Chapter 59: I'll pull the cart for your second brother; your brother's got strength!

Director Li and the others from our commune left very shortly with the meat. Before leaving, he exchanged a few words with Wang Kui, which happened to be overheard by Zhang Huacheng. The newly arrived commune leader specifically named Chen Tang Sali Canal for rectification.

Why?

He went to ask Third Grandpa, but Third Grandpa just waved his hand and walked away, refusing to say anything except that the matters of the older generation had nothing to do with them.

"Huacheng, do you think Chen Biao and the others will head into the mountains?"

Ergou folded the wolf skin and placed it on the flatbed cart.

He was eagerly anticipating Chen Biao and his group going into the mountains to court death.

"They definitely will. They won't last many more days. With us distributing meat every day, they naturally won't be able to sit still." Zhang Huacheng also covered the sewing machine, preparing to head back to the old family home.

After a few days of meat distributions, the older Chen family would naturally grow anxious.

"Should I go break Chen Youde's legs?"

Ergou set his sights on Chen Youde.

The man filed reports at the drop of a hat; he was simply asking for death.

Zhang Huacheng thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait for an opportunity. For now, as long as we distribute meat every day, he'll find himself in trouble. After all, everyone knows it was his举报 (reports) that stopped us from selling meat."

Unable to get a share of the meat and unable to buy any either, certain members of the Chen family would likely start harboring a grudge against Chen Youde.

According to Chen Yan, the amount of pork distributed by the brigade this year was pitifully small. Seeing the Zhang and Wang families enjoying meat every day, the Chen family was bound to kick up a fuss.

Ergou nodded.

Little Bud stole a frozen pear from the room and took a bite, shivering instantly from the chill. Zhang Huacheng was left speechless at the sight. Was eating that pear an absolute necessity?

"Let's go home!"

"Awoo!"

Zhang Huacheng pulled Little Bud along, ready to head to the old home.

The moment they stepped out, Little Bud jumped off the flatbed cart and ran off on her own.

Hualing had already carried a basin of wolf-fat cracklings back in advance. The old home was currently rendering oil; whether it was lard or wolf fat, the rich aroma wafted all the way out to the main street.

The black ceramic jars usually used for storing salt were now filled to the brim with oil, and Mother was smiling from ear to ear.

"I'll send some wolf fat and pork home tonight. You tell Dad and Mom."

Chen Xiuying signaled to Zhang Hucheng. Zhang Huacheng had sent a whole side of pork to the house, weighing a good hundred pounds or more, not to mention the fatty pork and wolf fat. Normally, not a shred of meat was to be seen in their household, and now there was simply more than they could finish eating.

"I've already said so. You can make time to take some over." Zhang Hucheng kept his eyes fixed on the jar of wolf fat, feeling as though he were in a dream. How long would it take to finish eating this much oil?

In the past, cooking oil was doled out a single drop at a time, and getting even a tiny hint of grease was considered a luxury.

Now? Things were so good they couldn't even finish it all.

"Right!"

Remembering something, Zhang Hucheng lowered his voice and said, "Didn't Hualing and Little Bud go to the county seat with Huacheng this morning? I just heard Hualing say that Huacheng bought a brand-new sewing machine from the department store."

"A sewing machine?"

Chen Xiuying, who was just pondering how many pounds of meat to take back for the evening, jerked her head up, her eyes wide, even able to hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

A sewing machine bought from the department store?

But Wang Lin didn't even know how to make clothes!

Chen Xiuying knew that Wang Lin was completely inept at needlework. In the past, whenever she needed to sew clothes or quilts, she had to bring them over and ask for help, let alone make shoes or garments. Why would she buy a sewing machine?

Could it be that she was sending it to the old family home?

If so, wouldn't that mean she, Chen Xiuying, would get to use the sewing machine?

"Look at your younger brother, and then look at you. When will you ever buy me a sewing machine?" Chen Xiuying was consumed with envy. Nowadays, a sewing machine was terrifyingly expensive; even people in the city rarely bought them when getting married. The current "three major items" for a wedding were a tin kettle, an enamel washbasin, and a thermoses bottle.

Being able to buy a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a clock was something only families with extremely good conditions in large cities could manage for a wedding.

With both a Shanghai desk clock and a sewing machine, what a life that was!

Zhang Hucheng was instantly left speechless.

Buying a sewing machine was something he didn't even dare to dream about. He had worked for the production team for an entire year last year and still ended up owing them a dozen yuan. Forget saving up for a sewing machine; just managing not to go into debt was a blessing.

Chen Xiuying felt as though her heart was being clawed by a cat, her mind entirely filled with the sewing machine.

"Hucheng, the family still needs clothes made. Why don't you discuss it with Huacheng and have him move the sewing machine over to our house for a couple of days? I'll return it to him as soon as I'm done."

If she had a sewing machine, the clothes she made would look much better and be finished much faster.

"Huh? Me? Well... how about we have Hualing go mention it?"

Zhang Hucheng couldn't possibly bring himself to say such a thing.

"Mention what to me?"

Hualing happened to carry in a plate of meat cracklings, with Dabao and Xiaobao trailing closely behind, yipping excitedly.

"Heehee, Mom and Dad, snacks for you!"

Using meat cracklings as a snack was something unimaginable in the past, but now a whole large plate of them was being eaten just for fun, simply because the cracklings at home already filled half a basin.

Dabao and Xiaobao immediately reached out with their hands to grab them.

"Oh, right, Eldest Brother, what were you just going to ask me to say?"

Hualing asked with curiosity.

Zhang Hucheng's face flushed slightly as he stammered, "Well... didn't you say your Second Brother bought a sewing machine? Your sister-in-law has been making clothes late into the night lately, burning the midnight oil until her eyes hurt. We were thinking of having you go talk to your Second Brother and ask him to move the sewing machine over here for your sister-in-law to use for a couple of days, and we'll send it back once the clothes are finished."

As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed Hualing wearing a peculiar expression.

"Eldest Brother, you don't actually think Sister-in-law Linlin knows how to make clothes herself, do you?" In her eyes, her Second Sister-in-law was an educated person who loved *Dream of the Red Chamber*, but she definitely had no interest in needlework.

"Huh?"

Zhang Hucheng didn't quite understand. Wasn't that true? If not, why buy a sewing machine?

Chen Xiuying couldn't help pricking up her ears either.

"That sewing machine was bought for us by Second Brother."

Hualing said, completely speechless.

"Huh?"

Zhang Hucheng was stunned.

"Bought for us?" Chen Xiuying bolted upright. After a moment of disbelief, her face flushed red with excitement. "Hualing, the sewing machine was bought for us? Really?"

Ah, right! She was the best at making clothes in the family, and all the sewing work fell to her. Having it at the old home was indeed the most logical arrangement.

Could her brother-in-law really have bought a sewing machine for her?

Good heavens, how much did a department store sewing machine cost anyway?

"Really. Look, Little Bud is back; you can ask Little Bud. She knows too."

Hualing gestured toward the outside, where Little Bud's voice calling for her mother could already be heard echoing in the courtyard.

Zhang Hucheng rushed outside, and when he returned, he was carrying a vigorously struggling Little Bud in his right hand.

"Big Bro-ther is bad!"

The moment she was set down, Little Bud scurried behind her sister's legs.

With lightning-fast reflexes, Hualing snatched the frozen pear right out of Little Bud's hand and bolted.

"Waaa!"

Teary-eyed, Little Bud gave chase, while Dabao and Xiaobao yipped and ran after them as well.

"Hualing, bring that back here so I can slice it up for you guys!"

Helpless, Zhang Hucheng called out after them.

Soon, the half-eaten frozen pear was cut into pieces. Little Bud held a thin slice of frozen pear with puffed-up cheeks, clearly very unhappy—this was obviously hers!

"Little Bud, tell Eldest Brother, who is the sewing machine Second Brother bought meant for? Tell me, and this piece of frozen pear is yours!"

Zhang Hucheng picked up a small piece of frozen pear and squatted down to entice Little Bud.

Little Bud took it, tilted her head in thought, and said, "For Little Bud!"

Chen Xiuying hurriedly squatted down in front of Little Bud and asked, "Little Bud, did your Second Brother say he was going to send it to the old family home?"

"Mm-hmm!"

Little Bud nodded earnestly.

Then, tilting her head, she added, "It's coming right now! Little Bud ran back first!"

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!" Chen Xiuying patted her chest in excitement. A sewing machine! Her mother had spent her whole life wishing for one, and only her grandmother's family had owned a sewing machine, treating it like a precious treasure.

Her family was about to have a sewing machine, and a brand-new one at that!

As long as it was delivered to the house, she would get to use it every day!

"Second Brother also said he wants to teach Eldest Brother how to give haircuts, so Eldest Brother can become a barber."

Hualing added as she munched on her frozen pear.

Zhang Hucheng stood up and immediately started walking toward the door.

"Eldest Brother, where are you going?"

Hualing asked curiously.

"I'm going to help your Second Brother pull the cart. I've got strength!"