Chapter 97

Chapter 97

The green storefront of the post office was still eye-catching. Feng Xia and Zhang Ying walked in laden with bags and packages. The counter staff member was busy taping up a parcel and, seeing them come to send something, directly handed them a form to fill out while continuing with their own work.

Feng Xia sat down and carefully filled in the form, then handed it to the staff member. The person took one look and exclaimed, “You want to send this abroad?!”

Feng Xia nodded. “To Bear Country.”

This time, the clerk gave Feng Xia a good look up and down, noticing the girl’s fair and delicate skin, slender fingers—clearly a spoiled rich girl—and clothes in the latest city styles. Realizing she was from a well-off family, the clerk understood a little, stood up, and fetched a box from the back, motioning for Feng Xia and her companion to pack the items they wanted to send inside.

Feng Xia and Zhang Ying began packing things one by one. The postal worker clicked his tongue in amazement: sweets, pastries, liquor—all the most expensive kinds available at the supply cooperative. Even the New Year goods others bought weren’t as complete as this. The large cardboard box was packed full, and only after Feng Xia and Zhang Ying had put everything in did the postal worker manage to lift it with effort and carry it to the back to weigh it. It came to over fifty jin (about 55 lbs).

This was overweight for shipping. The postal worker showed Feng Xia and the others the weight reading and said, “This is overweight, so shipping costs are higher. And since you’re sending it abroad, it’s even more expensive. Would you like to take some things out?”

Feng Xia shook her head. “No, it’s fine. How much total? We’ll send it as is.”

The worker calculated and said, “That’s ten eighty for postage, plus stamps—eleven yuan altogether.”

Feng Xia said nothing more, simply pulled eleven yuan from her pocket and handed it over, leaving the postal worker totally floored, a blank look on his face. Were all little girls nowadays this loaded?

That major task was done. Zhang Ying asked Feng Xia if she wanted to do more shopping. Feng Xia nodded—she planned to visit the Feng family the next day, so naturally she needed to buy some things to bring.

They went back to the supply cooperative to pick up some candies and pastries, then the two of them ate a meal at the town’s state-run restaurant before driving back to the base.

The next morning, Feng Xia got up around eight. After greeting Old Lady Wu and having breakfast, she set off home with Jiang Long. Zhang Ying had somehow caught a cold the night before, had a low fever early in the morning, and had been sent to the military clinic.

For today’s trip, they had to rely on Jiang Long to keep them safe.

They drove back home. The trunk was stuffed with gifts for Feng Jinlian, her sisters, and Zhang Ling. Carrying them all by hand would have been too much trouble.

When they got to the village entrance, Daba Village looked pretty much the same as last year. The big tree at the entrance was lush and leafy. It was November, and the weather wasn’t particularly cold yet. Some industrious folks were still working in the fields, while the lazier sorts had long since been lounging at home, sitting under the tree shooting the breeze.

In the distance, a grand jeep was driving along the road toward the village. A few old men stopped smoking and stared straight at it, thinking how cool the car looked—much more badass than the small cars the cadres who had visited before rode in.

The village roads had been widened a fair bit, so Feng Xia simply had Zhang Ying drive into the village. How fast could they go in the village? In no time, a bunch of kids were running after the jeep, laughing and shouting. The news spread quickly that a big car had driven into Daba Village.

Feng Xia directed Zhang Ying, and they stopped at the entrance of the Feng family courtyard. Zhang Ying parked neatly on the edge of the field opposite, half on the road and half in the field, without blocking anyone’s way.

Many villagers gathered to watch, young and old. A few old ladies circled the car, itching to touch it but too shy. Several boys reached out with dirty hands and got whacked by their moms or grandmas—what if they scratched something so pricey—who’d pay for it?

Feng Xia and Zhang Ying got out. Some sharp-eyed people spotted Feng Xia and immediately shouted, “It’s Feng Xia! Feng Xia came back in a big car! Feng Xia came back in a big car!”

The Feng family heard the noise and came out to see. Sure enough, there was the Demon Star back again, standing prettily in front of the big car. She looked even more lovely, with rosy lips and white teeth, no longer like a country girl but like a city miss.

Feng Xia and Zhang Ying went to the back to get the luggage. Feng Xia directly opened a bag of fruit candies and gave some to everyone around, and the kids even grabbed a handful. The kids were so happy they hopped up and down, until their elders twisted their ears and made them say thank you properly.

Zhang Ling almost ran out with her two daughters, welcoming Feng Xia and the others inside. She had Feng Jinbao stay outside to keep an eye on the car so nobody messed it up. Feng Jinbao hugged a bag of candies and nodded dumbly. This little chubster, with a good appetite and lots of exercise, had grown to 1.5 meters at just over ten years old, head and shoulders above the other kids. Fortunately, he listened to Zhang Ling and was fairly well-behaved.

A year had passed, and the Feng family’s main room and courtyard were almost unchanged, but Feng Jinlian and Feng Jingui had changed a lot.

Both had grown taller than last year, with healthy, glowing wheat-colored skin. Feng Jinlian had cut her hair short, showing her slim neck, and had a sharp, spirited look about her, appearing poised and confident.

Feng Jingui wore two braids and had a calm, gentle vibe, looking like a warm and reliable older sister.

Seeing their changes, Feng Xia was undoubtedly happy. A girl, the more confident and cheerful she is, the freer she can live. Especially in these times, if you want to stand on your own two feet, you can only rely on yourself.

Feng Xia showed them the trendy hair clips, headbands, clothes, and shoes she’d brought from the capital. They, in turn, showed Feng Xia the underwear and outer garments they had made for her, their skill had improved a ton, with cute little embroidered flowers. Feng Xia really liked them.

Zhang Ling watched Feng Xia getting along well with her two daughters and dabbed at the corners of her eyes with relief. With Feng Xia around, she could truly rest easy—even if she died right now, she could close her eyes. This girl had a good heart and remembered old favors. As long as Jinlian and Jingui treated her well, she would protect them for life. As for Jinbao, he still had his father.

There were all sorts of odds and ends. Feng Xia handed a large bag of fruit candies to Zhang Ling for the children who would come to pay New Year visits. Zhang Ling accepted them with a smile. She gave some nutritional supplements to Feng Jingui to put away, with instructions that the mother and daughters should take a little every day for their health.

They were just stuff like brown sugar and malted milk powder. In this day and age, they were real health boosters. Other families could only afford stuff like that for new mothers in their month of confinement.

Seeing that the three sisters still had things to talk about, Zhang Ying wasn’t in a hurry. Feng Xia had already introduced her as a colleague from the capital who had specially escorted her back. When the family heard she was from the capital, they were suddenly full of respect—that was a big deal.

Feng Shizhu specially poured her a cup of hot tea and invited her to sit in the main room.

Zhang Ying was not a chatty person. She answered Feng Shizhu’s questions one by one, short and sweet, and if it touched on anything confidential, she’d gloss over it. Even so, Feng Shizhu came to an incredible conclusion:

His granddaughter Feng Xia had spent a whole year in the capital—working! And she got paid! That was just incredible!

Feng Shizhu asked, his voice trembling, “So little Xia really worked in the capital for a whole year?”

Feng Aiguo and Feng Aihua were just about to stop their father from talking nonsense when they saw Zhang Ying nod lightly and say, “That’s correct.”

The main room fell silent. Everyone stared at Feng Xia, their faces a mix of disbelief, regret, jealousy, excitement… After all, that was the capital!

It was the capital! Who in the Flower Kingdom didn’t want to go to the capital!

How could she go to work in the capital?

How could a country girl like her deserve that?

The Feng family couldn’t understand. Their heads hurt!

How?! How the hell?!