Chapter Thirty-Seven: Brother and Sister

"Oh." Zhang Xiaohua lowered her head, acting obediently. "But brother, that donkey cart is their family's treasure—precious as can be. They usually wouldn't even let us touch it. What happened today? Why are they so generous to you? Did you give them a gift?"

Zhang Tiejun looked at Zhang Xiaohua and chuckled. "You little brat, you're quite sharp; you know quite a bit, don't you?"

Receiving the praise, the corners of Zhang Xiaohua's mouth turned up, and she tilted her head slightly. "Of course. Mom taught me; this is what you call worldly wisdom."

"A little kid like you knows what worldly wisdom is? Tell me then, what is it?"

"It's just giving gifts."

"And do you know the rules behind gift-giving?"

"There are rules to giving gifts?"

"Of course," Zhang Tiejun said with a smile. "Some gifts are given to go with the flow, while others are meaningless."

"I know! Little Zhuangzhuang and the others said that giving gifts is about playing to someone's preferences!" Zhang Xiaohua declared.

Zhang Tiejun shook his head. "That's only part of it. The essential goal of gift-giving is to provide a surprise. You must offer a temptation the other party cannot refuse. In other words, the value of the gift must exceed their expected value; otherwise, it might just backfire."

"Even cured meat doesn't work?" Zhang Xiaohua stood there with her hands on her hips.

Zhang Tiejun scooped Zhang Xiaohua up onto the donkey cart and reminded her slowly, "Li Siping is a son-in-law who married into his wife's family. For years, he has worked diligently and without complaint, but his only regret is not having a son. His wife fights with him every day, and his father-in-law is even planning to hand over the family land to his sister-in-law. Because of this, Li Siping has pinned all his hopes on his eldest daughter."

"Huh?" Zhang Xiaohua was stunned for a moment, then asked with some trepidation, "Brother, you aren't going to become someone else's live-in son-in-law, are you?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Zhang Tiejun flicked the reins lightly. "He asked me to help him get some 'ow-ow' for his family."

"'Ow-ow'?"

"You're still young. You'll understand when you grow up."

After Zhang Tiejun shouted "Giddy-up," the donkey cart began to move forward slowly.

The streets of Bailong Commune were not particularly large; essentially, it consisted of just one intersection: Victory Street running east-west and Construction Street running north-south.

Every year around the Lunar New Year, the production brigades are at their most active. Both national policy guidelines and local regulations must be observed and supported.

Visiting the grand market is a special event in Bailong Commune.

It happens twice a year—once in the middle and once at the end. During this market, people don't need to use grain coupons as proof of purchase; they can trade directly with cash.

Once the threshold is lowered, street performers and snack vendors who make a living from their crafts seize the opportunity and flood in. The market lasts for ten days, starting on the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month and ending on the twentieth.

The Bailong Town State-Run Building sits at the center of Victory Street and Construction Street, enjoying an excellent location.

Although it is called a "State-Run Building," it is actually just a standard Soviet Khrushchev-style building. Because it is deep in the mountains and lacks dedicated maintenance, the paint on the building has long since peeled and mottled, leaving only the stainless steel sign at the entrance clear and bright.

"Brother! I want to eat sugar figurines, candied hawthorns, fried meatballs, and steamed meat buns!" Zhang Xiaohua said, her mouth full.

"Can you even eat all that?" Zhang Tiejun asked with a wry smile, pointing to the plastic bags around them. "Fried cakes, mung bean cakes, red sausage... be careful not to overeat and get a stomachache."

"I'm happy to." Zhang Xiaohua let out a burp as she spoke. "Brother, I'd rather eat until I burst than starve to death."

"Look at your lack of ambition." Zhang Tiejun pointed to a restaurant on the side of the road. "I'll treat you to better food for lunch—braised goose in an iron pot."

Zhang Xiaohua stared blankly at the restaurant with the goose sign, feeling a bit guilty. "Brother, if we eat a meal like that, how much will it cost?"

"I said you lacked ambition, and you didn't believe me." Zhang Tiejun took all the paper bags from Zhang Xiaohua's hands. "Stop eating for now. Take these things back for Mom to have, and save some room in your stomach. It's so cold and windy; aren't you afraid of bursting your belly? Come on, I'll go buy you some floral cloth. Look at your greasy little hands—we'll find a bathhouse later to soak them."

After securing the donkey cart, Zhang Tiejun picked up Zhang Xiaohua and dived into the crowd.

With the New Year approaching, countless people had come out to buy supplies. The New Year doesn't distinguish between people, and pickpockets and human traffickers are also looking to celebrate, so one must be extra careful at this time.

Zhang Tiejun had brought all the fabric coupons from home, about seven or eight feet worth—enough to make a set of clothes for both Zhang Xiaohua and their mother. As for the money to buy the clothes, Zhang Tiejun intended to use those silver coins.

The first floor of the two-story building mainly sold grain, oil, cigarettes, alcohol, and various sundries, while the second floor sold fabrics. In a small attic on the second floor, a few large characters were written on the wall with a brush: "Silver Coin Exchange."

As the designated official site for receiving currency scattered among the populace, silver coins were treated differently from other currencies. Because they were precious metals that could be recycled, the exchange was not located at the bank.

"Twelve silver coins. One silver coin exchanges for one yuan and fifty cents. A total of eighteen yuan."

Zhang Tiejun took the money, and Zhang Xiaohua's eyes widened like copper bells.

"Brother! So much money! How many candied hawthorns could I buy with that!" Zhang Xiaohua said, incredulous.

"That's you overthinking it. This money is to be saved for your schooling," Zhang Tiejun said, patting Zhang Xiaohua's shoulder. "You'll be nine next year. Although it's a bit late, you can still meet the enrollment standards."

"Really!" Zhang Xiaohua didn't show the annoyance Zhang Tiejun had expected; instead, she looked very excited.

"Yes, I plan to take care of this for you as soon as spring comes next year. And I need to find you a better home."

"Find a home? Why find a home?"

Zhang Xiaohua's face suddenly changed, and a wave of grievance surged into her heart.

Zhang Tiejun immediately realized he had said the wrong thing. In this era, having one more child in a family meant one more mouth to feed, making survival difficult enough, let alone for a young girl like Zhang Xiaohua.

If a family truly couldn't afford to raise a child, there was usually only one outcome: giving the child away.

It was one thing for a child in swaddling clothes, but giving away a seven or eight-year-old required other excuses.

Zhang Tiejun scratched Zhang Xiaohua's cheek and smiled. "What are you afraid of? Are you afraid I'm going to throw you away?"

Zhang Xiaohua nodded, looking aggrieved.

Zhang Tiejun scooped her up and said solemnly, "Xiaohua, don't worry. You are my sister, my family. I will never abandon you for as long as I live."