Axolotl Translations

After breakfast that day, Great-aunt and Aunt Fen took little Xiangqing to the street canteen. Aunt Fen worked there as a cook, earning a steady income, while Great-aunt helped out voluntarily

Ever since the large canteen opened, nearly every household in the neighborhood had been dining there, resulting in a high demand for labor. Those like Grandaunt, who were older and without employment, volunteered to help by picking vegetables or washing dishes.

With the start of the school year approaching, Wei Jiajia planned to take a few of the children to the department store for a small outing.

When the younger ones heard that their sister was going to take them out, they became so excited that they started jumping up and down, already envisioning the things they wanted to buy now that they knew their sister could earn money by writing.

Wei Jiajia looked at the requests her younger siblings made and happily agreed to all of them.

As the weather began to warm up, she was concerned that the younger children might become tired from walking for too long. So, she took them out and they boarded the bus, enjoying a comfortable and leisurely outing.

Yangyang and Nuannuan were still young and hadn’t ventured far beyond their immediate surroundings. The kindergarten they attended was close by, and this was their first bus ride that they could recall.

Once on the bus, the two were incredibly thrilled, pressing their faces against the window and chattering excitedly. Every time they spotted something unfamiliar, they would turn around to ask their older siblings about it.

Fortunately, the bus wasn’t very crowded, and the younger ones were well-behaved, not disturbing any of the other passengers. Xiangdong and Xiangxi patiently answered their questions in soft voices.

Soon, the bus arrived at the stop near the department store. After disembarking with the children, Wei Jiajia led them inside.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a dazzling array of goods on display. At every counter, there was a crowd of people, and the twins were a bit overwhelmed, their eyes wide with a mixture of wonder and apprehension. They instinctively stepped back, feeling a bit scared.

“Make sure you hold on to them and don’t let them get lost in the crowd!” Wei Jiajia said to Xiangdong and Xiangxi, realizing the sheer number of shoppers today.

She first took the four children to the stationery counter and bought some school supplies for them. Then, she turned to them and asked, “What do you want to buy? Don’t worry, I’ve earned a good amount of money this year, but each of you can only choose one thing. Think carefully before deciding.”

The children looked at each other, their eyes sparkling with anticipation, before beginning to ponder their choices. A few minutes later, they approached Wei Jiajia with their selections.

“Sis, I want a pair of white Wuhuo shoes,” Xiangxi announced, his eyes sparkling. Originally, he had wanted a pair of liberation shoes, but when he saw the gleaming white Wuhuo shoes at the shoe counter, he changed his mind.

“And you, Xiangdong? What do you want?”

Xiangdong couldn’t contain his excitement, and a bit embarrassed, he blurted out, “I want a pair of sneakers.” His face flushed crimson as he spoke.

Wei Jiajia looked at him with a touch of tenderness. Since his parents passed away, he had been forced to grow up too quickly, pushing himself too hard and never considering that he was also a child who needed someone to care for him.

With a teasing gesture, Wei Jiajia ruffled his hair. “Didn’t we agree that you could just tell me what you want? As your older sister, it’s only natural for me to take care of you. Don’t be embarrassed. But remember, when you grow up, you have to be extra kind to me.”

Upon hearing this, Xiangdong smiled shyly, scratching his head. In that moment, he secretly resolved to treat his older sister even better in the future.

Wei Jiajia turned to look at the two younger ones and squatted down to ask, “What do you two want? Tell me, and I’ll get it for you.”

Nuannuan wrapped her arms around Wei Jiajia’s neck and pointed at a little girl in the distance. “Nuannuan wants that butterfly!”

Wei Jiajia followed her gaze. Not far away, a little girl wore a delicate butterfly-shaped hairpin. It was understandable that Nuannuan would be captivated by it; after all, little girls adored beautiful things, and such exquisite pink butterfly hairpins were a rare sight in this era.

“Okay, I’ll buy it for you,” Wei Jiajia promised. “What about you, Yangyang? What would you like?”

“I want a rubber ball!” Yangyang declared, his eyes gleaming with excitement.”

After hearing everyone’s requests, Wei Jiajia led the children upstairs to the shoe counter.

Once they arrived at the counter, she gave the sales assistant the shoe sizes for the two younger brothers. After checking the shoes and confirming they were a good fit, she asked the assistant to process the purchase.

Not far from the shoe counter was the fabric counter, where Su Pan was accompanying her mother and another aunt to choose fabrics.

While she was waiting, a bit bored, she spotted Wei Jiajia and the others standing by the shoe counter.

“Mom, I see a classmate. I’ll go greet them; you and Aunt Li can take your time choosing,’ Su Pan announced, not waiting for a response as she made her way toward Wei Jiajia.

“Ah… this child…” Su’s mother began, her voice trailing off as she realized Su Pan had already left. She shook her head helplessly at the middle-aged woman standing beside her.

The middle-aged woman followed Su Pan’s gaze and noticed Wei Jiajia and her siblings. Curiosity piqued, she asked Su’s mother, “Is that very pretty girl your daughter’s classmate?”

Su’s mother turned to look at the scene, a warm smile gracing her lips as she watched her daughter chatting animatedly with the girl, their arms linked. “Yes,” she replied, “she’s my daughter’s college classmate. They live in the same dormitory. The two older boys with her are her twin brothers. They met at the beginning of the school year.”

Aunt Li, noticing that Wei Jiajia had bought two new pairs of shoes for her brothers, asked Su’s mother curiously, “This family seems to be quite well-off. They were able to buy those expensive shoes for both of the boys. I’ve heard those shoes are quite pricey. What do their parents do?”

“I don’t know much about them, to be honest,” Su’s mother replied, shaking her head. “All I know is they live in the old Zha district. I’ve only met them once, so I don’t have much information.”

Aunt Li glanced thoughtfully in Wei Jiajia’s direction several times, her gaze lingering on the family before finally returning to the saleslady who was handing her the requested fabric.

On the other side, Wei Jiajia was delighted to see Su Pan. They had planned to go shopping together during the holidays, but first, her engagement had delayed their plans, and then the opening of the large canteen had further postponed their outing.

Su Pan immediately noticed the two adorable children beside Wei Jiajia, and her attention was fully drawn to them.

“Jiajia, are these your twin brother and sister? They’re absolutely adorable!” Su Pan exclaimed, bending down to gently pinch their rosy cheeks.

The twins, startled by this enthusiastic aunt, quickly hid behind their older brother, peeking out at her with wide, curious eyes.

Su Pan was instantly charmed by the two, especially their eyes, which were strikingly similar to Wei Jiajia’s. When they looked at you, it felt impossible to resist their gaze.

Wei Jiajia herself was stunning—those eyes could captivate anyone, even other women. But these little ones? Their innocent, pure gaze made everyone want to secretly take them home and shower them with affection.

She quickly pulled out some candy from her pocket to give to the twins. After Wei Jiajia nodded, Yangyang and Nuannuan stretched out their small hands to take it, softly thanking her. They no longer hid behind their brother, their curiosity overcoming their initial shyness.

Su Pan played with the twins for a while, but hearing her mother calling her from a distance, she quickly bid farewell to Wei Jiajia, promising to see her when school started before rushing back to her mother.

After purchasing the twins’ shoes, Wei Jiajia led the children to the counter displaying a dazzling array of hair clips and soccer balls.

She noticed the twins repeatedly casting longing glances at the basketballs and soccer balls. The two children, remarkably well-behaved, refrained from asking for anything. Wei Jiajia decided to pretend she hadn’t noticed, remembering their agreement to purchase only one item each today. Although she had the means to indulge them, she wanted to instill good spending habits in the children.

These sports items were readily available at her supermarket, so she planned to surprise them with these items as presents when the twins’ birthdays arrived.

Wei Jiajia bought gifts for everyone in her family, and the children gleefully clutched their purchases, their happiness radiating from them. Nuannuan was particularly excited, asking Wei Jiajia to pin the butterfly hairpin in her hair. The little girl beamed with joy, hopping ahead with delight and occasionally reaching up to touch the clip fluttering on her head.

When they were done shopping, Wei Jiajia got ready to take the kids home. They still needed to go to the street canteen for lunch; once the lunch hour passed, there would be no food left…

After lunch that day, Wei Jiajia packed her belongings and got ready to return to school. The next day was the first day of the new semester, and the senior students from the local area were required to return to school early to prepare for the incoming freshmen orientation.

As she entered the school campus, she noticed that the place was already bustling with activity. Upon reaching the dormitory building, she found that their door was unlocked, which led her to believe that Su Pan had arrived early.

She pushed open the door and entered, finding that Zhao Zhaodi and Yang Yang were already there, diligently cleaning the dormitory.

Wei Jiajia was a little surprised to see the two of them already there and quickly put down what she was holding to offer assistance.

“No need, no need. Zhaodi arrived early and has already cleaned up most of the room. I’m just wiping off some dust; you don’t need to help with the rest,” Yang Yang said, gently pushing away Wei Jiajia’s hand that was reaching to assist.

“You just need to take care of your own things. Honestly, there’s nothing left for you to do. We’ve finished here,” Zhaodi added, offering a reassuring smile.

Wei Jiajia looked around and realized they didn’t need her help. She stopped insisting, accepting their help graciously, and turned to organize the luggage she had brought.

“I’m surprised you two are here so early,” she remarked, her curiosity piqued.

“There’s a relative of mine coming to Shencheng for a business trip. My mom thought it’d be a good idea for us to travel together for a few days to look after each other. Besides, there are only a few days left before school starts, so I decided to leave early,” Yang Yang explained, a hint of satisfaction evident in her tone.

It wasn’t practical for a young girl to travel alone for several days on a train, especially when there was no one to keep watch over her belongings when using the restroom. Plus, traveling with someone provided companionship and peace of mind, ensuring she didn’t have to worry about other passengers taking her seat or causing any trouble.

Wei Jiajia understood. A single girl traveling far would undoubtedly make her family uneasy.

She then looked at Zhaodi and, noticing the change in her appearance, remarked, “Zhaodi, what have you been eating this vacation? You’ve put on a little weight.”

Yang Yang, hearing this, turned to look at Zhaodi and circled around her, commenting, “You’ve definitely put on a few pounds. Your face looks a little rounder.”

When Zhaodi heard the two of them, she curiously touched her face and asked, “Is it that obvious?”

Both of them nodded in agreement. The main reason was that Zhaodi had been quite thin before, often restricting her food intake. She had also diligently saved up her school subsidies to send home.

Her roommates were aware of her family’s circumstances, and she never shied away from sharing her experiences with them. She always approached life with boundless energy, focused on her studies, and maintained an optimistic outlook.

Compared to her, the other girls in the dormitory enjoyed more comfortable living conditions. They would offer subtle acts of kindness, and although she was aware of these gestures, she never felt a sense of inferiority. Instead, she repaid their kindness whenever possible.

As a result, the relationships between the girls in the dorm were exceptionally strong, and they all coexisted harmoniously.

“Our entire village’s grain was collected, and the commune established a large cafeteria. From now on, we’ll be eating in large communal pots. We can finally eat our fill,” Zhaodi explained, her voice filled with a newfound sense of security.

“When I was at home for the past month, I never went hungry. Although we don’t have the luxury of white flour buns or meat like other communes, our village head did everything he could to ensure everyone had enough to eat.”

Wei Jiajia fell silent for a moment upon hearing this. In those villages, when everyone ate freely, they could consume an entire year’s worth of grain in just one month. If the weather turned bad and there was no harvest, with no reserve stock of grain, she didn’t know how many people would face starvation.

“Did you inquire about this year’s harvest in your village? Is it really as high as the newspapers are claiming?” Wei Jiajia asked, a note of concern in her voice.

At the mention of this, Zhaodi’s expression grew a little serious. She shook her head. “My dad said the harvest in our village wasn’t as bountiful as the newspapers reported. The neighboring village reported a yield of over 3,000 jin per acre, saying it was because the village leader wanted to claim it as a success.”

“In that case, it seems the newspaper report wasn’t accurate. I’m glad you reminded me. I asked my dad to purchase some grain from another commune and store it discreetly. And because of the big cafeteria project, my grandmother, realizing she no longer had any control over the family’s grain supply, decided to divide the family and send us away.”

Zhaodi laughed, a genuine, heartfelt laugh that seemed to lift a heavy weight off her shoulders. It was evident how elated she was to finally be free from her grandmother’s exploitation.

“My two younger sisters can finally eat their fill this month. No one will force them to endure the drudgery of washing the entire family’s clothes at the river anymore. No one will beat them at will. Now they can attend school and study, and in the future, they’ll be able to pursue higher education, instead of being forced into marriage with some distant cousin when they reach marriageable age to receive a bride price!”

Seeing the tears welling up in Zhaodi’s eyes, but also the radiant light of hope on her face, Wei Jiajia and the others felt a genuine sense of happiness for her. After spending a year together, they knew firsthand how hard she had worked to ensure her parents and younger sisters had enough to eat and stay warm.”

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