The morning sunlight spilled weakly through the frosted windowpanes, painting the room in pale gold. Outside, the cold wind whistled through the courtyard walls, but under her quilt, Jia Lan was a snug little dumpling. She blinked awake slowly, the warmth wrapping around her like a stubborn embrace.
Today wasn't a day for lazy dreams. She had a mission.
With a determined sigh, she tossed back her blanket and slid her feet into her fur-lined slippers. The wooden floor was cold enough to bite at her toes, making her hurry toward the washstand. A steaming basin of water had already been set out for her.
"Mm… perfect," she murmured, dipping her hands into the water. The heat seeped into her fingers, making her sigh in contentment before she splashed her face. Her skin prickled from the contrast of warm water and winter air.
Today she wouldn't skip her bath not with such an important errand ahead. A large wooden tub had been placed in her bathing room, steam curling up in thick clouds. She sank into the water with a pleased hum, letting it chase away the morning chill clinging to her bones. By the time she stepped out, cheeks flushed, her mind was sharper and her mood brighter.
Choosing her outfit took a moment of consideration. If she was going into the market, she wanted to be warm, but also… presentable. She layered on a soft wool sweater in a pale cream color, a thick cotton-padded jacket in deep maroon with embroidered peonies at the cuffs, and a matching scarf. Her hair she braided loosely, letting a few strands frame her face. Looking in the mirror, she nodded. Warm, comfortable, and fashionable at least by 1978 standards.
When she stepped into the dining hall, the air was fragrant with food. Mother Jia was at the head of the table, pouring hot tea, while her two sisters-in-law, Yao Jing and Xu li, sat chatting softly. Baby Naun was in a bamboo cradle near the corner, fast asleep with a tiny fist curled beside his cheek.
"Morning, Lan Lan," Mother Jia greeted with a smile. "You're up early."
Jia Lan grinned and slipped into her seat. "Morning, Mother. Morning, sisters-in-law."
On the table, breakfast was already laid out: a steaming pot of millet porridge, bowls of soft tofu pudding with soy sauce and scallions, golden-fried crullers still glistening with oil, and small dishes of pickled vegetables spicy cabbage, sweet radish, and salty mustard stems. There were also two plates of freshly steamed corn buns, the yellow dough warm and fragrant.
Jia Lan reached for the tofu pudding first, breaking a piece of youtiao and dunking it in. "Mm… crispy and soft. Perfect."
"Eat more," Mother Jia said warmly, pushing a plate of buns toward her. "Your brothers and father left early, and the grandparents went out yesterday. It's just us this morning."
Xu li, the younger sister-in-law, smiled. "The house feels quiet without them all rushing around."
Yao Jing nodded. "Though, I won't lie, I enjoy mornings like this sometimes."
They shared a small laugh, the kind that only happened when the menfolk were out of the house and there was no rush to serve anyone.
Halfway through breakfast, Jia Lan wiped her mouth with a cloth napkin and spoke casually, "Mother, I'm going out after this."
Mother Jia froze mid-sip of tea, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You? Going out? In winter?"
Xu li chuckled, "That's surprising. Usually you're the one telling everyone it's too cold to move."
Yao Jing teased, "Is there a hidden sweetheart waiting for you somewhere?"
Jia Lan rolled her eyes dramatically. "Please. If I had one, do you think I'd still be living at home in such peace?" She grinned. "I just… feel like stretching my legs."
Mother Jia gave her a look that clearly said she didn't believe her. "Where exactly are you going?"
"Mm… to the department store," Jia Lan replied quickly. "I need to look at some cloth and maybe buy hairpins."
Yao Jing arched a brow. "You? Buying cloth? That's new."
Jia Lan leaned closer to her sister-in-law and whispered in mock seriousness, "Even a lazy person has to refresh her wardrobe once in a while. If I stay home all winter, I'll turn into a hermit."
Xu li laughed softly. "If you find any nice patterns, bring some back. I've been wanting to make a new padded jacket."
After breakfast, she wrapped herself in her coat, tucked her scarf snug around her neck, and stepped out into the crisp air. Her breath puffed white in front of her as she walked toward the main road.
The market in 1978 was a living, breathing thing — a patchwork of voices, colors, and smells. Wooden carts stood in uneven rows, steam curling from food stalls, and every step on the packed dirt road brought a new aroma: the earthy scent of freshly dug taro, the sharp tang of fermented bean curd, the sweet comfort of fried dough twists.
Winter air bit at her cheeks, but Jia Lan moved slowly, eyes drinking in every detail. Don't rush. Rushing draws eyes.
She passed a stall where two old men in thick, patched coats sat by cages of squawking chickens. One hacked price numbers in a voice as rough as a millstone.
"Live chicken! Two yuan eight! Pluck yourself!"
The other grumbled, "He's overcharging! Two yuan five, and I'll throw in the head and feet!"
Jia Lan didn't even pause. The real treasures were deeper in.
She found her first target — a stall run by a man in his fifties with a face darkened by years under the sun, hands rough from farm work. The table in front of him was nothing fancy just a few neatly arranged cloth sacks but the contents made her pulse quicken.
Rice seeds. Long-grain, winter variety.
Wheat seeds.
Corn kernels for planting.
Soybeans.
Peanut seeds.
The man gave her a slow once-over. She clearly didn't look like someone used to sowing fields. "Looking for cooking grains, little sister?"
Jia Lan smiled politely, leaning down as though she were simply curious. "Not cooking planting. My family's got a bit of extra land in the back. Thought I'd try my hand before spring."
"Hmm." He dug his hand into the rice sack, letting the grains slip through his calloused fingers. "Good year for rice if you know when to water. One jin, eighty fen. Wheat's cheaper sixty cent. Corn's seventy-five. Soybeans and peanuts same price as wheat."
She made a thoughtful sound, glancing over the sacks. "One jin for rice is a bit much. The co-op down south's only charging seventy-five for the same."
He snorted. "Hah. Down south doesn't have to haul it over frozen roads, does it? I carried these sacks here myself."
She tilted her head, as though conceding the point. "Fair enough. How about this I take a jin each of rice, wheat, and corn, and you throw in an extra handful of peanuts? You'd be selling to someone who'll be back every year."
The man hesitated, eyeing her as if weighing her words. Then his mouth twitched. "Fine. But only because you've got the look of someone who won't waste them."
She paid quickly, sliding the wrapped bundles into her bamboo bag. The moment she stepped away, blending into the press of people, her thoughts shifted inward and with a silent mental command, the seeds vanished into her planting space. Her bag felt light again, the bundles tucked safely away where no one could question them.
Further down, she found another vendor a woman in a faded blue jacket, her hair bound in a kerchief. In front of her were shallow trays covered in burlap, small piles of vegetable seeds nestled inside.
The woman's eyes lit when she saw Jia Lan. "Ah, new face! These spinach seeds will shoot up quick even before frost's fully gone. Chinese cabbage, radish, and here " she uncovered a smaller tray, "chili pepper seeds. Not for the faint of heart, mind you."
Jia Lan crouched down, feigning a housewife's casual interest. "How much for spinach?"
"Half-jin, thirty cent."
"That's higher than last year."
The vendor shrugged. "Last year, the bugs weren't so bad. This year, you plant early without treating the soil, you'll feed the pests, not yourself."
Jia Lan nodded, pretending to consider. "Alright… half-jin spinach, half-jin cabbage, half-jin radish. And for the chili… just a small handful. Enough to add some flavor to cooking."
The woman scooped the seeds into paper twists. "Thirty fen for the spinach, twenty-five for the cabbage, twenty for the radish, and five for the chili. Total eighty cent."
"Seventy-five," Jia Lan countered mildly, "and I'll tell my aunt to buy from you next week."
The woman paused, then grinned. "Fine. But your aunt better come."
With the trade made, Jia Lan moved on, and the seeds slipped into her planting space the moment the crowd's back turned to her.
A quieter alley drew her next less shouting here, more muttered haggles. And then she saw them: a wiry old man with a handcart, saplings leaning against its side, their trunks wrapped in straw.
Two young apple trees. One pear tree. Two bundles of grapevine cuttings.
She stopped. Her heart skipped.
"These… are they hardy?" she asked, touching the rough bark with gentle fingers.
The old man nodded slowly. "Survive winters here just fine. Grew them myself. My yard's too small to keep them all."
"How much?"
"Apple three yuan each. Pear two yuan eight. Grapes, two for one yuan."
Her brows drew together slightly. "Three yuan for apple? That's steep."
He gave her a crooked grin. "Not steep for trees that'll feed your children's children."
Jia Lan chuckled softly, adjusting her scarf. "Two yuan seven for apple, two and a half for pear, and I'll take both grape bundles without arguing."
The old man thought for a long moment, then gave a sharp nod. "Deal."
She paid, careful not to show how eager she felt. Carrying the saplings openly would draw questions, so she strolled away slowly, ducking behind a stall selling steamed buns.
In the shadow of the steaming baskets, she shifted her focus inward again and the saplings vanished from her arms, their presence blooming into the rich soil of her planting space.
Her work done, she let herself breathe. A vendor selling hot soy milk waved her over. "Warm your hands, little miss! Only five cent a cup!"
She took one, the paper cup almost too hot to hold. The first sip slid down her throat like silk, chasing the winter cold from her bones.
The market's noise faded behind her as she walked toward the bus stop the shouts of hawkers, the creak of cart wheels, the scent of fried dough and coal smoke slowly giving way to the quieter streets.
Inside her planting space, twenty rich plots now held the promise of rice, wheat, corn, vegetables, and fruit trees.
No one in her family would know what she had done today and that secrecy only made the sweetness sharper.
Jia Lan stepped lightly into the courtyard, the late afternoon sun painting a golden glow over the carved wooden gate. The paper bag in her hands gave off a faint aroma of roasted peanuts and freshly fried sesame twists.
Inside, Xu Li was arranging flowers in a tall porcelain vase while Yao Jing sat on the sofa, peeling sunflower seeds with lazy precision.
"Back so soon?" Yao Jing raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you going to the department store for clothes? That was barely three hours."
Jia Lan smiled sweetly, setting the paper bag on the table. "I went. Looked around every floor. Not a single dress that caught my eye. All the cuts were old-fashioned, the colors dull. I don't buy things I don't like just to say I bought them."
Xu Li chuckled. "Typical you. But what's this then?" She pointed at the bag.
"Oh since there were no nice clothes, I decided to bring back something better." Jia Lan opened the bag, revealing rows of paper-wrapped candied hawthorn sticks, packets of dried plums, crispy peanut squares, and a small jar of osmanthus honey. "Snacks. From that shop next to the escalator. You know the one with the long queues? I just couldn't resist."
Yao Jing's eyes lit up immediately. "You didn't just bring a few… you brought half the shop! Come here—hand over that hawthorn."
Xu Li shook her head but smiled, placing the flowers down. "At least you're honest. If it were me, I'd have come back with a skirt just to avoid explaining."
Jia Lan unwrapped a peanut square and bit into it with a satisfying crunch. "Why should I waste money on clothes I don't even like? Snacks never disappoint."
Her mind flickered briefly to the silent, golden numbers that appeared in her vision the moment she stepped through the gate:
Ding!Ding! System Check-In Complete
Reward:
100 yuan
She hid the small grin tugging at her lips, reaching for another candied hawthorn as if nothing had happened.