At lunchtime, the whole family, young and old, sat around the table with happy faces waiting to eat fish. You know, it’s not easy to have a meat meal these days.
Although Old Man Li's family lived a wealthy life in Lijia Village, his second son had been a soldier in the army for many years and sent money home every month, and occasionally sent back some tickets.
The youngest daughter, thanks to her husband's connections, works at the supply and marketing cooperative in town, and can occasionally help support her parents. But there are so many people in the family, and everyone can eat, so they are always excited when they see some meat.
Furthermore, this year was a bad year, and the original brigade canteen had been disbanded. The drought was widespread, and the harvest was poor. Just being able to eat was a blessing, not meat. Only Lijia Village, nestled against the mountains and rivers, had a better life.
Niu Cuihua first asked the eldest daughter-in-law to bring the fourth daughter-in-law's portion of fish soup to the west room, and then she went to the main room carrying an enamel basin, followed by Liu Zhaodi carrying cornmeal cakes.
Liu Zhaodi walked while staring at the enamel basin held by her mother-in-law in front of her. When she reached the door, she didn't notice a stick on the ground in front of her and almost tripped.
Niu Cuihua turned around and glared at her. You know, cornmeal pancakes were not something that ordinary families could eat in those days. For most people, it was a blessing to be able to eat wheat bran pancakes, let alone cornmeal pancakes.
In the west room, Zhang Xiuzhi helped Zhang Huilan up. Li Aiguo quickly took the fish soup and went to feed his wife. Zhang Huilan saw that her sister-in-law was still a little embarrassed.
"Sister-in-law, look how much your fourth brother loves you, eat quickly," Zhang Xiuzhi joked.
Zhang Huilan blushed but didn't say anything. She quickly drank the fish soup and ate a piece of bread.
In the main room, as soon as the dishes were served, Liu Zhaodi was about to pick up some food with chopsticks, but was hit back by Niu Cuihua.
Liu Zhaodi complained, "Mom, the food is already on the table. Everyone in the family is starving, why aren't we allowed to eat?"
"Eat, eat, eat. All you do every day is eat. You get lazy when asked to work. Why don't you work so hard? Are you waiting for your sister-in-law and others?" Niu Cuihua glared at Liu Zhaodi.
Soon Li Aiguo and Zhang Xiuzhi also came to the main room, and the whole family started to eat. Liu Zhaodi hurriedly picked up a big chopstick for her son Wumao first, and she didn't care whether her daughter could eat it or not.
It was her husband Li Aimin who picked up a piece of fish for each of the two daughters. Erni and Sanni looked at their father with joy.
Just like that, you took a chopstick, I took a chopstick, and soon the whole pot of food was finished. The remaining soup was also drunk up by the group of children.
After the whole family finished their meal, Niu Cuihua hurriedly said, "Listen everyone, no one can tell anyone about the fish we ate today. If anyone tells anyone, you won't be able to eat delicious food in the future." As she said this, she glanced at Liu Zhaodi.
"We understand, grandma. We won't tell anyone," Ermao promised solemnly, and the other children chirped in agreement.
"Don't worry, Mom. We won't tell anyone. I hope to eat fish every day in the future," Liu Zhaodi replied happily.
"Hmph, you still want to eat it every day. You think it's delicious. It's because your eldest brother and the fourth brother are lucky that you have this wonderful thing. You still think you can have it every day. Don't you think about what the situation is like outside now? It's only because of the fourth brother and your second brother that our family can survive," Niu Cuihua retorted.
After Zhang Xiuzhi and Liu Zhaodi cleaned the kitchen, Niu Cuihua hurried to the kitchen to check the basket of fish. Two fish were used for cooking at noon, and now there were 19 left in the basket. She took out two to give to her daughter's family, the other four to her eldest brothers' families on both sides, and the remaining one to her daughter-in-law's family.
"Old man, what do you think about me giving two fish to our daughter, two to my elder brother, and one to my daughter-in-law's family?" Niu Cuihua asked Old Man Li.
"I'll do whatever you say," Old Man Li replied to his wife.
"Okay, that's it," Niu Cuihua muttered.
In the afternoon, Niu Cuihua went to the west room again and asked her daughter-in-law if she had any milk. "I don't know, mother, the child is still asleep," Zhang Huilan whispered.
Li Mingxi was sleeping and woke up when he heard someone talking. He was just seen by Niu Cuihua.
"Then try again and see if it works. The little girl just woke up," Niu Cuihua instructed her daughter-in-law.
Zhang Huilan quickly picked up the child and placed him on her chest. Li Mingxi felt hungry at this time, so she took big gulps of food. After a while, she heard the child swallowing.
Zhang Huilan grinned when she saw it and said, "Mom, there is milk, the little girl can drink milk."
"Of course, fish soup is the fastest way to increase milk production. It's a pity that there is no crucian carp soup. That thing is better. This is not bad either," Niu Cuihua felt extremely satisfied as she watched her granddaughter drinking milk in big gulps.
Niu Cuihua was filled with joy for her little granddaughter, who was so pretty when she was born, and was born to her beloved youngest son. Looking at the diapers placed beside the bed, Niu Cuihua quickly took them out to wash.
Although Lijia Village has mountains and water, the weather is cold now and there is ice outside.
Niu Cuihua is a little worried about the cold weather. It hasn't snowed yet. Is this going to work? Will there be no harvest next year? No matter how worried she is, she still has to live her life.
The next morning after breakfast, Niu Cuihua asked her youngest son to go to the town with him to tell her daughter the good news and visit her.
The two of them harnessed their mules and soon arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative. Li Guiying spotted her mother and fourth brother and hurried over to greet them, "Mom, why are you two here?"
"Your fourth brother and I are here to tell you the good news. Your fourth sister-in-law has given birth to a girl," Niu Cuihua said as she took out things.
"Here are two more fish. Take them back and feed your child." He said as he handed the fish to his daughter secretly.
"Mom, where did you get this? Fish is only 50 cents a pound now, and you can't even buy this much. I don't want it. You should keep it for my sister-in-law to nourish her body," Li Guiying evaded.
"Your brother and his friends were lucky and caught this fish by the river. We still have some at home, so take it quickly," Niu Cuihua stuffed the fish into her daughter's bag without saying a word.
"Okay then. By the way, Mom, the supply and marketing cooperative had a batch of defective cloth some time ago, and I got it. I also have a piece of small blue floral cloth here. You can take it back and make clothes for fourth brother's daughter," Li Guiying hurriedly took out a package from the counter and handed it to her mother.
"Thank you, sister," Li Aiguo said with a smile, scratching his head. "What's there to thank me for? We're all family. I'll go back to see my niece in a few days when I'm not busy."
Li Guiying looked at her fourth brother's happy face and felt that he had become stupid after having a daughter. However, it was also a wish come true for her fourth brother to marry her fourth sister-in-law.
"Okay, your fourth brother and I are leaving. Go ahead and get busy. Don't forget to bring Dawei and Xiaowei home in a few days."
Li Guiying wanted to keep her mother, but someone happened to want to buy something, so she had to go up and greet him. Niu Cuihua took the opportunity to pull her youngest son away. When Li Guiying finished her work and wanted to call her mother, they both ran away.
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