live together

Xu Hongqi glanced at Xu Nian sideways, his expression didn't seem to change, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose in a tiny arc. He just felt that the present was really good.

Xu Hongqi raised his chin and nodded, signaling her to get on the bike. "Let's go buy a watch."

Xu Nian didn't dare to say anything more, and just followed the others to pedal the bike vigorously.

This was Xu Nian’s first time visiting a department store from the 1970s. Her life used to revolve around the small county town of Hua County, where the most they had was a small two-story supply and marketing cooperative. However, the department store here was three stories high.

This was the first time she had seen a three-story building here. Xu Hongqi took Xu Nian in and they went directly to the third floor.

"Brother Hongqi, you seem to know this place well." Xu Nian smiled and whispered to someone, pointing at his watch and asking, "Did you buy this watch here too?"

Xu Hongqi was very close to Xu Nian. He was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable coming to such a place for the first time. After hearing Xu Nian's question, he explained, "This is a reward."

Xu Nian quickly responded, "Brother Hongqi, you are really amazing!"

Xu Hongqi pursed his lips slightly, dimples appearing faintly, "It's okay."

Xu Nian touched her nose with her hand and secretly pouting, thinking to herself that he was really a reserved person. If his eyebrows were not raised and his dimples were not obvious, she would have believed his lies, even though he was obviously very happy to hear her praise him.

When they arrived at the watch counter, the watches were displayed in the glass cabinet. Xu Nian didn't know which ones were good and which ones were bad. She was not very interested in watches. She liked shiny things the most. In her previous life, she had a mobile phone and didn't need watches there. Many boys in their class wore watches, probably because they were very expensive and looked good.

Xu Hongqi looked at Xu Nian for a long time without saying anything, then asked, "Is there anything you like?"

Xu Nian glanced at the salesperson obscurely and said, "Let's go buy something else first. There are so many styles here that I'm overwhelmed. Come back later."

Xu Hongqi frowned, but seeing that Xu Nian kept winking at him, he didn't ask any more questions and led her away.

After they were far away from that place, Xu Nian pouted and said, "It's not pretty at all, and I just saw the price, it's very expensive." She was looking at it from the perspective of the future, and now she still felt that it was not cost-effective no matter how she looked at it.

It was the first time that Xu Hongqi heard someone say that some people disliked the watches in the department store because they were ugly. The key point was that there were two foreign products here, and even Xu Nian thought they were ugly. He glanced at his wrist and covered it with his sleeve inconspicuously.

The two of them kept talking. Most of the items the three of them bought were electronic products. Since there was nothing much to buy, they went down to the second floor. There were more things suitable for girls here, and daily chemical products occupied half of this floor.

Xu Nian felt that there was something interesting to look around, so she turned around and picked. When she saw the shampoo, she couldn't move anymore. It was sad to say it, because her family usually used shampoo powder that cost a few cents. This thing was cheaper than soap, so you can imagine how bad it could be. She touched her hair and felt that having beautiful hair now was purely a gift from God.

Xu Nian saw one shampoo called Seagull and another called Sunflower. The two looked similar in size, but she didn't know how they smelled or how they worked.

Xu Nian was also watching through the cabinet. The salesperson was sitting on something inside the cabinet, knitting a sweater. She turned her head and winked at Xu Hongqi behind her.

"Brother Hongqi, let's buy some shampoo. I really need it." She walked towards him in small steps and asked, "Can we smell this shampoo?"

Xu Hongqi is currently using shampoo powder, and he doesn't know if it's okay. Xu Nian's question seemed to indicate that he wanted him to ask the salesperson.

Considering that it was her first time, Xu Hongqi had no choice but to go.

"Hello, how do I buy shampoo? I see there are two kinds. Can we smell them?"

The salesperson put down the sweater in his hand and immediately took a sip of water from the teacup before saying, "You can't open the lid and smell it."

Xu Nian's wish was fulfilled, and he hurriedly said, "Let's smell it through the lid."

Their shampoo usually has many people looking at it but few buying it. Seeing that the probability of two people buying it was relatively high, the salesperson took it from the counter and handed it to the person, thinking that she would have to place a few orders today. Her sister-in-law said that their department store would need to reform in the future, and it would not be enough to just guard the counter, but also to be able to sell goods.

Xu Nian took it in her hand, smelled it, and handed it to Xu Hongqi. After all, they both needed it.

Xu Hongqi seemed to have thought of this as well, but his thoughts were different from Xu Nian's. There was a kind of secret ambiguity and intimacy.

"I think they're all good. You choose."

Seeing that he gave her the decision-making power, Xu Nian chose the sunflower shampoo. According to the introduction of Seagull, it seemed suitable for oily hair, but she had dry skin, and her hair would be a mess after using it.

After making their selection, the two of them issued a receipt and paid. This again opened Xu Nian's eyes. The salesperson issued a receipt, clamped it with a wooden clip, and then strung it on a rope through the gap. The receipt then slipped onto the counter on the first floor.

"Go down and pay the money. Bring your tickets back up and I'll give you the shampoo."

Xu Nian was stunned, but also found it a little interesting. She said to Xu Hongqi, "I'll go, I'll go. You stay here."

Xu Nian went downstairs and found that she still had to queue. Fortunately, there were only a few people in front of her. She followed what they did. When it was her turn, she watched the salesperson stamp the ticket, give her the copy, and put the other one in the cabinet.

At this moment she felt that she was narrow-minded. Sometimes she always felt that she was standing on the shoulders of giants to look at the previous era. Now she felt like a country bumpkin, even though she was obviously very advanced at this time.

Xu Nian suddenly felt very happy. She skipped up to the second floor and showed the stamped ticket to the salesperson. The salesperson took it and looked at it, then gave them the ticket and shampoo.

It is not popular to give people bags now, but fortunately Xu Hongqi was far-sighted and brought his own net bag. It is small when rolled up, but can hold a lot of things when unfolded, and it is also sturdy.

Xu Nian continued to stroll around, and Xu Hongqi followed her. The two of them bought toothpaste, toothbrushes, exercise books, facial cream, peach cakes, old bread, and a can of Lego. Finally, they saw an enamel washbasin and bought one as well.

There were quite a few things, and the counter also gave them a rope. After the two of them left the department store, Xu Hongqi tied the things to the car, thinking that they would go out for dinner before going home.

Xu Nian shook his head after hearing this. "We've spent a lot of money today. Let's cook for ourselves. I can make scrambled eggs with tomatoes, scrambled eggs with peppers, and cucumber salad. I can make simple dishes."

Xu Hongqi secretly calculated his savings and felt that it would be enough to last him until graduation, but he liked the way Xu Nian planned for life, which was very down-to-earth.

However, it was not easy to buy vegetables at this time. When they passed by a farmer's house, they saw some vegetables growing in the vegetable garden, so they knocked on the door and asked. Now the private transactions were not so strictly controlled. The farmer looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he let the two of them in to choose. In the end, in addition to the vegetables, they also bought a bag of eggs before leaving.

Xu Nian was not responsible for anything else except transporting the eggs "safely" home. He was very careful along the way for fear that one of the eggs would break. After all, it was still an era when eggs were in short supply. When he got home, he immediately put the eggs in the kitchen bamboo basket, returned to the main room and slumped on a stool, only sighing that he was challenging himself to the limit every day.

After riding the bike for two hours, her butt felt like it wasn't hers anymore. Seeing Xu Hongqi still carrying things and moving back and forth in the house, the kitchen, etc., she could only admire him.

It can be said that Xu Hongqi has never lost his parents. He has always lived a very active life. In addition, the school requires them to do physical exercises every day. He doesn't feel tired at all. Seeing Xu Nian sitting obediently at the door of the main hall and looking at him, he feels full of strength.

Xu Nian was not so shameless. After she had rested for a while, she stood up and went to the kitchen to cook with Xu Hongqi.

The kitchen had two stoves, one for cooking and one for frying. It was four o'clock now, and they hadn't had lunch yet. Luckily, they had bought some stale bread, which they shared, so it was bearable.

Xu Nian was mainly responsible for making fire and did not buy steamed buns. Xu Hongqi prepared a leek and egg filling. He was using the steamed bun left by Xu Qingli to make fried vegetable boxes. This did not require too much oil, but after a while, the overbearing aroma kept wafting out.

Xu Nian swallowed unconsciously. She felt that she could eat two large ones.

Xu Hongqi took the time to look at it and found it both funny and cute.

"It will be cooked soon. I'll give you the first one to eat."

"don't want!"

Xu Hongqi rolled out the dough and looked at her in confusion.

Xu Nian said as a matter of course: "We must eat together. Anyone who eats alone will have nothing to eat in the next life."

Xu Hongqi continued rolling the dough, but was silent for a long time before speaking, "Okay, let's eat together."

Xu Nian didn't take it seriously and just said, "It's a must!"

Xu Hongqi nimbly shoveled the first vegetable box off the pot with his hands and replaced it with the second one he had just rolled.

While Xu Nian was stuffing branches into the stove, she looked expectantly at the box of cooked vegetables. When Xu Hongqi handed it to her, she couldn't wait to take a bite, and lifted her feet back and forth in satisfaction. After swallowing it, she felt that her life was complete. How could eggs and leeks be such a perfect match?

Seeing that Xu Hongqi had no time to eat, she stood up, took a knife and cut the vegetable box into several pieces, picked up a piece and handed it to Xu Hongqi's mouth, "Eat it quickly, it's delicious, it's hot and smells so good."

Xu Hongqi lowered his head and took a bite, saying with a smile, "This one is especially delicious."

Xu Nian snorted, then couldn't help laughing.

They shared one and had to wait until the others were ready. Then they sat at the table in the clean and tidy main room with soup and vegetables, and enjoyed their first meal living alone.

Xu Hongqi was quick and agile, and Xu Nian cooperated well, and the two of them had their meal before the sun set.

The dish was cold cucumber salad, which was sour and spicy and very appetizing. The soup was rice porridge, which was neither too thick nor too thin, just the right amount. The vegetable boxes were warm and delicious. The combination of simple meals made it impossible to stop eating. This was the most Xu Nian had eaten since she came here. She praised Xu Hongqi while eating. Both of them were in a good mood and felt that life was really good.

After dinner, Xu Nian automatically washed the dishes and the pot. She left them to Xu Hongqi with a guilty conscience, as she was afraid that she would get some ash from the pot. Washing clothes was very tiring.

After Xu Hongqi finished washing the pot, he boiled two more pots of water. When the water boiled, the two of them took a bath. After everything was cleaned up, Xu Nian felt that a good sleep would be a perfect end to the day.

Not long after she lay down, she rolled around twice comfortably on the bed with a smile on her face, and then she saw Xu Hongqi coming in without knocking.

Before Xu Nian could say anything, someone said, "Xu Nian, haven't you finished your weekend homework yet?"