Daily Life in the 70s-Chapter 186 Tractor

Even so, Yang PeiMin couldn’t help but feel heartache for Shen Yiguang. He was training during the day and still went through the trouble of preparing all these things at night, oblivious to how tired he must be, although he always appeared full of energy and in high spirits.

Regardless of whether it was a hassle or a waste, she had decided on her school and would likely live there in the future, so Yang PeiMin joined the other neighbors in the rush, taking the ox cart to the market to buy firewood, rice, soy sauce, and vinegar. She wanted to cook something nutritious for Shen Yiguang to replenish his body. Previously, her own mental barriers prevented her, as she had been avoiding the trouble out of laziness and neglecting her husband’s diet and nutrition. Yang PeiMin couldn’t help but reflect deeply on herself, realizing she had not been fulfilling her duties as a wife.

Once a month, the neighboring village had a few days when an ox cart would take people to the town’s Cooperative Society to shop. The Military Wives had also figured out this pattern, catching the cart to town at certain times, and would pay a small fee for the ride back.

Yang PeiMin also walked the five miles to Shitou Village with Luo Dahua, Mrs. Cui, and the other three Red Army wives, along with a few children.

They chatted merrily en route, sharing household gossip and discussing what to buy in town. There were those who boasted and those who avoided revealing too much, but at least the journey wasn’t dull.

Yang PeiMin discussed with Luo Dahua the quantity and quality of the items to purchase.

The one thousand yuan Shen Yiguang had left her with at his parents’ house was almost untouched, and the salary he sent back every month had been saved. The money she used to buy meat and clothing to help her parents came from her own earnings. This sum was already significant for life in the village, but it was quickly diminishing with her lavish spending on meals of meat and eggs every day. Chen Guizhi had tactfully reminded her that there was no need to eat so extravagantly, but Yang PeiMin had laughingly brushed off the advice. Zhang Minghua even pointed out that it was precisely because of her generous feeding habits that Shen Yidong didn’t want to leave.

Yang PeiMin then persuaded her, saying that she also partook in the food and she couldn’t just hide and eat without letting them see. Eating well was also conducive to faster recovery, so Zhang Minghua dropped the subject—the health of her daughter was what mattered most.

Therefore, her savings were depleting rapidly. When Yang PeiMin told Shen Yiguang she was going to town, he gave her one hundred yuan, though she didn’t know where he got the money from, as he had also paid for her restaurant meals and snacks in the city before.

Having money in hand eased her worries.

But considering future expenses like gifts when she returned home, college tuition, sewing clothes, furnishing the new family building, and other household items, the current amount of money looked considerable but wouldn’t last with her prodigious spending. Yang PeiMin thought that she might look into making something profitable to sell later on.

Luo Dahua discussed with her the household expenses, "The army provides a food subsidy that varies by rank and also includes both coarse and fine grains. For a family like ours, the subsidy for one person isn’t enough to feed five mouths, so every month we have to spend extra money on grains. We can’t afford fine grains; we usually buy brown rice and cornmeal, even without food tickets, even if the price is a little higher, 1.5 yuan per jin. We have to buy an extra 30 jin to last us the month... Our kids are small, they don’t grow well on just vegetables. We can’t afford meat, so we have to find other ways to bring some eggs home..."

Yang PeiMin listened intently; this was the livelihood of a homemaker, and she had so much more to learn.

Previously, with just Shen Yiguang by himself, he would turn in his food and oil tickets to the canteen, where his meals were taken care of. This month, knowing that she would be cooking in the dormitory, he hadn’t submitted them and had exchanged ten jin of fine grain to take back. So, for now, Yang PeiMin didn’t need to buy food and oil, she could just get some seasoning, kitchenware, and ingredients for cooking meals and soups.

Yang PeiMin inquired about the prices of ingredients with Luo Dahua, who, true to form as a thrifty homemaker, recited the costs with the precision of a connoisseur, detailing them for Yang PeiMin.

The others had been discussing different topics, but when they heard them talking about the prices of ingredients, they joined in, and the conversation became lively with everyone chipping in.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Cui was busy scolding her two mischievous grandsons, not paying attention to anything else.

Someone couldn’t help but say, "Auntie, I think you’d better not take the two kids with you. The town is crowded and messy, and you’re by yourself. Just watching over the two of them is enough trouble, let alone shopping."

On May Day, Gao Hong planned to go to the market with her husband, but in the end, they didn’t go because Mrs. Cui didn’t trust her, fearing she would make frivolous purchases. So, she kept her from going. Today, seeing that the group was organizing a trip to town, Mrs. Cui decided to join them. She felt more comfortable going by herself; she was only at ease when spending money from her own hand.

Mrs. Cui, who hadn’t been around for long, was harsh on her daughter-in-law and too calculating and domineering with the neighbors. But she was also articulate and during idle times could chat in a pleasant and engaging way, which is why some daughters-in-law still had a relatively positive impression of her.

It was just the Red Army wife and Luo Dahua, who had a grudge with Mrs. Cui due to a dispute over their children’s fight, but after some mediation by the Political Consultative Conference, the families managed to maintain a superficial harmony.

This led to today’s occasion where everyone went to the market together.

The five-mile journey wasn’t far, and it seemed even shorter with everyone talking and walking. When they arrived at Shitou Village, they happened upon a tractor.

The group was thrilled, quickly going over to ask if the tractor could give them a lift. The tractor happened to be purchasing supplies for the military, and the driver agreed to take them. The military wives were especially delighted, and so were the children.

Mrs. Cui clicked her tongue, "Oh my, at my old age, this is the first time I’m riding a vehicle with four wheels. It’s only because my eldest has made something of himself. If I hadn’t come here, I’d never have gotten the chance to ride in such a vehicle." While she spoke, she didn’t stop moving and hurriedly lifted her two grandsons onto the back of the tractor.

The others happily followed suit, boarding the vehicle that had two rows of seats. A row that could seat four was soon filled, and the five children, intrigued, stood in the middle of the tractor bed, not needing to sit.

It was Yang PeiMin’s first time on a tractor; Luo Dahua pulled him to sit beside her, in a middle position where there were handrails to hold onto.

Everyone wore excited expressions, looking quite impressive, especially since villagers they passed by watched them with envy.