"Together."
Qin Yanzheng just wanted to stick close to his wife.
"No need, with so many people in the kitchen, there's probably not even room to move."
Song Lan shook her head, and then she walked towards the kitchen.
Qin Yanzheng stood there for a moment before striding into the main room.
"Brother-in-law, Mom and Dad are sitting on the kang (heated brick bed)!"
That was Song Guoqing's voice. He was in his parents' room, but he wasn't on the kang (a heated brick bed). He was just standing on the floor, leaning against the cabinet, chatting with his parents. Suddenly, he heard Qin Yanzheng's footsteps and couldn't help but call out to the door.
"Have your grandma and your uncles eaten yet?"
When Li Jumei saw Qin Yanzheng enter from outside the room, she immediately smiled. Upon hearing her question, Qin Yanzheng replied:
"When Lanlan and I arrived, they were cooking. Both my uncles invited us to stay for dinner, but Lanlan and I politely declined, saying that our family had already prepared food for us."
"Sit on the kang (heated brick bed)."
Song Sanhe suddenly spoke up.
Qin Yanzheng: "No, my brother and I will just stand on the ground. It will be easier for us to get the food from the kitchen later."
Li Jumei: "With your older brother and Guoqing helping you, you can rest in peace on the kang and warm your hands and feet."
"I……"
Qin Yanzheng wanted to say "I'm not cold," but before he could finish speaking, Song Guoqing's voice rang out: "Brother-in-law, why don't you get on the kang? Serving this food isn't a technical task. Besides, it's only a few steps from the kitchen to this room. I can get it done by making a few more trips."
This is the kitchen area.
"Sister-in-law, why don't you take a break? I'll cook the remaining two dishes."
Feng Yuanyuan and Song Qingbin wouldn't let Song Lan help, and repeatedly urged her to sit on the kang (heated brick bed). However, Song Lan stayed in the kitchen and wouldn't leave. She handed Feng Yuanyuan this and that, and suddenly noticed that her sister-in-law was rubbing her lower back. She couldn't help but laugh and suggest that she take charge of cooking the dishes that hadn't been cooked yet.
"There are only two dishes left to cook, so it will be quick. Just listen to your brother and me and go rest on the kang (heated brick bed) to avoid getting covered in dust later."
The kitchen was very dusty, and Feng Yuanyuan didn't want Song Lan to end up covered in dust.
"It's okay, it'll fall off with a pat."
The firewood used for burning was collected from the mountain, and since it stayed in the kitchen, it didn't actually accumulate much ash.
The two women, with smiles on their faces, chatted as they worked on the stove, while Song Qingbin barely chimed in.
"I'll go set up the tables and chairs, and while I'm at it, I'll open the door to the iron stove in the main room."
"Big brother, go."
"Then I'll serve the dishes and get the bowls and chopsticks."
"That kid Guoqing is there!"
"We're a family, so it doesn't matter who serves the food or sets the table."
After hearing what Song Lan said, Song Qingbin didn't say anything more, but as soon as he entered the main room, he called Song Guoqing to go to the kitchen to get the food, and at the same time called his parents and his brother-in-law Qin Yanzheng to get off the kang (a heated brick bed) to eat.
The iron stove in the main room was mainly used to boil water. The stove door was opened, and the back door of the main room was closed. A cotton curtain was hung on the front door. Before long, the whole main room became warm.
Once the food was on the table and the family members were seated, Song Sanhe invited them to start eating.
Qin Yanzheng was driving, so he didn't drink much.
The meal was a lively and enjoyable affair.
"I wonder how your second brother spent the New Year."
Song Qingbin was washing pots and dishes in the kitchen, and Qin Yanzheng and Song Guoqing went to help. At this moment, Song Lan and Feng Yuanyuan were sitting on the kang with Song Sanhe and his wife. They heard their elderly mother mention their second brother, Song Qinghui.
Song Lan smiled and said, "The army is a big family. My second brother must be making dumplings with his comrades on New Year's Eve to welcome the New Year together."
“You brat has only sent one letter home since he enlisted. I’m so worried that something might happen to him out there, but he chose this path himself, and your dad and I can’t say anything, lest he be worried and unable to train properly…”
Li Jumei complained about her son Song Qinghui, but anyone could hear the concern in her words. She was genuinely worried about Song Qinghui's safety, afraid that one day she would hear some bad news coming home.
“My second brother is busy with training and also has to go out on missions from time to time, so he naturally doesn’t have much time to write letters home.”
To date, Song Lan has only received one letter from Song Qinghui.
However, Song Lan had already sent three packages to the other party.
There are various emergency medicines available, as well as ready-made dried meat, preserved fruit, meat sauce, chili sauce, and other foods that keep well.
She believed that with Song Qinghui's physical condition and the internal energy cultivation techniques and martial arts skills she had taught him, the possibility of him encountering danger was very small.
Li Jumei was comforted by Song Lan in a few words, and she casually chatted with Song Lan and Feng Yuanyuan about the educated youth in the village.
Song Sanhe simply sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and listened quietly, without joining in the conversation.
Around the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, another batch of educated youth arrived in the village.
After listening to Li Jumei's words, Song Lan looked at Song Sanhe.
"The news that the former brigade leader brought back from a meeting at the commune that year."
Song Sanhe said, "The brigade leader was very worried about this. He felt that the educated youth were not good at carrying heavy loads and had a lot of problems. He was worried that the new educated youth would have conflicts with the old educated youth and that a lot of trouble would arise."
Song Lan: "The policy of sending educated youth to the countryside is a national policy, but it should be abolished in a few years. After all, the country needs to build and develop, and it needs a large number of talents."
Feng Yuanyuan: "You mean that the educated youth will eventually return to the city?"
"I can't say all of them; it depends on the specific national policies."
Song Lan replied, and then she asked, "Sister-in-law, if universities resume normal enrollment, will you take the college entrance examination?"
"If I have the opportunity, I will definitely participate."
Without hesitation, Feng Yuanyuan said, "I want to go to university and do a job I like." Sales clerks are in high demand now, but she doesn't really like the job.
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