After washing the colorful shells, spread them neatly on a dustpan and place them on the windowsill to dry overnight. The next day you can string the shell wind chimes.
The next day, Ning Tang brought the dried shells into the house and made shell wind chimes with the three children.
I don’t have a hole punch at home, but luckily there are natural holes on the shells, so I just need to string them together with a white rope.
Ning Tang made a string of shell wind chimes and hung them under the eaves. When the wind blew, they made tinkling sounds, which was very pleasant to hear.
After making the shell wind chime, there were enough shells left to make a shell curtain. Ning Tang asked Da Wa and the other three who wanted one.
The eldest and third sons thought this thing was too effeminate, so the second daughter kindly allowed them to install one on the windowsill.
After finishing the decoration, Erniu blinked, somewhat unable to believe that this was her room.
There is a shell curtain hanging on the windowsill. Each small shell has a different color. When the wind blows, the shells collide and make a crisp sound. The sunlight shines through the window onto the strings of shells, casting a beautiful fan-shaped shadow.
Erniu has been to other friends' homes, but none of the rooms had such beautiful decorations like hers.
Because I don’t have parents, I am willing to use this heart.
Most parents think that it is good enough to have a room to live in, why bother with anything fancy.
Ning Tang looked around and said, "Your room is still too empty. Next time we go to the city, let's see if there are any posters for sale. I'll buy some and put them on your wall. Don't you like Sister Lijun and think she sings beautifully? Then let's buy her poster."
Erniu pursed her lips, smiled, and answered loudly, "Okay."
In the afternoon, Mrs. Luo and Zeng Xinlan came to visit.
Ning Tang said, "Did you two make an appointment?"
Mrs. Luo smiled and said, "We bumped into each other on the road. What a coincidence."
Ning Tang looked at them and asked them who would speak first.
Zeng Xinlan said, "Sister-in-law, please speak first. My business is not urgent."
Mrs. Luo did not refuse, "Xiao Ning, I came here to ask you to help me make a decision."
Ning Tang blinked: "What's your idea?"
Mrs. Luo sighed, "The college entrance exam results are out, and Qingqing didn't get into college this time. My husband, Lao Zhao, asked someone to find her two jobs in the city. I wanted you to help me decide which job would be best for her."
The college entrance examination results came out, and Zhao Qing failed the second attempt, and her score was even lower than the first time.
This dealt a heavy blow to Zhao Qing's self-confidence. She became angry and said that she would not have taken the exam earlier and would have saved fifty cents in registration fee.
These words almost made Political Commissar Zhao and Mrs. Luo so angry that they almost made something bad happen.
Is the family short of that fifty cents? The family is short of a college student.
Not to mention fifty cents, even if it was five dollars, the couple would pay the fee without hesitation.
But Zhao Qing was unwilling to take the exam again and said she wanted to go to work directly.
Political Commissar Zhao used his connections to find her two jobs.
Ning Tang poured them some boiled water and asked, "Which two jobs are they?"
Mrs. Luo took a sip of water and said, "My first job was as a projectionist in a movie theater. The salary was not high, only three dollars a month. My second job was as a salesperson at the bicycle counter in an Overseas Chinese Store. The salary was quite good, eight dollars a month. There were also New Year benefits during the holidays, including Overseas Chinese coupons." And there were also a lot of benefits.
Ning Tang thought for a moment and asked her, "Qingqing, what kind of job do you want to do? They say you love what you do, but doing a job you don't like is definitely very tiring. Actually, our opinions don't count. It depends on what job she likes. If she likes it and is motivated, she can stick with it for a long time."
Mrs. Luo said: "She wants to be a film projectionist because she thinks it's idle and she can slack off." These days, people advocate the glory of labor. Zhao Qing's idea is not desirable and does not conform to mainstream thinking.
She sighed, "Lao Zhao and I both think the salesperson job is better. After all, the salary is higher and the benefits are better. But no matter how we tell her, she won't agree. Lao Zhao and Qingqing are almost arguing at home. I really can't make up my mind, so I came to ask you."
She thought Ning Tang was smart and thought things through, so she came to ask her for advice.
"My idea is the same as Qingqing's. The job of a movie projectionist is still good." Ning Tang said.
"Why?" Mrs. Luo blurted out.
"I can't say it's good, I can only say it's more suitable for Qingqing." Ning Tang said, "A projectionist's job is relatively easy. She only shows two movies a day at most. She only needs to tinker with the projector at the beginning and occasionally take time to watch the audience. The rest of the time she is free."
Mrs. Luo nodded. "But the salary is five dollars less than a salesperson's. Five dollars a month, that adds up to a lot in a year."
"A salesperson has to stay at the counter all day and face a lot of customers. The salary is high, but there are also a lot of worries." Ning Tang smiled. "Qingqing has a straightforward personality. It's a bit difficult for her to do a job like a salesperson who has to smile and greet everyone."
This is a euphemism. With Zhao Qing's hot temper, it would be a blessing if she didn't get into arguments with others as a salesperson.
The sales clerks in overseas Chinese stores are different from those in department stores. The sales clerks in department stores have iron rice bowls and they won’t lose their jobs even if they ignore customers on weekdays. But the sales clerks in overseas Chinese stores are different. They learn from Hong Kong and are paid based on performance. The better the sales, the higher the salary. So it depends on whether the people working there can humble themselves to sell products. If they don’t receive customers well, they may face complaints from customers.
Zhao Qing is the only daughter of Political Commissar Zhao and Mrs. Luo. They pamper her to the point of wanting the stars and the moon. It is harder than climbing to the sky to ask her to greet people with a smile and persuade them to buy things.
She is not the kind of girl who likes to struggle and build her own career. She often works for three days and rests for two days. Her family does not need her to make money. Mrs. Luo and Political Commissar Zhao have saved a lot of money, which will all be hers in the future. Therefore, finding a job that does not pay much but is leisurely is the most suitable job for her.
After careful consideration, Ning Tang gave this suggestion to Mrs. Luo.
Mrs. Luo thought about it and realized that this was the truth. "I understand, Xiaoning, thank you."
Ning Tang asked Zeng Xinlan, "Xinlan, what about you?"
Zeng Xinlan said, "This is good news."
Ning Tang's eyes lit up, "Tell me quickly."
Zeng Xinlan glanced at Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo, then smiled softly, "The pharmacy at the health center has agreed to let me become a regular employee."
Ning Tang was overjoyed, "This is great news."
Since April last year, Zeng Xinlan has been working in the pharmacy of the health center. She has a good temper and speaks softly to people who buy medicine. She is diligent and serious in her work and has never made a mistake.
The leader of the clinic was very satisfied with her, so she was made a regular employee.
Being a regular employee in a pharmacy is considered a stable job on the island, and the salary has increased by 50 cents compared to before.
Mrs. Luo said happily, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Zeng Xinlan curled her lips. "The written notice was just issued yesterday. I'll tell you as soon as I get the exact information."
She was very grateful to Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo. If they hadn't given her advice and helped her find a job, her life would definitely not be as good as it is now. She would not have been able to get a formal job in the pharmacy, and she would not have been able to save money to buy things for Dahu and pay for his tuition.
Ning Tang said: "This is a great event, we must celebrate it properly."
"Well, so I want to treat you to a meal. What do you think? Should we go to the city or somewhere else? Or should we go to a state-owned restaurant?" Zeng Xinlan said.
The two of them really helped her so much. Although she didn't need to express her gratitude, it was still necessary to treat them to a meal as a token of appreciation.
"By the way, let's call Political Commissar Zhao, Captain Shen, Qingqing, and the eldest, second, and third children. Let's go together and have some fun." Zeng Xinlan said.
Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo looked at each other.
Going to a state-owned restaurant for a meal requires both money and a ticket. Although the portions are substantial, the prices are quite high. There are so many of them, so this meal will empty Zeng Xinlan's family savings. She had barely managed to save some money.
Mrs. Luo advised, "You don't have to go out to eat. Just cook a few dishes at home."
Zeng Xinlan shook her head and disagreed, "That won't work." This is sincerity.
Ning Tang had an idea. "If you really want to treat us to a meal, how about this: we have a barbecue party. We don't have to go anywhere. We can just set up a barbecue on the rooftop, enjoy the moon while we grill, drink some wine, and chat. It'll be very relaxing."
The most important thing is that it doesn't cost much. The only things that are more expensive in barbecue are the meat and vegetables. Seafood is sold cheaply on the island. Even a small blue dragon as long as an arm costs only ten cents.
In fact, what to eat and drink is secondary. The most important thing is that everyone is together, in a lively atmosphere, to celebrate the good news of Zeng Xinlan's promotion.
Zeng Xinlan and Mrs. Luo both thought Ning Tang's idea was a good one. Mrs. Luo patted her chest and said, "I'll take care of the barbecue dishes."
Mrs. Luo works hard on the farm and the climate on the island is good, so she can harvest freshly ripe vegetables almost every month. There are three people in her family, and they can't eat all the vegetables at all, and they can't give away all the vegetables. To avoid waste, they even pickle them.
Zeng Xinlan didn't bother to be polite with Mrs. Luo. "Okay, then I'll buy some meat and seafood."
Ning Tang said, "I'll pay for the drinks."
Both of them knew that Ning Tang liked to tinker with drinks, such as ginger and jujube tea in winter and mint syrup in summer, so they left it to her with confidence.
The time is easy to set. The barbecue party is in the evening. Zeng Xinlan's working hours are fixed. She has time in the evening. It mainly depends on when Political Commissar Zhao, Chen Lie, and Battalion Commander Qi are free.
The South China Sea has been quite peaceful in the past two months. I think the three busy people should be able to spare some time.
Finally, the location was decided: the barbecue party would be held on the rooftop of the Shen family's two-story building.
The rooftop of Mrs. Luo's house is used for growing vegetables. It is so full that there is no room for them. The rooftop of Zeng Xinlan's house has been in disrepair for many years and the guardrails are broken.
There are so many children here, and if one of them accidentally falls off the roof, it would not be fun.
In the evening, Ning Tang talked to Chen Lie and the three children about holding a barbecue party.
Chen Lie smiled and said, "It's quite nice, lively and fun. We haven't had a proper get-together since last Spring Festival."
This was the first time that Da Wa had heard about a barbecue party. He asked Ning Tang, "Mom, what is a barbecue party?"
"At night, we all watch the moon together, chat, and have a barbecue. We can grill meat, seafood, or vegetables. You can make whatever you want to eat and have enough food and clothing." Ning Tang said.
The eldest child jumped three feet high because he thought it was fun and delicious. He sucked the non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth and said, "Then I want grilled chicken wings."
"We also want grilled sausages." Erniu continued.
Ever since they ate the sausages made by Sun Aiju in Shangang Village during the Chinese New Year, the three children have been thinking about it. They mentioned it in a letter they sent back last time. Sun Aiju took the opportunity to slaughter a pig in the village and made another batch of air-dried sausages and sent them to the three children.
"Okay, okay, let's roast them all." Ning Tang replied, "But before that, you have to do me a favor first."
Sanwa tilted his head and asked, "What can I do for you?" He patted his chest and said, "Mom, just tell me, Sanwa will help you."
Ning Tang was happy and patted Sanwa's head. "Don't you guys often go to the back mountain to play? I want you to help me pick some wild fruits to make wine."
Da Wa and his friends played in the back mountain for three days. In this treasure mountain, they could always find many unexpected good things, such as the winter bamboo shoots they had eaten before.
"Soak in wine?" Chen Lie was stunned.
"Yes, we can't just eat barbecue without drinking anything. I plan to make some fruit wine. Eating barbecue with a little wine is a wonderful thing." Ning Tang said.
Da Wa was unhappy because no matter how delicious the wine was, it had nothing to do with him. Chen Lie and Ning Tang would not allow them to drink even a drop of alcohol.
Ning Tang saw his downcast face and smiled, comforting him, "Don't worry, just pick some wild fruits and I'll make you something delicious to drink."
Sanwa asked, "Is it better than mint water and orange soda?"
"Of course." Ning Tang assured without hesitation. She knew a lot of homemade recipes for fruit wine and beverages.
Now the three little kids were full of energy. Every day after school, they didn’t look for their friends to play, but went straight to the back mountain.
They actually picked a lot of wild fruits, including raspberries, sea buckthorn, wild bananas, and wild passion fruit...
Fruits like wild banana cannot be used to make wine, and fruits like raspberries are quite sweet, so Ning Tang let the three little kids share them to make them taste sweet.
Sea buckthorn is quite sour and hard to swallow, so it is perfect for making sea buckthorn wine.
Wild passion fruit can be used to make sour and sweet passion fruit juice, which the three little kids will definitely like.
The wine is ready and the day for the barbecue party has arrived.
In the evening, just as it was getting dark, Mrs. Luo came to the Shen family with several large baskets full of freshly picked vegetables.
Political Commissar Zhao had something to do and would be here later. Zhao Qing works in the city and it was too late for her to make it back, so she didn't come.
Zeng Xinlan and Captain Qi took Dahu to the market to buy meat and seafood, so they would probably be back a little later.
Chen Lie also went with them, worried that the couple had bought too many things and couldn't carry them all.
Ning Tang asked Mrs. Luo to sit in the living room for a while and wait for them.
Every time Mrs. Luo comes to the Shen family, she finds something new.
She looked at the shell wind chime under the eaves. "This wind chime is so beautiful. It must have been very laborious to make, right?"
Ning Tang: "It's easy. Just pick up shells from the beach, arrange them in descending order, string them together with white cotton thread, and hang them from the eaves."
Mrs. Luo pursed her lips. "I quite like this shell wind chime, but if I hang it under the eaves, it'll make a tinkling noise when the wind blows. Old Zhao will definitely complain that it'll disturb him from reading the newspaper."
Ning Tang smiled and said, "It's okay. Shells can also be used to make shell curtains." She waved to Erniu and asked her to take Mrs. Luo to her room to have a look.
Erniu took Mrs. Luo's hand and took her to the room on the second floor. After seeing it, Mrs. Luo praised it repeatedly.
Ning Tang said, "Shells can be used to make a lot of decorative objects. You can use them to make ornaments like rabbits and puppies. They'll look great at home."
Mrs. Luo nodded and said, "I'm going to the beach to pick up shells tomorrow."
She took a sip of the passion fruit juice poured by Ning Tang. Strictly speaking, this juice should actually be called passion fruit syrup.
It is a drink made by digging out the pulp of sour wild passion fruit and adding sugar to it.
It tastes sour and sweet, very delicious and appetizing.
Mrs. Luo drank the whole cup in one sip after another.
I thought to myself, those nagging military families on the island are always outside making up stories about Ning Tang being lazy, greedy, unproductive, and extremely stupid.
Don’t you think about it? If you are really stupid, how can you make such a delicious drink?
Anyway, none of the military dependents who arranged Ning Tang had such skills.
There are also shell wind chimes and shell curtains.
There are shells everywhere on the beach and you can pick them up anywhere, but no one has ever thought of making handicrafts out of them. But Ning Tang thought of it and made them so delicate and beautiful that people would probably buy them if he took them to the city to sell.
After talking for a while, Chen Lie, Zeng Xinlan, Captain Qi and Da Hu came back together.
Zeng Xinlan had a serious face and it was obvious that she was angry.
Captain Qi also said nothing, with his lips tightly pursed.
Dahu huddled behind the two of them, and only when Da Wa called him did he reveal a faint smile.
The men took the children to the rooftop to set up the barbecue grill, while the women washed the purchased meat, seafood and vegetables in the kitchen.
Mrs. Luo asked Zeng Xinlan what happened.
Zeng Xinlan shook off the water droplets on her hands and complained loudly, "Just now, when we went to the market, I saw that the seafood was quite fresh today, so I asked to buy some more. But Lao Qi refused, saying why waste the money. There are only six adults, half of whom are women, and four children. How much can they eat?"
She took a deep breath and said, "Of course I don't know him. He's just afraid of spending money. If the seafood and meat at the market were free, he'd buy more than I do."
Ning Tang asked, "And then?"
Zeng Xinlan smiled, "Then of course you listen to me and buy whatever you want, because I'm the one paying for it."
She breathed a sigh of relief. "Luckily, I'm working now, officially at the pharmacy. I can earn and save money, and I don't have to beg for money with my palms raised up. I can be so assertive now. If it were like before, I'd have to ask for money, and if he said he didn't want to buy anything, I'd just give him a look and I'd lose my temper."
She was able to stand up straight and speak, and Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo were happy for her.
After the vegetables were washed, they were skewered with bamboo sticks, placed on an iron plate, and brought to the rooftop.
Political Commissar Zhao also arrived. Together with Chen Lie and Battalion Commander Qi, the three of them helped each other to light up the barbecue grill.
The barbecue grill was borrowed from the army. The army had held such barbecues before. It was a long barbecue grill, very similar to the barbecue grills used in barbecue stalls in later generations, and could grill a lot of things.
Ning Tang glanced at the sky. The weather was particularly good today, with no clouds in the sky and only a full moon hanging in the sky. Even without turning on the lights, the entire rooftop was very bright.
Barbecue party, such a lively event, the four children were already having a lot of fun.
The eldest boy walks here and touches there, and he is never idle for a moment.
Ning Tang thought he was annoying and asked him to take Erniu, Sanwa and Dahu to get drinks.
She took a handful of skewers and tested the heat to see how they were grilled.
She is a good griller. She holds the meat skewers in her left hand and rinses them with honey in her right hand. She keeps an eye on the heat and turns them over from time to time. Her movements are clean and neat, without any waste.
The whole group of adults and children were stunned.
The roasted oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, making a hissing sound. Soon, the aroma of meat filled the entire rooftop. The tempting aroma was so tempting that even adults like Chen Lie lost their composure and secretly swallowed their saliva, let alone the children.
Ning Tang gave the grilled skewers to the four children first.
Big Brother took the skewers and began to distribute them, "One skewer for Erniu, one skewer for Dahu, one skewer for Sanwa, one skewer for me..." He arranged them very clearly.
After the meat was divided, he couldn't wait to grab the skewers and take a bite. The freshly baked skewers were tender, smooth and fragrant, with a little bit of harmless burnt smell. Because they were dipped in honey, they had a sweet aroma. With every bite, he could feel the aroma of meat and honey mixed in his mouth, and the gravy bursting in his mouth.
The eldest child almost cried. This was too delicious. He ate most of the skewers in his hand and asked Ning Tang, "Mom, can we have this barbecue party every day?"
Ning Tang was amused and pinched his little face, "Shen Dawa, you may not be beautiful, but you have beautiful thoughts."
Chen Lie came over and said, "Big boy, give me a taste."
Of course, Da Wa was not happy about it and defended it fiercely, even yelling to Ning Tang, "Mom, Dad is trying to steal my skewers."
Hey, what do you mean by stealing your skewers? Is he the kind of person who steals food from children?
Shen Lie was so angry that he wanted to hit Da Wa. Just as he raised his hand, Ning Tang stopped him with a look, "Alright, eat whatever you want. Why are you trying to take food from Da Wa? Eat it yourself and you will have enough food and clothing. Don't you know that?"
Da Wa made a face at Chen Lie.
Shen Lie: "It's a good day, don't force me to beat you."
Now the eldest child didn't dare to tease Ning Tang anymore and continued to pester him to make barbecue for them.
The first round was just to test the stove and the temperature. Starting from the second round, Ning Tang sped up and baked more things.
Grilled seafood includes oysters, pomfret, prawns and scallops.
The barbecued meats include chicken skewers, chicken wings, lamb skewers, pork skewers, and the sausages that Da Wa and his friends have been craving for.
The grilled vegetables are also very rich, including corn, enoki mushrooms, eggplant, water spinach, and leeks.
Barbecuing is not difficult and you can get the hang of it very quickly. Zeng Xinlan and the others only had to watch Ning Tang grill for a while before they were able to do it themselves.
There is also Ning Tang’s secret barbecue seasoning, which is delicious even when used to fry shoe soles. Even if they are a little burnt, the seasoning can make up for it.
A group of adults took turns and soon grilled a large table of barbecue.
There was no table at home that could seat ten adults and children, so three tables were set up. Just like the previous Spring Festival greetings, the men sat at one table, the women sat at one table, and the children sat at one table.
It wasn't because of the old custom that women and children weren't allowed at the table that they sat separately, but because Shen Lie and Political Commissar Zhao mostly talked about military matters.
Ning Tang and the others were not interested and could not communicate with each other. The most important thing was that they sat separately so that they could chat.
Barbecue and wine go especially well together. There were some fragrant barbecue and Ningtang's special sea buckthorn wine. Chen Lie, Political Commissar Zhao, and Battalion Commander Qi drank a little wine, ate some barbecue, and then started talking and bragging.
Ning Tang glanced at the table where Da Wa and the others were sitting. The four kids were having a great time while eating and playing.
Mrs. Luo smiled and said, "Xiao Ning, let's talk about whether your sea buckthorn wine is strong or not. Our Lao Zhao can't hold his liquor well, so don't let him get drunk or he'll vomit on yours."
Ning Tang laughed: "Don't worry, this wine is not strong, it's made from fruit wine, sweet and not intoxicating, we can drink it too."
Zeng Xinlan was in a good mood today and wanted to drink some wine, so she quickly said, "Then have some?"
Ning Tang poured half a cup for her, Mrs. Luo and herself.
Zeng Xinlan drank it all in one gulp. Although the sea buckthorn wine was not intoxicating, it was not enough for her to drink so much. Soon, her face turned red.
As she drank more, she started talking more. "Xiao Ning, can you help me think of a way to get Qi Wei to give me the money he earned? I'll take care of it."
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