Chapter 310 Chun'e's Little Thoughts
Although Lu Chun'e had said everything that needed to be said, she still felt bad. She knew that Cui Qinghong shouldn't be blamed, but she felt uncomfortable when she thought of Lu Donglin.
She lit the oil lamp, took out the bedding from the cupboard and spread it out, then took out a pair of brand new cloth shoes from her backpack. She made these for Zhou Mingli when she was in school. She didn't know if they would fit him. She had originally planned to give them to him during the Chinese New Year, but since he had come from far away, she didn't mind giving them a few days earlier.
Zhou Mingli sleeps here at night, and as for her, she sleeps in her original room.
But she had to borrow bedding from the next yard. She had taken her original bedding to the capital for school, and the only extra bedding at home was the one her brother bought for his wedding.
Zhang Hongying wanted to ask her to squeeze in with Cui Qinghong, but she swallowed the words back.
Borrowing quilts is really not a solution. Lu Minghai's family only has one more set. It was bought by Lu Dongcheng when he got married. They were originally going to take it to the city, but the couple had to come back to live occasionally, so they couldn't take it with them.
It's OK for two nights now, but it won't work during the New Year.
Lu Chun'e thought about it and decided to go to the supply and marketing cooperative again to see if she could get some cotton and cloth, and then ask the cotton maker to make two more quilts. When her brother came back in a few days, he would need something to cover himself. It was so cold, how could she survive without a quilt?
By the time she had made up the beds in both rooms, Lu Mingjiang and Zhou Mingli had almost finished their conversation.
Actually, Lu Mingjiang didn't say much. He just asked about Zhou Mingli's family situation and occupation. When Zhou Mingli said he was in the army, he was speechless.
Nowadays, no matter what your status is, you always have great respect for soldiers.
Lu Chun'e mixed the water and put it outside, then called Zhou Mingli, "Wash up and go to bed early."
Zhou Mingli responded and stood up: "Uncle, you should also go to bed early."
"Hey, hey, go ahead and do it!"
Zhou Mingli then went outside.
"We don't have electric lights here yet, so it's pitch black at night. I'm sure you're not used to it. Go slower."
Lu Chun'e took out the soap and said, "Wash your face first." It was the soap left over from Wen Wan's time at home. She didn't put it away but placed it on the shelf in the outer room. It had been there for a year, and it was still in the same condition.
Zhou Mingli wet his hands and reached out to pull her hand: "Have you washed it? Don't you want to wash it together?"
Lu Chun'e looked into the room nervously, and then let him pull her hand and put it into the warm water. The temperature seemed to be moving up along her hand and into her heart.
"What are you laughing at?" Zhou Mingli asked her.
"Just, thinking of some things in the past."
"Well, can you tell me about it?"
Lu Chun'e squatted across from him, the two of them separated by an enamel basin, her hand held by him: "This place where we're squatting used to be my brother's territory. Ever since he met my sister-in-law, he loved to drag her to squat here and wash her hands. I didn't understand it at the time, I just thought he was funny. What's so good about washing hands?"
Zhou Mingli scratched her palm and said, "Well, do you understand now?"
Lu Chun'e smiled but said nothing.
Then, she got up and went into the house to get his shoes out and gave them to him: "Get some hot water to soak your feet. Do you want to go to the kitchen to soak or go back to the house and go straight to bed?"
"It's all right here. Use the oil lamp."
He wanted to go to the toilet, and it would be more convenient if there was an oil lamp.
After soaking his feet, he found out when he put his feet into the shoes that the shoes were new.
"Is this specially for me?"
"Ah? Ah, yes, I just estimated it, I don't know if it will fit."
Zhou Mingli nodded hurriedly, "They fit me perfectly." The new shoes were a bit tight, but he just had to put them on. This was the first time in over twenty years of living that he'd worn brand new cloth shoes. From now on, he wouldn't need to envy others.
After they finished cleaning up, Lu Chun'e took the oil lamp and walked him into the house: "There is a flashlight. I just tried it and it works. If you get up at night, use it. I'll put it next to your pillow and I'll take the lamp away."
Before he could pick up the kerosene lamp on the table, he was pulled over and fell into Zhou Mingli's arms.
"Wait a moment, let me hold you for a while, okay?"
I thought about it when I was on a mission, and I thought about it even more when I came back and saw people. I thought about it all the way, but it was just inconvenient.
He felt like he was going crazy.
It was inconvenient to wash their faces, so both of them took off their outer clothes and just wore sweaters. Lu Chun'e felt a little cold, and when she was hugged, she felt like the person in front of her was like a stove.
"I think about this when I'm out there, every day."
"Um?"
"Still wanting this."
As he spoke, he gently sucked her earlobe. The sudden heat and humidity made Lu Chun'e shiver.
Just as he was about to get straight to the point, Zhang Hongying's voice came from outside: "Chun'e, Chun'e? Are you asleep? If you are, I'll lock the door."
Lu Chun'e hurriedly pushed him away and said, "Go to bed quickly!" Then she ran away with the oil lamp.
Zhou Mingli had no habit of sleeping in, and neither did the Lu family. They got up early as soon as it was light outside.
Lu Mingjiang went to fetch water and Zhou Mingli saw him when he just came back. He hurriedly took the carrying pole and asked the location of the well and went there himself.
Zhang Hongying said to Lu Mingjiang: "The older you get, the less you respect your host. He's a guest, how can you ask him to fetch water?"
"What you said, then he is dating Chun'e, so after they become friends, they will be family, so what's wrong with carrying water?"
"You also said it was later, but it hasn't happened yet?" After saying that, he turned and looked at Lu Chun'e who was standing by the fire pit and said, "Chun'e, you should also have some sense of propriety. You haven't gotten married yet, so be careful. Girls don't have to be expensive, and they'll cry later."
Lu Chun'e didn't respond, but glanced at her.
After eating a bowl of corn porridge with chili and pickles, I felt warm all over.
Lu Chun'e wanted to change into her old clothes, but couldn't find them. When she turned around, she saw that her clothes were worn by Cui Qinghong. It was obvious that they were given to her by her mother.
It wasn't that she was stingy, she was just angry. That dress was the first dress her sister-in-law made for her. She wore it through junior high and high school, and later took it to the textile factory. She had too much stuff to take with her when she went to the capital, so when she came back, it wasn't hers anymore.
She had only been gone for a year, but it seemed as if this house was no longer her home.
After dinner, Zhou Mingli was called to go to the commune.
As soon as she left the house, Zhang Hongying started complaining: "This college student has really become a city dweller. Look at him, he's completely different from before. If he says something wrong, his nose won't look like his nose, and his eyes won't look like his eyes."
Lu Mingjiang said nothing, squatting under the eaves and sharpening his hatchet.
Zhang Hongying said, "Everything was fine originally, but this troublesome little bastard has disturbed the whole family. What else can we expect to have this New Year?"
Lu Mingjiang heaved a long sigh. "It has to go on even if it's not over. We should do the same as last year. He wants to run, but he has legs. What can you do to him? He'll starve to death if he goes out. He asked for it. He's almost twenty. If he kills himself, he deserves it. I've raised him up all my life. I've done him no favors. Chun'e brought her partner back. It's such a rare trip. Just cook the ash vegetables and soak the beans."
After saying that, he stood up and walked out with the knife in his hand. Just as he reached the entrance of the yard, he met Lu Minghai.
"Up the mountain?"
"Um!"
Lu Minghai said: "Wait a minute, I want to tell you something."
The two brothers stood by the millstone, and Lu Minghai said, "Chun'e didn't tell you that Dongping will be back in a few days."
"I mentioned it to her mother."
Lu Minghai sighed, "You said that this matter has become like this! Life is getting better and better, and this kind of thing happened. What do you two think of the girl from the Cui family? Chun'e told me yesterday, and I think what she said makes sense. If it doesn't work, send the person back. The 100 or 80 kilograms of food can be given away. Isn't a person worth that little food? See if you can get the cloth back. After all, it doesn't work. No matter what, my child is definitely more important. Donglin is not happy. If I keep him, what will I do if he never comes back? I can't support someone else and let my child suffer outside, don't you think?"
Lu Mingjiang didn't say anything. He continued, "Dongping, you know that everyone's registered residence has been moved there, so they'll be city dwellers from now on. To be honest, being a city dweller sounds good, but life isn't necessarily any easier than back home. The pressure is huge. Didn't his father-in-law get a job at the Public Security Bureau? You said he didn't even finish elementary school, and he was able to eat commercial grain there and get a government salary. That was all thanks to the Wen family's help. You said that this time, because of the Donglin incident, he submitted his resignation and ran back. What will Wen Wan think? What will the Wen family think? Because of this incident, both our families are ruined."
Lu Mingjiang didn't know about this yet, and he almost couldn't catch his breath when he heard it.
He hasn't realized that what he did was wrong, but he now wants to find Lu Donglin and kill him to avoid causing trouble for everyone.
Lu Chun'e and Zhou Mingli walked to the commune, holding the cotton coupons they had brought back from the capital. "I heard people say that some places in the south don't need coupons to buy things anymore. I don't know if it's true, but it would be great if we didn't need coupons to buy things here either. It's so hard to make clothes or even a quilt. It's so difficult."
Zhou Mingli said, "You don't need to get up and make a blanket. We have to leave after the New Year."
"No, that won't work. It's really not enough. My brother will come back in a few days and I can squeeze in with you. But if Dongcheng and the others come back, I'll be in trouble."
Zhou Mingli asked, "Did your brother really resign? Because of your brother's incident?"
Lu Chun'e nodded: "Yes, I resigned, but it has nothing to do with Lu Donglin's matter. I said this on purpose in front of my uncle."
"Um?"
Lu Chun'e continued, "If you ask who in this family can control my parents, it's my eldest uncle and aunt. Sometimes their thoughts are in sync with my parents', and they can be confused, but when it comes to the future of the next generation, they absolutely cannot be confused."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
