Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Radio and the Shi Tou Who Can Keep Time

Ling Chengyan raised her voice in response, and with Xiao Yu, she stepped out of the house. She then introduced Xiao Yu to Xiao Juan and Cui Cui in the east room.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hongling from the big sister-in-law’s family came over, carrying a sewing basket to help Ling Chengyan look after Xiao Xing and Shi Tou, and of course, to keep an eye on things.

After all, no one knew much about the picked-up Xiao Yu, and they were not comfortable leaving her alone with the children at home, even for a short time.

Ling Chengyan got on her new bicycle; its flat handlebars were a little different from the local models, making it quite eye-catching as she rode out.

Unaware of this, she followed Wang Lianqi to the commune, where she met Wu Xiangyang and Xu Dong, and reported the events of the night before last to them.

After exchanging glances, Xu Dong spoke first: “We are already aware of the disaster victims; we originally planned to convene a meeting with the major teams today to discuss how to handle and arrange for them. Your report is very timely. It’s fine for them to come here for a meal, but they must not disrupt the lives and safety of the locals.”

After a glance at Wu Xiangyang, Xu Dong added, “We can’t tolerate any unlawful actions among them either, and we must resolutely combat and hold people accountable.”

Wang Lianqi had to stay for the meeting, while Ling Chengyan left after finishing her report.

When Xu Dong heard she was going to buy batteries for the radio, he turned to smile at Wu Squad Leader: “We’ll have to rely on Captain Wu for this matter, can’t let our champion go without listening to the radio!”

Ling Chengyan was still in a daze when Wu Xiangyang reluctantly opened a cabinet, took out eight size-D batteries, and handed them along with several tickets Xu Dong produced to Ling Chengyan: “Here are the batteries and tickets from the squad, Comrade Ling Chengyan, use them first.”

Only then did Ling Chengyan realize that buying batteries wasn’t just about having money; you needed tickets too.

As she left the commune with the batteries and tickets, Ling Chengyan already anticipated that the radio would be idle for most of the time.

The fabric at the supply and marketing cooperative required fabric tickets, so Ling Chengyan’s plan to get Xiao Yu some clothes had to be put on hold.

She did manage to buy a bar of soap and a packet of shampoo, and she also bought lice medicine and a new hair tie.

As she left the supply and marketing cooperative, she happened to see many people noisily heading towards the purchasing station. With her keen hearing, she heard something about an ox getting injured and having to be sold as beef, so she quickly squeezed in.

Diligence brings its rewards; the weather was hot, and since the purchasing station wasn’t planning to transport most of the ox meat elsewhere, they invited a butcher over to sell the meat on-site.

Premium beef without needing meat tickets; the number of buyers wasn’t vast, and those who did buy were only taking a pound to satisfy their cravings.

Beef was tasty but not very fatty; at eighty cents a pound, it was even more expensive than pork by over a dime, and with no holiday or festival, most families couldn’t justify such spending.

Ling Chengyan, struggling to find meat to nourish herself and the children, went ahead and bought nearly half a slab of beef, weighing seventy to eighty pounds. Because she bought so much, the butcher threw in several bones and an ox tail.

Upon returning home, she saw Hongling and Xiao Yu getting along well, sitting together discussing how to make shoes.

Upon seeing Ling Chengyan, Hongling laughed: “Fourth Aunt, you wouldn’t guess, but Xiao Yu is an expert at shoemaking. Following her instructions, my shoes are much more comfortable than those I made before. You should try it.”

Speaking, Hongling took out a finished cloth shoe to show Ling Chengyan, a dark blue square-tongued and strapped shoe, just right for spring.

Ling Chengyan liked the shoe very much and tried it on; sure enough, the usual pressure of new shoes on the toes was absent, and it was very comfortable.

“Who would have thought Xiao Yu was so good with needlework.” Ling Chengyan said, smiling as she took off the new shoe.

“Shoemaking is all I’m good at; the clothes I make are unpresentable.” Xiao Yu said shyly.

Hearing this, Ling Chengyan turned to Hongling: “Hongling, can you go back and tell your mother and aunt to help me find out who weaves fabric around here? I’m planning to buy some.”

The village women still kept the old custom of spinning and weaving. During slack farming seasons, they’d make some, and some families weave a lot, enough for their use and then some spare. When Xiao Yu mentioned making clothes, it reminded Ling Chengyan of this.

Handmade farm cloth, though not as finely textured or beautifully patterned as machine-woven fabric, was soft and comfortable, breathable and sweat-absorbent in the summer, exceptionally pleasant to wear.

Hongling agreed with a smile.

Ling Chengyan took out the batteries but realized she didn’t know how to install them.

Hongling reminded her: “The educated young women are from the city; they surely know how.”

Ling Chengyan smacked her forehead and went to the east room to ask how to install the radio batteries. As soon as the two of them heard about the radio, they no longer cared about reading or reviewing, and quickly came over to help install the batteries and turn on the radio.

After a noisy crackle, they finally tuned into a clear station, though it was a model opera, incomprehensible to the young girls and Ling Chengyan, so Xiao Juan continued to turn the frequency knob, finally finding a station broadcasting a radio play.

“Oh, it’s a song!” Xiao Juan exclaimed with delight, stopped turning the dial, and called Xiao Xing to sit in her lap and listen together.

Ling Chengyan had encountered modern songs during militia training, such as “Song of the Guerrillas” and “Three Rules and Eight Points of Attention.” Today, she heard the theme song from “Battle on Shangganling Mountain,” “My Motherland.” The melody was less forceful and more melodious and beautiful than what she’d heard before.

It was quite pleasant indeed.

Shi Tou woke up; she had just fed him milk powder when the little one urinated.

Ling Chengyan tapped the little one’s nose, smiling with mock scolding: “Stuffed full and then it’s pee-pee time.”

Saying so, she picked up the dirty diaper and turned to get a clean one, just as Xiao Juan exclaimed, “Hey, look, our little Shi Tou is listening to the music too, see how his little hands are moving, is he marking time?”

Ling Chengyan glanced back, seeing the small one unfettered by his swaddling clothes, kicking his short legs energetically, waving his little fists. To her, it seemed more like a random turtle boxing, and she couldn’t see how the girls saw it as marking time.

As laughter ensued, the elder cousin’s wife’s voice called from outside: “Xiao Xing’s mom, are you back?”

Ling Chengyan hurriedly covered Shi Tou with a small blanket, lifted the curtain, and stepped out to see her elder cousin’s wife holding a large block of tofu, smiling: “Last fall we picked some soybeans, many were broken and didn’t sprout well, so my mother made tofu with them, she said to bring some to you as an addition to the meal.”

Ling Chengyan accepted the tofu with a smile, placed it in the kitchen, and cut off a piece of the beef she brought home to fill a bowl.

Returning to the main room, she heard her elder cousin’s wife laughing: “No wonder I forgot to go back for lunch, turns out something good kept my legs rooted here.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep