Chapter 37: Thank You Gift

As soon as Deng Shirong returned home, someone brought him a thank-you gift.

The gifts to thank the matchmaker in this era are very particular. The first is a red envelope, usually ten to thirty yuan.

Then there is the pig's butt. For families that cannot afford it or are stingy, the pig's butt will only weigh about four to five pounds. For families that are well-off and generous, the pig's butt can weigh more than ten pounds.

A pork butt must be paired with a piece of pork. The size of the piece of pork can be arbitrary, usually about one or two pounds.

Then comes the indispensable five-flavor dish and a plate of braised pork.

A piece of braised pork belly is made from a whole piece of pork belly, and it comes in different sizes. A large one weighs more than ten to twenty pounds, while a small one weighs only a few pounds.

Then there are cigarettes, alcohol, candy and cookies, which are also indispensable items.

In addition, there are rice, sesame seeds, peanuts, various beans, etc. All these miscellaneous things also need to be matched.

Deng Yunqiang, the cousin, was quite generous. The thank-you gift he gave to Deng Shirong included a red envelope of 30 yuan, about 10 pounds of pork butt, 15 pounds of braised pork, 2 pounds of pork and five spices, two packs of cigarettes, two bottles of wine, 2 pounds of candy, and 2 pounds each of rice, sesame seeds, peanuts, black beans, soybeans, red beans, and mung beans.

Seeing so many thank-you gifts for matchmaking, Deng Shirong smiled so hard that his eyes almost narrowed into slits, because after receiving the tenfold reward from the Matchmaker Reward System, he became rich directly.

After the system reward arrived, Deng Shirong began to give gifts in return.

A five-yuan red envelope, a piece of pork, candies, rice, sesame seeds, peanuts, and half of various beans were also given as a return gift by Deng Shirong.

After the visitor returned with the return gift, except for Deng Yuntai who worked in a tile factory, the other children all gathered around with amazement on their faces.

In this age of material scarcity, it is still very shocking to receive so much meat all at once.

Deng Shirong kept the pork butt, braised pork and the five-flavor dish and asked his eldest daughter to put away the rest. Then he used a kitchen knife to cut the pork butt. Except for the pork bone, he cut the rest of the meat into three portions, each weighing about two and a half pounds.

Next, cut the braised pork into four portions, one of which weighs five or six pounds, and the other three weigh about three pounds.

Deng Shirong picked up the bamboo strips and skewered the three portions of pork butt and braised pork into three portions. He said to his second son Deng Yunheng, "Yunheng, these are for your two uncles and third aunt. Take them to them now by bike. Tell them that we are going to dig the foundation and build a new house this month. Ask them to come and help if they are free."

Deng Yunheng was shocked and asked, "Dad, are we going to build a new house this month?"

The other brothers and sisters also looked at their father with wide eyes, obviously shocked by this sudden news.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Our house is barely big enough for us to live in now, and your eldest brother is already 20 years old this year, and it's time for him to get married. If we don't build a new house, even if we marry your eldest sister-in-law, where will you live? So, I plan to build the house this year, and when it's finished, I'll find a satisfactory partner for your eldest brother next year."

Deng Yunheng and his brothers and sisters couldn't help but nodded when they heard this.

In marriages of this era, although women were not as particular about houses and cars as they are in later generations, if the woman did not even have a place to live after marrying, the marriage would most likely not be successful.

So after Deng Shirong said this, all the children felt that it was time to build a new house.

Deng Yunheng asked expectantly, "Dad, what do you plan to build the new house like? Can we have our own room?"

Deng Shirong said with a smile on his face: "You seven brothers and sisters will all have your own rooms in the new house. As for what it will look like, you will know when the house is built. It's getting late now, so you should quickly send the pork and braised pork to your two uncles and three aunts."

Deng Yunheng then took a cardboard box and put the pork and braised pork into it. He tied the cardboard box to the back of the bicycle with a hemp rope and rode to his uncle's house.

…

2:30 in the afternoon.

In Xiaojiang Village of Zhouwang Brigade, Chen Dacong sat at the door of his house, smoking a water pipe.

Now the first batch of land in their production team has been distributed to each household, with each person getting one mu and six acres. Chen Dacong and his wife and their four children have been allocated a total of nine mu and six acres of land. With so much land for their family to cultivate, as long as they don't encounter natural disasters or man-made calamities, there should be no problem in having food to eat every day after the harvest.

Now that life has a purpose, one's whole spirit and energy are different.

Sitting opposite Chen Dacong is his wife Li Ying.

Because there were still a few days before rice planting, Li Ying, who had nothing to do, sat at the door of her house mending shoes.

In this era, the shoes worn by rural people are basically made by themselves, and most people are reluctant to spend money to buy shoes at the supply and marketing cooperatives.

Chen Dacong smoked a few cigarettes, then leaned the cigarette tube against the corner. When he looked up, he saw his nephew Deng Yunheng riding a bicycle hurriedly coming to their house.

"Second uncle, second aunt." Deng Yunheng got off his bicycle and greeted them with sweat all over his forehead.

"Yunheng, why are you here?" Chen Dacong asked.

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Li Ying also put down the soles of her shoes, stood up and asked, "Yunheng, have you had lunch? We have porridge and sweet potatoes at home."

"Second Aunt, I've eaten."

Deng Yunheng first replied to his second aunt, then untied the cardboard box tied to the back seat, took out a string of meat from it, and handed it to his second uncle with a smile, saying, "Second uncle, this is for you."

Seeing the pork and braised pork that his nephew handed over, which weighed at least five or six pounds, Chen Dacong widened his eyes and asked, "Yunheng, where did your family get so much pork and braised pork? I remember that your family has only raised pigs for a few months, and it will be at least the end of the year before they are suitable for slaughtering and eating."

Li Ying was also shocked when he saw this. In this day and age, people seldom eat meat except during the Chinese New Year and other festivals. Even if they occasionally buy meat to satisfy their hunger, it is only a few pounds. Not many people are willing to buy several pounds of meat at a time.

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "Second uncle, second aunt, my family didn't kill the pig. This is a thank you gift given to my father by someone else."

Chen Dacong took the pork and asked in surprise, "When did your father help people with matchmaking?"

"It's just this month."

Deng Yunheng briefly introduced his father's matchmaking experience to his second uncle and second aunt, and then said: "My father said that our family is expected to build a new house this month. If you are free, come and help with the construction."

Chen Dacong nodded and said, "It is indeed time for your family to build a new house. After all, your eldest brother is old enough to get married. I have to plant rice in a few days. After that, I will have more free time. I will come to help your family then."

Deng Yunheng hummed and said, "Okay, my dad just said that. I don't know the exact date when we will start building the house. I will come and tell you when we start."

Chen Dacong said: "No problem."

Deng Yunheng said, "I still have to deliver pork to my third uncle and my third aunt, so I'll leave first!"

Li Ying quickly said, "Yunheng, wait a moment. Your dad likes to drink a little wine. I'll get you some peanuts to take back."

(End of this chapter)