While Chen Lan was expertly tying the hunted pheasants and wild rabbits with fine vines, her hands didn't stop. With a thought, she placed an order in the system for a large dark blue cotton padded jacket, a dark red headscarf, and a pair of size thirty-nine dark red women's snow boots.
Chen Lan had intentionally bought these as a gift from Auntie, the elder sister-in-law, to Chang Sanmei, the younger sister-in-law, to let Chang Sanmei feel the care and love from her maternal family and their longing for her. Chen Lan had initially considered buying size thirty-eight snow boots, but worried they might be too small and unusable. In the end, she decided a size larger would be safer.
After tying up the game one by one, Chen Lan took the opportunity to turn around and grab her belongings. She mentally opened the system's warehouse and took out the large cotton jacket, headscarf, and snow boots she had just purchased, placing them directly into her backpack.
Chen Lan then handed the prepared game and the backpack to the two Grandpa Chang brothers. Upon receiving the game, they saw the new cotton jacket and snow boots in the backpack and adamantly refused to accept them, repeatedly saying it was too much and too extravagant.
Chen Lan had to cajole them, "Uncle, these aren't from me. Auntie asked me to bring them over as a gift for Sanmei's aunt. She said Sanmei hasn't been back to her maternal home for a long time, so Auntie, as her sister-in-law, wanted to send these as a keepsake!"
Before Grandpa Chang's second brother could say anything, Grandpa Chang spoke up, "Second brother, since it's your sister-in-law's kind thought, you should accept them! It's rare for sister-in-law to be so thoughtful. Sanmei really hasn't been back to her maternal home for two or three years. Besides, when Sanmei was at home before she was married, the relationship between her and sister-in-law was always very good! So sister-in-law can't help but miss her."
Seeing Grandpa Chang say this, Grandpa Chang's second brother opened his mouth but finally said nothing. He simply reached out, took the backpack Chen Lan handed over, and put it on his back. Finally, he said, "Daughter, thank you for your trouble."
Xu Mingxuan confirmed the time and place for their rendezvous the day after tomorrow with the two Grandpa Chang brothers.
The time was ten o'clock in the morning the day after tomorrow, and the meeting point was at this large rock. Thus, Xu Mingxuan and Chen Lan helped the two Grandpa Changs carry their things and escorted them down the hillside. The four of them walked for about half an hour. Grandpa Chang estimated that they were not far from "Stop Four," Pogranichny, and could already see the few wooden houses of Sister Sanmei's home in the distance. Another short walk and they would be at Sanmei's house.
He then said, "Daughter, Comrade Xiao Xu, you two don't need to escort us further. You see, my Sister Sanmei's house is just ahead. Why don't you two also come with us brothers to my sister's house for a visit?" With that, he pointed to the sparse wooden houses scattered between the pastures not far ahead.
Chen Lan followed the direction Grandpa Chang pointed and felt only one word: "Vast." It was truly vast. At a glance, it was almost all pasture and grassland, with only a few scattered wooden houses of families dotted across the boundless prairie. The only difference was that these few houses were surrounded by many birch trees, forming a rather unique landscape.
The couple declined the invitation of the two Grandpa Changs. After all, the two Grandpa Chang brothers were also going to visit their sister's house, and bringing two strangers along would be awkward.
So, the couple waved goodbye to the two Grandpa Changs.
Chen Lan watched the retreating figures of the two Grandpa Changs and then turned to ask, "Brother Mingxuan, what are we going to do now? Are we going back the way we came?"
Seeing Chen Lan ask, Xu Mingxuan retorted, "Lan'er, do you have a better idea? Tell me."
Chen Lan hadn't expected Xu Mingxuan to be so sharp. She stopped holding back and immediately said, "Brother Mingxuan, there are still a few hours before dark, and it shouldn't be far to Pogranichny town. How about we go to town and have a look?"
Xu Mingxuan thought for a moment and said, "The relations between the two countries are a bit tense now, so I'm worried about inspections, which could cause trouble. However, the probability should be low."
Chen Lan thought for a moment and said, "Brother Mingxuan, what do you think they would check? We have to be prepared for the unexpected. We must be fully prepared before we go."
Xu Mingxuan replied, "It's just a transit permit, and then it needs to be stamped by the border stations of both countries."
Chen Lan hadn't expected it to be so simple and asked, "Brother Mingxuan, do you still remember the shapes and contents of those two seals?"
Xu Mingxuan nodded, puzzled, "I remember. I can even draw them. What's wrong? Lan'er, do you have a way?"
Chen Lan nodded. "Brother Mingxuan, as long as you remember the format and content of the introduction letter, and the shapes and contents of the seals, I can ask my father-in-law to make us a fake one that looks exactly like the real thing."
After speaking, Chen Lan took out paper and a pen from the system warehouse and handed them to Xu Mingxuan, who stood beside her, completely bewildered.
Xu Mingxuan, half-believing, wrote out a formal exit introduction letter on the paper. The general content of the letter was: "Presently, Chang Daming, a villager from Honghua Lin Village, is traveling with his wife, Xu Dani, to visit his aunt, Chang Sanni, in Pogranichny, Russia. This is to certify." The letter had merely changed the names of the couple. Xu Mingxuan was to be called Chang Daming, and Chen Lan would be called Xu Dani. He then wrote the date, October 12, 1959, at the bottom and drew two square seals, each the size of a block of preserved tofu. One seal had Chinese characters, stating "Suifenhe Border Station." The other had Russian characters, which Chen Lan couldn't read or understand.
Chen Lan guessed the Russian characters likely read "Pogranichny Border Station."
After drawing the two seals, Xu Mingxuan handed the paper and pen to Chen Lan. Chen Lan took them and stored them in the system. She priced them at three hundred yuan and listed them in the system. Soon, the system automatically searched for individuals who could make such small items. A person quickly accepted the order and, after asking for Chen Lan's specific requirements, promised delivery in ten minutes.
Chen Lan purchased two bottles of yogurt from the system, gave one to Xu Mingxuan, and then opened her own bottle and drank it down with gulps. As soon as they finished drinking, a certificate was received in Chen Lan's system warehouse, and the system notified her that the three hundred yuan transaction was complete and the payment had been automatically transferred.
Chen Lan mentally opened the system warehouse and took out the certificate, which had cost her three hundred yuan, and handed it to Xu Mingxuan.
Xu Mingxuan took the introduction letter with a mix of doubt and belief and looked at it, his mouth agape and his eyes wide with surprise.