Chapter 90 Maltose
Wanjia of Shizi Village.
Today is the Little New Year's Eve. Mrs. Wan suggested that she and the Zhao family come here to celebrate the first Little New Year together.
Of course Zhao agreed. Her cooking skills were a little disappointing. Although the children didn't say it, it could be seen from how much they ate that they didn't enjoy their food. Zhao also wanted to take the opportunity to learn her cooking skills from Wan San's wife.
Early in the morning, Old Mrs. Wan woke up all the children in the house and gave them a lecture.
"As the old saying goes, children should be beaten on the eve of the New Year. If you don't want to be beaten today, don't talk nonsense. Say auspicious words, which means that we will have good luck in the coming year and a good harvest, especially you little brats. Do you remember it clearly?"
Grandma Wan sat on the kang with a feather duster in her hand and waved it. The children were so scared that they quickly shrank their heads and responded one after another: "Grandma, we know it. We can say nice things. We hope that our family can find money every day next year."
Wan Hu said with a grin.
Wan Hu's words made Old Lady Wan and Liu burst out laughing. Little Fubao, sitting in Old Lady Wan's arms, couldn't help but laugh along, clapping his hands and laughing: "Little Guoguo - picking up money - good -"
Old Mrs. Wan's mood was immediately lifted by the little kids, and she let them go.
Except for some puddles occasionally, everything else in the village was basically dry. The children were playing outside. Many families could not afford to celebrate the New Year, so they did not pay much attention to it. The children had nothing to eat, so they looked for something to eat outside.
Not far from Shizi Village, there is a not-so-high mountain where children like to go to pick bird eggs.
But it's winter now, and there are no bird eggs for them to dig.
Little Fubao also wanted to go out and play. The adults in the Wan family were very busy today. Old Mrs. Wan assigned tasks to everyone early in the morning. Even Old Mrs. Wan herself had to personally lead her daughters-in-law to work.
Little Fubao can already walk, but not very flexibly. Her clothes are quite thick, which makes it even more inconvenient for her to walk. Grandma Wan usually carries her on the kang to walk.
Since Grandma Wan was busy today, she left little Fubao to Wan Quan to take care of.
Wan Xingchen also came to help early in the morning, but Old Lady Wan drove him out and asked him to help Wan Quan take care of little Fubao.
Little Fubao suddenly had seven older brothers. He happily rolled over on the kang holding his little feet, and kept shouting, "Big pot pot - second pot pot - third pot pot -..."
This made the brothers laugh out loud.
At this time, a child timidly called out "Wanquan" outside the yard.
"Wanquan, shall we go get the bird eggs?"
This is a new friend Wanquan met in this village. His name is Ergou. He is about the same age as Wanquan, both around 11 or 12 years old. His family is so poor that they can barely afford to have even a meal of porridge a day.
Wanquan heard Ergou's voice and ran out quickly.
"Ergou? Why are you here?"
"Wanquan, let's go to the mountain over there and take out the bird eggs together?"
Wan Quan was somewhat tempted after hearing this. Although his family still had surplus food and could have two meals a day, he still missed the days of collecting bird eggs in Yangliu Village.
"I'm afraid I can't do it today. I need to help look after my sister. How about another day?"
I don't know when little Fubao was carried out by the boys. Today, Mrs. Wan Er dressed him up like a Fuwa, and he looked very festive.
It was the first time that Ergou saw Xiao Fubao. The young man felt a little shy. He looked at his clothes with patches on top of patches, then looked at Xiao Fubao and her brothers, and suddenly felt like a speck of dust.
"GuoGuo - go -"
Xiao Fubao also wants to go. She has never played in the village since she came here, so she also wants to go out and take a look.
Wan Quan was in a dilemma. He didn't dare take little Fubao around with him. If little Fubao fell or got hurt, his grandmother would skin him alive.
Wan Xingchen smiled and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here. I'll go with you. I think the little sister really wants to go. I'll go tell Grandma Wan."
Wan Quan's eyes lit up. If Wan Xingchen also went, then they would be relieved. Grandma would definitely be relieved too. After all, Wan Xingchen's skills should be unmatched in this village.
Sure enough, when Wan Xingchen talked to Grandma Wan about it, Grandma Wan agreed. However, she still came over to remind the children to take good care of their younger sister. She also gave each child some snacks, and even Ergouzi got a piece of maltose.
Er Gouzi had never eaten maltose in his life. He held it carefully in his hand, looked at it like a treasure, and was reluctant to eat it for a long time.
Wan Quan smiled and patted Er Gou on the back and said, "Er Gou, eat it. This candy is very sweet. Eat it quickly or it will melt."
After Ergou heard this, a trace of struggle flashed in his eyes. He carefully put it to his lips and licked the yellow maltose in his hand gently and slowly with the tip of his tongue.
A sweetness he had never tasted before instantly spread over the tip of his tongue, and he squinted his eyes to enjoy the sweetness of this moment.
"How is it? Is it delicious?"
Wan Quan looked at Ergou and not only did he not mock him, he also felt a little sad. Wasn't he the same as Ergou in the past?
Ergou was so moved that he shed two tears, they were sweet tears.
The children of the Wan family did not mock Ergou, but silently thought about their own thoughts.
"Okay, let's go quickly. If we go any later, it will be noon and you won't be able to finish it."
Although Wan Xingchen is the same age as Wan Quan, he has a maturity and stability that is completely incomparable.
He was standing behind several children, holding little Fubao in his arms. He was a head taller than Wanquan.
It just looks a little thin.
Little Fubao also urged to go out quickly. She stretched out her little arms and wore a bright red cotton jacket and trousers. Zhao also embroidered a few little goldfish on her clothes, which looked vivid and very adorable.
Led by Ergou, several children walked out of the village. To get to the mountain, they had to pass the end of the village and cross the entire village.
Ergou lives at the end of the village, and his doorstep just passes by.
"Wanquan, wait for me, I'll go back first."
Without waiting for Wanquan's consent, Ergou hurriedly ran into the dilapidated thatched hut. He came out soon, followed by a little girl of a few years old, holding the yellowed maltose in her hand.
"Brother, this candy is so sweet. Let me give it to mom to taste."
Ergou smiled and nodded, said a few words to the little girl, and then ran out of the yard.
"Let's go." Ergou smiled and put his arm around Wanquan's shoulder.
Wan Quan looked at Ergou, then turned back to look at the little girl with two pigtails running into the house in the yard, feeling a little sad.
Wanquan stuffed the candy in his hand into Ergou’s hand.
"Ergou, you eat it. I've had enough. There's still a lot at home. I'll give you this to try."
Ergou was a little embarrassed to take it, and smiled shyly: "I'm not greedy, you eat it yourself, let's go and dig out the bird's nest quickly, shall we?"
Wan Quan patted Er Gou on the head and said, "Er Gou, open your mouth wide and look up at the sky, and you will get rich next year. This is the custom of our Yangliu Village, and it is most effective on the day of the Little New Year."
"Really?" Ergou's eyes lit up, and he believed it, and really opened his mouth to look at the sky.
Suddenly, a piece of sweet-tasting candy fell into Ergou's mouth.
"Look, this is already halfway achieved. Isn't life getting sweeter? Your family will definitely get rich next year."
Ergou's eyes were a little sore, but he was quickly pulled away by Wan Quan, because Wan Xingchen couldn't wait for these two dawdling guys anymore, so he left first carrying Xiao Fubao and a few other kids from the Wan family.
After the two caught up with Wan Xingchen, they set off for the mountain together.
I didn't meet any other children on the way. It seemed that no one wanted to go out today. The wind at the border blew on people's faces like a knife, leaving natural marks on their faces.
The children finally reached the foot of the mountain. Looking up from below, they saw that the mountain was covered with low grass and there were not many trees.
Little Fubao was held in Wan Xingchen's arms, her eyes rolling around. It was her first time going out since she arrived at the border, and her eyes were not enough, she wanted to look everywhere.
Suddenly, Xiao Fubao saw a black piece of clothing hidden by the bushes halfway up the mountain.
Little Fubao hugged Wan Xingchen's neck and said in a baby voice: "Guo Guo - go -"
Xiao Fubao said this while pointing in that direction.
Wan Xingchen had been paying attention to the road under his feet and had no time to look around. At this time, under the guidance of Xiao Fubao, he finally saw the black clothes.
He stood there without moving, and asked Wanquan to go over and take a look.
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