheeks again before letting go, "They helped us gather reeds, and the other two classmates are visiting our home for the first time. We should treat them well and not be stingy. Otherwise, they might not help us again."
Gu Xiang still felt it wasn't worth it, but he listened to his mother, "Alright, will you give them the same amount next time they come?"
If it continued like this, he wouldn't let them help anymore.
Gu Nian also looked at her expectantly.
"Next time, I won't give them as much." Who could bear it if they came every day?
The siblings relaxed, feeling that they had eaten so much candy from their home, just gathering reeds seemed too little in return.
"How was your first day at the new school?" Su Zhaozhao felt it was necessary to ask, as it was the children's first day.
"We got exercise books in the first class, ten of them!" The siblings had never owned so many notebooks before; they were amazed when they received them.
"And there were two more for practicing calligraphy with brushes. The grids inside look like fields. Teacher Zheng said we will have calligraphy classes and need to buy brushes and ink."
"Alright, I'll remember that." Su Zhaozhao asked another question, "Do you start learning calligraphy in third grade?"
Gu Nian shook his head, "No, it's a new course the school has started. Students from third grade and above will learn it."
"Good, I'll go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives tomorrow."
The two children started their homework while Su Zhaozhao began preparing dinner.
Just as she opened the air vent under the stove, Gu Heng returned home. He took off his uniform, asked the children a couple of questions, and then came into the kitchen.
"What's for dinner?"
"Noodles. I bought some fatty meat this morning to render for oil, and there's still some lean meat and cracklings left."
There wasn't much crackling, and with the weather, meat didn't keep well. Su Zhaozhao planned to stir-fry the leftover lean meat with pickled green peppers and mix it with the cracklings for the noodles.
Gu Heng nodded, "Sounds good. Do you need any help?"
"No, thanks."
Since he wasn't needed in the kitchen, Gu Heng went outside.
When Su Zhaozhao looked out again, she saw him squatting under the eaves, weaving a straw mat from the reeds stacked in the corner. In just a short time, he had already woven a long section.
When Su Zhaozhao called for dinner, he stopped his work, stood up, and went to the kitchen to get his bowl.
As soon as he entered the kitchen, Gu Heng sneezed several times.
"Achoo! Achoo!"
Su Zhaozhao, holding a half-bowl of stir-fried green pepper and meat, looked at him, "Is it too spicy?" She had bought the spiciest peppers from the stall to put in the pickle jar and used quite a bit in the stir-fry for flavor.
Gu Heng waved his hand, "It's fine, I like spicy food. It's just that we rarely made very spicy dishes in the army, so I haven't had it in a while."
"That's good. Gu Xiang and Gu Nian also love spicy food." Consistent eating habits make family life more harmonious.
Chapter 40: Having the Desire but Not the Courage
"Mom, the cracklings are so fragrant! The shredded meat is delicious too!" Gu Nian was spiced up, eating with a hiss.
"Can you handle it? If not, don't eat it for now. I can make something else for you." Seeing her so spiced up, Su Zhaozhao reflected on whether she had made it too spicy.
Gu Nian nodded while hugging her bowl, "I can! It's delicious!"
Gu Heng ate the noodles in large bites, showing through his actions how much he enjoyed this dinner.
The family didn't have the custom of not talking during meals, chatting and eating at the table.
"Mom, we also exercise every day at school." Gu Nian said this mainly for her father to hear.
Su Zhaozhao: "Is it morning exercises?"
Gu Nian was taken aback, "How did you know that?" There had never been morning exercises at the town primary school before.
None of them knew what morning exercises were; after the second class break, everyone would run to the playground, and she and her brother found it strange.
When they got to the playground and saw people lining up, they followed suit. The music from the loudspeaker started, and they moved along with the people in front of them.
She and her brother both found it very novel, realizing that the children's school had morning exercises every day.
"I heard it from someone else." Of course, I did it when I was little too, and naturally thought of it. They must be doing a set of radio calisthenics now!
"Oh, I see." Gu Nian looked at her father, holding her bowl.
Gu Heng actually understood the meaning behind that look.
"The morning exercises at school are just to help you relax between classes; they don't provide much real exercise." In other words, you still need to exercise properly, no room for negotiation.
Gu Nian: "Oh~"
Gu Xiang had never thought about skipping the exercises. He was even looking forward to it, eager for tomorrow morning to come.
Su Zhaozhao: ... Fortunately, I'm a daughter-in-law, not a daughter.
"Ask you something."
Gu Heng raised an eyebrow, signaling for her to ask.
"Do you know where I can buy a rocking chair? One that you can rock back and forth on."
"You want one?"
"Yes." Why would I ask if I didn't want one?
"It's only available in the city, or we could find a carpenter to make one. I'll take care of it."
"Alright, then it's up to you." With someone taking charge, she felt more at ease, her eyes curving into crescents.
As for the haircut, she decided against his help, mainly fearing he might be clumsy with his hands.
Su Zhaozhao didn't forget to write to Aunt Guo after settling down. After washing up, she entered the room, found a blank sheet of paper, and picked up Gu Heng's fountain pen to start writing.
"You have beautiful handwriting."
Su Zhaozhao was startled, accidentally smudging the words she had just written.
Turning around, she saw Gu Heng.
How long had he been standing there?
"I just came in," Gu Heng said. "Who are you writing to?"
Su Zhaozhao let out a sigh of relief. "I'm writing to a sister-in-law in the village. We still have some grain from the autumn harvest, and now that everything is settled, I'm asking her to send it over."
"How much?" Gu Heng opened the wardrobe and took out a clean undershirt and pair of pants.
"About five or six hundred pounds in total." This included rice, corn kernels, dried sweet potatoes, and beans.
Five or six hundred pounds seemed like a lot, but it was almost enough to feed a family for a year.
Gu Heng closed the wardrobe door. "Don't send it by mail; it's not as safe as you think. It could get lost along the way. Let me arrange it. I'll see if anyone is heading that way and ask them to bring it over. We can cover the fuel costs when it arrives."
That would be better. The male lead had connections all over the country, and entrusting this task to him was a sure thing.
Su Zhaozhao had no objections. "Then I'll follow your advice and write to her first."
Gu Heng nodded and walked to the door, then asked, "Is there anything else you need me to bring back?"
Su Zhaozhao thought for a moment. "Yes. In the village, Aunt Guo and her husband helped us a lot. They even helped me contact you so I could find you quickly. When I go shopping, I'll buy something for them and give it to you."
Gu Heng nodded and waited at the door, expecting her to mention others, considering she had a younger brother in the countryside.
After saying that, Su Zhaozhao lowered her head and continued writing.
Gu Heng understood and left with his clothes to wash up.
When he returned, Su Zhaozhao had finished her letter and was holding his clothes, measuring them.
"What are you doing?" Gu Heng looked at her curiously.
Su Zhaozhao withdrew her hand and blinked. "I want to measure your size."
"You don't need to make clothes for me. The army provides new uniforms every year, and I have plenty to wear."
"It's not for wearing outside. I plan to make a set of pajamas for each family member. I've already bought the fabric and taken it to the tailor."
Sleepwear?
Gu Heng glanced at what she was wearing. For the past two days, she had been dressed neatly every night, as if she were about to go out rather than sleep.
Could this be her sleepwear?
It didn't look much different from what she wore outside.
At first, Gu Heng couldn't understand why she would dress so formally to sleep in bed.
In the morning, he realized it was probably due to shyness.
It was understandable; though they were married, they hadn't shared a bed many times, and she wasn't used to it, nor was he.
"Then you measure."
Su Zhaozhao blinked again, "Measuring clothes isn't very accurate."
Gu Heng spread his arms wide, turning his back to her.
What was he up to with that posture, inviting her to take whatever she wanted?!
Su Zhaozhao's heart screamed like a prairie dog.
Without a measuring tape at home, the most primitive method was used—hands.
Su Zhaozhao extended her hands, standing behind Gu Heng to measure his shoulder width, one, two, three...
Next, the sleeve length...
Then the chest circumference... waist circumference.
Wow~
His pectorals were so strong, she almost wanted to tap them to see if they would make a 'thud' sound.
She managed to resist with great effort.
And those abs...
The feel of them...
Even through the clothes...
"Cough cough!"
The sudden cough brought Su Zhaozhao back to her senses.
Looking at her hands, she quickly pulled them back, startled!
When did her hands touch him on their own?
Was she possessed by a fangirl just now?
No, it was all the author's fault for making the male lead too charming!
"Done." Su Zhaozhao pretended to be calm, taking the pen to jot down the measurements.
Gu Heng was also embarrassed; if it weren't for the tickling, he could have held back.
After retracting his hands, the big man suddenly didn't know where to put his limbs. The only thing he could think of was to escape to the bathroom, "I'll go to the toilet."
Su Zhaozhao nodded in agreement.
As soon as he left, she couldn't help but slap her own hands, "That's for not being able to control yourself, for touching without permission. Embarrassed now? You had the desire but not the courage!"
Su Zhaozhao gave herself a very fair assessment.
Putting down the pen and standing up, she planned to lie down in bed before Gu Heng came back. Passing by the mirror, Su Zhaozhao paused.
"... Even in such dim light, you can still tell I'm blushing. How pathetic, Su Zhaozhao!"