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

The bright moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, bathed the east courtyard of the new home.

The summer night breeze carried a slight chill, gently brushing against the leaves of the old pomegranate tree in the yard, making a soft rustling sound.

After a hearty dinner, the family contentedly moved small stools and benches to sit on the blue brick ground in the center of the courtyard to enjoy the cool air.

Although it was already night, the summer heat in Kyoto in July had not completely dissipated. The air was still filled with the residual warmth left by the scorching sun during the day, and one felt sticky all over.

Everyone held a palm-leaf fan in their hand, waving it occasionally to drive away the occasional annoying mosquitoes and to create a slight breeze.

On the first day of moving into their new home, despite being busy and tired, the whole family had an irrepressible sense of excitement and relaxed smiles on their faces.

A sense of grounded security has finally replaced the long-standing feeling of wandering and uncertainty.

The old lady, Qin Lanying, fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, her gaze slowly sweeping over the four main rooms with their clear outlines under the moonlight, then looking at the small side rooms and the tidy courtyard. A look of immense satisfaction spread across her wrinkled face.

She sighed softly, her voice carrying a calm and感慨 that came with the experience of life's vicissitudes:
"Sigh, I really never expected that someone who's half-buried in the ground and seems to have little hope of survival could still enjoy such blessings with my grandson."

She paused, as if processing this unreal feeling of happiness, "Look at this house, how bright and sturdy it is. And it's in Kyoto, right under the emperor's nose. In the past, that would have been a place we wouldn't have dared to even dream of."

Now that we've registered our household and become proper residents of Kyoto, we receive a fixed monthly food ration, although…

She lowered her voice, as if sharing an open secret, "The neighbors in the courtyard are saying that the supply has been decreasing again and again, and they're struggling to make ends meet."

Even though life is tough, compared to when we were in the countryside, digging for wild vegetables everywhere, sometimes starving and sometimes worrying about where our next meal would come from, we're already living in a paradise. We should be content, truly content.

These words were spoken to his family, and also seemed to be a reminder to himself.

Her cloudy yet still clear gaze fell upon a small patch of empty land at the foot of the south wall of the courtyard, where the moonlight was not very bright and it appeared somewhat dark.

The old lady pointed there with anticipation: "In a couple of days, once the family is completely settled and we can catch our breath, we'll start two vegetable plots over there. They don't need to be big. We'll plant scallions, green beans, loofah, chives, and spinach—all easy to grow and we can pick them to eat all the time."

Next to it, build a small chicken coop; you don't need many, just enough to keep two laying hens, and make sure they're in good spirits.

As the old lady spoke, a radiant glow of meticulous planning for the future appeared on her face:
"From now on, if our Shanshan wants to eat an egg, she won't have to stare longingly at the long line at the grocery store and worry about how little grocery money she has left."

Steamed eggs, scrambled eggs—try different variations.

Just thinking about this kind of life makes me feel wonderful and at peace!

Tian Yufen sat on a small stool next to the old lady, listening attentively to every word her mother-in-law said.

She was still wearing that old, faded jacket, with even the collar worn and frayed, but her overall demeanor was completely different from when she was in the countryside.

Although her face bore the weariness of moving over the past few days, her eyes shone with a hopeful light ignited by a new life.

The light was enough to illuminate her slightly haggard face.

"Mother is right. This kind of life is something I never dared to dream of before. I've never had such a wonderful life in my dreams."

Her tone carried a hint of dreamlike disbelief and a touch of incredulous joy. "I'm just a rural woman with little education. For the first half of my life, all I knew was to toil in the fields, sweating buckets, but even that didn't guarantee my family's basic needs."

He's forty years old, almost half his life has passed, who would have thought he'd be where he is today?

"And he could even go to Kyoto and become... become a government official."

When she uttered the words "state cadre," her voice trembled slightly, carrying an indescribable solemnity and pride.

"Every day in the office, I'm sheltered from the wind, rain, and sun. I just look at documents and chat softly with my colleagues. The work is easy, and I feel relaxed."

Every month, on the appointed day, I could reliably collect my forty-three yuan salary from the accountant.

She paused, seemingly savoring the feeling of being respected. "When my neighbors met me, the envy and respect in their eyes were something I had never experienced in the first half of my life."

In the past, when I occasionally went to the county town, who would respect someone like me from the countryside…

As she spoke, her voice choked slightly, but she tried her best to maintain a proud and happy smile, with a hint of embarrassment, and quickly dabbed at the corner of her eye with her sleeve.

This is not just an improvement in her life, but also a transformation of identity and recognition of her personal value; for her, it is nothing short of a rebirth.

Yang Shanshan is still young, and she cannot fully understand the heavy sentiments expressed by her grandmother and mother.

In her simple world, the standard for measuring happiness is simple and direct.

She felt that ever since her brother came home for summer vacation, life at home had suddenly become much better.

There were always glistening meat dishes on the table, so fragrant they made your mouth water; white steamed buns were no longer a rarity, and you could eat as much as you wanted until your little belly was round; and from time to time, her brother would magically slip her White Rabbit milk candies in her little pocket, their sweet taste warming her heart.

In the little girl's eyes, there was nothing happier than being able to eat her fill, wear warm clothes, and receive her brother's meticulous love.

She sat on a low stool, swaying slightly with excitement, holding a palm-leaf fan in her hand and fanning herself like an adult. Although there was hardly any wind, she was quite the pose.

She chattered excitedly, her voice as clear and crisp as a bird's chirp at dawn: "Grandma, Mom, I love our new home!"

Although the yard is smaller than the one in my hometown, it is clean and tidy, without so much mud and weeds, and it even has running water!
As soon as she unscrewed that metal lump, the water gushed out on its own. Mother no longer had to go to the deep well at the village entrance and laboriously draw water up with the rope!

As she spoke, her eyes sparkled, and she thought of the delicious candies and meats again: "The candies my brother brought back were so delicious! They were so fragrant and sweet! And the braised beef today was so good! If Grandma hadn't stopped me, I could have eaten several more pieces!"

Overcome with excitement, she unconsciously swung her small palm-leaf fan too much, and with a sudden lift of her arm, a soft "rip" was heard, and the fabric of her clothes under her armpit tore open with a tear about an inch long.

Yang Shanshan cried out "Ouch!" as if she had been burned. She immediately stopped fanning herself in annoyance, and the bright smile on her face instantly vanished, replaced by an expression that looked like she was about to cry.

She touched the fresh crack with her finger with heartache, as if that would make it heal, her little mouth pouting in grievance.

"What's wrong? You're always making a fuss, never one of you can stay still!"

Upon hearing the sound, Tian Yufen immediately looked over, and by the bright moonlight, she also saw the conspicuous tear under her daughter's armpit.

She frowned subconsciously, an instinct ingrained from a long period of poverty, a deep-seated, even anxious, attachment to material possessions. Her tone involuntarily carried a habitual reprimand.

"You silly girl, how old are you? Still so clumsy! This is a new dress I finally managed to make for you last spring, after saving up some cloth coupons. This is the only decent one I have this summer, without any patches. I always tell you to wear it carefully, to wear it carefully, and look at you! It's only been a short time!"

Yang Shanshan felt even more aggrieved after her mother's words. Her eyes reddened slightly, and she pouted, trying hard not to let her tears fall. She just lowered her head and stared at the crack with even more focus and sadness. Her small shoulders slumped, as if she had suffered a great setback.

Yang Guangming sat quietly to the side, listening to his family's conversation and savoring this hard-won peace.

Seeing my younger sister's initial excitement turn into frustration and distress over a torn piece of clothing, my heart softened instantly, and a strong feeling of tenderness welled up within me.

At the same time, he was also clearly aware of a problem, a problem that was prevalent in this era, but one that he had the ability to improve.

In those days, resources were extremely scarce, and the supply of cloth ration coupons was extremely tight, truly embodying the idea of ​​"three years of new clothes, three years of old clothes, and three more years of patching and mending."

Although the family had a father, Yang Jianxiong, who was in the army and occasionally sent back some military cloth ration coupons, they were relatively well-off in terms of cloth compared to ordinary rural families.

Besides being a college student, his family considered him a role model and specially used their fabric ration coupons to make him two decent outfits that he could wear in public.

My mother, grandmother, and sister each only had one or two pieces of clothing that were unpatched and could be considered "decent," which they used specifically to maintain appearances, visit relatives, or for important occasions.

The floral print shirt my sister is wearing must be her most treasured "good clothes".

For a while, he was busy with the most important matters concerning the foundation of his family, such as settling down, buying a house, and making arrangements. He was working non-stop like a wound-up toy and hadn't had time to find a suitable and unsuspecting reason to take out the fabrics that had been stored in the refrigerator.

Right now, my sister's clothes have accidentally torn, which is a perfect opportunity to solve the family's clothing problem.

He put down the palm-leaf fan in his hand and spoke in a calm tone, interrupting his mother's tender complaint to his younger sister:
"Mom, please don't blame Shanshan. Children are naturally active, and their clothes are bound to get scratched or torn. It wasn't intentional."

He first made an excuse for his sister, and then smoothly introduced the topic, "Perfect timing, I have something I want to talk to you and Grandma about in this matter."

Tian Yufen and Qin Lanying's attention was drawn to him, and they turned their gazes to him.

Yang Guangming continued his story, his tone natural, as if he were talking about something very ordinary:
“I had a classmate at school with whom I got along quite well. His parents were leaders in a cotton mill and had some power.”

During a casual chat during breaks, he mentioned that cotton mills often had scraps of fabric that didn't require ration coupons. These were small scraps left over from cutting large rolls of fabric.

But the quality is fine, it doesn't affect the cutting and wearing at all, and the price is much cheaper than the fabric from the supply and marketing cooperative.

The key is to avoid using cloth ration coupons!

He paused, observed his grandmother and mother's reactions, and seeing that they were listening attentively with interest in their eyes, he continued:
"He told me at the time that if my family needed anything, I should just come to him. I've been so busy before that I haven't had a chance to ask."

I think our family really needs to buy some summer clothes, especially Shanshan, who is growing taller and her clothes from last year are starting to feel too small for her.

I plan to go to his place tomorrow morning and, if I'm lucky, buy some suitable scraps of fabric.

Upon hearing this, the old ladies Qin Lanying and Tian Yufen's eyes lit up immediately, and a look of surprise appeared on their faces.

Cloth scraps without ration coupons? In those days when ration coupons were more valuable than money, it was like a windfall!

In this day and age, money is hard to earn, but at least we can still find ways to make it. However, cloth ration coupons are issued by the state in fixed quantities per person, and there is not an inch more than that. Those are the truly scarce resources.

Having the opportunity to buy fabric without ration coupons, even if it's just a so-called "fabric scrap," is something to be eagerly awaited and something that would make your neighbors envious!
They had no doubt about Yang Guangming's words.

In their simple yet firm belief, Yang Guangming was a college student at the Capital University, a figure akin to a god descended from heaven. The classmates he knew must all be capable, well-connected, and from wealthy families. It seemed reasonable, even natural, that he could obtain these scarce resources through inside connections.

"Really? Oh my! That's wonderful! That's wonderful!"

A relieved smile instantly appeared on Tian Yufen's face. The unhappiness and heartache she had felt earlier because her daughter had accidentally torn her clothes were immediately dispelled by this good news.

He instructed, "Then go tomorrow morning, go early. When you see their classmate, be sweet-talking and thank them properly. Don't go empty-handed, bring some decent gifts, like sausages or braised beef. We can't take advantage of them for nothing; we have to remember this favor."

The old lady nodded repeatedly with excitement, forgetting to fan herself with her palm-leaf fan, and kept giving instructions:
"Yes, yes, yes! Your mother is right! Take our sausages, pick the ones with a good balance of fat and lean, and pack a pound... no, a pound and a half! Also, cut a big piece of braised beef, wrap it in oil paper, and let the kids have a taste."

When asking someone for a favor, it's essential to be courteous. We can't be impolite and give the impression that we lack manners.

The old lady knew the importance of social interactions.

"Grandma, Mom, don't worry, I know what to do. I'll make sure to do everything properly." Yang Guangming calmly agreed, putting his elders at ease.

He secretly calculated that he only stored one type of cotton fabric suitable for making summer clothes in the refrigerator, and it was all stored after being extremely compressed, so it took up very little space.

The fabric is a narrow strip of cloth, about 2.3 feet wide, made of the most common and practical pure cotton available nowadays, in three basic colors: white, green, and blue.

Each color was stored in four feet.

He knew that this narrow-width fabric would only require a maximum of sixteen feet to make a set of clothes for an adult man.

His online space is updated daily. He's been busy settling in these days, and although he hasn't paid special attention to it, the amount of fabric he's accumulated in the three colors is quite considerable. Roughly calculated, it's enough to make two or three new summer outfits for each member of the family.

Since we're short of fabric at home, we might as well find an excuse to use it.

The next morning, after Yang Guangming and his mother Tian Yufen went to work at the district women's federation, he told his grandmother and made an excuse to go out to see his classmates.

He didn't go far, but just wandered around the neighborhood, familiarized himself with the surroundings, and finally found a quiet, deserted corner where his consciousness sank into the magical space in his mind.

He went straight to the compartment where summer fabrics were stored and took eight pieces of each color.

Then, he carefully stuffed the pieces of fabric one by one into his satchel until it was completely full, before zipping it up and turning to go home.

When I got home, the old lady was sitting in the best-lit spot by the door of the main room, mending an old sock with a particularly worn heel, in the bright daylight.

Hearing her brother's footsteps as he returned, Yang Shanshan quickly ran out of the inner room, her big, dark eyes filled with undisguised anticipation as she stared intently at her brother's bulging satchel.

The old lady put down her needlework, stood up while holding onto the door frame, and looked over with concern.

"Grandma, I'm back." Yang Guangming said, taking the heavy shoulder bag off his shoulder and carefully placing it in an empty corner of the octagonal table.

"How did it go? Did you see your classmate? Did you... buy the things?" the old lady asked impatiently, her gaze shifting back and forth between the handbag and her grandson's face.

"I met him, and it went very smoothly. His mother happened to be at the factory. When she heard that our family had just settled down and needed fabric, she was very welcoming and took me directly to the warehouse to pick it out."

As Yang Guangming spoke, he unfastened the clasp of his handbag and began taking out fabric from the inside.

He first took out white and blue pieces of cloth, each made of the most popular and durable pure cotton material at the time. Moreover, they looked much more solid and durable than the thin, almost translucent fabrics sold in the supply and marketing cooperatives.

The old lady, Qin Lanying, eagerly took the piece of white cloth. She felt it was heavy and thick, and was immediately delighted.

She unfolded it, roughly measured its length with her arm, and her face immediately showed surprise and disbelief.

"Oh my! This...this piece of cloth is quite large! This is not just a piece of cloth, it looks like it's at least four feet long!"
She gestured with her hands, then picked up another piece of blue cloth and unfolded it to examine it. The length was almost the same. "Guangming, this... this is really a scrap of cloth? Such a big piece, can it even be considered a scrap of cloth in the factory? Don't make things difficult for them!"

The old lady was a little worried, fearing that her grandson had incurred too many favors for the sake of the family.

Yang Guangming had prepared his explanation early in the morning, a relaxed smile on his face, and explained:
“Grandma, you don’t understand. The rules in the cotton mill are different from those outside. As long as it’s a piece of cloth, no matter how long or short, it’s all considered a scrap and processed internally, without going through the supply and marketing cooperative.”

He picked up a piece of green cotton cloth and explained, “My classmate’s mother is a leader in the factory and has some power. She took special care of me and took me to the warehouse to pick out large pieces of cloth.”

Although the size is a bit small, it doesn't affect making clothes at all. Even the factory employees buy their own clothes here, and we're lucky to have gotten this size; we're fortunate to have a classmate who helped us.”

To put his grandmother's mind at ease, he added, "The price is also cheap, calculated based on the internal clearance price of fabric scraps, which is almost a third cheaper than the supply and marketing cooperative. You can save a lot of money, so don't worry."

As he spoke, he took out all the green fabric as well. There were 24 pieces of fabric in three colors, each four feet long, for a total of 96 feet of fabric. They were piled up on the large octagonal table, like a small hill with distinct colors.

The old lady looked at the huge pile of brand-new fabric in front of her. It was as white as snow and as blue as the sky after the rain. Each piece was four feet long, long enough to make trousers. It far exceeded her initial expectations of the "fabric scraps".

She originally thought that she would be lucky to get some scraps of cloth, maybe a foot or two, but she never imagined it would be such a large piece.

She was so excited that her hands trembled slightly. She picked up one piece to touch it, feeling its thick texture, and then picked up another to examine its even weave. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out.

"Great, great! This fabric is really good. It's thick, dense, and feels nice to the touch. It's top-quality cotton! The quality is no worse than the fabric we used to buy from the supply and marketing cooperative!"

She murmured, as if to confirm that this was not a dream, "With so much fabric, let alone making two new outfits for Shanshan, it would be more than enough to make two new summer outfits for everyone in our family, from you to your mother to this old woman like me!"
There are still quite a few small pieces left over from cutting out the pieces. I can make two more vests for Shanshan and a few pairs of underwear for you. Wow, this really solves a big problem!

For the next few years, we won't have to worry too much about what to wear!

The old lady was already rapidly planning the uses of the fabrics in her mind, her face beaming with joy.

However, seeing so much fabric, a practical problem immediately surfaced in the old woman's mind. The joy on her face faded slightly, replaced by a worried expression. She gently patted the fabric on the table and said:
"We have the fabric, and it's such good material, but making clothes from it is a troublesome and time-consuming task."

Back in the village, we got along quite well, and I could occasionally borrow your third aunt's sewing machine to use. It was fast and the stitches were neat.

But once you get to the city, you're a stranger to everyone and everything. You've only just met your neighbors once, and you don't even know their names or what their families are like. You don't even know which neighbor has a sewing machine.
Even if they do have it, would they be willing to lend their precious possessions to someone as new as us? And would it be easy to ask them for it?
If we were to sew all these clothes by hand, how long would it take? Your mother has to go to work during the day..."

Tian Yufen knows how to use a sewing machine and is quite skillful. Back in the countryside, she made most of the clothes for her family in her spare time.

Without a sewing machine, relying solely on hand-sewing stitch by stitch, even if she and the old lady took turns working day and night, it would take an unknown amount of time to finish so many clothes. Moreover, hand-sewn stitches are not as even and strong as those from a machine.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guangming replied almost without hesitation:
"Grandma, it's always inconvenient to borrow from others. It's fine once or twice, but if it happens too often, even the best neighbors will have complaints. I think we should just buy a sewing machine ourselves."

He had considered this issue beforehand, and he spoke of it very naturally at this moment:
"To buy a new sewing machine, we need sewing tickets. We've just settled here, and we definitely won't be able to get these tickets anytime soon."

But you can go to a trust shop, oh, you know, a consignment shop nowadays, where they often have second-hand sewing machines that other people consign for sale.

Second-hand sewing machines don't require a receipt; as long as the machine itself works and has no problems, it's fine, and the price is much cheaper than a new one.

Our family isn't short of money now. If we buy it, it's our own stuff, convenient to use, and saves us from always having to ask others for help.

This thing is an essential large item for settling down in the city; it can last for many years.

When she heard that she wanted to buy a sewing machine, the old lady's eyes lit up at first. Sewing machines are very attractive to housewives, but she was soon pulled back by practical concerns, and a hesitant look appeared on her face.

"This... we just spent such a large sum of money to buy this house, and settling down requires money everywhere. Now we need to buy a sewing machine... isn't this too extravagant? Too conspicuous?"

She was used to a life of careful budgeting and living within her means. Although she knew that her grandson had a "huge sum" from selling medicinal herbs and would have a lot left over after buying a house, her old-fashioned instinct to be thrifty made her feel that she should save money wherever possible and that it was enough to have what she needed. She didn't want to pursue "big items" for fear of attracting gossip.

Yang Guangming understood his grandmother's concerns and patiently persuaded her, "Grandma, this is not a waste of money. We bought daily necessities."

From now on, every single item in our house, from clothes and bedding to sheets and curtains, will need this.

With a sewing machine, Mom doesn't have to stay up late and strain her eyes sewing every stitch after get off work. It also makes your daily sewing and mending much easier and less strenuous.

Money is earned to be spent, right? The key is to spend it wisely, to improve our lives and increase efficiency. This sewing machine is a perfect example of spending wisely.

"Let's just live our own lives behind closed doors, focusing on our own convenience. We don't need to care too much about what others think."

He paused, then added, "Besides, when Shanshan grows up and learns needlework, having a sewing machine will be convenient, won't it?"

As the old lady listened to her grandson's logical and clear words, and thought about how hard her daughter-in-law worked, and then looked at the huge pile of fabric on the table waiting to be turned into clothes, the scales in her heart gradually tipped.

She thought about it and realized that her grandson was right.

The family definitely needs one, and having a sewing machine will be a long-term benefit.

She finally nodded, though her face still showed some reluctance at the expense, her tone was firm:

"Okay then, I'll do as you say. You're a thoughtful child, you consider things carefully."

However, if you're going to buy one, buy something affordable, durable, and from a reputable brand. Don't focus on looks or fancy features; the most important thing is that the machine works well.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'll go to the consignment shop this afternoon and I'll definitely pick out a good one that's also affordable."

When Yang Guangming saw that his grandmother had agreed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Once Grandma is appeased, things will be much easier with Mom.

At noon, Tian Yufen returned from get off work at the district women's federation, carrying a canvas bag containing study materials issued by her workplace.

Upon entering the main room, she saw three large stacks of fabric piled up like a small mountain on the octagonal table. The fabrics were white, blue, and green, with distinct colors, and were brand new and thick. She was immediately surprised and her eyes widened.

Wow! So much fabric!

She walked quickly to the table, put down her bag, picked up a piece of white cloth and touched it carefully, then unfolded a piece of blue cloth and looked at the weave against the light, her face showing a mixture of surprise and delight.

"This fabric is really good! It's so thick and smooth to the touch, and it's genuine pure cotton. The best part is that it doesn't require fabric coupons!"

"Guangming, your classmate has really been a great help! We must thank him properly and remember this favor."

She stroked the fabric repeatedly, reluctant to let go, her eyes filled with joy.

When her son mentioned that he was going to the consignment shop to look at used sewing machines that afternoon, Tian Yufen's smile faltered. She turned around and looked at her son with some surprise: "Buy a sewing machine?"

She instinctively started calculating expenses, her brow furrowing slightly as she quickly reviewed the family's savings in her mind.

But seeing her son's calm and affirmative gaze, and thinking of the large pile of fabric on the table that urgently needed processing, as well as the unspoken but clearly approving look in her mother-in-law's eyes, she swallowed back the words of objection that were on the tip of her tongue.

She understood the convenience a sewing machine brought to the family, but she was simply used to being frugal.

"I'll buy it... I'll buy it then."

She hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, her tone relaxed after making up her mind, "The family really needs it. With so much fabric, I don't know how long it would take to sew it all by hand."

"You can choose whichever you like. Brand is secondary; the key is that the machine works well, has no hidden defects, and the price... has to be reasonable."

She finally added a reminder about the price, an instinct honed through years of careful budgeting.

She knew her son was reliable and prudent, and since he had brought it up, he must have thought it through carefully.

Moreover, she was well aware that her son had a "huge sum" from selling bezoars, which had not caused them to go hungry because of buying a house. On the contrary, it had given the family savings, and the expense of buying a second-hand sewing machine was still within their means.

Thinking about this, she felt much more at ease.

After lunch, Tian Yufen took a one-hour nap at home as usual to relieve the fatigue from the morning's work before heading to work with her bag.

After Yang Guangming waited for his mother to leave and for everyone in the family to be settled, he said goodbye to his grandmother and went out.

He first approached a kind-looking elderly man at the entrance of the alley and politely inquired about the addresses of the larger, reputable consignment shops in the vicinity. After receiving directions, he followed them to the shops.

He planned to get the sewing machine sorted out that afternoon. Besides, he had other plans in mind.

My mother is now a government official, working in a government agency. She needs to be punctual for work, meetings, and going to and from work. It would be inconvenient and undignified for her not to have a watch to tell the time.

Grandma is getting old and spends all day alone at home. Having a radio to listen to the news, opera, and weather forecast helps her relieve boredom, stay informed about the outside world, and avoid feeling too lonely.

We also need a grandfather clock to place in the main room so that the whole family can easily tell the time, especially since my younger sister will need to be on time when she starts school.

Buying new of these items requires certain coupons, and he had neither coupons for watches nor coupons for radios.

Therefore, consignment shops, which sell secondhand goods, become the best, and only, option.

He planned to go and take a look, and if there were any in good condition and at a reasonable price, he would buy them all to completely complete the basic furnishings for the house.

Following the address he had found out, he walked for about twenty minutes and arrived at a relatively bustling street, where he found a shop with a fairly large storefront and a sign that read "State-owned Trust Entrusted Store".

The shop looks quite old, with peeling paint on the wooden door and window frames.

Pushing open the somewhat heavy glass and wooden door, I went inside. The store was dimly lit.

Behind the tall glass counter, all sorts of secondhand items are stacked on top of each other, from clocks, radios, and cameras to porcelain, ornaments, old books, glasses, and hardware tools. The dazzling array of items makes it look like a small general store.

Against the wall, some old furniture was crammed together: tables, chairs, benches, wardrobes, cupboards, beds, and a few old sewing machines, standing there quietly, attracting attention.

An old craftsman in his fifties, with some gray hair, was sitting in an old rattan chair behind the counter, his head nodding off. A soft opera was playing on the radio next to him.

The sound of Yang Guangming's footsteps as he walked in startled him.

The old man raised his sleepy eyelids, looked at Yang Guangming, and saw that although he was young, he was dressed neatly and cleanly, with a calm demeanor and clear eyes, unlike those teenagers who wandered around aimlessly. So he lazily asked, "Comrade, what would you like to see?"

"Hello, sir. Excuse me. I'd like to take a look at the sewing machine first, and also at the watches, clocks, and radios," Yang Guangming said politely.

Seeing that he was quite arrogant and wanted to see valuable items, the old craftsman perked up a bit, stood up from the rattan chair, and slowly strolled out from behind the counter.

"There are three sewing machines over there against the wall. They're all consigned, and they're all different brands. Take a look at them first, and if you like one, I'll explain it to you in detail." The old man pointed to the sewing machines by the wall.

Yang Guangming thanked him, walked over, squatted down, and examined him carefully.

The three sewing machines were: the most famous "Butterfly" brand, the "Standard" brand produced in the north, and the "Flying Man" brand produced in Shanghai.

From the appearance, the paint has varying degrees of wear and minor scratches, and the smoothness of the tabletop also varies. However, even the one in the worst condition looks relatively intact overall, without any obvious bumps or missing corners.

"Master, could you please tell me if all these machines are working properly? Are there any hidden problems? For example, jumpers, wire jams, or unusual operating sounds?" Yang Guangming looked up and asked the old master standing beside him.

When buying secondhand items, the biggest fear is hidden defects.

"They all work. We have experienced craftsmen check and test them before we buy them. We won't accept anything that doesn't work or has major problems, or we'd ruin our reputation," the craftsman said confidently.

He took a few steps closer and pointed to the three machines one by one, introducing them: "This 'Butterfly' brand is the most expensive. It's 90% new and costs 120 yuan. The original owner was a teacher who cherished things and took good care of them. It's said that it wasn't used much, just for sewing and mending for children."

This 'Standard' brand 90-yuan machine is used a little more often, but it's a sturdy machine.

The cheapest one is the 'Flying Man' brand, 75 yuan. It looks a bit old with lots of scratches, but the nose is fine and it's powerful.

Yang Guangming compared them carefully.

The Butterfly brand model had a smooth tabletop with only a few very minor scratches, and the paint on the head was relatively well preserved, with the gold lettering still clearly visible.

He preferred to buy this one, even though it was a few dozen yuan more expensive, because it was almost brand new, less likely to break down, more durable, and a better deal in the long run. The key point is that he has plenty of money and definitely wants the best quality.

"Master, can I try out this 'Butterfly' model? I'd like to see how the wiring is." He asked, pointing to the model he liked.

"Okay, you wait here, I'll go get the bobbin, the bobbin case, and the thread, and find a scrap of cloth." Seeing that he really intended to buy, the old craftsman became more enthusiastic and turned to go behind the counter to find the items.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yang Guangming quickly walked to the glass counter and glanced at the watches and radios displayed inside.

He owns several watches, mainly domestic brands "Shanghai" and "BJ", and one or two imported watches that look old and have worn cases. One is an Enicar and the other is a Rolex. However, he doesn't plan to buy such conspicuous imported goods, as they are likely to cause trouble and the parts are hard to find.

He took a liking to the "Shanghai" brand all-steel watch, which was almost brand new, with a clean dial, no scratches, and clear hands. After all, it hadn't been in production for long, so although it was a second-hand watch, it wasn't much different from a brand new one.

The master watchmaker had just returned when Yang Guangming pointed at the watch and asked, "Master, could you tell me how much this 'Shanghai' watch costs?"

The experienced watchmaker glanced at it and said, "That one, model A-581, a new watch costs sixty yuan. It's all steel and shockproof, practically brand new. It keeps very accurate time. We've tested it, and the error is no more than ten seconds a day."

The original watch strap had a problem, so we replaced it with a regular synthetic leather strap. It'll cost you fifty-five yuan.

Yang Guangming nodded; the price was within his expectations. He then looked at the larger radios displayed on the back shelf of the counter.

There are three radios. One is a classic "Red Lantern" brand vacuum tube radio, which is quite large, has a wooden casing, looks very impressive, but consumes a lot of electricity.

The other two were smaller transistor radios, one a "Panda" brand and the other a "Spring Thunder" brand.

He felt that transistor radios were more energy-efficient, easier to operate, and lighter, making them more suitable for his grandmother to move and use.

"How much does that 'Panda' brand transistor radio cost?"

"This 'Panda' B-623 model is really good, quite new, hardly ever used. Good sound quality, and accurate station reception. It costs seventy yuan." The old technician listed it off as if it were his own treasure.

The prices weren't cheap, especially the radio, but they were all within Yang Guangming's budget.

He thought that since he was going to buy one, he should buy one that was in good condition and reliable, so as to avoid problems later.

The experienced sewing machine expertly threaded the "Butterfly" brand sewing machine, installed the bobbin, and stepped on the pedal a few times. The machine emitted a smooth and even "click-clack" sound, and the stitches fell on the old cloth, fine and neat.

Yang Guangming took a closer look, then personally turned the handwheel gently to feel the smoothness of the transmission mechanism, and nodded in satisfaction.

The machine is indeed in good condition.

"Master, I want this 'Butterfly' sewing machine."

"Also, I'll take this 'Shanghai' watch and that 'Panda' radio." Yang Guangming stood up straight and said crisply.

He looked around and then asked, "Do you have a grandfather clock here? I need the kind with a pendulum, a wind-up mechanism, and that keeps accurate time."

The experienced craftsman was surprised by the young man's decisiveness. He examined the items carefully but made his decisions without hesitation, ordering three large items in a row. His face immediately lit up with an even warmer smile, and his attitude became much more respectful.

This can be considered a big customer.

"Yes, there are clocks! They're standing in the corner over there. There's a 'Polaris' clock made in Shandong, it keeps accurate time and looks new; there's also an old-fashioned 'German' double-bell alarm clock, it's an old brand and of good quality, but it looks a bit old-fashioned. Which one do you want?" The old craftsman quickly led him to see them.

Yang Guangming went over to take a look.

The "Polaris" clock is relatively new, with a maroon wooden case, a white dial, Roman numerals, and a simple and elegant design.

The "German" clock has a dark brown wooden case and a brass pendulum, giving it a vintage feel, like something from the Republic of China era or even earlier. However, it is very well maintained, and the sound of the pendulum swinging is steady and powerful.

After thinking about it, he chose the "Polaris" clock, which looked more in line with current aesthetics and was also newer.

"I'll take this 'Polaris' one. How much?"

"This will cost thirty yuan," the experienced craftsman quoted the price.

The four items together cost 120 for the sewing machine, 55 for the watch, 70 for the radio, and 30 for the clock, totaling 275 yuan.

In an era when ordinary workers earned only thirty or forty yuan a month, and apprentices earned only ten or twenty yuan, this was undoubtedly an astonishing sum of money.

But Yang Guangming didn't even blink. He readily took out the money he had prepared from his bag, counted out 275 yuan, and handed it to the old man.

He understood the importance of these items in improving his family's quality of life, and that the money was well spent.

The experienced craftsman was overjoyed. He took the money, carefully checked it twice, and became even more attentive after confirming that everything was correct.

"Please wait a moment, comrade. I'll pack everything up for you, make sure it's securely wrapped." With that, he quickly and efficiently got to work. (End of Chapter)