When Tian Tian came over, she saw Old Lady Tian swinging the mallet in her hand, making a whirring sound. There were several sheets hanging on the stone behind her. They were from Tian Tian's home and were all dried in the sun.
"Grandma! I've prepared the meal!" Tian Tian said.
"Well!" Old Mrs. Tian put down the mallet in her hand and pointed to the basin full of clothes beside her and said, "You take these clothes back first, as well as the dried sheets. I will take the remaining sheets back again."
She was afraid that Tian Tian wouldn't be able to wash the sheets properly, so she planned to go home and wash them herself later and let Tian Tian take the clothes back first.
Tian Tian nodded, put the dry sheets around his neck, squatted down and picked up the large basin. There were quite a few clothes in the basin, and they were all soaked in water, so it was really uncomfortable.
However, Tian Tian has taken good care of her health during this period. She has more energy and is more energetic after working out regularly. Carrying a basin is no problem for her.
When Tian Tian returned home carrying the big basin, she saw the door of her house was open. Tian Baobao and Tian Zhuo were playing in the yard. When they saw Tian Tian come back, they both ran over quickly.
"Sister! When are we going to eat?"
"Are you two hungry?" Tian Tian put the bowl aside and looked down at the two of them.
Tian Baobao and Tian Zhuo nodded. "We were already hungry, so when we saw smoke coming out of the chimney, we ran back home."
Tian Tian took out the clothes and hung them on the string in the yard. "How about I serve you some rice, and you can eat a little first?"
"Forget it! I'd better wait for grandma and the others to come back and eat together!" Tian Baobao said dejectedly.
"How about I make some malted milk for you two? I guess it will take a while for grandma and the others to come back!" Tian Tian said.
When she went to get the clothes just now, she saw that the remaining sheets of Old Lady Tian had been washed. There was a whole basin full of them. She just threw another one in and came back. It should be pretty fast.
The same cannot be said for Chen Guihua and Tian Lilin. Even if they could see the smoke coming out of the chimney first, it would take them some time to rush down the mountain.
However, the three of them brought dry food when they went up the mountain in the morning, so they didn't have to come back to eat at noon.
Her father followed the team leader to attend a meeting at the commune today and did not come back for lunch. There were only four of them at home, so she cooked a little too much lunch.
Looking at these two guys holding their stomachs and looking listless, they must be really hungry.
"I'll go make you two a bowl of malted milk. You two can drink a few sips to fill your stomachs, and then we'll start eating when grandma comes back." Tian Tian said.
The peach cakes her aunt had given her during the Chinese New Year had long been eaten, and now there was only half a can of malted milk left, which was not enough for the two of them to drink a few times.
After hearing this, Tian Baobao and Tian Zhuo's eyes lit up and they nodded in agreement like chicks pecking at rice.
Malted milk is a precious thing and they don’t drink it often in their family. Sometimes they have to finish a can of it for a whole year.
Tian Tian made a bowl of malted milk for the two of them, then handed it to them and asked them to drink it together.
Tian Baobao asked Tian Zhuo to drink first. Tian Zhuo just put his mouth to the edge of the bowl and suddenly stopped. He looked up at Tian Tian, then looked down at the malted milk, and handed the bowl to Tian Tian, "Sister, drink first!"
Tian Tian glanced at Tian Baobao and saw that he didn't seem unhappy. She didn't bother to be polite with them. She took it and took a big sip. Then she handed it to the two of them. Then they happily shared it and went to sell the milk essence.
Tian Tian seldom drinks malted milk. It's not that malted milk tastes bad, she just doesn't like it, but there are so many things in the shell that she can't take out, so she can only eat them secretly, including milk powder, milk tablets, and milk candy. There is really no need for her to compete with the two little ones for food.
Especially the two little ones who don’t have anything good to eat all year round.
The two of them went into the house to drink malted milk. Just at this moment, Tian Tian saw from afar, across the courtyard wall, Old Lady Tian carrying a large basin and walking towards them with difficulty. She hurried out and wanted to take the large basin from Old Lady Tian's hand.
After trying, she failed to lift the basin and almost dropped it on the ground. Fortunately, Mrs. Tian caught it quickly.
"Go away! Go over to the side. Don't knock over the sheets that I washed with so much effort." Old Mrs. Tian immediately asked Tian Tian to stay away from her with disgust.
Tian Tian was also a little embarrassed. She didn't expect the basin to be so heavy, and she almost tipped the basin over due to carelessness.
"I didn't expect it to be so heavy," Tian Tian said with a wry smile.
Old Mrs. Tian rolled her eyes at Tian Tian and said, "There are so many sheets in here! How can it not be heavy?"
"Have you prepared the rice water?"
"It's ready. It's in the pot. You can use the milk when you get home! The meal is also ready. Tian Baobao and the others have been hungry for a long time, so I made them both a bowl of malted milk." Tian Tian said.
"Then let's go back, hang the sheets up and then eat." Old Mrs. Tian quickened her pace.
Tian Tian felt puzzled as she saw Old Mrs. Tian holding the large basin with great difficulty but walking very quickly.
How could such a skinny little old lady have so much strength?
You have to know that the wooden basin was really not light. Not only was it filled with washed sheets and mattress covers, the basin itself was quite heavy. It was a bit difficult for Tian Tian to hold it with one hand.
But Old Mrs. Tian had just returned home from the river carrying the large basin, and her breathing was only slightly rapid, and she did not look too tired.
Tian Tian followed Old Lady Tian into the house and together they shook out all the dried sheets and soaked them in starch water. After beating them for a while, they took them out and hung them on the strings outside. After they were pulled flat, they were ready.
The wet sheets are waiting to be dried and starched.
After starching, the quilt is very straight and not easy to get dirty. The dust cannot get into the quilt. It is also very strong and can be used for many years.
The only drawback is that the quilt is too straight and hard after being covered. It leaks air in winter and is not warm.
Tian Tian's house has a big yard, but there is not enough space to hang all the quilts and sheets. Old Mrs. Tian had no choice but to put all the washed clothes on the fire wall in the house, and then hang out the quilts and sheets.
Although the kang will not be heated as hot as in winter, it will not stop burning so quickly. Add some firewood inside to keep it burning, so that the fire inside will not go out and there will be a little warmth on the kang.
After drying the vegetables, the family hurried to eat. After dinner, the two children went into the house to sleep for a while. Grandma Tian and Tian Tian helped to tidy up the vegetable garden at home. It was not the time to plant vegetables yet, so they just picked up the stones and soil in the garden.
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