Chapter 24:

This package was sent all the way from his station by her eldest cousin, Qin Shenghua.

Yu Xiang’an had two uncles. The eldest, Qin Fengnian, had already passed away. He had two older cousins, and the eldest followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the military.

Counting the years, it had been eight since he enlisted at sixteen.

His unit was stationed extremely far away—not quite at the northernmost tip, but close enough.

Given the distance and the nature of his job, it took him some time to receive the letter from home and learn about what had happened to his younger cousin.

By the time he gathered a pile of items to send as comforting gifts, it was already now.

The delay was significant.

Looking at these things, Yu Xiang’an had already guessed his location—somewhere in the three northeastern provinces.

Among the items he sent were a ten-year-old ginseng, pine nuts, red mushrooms, the local cold-resistant wonder *wula* grass, deer antlers, an entire dried roe deer leg, as well as dried sea cucumbers, salted fish, seaweed, and more from the coast. He also included a tank model assembled from spent bullet casings.

In his letter, he assured her that she had the support of both the Yu and Qin families, urging her not to worry too much. No matter what she chose to do, her family would stand behind her. The items he sent, along with fifty yuan, were his advance dowry gift.

Yu Xiang’an had been deeply moved—until she saw the words “dowry gift,” at which point her emotion turned into wide-eyed exasperation.

Thanks, but she really wasn’t planning to marry anytime soon.

At first, Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie’s eyes were glued to the roe deer leg. But when she took out the bullet-casing tank, their gazes became practically glued to it, unable to tear away.

They exclaimed in awe:

“Is this a tank? Wow, it looks so impressive!”

“I know, I know! Tanks are super powerful, invincible in battle!”

“When it fires, the ground explodes—boom!—and everything’s gone!”

“It’s so cool!”

Yes, it was indeed cool. Yu Xiang’an had no idea what adhesive he had used to assemble it, but she treasured this rare handmade model. If it were just an ordinary toy, she might have let the two boys play with it—but this one was special.

“You can look at it, and you can even touch it, but you can’t take it away,” she said. “Later, I’ll ask Dad to make a wooden one for you, just like this. This one is too precious—I’ll lock it in the cabinet so it doesn’t get accidentally broken.”

Yu Xiangju stretched out his hand eagerly. “Okay, Fifth Sister, I want to touch it!”

Yu Mingjie chimed in, “Me too!”

Their small hands trembled as they reached out, but the moment they made contact, they flinched back as if startled—like dragonflies skimming the water, barely causing a ripple before darting away in fright.

After they had looked and touched to their hearts’ content, Yu Xiang’an carefully stored the tank in the cabinet. If she had given it to them, she couldn’t guarantee its safety. No matter how well-behaved children were, they still had mischievous moments. If it got broken, regret would come too late.

Qin Shenghua’s letter was brief. Aside from assuring her of his support and urging her to cut ties cleanly, there wasn’t much else.

He also mentioned that he had sent two packages—one for her and one for the family. Hers was meant for her alone, and she should keep it safe.

The dried roe deer leg was something he had hunted by chance, sent home for everyone to try.

Yu Xiang’an locked all the food items in the kitchen cabinet. These days, people generally left their doors unlocked, but petty theft wasn’t unheard of. Thieves rarely stole money—more often, they took food. If she didn’t lock it up and word got out, she might wake up one morning to find the meat mysteriously gone.

She took out a small dish and filled it with pine nuts for the two boys. “Go ahead and eat.”

Pine nuts were a delicacy, fragrant and delicious.

As for the ginseng, Yu Xiang’an pondered how best to use it. Ginseng of this age was relatively easier to find. Maybe she could use it to brew a health tonic for Yu Qingshan and the other elders in the family. Drinking a small cup every other day could boost their immunity over time.

She set it aside for now, waiting for them to return and confirm. If there were no other plans, this was likely how it would be used.

Seeing that it was about time, she headed to the kitchen to prepare a hearty meal for the family.

Today, they would have steamed buns—white flour buns, stuffed with freshly picked tender wild greens, eggs, wood ear mushrooms, and other fillings like taro, sweet potato, and pumpkin.

All the buns were thin-skinned and generously stuffed.

In later years, “thin-skinned and generously stuffed” would be a compliment, but right now, it was just a way to save on flour.

She also made a pot of fish soup to go with the buns—a complete meal.

When Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie returned and saw her taking out so many ingredients, even flour, they asked curiously, “What are you making? Noodles?”

“No, tonight we’re having steamed buns. How does that sound?”

“Really? Wow, we’re having buns today! That’s great! We’ll help!”

If they ate freely, the flour wouldn’t last long. But Yu Manchang had already eaten at the meat processing plant, and Yu Qingshan would bring back his meal. The buns weren’t meant to fill them up entirely.

“Xiangju, help me steam this taro, peel it, and mash it into paste.”

“Mingjie, wash these wild greens and tear the wood ear mushrooms into small pieces.”

While they were busy, Yao Cuifen dropped by to confirm whether she had received the package. Yu Xiang’an nodded. “I got it. When I picked it up, I saw another similarly sized package, but I didn’t pay attention at first. After reading the letter, I realized one was for me and the other for the family—they arrived on the same day.”

Yao Cuifen nodded in relief. “Good, good. As long as you got it. Just like your cousin said, you have the whole family behind you, understand?”

“Grandma, I know.”

Yu Xiang’an couldn’t help but feel that her luck was truly remarkable—to be reborn without drinking the Mengpo soup, and into such a warm-hearted family.

Was it because of her virtuous deeds in her past life, saving others?

If that were the case, what about those who had saved not just one person, but hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands? Would they be reborn as royalty?

Though these days, there was no royalty—just the privileged elite.

Yu Qingshan and Zhao Qiaoniang returned together, and the moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by a rich, savory aroma. Zhao Qiaoniang sniffed—it was the unmistakable scent of fried pork lard, overwhelmingly fragrant.

Yu Qingshan asked, “What delicious thing are you making today?”

Zhao Qiaoniang felt both joy and worry—happy at the prospect of a feast, but concerned about their dwindling food supplies before the next ration purchase.

Yu Xiangju ran out to announce, “Fifth Sister made steamed buns today!”

Yu Mingjie added, “It smells so good—it’s the pork lard!” Oh, how he wanted to eat it.

When Yu Qingshan learned about Qin Shenghua’s gifts, he didn’t comment on her plan to use the ginseng for medicinal wine. But the fifty yuan made him frown.

“Both Shenghua and his wife are in the military, and their two children don’t have major expenses. I know they can save some money, but fifty yuan is too much.”

Yu Xiang’an agreed. “I think we should send thirty yuan back and keep twenty. I’ll also gather some local goods to send to him.”

It wouldn’t be right to return everything—that would seem ungrateful. But converting the twenty yuan into useful items, especially things he could actually use, would be a fair exchange.

As for why he was so generous—before he joined the military, the original Yu Xiang’an had adored following him around. When he left for the army, she had tearfully declared she would marry him so he wouldn’t have to leave.

It had been a huge joke at the time.

Now, looking back, it was pure embarrassment. Even though it wasn’t her, and the original host had only been ten, it still felt like a black mark best left forgotten in the dusty corners of memory.

“By the way, Dad, I made steamed buns today. Since it’s a happy occasion, I decided to splurge. There are several fillings—wild greens, taro, pumpkin, sweet potato, wood ear, and pork lard randomly mixed in. Whoever gets one is lucky!”

Yu Qingshan nodded. “How much flour is left at home?”

“Less than half a kilo.”

“Save a few buns for Mingjie to take back later.” He was genuinely concerned about his eldest daughter-in-law’s pregnancy, her first in years.

As for whether this child would be a boy or girl, everyone guessed it was likely a girl.

When she was pregnant with Yu Mingjie, Ye Qijia had been energetic and had a great appetite. But this time, her reactions were the opposite—even the slightest unpleasant smell made her nauseous.

Yu Xianghai had already said that since he had a son, a daughter would be perfect to “complete the character *hao* (good).” Yu Qingshan wasn’t the type to favor sons over daughters—if anything, he doted more on his girls. Zhao Qiaoniang had some bias toward boys, but since this wasn’t her own son, she had no say.

Yu Xiang’an seized the moment to suggest she visit Second Brother in his place.

“With Sister-in-law’s condition, Eldest Brother can’t leave with peace of mind. I’m different—I don’t have as many worries. Plus, if I see any local specialties there, I can send them to Cousin Shenghua as gifts.”

Yu Qingshan gave her a sidelong glance. “No matter what you say, I won’t let you travel alone.”

No matter how much she argued, his answer remained the same.

If she were unlucky enough to encounter human traffickers and got sold into the mountains, would he ever see his daughter again?

The odds were too slim. His daughter was too pretty—the risk was too high. He would never agree.

Yu Xiang’an sighed. She had the XiXi Farm—if she were in danger, she could just hide inside. But Yu Qingshan didn’t know that.

And she couldn’t tell him.

Yu Xiangju, munching happily on a pork-lard-stuffed bun, looked at his sister and declared, “Fifth Sister, wait for me! When I grow up, I’ll go with you to Second Brother’s place!”

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

Thanks, I’m touched—but that’ll be years from now.

When Yu Manchang returned and heard her still muttering about it, he rubbed the back of his head. “It’s not like we’re leaving right now. Once his injury heals and he can return to work, I’ll probably head back. I’ll take you with me then.”

Yu Qingshan still shook his head. “No need. I’ll write to him first and see if they can come back for New Year’s. We’ll decide then.”

With the family expanding, a visit home would make sense.

If that didn’t work out, he’d rather go himself—to see how his second son was living.

That made sense, so Yu Manchang dropped the subject. Yu Xiang’an finally gave up. It seemed she’d have to hurry and make a trip to the city soon.

She had already turned most of the chestnuts into chestnut cakes. If she sold them for cash without requiring ration coupons, business should be decent.

With Yu Qingshan’s approval, Yu Xiang’an openly began collecting various items. Qin Shenghua was up north, where winters were long and harsh. He’d probably appreciate warming things—like liquor or chili peppers.

She prepared a jar of chili sauce—fiery, salty, and fragrant. Just a tiny dab on chopsticks could flavor an entire bowl of rice, though it would also demand a large glass of water and leave one sweating profusely.

Besides the chili sauce, she made a few other preserves—all with one common feature: lots of salt.

There was no helping it. For long-distance transport, especially outside of winter, extra salt was necessary to prevent spoilage.

When Qin Shenghua received the package—a rather large one—the mail clerk, recognizing the name, brought it straight to his assigned dorm and placed it on his bunk.

After training, before he could even figure out what was happening, his comrades had already crowded around, pressing him toward the package.

“You got a package! Look how big it is! Open it, quick—let’s see what your family sent!”

Faced with such a sizable parcel, Qin Shenghua was momentarily bewildered.

Shaking off the eager onlookers, he said, “What’s the rush? Let me see if there’s a letter inside first.”

“From the shape, that looks like a jar—probably food.”

“This one seems like clothes—maybe winter gear?”

They speculated excitedly.

Life in the army was monotonous, and packages from home were rare sources of excitement.

He opened the letter. “This is from my cousin.”

The letter said she was doing well and not to worry. She was now a proud worker with friendly colleagues and kind superiors, enjoying her job. She also mentioned returning thirty yuan, with the rest being gifts, and expressed hope for continued exchanges.

Qin Shenghua skimmed the letter and shook his head helplessly. She had sent the money back—when it was meant for her to spend.

She was just being stubborn—how could everything be fine? But judging by the situation, it probably wasn’t too bad either.

After reading the letter, he finally checked what his cousin had sent him.

Sausages, canned lychees, chili sauce, meat sauce, mushroom sauce, dried mango, and fish floss—each item was generously packed.

Out of the six people in the dorm, only two were from the south. The other four had never seen lychees before. “So this is what lychees look like?”

One of the guys from the northeast looked surprised—he had never tasted lychees before.

Lychees were also notoriously hard to preserve, so the only ones that made it this far were dried lychees.

“These are produced by the factory where my cousin works. Come on, let’s try them. It’s been ages since I’ve had lychees.” It had been years since he’d been back home, and even if he did return, it wouldn’t be the right season to eat them.

The canned lychees were packed full, and accordingly, they weren’t cheap. A single can probably cost a few yuan.

So he took the initiative to open one.

“Back in the day, we didn’t have canned fruit where I’m from. It only became available after I left home.”

“Come on, grab some spoons. Let’s all try it.”

A single can of fruit divided among six people meant each person only got a small taste.

“So sweet.”

“So this is lychee? No wonder the emperors of old went to such extravagant lengths to have them transported from afar.”

“This flavor is really delicious.”

Because of material scarcity, “sweetness” was a luxury. Even those who didn’t usually like sweets couldn’t bring themselves to dislike it.

“My sister asked if pine nuts and seafood are easy to get here. She really likes them. I’ll try to get some for her when I have time.”

Pine nuts were easy—there were plenty of pine trees around here. For seafood, he’d have to make a trip to the coast and trade with the locals.

“Hey, your sister sent a lot of sauces. Is this chili sauce?”

Someone from a famously spice-loving province perked up. “Let’s try your cousin’s cooking today.”

Qin Shenghua nodded readily—and immediately regretted it. He was sweating profusely from the heat but couldn’t bring himself to stop eating. Meanwhile, the guy next to him was happily shoveling it in, bite after bite, without pause.

Qin Shenghua: “…”

Hey, control yourself. Do you plan to finish it all in one go?

Some couldn’t handle the spice, so they opened the mushroom sauce and meat sauce instead. Qin Shenghua remembered Yu Xiang’an’s note in the letter, warning him not to let the sauces sit too long. She had done her best to preserve them, but she wasn’t sure how effective it was, so he should eat them quickly.

Watching half the meat sauce disappear in one sitting, he fell silent. Thankfully, there was another jar—that one he’d take home. His wife and two kids hadn’t tasted it yet.

After sampling Yu Xiang’an’s cooking, everyone became incredibly enthusiastic about helping her get pine nuts and seafood.

“Your sister wants pine nuts? Easy. We’ll head into the mountains next time we’re off.”

“If she likes seafood, that’s simple too. We don’t get out much, but the logistics guys do. I know a guy from my village in logistics—his grandma lives by the sea. I’ll talk to him.”

Qin Shenghua: “…Hey, who are you calling ‘sister’? She’s *my* sister!”

“Heh heh, what’s the difference? Your sister is our sister too. By the way, does she have a boyfriend?”

Qin Shenghua smiled. “Get lost.”

Meanwhile, at the Baishi County Food Factory, the atmosphere was unusually lively.

There were four basic human needs that couldn’t be avoided: clothing, food, shelter, and transportation.

Clothing—without it, you’d freeze to death. It regulated body temperature and provided modesty.

Food—needless to say, food was the foundation of life.

Shelter—humans needed a stable place to rest.

Transportation—getting around, no matter where you went.

Now, everything was publicly owned, from houses down to the grass and trees by the roadside.

But public ownership could also shift to private ownership.

For example, the two-story building the food factory had constructed was now complete and ready to be allocated to eligible workers.

Once assigned, the housing belonged to the workers—unless they transferred to another factory, it wouldn’t change hands.

This was a big deal. Families living in cramped conditions were all invested in this housing allocation.

Like Yan Yuzhen.

Last time, her seniority had been too low. Now, she finally qualified.

Her family of eight was crammed into a space smaller than twenty square meters.

Twenty square meters—it was easy to imagine how crowded it was.

If she got selected this time, she could move into a brand-new, clean, white-walled apartment. No more hauling water every day, no more using public toilets. Her youngest son might even have a shot at finding a wife.

Temporary workers need not apply. Even full-time workers like Yu Xiang’an, who had been there less than a year, had no chance.

The selection criteria had already been announced:

1. Demonstrated housing need.

2. Length of employment.

3. Work performance—those with commendations got priority.

4. Dual-income households got priority.

Every rule made sense.

Yu Xiang’an went to see the newly built two-story building.

The exterior was unadorned, just gray plaster. Inside, the walls were whitewashed. The layout was simple—one large room with a front balcony corridor and a small rear balcony. It could be partitioned into two rooms or a living room and bedroom.

North-south facing, excellent natural light.

On one side was a shared kitchen where everyone could cook on coal stoves. On the other side was a shared bathroom for washing, bathing, and using the toilet.

The wiring was already in place, just waiting to be connected to each household.

Even Yu Xiang’an was tempted.

It wasn’t big—just over ten square meters—but it was clean, tidy, and convenient.

Her current place was spacious, but when it rained, the ground turned into a muddy mess. The old building constantly shed dust, and water had to be hauled from the well out front.

And the key point—this housing was allocated by the factory for free. Not a single cent out of pocket.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

No matter how much she wanted it, it wasn’t happening.

Her seniority was far too low.

Deputy Director Wang, in charge of housing allocation, suddenly became very popular. Yan Yuzhen said she’d seen people trying to slip him gifts under the table.

But Deputy Director Wang refused every single one.

Still, until the final list was announced, no matter how strict he was, people would keep trying to curry favor for a shot at housing.

Yu Xiang’an had assumed she was just a spectator—until she was called in to help.