We spent another day making New Year's steamed buns on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month. In fact, we didn't make many, after all, the conditions were limited and it was not time to eat as much as we wanted. But even with these, the family felt unprecedentedly full of the New Year's atmosphere.
On the 30th, Father Qiu took out the red paper he had cut in advance and gave the job of writing couplets to the emperor's sister Qiu Yuling.
The couplet on the gate reads: Eat bran and vegetables, grit your teeth and get through the difficulties, push the harrow and pull the plow, break the rope and vow to harvest a good harvest; after suffering comes happiness.
The couplet on the door of her eldest brother's wedding room was: Men and women walk together with equal courtesy, husband and wife negotiate songs of freedom; hand in hand.
On the door of the main hall are the words: Feeding pigs and chickens to develop family sideline businesses, pushing soil and hauling manure, loving collective production, and taking into account both public and private interests.
On her door was written: Shortage of food and fodder, needing to add side dishes; cotton shortage, needing to mend old clothes, full of thriftiness.
There is also a painting hung in the backyard: Overcome difficulties and win the first victory, there will be plenty of potatoes and vegetables, there is hope for a good harvest, the pigs are fat and the sheep are strong, and the six paths are prosperous.
After mixing the paste and pasting the couplets, he went to the grave, kowtowed, burned incense, and went into the house to load the warehouse.
Last year, the heavy snow blocked the doors and everyone had to hide at home to catch their breath. This year, most people have recovered. On the way to burn paper for their ancestors, they met in groups of three or four, praised each other, and wished good luck for the coming year.
Qiu Yuling's beautiful handwriting also attracted passers-by who were visiting the grave to stop and look. When they learned that it was written by Yuling, Niudan, Tiedan, Gouzi and Zhuzi were all whipped when they returned, asking why they were not as capable as a little girl.
The stew cooked in the warehouse included pork, rabbit meat, radish, cabbage, vermicelli... whatever was available at home was put in. After it was taken out of the pot, a large bowl was scooped out and sent to Old Mrs. Qiu.
Everyone was still making do with what they had, so when they came to pay New Year's greetings they would just sit down and exchange greetings. No one would cook or leave any food for them, as everyone was used to it.
Qiu Dahe couldn't even make it to the 15th day and had to go back with his comrades from other commune brigades, which made the whole family shed tears again.
The bicycle was left behind. Except for Qiu Yuling, everyone in the family learned how to ride it. The reason she couldn't ride it wasn't because her skills weren't up to par, but simply because of her height limitation.
She could only push the bicycle in through the triangular hole and ride it sideways, which was more difficult than walking. Qiu Dahe said he had seen smaller women's bicycles outside, and he was keeping an eye out for them and would get one for her when he had the chance.
Li Qingmei paused to wipe her tears, and repeated the old advice to him, asking him not to spend money recklessly, to keep enough for himself, and for her to help save the rest.
Qiu Dahe's eyes were red, and he didn't know what he nodded to. Anyway, he nodded in response to everything Qiu's mother said. It was not until his comrades urged him no longer that he took a long step and got on the company bus to rush to the city.
Except for Qiu Jianshe who stayed at home to take care of Wanjin and Yangyang, the rest of the people went out. They asked the team leader for a note to send someone off, and now they started to visit the county supply and marketing cooperative.
City dwellers have money and tickets, so people of all ages come here to visit. Huang Duoer saw a pink square headscarf like Qiu Yuling's, and her eyes were full of stars.
Qiu Dashan didn't hesitate and spent 1.2 yuan to buy it. Huang Duoer immediately put it around her neck and looked at herself in the palm-sized mirror, feeling extremely satisfied.
I forgot to mention that one day after the New Year, everyone was sitting in the main room chatting. Li Qingmei said that Qiu Dashan's share would be kept by them, and except for what was handed over to the public, they could have their own rules for the rest, and she would not get involved in it anymore.
Qiu Dashan and his wife were not in awe and happily agreed. Qiu's father also discussed that if they couldn't tell others that the family was splitting up, they could first ask the team leader to allocate the homestead, and then they could have another name for themselves by starting a side business.
Li Qingmei didn't respond, but Qiu Yuling thought it was a good idea to plan it early so that they wouldn't be scattered when the time comes and there would not be any guarantee of finding a good place.
But it hasn't been finalized yet, so I'll just say this for now.
After buying the handkerchief, Qiu Dashan asked his wife if there was anything else she wanted. Huang Duoer grinned and said that they had everything at home and they didn't need anything, so she just wanted to take a look.
But there was a red plastic mirror that she really liked. She leaned over the counter and stared at it for a long time. Just as she was about to bite her teeth and ask for it, a female voice came from the side: "Comrade, please give me this mirror."
The voice sounded familiar. Qiu Dashan looked up and saw that Zhang Qiuni was indeed following a middle-aged man. The man was holding a basin, a thermos, a soap box and a bunch of other things in his hands.
At this moment, he was waiting for her to continue choosing with a smile on his face.
Zhang Qiuni acted as if she didn't know Qiu Dashan. She asked for a mirror and waited for the man next to her to pay fifty-four cents before looking at the counter next to her inch by inch.
Qiu Dashan didn't know how he felt. It was obviously nothing, but he was afraid that his daughter Duo'er would find out something. Seeing that the other party ignored him, he was not unhappy at all, but insisted on buying a mirror for Duo'er as well.
"Really? I was just thinking about it, but you insisted on wasting money." It sounded like a complaint, but the face was not so sweet, which made it more convincing.
Qiu Yuling and her mother were shopping alone. Her mother loved to look at needles and thread or various fabrics. Whether she wanted to buy anything or not, she would squeeze in between the crowd to watch the fun.
Only Qiu Yuling turned a blind eye to the excitement before her. Accustomed to shopping at Intime Department Store and SKP, she really had no interest in this little bit of excitement. It was not as good as the complete system mall page.
With Qiu's mother around, going out to eat was mostly cut short, and today was no exception. As usual, I just bought steamed buns and braised meat, tore the steamed buns open, put the braised meat inside, and ate each in three or two bites.
Qiu Dashu put the books and notebooks aside, took two bites each, and finished most of them in a short while.
"Mom said we couldn't finish it, but my third brother ate so much by himself. Next time, please leave a little extra. Don't always leave a little left over." It's okay to save on other things, but it's important to save on food. Qiu Yuling said this every time she saw him.
"See you, tell me!" Mother Qiu was reluctant to leave.
"I'll just eat some pancakes." Mother Qiu took some pancakes with her when she went out.
But it was freezing cold and the pancakes had already frozen hard. Fortunately, the water in the kettle dried up early, otherwise the kettle would have frozen as well.
"Ah? I ate so much." Qiu Dashu came back to his senses and felt a little embarrassed.
He has been living on campus, and the school can hardly provide him with enough food, let alone good care. Moreover, he is growing taller and smarter now, so he always feels hungry.
"It's okay, mother and little sister Duo'er eat, I'm full, not hungry." Qiu Dashan quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Everyone have a little, don't push it away. Next time I'll ask the third brother to buy more. Let's leave it at that for today." They've already left the city, so what else can they do?
However, there was still a steamed bun for each person. Qiu Dashu put less meat in the bun, so there was a lot of braised meat left. They stuffed the buns with thick layers of braised meat.
Anyway, Qiu Yuling will be enough if she goes down. If she can drink some hot porridge, all the gaps will be filled.
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