Chapter 241 - "Do you... like me?" (2)
Edited by: Lulu
After work, Tong Xuelu headed to the CSMC with Grandma Shen next door.
As it was almost festival time, the CSMC was packed and, the second the mooncakes were taken out they were gone.
The two were not good at fighting with the crowd and, as such, neither one of them were able to get any mooncakes.
That had, once again, made Tong Xuelu aware that how scarce material goods were back then. In her day and age, there were more mooncakes to go around than people who wanted them. The situation of not being able to get any would never happen.
Other items were difficult to get their hands on as well. In the end, Tong Xuelu was only able to get 2 jins of pig large intestines.
And the only reason she was able to get them was because people didn’t want to spend the amount of salt that was required to clean them or the spices that would be needed to cook with. She would otherwise not even able to get those.
Shen Wanrong was not interested in the pig large intestines so all she got was some greens.
She was not worried, however. She had plenty of vegetables growing at home and stockpile of other items. Even if they were short anything, Wei Guozhi would be able to get his hand on some.
With limited ingredients, Tong Xuelu thought about it long and hard and finally decided to make some dumplings, marinated pig intestines, and a cold bean sprout dish as appetizer.
The sky was beginning to get dark.
And Wen Rugui had finally arrived.
Along with him was Pu Jianyi and also a woman in her 30s.
Tong Xuelu was worried that Jiang Danhong would not accept her invitation. She walked right up to her as soon as she saw her. “This must be Commander Jiang.”
Jiang Danhong stared into Tong Xuelu’s eyes. She finally curved her lips after she had made sure that there were no contempt or mockery in Tong Xuelu’s eyes and said, “Hi, Comrade Tong. I am Jiang Danhong.”
She was shocked when she received Wen Rugui’s invitation.
After she had ungratefully sent her uncle to his death sentence and had the entire Jiang family sent to the farm to be reformed, many said they were sympathetic of her.
Nevertheless, few wanted to get close to her. Ever since words had gotten out that she was going to move forward in reporting her husband and her father-in-law, the way that people was looking at her became even more strange.
She didn’t care how others were looking at her. Nobody could stop her from what she was going to do!
She was fully prepared to spend mid-autumn festival alone, much like she did in the past 10-plus years.
Low and behold, Wen Rugui came to invite her to another female comrade’s birthday get together.
She was both shocked and also a little worried that she was only invited to be the laughingstock.
Nevertheless, based on her trust and confidence in Wen Rugui, she finally decided to attend.
Tong Xuelu smiled sincerely, “I am so glad you can make it! C’mon in, everyone!”
The group walked inside one by one and Pu Jianyi immediately smelled a nice aroma. “What yummy dishes have you made today, Comrade Tong?”
Did he have the nose of a dog? How could he smell that from such a distance? Thought Tong Xuelu to herself.
“Dumplings, marinated pork large intestines, and a bean sprout appetizer.”
Pu Jianyi frowned. “Pork large intestine? That thing is stinky, but yours smells so good!”
Tong Xuelu, “You just need to clean them out thoroughly. The fillings for the dumplings are ready. Why don’t you go wash your hands and get started on them.”
The joy of making dumplings was for everyone to sit around and do it together, especially around new year time. It is very festive when everyone sit around and chat and laugh when making dumplings.
Tong Xuelu brought the group over to the living room and introduced them to Tong Jiaming and the others. She then returned to the kitchen to finish up her preparation.
As she wasn’t able to get any mooncakes, she planned to make it herself as gifts.