In the afternoon, Chen Lie returned home and brought back the bookshelf he had asked someone to make for him.
The bookshelf is about half a person's height and is made of beech. Beech is hard, moth-proof and moisture-resistant, making it an excellent wood for making bookshelves.
Chen Lie looked around the room and finally decided to put the bookshelf next to the rocking chair on the windowsill. "Put it here. It can get some sun, so it won't get damp or bugs."
Ning Tang was amused. "It's very windy and rainy on this island. If you put them by the window, you won't have to worry about them all getting soaked and swept away by a strong wind or rain."
Chen Lie muttered, "Just take it away, that means God loves to read books too."
Having said that, he still moved the bookshelf to a sheltered corner of the living room.
Ning Tang asked the three little ones to put the books on the bookshelf.
Every time Big Boy put a book on the shelf, he would touch the cover with great care before putting it on the shelf.
There are only seven books in total, and when they are put together they only take up a small corner of the bookshelf.
The eldest boy felt very sorry and said, "There are only so few books." It was not enough for him to read.
"That's all?" Ning Tang said, "It's enough for me to tell you for several months."
Big Boy puffed up his cheeks and said, "I'll finish it eventually."
"I'll buy more after I finish reading it," Chen Lie said. "How much can a book be worth? Two dollars at most. If you help with housework, like taking out the trash, I'll give you a penny. Save it up, and it'll be enough to buy the book."
Ning Tang added, "And the New Year's money we gave you three can also be used to buy books." She looked at the three little ones and raised an eyebrow. "You haven't spent all your New Year's money, have you?"
The three little ones touched their pockets guiltily.
The eldest son used up all his New Year's money to buy firecrackers and set them off with his friends. The second daughter used her money to buy two red hairbands, which are still tied to her pigtails. The third son didn't spend much money, but the two older ones spent all their money. When they wanted to eat candy, the third son used his own New Year's money to buy them, and the three little ones shared the candy.
So, they are now short of money and have empty pockets.
Da Wa felt very regretful. If he had known that he could use the New Year's money to buy books, he would not have bought firecrackers.
When the firecrackers are set off, that's it, and all you hear is a noise.
But books are different. You can buy them and read them over and over again, and you can also put them on the bookshelf. How wonderful!
Children have no resistance to collectible things.
Ning Tang looked at the three little ones' expressions and guessed what they had thought. He smiled and said, "It's okay, there's still time. Starting today, you'll get one cent for taking out the trash, and two cents for washing the dishes..."
"Well, actually, two dollars can be saved up quickly." Shen Lie continued.
"When we save enough money, I will take you to Jiang City to visit the Xinhua Bookstore. We can also watch a movie and go shopping." Ning Tang said.
The three little kids' eyes lit up and they said in unison, "It's a deal then."
I looked up at the sky and it was already dark. Ning Tang and Chen Lie were still there. The three little kids were all hungry.
Chen Lie asked, "What do you want to eat for dinner?"
Big Baby said, "I want scallion pancakes."
Scallion pancakes are pancakes made with chopped scallions and eggs. They taste like scallions and eggs, and my eldest child likes them very much.
Erniu continued, "I want to eat noodles."
Chen Lie thought for a moment and said, "Then why not fry a plate of scallion pancakes and make a serving of scallion oil noodles?" These two things don't take much time to make and can be eaten quickly.
Ning Tang: "Sure, pancakes and noodles? With pickled vegetables, it tastes delicious too."
The fruits and vegetables in Mrs. Luo's yard were becoming more and more abundant. She pickled a lot of vegetables, including sweet and sour radishes, pickled cucumbers, and spicy and sour cabbage... There were only three people in her family, and they couldn't finish all the pickled vegetables, so she gave a lot of them to Ningtang.
Chen Lie used a kitchen knife to chop the green onions, poured them into the batter together with the eggs, added a few drops of sesame oil, and then stirred evenly. He brushed oil on the iron pan, poured in the batter, and fry until both sides were golden brown, then took the pancake out of the pan.
The moment the batter was put into the pot, the aroma of scallion pancakes overflowed, lingering throughout the kitchen and even drifting into the living room.
The eldest child came over to try the food and circled around the stove, refusing to leave. "Dad, I'm hungry. Give me something to try."
Chen Lie was amused. "You little glutton." He pinched a piece of scallion pancake and handed it to him. "Take this and fill your stomach."
Scallion oil noodles? It’s also simple to make. Cut the tender green scallions at the boundary between the white and green parts of the scallions. Pour a proper amount of oil into the pan that has just been used to fry scallion pancakes, fry the white parts of the scallions in the pan, and then remove them for later use.
Then put the green onions into the oil pan and fry on low heat. At the same time, add the sauce prepared in advance and cook for one minute, and the scallion oil is ready.
Blanch the thin noodles, remove them from the water and put them in a bowl, add scallion oil and stir twice, top with four fried eggs, and spread the scallion whites on the noodles. The fragrant scallion oil noodles are ready.
The finished scallion oil noodles are golden in color, and the scallion segments are fried in oil to a dark brown color. Served with scallion whites and tender eggs, they are appetizing just by looking at them.
The eldest boy rolled his eyes and shouted, "Dad, can I help you serve the noodles?"
Chen Lie guessed what he was thinking at a glance, "Okay, help me? Bring it to the table?."
The eldest child came running over, holding the bowl of noodles in both hands, and walked steadily to the living room. As he walked, he kept saying, "I helped you with the work, remember to give me a penny."
Chen Lie burst into laughter. "Okay, okay, it's just one cent. I'll give it to you. Remember it."
Erniu also ran over, "Dad, let me help you with the scallion pancakes."
Chen Lie handed her the plate of pancakes and said, "Hold it carefully." Then he said, "Forget it, I'll take it."
He always feels a little bit sorry for his daughter.
When Da Wa came to serve the dishes, Chen Lie gave them to him without thinking. When it was Er Niu's turn, Chen Lie was worried that she couldn't hold it steadily. What if the dishes broke? It would be a small matter if they broke, but it would be bad if they scratched Er Niu's instep.
Erniu pouted, "If big brother can take it, I can take it too."
Chen Lie touched her pigtails and said, "Okay, okay, take it if you want. But be careful when you take it."
Erniu nodded, her eyes lighting up. Before she could say anything, Chen Lie continued, "I know, I know. One cent, right?"
Erniu trotted a few steps, then turned back to remind Chen Lie, "Dad, you must remember this, don't forget."
Chen Lie burst into laughter, "Don't worry, you'll be there."
He turned around and saw Sanwa at his feet again.
The third child looked up at him with his round little face, revealing a row of white teeth. He stretched out his white and tender little hand and said in a baby voice, "Dad."
Come on, I’m here to get something and get a penny again.
Chen Lie didn't dare let him carry the heavy things, so he washed a pair of chopsticks and handed them to him, "Here, take them."
Sanwa also needs to use his two little chubby hands to hold this pair of chopsticks.
After taking the chopsticks, Sanwa still refused to leave.
Chen Lie held his forehead and said, "I see, one cent." He began to regret promising to pay the three little ones for their work.
Only then did Sanwa run away contentedly.
Shen Lie fried another batch of spicy and sour potato shreds, then fished pickled cucumbers, sweet and sour radishes, and spicy and sour cabbage out of the clay pot and placed them on a plate. As he walked into the living room with the plate, he heard Ning Tang complaining to him, "Captain Shen, come and take care of your three kids."
Chen Lie put the plate on the table and took a quick look. The room was very quiet and he didn't see anything spilled or spilled. "What's going on?"
Ning Tang signaled him with his eyes to look at the plate of scallion pancakes.
Chen Lie looked down and saw a thick stack of scallion pancakes. The shape was still there, but a corner was missing here and there. It was obvious that the greedy kids had pinched them with their hands.
His forehead twitched. "You pinched it a little here, a little there, and it looks like it was bitten by a mouse. How can I eat it?"
The three little kids looked at each other innocently. The eldest kid was the first to complain, "We were just afraid you'd find out."
The three of them were so hungry that the eldest child took the initiative and stretched out his little hand to pinch a small piece of scallion pancake. Seeing that Chen Lie in the kitchen hadn't noticed, he pinched another piece.
Erniu followed the eldest child's example and also made scallion pancakes. After she finished eating them, she didn't forget to put a piece into the mouth of the third child.
Ning Tang did not stop them, but just smiled as he watched the three kids "stealing food", and only complained when Chen Lie came.
Chen Lie didn't bother with the three little kids, so he waved his hand and said, "Eat."
Scallion pancakes can only fill your stomach. If you really want to fill your stomach, you have to eat a full meal.
The eldest son wrapped the spicy and sour potato shreds in scallion pancakes and ate with his mouth full of oil. The second girl almost buried her little face in the bowl of scallion oil noodles.
After dinner, the three little ones went to help Chen Lie wash the dishes very consciously.
Chen Lie waved them away, "You've already earned a penny today. I don't have money to pay you for any more."
Actually, it was winter, and Chen Lie didn't want the three children to wash dishes because their hands would get cold. What if one of them got frostbite?
When he was at home, he would not let Ning Tang wash the dishes if he could avoid it. Ning Tang was delicate and delicate, and washing dishes would tire her hands, so it was better to let a rough old man do it.
After taking a shower, the family of five huddled in the living room.
The weather in March was still a little cold, so Chen Lie left the windows ajar, lit the stove, and made the living room cozy and warm.
Ning Tang casually pulled out a copy of Journey to the West from the bookshelf and handed it to him, "Tell the story to the three of them."
Chen Lie was speechless, "What about you?" Didn't they agree that you would give it to them?
Ning Tang motioned him to look at her hand.
Chen Lie looked down and saw that Ning Tang was holding a box of clam oil, which seemed to be used for skin care. "Okay, okay, I'll tell them."
He carried the three children to the mahogany bench in the living room and wrapped them in a quilt from the second floor.
I casually picked up "Journey to the West" and opened the page to the main text. "In the first chapter, the spiritual root gave birth to the source of the flow... The monkey in the mountains could walk and jump, and eat plants..."
"Journey to the West" is mainly written in vernacular, mixed with classical Chinese and rhymed verse. However, the ancient vernacular is also classical Chinese to modern people. When encountering difficult-to-understand passages, Chen Lie explained them to the three little ones in his own words.
In his narration, a bizarre fairy world unfolds slowly before the three children like a scroll.
It seems as if there really is a vivid stone monkey wearing a grass skirt, jumping among the cliffs, caves, streams and waterfalls, climbing trees and branches, picking flowers and looking for fruits.
The three little ones were fascinated by what they heard.
Ning Tang was also listening while applying clam oil. This clam oil was bought by Chen Lie when she was in Shangang Village.
She opened the white and smooth clam shell, scooped out a little with her little finger and placed it on the palm of her hand, melted it with the warmth of her palm, and then spread it evenly on her face and hands.
Clam oil has a light fragrance and tastes very pleasant.
After Ning Tang finished wiping himself, he pulled Erniu over and applied clam oil on her little face and hands.
Ning Tang had noticed a long time ago that Erniu's skin was not very good. Perhaps it was due to long-term exposure to wind and sun. There were actually some fine lines on her little face. When winter came, tiny red blood vessels would appear on both sides of her cheeks.
After she discovered this, she would apply some clam oil to Erniu's skin every few days to protect her skin. She also reminded her to hide under a tree when the sun came out while playing outside. Over time, Erniu's skin improved a lot and became whiter. At least she no longer had the red bloodshot on her face in winter.
Erniu was completely absorbed in the story told by Chen Lie and let Ning Tang do whatever he wanted.
After Ning Tang helped Erniu wipe the area, he pulled Sanwa over and followed suit, applying clam oil on his face and hands.
The eldest boy was no different from the two younger ones. He could do two things at once. He listened to Chen Lie telling a story while watching Ning Tang wiping the hands and faces of Erniu and Sanwa.
Seeing that Ning Tang had finished wiping them, he was about to put the clam oil away and had no intention of wiping him.
The eldest child pouted and said, "Stepmother, you are biased. You only wipe them but not me."
Ning Tang was amused. "You're being pretentious. Okay, okay, I'll wipe it for you. I'll wipe it for you."
Pull the eldest boy over and apply clam oil on his little face and hands.
Only then was the eldest child satisfied and continued to listen to the story.
Shen Lie glanced at Ning Tang out of the corner of his eye and suddenly felt his hands itching.
… He also wanted to rub clam oil.
Ning Tang noticed his little look keenly, and laughed secretly in his heart. He shook the clam oil in his hand and teased him, "Captain Shen, do you want to wipe it off?"
Chen Lie immediately said seriously, "I won't wipe off this kind of womanly stuff."
He is just a rough old man, why does he need to use clam oil?
Humph! No wiping!
On the other side, the Su family had just finished dinner.
Ning Xue personally prepared bath water for Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu. After they finished bathing, she rubbed their sore waists and helped them dry their hair carefully.
There has been a lot of work in the logistics department recently, so Su Junyan came back late. As soon as he came back, he asked Ning Xue to cook for him.
Ning Xue quickly dried the twins' hair, then hurried to the kitchen and served Su Junyan dinner like a master.
Su Junyan wiped his mouth, and without paying any attention to the table full of greasy dishes, he leaned on the stool and read the newspaper.
Ning Xue worked tirelessly to wash the dishes. It had just rained today, the weather was cold, and the water was very cold. After washing the dishes, her hands were almost frozen and she couldn't even stretch them out.
After finally finishing her work, Ning Xue came out of the kitchen, thinking she could take a break.
Su Junyan shook the newspaper and said, "Go pour me a cup of tea."
At that moment, Ning Xue's grievances and dissatisfaction reached their peak.
She bit her tongue hard to prevent herself from getting angry.
After pouring tea for Su Junyan, he placed the cup on the table in front of him. He was still a little angry, so he put some force into the cup and the tea spilled everywhere.
Su Junyan looked at her strangely. What was she angry about?
However, he couldn't guess what Ning Xue was thinking, and could only secretly complain in his heart that women's minds were really hard to guess.
After Ning Xue's rage ended, she calmed down.
Seeing the rosy and handsome faces of Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu who had just finished taking a bath, the slight dissatisfaction in her heart disappeared. "Okay, let's start today's study."
Su Guangzong and Su Yaozu didn't go out during the entire winter vacation, and the same was true when school started. Every day after class, they were forced to study at home by Ning Xue.
Such a depressing life is unbearable for even adults, let alone children.
So when Ning Xue said she wanted to start today's study, even the mild-tempered Su Guangzong showed a rare look of dissatisfaction on his face.
Su Yaozu, who was known for his lively personality, even started to make a scene, flipping over the homework book on the table and saying, "I don't want to study!"
Ning Xue picked up the fallen homework book with a good temper and dusted it off. "Be good."
Su Yaozu curled his lips and muttered softly, "When my biological mother was around, I never saw her pressuring us to study every day."
These words simply pierced Ningxue's heart.
She pressed her chest with a pale face, "Yaozu, how can you say that."
Is the twins' biological mother right? She doesn't care about them at all. Unlike me, she doesn't worry about every little thing. She also has to pay attention to their food and clothing and keep an eye on their studies every day. How much effort does that take?
She said, "Do you know what it means to love someone deeply and to criticize them harshly? If it weren't for your own good, why would I force you to study every day? Wouldn't it be better for me to rest if I had all that time?"
But Ning Xue's efforts seemed to be in vain, as the twins didn't appreciate it at all.
Su Yaozu didn't look her in the eye. "That's because you can't give birth yourself. So you treat me and my brother as your own children. Let us study hard, become successful in the future, and help you enjoy your old age."
This? Of course, it’s not something that an eight-year-old child like Su Yaozu can say.
Ning Xue and Ning Tang have been with the army for almost a year. As the two cousins, no good news has come out about either of them, so there are bound to be some rumors on the island.
——Are you unable to have children, so you come here to be someone else’s stepmother?
——No wonder Ning Xue treats the Su family twins so well. It’s probably because she herself can’t have children, so she raises the twins as her own children to help her take care of her in her old age.
People often whisper in the twins' ears and whisper in their ears. Over time, even the twins have learned these words.
Su Junyan heard Su Yaozu's words becoming increasingly outrageous, so he coughed and said, "Alright, stop talking. I'll make the decision. I'll give them both a day off today. They won't have to study today."
He looked at Ning Xue, who was still in a daze, and added, "Learn tomorrow."
Su Yaozu looked at Ning Xue's pale face and realized belatedly that he seemed to be in trouble. He quickly forced a smile and reached out to pull Ning Xue's hand, "Mom, I was just talking nonsense."
Su Guangzong also quickly grabbed her other hand, "Yes, Mom, don't blame your brother, he doesn't use his brain when he speaks. It's all because of those aunts and uncles who whispered nonsense in our ears, so your brother..."
Ning Xue came back to her senses, looked at the twins' cute and tender little faces, and gradually relaxed.
Yes, it must be that others spread rumors in front of them, so they said nonsense. They are just children, what can they understand?
On March 15th, when Da Wa came home from school at noon, she said in a hurry, "There's a notice on the bulletin board at the entrance of the Military Family Compound. It seems to say that the Women's Committee is recruiting for an officer."
Ning Tang was busy cooking and asked him casually, "You can't read, so how do you know they're hiring?"
The eldest child puffed up his cheeks and said, "Stepmother, you look down on me. I can't read. I don't have ears yet. I heard it."
When the eldest child came home from school, he passed by the bulletin board at the entrance of the military family compound and saw many people gathered there looking at it.
He took advantage of his small stature to squeeze into the crowd and glanced at the posted notices several times.
He barely recognized any of the words on the notice, but that didn't stop him from listening to what others were saying.
He vaguely heard that the Women's Committee was recruiting staff.
Ning Tang had no intention of joining the Women's Committee, so she just asked a few questions casually and didn't bring up the topic again.
During dinner, Chen Lie also mentioned that the Women's Committee was recruiting staff.
Ning Tang was surprised, "How come even you know about this?"
Chen Lie said, "It's right there on the notice board. I'm not blind." He continued, "Anyway, when I got home from get off work, I saw quite a few people gathered around looking at it. I guess a lot of people signed up this time."
He asked Ning Tang, "Do you want to sign up?"
Ning Tang said without thinking, "No."
Then he said, "By the way, please cover for me in front of Sister Luo. She and Sister Ding both asked me to go to that damn Women's Committee. I said I would go back and discuss it with you. Then you can say that it was you who didn't let me go because the three children at home are too young and need my careful care!" He emphasized the word "care carefully."
Big Boy interrupted while eating his meal, "We don't need you to take care of us."
Ning Tang narrowed his eyes, "Yes or no?"
The eldest child burped and covered his mouth, "Use it, use it."
Ning Tang then warned Erniu and Sanwa, "You know what? Don't let anything slip."
Chen Lie was speechless. "Are you really using this excuse? Then what kind of person am I in the eyes of Sister Luo and Sister Ding?"
He became the kind of cowardly man who lets his wife take care of the children and doesn't let her go out to work and earn money to realize her dreams.
Ning Tang complained in his heart, but said, "It takes a thousand days to train an army, but only a moment to deploy it. Captain Shen, I'm completely relying on you."
Chen Lie muttered, "Still? Raise an army for a thousand days and deploy it for a moment. At home, do I cook more or do you cook more?"
Seeing Ning Tang about to glare at him again, Chen Lie raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, okay, I'll cover for you, okay?"
"I don't understand. It would be great to go out and work." Chen Lie said, "You stay at home all day and you're almost getting moldy. Wouldn't it be nice to go out and walk around?"
Ning Tang didn't have the dedication to work that people of their generation had. "No, I'm fine now. I sleep until I wake up naturally every day. When I'm bored, I go to visit Luo Saozi and Xinlan's house, or go to the beach to enjoy the breeze and catch some waves. My life is very comfortable."
Before she traveled through time, she was so busy with work that her health was ruined. She went to work at nine in the morning and got off work at nine in the evening, working six days a week. Even during her breaks, she had to keep her cell phone ringing to stay in touch. Once, her boss called her, and she had to turn on her computer to work at three in the morning.
Every day when he goes to work, his face is pale, his legs are weak, and he has two heavy dark circles under his eyes. At first glance, he looks like a giant panda.
Now that I'm here, I don't have to worry about work. I feel healthy and enjoy everything I eat.
It's impossible for her to go to work!
Chen Lie added, "But working pays you money, and you only have to work six days a week, with one fixed day off. Unlike us, we can't tell when we can take a day off."
Ning Tang was stunned and said in surprise, "Wait a minute, wait a minute, tell me again, what do you mean by only having to work six days a week? So, if I join the Women's Committee, I have to work six days a week?"
Isn’t this a single day off?!
Chen Lie was even more surprised than her, "You don't know?"
Ning Tang glanced at him and said, "How would I know where to go?" She had never worked in this era.
Chen Lie remembered that Ning Tang came from Shangang Village, so it was normal for her not to know. He patiently explained to her, "It's not just the Women's Committee, but also the textile factories and steel mills in the city... The workers there all work six days a week."
Ning Tang's mouth was stiff. "No, whoever wants to go can go."
Working six days a week means working from Monday to Saturday, then taking a day off on Sunday, and then starting to work non-stop again. Even an iron man is not made for this!
What's the difference between this and the 996 in her previous life?
Moreover, she seriously suspected that if she joined the Women's Committee, she would have to work even harder overtime than in her previous life. She would probably have to come to her for any small matter. Seeing how busy Ding Ronghua was every day, she could guess that this was definitely not a good place to be!
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