Chapter 43
Chu Jiujiu pushed Zhou Xiaohe to the team headquarters and just happened to hear Zhao Qianjin yelling at Chen Erzhu: "Shut your stinky mouth!!!"
When Chu Jiujiu heard this, she immediately used her height advantage and squeezed into the crowd with Zhou Xiaohe.
"Auntie, listen up! Go and persuade Captain Zhao!"
Children's voices are always clear and bright, especially when they shout loudly. They are simply the brightest stars in the night sky, as if they are soaring into the sky. In an instant, everyone turned their heads and looked at the source of the voice. Chu Jiujiu was short, so the first person everyone saw was not her, but Zhou Xiaohe who was standing there awkwardly.
Realizing that she was being watched, Zhou Xiaohe quickly put away her original expression and put on an anxious look similar to Chu Jiujiu's. She stepped over the threshold of the team headquarters and walked quickly towards Zhao Qianjin. When she passed by Chen Erzhu, she didn't even glance at him.
Zhou Xiaohe's voice was soft and sounded very weak. "Qian Jin, Jiujiu told me you were going to kill someone, so I got so anxious that I came here with her. Are you...are you okay? Did I cause you any trouble?"
Zhao Qianjin frowned and couldn't help but look up and look outside. Chu Jiujiu had retired and now ran behind Chu Shao. She leaned against Chu Shao with only half of her head exposed, looking at them innocently.
Zhao Qianjin was so angry before that he didn’t even know who had come. He thought Chu Jiujiu saw him beating someone and was scared by his violence.
Zhao Qianjin's expression also became awkward. "I'm fine. It's no trouble. Haven't you been exhausted recently? Go home and don't get sunburned here."
Chen Dahong was also standing in the yard. She still had a very subtle feeling towards Zhou Xiaohe because of the previous miscalculation of work points. She had a stern face and said nothing, but when she saw Captain Zhao comforting Zhou Xiaohe, she felt a little uncomfortable and turned her head away.
If her man were still alive, he would definitely treat her better than Captain Zhao treats Zhou Xiaohe.
Chu Jiujiu had finally managed to get Zhou Xiaohe here, so how could she let her go back so easily? Hearing this, she immediately took a step forward, trying to keep Zhou Xiaohe. But the next second, someone grabbed her collar from behind, preventing her from taking a step forward. Chu Jiujiu was forced to stay where she was. Unsure of what was going on, she turned around and saw Han Shengyi still grabbing her clothes. At the same time, he said, "Don't worry, the bad guy has been caught. Captain Zhao will bring him to justice."
Chu Jiujiu: “……?”
She didn't seem to say anything.
Chu Jiujiu's expression was stunned for a moment, and Han Shengyi didn't look at her again. He raised his head and pretended to chat with Chu Shao, "Chen Erzhu is finished this time. The last time I went to town, Jiujiu and I saw many workers putting up new slogans, which said they were cracking down on criminal behavior. Theft is ten years in prison, provoking trouble is twenty years, and hooliganism and trespassing are enough to be shot."
As soon as he finished speaking, he gently pulled the hand that was holding Chu Jiujiu's collar twice. Others could not see it, but Chu Jiujiu could feel it. She understood that it was a hint, but she could not figure out what the hint was for a moment. So, she quickly looked around to see if she could find what Han Shengyi asked her to do.
Han Shengyi's voice was quiet, just a normal conversation volume, but he was closest to the courtyard, so his words naturally fell into the ears of several people in the courtyard. Chu Shao looked at him for a second, and instantly understood what he meant. He snorted coldly and continued, "That's what he deserved. Isn't this good? The town needs an example to intimidate other hooligans. Just send Chen Erzhu over. So many people have seen it, there's no need for an investigation. Send it over in the afternoon and he can be shot tonight."
Their claims were extremely exaggerated. Anyone with even a modicum of legal knowledge would know they were false. However, legal knowledge was not widely available these days, and Chen Erzhu was a slightly mentally challenged individual. The more exaggerated the claims, the easier it was for him to believe them.
Zhou Xiaohe had found him, given him money, and told him it was a win-win deal: not only would he receive a generous reward, but he could also take home a wife. Chen Dahong was known in the village for her filial piety, diligence, and competence. Didn't he hate working? So, he'd strip naked and go to her house to lie down. Once Chen Dahong's reputation was ruined, she wouldn't be able to refuse to marry him.
Chen Erzhu wanted a wife, and he especially wanted a hardworking wife who could support him. After thinking about it carefully for several times, he felt that this was a good idea, so Chen Erzhu agreed.
He felt that Zhou Xiaohe was a very nice person. She was very gentle to all of them. Moreover, she told him that if he failed and was discovered by others, it would not matter. His eldest brother had connections in the town, so he did not have to worry about being caught. The worst that could happen was that he would be beaten. Anyway, he had been beaten a lot when his father was alive.
But now it’s not right. Zhou Xiaohe never mentioned that he might be shot for doing this!
When Chen Erzhu was a child, it was during the land reform period. At that time, many landlords and rich peasants were arrested. Chen Dazhu was very brave and always took him to watch the execution scene. Killing a person was not just a one-shot kill, but several shots in a row. Deep red blood flowed everywhere. People around him cheered and laughed, but he found it extremely terrifying. After returning home, he had nightmares for a long time. Even now, when he thinks of that scene, he still feels weak in the knees.
No, he doesn't want to be shot!
The smile on Chen Erzhu's face finally disappeared, and his expression became terrified. He turned his head and looked at Zhou Xiaohe. Zhou Xiaohe found that he was looking at her, and her eyes suddenly became extremely cold. She glared at Chen Erzhu threateningly. The latter shrank back, then lowered his head in frustration, not daring to look at her again.
The conversation between Chu Shao and Han Shengyi was very short, and they only exchanged a few words. However, the surrounding villagers heard it and asked them if anything big had happened in the town again. The two of them dealt with the villagers, while Chu Jiujiu was sandwiched between them, staring at Zhou Xiaohe without blinking.
The team leader wanted to send Chen Erzhu to the commune, while Captain Zhao wanted to keep Chen Erzhu in his hands. After discussing for a while, they finally decided to lock him up in the corner room of the militia company for a week to teach him a lesson before sending him to the commune.
While they were talking about business, Zhou Xiaohe came out. Everyone spontaneously made a small gap for her, but she saw Chu Jiujiu standing by the door. She paused, walked to Chu Jiujiu, and touched her head. "Look at you, kid. I told you that Qianjin is not such a reckless person. Well, auntie knows you have good intentions, but your kindness almost exhausted me to death on the road. Don't do this again in the future."
She smiled at Chu Jiujiu, who pursed her lips and looked at her, but she didn't react at all. Just when Zhou Xiaohe was about to feel weird, Chu Jiujiu pulled the corner of her mouth and revealed an embarrassed smile, "I know, Auntie, I won't cause you any more trouble."
Zhou Xiaohe then turned around. When the people around heard her, they couldn't help but worry about her health. "Wives-in-law Qianjin, you're not well yet. Go home and lie down. You look so thin. There's no flesh on your face."
"Yes, go back quickly. This has nothing to do with you. By the way, I'll bring you some brown sugar water tonight. You must nourish yourself well."
Zhou Xiaohe thanked them one by one. If it were usual, she would stand here for a long time, saying nice things to everyone before leaving in a weak and frail manner. But today, she just exchanged a few polite words and left. When everyone saw this, they thought she was really feeling very uncomfortable.
Alas, it’s not good to be without a good body, just like Xi Shi, who is not blessed.
…
As soon as Zhou Xiaohe left, Chen Sanzhu came. After arriving, he made a scene with the team leader and Captain Zhao, insisting that Chen Dahong was fine, so they should release his second brother. Chu Shao and others didn't know what he said afterwards because they had already gone back.
The team headquarters and the Chu family were not far away, only a few dozen meters away. On the way back, no one spoke. Only after they entered the yard and closed the gate did Han Shengyi ask her, "How was it?"
In fact, there was no need to ask. They could tell the answer from Chu Jiujiu's extremely angry expression.
Chu Jiujiu: "It really is her! So bad, so bad, so bad!"
Chu Jiujiu would argue with people, but she was not very good at scolding them. When encountering such a situation, she would just use the word "bad" to describe it over and over again.
Zhou Xiaohe is not bad at all. She is vicious, cunning, and selfish to the extreme, to the point that she has no humanity at all.
Two little yellow chickens came out at some point and were looking for food in the yard. Chu Shao looked at Chu Jiujiu's expression for a while and felt that she was on the verge of exploding. He quickly pushed Chu Jiujiu into the house, and Han Shengyi followed closely behind, closing the door.
The three of them sat at the eight-immortal table, each occupying one side. Chu Jiujiu clenched her fist and angrily hammered the table. "She's a woman too. How could she use such a method to retaliate against Chen Dahong? She's more poisonous than a bamboo green snake and more cruel than a wild wolf! It's so disgusting. I want to vomit when I think of her face. I really want to tear her face off and let everyone see what disgusting things are hidden under that face thicker than a city wall!"
Chu Shao and Han Shengyi were both listening to her vent. After a while, they looked at each other. Han Shengyi lowered his eyes and said nothing. Chu Shao pursed his lips and said, "Do you think I don't want to? She even changed one of my work points. But do you have any evidence? Even if you go out and say it now, who would believe you? Not even Chen Dahong, she wouldn't believe you."
Chu Jiujiu said angrily, "Is there no way to reveal her true identity?"
Chu Shao: "No matter how powerful a vixen is, there will come a day when she can no longer hide her tail. How long has she been in Qingzhu Village? How long have you been there? Wait and see. There will always be a chance. Don't rush in on her, and don't use that weird, secretly sarcastic way of speaking in front of her. Zhou Xiaohe's heart has grown into a lotus root, full of tricks. She will understand what you mean once she figures it out."
Chu Jiujiu felt extremely aggrieved. She knew clearly that she was this kind of person, but she couldn't expose her. This was too much. She was simply asking her to suppress her own nature!
…
Influenced by her mother, Chu Jiujiu enjoys debating with others and especially loves to stand up for the weak. The slightest injustice can ignite her fighting spirit. In modern times, that's when she's still young. If she were older, she'd definitely be the ultimate keyboard warrior, dominating the internet in no time.
…
Although she knew that what Chu Shao said made sense, Chu Jiujiu just couldn't control her temper. With one arm on the table, Chu Jiujiu supported her chin. Soon, she went from being filled with righteous indignation to being half-dead.
No one spoke anymore. Chu Jiujiu wilted, while Chu Shaoze was recalling every detail of his acquaintance with Zhou Xiaohe. He wanted to know if he had suffered any other losses besides the work points. Han Shengyi put his hands under his chin and looked at the opposite wall thoughtfully. After a long while, Han Shengyi's puzzled voice suddenly came from the quiet air.
"Aren't Zhou Xiaohe and Chen Erzhu related? Why would Chen Erzhu help her frame Chen Dahong?"
Chu Jiujiu turned her head slightly, thought for a moment, and replied, "I'm not sure. Maybe they know each other privately? But Captain Zhao nearly beat Chen Erzhu to death today. He should be like everyone else, unaware of their acquaintance."
Chu Shao: "It's also possible that Zhou Xiaohe promised Chen Erzhu some favor. Chen Erzhu is a lazy guy with no future at all. Maybe Zhou Xiaohe bribed him."
Chu Jiujiu suddenly remembered something and said with a look of enlightenment, "Oh, I see. She must have caught Chen Erzhu and blackmailed him into doing this. Today at the team headquarters, he just glanced at Zhou Xiaohe, and Zhou Xiaohe glared back fiercely. After being glared at, Chen Erzhu didn't even dare to raise his head. He is so afraid of Zhou Xiaohe. Has Zhou Xiaohe beaten him before?"
It’s hard to say. Zhou Xiaohe seems kind on the surface, but is actually very cunning behind the scenes. She may appear weak on the surface, but is actually very strong behind the scenes, and it is not a problem for her to beat up a few men.
Han Shengyi frowned. "She knew Chen Erzhu and had beaten him when no one else knew. Chen Erzhu didn't dare to tell anyone, so he just listened to her and did everything for her. Does that make sense? I don't know Chen Erzhu, but I know he lives with his brother Chen Sanzhu. Chen Erzhu is so stupid. If he was abused or threatened, his brother would definitely know. Wouldn't he go to Zhou Xiaohe to seek justice? Chen Sanzhu is a notorious scoundrel in the village. He's done all kinds of things, such as stealing, arson, and molesting women. He doesn't seem like someone who would let himself be wronged."
Chu Jiujiu and Chu Shao exchanged a glance, and she said uncertainly, "So Zhou Xiaohe bribed him?"
Han Shengyi: "Then why is Chen Erzhu afraid of her? If it was just a payment, he should have betrayed Zhou Xiaohe when Chen Erzhu failed. But not only did he not say anything, he was also very afraid of her. Why is that?"
Chu Jiujiu: “…”
She was stunned by the question.
How does she know!
She's a good person! How could she know the thoughts of a pervert and a scumbag?
Chu Jiujiu's brain was about to explode. She had too little life experience. For many things, unless she had seen similar things before, she really couldn't think of the key points. Chu Shao, on the other hand, had lived in Qingzhu Village for three years and seen all kinds of gossip, so he had figured out some of the clues.
Chu Shao remembered what Han Shengyi had said before, that Chen Erzhu and Chen Sanzhu lived together. He asked, "Could Chen Sanzhu also know about this?"
Think about it carefully. If an old bachelor was asked to take off all his clothes and lie on a widow's bed, and they didn't know Zhou Xiaohe's true appearance, they would probably think that Chen Sanzhu taught him that.
This is typical hooligan behavior, very much like the work of Chen Sanzhu.
But the problem arises again.
How come Zhou Xiaohe even knows Chen Sanzhu???
How could she, the wife of a militia company commander, have connections with the most famous gangsters in the village?
The three of them fell into deep thought. Han Shengyi and Chu Shao quickly came up with a guess, but they exchanged glances and neither of them spoke aloud. After all, there was Chu Jiujiu here, and saying that in front of her felt strange, like corrupting a child.
The next second, Chu Jiujiu, who was worried about them, guessed it. She stood up and shouted excitedly, "I know! Zhou Xiaohe knows them and doesn't let others know because she's cheating! She's having an affair with Chen Erzhu!"
Chu Shao's ears were numb from her shouting. He rubbed his ears and frowned, "Be quiet. Aren't you afraid that someone outside might hear you?"
Chu Jiujiu answered confidently, "I'm not afraid! It wasn't me who cheated on me, so what if others heard it?"
Chu Shao: "...then keep your voice down. If you don't, what will others think?"
Chu Jiujiu curled her lips and said, "If it's not true, then it's not true. Who told her to be sneaky first? Besides, even if I say something wrong, I won't apologize to her."
Han Shengyi poured her a glass of water. While she was drinking, he said to Chu Shao, "Maybe it's not Chen Erzhu, but Chen Sanzhu. Chen Erzhu's appearance..."
After considering for a moment, he used a word that sounded as nice as possible, "He looks so mature, Zhou Xiaohe probably wouldn't like him."
Looks are secondary, the main thing is his IQ, which is so touching that it is difficult to arouse people's interest.
…
Chen Erzhu was in his thirties and looked old and ugly. Chen Sanzhu wasn't much better looking either, just an ordinary guy, but he was young, not even thirty this year, and he was always around women, trying to please them. If Zhou Xiaohe really had a lover, it was definitely Chen Sanzhu.
However, no matter how much they said, they were just guessing without any evidence. Unless they could see it with their own eyes, it would only be hearsay and they would not be able to do anything to Zhou Xiaohe.
Han Shengyi: "Zhou Xiaohe has been very quiet in the village these years. Everyone knows that she rarely goes out. If they had an affair, it would be Chen Sanzhu who would go to see her. The militia patrols day and night, and Captain Zhao spends more time on patrol than anyone else. When he's gone, he won't know what Zhou Xiaohe does at home."
Chu Jiujiu immediately suggested, "Then let's wait for Captain Zhao to go on patrol again, then lie on top of her wall and catch her in the act!"
Chu Shao: "Catch your uncle!"
Chu Jiujiu: “…”
Her father is an only child, so she has no uncle.
Chu Shao bent his index finger and knocked on the Eight Immortals table. "Have you forgotten what I said just now? It's only been peaceful for a short time, and you're already trying to stir up trouble again. Do you think all adults are easy to deal with? Niu Ailing and Zhao Shiliu, you can deal with them because they are stupid. And although they are bad, they are not that bad. Behind Zhou Xiaohe is Zhao Qianjin, Chen Erzhu and Chen Sanzhu. If she finds out, you won't even know how you died!"
Han Shengyi frowned. He felt that Chu Shao had gone too far. He opened his mouth to retort, but Chu Shao turned his head and directed his anger at him again.
"I thought you were calm, but I was wrong. Zhou Xiaohe is a bad guy, but what does it have to do with you? You're not a militiaman, nor a member of the team, so why do you care so much? Have you heard too many stories, so you always dream of being a hero? This is reality, not those old stories. Don't think I can't see that you and she have the same idea. Please, both of you, think about your own weight and weight before doing anything, and then think about who can bear the responsibility if something goes wrong."
Chu Shao was so disappointed with his son that he said all these words in one breath. He tried his luck and poured himself a glass of water. Chu Jiujiu was used to being scolded by him, so she sat obediently on the bench and didn't dare to say a word. However, it was the first time that Han Shengyi was scolded by Chu Shao. He stared at Chu Shao, and a strange emotion gradually began to rise in his heart.
I was unhappy and unconvinced, and even though I knew that what he said made some sense, I just wanted to go against him.
Han Shengyi didn't know that this kind of emotion would be called mild chuunibyou in the future.
…
Pursing his lips, Han Shengyi said, "Zhou Xiaohe now has nothing to do with me, but she may still have something to do with me in the future. People like her have no moral compass and are a nuisance to the village. Exposing her will benefit not only myself but also the entire village, so why shouldn't I do it?"
Chu Shao: "The basis for your exposure of her is that you first have to find evidence that she did all these bad things. Have you ever thought about how dangerous this is?"
Han Shengyi: "Without taking risks, there will be no opportunities."
Chu Shao: "I just don't understand. With your current status, how can you still keep mentioning the word 'adventure'?"
Chu Jiujiu didn't know what to do since the two of them started arguing. She looked at whoever was talking. The two of them spoke in unison, very quickly, without pausing in between. Chu Jiujiu felt dizzy from the shaking.
After hearing what Chu Shao said, Chu Jiujiu's heart skipped a beat. She quickly looked at Han Shengyi, and sure enough, Han Shengyi's expression faded.
Chu Shao knew his words weren't nice, and he knew he shouldn't have used them against Han Shengyi, but he was speaking the truth, and someone had to dissuade him. The idea of stealing the receipts was Han Shengyi's idea, too. Chu Shao hadn't been impressed when they first met, but now he was realizing that Han Shengyi was a dangerous person. What was going on in his head? He was truly fearless.
Chu Shao is only about half a year older than Han Shengyi, but he always looks at him as an elder. Han Shengyi used to tolerate it for Chu Jiujiu, but today he can't stand it anymore.
With a sneer, Han Shengyi said, "My identity is not good, but at least I know that I should deal with things that will hurt my family in advance. Unlike you, you are timid and always fight back when you are forced into a desperate situation."
Chu Jiujiu: “…”
How dare you! How dare you say such things? Chu Shao really knows how to beat people up!
Chu Jiujiu quickly stood up and laughed dryly to ease the atmosphere between them, "Hahahaha...Brother Shengyi, your joke is too much. I am Chu Shao's family member, and he has always been very good to me. Well, Brother Shengyi, it's so late, and the chicken coop is not finished yet. Let's go and make the chicken coop."
She was about to grab Han Shengyi's hand, but Chu Shao stood up and pulled her to his side. Chu Shao retorted, "No matter how timid I am, I'm better than you who only knows how to stab others in the back. You're just another Zhou Xiaohe!"
Han Shengyi: "Then you are Zhao Qianjin, a simple-minded man with strong limbs. Others have already plotted against you, but you are still clueless. Is it comfortable to wear such a big green hat? Does your neck hurt? If it hurts, don't go to the doctor, because the way to the doctor is also dangerous. What if God is displeased with you and sends a meteorite to crush you to death?"
Chu Shao: “…”
He was really angry. Chu Jiujiu thought that the previous words would irritate Chu Shao's sensitive nerves, but in fact, they didn't. It was the last word "cuckold" that was something no man could tolerate.
His granddaughter is standing here. Her presence is proof that he and his future daughter-in-law have a good relationship!
Chu Shao rolled up his sleeves, looking like he was about to punch someone. Suddenly, Chu Jiujiu rushed in between them, looking furious. "Are you done yet? Zhou Xiaohe hasn't done anything yet, and you two started arguing first. How childish!"
After she finished yelling, the air instantly became quiet. Not only was it quiet, it was also very awkward because the two older kids were actually being mocked by the nine-year-old Chu Jiujiu.
In the awkward atmosphere, Han Shengyi turned his head and said unhappily, "He started it first."
Chu Shao: "You were the one who came up with the bad idea first."
Han Shengyi: “…”
It was Chu Jiujiu who came up with the idea, okay? Are you two really brother and sister? One has a good memory and doesn't seem human, and the other has a bad memory and doesn't seem human either!
Fortunately, Han Shengyi endured it and did not refute him again, otherwise the quarrel would have continued.
Rubbing her face, Chu Jiujiu sat down irritably. "Forget it, Chu Shao is right. Zhou Xiaohe is not easy to deal with. Let's think about it again. But we can't just let her go! Chu Shao, think about it. Now we all know who she is. If she hurts others again in the future, then if we didn't stop her, wouldn't it be our fault?"
Han Shengyi said so much, but none of it was as effective as Chu Jiujiu's words. In order not to cause trouble for his family, Chu Shao always tried to avoid it, but if this matter touched his conscience, he could no longer hide.
Chu Jiujiu hadn't mentioned it yet. Today, in the team's courtyard, she'd heard Chen Dahong threaten the team leader, saying she was going to bang her head against the door and die. She'd been deeply shocked. Firstly, she hadn't expected reputation to be so important to women in this era. Secondly, she couldn't help but think that if she had warned Chen Dahong the moment she realized Zhou Xiaohe was deliberately changing his work points, perhaps none of this would have happened.
This was Chu Jiujiu's guilt at work. In reality, whether she warned or not, Chen Dahong couldn't defend herself against Zhou Xiaohe's cunning tactics. Wasn't that the case today? The door was locked, yet Chen Erzhu still managed to crawl in. Before they did this, no one could have imagined they were so wicked.
The matter came to an end for the time being. Before they found evidence, none of them could act rashly, so life continued as before. One day, the newspaper Chu Shao had ordered finally arrived. Chu Jiujiu sat in her room, reading the newspaper while making a fire.
The fat cut by Chu Jiujiu was boiling in the pot. She studied it for a long time, but still couldn't figure out how to make Ganoderma lucidum and Tremella fuciformis into something edible and then send it to the southwest. She had no choice but to give up the health-preserving soup and boil lard instead.
After boiling the fat for more than half an hour, the fat will separate. The lard is solidified and easy to store. Chu Liqiang can use it to stir-fry or mix with rice. The remaining lard residue is still a particularly delicious delicacy. Because it is composed of oil, it can be stored for a month without any problem. However, the most important thing is to add water during the boiling process of lard. She added the necklace water and mixed it with the lard, and it still had the effect of healing wounds.
There was an empty bamboo tube next to the stove. Chu Jiujiu had soaked her necklace in this bamboo tube for several days. Double the time, double the effect. It was guaranteed that once Chu Liqiang finished eating all the lard, his cough would be cured.
Chu Jiujiu sat on a small stool, trying hard to hold a large piece of newspaper. She was so focused on reading that she didn't notice that a corner of the newspaper was close to the stove. Although it didn't touch the fire, the high temperature continued to bake the newspaper, and soon, the newspaper began to smoke.
Chu Jiujiu was still concentrating on reading a report. She was trying hard to understand the words and sentences that seemed particularly obscure to her, and she didn't hear anyone come in.
Han Shengyi: “Jiujiu, grandma asked you and Chu Shao to come to me tonight…Jiujiu, there’s a fire!”
Chu Jiujiu turned her head when she heard it and asked, "Where's the fire?"
Feeling a little hot, Chu Jiujiu turned her head again, and then she saw that the newspaper was about to burn her fingers. With a scream, Chu Jiujiu threw the newspaper to the ground, and then desperately stepped on the flames. When she finished stepping on them, the newspaper was burned out, leaving only the last bit of the edge without words, which was still intact.
Chu Jiujiu: “…”
She stared at the tragically dead newspaper in silence for two seconds. Then, she raised her head and said to Han Shengyi, "If Chu Shao asks, just say you borrowed this newspaper."
Han Shengyi: "Why?"
Chu Jiujiu: "Because Chu Shao wouldn't let me read the newspaper near the stove, he said I would definitely burn the newspaper. I said I wouldn't, but he still didn't believe me."
Han Shengyi: "...I don't believe you are right."
Chu Jiujiu: "I know, but Chu Shao can't know, otherwise he will nag about it again."
After kicking the last bit of newspaper into the stove and destroying the body, Chu Jiujiu straightened up and asked, "Brother Shengyi, what did you say just now? Where did Grandma Han tell Chu Shao and I to go?"
Han Shengyi: "Come to my house for dinner."
Chu Jiujiu glanced at the lard she had boiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll come over after I finish boiling this pot of lard."
This pot of lard was bought with the meat ticket given by Feng Ruyi. Chu Jiujiu cut off the fat from a particularly fatty piece of pork belly and used the lean meat for stir-frying.
After Han Shengyi left, Chu Jiujiu waited for a while before serving out the boiled lard. With half a pound of fat, she finally made a small bowl of fat. Chu Jiujiu carefully put them into the glass jar that Chu Shao had bought at a huge expense. She lifted the jar and looked at it for a while, then put it down and waited for it to solidify into a white color.
Not long after, Chu Shao came back. Today he went to the fields with the villagers to turn the soil. It was September, and it was time to plant peanuts.
Before they went to Han's house, they picked some fresh vegetables from the vegetable garden. There were not many crops in this mini vegetable garden. Chu Shao had asked Han Shengyi to buy some tomato seeds from the commune. He planned to clean up the vegetable garden in two days and plant some vegetables that could grow in winter.
The weather in September is still very hot, but autumn is not far away. Autumn is very short, and it won’t be long before the whole Qingzhu Village will get cold. It’s time to put the matter of making quilts and cotton clothes on the agenda.
When they arrived at Han's house, the two walked in as if they were familiar with the place. Chu Jiujiu went to bring steamed bread to Grandma Han, while Chu Shao began to set up the stool.
Because Zhou Xiaohe's story was too shocking, the three of them did not tell the two elderly people for fear that they would worry.
Sitting on the mat, Chu Jiujiu ate very voraciously. She was extremely hungry, but she couldn't eat the lard residue even though she smelled it. Her stomach was protesting the whole time. If Han Shengyi hadn't called her, she would have definitely started raiding her own cabinets.
When buying pork, Chu Shao also added a lot of delicious food to the family, including Xinjiang candied dates, hawthorn cakes, brown sugar, malted milk, trough cakes, fermented bean curd, and canned luncheon meat. Although Chu Shao didn't say it, his increasingly generous spending habits showed that after contacting Chu Liqiang, he was actually very happy. His father was back, and this young "grandfather" could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing Chu Jiujiu eating in a hurry, Grandma Han couldn't help but ask her to eat slowly. The Han family was relatively quiet during meals. Except for Grandpa Han, no one spoke. But today, Grandma Han looked around at the three children who were trying hard to fill their stomachs. She put down her chopsticks and suddenly said, "These past few days, the two of us have discussed with Aunt Xiao who lives next door. We have decided to ask Aunt Xiao, Uncle Deng, and Uncle Fang to teach you homework, only in the evening. Starting tomorrow, on the 1st, 4th, and 7th of each day, Aunt Xiao will teach you foreign languages. On the 2nd, 5th, and 8th of each day, Uncle Deng will teach you math and physics. Chu Shao and Sheng Yi, you two have to take chemistry, and Jiujiu will wait two years before learning with them. As for the 3rd, 6th, and 9th, Uncle Fang will teach you Chinese and poetry. You have to study hard with Uncle Fang. If your grades are too bad, he may ignore you."
Grandpa Han was waiting for his wife to bring this up. Looking at the children, the wrinkles on his face deepened with a smile. "Finally, when it's 0, come and learn calligraphy from me."
Grandma Han didn't discuss with them at all. Instead, she called them over and directly informed them how to attend classes in the future. The three of them looked at each other, not knowing what to say.
Chu Jiujiu was the first to ask, "So when can I take a break?"
Grandma Han looked at her and said, "I have Alzheimer's disease."
Chu Jiujiu: “…”
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