It was already past ten in the morning by the time they finished discussing the wedding. Li Shankui and his wife, remembering the soybeans in the field, left Li Na to look after Tang Xue while the older couple hurried off to continue their work.
Tang Xue felt somewhat uncomfortable staying at the Li family's house, yet she didn't dare return to the commune, fearing gossip about her reputation. Left with no other choice, Li Na took her to the back hill for a walk to ease her mind.
Soon, only Li Yi remained at home. It was now, alone, that he finally had time to consider what to do next.
He went inside, found a piece of paper and a stub of a pencil, and made his way to the large willow tree in the yard. Spreading the paper on the old millstone, he held the pencil thoughtfully for a moment before his gaze turned resolute. Then, he began writing with determination.
After ten minutes, he looked at the small "list" in front of him and smiled with satisfaction.
The list was simple:
1.Prepare for the wedding with all my might, marry Tang Xue in a grand
2.ceremony, and make sure she truly accepts me.
3.Earn money to build a house and improve the family's living conditions!
4.Help Tang Xue get into a prestigious university!
5.Save my elder sister's life and prevent the tragedy from happening!
6.Take my father for a health checkup…
Slowly setting down the pencil, Li Yi tore the paper filled with his handwriting into small pieces and tossed them into the air.
Watching the paper fragments drift like snowflakes in the wind, a faint smile crossed his face.
Although life was poor and resources scarce, his heart felt light and joyful.
Unlike his previous life, when, despite having more wealth than he could count, he was left with nothing but money. When he died, there was no family by his side—a loneliness and solitude that was far more terrifying than poverty.
Now that fate had given him another chance to make choices, he was determined to live this life with joy and leave no regrets.
As for now, his most urgent and immediate task was to make money!
The wedding plans were set, but the issue of money loomed large.
Even in these times, a wedding still required some fanfare. While it didn't demand a house or a car, nor a motorcade or wedding company, there was no escaping the bride price and other expenses.
Tang Xue's dowry was set at 88 yuan—though it might not sound like much.
But in these days, an industrial worker could earn only about twenty-seven or twenty-eight yuan a month. So, 88 yuan was equivalent to three months' wages for an industrial worker who spent nothing.
In the countryside, saving that much money in a year was often impossible.
Additionally, families who could afford it would prepare the "three-turns-and-a-sound" items for the bride: a bicycle, sewing machine, wristwatch, and radio.
From a modern perspective, these items are quite ordinary, yet at that time, they represented the highest standard of household goods that any average family could hope to own.
The "three-turns-and-a-sound" weren't merely desirable possessions; they symbolized wealth in those days and were a primary criterion for many women in choosing a spouse. Any family who could provide these items would have matchmakers wearing out their doorstep.
Tang Xue, being from the city, was already "marrying down" by wedding Li Yi, a rural boy. She would even be giving up her chance to return to the city and had inexplicably lost her purity. This marriage would surely invite gossip. The best way to silence the talk in the village was to hold a grand wedding that would make it clear to everyone that Tang Xue was marrying into the Li family by choice, not necessity.
She was not sacrificing her urban life of comfort to suffer in the countryside; she was coming to enjoy life.
Although Li Shankui had only promised to buy Tang Xue a watch, Li Yi was determined to get the full set of "three-turns-and-a-sound" for her.
Of course, each of these items was expensive. A bicycle alone cost at least 120 yuan, and it even required a purchase coupon—not easy to come by even if you had the money. Collecting the entire set would cost no less than 400 yuan; for high-end brands, it might take 500 yuan or more.
Adding in the bride price and money for the wedding feast, it would likely require around seven or eight hundred yuan.
But Li Yi was well aware of the family's financial situation—one word could sum it up: poor.
For years, with many mouths to feed and school fees to pay, there had been no chance to save. Although things had slightly improved after his older sisters married, Li Yi's "spendthrift" reputation had prevented the family from accumulating much.
So relying on his family to hold a grand wedding was out of the question; it was up to him alone.
This was why he had set the wedding date a month away—giving himself time to gather the funds and buy everything he needed, including Tang Xue's bride price.
Li Yi wasn't worried about making money, as he had memories from his previous life. Earning money would be a straightforward task for him.
For instance, if he remembered correctly, there was an ancient general's tomb buried beneath the cliffs behind the village, filled with gold and silver treasures.
Opening the tomb and selling some of the items would instantly make him rich.
However, Li Yi had no desire to take this shortcut. With a fresh start in life, he wanted to earn his money honorably. Every cent he spent on his family would be cleanly earned.
But figuring out how to make seven or eight hundred yuan within a month would require careful planning.
...
By now, it was already past eleven. His parents were still working in the fields and unlikely to return to prepare lunch. His third sister was busy accompanying Tang Xue, so Li Yi decided to take on the cooking himself.
Heading back inside, he searched around and found that the family's grain storage jar held only half a jar of flour—nothing else.
Not a trace of meat, not even a single egg, which was usually the most common protein source in rural households.
He guessed that his mother must have traded the eggs at the supply and marketing cooperative for other essentials.
Looking at the meager ingredients, Li Yi couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"A clever housewife can't cook without rice," as they say. While he could cook, his skills relied on a variety of ingredients and seasonings.
With just half a jar of flour, he wasn't sure what he could make.
He knew resources were scarce in this era, but it still surprised him just how limited things were.
It was the 1980s, after all. The coastal regions had already opened up, so why was the village still so poor?
He thought about making a pot of steamed buns with porridge on the side, just as his mother usually did for lunch.
But remembering that Tang Xue would be eating at his house today—her first meal at the Li family's as his future wife—he couldn't settle for something so basic.
Besides, in the summer heat, just the thought of eating steamed buns with hot porridge was unappetizing.
Suddenly, Li Yi thought of a treat that could be made with just flour—cold noodles!
In the scorching summer, appetite wanes easily, a torment for food lovers.
People from all over the country had ways to combat this, and in the north, the answer was cold noodles.
The "cold" in cold noodles made it a perfect match for the heat of summer.
Under the sweltering sun, what could be more refreshing than a tangy, spicy bowl of cold noodles?
With that thought, Li Yi set to work without hesitation.