"Did you receive the letter from Uncle yesterday, saying Xiao Yi has returned to our hometown?"
"Yes, he finished his tasks and went to visit. Uncleās family is doing well."
"Mom and I were thinking of going back to our hometown for the New Year. Does Xiao Yi have a holiday this year? If so, come with us."
"He should have."
"Alright, itās settled. This year, our whole family will go back together."
"Brother, Han Yi suggests transferring mom and my household registration here. Iāll follow Han Yi, and mom can register with our house. Are you sticking with school or settling down here?"
"Settling down." Lin Yinghui had been thinking recently that if he had a rural household registration, Mu Qingās parents would probably look down on him even more. "Does Xiao Yi have a way?"
Han Yi nodded. "Yes, a comrade of mine who retired now works in the household registration office."
"Then letās settle at home. What documents do we need? Weāll prepare them when we go back for the New Year."
"Just need a proof of residency transfer and an introduction letter, along with the household registration booklet."
The evening had no entertainment projects, so after washing up, the two returned to the room. They turned on the radio and listened to music. One lay on the bed reading a military magazine, while the other sat on the bed making a cotton jacket for Han Yi.
Seeing the time was late, Han Yi pulled her to sleep.
The next day, Lin Wan didnāt let Han Yi accompany her to the storefront. She hauled over a hundred pieces of goods there by herself.
As she expected, the three shops that took her goods that day sold incredibly well.
When she arrived, the neighbor Yang Erni wanted twenty more pieces of goods.
"Thereās not much left, probably out of stock in a few days."
As Lin Wan finished speaking, the other hesitant shops all wanted twenty pieces as well.
Two shops saw the weather changing and didnāt dare take too much, so they combined their orders for twenty pieces and split them back home.
"Sister Lin, when are you shipping next time? What kind of goods are you preparing?" Yang Erni, having tasted success, asked.
"Not sure yet, but if I get goods, Iāll announce it a week in advance on the blackboard. No plans in the near future."
"Sister Lin, if you have any good goods, please notify me first."
"Donāt worry, I certainly will. Iām counting on Sister Erni to help spread the word. If any sisters want to restock, let them come to me."
"Certainly, certainly."
Lin Wan stayed at the store all morning. She didnāt sell many clothes and then went home.
Over eighty pieces were sold this morning. Now she had only fifty or sixty left, which wasnāt a concern. She could even give the rest away.
The capital had long been recouped.
When Lin Wan returned home, she saw Han Yi in the backyard building a chicken coop with bricks.
"Didnāt think youād know how to do this?" Lin Wan squatted beside him, smiling with interest.
"Did it often as a kid. Come help me shovel the mud." Han Yi smiled and gestured with his chin toward the mixed mud.
The chicken coop looked like a mini house, with two asbestos tiles for the roof.
A small area was fenced around the outside with wooden boards for the chickens to move around.
"Where did you get so many wooden boards?"
"From our alley, that familyās stuff was pushed onto the road outside. I bought them."
"How much?"
"Two dollars."
Looking at the dozens of wooden boards, Lin Wan immediately thought that family was greedy.
With nothing much to do in the afternoon, the couple continued to stay cozy at home.
Lin Wan finished Han Yiās cotton jacket and pants, letting him try them on. As he tried them, the two of them ended up rolling onto the bed.