In the 1970s and 1980s, there were no televisions or mobile phones in the countryside, and no one danced square dances. There was only one radio, which was in Lin Fuqiang's office.
There were very few entertainment activities. At most, we would stroll around the village square after dinner, chat with each other, and then go home and go to bed early when it got dark.
Lin Guoqing planned to go out after everyone had gone home. Chen Chunhua urged the children to go back to their rooms to sleep early, and only helped Lin Guoqing pack up after they all went in.
I poured out all the banknotes in the cash drawer and counted them; there were thirty-seven yuan and eighty-two cents.
Chen Chunhua: "...Why is it just this little?"
Lin Guoqing was fiddling with the backpack his wife used to carry their little daughter in during the day, and he rolled his eyes when he heard this.
"How much more do you want? Our eldest daughter needs money for school, and it costs money to go to the provincial capital for medical treatment. I think there is still 37 yuan left. It's too much."
He put the basket on his shoulder, looked at the small stack of banknotes in Chen Chunhua's hand, and began to feel sorry for the oil and eggs he had spent on the past two days.
"So I say, we still have to be frugal. You use oil even when stewing an egg. If someone doesn't know, they would think our family is rich..."
Chen Chunhua counted out thirty yuan and put it back in the drawer. After thinking for a while, she stuffed five yuan back in. The remaining two yuan and eighty-two cents were stuffed into Lin Guoqing's shirt pocket.
"We haven't made any money yet, but we will eventually. Stop whining like a woman. If you have that time, you'd better get to work."
"As if you are not a woman..." Lin Guoqing muttered, but he didn't dare to raise his voice.
Chen Chunhua handed him a small basket with a short hoe and a small beam scale in it, and took out an old-fashioned rechargeable lamp that was almost fully charged from under the cabinet.
The square blue and white plastic body has two lights, one large and one small, at the front and back. The light is bright enough when turned on, but it is a bit large and takes up a lot of space.
This was the only thing she got from her parents' home when she got married.
"It's fully charged, so use it sparingly." She shoved the flashlight into Lin Guoqing's hand. "Even if you don't have bamboo shoots, don't go into the deep mountains. It's pitch dark, and if you step on a snake, you're doomed."
It was the time when the hibernating animals were slowly getting up and moving around, and if they were suddenly stepped on and bitten, Chen Chunhua would probably become the most miserable reborn heroine in history.
"I know, I know, you're just nagging..." Shen Chunhua has been nagging since they finished their meal. Just now she accused him of being a nagging boy, and now it's unclear who is more annoying.
Lin Guoqing opened the door and looked out. He took a step forward and then stepped back. "Hey, where should I sell the vegetables after I pick them?"
Lin Guoqing is an honest man and has never done anything wrong in his life. Although he said that they were "exchanging farm specialties", if you really look into it, it is still speculation. He can't really just squat on the street.
Chen Chunhua had actually forgotten to tell him this. After a moment's thought, she said, "Go to Guanqian Alley. There are many alleys over there, and many people live there, and many people are buying groceries. It's convenient for you to hide if you have something. You can also keep an eye on people yourself. If you think they are suspicious, just tell them that they are delivering groceries to our team."
He had just saved Lin Erniu's life, so Lin Fuqiang was willing to accept it for such a small matter, even though the excuse sounded awkward.
Furthermore…according to the information Chen Chunhua had gathered while chatting under a large tree, Guanqian Lane was actually their county's black market. Those who were absorbed in following the village's instructions were of course unaware of this, but those who had been around more often were well aware of it.
"Okay!" Lin Guoqing nodded and stepped out again. "Then I'll be leaving. You take care of the kids... and my mom."
"Well, be careful."
Lin Guoqing didn't dare turn on the flashlight in the village, and walked along the wall in the dark.
The door was left ajar and was not closed until Lin Guoqing's figure completely disappeared. Chen Chunhua closed the door and returned to the house. She saw Liang Shengdi peeping out of the inner door. Her eyes were bright and lively, and she didn't look like an old lady who was almost sixty years old at all.
Being stared at like this out of the blue, Chen Chunhua was startled, "Mom, what are you doing?"
Liang Shengdi came out from behind the door with her sleeves rolled up, her eyes still fixed on the door.
"What's National Day doing this late at night? I saw him carrying a basket, a light, and a hoe. Is he going to dig bamboo shoots?"
This season is when spring bamboo shoots grow the fastest. Many people who don't have to work at home will go to the surrounding mountains to dig bamboo shoots, so that they can have more dishes on the family table.
There is nothing else in the mountains here except a lot of bamboo shoots. If you dig them today, they will grow more tomorrow. After digging the spring bamboo shoots, you can dig the summer bamboo shoots. After digging the summer bamboo shoots, you can dig the winter bamboo shoots. As long as there is rain and as long as you are diligent enough, God will not let you starve to death.
Chen Chunhua no longer had any temper towards Liang Shengdi, as the old lady only had food on her mind.
"Go dig the soil, bring it back with some flour, and you can have a meal!"
Liang Shengdi's eyes widened when she heard this. "Why are we eating Guanyin soil again? Is there another famine?"
Although the old lady is lazy now, she had experienced those years when she was young and almost starved to death. Otherwise, she would not have separated from her family and fled all the way south to escape the famine. When she heard her daughter-in-law say that she wanted to eat mud and noodles, the memory of the dead instantly attacked her and she became very excited.
"We've been eating eggs these past couple of days! You even added lard, and I thought our lives were getting better. So you've sold out the last bit of it?"
Her anxious voice was raised a lot. Chen Chunhua and the others' bedroom was opened a crack, and four little heads appeared one by one.
"What happened to grandma?"
"What happened to Mom?"
"What happened to the eggs, Mom?"
“Mom…Mom…Mom…Mom…”
Chen Chunhua's head suddenly became overwhelmed. She walked over and waved her hand to shoo the children away. "What time is it? Are you still not asleep? You are all night owls? Xiaoying, didn't you say you have to go to school tomorrow? Hurry and take these kids to bed!"
Then he closed the door and turned around to complain softly, "Mom, can you please be a little quieter? Are you trying to call everyone in the village?"
The old lady curled her lips and said aggrievedly, "I'm already so old, and you still want me to eat Guanyin soil. How can I not be anxious..."
"Who told you to eat Guanyin dirt!" Chen Chunhua said angrily. She had just made a joke, but she didn't expect her to take it seriously. "Guoqing and I would eat Guanyin dirt, but we wouldn't let you and the children do that!"
"...If you two can avoid eating it, please don't. Eating too much of that can kill you..."
Chen Chunhua listened to her muttering and was convinced. She should still be grateful to her mother-in-law. At least the old lady still cared about the life and death of her and her husband.
However, looking at Liang Shengdi's look of being the most important person in the world and eating the most important thing, suddenly an idea flashed through Shen Chunhua's mind.
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