When Grandma didn't hear Xiao Man respond, she reached out and patted her, her hand landing right on the girl's stomach. She immediately broke into a smile. "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach. One bowl is more than enough! You haven't even touched all those candies and snacks. We'll save them to eat at home! We'll come back next market day. Then you can have a bowl of sweet rice balls, and some sweet rice wine, too!"
Xiao Man smiled, a little embarrassed. 'Things are different now. The wealthy life I had in my past life isn't mine yet, and this little body's hunger is very real. I feel like I could eat and eat forever. These street snacks—the fried dough balls, the date pastries, the bean cakes—they're a world away from the high-end pastries I used to sell in my old shop. But right now? I just want to eat them. This is what I'm craving!'
"Alright, let's get going. We'll stop by the supply and marketing co-op to pick up a few things, and then we'll head home!"
Grandpa called to Xiao Man, and together they helped Grandma to her feet, one on each side. They joined the crowd and slowly made their way out of the covered pavilion. When they passed a vendor selling roasted peanuts and sunflower seeds from a shoulder pole, Grandpa stopped and asked Xiao Man if she wanted any. She shook her head, saying they had more than enough snacks for one day. But Grandpa mentioned that Secretary Mo's little girl had been fussing for roasted sunflower seeds the night before. Grandma remembered then, too. She quickly told Grandpa to buy a pound of roasted peanuts and a pound of sunflower seeds. She also reminded him to get a pound of fruit candies at the co-op. "Secretary Mo helped us out so much, and we imposed on his family last night," she said. "We should give them a proper thank-you gift."
The commune's supply and marketing co-op was on a completely different scale from the little village store, which was barely more than a hundred square feet. This was a two-story building. The second floor sold fabric, ready-made clothing, shoes, socks, and bedding. The ground floor was even more packed with miscellaneous goods: salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar; pots, bowls, basins, and all sorts of kitchenware; buckets and kerosene lamps; and a wide variety of farming tools.
Grandma wanted to head upstairs first, while Grandpa wanted to look at the farm tools. Xiao Man didn't have a preference. 'After wandering through the supermarkets of the future, this co-op really isn't much to look at. It has no appeal whatsoever.'
'Still, I'm living in this era now, and we have to use what's available.' With that thought, Xiao Man followed Grandma upstairs to buy some daily necessities, while Grandpa went off on his own to pick out farm tools.
Xiao Man knew that her Grandpa and Grandma had money, but she was still stunned when Grandma fumbled in the inner pocket of her traditional tunic, pulled out a thick, small, blue cloth bundle, and placed it in her hands for her to open. Grandma was carrying a full two hundred yuan, along with a thick stack of cloth ration coupons and industrial coupons!
'The money, of course, came from Grandpa selling the herbs he worked so hard to collect in the city. There's no doubt about that. But the cloth coupons are distributed by the production team. Grandpa and Grandma were living with Mo Laoer, and Second Aunt Mo was in charge of that household. How could she possibly have let Grandma keep the coupons? And where did these industrial coupons come from?'
Grandma smiled and said, "Your Grandpa traded for these coupons in the city. If your Second Aunt treated me the way a proper daughter-in-law should, I would've given them all to her to manage. But a pity... I couldn't give them to her even if I wanted to. Your Grandpa keeps some of the money he earns, and he gave me these two hundred yuan for emergencies. He worries that if something happens to me while he's away, this money will ensure someone is willing to help. You hold on to all of this. When I tell you what I want to buy, you just pick out the colors and styles you like. The shop clerks all work for the government; they won't cheat us. Just pay them whatever total they give you!"
Xiao Man opened the cloth bundle, still warm from her grandma's body. Her nose tingled, and she felt a lump form in her throat. "Grandma," she said, her voice thick, "let's just look around for now. We can always buy things next time. This is the money Grandpa gave you for..."
'For emergencies! It's your life-saving money!'
Grandma patted Xiao Man's hand. "I know my own body. Other than my eyes, there's nothing wrong with me. What kind of emergency could I possibly have? You're with us now, and we have a new home. We have to get some new things. Your Grandpa doesn't care about any of this. He'll use whatever's on hand, and if there's nothing, he'll do without. But not you! You're a girl, and a girl deserves to be cherished! Liu Fengying didn't dote on you, but I will! You belong to your Grandpa and me now, and you're our only granddaughter. Since we have the means, we must buy things for you, so you can have what other girls have! And when you're grown up, even if your Grandpa and I aren't around, you have to treat yourself well. Do everything you can to make your life comfortable. Don't just settle. Do you understand?"
Xiao Man was speechless as tears streamed down her cheeks. 'What have I ever done to deserve such love from my Grandma!'