Chapter 33: Sweet Dates
Qian Huifang held Su He’s hand and insisted she come over for dinner.
Su He couldn’t refuse and finally agreed.
To show her gratitude—and to encourage Su He to keep working hard—Qian Huifang bought two jin of pork belly on the way home. The moment they got back, she started chopping up filling for dumplings.
In times like these, making dumplings was the highest form of hospitality!
Next door, hearing Su He’s voice, Cao Hongmei said to Su Yongshi, “Qian Huifang’s invited Xiao He for dinner again. I hear her chopping up dumpling filling—it must be dumplings! You think maybe Xiao He helped her with something again?”
Su Yongshi’s eyes turned sly. “I’m working the night shift tonight, not home. When she comes back, try to find out what’s going on—maybe we can benefit from it somehow.”
Cao Hongmei nodded, puzzled. “Xiao He’s changed so much. She used to seem like a silly girl, now she’s so sharp.”
Su Yongshi said, “Maybe that river incident opened her eyes! After all, she grew up in the provincial capital. Of course she’s seen more than us. Still, let’s not follow her blindly. We’ll just watch and see.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
…
On the kang (heated bed), Su Jinbao had overheard everything. His cousin had said it herself—any time he tattled, he’d get chocolate!
Neither Su Yongshi nor Cao Hongmei would have imagined that their own son had become a tiny spy…
A little while later, Su He climbed back over the wall and returned home.
Cao Hongmei greeted her with a bright smile, “Xiao He, you’re back? Had dinner next door?”
Su He casually replied, “Second Aunt, I remember we have a lot of fabric scraps at home—can you bring them all out?”
Cao Hongmei felt a little uneasy. Was she going to use them as a gift or something?
After a bit of hesitation, she brought out the bundle of fabric scraps.
Since she was only a temp worker, the scraps she got were the lowest quality—small, mismatched pieces with clashing colors.
But Su He actually found them quite nice. She immediately started sketching a few patterns using Su Jinbao’s exercise book and pencil.
Cao Hongmei’s eyes lit up instantly.
“Xiao He, these patterns are so pretty! Are you planning to piece them together with the scraps?”
Su He nodded. “Second Aunt, if they were sewn by hand, how long do you think it’d take to finish one cushion?”
Cao Hongmei thought for a bit. “The simplest one could probably be done in just over an hour. The more complicated ones might take a day or two.”
“Second Aunt, why don’t you start with a simple one? I’d like to take a look.”
Cao Hongmei didn’t really want to do it, but didn’t dare say so. She picked up her needle and thread and began stitching according to Su He’s design.
Just over an hour later, the cushion was done.
“Second Aunt, you’re really skilled!”
Su He meant it—Cao Hongmei’s stitching was tight and neat, and the final result looked even better than the drawing.
Cao Hongmei was proud too. She tucked her hair behind her ear and said, “Not to brag, but I really am good at needlework. Otherwise, the textile factory wouldn’t have picked me as a temp.”
Su He praised her a few more times. Cao Hongmei, now a little giddy, said, “Well, I’m not doing anything else—might as well make another!”
As soon as she said it, she regretted it.
She wanted to slap herself.
“Second Aunt, staying up late is bad for your eyes. Don’t you have a midday shift tomorrow? Sew it in the morning.”
The city had electricity limits now—they used kerosene lamps at night, which were harsh on the eyes.
Su He then pulled out a 10-jin grain coupon. “Second Aunt, I don’t feel right just eating and drinking here for free. Take this grain coupon.”
Cao Hongmei almost thought she misheard. She didn’t believe it until she held the coupon in her hands.
Suddenly, she felt like Su He wasn’t so bad after all.
Yep—after a slap, a sweet date tastes even sweeter.
—
The next morning, Cao Hongmei sewed another cushion. It was more complex than the one from the day before and even more beautiful.
The more she looked at it, the more she liked it. She cautiously asked, “Xiao He, are these cushions for a gift?”
Su He smiled, “Can’t say for now—give me a few more days, I’ll explain it to you in detail.”
Though curiosity was eating away at her, Cao Hongmei didn’t dare push further.
After lunch, Su He left the courtyard and went to the textile factory.
Not long after she left, Gu Chiyan entered Old Man Ge’s yard.
He looked rushed. “Old Ge, what did you need? I’ve got a train to catch at 4pm today. I still have to—”
Old Ge cut him off with a glare. “If I called you, of course it’s important! Look at this!”
He handed Gu Chiyan a few sheets of paper—complete with drawings and text. It was the Heimlich maneuver.
Gu Chiyan didn’t know medicine, but even he could tell this technique was valuable.
Before he could ask questions, Old Ge said, “That girl next door gave it to me. Said it was invented by some foreign doctor, calls it the Heimlich maneuver.
You verify it. If it’s real, spread it exactly as it is.
If it’s not, come up with a safe cover story before you promote it.
Remember—don’t mention me or that girl. We don’t want trouble.”
Even in these closed times, some professions still had outside contact.
Gu Chiyan’s field was one of them.
He paused. “You mean that girl—Su He?”
Old Ge nodded, then explained the situation and added, “That girl’s great in every way—except she loves to boast!
She calls herself some kind of ‘commune liaison,’ saying she’s going to get the textile and machinery factories to build branch plants in Huaihua Commune. Can you believe that kind of nonsense? I scolded her, and she even made a bet with me…”
Gu Chiyan listened and slightly smiled.
He actually thought Su He might really pull it off.
From what happened with Zhao Bin, it was clear—she was clever and bold, not someone who talked big without backing it up.
But he didn’t say that aloud.
He knew Old Ge’s temperament—stubborn as a mule. Even if he said something, it would go in one ear and out the other.
Besides, somewhere deep down, he didn’t want to ruin things for Su He.
Old Ge grumbled a bit and then waved him off. “Alright, didn’t you say you had a train? Get going!”
Gu Chiyan hesitated, then slapped his forehead. “Old Ge, I just remembered—I still need to visit Professor Yuan. I won’t make it in time. I’ll go reschedule my ticket for tomorrow!
Oh, and I’ve been sleeping poorly lately. I’ll drop by tonight—maybe you can help me out?”
Without waiting for a reply, Gu Chiyan rushed off.
Old Ge muttered to himself, “This kid usually seems steady—what’s got him all flustered today?”
