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

Chapter 83, Section 82: Parting Gifts
He Caiyun had a forced smile on her face, her mouth stretched wide, but her eyes showed little joy.

She was wearing a slightly worn floral shirt, and her steps were a little hurried and unsteady, as if she wanted to finish the ceremony as soon as possible.

She held the plate directly under Chen Weihong's nose, her voice high-pitched and shrill, as if she were singing an opera, or as if she were announcing to the entire courtyard:

"Here you go, Wei Hong! I got up early this morning to make these scallion pancakes! Aren't they delicious? They'll be warm while you eat them on the way!"
In the countryside, you can't get this kind of good stuff!

Her gaze swept quickly across the faces of the neighbors like a searchlight, finally landing on Chen Weihong's pale face. Her smile contained a mixture of condescending pleasure, a hint of superior pity, and an indescribable awkwardness and guilt.

Zhao Tiemin followed two steps behind her, head down, hands deeply tucked into the pockets of his faded work pants, only managing a muffled "hmm" from his nose as a token gesture.

Caught off guard, Chen Weihong was so overwhelmed by the strong smell of cooking oil that she instinctively took a half-step back.

She looked at the two shiny, fragrant pancakes in front of her, and then at He Caiyun's face, which was plastered with an exaggerated smile.

In an instant, countless fragments of memories flooded my mind: the constant noise of smashing and hurling insults from the Zhao family's attic, day and night; He Caiyun's undisguised, sarcastic mockery of Yang Guangming from the rooftop; those gazes, intentional or unintentional, filled with a sense of superiority...

At this moment, this sudden and overly "generous" "kindness" was like a sharp thorn, pricking her heart with a numb pain, and even more so with a sense of bewilderment and absurdity.

She was silent for a few seconds, lowered her eyelashes, and reached out her slightly trembling hand to take the heavy plate, murmuring softly, "Thank you, Sister-in-law Caiyun."

He Caiyun seemed to have finally unloaded a heavy burden. Her shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, and the deliberate smile on her face quickly faded, returning to her usual shrewd and efficient demeanor.

She didn't even wait for Chen Weihong to fully grasp the plate before quickly pulling her hand back, as if the plate was too hot to handle.

She grabbed Zhao Tiemin's arm, who was still in a daze, and urged him, "Let's go, let's go," before quickly climbing the wooden stairs. The balcony door slammed shut behind her, cutting off all the gazes and emotions from downstairs, as if staying even a second longer would make her feel uneasy.

Just then, the door to the front building creaked open, and Yang Guangming walked out.

He was wearing faded work clothes, with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong wrists. In his hand, he held a small package carefully wrapped and tied in a square shape with old dark blue work cloth.

He walked steadily to Chen Weihong, blocking the slightly awkward atmosphere left by He Caiyun's departure.

"Wei Hong." His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear and steady. His gaze fell calmly and directly on her face, which was still wet with tears. "This is a small token of my appreciation, two pounds of walnut kernels. Take them with you on the way, or eat them slowly when you get there. They'll help nourish your brain and keep you full."

He offered no unnecessary pleasantries or deliberate words of comfort; he simply stated the facts.

He handed over the package. The cloth bag wasn't large, but it felt heavy in his hand, and through the rough fabric, he could clearly feel the plump, firm kernels of walnuts inside.

This gift seemed particularly substantial and meaningful among the gifts from the neighbors.

There's no fancy packaging, no deliberate ostentation, just a substantial weight and a simple purpose.

Chen Weihong raised her head to meet Yang Guangming's gaze. His eyes were deep and calm, like a deep pool of water, without ostentation or pity, only a heavy, unspoken understanding and support—a silent strength that only those in the same predicament could understand.

"Thank you, Brother Mingming." Her voice was still very soft, with a heavy nasal tone, but her gratitude conveyed a genuine and heartfelt warmth.

This bag of real walnuts, more so than those two glossy scallion pancakes, could penetrate the icy layer of her heart, bringing a pure and warm current.

Yang Guangming nodded slightly, acknowledging her gratitude.

Just as Chen Le'an turned around to bend down and lift the heavy net bag, and the neighbors fell back into quiet conversation after the Zhao family left, Yang Guangming took a step closer to Chen Weihong in a very natural and subtle way.

He leaned forward slightly, head lowered, and spoke in a breathy voice, barely audible to the two of them, at an extremely fast pace, yet with each word clearly enunciated:
"Listen carefully. On the patched side of the package, in the sewn-up compartment, there are five jin of national grain coupons. Hide them well, keep them close to your body. Don't tell anyone, not even your father."

Once we arrive in Yunnan and settle down, we can use this as a last resort when things get really tough and we can't even afford to eat.

Chen Weihong was jolted violently! It was as if she had been struck by a silent thunderbolt!

She suddenly raised her head, her pupils dilating in extreme shock as she stared incredulously at Yang Guangming's face, which was inches away from hers.

His face was expressionless, only serenely solemn.

Five jin of national grain coupons!

These words exploded in her mind!
In an era of extreme food scarcity and rationing, what did this mean? It wasn't just money! It was a hard currency that, in the most critical moments, on unfamiliar land, could be exchanged for life-saving food and more space to live! It was a lifeline more precious than gold!
This is more precious than those two pounds of walnuts, or even more precious than all the luggage her father was carrying on his shoulders!
Yang Guangming's eyes were unusually calm, carrying an unquestionable and irrefutable stern admonition.

He shook his head very slightly, almost imperceptibly, but the weight in his eyes was immense, far exceeding the value of the five jin of grain coupons themselves.

Chen Weihong felt a surge of scalding heat, mixed with immense shock, panic, and an uncontrollable pang of sorrow, rush from the soles of her feet to the top of her head and slam into her eye sockets.

My nose stung as if I'd been punched hard, and tears welled up instantly, almost spilling over.

She bit her lower lip hard, using all her strength to force back the scream that almost burst from her throat and the surging tears.

A sharp pain and a hint of blood filled her mouth, instantly bringing her to her senses.

She quickly lowered her head, and under the guise of tidying up her package, she subtly pressed her left hand against the hidden pocket through the thin fabric, her fingertips clearly feeling the outline of a small stack of stiff paper pieces inside.

That heavy, paper-like texture felt like a red-hot branding iron, instantly piercing her skin and searing deep into her heart!

(End of this chapter)