Zhou Chengning got off work at four o'clock this afternoon. On the way home, he stopped by Carpenter Chen's house to ask about the crib.
It is rare to make a small bed for a baby in the countryside. Carpenter Chen took a look and said he could make one for 30 yuan.
30 yuan, almost his monthly salary, Zhou Chengning didn't dare to make a decision, so he took the drawings home and asked his wife.
Xu Xiangjuan knew Zhou Chengning's off-get off work time. She had been knitting at her mother's house all day today, and would go back to cook at about the same time.
In the morning, she held Niu Niu in her arms and asked Gua Gua to carry her wool bag and a bundle of vegetables to her mother's house.
Guagua has become a hard worker, but she doesn't complain about her hardship because her mother says she will make delicious food for her.
We had lunch at her mother's house. She cooked, rolled the noodles, and fried the chili sauce.
Her mother's house had some pig offal, pig liver, pig intestines and the like. She didn't touch the intestines, but stir-fried the pig liver to make the stew. She also stir-fried some green vegetables and put them on separate plates. Her mother's house had pickled cucumbers, so she cut a plate of pickled cucumbers and scooped them out for the clear soup noodles. You can add whatever you want according to your taste.
Guagua was still not very good at using chopsticks, but he managed to finish the bowl of noodles with the help of his mother. Xu Gensheng ate a big bowl, the biggest bowl in the house. He was still not satisfied and wanted to have another half bowl, but Wu Caifeng stopped him from eating any more.
Not only did he have a big bowl of noodles, but he also ate a lot of pork liver and vegetables. Although Wu Caifeng also had two bowls of noodles, she didn't eat as much as Xu Gensheng.
Before going home, she packed a jar of chili sauce to take home. Her mother told her that she couldn't eat chili sauce after giving birth. Of course, Xu Xiangjuan couldn't answer that she brought it for her man, so she said that Guagua loved it and dipped it in steamed buns and rice every day.
When Wu Caifeng heard that Guagua liked to eat it, she said that children should not be fed too much spicy food, and even if they like it, they should not eat too much, just taste it.
She said she knew.
Whenever her parents asked her how she cooked such delicious food, she always answered that she was willing to use a lot of ingredients.
Ten or twenty years ago...Don't mention ten or twenty years ago, even now, most families are reluctant to add seasonings, and they use salt very sparingly. The dishes are basically boiled and have no taste. She said that too much seasoning was added, and it was indeed too much. Wu Caifeng felt distressed when she saw it, but she didn't say anything.
After all, life is good at home now, and she and her husband have worked hard for most of their lives. While they can still eat, they should eat more good food so that they will have no regrets when they die.
Xu Xiangjuan knew how she acquired her cooking skills. It was so that her son and daughter could have good meals when they came home, so she tried her best to prepare all kinds of food. After she finished the preparations, she called her daughter, who started by saying, "Mom, I miss the food you cooked," and then started ordering dishes. Niu Niu was okay, as he wouldn't say it on his own initiative. He would only order after she asked him what he wanted to eat when he got home. The food he cooked outside wasn't as delicious as what his mom cooked.
This can be regarded as a recognition of her cooking skills.
The stove was cold at home, so Xu Xiangjuan came back, put the cow away and started a fire to cook. In the evening, she made garlic-mashed cowpeas with some chili sauce, and stir-fried vegetables with mushrooms. The mushrooms were soaked in water before going out this morning, and they swelled up after soaking for a day.
After the meal was ready, her husband came back.
"Give me the lunch box, you eat first, I'll pack you tomorrow's meal."
After lunch, Zhou Chengning always washes the lunch box at school. He doesn’t need to wash it again. He hands the lunch box to his wife. When his wife goes to the kitchen, he asks Gua Gua what he had for lunch.
"Noodles, pork liver, and vegetables, grandpa ate such a big bowl." Gua Gua gestured with a big circle.
"Spicy." He then pointed at a can of chili sauce on the table.
Zhou Chengning then noticed the chili sauce, picked up the unused chopsticks, and dipped some to taste it.
Spicy and delicious, even though his daughter didn't describe it in detail, Zhou Chengning already wanted to have a big bowl of hand-rolled noodles mixed with chili sauce, which would be so delicious.
When Xu Xiangjuan came back with her lunch box, Zhou Chengning had already eaten.
Zhou Chengning felt that even without noodles, the cowpeas could be eaten with rice.
"What did Carpenter Chen say?"
"He said he could do it, but it would cost 30 yuan. I didn't say anything and went home to ask for your opinion."
Xu Xiangjuan used to think that 30 yuan was definitely expensive, but now she thinks it is worth it. "I'll give you 15 yuan as a deposit tomorrow, and you can pay the remaining 15 yuan after the work is done."
Zhou Chengning hesitated, "30 yuan is quite expensive..."
Xu Xiangjuan: "Are you reluctant to make a bed for Niu Niu?"
Zhou Chengning immediately explained: "No, no, my family probably doesn't have that much money."
"Yes, if not, how could I think of making a bed for Niu Niu? Don't let your imagination run wild. I want to buy something because there is money at home."
Guagua interrupted at this time, "Okay mom, I want candy."
"What candy do you want? You don't have to eat after you eat the candy."
"No more sugar."
The adults and the child were finally able to start eating. Xu Xiangjuan thought about something and said, "Aning, when you have a day off, we will take Guagua and Niu Niu to visit Grandpa."
She knew that Aning had deep feelings for his grandfather, but his parents' family was too disappointing.
"Go see grandpa?" Zhou Chengning didn't quite believe his ears.
"Well, let's go see grandpa. Guagua has never seen great-grandfather either."
Guagua: “Is there any candy?”
"Yes, Mom will give you two fruit candies."
"Is there any food?"
"Besides, I won't take you to see Grandpa, so I'll take Niu Niu with me."
Gua Gua finally calmed down.
Even after the little guy had his meal, he would still keep talking about candy.
We chatted in bed again at night.
Zhou Chengning didn't expect his wife to mention visiting his grandfather. His relationship with his family became even more strained after he got married, without them even having to say it explicitly.
He has been married for three or four years, but he has never visited his grandfather. He only asks about his grandfather when he meets people from the same village. He feels relieved when he hears them say that his grandfather is still in good health.
Zhou Chengning still hesitated, "My parents..."
"What happened to your parents? Our family is here to visit grandpa. What does it have to do with them?"
"I hope you're not angry."
"Why am I angry? Don't think too much."
Xu Xiangjuan patted Zhou Chengning on the shoulder and went back to bed.
The weather is getting colder as autumn approaches. Zhou Chengning is a grown man with a high body temperature, so his quilt is warm. Xu Xiangjuan thought that after Niu Niu's bed is ready, she would hug Gua Gua and sleep with him to warm the quilt.
...
When it was Zhou Chengning's day off, the family was ready to go.
Zhou Chengning held Guagua in one hand and carried a bamboo basket in the other. In the basket were two bundles of cowpeas and an enamel pot of crucian carp and tofu soup. He was very careful when carrying the basket. Xu Xiangjuan concentrated on holding the soft Niu Niu.
Grandpa Zhou's house is a thatched house next to Zhou Chengning's parents' yard.
If I remember correctly, Zhou Chengning also has an aunt. Xu Xiangjuan doesn't know Zhou Chengning's family very well, but looking at the yard where Zhou Chengning's parents live, it feels like they are abusing his grandfather.
Tofu and crucian carp. The crucian carp her mother bought for her before was kept in a basin. She caught one and originally planned to cut it into a piece of tofu and take two bundles of cowpeas.
But her husband Aning told her that his grandfather had never eaten good food, and hoped that she would stew it and bring it over.
She was quite touched after hearing this, so she stewed it and sent it over.
Not to mention Aning's feelings for his grandfather, even she would think of sending delicious food to her parents.
Many elderly people like to sit in front of their homes to bask in the sun. They sit in the sun when they have nothing to do, and they can do this every day for more than ten years. Of course, if one day there is one less elderly person in the village who often sits there to bask in the sun, he is probably gone.
When the family went there, the old man was sitting on a bench in front of the thatched hut, his hands busy stringing beads.
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