After a busy day, Liu Meiyu was also tired. She went into the house and talked to Zhou Huiru, and then just yawned.
When she woke up, she found that it was pitch dark outside. There was a kerosene lamp in the room. Lu Changzheng and Liu Yongnian were talking in a low voice. Zhou Huiru was sitting on the edge of the kang, holding Liu Bowen in front of her. Her shadow was projected on the mottled earthen wall, soft and warm.
The triplets were sleeping soundly on the kang, their little faces rosy and rosy.
"Wake up!" When Zhou Huiru saw her daughter wake up, she let Bowen go and handed her a towel dipped in hot water.
"Mom, I can do it myself." Liu Meiyun wiped her face and regained her spirits. She asked Lu Changzheng and Liu Yongnian who were gathered around the brazier, "Dad, what are you two talking about?"
"Nothing." Liu Yongnian rubbed his hands and replied to his daughter with a smile: "She said that Wu's mother was leaving, and that you two would bring Dabao and the others to the capital in a few years!"
"And Bowen, he happens to be on winter vacation, so we can go together." Lu Changzheng added.
"Yes! My sister said she would take me there too! To see □□!" Liu Bowen said in a loud voice.
Zhou Huiru shook him gently and said softly, "Keep your voice down. Don't wake up Dabao and the others."
Liu Bowen nodded, snuggled up to Zhou Huiru, his eyes shining like stars.
"Yes, you must see it when you go to Beijing!" Liu Yongnian had never been there in his life and longed to go there, but he didn't know if he would have the chance to go there again in the future.
"Dad, I will take you and mom to see the □□ and climb the Long March in the future." Liu Meiyu was sure that the opportunity would come in a few years.
Liu Yongnian laughed so hard that he couldn't stop, "Haha, OK, I'll wait for that day!"
As the family was talking, there was a knock on the door.
Liu Meiyu got down from the kang, straightened her clothes, and sat down next to Lu Changzheng.
"Mr. Zhang?" Liu Yongnian went to open the door and saw Vice Principal Zhang shivering in front of the door. "Where have you been?"
"Catch this thing." Lao Zhang took off his Lei Feng hat and took out a fat rabbit from his arms, "It's a snack to go with the wine!"
"Uncle Zhang." Liu Meiyu and Lu Changzheng stood up and called out respectfully.
"Brother Liu is so lucky, with so many children and grandchildren, and they are all so filial!" Principal Zhang brushed off the dirt on his body, scraped off the mud with his shoes on the doorstep outside before going into the house and sitting down, his face full of envy.
"It's so cold, and you're still going up the mountain to catch rabbits. Aren't you afraid of getting frozen?" Liu Yongnian handed the man a hot towel without saying anything else.
The first person from the school to come to the farm was Vice Principal Zhang. In the end, his wife divorced him and his son cut off all ties with him. For all these years, not to mention sending things, they haven’t even written a letter to each other. Moreover, I heard not long ago that his wife remarried, and his son had to call someone else dad.
"It's easier to catch them in winter. Hurry up and don't waste time. If you don't mind, I'll eat at your place!"
It gets dark early in winter, and no one has eaten dinner yet. Liu Meiyun woke up from a nap and felt hungry, so she said, "Then I'll show off my skills and make some spicy rabbit meat for everyone to taste!"
"Haha, that's great! I love spicy food! Add more chili!" Principal Zhang couldn't close his mouth when he heard it.
"I'll take care of the rabbits." Lu Changzheng volunteered.
Zhou Huiru was boiling water and helping out nearby. In the room, Liu Yongnian and Principal Zhang were also busy, one was peeling garlic and the other was testing Liu Bowen on math.
When the spicy rabbit meat was ready and placed on the small wooden table, the house was immediately filled with fragrance. Liu Yongnian also opened a bottle of good wine given by his son-in-law.
When it was time to eat, Principal Zhang held his chopsticks in his hands and suddenly suggested to Zhou Huiru, "Why don't we invite Wang Fang and her daughter to come along? It's a rare opportunity to have a meal together, so let's celebrate the New Year in advance and have some fun together."
"Yes, yes, yes, I'll go and shout!" Zhou Huiru wiped her hands and her face was full of joy.
Liu Meiyun: "Mom, I'll go with you."
"No need, it's just a few steps away." Zhou Huiru waved her hands, but saw that the lady had already taken her arm.
The house allocated to Wang Fang and her daughter was smaller than the one Liu Yongnian and his family lived in, but it was close: they could reach the house in just a few steps by turning a small path.
When Zhou Huiru knocked on the door, the mother and daughter were squatting in front of the brazier to keep warm. There were two potatoes next to the brazier, which was their dinner.
"Is this what you're going to eat?" Zhou Huiru frowned, pulled Dou Miao, who was only six years old, up, and said to Wang Fang, "Let's go to my house. Principal Zhang got a rabbit."
"Sister, no need, you guys eat, Dou Miao and I are not hungry."
As soon as the woman finished speaking, the little girl Dou Miao's stomach started to growl.
Liu Meiyu glanced at the little girl. She was pale and thin. The wrist that was held by Zhou Huiru was as thin as a bamboo pole. Her hair was also dry and yellow. It was obvious that she was malnourished.
"Auntie Wang, let's go together. We're all waiting at home, and the food will get cold soon." Liu Meiyu also persuaded at the door.
Wang Fang saw Liu Meiyun at the door and looked at her in surprise. She said to Zhou Huiru, "This is your daughter. She is so beautiful."
"Well, hurry up and turn off the oil lamp." Zhou Huiru said nothing and directly pulled Wang Fang towards her home.
Liu Meiyu went over and pulled the bean sprouts.
Xiao Dou Miao looked timid, but did not hide.
It only took a few steps to get home. Zhou Huiru closed the door, blocking out the air conditioning. Everyone in the room snorted at the aroma of the spicy meat. The three little guys on the kang also knew how to wake up at the right time and were making a noise around the small square table.
"It's so lively." Wang Fang said with envy.
She was uncomfortable at first, because their daughter and son-in-law had come with great difficulty, and the rabbit was contributed by Principal Zhang. She had nothing but two mouths to feed. But seeing that Sister Zhou's daughter and son-in-law were so warm and generous, they not only didn't mind, but also brought delicious food to her Dou Miao.
"Sister, I really envy you." Wang Fang couldn't help but tears welling up in her eyes.
"Why are you jealous? Eat the meat! My daughter made it!" Zhou Huiru picked a piece of rabbit meat for each of Wang Fang and Dou Miao. "We still have a long life ahead of us! Let's just live a good life first!"
"Yes!" Principal Zhang picked up the wine glass and said warmly, "I don't believe in fate! Life will definitely get better and better in the future!"
"Mom! Meat!" When Dabao woke up and saw the meat, he immediately became energetic.
"This is too spicy, you can't eat it." When Liu Meiyu was cooking just now, she didn't think about the three brothers at all. She put a lot of chili just as Principal Zhang requested. Even Bowen and Dou Miao stuck out their tongues while eating.
"Mom is making milk powder for you. You can't eat this." Liu Meiyun asked Lu Changzheng to make milk powder for the three brothers.
But seeing that everyone was eating with their mouths full, the three brothers were unwilling to stop. The eldest brother pestered his mother and made a fuss, while the youngest brother simply grabbed the food secretly when the adults were not paying attention.
Unfortunately, I grabbed a red chili and quietly stuffed it into my mouth. The spicy little guy's facial features wrinkled up, and he cried out, sticking out his tongue and burrowing into his mother's arms.
Liu Meiyun not only did not sympathize, but took the opportunity to educate Dabao: "Look, your little brother is disobedient. Mom said he can't eat it. It will be so spicy that you will cry!"
Dabao stared blankly at Xiaobao crying loudly, staring at the plate of meat on the table, pouting unhappily while holding the bottle.
Erbao went to Doumiao's side and watched Doumiao eat meat eagerly. His little hands even tried to grab Doumiao's hair restlessly, as if he was curious about why Doumiao didn't have a braid on her head.
Xiao Dou Miao had a timid look in his eyes. He didn't dare to hide even though his hair was scratched by Erbao. He held the bowl in his hands, looking helpless.
Liu Meiyun stuffed the eldest and second children into Lu Changzheng's arms, picked up the second child and patted him on the butt, "Don't grab your sister's hair, it's rude!"
Erbao pouted and tried to get closer to Dou Miao, "Sister, hold me!"
Dou Miao looked at the beautiful aunt with a bewildered look, took out a still warm roasted potato from his pocket with his little hand, and handed it to Liu Meiyu carefully, saying timidly, "Auntie...this can be given to my brother."
The little girl's hands were shaking, and her skinny and delicate wrists formed a sharp contrast with her three chubby and plump boys.
"Thank you, Dou Miao." Liu Meiyu took the roasted potato and added more vegetables to Dou Miao's bowl. She said softly, "Eat more, Dou Miao. When you are full, you will have more energy and can play with your brother."
"Can I...?" Dou Miao's voice was as thin as a mosquito's, and she sounded particularly unconfident.
"Of course you can. Look, Erbao likes playing with you." Liu Meiyu touched her head and said with a smile, "Auntie has a hair rope. I will braid your hair for you later."
Dou Miao's eyes lit up instantly, and he turned around and looked at Wang Fang eagerly, as if seeking advice.
Wang Fang's eyes were moist. She touched the girl's messy hair, which was not even tied up. She said softly, "Thank you, Aunt Liu. After dinner, you can go play with your brothers."
When Liu Meiyun was braiding the bean sprouts, the triplets watched curiously. After the bean sprouts were fried, the second child also wanted the same style, so Liu Meiyun simply braided two for each of the three brothers.
You know what, it looks pretty good.
The three brothers inherited their parents' facial features and temperament, especially the eldest brother, who was the most handsome. With his hair tied in a braid, he looked like a pretty little girl. It was a pity that there was no camera, otherwise Liu Meiyun would really like to take two photos of him.
The New Year's Eve of 1973 passed quietly in this ordinary and simple mud-walled house on the farm.
Liu Meiyu and her family only stayed on the farm for two days before returning to Huludao City with the triplets and Liu Bowen.
Before leaving, Liu Meiyun stuffed money, food coupons, and a few hair ties under Zhou Huiru's pillow.
Living on the island, life was so comfortable that Liu Meiyu almost forgot that there were many people who were having a hard time at this time.
"I think it's time for these three to think about their future, so they don't have to find fault with me every day!"
After finally returning to the urban area of Huludao, Liu Meiyu was waiting for the boat at the dock holding the three brothers. Dabao felt so heavy that her arms ached from holding him for so long, and she thought of the bean sprouts from the farm.
"Well, that's fine. After Aunt Wu leaves, we'll have some Wo Tou sweet potato porridge!" Lu Changzheng said in agreement with his wife.
As a result, Liu Meiyun turned her face and refused to recognize her. "Forget it. We have the conditions. We can support her if we are rich. It's not like we can't afford it."
Liu Meiyu had suffered from poor material conditions in her previous life. Especially in her era, the gap between the rich and the poor was huge. Liu Meiyu didn't want to get used to her three sons, but she also didn't want them to lack material things.
I just hope that when they grow up and stand among the crowd, they can have more innate confidence and courage, just like their father, who is always dazzling when standing among the crowd.
"Yeah, yes, it's not like we can't afford to support her!" Lu Changzheng didn't know that Liu Meiyu was thinking so much, he just listened to his wife in everything.
When we returned to the island, it was the lunar new year in less than two months. After this new year, the triplets turned exactly three years old.
The family had a simple reunion dinner. According to local custom, Lu Wanjun gave New Year's money to the three brothers and Bowen.
When Liu Bowen got the New Year's Eve money, he immediately gave it to his sister to keep. It was only 50 cents, but it was a huge sum of money for a child.
Liu Meiyu was very generous: "Keep it for yourself. When you go to Beijing, you can buy whatever you want!"
"Really?" Liu Bowen was surprised.
Although he had some pocket money, it was only a few cents, and it took him a long time to save up a dime.
"Really!" Not only did Liu Meiyu not confiscate the New Year's money from Liu Bowen, she also added a full amount to it.
Liu Bowen suddenly had his first huge sum of money in his life, a whole yuan! And he was about to go to Beijing to see his mother. For several days, he was so happy that his face was smiling. He was very active at home, helping his mother wash dishes, wipe the table and sweep the floor.
Good brother Song Jinbao, knowing that his friend was going to Beijing to see □□, was extremely jealous. He hooked his hand on Liu Bowen's shoulder and eagerly said: "Bowen, I am your best friend, don't forget to bring me a gift when you go out to play!"
"Yes, don't worry. My sister said there are a lot of comic books for sale there. I will definitely pick the best ones for you. I have New Year's gift money!" Liu Bowen patted his chest and assured his good brother.
"That..." Song Jinbao shook his head and said with a red face, "Forget about the book, I don't like reading it either. You should buy me something delicious. I heard that there are a lot of delicious foods in Beijing! We ate that chocolate last time. If it's not expensive, buy me one. I want to eat it again."
"My sister said that eating too much sugar will cause tooth decay!" Liu Bowen disagrees.
"Oh, it's okay, just buy me some food, don't buy me any books! I can't finish all the books in school!"
Song Jinbao gets a headache whenever he hears about books. No matter what kind of books they are, he doesn't like to read them.
"Okay," Liu Bowen agreed reluctantly.
So, a few days later, Liu Meiyun, Lu Changzheng, Wu's mother, the triplets and Liu Bowen boarded a train from Liaoning Province to Beijing.
It was the first time for the triplets to take a train. Besides the huge crowd in the train, the three brothers were so scared that they clung to their father obediently and didn't dare to make any noise. After getting used to the situation on the train for a while, they let themselves go and started rolling around on the lower floor.
As soon as the train started, the three brothers rushed to the window, shouting excitedly, and almost got into a fight to get the best spot.
The three brothers were at an age when they were curious about everything. When they saw smoke coming out of someone's chimney, the second brother became anxious: "Mom, it's on fire!"
Seeing the cows working in the fields and not walking fast, Xiaobao was curious: "Mom, why don't cows take the train?"
When the train passed through the tunnel, Dabao got scared again and threw himself into his mother's arms, saying pitifully, "Mom, I want to go home!"
Liu Meiyun had never been so exhausted as this time when she traveled far away in her life.
She and Changzheng didn't dare to fall asleep at night, for fear of encountering child stealers on the train, especially the three children in her family who were so plump and white that they were the most attractive to child theft victims.
After finally arriving in Beijing, Liu Meiyu was relieved that her child's grandfather Zeng had sent a car to pick him up!
"Grandpa!" Lu Changzheng walked over and respectfully saluted in front of his old man!
"Okay, okay!" The old man impatiently pushed the man away and turned to look at the triplets on the ground who were tilting their heads up and looking around curiously.
The triplets were not afraid of strangers in a new environment. They gathered around their mother, pointed at the military green SUV behind their grandfather, and shouted impatiently: "Mom! Let's take a ride!"
"Haha, come on, get in the car with Grandpa Zeng!" The old man was so happy when he saw his three great-grandchildren were well-fed and plump, and their personalities were lively and cheerful. He asked Lu Changzheng to carry them into the car, and then turned to Liu Meiyun and said, "Meiyun, you have worked hard for this family!"
"Grandpa, it's my duty." Liu Meiyu also saluted the old man with a standard military salute.
Liu Meiyun felt a sense of admiration for the elders who defended their country.
"This must be Bowen, he's so handsome!" The old man's face was full of admiration when he saw the little boy standing upright with his schoolbag next to Liu Meiyu.
"Hello, Grandpa." Liu Bowen greeted the man politely. He found him very friendly, especially knowing that this was the "Telephone Grandpa" who once told him interesting stories on the phone.
"Well, grandpa is very nice! Come on, get in the car! Let's go home!" The old man's smile never faded.
The car drove all the way to the military compound. The triplets were restless in the car, touching this and pinching that. If their grandfather hadn't been the co-pilot, they would have grabbed the steering wheel.
Seeing a child holding a candy man on the street, Xiaobao knocked on the window and said, "Mom, I want one too!"
"I'll buy it for you next time." Liu Meiyu was very tired after taking the train and didn't want to pay attention.
Unexpectedly, the old man asked the guard to stop the car on the side of the road and said, "Go buy four."
"Grandpa, don't indulge them like this." Lu Changzheng couldn't stand it anymore.
The old man snorted, hugged his little great-grandson, and retorted righteously: "You have grown wings and dare to control me, your grandfather!"
Lu Changzheng: “…”
By the time Liu Bowen and the triplets were sitting in the car, contentedly eating the candy men, the car had arrived at the military compound.
This was the first time in Liu Meiyu's two lives that she came to such a place. After knowing the status of the seniors living there, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous.
Fortunately, the old man was very easy-going. Along the way, he not only amused the triplets, but also asked them about some trivial matters in life. Gradually, Liu Meiyu felt that the man in front of her was just an ordinary old man.
The Lu family lived in a two-story red brick building at the innermost part of the military area.
"We're here, come in quickly." Mother Wu was very familiar with this place. As soon as they entered the house, she introduced Meiyun: "Changzheng's room is upstairs. I'll go upstairs and clean it up later."
"Auntie Wu, we can do it ourselves! You take a rest, we both have our hands and feet!" After sitting on the train for such a long time, Liu Meiyu's waist and legs were uncomfortable, let alone Auntie Wu.
"Okay, you go up and rest for a while, and I'll take care of the work!" Mother Wu didn't bother to be polite with them.
Liu Meiyun was very tired after taking the train, but the triplets were not. They were very excited, especially when they heard that this was where their father lived when he was a child. They jumped up and down in the house, wishing they could lift the roof off.
"Meiyu, I'm watching here. If you're tired, go back to your room and take a nap. It's okay, don't worry!" The old man was happy to take this job. He was eager for Liu Meiyu to go back to the room to rest so that he could cultivate his relationship with the triplets.
"Okay, if you can't keep an eye on it, just call me. Changzheng will stay here to keep an eye on it." How could Liu Meiyu not know what the old man was thinking.
She had no reason to refuse, and she even wanted it.
As soon as she entered Lu Changzheng's room, someone followed her and closed the door.
"Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on it downstairs?"
"Grandpa asked me to accompany you."
Lu Changzheng was also driven away by his father-in-law because he was delaying the development of relationships with the triplets.
"The old man will regret it later." Liu Meiyu yawned. She knew her son best.
Whenever they arrive at a new place, they get extremely excited and most people can't control themselves. However, the old man is always accompanied by security guards, so Liu Meiyu feels relieved after thinking about it.
"Your room looks quite dull." Liu Meiyu took a closer look when she had time.
It is quite big, but the furniture is simple, just a large wardrobe, a desk, a bed, and no other ornaments or decorations.
She opened the desk drawer again, and inside was neatly packed with books and manuscripts that looked quite old. She flipped through them curiously, but found nothing special.
"Well, my grandpa and I moved here after my parents passed away. All my childhood stuff was in the old house. My grandpa returned the house to the government, and no one lives there now."
Liu Meiyu nodded, took a look around but found nothing new, so she tidied up and went to sleep.
Lu Changzheng was afraid that his father would dislike him if he went out, so he just stayed with him and took a nap for a while.
The couple was sleeping soundly when they heard the three brothers crying loudly at the door.
"What's wrong again?" Liu Meiyu opened her eyes and saw Lu Changzheng had already put on his shoes and went to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, I saw three kids crying with tears and snot streaming down their faces. The old man and the guard were standing by, helpless.
Lu Changzheng: "Grandpa, what's wrong?"
"They're fighting over toys, and we can't pull them apart!"
After a while, the old man's voice was filled with fatigue. The initial enthusiasm had passed, and now only mental exhaustion was left.
"What toy?" When Liu Meiyu came out, the three brothers immediately rushed over, hugged Liu Meiyu's thighs, and squeezed her one by one.
"That's it!" The guard took out three iron sparrows. He had carefully selected this toy from the supply and marketing cooperative. There was a spring on the tail, and the sparrow could run when the spring was wound up. It was very suitable for children of this age to play with.
As a result, the three brothers took their hands and were extremely happy at first, but within ten minutes, the eldest brother tried to grab the second brother's, the second brother tried to grab the youngest brother's, and the youngest brother directly raised his fist, and the three brothers started fighting!
After finally coaxing them into opening the door, the sparrow started snatching again after just a short while in my hands.
The guard and the old man didn't know what to do now, especially seeing the three brothers crying so sadly. They were both confused. They were all sparrows, what was there to grab?
When Liu Meiyun saw the three different colored mahjongs in the guard's hand, she laughed, "Grandpa, just put the mahjong away and stop playing with them. They have this problem. If you give them the same ones, they won't make a fuss."
When the old man and the guard heard what Liu Meiyu said, they suddenly realized what was going on.
"Quick, go get the small wooden whistles I prepared for the three brothers in my room." The old man put away the sparrow and immediately remembered the little gadgets he had made for the three brothers.
Only when the three brothers got wooden whistle toys of exactly the same shape and size did their attention finally diverted. They stopped crying and started running around the house again.
"These three guys are really energetic." Mr. Lu is old and his physical strength is not as good as before. He stared at the triplets for a while. They were climbing up and down and running around the house. It didn't take long for the house to be messed up.
Liu Meiyun went downstairs and saw the mess in the house. She sighed, "Grandpa, you are just used to them. If they were to make such a fuss at home, Changzheng and I would have dealt with them long ago!"
Lu Changzheng started to clean up now. He captured the three brothers and detained them in the living room. With a stern face, he asked them to put their things back one by one.
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