Chapter 77: Making Money During the New Year

February arrived in the blink of an eye, and the Chinese New Year was just around the corner. Since Han Aiguo did not have holidays this year, and the two children were still too young to travel, Su Yue decided, after discussing with Old Lady Han, that they would not return to their hometown this year. Instead, they would spend the New Year in the army compound. She planned to write a letter asking the fourth brother to come over before the festival.

Su Yue immediately wrote to Han Aimin, sending the letter to his school and asking him to prepare to leave as soon as the holiday began.

Since the whole family was going to celebrate the New Year here, preparations had to be thorough. Su Yue took out all the ration tickets she had saved, went to the supply and marketing cooperative, and bought a large amount of meat, which she marinated to make bacon. In addition, she made a trip to Xiaowang Village and bought several chickens at a high price from the villagers. She kept one for stewing during the New Year and marinated the rest, ensuring there would be no shortage of meat dishes during the festival.

Besides that, Su Yue also prepared candies and melon seeds; essentials for the New Year. Not only were they expensive to buy at the cooperative, but they also tasted terrible and were sold in limited quantities. Each person could only purchase a small amount, and it was never enough to enjoy. Since that was the case, she decided she might as well make them herself.

She made three kinds of candies: one milk-flavored, similar to white rabbit toffee; one corn-flavored; and one marshmallow-like; soft and chewy on the outside, filled with syrup inside. The taste was sweet and novel, a little idea she had come up with this year.

After trying them, even Old Lady Han found them delicious. She remarked with surprise, “This tastes much better than the candy sold at the cooperative. If what you made could be sold there, it would definitely be a hit; everyone would buy it.”

Her words reminded Su Yue. Although the candy couldn’t be sold in the cooperative, she could sell it privately, just like she had done with cream cakes before. Perhaps she could make a fortune during the New Year.

For this, she needed Xu Can’s help. Xu Can knew many people, and most of them were well-off. As long as the candies and melon seeds tasted good, there would surely be buyers.

Thinking of this, Su Yue quickly put the unprocessed melon seeds into a pot, added seasonings, and roasted them into two flavors: creamy and spiced. They turned out tastier than the ones at the cooperative.

She also figured peanuts would sell well during the New Year. So she went back to Xiaowang Village, bought a large batch from the villagers, and fried them with seasonings at home, making fragrant spiced peanuts. They paired especially well with wine and drinking with relatives during the New Year while snacking on peanuts was undeniably enjoyable.

Once all the candies, melon seeds, and peanuts were ready, she packed some portions and went to Xu Can’s house that evening.

Xu Can looked at the pile in her hands and smiled, “Did you bring me something delicious again?”

Su Yue always gave her a share whenever she made something tasty. At first, Xu Can had felt embarrassed, but by now she was used to it. Nini, however, was even more delighted every time.

Sure enough, when the little girl saw Su Yue arrive, she abandoned her toys and rushed forward to hug her legs, happily shouting, “Aunt Yue, you’re here!”

Xu Can shook her head with a laugh. “Nini is happier to see you than to see me, her own mother. If others saw this, they’d think you were her real mother.”

Su Yue chuckled and raised the treats in her hand. “That’s because I bring delicious food. No child can resist my charm.”

Her words made Xu Can laugh so much that even Commander Yu, who rarely joked, showed a faint smile.

Su Yue handed the bag to Xu Can. “Since the New Year’s almost here, I made some candies, melon seeds, and peanuts. Share them with your family.”

“You made these yourself? Perfect! I was just about to go to the cooperative to buy some, but now you’ve saved me the trouble.”

Knowing Su Yue’s skills, Xu Can didn’t hesitate. She immediately opened the bag, picked out a piece of candy, and gave it to the eager Nini before tasting one herself. The moment she bit into it, her eyes widened. “What candy is this? I’ve never had anything like it, it’s so delicious!”

Beside her, Nini chimed in, “Mom, this candy is so good. Can I have another one?”

Xu Can gave her one more, saying, “That’s it for tonight. We’re going to bed soon. You can eat more tomorrow.”

Nini pouted in disappointment, though her eyes lingered on the candies. Xu Can ignored her daughter’s longing gaze and instead opened the bag of melon seeds and peanuts. After tasting them, she gave Su Yue a big thumbs-up, and then grabbed a handful to share with Commander Yu.

Commander Yu wasn’t fond of snacks, but he did like melon seeds and peanuts. He tasted them casually at first but quickly raised his eyebrows in surprise. The flavor was so good he couldn’t stop eating, finishing the seeds in his hand before moving on to the peanuts. The fragrance was rich, and he thought to himself that if paired with a drink, he’d definitely drink more than usual.

Seeing his reaction, Xu Can smiled proudly. “Well? Delicious, right?”

Commander Yu nodded. The melon seeds were seasoned perfectly, and the peanuts were even better.

Xu Can, delighted by her husband’s rare enthusiasm, turned to Su Yue and said, “These candies, melon seeds, and peanuts are amazing. I want to buy more; not just for my family, but also to bring to my parents, my in-laws, and my grandfather. Then they won’t need to go to the cooperative and settle for the tasteless ones there. Can you make a larger batch for me? I’ll provide food stamps and money.”

Su Yue smiled. She hadn’t even brought up the idea of selling yet, but Xu Can had offered first.

“I was planning to ask you, actually. I wanted to see if your relatives would be interested. If they are, I can make more.”

“No problem at all!” Xu Can assured her. “Your snacks taste so much better than what’s sold outside. If my relatives try them, they’ll definitely want to buy. Here’s what we’ll do; I’ll buy from you in bulk and leave it at my mother’s house. If any relatives want some, they can get it directly from her and pay her with money and food stamps. My mother’s retired anyway so she’s free all day.”

Su Yue readily agreed. “Alright. How much should I prepare?”

Xu Can quickly did some calculations. “For candies and melon seeds, a family will need at least two to three jins each for the New Year, for peanuts, about two jins per family. Counting my natal family’s relatives, let’s say… prepare thirty jins of candy, fifty jins of melon seeds, and thirty jins of peanuts.”

“So much?” Su Yue was startled. The quantity made her nervous. “What if you don’t manage to sell it all? I’d hate for your mother to be stuck with the excess. Let’s do it this way; I’ll make them, she can sell as much as she can, and whatever’s left you can give back to me along with the money and tickets.”

Xu Can waved dismissively. “No need to worry. I have many relatives, and honestly, I think this still might not be enough. Trust me, your snacks taste amazing. They’ll definitely sell. And even if by some chance they don’t, I’ll keep the rest for my own family. It’s no loss. Let’s settle it like this, you just calculate the cost.”

At this moment, Commander Yu, who had been flipping through a newspaper, suddenly spoke up: “Add more for my side of the family too.”

Su Yue looked at him in surprise. She hadn’t expected that he would interfere in such a trivial matter between women. After all, although this matter sounded like helping friends cook food, it was actually doing business and getting involved.

Not only Su Yue, but even Xu Can hadn’t expected that her husband would step in. She couldn’t help but look at him in surprise.

Commander Yu felt slightly uncomfortable under her gaze and explained, “Sugar and melon seeds are both good and delicious foods. Since my relatives are going to buy them during the New Year anyway, why not buy something better?”

That made sense. Since they had to buy them, it was better to get the tastier ones. Besides, the supply and marketing cooperatives had limited stock so each family could only purchase little. But through Su Yue, they could still get more.

Xu Can immediately said, “How about I give mother thirty jins of candy, thirty jins of peanuts, and fifty jins of melon seeds first?”

Commander Yu nodded.

Xu Can turned to Su Yue again. “Su Yue, we’ll need a total of sixty jins of candy, sixty jins of peanuts, and one hundred jins of melon seeds. Please calculate the cost for me now. I’ll give you the money.”

Su Yue felt that her business was going incredibly smoothly. The two of them really took care of her, especially Commander Yu. As an upright soldier, he not only didn’t reject her speculative trade but even supported her. She truly didn’t know how to thank him.

Based on the prices from the supply and marketing cooperative, Su Yue thought for a moment and said, “The prices are calculated by jin. Candy is four yuan per jin, while melon seeds and peanuts are two yuan per jin. No tickets are required. If you give tickets, then each item would be one yuan less per jin.”

(T/N: one jin ≈ 500g. Candy = 4 yuan/500g. Melon seeds & peanuts = 2 yuan/500g.)

The price was no higher than that of the supply and marketing cooperative. Xu Can felt it was too cheap, so she immediately calculated the total and handed the money to Su Yue without hesitation. “I’ll give you the money first. I don’t have enough tickets on hand, but I’ll go back tomorrow and ask my mother to collect some for you. I’ll bring them in two days.”

“No problem,” Su Yue replied as she accepted the money. The next day, she went to Xiaowang Village to continue buying melon seeds and peanuts. The village happened to grow sunflowers, so there were plenty of melon seeds available.

In addition, each household had shared peanuts during the autumn harvest. So, these two things could bring in considerable earnings. Since Su Yue offered a higher price, the villagers were willing to sell their stock to her. After all, even if their families couldn’t eat them after selling, at least they could afford a better New Year by buying more meat for the children to satisfy their cravings.

After securing the melon seeds and peanuts, Su Yue devoted herself to the intense production work. With the New Year only a few days away, time was tight.

Because they were busy making melon seeds, peanuts, and candies, the two children were left in Old Lady Han’s care. When they needed milk, Su Yue would feed them, then hand them back for coaxing.

Normally, the two little ones loved playing in Su Yue’s arms. Now, their mother suddenly didn’t spend time with them. When they opened their eyes, they couldn’t see her. After drinking milk, she no longer held them to play. Naturally, they felt aggrieved.

Xiaobao was the most troublesome. When hungry, he deliberately cried at the top of his lungs and refused to stop until Su Yue held him. Even after drinking milk, he refused to let Old Lady Han take him away. He would grab Su Yue’s clothes and burst into tears as soon as he was separated and only quieting down in his mother’s arms.

Su Yue was so angry she wanted to spank the little rascal, but when she saw his pitiful eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. In the end, she had no choice but to hold him until he fell asleep.

Dabao wasn’t as noisy as Xiaobao, but when feeding, he clutched his mother’s lapel tightly before drinking. Afterward, he would stare at her with his big black eyes. He looked so well-behaved that Su Yue couldn’t bear to ignore him. She would kiss him, hug him, and play with him for a while before handing him to Old Lady Han once he fell asleep.

Old Lady Han smiled and said, “Although Dabao doesn’t seem clingy since he rarely fusses, he’s actually very attached to you. Every time he wakes up, he opens his eyes wide and looks around without saying a word. He’s really looking for you. As soon as he sees you, he can’t stop staring; unlike Xiaobao, who looks everywhere.”

Su Yue smiled faintly. In truth, she knew Dabao was no less attached than Xiaobao. Though the little one didn’t cry or fuss, over time she had learned to read his happiness or displeasure from his expressions. For example, if she tried to hand him to Old Lady Han after feeding him, his little brows would furrow slightly in protest. But when she kissed and hugged him, the corners of his mouth would lift just a little.

To prevent both children from crying, Su Yue had to play with them while they were awake and only work after they fell asleep. Because of this, she worked late into the night every day before finally going to bed.

Fortunately, within two days, Han Aimin came from their hometown. He adored his two little nephews, Dabao and Xiaobao, and was very good at coaxing them. He could make Xiaobao laugh uncontrollably just by pulling funny faces, while Dabao, though less expressive, still stared at him intently with his dark eyes. Clearly, he too enjoyed his uncle’s silly antics.

With Han Aimin playing with the boys, Su Yue felt much more at ease. She managed to finish making all the candies, melon seeds, and peanuts and handed them over to Xu Can, who distributed them to her parents and relatives.

Within two days, Xu Can told her that everything had been snatched up by eager relatives. Some even wanted to buy more and asked if Su Yue still had stock.

Luckily, Su Yue had purchased extra peanuts and melon seeds from the villagers. Though she hadn’t planned to use them, they came in handy now. She roasted everything left and managed to finish the last batch before the New Year, delivering it all to Xu Can.

After working non-stop for half a month, the task was finally complete. Though she was exhausted, Su Yue felt deeply satisfied when she thought of the money she had earned.

That night, she sat cross-legged on the bed, stacked quilts and pillows at the head, and placed Dabao and Xiaobao on them. She secured them between her legs so the three of them sat together.

Su Yue poured all the money she had earned into a pile before them. As the two children stared wide-eyed in curiosity, she said, “Look, babies, this is what Mama earned. Let Mama count the money for you to play with.”

The boys’ eyes were glued to the pile. Xiaobao, being naughty, immediately reached out. But his small body lacked balance, and with just a wiggle he toppled off the quilt, squeaking and struggling like a fat little turtle unable to flip back.

After a long, futile effort, he grew too tired to move. He looked at Su Yue with big, watery eyes, as if to say: Mama, help me.

Su Yue was so amused by his silly expression that she admired it for a moment before finally picking him up, setting him back, and tapping his forehead. “Don’t move around again, or Mama won’t help you up. Be good like your brother, alright?”

Xiaobao pursed his lips and, this time, sat still. Both children now watched their mother count the money.

Su Yue sorted the coins; one-cent pieces together, two-cent pieces together, fifty-cent pieces together and tied them neatly with string. After calculating everything and subtracting the costs, she found that her total income over the past half month was two hundred and eighty yuan, plus seventy jin worth of ration tickets. That was equivalent to four months of Han Aiguo’s military allowance.

The joy of earning money was indescribable. She waved the money proudly before the children’s eyes, and they followed it eagerly with their gazes.

“Look, this is the money Mama earned. Isn’t Mama amazing?”

Dabao stared blankly, but Xiaobao squealed in delight and cautiously stretched out his chubby hand to grab a stack.

Su Yue laughed and teased, “Whoever calls Mama first will get a stack of money to play with. Who wants to try?”

Dabao looked back and forth between his mother and the money, but Xiaobao’s eyes were locked on the notes. He squealed, stretched out his little hands, and tried to snatch them in impatience.

“Haha…” A deep laugh suddenly sounded from behind.

Su Yue froze. In the next instant, she spun around sharply. When she saw who it was, she tossed the money aside and leapt into his arms. “Husband, you’re back! I thought you wouldn’t return this year.”

Han Aiguo caught her, held her up by the waist, and kissed her lips. “I’m back. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. Of course, I had to come home to celebrate with you.”

The two little ones had little memory and no impression of their father. They both stared curiously at the man holding their mother. Xiaobao even let out a loud squeal to catch his attention, as he always did when interested in someone.

Han Aiguo set Su Yue down and gazed at the two white, chubby children, his heart overflowing with tenderness. The longing he had suppressed for so long finally surged free. He stepped forward, scooped up both boys in his arms, and kissed them on the cheeks. “Dabao, Xiaobao, Daddy is back.”

Dabao studied him curiously, as if trying to figure out who this stranger was. Xiaobao, however, reached out to touch Han Aiguo’s face, poking at his mouth, then his nose, before breaking into a toothless grin as if he had made a funny discovery.

Perhaps it was the bond of blood, but even though they didn’t know him, they didn’t resist his embrace. Instead, they played with him happily. Before long, all three were laughing together. Xiaobao became so attached that he refused to leave his father’s arms, insisting on being carried.

In the end, Han Aiguo personally coaxed both boys to sleep before he could finally relax.

When the children were down, he finally had time for his wife. He pulled Su Yue into his arms, buried his face against her neck, and took a deep breath. “Yue’er, I missed you so much.”

Su Yue missed him just as deeply. Overwhelmed, she said nothing and simply kissed him first.

It was rare for his usually reserved wife to be so enthusiastic. Han Aiguo certainly wasn’t going to be polite. That night, the two of them finally understood what it meant to be reunited after a long separation.