"I’ve noticed that the fourth and fifth kids have gotten so skinny that they’re just skin and bones, so I took them out and traded them for so at and rice."
Liu Cuilan clearly didn’t believe it. Kerosene lamps weren’t anything rare, and the supply and marketing cooperative sold them without needing a coupon. Who would be foolish enough to trade precious pork and rice for one?
She crossed her arms, clutching the feather duster, and watched her perform. "Where’s the at and rice?"
"Outside. I was afraid of getting scolded, so I didn’t bring them in."
"Fine, if you can bring those things here, I promise not to scold you."
Su Xiaoxiao wiped so sweat away. "I’ll go get them right now."
With that, she dashed out the door.
Once she was out the courtyard gate, she went straight around to the western wall, looking left and right to make sure no one was around, then confidently opened the ga interface and quickly browsed through the mall.
She quickly found the rice and fresh pork.
She currently had 51.3 gold coins; fresh pork cost 14 coins per pound, and a bag of rice was 10 coins, weighing five pounds each.
After a quick calculation, she hurriedly placed an order for two pounds of pork and a bag of rice.
Thinking there was nothing to light the night, she also bought two candles.
With a ding, the purchase was successful, and the icons of the items she just bought appeared imdiately in her backpack list.
She reached out to click ’use’, and in the blink of an eye, everything she just bought appeared before her eyes.
The rice was the bagged type you find in supermarkets nowadays; afraid of being suspected, she had specifically brought a cloth bag when she left.
She tore open the rice packaging and deftly poured it into the cloth bag, slung it over her shoulder, and walked back in with the candles and pork in her left hand.
Liu Cuilan was sitting in the main room, occasionally tapping her palm with the feather duster, making Su Xiaoxiao feel on edge.
"Mom, I’ve brought the stuff."
Upon hearing this, Liu Cuilan, seeing all the things Su Xiaoxiao was holding, was completely stunned.
No way, who was the big fool, err... rich bumpkin, who would trade so much for a one-dollar kerosene lamp?
When Su Xiaoxiao put down the bag of rice, Liu Cuilan’s eyes went even wider.
Just now, she was shocked enough thinking her daughter had traded a kerosene lamp for two pounds of pork, let alone with so much rice to boot.
Su Xiaoxiao stuffed the candles into Liu Cuilan’s hands. "Mom, that person also gave two candles."
These days, candles were rare; expensive and not easy to buy, even if you had the money.
What kind of fool was so generous?
Liu Cuilan’s face turned pale, and she grabbed Su Xiaoxiao’s hand. "Girl, be honest with , did you rob soone? Who in their right mind would trade you so much for a broken kerosene lamp?"
Just as she finished speaking, Su Xiaoxiao heard an account notification in her mind.
Must be the leftover paynt for the kerosene lamp from the big fool, err... acquisition king.
"Mom, rest assured, it really was a trade. He was carrying a bunch of stuff, couldn’t see well at night, and was in a hurry, so he traded with ."
At that mont, her two younger brothers ca out of the room and, seeing so much stuff on the table, were wide-eyed, "Mom, have you struck it rich? Bought so much at?"
Typically, the commune only slaughtered pigs during major holidays, giving each family a pound or two of at.
Usually, if you wanted to eat at, you either raised and slaughtered so yourself or went to the black market to trade so at coupons and buy from the supply and marketing cooperative.
But ever since Father Su died, they were lucky enough to have food; no spare money to buy at.
"Mom, mom, I want braised pork."
The two younger brothers tugged at Liu Cuilan’s arm, shaking it.
"You two look like you’re braised pork yourselves."
Liu Cuilan lifted them aside one with each hand. "Nobody touches this at and rice; we’ll wait until tomorrow when your big brothers co ho to eat."
The two younger brothers imdiately drooped in disappointnt.
For dinner, Liu Cuilan, in a rare show of generosity, took out a little rice to make so porridge.
The only dish was pickled radish.
Su Xiaoxiao had been a food blogger in modern tis, gaining over a million followers online by sharing gourt food.
She’d eaten all kinds of delicacies, but today, she’d fallen so far that she thought the rice porridge with radish tasted exquisite.
The two younger brothers’ eyes lit up as they buried their heads in the porridge, slurping away, unable to stop.
It was as if the whole family was eating exotic delicacies.
Su Xiaoxiao sighed, seeing how unworldly they all looked.
Thinking that, she used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth and pushed the last grain of rice from her bowl into her mouth.
The porridge cooked on the earth stove was simply delicious.
Early the next morning, Liu Cuilan went off to work, and Su Xiaoxiao was once again responsible for sending her two younger brothers to school.
Each of the three had a millet bun, gnawing on it dryly. When they arrived at the school gate, they happened to et the chubby Li Jianguo from before.
Li Jianguo was devouring a at bun in each hand, with juices dribbling down his chin.
The siblings looked at him longingly, and Su Jianwu said, "Sister, I want to eat at buns."
Su Jianwen added, "Sister, too."
Su Xiaoxiao shoved the buns into their mouths. "Hurry up and go to school. Tonight, when our brothers get back, we’ll make at for you to eat."
The two younger brothers’ eyes imdiately lit up. "Sister, you better not be lying to us."
"Don’t worry, I assure you, you’ll have at tonight."
Su Xiaoxiao patted their shoulders. Just as she was about to leave, Su Jianwen suddenly called out to her, "Sister, I forgot to ntion, our class teacher said yesterday that he wants to et our parents."
"Why?"
The two shook their heads in unison.
Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to follow them to the teacher’s office.
The teacher’s surna was Liu. He appeared to be in his early forties, wearing a sowhat yellowed white shirt and army green pants with several patches on the knees, looking very frugal.
Upon seeing them, he adjusted his glasses, which were missing one leg, and looked at Su Xiaoxiao. "Are you Jianwen and Jianwu’s guardian?"
Seeing a young, pretty girl, Mr. Liu slightly furrowed his brows.
"Hello, Mr. Liu, I’m Jianwen and Jianwu’s sister. May I ask why you wanted to see ?"
Mr. Liu glanced helplessly at the two troublemakers, having asked them to bring a responsible guardian, yet their sister didn’t seem much older than them.
Oh well, since they’re here, it’ll have to do.
"Jianwen and Jianwu’s tuition has been overdue for a month. I wanted to ask when you plan to pay it."
Su Xiaoxiao was taken aback upon hearing this. Although the family was poor, Liu Cuilan was very concerned about her children’s education.
She would even pawn things off if it ant getting the tuition paid; how could it be overdue for so long?
She imdiately looked at the two younger brothers, who turned their heads sharply to the side, looking guilty.
Su Xiaoxiao was fuming inside. These two rascals really needed a good lesson.
"Don’t worry, Mr. Liu, we’ll pay the tuition as soon as possible."
She smiled while repeatedly assuring Mr. Liu before taking the two younger brothers out of the office.
As soon as they were outside, the two younger brothers bolted.
But before they could get far, Su Xiaoxiao grabbed them by the collars with both hands.
"Where do you think you’re going?"
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