When I got to the door, I saw a little light flickering. When I got closer, I saw that it was the old man who was still awake and sitting at the door smoking. When he saw him come back, he asked, "Why are you back so late?"
Qin Huai took the backpack off his back, handed it to him and said, "Grandpa, don't worry."
Old Man Qin took the basket and looked at it and said, "Eel? This thing is very slippery. I didn't expect it to exist. No one in the village knows how to catch it. Where did you catch it?"
"On the riverbank, not in the water."
"Just use the hook you made?"
Qin Huai nodded. The old man came over and looked the hook up and down for a while before handing it to him. He said, "You can catch eels this way. I've lived a lifetime and today has opened my eyes."
"It's not difficult."
It is not difficult to say. To catch eels, you must know how to observe the eel's movement trajectory and accurately find the hole where it hides, so that the bait will be effective.
"You go take a shower and go to bed. I'll clean up."
The old man urged Qin Huai, and Qin Huai said, "Okay."
He was too tired, so he just washed himself casually, not caring about the fishy smell on his body, and saw the old man preparing eels.
First, he bled the eel, dripping the blood onto the paper he had prepared in advance. Seeing Qin Huai looking at him, he smiled and said, "Eel blood can stop bleeding and treat injuries. Once it dries, it can be used as medicine. Villagers who are injured will come to borrow it."
The saying that an old person in the family is like a treasure is indeed true.
But the old man didn't know how to cook crabs, so Qin Huai said, "You don't need to cook the crabs. Just put them away and clean them up when you cook tomorrow."
The next morning, Qin Huai opened his eyes and saw a pair of dark eyes looking at him. He sat up and saw that it was Goudan and asked him, "Goudan, why did you come so early?"
"I'm already up and you're not. Uncle Qin Huai is a big lazy bum." Goudan yelled and ran away.
Qin Huai walked out of the shabby house. It was still dark. On the millstone at the door, Sister Hong and her maid were grinding corn. They had been working for who knows how long, their faces covered in sweat. Qin Huai ran over and said, "Sister Hong, why didn't you call me?"
Sister Hong said, "I heard from my uncle that you were busy all night last night, so I told you to get some more sleep."
The girl also said: "Brother, you were busy all night last night, you should get more sleep."
Sister Hong refused Qin Huai's help, so Qin Huai had no choice but to thank her again. Seeing the old man squatting on the ground, looking at the adobe bricks that had been demolded yesterday, he also came over. It was dry in autumn, and the bricks looked very dry. The old man stood up and said regretfully, "It would be best to leave them for a few days before using them."
"It doesn't matter. As long as it dries quickly on the wall, it'll be fine."
"That's all we can do."
After washing my face, I looked around the village. No one came over. I thought everyone was just chatting casually yesterday, so I asked the old man:
"Grandpa, didn't the villagers say they would come to help yesterday? Why haven't they arrived yet?"
"Everyone has breakfast before coming here. Everyone feels bad about eating three meals a day." The old man really understands the villagers.
Qin Huai was stunned, but he soon realized that in an era of material scarcity, it would be more difficult for individuals to survive than they had imagined. The only way for everyone to survive was to stick together and help each other.
Hong Jie had also finished pushing the millstone and, together with the maid, had packed up the cornmeal. They were walking over here. Qin Huai opened the water vat and saw that it was empty. He picked up the shoulder pole and said, "I'll go fetch some water."
At the well in the center of the village, many people were already queuing up to draw water. Someone saw Qin Huai and said, "Lame man, I heard your family is planning to renovate their house?"
"Yes."
These people's questions were tricky: "I heard that the Red Widow also went to help, aren't you afraid?"
"Afraid?" He didn't understand what it meant.
A sharp female voice sounded from behind, "Where did you get the grain to repair the house, you useless piece of shit? It must have been given by the Red Widow. You're so young and hanging out with widows and barren women. Don't blame anyone else for your misfortune in the future."
Qin Huai knew who this familiar voice belonged to without even turning around.
Wu Huixiang walked over with disdain.
He knew that the widow was Sister Hong, but who was the barren woman? How could she be implicated in this misfortune?
"Second Aunt, thank you for your concern. It's really not easy to repair a house. My parents are not around. If you really care about me, just help me with some food or something, and I won't have to do things that you look down on." Qin Huai was not angry at all.
"You wish for it. Why should I give you food?"
The women carrying water laughed at her and said, "Auntie, you are just making sarcastic remarks. What's the point of having a relative like you other than getting angry? Qin Huai, you can carry water first. Your family has to work today. Eat early and start working."
Qin Huai thanked everyone and walked to the front to fetch water.
Wu Huixiang was furious, but was stopped by several women. She had no choice but to watch Qin Huai fetch water. Qin Huai picked up the water and thanked the women, saying, "Aunties, thank you for speaking up for me."
"What are you thanking me for? You are a good kid. Take good care of your two sisters."
After walking a short distance, I heard someone behind me say: You are still young and ignorant. I really don't understand what it means.
Qin Huai understood that his reputation was completely ruined. Although there was nothing wrong with his association with Sister Hong, his affair with Qin Fengying had long been known to the villagers.
The girl made corn porridge today. Qin Huai opened the pot and saw that there was probably only a handful of corn and a large pot of water in it.
"Brother, you are a man, don't worry about the pot head. Men should do big things outside."
Qin Huai smiled and said, "You put a lot of pressure on me when I say that. If I can't accomplish anything great in the future, I'll be sorry for you cooking for me every day."
Sister Hong happened to hear this and said, "Qin Huai, your personality is much better now."
"Sister Hong, we're already so poor. If we keep looking miserable every day, won't we be wasting our lives?"
Seeing Sister Hong nod, he immediately said, "I have to do some hard work today, can you make the porridge thicker..."
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