Lin Fengxia: "Alright, get ready and we'll head out now."
Zhi Xia saw that Lin Fengxia had tied a headscarf on top of her head, covering up half of her face, and had also slung a bamboo basket over her arm. She went back home to get ready in a similar fashion.
When they went out, Shen Hongxing also came out, dressed the same way, along with two other sisters-in-law. They were all going into town together.
It's true you can't deny, with their heads wrapped up like this, at least the cold wind wasn't blowing directly on their faces.
After greeting each other, they set out from the military compound.
They were quite fortunate, having just gotten to the main road when they saw an oxcart approaching from the distance.
Shen Hongxing dashed to the front to flag down the cart, and even haggled over the price. The old man driving the oxcart saw they had a large group and charged them 5 cents each. The ox belonged to their village, and this trip into town was also to run errands for the village, yet he could earn a couple extra dimes as profit.
When they reached the town entrance, the old man driving said: "I'll be able to head back around noon. Will you all need a ride back then too? If so I can wait here for you all, or you can wait here for me earlier."
Life was hard in the countryside, few could afford watches, they could only estimate time by looking at the sun.
Lin Fengxia laughed and reminded everyone: "Alright, let's meet back here at that time. Everyone keep track of the time and come back, if anyone is too late we won't wait for them."
Since time was limited, they split up to run their individual errands.
Lin Fengxia asked Zhi Xia, "Aren't you going to the post office? Let's go together since we're headed the same way, so you don't get lost."
Zhi Xia nodded, "Thanks, sister-in-law."
Seeing Zhi Xia's soft and delicate appearance, Lin Fengxia advised her: "From now on, never go out alone. You're too pretty, although there are troops stationed here keeping things peaceful, there could still be a few bad people about. What if you run into them when you're alone with no oxcart in sight? If they pull you into the woods or cornfields, your life will be over. Things like this have happened in previous years, caused quite a stir..."
Zhi Xia nodded, having lived another life she was determined to protect this one, and didn't arrogantly think she was safe with her abilities. With her current helpless state, she feared the unexpected rather than the expected.
At the post office, Zhi Xia took out the items from her slung basket. It was a large package, already divided up at home, with letters tucked inside. She just had to fill out the forms, buy stamps to stick on, and that was it.
Thinking about how her grandma said she would mail her quilt over, she and Pei Jing had been sharing just one quilt. Whenever he was there, she would unconsciously roll into his embrace at night to keep warm. She heard it would get even colder here soon.
Zhi Xia had just opened her mouth to ask when she heard Lin Fengxia say: "Is your family sending a lot of things? The post office goes to deliver mail at the military compound on the 1st and 15th every month. I came to mail things back home, if you aren't in a rush they can deliver it in a few days..."
Just as she was speaking, a staff member came over with a large burlap sack.
Lin Fengxia advised her to just have them deliver it, otherwise carrying such a huge sack, there'd be nothing else she could do afterwards.
Zhi Xia explained the situation again before leaving the post office.
There were many pedestrians in the streets, with occasional vendors, surrounded by crowds of people.
Lin Fengxia brought Zhi Xia to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, but seeing the packed crowds inside, Zhi Xia immediately lost any desire to go in. With so many people, getting supplies was like a fight, she simply didn't have the confidence to wrestle things from others, and worried about getting jostled.
Right next door was the meat shop and vegetable stands, so Zhi Xia told Lin Fengxia she would head over there instead.
The meat shop was equally crowded, but at least people were lined up neatly in queues. The vegetable stands only had a few people, at a glance you could see just cabbage, potatoes, radishes, and sweet potato noodles. There were also a few large jars, probably for pickled vegetables.
Zhi Xia looked around, none of the sisters-in-law who came together were here. She didn't get in line, just put her hand in her basket, and suddenly there was a large piece of streaky pork and some ribs, along with a bag of eggs, all covered by a pillowcase concealing the contents.
She planned to invite big brother over for dinner tonight. After all, he had done so much to help set up their new home since she arrived, yet hadn't even eaten a meal at their home.
She thought some more and went to the vegetable stands to buy noodles, spending another dime on a woven bag to hold them.
She had noodles in her space, but those from modern times couldn't compare to the purity of noodles from this era.
After getting everything ready, she went to wait by the entrance of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Soon Lin Fengxia and the others came out, baskets fuller than when they arrived.
By comparison, Zhi Xia's basket held even more items, with the additional woven bag in hand.
"Zhi Xia, what did you buy?" Shen Hongxing walked over and lifted the cover of Zhi Xia's basket, revealing the streaky pork and ribs inside.
Zhi Xia quickly snatched the pillowcase back to re-cover her basket, "Sister Hongxing, my eldest brother helped our family tremendously these past few days when we moved. And Pei Jing left in a hurry, these past few days even the water in our vats was drawn by big brother. So I bought these to make him a meal to show thanks tonight. Do you have any objections?"
Seeing Zhi Xia's obvious anger, Shen Hongxing's expression instantly changed. She smiled awkwardly, "No objections, no objections. I'm just too nosy is all. But the way you said it, it's as if you're angry with me?"
Zhi Xia was indeed angry at this shameless woman!
Sister Fengxia mediated between them, "Alright alright, we're all neighbors here. Zhi Xia don't be angry, but Hongxing you were in the wrong to lift her basket cover without permission in public like this. We all understand keeping wealth hidden, with people coming and going, it was improper of you."
After the brief interlude, they headed to the town entrance together.
The old man driving had been waiting there for a while already. They each paid their own fare before boarding.
It seemed Shen Hongxing made it her goal to specifically antagonize Zhi Xia, continuing to bring up the meat Zhi Xia bought under the guise of casual chat, "The Pei family must be quite well-off right? You two really live up to coming from the big city. Buying that much meat in one go. Not like us country bumpkins, we're fortunate to eat meat even once a month, and even then we only dare buy a tiny bit at a time. One month..."
As she spoke, she exaggeratedly gesticulated, tone and motions dramatic, obviously trying to stir up resentment.
Of everyone on the cart, only Zhi Xia was from the city.
Zhi Xia snorted, suddenly speaking up, "Sister Hongxing, how have I offended you?"
"What do you mean by that?" Shen Hongxing hadn't expected Zhi Xia to confront her so directly, instantly changing expression.
Zhi Xia smiled, putting on a pensive act, "I remember when I first arrived at the housing compound, Sister Hongxing was already spreading rumors and sullying my reputation outside. I thought I must have done something wrong to offend you, and wanted to come ask in person what my mistake was so I could correct it promptly. But later Deputy Commander Yang came personally to our home to explain things, and my big brother and Pei Jing also advised me to pretend I didn't know. I just wanted us to get along well in the future. Yet today Sister Hongxing continues to belittle and provoke me. What's all this talk about people from the city versus country bumpkins? We're all the same people. The army doesn't differentiate treatment for us based on city or rural origins right? Our family is doing a bit better now because we just got married, and there's only two of us at home unlike you sisters who still have to provide for children. But in a few years when we have kids too, how will we be any different? By then your children will be grown, and your situations may be even better than ours. Isn't that right, sisters?"
