Although there are fewer types of fruits available this season than in summer, there are still quite a few, but not many are suitable for drying.
Dried fruit was still rare in those days, considered a luxury. Ordinary families wouldn't buy it for their children, as it was not only expensive but also required ration coupons.
Bao Ni and the others didn't go back for lunch. They ate the dry food they brought, along with Qu Hong's pickled vegetables, cucumbers, and tomatoes that Bao Ni brought. In this natural setting, the women sat on the ground, eating and drinking, feeling incredibly comfortable.
“Baoni, I never thought life could be like this. Regardless of whether the man or the child has eaten, at this moment, I am who I am, not someone’s wife or someone’s mother.” Qu Hong’s sister-in-law said with emotion. Although she was not as illiterate as Zhang’s sister-in-law, she only graduated from primary school and had no job opportunities.
Su Mo had to live a lowly life because of his family situation, fearing that people would notice him.
"Absolutely. I've never been this happy in all my years. Every day when I opened my eyes, all I thought about was how to fill my stomach. Later, when the conditions were a little better with the military, my children grew up one after another, and I was so busy that I was practically running around like crazy."
Sister Zhang was the oldest among them and had suffered the most.
After eating and drinking their fill, Bao Ni and the others put the fruit they found in one basket, Qu Hong's sister-in-law put the mushrooms she found in another basket, and the rest were peeled winter bamboo shoots, making a total of two baskets and one large basket.
Bonnie glanced at her watch; it was past one o'clock. She should go back; she still had these things to take care of.
"Let's go, it's past one o'clock. Let's come back tomorrow. We still have these things to take care of."
Sister-in-law Zhang didn't have a watch. She looked at the sky and realized it was almost noon. "It's past noon, time to go back."
The group carried baskets on their backs. Su Mo, who was the weakest, carried a mushroom basket, while Bao Ni carried a fruit basket and a regular basket. Qu Hong and Zhang Saozi each carried one.
"Baoni, you're so strong!" Aunt Zhang thought she was pretty good, able to carry a small bag of grain. But compared to Baoni, she was in a completely different league.
"Sister Zhang, I'm naturally strong and eat a lot, there's nothing I can do about it." Bonnie walked along without feeling much weight; this amount of weight was nothing to her.
Qu Hong and Su Mo were also very envious, especially Su Mo, who felt that she was too weak.
Chatting and laughing, we walked to where the bicycles were parked.
When the four people returned to the residential compound, they attracted the attention of many people.
"Wow, look! Aunt Zhang and the others have had quite a haul!"
"Really? I don't know what it is. We people wander around the residential compound every day and see how they save money on groceries."
The people speaking were the family members of officers at the battalion commander and deputy battalion commander level, most of whom were unemployed.
"That depends on who's with them. Before Brigade Commander Gu's wife came, Sister Zhang and the others never went out either!"
Zhang's wife and the others didn't hear their discussion. They rode all the way to Bao Ni's house and put their things on the ground.
"Baoni, use your pot to blanch the bamboo shoots first. We'll take some home to eat, and the rest will be made into pickled bamboo shoots. There are plenty of bamboo shoots this season, so we'll go pick more tomorrow to give to Sister Zhang's family and Su Mo's family, otherwise there won't be enough to pickle."
Sister-in-law Qu Hong suggested it, and everyone else agreed. They knew that Bao Ni wasn't very good at cooking, so they decided to start with her family.
Qu Hong's sister-in-law went to the kitchen to prepare pickled bamboo shoots, while Bao Ni and the others were cleaning mushrooms in the yard; if they weren't cleaned out, they would rot tomorrow.
Xu Mei saw the group of people slovenly made up in her yard and curled her lip. They were all family members of brigade commanders and regimental commanders, yet they dressed like rural women. What kind of behavior was that?
Other neighbors don't think that way. Even those who have jobs are quite envious, since money doesn't always buy things these days.
Qu Hong's sister-in-law tidied up the jar for pickling bamboo shoots, prepared the brine, and brought out some old pickling brine from home. Everything was ready.
"Bonnie, come help me cut bamboo shoots, the water's almost boiling."
"I'm here, let me wash my hands." Bonnie's knife skills are still pretty good.
The two of them, with two knives, started working together. The crisp, crackling sound of the freshly picked bamboo shoots being chopped was very relaxing.
The bamboo shoots they brought back were already broken, and there were quite a few of them. It took the two of them quite a while to chop them together. By the time the pickled bamboo shoots were put into the jar, it was almost dark.
The group divided the remaining bamboo shoots, which they stir-fried that evening. They also shared the selected mushrooms and the fruit they had picked—each family got quite a bit. They agreed to continue tomorrow, and the women all went home.
Bao Ni moved the jar of pickled bamboo shoots to the storeroom. Sister Qu Hong gave her some instructions, which Bao Ni remembered.
There's no time left. Bonnie has kneaded the dough. Let's have hand-pulled noodles for dinner, and stir-fry some mushrooms with cured pork. All the vegetables are prepared. Gu Ye can just start cooking as soon as he gets back, which will be quick.
"Mom, here's the firewood we collected." Liu Jiu returned carrying a large bundle of dry branches and put it in the wooden shed.
"Why did you go to collect firewood?" Bonnie asked, looking at the two children's ashen faces.
"When school ended, many classmates went, and I went with them. The rope was borrowed from a classmate, and I have to return it to them tomorrow." Liu Jiu drank a whole jar of cold boiled water because she was so thirsty; she had drunk all the water she brought.
"My Liu Jiu and San Qi are so capable!" Bonnie praised without reservation. Liu Jiu smiled broadly, while San Qi looked sullen. He didn't want to go; the sun was so strong, and he hadn't even brought a straw hat, so he was already getting a tan.
Bonnie pretended not to see Sanqi's pouting lips and told the two of them to hurry up and take a shower, since they were still warm from sleeping.
Sanqi didn't get any questions from her mother, and with her sister's glare putting her down, she could only sigh and go take a shower. She was covered in sweat and felt uncomfortable.
Gu Ye came home from get off work on time, changed his clothes, and went to the kitchen to cook.
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