An Moxue happily left Aunt Qing's house with the food box in her hand. When she arrived at the parking area, the others had not yet arrived. Old Ma was chatting with the other old men who drove carts.
An Moxue pulled him aside and said, "Uncle Ma, could you help me find out if there's a person named Qian Weiyong who has been sent down to the countryside?"
Old Ma asked, "What for? To find out about this person?"
An Moxue said, "I asked for a friend. Don't worry, it's nothing else."
Old Ma said, "I'll ask for you next time I go out on a trip, but it's not a good time now. If you're in one of these villages, you'll most likely find her. If she's not there, then it's hard to say. By the way, your aunt wants you to come to our house for the New Year, do you want to come?"
"No, I'm not going. I'm perfectly comfortable on my own! Besides, your brothers and sisters-in-law are all coming back with their kids for the New Year. I'm used to having fewer people around, and I'll feel uncomfortable with so many people. I won't go. I'll go after they leave."
Old Ma understood what she was thinking and didn't try to persuade her. He said, "Cook more good food for yourself. Don't make yourself suffer by being alone."
"Uncle Ma, don't worry! I won't! Come to my house for dinner tonight." An Moxue held up the food box in her hand and continued, "These dishes are made by the descendants of the imperial chefs, they're delicious. When we get home, I'll heat up the food, and you go call my aunt. Let's just consider it an early New Year for the three of us, how about it?"
"OK."
The people who had been in the cart returned one after another. When the time came, no one else came, and Old Ma drove the mule cart out of the county town.
Back in the village, An Moxue said to Old Ma, "Uncle Ma, you and Aunt Ma, hurry up! I'll heat up the food quickly."
Old Ma cracked his whip and said, "I know, I'll be there in a bit. Make sure to get me some wine."
As An Moxue walked, she said, "There definitely is."
After the two parted ways, An Moxue returned home and quickly lit the stove to heat up the dishes.
A short while later, Uncle Ma and Aunt Ma arrived.
"Uncle Ma, Aunt Ma, come inside, it'll be ready soon." An Moxue added the last piece of firewood to the stove.
The elderly couple sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at the clean and tidy house, their hearts filled with indescribable emotions.
An Moxue quickly set the table, picked up the bowls and chopsticks, and served the dishes. Finally, she asked Old Ma, "Uncle Ma, what kind of wine would you like to drink?"
Old Ma became interested and asked, "What kind of wine do you have?"
“Sorghum liquor, rice wine, strong liquor, and wine.”
"Let's have some rice wine and wine, the three of us can drink together."
An Moxue took out two unmarked glass bottles from the box and placed them on the table, then took out three cups.
Question: "Uncle Ma and Auntie, which wine would you like to drink?"
Uncle Ma said, "I want to drink rice wine."
Aunt Ma said, "I want to drink wine."
An Moxue poured Uncle Ma a glass of rice wine, Aunt Ma a glass of wine, and herself a glass of wine.
After pouring the wine, he raised his glass and said to Uncle Ma and Aunt Ma, "Uncle Ma, Aunt Ma, thank you for your continued care and love. I'd like to propose a toast to you."
Uncle Ma and Aunt Ma also raised their glasses.
After taking a sip of wine, An Moxue asked, "How's this wine?"
Uncle Ma tasted the difference as soon as he took a sip of the wine and said, "Good wine." After saying that, he drank all the wine in his glass and then picked up the bottle and poured himself another glass.
Aunt Ma simply thought it tasted wonderful and nodded, saying, "Delicious."
An Moxue thought to herself, "This wine is made from grapes, glutinous rice, and well water from my space. How could it not taste good?"
"Drink as much as you like. We're all free tomorrow anyway. If you drink too much, I'll take you home. You can sleep in when you get home. Eat your food, and it's best if you eat it all. This is food made by the descendants of the imperial chefs. It's a rare treat." As he spoke, he picked up two pieces of food and gave them to the two of them.
Old Ma took a bite of the dish and said, "This dish is really delicious. Old woman, you eat quickly. Mo Xue, you eat too."
An Moxue picked up a piece of food and said with a smile, "If you can't finish this food, I won't let you leave, so eat as much as you can and don't leave any."
The elderly couple ate their food with smiles on their faces, occasionally taking a sip of wine.
Aunt Ma said with emotion, "Back then, how many times did I almost think I was going to die under the enemy's iron heel? I never thought I could live such a comfortable life today and eat such good food. As long as you're alive, there's hope."
Old Ma took another sip of wine and said, "That's right. My comrades who died on the battlefield can rest in peace now. Life is peaceful and quiet. We're not afraid of hardship or fatigue."
An Moxue smiled and comforted them, "The better days are yet to come! Try your best to live well, and if you live a long time, you'll see different scenery. Future generations will certainly not let down the efforts of our ancestors!"
"Yes, you can only see far if you live long. I want to live a long life and see everything they didn't get to see," Old Ma said with emotion.
"That's the right way to think about it."
The three of them ate and chatted for a long time, finishing all the food and drinks, and were all very happy.
After the meal, An Moxue wanted to see them off, but the elderly couple wouldn't allow it. So she secretly followed the two of them until she saw them lock the door and go inside before turning around and leaving.
An Moxue thought the New Year would pass quietly and peacefully, but unexpectedly, on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, the village chief came to find her and said, "Moxue, good news! Great news!"
Seeing that Village Chief Guo couldn't contain his joy, An Moxue asked, "Uncle Guo, what's the matter?"
"Mo Xue, this is such a surprise! I thought we hadn't heard anything yet because we hadn't been selected! Who knew that this good news would come so soon after the New Year? You've been named an outstanding educated youth in our province. Isn't that amazing? Aren't you thrilled?"
"Really! I thought I didn't get it either!" An Moxue's face lit up with joy, her whole being radiating happiness.
"Of course it's true! The town official came specifically to deliver the news. He just left, and I came to tell you this good news! I have to go to the radio station and broadcast it several times so everyone knows, can share in the joy, and have some of the good news!"
After finishing his speech, Village Chief Guo ignored An Moxue and left her house humming a little tune, his back view radiating happiness.
An Moxue watched Village Chief Guo's retreating figure and shook her head helplessly. Uncle Guo is over fifty years old, but he is still so energetic. It's really good!
She thought for a moment, took two yuan, went to the sales point, bought two yuan's worth of candy, and was walking home when she heard the announcement: "Attention all villagers, attention all villagers, our village's educated youth, Comrade An Moxue, has been recognized as an outstanding educated youth by the province. We just received the news today. Everyone must learn from her."
An Moxue was walking home when the radio kept repeating the same message.
Not long after she got home, her neighbors, including aunties and sisters-in-law, came over to ask about the news and congratulate her. She gave each person a piece of candy until she was making dinner, at which point no one came anymore.
Not long after dinner, people started arriving again one after another, until after 7 p.m. when no one came anymore, and most of the candy that had been bought had been given away.
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