The chaos next door naturally spread to the Xu family's yard.

Zhang Yunxiu sighed.

Although she felt that Jiang's parents were shameless, as a mother's intuition, she found it difficult to sympathize with Jiang Pan'er after he mentioned her daughter last night.

Xu Sui was sitting under the eaves eating a steamed bun.

Zhang Yunxiu came back from the vegetable garden with two eggplants and a bunch of leeks. She was stunned when she saw her. "It's much more comfortable to look at you without those hairs on your front."

When Xu Sui woke up this morning, she parted her overly long bangs to the sides. Firstly, it was uncomfortable to have them prick her eyes and block her vision, and secondly, she had used this face for more than 20 years and knew what looked good.

Xu Changgen came over and handed over a package, "Sui Sui, bring something for your brother when you go to the county today."

Xu Sui took it. The package was not heavy. It contained a few pieces of clothes and Zhang Yunxiu's shoe soles.

Zhang Yunxiu took out three cents and a few grain coupons. "After paying the phone bill, you can spend the rest on your own. You can also have lunch at the state-owned hotel. Don't think about saving it."

Not to mention the state-owned restaurant in the county, they had never even eaten at Zhang Yunxiu's in the commune. Even if they had the money, in their eyes, it was a waste to spend money to buy noodles instead of eating the food at home.

But if I go to eat at Zhang Yunxiu as a lady, I won’t feel it’s a waste.

Xu Sui took the bill obediently.

Wanting to visit Xu Mian, he naturally had to ask in advance if he could go. Xu Changgen thought about it and decided to let his daughter call her sister and tell her directly.

A phone call costs four cents, and a pager costs three cents. There is no time limit for phone calls, but you definitely can't make too many calls.

You can also make phone calls at the commune, but the county town is only three kilometers away from the commune.

Xu Changgen went to Xu Sanjin's home in the morning and asked him to take his daughter to the county town.

The Qingshan Brigade was about ten kilometers away from the county seat, and it took five hours to walk there and back. Xu Sanjin happened to be there delivering something.

Zhang Yunxiu gave Xu Sui three cents, which was almost a full day's work points in the brigade. The Qingshan Brigade was relatively wealthy, so only three cents were given.

Without further instructions, the Xu family members prepared to go to work.

Xu Dashan, who is over 70 years old, is still energetic and is weaving baskets with bamboo strips in the yard.

Xu Sui took the things and walked to the village entrance, and Xu Sanjin also came over in a ox cart.

"Uncle Sanjin." Xu Sui greeted him, with the wrinkles on his cheeks looming.

Xu Sanjin responded with a hearty smile on his face, "Sui Sui is going to deliver something to your brother?"

He jumped down and pushed the bag on the oxcart to the side. "You can sit here. There is straw on it."

"I know." Xu Sui went up quickly.

To be honest, a bullock cart is not much faster than walking, but its advantage is that it can carry goods without suffering the legs and feet.

The ox cart moved slowly forward, and the two chatted casually.

Xu Sui looked at the scenery passing by.

She was wearing a blue earthy top with a slanting collar and three-quarter sleeves today. The material had become very soft and thin over time. She was wearing a pair of dark blue trousers underneath. Unlike later generations, today's trousers had side buttons, which were not very convenient.

This kind of dress was the most common at that time. When entering the county town, there were not many people coming and going, and most of them were wearing blue, gray and black clothes.

Only occasionally can you see a few really good people wearing sailor shirts or something.

Xu Sui didn't know much about this era and only remembered a few major historical events, which were somewhat novel to him for a while.

What I remember is different from what I saw in person.

"Uncle Sanjin, you can just stop here." Xu Sui took out two peaches from the bag she brought with her and handed them over. "They grow on the peach tree in my backyard. They're quite sweet. You can try them."

There is a peach tree and a pomegranate tree in the backyard of the Xu family, both of which are quite old.

This kind of peach is much smaller than the modern ones. I don’t know what variety it is, but it tastes quite sweet.

Xu Sanjin would not refuse, "It will take me about three hours to deliver the goods. You can keep track of the time. I will be waiting for you here."

Without a watch, he could only estimate it himself. Xu Sui agreed and watched the ox cart drive away.

Xu Sui turned and went into the post office.

The Post Office has a wide range of work. Upon entering the door, you can see a long row of green counters.

The counter at the far east sells stamps, followed by the parcel post, where there is a scale for weighing. The counter at the far west is for making long-distance calls.

Xu Sui gave the salesperson Xu Mian's address and the phone number certificate. Now all calls are transferred through the switchboard. If you want to make a long-distance call, you have to register first. It may not be connected immediately and you may have to wait for several hours.

But Xu Mian is in the army, so this won't happen.

Xu Sui sat there and waited patiently. About thirty or forty minutes later, someone came and asked her to go to telephone room number two to answer the call.

The rustling sound of the electric current between the telephone wires reached her ears first. After Xu Sui picked up the receiver, she paused for two seconds before saying, "Sister..."

"Sui Sui!" The cheerful voice of the woman over there seemed to drive away the strange feeling in her heart in an instant, "I was wondering why your family called. Are you alone? Is there something wrong at home?"

The signal was weak, and Xu Mian's words were occasionally intermittent, but it didn't affect his understanding.

Xu Sui also raised her voice, "There's nothing to do at home, sister. My parents and my brother and sister-in-law are all at work. I just wanted to go to the army to see you. I don't know if it's inconvenient for you there."

"Of course! Of course!" The voice on the other end suddenly became excited. "When your brother-in-law comes back in the evening, I'll ask him to write a report and then send a telegram to you."

"Tell your parents not to bring too many things. It will be troublesome to take the bus since you are traveling alone..." Xu Mianxiao had already given them detailed instructions on the other end of the phone.

Xu Mian's name sounds soft, but as the eldest sister in the family, she is very efficient and strong in doing things, and usually acts as a protector to her younger brothers and sisters.

The image of this elder sister, along with each reminder from the other end of the phone, gradually became full and three-dimensional in Xu Sui's heart.

It takes several transfers to get from Qingshan Brigade to Xu Mian's place. First, take a bullock cart to the county seat, then take a two-hour bus from the county seat to the city, then take a two-day and one-night bus from the city, and then take a bus and then a boat to get to the island where Xu Mian is.

This may be the reason why Mian missed home so much but couldn't go back. It is definitely not possible to take such a long car with two three-year-old children.

The two sisters didn't say much because there were people waiting in line behind them.

island.

Xu Mian hung up the phone reluctantly. Not only had she not been home for a long time, but it was also the first time she heard her sister's voice in five years.

The lady at the side smiled and said, "Xiao Xu, your sister is here. Is she coming to live with you?"

Xu Mian had a smile on her face, but she was not polite when she spoke. "My family just misses me. Auntie, are you asking this because you can't make it in your hometown and that's why you went to Song Guoping?"

"I miss my son so much, come and see him!" The old lady's face changed immediately, "If I don't help my daughter-in-law take care of the children, I will be more comfortable staying in my hometown!"

Xu Mian had heard this for three years. She smiled perfunctorily and said, "Oh, so that's the case. I saw that your grandson had been sent to the daycare center but he hadn't left yet. I thought you couldn't make it in your hometown anymore."