Chapter 228: We’re All the Same

"Comrade Xie Changning is right. We need to learn to adapt to the market, to learn how to navigate it. Besides, this is an essential product for women, not something dirty. What’s there to be embarrassed about?"

With the senior leader taking the initiative, everyone else finally picked up a pack to take home.

Seeing the senior leader helping her, Xie Changning shot him a grateful look.

The senior leader gave Xie Changning a slight nod. "I’ll go back and review your proposal carefully. Then I’ll ask my family for their feedback after using the product. Xie Changning, I hope you won’t disappoint me."

"Yes!"

’It was worth having the driver deliver the sanitary napkins ahead of time. It looks like the factory project can finally move forward!’

’She really hated using cloth strips!’

’Soon, she’d have an endless supply of sanitary napkins!’

After leaving the conference room, Xie Changyi invited Xie Changning to stay with her for another night, and Xie Changning accepted.

’She knew Xie Changyi had something she wanted to talk about.’

The two returned to Xie Changyi’s home. Xie Changyi had bought groceries on her way back and was getting ready to cook dinner for Xie Changning.

"My secretary received a call. She said the experiment over there is almost finished. After that, they’ll be taking a vacation for a while."

At first, Xie Changning didn’t realize who "they" were that Xie Changyi was talking about.

It wasn’t until Xie Changyi looked directly at her that it dawned on Xie Changning: their parents, who were far away, were coming back.

"Did they say when?"

Xie Changyi shook her head. "Their ’soon’ is basically measured in years." She couldn’t help but sigh as she said it.

’When they first sent her abroad, they said it would be for a few years, but ’a few years’ gradually turned into more than twenty.’

’This time they said ’soon,’ which probably means another few years.’

’By the time they get out, they’ll probably be retired.’

"Oh."

Seeing that Xie Changning didn’t seem disappointed, Xie Changyi decided not to press the matter and said instead, "I just felt that since they called me, I should let you know."

’She didn’t mention that her secretary had already told their parents what Xie Changning had been through.’

’She wasn’t sure what their parents’ attitude was now.’

"You don’t need to feel burdened. What happened to me wasn’t your fault, so don’t keep feeling so guilty." Xie Changning knew that what the original owner of her body had gone through was a source of great pain for Xie Changyi.

’If she had known, she never would have let something like that happen.’

’But sometimes, fate works in mysterious ways.’

Xie Changning was more able to let things go; it was Xie Changyi who couldn’t move on.

"Aren’t I doing just fine now? It’s all in the past, and those people have been punished, haven’t they?"

Speaking of punishment, Xie Changyi’s thoughts turned to their uncle’s family and their recent troublemaking.

Xie Changning had indeed left some traps for them, but they were cunning and had managed to narrowly escape every time.

’It probably wouldn’t be long before they came to bother her sister again.’

"Mm."

’Xie Changyi decided she would go see those people herself this time, without bringing her sister.’

’She didn’t want her sister to be reminded of unpleasant things.’

Xie Changning was oblivious to Xie Changyi’s thoughts. Her attention was currently fixed on the potatoes. "Sis, why’d you buy so many potatoes?"

"I was planning to make you mashed potatoes, stir-fried potato shreds, and green beans stewed with potatoes tonight..."

Hearing her list four potato-related dishes, Xie Changning couldn’t help but ask earnestly, "Sis, are you planning to make an all-potato feast?"

Xie Changyi gave Xie Changning a gloomy look.

"If you don’t like it, you can just eat scallions with dipping sauce." She only knew how to make a handful of dishes; what else could she do?

Hearing Xie Changyi’s words, Xie Changning understood. Her sister didn’t know how to cook anything besides potatoes.

She was silent for a moment, then looked at Xie Changyi.

"You at least know how to scramble some eggs, right?"

"I know how to do that."

And so, at Xie Changning’s request, Xie Changyi swapped one of the potato dishes for scrambled eggs with scallions.

While preparing dinner, Xie Changyi was busy in the kitchen, and Xie Changning wasn’t idle either.

Xie Changning helped her, prepping one thing and chopping another.

When the two of them finally finished cooking, Xie Changning remarked with heartfelt emotion, "If I had known it would be like this, I would have rather paid to take you out to eat."

"..."

’Xie Changyi wanted to say that while she admittedly wasn’t good at cooking, her little sister was just as bad!’

Seeing the look on Xie Changyi’s face, Xie Changning snorted. "I can’t cook, but at least I don’t force myself to do it!"

Xie Changyi resentfully put a piece of potato in her sister’s bowl.

"Just eat!"

’As the older sister, I’m losing my authority more and more!’

The meal had been a struggle to prepare, but the dishes they made together actually tasted pretty good, so both of them were very satisfied.

"I declare this the best meal I’ve ever made!"

They both said in unison.

Since no one else was home, Xie Changyi even took out some red wine she had brought back from abroad. She smiled at Xie Changning and said, "We’re in a good mood today, how about a little drink?"

"Let’s do it!"

The two sisters spent an hour cooking and an hour eating. In the blink of an eye, the sky had turned dark.

They lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Do you think if I had gotten to know you sooner, my cooking skills might have improved?"

"Given your environment abroad, I don’t think your cooking would have improved much anyway."

"That’s true. It’s a total food desert abroad! There’s nothing good!"

The two sisters chatted about the past, and as they talked, drowsiness overcame them. They fell asleep without even turning off the light.

When Xie Changning woke up the next day, she heard CLANGING AND BANGING from the kitchen.

She yawned and walked out of the bedroom to see Xie Changyi reheating the leftovers.

Xie Changning walked over, speechless. "Let me do it."

’Her sister was even more hopeless at this than she was!’

’She wasn’t great at cooking from scratch, but she at least knew how to reheat food.’

After reheating all the dishes, Xie Changning went to wash up.

"You used to cook at home all the time as a kid, but your skills never improved. Suddenly, I feel a lot better about myself." Hearing Xie Changyi say this, Xie Changning was speechless.

She shot her an annoyed glare.

The two ate in silence, and afterward, Xie Changning boarded the train back to Anong County.

Before she left, Xie Changyi had Xie Changning take the clothes, small blankets, and other daily necessities she had prepared for the two babies. "These are for the children. Remember to tell them their auntie will come visit another day!"

"I know, I know!"

After Xie Changning got on the train and left, Xie Changyi requested time off from her work unit.

She headed straight for the place where her uncle had been sent down.

This time, she had a driver take her, so the journey was faster. In about half a day, she arrived at the location where he had been sent.

In this era, cars were a rarity.

When a car appeared in the village, everyone would come out to gawk.

And that was exactly what happened to Xie Changyi. The moment she stepped out of the car, many villagers began craning their necks, their curiosity piqued.