Chapter 257: What is worrying is not the scarcity but the inequality
Since the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, the sound of gongs and drums in Kaoshantun has never stopped.
Huang Yang arrived at the New Year's Eve, which was the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.
After this day, the countdown to the New Year really began. Wen's mother and the others stopped practicing and started preparing for the New Year.
In an era of material scarcity, even for the New Year, the things that farmers could prepare were limited.
You need tickets for everything, but fortunately there is autumn hunting, New Year pigs, and winter fishing in Kaoshan Village, so we have saved up some meat for the New Year.
Wen's mother is a bit like a hamster. She wants to take any good things she sees home. Yi Chichi is a generous person who is willing to spend money, so the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have stockpiled a lot of good things.
While other families were calculating carefully for that little bit of meat, the Wen family fried the meatballs, started the braising pot, boiled malt sugar, popped popcorn, and made popcorn nuggets with the popcorn and syrup.
No matter whether it is an oil pan or a braising pan, the smell is so overbearing that the fragrance can spread for ten miles when the wind blows, and the neighbors around can also smell it.
Those who were on good terms with her came to ask how the flavor was prepared, and Wen's mother simply pushed Yi Chichi out, saying that she was the one who prepared the ingredients.
It was impossible to give it as a gift because there was no ingredient to give, so she put a lot of effort into getting the ingredients together.
But you can help with the braising. Just bring the meat and firewood.
Then, the fire in the Wen family's kitchen was never extinguished, causing the temperature in the room to rise sharply. Even the little orange child, named Meow Meow by Qin Jiu, couldn't stand the heat and had to run outside from time to time to get some cool air to dissipate heat.
The aroma of the stew doesn’t stop until the night before New Year’s Eve.
After seeing off Mr. Liu who was leaving with the braised pig's head, Yi Chichi let out a long sigh of relief and slumped down in his chair, "It's finally done."
Mother Wen stuffed a piece of pig ear into her mouth and said with a smile, "I thought you would let them stew the sauce themselves."
"I thought about it, but it's not suitable."
Who doesn't want to relax? She wants to, too, but she can't do it. "If I really lend the marinade out, I'll end up with a thankless task."
"Why?"
Qin Jiu, who was happily eating a pig's tail beside him, looked up at him. He had the same curious expression as Dali and Xiaoju, who were also chewing a pig's tail at his feet and looking up at him.
“You need to add water and ingredients to the marinade. If you don’t, it will dry up while you’re marinating, and the people behind you won’t be able to marinate it.”
Qin Jiu suddenly realized, "I understand. This is a typical example of what is worrying is not the lack of wealth but the inequality of wealth."
Yi Chichi was silent, and Wen's mother didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "That's not how you use it."
“That’s about the same.”
The child was quite reasonable. He then came over like a Husky, pinched the pig's tail and fed it to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
"Aunt, grandma, eat the pig's tail."
The pig's tail was right at their lips, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had no choice but to accept it with a smile.
Seeing that he wanted to feed again, Wen's mother quickly stopped him.
"Eat it yourself. Your aunt and I are going to clean up the kitchen and prepare dinner."
Yi Chichi nodded hurriedly, "Yes, you take the raccoons out to play."
"No, I want to accompany you."
Okay, then come along.
Then, the old, young and young were busy in the kitchen, chatting and laughing.
Because tomorrow is New Year's Eve and we have a family reunion dinner, we have a lighter dinner to save trouble. Each person has a bowl of noodle dumplings, and pig ears and soaked black fungus are served as side dishes.
The three people who ate were very satisfied and their bellies were full.
Then--
"Aunt, I want to go back and accompany Grandpa today."
After Qin Jiu had eaten and drunk his fill, he walked around the room in circles to digest his food, and then he began to make requests.
Yi Chichi hummed, took the clothes for him to put on, and after getting dressed herself, she stretched out her hand to him, "Come on, auntie will take you there."
It was already dark, and she was worried about letting the child go back alone.
Qin Jiu said "eh" and put his hand into hers with a smile. Yi Chichi said hello to Wen's mother and was about to leave, but was stopped by Wen's mother, "Ask the old man and his family to come over for the New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow night."
"What if you don't come?"
"night."
Mother Wen blinked at her and said, "It's getting dark, understand? If they don't come even after this, you can cry in front of them."
Yi Chichi,...her mother-in-law's ways are a bit wild.
"Okay mom, I promise to complete the task."
After solemnly making a promise, she and Qin Jiu walked towards the door.
As I was walking, something jumped onto my legs, followed by a meow.
When she looked down, she saw Little Orange hanging on her legs in a nimble manner, using her legs as a cat climbing frame and climbing up, meowing non-stop.
It's still a kitten, and its cry is sharp and loud.
There is no clip sound.
Yi Chichi frowned, bent down and tore it off his body, "It's cold outside, can't you stay at home?"
"Meow?!"
The little orange that she was holding didn't struggle, but just called out to her softly, with a pair of big round eyes full of clarity.
Yi Chichi sighed and asked Qin Jiu, "What if it leaves and refuses to come back?"
"Sleep with me."
“Nothing to eat.”
"Take it with you."
That's okay. Ever since Little Orange came to our house, the two kids have rarely been separated, so it's okay for him to follow.
"Go pack up Little Orange's things."
"Okay."
Qin Jiu ran back to the room like a rabbit, and swiftly took away Xiaojuzi's food, toys and special little mattress.
The big raccoon followed closely behind.
Yi Chi Chi was holding Xiaojuzi's belongings in his hands. Looking at the harmonious relationship between the man and the two cats, he couldn't help but complain to Dali, "You don't go home every day now. Tomorrow is the New Year. Can you at least go back to see your parents?"
The big raccoon swung its tail and didn't even bother to pay any attention to her, not even rolling its eyes.
Qin Jiu was confused, "Aunt, who are Dali's parents?"
"Your Grandpa Yaozi and Grandma Yaozi."
Before, when Dali didn’t come home, Uncle Yaozi was so anxious that he looked for her all over the village. But when he found out that Dali lived at her house because of Xiaojuzi, he stopped looking for her, but he still talked about her.
I came over to braise meat yesterday, and was still talking about how Dali had forgotten his parents after having a baby.
"It's time to go back and take a look."
Qin Jiu stuffed the little orange into Yi Chichi's military coat pocket, bent down to pick up the big raccoon, hugged him and advised earnestly, "Raccoon, don't forget to go home when you go out to play, otherwise your parents will worry."
The big raccoon who was enjoying the human sedan glanced at him, turned his head and looked away into the sky.
Yi Chichi followed its gaze and saw that snow had started to fall again in the dark sky.
The flashlight flickered, and fine snowflakes fell.
Damn it! Looking at the density of the falling snow, it will probably snow heavily tonight.
I hope there’s nothing blocking the door tomorrow morning. I wonder if grandpa and the others have enough firewood?
When asked, the old man said that was enough.
Yi Chichi was skeptical about this, "Is it really enough?"
“That’s enough.”
The old man looked helpless and said, "In order to save firewood, we all sleep in the same room."
The kang is big enough to accommodate so many people.
As for the inconvenience for a female comrade, just draw a curtain and let Mr. and Mrs. Song be alone.
You really can’t be too particular about the winter in Northeast China, otherwise you’ll freeze to death when the firewood runs out, so keeping warm is the most important thing.
Yi Chichi was worried and touched the temperature of the kang. He found it was so hot that even the quilt was warm. He started to worry again.
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