Chapter 101

Jian Lu and Cheng Zheng ran for half an hour, talking occasionally. What's more, getting up early to exercise and breathe in some fresh air always makes you feel more relaxed.

"Brother Cheng, look!" Jian Lu took a breath and saw a golden light slowly appearing on the seashore. A red sun seemed to rise from the water, illuminating all directions. "It's so beautiful!"

When the sun was high in the sky, Jian Lu envied this man a little, "You can watch the sunrise every day? That's too lucky."

"You can also watch it every day." Cheng Zheng did not deny how beautiful the spectacular sight of sunrise was, which really made people unable to help but stop and watch.

When Jian Lu heard this, she shook her head and said, "Forget it, I can't get up."

"Aren't you up today?"

After the run, the two of them walked slowly down the mountain and returned home.

"Getting up every day is to prove that I can do it, but..." Jian Lu paused for a moment, "It's enough to prove it once, there's no need to prove it every day."

Cheng Zheng was defeated by his wife's logic, which seemed to make sense, but when he thought about it carefully, he felt it was strange.

"Hey, I'm tired." Seeing that there was no one around, Jian Lu said without hiding anything, "Just drag me away."

Grabbing Cheng Zheng's strong arms with both hands, Jian Lu put half of her body's strength into it, looking as if she was not prepared to use any strength.

"Someone will be here soon."

"It's okay, we are doing it openly and legally, who can say anything? If he dares to say anything, just show him the marriage certificate..."

Cheng Zheng smiled and looked down at his wife. He saw that Jian Lu's face was red from running and her face was sticky with sweat. A few strands of hair were stuck to the sides of her cheek. She was indeed tired.

This time he did not refuse and took his wife home.

The two people were shuttling through the low bushes, stepping on the dirt road one step at a time. They accidentally kicked a stone on the side of the road, and saw it rolling into the bushes and disappearing.

When the two of them were about to reach a crowded place, Jian Lu was the first to let go of her hand. She still had to pay attention to her image. After all, she was not that open yet, and there was also the issue of gender relations.

After exercising, Jian Lu went home and took a shower, feeling refreshed. She even ate an extra egg for breakfast.

"Mom, what's wrong with you today?" Shuangshuang was eating boiled eggs in small bites. The boiled eggs were very fragrant, and the egg whites were the most delicious.

"What's wrong?" Jian Lu touched her face. Was there something on her face?

"I don't know, it seems different!"

"Your mother got up early in the morning to go jogging." Cheng Zheng answered on behalf of his wife.

"Wow, Mom is amazing."

Cheng Zheng tempted the girl, "Can you come tomorrow morning as well?"

"No." Shuangshuang knew that they had to get up before dawn, so she would not agree and answered in a decisive manner.

Jian Lu kept exercising for a whole day. She didn't feel guilty about it at all. She just needed to experience it. But the scenery on the hill where she ran was really nice. She could go there again in the future.

——

There are still ten days before the Chinese New Year, and Jian Lu and her mother-in-law decided to buy some furniture for the house as a way to usher in a new year.

"Shitou, most of the things in your house were bought when you got married. See if you can add some cabinets."

Cheng Zheng naturally had no objection. He didn't have any ideas in this regard and just listened to his mother and wife.

Jian Lu waved her hand and said, "Let's go to the city and buy some things."

"Great!" Shuangshuang was the most excited when they heard that they were going into the city.

Early in the morning, the family got up and ate scallion noodles. Noodles are good for satisfying hunger and suitable for long journeys.

Shuangshuang urged the adults to move all the way, wishing they could fly to the county town immediately.

Although there are supply and marketing cooperatives on the island, they are not big enough and the products they carry are not comprehensive enough, far inferior to the department stores in the county. Shuangshuang likes shopping in department stores the most.

But this time, the family took a boat to the county town and went to the furniture factory in the city first.

When Cheng Zheng and Jian Lu got married, they paid a lot of money to hire an experienced carpenter to make all the furniture. The craftsman was very down-to-earth and the workmanship was impeccable, but from today's perspective, it's not fashionable enough.

Therefore, furniture from furniture factories has become popular in the past two years. I heard that many of the furniture factories' products are designed by professional designers. The furniture is beautifully and exquisitely made, and is particularly fashionable, and sells very well.

"The bed you made back then was very nice. The carved patterns are really beautiful." Aunt Wang was very satisfied with her son and daughter-in-law's furniture, especially the wedding bed.

When Cheng Zheng and Jian Lu heard their mother praising the wedding bed, they almost looked at each other and laughed out loud.

Nine years ago, all kinds of scenes from the wedding night came to mind, but they were not beautiful scenes, but rather a scene of violence.

"Mom, Lulu and I are going to change beds."

"Ah? The bed is in good condition so you want to change it?"

Jian Lu pursed her lips, not wanting to say that the bed had some problems, but it had been repaired. I didn't expect it to be so reliable for more than nine years.

However, in order to avoid the tragedy from happening again, let’s change it!

After all, we're already here.

In the past two years, the number of people who seek furniture making services from experienced carpenters has gradually decreased. Many people have turned their attention to fashionable furniture. As people's horizons have broadened, they are more willing to follow trends and accept new styles.

Everyone is eager to get rid of the shadow of the past and hope to have a brand new look.

The furniture factory in the county town has a new store that was established in the past two years. It is not a big storefront with a few reception staff inside. If customers like some of the samples, they can go to the factory to see the actual products.

"Oh my, these cabinets come in so many different styles nowadays?" Aunt Wang looked at them in surprise.

The staff member was a female lesbian with a friendly smile on her face. "Auntie, the things in our furniture factory are excellent, with good styles and quality. Take a look at this set of modular cabinets, which are the most fashionable in foreign countries now. This set of tables and chairs is a Hong Kong style, and they are all very beautiful! I see that your family is good-looking, so this kind of furniture is suitable for you."

Aunt Wang was chased by the staff for introductions. "What specific furniture do you want to see? I can introduce them to you."

"We just want to buy some cabinets. We have more and more things and they are not enough to store them. We also want to see a bed, a big bed."

"We have beds!" The female comrade took a few people to the outside of the bed production workshop, "We have the most of these three types of beds now, and they sell the best. This bed is a large pear wood bed with dragon and phoenix carvings. The color is beautiful and not too dull. It is suitable for your son and daughter-in-law at first glance..."

Jian Lu heard that this "salesperson" was indeed very eloquent. It seems that no matter what era, salespeople can always make a living.

In the end, the family bought a large carved huanghuali wood bed, a set of modular cabinets, an eight-drawer chest and a wardrobe, as well as a set of desks and chairs.

The furniture factory provides delivery service, but it is not easy to deliver the furniture to the island. You have to take a boat to the other side, which makes it difficult to get to the island.

After paying the deposit, Jian Lu arranged with them the time for the furniture to be delivered, and then went to a department store to buy a few sets of tableware without requiring invoices.

Shuangshuang's previous special bowl now seemed a bit small, so Jian Lu asked her to choose a set of her own.

There is a dazzling array of bowls, plates, dishes, and basins in various patterns and sizes, all of which are exquisitely crafted.

"Mom, I want the flowery one."

Shuangshuang chose bowls, plates and spoons with little red flowers printed on the walls of the bowls. Jian Lu also chose a set of beautiful tableware with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum printed on it and another set of tableware with red stars and slogans printed on it.

By the time Cheng Zheng took the things and went out, Shuangshuang was already impatiently clamoring for some candied haws.

"Mom, eat some candied haws."

Jian Lu teased her, "Mom doesn't want to eat."

Shuangshuang stamped her feet and said, "Shuangshuang wants to eat."

Cheng Zheng picked up the child with one hand and said, "Look for a place that sells candied haws. Buy some if you see them."

"Okay!" Shuangshuang looked around with wide eyes and saw a stall selling big bowls of tea. There was a stove for making tea, and there were more than ten teacups next to it.

We also saw someone selling pickled vegetables. The pig offal was pickled until it turned brown and looked very tasty. When we passed by, we seemed to smell the aroma of brine.

"Why does it look like a puppy?" Jian Lu saw that the lady couldn't help but sniff, looking very adorable.

"Mom, it smells so good." Shuangshuang turned around and continued to stare at the stall selling brine. She couldn't bear to look away. She wanted to eat it, but she didn't want to say it out loud. "Mom, what is that?"

"Brine-cured pig offal." Jian Lu also smelled the fragrance, but she didn't know what the brine tasted like. She also wanted to eat brined vegetables, and at this moment she was already thinking about the feasibility of starting to pickle them when she returned home today.

"Dad, Mom wants to eat some halved pig offal and asked you to go buy some."

They both lay on their father's shoulders, chattering and starting to fool around.

"When did I say that?" Jian Lu was amused. This child would use himself as a shield.

They both raised their heads and said, "Because I am my mother's baby, I know my mother wants to eat it."

Jian Lu: “…”

There is no way to refute it, it seems to make sense.

Cheng Zheng was amused by the lady and took her to buy a pound of brine.

"Is it really possible to buy things without a ticket now?"

The more Aunt Wang looked at it, the more surprised she became. She and her daughter-in-law murmured to each other that this was a scene they had not seen for many years.

"Some aspects have been liberalized, but this kind of thing is almost like turning a blind eye." Jian Lu looked at the many stalls on both sides of the busy street, and her inner desire to shop was burning. Who doesn't want to buy whatever they want?

After all, we are not short of money!

The halved pork offal that had just been packed into an oil paper bag was cut into small pieces while still hot. Shuangshuang couldn't wait to stretch out her little hand to grab a piece and put it in her mouth. The halved flavor permeated into the pork liver, which was so delicious.

"Is it delicious?" Cheng Zheng saw that the lady had a satisfied look on her face and knew what was going on.

"tasty!"

Shuangshuang held an oil-paper bag in one hand and began to feed the adults halved pig offal. The first one to feed was grandma, "Grandma, one piece."

Aunt Wang was fed a piece of brine by Shuangshuang. Her mouth was full of brine fragrance. She smiled and praised, "It tastes really good."

Shuangshuang was also satisfied, and then reached out and grabbed a piece to feed herself, "Grandma, eat one piece, Shuangshuang also eat one piece."

Before he had finished chewing the food in his mouth, he gave it to his mother, "Mom, have one piece."

As Jian Lu was eating, she saw her daughter muttering again, "Mom eats one piece, and Shuangshuang eats one piece too."

Finally, it was Dad’s turn. Shuangshuang rubbed his fingers, which were almost marinated. It seemed that his fingers had also become fragrant. He took a piece and fed it to Dad, “Dad, have a piece…”

Before he could finish his words, his mother interrupted him.

"You want another one?"

"Hehe!" Shuangshuang smiled shyly and continued eating, "I fed you. It was very hard for me."

"Okay, the rest are all rewards for you." Jian Lu pinched the lady's face. She was really touched by the child's cuteness at any time.

Before the family returned to the island, they found a small stall in an alley in the county town and bought a chicken, a duck and three pounds of pork ribs. They didn't ask for a ticket. The chicken cost four yuan, the duck cost three yuan and eighty yuan, and the pork ribs were even cheaper at one yuan and sixty yuan in total.

Aunt Wang was the most excited. "It would be great if life could always be like this. We could eat meat and chicken every day."

In the past, our family was poor and we were content just to fill our stomachs. We could only eat meat once every six months. Later, our three sons got married and started their own families. They were all successful and we had more money. However, since we only had so much money each month, we still had to plan how to spend it.

Aunt Wang glanced at the bustling market. It would be great if she could buy anything without a ticket.

——

Back home, Cheng Zheng was in charge of killing the chickens and ducks, Aunt Wang boiled water to pluck the chicken feathers, and Jian Lu bought a bunch of spices and star anise, ready to show off her skills.

"Shuangshuang, mommy is giving you some brined pork. Do you think the brined pork sold outside tastes better, or the brined pork mommy makes tastes better?"

They both stood beside their mother, tiptoed, and stretched their necks to look into the pot. "Mom, this is so delicious!"

There is nothing in the world that tastes better than what mom cooks.

Jian Lu packed the star anise, bay leaves, grass mulberry and dried orange peel she had bought into gauze in advance and tied the bag tightly to make a spice bag.

Peel the garlic, slice the ginger, and cut the scallions into sections. Stir-fry until fragrant, then discard. Add rock sugar, soy sauce, and cooking wine to the base oil. Simmer for a while, then add a pot of water and put in the spice bag.

"Brother Cheng, bring me some beer."

Today, when we entered the city, we were lucky enough to buy a bottle of beer at a state-owned hotel. Beer is hard to buy nowadays, and most people can only queue up at the entrance of the brewery with basins or buckets to buy bulk beer. Bottled beer is basically only supplied to state-owned hotels and guesthouses. Fortunately, Cheng Zheng had an acquaintance at the state-owned hotel, and he was able to buy a bottle of beer through his connections.

Cheng Zheng pressed down on the table, and the beer bottle cap fell to the ground, with the aroma of beer gradually wafting out of the bottle mouth.

"How much?"

Jian Lu watched Cheng Zheng pour beer into the pot, "Half a bottle is enough, you can drink the remaining half~"

After saying that, she gave him a sweet smile, as if to show that she was very considerate, and she even left half a bottle for him.

Cheng Zheng was startled. It was rare to see his wife smiling so cutely, so he pinched her cheek.

Chicken wings, chicken legs, chicken feet, duck wings, duck feet, duck heads, chicken gizzards, chicken hearts, duck gizzards, duck hearts and spare ribs were all put into the pot and gradually submerged in the red brine.

Once the lid was closed, nothing could be seen, but Shuangshuang seemed to have smelled the fragrance.

"Mom, it smells so good!"

"Wait two or three hours and you can eat it."

"Okay!" Shuangshuang nodded excitedly and turned around to go out and play.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Jian Lu stopped her daughter, "We've been out playing for so long today, let's do our homework together."

Shuangshuang: “…?”

Shuangshuang and her mother sat side by side and set up tables and chairs in the yard to do their homework. It was said to be homework, but it turned out that her mother was writing a letter. Shuangshuang was very sad.

"Mom, you didn't do your homework!"

"I've already finished writing." For the first time, Jian Lu felt superior to the elementary school student. "Look, you haven't finished yet! You can't do that, you have to catch up with mom. Look, I'm writing a letter to your third aunt, which is actually similar to you writing an essay."

"Okay." Shuangshuang thought about it and it seemed to be about the same.

They were concentrating on writing their composition, and would stop from time to time to chew the tip of their pen, think carefully for a moment, and then continue.

Jian Lu wrote the letter very quickly, writing without stopping.

This time she wrote mainly to reply to Jian Xin, supporting her in ginseng cultivation. Now is the time to do business, and she must seize the opportunity and not waste such a unique condition.

Because Jian Xin and her friends didn't have much money, in other words, they had no start-up capital at all. Jian Lu finally mentioned that she had invested 10,000 yuan in her ginseng plantation, which was paid in three installments, and was basically enough for their initial preparations.

"Third sister, you'd better bring the eldest sister and the second sister together. We are all sisters and have a helper. It's better than cooperating with outsiders. From now on, the money will be calculated according to the share..."

In the letter, Jian Lu analyzed in detail for her how to run a factory, how to manage it and how to clearly define responsibilities. Her eldest sister, second sister and third sister were all very nice people. They often sent her food over the years and they were thinking about each other. Naturally, it was time for them to work together.

By the time one letter was finished, Shuangshuang's composition was also finished.

"Come, let mom take a look." Jian Lu put down the letter paper and picked up the composition written by her daughter.

Both of them were proud, "Mom, I wrote very well."

Essay Topic: "The Sea"

Wow, this is quite meaningful. After all, any title that uses only one word seems to have some substance, Jian Lu thought.

"I live by the sea. I have been here since I was born. There is a big sea with long water, wide water, blue water and white water. Some water is very fierce and hits rocks. I am a little afraid of it. Some water is very cute and will run to the beach to play with me. I like it. Some water will also bring me beautiful shells and delicious shrimps.

Sometimes the sea is very quiet, and I have to call her several times before she answers me. Sometimes she is very excited, and she screams and shouts, even more excited than when Uncle Liang next door beats Brother Dunzi. But no matter what she is like, I like her. "

Jian Lu was moved when she saw Shuangshuang writing about the ocean she had seen since she was a child in a crooked elementary school handwriting and childish writing style.

No matter how simple the words are or how immature the writing is, the emotions are genuine and abundant.

"Do you like the sea so much?" Jian Lu lowered her head and looked at Shuangshuang tenderly.

"I like it!" There seemed to be stars in her eyes, and she looked at her mother very seriously, "I like it very much! I like the sea the most, more than flowers, Teacher Wu, coconuts, and pencils."

Cheng Zheng listened at the side and wondered how these names were arranged? The wines were strange!

"Dahai likes you too. We are both the most lovable." Jian Lu touched the lady's soft head.

"Then...Mom, can I go swimming?" Shuangshuang was excited.

"cannot."

Shuangshuang: "..."

"But Brother Dunzi and the others are all going!"

Shuangshuang was talking about the winter swimming activity that takes place on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

"You're just a little kid, you'll freeze. You can go swimming in the summer when an adult is watching you, but not in the winter."

Cheng Zheng looked at his daughter's face, which was about to fall, and comforted her, "If you really want to swim..."

"Dad!" Shuangshuang looked at her father expectantly, as if her father would agree!

"You can enjoy yourself in the tub."

Shuangshuang: "..."

anger!

——

A pot of wings and claws was boiled in brine for nearly three hours. As soon as Jian Lu opened the lid of the pot, she smelled a strong brine aroma that strongly invaded everyone's nostrils.

"Oh, it smells so good." Aunt Wang was watering the vegetables in the yard. When she smelled the scent, she couldn't help swallowing and hurried into the house to take a look.

A large pot of dark brown brine was bubbling. The meat, which had been boiled and soaked in the brine for three hours, had turned red and looked fresh and delicious.

With a colander, a large spoonful of chicken wings, duck wings and duck heart ribs was put into the basin. After four spoonfuls, the basin was already full.

"Take a quick taste."

The halved chicken wings were already soft with a light bite, and even the elderly Aunt Wang could eat them without any effort. The chicken wing meat seemed to melt with a single sip, and was wrapped in the salty flavor of brine. It was so delicious that you almost swallowed your tongue.

“This tastes so good!”

When eating brined food, you can taste the salty and mellow taste of brine at first, which powerfully and domineeringly occupies every inch of your mouth. After careful tasting, you can also experience the soft and tasty meat aroma. The various flavors are intertwined layer by layer, which makes people's appetite aroused.

The whole family started eating right away, piece after piece, and couldn’t stop.

Both of Shuangshuang's hands were greasy. As she ate, she felt her fingers were salty. She put them to her nose and smelled them, then stretched out her hand, "Mom, smell it, my hands smell good too!"

"That's perfect. When you're hungry at night, you can chew your fingers." Jian Lu teased her.

"No!" Shuangshuang felt like a big kid now. She didn't want to suck her fingers. It was so embarrassing.

Oh, no, except when you suck your fingers while chewing ribs.

——

A few days later, the Spring Festival of 1980 arrived as everyone looked forward to it.

Shuangshuang received a lot of New Year's money on the first day of the Lunar New Year. She held her coin jar and shook it, and it felt quite heavy.

I took it out and counted it, there was a total of thirty-one dollars and eighty-five cents!

"I'm so rich~" How many delicious foods can I buy with this!

Dunzi heard this at the door of her room, "Who is so rich?"

"Brother Dunzi!" Shuangshuang remembered what her mother had said before, that she should not go around saying that she had money, so she immediately shut up, "I don't have any money."

"Hahaha." Dunzi took out a fifty-cent note from his trouser pocket, then took out another fifty-cent note and put them in Shuangshuang's hands. "This fifty-cent note is my New Year's money for you."

"Thank you, Brother Dunzi!" Shuangshuang loves collecting New Year's money the most.

"I gave this to your brother Chenchen." Dunzi handed over the second fifty-cent note. "He just started military school this year and didn't go home for the New Year. He didn't contact us either, so I gave it to him."

"Okay!" Shuangshuang of course wanted to take it, "Thank you, brother Dunzi, huhu~"

That’s a lot of money!

During the Chinese New Year, adults are busy and children enjoy themselves. The most delicious food in the year is eaten at this time. The New Year's money is collected and the face is smiling. When it is the fifth day of the New Year, the winter swimming activity organized by the army also begins.

This time everyone signed up to participate, mainly splashing in the shallow water area, swimming to the vicinity of the ferry, which is about a hundred meters away. You can turn back by slapping the side of the boat. It's a competition of speed.

People who live by the sea all year round have no time to wait. One after another, they sign up for winter swimming, take off their shirts, and dive in.

The sea water was still cold in February. Shuangshuang was held by her father and sat on his neck, occupying the highest position in the venue.

"Dad, that uncle came up trembling."

"You'll tremble even more if you go." Cheng Zheng pinched the lady's arm, "We don't let you go. Is it for your own good?"

Shuangshuang looked at everyone who went into the water and saw that they were all shivering after coming out. He nodded slowly, turned around and poked his skin. He found that his skin was thin and indeed not resistant to cold, so he decided not to go.

On the other side, Dunzi had already appeared and dived into the water. Both of them became excited and shouted loudly, "Come on, brother Dunzi!"

She felt that her voice was not loud enough, so she asked Juanjuan and the others to join in. Juanjuan gave her face and also cheered for Brother Dunzi.

"Sister Qingqing, you shout too." Shuangshuang looked at Lu Qing. She felt that Sister Qingqing was older than her, so her voice would definitely be louder when she shouted.

Lu Qing: "..."

"Just cheer him on."

They both struggled to get down from their father's neck, and pulled their friends together to swim, "Sister Qingqing, let's shout together! Otherwise, Brother Dunzi won't be able to swim vigorously."

Lu Qing looked at Shuang Shuang. This little girl was really stubborn. He could only add in a low voice, "Dun Zi...Come on."

"If you can cheer me on like me, we swimmers won't have the energy to do that."

Suddenly, a loud noise exploded in his ears. Lu Qing turned around and saw that the person who was in the water just now was out of the water. And... he was still not wearing any clothes.

Lu Qing glanced at him and immediately turned away with red ears.

Shuangshuang was not shy at all and ran over immediately, "Brother Dunzi, you are so awesome! Hey, why do you have ribs here?"