Chapter 77

When Hou Changde's wife Li Ju came back from next door, she was stunned for a moment when she saw the strange man and woman.

I only reacted when I heard my mother-in-law mention my deceased husband's comrades-in-arms.

"Are you Changde's comrade-in-arms?" Li Ju is only 30 years old now. She was in her early twenties when her husband died. Now she lives with her son in her husband's family.

Eight years is enough time for the grief to fade away, leaving only a place for remembrance in the heart.

Unlike the heartbreak she felt when she first received the news, Li Ju was calm and restrained when she mentioned her man's name.

"Yes, hello, Comrade Li Ju, I am Cheng Zheng, Hou Changde's comrade-in-arms." Cheng Zheng saluted Li Ju and Hou Changde's parents.

"Comrade Cheng Zheng, please sit down. You two should sit down quickly."

Hou's parents hurriedly asked the two to sit down.

When talking about his son's sacrifice eight years ago, Hou's father sighed while holding his cigarette, and said leisurely, "It's amazing that you still remember our Changde and made a special trip to visit us. You are so thoughtful."

However, Hou's mother pulled Cheng Zheng aside and asked him about his time in the army. When the county sent someone to inform her of Hou Changde's sacrifice, she fainted immediately. Who can bear to see a young person die before an old person?

But the days passed one by one, and eight years went by in the blink of an eye.

Today, the Hou family is living a difficult life. Hou's father and mother have only one child, Hou Changde. The only pillar of the family has died. The family is extremely sad, but they still rely on the belief of raising Hou Changde's only blood to get through the day.

"Our Changde did well in the army, right? He used to send a letter home once a year, saying that he did very well and that the leaders praised him." When Hou's mother mentioned her son again, she could only think of the time when he was full of vigor and vitality, and she felt a little proud.

Cheng Zheng nodded, "Yes, Comrade Hou Changde is a very good fighter. He trains hard and has excellent grades in all aspects."

"He is. He just wants to join the army. He thinks he is awesome."

Li Ju listened silently without saying much. She clenched her hands from time to time and stroked her son's head from time to time.

"Hutou is eight years old this year, right?" Cheng Zheng felt most distressed when looking at this kid. It was indeed difficult for him to have never seen his father since he was born.

"Yes!" Hu Tou said loudly, "I am eight years old this year."

"Are you in the third grade now?"

When talking about studying, the Hou family looked embarrassed. Li Ju whispered through her dry lips, "I didn't study anymore."

"Why didn't you study?" Cheng Zheng stiffened his body and immediately responded, "Is it because of the family's financial situation? If that's the case, you don't have to worry."

After that, he took out five big reunion notes from his pocket and handed them to Hou's father, "Uncle Hou, this money is..."

"No, no!" Hou's father refused again and again, waving his hands and refusing to accept it. "When Changde died, the higher authorities gave him a martyr's subsidy. In recent years, the commune has also given our family a lot of preferential treatment, saying that we are a martyr's family and should be taken care of more. Comrade Cheng Zheng, please don't give us money. We can't accept it!"

Hou's mother echoed, "It's not easy these days. Take the money back."

"And Hutou himself doesn't want to study. He wants to join the army in the future and says that studying is useless." Li Ju explained, touching the child's head.

Seeing that the Hou family was unwilling to accept the money, Jian Lu changed her words, "Actually, you have misunderstood. This money is not from us personally. It is a martyr subsidy from the higher authorities, issued by the state."

"Ah? Didn't they give it to me back then?" Hou's father and mother looked at each other, puzzled. When their son died, the government issued a subsidy to the families of martyrs, and there has been some help in recent years, but for a family lacking labor, this is only barely enough to support the family.

Jian Lu took the money from Cheng Zheng and put it on the table. "Isn't it that they are thinking about the fallen soldiers again? They said they would care about the families of the martyrs and not let the soldiers shed blood, sweat and tears. So, Uncle Hou, you can take it without worry. We are just running errands to help deliver the money."

Seeing that the Hou family members looked relieved, Cheng Zheng continued to follow his wife's words. It was good enough as long as the money could help them, so it didn't matter in whose name it was given.

"Uncle Hou, that's the reason. You guys take the money."

"Okay then." The Hou family apparently accepted this and took the fifty yuan.

After the money was paid, Cheng Zheng brought Hou Changde's son Hutou to his side and said, "Hutou, tell your uncle why you don't want to go to school. The tuition for primary school is two yuan per semester. Your family just received a subsidy, which can support your study."

Hu Tou swallowed a few times and said, "But I don't like going to school. I also want to join the army and be a hero like my dad!"

Hu Tou lost his father when he was born. He could only hear news about his father from his family and people in the village. His father was a hero and everyone remembered him!

He also wanted to join the army like his father. He remembered his mother saying that his father had planned to take them to join the army when he became the deputy battalion commander, but unfortunately he never lived to see that day.

"I want to be the deputy battalion commander!"

"You are quite ambitious, kid." Cheng Zheng seemed to see the shadow of Hou Changde in this child, who also set many goals for himself.

"But you have to study hard. Being a soldier also requires academic qualifications, especially if you want to be a deputy battalion commander. You can't do it if you are illiterate."

"Ah?" Hu Tou was stunned. Can't join the army without studying?

"If you want to join the army in the future, you should study hard, okay? When you are 18 years old, come to me and I will arrange for you to sign up for the army. But if your physical fitness is too poor and your education level is too low, your uncle will be the first to reject you."

Hu Tou looked at the tall and majestic Uncle Cheng, who was his father's comrade-in-arms, and told him to go and join the army with him when he turned 18!

"Okay!" Hutou stood up straight, imitating Uncle Cheng's behavior just now, raised his right hand to his brow, and saluted him. "I will definitely come to see you when I am 18 years old!"

Cheng Zheng looked at Hu Tou, with a smile on his lips, as if he saw Hou Changde's expression when he was training new recruits.

"I'll teach you how to salute." Cheng Zheng held Hu Tou's hand and moved it back and forth, teaching him the most standard military salute.

After sending out the money and pastries, Cheng Zheng and Jian Lu talked for a while at the Hou family's house, politely declined the Hou family's invitation to stay for dinner, and hurried back.

Before leaving, Jian Lu looked at Li Ju and gave her a few more instructions, "Sister-in-law Li Ju, Hu Tou is a very smart kid. You must make sure he studies hard. Only by studying can he have a bright future. You don't have to worry about the money. We will go back and ask if the children of martyrs can be exempted from tuition fees and receive additional subsidies."

"Thank you very much."

Li Ju watched Hou Changde's comrade in military coats and his wife slowly walk away, getting farther and farther away, and gradually disappearing on the path. She then remembered the day when she and Hou Changde had just had a blind date, and they were also walking on the road together.

When I turned around again, Hu Tou was standing in the yard, raising his hand and practicing saluting. After practicing several times, he finally did it properly and ran excitedly to his mother.

"Mom, I salute you!"

=

Cheng Zheng and Jian Lu returned the same way they came. On the way back, the sky gradually darkened and the temperature dropped gradually. Cheng Zheng walked on the path holding his wife's hand.

"We should send 50 yuan to him every year, right?" Jian Lu looked at Cheng Zheng's profile, feeling a little upset. "Just say it's a subsidy for the martyrs who applied for it."

Cheng Zheng held Jian Lu's hand tightly and said, "Okay."

Jian Lu took a deep breath and talked about Hu Tou, "That child looks quite smart, and he is quite ambitious at such a young age."

"Yes, he is a good candidate. But it's up to him whether to join the army in the future or not. There are still ten years left. If he can finish his studies and graduate from high school, and wants to find a job in the county, I can help him." Cheng Zheng didn't know whether the boy's idea of ​​joining the army was a spur of the moment or how strong it was, but in any case, there would be no harm in studying first.

"Yes, studying is good. If you can study well, you can change your destiny."

It was getting dark, and Cheng Zheng and Jian Lu returned home at around seven in the evening, braving the cold wind.

Her stomach was almost growling with hunger, and Jian Lu was already missing a bowl of delicious noodles.

"I brought some noodles back. I'll go cook two bowls of noodles later."

The two walked into their yard and saw Shuangshuang looking at her glass jar filled with snow in the yard, and next to her was Jian Hualin.

Shuangshuang went to the matchmaker He Hongmei's house with her grandmother this afternoon and gave her two eggs as a thank you gift.

After returning to the house, I took a nap and had dinner, but my parents had not come back yet. They were playing in the snow in the yard, and my grandmother was packing up. Soon, Lao Ye came.

This time, both of them found that Lao Ye was different. His face was full of smiles and he seemed to be talking to them tenderly.

"Shuangshuang, I'm your grandma, do you remember me?" Jian Hualin squatted on the ground, licking his face and talking to his granddaughter.

He was worried and prepared to check on his little daughter and son-in-law, but to his surprise, they were both not at home.

After talking to my mother-in-law for a few words, I started to tease Shuangshuang who was playing.

"Remember." Shuangshuang knew yesterday that this was her mother's father, so she answered obediently.

"Shuangshuang, do you know what money is?" Jian Hualin wanted to find out about the family background of the group leader's son-in-law. Since he couldn't get any information from the adults, he decided to ask the children because children wouldn't lie.

Shuangshuang held the glass jar in her two little hands and tapped it gently. She nodded when she heard what he said, "I know!"

After two seconds of reaction, a storm of thoughts went through his head, and he finally came to the conclusion, "Lao Ye, are you going to pay Sang Sang for sleeping?"

Jian Hualin:?

How did it come to the topic of New Year's money?

However, this matter is not important. Jian Hualin laughed perfunctorily and said, "Grandma will definitely give it to you!"

"Okay." Shuangshuang remembered it and began to look forward to the first day of the Lunar New Year. She would definitely receive a lot of sleeping money. As she thought about it, the corners of her mouth curled up.

Jian Hualin didn't know what her granddaughter was laughing about. Why did she suddenly start to giggle while talking?

Never mind. It doesn’t matter.

"Shuangshuang, grandma wants to ask you, do your parents have much money?"

When Shuangshuang heard her parents' words, she immediately turned to look at Lao Ye and nodded, "More!"

Hearing this answer, Jian Hualin's eyes widened instantly. Look, even such a young child knows that the money is high! It seems that the salary and allowance of his son-in-law as the head of the group is really high.

"How many? Do you know?"

"I know." Shuangshuang said in a baby voice, "Dad gave ten yuan, Mom gave ten yuan, and Sangsang is the richest one, Sangsang has thirteen yuan and forty-five cents~!"

When talking about their money, both of them are particularly proud!

Jian Hualin: "..."

What's with the tens of dollars? It sounds like a perfunctory offer.

"No, I'm asking about your father's salary and allowance, do you know that?"

Shuangshuang thought about it, wondering what salary was and what allowance was. After thinking about it, she remembered that the money that Brother Dunzi asked Aunt Xiuhui for was the salary. "Two cents for salary, one cent for allowance! Hahahahahaha."

Jian Hualin felt a little tired and didn't want to talk to a little kid who couldn't even speak clearly.

"Oh, forget it! Why did I even think of asking you? I'm so confused!"

Shuangshuang glanced at grandma, pouted and snorted!

"Why are you here?" Jian Lu and Cheng Zheng walked into the yard and happened to hear the last few words between the lady and Jian Hualin. Fortunately, the lady was quite smart.

Jian Hualin stood up immediately after hearing the noise, "What do you mean you can't even call me dad?"

But after saying just two sentences, Jian Hualin remembered that he was here to ask someone for help, so he calmed down his temper.

"Xiao Cheng, you..."

Jian Lu interrupted Jian Hualin and urged Cheng Zheng to carry the girl into the house and prepare dinner. "I want two taels of noodles. Please give me some more leaves."

Cheng Zheng could see that she and Jian Hualin had something to say, so he just nodded, picked up the girl who was squatting on the ground and went to the kitchen to busy himself.

"Hey..." Jian Hualin watched the group leader's son-in-law leave and was about to follow him, but was stopped by Jian Lu again.

"Dad, what are you doing here? We are busy here."

"Lulu, now that you're married to a group leader, you don't care about us anymore?" Jian Hualin approached her and reminded her of what he had said last time, "Have you forgotten what Dad asked you to find out?"

"Oh, about the fifth son of the He family, right?"

"Hey, right! No! What's the fifth son of the He family? It's the fifth son of the Jian family!"

Jian Lu was too lazy to argue with him. "No matter what his last name is now, I don't want to have anything to do with him. I still remember how you plotted against me. Why should I help my family? Forget it."

"Jian Lu! Look at your attitude! He is already your brother, so what's wrong with you helping him? Besides, it's not your turn to make the decision. The elders in the family have the final say. I'll go find my aunt. I still don't believe that Xiao Cheng will let a woman like you make the decision!"

"Go ahead." Jian Lu crossed her arms and looked at Jian Hualin, saying casually, "Brother Cheng is more troubled by the He family. If you go to him again and mention the He family, and he doesn't recognize you as his father-in-law, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Why is he bothering the He family?" Jian Hualin was completely confused.

"Because I was almost tricked by you and the He family into marrying into the He family. Do you think my man would not bear a grudge? Dad, you are so confused. In this situation, you can think of asking Brother Cheng to help the fifth son of the He family? Aren't you here to stir up trouble? I think your son-in-law, the head of the group, may have some opinions about you. It's not his fault. Who made you, the father-in-law, confused?"

Jian Lu lectured Jian Hualin, and that was something Jian Hualin had never done in the past forty or fifty years. He was about to lose his temper, but then he remembered that he couldn't let the head of the group's son-in-law look down on him, so he had to endure it.

"No, Xiao Cheng, you can't think like that. It's been a long time since what happened back then. Why do you keep bringing it up?" Jian Hualin knew in his heart that he was the one who felt guilty about this matter.

"Didn't you insist that we arrange for He's fifth son to join the army? Wasn't it you who suggested it?"

Jian Hualin was left speechless by what Jian Lu said. He returned home dejectedly without getting anything done.

When I got home, my son Jian Junhong was leaning on a chair cracking melon seeds, and Zhang Cuixia was sweeping the floor beside him.

Seeing Jian Hualin coming back, Jian Junhong sat up straight instantly and asked anxiously, "Dad, what's going on? Did my brother-in-law agree?"

"Agree to what?" Jian Hualin sighed, "Your sister and your brother-in-law both said it's hard to do."

"No, he is a regiment leader, how can he not handle such a small matter?" Jian Junhong stood up and said in frustration, "Dad, didn't you explain it clearly? You are his father-in-law, why is he making excuses when you ask him to do something?"

"I haven't explained it clearly yet? I'm almost exhausted!" Jian Hualin sat down and yelled at Zhang Cuixia, "Pour me a glass of water quickly."

Zhang Cuixia did not interrupt the conversation between the father and son, but silently poured water for the head of the family.

Jian Junhong was not convinced, "Dad, tell me what should we do now? Do you really want me to work in the fields? This will bring shame to your Jian family!"

"Do you think I want to? Forget it, I'll think of a way." Jian Hualin was thinking about how to get Cheng Zheng to agree. He didn't count on Jian Lu anymore. It was really useless to have a concubine.

"What are you thinking of? If you don't hold on tight, your brother-in-law will be gone soon!" Jian Hongjun raised his voice and spoke to Jian Hualin, with obvious annoyance in his tone.

"Who are you talking to?!" Jian Hualin had never been so angry in his life. When the four girls were at home, which one dared to talk back to him? Now this son was really going to ride on his head, "Can't you just fight with yourself? You stole chicken meat from home and made me lose face in the team, but I didn't bother with you. Now you dare to yell at your father, huh?!"

"If you have the ability, why would I yell at you? If I had known that you couldn't do something like this, I would have married into another family and become someone's son. Why would I have to suffer the humiliation here?"

"You son of a bitch! You have no conscience at all. Haven't I been good to you?" Jian Hualin was furious. He was so devoted to this son that he gave him all the good things and was always kind to him. His four daughters had never enjoyed such treatment. But listen to what he said!

"If I don't beat you today, you won't learn your lesson!" Jian Hualin's experience in raising children in the past was to beat them if they were disobedient, and to beat them if they were obedient. A filial son is born under the stick.

But Jian Junhong was not his biological child, so how could he just stand there and let him beat her? As soon as he saw that something was wrong, he dodged Jian Hualin and ran away.

"Run! Where are you going?"

"Junhong!" Zhang Cuixia felt worried as she watched her son's back disappear into the night.

"Run, run, run! Let him run!" Jian Hualin threw the enamelware cup on the table heavily, and the enamelware pieces instantly shattered into pieces. "If he doesn't learn his lesson, he won't know how good his life is now! Wait for him to come back and admit his mistakes!"

Seeing that the boss was so angry that his face turned red and his eyes looked like they were about to pop out, Zhang Cuixia did not dare to persuade him anymore. She just quietly took the broom and swept away the enamel fragments.

——

Jian Lu heard about Jian Hualin's swearing the next day at lunch. The houses here are close to each other, so the noise is loud and the secret cannot be kept secret. In addition, Jian Junhong was seen by the neighbors when he ran out. Soon, the whole production team knew that Jian Hualin had a big fight with the adopted son.

"Your father and his son are really something. They are still quarreling when the New Year is almost here." Aunt Wang couldn't stand this the most. They just wanted to enjoy the New Year and not spoil everyone's mood.

"It's unusual for them, a father and son who got married halfway, to live together." Jian Lu was soaking dried seafood and looking outside from time to time. Today was the day when Cheng Zheng came back from visiting his third brother's family. After lunch, Cheng Zheng went into the city to pick them up.

At this moment, only the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are at home with their children.

"That's right. When the He family got into trouble, He Junhong could just abandon her own parents and hook up with Jian Hualin right away. She is really heartless."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are preparing dinner for tonight, so they can heat up the food and have it when Cheng Jun's family arrives.

Smoke rose from the kitchen, and the aroma of food wafted out from time to time. From time to time, Jian Lu glanced at the young lady playing in the yard. She had played with her third sister's children for a while in the morning, and just now she played with the neighbor's children. The little girl had a very full schedule.

It is said that there are different brothers and sisters playing together every day.

"Mom! Dad is back!" Shuangshuang saw a figure outside and immediately reported to her mother.

Aunt Wang was the first to react when she heard this. She wiped her hands on her apron and hurried out the door.

The third son of the Cheng family, Cheng Jun, and his family finally arrived!

"Third brother!" Aunt Wang called out at the door.

"Mom!"

The family reunited, and Shuangshuang asked her mother in a low voice, "Mom, which Su and which Aunt are these?"

"This is your third uncle and aunt."

"Sister-in-law!" Cheng Jun is five years younger than Cheng Zheng and they look about 60% similar. He has a dignified appearance and he doesn't even blush when calling her sister-in-law.

"Cheng Jun is here, come in and have some rest." Jian Lu didn't blush anymore. She was getting used to someone older than her calling her sister-in-law. She turned around and greeted Cheng Jun's wife, Xie Shuqin.

Xie Shuqin was a girl Cheng Jun met while serving in the army. It was said that they fell in love at first sight and soon became romantically involved. They now have a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter.

At that time, Cheng Jun's child and Cheng Liang's second child were born one after another. Aunt Wang took care of Cheng Liang. Fortunately, Xie Shuqin's family was there on Cheng Jun's side, so they went to take care of the child and the confinement period.

Shuangshuang was arranged by her mother to call her Third Uncle and Third Aunt. When she saw that it was another sister who came, she was very sad!

When she came here, she already had more than ten brothers and sisters. There were six children in total from her mother's aunt, second aunt and third aunt's families, three children in total from her father's second uncle and third uncle's families, plus some from the neighbors. Shuangshuang's age score kept dropping down, and there was no way to drop down anymore. She was everyone's sister.

"Mom, it's my sister again." Shuangshuang was sad.

"Hey, I thought you didn't like her, go play with me."

"Oh." Shuangshuang and Uncle San's daughter Miaomiao looked at each other. The two little girls didn't approach each other, but they smiled at the same time as they looked at each other.

At dinner time, the two little girls had become familiar with each other and even sat next to each other.

Shuangshuang showed her sister Miaomiao her special little spoon, "Look, sister Miaomiao, this is my spoon. Without it, I can't eat."

"Mom, I want one too." Miaomiao had never heard of having her own spoon and she wished she had one right away.

Xie Shuqin smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll buy you one then."

Jian Lu thought that she had to go to the city to buy New Year's goods before the New Year, so she simply made an appointment with everyone to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy them.

That night, Cheng Jun, who hadn't seen his mother and elder brother for many years, talked for a long time. Cheng Liang was still working in the commune and only had two days off during the Chinese New Year, and would come back then.

The night was as dark as ink, with a bright moon in the sky. Jian Lu took Shuangshuang to play on the kang, wanting to coax her daughter to sleep first. However, she was too excited to sleep because she had met her new cousin today.

"Mom, why hasn't Dad gotten fat yet?"

"Dad is talking to grandma and your third uncle. They haven't seen each other for a long time and have a lot to talk about."

"How long is a long time?"

Shuangshuang was puzzled. She buried her whole body in her mother's arms. The earthen kang was warm, and the quilt was soft and cozy. She was wearing a cotton shirt and cotton pants and snuggled in her mother's fragrant and soft body. It was so comfortable.

"It's just a very long time." Jian Lu found that she was often speechless when she was asked questions to her children. When she saw the door suddenly opened, she immediately threw the question to Cheng Zheng, "Your father is back, ask him."

"What do you want to ask?"

Cheng Zheng went back to the house and took off his coat while listening to his wife's explanation. Finally, he looked into the girl's bright eyes and said, "Don't ask so many questions, kid. Ask the teacher when you go to school."

Jian Lu: “…”

Shuangshuang: "..."

——

After staying in my hometown for more than half a month, New Year's Eve finally arrived.

The Cheng family was rarely lively, and the usually deserted house was now bustling with people.

Seeing her three sons all get married and come back with their wives and children, Aunt Wang was so happy that her wrinkles showed through with a smile.

She got up at around four o'clock this morning and was busy kneading dough, making pancakes, and pickling fish and meat. She was so excited.

The three daughters-in-law were also busy nearby, and the three sons were setting up two square tables and discussing how to repair the house.

Shuangshuang and her three cousins ​​are the most leisurely and happiest.

"Let's play train driving!" Shuangshuang was still thinking about this game.

"Not playing, that's so childish." Yuanbao was still a little resistant to Shuangshuang. He couldn't convince himself to play with him.

Then he looked at his own sister Xiaohua, who had already nodded.

"Okay, I'll be the locomotive!"

"Xiaohuaer, how could you betray the revolution!" Yuanbao had watched revolutionary movies outdoors and memorized many of the lines.

"Hey, we three girls are having so much fun. Brother, if you don't want to play, just stay over there."

Yuanbao: "..."

"Then I want to play too!"

The four children started a short train and stood in pairs on the second one, howling "Wu-wu-wu-wu".

"Stop crying, come and eat!" Jian Lu called out to the children, inviting them to eat.

The New Year's meal was rich. On the table there was a pot of chicken stewed with mushrooms, a pot of pork stewed with vermicelli, a pot of three fresh dishes, as well as pot-wrapped meat, sweet potato pancakes, shredded potatoes, stir-fried cabbage leaves, and seafood soup specially prepared by Jian Lu.

Two square tables were put together and filled with the whole family. Aunt Wang asked the eldest son Cheng Zheng to put an extra set of bowls and chopsticks on the table and leave an empty seat.

"Boss, pour your dad a glass of wine. He used to like this."

Cheng Zheng held the bottle in one hand and the glass in the other, filled a glass with white wine and placed it in front of the empty seat.

No one said much, and Aunt Wang was still cheerful, not showing any sign of sadness.

"Another year has passed! Let's eat! The food will get cold soon!"

More than ten pairs of chopsticks were flying in the various dishes, and everyone was eating happily. This was the first time that the whole family had a reunion dinner together.

On New Year's Eve, every household in the Daxing Production Brigade is bustling with activity. No matter how difficult their life is on weekdays, they will try their best to prepare a table full of delicious food on this day.

Only the Jian family.

Jian Hualin and Zhang Cuixia sat at the dining table, slapping the table with their hands, feeling extremely angry.

"Where is Jian Junhong, the heartless man? Why hasn't he come back during the Chinese New Year?"

Jian Hualin was looking forward to having a son by his side, but now, no one knows where he has disappeared to.

Zhang Cuixia persuaded him to eat, "Maybe he went to someone's house."

"It's Chinese New Year, don't you have a home? Going to someone else's house to celebrate the New Year is really embarrassing for our Jian family!" Jian Hualin couldn't eat. He got a headache when he thought of his son. He didn't know why, but Jian Junhong was really hard to discipline. "I don't want to eat anymore."

Jian Hualin ate only a few bites of the New Year's Eve dinner, then went back to his room to look for the wooden box against the wall above his earthen kang. All the family's money was hidden there.

The Jian family cannot save much throughout the year. In recent years, Jian Hualin has saved more than 300 yuan, including the money he earned from work points every year and the dowries from his four daughters. These are all prepared for Jian Junhong to marry a wife in the future. When the family has more people, they need to build a house and maybe build two more. They also need to prepare the dowry and buy things for the wedding. Everything costs money.

After opening the wooden box, Jian Hualin was about to count again, but he found that ten big reunion notes were missing!

"You son of a bitch! You stole my money again!"

Zhang Cuixia was eating New Year's Eve dinner alone in the main room when she heard the head of the household swearing in the next room.

"When Jian Junhong comes back, I will break his legs!"

——

New Year’s Eve can be lively and frustrating, but no matter what, all the ups and downs of the previous year are left in the past, and New Year’s Day is already the new year.

Early in the morning, the two of them appeared in the yard wearing white woolen sweaters and festive red cotton jackets, with two little diamonds tied on their heads, like dolls in New Year pictures.

Yawning, Shuangshuang hadn't gotten up so early in a long time. But thinking about collecting the New Year's bonus today, she struggled to get up no matter how sleepy she was.

It’s not easy to make money!

The little girl bowed to the adults one by one with her hands clasped together, greeted them sweetly, and received many red envelopes.

Holding a dozen red envelopes in both hands, Shuangshuang smiled so hard that her eyes were not visible. She hurriedly called her mother into the house and poured the red envelopes on the earthen kang, "Mom, put them here for me."

The money-loving couple watched their mother unpack the red envelope and then listened to her count the amount. The total was "79 cents."

"Wow~" Shuangshuang felt that there was a lot of money, humming some tune, and asked her mother to put it away. "Go back, we'll put it in the can when we get back."

"Okay, Mommy will put it away for you first."

Shuangshuang, who received a lot of New Year's money, was taken out by his family and visited various places in the production team. He was basically given candies and melon seeds by the villagers.

Jian Lu brought her daughter to the home of the matchmaker He Hongmei. Her home had a good location and a large yard. In addition, she had a wide network of contacts, so almost everyone in the commune knew her. She had been a matchmaker for most of her life, so she set up three tables and more than ten stools in the yard for everyone to sit down and talk.

Everyone was not sitting there for nothing, they brought some melon seeds and snacks with them, and just chatted.

Jian Lu watched her daughter and cousins ​​playing nearby, so she just sat down and took a rest. The New Year atmosphere was strong at that time, and there were no mobile phones, computers, or other entertainment activities. It was a great thing that everyone could have free time to chat.

Cheng Zheng sat down next to his wife, peeled a few peanuts and spread them on his palm to signal her.

Jian Lu kept eating a few peanuts, which were crispy and dry. While eating, she suddenly found that the man was reaching into the pocket of her cotton jacket.

Then, there was a heavy weight in my pocket.

"What are you doing?" Jian Lu tilted her head and looked at Cheng Zheng, then reached into her pocket and found a square box.

As smart as she was, she guessed it immediately.

Cheng Zheng raised his chin towards her, staring at her pocket, motioning her to look for herself.

"There are so many people here..." Jian Lu shook her head. She had roughly guessed what was going on in her heart, and raised the corners of her mouth, "Let's go back and see."

"Okay, let's go back and take a look." Cheng Zheng continued to peel peanuts for his wife.

After playing for a while, they ran back to their parents. They saw their father peeling a peanut and about to give it to their mother. They hurried over, opened their little mouths, and shouted, "Ah," asking for the peanut.

Her height was just right at the bench, and she opened her little mouth and snatched the peanuts from Cheng Zheng's hand.

"Where did you come from, little girl?" Cheng Zheng suddenly found that the peanuts in his hand were bitten away by the girl. "Are you born in the year of the dog?"

He really came here to steal food.

“Not really.” Shuangshuang hummed twice, imitating the squeals of a pig, and was particularly proud. “Sangsang was born in the year of the pig.”

Seeing her blushing face, Jian Lu reached into her vest and felt relieved when she found that she was not sweating much. "Don't play so crazy, be careful to catch a cold."

"A few words, a few words." Shuangshuang leaned on her mother's thigh and acted coquettishly, "I want to drink some water."

She gulped down half a cup of water, and became happy. She sighed and listened to her cousins ​​and the children from the neighboring houses calling her to play. She just said she needed to take a rest.

The child rested his chin on his mother's thighs with both hands, looking a little sad, "Mom, why am I the youngest?"

"Isn't it good to be the youngest?" Jian Lu didn't understand why the girl was so obsessed with this matter. It's so good to be young, as older brothers and sisters can take care of her.

"I want to be a big sister too! I don't want to be a little sister anymore." The two kids sighed like little kids, as if they encountered some big problem in life.

This look made the group of aunties around him laugh. Someone suddenly remembered something and called a child of about eight or nine years old from a distance.

"Xiao Cheng, this is Qiangzi, the grandson of your great-uncle's third aunt." The person who spoke was a distant relative of the Cheng family. This was the first time in more than ten years that he came back to celebrate the New Year with his mother's family, and he also brought his grandson with him. "So, Qiangzi should call Shuangshuang his cousin."

Jian Lu: ???

Cheng Zheng: ???

The two-year-old Shuangshuang sucked his fingers and looked at his eight-year-old nephew with a confused look on his face.

"Auntie, is that how you call me?" Jian Lu was a little hesitant. How could a boy of eight or nine years old suddenly appear and call Shuangshuang his cousin!

"Yes, Xiao Cheng's great-grandfather and Qiangzi's father's great-grandfather are cousins, but they got married earlier, so they are one generation apart. Now that the kid is over eight years old, according to the generation gap, he should call you aunt and Xiao Cheng aunt. Does that mean he should call you girls cousins?"

Jian Lu, who suddenly became a grandmother: "..."

I'm still young!

Cheng Zheng remained silent. How did he become a grandfather?

Only Shuangshuang was very happy. Wow, she was not the youngest anymore. Someone wanted to call her cousin. She knew who was an aunt. She was very amazing.

"Cousin." The eight-year-old boy was a little shy. After all, it was really embarrassing to call a two-year-old girl cousin.

But Shuangshuang was very happy, and said in a baby voice, imitating others, "Nephew, hehe, uncle will give you some sleeping money."