Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

Chapter 157: 157 Happy Events

All the household chores were taken care of by Wei Kaiyun, and he didn’t bother Jiang Xinyu in the evenings.

On the 14th, Jiang Xinyu didn’t wait for the bus and rode her bike directly to avoid being late on her first day at school.

Wei Kaiyun followed behind his wife on his bike. He wasn’t comfortable with her going alone today.

”You don’t need to come with me to school. Since you’re already here, just go explore on your own. I’m not a child that needs company for a test.”

At school, she directly found the principal, and Wang Lanting took her to the classroom of Grade One, Class Four.

”Jiang Xinyu, you’ll be taking the exam in this class.”

The entire morning was spent on three subjects: Mathematics, Chinese, and History; in the afternoon, it was Politics and Geography.

”Jiang Xinyu, don’t rush back home. Your exam results will be out once the afternoon subjects are done. You can wait.”

Of course, Jiang Xinyu was willing; she didn’t have to worry about missing the bus.

Students were on break, and results could be collected on the twentieth of the lunar month, or they could choose not to come—there was no strict rule.

Half an hour later, Jiang Xinyu’s results were ready. Wang Lanting looked them over, nodded, ”Your results are okay. You need to review History and Geography more at home. You’ll join the class of ’60.”

”Thank you, Principal Wang. I will certainly work hard.”

”Yes, here are some practice books for you to work on, and here are seven textbooks for next semester, including Physics and Chemistry. Consider choosing between arts and sciences; learning science is best, as mastering math, physics, and chemistry means you’re prepared for the world.”

”Okay, Principal Wang, I understand. I will focus more on Physics and Chemistry.”

”You can go home now, it’s getting late.”

Jiang Xinyu got home after six o’clock and felt comforted seeing Wei Kaiyun outside the gate; having someone waiting at home felt so nice.

Wei Kaiyun took her bicycle and wheeled it into the side room. ”Wife, quickly now. I’ve prepared hot water, go wash up, it’s too cold.”

”Okay, thank you.” With that, she tiptoed to give Wei Kaiyun a light kiss on the cheek.

Watching his cheerful wife go into the bathroom, Wei Kaiyun touched the cheek she kissed and was delighted. Was his wife just too easy to please? He vowed to treat her even better so she wouldn’t want to be apart.

The two talked about the day’s exams while having dinner.

”My wife will definitely do well.”

”You have so much confidence in me?”

”Of course.”

”Principal Wang gave me seven books for next term and a few practice books. I can start looking at them ahead of time.”

”Don’t overwork yourself; it’s the New Year, you need to balance work and rest.”

”Yes, I understand. When I start working, I can use my lunch breaks to study too.

Wonder when we’ll get electricity at home? It’d be nice to have electric lights.”

”It’ll probably take another two or three years.”

Wei Kaiyun didn’t let Jiang Xinyu read that evening, insisting on spending time together, which naturally meant she had to put her book down and rest early.

On the next day, the fifteenth of the lunar month, it was Friday. Jiang Xinyu wanted to go home to burn some incense for her parents.

”Wife, I’ll find a car, we’ll drive; taking the bus wastes time and will be crowded, biking is too tiring, and we can’t risk catching cold.”

”Driving back is too conspicuous.”

”Don’t worry, you’re already quite noticeable; it won’t matter.”

Finally, Wei Kaiyun convinced Jiang Xinyu, and he went to get the car.

”Wife, you drive; it’s been so long, you might be rusty?”

They bought incense paper at the supply and marketing cooperative in the township and parked the car at the home entrance; Wei Kaiyun wanted to join her in burning incense.

”Maybe not, the village is crowded right now. You should wait for me at home.”

”I can come along. No one knows me.”

”Kong Mengjie’s dad knows you; just stay at home.”

Seeing Jiang Xinyu’s resolute attitude, Wei Kaiyun didn’t insist and went home to help her tidy up.

The arrival of a car naturally drew attention in the village. Sun Ermei particularly came to check at the entrance of Jiang Xinyu’s house, confirming the car was indeed parked there, with the main door bolted.

She knocked loudly at the door. Surprisingly, a man, the same one who delivered grain with her last time, answered.

”Aunt, anything wrong?”

”Where’s Xinyu?”

”She’s gone to burn paper; she’ll be back in a while.”

”All right, shut the door; I’ll come back later.”

She hurried home to prepare. She packed two bags of yams for Jiang Xinyu; her yard’s corn had already been milled into flour. Peanuts were kept at her home.

Guo Caifeng emerged with a noticeably pregnant belly, seeing her mother-in-law bustling around.

”Mom, what’s happening?”

”It’s nothing; Xinyu is back, and she drove here this time. I’m taking her some cornmeal and yams.”

”I’ll help you load the car.”

”No need, don’t strain yourself.” Sun Ermei loaded a bag of corn flour and two bags of yams into the car effortlessly, thanks to her years of farm work; even a bag over a hundred pounds of corn flour was manageable.

She also packed half a bag of radishes, some cabbages, a bag of sweet potatoes, and over ten large scallions.

Sun Ermei calculated the time, betting Jiang Xinyu would be back soon; she pushed the cart out.

Seeing the open gate, she knew her little girl was back.

”Xinyu, Xinyu!”

”Aunt? What’s this?”

”Loaded on the car are two bags of yams for you to take home and eat, plus radishes and cabbages grown in the yard.

And one bag of cornmeal from the milled corn in the yard.”

”Aunt, I’m stocked up on yams and veggies. Keep the cornmeal for your family.”

”No need; our home has plenty of food. We received more than six hundred pounds of grain this year.”

Seeing her insistence, Jiang Xinyu said, ”Then, Aunt, let’s split it; I can’t eat all this by myself.”

With that, she went inside to get the car key and an empty sack.

Wei Kaiyun got the car ready, while Jiang Xinyu divided the cornmeal, putting half in the sack.

”And there’s peanuts I hung at the top of the woodshed; take those too.”

”Let’s also share the peanuts evenly.”

There was just one sack of shelled peanuts, over twenty pounds, meticulously cleaned by Sun Ermei. Both families shared equally.

”There are still some pumpkins in the cellar. Take them, they’re good for porridge.”

Wei Kaiyun was too tall, so Jiang Xinyu went down and got five large pumpkins loaded onto the car.

The car was already full, with food items loaded to the brim.

”Xinyu, will you stay for lunch?”

”No, the factory manager is still around, staying would be inconvenient.”

Sun Ermei pulled Jiang Xinyu aside to speak in a hushed tone, ”Xinyu, two months ago, the Zhou brothers were executed.”

”What about Zhou Lihong and the others? Zhou Chunxiang?”

”Zhou Chunxiang got married, and Zhou Lihong is at home taking care of her younger siblings.”