Bai Fumei in the 70’s

Zhao Lanxiang and He Songbai went on separate ways as soon as they returned to Hezi village.

He Songbai took a trail and walked home from the overgrown area. He secretly went to City G, but it would be suspicious if he were away from home during the Chinese New Year. In order not to reveal his whereabouts, He Songbai asked Tiezhu to wear his clothes, wearing a hat, and occasionally went outside to sway around, pretending that he was still there symbolically.3

Other than Uncle De's families, almost no one else would come to their house during the New Year. In addition, because of the cold weather and few human activities outside, no one noticed that He Songbai had disappeared from the Hezi village lately.

Zhao Lanxiang returned to the He family's house carrying a heavy box.

As soon as the door opened, there was a burst of warmth floating from the room. Zhao Lanxiang was not surprised either, because she told Sister He before she left that she could borrow the sewing machine in her room.

At this time, He Songye was leaning against the window, relying on the little light leaking from the window, sewing the clothes in her hand finely. She saw Zhao Lanxiang returned, and she put down the clothes in surprise.

There was a warm air in the room, so comfortable that Zhao Lanxiang sighed. The warmth had dispelled her coldness.

"You didn't take a good rest during the New Year, but hurry to catch up with the clothes?" Zhao Lanxiang joked.

He Songye stopped the work in her hand. She took out a pile of loose money from her pocket and stuffed it into Zhao Lanxiang's pocket.

Zhao Lanxiang took out the money in her pocket in surprise, "Why do you give me this?"

He Songye only smiled and did not speak. She sat down to continue making clothes.

After having been indoor for a winter, her dark yellowing skin turned white. Her eyes were bright. She straightened her waist and sewed clothes vigorously. The whole person was completely new, and a smile leaked from the corner of her lips, as if the entire person was soaked in a honeypot.

It made people especially comfortable.

Zhao Lanxiang said in surprise, "Why are you...giving me money?"

He Songye stopped and gestured, "You give us, eat. The money gives you... buy more cream, use, beautiful clothes, wear."8

Zhao Lanxiang smiled and put the money in her pocket.

In fact, the food money given by He Songbai and Granny was already much. More than enough to cover their family's food for several years, but she did not refuse.

The money was Sister He's heart. She made money by sewing stitch by stitch. The feeling that her work had value made her happy. She needed this affirmation.1

Zhao Lanxiang said, "Wait for a while. I'll take a break and work with you."

Zhao Lanxiang rested on the clean bed for a while. She pulled out a basket of chestnuts from the cellar. She saved it from the autumn to make pastry. She kept a few big bags, and now there is only a little left. Zhao Lanxiang buried her head at a stove.

The redwood charcoal was burning, and the chestnut seeds spattered. The room was filled with the sweetness of roasted chestnuts.

When He Songye stepped on the sewing machine's pedal and bent over to sew clothes, she sniffed the nice scent and continued to work while inhaling the warm fragrance.

Zhao Lanxiang dipped some oil with a thumb-sized cotton and rubbed it on the chestnut's surface. With a thin layer of fat, the roasted chestnut shell became very crisp.

"Come and have something to eat!"

The chestnut popped loudly, the golden flesh inside grow bigger, and the fragrance got stronger. Sister He finally reluctantly stopped the work in her hand and ate chestnuts with Zhao Lanxiang.

The honey-roasted chestnut had a scent of pine oil. It was sweet and soft and melted into the heart.

He Songye ate as if she felt that there was sweetness in the air. A little bit of relaxation and comfort in this busy time made her feel happy and satisfied. The heavy and endless days seemed to disappear all at once.

She happily pulled Zhao Lanxiang and said, "I made fifteen sets of clothes during the New Year."1

The labor fee for a set of clothes is one yuan. The busy and fulfilling New Year's Day had allowed her to earn so much money that she had never seen in her life. Of course, she can't finish making so many clothes by herself, her husband was ingenious, and both of them made many sets together..1

Apart from eating and drinking, he spent all his awake time here. Now the line he stitched was even more beautiful than hers.

Zhao Lanxiang looked at Sister Zhao's talk about making clothes cheerfully, which was very different from how she was initially.

She thought the time was right and said, "I will lend you the sewing machine."

He Songye was immersed in the joy of exchanging labor for wealth, but she felt that a pot of cold water suddenly splashed her.

She shivered and shook her head vigorously.

How could anyone be willing to lend such a valuable thing to others with confidence? She lowered her head to reflect on whether she was bothering educated youth Zhao.

Zhao Lanxiang looked at Sister He lightly, and said with a smile, "Comrade He, I am now officially lending this sewing machine to you. I hope you will love it as if you are treating your own children. For you, the rent is five yuan a month, do you agree?"1

He Songye's face went from dazed to overwhelmed to shock. She can't believe it, and finally, her eyes turned red, and tears rose uncontrollably.

He Songye didn't dare to think about how she walked into the current life and got everything she had right now.

Her nose couldn't help but feel sour. She squatted down and choked up with her head lowered, unable to make a sound.

"Do you want it, don't you? Don't cry--" Zhao Lanxiang couldn't help but cry as well, and she quickly helped Sister He.

"I want, I want." He Songye wiped her eyes indiscriminately, quickly took out five yuan from her pocket, and stuffed them into Zhao Lanxiang's hands.

That night Zhao Lanxiang asked He Songbai to move the sewing machine to He Songye's room. Even Li Dali couldn't help but get up and reached out when he saw the "new expensive piece" was added in their room.

"Thank you." Li Dali solemnly thanked Zhao Lanxiang.

Zhao Lanxiang also said, "I have stayed in the Hezi village for so long, and I would also like to thank the captain for his care."

He Songye carefully wiped the fuselage with a rag on the side, with affection in her eyes.

As if the thing she held in her hands is not a sewing machine, but her own child. Her feelings for it have long been incorporated into her blood and her bones after all this time. Every sound of it clicking and moving needle, as if sparks splashed on her heart, made her heart hot, and the clothes she made seemed to have life. Every time she saw the machine, He Songye was hiding joy in her heart.