Han Lianxin was curious: "What's going on? What is Qingqing doing in the Corps?"
Gu Qinglie spoke faster than his brain: "I didn't do anything, I just made a pot of bone soup."
"Huh?" Zhang Cuifen and Shi Rushuang were both surprised. "Qingqing can also make soup?"
Gu Qinglie's toes were stepped on, and he couldn't say anything. He nodded: "It tastes pretty good, right, Old Chu?"
Chu Dai had a subtle look on his face, then chuckled, "Yes, second brother."
Gu Qinglie: "..." I feel like you are mocking me.
Not understanding what they were talking about, Chu Yuan and Gu Tiezhu discussed another important matter, "Uncle, father-in-law, when can you set a date for the two children's wedding? Let them have a wedding and get a marriage certificate. Qingqing's household registration can stay in the Gu family and she can live with Adai."
It was the first time Chu Dai heard such an affectionate address from his father, and he felt a little uncomfortable.
Gu Qingqing grabbed his hand from under the table and squeezed it in his palm.
Chu Dai shook hands again and listened to the elders from both sides discussing the marriage.
"The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is good, let's do it." Gu Tiezhu said, "Nephew, you should hurry back to the military area. We can't keep dragging you along. Let's get the two children married so that everyone can feel at ease. Qingqing's household registration will still remain in our Gu family. Even if she does nothing in her life, our Gu family will not lack her for food. We have to leave a way out for the children."
He said this in one breath and then continued to puff on his pipe.
Gu Jin nodded: "I will listen to my father. Father-in-law, do you think this is okay? If it works, let's get started."
"Okay." Chu Yuan was somewhat surprised at how much the Gu family valued his daughter-in-law. "There is one thing I must say. Although my son's personality is not that likable, the men in our Chu family are all very reliable. Qingqing will not need any retreat after marrying into our Chu family. The Chu family is her greatest support in this life."
After hearing his words, the Gu family members were silent for a moment. Gu Yin, who was usually taciturn, spoke up for the first time: "My father-in-law is the commander of the military region. He will not go back on his word. We believe you."
Chu Yuan looked up at the second son of the Gu family who had not spoken a word, and suddenly shook his head and smiled.
No wonder all the children in the Gu family are so smart. There are no fools among the elders. They even use his status to suppress him.
"Now that everything has been decided, let's spend the next few days peacefully and have a good New Year, and then start to prepare. We have brought cigarettes, wine, and wedding candies. Brother Qingqing will bring back clothes and bedding from the tailor shop tomorrow. I will follow my brother to experience the comfortable life in the next few days."
Chu Yuan said as he ate the noodles in the bowl cleanly, and said with a hearty smile: "Sister, this noodles is really delicious, can I have another bowl?"
Han Lianxin quickly took the bowl and said, "Of course you can. There's plenty in the pot. Please eat as much as you can, father-in-law."
After saying that, she went to the kitchen to get some noodles.
The Gu family's yard was full of joy. Gu Tiezhu was happily reminiscing about the past and chatting with Chu Yuan. Gu Jin was obsessed with his TV and asked the two brothers Gu Bao to tinker with it for a long time.
Gu Xiong and Gu Yuanchao and their brothers brought back five or six lively fish. Gu Qingqing quickly emptied the water tank and let them put the fish in.
Chu Dai went to her room to rest, and Chu Zhao also went to Gu Qinglie's room to sleep.
Gu Qingqing was not tired after a day of hard work. She went back and forth to the water well several times, filled the big vat with water, looked at the fish swimming around in it, and asked her brother: "When will Third Uncle come back? I want to eat boiled fish."
Gu Yuanchao had just washed his hands and took a kitchen knife from the kitchen to sharpen it for Gu Xiong: "It's almost time, it must be time to buy New Year's goods, why don't you go pick some basil first, and I'll pick some green vegetables, it will be delicious when I cook fish tonight."
Gu Qingqing responded: "Can we go to the ditch to catch some snails tonight? I want to eat snails and roast duck for Chinese New Year tomorrow."
When Shi Rushuang came in from outside collecting the bowls, she heard the brother and sister discussing how to catch and pluck the ducks. She said with a smile, "As soon as you came back, you were thinking about grandma's ducks. Don't you have any meat to eat in the border town?"
Gu Qingqing pouted: "I eat it occasionally. Uncle Yu's braised pork is especially delicious, but I usually eat sweet potatoes and potatoes."
Shi Rushang was stunned. No wonder Qinglie was so thin now. He looked tall and big, with not a pound of fat on his face.
Zhang Cuifen was putting away the firewood in the stove. When she heard this, she felt so distressed: "My dear, I am sorry for you. Go catch a duck and a chicken. Grandma will light a fire for you. Clip the feathers and cook them when your father comes back."
"Okay!" Gu Yuanchao winked at his sister, and the two siblings didn't care about anything else and turned around and ran to the backyard.
"These brother and sister are so impetuous." Shi Rushuang shook her head.
"Qingqing is married now, so don't worry about it. Go soak some beans and grind them to make tofu tomorrow morning."
"Yeah." Shi Rushuang went inside, opened the sack, scooped out half a bucket of soybeans, and soaked them in water.
Da Mi ran to another fish pond to see what was going on. When he came back, he still had a small fish in his mouth. Gu Xiong waved at him, and he ran over happily and spit out the palm-sized fish in his mouth onto the ground like a treasure.
The little fish swung twice on the bluestone slab and then died completely.
At around five in the afternoon, Gu Cai and Zhang Yuqing pushed open the gate of the courtyard carrying two large baskets of things, and at first glance they saw a bicycle at the door.
Gu Cai said, "Brother Qin is here?"
Gu Jin was asking Gu Bao, who was climbing up the roof, to calibrate the antenna. Upon hearing this, he said unhappily, "What Brother Qin? This belongs to your brother."
"Oh, brother, our family has become rich?" Zhang Yuqing put the things in her hands on the stone table, looking at the sewing machine, radio, washing machine and refrigerator on the floor, she clicked her tongue.
Gu Cai was a little worried, looking at Gu Jin who was fiddling with the TV: "Brother, you won't embezzle the team's money, right? We don't allow this."
"The thief in the abacus is so greedy that he values even a penny more than his life. How can I stand a chance? Besides, is your brother that kind of person?" Gu Jin was speechless: "Come here and help me move the TV. Xiongwa, stop sharpening the knife and go to the room to move a table for uncle. Everyone in the team will come over to watch TV later."
Gu Xiong was a man who would move as soon as he was shouted at and was very strong. As soon as Gu Jin finished speaking, he moved a wooden table out from the main room by himself.
His father is a carpenter, and his house is mostly filled with tables, chairs and cabinets.
"Hey, hey, Bao'er, move a little to the left." Gu Jin waved his hand towards Gu Bao on the roof, "Watch your feet and don't fall down."
"It still has to go left." Snowflakes started to appear on the screen, a frame flashed by, and soon disappeared.
Gu Qingqing picked some basil and green vegetables from the backyard. Gu Yuanchao held a chicken in his left hand and a duck in his right hand, avoiding the crooked electric wires under his feet.
“Third Uncle!” Gu Qingqing’s eyes lit up when she saw Gu Cai, and she ran over quickly: “Third Uncle, I missed you so much, why did you come back just now?!”
Gu Cai was knocked back by his niece, and patted her head with his big hand: "Didn't you write to me some time ago saying that you would come back at the end of the year? Your uncle went to buy some meat and some candy, and your aunt saw a piece of red cloth and quickly pulled it back, just in time for your mother to make you a wedding dress."
"Third uncle and aunt still love me. I want to eat boiled fish tonight. Can you make it for me?"
"Okay, of course." Gu Cai sighed in his heart: "Our Qingqing will not be able to eat Uncle San's cooking many times in the future."
As soon as he said this, Gu Qingqing's eyes dimmed a little, and Gu Jin, who was watching TV, also fell silent.
Zhang Yuqing pinched his arm and said, "Xiongwa has sharpened your knife for you, but you are still hesitating. Go kill the fish quickly, and save the fish scales for me. I will make fish jelly."
Among the three daughters-in-law of the Gu family, Zhang Yuqing was the most gentle one. Now she couldn't help but speak in an anxious tone, signaling him to leave quickly and not mention this matter again.
Gu Cai rubbed Gu Qingqing's head again and said, "Third Uncle, remember there is still a piece of bacon at home. I'll just pick some garlic sprouts to stir-fry for you."
Only then did Gu Qingqing become happy.
Now that we have electricity, it is more convenient at night and we don’t need kerosene lamps anymore.
In addition to a warm yellow light bulb in each room, there is also one under the greenhouse in the yard outside.
It was connected with a long flowery wire, which could be pulled everywhere.
It's cold in winter, and the kitchen is especially busy.
Gu Qingqing and Chu Dai sat on a small stool in front of the stove and made a fire. Chu Dai added hard firewood to the stove with tongs in his hand, and Gu Qingqing stretched out her little hands to warm the fire.
Chu Yuan and Gu Tiezhu sat in front of the coal stove with a pot of dried melon wine simmering on the stove. The guards carried in the large sack of dried sweet potatoes they had brought back and roasted them on the stove for them to drink with the wine.
"Uncle, your wine is quite strong." Chu Yuan took a sip and felt his throat burning, and the burning sensation spread all the way to his stomach. "Great!"
Gu Tiezhu narrowed his eyes and smiled: "This is what we farmers brew ourselves. It's not as delicious as grain wine, but it's still good for satisfying hunger. It's not as good as the Zhuyeqing and Maotai you brought."
Two bottles of the wine he brought have already been opened. Gu Tie had never drunk or even heard of these two kinds of wine before.
This time, after taking two sips, I realized that not all wines are spicy in the throat, some are mellow and smooth.
"I think this melon-shaped wine is pretty good, uncle, can I take some back with me?"
"Of course, of course." Gu Tiezhu was delighted when he heard this. The military district commander loved to drink the wine he brewed. He would go out and brag about it to his old buddies tomorrow.
"Brother, what do you think of the people in my family?" Gu Qingqing asked softly, putting her hand on his knee.
Chu Dai's heart was burning with enthusiasm. "Very good. I like it very much."
It made him feel like he had been away from home for a long time. His father must have felt the same way, smiling all day long.
Gu Qingqing leaned her head on his shoulder and played with his fingertips. "When will your transfer order to the island come down?"
"The fifteenth day of the first lunar month." Chu Dai looked at her with compassion, his heart softened: "You can only stay at home for half a month."
"It's okay. We can come back when we have some time off." Gu Qingqing smelled the aroma of roasted duck and saw her uncle waving a spatula. She smiled and shouted, "Uncle! Let me taste it to see if it's cooked!"
Gu Cai scooped up a piece of duck meat with a spatula and passed it to her: "Try it, add some chopped green onions and it's ready to serve. Go tell your father to stop fiddling with the TV and go to the main room to eat."
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