Before Qin Huai Ru became pregnant, she had her eyes on the small bamboo stroller belonging to the Liu family. Jia Zhang Shi tried to borrow it several times, but Liu Hui Zhen knew very well that whenever the Jia family borrowed something, they never returned it!
Besides, this little stroller was a keepsake left by Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian's father. How could she bear to part with it?
So, she said she was going to sell it, thinking that she wouldn't have to give it away in the future. However, Shen Yuan Chao arrived. Liu Hui Zhen lowered her head, pushed the stroller, and walked forward.
Yan Bu Gui also saw the small bamboo stroller and his eyes lit up. His daughter, Yan Jie Di, had also been born recently, and if he had such a stroller, it would make things much easier for Da San Ma to run errands for the neighborhood committee.
“Hui Zhen, does your Yuan Chao only eat rice porridge? My wife still has some grain left, and my little girl can’t finish it all. Maybe we could share?”
Liu Hui Zhen: “Da San Ye, no need. Yuan Chao is doing fine with rice porridge!”
Today, Da Yi Ma just told her about Da San Ye's family's cunning ways. If she agreed, she would be tricked and left with nothing.
Pushing the stroller, Liu Hui Zhen walked through the alleys, asking every household if they had any breast milk. She went all the way out of Nan Luo Gu Xiang, but there were very few families with breast milk.
It wasn't that there weren't any newborns. Actually, there were many births. After the new country was founded, people had renewed hope for the future, so everyone was having children with abandon!
However, in this era, resources were scarce. For a mother, every grain was precious, and very few were willing to give it to other people's children.
Liu Hui Zhen continued walking until she reached Da Qian Men and stopped in front of a silk shop. She was tired, so she checked on Shen Yuan Chao to make sure he wasn't cold. Then, she felt relieved.
Chen Xue Ru, wearing a black dress with red flowers, stood behind the counter, her expression haggard.
She had just given birth to her son, Hou Kui, with her first husband. Afterward, she took most of the family's money and ran to America.
Luckily, her father-in-law had a conscience and left her the ancestral home of the Hou family. Otherwise, she wouldn't know what to do with a child on her own.
She looked up and saw the lonely and helpless Liu Hui Zhen standing at the door, carrying a child. Perhaps it was their shared fate that softened Chen Xue Ru's heart: “Sister, come in and warm yourself.”
Liu Hui Zhen took Shen Yuan Chao into the shop and felt a little uneasy seeing the luxurious silk shop.
“Thank you!”
Chen Xue Ru poured Liu Hui Zhen a cup of hot water. As she looked down, she saw Shen Yuan Chao in the stroller, staring at her with wide, curious eyes.
Shen Yuan Chao was shocked. He had initially thought he was in the world of "Si He Yuan" (The Courtyard), but now he saw Chen Xue Ru from "Zheng Yang Men Xia Xiao Nv Ren" (Little Women under Zhengyang Gate).
This meant that he wasn't in a single world of a TV show.
It was probably a world where period dramas were fused together.
If Chen Xue Ru existed, would the legendary Queen of the Daughter Country, Zhu Lin, be here too?
And what about Zhao Tian Liang and Sun Xiao Jun from "Zhi Qing" (Up to the Countryside), Zhong Yue Min, Zhou Xiao Bai, and Li Kui Yong from "Xue Se Lang Man" (Blood-Stained Romance), Li Yuan Chao from "Da Yuan Zi Di" (Big Courtyard), Wang Kai Xuan, Hu Ba Yi from "Dao Mu" (Tomb Raiders)? All these TV series protagonists were born around 1952.
If this was the case, this world would be quite interesting.
“This child, he is so handsome! Aunt, what is his name?”
“Shen Yuan Chao!”
“How can you be out in the snow with a child on your own?”
Liu Hui Zhen told her about how she adopted the child: “I thought he was so young and only ate rice porridge, his body wouldn’t grow well, so I wanted to find some….”
Chen Xue Ru understood immediately as she was a mother herself.
“Oh, it's not a big deal. I have a child too, and I have milk powder and milk at home. Aunt, wait here for a while, I'll get some for him.”
Chen Xue Ru's small silk shop hadn't been incorporated into a public-private partnership yet. She traveled far and wide to buy silk and fabric, so she knew many people and had extensive connections.
Therefore, her son not only had milk, but also Red Star milk powder and malt extract.
These were not cheap items.
Especially Red Star milk powder, which was the first milk powder created after the new country was founded. It was designated by the government as military supplies from the beginning.
It was later exported to several countries!
Let's just say that in 1952, there were probably not many people in the entire city who could afford to drink Red Star milk powder. It required connections!
Chen Xue Ru was able to find it through her connections.
Liu Hui Zhen was surprised: “That's too expensive. I… ”
Chen Xue Ru said with a smile: “Just think of it as fate between me and this child.”
Milk and milk powder might be expensive for others, but not for Chen Xue Ru.
Soon, Chen Xue Ru went back and brought a can of malt extract, a can of milk powder, and a thermos filled with hot milk: “Aunt, hurry and feed this milk to the child. Don't suffer in the cold weather!”
Liu Hui Zhen quickly took out all the money she had. It was twenty yuan she had earned by selling her blood, and she hadn’t spent a single cent. She gave it to Chen Xue Ru: “I know this is probably not much, but I only have this much. I will slowly pay you back once I earn some money.”
Chen Xue Ru quickly declined: “No need, sister. We are in the new country now, and with a new country, there is new energy. Our hearts are united, and mutual help and love spread far and wide. Everyone should help each other during this difficult time, and things will be better in the future!”
Chen Xue Ru also found some scraps of fabric from the silk shop that could be used to make clothes for the child and gave them to Liu Hui Zhen: “If I ever need anything, sister, I hope you will be willing to help me too.”
Liu Hui Zhen, with tears in her eyes, said: “If you ever need anything, just say the word and I will be there!”
Shen Yuan Chao didn't expect Chen Xue Ru to be so kind, but he quickly understood that Chen Xue Ru saw her own reflection in Liu Hui Zhen.
She always longed for a man to rely on, but unfortunately, her husband ran away with their money, leaving her alone to support her family. Although she wasn't short of money, the hardships were unimaginable.
Liu Hui Zhen expressed her gratitude profusely and left with Shen Yuan Chao. When she returned to the courtyard, she put everything into her clothes so that no one in the courtyard would notice. She entered the west wing.
When they got back, Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian were still awake.
Liu Hui Zhen took out the Red Star milk powder and malt extract. The two girls' eyes sparkled: “Mom, did you buy this?”
Liu Hui Zhen: “Where would our family have the money to buy this? It was given to us by a kind shop owner. I’ll mix some milk powder for your brother first. His body needs this these days!”
“Okay!”
Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian looked at the milk powder and malt extract, their mouths watering, but they were sensible and didn't ask for any.
If Shen Yuan Chao could talk, he would definitely share with his two sisters, but since he couldn't, he could only eat alone.
After finishing his milk powder, Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian kissed Shen Yuan Chao’s cheeks: “Mom, our brother smells so good!”
Shen Yuan Chao felt helpless. They had almost kissed his mouth. Were they not actually craving his imported milk?
Shen Yuan Chao’s milk powder problem was solved, but next was the issue of his hukou (household registration).