CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 70: TWO WAYS WITH ONE FISH

Wang Nan rubbed her hands together in excitement, feeling like she was about to reach the pinnacle of her life.

She exclaimed, "Is this okay now?"

"Yes, it’s okay."

"Then I’ll cut it."

"Stop wasting time, just cut."

Then, she picked up the scissors and started cutting away.

Bai Chen and the others guided her from the side, "Cut along the line, and make sure not to cut off course."

"I won’t, my hand is steady."

Wang Nan’s hand was indeed steady. Even though she was multitasking, there were no mistakes during the cutting process.

The cut was exactly like the drawn line.

Because the fabric was small, she finished it in just a few snips.

Then she straightened out the cut fabric and picked up the fabric labeled number 1 to begin cutting it.

She was making a reversible shirt, as taught by Yi Chichi, with a small round collar and short sleeves.

The collar and sleeves needed to be done separately.

So they were left for the last.

The sewing process didn’t require Yi Chichi’s supervision, so at Bai Chen and the others’ request, she started sewing while watching them draw the patterns.

Compared to Wang Nan’s smooth process, the rest struggled more and more.

Even though they were taught hand in hand, they still managed to have issues.

Especially Ge Sujuan, she’s excellent at making shoes but has zero talent for making clothes.

Yi Chichi helped her finish drawing and cutting, yet she still had problems even when all she had to do was sew.

The finished product had one sleeve longer than the other, the front didn’t line up, and one sleeve was even sewn onto the collar.

Yi Chichi was quite desperate, "Juanzi, I don’t think making clothes is for you."

Good thing she wasn’t a tailor, or else customers might beat her up.

A whole family saved up to make a new outfit, only to end up with something they couldn’t wear, spending money in vain.

Who wouldn’t have high blood pressure then?

She looked awkward, "I swear I stitched along the line, how did it turn out like this?"

Who knows really.

Only heaven knows what was wrong with her hands.

It was as if they had a mind of their own and always opposed her brain; when told to go this way, they’d stubbornly go that way with needle and thread.

In the end, Yi Chichi was too exhausted to even comment.

Bai Chen and the others secretly hid their works, too embarrassed to bring them out for her to see.

Yi Chichi didn’t think the same way, having been through one disaster, she wasn’t afraid of a few more.

"Let me see yours."

"Could... could we not?"

Clearly, they weren’t presentable.

"Do you still want to learn in the future?"

Well...

The few of them couldn’t make a decision immediately, exchanged glances, and collectively shook their heads after some silent communication.

"No, we’re just not cut out for making clothes."

Better not hold back Yi Chichi from making clothes for others. Though everyone has hands, some people’s hands are extraordinary and dexterous enough to evoke envy.

While others, like theirs, feel like they are foreign when making clothes.

Like having fake hands.

Yi Chichi didn’t know what they were thinking, but she could guess from their expressions that they were all pretty embarrassed.

She felt instant relief, finally freed.

She didn’t forget to give some not-very-sincere comfort, "Every trade has its master. You’re just not suited for making clothes, just like I’m not suited for farming."

"But it’s okay, there are jobs out there that suit you."

"So, don’t fight with making clothes anymore."

Bai Chen and the others... felt like the last sentence was the main point.

It was laced with dissatisfaction about their clumsy hands, but she wasn’t wrong; their hands truly were clumsy in the realm of making clothes.

Sighing, Bai Chen made a promise on behalf of everyone.

"We’re done, can’t learn it!"

The tone was quite melancholy.

Wang Nan happily stated, "No worries, you guys aren’t suited for making clothes but I am. When I’ve learned, if you need anything, you can come to me and Chichi."

Zhou Qiuyu’s eyes suddenly lit up, as if saying you shouldn’t do that, "Chichi taught you how to make clothes, and now you’re competing with her for business, that’s too much, Lanzi."

Yi Chichi, "???"

Wang Nan, "..."

Bai Chen and the others, "!!!"

It seemed to be true.

As soon as that thought arose, before Yi Chichi and the others could speak, Wang Nan anxiously defended herself loudly.

"I didn’t, I’m not, listen to me, I really didn’t have that thought."

She looked like she was about to cry and said, "I was just speaking off the top of my head, really didn’t mean to compete with Chichi."

Seeing that she was about to cry, Yi Chichi quickly soothed her, "We know, we know, stop explaining."

The more she explained, the worse it would get.

"Also, let me remind you, private business is not allowed now, I’m not doing business, just helping out."

Worried they didn’t understand her, she emphasized, "I’m helping out, Bai Chen and the others thank me with candy. Understand?"

"Understood!"

Everyone broke out in a cold sweat, nodding quickly.

Bai Chen and Qi Yang worried about eavesdroppers, so they nervously went out for a check, then came back, still uneasy, and reminded weakly, "Be careful with what you say from now on."

Indeed, they had to be careful.

Because of this incident, the atmosphere was a bit solemn.

Nobody felt like chatting anymore, everyone kept their heads down, silently working.

Until—

"What are we having for dinner?"

"Let’s make that bighead fish that’s frozen in the courtyard."

Because Yi Chichi taught Liu Lan embroidery, Liu Lan’s father, Liu Zhongwei, specially gave her a three to four-pound bighead fish, which they hadn’t eaten yet.

"Let’s make two dishes from one fish, the head can be used for soup and Old Witch, you handle the rest of the fish, okay?"

She looked at Wu Yongfei, who was entrusted with high hopes, and he looked back with dead fish eyes, "How to do it."

Yi Chichi promptly told him the steps.

Wu Yongfei quickly noted them down, puzzled by how she could make something as simple as eating so complicated.

Last time it was boiled fish or sour fish, and this time two dishes from one fish. If this continued, he felt like he could empty Yi Chichi’s recipe book.

After she finished, he got up and said, "I’ll go cook. Someone come help me with the fire."

"I’ll go!"

No one fought for cooking, but tending to the fire was a popular task.

Why? Because it was warm!

After a heated exchange of words, Zhou Yadong won the chance to tend to the fire.

He got off the kang, tidied his coal-stained cuffs, and with a proud look on his face, said, "Folks, I’m off to tend the fire, you all just relax and wait for dinner."

With that, he left with a stride that said he was the boss of the place.

Yi Chichi and the others were left dumbfounded, wondering if Old Zhou had lost his mind?

"Don’t let him tend the fire next time."

Qi Yang grumbled, and Yi Chichi thought that might be difficult.

It felt like Old Zhou was destined for a loving relationship with the stove this winter.

And indeed, as she thought, in the following days, Zhou Yadong always got the chance to tend to the stove.

Time quickly moved to January 1971, and it was just days away from Laba.

The saying goes that after Laba, the New Year is close. Around this time, the long-silent door of the Youth Corps Courtyard was knocked on with a loud thud.

"Who is it?"

"It’s me, Bai Zhqing, come open the door!"