The helpers naturally need to eat, and in order not to increase everyone's consumption, Huo Qianli had made it clear in advance that they could just eat the same way they originally did, just grab an extra handful of rice and add an extra pair of chopsticks.
On the first day, the family was unsure of the situation and reluctantly fried a meat dish. Although Huo Qianli didn't eat much, he still felt sorry for them and gave them five dollars for the meal.
After hearing this, Gu Daqiang quietly went to the family's house and came back to return the five dollars to Huo Qianli.
Huo Qianli immediately realized the trick, and was secretly alert and impressed.
With this example in mind, the villagers felt relieved and when they saw Huo Qianli coming to ask about it, they didn't worry or think too much about it.
The same goes for the old man in front of him named Gu Chengrong, who is over sixty years old and can be considered an elder in the village.
One son and one daughter, both have started their own families.
Their daughter married and moved to the next town, and their son and daughter-in-law went out to work. Now they are the only ones left at home with their grandson who is in elementary school.
The old man's home is no different from most of the homes in Hushan Village. It has an empty dam as a courtyard, a "playground" for chickens and ducks, and occasionally for drying crops. Further in, it is raised with stones to prevent water from flowing in. A few large wooden pillars support the roof, where firewood and farm tools are piled up. Then there are thick adobe walls covered with black tiles.
"Officer Huo, you've worked hard. Just leave the hoe there. Come wash your hands and drink some water!"
A shout brought Huo Qianli back to his confused thoughts. He looked up and saw Gu Chengrong's wife standing under the eaves, rubbing her hands on her apron with a smile on her face.
Huo Qianli smiled and nodded, and put the hoe next to Gu Chengrong's hoe, "Sorry for the trouble, auntie!"
"Oh, stop talking about that! We are the ones who are bothering you." The old woman said politely, pulled out the water pipe from the water tank, took a few sips, and after sucking out the water, she placed the water pipe on the edge of the water tank and pressed it down with stones. The well water continued to flow.
Gu Chengrong extended his hand and said, "Officer Huo, you go first."
Huo Qianli has gotten used to it these days. He smiled and walked forward, put his hands under the pipe, rubbed his hands, and then shook off the water droplets.
Gu Chengrong followed suit and washed, but did not leave immediately. Instead, he grabbed the water pipe and put it to his mouth, took a big sip, and smacked his lips with satisfaction with a loud gulp.
Huo Qianli was stunned. "Grandpa, it's better to boil the water before drinking it."
Gu Chengrong seemed to have heard something very strange and turned to look at him, "Why?"
Huo Qianli considered his words carefully. "Raw water has some bacteria that are invisible to the naked eye. Moreover, the temperature is relatively low, which is not good for the stomach. It is better to boil it before drinking it, which is better for health."
"You city dwellers are just spoiled!" Gu Chengrong waved his hand. "This well water is sweet. If you want to drink it, just pull out the tube and drink it. Why bother? Who would drink hot water in such hot weather? You'll sweat all over!"
"You can let it cool before drinking it!"
"That's not taking off your pants to fart!"
Gu Chengrong pursed his lips and muttered something, then shook the water pipe, "I'm not lying to you, it's really sweet, want to try it?"
Huo Qianli looked at the tube that had been sucked by the two old men, and pulled the corner of his mouth, "Thank you, old man, but it's not necessary."
"Cadre Huo, ignore him. He is a stubborn person who won't listen to you. He won't know until he ends up in the hospital." Gu Chengrong's wife passed by the kitchen with a bowl of vegetables and cursed in mock anger, "Others have been planting hybrid seeds for several years, but he insisted on planting old seeds. As a result, they harvest a lot more grain than us every year. It makes even the dead mad."
Gu Chengrong blew his beard and glared, "You're talking nonsense! Didn't I change the seeds this year?"
The old woman refused to give in and snorted, "If I don't grind the old seeds for you, will you change them?"
Gu Chengrong's face froze, and he said angrily: "Take your food! You have more hair than knowledge, and more nonsense than culture! Aren't you ashamed?"
Huo Qianli listened silently at the side, and it was somewhat difficult for him to hold back his laughter.
After a simple meal, the old woman went to clean up the dishes. No one knew where the child had slipped away, but in the village, as long as the child did not go swimming in the river, there was no need to worry.
Huo Qianli and Gu Chengrong sat under the eaves for a while, one drinking tea and the other smoking, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
Huo Qianli looked around and unexpectedly saw some thick slices of Chinese medicine in a winnowing basket on the mill nearby.
He asked in confusion: "Old man, did you buy so many medicines because you are not feeling well?"
Gu Chengrong was just picking up a strand of tobacco and putting it into his pipe. He smiled when he heard that, then slowly lit it and took a puff before saying slowly, "That's called Salvia miltiorrhiza. I didn't buy it. I grew it myself. I saved some last year and planned to dry it and send it to my son."
"Can you grow medicinal herbs?"
Huo Qianli, who knew nothing about medicine, always felt that medicinal herbs had an inexplicable sense of sophistication, and was very surprised to hear this.
Gu Chengrong blew away the burnt tobacco in his pipe and said, "Not only can I grow it, but our whole village can grow it. If you go to other places...oh, they will sell it, so you probably won't see it."
Gu Chengrong muttered to himself, looking at Huo Qianli, as if he had finally found something to be proud of in front of this college student. He pointed his pipe at the Danshen slices and puffed out his skinny chest, "The Danshen in our village is famous in this area. It's nothing else, the soil and water are good, it's suitable for this... Officer Huo, where are you going!"
"I'll go back and come back this afternoon..."
The last word "lai" has become a little distant. Gu Chengrong curled his lips and said, "Young people are always in a rush when they fight."
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