To please others? It's better to please yourself.

Xu Jing'an, who was drinking chicken soup with a towel over her head, suddenly heard a commotion outside.

"Mom, what's wrong? Why is it so chaotic outside?" Xu Jing'an asked.

"What else could it be? Every family is bound to make a fuss about going to the countryside!" Mother Shen felt sorry for her frightened grandson, but she couldn't say anything to complain.

Xu Jing'an understood after hearing this; time had already passed intermittently until December 1968.

At the end of this month, a call was issued for "educated youth to go to the countryside and receive re-education from poor and lower-middle peasants." This sparked a nationwide upsurge in educated youth going to the countryside.

She now has a formal job, is married and has children, so it's not her turn to go to the countryside.

Xu Jing'an lay down to continue her postpartum confinement. She only had 40 days of maternity leave and needed to recover her health.

1 month 10 number

Xu Jing'an's figure is now only slightly fuller than before her pregnancy. In the cold winter, she wears a cotton-padded coat over her work clothes, so it's not noticeable. And by covering up her rosy complexion with dark foundation, she becomes just another ordinary working-class person.

Shen He watched with his own eyes how his wife made the foundation. He had wondered at the time what it was for, but now he saw how his wife looked completely different after using it for just a short while.

Before makeup, it's obvious she took good care of herself during her postpartum period, eating plenty of nutritious foods like eggs and meat. After makeup, it's clear she lived a frugal life, eating only coarse grains and vegetables—no one even needs to ask why.

Shen He was always astonished when he saw it. The person was still the same, but after makeup, she could transform into a stunningly beautiful fairy or an ordinary, forgettable laborer. It all depended on his wife's mood and thoughts.

Afterwards, he would always hold his wife's hand and look at it over and over again.

After Xu Jing'an returned to work, the employees who came and went didn't ask her anything. Everyone was struggling these days, and the women all looked pretty much the same.

Many of the jealous looks they received when she was pregnant have now disappeared. Most people are at peace with it; the in-laws treat their daughter-in-law well because they value the child in her womb. Look, isn't it all the same after the baby is born?

Xu Jing'an would take some time to express her milk and bring it home after get off work in the evening so that Shen's mother could heat it up and give it to the baby while she was away.

After Xu Jing'an gave birth, Shen's mother retired. When she mentioned it, her supervisor readily agreed. It was all arranged within a few days. Why wouldn't a supervisor be happy to have a vacant position?

With Shen's mother around, Xu Jing'an could go to work with peace of mind.

"Break with old customs, no holiday for Spring Festival"

"Hold high the great banner and forge ahead bravely"

From home to work, there were slogans everywhere along the way.

It's already December, but the factory isn't giving us a holiday, and even family visit leave has been canceled.

After thinking about lion dances and setting off firecrackers, all that's left is "pasting Spring Festival couplets," with battle slogans like "No stopping on New Year's Eve, let's keep going on New Year's Day."

The Shen family woke up before dawn on the first day of the Lunar New Year!

During the meal, you could still hear other people reciting quotations and singing.

Xu Jing'an fed the child and handed him to Shen's mother before quickly leaving the house. When she arrived at work, the sky was still somewhat overcast.

The workshop was brightly lit, and factory leaders went down to each work group to supervise the work on-site. In order to meet the targets, the workers often worked until midnight, working in two shifts without stopping.

If you finish get off work at midnight, you get a 2-cent allowance and can pick up a late-night meal at the canteen; if you work through the night, you get a late-night meal and a breakfast, and a 3-cent allowance.

There are two typical activities on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

The first thing is to eat "bitter-remembering and sweet-appreciating rice".

Throughout the morning, everyone from the factory director to the supervisors received ideological education. At noon, all the factory employees ate a "bitter-sweet meal" together.

What is "bitter-sweet meal"? There are two kinds. One is a porridge made with rotten vegetable leaves, wild vegetables, rice bran, and dried sweet potatoes (rotten sweet potatoes). The other is a steamed bun made with wild vegetables, bran, and tree leaves (tree bark is used instead of tree leaves in winter). The most distinctive feature of both foods is that they are very difficult to swallow.

Xu Jing'an glanced around furtively and saw that everyone was looking down, silent. Everyone was eating intently, some grimacing, some frowning, and others occasionally pounding their chests and taking a sip of water.

Xu Jing'an didn't make things difficult for herself; she held it in her mouth and then secretly put it into her spatial storage.

There were even people who were so enthusiastic that they asked for a second serving. Xu Jing'an had to admire these ruthless individuals!

The second is dancing.

Hold the red silk scarf high in your right hand, bend your left arm in front of your chest, and stand upright with both feet together; or squat halfway on your left leg, look up at the red silk scarf held high in your right hand; as soon as the music prelude ends, start singing the song and begin dancing.

The dance moves are simple to learn, exciting and exhilarating; every movement and every step expresses fervent worship.

From canteen staff to factory leaders, everyone in the factory, from workshops to departments and groups, has to participate.