Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Poverty is too deep in people's hearts
The Sparrow Market was crowded with people. Because of the autumn harvest, the Sparrow Market had been closed for more than half a month. Now it was reopened and the autumn harvest was over. Everyone was not busy with work, so there were many people buying and selling things.
As soon as Chen Moer entered the market, she met a man selling loaches. There were not many, only about two kilograms, and she bought them all.
The young man selling loaches was very happy and gave her a few field crabs in the basket: "These are just shells with no meat. No one wants them even if I exchange them for them. I'll give them to you."
Chen Moer already had some experience, so this time she specially placed an enamel pot in the bamboo basket, which was just right for raising loaches. As for a few field crabs, they were tied with straw and could be thrown into the bamboo basket without having to worry about them crawling out.
Shen Shaoyuan really likes to eat crabs. He bought two kilograms of loaches and got several field crabs. It was a pleasant surprise. Shen Moer said happily: "The autumn wind is blowing, and the crab legs are fat. It is the time when crabs are fat and delicious. I am taking advantage of it."
The young man didn't notice at all, and said honestly: "No one wants to change it. There's not much meat in total, and I have to spend a lot of ginger and garlic to remove the fishy smell. It's not worth it."
The vegetable seller next to me also said, "It's not just ginger and garlic, it also needs cooking wine and vinegar. Oh my, with that money, you can't just buy two taels of meat!"
Nowadays, everyone is very frugal, and this kind of thing that uses a lot of seasonings but can't fill you up at all is really unpopular.
Shen Moer smiled: "Thanks anyway."
Having said that, he walked forward again.
Liu Yinshuang peeked in from the side and muttered, "The crabs are still very fat in this season, with lots of crab paste and roe. I'll add some rice wine, brown sugar, and ginger slices, and stew field crabs with rice wine and brown sugar. This is the way to eat it in the southeast. It's fragrant, sweet, and nourishing."
Shen Moer glanced at her inconspicuously.
Therefore, the college entrance examination will be resumed in the future, and villagers will be able to move to the city, and even travel to other places... Yellow wine and brown sugar are very precious things at present, but in the future people will use them to stew crabs that no one likes now. It seems that everyone's life will get better and better in the future.
Logically speaking, since there are people everywhere in the market, Liu Yinshuang should have nothing to be afraid of. However, no one knows what she was thinking, but she kept following Chen Moer closely.
When Shen Moer stopped to buy something, she watched from the side. An auntie selling pears didn't weigh the pears accurately, and she immediately noticed it. She scolded the auntie for three hundred rounds and almost threw the weight of the scale. In the end, the auntie could only think that she was unlucky. Not only did she make up the weight, but Liu Yinshuang also took the opportunity to take an extra pear and said it was to weigh the pear.
Finally, Liu Yinshuang looked at Chen Moer with an expression that said, "I'm so awesome, right? Why don't you thank me soon?", waiting for Chen Moer's praise.
Shen Moer: “…”
If someone didn’t know, they would think it was you who bought the pears.
However, she still complimented him and said thank you. After all, she really couldn't tell that the scale was inaccurate, and she really had no experience in this area.
Later, Chen Moer bought some tofu, tofu skin, day lily and other things.
She didn't buy any vegetables. The vegetables in her family's private plot were growing well. Sometimes when she pulled out some vegetables, Aunt Chen and the others would help her plant a few seedlings in. As a result, the variety of vegetables became more and more abundant, and it was more than enough for the two of them, father and daughter.
But I did meet the old man who sold wicker boxes last time.
"Uncle, are these boxes still six yuan each and eleven yuan a pair?" Shen Moer asked.
Unexpectedly, the old man recognized her, and a simple smile appeared on his old face: "Girl, it's you, thanks to you last time!" He waved his hands repeatedly: "No price, no price, if you want it, it's five yuan."
Chen Moer actually wanted to buy two. She already had a pair at home, and buying another pair would make a perfect pair. But she was really tight on money recently. She hadn't paid the 80 yuan bill for the bicycle yet, and she had to bring some money back to the provincial capital. It was really not the time to spend money lavishly.
After thinking about it, I finally said, "Then change it."
"If you want two, then take two. If you don't have enough money, I'll pay you next time." Liu Yinshuang, who had just been watching the fun at the stall in front, reappeared out of nowhere.
Chen Moer wanted to say that what you said was light, it was not easy for an old man to weave a box, and it was only five dollars, who would lend it to you on credit for no reason.
Then, Liu Yinshuang called out "Grandpa" to the old man. When the old man saw her, he immediately smiled kindly: "Xiaoshuang, you're here. Do you know this girl?"
Liu Yinshuang: "We were classmates in junior high school."
He tilted his head towards Chen Moer and said, "This is my grandfather."
Mr. Liu said with a smile: "So you are Xiaoshuang's classmate! It's okay, girl, you can take the box first, and give it to us when you have enough money."
Shen Moer didn't expect that this old man was actually Liu Yinshuang's grandfather.
But after saying this, she suddenly remembered that the old man had said last time that the design of this box was thought up by her granddaughter herself, and that it was not available elsewhere. It was also her granddaughter who said that she would not sell it for less than five yuan... From this point of view, the bidding method of six yuan for one and eleven yuan for two was probably also thought up by Liu Yinshuang.
This style of box is not available anywhere else... Could it be a future style?
Shen Moer took a closer look, and she didn't know if it was a psychological effect, but the more she looked at it, the more she felt that the design of this box was really special.
But she still said, "Buy one first. It's enough for now. You can buy more later if you need it."
Old Master Liu smiled and took out the box, saying, "That's fine, girl. We are from the Songshu Brigade. Which brigade are you from? Come over and play when you have time!"
Liu Yinshuang: "She is from the Yangliu Brigade, so she is nearby. Forget about visiting her. Our little adobe house doesn't even have enough space for people to stay. When we save enough money, we will buy a house in the county and invite her to come over to visit."
Old Master Liu had gotten used to hearing Liu Yinshuang say these things. Although he thought it was unrealistic for rural people like them to buy a house in the county, he still agreed with his granddaughter: "I will definitely invite your classmates to visit us when we buy a house in the county. It's okay now. Didn't we go into the mountains to pick some wild grapefruits a few days ago? Invite your classmates to come home and eat some grapefruits."
The old man was honest, simple and kind, so Shen Moer couldn't refuse directly. She smiled and said, "I have something going on at home recently. I'll go when I'm free."
Mr. Liu smiled so much that his eyes narrowed. "Okay, okay, come when you're free. The grapefruits are still fresh. You must come."
The granddaughter doesn't have any peers she can get along with because she has a lot of quarrels with her family. Now people in the village avoid her when they see her. Grandpa Liu finally found a girl who is willing to interact with his granddaughter, and he was so happy.
Shen Moer paid the money, said goodbye, and left with the box. Before she had gone far, Liu Yinshuang caught up with her and stuffed a small roll of cloth into her arms, whispering, "I said it's a gift to you, and you have to keep it a secret for me!"
Shen Moer didn't expect that she was so persistent. After several unsuccessful attempts to refuse, she was also afraid that there would be too many people and it would attract attention, so she simply accepted it. After thinking for a while, she said, "Then I'll go to Songshu Brigade to find you another day."
Liu Yinshuang's eyes flickered. She didn't expect Shen Moer to say that she would go to Songshu Brigade to find her. She knew her own affairs best. Since she had a quarrel with her family and the brigade, her reputation was really not very good. But she didn't care about this. To live a new life, the most important thing was to live comfortably. After two years of reform and opening up, these reputations would be nothing.
But at least for now, even the little sisters who grew up with her in the village ignored her, for fear that she would bring shame to their reputation.
Yangliu Brigade and Songshu Brigade are next door to each other. Shen Moer must have heard about her, but even so, she is still willing to go to Songshu Brigade to find her.
Liu Yinshuang was somewhat touched, but her expression remained cold, and she said indifferently, "That's fine."
Shen Moer smiled and continued walking inside.
Liu Yinshuang watched her walk away, then turned around and went back to Old Man Liu's stall.
Chen Moer quickly walked around the market, but she didn't see the bearded Bao Ge. However, Bao Ge was not always present at every market in Sparrow Market, so Chen Moer didn't take it to heart.
When I got back to the entrance of Maque City, I unexpectedly ran into Zhang Junliang and his mother.
Zhang Junliang had been staring at Shen Moer from a distance, his eyes were filled with pain and contempt, but also with relief. Shen Moer felt that this man was simply incomprehensible, so she glanced at him and didn't look at him again.
Unfortunately, there were too many people in the market, and they were crowded together. When they passed by, Shen Moer still heard Zhang's mother spit and said, "She's just a private teacher. What's so great about her? Pah, a slutty woman who broke her shoes."
Shen Moer originally didn't bother to pay attention to this inexplicable mother and son, but since Zhang's mother was the one who was provocative, she naturally couldn't indulge her.
It happened that the two of them were walking towards each other, and Shen Moer raised her hand and slapped her.
With a snap, a crisp sound.
All of a sudden, people around them stopped and cast curious eyes at them. Why did they start fighting for no reason?
There were also people who heard what Zhang's mother said and thought that it seemed that the two people knew each other. Oh my, you are scolding the girl and calling her a slut. How can people not beat you?
Zhang's mother was also stunned, and it took her a while to react: "Ahhh, you hit me, you bastard, how dare you hit me?!"
Shen Moer raised her eyebrows, slightly leaned over, and slapped him again: "Your mouth stinks so bad, I'm slapping your mouth!"
Then, she slapped Zhang's mother several times at a rapid speed, until Zhang Junliang, who had reacted, rushed over excitedly: "Chen Moer, don't go too far! Although my mother's words were a bit harsh, how can you hit people casually?! Respect the old and love the young, do you know how to respect the elders at all?!"
Chen Moer raised her eyes and asked back, "I have no relationship with you, how can she be considered my elder? Ask everyone, if someone is called a slut on the street for no reason, do you have to beat him up? She ran to the street to get beaten, who can you blame?"
Wow!
In addition to what they had heard before, the others now understood why this beautiful girl suddenly hit someone.
"If that's the case, then it's really not my fault, girl. I didn't provoke you, but you cursed me so badly for no reason. How can I not hit you?"
"That's right. Some middle-aged women are like this. When they see a young and beautiful girl, they will spread rumors and make up lies about her. How can people not be angry?"
"Hey, forget it, forget it. We've already fought, and it was you who were wrong first. Let's just forget about it. Otherwise, you'll be blocking the door and affecting everyone's entry and exit."
…
However, no one supported Zhang's mother.
No one can understand why someone would be so mean and swear at others for no reason.
However, Zhang's mother was used to being bossy at home, so she naturally couldn't stand this grievance. No matter what others said, she rushed over to hit Shen Moer: "You scumbag, you went on a blind date with my son and hooked up with the educated youth, what's wrong with me scolding you?"
Mother Zhang waved her hands and was about to grab Shen Moer's hair, but Shen Moer was much taller than her and she couldn't reach it at all. Instead, Shen Moer grabbed her hands.
Zhang Junliang's eyes were bloodshot and he was heartbroken: "I never thought you were this kind of person. Let my mom go. If you don't let her go, don't blame me for hitting her. I don't want to hit a woman!"
He rushed over and wanted to "rescue" Zhang's mother.
When Shen Moer heard Zhang Junliang say he was going to take action, she took the initiative and kicked him on the leg, knocking him down. Then she swung her hand and threw Zhang's mother together with him.
After he finished, he clapped his hands, as if there was something dirty on them, and said calmly: "Don't talk nonsense again in the future, or don't blame me for hitting you. I don't want to hit anyone, my hands are tired."
After saying this, he tightened the rope of the bamboo basket on his back, turned around and left quickly.
The rest of the people present looked at each other in bewilderment. After a while, someone muttered, "Even if you don't want to hit a woman, you have to be able to hit her!"
Now, those who were originally too embarrassed to speak could not help but mutter: "It seems that girl still showed mercy. That kick was so powerful, she looked like a martial artist."
"I heard that when the Four Olds were destroyed in the early years, some monks from Guangyan Temple returned to secular life. There was one in our brigade. The old monk took in several young disciples, and all of them were quite skilled."
"Don't we have people in that brigade who used to be bodyguards? They still practice boxing every day."
"You can scold anyone else, but you've hit a brick wall by scolding a martial artist. He's still here, so be content!"
…
Zhang Junliang had never been so embarrassed in his life. His face turned red with shame. He got up, helped Zhang's mother and walked out.
I won’t buy anything anymore. I’ve lost all my face. How can I have the mood to buy anything?
Shen Moer didn't know what happened after she left, nor did she know that the crowd had diverted the topic to whether she was a disciple taught by a wandering monk or a martial artist with a family background in martial arts.
She found her bicycle at a parking spot near Maque City, rode it to the food station, bought half a pound of meat and some free pork offal, then went to a state-owned restaurant to buy white flour buns and rode home.
When I got home, Shen Shaoyuan had already prepared lunch. It was a simple noodle dumpling soup with eggs and leeks. The soup was very delicious.
After lunch, before Shen Moer went to call for help, Fu Mingze and the others arrived. Zheng Jiamin was excited: "Let's go, let's hurry up and go up the mountain. We'll cook when we come back!"
Wang Qiutong was equally excited: "Let's go, let's go into the mountains!"
Fu Mingze was speechless and couldn't help yawning: "They got up before dawn, just waiting to enter the mountain."
Shen Moer: “…”
*
Autumn is the harvest season. Not only are the crops in the fields ripe for harvest, but there are also many ripe wild fruits on the mountains. So on their way up the mountain, they met many people from the village.
Most of them are aunties and grandmas with their kids, and there are also older kids with their younger brothers and sisters. They basically don’t walk too far, just wandering around the nearby mountains.
Some of these people had just gone up the mountain like Chen Moer and the others, while others had just come out of the mountain and were heading home for lunch. Most of their backpacks were covered with grass, so it was impossible to tell what their harvest was. However, they met Aunt Chen and the others halfway. Classmate Chen Maomao was holding a bunch of wild grapes in his hand and eating them while jumping.
Seeing Shen Moer, he immediately shared the wild grapes in his hand: "Sister Moer, wild grapes are so sweet!"
Aunt Chen also quickly took out a bunch of wild grapes from her backpack and said, "You are lucky to have found this. Take this to enjoy your sweet mouths."
Zheng Jiamin took it without hesitation: "Thank you, Aunt Chen!"
Then he took out two candies from his pocket and gave them to Maomao: "You can have a sweet mouth too."
Maomao was so happy that his teeth were showing.
“Oh, Zheng Zhiqing is always so polite.” Aunt Chen glanced at Shen Moer and Fu Mingze and smiled, “See you next time.”
Because there were many people outside, Shen Moer and the others walked a little further inside, but they still couldn't find any traces of pheasants or rabbits. However, they found a wild chestnut tree halfway.
The chestnut trees were tall, and several people divided the work among them. Fu Mingze and Zheng Jiamin were responsible for hitting the chestnuts with sticks, while Shen Moer and Wang Qiutong were responsible for picking chestnuts.
The chestnuts were still in their prickly shells, and some had fallen to the ground with their shells shed. Soon two bamboo baskets were filled with them.
Wang Qiutong wore a long-sleeved shirt today and even wrapped her hair with a handkerchief, obviously she had made all the necessary preparations. A speck of dust had been rubbed on her face at some point, but she looked very excited: "We actually picked up so many chestnuts! These are all generous gifts from nature, so great! Even if we didn't catch any pheasants or rabbits, this trip was worth it!"
Zheng Jiamin was also very happy, but still said: "Chestnuts are chestnuts, rabbits are rabbits, pheasants are pheasants, and of course it would be best to have all of them!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a "Oh, cluck, cluck" sound not far away. The sound sounded a bit like a rooster, but it was hoarser than the call of a domestic chicken and not as clear as that of a domestic chicken.
Zheng Jiamin was startled and murmured: "This, this can't be..."
He looked at Wang Qiutong, who looked confused: "What, what is this?"
Almost at the same time, Shen Moli, who was standing on the other side of the tree, leaped out like an arrow and in the blink of an eye she was in front of a bush of firewood. At this moment, a pheasant with long tail feathers also flew out from the bush of firewood.
With a click.
A stone hit the pheasant on the head. The pheasant swayed in the air and soon fell back into the bushes.
Shen Moer pounced forward and grabbed the pheasant. The pheasant struggled in vain for a few times and then stopped moving.
Shen Moer picked up some straw from the spot and tied the pheasant tightly. She then rummaged through the straw nest that the pheasant had just come out of, and sure enough, she found several pheasant eggs on the ground.
Zheng Jiamin and Wang Qiutong had already rushed over, their voices louder than the other, like a duet:
"Ahhhhh, Mo'er you are so amazing, oh my god, you really caught it like this, you found a pheasant! Ahhh, this is a pheasant, this pheasant actually doesn't look like a domestic chicken, it has a small head and such long feathers, this is the first time I see a pheasant!!!"
"Comrade Shen Moer, you are amazing, you are amazing, such skills! There is also a nest of pheasant eggs, my god, it's great, we have a great harvest today!!!"
The two men each held the pheasant with one hand, and neither was willing to let go.
Fu Mingze, who originally wanted to help Shen Moer put away the pheasant: "..."
never mind.
Because they still had to cook in the afternoon, they had originally planned to go back after picking chestnuts. Now that they had shot a pheasant, they had exceeded their task, so they pulled some weeds to cover the things in the bamboo basket and returned.
This section of the road is close to the mountains and there are not many people. Zheng Jiamin and Wang Qiutong did not put away the pheasants. They still walked and looked at the curiosities while each holding a wing.
Shen Moer and Fu Mingze walked side by side behind.
Glancing at the two people in front of him who were full of interest, Fu Mingze took out a small roll of banknotes from his pocket and handed it to Shen Moer: "I'll pay for today's dinner."
Shen Moer didn’t answer, she turned her head to look at him: “Why are you paying?”
Fu Mingze looked at her and smiled, then said, "My boyfriend's family is treating us, shouldn't I pay for it?"
After a pause, he continued, "Uncle Shen Qi came to discuss with me this morning, saying that this dinner was to thank the captain and the others on my behalf, and to invite Aunt Chen to be the matchmaker, and to clarify our relationship. In the current situation, we can't have a big wedding banquet, so this is equivalent to an engagement banquet. When you are old enough, we will go to get the marriage certificate, and then we can have a few formal banquets."
Shen Moer nodded. This was indeed what they had discussed before, but she still didn't take the money: "You can keep the money for yourself. I have a salary, so I am better off than you."
Fu Mingze was choked and wanted to say that he was not as poor as she thought, but he swallowed the words back. Helplessly, he could only stuff the bills back into his pocket.
"By the way, when can I give you the money for the bicycle?" Shen Moer asked.
"No need to pay. I'll pay for the bicycle. If I pay for it, it will be a little cheaper. I think seventy will be enough." Fu Mingze said.
Shen Moer was surprised: "You have so much money?!"
Fu Mingze sighed secretly. It seemed that his image as a poor man was too deeply rooted in people's minds. In the eyes of his partner, he seemed to be penniless.
He had to find an excuse: "This is the money my family gave me to marry me before I went to the countryside. They were afraid that I would not be able to return and settle down in the countryside, so I didn't dare to use it. I saved it all. I can't afford any other gifts, and this bicycle is second-hand. You don't mind it, do you?"
Shen Moer smiled and teased: "I don't mind. As for bicycles, second-hand ones are more affordable. But since you are not looking for a son-in-law, my family should pay the gift."
Fu Mingze glanced at her sideways, and thought her pretending to be smug was a little cute, so he didn't refute her and said softly, "Then consider it a gift from me to you."
He said this gently and tenderly. Shen Moer looked up at him, and when she met his dark and clear eyes, her heart skipped a beat.
Shen Moer quickly looked away, cleared her throat, and said, "I'm lying to you. I've discussed it with my father and decided not to recruit a son-in-law. We can live together even if we don't get married."
Fu Mingze curled his lips and smiled.
In fact, Shen Shaoyuan had told him about this, but he didn't care. Whether to recruit a son-in-law or not, they were all a family, and it was okay for the children to have the surname Shen in the future. What he cared about was the person in front of him.
Fu Mingze glanced at Shen Moer, and suddenly reached out to grab her, gently rubbed his fingers on her wrist, and said, "Well, it's all right, I'll listen to you."
Shen Moer subconsciously glanced at Zheng Jiamin and Wang Qiutong in front of her, struggled uncomfortably, and said in a low voice: "They are outside, let go quickly."
The place where he held seemed to be on fire, and the fire spread along the veins of the skin to the whole body, and Shen Moer's face turned red.
In broad daylight, in plain sight, in front of everyone...it wasn't really in the public eye, but it wasn't nice to do this outside.
Fu Mingze raised his eyebrows slightly. His girlfriend was sometimes ridiculously brave, as if she would dare to fight a tiger with just a bamboo arrow. But sometimes she was timid and easily shy, and she felt embarrassed just to hold hands.
I will never let go if I let go.
At this moment, Zheng Jiamin, who was walking in front, suddenly turned around and said, "Hey, look over there——"
Then: "No, you you you, Fu Mingze, what are you doing?!"
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