When Gu Qingqing saw the address of the Construction Corps on the envelope, she thought of her second brother and smiled: "Thank you, comrade. Wait a minute, I'll bring you a bowl of water!"
After saying that, he ran into the yard.
The postman was also very familiar with the old Gu family. He shook his head and smiled at the Gu girl's fierce and powerful behavior, then bent down to organize the newspapers and letters in the green cloth box. He had to go to the production team's headquarters later, so he was in no hurry to leave.
"Who is it, Qingqing?" Han Lianxin was peeling corn kernels. Her brother-in-law said that he wanted to mix some corn, carrots and shrimps into the stuffing and make dumplings. She had eaten pork and scallion dumplings the most before, so this was the first time she had seen this new trick.
Working in the city is different. She sees that her third brother and his wife have become much more fashionable!
"Postman! There's a letter from my second brother!" Gu Qingqing put the letter on the table, picked up the white porcelain teapot with colorful flowers and birds painted on it, poured a large bowl of water into it, and took out two plump white steamed buns with wild onions from the steamer, then turned around and ran to the door.
"This child." Shi Rushuang walked over and covered the steamer with cloth, and said helplessly: "Look at how reckless she is. If we are not with her in the future, how can we rest assured?"
Han Lianxin finished peeling the corn and took a bite of the bare corn cob. The core was particularly sweet. She squinted her eyes and smiled: "I think Qingqing is a person with her own ideas. It's only when we are around her that she always acts like a child who never grows up."
"That's right." Zhang Yuqing was rolling out the dumpling wrappers, her hands covered with white flour: "People in our Gu family seem to be careless, but they are actually very careful."
Shi Rushuang thought of her man and couldn't help but nod in agreement. She couldn't help but look at the letter on the table: "Qing Lie has sent a letter, and this time Can Yang, the brat, has fallen behind his brother."
"The Air Force is busier than the Army..." her two sisters-in-law comforted her.
"Thank you, Comrade Gu Qingqing. Sorry to trouble you." The postman took the black bowl, tilted his head back and gulped down the liquid.
"The sun has been really strong lately..." The postman lifted his sleeves and wiped the water from the corners of his mouth, his expression bright and cheerful: "This is licorice water, it feels really cool when I drink it."
"Yes, I dug them from the mountain." Gu Qingqing handed him two steamed buns and said, "You can't go back for dinner in a while. Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, and my family doesn't have anything good. Just treat us as you like."
"No, no." The postman saw the two big white steamed buns and waved his hands repeatedly: "You keep them for yourselves. We are not rich and can't even afford a few bowls of white flour. How can I take your food?"
"Take it!" Gu Qingqing forced it into his mouth, grinning, "You serve the people, so we can't let you go hungry. Besides, our family has caused you a lot of trouble."
This is true. Sometimes during the busy farming season, farmers don’t have time to go to town to buy things, so when the postman comes, he will give the ticket to him and help carry it. The villagers in Datunzi Village and Dagouzi Village all like this young man.
"Okay, I won't be polite then." After riding his bike for the whole morning, he was really a little hungry. He put away the big flower roll and pedaled his bike again: "I'm leaving first. Come back next time when you have a letter from your brother."
"Okay." Gu Qingqing watched him ride away on his bike and ran to the kitchen in great joy.
"Qingqingbao, what did Qinglie say?" Gu Bao came over with the processed loaches and fish and put them on the stove. Seeing his niece opening the envelope, he hurried over.
"I haven't watched it yet... Mostly it's the same old routine, asking about grandpa, grandma, father, mother, uncles, aunts, and then asking if everyone is healthy, when my uncle is getting married, and whether my brothers have any good news..."
Gu Bao felt a headache after hearing this: "Your second brother is always nagging. He has been in the army for so long and he hasn't found a wife for himself. I am the elder! He always asks about me..."
As he spoke, he secretly glanced at his mother who was watching his third brother chopping stuffing with her hands behind her back, and felt a little guilty.
Gu Qingqing didn't care what her uncle was thinking. She read the letter quickly and found that it was almost exactly what she said. Gu Qinglie was really talkative. He repeated the same words more than ten times on one and a half pages of two pages. It was really difficult for him.
The second half of the paper talked about his life in the army, and ended with a sentence:
"Brother, I want to eat the candied green plums at home."
Gu Qingqing raised her eyebrows and thought, why don’t you come back to eat.
"Qingqing," Shi Rushuang fumbled with her hands on the hem of her clothes and walked over: "What did your second brother say?"
"Read it yourself." Gu Qingqing handed the letter to A Niang, then picked up the envelope and clasped it twice in her palm, and several bills and five big reunion notes fell out.
"Rice coupons." Gu Bao glanced at them and said with a smile, "We don't lack food at home. Qingqingbao, please write back to Qinglie and tell him not to save the food and send it home. We have everything at home."
"Your uncle is right." Zhang Cuifen poured herself a glass of water while sitting at the table. "Every time this child sends money back, he has saved up several months' worth of food coupons, cloth coupons, and various oil and sugar coupons. He doesn't even know how thin he has become in the army."
"Although our family has no shortage of food, the land at my parents' home as well as Lianxin and Yuqing's parents' home are all very barren. Mother, my parents' home is nearby, so we can deliver the food directly there this time. It happens that Lianxin and Yuqing are back now, so you can let them take the food coupons home so that their journey will be easier." Shi Rushuang looked at her little son's mumbling in the letter, and her heart softened.
"How can this be possible!" Before Zhang Cuifen could say anything, Han Lianxin's loud voice rang out: "This is what Qinglie sent back from the province. Sister-in-law, I know you treat us well. Take these food coupons back to your uncle and aunt. My Xiongwa has plenty of strength, so it's no problem for him to transport some food."
"Yes, sister-in-law, you should keep it for yourself. There are many people in your in-laws' family, and the output of one acre of land there is only about 300 kilograms. It would be great if Qinglie's filial piety could be given to his grandparents." Zhang Yuqing echoed.
Zhang Cuifen felt happy and helpless when she heard what her daughters-in-law said.
Happiness means that the whole family is harmonious and happy.
Unfortunately, the sisters-in-law of other families are always thinking about how to scheme against each other to get some food. They even fight for an egg for a long time, and there is chaos all day long.
The ones in her family are just like that, pushing each other for the 200 kilograms of food coupons.
When several daughters-in-law had just married into the family, it was no exaggeration to say that the family was penniless. They could not even have a full meal all year round, and none of them brought food with them. The sweet potatoes and taro sent by their parents' home were shared.
Now that things are going better and better, she believes that the Gu family will be even better off in the future.
"The second and third daughters-in-law will go back to their parents' home tomorrow to take the food coupons. The eldest daughter-in-law will go to the warehouse to get 100 kilograms of millet. Canyang and Qinglie are not at home. Yuanchao, you and your aunt will take them to your great grandfather's house." Zhang Cuifen thought for a moment and continued, "The third daughter-in-law brought me two bottles of maltose today. It's a good opportunity to take them to the eldest daughter-in-law's home. Your sister-in-law is about to give birth. You have to take good care of her during the confinement period."
"Okay, that's it." Zhang Yuqing smiled and patted the flour on her hands: "I was wondering why mom used old clothes to make a few sets of doll clothes. It turns out that they were prepared for my eldest sister-in-law's younger brothers and sisters."
"That's right. The youngest one in our family is already seventeen years old. Their childhood clothes have long been given away to neighbors, so we can only make new ones. Even though the clothes are old, these coarse cotton ones are very comfortable for little kids to wear..." Zhang Cuifen started chattering again.
After preparing the filling, Gu Cai taught his nephews how to make dumplings, and listened to what his mother and daughter-in-law said from time to time.
Shi Rushuang smiled and folded the letter carefully, saying, "I will listen to you, mom. If my brother and sister-in-law knew that mom has been thinking about her, they would be so worried."
"As it should be, we are all relatives." Zhang Cuifen waved her hand.
"Qingqing?" Gu Bao listened with great interest. He turned around and saw that his niece had been silent for a long time. He asked, "What are you looking at? Hey, did Qinglie send back the photos?"
He immediately saw Gu Qinglie, who was grinning in his military green uniform, but Gu Qingqing's eyes were fixed on the man in a neat military uniform and high-spirited look standing next to her second brother.
The man's skinny hand was lazily placed on her second brother's shoulder. His long and well-proportioned fingers had distinct joints and the blue veins on his arm were clearly visible.
His dark sword-like eyebrows flew into his temples, his pair of star-like eyes were unruly and scorching, and the corners of his lips were raised wantonly. Even through the photo, Gu Qingqing could feel the hot breath blowing on her face.
"Why is your face so red? Is it too hot?" Gu Bao took the photo from her hand and said, "It's just your second brother. What's so good about him? Let me see if he has changed."
"Huh?" Gu Bao saw the person in the photo clearly and was surprised: "Who is this? She is prettier than Canyang!"
Gu Canyang was the best-looking boy in Datunzi Village, so it was no surprise to the villagers that he was chosen as a pilot.
Gu Qingqing came back to her senses, quickly poured herself a cup of licorice water to cool down, and said softly, "It should be my second brother's comrade-in-arms."
"Let me see." Gu Qinglie hadn't been home since he joined the army, and Shi Rushuang hadn't seen her son for a long time. She looked at him carefully and said with satisfaction, "He's darker, thinner, and more energetic."
"Their eyes look sharp when they are in the army," Gu Cai also took a look and said, "The boy next to them is really good-looking. Our Qing Lie has grown up and can defend our country!"
This is not a peaceful time. Xue Jianshan, the militia battalion commander, still has a gun on his waist when he patrols the village. In addition to patrolling the village every day, he also has to train the militia. The order given by the superiors is to fight as soon as they are called.
Zhang Cuifen squinted at the photo, then looked at her granddaughter who was drinking water vigorously in the corner. She exchanged glances with her eldest daughter-in-law.
There is no need to explain Qinglie's purpose in sending the photos back. They had agreed in advance that whoever liked the boy would show the photos to his sister. Based on Zhang Cuifen's understanding of her grandson, this boy must be someone Qinglie knew very well and had carefully examined before deciding on.
It goes without saying how much these two guys love the Gu family's daughter. They must be very sure of the man's character, which is why they wrote to him.
"My dear." Shi Rushuang said softly, "What do you think of this boy?"
"Mother!" Gu Qingqing felt shy and embarrassed. Thinking of the man's unruly eyes in the photo, her heart started beating like a drum and her face felt even hotter.
"My second brother wanted to eat candied green plums, so I sent them to him!"
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