Chapter 50: A Family Full of Worries

As the weather gradually gets colder, the Coal Shop in Capital City is the busiest place; every day a long queue forms at its entrance, waiting to buy honeycomb coal.

Lu Cheng remembers that before, they always burned coal balls, the round ones that roll on a machine like glutinous rice dumplings, which was exhausting.

Taking advantage of the free time these days, Lu Cheng pulled out the heating coal stove at home and attached the flue.

All three sleeping rooms need a coal stove, otherwise the cold would be unbearable.

Chen Xianglan was also busy sorting clothes: "San'er, your mission will take a few days, right? Mom will bring you extra thick clothes."

Lu Cheng stood on a stool, holding the long flue made of rolled aluminum sheet, extending it out through the window.

He sealed every gap with something, otherwise coal poisoning could occur, and one might not even know how they die.

"No need, Mom. If all goes well, I'll be back in two days; just make do, and besides, the south isn't that cold, so no thick clothes needed."

"How can you just make do? Even if you don't bring a thick padded jacket, you still need several sets of clean underclothes; looking sloppy isn't good."

Also, Mom doesn't know what mission you're on; you say it's a Confidential Mission, so Mom won't ask, but you must be careful, okay? Don't be reckless.

As mothers are, they worry as their child travels a thousand miles, fearing you might have an accident, or be thirsty or hungry; they're so anxious they can't even sleep well.

So the last time he captured a thief, he didn't dare tell Mom, because if she knew he jumped onto a train and the other side still had a gun, she could be frightened to death.

Chen Xianglan loves nagging; in his previous life he only felt irritated, but after both parents passed away, he could no longer hear them even if he wanted to, and in this life he only cherishes.

"Got it, Mom. Don't worry, I'll definitely come home safe and sound, with all my arms and legs intact."

Lu Cheng squinted, finally aligned the flue with the opening, pushed it out forcefully, then brushed the dust off his body and jumped down from the stool.

After Chen Xianglan finished packing the clothes, she suddenly remembered something: "By the way, San'er, which line are you taking for the mission to Beijing Station?"

"Jingguang Line. What's up, Mom? Please don't ask again; if you do, I'll make a mistake."

"No, Mom isn't asking about the mission. If you take the Jingguang Line you can't pass by your older brother's place; Mom is thinking that if you do pass by and have time, you could bring something to see your brother."

Speaking of the faraway Boss, Chen Xianglan couldn't help but sigh.

"Your older brother's queue spot is too far; Mom here can never find time, I haven't even seen what my granddaughter looks like."

"You say about this older brother, does he even think of coming back to see me? Does he still have me, his Mom, in his eyes?"

Realizing Mom missed her brother, Lu Cheng walked over and put an arm around her shoulder: "My older brother does think of you; doesn't he write you a letter every month?"

"Mainly, my older brother is genuinely sincere; he always feels like bringing his sister‑in‑law over, having to eat at home, and the place we live in also has to be squeezed."

Lu Cheng's comforting words had no effect; Chen Xianglan kept a stern face: "Your older brother is just blindly sincere; that family still observes so many formalities, and even if there isn't enough to eat, a little squeeze is enough."

Lu Cheng could only say: "It's okay, Mom. When there's time, I'll take a train to see the older brother; after all, wherever I go, taking a train costs nothing for me."

As long as you show your work badge, you're usually let on the train directly.

Of course, in principle, the rule is that you must buy a ticket.

But this seems to have become an unwritten rule: as long as you're Railway personnel, you can board without a ticket.

We're all part of the same Railway system; it's convenient for others and for oneself, and you might have to take a train from another station next time.

Chen Xianglan finally nodded: "That works too; if you're going, tell me in advance and I'll buy the supplies."

Lu Ying had also finished work, walked to the basin to wash her hands, and Lu Cheng called out.

"Sister, I've fixed the coal stove in your room; when you light it at night, be careful, and I have a mission tomorrow, so the house now relies on you to worry about it."

Lu Ying stepped back, surprised: "Whoa, you're being unusually sensible today, is this still my brother?"

Lu Cheng smiled and walked over: "Besides Comrade Lu Ying, who can have such a good brother, others can't even imagine having one."

"Ah, then I'm off to the temple to burn incense!" Lu Ying flicked water from her hand, then pulled two coins from her trouser pocket.

"Here, here, here, just these two coins; spend them sparingly. Every day my meager salary, I have to give you half of it."

Lu Cheng took the money: "You see, I really don't mean it that way."

"Don't take it!"

"No, the money given away can't be taken back." Lu Cheng hurriedly stuffed it into his pocket.

"Thanks, big sister. When I get my salary, I'll definitely buy you a bicycle, a watch…"

"Stop it, stop it, your cake won't satisfy my hunger; I still need to keep my stomach for meals."

Chen Xianglan still hadn't cooked; she looked at the three ready coal stoves and fell into worry.

The old Lu family has three rooms; in Da Za Yuan they're considered quite a wealthy household.

And precisely because of that, the yearly honeycomb coal needed for heating is a huge expense.

In previous years, to save a few Coal Tickets, the whole family would sleep in the Main Hall, needing only one coal stove.

This year is different: Lu Cheng is married, Lu Ying is also a grown lady, and Chen Xianglan decided to light stoves in all three rooms simultaneously.

Although Coal Tickets are issued based on household and floor area, lighting all three rooms at once still makes the tickets feel tight.

They need to burn for four months; currently the Coal Ticket supply per household per month is about 120 to 150 kilograms, so with a larger house they can receive about 350 kilograms a month, roughly equivalent to 280 pieces of honeycomb coal.

To last a month, they can only burn 10 pieces per day; divided among three rooms, that's only three or four pieces of honeycomb coal, which is simply insufficient.

And that's not even counting cooking; Chen Xianglan thought and worried: "Old Lu, why are the Steel Factory's Coal Tickets so late this year? I can't even cook; if it's impossible, I'll make a few infusion bottles to warm my feet at night."

Every year, besides the Street Office issuing Coal Tickets according to national regulations per household, state‑owned factories also, in winter, distribute some Coal Tickets as employee benefits.

Lu Beitang stuck out his bottom, cleaning the furnace interior a bit more.

"You should cook, you can't go without meals; this month's tickets will definitely be issued."

Lu Ying added: "If it really doesn't work, I'll also squeeze into the Main Hall."

Lu Beitang glanced: "Squeeze what? Squeezing won't save much space."

After finally raising the children and moving to separate rooms, being able to have a bit of a two‑person life, Lu Beitang would rather endure some cold.

Lu Ying then fell silent; she works at the tailoring shop under the Street Office. In such collective units, efficiency is generally poor, mainly serving to place personnel, so they basically never get extra Coal Tickets.

Lin Qingyan volunteered: "Dad, Lu Cheng is Train Police, he often has to ride with the train on duty; when he's not home, Ying Ying and I share a room."

That way, we can save a little.

Lin Qingyan's words made Lu Beitang and Chen Xianglan exchange glances.

The daughter‑in‑law here is truly sensible.

Lu Cheng patted the ash on his hand and said, "Can you stop feeling so aggrieved? Our Railway system has good benefits, and by the end of the month we'll definitely issue a lot of Coal Tickets."

Lu Cheng's words gave Chen Xianglan some comfort; to have such a good job, thanks to Xu Erye, Lin Qingyan kept this matter in her heart.