After speaking, Madam Xu then reminded Feng Qingxue, "Don't be so sincere, child. A little bit of grain, about ten to twenty pounds, is enough for a family before the New Year. Add some coarse cereals, the more sparingly they're used, the more valuable the grains will seem."
Feng Qingxue sincerely treated the old couple, so Mrs Xu naturally cared about her in all aspects.
Moreover, which of those old friends didn't have some value stashed away, like a gold ingot or two? Who doesn't know how widespread the circulation of gold is? However, no one was willing to bring it out. They were all shrewd people who, instead of using their gold, would exchange the jewelry, jade, antiques, and artworks that are being heavily cracked down on by the government for grains. They treated gold as their last safeguard.
