The snow had stopped, but a thick layer had already accumulated on the road, making it impossible to ride a bicycle.
After breakfast, Zhou Zhijun put on his straw sandals and took the main road to Qingshan Street.
By the time he reached the street, his undershirt was soaked with sweat, and beads of perspiration had formed on his forehead.
He took out his money and his only non-staple food ration coupon, handing them to the salesperson at the supply and marketing cooperative.
Because he didn't have enough coupons, he could only buy a tin of malted milk extract and a packet of sponge cakes.
At that time, although the household responsibility system had been implemented, many goods still required ration coupons.
Every year in the twelfth lunar month, the production brigade headquarters would distribute a corresponding number of coupons based on the number of people in each household.
Those with connections could also buy some coupons on the black market.
His family's allotted non-staple food coupons had already been used up; if he wanted to buy these things again, he would have to wait until the new coupons were issued during the New Year.
He tucked the items away and returned home. Aunt Zhou saw them and found it strange. What did you buy these for?
Zhou Zhijun didn't try to hide it. I noticed Chuntao hasn't been feeling well these past few days, so I got these to help her nourish her body!
Hearing him say this, a smile crept onto Aunt Zhou's face. Just before Zhou Zhijun returned, Chuntao had brought over two pairs of cotton-padded shoes, one for each of the old couple.
Godmother, I saw that the weather was getting cold, so I made two pairs of cotton-padded shoes, one for you and one for my godfather! Try them on and see if they fit?
Aunt Zhou stroked the fine, dense stitches on the cotton shoes, her face beaming with smiles. What a thoughtful daughter! It just started snowing, and you've already delivered the cotton shoes!
She affectionately held Chuntao's hand and said, My good girl, you're so busy every day. You must have stayed up late to make these, right? It's really been hard on you!
Chuntao smiled and said, Godmother, you treat me so well, this is the least I can do!
Having such a considerate newly acknowledged goddaughter made Aunt Zhou's heart feel sweeter than honey.
Seeing Zhou Zhijun return with things bought for Chuntao, she couldn't help but mention the cotton shoes Chuntao had given them.
Chuntao is such an honest and sincere girl. I definitely made the right choice taking her in as a goddaughter!
She pointed to the new cotton shoes hanging on the wall and added, Look at this, it just started snowing, and she already finished making cotton shoes for me and your dad!
As her older brother, it's only right that you buy some nutritional supplements for your younger sister. Put them down, I'll take them to her in a bit!
Hearing Aunt Zhou's words, the corners of Zhou Zhijun's mouth twitched upward imperceptibly. Exactly, Chuntao is a hardworking girl with a kind heart. From now on, you can just enjoy the blessings of having her as your goddaughter!
Since it was snowing and they couldn't work in the fields, Chuntao sat in bed under the quilts, stitching shoe soles.
Wang Xiaohong had already finished growing, so she could still wear last year's cotton shoes.
Boys tend to grow later, and Wang Xiaoming was much taller than last year, and his feet had grown too.
Chuntao thought she needed to finish making his cotton shoes quickly. In such cold weather, she wanted to get them done and deliver them to him, otherwise his feet would freeze sitting in the classroom.
Chuntao's hands moved skillfully, but her mind was preoccupied. She was truly terrified that she might be pregnant.
She didn't dare to imagine what the consequences would be if she really was.
Being dragged by Liu Cuilan to be paraded through the commune... It was too terrifying. If it came to that, she might as well smash her head and kill herself before they found out.
Wang Xiaohong sat beside her, learning how to make cotton shoes from Chuntao. She was making the first pair for herself. Once she mastered it, she would make them for others, lest they complain about her poor craftsmanship.
Ouch! The needle tip pricked Wang Xiaohong's hand, and a bead of blood seeped out. Chuntao finally snapped out of her daze and quickly grabbed a tuft of cotton to press against her hand.
Take it easy, don't rush!
Actually, Wang Xiaohong wasn't rushing; she was worrying about her brother.
Yesterday, Wang Jieshi and Wang Haichao's group went to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. She didn't know exactly where they went, and now that it was snowing, how were they going to get back?
She was even more worried that the Wang Haichao brothers might do something bad to her brother. She got distracted thinking about it, and the needle pricked her hand.
Sister-in-law, I don't know where my brother and the others went to see the doctor. I asked him but he wouldn't say. Wang Haichao definitely has bad intentions!
The Wang Haichao brothers were not good people. They were lazy and gluttonous all day long. It was incredibly abnormal for them to pull Wang Jieshi on a handcart to see a doctor.
Even Wang Xiaohong couldn't persuade him otherwise, so Chuntao had kept quiet at the time. Hearing Wang Xiaohong say this now, she also felt a bit uneasy.
While the two were talking, Aunt Zhou came over holding a cloth bundle.
Chuntao, Xiaohong! Seeing the door to the main room closed, Aunt Zhou called out.
Yes, Grandma, my sister-in-law and I are warming up in bed!
Wang Xiaohong quickly got out of bed to open the door and welcomed Aunt Zhou inside.
Godmother! Chuntao also hurried to get out from under the covers, but Aunt Zhou had already walked into the inner room.
Don't get up, stay in bed where it's warm! Aunt Zhou quickly waved her hand.
She opened the cloth bundle in her hand, took out a tin of malted milk extract and a packet of sponge cakes, and placed them on the broken cabinet by the head of the bed.
Looking at Chuntao, she said, Your Brother Zhijun just bought these at the supply and marketing cooperative to help nourish your body!
Over the past few months, Zhou Zhijun had bought her many nutritional supplements, which already made her heart feel heavy. Now that Aunt Zhou had brought more things, the heavy stone pressing on her heart felt even heavier, so heavy that she could hardly breathe.
Zhou Zhijun... the man who had bullied her until her whole body went limp, the man she both feared and hated, was actually thinking of her this much.
These days, he would either bring over a bag of roasted chestnuts or, taking advantage of Wang Xiaohong's absence, secretly slip her a handful of fruit candies, claiming every time that it was to nourish her body.
Last night he even brought her a packet of chocolate. The more precious the items, the more tormented she felt inside.
Aunt Zhou naturally didn't know what Chuntao was thinking. Zhijun is a boy of few words, but in his heart, he really cares about you, his sister!
Listening to Aunt Zhou's words, Chuntao's feelings were complicated. When Zhou Zhijun bullied her, she was like a helpless little lamb, at his mercy.
But in this cold weather, him running a dozen miles to buy things for her also brought an indescribable trace of warmth to her heart.
She seemed to like him just a tiny bit. This feeling made her both afraid and confused, and she repeatedly told herself that she couldn't have such thoughts.
She was exchanged for Wang Lanhua. For the sake of her brother, she had to stay with the Wang family for the rest of her life.
This rule was like an iron cage locking her inside. She could only watch those beautiful things helplessly, unable to touch them.
Godmother, these things... I can't accept them. You should take them back and eat them yourself. You are getting older and should nourish your body properly!
Aunt Zhou chided affectionately, Silly girl, your godmother already brought them here, how can you ask me to take them back? If you do that, aren't you treating me like an outsider?
Since things had reached this point, Chuntao had no choice but to accept them. Her eyes reddened. Her heart felt both sweet and bitter, like swallowing a handful of sugar mixed with sand.
She had accepted his things again. How was she going to face his entanglements in the future? And how could she maintain her proper place?
Was this heavy warmth truly good intentions, or was it another trap that would doom her eternally?
She wanted to return his favors, but she had nothing. How could she repay him?
Aunt Zhou had already said that Zhou Zhijun cared about her as his sister. If she didn't make him a pair of cotton shoes, it would seem inappropriate.
Chuntao decided to make a pair of cotton shoes for Zhou Zhijun to repay a bit of his kindness, which would also lighten the stone weighing on her heart.
As they were talking, they suddenly heard a crackling burst of firecrackers coming from the main road to the east.
It wasn't a holiday, and no one was getting married, so why were firecrackers suddenly going off?
The group froze at the sound.
A moment later, they heard a young boy shouting in a panic, "Help! Someone's dead..."
