Chapter 1: The New Year’s Eve Party

Chapter 1: The New Year’s Eve Party

December 31, 1975.

Song Xilan was bundled up in thick clothes, carrying a grocery basket. Early in the morning, she was jostled and pushed around at the entrance of the provisions store, her shoes stepped on several times. Fortunately, she had prepared in advance, wearing a pair of old, scuffed leather shoes.

"Lan Lan, over here, come quickly!" A middle-aged woman with short, permed hair waved at her from the front of the line.

As soon as she spoke, a stout woman nearby loudly protested, as if defending the sanctity of the queue.

Song Xilan quickly waved her hand: "Aunt Zhao, no need, I’ll just stay in line here."

Her voice was gentle and sweet, and the people around her looked at her more kindly.

The woman maintaining order also put on a smile: "That’s the way it should be. If everyone cuts in line, what would it look like? We might as well just grab things!"

The woman who had called out earlier felt awkward and muttered to herself, "Ungrateful."

Song Xilan smiled slightly. Some people’s favors were not worth accepting. If she dared to cut in line today, by tomorrow the whole compound would know that Zhao Guitian had saved her a spot.

By the day after, it would be rumored that she was dating Zhao Guitian’s son and was about to get married.

As the provisions store’s door panels were removed, the crowd rushed in, and Song Xilan was pushed around several more times.

Luckily, she wasn’t frail and managed to steady herself as she entered the store. Seeing the large chunks of beef hanging above the meat counter, she beamed.

Today was a lucky day—there was beef, and it was worth getting up early for.

She bought a pound of beef, two taels of pork, and some pork knuckles, liver, and intestines that didn’t require ration coupons. She also bought a fish. With her basket brimming, she squeezed her way out of the crowd.

She got on her bicycle and hurried home.

When she entered, her father, Song Baili, was holding an enamel cup with six steaming buns he had just brought back from the communal canteen. He had also just returned.

Her mother, Tan Aizhi, had already cooked the congee and was waiting for the pork tenderloin, liver, and intestines.

"I’m here, Mom. I bought beef. Let’s make pickled cabbage and beef dumplings tonight!" Song Xilan handed the basket to Tan Aizhi and hurried to change and comb her hair. She braided her shoulder-length hair into two pigtails, tied with thin red ribbons into bows.

She freshened up, scooped a fingerful of cold cream, and carefully applied it to her face.

Song Xilan had good skin, smooth and delicate like freshly made tofu, and very fair. With the cold cream on, it looked even more radiant.

Tan Aizhi worked quickly, cleaning the intestines in no time and cutting them into finger-sized pieces. She sliced the pork tenderloin and liver thinly, marinating them with ginger and seasonings.

The rice in the clay pot had already puffed up, rolling into chrysanthemum shapes under the flame.

"Come out quickly, it’s time for breakfast," Tan Aizhi called out as she poured the marinated ingredients into the pot, stirring them evenly with a spoon. As soon as it boiled, she turned off the heat and sprinkled a handful of scallions.

A sweet, savory aroma immediately filled the room, making everyone’s mouths water.

The Song family was particular about their meals.

While other families rushed in the morning and just grabbed something from the communal canteen, the Songs insisted on eating well and making sure every meal was satisfying.

The communal canteen’s breakfast chef was from the north, skilled in making wheat-based dishes, and his meat buns were especially fragrant. But the canteen’s congee was no good—watery and bland, with the rice and water separate.

Tan Aizhi had gotten up early just to cook this pot of sweet, soft, and glutinous pork liver and tenderloin congee.

The ingredients had to be fresh and bought on the spot, all for the sake of that one word: freshness and flavor.

It’s only because their family is well-off, with both parents earning high salaries and their daughter already employed, that they can afford to eat meat every single day. In any other household, who could keep up with such a lifestyle?

As Tan Aizhi likes to say, being able to eat is a blessing, and what you eat is what you truly own. In life, when you encounter something unpleasant, just have a good meal. If that doesn’t work, then have two.

People who love to eat and know how to eat well are unlikely to have a hard life.

The Song family indeed lives well, with everyone eating heartily and growing plump. If there’s any concern, it’s probably about Song Xilan’s future marriage.

A good daughter draws many suitors.

Song Xilan is naturally beautiful and well-cared-for, with a plump and radiant appearance, clearly indicating she’s never lacked for food or clothing.

She also has an excellent personality, always greeting people with a sweet, gentle smile. Older folks particularly like such girls, seeing them as easy to raise and blessed.

Since Song Xilan graduated from high school at eighteen, matchmakers have been constantly knocking on their door, not just because of her, but also because her father, Song Baili, is the director of Limin Food Factory, indicating a good family background.

Song Baili and Tan Aizhi, however, are in no hurry to marry her off. Their precious daughter, raised with such care, is not someone they’d want to marry off so soon—they’d rather keep her by their side for a few more years.

But Song Xilan hasn’t taken a shine to any of the young men introduced to her. She has a particular quirk—she loves good-looking men, preferably with an artistic flair, who can sing and dance, and even recite a few melancholic poems.

Six months ago, Song Xilan went to the Municipal Song and Dance Troupe with some friends and met a new young actor, Yang Jingyu. The spark of love in her heart ignited instantly.

It was love at first sight.

Song Xilan came home blushing and told her parents about her feelings. She’s an obedient child, always sharing everything with her parents from a young age. After all, they’ve lived decades longer and are wiser; listening to their advice is always the right move.

Tan Aizhi, like her daughter, also has an eye for good looks. Hearing that Yang Jingyu was handsome, she immediately became interested, and the mother-daughter duo even went to watch a performance by the troupe.

Song Baili, on the other hand, made sure to thoroughly investigate the young man’s background.

He turned out to be a diligent young man with a clean record, no messy situations around him, but his family background wasn’t great.

He’s from a rural area, his father passed away early, and he was raised by his hardworking widowed mother.

As a child, being an orphan in the village, he and his mother faced a lot of hardship and bullying.

Later, when the county’s ideological and cultural propaganda team came to the commune for a performance, while others were just watching the show, he saw an opportunity to change his life.

He boldly approached the team’s leader and made an impression, and surprisingly, he was recruited into the propaganda team at just fourteen years old.

Not long ago, with his excellent qualities and hard-earned skills, he was admitted into the Municipal Song and Dance Troupe.

It’s quite an inspiring story of perseverance and success.