CHAPTER 394: CHAPTER 301: BEIJING 57 (PART 2)

Zhou Jiao saw her hardworking nature and knew she was feeling compassion, so she said, "Don’t feel bad, it all goes into their stomachs. When I’m not home, my dad must just carelessly gobble down a few bites when busy. I’ll prepare and leave things outside to freeze; each week I’ll trouble you to stew them for them to drink. Later on, when I send over dried goods, don’t be reluctant to use them. As long as they can be eaten by my parents, it’s worth it. This time, I bought quite a lot of eggs; I’ll make salted duck eggs to accompany porridge. The chicken eggs can be saved for my parents to eat slowly, Auntie, remember my dad likes boiled eggs."

Aunt Chen nodded. Over the past few months, she got to understand the head’s dietary preferences. She knows the Zhou Family’s taste is similar to southern people, paying close attention to nutritional value and hygiene. Except for Lin Lishan who wakes up late, everyone else drinks two glasses of hot water upon waking and then has porridge after jogging. Especially Zhou Jiao and her father must have a boiled egg in the morning.

For several days in a row, Zhou Jiao and Zhang Guoqing went to the market and suburban fairs every day. On this return to Beijing, Zhou Jiao’s funds are ample after cashing out the rental deposit slip from the small courtyard. She secretly plotted to exchange cash for supplies. Because they have space, taking advantage of this rare opportunity, the two of them quietly added a lot of supplies.

After consecutive wild purchases, Zhou Jiao and the two were worried that the commotion was too big and attracted attention. Considering they might have to go to S City, even though prices are extremely low now, they could only stop.

Zhou Jiao and Zhang Guoqing were concerned not about the funds, but about drawing attention. Currently, she still has more than five thousand in cash, not to mention the USD cash in her space.

On this return to Beijing, Zhou Xiaozheng returned the deposit slip from Gu Ruyi to her, instructing her to cash out and close the account. Zhou Xiaozheng personally accompanied her to withdraw in batches three times, and after it was withdrawn, her dad didn’t want it, leaving it with her.

With the young couple’s astonishing spree, the Zhou Family’s warehouse was packed to the brim. Zhou Xiaozheng had no objection, deeply feeling that his children had been hungry and suffered hardships early on, lacking security, and had developed a habit of stockpiling supplies. This misunderstanding made him, who dearly loved his children, develop keen interest in the market economy. Years later, he often jokes that his daughter is a lucky star.

The Zhou Family’s daily menu changes with fresh fruits and dried nuts, making the Cheng Family’s Cheng Yongxian brothers and Lin Liyin’s two young sons enjoy staying and refusing to leave. Even though the Cheng and Lin families followed suit and bought a year’s worth of goods, it couldn’t shake their fascination for Zhou Jiao’s culinary skills.

As they moved in, Zhou Jiao took the chance to gradually reduce contact with Mrs. Lin. This period was an excuse to cultivate grandparent-grandchild feelings, as Mrs. Lin made numerous tricks—sometimes giving her an old fabric, a few old-style dresses—or dragging her along with a deep, affectionate look to visit the big courtyard or take her out to visit.

Facing Mrs. Lin’s relentless summons and various intentional or unintentional probes and bragging, Zhou Jiao was aware and responded calmly. Luckily, Old Mrs. Cheng regularly stayed at the Zhou Family, causing Mrs. Lin to have reservations, not daring to step into the Zhou Family. Otherwise, with Mrs. Lin pretending to be clueless and acting shamelessly, the Zhou Family might have become her stage.

Near the end of 1957, the Beijing Gu Family’s two houses of brothers broke apart, a storm without warning hitting one peak after another, leaving people unprepared for what’s next.

Historically, many people kick others when they’re down, and as the matter escalates, more interested parties emerge, gradually unveiling the truth. From the quarrels between the two Gu household brothers and their children, it exploded with news of the partial house owing the main house ten thousand and two gold, and sequentially, deliberate people reported the partial house conspiring to murder family blood kin. At the year’s end of 1957, the Jiangnan Gu Family, this great clan, became known to the public, and this drama let Beijing citizens enjoy a spectacle.

Two days ago, following Gu Changqing, the elder brother of Gu Ruyi, being detained after their grandson, Mrs. Lin Gu Ruyi closed her doors and severed contact with her family.

While rumors swirl outside, Zhou Xiaozheng and his daughter had long anticipated the outcomes, now as stable as a mountain, quietly waiting for the final blow. Cause and effect from the past are bearing fruit today, and they still have patience, waiting for the opportunity.

The day before the Little New Year on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, sisters Lin Xueli and Lin Xuezhen returned first to Beijing to celebrate the New Year from the Northwest. Twenty-one-year-old Lin Xueli, with her short black hair and military uniform, was as wild as a young boy, straightforward in personality and rude in behavior. Seventeen-year-old Lin Xuezhen was naive and lively, candid and amiable—these were the initial impressions they left on Zhou Jiao.

Compared to the pretentious Lin Xuelin among the Lin Family sisters, this pair of sisters, aside from their unique hobbies and fondness for all things beautiful, undoubtedly satisfied Zhou Jiao more.

This pair of sisters were adept at livening up the atmosphere and communicating with people. Before the afternoon arrived, by dinner time, a bunch of siblings from the big courtyard had already gathered at the Zhou Family. Plus, the often-present Cheng Family’s Cheng Yongxian brothers and Lin Liyin’s two sons at the Zhou Family made it exceedingly lively.

Zhou Xiaozheng took Ping’an and pulled Lin Lishan early to the Cheng Family. Without the elders present at the Zhou Family, especially with the intimidating Zhou Xiaozheng gone, everyone joyously ran outside to the service club to fetch back wine, reveling until the courtyard movie started before slowly dissipating.

The next day, Zhang Guoqing and his wife drove a military truck, along with cousins from the Cheng and Lin families, grandly heading to East Wind Market and Donglaishun to feast on mutton. The truck tarpaulin leaked wind from every direction, and in the cold winter, the wind had everyone hunching their shoulders, but it couldn’t dampen the youngsters’ desire to play and eat.

After Zhang Guoqing spent over five yuan treating everyone to lunch, the youngest Lin Xuezhen made a fuss, insisting the oldest Lin Xuelin, who got paid, must treat everyone to a haircut. According to her words, once paid, you’re considered an adult and should treat everyone. She grabbed Zhou Jiao from speaking, pinching her fiercely from behind, and the concerned Zhang Guoqing swiftly said he’d treat them, only to be interrupted and pushed aside by the straightforward Lin Xueli, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

Finally, the men and women split into two groups. Zhang Guoqing was taken away by Li**, brothers who were fixated on fireworks. Last night, he promised the little guys ample fireworks for New Year, letting them have fun. Now, along with Lin Dinghui from the Lin Family, the two brothers from the Cheng Family, and the two little ones, they went to Dong An Market to buy, and seeing them talking about other places to buy new fireworks, a group of boys drove the truck searching around.

The four girls went to the nearby Four-in-One Hair Salon. Before they could finish their hair styling, Lin Xuezhen had already arranged the afternoon’s itinerary. She hurried back with no clothes brought, just waiting to make a few garments. She inquired, knowing her eldest uncle gave Zhou Jiao plenty of cloth tickets. Last night, she secretly asked Zhou Jiao for some. Now with tickets in hand, and with the money given by Mrs. Lin, she couldn’t wait to go shopping, especially remembering the long-desired Wangfujing Department Store.

Zhou Jiao knew she liked high-end items, and she didn’t mind that. Which young girl doesn’t love beauty? Last night, Lin Xuezhen was constantly holding onto the lambskin coat she had on, unable to put it down, yet without any intention of taking possession. So when she requested tickets and vouchers, she gave them to her. She was just concerned that this girl chased clothes without moderation.

Lin Xuezhen from the Northwest seemed to want Zhou Jiao to make up for the years she hadn’t been in Beijing, pulling the three onto a rickshaw, spending the entire afternoon touring all four major malls. It was only after sunset, full of enthusiasm, that they reluctantly returned home.