The 10 o'clock public holiday bell sounded, and Liu Yunshan called Su Jin and Yun Feng to start working, while Huo Huo sat on the sofa reading a picture book.
Liu Yunshan began to talk to Su Jin about the steps of pickling vegetables. Su Jin realized that it was a simple version of Korean kimchi. Now because there were not enough ingredients, Liu Yunshan could only make it with the ingredients on hand.
"Xiao Jin, the situation is not good right now. In fact, we should use pear juice." Liu Yunshan showed Su Jin how to cut cabbage. Su Jin found that Liu Yunshan's kimchi was cut into quarters. "If you two want to eat it tonight, you can take some of the pickled ones I made a few days ago. Huo Huo, don't eat these things."
"Sister-in-law, I haven't given Huo Huo this before. Lao Lin likes it and says it's very refreshing." Yun Feng sat aside, watching her son and talking to the two of them. "Xiao Jin, help me make kimchi. Sister-in-law says my hands are smelly and they grow mold no matter how I make kimchi."
Yun Feng's helpless look made Su Jin laugh: "My mom also has bad hands. My dad makes all the pickles in my house."
"Some people are like that. Whenever something is pickled, try not to ask her for help." Liu Yunshan recalled the first time the pickled cabbage started to grow hairy, when she ruined six heads of cabbage. "I try to eat them within two months. If you want to eat older pickled cabbage, you can make more."
Su Jin nodded: "Sister-in-law, I understand!"
Liu Yunshan specially prepared a piece of pork belly, thinking that every family would prepare pork belly with soybean paste when making kimchi.
"I'm going to prepare some soybean paste pork belly later. It's also delicious when wrapped in kimchi," Liu Yunshan introduced. "For lunch, we'll have some pork belly and stir-fry some mixed vegetables. I'll also prepare egg custard for Huo Huo, kimchi soup, and mixed grain rice."
"Sister-in-law, isn't this too much? You and Minister Wu can keep it for yourself." Su Jin waved her hands quickly. She didn't even bring any food with her, but wanted to stay overnight for dinner.
"Xiao Jin, you don't know since you just arrived, but my sister-in-law always pickles vegetables like this, and saves them for the sisters-in-law who help me to eat." Yun Feng told Su Jin. She had refused before, and Liu Yunshan said it was the rule.
"According to the Xian people's custom, if you help pickle kimchi, you have to leave some food for them," Liu Yunshan agreed. "Besides, I'll be the only one celebrating New Year's Eve. Old Wu has to eat at the army. If you two families come together to celebrate the New Year, it will be more lively here."
"Sister-in-law, we're sorry to bother you." Yun Feng and Su Jin looked at each other and said in unison.
"Bu Li and Political Commissar Lin have gone for training, and you two will be bored at home. The eldest and the second oldest are going back to the capital to celebrate the New Year, and Huo Huo is coming along." Liu Yunshan looked at the two of them and said.
Huo Huo clapped his hands: "Aunt Liu, Huo Huo is happy, it's better than having to eat in the cafeteria during the New Year."
Yunfeng reached out and patted him on the forehead. Su Jin and Liu Yunshan watched the interaction between the mother and son with smiles on their faces.
"Xiao Jin, are you going to work?" Liu Yunshan used to work as a childcare worker. She only stayed at home after following Wu Jun to Northeast Province. "When you go to work and have children, your sister-in-law will help you take care of them."
"Sister-in-law, I'm going to teach the first grade." Su Jin nodded and told her about the job she had found. "I might really have to ask you for help after I have a child."
The women in the Lu family are all at work, and Grandma Lu is resting at home. She is over 70 years old, and we can't let her travel all the way here.
"No problem. My grandchildren are all in the northwest. I don't know when I can see them." Liu Yunshan thought of her son and daughter-in-law in the distance and said, "With Huo Huo around, my place is much more lively."
"Sister-in-law, it will be more lively if we send the children from both families to your place." Su Jin covered her mouth and laughed. She prepared food for Liu Yunshan as custody fee.
"That's right," Liu Yunshan agreed immediately. "There's no need for so many twists and turns between the three of us. If we have something to say, just say it and don't let it accumulate."
"Sister-in-law is right. I saw the sisters-in-law chatting under the tree that day, and some of them were gossiping." Su Jin inquired about the personalities of the sisters-in-law under the tree. Lu Shiyi put the wedding candy on the table, which almost caused the sisters-in-law to fight.
After listening to the quarrel in the cafeteria, Liu Yunshan sighed helplessly. No one's family was rich, and what Lu Shiyi and Su Jin had done was good enough.
"Xiao Jin, don't be so generous with White Rabbit in the future. Just put some hard candies in it during the New Year. Otherwise, those naughty kids will make trouble every time. Some of the greedy ones will even go to you and cry poor." Yun Feng watched her son eating White Rabbit and turned to warn Su Jin, "This is my blood and tears story in the past few years. Those kids went there every day during the New Year. If I gave them less for one day, those sisters-in-law would gossip."
Su Jin nodded in satisfaction: "Sister-in-law, I have some hard candies at home. I will exchange them for this later. Huo Huo and I are destined to be together. I can't use hard candies to get rid of my baby."
Yunfeng saw that her son was favored, and although she complained that Su Jin was unteachable, she kept smiling.
Liu Yunshan discovered that Su Jin had good knife skills, a good personality, and was cheerful, so she immediately put him under her protection.
"There are three families of military wives living in the barracks who love to get a bargain. They're eager to take advantage of anyone who buys something from the supply and marketing cooperative. You'd better be careful. If you see them, run away immediately." Liu Yunshan also explained the situation in the courtyard. "Let Yunfeng take you back to secretly identify them. Don't think this is too pitiful. The situation is like this now. Who can afford to eat well?"
Su Jin kept the words of her two sisters-in-law in mind. There was a clear difference between life in the courtyard and life in the village. There were fewer top-notch people in the courtyard, and everyone supported each other. They did not have the family concept that people in the village had, and they would not protect each other unreasonably.
"Sister-in-law, those people were hanging around our courtyards a few days ago. I think they wanted to see what we were preparing for the New Year." Yun Feng sneered, "Every time they come to our house and complain about being poor, no one's things are blown away by the wind. Xiao Jin just came here, and many of her things are new. If someone you don't know knocks on the door, just pretend you're not home."
"Sister-in-law, I don't like socializing. It's better for me to stay at home and read." Su Jin agreed with Yun Feng. "I only make friends with people who share the same temperament as me. If you two sisters-in-law need anything, just call me directly."
Su Jin also likes close neighbors. In modern times, everyone buys or rents houses, and the warmth of neighbors is long gone.
"Well, we are all neighbors, and we have to solve problems together." Neighbors in the military are more familiar with each other. Everyone knows each other's background, and even children of similar ages play together.
"Xiao Jin, has the household registration been settled?" Liu Yunshan remembered that Wu Jun mentioned that Su Jin's household registration needed to be transferred from the brigade to the junior high school, and wondered if it had been processed.
"Ayi is ready. He's waiting to accompany me to the brigade headquarters to transfer my household registration after the Chinese New Year." Su Jin explained, "The brigade is busy celebrating the Chinese New Year, so I don't think they'll be closed for work."
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