The next morning, Kang Li finished breakfast early and set off for the county town with her younger brother, Kang Guoan.
They walked to the town and then transferred to a shuttle bus heading to the county town, arriving there around nine-thirty in the morning.
"Little Brother, let's go straight to the department store,"
Kang Li said to Kang Guoan as they left the bus station.
"Do you want to buy something?"
Walking beside Kang Li, Kang Guoan asked casually.
"I want to buy a gift for each member of our family."
Kang Li didn't hide her intentions from Kang Guoan. She said, "I've grown up with Dad, Mom, and my brothers doting on me and taking care of me. Then my sisters-in-law joined the family one after another, and they all spoiled and cared for me just like my brothers.
Even my nephews adore me, afraid that I might feel unhappy. By age, most of them are younger than me,
not to mention in terms of seniority, I am their elder, yet they protect me every day as if I were a little chick. Little Brother, to be honest, I feel quite bad because, as you know, our family has always been worried about me bumping into things or feeling wronged when you are not around. For many years, I've been moved by their kindness but never knew how to repay your goodness,
so today, before heading to North City, I wanted to buy everyone a gift to show at least a little of my gratitude."
For a moment, Kang Guoan didn't know what to say. After a while, he managed to utter, "Nobody at home wants anything in return from you. You've been frail since you were little but also so endearing,
you're our family's treasure. We all dote on you, care for you, and protect you willingly. You mustn't overthink it."
He had thought his sister was just a carefree girl, oblivious to the world around her. Yet unexpectedly, while they might not have noticed, she had developed her own deep thoughts, and she clearly focused on their family, showing the same considerateness and care that they had offered her, even thinking of buying them gifts.
If Dad, Mom, and the brothers found out, their noses would sour, and their eyes would redden with sentiment, especially Mother, who was sure to wipe away tears.
"I'm not overthinking; I just want to be good to you all like you've been good to me."
As she spoke, Kang Li took out ten yuan and a five-kilo food coupon and stuffed them into Kang Guoan's hand: "Next to the department store, there's a state-owned restaurant. In a minute, you take this money and coupons to the restaurant and buy two servings of braised pork and twenty-five large pork buns..."
Before she could finish, Kang Guoan interrupted her: "Stop, stop, stop. What are you doing? Two servings of braised pork and twenty-five large pork buns, that's going to be conspicuous if we buy all that!
Listen to your elder brother, let's not do this, otherwise, we'll attract all sorts of strange looks and might even invite trouble."
"Is it really that serious?"
Kang Li frowned: "I'm spending our own money and food coupons, what business is it of others?"
Kang Guoan replied, "People's hearts are complicated, and their words are to be feared. We must be cautious when we need to be. By the way, where did you get these money and coupons?"
"I've been saving them! All my life, the money and coupons that Dad, Mom, and my brothers have given me, I've never spent them recklessly."
Most of these coupons and certificates were given by Second Brother Kang and Fourth Brother Kang, one of whom had a good position in the army, and the other in the County Transport Team, where he frequently came back with plenty of fine things and a significant number of coupons and certificates.
Out of affection for their only cherished younger sister, whenever the brothers returned home, they never failed to give her money and coupons.
While money could be saved, coupons and certificates had expiration dates, so usually, the original owner would pass them on to their mother.
As for the coupons and certificates Kang Li currently held, they were sent by Second Brother Kang from the army in the past month or two. The letter stated clearly that they were for his sister Li Bao.