Song Luoyun and Xiao Nian followed closely behind Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan, passing through several alleys, turning many corners, and soon arrived at a black market.
"Xiao Luo, Xiao Nian, don't buy too much. Just buy ten catties of rice and flour, and one catty of brown sugar. Xiao Nian, remember, it's best to come around 5 AM. Don't come too early or too late."
Qiao Jiuru led Xiao Nian, and Su Huaiyuan led Xiao Luo. They quickly bought rice, flour, and brown sugar at the black market and left swiftly.
Only after the four of them were far from the black market did Qiao Jiuru teach Xiao Nian how to buy things there.
"Don't go often, no more than twice a month. You must remember the name and location of the person I gave you. You can secretly ask him to buy things for you."
"Aunt Qiao, don't worry, I've remembered everything."
Xiao Nian listened attentively and firmly memorized it all, feeling incredibly grateful.
He would forever remember the great kindness of Aunt Qiao and Uncle Su. As long as he had the chance, he would definitely repay them.
"Xiao Luo, Xiao Nian, hurry back. Aunt and Uncle also need to rush back."
It was almost seven o'clock, and the sky was already bright. They had delayed for quite some time at the Song family's place. Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan had to rush back, and the two children also needed to take their things and return quickly.
Song Luoyun and Xiao Nian nodded obediently. After watching Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan cycle away, they immediately ran home.
The two brothers ran for over twenty minutes before finally arriving home, panting. Fortunately, they only brought back five catties of rice and flour and one catty of brown sugar, as Aunt had instructed, so they weren't as conspicuous on the way and were less likely to attract jealousy.
The remaining fifteen catties of rice and flour and one catty of brown sugar, Aunt Qiao and Uncle Su said they would deliver to them later that evening.
"Grandpa, Grandma, we're back."
Xiao Nian was the first to run into the house, unable to hide his excitement as he softly called out to the two elders. He then immediately handed the items in his arms to Grandma Song.
Song Luoyun, who had been delayed by closing the courtyard gate, also had a smile on his face. Seeing his family so happy, his mood instantly cleared like the clouds parting to reveal the sun.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Qiao was worried that if we bought too much, we'd be discovered, envied, and reported. She only let us take these back. Aunt said she'd send the rest to us tonight."
Song Luoyun also explained to his Grandpa and Grandma with a smile. Since the family's incident, there had never been such a good atmosphere.
"Your Aunt Qiao and Uncle Su are good people. The Qiao family has always been especially kind-hearted. They are trustworthy people."
Grandpa Song tightly held the money and the note in his hand, sighing with emotion. They had truly met noble people today.
Grandma Song, who was beside him, also nodded repeatedly. She had several bottles of medicine in her arms, which Qiao Jiuru had given her just before leaving.
One bottle of cold medicine, one bottle of pain reliever, one bottle of fever reducer, and one bottle of anti-inflammatory medicine. Now, they no longer had to worry about getting sick and having no medicine.
Moreover, the happiest thing was that both children's fevers had completely broken, and they were now sleeping soundly.
"Grandpa, I'll go register at the Zhiqing Point later. I just don't know if I'll be assigned to the same village as Xiao Su sister."
"Xiao Luo, Grandpa will go with you later, and then have the Street Office issue a certificate for Xiao Shu to go to the countryside. You must go with your Xiao Su sister."
Song Luoyun's concerns were not unfounded, so Grandpa Song decided to take matters into his own hands. No matter what, he had to get these two things done.
"Xiao Shu, take this rice and make porridge. After serving a bowl to your younger siblings, add some sweet potatoes and cook more. Then, we'll each have a bowl of brown sugar water. You're leaving tomorrow, so Grandma will go pack things for you and your brother."
Grandma Song handed the rice, flour, and brown sugar to her granddaughter to prepare, while she herself hurried to pack the children's things for their trip to the countryside.
Meanwhile, Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan rushed back and finally arrived around seven-thirty.
When they returned, there were two large cabbages and a dozen potatoes in the bicycle basket, and Qiao Jiuru, on the back seat, was holding over a dozen eggs.
"Teacher Qiao and Professor Su are so early! Did you go to queue for vegetables first thing in the morning?"
"You two are so diligent! Unlike my husband, who only knows how to eat and drink and does nothing."
"Exactly! There are really not many men who accompany us to snatch vegetables, probably only Professor Su."
"Don't mention it. Professor Su isn't idle at home after work. He's either sweeping the floor or making fire and boiling water, helping wash vegetables. He can't do complicated things, but he can do the simple ones."
"Comparing people only makes one angry."
"Professor Su even helps with the children! How many men help their wives with childcare?!"
"Stop talking, the more we talk, the angrier I get."
...
It was really too late to come back empty-handed, which would arouse suspicion. So Qiao Jiuru simply took out these items, which were sold every morning at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, from her space and openly brought them home.
Sure enough, the people in the Jingda Family Compound thought they had gone to snatch vegetables.
When she returned from class at noon, Su Huazhu hadn't come back, and Qiao Jiuru knew that the school teachers must have arranged for her daughter to take the graduation exam.
After the family finished lunch, Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan took Dabao and Xiaobao, along with their and Su Feng's luggage, and left.
Outwardly, they naturally said they were going to find their youngest son and bring him his luggage because he had been accepted by a unit and was about to report for duty.
In fact, the couple really did take the two children to find Su Feng. They wanted to tell their youngest son the truth and lay out the details, lest he act impulsively if he found out later.
The distance from the Jingda Family Compound to Su Feng's medical school was not far, about twenty minutes by bicycle.
The couple went straight to the male dormitory of the medical school, then asked a student in the dormitory building to call their youngest son down.
"Dad, Mom, why are you here?!"
"Dabao, Xiaobao, you're here too!?"
Su Feng never expected his parents to come at this time, and even bring his two nephews along. He was overjoyed.
Then, taking his two nephews from his parents' hands, he affectionately kissed their little cheeks.
Dabao and Xiaobao giggled happily. They had been eating and sleeping well these past few days, and their little faces were starting to plump up, fair with a rosy glow, and very healthy.
"Xiao Feng, your employment notice has arrived. The unit is at the Hospital of the island team in the south. Uncle Lu bought you a hard sleeper ticket for tonight. He happens to be going south on a business trip, so you can go together and have someone to look out for you on the way."