"Grandpa, father, mother, are you all doing well in heaven? I have a son now, you must be well. I think our family was able to travel here because you protected us. We will definitely live happily."
Zhou Jiao looked at Zhang Guoqing's red eyes, reached out a hand to pull his hand, and said coquettishly: "Brother, look at your son, doesn't he look like a little pig that has eaten and fallen asleep. Please help move him to the left, and you lie on my right. Go to bed early because you have things to do tomorrow."
"Well, I'll go to the main room and tell Mom to rest and not come here anymore. Feed her every two hours at night. Take out the newborn formula and bottle and try to see if she eats it tonight. Oh, and take out a dozen diapers, two pig's trotters, a pound of red dates, two packets of formula, and a bottle. As for the other meat, take as much as you like, but don't give too much. I'll go out before dawn tomorrow and take a detour back through the clear road.
My mother treasures those rags, so don't throw them away. Wrap them up for me when the time comes. I think my second sister-in-law's child will need them."
Zhou Jiao knew her second brother's little girl was only two years old and still in diapers. She remembered Lin Juhua treating her like a baby, never cleaning up after her. She had no milk to feed, and it was only Zhang's mother who, out of pity, fed her rice porridge. A few times, when they finally managed to make some egg custard for her, Lin Juhua would take advantage of Zhang's mother's back and eat it all herself, leaving her mother so angry she could only scold her. "She's like a little chicken, raised so roughly." Zhou Jiao couldn't help but laugh at the thought.
When Zhang Guoqing arrived at the main house, the kerosene lamp was still on. The kerosene in the lamp cost several cents to keep burning overnight, and in the countryside, people lit kerosene lamps in the dark unless absolutely necessary. So Zhang Guoqing was a little surprised. Was he planning to be on duty in the middle of the night?
"Mom, the baby has just finished feeding and is now asleep. You and my dad haven't rested today. Go to sleep now and don't get up at night. Be careful of getting a cold. I'll be alert at night, don't worry."
Zhang's mother nodded dazedly and told Zhang Guoqing to call her if the child cried, fearing they wouldn't be able to take care of him. Seeing nothing to do, Zhang's father also undressed and went to bed. Zhang Guoqing carefully blew out the light, came out, and closed the door.
At 2 a.m., the baby woke up and started crying. Zhang Guoqing immediately picked him up, prepared formula, and calmed him down. He didn't wake Jiaojiao, believing she'd be weak after giving birth and needed a little extra sleep. After changing her diaper, the little rascal went back to sleep comfortably. He didn't cry or fuss like other children. He truly is his son—he's so smart.
It just so happens that she will be breastfeeding at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning, so I will switch to midnight formula feeding and add formula once during the day, so I don't have to worry about Jiaojiao not being able to handle the breastfeeding.
Zhang Guoqing vaguely sensed movement in the yard, so he got up, looked outside to see the dawn breaking, and packed himself in the dim light.
Walking towards the kitchen, I saw my eldest sister-in-law making breakfast. People in rural areas get up early. Without a watch, it should be past 5 o'clock now. As the eldest sister-in-law, she has been busy every day for more than ten years. It is really not easy.
As for the second sister-in-law, she will have to get up and cook pig food later, otherwise when the pigs start to scream from hunger, his mother will punish her.
In the past, after breakfast, the men would go to the backyard to tend to the vegetable garden or their own plots. No one would just hang around; that was the job of the scoundrels. The women would wash clothes and tidy up the house and yard before going to work at 6:30. In the afternoon, they would come back from work and cut grass for the pigs.
Zhang Guoqing couldn't find his mother, and he wasn't used to yelling. He greeted his sister-in-law and grabbed two vegetable buns for breakfast. Just then, Zhang's mother came into the kitchen, picking some vegetables from the backyard.
"Mom, I'm going to the city first to see if there's anything to sell that can increase lactation. I'll go straight to my sister's place and tell her the good news. When I come back, I'll go to the Zhou family and tell them the good news too, hehe."
After saying that, Zhang Guoqing blinked at Zhang's mother. Zhang's mother knew what he meant and scolded him with a smile: "You little bastard, you are just naughty. You are still a father."
"Mom, if the baby wakes up later, remember to let Jiaojiao feed him once. He ate once at 2 a.m."
"Got it. Mom will prepare her breakfast first. The old hen soup we made last night is just right for making noodles when we get up."
"Oh, mother, your old son has fallen out of favor. You don't want your old son anymore because you have a younger one. You must be sad. Haha, mother, can you see if there's anything you want me to bring with me when I go to the city?"
"Go away, who cares about you, a naughty boy? Go early and come back early. There's nothing to take with you. The brown sugar and eggs are ready. We haven't eaten breakfast yet, so take some steamed buns with you. Remember to buy some steamed buns if you see them in the city."
"Okay. I'll be leaving first." Zhang Guoqing waved his hand and rode away on his bicycle. Zhang's mother watched him turn around the alley and went back to the kitchen until she could no longer see his back.
Zhang Guoqing likes this mother very much. She is sensible and straightforward. You know, rural women live very meticulous lives and are very calculative.
After all, it was only a few years after the liberation, and the problem of food and clothing had not been solved. Even though Zhangjia Village had a good location, fertile soil and abundant mountain forest resources, every family in the village did not have much savings. The best they could do was to have enough food like their family.
Many families in the village who rely on the public welfare system really only have two meals a day of rice and vegetable porridge. Every spring when the snow melts, every family, young and old, gathers wild vegetables to make ends meet. Now, even if you have money, you can't buy food. The high prices make it unaffordable for everyone.
The Zhang family had porridge for breakfast and lunch, and sweet potato rice for dinner, which was considered wealthy. They would eat behind closed doors, not wanting others to see or talk about them. Hatred of the rich is everywhere. Those who lived through those days knew not to reveal their wealth.
Zhang's parents were shrewd and capable, and with the financial support of their two older sisters, they would trade their annual allotment of fine grains for coarse grains in the city. The family's two pigs were sold at the end of each year, providing a source of income beyond the family's income. At the end of the year, they would slaughter the pigs and sell the pork to satisfy their cravings, keeping 20 kilograms for the New Year and gifts.
The eggs laid by the dozen or so chickens were exchanged for daily necessities at home, and every now and then, they were given to the children as a supplement. Of course, Zhang Guoqing was also among the children who received the supplements. In his mother's eyes, the youngest son was just a child.
If he hadn't been attracted to Zhou Jiao, he wouldn't have gotten married so early. At 18, Zhang Guoqing was a tall, muscular man, nearly 180cm tall. His mother had taken good care of him, and his body was full of muscles. Adding to his strength, he often went hunting in the Daqing Mountains, earning a lot of money, which he often brought back home to enjoy.
There was no way to live like this. Zhang Guoqing's parents separated early and the children were young. In those years, there were either Japanese invaders or bandits everywhere. Only their Zhangjia Village was close to the mountains and could hide in the mountains. The elderly, women and children in the village hid in the mountains to collect mountain products. Zhang's father and his brothers went hunting with the strong men in the village, and then secretly went to the city in the dark to sell wild animals and mountain products. Compared with other places, this place was also a good place for feng shui.
After finally driving away the Japanese, the whole village could finally go down the mountain with peace of mind. The houses at the foot of the mountain had long been destroyed by the Japanese. Relying on the money earned during those years of unrest, every household in the village moved in together and helped each other build houses, clear the land, and reclaim wasteland.
After liberation, the people's commune was established and most of the land properties of landlords and rich peasants were liquidated. Zhangjia Village had a small population and a lot of land, and its conditions were much better than other villages.
Other villages all have thatched houses, with only occasional blue brick and tile houses. Zhangjia Village, nestled against the Daqing Mountain, uses stones from the mountain to build houses directly, saving both manpower and money. Those who can afford it will buy tiles to lay their roofs, while those who don't have money will just build a thatched roof.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
