Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

Chapter 41: 41 Seclusion

Jiang Xinyu checked everything and, finding nothing amiss, felt relieved.

She opened the door and saw Wang Ailing outside. ”Sis, why are you here so early?”

”It’s not that early. I was just worried about disturbing you, so I waited until now to come over. What time did you get back last night?”

”I got home around nine, I guess?”

”Why so late? Did you come back by yourself? If I had known, I would have accompanied you.”

”No, it was Director Wei who gave me a ride back on his bike.

Sis, have you eaten? Should we have some malted milk drink?”

”I’ve eaten already, you go ahead. When I was on my way here, Kong Zhongyou came to my house looking for my dad. What’s going on?”

”Kong Mengjie is working with you, registering on Monday.”

”You mean it’s all set?”

”What’s so hard about it? Actually, this is a busy time for the textile factory. Having workers show up is a good thing, isn’t it?

My job is something I requested myself; I want to start after the New Year. I’ll just inform the textile factory.

And my household registration was sorted out yesterday.”

”So quickly? Did my dad tell Kong Zhongyou to think it over?”

”Haha, Kong Mengjie was worried about losing her job, so she came to see me first thing yesterday morning. I went along with it and said that if she wanted me to help with her business at the textile factory, she should get my residency proof done.

Of course, she agreed to let me change my registration for the sake of her job.”

”Haha, so Kong Mengjie turned out to be your helper in a way?”

”Pretty much.”

”Then why did Kong Zhongyou come to my house?”

”I guess he was discussing with your dad how to get to the county. Did your dad tell you? Do you have a lot to carry?”

”Yeah, bedding, clothes, personal items. My dad said we’d borrow a donkey cart from the team.

It’s good that Kong Mengjie is going along. At least Kong Zhongyou won’t object.”

”The two of you have so much luggage it needs a big cart. I was thinking of moving some of my stuff there too, but maybe not. We’ll see.”

”What do you want to move? And where to?”

”I found a place to stay yesterday, just waiting for me to move in.”

”Alright, that’s impressive.”

”Director Wei helped out. Otherwise, how would I know people in the county?”

As they chatted, Jiang Xinyu tidied up, then went to the cellar to get some broken yams. She wanted to make yam pancakes.

After all, with enough firewood, why not treat herself well?

”Xinyu, I’m heading back now, I’ll be going to my grandma’s for lunch.”

”Alright, I’m resting today; I was too tired yesterday.”

After seeing off Wang Ailing, Jiang Xinyu locked the door. She sat by the stove, stoking the fire and reading.

When the yams were cooked, she set them aside to cool, peeled them, and then mashed them with flour and starch.

Unfortunately, without oil to fry, she could only steam them. With brown sugar and crushed peanuts, they would taste amazing.

Checking the time, they were done steaming by eleven o’clock.

Jiang Xinyu ate two in one go and stored the rest.

She started making dough. Taking advantage of the cold winter to keep the fire going and make extra food. Living alone in the county later, she might not have time to cook.

While she was busy at home, the Kong Family was all in a bustle.

Tian Shulan was preparing bedding for her daughter. Afraid others would laugh, all the bedding she brought was new, with new cotton.

Seeing this, Kong Mengjie’s younger sister, Kong Menglin, wasn’t happy. Being the youngest and quite spoiled at home, she started acting up as she watched their mother give all the good stuff to her sister.

”Menglin, when you grow up and have a job, I’ll prepare the same for you.” No one knows their kids like a mother does; she understood her younger daughter’s thoughts well.

”Mom, when I grow up, will you also spend money to find me a job?”

”As long as there’s a chance, I would. Having a good job means being able to find a good husband for a girl.

Menglin, a good job also requires education, so you better study hard.”

”Okay, Mom, I got it. I study better than my little brother.”

”As long as you study well, I’ll do whatever it takes to get you an education.”

Kong Mengjie listened quietly on the side. She knew her sister was jealous. But thinking about the money spent to secure her job, she felt it was up to her to repay it; why was it the family’s expense?

However, she wasn’t the type to make a scene, so she simply kept silent.

As mother and daughter prepared things, Kong Zhongyou was attending a meeting at the brigade headquarters.

Right now, the villagers had no food left, and the members were starting to stir up trouble. Without food, who cares for anything else?

”Village chief, what are we going to do? My family has no food either,” Zhou Jiaxing said, looking glum.

”The members are restless, but they should have food at home. It’s just lazybones like you who really have nothing.

After distributing the grain, everyone went up the mountain to look for food, except your lazy family. Who can you blame now?

You all know that there’s no grain in our warehouse. No matter how much trouble you make, it can’t be produced.”

”Village chief, isn’t there still two thousand jins of grain left?” Zhou Xiangxing spoke slyly.

”You’re talking nonsense. That’s next year’s seed grain, untouchable by anyone. If we don’t plant next year, where will the grain come from?

Let me tell you, anyone who dares to mess with the seeds will end up facing severe consequences.”

”Village chief, is it that serious?”

”At the last meeting, the township head specifically addressed this issue, stressing that each village must save enough seeds for next year. If anyone dares to mess with it, they’ll end up in the detention center for undermining socialism.

You two better stay on your toes and keep your hands clean.”

”Sigh! How will we survive then?” Zhou Jiaxing sighed, genuinely worried.

”You better hurry up the mountain; if you starve, there’s no one to save you.

I’m telling you, even if you have money and food tickets now, you might not be able to buy grain.”

”Village chief. Is it really this serious?”

”Yes, it’s a national disaster. The grain that’s collected first goes to the army, then to factory workers and urban non-agricultural areas.”

”I should quickly gather my family and head to the mountain. Who knows what edibles we might find?” Zhou Jiaxing hurriedly ran off.

”Serves them right for being lazy.”

”Village chief, I’m heading home too. Our two families will go up the mountain together for safety.

Village chief, the Jiang family contacted me yesterday, asking for that little girl’s house, but I said no.”

”Opportunistic money-grubbers. If they had maintained good relations, they could’ve taken care of things when the others left. Don’t pay them any mind.”

”Understood.” Zhou Xiangxing also left. He and Zhou Jiaxing were close cousins, sharing the same grandfather.

”Go, and pay attention to safety.”

”By the way. Village chief, do we still need to send our village’s pigs to the supply and marketing cooperative?”