"Okay, are you planning to grind it all?"
"Let’s keep half."
"I’ll co find you tonight and teach you how to pour water on the corn kernels."
"Sis, are you going to the mountains today?"
Wang Ailing shook her head, "No, I’m staying ho to help my mom wash and dismantle the cotton clothes."
Jiang Xinyu returned ho, took up the tools, and went up the mountain herself. Mainly to gather leaves. She discovered yesterday that at night, when the fire was almost out, stuffing a stove full of leaves made the kang warr than the previous days.
Because she wanted to smuggle so, she went to the small valley again, and by the ti she was about to leave in the evening, the leaves on the ground were all cleaned up.
When she got ho, she laid out the leaves, and only then had ti to tidy herself up.
The water was boiling, and Wang Ailing arrived. Jiang Xinyu saw her pour half a bag of corn kernels into a large wooden basin, then scooped out two ladles of boiling water, poured them into the basin, and mixed them evenly by hand before covering it with a pot lid.
"At midnight, we’ll go grind the corn, just load it into the bag. But the cornal we bring back must be dried.
I’m leaving, I’ll co over tonight with the cart."
It was only midnight when Wang Ailing ca over to knock on the door, and the two worked at the stone mill at the east end of the village.
Pushing the grinder was laborious work, and the two took turns. It took an hour to finally grind half a bag of corn kernels into cornal.
At Jiang Family, "I’m taking the cart back. I’ll bring the big sieve over tomorrow morning to help sift out the corn husks." Wang Ailing instructed and pushed the cart back.
Jiang Xinyu spread a piece of plastic on the kang table, poured out the cornal, which was a bit damp and shouldn’t be left covered too long. Doing this little bit of cornal feels like being a thief, it’s really not easy.
She drank a bag of milk, ate two boiled eggs, and then lay down to sleep.
At nine in the morning, Wang Ailing ca with a big sieve. Watching her handle the sieve, Jiang Xinyu also tried, but couldn’t manage it at all.
"You’re not controlling your strength well, and the amplitude is not enough. Forget it. I’ll do it. Watching you struggle is tiring."
"Sis, you can’t be like this, you think you can do everything better yourself and look down on others’ work. If you continue this way, you’ll just get more tired in the future." Jiang Xinyu advised the girl not to be so strong-willed.
"I know this principle. If it were soone else, I wouldn’t even bother with them."
"Thank you, sis. Where did you buy this big sieve? Why doesn’t my family have one?"
"This big sieve costs fifteen yuan, a valuable item, available at the market, but not every ti."
"Next ti I’m at the market, I’ll definitely buy one."
After the cornal was sifted, Wang Ailing laid the plastic directly on the kang, so it spread evenly and dried quickly.
"Xinyu, a lot of people gathered around the stone mill today, all guessing who had corn, so be careful."
"Hmm, I guess that’s news, right?"
"Don’t take it lightly. What if they find out you have grain and co to borrow so?"
"If soone cos to borrow, do I have to lend it?" Jiang Xinyu said nonchalantly.
"You make it sound so easy. If everyone in the village cos to borrow and you don’t, no one will talk to you later. And if you lend to one and not another, it causes conflict."
"I get it. It’s about relationships, I need to be mindful of that.
I have to hide my own things."
Wang Ailing didn’t bother with her. Sotis she thought Xinyu was too smart, but then at tis like just now, she seed like a fool. Sothing so obvious, yet she couldn’t figure it out.
The two drank so malted milk before going to gather firewood.
The village kids are always busy, no need for adults to tell them.
Today, instead of gathering leaves, each carried a bundle of branches back, of course, Wang Ailing’s bundle was twice the size of Jiang Xinyu’s.
Life went on like this for a week in preparation.
Now in the village, not many idle people are outside. They all grouped up and went to the mountains to find food. Living people can’t be stifled by urine. Rural people have no regrets about using their strength; as long as it gives them food, no matter how exhausting, they’re willing.
The two went up the mountain every day, but didn’t follow the crowd into the deep mountains. It’s not that they didn’t envy what the villagers brought back, but people shouldn’t be too greedy. They already had food, so they shouldn’t go and seize more.
Now Jiang Xinyu’s courtyard had half a yard of branches, enough to burn through the winter. Her physical condition was also much better than when she first got there.
She felt that she’d gained so weight. She no longer felt dizzy when she got up from squatting.
"Xinyu, you’ve changed a lot."
"Changed? How?"
"Your face looks fuller, and you seem much more energetic. I think even your height has increased."
Jiang Xinyu touched her face, "Sis, am I standing out too much? Everyone’s starving, and I’m gaining weight?"
Wang Ailing nodded.
"I can’t. I need to go out and buy so food from outside, then there’ll be an explanation."
"Going to buy food—it may look good on the surface, but what if shaless people co to borrow, then what will you do?"
"Moral blackmail?"
"What?"
"It ans if soone cos to borrow, and I refuse, they’ll think I’m heartless."
"Yes, that’s what it ans."
"Even so, I still have to go out. The portion of grain given to was gone a long ti ago. If I can eat without food, it’s obvious I’m hiding grain.
Besides, I can’t starve myself because of others’ opinions, can I?
Sis, want to co with ? Shall we visit the city?"
"I need to ask my mom. Wait for my news tomorrow." Wang Ailing, though only fifteen, was mature, yet also had a playful spirit.
Sun Eri listened to her daughter and nodded in agreent, "You two be careful, but make sure to get a permit first, otherwise, you won’t even be able to get on a bus."
She ca over excitedly to find Jiang Xinyu, but saw her clutching her stomach, pale-faced, lying on the kang.
"Xinyu, what’s wrong?"
"Sis, I think my period’s coming. Can you help make a sanitary cloth?"
"You never had it before?"
"No, I’ve never had it." Jiang Xinyu said weakly.
"Okay, I’ll make one for you. But first, I’ll boil you so water; drink more hot water later."
Jiang Xinyu wasn’t in the state to care about anything else, her stomach throbbed painfully, and her forehead was sweating.
Once the water boiled, Wang Ailing made Jiang Xinyu a cup of milk powder. "Drink it while it’s hot."
Jiang Xinyu struggled to sit up, holding the bowl with both hands, sipping slowly, watching Wang Ailing sit cross-legged on the kang making her a sanitary cloth.
In reality, she had sanitary pads in her space, but she still needed this as a cover, as it’s the product of this era.
"Sis, I’m running low on toilet paper."
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