Zhou Yuanyuan was very busy. In addition to practicing boxing with Zhao Qingshan every morning, she would read the medical book she found in Zhao Qingshan's room whenever she had free time. Sometimes she would point to the herbal pictures in the book that she didn't recognize and ask Zhao Qingshan about them.
Zhao Qingshan was overjoyed. He hadn't expected that Yuanyuan would enjoy both martial arts and medicine, which Zhao Yunxiang and Zhao Guohui disliked. Zhao Qingshan didn't care whether Zhou Yuanyuan understood or not. He had one more thing to do every day: holding the Zhao Family Medical Classic and explaining it to Zhou Yuanyuan in detail.
In Zhao Qingshan's opinion, regardless of whether Zhou Yuanyuan could understand his words about "tonifying, dispelling heat, attacking the interior, and inducing vomiting" or "raising yang and benefiting the stomach, using ginseng, astragalus, coptis, pinellia, grass, and tangerine peel," she was just a child after all! Even if she couldn't learn medical skills, learning a few more words would be good.
That morning, just as the two children finished their exercises, Xiaocao arrived. Xiaocao was Aunt Gu's granddaughter and was a good friend of Zhou Yuanyuan.
"Yuanyuan, do you want to go to the mountain to pick pine cones?" Xiaocao stood at the gate of the yard, carrying a large basket that was almost as tall as her body.
There are many pine trees on Daqing Mountain. In autumn, the pine trees will let some of the pine needles and pine cones fall from the trees in order to survive the winter. There are many pine trees on Daqing Mountain. In autumn and winter, the pine needles and pine cones form a thick layer on the ground.
Although Daqingshan is still closed to tree felling, the government still allows nearby villagers to collect pine needles, cones, or dead branches for burning during this period.
Dried pine needles are a valuable resource. Many families in Zhaojiagou pick them up and use them as fire starters. Just a little spark will set them ablaze. As for pine cones, they can only be used as firewood.
Children in rural areas start helping with housework at home when they are five or six years old, such as digging pig grass, picking pine cones and collecting pine needles. Children in Zhaojiagou are used to doing these things.
Zhao Qingshan's family didn't raise pigs, so there was no need to pull pigweed. Xiaocao thought about it for two days before she came up with something fun and relaxing like picking pine cones, and that's when she came to find Zhou Yuanyuan to join her.
"Xiaocao, come in. I'll go with you after breakfast." Zhou Yuanyuan reached out and brushed away her sweaty hair, calling Xiaocao.
Zhou Yuanyuan had just finished practicing, and despite the cold weather, she was sweating. Since they were heading up the mountain, she wanted to dry herself off and change into dry underwear to avoid catching a cold in the mountain breeze. Adding breakfast to the mix, it would take at least twenty minutes to complete all of this.
"Yuanyuan, I'll wait for you here." Xiaocao shook her head and stood stubbornly outside the door. Xiaocao came to the Zhao family a few days ago. Zhou Yuanyuan gave her a beautiful ribbon. When she went home, Zhao Yunxiang also gave her a bag full of fruit candies.
As a result, Xiaocao's mother was delighted when she returned home with her gifts. She immediately confiscated Xiaocao's ribbon and candy. Xiaocao's mother said that her eldest sister was thirteen years old, and Xiaocao's pink ribbon was perfect for her. She also gave the candies to Xiaocao's three brothers, explaining that Xiaocao had already eaten and played with them at Zhao Qingshan's house, and that the candies should be given to her two older brothers and one younger brother, who hadn't had any yet.
Xiaocao's mother also asked Xiaocao to visit Zhao Qingshan's house more often. Anyway, Zhou Yuanyuan liked her to play with her, so Xiaocao put down her work of digging pig grass and chopping firewood at home to play with her, and it was only right that she should eat and take things with her.
Xiaocao was very embarrassed. She had been to Uncle Qingshan's house, and Yuanyuan, Uncle Qingshan, and Aunt Yunxiang had been very kind to her. How could she possibly think of asking for anything from them? Besides, even if she had played with Yuanyuan for a long time, she hadn't neglected the tasks of digging pig grass and collecting firewood after returning home!
Xiaocao made up her mind not to go into Uncle Qingshan's house easily in the future, so as to avoid asking for food and taking things, which would be so embarrassing!
Seeing that Xiaocao refused to come in, Zhou Yuanyuan had to quickly wipe her face and change her underwear. Without even having time to eat breakfast, she grabbed two big buns in her hand, picked up an empty basket and rushed out the door.
"Yuanyuan, take two more buns and share some with Xiaocao." Zhao Yunxiang chased after him for two steps and shouted loudly.
Zhou Yuanyuan turned around, waved her hand, and left.
"Hey! This kid is so impatient." Zhao Yunxiang complained. Daqing Mountain is right there, with plenty of pine cones on the mountain. Why is Yuanyuan running so fast?
"Auntie, I'll go!" Wen Ziqing took out a lunch box, picked up a few buns from the pot, packed them up, and carried them away. Zhao Yunxiang had made several large pots of buns this morning, and they were very fragrant. Wen Ziqing ate six in one go.
Little girls sometimes lose track of time when playing, and Yuanyuan doesn't like to eat alone. Wen Ziqing knew Zhou Yuanyuan would definitely share one of her buns with Xiaocao. After such a long training session, Yuanyuan only ate one bun in the morning and was hungry soon.
Sure enough, less than ten meters away from home, Zhou Yuanyuan stuffed a bun in her hand to Xiaocao.
The white and plump buns gave off an enticing aroma. Xiaocao had only drunk a bowl of porridge in the morning, and the smell made her feel even hungrier.
"Yuanyuan, eat by yourself. I came out after having breakfast." Xiaocao's mouth kept drooling, but she still resolutely stuffed the bun back to Zhou Yuanyuan. Grandma said that in this day and age, it is not easy for everyone, and we should not be greedy for other people's food.
Xiaocao's family is like this. His parents earn a living and they have five children, three boys and two girls. They are busy all year round and the family is lucky if they can eat dry rice for a few days. On other days, they have to eat thin porridge every meal.
The bun in Yuanyuan's hand was clearly made of refined white flour. It was bigger than Xiaocao's fist, soft and plump. It must be filled with cabbage and meat. Xiaocao could already smell the aroma of meat and cabbage. Meat! This precious thing Xiaocao's family could only eat once or twice a year.
"Xiaocao, didn't you say we are good friends? If a good friend gives you a bun, why don't you take it? Besides, I have another one in my hand!" Zhou Yuanyuan stuffed the bun into Xiaocao's hand, raised the bun in her hand and took a big bite.
It was really filled with cabbage and pork. Zhou Yuanyuan saw the greasy filling as soon as she took a bite.
After biting into the bun, a rich meaty aroma wafted out. Xiaocao could no longer resist the temptation and took a small bite of the bun in her hand. Mmm~ It was really delicious, just as she had imagined, soft and fluffy, and her mouth was filled with the aroma of wheat after chewing.
"Is it delicious?" Zhou Yuanyuan saw Xiaocao take a small bite, but before she even got to the filling, she squinted her eyes in happiness. Zhou Yuanyuan couldn't help but feel a little sad about her current life. Although she didn't have to suffer from hunger or cold, she was still a long way from having enough food.
"Two years later!" Everything will be fine in two years. By then, the rural areas will have implemented the household contract responsibility system, and every household will work tirelessly for themselves. Life will be like sesame blossoms blooming—prospering day by day. Xiaocao, this child, is so sensible! She's only six years old, and although she craves the buns, she tries her best to refuse them. In her previous life, she was a silly fool at six.
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