In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

The family meeting lasted until late at night. Yang Guangming and his family sat around in the cramped living room, their minds racing and each expressing their opinions.

The cicadas outside the window had long since fallen silent, and the alleyway gradually quieted down, with only a few windows still emitting a dim yellow glow, like the eyes of a night watchman, quietly observing everything that happened in this summer night.

The stuffiness inside hadn't completely dissipated, but the heavy, oppressive atmosphere had been replaced by a sense of focused busyness and urgency.

Everyone's face was filled with concern and determination. Now that it had been decided that Yang Guangming would represent the whole family to go to the Northeast, the focus naturally shifted to what dowry to bring and how to prepare it.

"It's such a long journey, so we definitely can't bring fragile and heavy things like pots and pans."

Zhang Xiuying set the tone first. She frowned, unconsciously fanning herself with a palm leaf fan, but her eyes were very firm: "It's been thousands of kilometers of bumpy road, with trains and cars. It's bound to be all bumped and broken."

Besides, since the Luo family is getting married, shouldn't they at least prepare these basic household items? Bringing them would be redundant.”

“Mom is right.” Yang Guangyao nodded in agreement, tapping his fingers lightly on the table as if he were calculating something. “Since Xingbang’s family is in the county, they shouldn’t lack these things for settling down. Bringing them would only be a burden, and they wouldn’t be easy to carry on the road. It’s best for Mingming to travel light when he’s going out alone.”

"What about bedding?" Li Guihua asked softly, her voice tinged with hesitation. "We need to prepare a few new bedding, right? The bride can't sleep under an old quilt; it's considered unlucky."

But she immediately shook her head, her brows furrowing even more. "But time is so tight, there's definitely no time to make them now. We can't gather enough cotton coupons and cloth coupons all at once. Even if we could, several quilts are bulky and heavy; how could one person carry them all?"

This is indeed a real problem. Making new quilts not only takes time, but also requires a large number of cotton coupons and cloth coupons, which is a considerable expense for any ordinary family.

Moreover, its large size makes long-distance travel extremely inconvenient, and it is inevitable that it will get dirty and damaged along the way.

Yang Guangming pondered for a moment, then said, "Regarding the bedding, I think we can do it this way."

If my second sister ultimately decides to get married, the bedding that my second brother and sister used in Northeast China should still be there. Although it's a bit old, if we take it apart, wash it, fluff the cotton inside, and sew new quilt covers and linings on, it'll be almost as good as new.

Alternatively, you could talk to the locals and exchange your old bedding for new ones with some money and coupons. Although the depreciation might be greater, you can at least get new ones.

This will take time to process, so from now on, I'll have to leave this to my second sister to handle herself.

His considerations were very practical; resolving the issue locally in the Northeast was far more realistic than transporting it all the way from the South. These words made everyone think deeply; clearly, this plan was both pragmatic and feasible.

Yang Yongkang took a puff of his cigarette, nodded slowly, and his expression appeared particularly profound in the swirling smoke: "Mingming has considered everything carefully. We'll find a way to get the bedding locally."

Our family mainly prepares things that are portable, can express our feelings, and also give face to the bride's family.

Xiangmei married far away; we can't let her feel that her family doesn't value her.

Zhang Xiuying immediately chimed in, her words quickening: "Clothes! We need to make Xiangmei a new set of clothes for winter!"

It gets cold early in Northeast China, and winters are really cold, so you have to wear thick clothes outside.

If we pool our fabric ration coupons, we should be able to buy a decent set of thick fabric, like khaki or corduroy. I reckon we could even make another pair of thick cotton trousers.

You also need a pair of lined leather shoes, otherwise your feet won't stand the cold.

She quickly calculated the family's inventory in her mind, "Cloth coupons... I still have a few, and if any of you have any spares, it should be enough to make a set of clothes."

I still have some cotton coupons... enough to make a pair of cotton trousers.

"Shoe coupons... I remember one, it was for buying shoes for Mingming in winter, but Xiangmei should use it first."

“Mom, there’s no rush for my shoes.” Yang Guangming immediately stated, his voice firm and decisive. “Second Sister needs them first. Winters in Northeast China are no joke; Second Sister needs a good pair of shoes to keep warm.”

"Hmm." Zhang Xiuying glanced at her youngest son with relief, her eyes slightly moist, then sighed, "It's just that we still feel we don't have enough. Xiangmei's situation is special; she married far away, and we can't let her be too poor. I was thinking..."

She paused, as if making a great decision, her gaze sweeping over the whole family before finally settling on her husband's face: "Give her another five hundred yuan as a safety net! Let her buy whatever she needs, or keep it for emergencies. We can scrape together that money."

Five hundred yuan!

In an era when an ordinary worker's monthly salary was only thirty or forty yuan, this was undoubtedly a huge sum of money, almost the entire savings that the Yang family had accumulated over many years of frugal living.

The room suddenly became quiet.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guanghui's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he nodded, his voice a little hoarse: "It's only right. Xiangmei has had a hard life. It's reassuring to have more money with you. It doesn't matter if we suffer a little, we can't let our sister be wronged over there."

Li Guihua also gave a soft "hmm" in agreement.

Although giving away so much money at once would tighten the family's belt for the next few months, she knew that this support was necessary because her sister-in-law was marrying far away. She secretly tugged at the hem of her clothes, already planning how to cut costs in the coming months.

Just then, Yue Xinlei, who had been listening quietly, spoke up, her voice gentle yet clear: "Dad, Mom, eldest brother and sister-in-law, Mingming. Guangyao and I have discussed it, and since Xiangmei is getting married, we, as her older brother and sister-in-law, would like to express our condolences."

She looked at her husband beside her, and Yang Guangyao nodded encouragingly at her, his eyes full of support.

Yue Xinlei continued, "Perfect timing! I have a watch voucher that's just sitting around. My sister-in-law and I can buy one together and give it to Xiangmei as a small token of our appreciation."

My sister-in-law has Zhuangzhuang to raise, and her family has a heavy burden. Just a little money is enough to show your support; I can contribute the lion's share.

Upon hearing this, Li Guihua quickly waved her hand, her face full of apology: "How can this be? Watch tickets are so hard to come by, and they belong to your family. How can I let you pay for both the ticket and the money? I certainly can't let you pay the lion's share!"
Your suggestion to give away watches together is great, I agree, but we have to split it 50/50, I can't let you lose out!

She unconsciously raised her voice as she spoke, sounding both grateful and uneasy.

Yue Xinlei smiled and took Li Guihua's hand, her voice gentle yet firm: "Sister-in-law, listen to me. The tickets are just sitting unused in our house; it would be a waste not to use them."

As for the money, we'll split it in half, whatever you say.

I've inquired, and a Shanghai-brand watch costs about 120 yuan. Let's each chip in 60 yuan and buy one for Xiangmei. What do you think?

A watch costing 120 yuan was an extremely valuable gift at the time; it was impressive and practical.

Li Guihua still felt bad, her fingers twisting together: "Then...then this ticket is too precious, I...I can't take advantage of you for nothing..."

Although she was frugal and even somewhat stingy, she wouldn't take advantage of others for nothing. She felt it was inappropriate to take such a big advantage of her younger siblings.

Yang Guangyao interjected, his voice steady and strong: "Sister-in-law, don't be so polite with Xinlei. She's just doing this out of kindness. It's just a ticket; if you don't use it, it's just a piece of paper. Using it on Xiangmei is perfect. It shows your close relationship as sisters-in-law." His words reassured Li Guihua a little.

Yang Guangming also spoke up, his tone sincere: "Sister-in-law, since Second Sister-in-law has said so, please agree. This is also Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law's heartfelt wish. Second Sister will definitely be very happy to receive the gift you two have given together."

Seeing her two daughters-in-law so harmonious, Zhang Xiuying felt a warm glow in her heart, and her eyes reddened again. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Okay, okay! Guihua, it's a blessing for Xiangmei and our family that Xinlei has this intention. Please don't refuse. This watch is nice and practical! Xiangmei will definitely like it!" Her voice was a little choked up, full of relief.

Yang Yongkang tapped his pipe and made the final decision: "It's settled then. Xinlei will provide the tickets, and you and Xinlei will each contribute sixty yuan to buy a watch for Xiangmei." His words were concise and powerful, bringing the discussion to a close.

Seeing that everyone was saying the same thing, Li Guihua could only gratefully agree, "Well... alright then. Thank you, Xinlei. It's just that you've gone to so much trouble..."

She made up her mind that she would help this generous and considerate younger sister-in-law more in other ways in the future.

Yue Xinlei smiled, her eyes crinkling: "Sister-in-law, you're too polite. We're family." She gently patted Li Guihua's hand, her gesture natural and friendly.

With that, the dowry to be brought was basically finalized: a new winter outfit, a new pair of leather shoes, five hundred yuan in cash, and a brand-new Shanghai-brand watch. The items weren't numerous, but they were of high quality and practical, and convenient for Yang Guangming to carry with him.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if the burden on their shoulders had been lightened.

"Mingming, when will you be able to leave?" Yang Guangyao asked his younger brother with concern.

Yang Guangming had already calculated this in his mind and answered quickly: "I'll go to the factory tomorrow to complete the business trip procedures. I'll use the same excuse as last time when I went to Harbin to collect payment, so I have more time."

If all goes well, we can depart as early as the day after tomorrow, or the day after that.

Now that he is the head of the finance department, it is much easier for him to go on business trips than before, as he no longer needs Liu Jinsheng's approval as he did last time.

However, since he, the head of the finance department, suddenly had to go on a business trip for a period of time, he had to report to the factory director, Zhao Guodong, and explain the real reason.

"Okay, the sooner the better," Yang Yongkang said, his voice carrying a hint of urgency. "Go as soon as possible, see your second sister as soon as possible, and explain the situation clearly. It'll prevent any unforeseen complications."

The matter was settled, night had fallen, the summer heat had subsided, and a feeling of fatigue crept in.

Everyone washed up and rested, but most of the Yang family members were destined to be sleepless that night.

Zhang Xiuying tossed and turned in bed, sometimes thinking about whether she had packed everything she needed for her daughter, sometimes worrying about her son's safety on his long journey, and mostly feeling anxious and reluctant to part with her daughter's future.

As Yang Guangming lay in bed, gazing at the hazy moonlight outside the window, his thoughts had already drifted to the distant black soil of Northeast China.

His second sister's choice, the Luo family's attitude, the policy changes... countless thoughts swirled in his mind.

At the same time, he also remembered another important thing—his promise to Lin Jianyue.

He had originally planned to introduce her to his parents soon, but now he had to postpone it. He sighed softly, a wave of guilt washing over him.

The next morning, Yang Ming went to work as usual.

Upon arriving at the office, Yang Guangming first handled a few urgent official matters, then briefly explained and arranged the work of the department for the next period of time to Zhou Weimin and Wu Aihua. After that, he took the written business trip application and went to the factory director's office.

Zhao Guodong was reviewing documents when he saw Yang Guangming come in and gestured for him to sit down.

"Factory Manager, I have something to report to you." Yang Guangming placed the application on the table, his tone calm. "There's an urgent matter at home that requires me to go to the Northeast immediately to check on the situation. I'd like to go on this business trip under the pretext of collecting the outstanding payments from our partner company in Harbin. This is the application."

Zhao Guodong picked up the application and looked at it, then looked at Yang Guangming and asked with concern, "What happened at home? Last time it was your second brother who was injured, what happened this time?" He knew that Yang Guangming had relatives who were sent to work in the countryside in Northeast China, so he asked an extra question.

Yang Guangming saw no need to hide anything from Zhao Guodong, so he briefly explained that his second sister wanted to marry someone from Northeast China, that the family had differing opinions, and that they had decided to send him to investigate the situation and convey policy information. After listening, Zhao Guodong tapped his fingers lightly on the table, indicating his understanding: "Marriage is a major life event, and it's right to be cautious. Especially marrying someone from far away, it's normal for the family to worry. It's good that you go and see for yourself, to give your opinion."

He glanced at the calendar: "There's nothing particularly urgent at the factory lately, and the finance department is running smoothly. Go ahead, take care of things properly, and come back later. As for the final payment in Harbin, just follow up on it while you're at it; there's no need to force it."

He picked up a pen and signed "Agreed" and his name on the business trip application.

Yang Guangming accepted the application and felt relieved.

As if remembering something, Zhao Guodong added, "Do you still have the contact information I gave you last time? If you encounter any difficulties over there that you can't solve, don't try to tough it out. Ask for help if you need it."

"I've kept them all, thank you for your concern, factory manager," Yang Guangming said gratefully.

The procedures were completed surprisingly smoothly.

Upon seeing Zhao Guodong's signature, the factory office quickly issued a letter of introduction.

Needless to say, within the finance department, when the department head is on a business trip, all procedures proceed smoothly. Advances for travel expenses, exchange for national grain coupons... Yang Guangming handles all the formalities with practiced ease.

He put most of his cash and national food coupons into the refrigerator, leaving only a small portion outside for emergencies.

After getting off work, Yang Guangming didn't go straight home, but instead rode his bicycle towards Ruikangli.

The setting sun cast a warm golden glow over the Shikumen buildings, and the aroma of families preparing dinner wafted through the alleyways.

He navigated the alleyway with practiced ease and arrived at the small building where Feng Xianghong and Lin Jianyue lived.

Knocking on the door, it was Feng Xianghong. She was somewhat surprised to see Yang Guangming, then smiled and said, "Guangming? What brings you here? Come in quickly, Jianyue is inside."

She stepped aside to let Yang Guangming in, and called out into the inner room, "Jianyue, the light has come!"

Lin Jianyue came out of the inner room upon hearing the sound. When she saw Yang Guangming, a hint of surprise flashed in her clear eyes.

She wore a light blue polyester shirt today, which made her look exceptionally pretty.

"Guangming, why are you here at this hour? Haven't you eaten yet?" she asked softly, her tone full of concern.

Yang Guangming looked at her, feeling a little apologetic. They had originally planned to come out to their families about their relationship soon and meet each other's parents, but this sudden turn of events had disrupted their plans.

"There's something I want to talk to you about." He said gently, "Xiang Hong, is it a convenient time?"

Feng Xianghong was a quick-witted person, and immediately smiled and said, "Sure, sure! I was just about to go to the kitchen to see what to cook for dinner. You two chat, you two chat." With that, she smiled and walked away, leaving the two of them alone.

Only Yang Guangming and Lin Jianyue remained in the small living room.

"What's wrong? You look a little serious. Is something wrong at the factory?" Lin Jianyue asked softly, with a hint of worry that was barely perceptible, and poured him a glass of cool water.

Yang Guangming took the water glass and sighed, "It's not a factory matter. It's something that happened to my second sister."

He paused, organizing his thoughts, "She suddenly wrote to me, saying she wanted to get married, and to someone from Northeast China."

He briefly explained the situation, omitting the details of the family meeting argument, and only mentioned his second sister's decision, the family's concerns, and the final decision to send him to the Northeast immediately.

“So, meeting the parents will probably have to be postponed.” Yang Guangming looked at Lin Jianyue with an apologetic look in his eyes. “We’ll find an opportunity to talk to my parents after I get back from Northeast China. I’m sorry for making you nervous and looking forward to this for so long.”

After hearing this, Lin Jianyue first widened her eyes slightly in surprise, then nodded in understanding.

She remained silent for a moment, but her face did not show much disappointment. Instead, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“So that’s how it is… It’s alright, Guangming, business is more important. Your sister’s wedding is a big deal, you should take care of it first.” She looked up, her gaze gentle and considerate. “Actually… to be honest, I was actually relieved that you suddenly postponed it.”

"Huh?" Yang Guangming was a little puzzled.

Lin Jianyue blushed slightly, lowered her head somewhat shyly, and said in an even softer voice, "It's just... I've been quite nervous about meeting your parents, and I haven't been prepared enough. Now I can have more time to prepare myself mentally and think about what clothes to wear and what gifts to bring... That's good."

Her words were honest and endearing, which lessened Yang Guangming's sense of guilt and instead evoked a sense of tenderness.

“Don’t be nervous, my parents are very kind people,” he comforted gently. “But it’s good that you think that way. Once I get back and everything is settled, we can then focus on arranging our meeting.”

"Okay." Lin Jianyue nodded and asked with concern, "When are you leaving? Be careful on the road. The Northeast is so far away, and I heard it's quite chaotic right now."

"I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow at the earliest. Don't worry, I'll be careful." Yang Guangming felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at her concerned eyes. "Take good care of yourself while I'm gone."

"I will. You too, when you get there, don't rush things, talk to your sister properly," Lin Jianyue instructed, her eyes full of concern.

At this moment, Feng Xianghong walked in carrying a plate of washed tomatoes, and said with a smile, "Finished talking about business? Guangming, why don't you stay for dinner? There's nothing fancy though."

Yang Guangming stood up and politely declined, saying, "No, Xiang Hong, thank you. My family is waiting for me to come back for dinner, and I also need to pack my things for the long trip. I just came to tell Jian Yue." He then said to Lin Jian Yue, "Then I'll be going now."

Lin Jianyue escorted him to the entrance of the courtyard, the sunset glow outlining her slender figure.

"Be careful on the road," she whispered again.

"Okay, I understand. Go back now." Yang Guangming nodded to her, turned around, and pushed his bicycle out of the alley.

Seeing that Lin Jianyue was so understanding, Yang Guangming put down his last worry and could devote himself wholeheartedly to preparing for the trip to Northeast China.

Back home, the women were already getting to work.

Zhang Xiuying dug out the cloth coupons she had saved up at home and urgently exchanged some with her neighbors, enough to make an overcoat and a pair of cotton trousers.

She was busy looking for a familiar tailor; time was tight, and she had to work overtime to finish the job.

Li Guihua took out sixty yuan, wrapped it in red paper, and handed it to Yue Xinlei. Yue Xinlei had already gone back to her parents' home that afternoon to retrieve the watch ticket, and added her own sixty yuan.

The next day, Yue Xinlei took half a day off and went to the department store in the city with Li Guihua.

Inside the display case, watches of various brands gleamed on velvet padding.

After careful comparison, they finally chose a Shanghai-brand women's watch with a silver-white dial and leather strap, which was both elegant and delicate.

The sales clerk carefully placed the watch into a delicate little green tin box, the lid of which was stamped with the words "Magic City Brand Watch". Holding this precious gift, the two sisters-in-law were filled with blessings for their sister-in-law far away.

Zhang Xiuying also rushed back, carrying a newly made coat and cotton trousers. The dark khaki coat and trousers were well-tailored, and the thick cotton trousers were soft and warm.

She then took out the shoe voucher from home and asked Yang Guangming to go to the department store after get off work to buy a pair of women's cotton leather shoes lined with soft wool.

Each item was carefully selected, embodying the love and blessings of the whole family.

That evening, everything was laid out on the table: new clothes and shoes, a small green tin box, and a thick red envelope containing five hundred yuan in cash.

Zhang Xiuying carefully examined each item, stroking the fabric of the clothes with her hands, opening the watch box to check if the watch kept accurate time, her eyes filled with love and reluctance.

"Mingming, you must personally hand these things and the money to your second sister. Tell her that this is a small token of the family's affection, and tell her... tell her to take good care of herself."

Zhang Xiuying's voice was choked with emotion as she struggled to hold back her tears.

"Mom, don't worry, I will definitely bring it." Yang Guangming solemnly promised, keeping this heavy responsibility firmly in mind.

He carefully folded his new clothes and trousers and wrapped them in a clean cloth. His shoes were kept in a shoebox. The watch box and the cash in red envelopes were temporarily placed in the innermost compartment of his handbag for safekeeping. He planned to move them to the refrigerator later for even greater security.

He packed a few changes of his own clothes and toiletries, along with his dowry, and stuffed them into the blue travel bag. Everything was ready; he was just waiting to depart.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the alley was still quiet.

Yang Guangming, carrying a heavy travel bag, prepared to head to the train station.

The whole family got up to see him off. Zhang Xiuying checked his luggage over and over again, telling him to be careful on the road, not to skimp on food and drink, and to write or call home as soon as he arrived to let them know he was safe.

Yang Yongkang didn't say much, but he patted his youngest son's shoulder forcefully: "Stay calm, observe and listen more. Say what you need to say, and in the end... respect your second sister's own choice."

"Dad, I understand." Yang Guangming nodded, keeping his father's words in mind.

Yang Guangyao, Yue Xinlei, Yang Guanghui, and Li Guihua also wished him a safe journey.

As everyone watched him go, Yang Guangming bid farewell to his family, rode his bicycle with his older brother Yang Guanghui, who was carrying luggage and seeing him off, on the back seat, and disappeared into the thin morning mist.

Upon arriving at the station, Yang Guangming carried his luggage himself and let his older brother ride his bicycle back.

Then came the long wait, ticket check, and boarding.

The familiar green train, the crowded carriages, the mixed smells, the clattering of the wheels.

Yang Guangming found his seat, carefully placed his heavy travel bag on the luggage rack, and then sat down.

Looking out the window at the slowly moving platform and the city scenery gradually receding, he felt somewhat heavy-hearted.

The train roared on, carrying him and his heavy dowry, speeding northward towards that vast and unfamiliar black land. (End of Chapter)