He Xianghua nodded. "That’s right! The land has been divided among the households, and small businesses are now allowed. From now on, if people can’t eat their fill or dress well, they’ll have no one to bla but themselves."
Zhang Rongqing felt He Xianghua’s words hit ho. "Exactly. Everyone works for themselves. It saves us from supporting a bunch of shirkers and slackers."
Yang ihua chid in, "It’s true! Forget about a whole production brigade with over a hundred households—even within a family of several brothers, it’s always the honest, hardworking ones who lose out."
"Now that the land is divided, it’s not guaranteed that just being honest and hardworking will lead to a good life," He Xianghua said, tapping his head. "You need to be smart *and* willing to work hard to achieve that ’comfortable life’ they talk about on the radio."
Li Guizhi said, "That’s Little Lin. I think she’s one of those people the radio talks about—the first group to get rich. We should really learn so tips from her on how to prosper."
Once all the dishes were served, everyone gathered around and started to eat.
There was sweet stead pork belly, gleaming red, savory-sweet and glutinous, perfectly tender, and rich without being greasy. A stew of large pork bones and radishes was enhanced with dried mushrooms. The stir-fried pig’s blood with garlic shoots was soft, tender, and slightly sticky. They also had a savory, delicious soup of pig’s blood with pea shoots, flash-fried marinated pork intestines, and rich but not greasy braised pig’s head at... Everyone ate until their mouths were slick with oil.
"Grandma’s cooking is amazing! It’s even better than Mom’s," the Little Xue sisters praised endlessly.
After trying a couple of pieces of the pig’s blood curd, He Li ladled a bowl of the pig’s blood soup and said, "I haven’t had pig’s blood in so long. Grandma’s is just too delicious."
Little i nodded. "It’s the sa for us. Uncle Xiangyang often gives us pig’s blood and intestines, but what we make at ho never tastes as good as Grandma’s."
Seeing how much they were enjoying it, Lin Lan brought them another basin of pig’s blood and laughed. "Is it really that good? I think it’s just a case of the food from another’s pot always slling better."
"No way!" Little Kai looked at Lin Lan. "Auntie, I love eating at your house the most."
From the main hall, Yang ihua heard him and laughed. "All you think about all day is coming to your aunt’s house for good food. You even complain that the fried potatoes I make aren’t as good as hers."
Little Kai mumbled, "But I’m not wrong."
It was Li Guizhi and Zhang Rongqing’s first ti eating at Lin Lan’s house. After tasting Wu Shufen’s cooking, they figured Lin Lan must have inherited her culinary skills from her mother.
After the two tables of guests had eaten and drunk their fill, Yang ihua and her husband left with their two children.
Li Guizhi and her husband had heard that Lin Lan was hiring for her shop and wanted their eldest daughter, Hongxing, to go work for her. Seeing that Lin Lan was busy cleaning up and had to host her engagent party the next day, they hesitated for a mont before also saying their goodbyes and heading ho.
Zhao Dehai and Wang Zhilin helped Lin Lan by taking Little Xue and the others ho. anwhile, Wang Zhixue and his father stayed to help mash red bean paste and bean puree.
Seeing how tired Wu Shufen looked, Lin Lan said apologetically, "Mom, you should go to bed first. I can handle things here."
Wu Shufen glanced at her and shook her head. "I’m fine. The busy farming season is much more tiring than this. If we don’t help you, you’ll be up until midnight!"
Yang Liqun added, "Shufen, we’re relying on you for the banquet tomorrow. You should take Little Bean and get so sleep. We’ll help out here."
Seeing that there was help, Wu Shufen was relieved. "Alright then. I’ll have to trouble you, Liqun. I’ll take Little Bean to wash up and go to bed."
Lin Lan glanced at Xiaoyun and Little Li, who were peeling the skins off the beans, and asked Yang Liqun in a low voice, "Liqun, have you been to see our third sister? Is she doing any better?"
According to rural customs, a woman in confinent after a miscarriage shouldn’t visit other people’s hos, for fear of bringing bad luck with her.
"Much better. Her complexion is rosier now." Yang Liqun leaned closer to Lin Lan. "Lin Lan, I heard from Zhixue that Xiangyang can get his hands on bicycles and sewing machines?"
Lin Lan nodded. "Xiangyang has an uncle who can get them. Are you thinking of buying them for Zhixue’s wedding?"
"Mhm! Sister, could you and Xiangyang please talk to his uncle and help us buy them? We’ll pay whatever price he charges everyone else."
"Okay. I’ll talk to Xiangyang about it when I see him tomorrow."
"I’ll have Yuru co over with Uncle Lin’s family for a few days. She can stop by your place to pick out a few outfits and buy a watch or sothing."
Yang Liqun said, holding Lin Lan’s hand, "I know you’re generous, so let be clear upfront. When Yuru buys the clothes and the watch, you have to charge us at least the cost price. If you don’t take any money, we’ll just have to find soone else to buy them from the departnt store."
Lin Lan nodded readily. "Alright, I’ll charge you the cost price. Don’t worry, just have her co."
The group kept busy in the kitchen. After more than an hour, Zhao Dehai and Wang Zhilin returned.
Zhao Dehai took the Little Li sisters ho to bed. Yang Liqun’s family helped Lin Lan prepare the goods for wholesale the next day, then helped hang sausages from the wooden poles on the kitchen rafters before finally heading ho by flashlight.
Lin Lan had just finished washing up when she heard Wangcai barking enthusiastically. Knowing it must be Li Xiangyang, she threw on a coat, slipped on her slippers, and walked toward the courtyard gate. "Xiangyang, is that you?"
"It’s !" Li Xiangyang’s voice ca from outside.
Lin Lan opened the gate and saw him sitting on his bicycle, his face a little flushed. "Hurry and co in," she urged. "Are you drunk?"
Li Xiangyang shook his head, gave her a quick kiss, and held her hand, grinning foolishly at her. "It’s too late, I won’t co in. I just wanted to see you for a second before I head back."
Lin Lan slled the alcohol on him and shot him a glare. "And you say you’re not drunk. You reek of it."
Li Xiangyang tugged at his wool sweater. "I’m really not drunk. The sll is on my clothes. I purposely spilled so on my sweater, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to leave."
Lin Lan sniffed it; the sweater was indeed soaked with the sll of alcohol. She laughed, "Such a wild party, huh? Who was all there drinking?"
"Shuiqing, Uncle Da, Zhigang... and a few others you don’t know." Li Xiangyang finished and waved at her. "It’s cold. You should go inside and sleep. I’m heading back."
Lin Lan nodded. "Ride carefully on your way back and get so sleep soon."
"I’ve already ordered the fish and at. I’m picking up Grandma tomorrow morning, so I won’t co by here. I’ll take everything directly to the shop." After speaking, Li Xiangyang leaned down, pecked her on the lips, and pedaled away on his bike.
Lin Lan rubbed her hot cheeks, turned back into the courtyard, closed the gate, and walked toward the house.
Early the next morning, Lin Lan got up and took Qiaohui to the shops. She left her to help at the general store and went to the clothing store across the way.
She had just rolled up the security gate when the Little Xue sisters ca over from across the street. "Auntie Lin, aren’t you and Uncle Xiangyang getting engaged today? Aren’t you going ho?"
Lin Lan nodded. "I am. You two be careful and don’t get sloppy."
Little i said, "Don’t worry, Auntie Lin. We’re sharp!"
Lin Lan walked to the door, then turned back to remind them, "Rember, prices are back to normal today, no more discounts. If it gets crowded, call Qiaohui over to help."
Little Xue nodded repeatedly. "We’ll rember."
Lin Lan went to the general store across the street. Zhou Yongi ca out from the back courtyard and said to her, "Little Lin, don’t worry. I’ll help watch the shop until noon."
"Thank you, Yongi." Lin Lan smiled her thanks, gave so instructions to He Li and Qiaohui, and then rode her bike ho.
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