In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

As dusk settled, the courtyard appeared exceptionally tranquil in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The black wooden door creaked open once again, breaking the tranquility of the courtyard.

Two figures, one in front of the other, covered in the dust and weariness of the fields, stepped over the not-so-high threshold.

Leading the way was Yang Guangming's mother, Tian Yufen, carrying a basket of wild vegetables.

The coarse cloth jacket she wore had long since faded from its original color, turning grayish-white. Several darker patches were sewn onto her elbows and shoulders, the stitches fine but unable to conceal the poverty of her life.

The Yang family wasn't short of money, but they didn't have enough coupons to buy fabric and new clothes.

She wore a pair of equally old black trousers, the cuffs inevitably stained with damp mud, a testament to the work she had just finished.

The old straw hat on his head was worn and the edges were a bit torn. The face that was exposed under the brim was darker and thinner than Yang Guangming remembered.

His cheekbones protruded high like two small mountains, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were deep and dense, like cracks on parched land, each one seemingly engraving the hardships and silent sacrifices of the years.

Years of exposure to the wind and sun, along with obvious malnutrition, made her look much older than her actual age of forty, appearing more like a woman in her fifties.

However, despite her slender frame, her eyes held a resilience that had endured hardship without bending, a tenacity that belonged to laborers, tinged with a touch of shrewdness.

The elderly woman with bound feet, half a step behind Tian Yufen, is Qin Lanying, Yang Guangming's grandmother.

Qin Lanying is fifty-nine years old this year. She is a person who lived through the old era. She has a pair of small feet, and her body sways slightly when she walks. Her steps are small and trembling.

Although it's worrying, it's progressing steadily, thanks to the wisdom of life accumulated over the years.

She was also wearing a patched navy blue shirt and trousers, which had become somewhat stiff from being starched.

His gray hair was meticulously tied into a sparse little bun at the back of his head, without a single stray hair.

The old lady was even thinner than Tian Yufen, and her face was covered with deep wrinkles, like a dried walnut shell.

Yet this seemingly frail and unsteady old lady with bound feet possesses an inner strength as strong as steel.

She endured hardship throughout her life, raising three sons and two daughters.

When the nation was in peril, his three sons went to the battlefield one after another. Yang Guangming's two uncles shed their blood on the battlefield, dying on the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide, sacrificing themselves for the country.

Of the old lady's five children, only Yang Guangming's father remains, along with his two daughters who have married into a neighboring village and rarely return home.

Having experienced the heart-wrenching pain of two parents outliving their children, the eldest son, also a source of worry, insisted on divorcing his wife.

The old lady firmly rejected her eldest son's suggestion to take her away to enjoy a life of luxury. With her illiterate but wise mind, she and her daughter-in-law struggled to support the family, which lacked able-bodied men.

The gate to the courtyard was already open, and the two of them thought it was Yang Shanshan coming home from school.

Tian Yufen murmured softly, "Mom, take it easy. Go inside and rest for a bit, catch your breath. I'll go pick a couple of cucumbers from the garden; we'll make a cold salad tonight. This basket of wild vegetables you dug up today looks so fresh..."

Before she could finish speaking, she heard hurried footsteps coming from the main room.

Hearing a sound coming from the yard, Yang Ming, who was inside the house, rushed out into the yard in a few quick steps.

In the courtyard, the golden light of the setting sun cast a clear shadow of Yang Guangming into the eyes of Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying.

Seeing her son suddenly rush out of the house, Tian Yufen froze instantly, the rest of her words stuck in her throat.

Her eyes, which had become somewhat cloudy from long-term fatigue, suddenly burst forth with an intense light of surprise the moment they met her son's face.

"bright!"

Looking at the surprised faces on his mother and grandmother's faces, Yang Guangming felt a sudden pang of sadness, and his throat felt tight, as if something warm was blocking it.

He quickly stepped forward, forcing a smile as relaxed as possible, and replied clearly, "Mom, Grandma, it's me, I'm back."

"Oh! My grandson! It really is you back!"

The old lady's eyes instantly welled up with tears. Her voice rose several decibels with excitement, carrying the unique tone of an elderly person, and she tried to quickly step forward, her voice trembling.

Those tiny feet, bound by layers of foot-binding cloth, moved anxiously. Seeing this, Yang Guangming's heart tightened, fearing that his grandmother would trip. He quickly stepped forward and reached out to firmly support his grandmother's thin arm.

"Grandma, slow down, slow down, I'm on summer vacation and I'm back."

He supported his grandmother, and even through the thin fabric, the feeling of her frail, bony frame was so clear. A turmoil of emotions surged within him; he felt a deep unease.

Tian Yufen had finally recovered from the shock of the huge surprise. She took a few steps to her son, grabbed Yang Guangming's arm, and held his hand tightly with her rough, sandpaper-like hands, which had been roughened by years of labor.

Her eyes scrutinized her son from head to toe, "I knew you hadn't been eating enough lately. Look how thin you've gotten, your face is all shriveled up!"

A barrage of questions immediately followed, like a river bursting its banks: "Why did you suddenly come back? You didn't even send a message beforehand. You must be exhausted from such a long journey. Have you eaten? Are you hungry?"

Her tone was filled with deep concern, mixed with a hint of playful reproach due to surprise, but the joy on her face, which was almost overflowing from the heart, was impossible to hide.

"Not tired, Mom. We came back by donkey cart, we didn't walk, it wasn't tiring," Yang Guangming replied with a smile.

Feeling the warmth from his mother's hand and the strength of his grandmother's grip on his arm, a warm feeling called "home" instantly enveloped him like a spring, filling his chest and dispelling all the fatigue of the journey.

"It'll be good to come back, it'll be good to come back!"

Grandma tilted her head back, straining to open her somewhat dim eyes, and looked at her grandson, who was much taller than her. Her face lit up with a smile, and her deep wrinkles smoothed out.

"He seems to have grown taller, but he's thinner. There's hardly any flesh on his cheeks. He must not have been eating well at school. Studying is hard on the brain..." The old man stroked his grandson's arm with heartache.

"The school is great, Grandma, and the food is alright too. I haven't lost weight. Look, I'm quite strong." Yang Guangming quickly reassured the old woman, deliberately bending his arm to show off his not-so-impressive muscles, which made his grandmother both feel sorry for him and laugh.

Seeing that her son was indeed full of energy and had bright eyes, although he was thinner than before, his complexion was still rosy, Tian Yufen felt a little relieved.

She took her son's hand, the rough calluses on his palm rubbing against the sunlit back of his hand, and led him into the main room:

"Come inside, come inside, it's cooler inside. What are you doing standing in the yard? Even though the sun has set, it's still hot."

The three of them entered the dimly lit main room together.

Only then did Tian Yufen notice the two bulging duffel bags and canvas bags in the corner, which seemed out of place with the bare walls of her home, and were covered with an old piece of homespun cloth.

She pointed with some confusion, her voice tinged with uncertainty: "Guangming, what are all these things you brought? Why are you carrying so much?"

She worried that her son might have brought all his belongings back home, or that something might have happened at school.

Yang Guangming helped his grandmother sit down on a chair next to the eight-immortal table, then moved a small stool to sit beside her. Hearing this, he smiled and said in a calm tone, "Mom, Grandma, I brought some things with me this time."

He deliberately slowed down his speech, wanting to give his family some time to prepare.

He stood up, walked to the corner, and first picked up the heavier-looking old canvas travel bag, placing it on the open space in the middle of the main room.
Then he squatted down, took a deep breath, and under the curious and slightly uneasy gazes of his mother and grandmother, he reached out and untied the straps that were binding him. Then, with a "whoosh," he pulled open the zipper of the travel bag and opened the rice bag and flour bag inside.

When the bag was opened, revealing that it was filled with flour, rice, and other things, Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying stared wide-eyed.

"This...this is..."

Tian Yufen's voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with surprise.

She almost staggered as she squatted down, extending her hands—with their large knuckles and cracked skin—and with a pilgrim-like reverence, carefully touched the cloth bag containing the flour.

She reached out and touched the heavy bag of rice. Even through the fabric, she could almost feel the distinct grains of rice inside. She could hardly believe her eyes.

Grandma also stood up, leaning closer, squinting to look carefully. Her lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything.

"This is ten jin of wheat flour, ten jin of Northeast rice, four jin of cornmeal, four jin of millet, and four jin of noodles."

Yang Guangming pointed them out one by one, keeping his voice as steady as possible. Then, he reached out and dragged over the canvas bag next to him, which was also bulging and emitted a peculiar fragrance. Under the increasingly surprised and uncertain gazes of the two women, he deftly unfastened the clasp.

When the sausages and cured meats, exuding a rich aroma of smoke and spices, along with the fragrant braised beef and trembling pig's head, are exposed to the slightly stuffy air, the small main room seems to be instantly filled with a powerful sense of abundance and happiness.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying were completely stunned, as if petrified.

The two stared blankly at the mountain of fine grains and meats piled on the ground, grains they would never have dared to dream of in their daily lives. Their minds went blank, and they couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

This scene was more luxurious and unreal than the most beautiful dream they had ever had!
After a long while, Tian Yufen suddenly raised her head. Her face was no longer filled with shock and joy, but was quickly replaced by a deep worry and tension.

She grabbed Yang Guangming's wrist with such force that Yang Guangming felt a little pain.

She lowered her voice, as if afraid of being overheard by someone outside the wall, her tone urgent and almost tearful:

"Guangming! Where...where did you get so many good things? How much did this cost?"

And also, is this approach... is this approach legitimate? Let's hope it doesn't turn into some crooked or unethical path!
Our family may be poor, but we're poor with integrity. We will never do anything illegal, disorderly, or speculative! That's a matter of life and death!

Having managed this household for many years, she knows all too well how precious and rare these things are now.

Let alone seeing so many at once, even just one of them would be unthinkable in a legitimate supply and marketing cooperative without the corresponding ration coupons and strong connections; even a glimpse of it would be a luxury.

Her son was still a student. Although he was attending a university in the capital, he was still just a child. Where did he get such great ability and connections to get all this? This made her think the worst, and her heart jumped into her throat.

Grandma Qin Lanying also suddenly realized what was happening, and the joy on her face vanished instantly, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity.

She nodded vigorously, echoing her daughter-in-law's words, her voice carrying the heaviness typical of an elderly person:

"Yes, Guangming, my good grandson! Our family is struggling, it's tough, but no matter how tough it is, we can't do anything that violates policy or takes risks!"

Your father is in the army, and our family has a clean and honest background!

Tell Grandma the truth, where did all this stuff and this money come from?

Thinking of a certain possibility, Grandma's voice trembled, and her weathered eyes stared intently at her grandson, not allowing him the slightest chance to look away.

Seeing the tense, concerned, and even fearful looks in his mother's and grandmother's eyes, Yang Guangming was already prepared and became even calmer.

He grasped his mother's calloused but nervously cold hand in his own, enveloping it in his warm palm, and said slowly and sincerely:

“Mom, Grandma, don’t worry or be afraid. Let me explain slowly. These things are from a legitimate source, and the money was earned honestly, not through any crooked means.”

He paused for a moment before continuing to explain, "I was just lucky. It was really the good deeds of my ancestors and the blessings of God."

A few days ago in Kyoto, I happened to come across someone selling beef offal privately, and the price wasn't too expensive.

I was just standing there watching something unusual, and I never expected to find bezoar on the ground!

His words, delivered with a storytelling-like guiding quality, successfully captured the full attention of Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying. Both women held their breath, staring intently at him.

"At first, I wasn't sure either, but it looked just like the description in the book, especially like bezoar."

Although the bezoar was thrown on the ground, clearly indicating that the person didn't intend to keep it, I couldn't just pick it up for free.

Anyway, the price of beef offal soup is not high, so I bought some to give to my teacher when I got back.

The bezoars were things the other person had thrown on the ground and didn't want anymore, but I was willing to pick them up and take them, so they gave them all to me.

"Is it really bezoar?"

Although Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying were both rural women, they had heard from the older generation and from the occasional rumors in the countryside that bezoar was an extraordinary and precious medicinal material, more expensive than gold!
Their eyes widened instantly, and their hearts pounded.

"Yes, it really is bezoar, and it's in pretty good condition."

Yang Guangming nodded firmly, his tone carrying a hint of relief, "I know this thing is rare and valuable. Since it might be bezoar, I definitely need to ask someone about it."

If it really is bezoar, wouldn't we have gotten a great deal? Such a precious item wouldn't have been wasted.

I took some time to go to Tongrentang, the most famous time-honored brand in Kyoto, to ask about it.

As a result, an experienced chef in the shop took a look, smelled it, and carefully examined some of the powder with a small hammer. He said it was top-grade gallstone, a rare and excellent product!
"They immediately decided to buy it at their highest purchase price of eighty yuan per gram!"

"Eighty yuan... per gram?"

Tian Yufen gasped, her voice trembling.

Eighty yuan per gram! The price is just too high! This was completely beyond her imagination, and her face was full of horror.

Grandma was also dumbfounded. Her wrinkled face was stiff with shock. She murmured, "Good heavens... how much... how much is this? How much can a piece of bezoar weigh?"

She couldn't understand the unit "gram" and only cared about the total price.

"The piece of bezoar I sold wasn't very big; it weighed 35 grams."

Yang Guangming stated the weight, and then, amidst their increasingly rapid breathing, announced the astonishing figure, "Tongrentang gave me a total of two thousand eight hundred yuan. In cash."

"Two thousand eight hundred yuan!"

Tian Yufen felt like she was about to stop breathing; a surge of hot blood rushed to her head, making her dizzy.

She subconsciously loosened her grip on her son's hand and covered her chest, as if afraid that her heart, pounding wildly from shock, would leap out of her throat.

This figure is an astronomical sum for rural families who work hard all year round in the production team to earn work points. In a good year, they might receive a few dozen yuan as dividends, but in a year of disaster, they might even owe the team money. It is a huge sum that they would never dare to dream of having in their entire lives!
Grandma Qin Lanying also opened her mouth wide, her mouth, which had few teeth left, was slightly open, and her cloudy eyes were filled with extreme shock and bewilderment.

Two thousand eight hundred yuan? How much grain could that buy? How many large brick houses could that build? She simply couldn't imagine it.

She had lived for nearly sixty years, experiencing countless wars and famines, but she had never touched or even seen so much money up close.

"You...you're telling the truth? Two thousand eight hundred yuan? All...all in cash?" Tian Yufen's voice was dry, like sandpaper rubbing. She needed to confirm again, as if she couldn't believe it was real without doing so.

"Mother, it's absolutely true, not a single bit less."

Yang Guangming spoke firmly, and to completely dispel their doubts, he reached into his canvas satchel and took out the official purchase certificate issued by Tongrentang, which he had prepared in advance.

It was a piece of paper printed with standard terms and a red official seal, which in that era represented extremely high authority and credibility.

"Look, this is the purchase receipt issued by Tongrentang. It says in black and white: Purchase of natural bezoar, weight 35 grams, price 80 yuan per gram, total price 2,800 yuan. And here, it's stamped with their pharmacy's bright red official seal."

Tian Yufen had attended literacy classes and could recognize most of the less difficult characters. She took the certificate and examined it carefully.

The quality of the certificate, the clear font on it, and especially the square, bright red official seal, carried an unquestionable credibility from the "official" and "organization" in this era.

The two women instinctively huddled together in awe. Tian Yufen's fingers trembled as she traced each word. Grandma squinted, trying to decipher the red markings despite not being able to read. Although Tian Yufen couldn't recognize all the characters, the formal format and official seal were enough to convince them that what Yang Guangming had said was true!
"It's truly... truly a blessing from our ancestors, Heaven has opened its eyes... Old man, are you watching over our grandson from heaven?"

Grandma Qin Lanying was the first to recover from the huge shock. She clasped her hands together, looked up at the beams of the main room that were blackened by smoke, and her eyes instantly reddened with emotion. Her voice choked with sobs as she kept muttering to herself, tears streaming down her deep wrinkles.

Looking at the receipt, then at her son's calm and sincere face, and then at the pile of real, tempting grains and meat on the ground, Tian Yufen was overjoyed, and the last trace of doubt and worry in her heart finally dissipated.

Tears welled up in her already dry eyes, not from sadness, but from the release of a mix of heartache, joy, pride, and indescribable relief after a long period of pressure.

She quickly tried to wipe it with her rough, calloused hands, but the more she wiped, the more it spread.

"Mother, don't cry. This is a wonderful thing. You should be happy."

Seeing this, Yang Guangming felt a pang of sadness in his heart and quickly stepped forward to comfort her gently, patting her back, which was trembling slightly from sobbing.

“It’s a good thing, it’s a good thing… Mother knows… Mother is… happy…” Tian Yufen said haltingly, her voice choked with sobs, but a bright, relieved smile, tinged with tears, finally appeared on her face.

That smile made her look several years younger in an instant. "My son has made something of himself... really made something of himself... encountered such a great fortune... Mother is... feeling... warm in her heart..." She spoke incoherently, but the meaning she expressed was extremely clear.

There might be other opportunities to make a lot of money in the future, so Yang Guangming decided to cover up the lie all at once and continued:

“There were quite a lot of bezoars there. I only sold a small piece of it temporarily. I was afraid that if I sold them all at once, it would be too much money and have a bad influence.”

I've already asked, and bezoar can be stored for a long time; it can even last a lifetime without any problems and won't spoil.

If our family ever needs money in the future, we can always take out a piece of bezoar and exchange it for cash at the pharmacy.

In other words, with all this bezoar, our family will probably never be short of money again!

"There are still more?"

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"How big must that be? My grandson is so lucky! I never dreamed that our family would ever have so much money!" This surprise was a bit too much for the old lady to handle.

"It's quite a big piece! I estimate it probably weighs several hundred grams."

To avoid further questioning from the two, Yang Guangming quickly added, "These things are too precious for me to keep in my dorm. I'll keep the remaining bezoars at my teacher's house for now."

“You’re quite thoughtful. The teachers at your university are all cultured people and trustworthy,” Tian Yufen agreed, showing no concern about the safety of leaving the property with her teacher.

After calming down a bit, Tian Yufen wiped her face hard with her sleeve, then remembered the crucial question. Pointing to the grain and meat on the ground, her voice still hoarse from crying, she asked, "What... what are these things?"

She wanted to know how her son had managed to bring these "treasures" back safely, and how much of that huge sum of money he had spent.

"This was bought with a portion of that money," Yang Guangming explained smoothly, a pre-prepared explanation.

“Do I have a few close classmates in Kyoto? Their families… have some connections, and knowing our family’s difficulties, they took the initiative to help us make connections.”

These things were all bought at high prices through their family connections, but no tickets were required.

Although it's called a high price, it's actually only about twice as high as the national unified sales price.

They were just helping out of friendship, they didn't make any money off us, and the price isn't high at all. If this were on the black market... you couldn't buy such a complete and good selection for ten times the price.

He deliberately attributed the credit to "a classmate with connections," emphasizing that it was due to "classmate friendship" and "help," and that the price was "not high."

He was afraid that if he quoted too high a price, his mother and grandmother would feel bad about spending the money and wouldn't be able to afford it.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying exchanged a glance, both seeing understanding and relief in each other's eyes.

In this day and age, even if they don't leave their homes, they have more or less heard from the gossip in the village that there is a private "black market" where grain prices are frighteningly high, often several times or even ten times higher than the unified sales price of the supply and marketing cooperative, and there are often no buyers even if there are prices.

My son said that it was twice the price of the unified sales price, and he was able to buy so many fine grains and meats that he could never usually see. He said that he had gotten a great deal, all thanks to the help of his capable and loyal classmate.

This made them look at the identity of "college student" with even higher regard.

“Your classmates… are truly our family’s great benefactors! We must remember this kindness!” Tian Yufen said with emotion.

She thought to herself that if anyone ever had the chance to come to her house, she would do everything she could to treat them well.

In their simple understanding, it was only natural that their son, who was able to get into the capital university, would have classmates who were capable, well-connected, and from influential families. It seemed reasonable that he would have some "privileges" or special access.

This reverence and trust in knowledge and identity led them to subconsciously believe Yang Guangming's words without delving into the details.

Seeing that they accepted the explanation, Yang Guangming pressed his advantage, saying, "Mom, Grandma, don't worry. Through this connection, our family will be able to buy these things again in the future."

I have enough money now. From now on, the most important thing for our family is to fill our stomachs and take good care of our health.

You must never be like before, saving every penny and going hungry, keeping all the good food to yourself and being reluctant to eat it.

From now on, eat and drink as you please. Compared to money, food and health are fundamental; they are the foundation of our family.

"Only when you are all healthy can I study with peace of mind."

These words were truly insightful, and Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying both took them to heart.

They longed to eat their fill and enjoy good food, but in the past, circumstances simply didn't allow it. Whenever they had some refined grains or oily food, they would always try to save it or leave it for Yang Ming and Yang Shanshan, who might return.

Enduring hunger and self-deprivation for extended periods has become a deeply ingrained habit.

Now that their son has received such a large sum of "unexpected wealth" and has found a way to ensure a continuous and stable supply of this life-saving food, the heavy weight that had been pressing on their hearts has finally been lifted a little.

“You’re right, that makes sense. ‘Man is made of iron, food is made of steel, you’ll get hungry if you skip a meal,’ and you won’t feel anxious if you have food at home.”

Grandma Qin Lanying was the first to state that she had experienced too many famines and wars, and had witnessed the tragedy of exchanging children for food. She knew that "having food at home means you won't panic" was the simplest truth in the world.

Having grain in hand is more reassuring than having mountains of gold and silver in one's bosom.

Tian Yufen nodded vigorously, a genuinely relaxed smile appearing on her face:

"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say. From now on, we'll eat properly at home and never be stingy with our food again."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at the white flour on the ground. She was already planning in her mind that she would use this white flour to make some fragrant, pure white pancakes for her son and Shanshan first thing tomorrow morning, so that they could eat their fill!
Seeing that the time was ripe, Yang Guangming put forward his idea about managing the money: "Mom, Grandma, since you both agree, then this money from selling bezoars should be mainly used to buy grain and meat to continuously improve our family's life."

"It's more convenient for me to keep the money here, so I'll keep it myself for now and not hand it over to the family for unified management. Mom, is that alright?"

His tone was conciliatory, but his attitude was clear.

In Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying's hearts, although Yang Guangming is a junior, he is the only male in the family and the hope for carrying on the family line. Now, he has been admitted to the Capital University and has become a "God of Literature" descended to earth, so he is already the head of the family.

Previously, he was often away studying and couldn't take care of things at home. Now, he volunteered to manage this "huge sum of money" he brought, specifically to continuously improve the family's life. Both of them felt it was only right and had no objections; in fact, they felt it was a more secure approach. Yang Guangming, after all, was a college student with broader experience and was certainly better at managing money than they were.

"Alright, this money is yours to earn, so naturally you should manage it. I have no objection."

Tian Yufen readily agreed without any displeasure. "The money our family had saved up before, plus the money your father often sent home, I won't lie to you, even though we built a brick house a few years ago, we still have 480 yuan in savings!"

I'm going to be frank with you today, so you're aware of the situation. Do you want me to keep this money for you as well?

She knew all too well how difficult it was to run a household, and she was only gratified that her son was willing to take on this responsibility.

Yang Guangming was naturally happy that his mother was willing to trust him, but he firmly refused his mother's suggestion to give him the money.

Yang Guangming knew that although her father had divorced her mother, he was not short of living expenses and often sent money back home. In addition, her mother and grandmother were extremely frugal, raising chickens and ducks and cultivating their own plot of land, so the family did have some meager savings and was not short of money.

But right now, tickets are more important than money; without tickets, you can't buy food even if you have money.

Now that he has solved the most important problem of food supply, and his family's savings are more than enough to cover daily expenses, he did not propose unified management.

Letting her mother keep some money makes her feel at ease.

With enough grain to survive the famine and plenty of meat, and with a steady stream of supply to come, the family no longer had to worry day and night about where or how to fill their stomachs for the next meal.

For Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying, who had long struggled to make ends meet and were fed up with hunger, this was undoubtedly more surprising than a gold ingot falling from the sky.

The wrinkles on their faces seemed to be smoothed out by this great news. The gloom that had long shrouded their brows due to malnutrition and overwork was now blown away by the strong wind of joy. Even their eyes became brighter, no longer showing that numb, resigned silence.

Although the main room was still simple, it seemed to be filled with vitality and hope because of the pile of grain and meat.

As the three were talking, a series of light, quick footsteps came from the courtyard, accompanied by a clear, childlike voice, like a nightingale's song, coming from afar: "Mom! Grandma! I'm back!"

Before the words were finished, a slender figure, like a light swallow or a cheerful breeze, darted into the main room.

The person who came was Yang Shanshan, Yang Ming's ten-year-old younger sister.

She was wearing a faded floral blouse that had been altered from an old garment, with two asymmetrical patches at the elbows. She wore blue trousers that were also patched and were too short, revealing her slender ankles.

Her face was thin, with a pointed chin, and her skin had the malnutrition-induced sallowness and light brown marks from the summer sun that were common among rural children of that era.

But those big eyes were dark and bright, like two clear mountain springs, full of spirit, and their movement revealed a child's cleverness and curiosity.

As soon as she entered the room, the first thing she saw was that tall, upright, and familiar figure standing in the center of the main room.

She was startled at first, her little head seemingly not quite processing what was happening. Then, her big eyes, like stars ignited, suddenly burst forth with an intense light of surprise.

"elder brother!"

Yang Shanshan let out a scream that was almost piercing, and without even bothering to properly take off the schoolbag she cherished, she threw it onto the earthen bed next to her and rushed over like a real little cannonball.

She used all her strength to hug Yang Guangming tightly around the waist, burying her face deep in his chest and rubbing against him as if she wanted to meld herself into her brother's body.

The force was so great that Yang Guangming took a slight step back, but his heart softened completely.

"Brother! When did you get back? I missed you so much! Why did it take you so long to come back!"

The little girl's muffled voice came from his arms, thick with nasal tone and undisguised dependence, grievance, and immense joy. Her little arms were wrapped tightly around him, as if she was afraid that if she let go, her brother would disappear.

Yang Guangming was overwhelmed by his sister's complete dependence on him, and his nose tingled again.

He reached out and gently stroked his sister's slightly yellow but fine and soft hair, his voice exceptionally gentle:

"I just got back not long ago. I miss you too, I think about you every day."

This wasn't entirely a consolation; during his studies in Kyoto, his sensible and endearing younger sister was indeed one of his greatest concerns.

Yang Shanshan raised her head, her face flushed with excitement, like she had applied rouge.

She chattered on and on, her words coming out at a rapid pace like a machine gun, bombarding us with questions one after another:
"Brother, how are you doing in the capital? What kind of clothes do people wear there? Is there good food? Is it better than the cornbread from home?"

Her big eyes were filled with curiosity and longing for that mysterious metropolis, as well as the most instinctive anticipation of "delicious food".

Seeing his younger sister's energetic appearance, Yang Guangming felt both gratified and bittersweet.

He smiled and, instead of answering her question immediately, magically pulled a large package wrapped in thick oil paper from his satchel.

He opened the oil paper, and inside was a large bag of White Rabbit milk candy.

Without hesitation, he grabbed a handful of milk candies and stuffed them into his sister's slightly open hands, which were agape in surprise: "Here, these milk candies I brought for you. They're from the capital. Try them and see if they're sweet."

Then he turned around and put two milk candies in his mother's and grandmother's hands: "Mom, Grandma, you should try some too. These milk candies have a mellow taste and won't hurt your throat."

He solemnly handed the remaining candy, along with the large oil paper package, to his grandmother: "Grandma, please keep these. Give them to Shanshan to sweeten her mouth from time to time, and you and Mom can also have a few from time to time to replenish your strength. Don't save them all."

Yang Shanshan stared wide-eyed at the large handful of white candies in her hand, which smelled so temptingly of milk. Her mouth formed a round "O" as she looked at them. She was so happy that she almost fainted.

She carefully picked up a milk candy wrapped tightly in transparent cellophane with her fingertips, clumsily and eagerly peeling off the "outer layer".

When the snow-white candy was fully exposed, she almost couldn't wait and stuffed it into her mouth.

Instantly, a rich, sweet, and mellow milky flavor exploded in her small mouth like a bomb, sweeping over every taste bud.

It was an extreme sweetness and richness she had never experienced before, unlike the sweet potato chips with a slightly impure sweetness that she could occasionally eat, and unlike the fruit hard candies that could only be obtained during the Chinese New Year.

It's a lingering flavor, full of happiness.

The little girl squinted her eyes, overwhelmed by the incredible taste sensation. Her long eyelashes fluttered like little fans, and a bright, satisfied smile spread across her face.

It was a pure, unadulterated joy belonging to children.

"So sweet! So fragrant! Brother, this candy is so delicious! It's the best thing I've ever eaten!" she mumbled, her cheeks puffed out because of the candy in her mouth, her voice sweet and soft.

She clutched the remaining candies tightly in her hand, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world.

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying looked at the two milk candies in their hands, and then at Shanshan's blissful expression. They exchanged a glance and both smiled with satisfaction.

Tian Yufen hesitated for a moment, reluctant to eat such good milk candy.

But under her son's watchful eye, she carefully unwrapped the candy and put the sweet-smelling candy into her mouth.

The delicate sweetness and milky aroma immediately melted on the tip of the tongue. The wonderful taste was indeed different from any candy I had ever eaten before. It seemed to have some kind of magic that could dispel the bitterness of life and bring a brief sense of peace and happiness.

Looking at her tall and sensible son, her eyes welled up with tears again, but this time, they were tears of joy and pride.

Grandma Qin Lanying held the two milk candies, looking at them over and over again.

Finally, she carefully wrapped one of the beads in her handkerchief, put it in her inner pocket, pressed it down with her hand, and muttered:

"I'm getting old, my teeth aren't good, and I can't eat things that are too sweet. I'll save this one... to eat slowly, slowly... I'll give this one to Shanshan later."

She knew her grandson's filial piety; leaving one was already enough, and the other, naturally, would be reserved for that greedy little girl.

As Yang Guangming watched his family express such immense and genuine satisfaction and joy over a few candies, which were still relatively rare in this era, he was filled with mixed emotions, as if a bottle of bittersweet feelings had been spilled.

In an era of extreme material scarcity, a little bit of sweetness, which seems insignificant to later generations, and a little bit of oiliness, could bring such a strong and pure sense of happiness.

Now that he has the power to make a difference, he is determined to give his family more of these moments and a better life.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, spilling into this simple yet warm and hopeful main room.

In the yard, the lush green vegetables swayed gently in the evening breeze, as if they too were rejoicing in the new life of this home. (End of Chapter)