Qin Jingdong took the rabbit out. A while later, Feng Jinhua came in to pour water for Wang Qiang. She secretly glanced at Wang Qiang and thought, "This kid is really handsome."
She couldn't help but envy Qin Jingru. She herself was also ambitious and thought she would find someone from the city, but by a twist of fate, she ended up with Qin Jingru. Although they managed to get by, they couldn't afford to buy a new piece of clothing even once a year.
Especially since she's been married for over a year and still doesn't have a child, people are gossiping about her behind her back, and she doesn't even want to go out.
Wang Qiang looked at Feng Jinhua. She was pretty and fit the aesthetic standards of the time. She had a plump figure with large hips, making her good at bearing children. Her face was very fair, and she didn't look like a rural person at all.
So he said, "Sister-in-law, you look just like a movie star. If you went to the city, you'd outshine all the city women."
Feng Jinhua lowered her head, surprised that Wang Qiang would speak like that. Although she was shy, she was still happy, unlike Qin Jingdong, who had never praised her.
At this moment, Qin Jingdong, carrying the prepared rabbit meat, called out, "Jinhua, the rabbit is ready, hurry up and stew the meat."
Feng Jinhua got up and went outside, took the rabbit meat from Qin Jingdong, and went into the kitchen.
Qin Jingdong finished cleaning the rabbit skin before entering the house: "Brother, I really envy you. You have a stable job, unlike me who toils in the fields."
"I heard that a pheasant can be exchanged for 20 jin of flour. A big wild rabbit can also be exchanged for 20 jin of flour. Is that true? To be honest, I'm having a tough time these days."
"To get married, my family borrowed a lot of money, and we still can't pay it back."
Wang Qiang noticed that the house was indeed newly built, and it must have cost a lot of money back then. It seems that in any era, you needed a house to get married.
Feng Jinhua started stewing the meat and brought them a bottle of liquor. Just then, she overheard something and was shocked. A rabbit could be exchanged for twenty catties of flour.
That stew wasn't made with rabbit, it was made with twenty pounds of wheat flour! We haven't eaten refined grains in months, we eat cornmeal every day, we don't even dare to eat cornbread, we usually just eat corn porridge.
He often didn't need to use the restroom for three days at a time. This made people look at Wang Qiang in a new light.
Wang Qiang laughed and said, "Brother Jingdong, to be honest, that's true. But we don't need too many. One pheasant and one rabbit will be enough."
"Besides, I've already spoken to Uncle Qin. We'll get the pheasants and rabbits from him!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Jingdong said, "Brother Wang Qiang, could you also get a rabbit from me? I don't need much, just enough to exchange for 10 jin of flour."
Upon hearing this, Wang Qiang realized that Qin Jingdong's family was indeed in dire straits, but everyone faces difficulties. If word got out, it wouldn't be good for him either, so he said with great difficulty.
“Brother Dong, we’re all family, no need for formalities. Here’s what we’ll do: I can’t take more than one, just one, but I’ll still give you 20 jin of flour.”
Then Wang Qiang lowered his voice and said, "However, you can't tell anyone, or the consequences will be severe!"
After speaking, he glanced at Qin Jingdong and Feng Jinhua.
Qin Jingdong glanced at Feng Jinhua: "Did you hear that? Don't gossip about your family if there's nothing wrong. Go and prepare the dishes. I'm going to have a drink with Brother Wang Qiang."
Feng Jinhua's face turned bright red. "The meat is already stewing, but we'll have to wait a little longer."
A plate of washed cabbage and a bowl of soybean paste were served.
Qin Jingdong was embarrassed. "Can't you even stir-fry the cabbage? You're such a lazy woman."
Feng Jinhua wrinkled her face: "What's the house like? You don't know, do you?"
Qin Jingdong looked at Wang Qiang awkwardly: "My brother is really sorry, our family's conditions are limited, let's have some vegetables with dipping sauce first."
Or open that bottle of liquor. Pour a bowl for Wang Qiang, and then pour one for yourself.
Just by smelling the wine, Wang Qiang knew it wasn't as good as yesterday's.
However, Qin Jingdong was drinking quite heartily; his family was struggling financially and he hadn't drunk alcohol for a long time.
In no time at all, the bottle of wine was empty.
Qin Jingdong asked Feng Jinhua to buy another bottle.
Feng Jinhua held out her small hand: "Where's the money?"
Qin Jingdong touched his clothes, his face flushed: "I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy a bottle on credit. I'll pay you back when I have the money."
Feng Jinhua shook her head: "The supply and marketing cooperative stopped issuing credit a long time ago."
Seeing that Qin Jingdong didn't seem to have had enough, Wang Qiang took out five yuan from his pocket: "Sister-in-law, take this first."
Qin Jingdong quickly said, "Brother, I'm sorry, I'm inviting you to drink and you're going to have to pay!"
"Hurry up and go!"
Feng Jinhua picked up the empty wine bottle on the table and took the money from Wang Qiang.
"Make sweet potato liquor, not grain liquor, because grain liquor is expensive!"
Qin Jingdong shouted at Feng Jinhua's back, saying that he could only drink loose liquor now and dared not drink grain liquor, so he could only drink sweet potato liquor.
This kind of liquor feels like a fire when you drink it, shooting straight from your stomach to the top of your head. But it's cheap, so many alcoholics just buy a three-cent bottle, drink it, and fall asleep immediately.
After Feng Jinhua left, Wang Qiang and Qin Jingdong chatted for a while.
Qin Jingdong listened with great envy.
A while later, Feng Jinhua returned carrying a wine bottle.
Qin Jingdong's eyes lit up. He quickly grabbed the wine bottle, poured a bowl for Wang Qiang, and then poured one for himself. Then he said to Feng Jinhua, "Bring the meat over; it's almost time."
Feng Jinhua went into the kitchen and brought out the stewed mutton and rabbit meat.
Wang Qiang took the wine bottle and poured her a small glass as well: "Sister-in-law, have a drink with me. It's so cold outside, it'll warm you up."
Feng Jinhua had never drunk alcohol before, but she couldn't refuse their hospitality, so she sat to the side with a small wine cup and listened to their conversation.
Listening to these stories, I couldn't help but compare them to my own life now. The more I did, the more envious I became. I regretted not choosing to live in the city back then.
I recalled my dreams before I got married.
All the beautiful wishes have turned into the mundane realities of daily life. Having been childless for over a year, we've faced a lot of criticism and disdain.
Qin Jingdong also disrespected himself, often ordering people around as if he had found a servant rather than a wife.
Seeing Wang Qiang's eloquent and confident manner.
The figure running in the sunset is a reminder of my youth that I can never return to.
The bottles on the table were quickly emptied again. Qin Jingdong, whose alcohol tolerance was not as good as his father's, was already slumped over the table.
Wang Qiang had also drunk quite a bit, but he was still barely able to stay sober. This liquor was indeed unusual; waves of heat rose from his stomach.
This was the first time Feng Jinhua had ever drunk alcohol, and it was this kind of liquor. Although she drank very little, she was still a bit tipsy.
Her gaze towards Wang Qiang was somewhat unfocused, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.
Wang Qiang stood up unsteadily, thinking of going back to Qin Jingru's place.
Feng Jinhua came over and helped Wang Qiang.
"Sister-in-law, you go and take care of Dong-ge. I can walk by myself."
Wang Qiang's fiery aura enveloped her, and Feng Jinhua blushed.
The two walked a few steps, but Feng Jinhua helped them to the kang (a heated brick bed) in the inner room.
...
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