Chapter 42 Lu Dongcheng is back
Lu Dongcheng went to the army and didn't come back for six years. The one who left was Lu Chun'e, who was still a little girl. Now she has grown into a big girl. In addition, she was sitting together with Wen Wan, so Lu Dongcheng was a little hesitant to recognize her, for fear that he called the wrong person.
Lu Chun'e looked up at the man in military uniform at the entrance of the yard and was stunned for a moment. Then she came to her senses and jumped up and rushed over: "Brother Dongcheng!"
"Brother, you're finally back!"
Lu Dongcheng's usually serious face showed a rare smile. He turned his head to look at the girl wearing the same color clothes as him and said, "This is Chun'e, my third uncle's daughter."
Lu Chun'e was so happy just now that she noticed the people around Lu Dongcheng.
Like Lu Dongcheng, she wore a green military uniform and had two braids hanging on her shoulders. She had thick eyebrows and big eyes, which made her look quite handsome. Standing next to the tall Lu Dongcheng, she looked petite.
"Brother, this is my cousin's wife, right?"
The girl blushed when she was called "cousin's wife", but there was a happy smile in her eyes. She reached out and pulled her hand as if to shake hands: "Hello, I'm your cousin's girlfriend, my name is Shengxia."
Lu Chun'e smiled at her and continued talking to Lu Dongcheng: "Is everyone at Uncle's house not here? Come on, come into the kitchen and sit down. It's very cold today because there's no sun."
After saying that, he turned around to look at Wen Wan who stood up and was about to sit down again, then tiptoed over and whispered to Lu Dongcheng, "That's Wen Wan, the educated youth who came here, my brother, my brother's girlfriend!"
Seeing her like this, Lu Dongcheng knew that she was probably not good enough to be with someone, otherwise Lu Chun'e would not have introduced her so awkwardly.
He took the initiative and walked up to him and said hello: "Hello, I'm Lu Dongcheng, Lu Dongping's cousin."
Wen Wan just sat down and stood up again, smiling and nodding: "Hello, I'm Wen Wan, an educated youth!"
The girl named Shengxia also followed: "I am Shengxia!"
Wen Wan smiled at her with her eyes curved: "Let's go inside with Chun'e to warm up by the fire. There's no sun today, it's cold!"
Lu Chun'e called Lu Dongcheng: "Come in, come in, I'll add some firewood. Have you eaten yet?"
Lu Dongcheng entered the kitchen and said, "I've eaten."
Lu Chun'e lit the fire in the fire pit and greeted Shengxia before leaving the house. Wen Wan had two final stitches, and the whole quilt was ready.
Cut the thread ends and fold them up.
When Lu Dongcheng came out, he saw the square quilt and raised his eyebrows slightly and asked Wen Wan, "Have you learned it?"
Wen Wan realized that he was asking about the quilt.
“That’s how my family taught me since I was little.”
Lu Dongcheng understood that there were family members in the army.
"Chun'e, stay with Shengxia for a while. I'm going to go for a walk in the mountains to see if I can find my father and the others. By the way, where are your brother and Lu Donglin?"
Lu Chun'e carried the quilt into the house and ran out again: "My brother has gone to the commune! I don't know which forest Lu Donglin has gone to now, he must be on the slope."
Lu Dongcheng nodded: "Okay, I got it!" After that, he raised his foot and walked out of the yard.
Wen Wan glanced away and turned to meet Shengxia's smiling face.
The three of them entered the kitchen, and Lu Chun'e asked Shengxia, "Are you and my cousin in the army?" She had never seen a female soldier before, so she was a little surprised.
Shengxia answered her softly, "I guess so! I'm in the art troupe, so we don't count."
After she finished speaking, her eyes involuntarily fell on Wen Wan again. This girl was so rare to look at, with a milky white complexion and a little baby fat. She didn't look very young, and she looked so young, yet she went to the countryside.
"Are you from the provincial capital?"
Wen Wan replied to her: "In the capital, how about you?"
Sheng Xia smiled: "My home is not in the city, it's also in the mountains, similar to here."
After saying that, he looked around the Lu family's kitchen and asked Wen Wan, "It shouldn't be like this in the capital, right? Are you used to it in the countryside?"
"You'll get used to it after a long time." Wen Wan talked a lot with Lu Dongping and Lu Chun'e, but since it was their first time meeting Shengxia, they didn't talk much and didn't seem very warm.
Lu Chun'e asked Shengxia, "I'm going to pick vegetables in the private plot with Sister Wenwan. Do you want to come?"
Shengxia nodded: "Let's go together!"
Lu Chun'e found two baskets, Wen Wan took one, and she carried a bigger one for herself.
In winter, there are many vegetables in the private plots. Radishes and cabbages are a must. There are also green onions, garlic sprouts, spinach and carrots.
Wen Wan and Sheng Xia helped, and the three of them pulled two baskets in a short time.
Shengxia asked Lu Chun'e: "Do you have to talk so much at once?"
Lu Chun'e nodded: "It's time to slaughter the pig. I've been waiting for Brother Dongcheng! He and you are back, so maybe they will kill it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. They will need it then. I'm free at home anyway, so I can just take the vegetables home and clean them up so I don't have to be busy then."
Sheng Xia asked, "Did the two families team up to kill one?"
"No, it's one for each family, but we've gotten used to it over the years. We kill them together, eat and soak them together, it saves trouble. Tomorrow is the fifteenth day of the lunar year, and it won't be long before it's over. We need to soak the beans, grind the soy milk, make tofu and pickle vegetables, it's a lot of work. If we kill them early and clean them up, it'll be a relief."
Shengxia was stunned for a moment: "You guys have to prepare so much for the New Year?"
Wen Wan also wanted to ask this.
Lu Chun'e carried the vegetables home and opened the door, and the three of them sat down by the fire again.
As she picked vegetables, she said, "Not really. It's only been a little better in the past two years. It was very difficult two years ago! We sowed soybeans on the roadside and beside the private plots. We harvested almost 20 kilograms in total. My mother has been leaving them alone and can't bear to eat them. When the weather was bad and she didn't have to go to work, she cooked some fermented black beans. There's some left. She's going to make soy milk so she can have tofu on New Year's Eve."
Then he added, "There's konjac in the woods below the gate. Dig it up at the end of the month, mix it with some shredded radish and rice, grind it together, and cook a big pot of ash vegetables. It'll last until the 15th."
These were not said specifically to Shengxia, but to Wenwan.
Lu Chun'e moved her hands and spoke, glancing at Wen Wan from time to time: "Sister, have you ever eaten gray vegetables?"
Wen Wan shook her head. She had never even heard of it.
Lu Chun'e smiled and said, "That thing needs to be stirred constantly. My brother does it every year. You will see it later."
Wen Wan found it strange and her eyes lit up when she smiled.
As she was speaking, Lu Donglin's voice rang out: "Sister, my brother Dongcheng is back. Did you see him? Did you see him?"
Before Lu Chun'e could leave, he came in carrying a basket on his back.
The backpack was not big, but he stuffed it full of firewood, all of which were dried birch trees. He didn't need to go to the firewood pile outside to get firewood to cook two meals.
After putting down the backpack, he called Wen Wan and then noticed Sheng Xia: "Who is this?"
Lu Chun'e answered him while digging out firewood: "Yes, Dongcheng brother's girlfriend, the eldest cousin's wife!"
Lu Donglin grinned and called out to Shengxia loudly, "Cousin-in-law!"
Shengxia was very happy but also a little embarrassed. She used to be a very fluent speaker but now she stuttered: "Not yet, not yet!" The two of them had been dating for a long time, and Lu Dongcheng had even filed a marriage report. This time, she took a month off just to get things done.
It only counts after a wedding banquet and a certificate.
Lu Donglin was thick-skinned and had a thick face. "Brother Dongcheng brought you back, so it must be right. Sister-in-law, I want to hug your thigh in advance. If Brother Dongcheng punishes me later, you have to stand on my side."
Shengxia didn't understand: "Why does Lu Dongcheng want to punish you?" He didn't do anything wrong. Even if he did, he can't punish you casually since they are not brothers, right?
Lu Chun'e smiled and said, "Regarding the notice, my brother said that if he fails the exam, he will be handed over to Brother Dongcheng. Sister Shengxia, you don't know, Brother Dongcheng is very fierce. All the kids in our area are afraid of him. My brother, for example, is always running around everywhere. I was afraid of him even when I was a kid."
Sheng Xia laughed and said, "Is he that fierce? He just doesn't like to smile. Actually, it's okay!"
After Lu Donglin caught his breath, Lu Chun'e called out to him, "Do you have homework? If you do, do it quickly. If you don't have homework, read and memorize the text. Perform better, and maybe you can save yourself."
When Lu Donglin heard about doing homework or reading, his head was about to explode: "Are you annoying me? I can't even catch my breath!"
After saying that, he stood up and scurried out like a rabbit: "I'm going to go find Brother Dongcheng. I'll do my homework later."
Lu Chun'e was at a loss for words: "When it comes to homework and reading, it's like he's dying."
Wen Wan poked the lump in the fire pit with a pair of fire scissors and said, "You can enjoy yourself for a few days. Once you get the notice, these days will be over."
Lu Chun'e laughed: "Isn't it?"
Lu Dongcheng found Lu Minghai, and the father and son came back early. Shengxia sat here for a while and was taken back by Lu Dongcheng. Only Wen Wan and Lu Chun'e were left at home.
"Sister, what do you want to eat tonight?"
"I can do anything!" He said, rubbing his nose. He hadn't sneezed all morning, but now his nose suddenly started to itch again.
"Then I'll go scoop some noodles and mix them together. Then we can make noodles to eat tonight?"
Wen Wan asked, "Will your aunt say something to you?"
Lu Chun'e took the basin and said, "No, you don't need all white flour. Mix half white flour and half corn flour, knead it and let it rise for a while, then stir-fry a large basin of shredded potatoes with it. It won't be a waste."
This was taught to her by Lu Dongping.
If you are poor, you can make delicacies from any little thing.
"How can I help you?"
Lu Chun'e scooped in noodles skillfully and heard Wen Wan ask her this.
"No need, just roast it well and the cold will go away naturally. I'm just kneading the dough first. It'll take a while to cook, so there's no rush."
Wen Wan didn't move. She didn't know what to do at the moment. Maybe it was because of the fire, she felt warm and a little sleepy. She wanted to go back to sleep, but when she looked at her watch, it was getting late and she might not be able to get up if she fell asleep.
I'll have to trouble Lu Dongping to call me later.
Lu Dongping...
"Chun'e, what time does your brother usually come back from the commune?"
Lu Chun'e was stunned for a moment, then snickered: "Hurry up, hurry up, around five or six o'clock, I'll be back just in time for lunch."
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