Grandma Bai was startled by the two sparrows and maybe frightened by Bai Xue's call to the rectification class. She didn't fight over the eggs anymore, took the two sparrows, shot a fierce glance at Bai Xue, Wu Zhaodi, and Bai Rumei, and turned to leave.
"Uncle, Auntie, I'm heading back too!" Bai Xue called out as she headed home.
The crowd dispersed as well, each folding arms as they returned to their homes.
"Dajiang, it was hard enough to catch those sparrows, and the kids didn't even get to taste them. Bringing them back means they'll just end up in your younger brother's kids' mouths!" Wu Zhaodi pushed Bai Dajiang, "Why did you give both of them to her?"
"I'll catch more for the kids! Don't be mad, but in that situation, would mom have left without getting something? But what started it this time? Why the fight again?" Bai Dajiang asked, his head aching.
His own mother frequently came over to ransack the house, and this time, it was clear she didn't get what she wanted, causing such a commotion.
"Wasn't it because your mom came to ransack again! She saw the five eggs I prepared for the eldest sister-in-law to help her with breastfeeding, and insisted that Rusheng is sick and needs the eggs!" Wu Zhaodi said angrily.
"Sigh… Mom is getting more and more unreasonable!"
"Dajiang, when we split the family, we didn't get anything. We had to make our own bedding! We didn't even get pots and pans! Who can afford her constantly taking things? We still owe money to the brigade! We haven't even finished paying for this house!" Wu Zhaodi said with a face full of grievances.
"Alright, wife, next time Mom comes, make sure to put everything away!" Bai Dajiang picked up the firewood and headed into the courtyard, "Hurry inside! It's cold out here!"
"Mom… I want to eat sparrows too…" Bai Ruyue said weakly, having come out at some point.
"Alright Xiaoyue, I'll catch more for you tomorrow and sneak them back for you to eat!" Bai Ruyang, who hadn't said a word earlier, couldn't help but comfort his sister when he saw her pitiful expression, patting her on the head.
"Hurry, get inside! Don't you need to learn how to sew clothes? Mom will teach you!" Despite her anger, Wu Zhaodi had to comfort the children, "Didn't your eldest sister bring over some cornmeal? I'll make cakes for you tonight!"
"Grandma's always like this, taking any good thing from our house to feed those brats at Third Uncle's place! It's so infuriating!" Bai Rumei muttered as she headed into the house, while Bai Ruyang picked up the wood on the ground and took it to the courtyard.
On her way home, Bai Xue took out a padlock from the supermarket, and as soon as she got home, she put down the eggs and locked all the grain and food in the kang cabinet.
"Xiao Xue, what's wrong?" Bai Daliang asked, sitting by the kang cabinet, puzzled.
"Grandma went to Uncle's house to raid it, and she'll probably be coming here soon. She saw the eggs Aunt gave Mom and even wanted to take those. Uncle caught two sparrows, and she took them both!" Bai Xue replied angrily.
"Grandma is really something, her favoritism is just incorrigible!" Bai Ruxia said, coming in from outside and hearing Bai Xue's words.
"It's been like this for ages, I'm used to it by now. If one day Grandma actually thinks about us, that would feel strange to me!" Bai Ruchuan, following behind, said as though they'd gone to collect firewood again.
"Don't worry! That day will never come!" Bai Rushan rolled his eyes.
"Enough from you! That's your grandma!" Bai Daliang scolded.
"Xiao Xue, did your Aunt promise to make clothes for you?" Wang Cuihua quickly changed the subject, fearing another conflict might arise between them.
"Yes, she might have even started making them by now!" Bai Xue replied.
"That's good, so you can all wear new clothes for the New Year!" Wang Cuihua said happily.
Bai Xue thought to herself, what they needed weren't new clothes to show off, but thick and warm cotton clothes and pants.
She planned to bring back a set for each person to wear under their clothes from the town tomorrow, discarding the old ones.
They were hard and heavy and didn't keep warm! It was absolutely uncomfortable to wear them.
Fortunately, her supermarket sold those old-fashioned heavy cotton clothes and pants because elderly people liked them, so she had stocked a batch.
The smallest size would fit her younger siblings, and there were sizes for her parents too.
For that, she was immensely thankful.
"Eldest sister, does Aunt have time to sew bags while making clothes for us? If not, could you take over the task for me? I can sew too!" Bai Ruyun said regretfully.
"You want to sew? When I go and see Grandmother tomorrow, I'll check if she still needs more, and if so, I'll bring you back the cloth and needle and thread!"
Bai Xue would need many burlap bags, as she intended to take out and sell the supplies and grain from the supermarket, but fabric wasn't selling well!
Although her supermarket had fabrics, they weren't the kind from this era; they were bed sheets. Her supermarket sold bedding sets! She didn't dare take them out.
"Xiao Xue, haven't Dad's stitches been removed yet?" Bai Daliang asked.
"Dad, I asked the doctor when you were discharged. Your stitches will be removed the day after tomorrow, we can borrow the brigade's ox cart to take you there!" Bai Xue was keeping track of the dates.
"Alright, got it!"
The next day, Bai Xue got up early to make breakfast. She was getting used to waking up early, unlike her modern days where she could laze in bed until the afternoon.
The kids also got up with her, each busy with their own tasks, and were setting the table when Zhang Yuan arrived.
After everyone had breakfast, Bai Xue sat on the back seat of Zhang Yuan's bicycle and headed to town.
After leaving the village, Zhang Yuan took off his blue scarf and gave it to Bai Xue.
"No, no, I'm sitting behind you, and you're blocking the wind. I'm not cold!" Bai Xue waved her hand, refusing.
"Be good! Don't catch a cold! Keep it on properly!" Zhang Yuan insisted gently, wrapping the scarf around her without leaving room for rejection.
Bai Xue felt an inexplicable twinge in her heart. She shook her head, thinking that since it was already on her neck, she'd just keep it there, holding onto the sides of Zhang Yuan's clothes firmly.
The two didn't speak again until they reached Pingyang Town.
"Xiao Xue, do you need me to take you somewhere? I can drop you off first!" Zhang Yuan asked.
"No, no, you can just drop me near the clinic! If I go to someone's house, they don't like too many strangers. I'll just walk there myself!" Bai Xue waved her hand.
"Alright then! I'll wait for you at the clinic entrance after I finish my business!" Zhang Yuan agreed, dropping her near the clinic before pedaling away.
At first, he had no errands in town, but now he had one: he needed to get some cotton from Zhao Qiang! Seeing the little girl wearing such thin clothing, he was worried the whole way, afraid she'd catch a cold.
Bai Xue watched as Zhang Yuan biked away, quickly ducked into an alley, and when she emerged, she had three pounds of pork in her hands, heading towards the supply and marketing cooperative.
Today, she needed to fulfill her promise to Sister Wu by delivering the pork since she relied on her for the coarse burlap needed for sewing bags.
As she entered the supply and marketing cooperative, she noticed it was quite crowded today. With New Year approaching, many were shopping for supplies, and she realized the cloth section was especially busy. She went over to investigate and discovered the cooperative was selling ready-made clothes today.
There were men's and women's tops and pants, as well as children's, which differed only in size, with no substantial differences otherwise.