By the calendar, it was the twenty-second day of the twelfth lunar month. This year, thanks to Shen Jianan’s help, the Chaoyang Brigade had filled its coffers.
The cadres, feeling generous for once, took a dozen of the village men to the slaughterhouse to buy three large, fat pigs for the year-end feast, ensuring every household received several pounds of pork.
Everyone was in high spirits, carrying their share of the meat home in a hurry, intending to whip up a rich, oily "pig-killing feast" for their families. Having lived on plain, watery fare all year, they were ready for a bit of indulgence.
Chapter 72