Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife
Chapter 114 - 0114 Learn Something 2_1

Chapter 114: Chapter 0114 Learn Something 2_1

After speaking, Madam Xu then reminded Feng Qingxue, "Don’t be so sincere, child. A little bit of grain, about ten to twenty pounds, is enough for a family before the New Year. Add some coarse cereals, the more sparingly they’re used, the more valuable the grains will seem."

Feng Qingxue sincerely treated the old couple, so Mrs Xu naturally cared about her in all aspects.

Moreover, which of those old friends didn’t have some value stashed away, like a gold ingot or two? Who doesn’t know how widespread the circulation of gold is? However, no one was willing to bring it out. They were all shrewd people who, instead of using their gold, would exchange the jewelry, jade, antiques, and artworks that are being heavily cracked down on by the government for grains. They treated gold as their last safeguard.

Apart from the jewelry they gave to Feng Qingxue, they also had some gold hidden in their old house, but no one ever thought that the house would be confiscated by the state. They had no way to retrieve the gold to give to Feng Qingxue and had no idea whether it had been discovered by someone else.

Feng Qingxue naturally understood, "Madam, I understand."

After thinking for a while, she said, "Each household will get three pounds of white rice, ten pounds of fine flour, along with ten pounds of dark flour mixed with cornmeal and wheat bran, and two pounds of noodles. It wouldn’t feel like the New Year without the taste of meat. Ajiang has a comrade in the Northeast timber fields, and they sent us some dried meat. I’ll distribute some to each family."

"Very good." Madam Xu nodded, thinking it was reasonable.

Feng Qingxue took the food prepared for the elderly couple out of her carry-basket, then put the received wooden box into it.

The food she provided for the elderly couple was always a half-and-half mix of coarse and fine grains. About thirty to forty pounds was enough for the couple’s meals in a month, along with their own food supply. Today, there was an additional chunk of wild boar meat and a dried chicken.

The elderly couple always insisted on paying every time, and would give her all the money they had, and this time was no exception.

"The food you sent us before, we shared some with our kids who live far away and also sent a telegram. After they received it, they managed to send a hundred and fifty dollars. We just received it the day before yesterday, and they asked us to buy more grain. Qingxue, I’m sorry to trouble you to prepare several tens of pounds of coarse grains so they can have a good New Year."

Mentioning their children living away, Madam Xu could not help but feel a little sad.

Feng Qingxue had heard stories about the Xu Family’s children from Madam Xu.

The eldest son Xu Lei was thirty-four this year, and the second son Xu Sen was thirty. One was in the Northwest, the other in Guangdong. They were already married and had kids, and because they were far from their hometown, they were less affected by the situation, so they had fairly stable jobs and decent salaries.

The third child, Xu Miao, was a girl and was born when Mrs Xu was over thirty. She was now twenty-two and extremely beautiful. She had a twin brother named Xu Xin. Three years ago, the siblings had to respond to the call to go to the Great Northern Wilderness. They were still unmarried, but fortunately, they stayed together and looked after each other.

"Okay, I’ll bring it over tomorrow."

Feng Qingxue readily agreed, "I remember Ajiang mentioned that he has quite a few retired comrades in the army regiments in the Great Northern Wilderness. Madam, give me the address where Xu’s eldest daughter lives. Ajiang can write a letter asking them to take care of her."

Hearing this, Madam Xu was both shocked and delighted and gratefully said, "I will have to bother you then, Qingxue."

As parents, they naturally hoped their children living away would have a chance to live a better life, especially their daughter who was now of the right age to marry.

"Madam, there’s no need to be polite. Times are hard for everyone. We should help each other."

Feng Qingxue pushed Xu Family’s single-wheel cart away, and arrived early next morning to deliver the grain.

The four households who received goods from her do not need to be mentioned individually. Each family received the coarse and fine grains, as well as a smoked chicken and a dried wild rabbit. For each of Xu Family’s four children, she prepared five pounds of brown rice, ten pounds of dark flour, and fifteen pounds of cornmeal.