Shen Xue was about to take the baby and go cook when she found that Chen Yang had already put the pot on the stove outside and started a fire.
"I didn't find much else at home, so I grabbed a few sweet potatoes from under the eaves to boil. Do we still have any rice? We can add some and make sweet potato congee to make do."
Looking at the bare mud courtyard, even Chen Yang felt at a loss for a moment. He could imagine how much effort Shen Xue had put into maintaining this home on her own.
But now that he was back, he would never let her struggle alone like this again.
"Yes, I'll get it."
"Take off your towel. I've wrapped ash from the stove in grass and wood. Hurry up and wrap your hands."
Shen Xue threw the cloth-wrapped ash at Chen Yang and then, with a flushed face, ran into the kitchen holding the baby.
Chen Yang was initially confused as to why his wife was suddenly shy, but then he suddenly understood.
In those times, there were no sanitary products. For rural women to deal with their periods, they would use cloth wrapped in ash.
Looking at Shen Xue, who had a flushed face and shyly retreated into the house, Chen Yang felt a mix of amusement and helplessness.
"The sweet potato congee is ready! Wife, hurry and bring out my little wine jar so we can eat."
Chen Yang skillfully took a small bowl of pickled radishes from the jar and sealed the jar. The sweet potato congee was bland and tasteless, and it wouldn't be good without some pickles.
"There's already sweet potato in the congee, why are you grabbing pickled radishes? These are saved for guests during the New Year. If we have guests in the first lunar month, we'll need to prepare several more dishes."
Looking at the bowl full of pickled radishes, Shen Xue felt a pang of heartache. Nowadays, daily meals were often supplemented with wild vegetables, and sweet potato congee was already considered a luxury. The sweet smell of the sweet potatoes made the baby drool.
Chen Yang had even brought out such a large bowl of pickled radishes, how could she not feel a twinge?
"Just eat with peace of mind. It was the past. Now your husband can work and won't let you two go hungry. Wait and live a good life with me."
Chen Yang didn't care. It was just a bowl of pickled radishes. He would let his wife and daughter eat meat every meal from now on!
"You're always so glib. I heard the college entrance examination this year is even more competitive than last year. If you don't pass this year, you must pass next year. You need to study hard, and I'll earn the work points."
Shen Xue didn't take Chen Yang's words to heart. Although she was born in the countryside, her parents were not farmers who tilled the land.
Unlike ordinary rural women, she had an indescribable reverence for knowledge. This was also why she fell in love with Chen Yang and wholeheartedly supported him in applying for college.
"Wife, don't worry. The reason I didn't pass this year is that my math was too far behind. If I study for another year, I'll definitely get in."
"But going to college costs money. Although there's a salary after getting into college, that little bit of money won't even be enough for food. I also need to save some money so I won't be looked down upon by my classmates when I go to school."
Chen Yang didn't directly contradict Shen Xue. Instead, he told a serious lie.
The college entrance examination had only resumed for its second year. In the winter of 1977, 5.7 million people registered, and less than 300,000 were admitted.
Anyone who got into college in those years was a top talent. It was vastly different from going to college in later generations.
It was not bragging to attend school with a salary. In those years, not only were tuition fees waived, but students also received living allowances from the school.
Chen Yang, who was admitted to the East China Institute of Finance and Economics back then, not only received 28 jin of grain rations per month but also a living allowance of 21 yuan.
Those who got into college in those years possessed true ability and practical skills. Most people had little to spend money on besides buying books. If they spent sparingly, they could still send a large portion back to their families.
However, Chen Yang couldn't tell Shen Xue any of this. If he didn't lie, how could he implement his plan to get rich?
He didn't want Shen Xue to live a hard life with him. He wanted to lead his wife and daughter to prosperity and a comfortable life.
"Then I'll earn it for you too. You focus on your studies..."
"I know, I promise to give you a husband who is a college student. Hurry up and eat. Look at my little wine jar, it's so greedy, its saliva is almost dripping out."
Before Shen Xue could finish, Chen Yang scooped up the baby who was eagerly sniffing the sweet potato congee, then pushed a bowl of thick sweet potato congee in front of Shen Xue.
At the same time, he picked up a bowl for himself, gently blew on a spoonful of congee with a small wooden spoon, and then fed it to the baby's mouth. Sudanshuwu.
"Daddy, it smells good, it's sweet, and it's delicious. Yanyan likes it."
After tasting a mouthful of the sweet, sweet potato congee, the baby's eyes narrowed into a slit, and she smacked her lips.
Seeing her daughter so satisfied after just one bite of sweet potato congee, Chen Yang felt an overwhelming sense of pity.
Back then, his mind was filled with "returning to the city" and "going to college," and he hadn't paid attention to how hard life was at home.
He often skipped work, and the whole family relied on Shen Xue to earn work points. In those days, when everyone was struggling to get enough to eat, no one in the commune or production brigade would sympathize with Shen Xue any more.
The family's grain rations were severely insufficient. If there was any thicker part of the congee, Shen Xue would scoop it out for him first, then for their daughter, and she herself would often just eat wild vegetable soup.
"Why do you always scoop the thicker part for me? Eat more yourself. You need to read tonight."
Shen Xue, holding a bowl full of sweet potato congee, was a little at a loss. She had always cooked before and picked out the best parts for Chen Yang.
She had never experienced it like this today, where Chen Yang cooked and gave her the best parts.
"We were harvesting today, and that kid Zheng Weiguo caught a wild rabbit. The three of us secretly roasted and ate it, and our mouths were full of oil. I'm not hungry, so don't worry about me. Hurry up and eat."
"You've been working all day, and you'll be hungry if you don't eat enough, right?"
Chen Yang directly pushed the bowl in front of Shen Xue and then seriously fed the baby.
"Daddy, was the wild rabbit delicious? Yanyan wants to eat it!"
Little Meng Yan, upon hearing Chen Yang mention the wild rabbit, swallowed hard.
Since she was born, she had only eaten meat twice at most.
Not only Chen Meng Yan but also Shen Xue. In the city, there were still two liang of meat coupons per person per month, but there were none in the countryside.
Unless the commune or production brigade completed the annual pig delivery quota assigned by the state and had surplus pigs, it was normal to not eat meat once a year.
In those years, people couldn't even get enough to eat, let alone feed pigs. And raising a pig from a piglet to a big pig inevitably involved illness and death. Many production brigades couldn't even complete their quotas, let alone slaughter pigs and distribute meat.
"Meat, of course it's delicious. Dad will find a way to get you some meat tomorrow."
"To satisfy your little glutton!"
Chen Yang pinched the baby's little face. The little one looked plump, but she was very light when held. She only had a hint of baby fat on her face.
Her little arms and legs were thin and tender, with hardly any flesh. He felt heartbroken!
"Hooray, hooray! Daddy is the best daddy in the world. Yanyan will have meat to eat, meat!"
The baby giggled in Chen Yang's arms, as if she had already eaten meat.
Looking at his daughter's joy, Chen Yang felt a surge of determination. Tomorrow, no matter what, he had to find meat to eat for his little one and his wife.
A bowl of sweet potato congee was quickly finished by the little one. Shen Xue and the baby hadn't even touched a few of the pickled radishes Chen Yang had taken out.
They ate the sweet potato congee with great relish. The little one was practically licking the bottom of the bowl.
After both mother and daughter finished eating, Chen Yang finally swept up the remaining thin rice soup in the pot and drank it all.
His stomach wasn't full, but he was content, happier than if he had eaten a table full of delicacies.