Shen Miaomiao watched him nibble like a little hamster and said, "Next time, let's braise the fish. Or maybe make soup. The weather's turning cold, and a steaming fish soup would be perfect. It's easier to digest, too."
"Okay," Shen Xingshen agreed without a second thought.
"I think the package my family sent will arrive in a few days. Can you help me check it from the post office?"
Shen Miaomiao nearly blurted out her disinterest, but caught herself and said, "Don't worry about it. The postman will deliver all packages to the brigade headquarters. There's a room there that functions like the brigade's post office. They'll call your name over the loudspeaker when it arrives."
Shen Xingshen shifted closer to Shen Miaomiao's side, giving space to the two little kids eager for food, and asked, "Would that be alright? It might be heavy. I only brought some of my clothes, and the rest of my belongings were sent with the package."
Before sending him to the countryside, his father, cautious of the wind direction, demanded, "Don't show off wealth. Just pretend you're an orphan or destitute, or anything showing poverty. Pretend to be poor, the poorer the better. Don't take your clothes and bedding with you. Let your mother prepare the oldest and most worn-out to bring."
Although his father didn't even consider whether his body could withstand the cold or hunger in the countryside, and was only concerned about the family, not his actual situation, Shen Xingshen knew that what he said was not entirely unreasonable.
He also wants a solution on how to avoid standing out. He was afraid that if he were too different, he would be targeted.
However, he cannot sacrifice his necessities. Before anything else, he had to keep himself from collapsing.
"Dad, look at him, look at how white he is!" Shen Xingshou, his younger half-brother, rolled his eyes. "He looks like a pampered young master!"
"Shut up! Be careful of your mouth!"
"I'm just telling the truth! I even locked him outside the house the whole afternoon, but did he get tanned? No!"
Father Shen felt a headache coming on, but his third son kept talking.
"He also drinks medicine frequently, do you think he can pretend? Just give it to him. We don't lack these little things. If you are worried, then just say you don't have this son."
Shen Xingshou was almost beaten that day for talking carelessly, but thankfully, he's not a motherless child. Aunt Qian immediately sprang out as a peacekeeper.
Ever since Shen Xingshou learned that his frail brother was going to be sent to the countryside, the young man has been jumping up and down at home, hissing and lashing out like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Irritated with his father and sarcastic at his eldest half-brother, Shen Xinghou seemed determined to stir up a fight. He has also been bullying his second brother, Shen Xingshen, whom he used to ignore; locking him out to bake in the sun, ordering him around in the house, and even demanding he wash every piece of laundry, determined to roughen up those delicate hands that scream he never worked a day in his life.
Yet, to his frustration, his pale brother still looked like he couldn't carry anything on his shoulders. White, tender, and frail, Shen Xingshen practically wore a sign that said 'easy to bully.'
Does this one look like he's going to survive hard labor?!
Shen Xingshou was still young, but he acted so stressed that it seemed like he might get high blood pressure.
Even after Shen Xingshen boarded the train, he insisted on ransacking the entire house. He even slipped a letter into his brother's luggage, promising that even if Shen Xingshen's going to die from exhaustion, he'll make sure it won't be from a lack of supplies.
Shen Xingshen was worried that his reckless younger brother might empty the house and send them to this place.
"The son of the captain is a postman in the commune. Just tell him. His bike has a cart."
Shen Miaomiao poked Shen Ye and Shen Qiu on the head, signaling them to stop getting close to the fire.
"Actually, I don't know what my family sent me," Shen Xingshen said, looking hesitant. "Maybe there are some things we can use for our marriage. It's better if we look together and organise what we need and save it aside. Of course, we should still buy our wedding items, but we can save on household expenses."
There were many eyes and ears in the educated youth compound. He couldn't store large items in there. He also has a step-cousin supervising his money, so he can't keep the majority of the things in his hands.
Shen Miaomiao almost bit her tongue, while the three little kids perked up, curiosity shining in their eyes.
Seeing the attention turn to him, Shen Xingshen suddenly felt a surge of excitement. He began discussing what might be in the package, treating it as a surprise. Knowing his brother's carelessness, he half-expected to find things like his old personal items, such as his used toothbrush, cracked basins, ot worn-out shoes; stuff that would only take up space. He wondered if his younger brother had enough sense to pack his watch or maybe some snacks.
Shen Xingshen even promised the little dumplings that if they found candies, everyone would have a share, making the children cheer, raising his favorability higher in their list of reliable adults.
Shen Miaomiao suggested, "If you are really worried, you can call your family to ask. Our brigade post office has a telephone."
Perhaps because the Marching Brigade was close to the commune and was one of the more prosperous brigades in the entire Red Flag commune, all aspects consciously moved closer to the living standard of a town. The major houses, such as the headquarters and the clinic, are made of brick and tile. And there are a handful of families that can afford to build their houses in the same way. The brigade also has electricity, and the construction of dry toilets was done based on the advanced standard of the commune, which doesn't smell much.
The addition of a telephone was hardly a shock for Shen Xingshen.
"That's very convenient."
"Yeah. The brigade has sideline businesses, and we have a handful of veterans and active soldiers who frequently send packages. After a few meetings, the cadres decided that it would be more practical in the long run to have a dedicated person to handle the task and connect a telephone."
The elders in their Shen clan preferred to stay within the village, so they often found ways to push a lot of things, put pressure on the younger generation, and avoid going out.