Chapter 36:

Ding Minxiu was depressed by the news she heard—Yu Xiang’an had become the assistant to the deputy factory director?!

How did she manage to pull strings for that?

From now on, the people she interacts with will all be leaders and those with real skills. How did she get so lucky?

What’s worse is that she only got into the food factory because Zhou Boyang’s grandmother gave up her position for her. In the end, it all came down to her relationship with Zhou Boyang being exposed. She couldn’t even complain—she had to swallow her frustration.

“Child, you must be a son. If you’re a son, you’ll have a better life, and so will I. I want to give you the best life I can. Don’t let me down.”

For Ding Minxiu, Yu Xiang’an’s promotion was bad news, but for Yu Xiang’an and the Yu family, it was a joyous occasion.

Her salary had also increased. Originally, it was a little over twenty-seven yuan, but after the position change, it rose to thirty-two yuan. The types of ration coupons she received each month also became more varied.

As the New Year approached, Yu Qingshan’s mood grew brighter.

This year had seen its share of misfortunes, but there had also been many good things.

Now that all the hurdles had been overcome, his second son and fourth daughter had both said they would return for the New Year. The family would finally be reunited.

Next year, his eldest daughter-in-law would give birth to two more children, and his second daughter-in-law might also become pregnant. His fourth and youngest daughters could start looking for promising young men to marry. And his youngest son—he would turn seven next year and would soon start school.

Life would only get better. Once his two daughters were married and his youngest son settled down, his responsibilities would be largely fulfilled.

Yu Qingshan’s good mood rubbed off on Yu Xiang’an, and receiving a package from Qin Shenghua made her even happier.

This package was mostly filled with seafood—sea cucumbers, kelp, dried shrimp, ribbonfish, and more.

Yu Xiang’an opened it with great satisfaction. It was Qin Shenghua’s belated housewarming gift.

In return, Yu Xiang’an sent him a large package of her own.

She doubled the portions of the foods he had praised in his letters. Since it was winter, the items would last longer.

Other things were easy to come by, but seafood was rare in their area.

They weren’t near the coast, so the most common seafood they usually ate was kelp and salted fish. The variety of seafood Qin Shenghua sent was enough to captivate anyone’s taste buds.

Even Yu Qingshan, who knew how expensive long-distance postage was, couldn’t bring himself to scold her for being wasteful.

The food was truly delicious. Just a little bit could elevate the flavor of a soup by several levels.

However, if Yu Xiang’an’s package was delayed on its way, Qin Shenghua wouldn’t receive it until after the New Year.

The distance was simply too great.

It would only arrive before the New Year if everything went smoothly.

Similarly, many people were moving into their new homes just in time for the New Year.

Everyone planned to celebrate the holiday in their new residences. The Chen family, a neighboring household with a leadership position, even gifted dishes to their two closest neighbors when they moved in.

The dish was minced pork with tofu—a generous offering, considering it contained meat.

Their gesture suggested they weren’t the aloof type.

Getting along with them in the future shouldn’t be difficult.

On the other side, the Bao family consisted of four members. Old Bao didn’t drink and wasn’t prone to angry outbursts. His wife had some health issues but was gentle by nature. Their two children, though at an age where they could be mischievous, were rarely noisy. They mostly played quietly by themselves—ideal neighbors.

The Chen family, though they had ordered a three-bedroom unit, wasn’t particularly large.

Apart from the couple, there was their eldest son, his wife, and their late-born child—five people in total. They rarely went out and kept to themselves, so there was little noise.

Unlike some, they hadn’t converted their back balcony into a room. Instead, like Yu Xiang’an, they turned it into a kitchen.

The reason they moved in later than Yu Xiang’an was that they had taken extra care in cleaning and decorating their home.

At first glance, nothing stood out, but upon closer inspection, one could see the meticulous attention to detail, especially from the lady of the house.

The home was tastefully decorated and cozy.

Though the woman might have been somewhat demanding with the workers, Yu Xiang’an couldn’t bring herself to dislike her.

Small details suggested she had a kind heart.

Whether that was truly the case would only become clear with time.

After observing for a while, Yu Qingshan felt reassured. He told Yu Xiang’an, “If you ever want company, you can visit Sister Song. She’s kind, easy to talk to, and talented. Your sewing skills are lacking, but hers are renowned. Rumor has it she once trained under a professional embroiderer. Her whole family is generous. Their children are a bit shy, but with more social interaction, that’ll improve. Look, they’re already playing with Xiao Ju.”

“As for the other side, even though he’s not your direct superior, he’s still a leader. Show respect, but don’t be overly eager, or people might accuse you of flattery. His wife also works, leaving early and returning late. She doesn’t seem interested in forming close ties, so keeping things polite is enough.”

“Overall, neither of your neighbors are the type to stir up trouble or thrive on drama.”

If they had a neighbor like Old Lady Chen nearby—someone who loved gossip and fanning flames—living so close would be miserable. The same went for those who constantly borrowed things and never returned them.

So far, there was no sign of such behavior.

Yu Xiang’an was pleased. It was a matter of luck, and hers seemed good—she had landed a great spot with great neighbors.

While Yu Xiang’an and her family discussed their neighbors, they were also being discussed in turn.

Everyone cared about what kind of people their neighbors were.

Yu Xiang’an had good social skills, and so did Yu Qingshan. Their family wasn’t the type to provoke conflicts, so their neighbors’ impressions of them were favorable. As for the children’s opinion of Yu Xiang’an? Even better.

Their strongest impression of her was: “She’s the pretty older sister who makes lots and lots of delicious food!”

Everyone agreed to maintain good relations.

Since Qin Shenghua’s gifts were rare in their area, Yu Xiang’an set some aside to strengthen social bonds.

She gave gifts to four people: Deputy Director Wang, her direct superior; Yan Yuzhen, her former supervisor with whom she had a good relationship; and her two immediate neighbors.

These items were hard to come by locally but weren’t overly extravagant where they came from. No one could criticize the gesture.

The gifts were appropriate, and the recipients accepted them without hesitation.

None of them let Yu Xiang’an return empty-handed.

Seeing this, Yu Qingshan finally relaxed and decided it was time to move back home.

Things here seemed stable now.

With only Yu Manchang at home—though Yu Qingshan and Yu Xianghai visited occasionally—no one was living there full-time. Since Yu Manchang worked during the day, Yu Qingshan still felt uneasy leaving the house unattended.

Besides, they needed to clean and prepare for the New Year.

Yu Xiangyan and Yu Xiangqing were coming back this year, so their rooms needed special attention.

When Yu Qingshan announced they were moving back, Yu Xiangju wasn’t upset. His father had warned him beforehand.

Though he had enjoyed living here—making new friends, catching mantises and caterpillars in the grassy fields, digging up ant nests—most of his friends were still back in their old neighborhood.

He wanted to go home.

If he missed his fifth sister, he could always come back for a short stay.

There was a bed here, ready anytime.

While Yu Xiangju was fine with the move, Zhao Qiangni was reluctant.

They were leaving this spacious, bright new home to return to the old one. But she had no right to object, so she silently packed her things without complaint.

She told herself moving back was the right thing to do.

This year hadn’t been bad for her. She had worked as a temporary laborer for half a year and saved some money. Now that the New Year was approaching, the factory had told them not to come back after this month, giving her time to focus on holiday preparations.

There was a lot to do, so she wouldn’t have much free time anyway.

Going back was for the best.

*

As the New Year approached, many educated youths began thinking about returning home to visit their families.

For those from far away, the trip could take half a month, so their leave was measured in months.

Though Yu Xiangyan and the others were sent to a neighboring province, their village was near the border, so the journey took only a day. Their leave wasn’t as long as those who lived farther away.

If they wanted more time off, they needed a valid reason.

Their approved leave was ten days—two for travel, leaving eight for the holiday. That was enough for the New Year.

Not all educated youths could go home. It depended on their performance that year, and at least one or two had to stay behind. Generally, newcomers weren’t allowed to leave.

Wen Ruzhen was nervous about returning.

The Yu family in the county town knew her background. When she was far away, it didn’t matter, but now that she was coming back, would they resent her?

Would they fear being implicated?

Though she and her siblings had followed their mother’s remarriage and changed their household registrations—a move their father had insisted on to shield them from political stigma—outsiders might not understand.

They also hadn’t publicly severed ties with their father. If people worried about being affected, it was only natural.

Hesitant, she said, “Maybe I shouldn’t go back. You go alone. If things turn awkward, it won’t be good—especially during the New Year.”

Yu Xiangyan knew what she was worried about. “Dad said he wants to drink daughter-in-law tea. If he had a problem with you, he wouldn’t have said that. Don’t overthink it. Officially, you’re no longer connected to your father. If you’re still worried, we can visit less often after this year.”

“That’s not right,” Wen Ruzhen said with a complicated expression. “I have no choice.” Some people were watching her father. Visiting him might make things worse. But Yu Xiangyan was different—his background was clean.

If he rarely went home, wouldn’t his family resent it? Wouldn’t he miss them? She couldn’t let that happen.

“Don’t worry about me. With my brother and me, what’s there to fear? Besides, that’s for the future. Right now, we’re going back together.”

If they returned, it would be the three of them.

She couldn’t leave her younger brother behind alone.

His health was poor. If something happened to him with no one around, what then?

Yu Xiangyan chuckled and shook his head. “Right. We’ll deal with the future later.”

Wen Ruzhen nodded. “I made Dad a set of clothes. They’re finished. Take a look—if anything doesn’t fit, I’ll adjust it.”

She had spent a long time on them, ensuring quality.

Yu Xiangyan examined them. Though he knew little about sewing, even he could tell these were special.

“The size looks right. Dad’s weight hasn’t changed much.”

Wen Ruzhen sighed in relief. “Good.”

She wasn’t much of a cook, but sewing was her forte.

This gift for her father-in-law had been made with extra care.

Yu Xiangyan grinned foolishly.

The clothes he wore now were also made by her—far more comfortable than his others.

He took extra care not to damage them.

“My sister loves cooking now, so I’ve prepared some local specialties. As for my little brother, as long as there’s meat, he’s happy.”

…

Yu Xiang’an began frequenting the black market.

The New Year was the most important holiday of the year. Even the thriftiest families would buy at least half a pound of meat.

No matter how poor, everyone tried to have fish and meat on the table during the New Year—symbolizing prosperity and good fortune for the coming year.

The closer it got to the holiday, the higher prices soared in the black market, especially for rare items like meat and fruit.

Those looking to make money wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

Yu Xiang’an had already decided what to buy for her family.

She wanted fabric to make new clothes for herself and Yu Qingshan.

Of course, “making” her own clothes was debatable—her sewing skills were abysmal. She’d have to ask for help.

If she tried, the result might not even be wearable.

She only planned outfits for the two of them. The others didn’t need new clothes as urgently.

Zhao Qiangni might, but Yu Xiang’an kept her distance and wouldn’t offer. As for Yu Xiangju, he could wear his older brothers’ hand-me-downs. He had plenty.

Yu Qingshan was simply too frugal, spending all his money on his children. His clothes were just barely passable, and he wore his patched factory uniform all year round.

Apart from clothes, the only other thing he spent money on was food.

Yu Xiang’an wanted to sell off the stock in her space to exchange for the things she desired. She had ducks, plump fish, tofu, dried tofu, bean sprouts, and fruit available for trade. Currently, she had four types of fruit stored in her warehouse, deliberately hoarded to fetch a good price during the New Year.

Once she had a plan, Yu Xiang’an would often disguise herself during her free time, gradually selling off her goods while also exchanging them for items she wanted.

The more she went, the more word spread among the well-informed that someone had rare seasonal fruits and a source of particularly plump and tender ducks—delicious ones at that.

Lin Chuanbai, who was well-connected, quickly caught wind of this and took action.

Fruits were highly seasonal at this time, and it was difficult for southerners to get their hands on northern varieties. When he heard there were apples and pears available, he decided to buy some no matter the price.

Moreover, he was in the middle of a growth spurt. If the seller also had fat ducks or fish, he’d gladly take more.

He used to be over 1.8 meters tall, but now he wasn’t satisfied with his height—a common issue in this era. Aside from a few who developed exceptionally well, most people grew thin and short due to malnutrition. But at 18, he still had time.

Boys stopped growing in their early twenties. He didn’t expect to reach his original height of 186 cm again—180 cm would be enough.

A frequent visitor to the black market, he often wore a hat and old clothes when making purchases. After transactions, no one recognized anyone. Occasionally, he stumbled upon good finds.

He could promptly stash his purchases in his medicinal garden. Combined with his sharp awareness, he had never been caught so far.

When he heard from an acquaintance that someone was selling apples, he suspected there might be more than just apples and pears—both northern fruits. Someone with such connections likely had other goods too.

He guessed the seller was either from the railway system or a well-traveled truck driver. The seller was cautious, appearing irregularly and dealing in small quantities.

Catching them required luck.

While his luck was poor in this regard, it was excellent in another. He once encountered someone selling northern rice and dried fruits and bought over a hundred jin in one go.

With such high-quality rice, he could eat well for a while.

Since arriving here, he had been eating well to nourish himself. His once gaunt face gradually regained a healthy complexion. Perhaps it was fate—as he gained weight, he occasionally looked in the mirror and found himself resembling his future self by about sixty to seventy percent.

Was this the hidden reason he had awakened in this body?

He didn’t know that the person who had suffered under the billboard with him was in the same situation—their faces increasingly resembling their original appearances.

Lin Chuanbai was also preparing for the New Year. This year, neither his father nor his mothers—biological or step—would return. His eldest brother was far away in Shanghai, so it would just be him, his grandfather, and his uncle’s family celebrating. His eldest sister would visit on the second day of the New Year.

His elder siblings cared deeply for him, knowing he had suffered greatly from his parents’ failed marriage. Being the youngest, he bore the brunt of the impact, so they treated him with extra tenderness.

Among all poultry, his sister loved ducks the most. If he encountered that seller, he’d buy a couple more.

That day, both of them headed to the black market after work, dressed in nondescript old clothes. As soon as they clocked out, they shed their factory uniforms. Before they could even disguise their faces, they ran into each other on the way to the black market.

They glanced at each other casually, not noticing anything unusual at first. But after passing each other, both being sensitive to others’ movements due to their “business,” they realized something was off.

That face looked familiar—where had they seen it before?

Then it hit them.

Thanks to that damned coincidence under the billboard, they had collided head-on, leaving a deep impression of each other’s faces.

After all, they hadn’t been born on the same day, but they had died on the same day—how could they not remember?

Now, with their faces resembling their original appearances, recognition was inevitable.

With uncanny synchronization, they both turned around, their expressions betraying shock before they could mask it.

That look made their hearts skip a beat—was it really him/her?!

To outsiders, they seemed oddly frozen in the middle of the road, staring at each other as if in a quarrel—but not quite—drawing curious glances.

Yu Xiang’an snapped out of it first. “It’s you.”

Lin Chuanbai nodded. “Yeah.”

Yu Xiang’an’s tone was stiff. “So you were also there at that time…”

Lin Chuanbai nodded again.

Yu Xiang’an sighed deeply. “What a coincidence.”

Lin Chuanbai wholeheartedly agreed. “What a coincidence.”

Not only had they died on the same day, but they had also ended up here, meeting in the same county—what an astonishing twist of fate.

Strangely, their hearts settled into an eerie equilibrium. It wasn’t just one unlucky soul—there were two. Oddly, that brought them a sliver of comfort before giving way to complexity.

They had been strangers, but now they were fellow “transplants” in this world.

When fellow countrymen meet, do their eyes well with tears?

No. They didn’t know each other’s true nature. If the other had ill intentions, forget tears—they’d be lucky if no knives were drawn.

Both considered this, swiftly sizing each other up.

Both were in disguise, so Yu Xiang’an noticed the worn-out cloth shoe with a toe peeking through, while Lin Chuanbai spotted the wild vegetable buns in her basket.

Both thought: *Looks like the other isn’t doing too well either.*

Yu Xiang’an smiled faintly. “Times are tough.”

Lin Chuanbai agreed. “Yeah, times are tough.”

After a polite exchange, they wordlessly went their separate ways, silently resolving to keep their distance.

They each took a detour, then disguised themselves thoroughly—enough that even acquaintances wouldn’t recognize them at a glance.

Yu Xiang’an was there to meet a buyer. A previous customer had mentioned someone interested in trading for her goods.

Normally, she wouldn’t be tempted, but this time, the other party had ginseng.

Yu Xiang’an was intrigued.

She had never heard of anyone finding ginseng in these parts. Even if it wasn’t high-grade, it was still valuable—perfect for making medicinal liquor, if nothing else.

Meanwhile, Lin Chuanbai had been told the seller agreed. Disguised in an old hat, he arrived at the meeting spot.

Seeing a figure holding a bamboo basket, he assumed it was the apple seller.

Yu Xiang’an noticed someone approaching in an old hat with a piece of dried grass tucked at the brim—just as agreed.

This must be the ginseng seller.

As they approached, they spoke in unison: “Comrade, hello, are you—”

Their eyes met, and both froze.

*It’s him/her again?!*