Chapter 100

Xie Cong's answer surprised Lin Tao.

The difference between Haidao and the Workers, Peasants and Soldiers University in Beijing is not just in the treatment. If Xie Cong had stayed here, he would definitely not have developed as well as in Beijing.

"Thank you, teacher," Lin Tao said, "Are you really determined not to leave?"

Xie Cong nodded: "It's a mess outside now, and many people don't even want to study. It's better here, it's quiet. Although I haven't been with this group of students for a long time, their thirst for knowledge makes me feel like a people's teacher, teaching my students."

"Then I would like to thank you on behalf of the students. Thank you, teacher. Having a good teacher like you will definitely have a great impact on their future." Lin Tao said with a smile.

Xie Cong shook his head: "Teacher Lin, you are actually the one who has the greatest influence on them."

Although he had only been on the island for a short time, he had heard a lot about Lin Tao. At first, he was a little surprised to find that Lin Tao was so young and yet she had become the head teacher.

But at that time he was thinking about Zhong Jing's affairs and didn't pay much attention to these. Later, he occasionally learned that Lin Tao was just a high school graduate, and he was also surprised.

After he went to teach in a junior high school, he learned about Lin Tao from students and the principal. He had a much different opinion of Lin Tao and understood why the principal would let Lin Tao, who only had a high school diploma, be the dean of teaching.

No one wanted to see Zhong Jing leave. Not only the teachers were reluctant to let her go, but the students were also reluctant to let her go.

Of course, the happiest ones were Lin Hui and Shen Jiahao.

Last time, Shen Jiahao wrote a self-review of several hundred words, and read it in front of all the classmates in the school before he could go back to school. Because of his father Shen Guobin's warning, he has been holding back and not daring to do anything recently. This time, Zhong Jing left, and he was happier than anyone else.

When his classmates were sad and the female student even cried, he clapped his hands on the table happily and the classmates didn't want to play with him anymore.

Lin Hui was also happy. She thought that since Zhong Jing was gone, maybe the school would let her teach there. However, when she found the principal, she was rejected outright. The principal told Lin Hui to do a good job in the logistics department and not to worry too much, as it was not good.

Lin Hui was almost angry to the point of having her nose twisted. The meaning of these words was clearly to tell her that not only did she have no chance now, she would never have any chance in the future!

Because she went to the principal to talk about this, she was late for work. When Lin Hui went to work in the afternoon, she was scolded by the logistics department supervisor, and her face turned green with anger. As a result, she was distracted in the afternoon and didn't pay attention, and her hand was cut by a knife.

After Chen Shuifen came back, she immediately told Lin Tao about this, and her tone was very relieved: "This Lin Hui simply deserved it. She was allowed to gossip about Teacher Zhong. As soon as Teacher Zhong left, she still wanted to take over Teacher Zhong's class. She didn't even look at her own character. How could she be allowed to teach students?"

Lin Tao had long guessed that as soon as Zhong Jing left, Lin Hui would probably take action.

Lin Hui must have regretted not being able to go to school to teach.

But she was too lazy to pay attention to Lin Hui. The Mid-Autumn Festival was coming in a few days. Lin Tao thought that she had been on the island for such a long time and had only gone to the sea once. It was a good time to go to the sea around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

So he said, "Big sister, tomorrow is our day off, shall we go fishing together?"

Chen Shuifen was happy: "Okay, I was worried that you would have to take care of the kids at home, so I thought about asking Manman to go with you tomorrow."

Lin Tao smiled and said, "I plan to take Yueyue with me. The weather has been a lot cooler these days, and it will be cloudy tomorrow, so it won't be too hot even if we go to the beach."

"Take Yueyue with you? Sure, I'll ask Hongxing to come with you tomorrow." Chen Shuifen said with a smile, "That brat Hongxing has wanted to go to the sea for a long time, but he wasn't allowed to go. Tomorrow we can go together."

Lin Tao nodded: "Okay, call Yuting too, and let her take Xiao Qingming with her, and we will go together."

"That's settled then." Chen Shuifen said, "It's getting late, I'm going home to cook dinner."

Not long after Chen Shuifen left, Lin Tao heard Chen Shuifen's angry shout coming from next door.

"Zheng Hongxing, you little bastard, what did you do today? Your clothes are so dirty, did you roll in the mud? Huh?!"

Lin Tao smiled and shook her head when she heard this. She was used to the way Chen Shuifen would be fine one moment and suddenly get angry and start swearing the next.

It is true...

Zheng Hongxing is indeed too naughty. If Yueyue becomes like this in the future, she will probably have a headache.

Looking at Xiao Yueyue sleeping in her arms, Lin Tao reached out and gently pinched her small nose, muttering, "You can't make mom so worried."

Yueyue, who was sleeping, groaned and felt a little uncomfortable. She reached out to pull Lin Tao's hand away, found a comfortable position, and went back to sleep.

Lin Tao found it funny and stared at her for a while before putting her to sleep on the crib.

Today Chen Shuifen made tofu at home and gave a large piece to Lin Tao, who was going to make it into Mapo Tofu. Chen Shuifen's tofu-making skills were pretty good, and the tofu she made was quite tender, better than the tofu bought from the food factory.

Lin Tao cut the tofu into cubes and added a spoonful of chili sauce she made when frying it. The white tofu immediately turned the red color of the chili and smelled delicious.

In addition, Lin Tao also stir-fried some meat. The peppers were picked from the vegetable garden, and the meat was bought by Lin Changhai at the food factory in the morning. Both were very fresh.

There was no shortage of fish at home. Lin Chang had caught two or three of them on the sea. They were not big, only the size of three fingers, and they were very good for making a bowl of fish soup, which tasted very delicious.

There is still a crop of leeks left, and Lin Tao has harvested them all and used them to stir-fry the leeks.

While eating, Lin Tao mentioned to Li Chengxi and Lin Changhai about going to the sea together tomorrow. Both of them thought it was a good idea and did not object.

The next morning, Lin Manman came home and the three families set out together.

Li Chengxi held Yueyue, Lin Tao carried a bucket, Chen Shuifen brought Zheng Hongxing, and the mother and son each held a bucket. Lin Tao smiled and joked, "Sister, you are ready for a good harvest today."

Chen Shuifen also laughed and said, "That brat Hongxing insisted on parting with me, and even said he wanted to see who found more."

Xu Yuting and Wang Yuanliang also came, Wang Yuanliang holding little Qingming. Lin Changhai and Zheng Youde also went, but they went fishing.

Three families, each with their children, came in a large crowd.

Xu Yuting asked: "Xiangyang is not going?"

Chen Shuifen said: "He won't go. He doesn't like to join in the fun."

Xu Yuting: "This child has been like a little adult since he was young."

Chen Shuifen: "I don't know who he looks like."

Zheng Youde interjected: "Like you, didn't you say you've been doing adult work since you were a kid? It must be like you."

Chen Shuifen: "I think you deserve to be scolded."

The group chatted and laughed as they arrived at the beach.

The waves gently hit the rocks. I took off my shoes and stepped barefoot on the soft sand. It was very comfortable. No wonder the kids like to play on the beach. The sea breeze was refreshing and there were seabirds flying in the blue sky.

It was the first time for Yueyue and Xiao Qingming to come to the seaside, so it was a good opportunity for them to see the world.

Lin Tao helped Yueyue take off her shoes, then rolled up her trousers and said to Li Chengxi, "Put Yueyue down and let her step on the sand too."

After hearing this, Li Chengxi let Yueyue step on the sand by herself.

Yueyue couldn't wait any longer. She swung her little feet and when she stepped on the sand, her face was full of surprise. She thought it was so fun.

Xu Yuting and Wang Yuanliang, who were standing by, saw this and wanted Xiao Qingming to step on the sand as well. However, after Xiao Qingming's shoes were taken off, he pulled his feet up and refused to step on the sand no matter what, which made Xu Yuting very angry.

Xu Yuting: "My sister isn't afraid, but you are? Why are you acting like a little girl?"

Li Chengxi glanced over there and said to Lin Tao, "Yueyue is still brave, but Wang Yuanliang's son is not so good."

After hearing this, Lin Tao looked at him with amusement and guessed that this man was still remembering the last time Yueyue kissed Xiao Qingming and was teased by Wang Yuanliang.

Lin Tao played in the water with Li Chengxi and Yueyue for a while and then went to swim in the sea. The tide had just receded yesterday, so now was a good time to swim in the sea.

From time to time, you can see a small bulge in the sand. Lin Tao found swimming crabs, hairy clams, and starfish in it. Lin Tao also found a particularly large jellyfish and threw it into the bucket.

She was lucky, as she even found two abalones and a sea cucumber, which were difficult to find when diving in the sea. Lin Tao picked them up and quickly showed them to Li Chengxi.

Li Chengxi was not far from her, letting Yueyue sit on his neck and walking behind Lin Tao.

"Chengxi, look what I picked up. It's abalone and sea cucumber. We'll use them to make soup tonight." Lin Tao waved the trophy in her hand towards Li Chengxi. The wind blew her hair up in front of her forehead, and she used her other hand to tuck her hair behind her ears.

The corners of his mouth were raised, with a smile on his face.

With the sea water as the background, a beautiful picture is drawn.

On the other side, Lin Changhai and Zheng Youde were fishing together and happened to be able to see this side. Zheng Youde asked, "Old Lin, how do you feel about coming here?"

Lin Changhai's fishing rod moved, and it was obvious that another fish had been caught. He lifted the fishing rod and indeed caught a fish. He put the fish into the bucket. He was lucky today. He had caught two or three fish in just a short while, and one was a big one. It was a good start.

In response to Zheng Youde's words, he looked into the distance, seeing the blue sky, the lingering white clouds, the boundless sea, and the waves that tirelessly beat against the rocks.

In the distance, the fishermen's boats were swaying on the sea. Nearby, his daughter and son-in-law were going fishing with his little granddaughter. The laughter of the family was clear and melodious.

Lin Changhai smiled heartily and said, "Great, life here is really good."

This was the life he wanted his daughter Ah Tao to live, without the gossip of the villagers. Ah Tao could be a teacher, teach students, have children, and live freely without any worries.

That's great.

Arong, did you see it?

It's really nice here.

……………………

Because they brought their child here, Zheng Hongxing was fine, he is grown up now, he will be six years old after the Chinese New Year, and he is very enthusiastic about fishing, after arriving here, he has been busy and really found quite a few.

But Yueyue and Xiao Qingming were still young, and they woke up early in the morning, so they were beginning to feel sleepy. In addition, they had gone out in the morning, and it was time for lunch, so after a discussion, they went home.

Lin Tao picked up more than half a bucket of seafood, but there were more hairy clams. Every time the tide went out, there were so many hairy clams on the beach that it seemed like there were endless hairy clams. The hairy clams cooked by Lin Tao tasted very good, whether used to make dishes or seafood porridge, they were all delicious.

However, the freshly picked hairy clams have to be kept in water for two days, otherwise they will taste like sand.

After returning home at noon, Lin Tao cooked a big pot of sweet potato noodles, and the whole family ate this. Then they mixed a bowl of jellyfish shreds with cucumber shreds and added a few red peppers. It tasted very cool and spicy.

As soon as she got home, Yueyue fell asleep.

Half a month ago, Lin Tao weaned Yueyue.

Fortunately, Yueyue was weaned quickly and easily, unlike the Qingming incident when she made a fuss for half a month before it stopped.

In this regard, Lin Tao suspected that Yueyue felt that the food she cooked was better than breast milk, so Yueyue was willing to wean herself.

After the family had lunch at noon, Lin Changhai went to prepare the fish. Although this fish was not turbot, it would be boneless if handled carefully. Lin Tao made fish balls for later use while Yueyue was still sleeping.

After Yueyue wakes up, I can cook for her.

Yueyue can eat a big bowl of fish balls and rice porridge. This appetite must have been inherited from Li Chengxi.

*********************************

Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon.

This time, two packages came from Xiangcheng, one for Lin Manman and one for Lin Tao. They were both sent by Aunt Fang, and the things inside were similar. Aunt Fang took advantage of her free time to knit a sweater for Lin Manman and one for Lin Tao.

The two sisters' sweaters are the same except for the color.

Lin Tao asked Lin Manman to come home for the Mid-Autumn Festival: "Recently, I asked you to come home for dinner, but you always said you were busy. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the health center is closed. You must not be busy, right? But you must come home for dinner."

Lin Manman smiled sheepishly, and while feeding the sheep with grass, she said, "I know, sister. I've already told Xiaofeng and the squad leader that I won't be going to the health center's Mid-Autumn Festival party today. I'll eat here. I really didn't have time recently. Isn't our health center holding an exam recently? All of our new pharmacists have to take the exam."

"So how did you do in the exam?" Lin Tao was peeling edamame.

Lin Manman said: "It will take some time for the test results to come out, but they should be pretty good. I am quite confident about this test."

"That's fine." Lin Tao said with a smile, "We'll kill a chicken at home today, and I'll cook some spicy chicken tonight."

"Okay, I can't eat the food my mom cooks anymore, so I can eat the food you cook." Lin Manman said. After she fed the sheep, she came to help Lin Tao peel beans.

After peeling the beans, the dough that Lin Tao had kneaded earlier also rose.

Today she planned to make some dumplings. The filling was already prepared, it was red bean paste. It was nice to eat something sweet on the Mid-Autumn Festival. The red bean paste was made of red beans. The red beans were soaked overnight last night. After they were all swollen, they were cooked for more than an hour today.

Lin Tao used a spoon to press the cooked red beans into red bean paste, then put it into a pot and fried it with lard and brown sugar. The red bean paste made in this way was sweet and melted in the mouth, mellow and sweet, and tasted better than the red bean paste buns she had eaten in the state-owned hotel.

Lin Changhai was killing a chicken. Ordinary people only have a few festivals throughout the year, and the Mid-Autumn Festival and Spring Festival are the most important ones.

Li Chengqi had just come back from fetching water when he heard Yueyue's voice in the room.

After Yueyue woke up, she didn't cry, but called out, "Mom..."

Lin Tao also heard it and said to Li Chengxi, "My hands are dirty, it's inconvenient, you go and pick up Yueyue and see if she has wet the bed. If she hasn't peed, take her to pee first, otherwise she will wet her pants later."

Li Chengxi walked in, hugged Yueyue, helped her urinate, and said, "Mom is making dumplings, Dad will take you over to see."

The buns Lin Tao made today were different from the usual ones. She made buns in the shape of little buns. This was actually the first time for Lin Tao to make buns like this, but she was very skillful and after a while, she was able to make them look pretty good.

"Yueyue, look at the buns mom made. Are they pretty? These are little rabbit buns. Legend has it that Chang'e lived in the Guanghan Palace on the moon. Chang'e had a little rabbit named Jade Rabbit. Look, it's just like this little rabbit." Lin Tao teased Yueyue.

Li Chengxi asked: "Does this count as promoting feudal superstition?"

Lin Tao glared at him: "That doesn't count."

What a guy! Now he wants to interfere even when I tell stories to my daughter.

Yueyue saw this kind of bun for the first time and reached out to grab it to eat, but Lin Tao stopped her: "It's not steamed yet, you can't eat it. When it's steamed, mom will give you one."

Lin Tao made about thirty bunny buns filled with red bean paste, and about forty normal buns filled with cabbage, but these buns were not very big, so Li Chengxi and Lin Changhai could finish them in two bites.

Today, she made too many buns and the steamer couldn’t steam them all at once, so Lin Tao steamed the bunnies in two batches. She steamed the little rabbit buns in the first batch and the rest in the second batch.

Ten minutes later, the little rabbit Baozi came out of the cage.

Lin Tao opened the lid of the steamer and reached out to take one. Unexpectedly, it was extremely hot, and she took a breath. Her white fingers were slightly red from the heat. Lin Tao subconsciously retracted her hand and touched her earlobe.

Li Chengxi quickly warned, "Be careful, I'll get it."

Li Chengxi has thick skin and his hands are full of experience, so he is not afraid of being burned. The buns that Lin Tao thought were particularly hot, but when Li Chengxi picked them up, it seemed as if he didn't notice they were hot at all.

He held it in the cooler for a while, and when he felt it was no longer hot, he passed it to Yueyue, whose eyes were as glued to the buns.

Yueyue took the bun, put it into her mouth and took a bite.

The buns were thin and filling. After the little girl took two bites, she tasted the sweet and crunchy red bean paste. She couldn't help but widen her eyes and took another bite. Her face was full of deliciousness...

Seeing her greedy look, Lin Tao couldn't help but smile. She took one and started eating. After taking a bite, she found the bun skin very soft and still hot. The bun skin tasted a bit sweet, and the sweetness became even stronger after eating the red bean paste filling.

The sweetness of the red beans and the brown sugar are added together, and with some lard, the red bean paste melts in your mouth.

"It's delicious." Lin Tao said, and took a bun for Li Chengxi and fed him.

"I'm going to deliver some to Sister Chen's house." Lin Tao said. She took eight little rabbit buns, walked out, and invited Lin Manman and Lin Changhai to eat buns.

When we got next door, Chen Shuifen was already busy preparing dinner. She had also killed a chicken at home. She said that this old hen had been raised in her family for a long time and now it no longer laid eggs, so she just killed it and ate it.

"Sister, where are Xiangyang and Hongxing?" Lin Tao asked as she entered the yard.

Chen Shuifen said to Lin Tao while plucking chicken feathers: "He is doing his homework in the house. Hongxing's handwriting is as bad as a dog's. I'll ask Xiangyang to teach him."

"I made some buns and brought some to them." Lin Tao said, and then called into the house, "Xiangyang, come out and eat some buns."

Although Lin Tao called Xiangyang, it was Zheng Hongxing who came out first. When he heard that there were buns to eat, he dropped the pen in his hand, ran out, and asked, "Auntie Lin, did you make the buns? I was wondering why they smelled so good, it turned out that Auntie Lin made the buns!"

Chen Shuifen rolled her eyes: "This kid only knows how to flatter, do you have a dog nose?"

Lin Tao smiled and showed them the little rabbit-shaped buns in the bowl. The two brothers' eyes lit up. It was the first time they had seen buns like this.

Zheng Hongxing asked: "What kind of bun is this!"

Zheng Xiangyang said: "It's the little rabbit from Aunt Lin's house."

Lin Tao said, "Yes, it's a little rabbit. It's filled with red bean paste and brown sugar. It's very sweet. Xiangyang, try one first."

Lin Tao handed one to Zheng Xiangyang, who took it and took a bite. Lin Tao asked, "Is it delicious, Xiangyang?"

Zheng Xiangyang nodded: "It's delicious."

Zheng Hongxing swallowed his saliva and looked at Lin Tao eagerly, waiting for the buns, but Lin Tao looked at him and said, "Hongxing, I heard that your handwriting is a bit ugly? Aunt Lin has always thought that Hongxing is very smart and good-looking. It is said that the handwriting reflects the person, so Hongxing's handwriting should also be very beautiful, right, Hongxing?"

Zheng Hongxing rubbed his head a little embarrassedly and said, "Aunt Lin, I will definitely write better next time."

"Hongxing is so good." Lin Tao smiled and gave Zheng Hongxing a little rabbit bun.

Zheng Hongxing took it and finished it in a few bites, praising Lin Tao non-stop: "Auntie Lin's buns are delicious, Mom, look how good Auntie Lin's buns are..."

Lin Tao gave Zheng Xiangyang the remaining buns and asked them to take them in, but she told them not to eat them yet because they would have dinner soon. They should eat them when they eat, otherwise they would not be able to eat them later.

After the two children went in, Chen Shuifen said, "Teacher Lin, you are the best at educating children. I told that brat Hongxing, but he didn't listen. He ignored my words. Oh, by the way, isn't it Mid-Autumn Festival? My hometown sent us some things. I'll get some for you."

Lin Tao tried to refuse, but Chen Shuifen refused and insisted: "It's just a few things, and they're not worth much. What's there to be embarrassed about? Take it quickly."

So Lin Tao learned a lot and gained a lot of things.

In addition to spicy diced chicken today, Lin Tao also grilled a braised fish and steamed crabs. The swimming crabs that she caught yesterday were waiting for today's, but she only caught three, which was not enough. This morning, Lin Changhai went to the non-staple food factory and bought five more crabs.

Crabs are at their plumpest around the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Peel off the crab shell to reveal the roe inside. Female crabs have more roe, while male crabs have more roe. Compared to the roe, Lin Tao prefers the roe. It tastes really good when dipped in a little vinegar.

The crabs were fresh, the spicy chicken was fragrant and spicy, Lin Tao also made a loofah and egg soup, and a bowl of cold kelp.

Today's staple food is steamed buns, which taste very delicious when eaten with vegetables.

Lin Tao even took out some Xifeng wine from home and said, "Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, you and dad should have some, and both of you will be happy."

People who drink should eat slowly. Lin Tao and Lin Manman had already finished eating. Yueyue ate two little rabbit buns in a row, as if she was not full and wanted more. However, Lin Tao stopped giving her any more, as two were enough.

Yueyue can already call out "Tutu" because she has rabbits at home and she likes to feed the rabbits with vegetable leaves. In addition, Tutu is easier to pronounce, so she learns quickly.

This really hurt the heart of Li Chengxi, the old father. The daughter would call him "Bunny" but not "Dad".

After dinner, Lin Tao and Lin Manman took Yueyue to sit in the yard to enjoy the cool air and watch the moon.

Lin Tao took out the five-nut mooncakes, but they had just finished their meal and couldn't eat any more, so they put them aside and would eat them later when they felt ready.

The yard is a good place to watch the moon. Looking up, you can clearly see a full moon hanging in the sky.

Lin Tao felt that this year's moon seemed to be more round and brighter than the moon during last year's Mid-Autumn Festival. She didn't know if it was because her father was not around last year and this year he was living with them, so her mood was different at this moment.

Lin Manman said: "I don't know what my mother is doing right now..."

Every festival makes us miss our loved ones even more, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival when we should be reuniting with our families.

Lin Tao held Lin Manman's hand and said, "Do you miss Aunt Fang? But don't worry, Aunt Fang and Uncle Shen are definitely doing well together. They are probably looking at the same moon with us right now. If you are well here, Aunt Fang will be relieved. When you have a family visit leave, you can go back to see Aunt Fang."

"Yeah." Lin Manman nodded and smiled at Lin Tao.

At least on this island, she has Sister Tao, so she won't feel too sad because of homesickness.

Since she came to the health center as a pharmacist, she has been working very hard. If she doesn't know something, she will ask questions. If she doesn't understand something, she will think more about it and make sure she understands it.

She worked hard to become a better person so that her mother far away in Xiangcheng would not worry about her.

****************************************

The package from Shanghai did not arrive during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year, but it finally arrived a few days later, on the day before Yueyue’s first birthday.

When I opened it, I saw a lot of things prepared inside. Of course, most of them were prepared for Yueyue, after all, the little guy was about to turn one year old.

In Shanghai, the first birthday is a very important birthday, and the elders in the family take it very seriously. So this time, my uncle, aunt, grandma, and Li Chengxi's cousins ​​all prepared birthday gifts for Yueyue, and the package was unprecedentedly spectacular.

When Li Chengxi brought the package back, Lin Tao was shocked because the package was too big.

When I opened it, I found that these things looked expensive, but I didn't expect that there was a pair of silver bracelets inside. The bracelets were exquisitely crafted, with patterns carved on them and two small bells hanging on them, which were very cute.

Lin Tao was surprised and asked, "Why did grandma and the others prepare so many things for a child's birthday? They are too expensive."

Li Chengxi explained: "In Shanghai, children's first birthday ceremonies are very important. The elders in the family are required to prepare gifts. It's okay. You can put away the things you don't need now. You don't have to wear the silver bracelets. They are just a token of the elders' love."

Lin Tao nodded. It was indeed inappropriate for Yueyue to wear a silver bracelet in the military area.

The couple discussed what dishes to prepare for Yueyue's first birthday party tomorrow. They agreed to treat Chen Shuifen's family and Xu Yuting's family to a meal. They also wanted to invite Zhong Jing, but unfortunately they went to Qingshui Island and couldn't come.

But what the two of them didn't expect was that Li Mingcheng would also come on the day of their birthday party.