"Some are good, but hard to find. You have to dig in yourself."
"Is your sofa dug out too?" Su Ling loved everything she saw as soon as she entered Lin Wanâs house.
"The sofa isnât, itâs from Old Wangâs house at Nanqiao..." Lin Wan gave them the address in case they wanted to custom order one themselves.
Lin Wan hadnât had time to make cushions for the sofa, planning to do it herself at home when she had the chance.
After a while of touring, Lin Wan boiled a kettle of hot water and had Han Yi take them to the living room for tea.
While she busied herself in the kitchen.
The two women, having grown up in privileged families, were only average cooks, but were too embarrassed to just sit around idle. So they helped Lin Wan in the kitchen.
"Xiao Wan, who did you hire for your kitchen? These marble tops must be expensive," Su Ling said, touching the smooth surface, wishing she could move Lin Wanâs entire kitchen to her own home.
"Itâs only a dollar each, but I didnât use many. The main reason for using it is that itâs clean and easy to manage."
"Why did you dig a small round hole neatly here?"
"Isnât there a gas station on Zhao Street? I plan to get one when I have time. Place the canister below and the gas stove above. Iâve heard itâs convenient. Just turn on the flame to cook, and turn it off when the meal is ready. Itâs quicker than changing coal in a brazier several times a day."
"Iâve heard about it, itâs very useful. I have relatives using it at home. Quite convenient."
"Xiao Wan, once we buy a house, weâll also remodel our kitchen like yours." Yin Peibai looked forward to their life after marriage after seeing Lin Wanâs house.
Just the two of them, they could arrange the house however they liked, eat whatever they wanted without worrying about others or watching their mother-in-lawâs expressions.
This relieved the bottled-up frustrations they had over the days. Feeling much happier.
Lin Wan prepared a table full of rich dishes: their storeâs specialty, stir-fried shrimp, sweet and sour fish, green pepper pork slivers, oiled tofu, garlic clams, two vegetable dishes, a plate of peanuts. Sweet soup with glutinous rice wine, plus white rice.
Such dishes in an ordinary household were not often seen even during the New Year.
Not to mention in rural areas, where two years ago their family was dirt poor. They barely had meat once a year.
Now after the reform and opening, although goods in grain and oil shops are still rationed, quite a few people sell them privately without needing ration points. Of course, at a higher price.
Lin Wan brought out all the house wine, and the three women had a bit of grape wine.
The men drank mulberry wine.
Nobody drank too much, since it was their first time visiting, they avoided getting drunk and embarrassing themselves.
The young people had plenty to talk about and chatted happily.
They didnât wrap up until six or seven oâclock. As they left, Yin Peibai and Su Ling invited them over when they were free, and they agreed.
Lin Wan didnât go out that night. The two went to bed early. The next day, after helping Mom with the morning market, Lin Wan joined them, setting up clothes and selling seven or eight pieces in the morning. After finishing the morning market.
Han Yi and his brother took the morning to install the backyard door. After it was installed, Lin Wan still felt it was more convenient without a door.
Around nine oâclock, the two headed to the train station. They sold at the train station all day, and by about five or six oâclock, they found a switch factory near the station.
They sold outside for over an hour, then moved to a nearby neighborhood.
At noon, Lin Wan brought some buns, along with self-prepared water. In the evening, they bought a hefty portion of street dumplings near the neighborhood to fill their stomachs.
Once home, Lin Wan made two bowls of noodle soup, quickly washed their feet after dinner, and collapsed on the bed exhausted.