She Only Cares About Cultivation-Chapter 861 - 798: Famine Era 39 (4000 Words)
Of course, this method is also applicable during menstruation. As it turns out, Tong Zhan had just brought it back for her, and that night she got her period.
Sanitary pads in Hua Country only became available in the 1980s. During the Fifties, Sixties, and Seventies, people used toilet paper. Oh no, those who could afford toilet paper were considered well-off. Most people had to rely on the most ancient methods, like using cloth, or even those ancient cloth strips mixed with plant ashes?
Because the space must reach Level 20 to grow cotton, she now has to buy cotton and cloth from outside.
She couldn’t recycle the cloth strips, and the cotton menstrual pads she stitched would be directly burned after use. So, she not only used a lot of cloth but also wasted a lot of cotton.
Basically, the cotton and cloth she bought before were all used for her periods, and every time she went out to exchange items, cloth tickets were her top choice.
However, in this era, an ordinary worker gets only 12 feet of cloth per year. Although she had 24 feet, and Tong Zhan had 48 feet, it wasn’t just squandered casually. When the flow was heavy, she used those with cotton; when it was light, she used cloth strips, which could be washed and reused, although every time she had to do a good job of disinfection. It was much more convenient for her at the hospital.
Women tend to have more gynecological issues after marriage; neglecting them is not an option.
Her colleagues, those who could afford it, used cotton like her. Those who couldn’t, used plant ashes (discarded after one use), and the less fortunate used cloth strips. However, cleaning these after use was not easy, given the unpleasant smell during menstruation.
In this life, she was relatively okay. She didn’t feel pain, just an uncomfortable heaviness each time. It was somewhat challenging if work got busy.
But fortunately, she hadn’t gained the qualification to be on the operating table yet, so she wouldn’t have to stand for most of the day. If that day ever came, no matter how uncomfortable, she’d have to endure it because it was only a matter of time.
At noon, she went to the cafeteria for lunch. After looking around, she finally opted for some coarse-grain rice. What could she do? She was tired of eating steamed buns and cornbread every day.
She fondly remembered the days when she could eat Spicy Hot Pot, rice noodles, ramen, Stew Noodles, hot dry noodles—whatever she wanted to eat.
After a while, she picked vinegar potato shreds and cabbage stewed with tofu. Even with just these two dishes, they counted as excellent vegetarian options.
The lunchbox was a military-issued, double-tiered type from the Navy Factory, coated with green paint and equipped with a strap. It was suitable for military personnel like Tong Zhan, who often worked outdoors. For those using it at the unit, there was no need to strap it on.
The bottom tier could hold rice or soup, while the top had a compartment divided in half for food. This lunchbox could also be used as a small pot for cooking, truly worthy of being military material.
Inside the lunchbox, there was a small spoon and chopsticks she had prepared. This ensured they didn’t take up space and allowed the lid to close.
She initially wanted to sit with some familiar colleagues, but there were no vacant spots around, so she found a place to sit by herself.
Not long after sitting down, a female doctor from the obstetrics and gynecology department where she’d interned came over and greeted her with a smile.
"Doctor Ye, long time no see?"
"Doctor Zhou, indeed, it’s been a while. Please, have a seat."
"How have you been lately? You seem to be glowing. Is married life going well?"
Ye Huan sighed, "What’s good about it? We’re apart more than together. Unlike you, married to a teacher, you get to see him every day."
The female doctor named Zhou Yuanyuan had a delicate appearance, two dimples when she smiled, and was quite proper in her ways. Because their relationship was just ordinary, she didn’t know her well, but at least on the surface, she seemed nice, always greeting others with a slight smile, the kind of person who never offended anyone.
"What’s so great about marrying a teacher? Aside from the low salary, I have to deal with his mother from the countryside. I’m already worried about how I’ll cope when I’m pregnant."
"This..., " sharing personal matters with someone you’re not close with, how should she respond?
"Ah, right, Doctor Ye, where do you live, at the military base?"
Ye Huan nodded, "Yes, the military provided housing. Doesn’t your family live in the school’s residential compound?"
"Yes, but it’s an old communal building, and the neighbors are very noisy. Sometimes I really wish I could live in a dorm like you. But I’m not as lucky as you to have a dorm room."
This conversation was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Ye Huan furrowed her brow, "Doctor Zhou, the reason I have a bed in the dormitory is because my home is far, and my husband travels frequently on business, so it’s inconvenient for me to go back alone. Our family doesn’t have a house in Beijing, so I applied for a dorm. It’s an eight-person room. I don’t think it has anything to do with being lucky or not. Besides, as doctors, we all have night shifts. Every doctor needs a temporary place to rest, you, "
