"Lihong, this homespun cloth is really cheap, but cotton is expensive. No wonder people make their own without using cotton coupons," Lin Lishan sighed. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥 Cheng Lihong laughed heartily, glancing at her sideways, "If you buy cotton in summer, it’s definitely much cheaper. It’s the dead of winter now, sister. You’re still complaining it’s expensive. You’ve probably emptied their stock, they’re likely scrambling to find more cotton. The cotton is usually ordered in summer, with set quantities. Who isn’t busy planting grain to fill their bellies? An entire village is barely enough to make three 8-pound quilts. Everyone loves to bring a bride home for the New Year in the dead of winter. In the village, people borrow quilts from various neighbors, planning to return them the following year. In the cities, brothers and sisters all crowd onto the same heated kang. Many families don’t have cotton for padded jackets, so they add straw to old cotton. Look at those shivering on the road; they’re using straw inside their padded jackets. Do you believe there’s anyone in the whole county with more quilts than your family Jiao Jiao?" Lin Lishan nodded with a smile, "I’m in the military and have forgotten what it’s like to need to allocate. Do you have enough quilts at home? You’ll take two from my place when you go back, they’re brand new, just got them from Zhao Chuan Guang’s this morning. They’re a bit narrow, just right for a bachelor or a little girl to sleep in." Cheng Hongli nodded repeatedly, her eyebrows dancing with joy, "My son has no issues, but my daughter’s quilt hasn’t been warm in three years; it’s as stiff as a board. In the winter, the kang is so hot underneath, but cold up top. I always cover her with an army coat. I was planning to add new cotton this year. With Old Zhao’s relatives always needing help and having two sons and a daughter, I couldn’t justify spending money." Lin Lishan looked at her with sympathy, "You’re just like my second sister-in-law, from a big courtyard family, where her dad has three brothers and her mom has two brothers and three sisters, all in rural areas. They’re the only ones in Beijing, and they’re big officials at that. Whenever something happens, they turn to them. Their family foundation is thin; my second sister-in-law’s mom doesn’t work, and has three sons and two daughters herself. Every time someone in the extended family is getting married or having a child, they need to give gifts. Every time she returns to Beijing, she brings back heaps of things. Fortunately, my second sister-in-law moved to the Northwest. If she were in Beijing, she’d probably be crying. Whenever relatives visit, they seek her out. Our two families are in the Big Courtyard, not far apart, and my mom says her family gets constant visitors year-round from the countryside, sometimes even requiring shared sleeping arrangements. My second sister-in-law’s mom never owned more than three sets of clothes; as soon as she gets more, someone visits and she has to give them away. Haha, my mom visited once, and after putting down her army coat to use the restroom, she came out to find it already being worn by a villager, haha, it cracked me up." Cheng Lihong joined in the laughter, "Does your mom still dare to visit? This family’s burden is too heavy; they must find a solution, or it’ll hardly feel like a home." "What can you do, send them away when they come? They don’t even arrange work for them anymore, so you have to give money or materials. Otherwise, their reputation will suffer. My second sister-in-law’s three brothers don’t dare to visit their hometown; they stay at their units and live in dorms with their wives. There are many such families in the Big Courtyard, but few as extreme as theirs." Cheng Lihong curiously asked, "And your family? No poor relatives visiting?" "My dad’s an orphan, and my mom’s family has no shortage of money. They have the capability and don’t need my mom to assist their village. Indeed, we have no poor relatives visiting. My eldest brother and Brother Zheng are out on assignments. My sister-in-law is in the Women’s Federation like you. Her family is all workers and doesn’t need our help. If anything, she handles it herself. My second brother and his wife took their kids to the Northwest. That leaves just me and my little sister here; she married a soldier from a modest family. Though they don’t have much, both have high salaries. My brother-in-law gives half to his family and my sister works at a military hospital, which is enough. My mom also provided a small courtyard house, so it’s manageable. As for me, you can see, it’s just Brother Zheng and me with Jiao Jiao, not much burden. Jiao Jiao doesn’t ask for our help either; we prepare things secretly. Haha, you have no idea how amusing this kid is; when we buy her things, she frowns and says earnestly, ’Mom, I have this, I already have that, you need to be thrifty, keep it low-key, don’t buy big things.’" Cheng Lihong looked at her enviously, "You are truly blessed, with no worries from your own family or your husband’s family, and now even they are embarrassed to see you, plus there’s Brother Zheng, a sensible daughter, and an excellent son-in-law. You’re the envy of everyone." Lin Lishan eyed her, "Aren’t people envious of you? Old Zhao treats you well, your two sons are grown, you have Yuanyuan as a ray of sunshine, and you’re successful in your career. Still not satisfied?" Cheng Lihong burst into laughter, "We are indeed blessed, but I still worry. I’m not concerned about my daughters-in-law, they’re right under my nose. It’s when I see your family Jiao Jiao that I think about my own daughter. She’s carefree, but what kind of partner will she find? You’re lucky; Jiao Jiao and Xiao Wu grew up together, and your Jiao Jiao is impressive while Xiao Wu doesn’t have wandering eyes. I wonder who my daughter will end up with. I look around, and none seem suitable; the child is fine, but the family isn’t, or the family is good, but the child isn’t capable enough to support a wife. During our time, things were simpler; if you liked someone, parents didn’t have to worry much. Soldiers were reliable. I thought about introducing her to a soldier but remembered the hardships of being a military wife." "Fate is destined by the heavens. Yuanyuan is such a good kid; don’t worry. She’s still young, and you can keep an eye out. Someone with a discerning eye for jade will appear, just don’t rush them into marriage and kids." Cheng Lihong looked outside, almost there, "Makes sense, I’ll leave it to fate. Having a car is convenient, arriving so quickly, and no cold wind." "No rush, I’ll stop by a restaurant for some buns and bread to bring back for the mother and daughter," Lin Lishan said, parking at the restaurant entrance. Getting out, she took her grain coupons and entered. The aroma of buns wafted from afar. Inside, she saw a girl behind the counter, who curiously looked at her and fiddled with her hair, "Comrade, what would you like to buy?" Lin Lishan, amused, thought it must be Jiao Jiao’s mention, Sister Wang, Wang Linzhi, "Do you have buns and bread?" "Yes, they just came out of the steamer; both sauerkraut and meat fillings, and the bread is just right. How many do you want?" Lin Lishan took out grain coupons and money, "Twenty meat buns, twenty bread rolls. How much?" "Meat buns are 0.15 yuan, bread rolls 0.07 yuan, with two liang of grain coupons each. Only national and local grain coupons are accepted, not out-of-province ones." After she finished, Lin Lishan counted out the grain coupons and money, handing them over. The girl quickly collected the money and counted out a ticket, yelling, "Master Chef, 20 meat buns, 20 bread rolls." After a short wait, with a bag full of hot buns and bread, Lin Lishan rushed back to the car, "You carry it, they’re only wrapped in wax paper. If placed in the back, they won’t be edible. I’ll drive; you can eat when you’re hungry." Cheng Lihong hefted the two full bags, "Why did you buy so much? We’re going to a restaurant soon. These bread rolls are bigger than a face basin; can we finish them?" "Haha... I didn’t realize they’d be this big here, and once I’d decided, I couldn’t change it. Haven’t you noticed everything in the Northeast—buns, bread—is just big and full of ingredients? I ordered a braised pork dish at a restaurant and the plate was piled high with meat." Both of them laughed heartily. As the car stopped at the courtyard entrance, hearing the engine, Zhou Xiaozheng and Zhao Dashan came out together. Seeing them both, they burst into laughter, only to see Cheng Lihong carrying a full load in both hands while Lin Lishan had her face buried under a thick quilt.