Chapter 23
After breakfast, the jeep from the county town came over.
In the 1970s, the economy was backward, material was scarce, food, clothing and housing were all problems, and the county only had one second-hand, broken jeep.
The driver helped the family of three to load their luggage into the car. Jiang Jiang sat in the back seat with her mother, looking at the ever-changing scenery outside: the endless mountains, the cows and sheep grazing, the farmers hoeing the fields, and the billowing black smoke from the brick kiln chimneys. There was a look of curiosity in her eyes.
The driver was a fat middle-aged man in his forties with a very kind face. He steered the wheel skillfully. The road was a bit bumpy. Lin Youqing and He Guijuan were both a little tired. Seeing that Jiang Jiang was very interested in riding in a car alone for the first time, they followed her and closed their eyes to rest.
I don't know how long we drove, but there were more and more pedestrians on the road, red firecracker paper was still scattered on the street, and the festive atmosphere in the air had not yet dissipated. The jeep drove into the gate of the county committee, and a large auditorium stood quietly in the center of the compound, looking very sacred.
He Guijuan carried her daughter into the house first, and Lin Youqing carried the chicken coop into the yard. The couple and the driver then took all the things out of the car.
Jiang Jiang looked around curiously.
This is a small courtyard with a total of four cave dwellings. There are several clay flower pots in the courtyard. There are no flowers in the pots, but some onions, ginger and garlic for seasoning. There is a small house on the east side of the courtyard with charcoal blocks piled up, which is obviously the kitchen.
He Guijuan had already put away her things. "Jiang Jiang, I'll put your things in our room first. You can sleep with us for the next two days. When the study is ready, you can move into that room."
"No one has lived here for more than half a month. We need to clean it up tomorrow. It's almost noon. Jiang Jiang, are you hungry? Mom will go cook dinner now."
"I'll go cook first. This is Jiang Jiang's first time visiting mom and dad's house. I'll cook a few dishes and we can have a good meal as a family."
He Guijuan sorted out the things she brought with her. Apart from a piece of bacon and a few sausages, there were cabbage and potatoes. She had been eating either cabbage or potatoes for the entire winter, and she was a little bored looking at these things.
"Go to the market and see if there is any meat left, and also see if there are any fresh vegetables." He Guijuan instructed her husband.
"Jiang Jiang, do you want to go grocery shopping with Dad?"
"Yeah." Jiang Jiang nodded vigorously.
While buying groceries, Lin Youqing took Jiang Jiang for a walk around the compound. After a while, everyone knew that Secretary Lin and his wife had adopted a daughter.
There didn't seem to be many pedestrians on the bluestone street in the afternoon. The shop doors were open, but there were very few customers. The sales clerks sat behind the counter or slept on the counter. Occasionally, a pedestrian came up to ask questions, and the clerks would greet the customers with a long yawn.
It was noon in some houses on both sides of the street. Every household was busy cooking. The smell of smoke was everywhere. The sky was blue, emerald green, and clear like a glass mirror.
Not far from the county party committee, there is a vegetable market, where all the vegetables are wholesaled from the communes around Qingjian County.
All the vegetables and meat were gone. It was obviously not a time to buy groceries. Only one fish was left on the fish stall. Perhaps for the people of Qingjian County, pork was obviously more attractive to them than fish, and they would occasionally buy one just to try something new.
This is normal. The prices of fish and pork are similar nowadays. Fish does not have much meat and it may get stuck in your throat if you are not careful. Pork is better because it is full of meat and you can feel it in one bite. The taste is really satisfying.
"Comrade, how much is a pound of fish?"
Lin Youqing glanced at the fish in the foam tank and asked in a gentle voice.
"Carp is fifty cents a pound."
"Then I want one."
"Okay, do you want me to help kill the fish?" The rule of the fish stall is that you have to charge two cents more for helping with killing the fish.
"Well, please help me. It's not easy to kill fish at home." He didn't know how to kill fish, and his wife didn't dare to do it either.
The fish seller nimbly grabbed a fish from the water tank, knocked the fish's head unconscious with a stick, scraped off the scales, cut open the fish's belly, sprinkled a little salt on the surface of the fish, tied the fish up with a straw rope, and finally handed it to them.
"Thank you, comrade."
Lin Youqing paid the money and walked back with his daughter.
When they returned home, He Guijuan had already cooked two dishes. Lin Youqing washed the fish, put it on a plate and handed it to his wife.
The fish weighed at least two kilograms. He Guijuan cut the fish into two parts, fried the fish head and made soup, and braised the fish tail. In a short while, the three dishes and one soup were ready.
The staple food was steamed white flour buns, some pickled cabbage, steamed sausage, braised fish, fish head stew, and the soup noodles were sprinkled with green chopped green onions. The table was full of color, aroma and taste.
The dining area is in a cave nearby. There is a dining table by the window, some boxes of sundries in the corner, and a sofa next to it, which is probably used to entertain guests. It is very spacious, with beige fabric curtains hanging on the windows, which looks very cozy.
"Jiang Jiang, eat more. Try this fish and see if it's delicious. If you like it, we'll buy it often." He Guijuan first picked up a piece of fish for Jiang Jiang.
"tasty."
The braised fish tasted very delicious. This was Jiang Jiang’s first time to eat fresh fish. During the Chinese New Year, the Lin family also made braised cured fish, but the taste of cured fish was far inferior to that of fresh fish.
"As long as you like it, have some sausages. Your aunt brought some sausages back from her mother's house. She packed a few for us to bring over. When I cut them, oil sizzled out. It smells really good. Come and try some."
He Guijuan wanted to pile all the dishes on the table into her daughter's bowl. Before, when she was in her hometown, she had to consider Old Lady Lin and others, so she couldn't blatantly favor her daughter during meals.
"You're going to scare the child. Just let her pick up whatever she wants to eat."
After her husband reminded her, He Guijuan thought it was a bit exaggerated and smiled embarrassedly, "Jiang Jiang, just pick up whatever you want to eat. Daddy and Mommy's home is your home. Don't be restrained, understand?"
"Yeah, mom, I know." Jiang Jiang nodded and tasted two slices of sausage. They were really fragrant as He Guijuan said. She took another bite of the steamed bun. The steamed bun was also delicious, fragrant and sweet.
He Guijuan's heart softened when she saw this, and she couldn't help but touch the child's head.
"After dinner, take a rest first. I will go to Chengguan Market in the afternoon to buy some materials and build a chicken coop in the yard."
"Dad, then I'll go with you." Jiang Jiang said hurriedly.
"Okay, then Dad will take you with him."
After lunch, He Guijuan found an unused rice bowl and fed the chickens with leftover rice mixed with rice bran.
The chicken coop was a little small and couldn't hold the food tray for the chickens, so she simply let the chickens out. However, the chickens didn't run around, they just stayed in this area of the yard.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com