He Yu Shui was immediately upset: “What Qin Jie? When has she ever taken care of our family? She was always staring at your lunchbox!”
“It was Liu Shuzi from the west wing who took apart my old cotton coat and pants when I was a child and made this set for me. I finally understand how it feels to be warm.”
Sha Zhu looked at He Yu Shui’s chapped hands, a pang of concern hitting him. He hadn’t been brainwashed by Yi Zhong Hai yet, so his heart and eyes were only for his sister, He Yu Shui.
Sha Zhu: “Liu Shuzi? Right, what happened to the child she adopted?”
He Yu Shui’s eyes welled up: “Liu Shuzi has no money, and there’s nothing for the child to eat at home. She went to sell her blood for rock sugar, which she fed to the little brother.”
He Yu Zhu’s eyes widened, and he remembered his late mother.
“Come on, I got two meat dishes today. Let’s leave half for Liu Shuzi’s family and keep the other half for the New Year.”
He Yu Shui was overjoyed: “Okay!”
“Four-pocket Zhongshan suit, eating millet and sorghum, several families in one village, visiting relatives and friends by foot...
Ninety-two percent of rice, eight sides of one, good concept of saving food.
Rough rice is polished to ninety-two percent, wheat is de-branned to eighty-one percent.
Good nutrition, reduced waste, the country prospers, people’s hearts are at ease.
One grain of rice, one drop of sweat, cherish food, keep it in mind....”
He Yu Shui sang a cheerful children’s rhyme, skipping behind Sha Zhu, heading towards the west wing.
“Liu Shuzi, is anyone home?”
Liu Hui Zhen was doing needlework. She was skilled with her hands. Today, the fabric that Da Ma sent, she picked the softest, cut it apart, some for Shen Wei’s clothes, some for Shen Wei’s tiger-head shoes.
Although her family was poor, Liu Hui Zhen still tried her best to give Shen Wei the best.
Hearing Sha Zhu’s voice, Liu Hui Zhen said: “Zhuzi, come in, come in, warm yourself up!”
Sha Zhu carried the lunchbox and walked into the room. He first looked at the baby on the bed. This was the first time Sha Zhu had observed the little baby that caused a stir in the courtyard.
“Liu Shuzi, does the child have a name?”
Liu Hui Zhen: “Not yet. I’m not educated. I only went to literacy classes for two days. I thought when Wang Zhu Ren found out the child’s identity and registered him, I’d ask Wang Zhu Ren to help choose a name.”
Sha Zhu: “That’s great. Wang Zhu Ren is a leader. The name she chooses will surely be good. Wang Shuzi, thank you for taking care of my sister Yu Shui. You know, I’m making a banquet today, and they gave me two portions of meat dishes. I’ll give you one portion.”
Liu Hui Zhen saw the lunchbox full of meat dishes and was immediately flustered: “Zhuzi, you can’t do this. This is for you and Yu Shui to eat. Look at how thin Yu Shui is. If you don’t replenish her, she’ll lose her body!”
Sha Zhu: “Liu Shuzi, I know you are a reasonable person. In this courtyard now, not many people are willing to help our family. Give me some face and accept this!
Besides, if I cook this food, you and your family love it, and you acknowledge me, that’s good enough!”
Shen Wei on the bed listened to Sha Zhu’s words and was surprised. He didn’t expect Sha Zhu to be so thoughtful.
In 1952, according to the timeline, Yi Zhong Hai’s main focus should be on Jia Dong Xu. Yi Zhong Hai looked down on Sha Zhu from the bottom of his heart.
However, he remembered that in the original story, He Da Qing went to Bao Cheng and sent He Yu Shui living expenses every month. How could the brother and sister be in this situation?
Could it be that this old fox, Yi Zhong Hai, has tricked them?
Sha Zhu separated half of the meat dishes in the lunchbox.
Liu Hui Zhen didn’t let Sha Zhu leave empty-handed. She had previously marinated some soy sauce, and she scooped a bowl for Sha Zhu.
Sha Zhu: “Okay, I made a profit from this trip. Everyone in our courtyard knows that Liu Shuzi’s sauce is even better than the sauce from Sixiang House.”
Liu Hui Zhen: “Yu Shui, if your brother can’t take care of you, come to the west wing in the future. Also, the New Year is coming soon. Pack up your bedding and things. I’ll wash them for you.”
It has to be said, Liu Hui Zhen was truly a kind and good person. Others gave her one point of kindness, and she wanted to repay tenfold!
He Yu Shui: “Liu Shuzi, I remember. Chu Chu, Tian Tian, come here.”
Little Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian ran to He Yu Shui.
He Yu Shui carefully took out the two ABC Mickey Mouse candies from her pocket, swallowed, and then stuffed them into the two little ones’ hands: “After you eat them, remember to keep the wrappers for me, don’t wrinkle them.”
Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian didn’t expect it to be Mickey Mouse candy, they didn’t know what to say in excitement.
“Yu Shui Jie Jie, you gave them all to us, what about you?”
He Yu Shui blinked: “I’ve already eaten some, remember to keep the wrappers for me!”
“Okay!”
In this era of material scarcity, candy wrappers were prized collectibles for children.
This New Year, it would be difficult to even get a little sugar on one’s lips, candy wrappers could only be begged for.
When He Da Qing was still around, he occasionally went to make banquets and would bring He Yu Shui back some candy wrappers. He Yu Shui would wash them after eating and put them in her rough notebook.
Now, she had many candy wrappers, but she had never had Mickey Mouse candy wrappers before.
Shen You Chu and Shen You Tian returned home and handed the two Mickey Mouse candies to Liu Hui Zhen: “Mom, for your brother.”
Liu Hui Zhen: “This candy is not cheap, where did you get it?”
“Yu Shui Jie Jie gave it to us, Mom. Remember to keep the wrappers carefully, Yu Shui Jie Jie wants to collect them.”
“Okay!”
Liu Hui Zhen sighed: “Zhuzi and Yu Shui are both good children. That fool He Da Qing, how could he leave the two children behind?”
Shen Wei lay on the bed and thought of He Yu Shui, who was black-hearted in the original story, and the kind-hearted He Yu Shui now. He knew that the reason He Yu Shui turned into a heartless wolf, ignoring her brother’s life, must have been due to many things!
Liu Hui Zhen didn’t touch the meat dishes at home. She planned to take them to ask if she could exchange them for something suitable for a baby.
But Liu Hui Zhen cut a small piece of the Mickey Mouse candy and put it in the rice porridge. After cooking, she fed it to Shen Wei. Finally, Shen Wei had a meal with a hint of milk flavor since he arrived in this world.
It must be said, the candy from this era was truly made with pure milk, without any additives, and the taste was indeed good, suitable for babies.
After eating and drinking, Shen Wei was ready to lie in bed and start his turning over project.
He needed to turn over 1,000 times to get a growth reward.
“Hmm....”
Unfortunately, Shen Wei used all his might, but he still couldn’t turn over. In the end, he was too tired and fell asleep.
Early the next morning, Deaf Old Lady woke up in the cold room. Seeing that the stove was already out, she looked disgusted.
This Da Ma was truly incompetent, she didn’t take good care of her.
“Old Lady, are you awake? Is there anything you want to eat today? I’ll bring it back for you after work.”