Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife

Wang Cuilan and Xibao exchanged a glance, the latter nodding and saying, "Exactly, just like how the grand-aunt and grandaunt bring us fish, they visited relatives and brought fish to their relatives' homes."

Lu Erxiong had a feeling that something was off, but unable to pinpoint it, he let it go and followed Zhou Zhou out, squatting by the river to watch her kill fish.

Listening to Lu Erxiong's mutterings, Zhou Zhou gave a slight smile without any intention of explaining.

Those people in Erxiong's words who go to visit relatives and deliver gifts do exist, but most of them head to the black market.

Some families with many mouths to feed can't afford to keep tens of pounds of fish just for themselves for the New Year. So after they receive the fish, they quietly slip into the black market and sell the fish at a high price to town residents. Fish selling for two or three mao per pound in their brigade would be snapped up for one yuan in the black market, and a few dozen pounds could be sold for several tens of yuan, more than enough for a year's living expenses.

It's not just fish, meat is the same; a pound of good meat could sell for two to three yuan, while the cooperative collects eggs at six fen each, and they could sell for ten fen in the black market. The extra four fen could buy two boxes of matches.

As long as they have the guts, there's nothing from grains to fruits and vegetables they wouldn't dare trade privately.

The Lu Family never thought of selling outside—they didn't even have enough for themselves!

Today, every household received fish, and apart from the few who are stingy with themselves and their families, most had cooked fish. The aroma of fish wafted over the whole Wanglou Brigade, and the children stayed home unwilling to venture out.

Fubao watched the fish swim as he painted, bringing them vividly to life.

Xibao came back after delivering two bowls of bacon stewed with cabbage to Wang Zhenguo's and Wang Fengqiao's homes. The bowls were not empty; they were filled with fried peanuts. As he passed by his sister, he saw the painting and immediately praised it, "You could show this to Grandpa Wen."

"Really?" Fubao's face bloomed with a sweet smile.

"Of course, our Fubao's painting is excellent." Though the technique seemed a bit raw, the artistic conception was great, infused with the child's innocent and carefree feelings, possessing a natural simplicity and rustic beauty.

Fubao happily put away the painting, "I'll show it to Grandpa Wen when he comes to dinner tonight."

Even though there were no elders, their family's dining table was still surrounded by eleven people. Only Lu Tianzhi had not returned from taking Xiaomiao home, and it had always been Zhou Zhou's practice to send a portion of the meal to her grandma.

Guan Yu poured wine for Cheng Baoguo and Lu's father, while Xibao moved a dish of fried peanuts to the two elders' side.

Xibao was quite adept at cooking, making sweet and sour carp that was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, with all the right color, aroma, and taste. He left a bit more sauce which he poured over the rice, making the children so immersed in eating that they wouldn't lift their heads.

Lu Tianzhi returned home at this time, catching the scent before entering, and called out, "Save some for me!"

Lu Erxiong quickly grabbed the last big piece of fish belly and placed it in his own bowl.

Lu Tianzhi washed his hands and came in, witnessing the scene.

"Well, Lu Erxiong, did you stuff your ears with donkey hair so you didn't hear me?" Lu Tianzhi angrily squeezed in to sit beside him on the bench, almost pushing Lu Erxiong off.

Lu Erxiong complained, "Cousin!"

The wooden bowl for the rice was next to Guan Yu, who conveniently served a bowl for his cousin, "Come on, Tianzhi, why argue with a kid? A five or six-pound fish still has more than half left, more than enough for you."

Lu Tianzhi shoveled a mouthful of rice into his mouth, picked a piece of meat from the sides of the fish's spine, and said to Lu Erxiong, "Lu Erxiong, you're impressive; now only the bony parts are left. I'll be making dumplings with minced meat this afternoon, but you won't get any."