The first thing to do is to deal with the pork and mutton that Shen Yu brought. After eating for a few days, there are still five or six hundred kilograms of pork left. Now that the guests have left, it is impossible for Meng Tao and Jinniu to finish it.

Shen Yu originally planned to treat the whole village to a meal so that he, as Taohua's marriage partner, could show up. However, Liu Yongsheng did not allow it, saying that it was against the rules. The elders of both parties had not met, and there was no matchmaker to discuss the marriage and give the betrothal gifts. Why would he come and treat everyone to a meal on his own?

This is banditry.

Shen Yu repeatedly failed in front of Liu Yongsheng, but he lost his temper and expressed his willingness to learn from Liu. In fact, as long as he was protecting his peach blossom, it didn't matter what he said.

Before leaving, he was worried that Meng Tao couldn't handle it, so he wanted to ask Captain Bao for help. Meng Tao told him to go without worry, saying that if she couldn't even handle such a small thing, he was underestimating her.

Shen Yu said reluctantly: Next time I come to Linshui Village, I must treat her to a drink, and then I can take her away at any time.

Meng Tao said that it was a good idea, but it was not that easy. But in her heart, she thought that this guy was always unexpected, which had completely disrupted her life plan. Although it was not a bad thing, she was completely led by him.

In fact, these pork and mutton can be frozen in the snow for a month or so, and can also be made into smoked meat, but pork is fat enough and is the most popular among farmers. It can be used to make lard and satisfy their cravings for meat. Moreover, it is the end of the year and some families do not have meat coupons and cannot afford pork. Meng Tao decided to let Team Leader Bao come forward and find an excuse to sell the meat to the villagers at the lowest price without the coupons.

This can be considered as Shen Yu doing something good.

It's impossible to give it away for free, which seems weird. If you openly sell and collect money, it will be troublesome if some ungrateful person reports it. But if Captain Bao officially intervenes, everything will be fine.

Of course, Captain Bao agreed. The brigade under his jurisdiction certainly hoped that every household would have meat to eat during the New Year. He had plenty of excuses and just said that Shen Yu was actually asked by Captain Bao to use his connections to get this batch of "special supply" meat from the city meat processing factory. He didn't need a ticket and gave a preferential price, which was a benefit for our village! The villagers had nothing to say, and happily rushed to buy meat to keep for the New Year.

The "special meat" was processed in this way.

Meng Tao also saved some fresh pork for the New Year. Some villagers didn't like mutton because they thought it was too lean and couldn't be used to make oil, so she kept it for herself. In fact, mutton is delicious when cooked in a dry pot or stewed in soup. It warms the body and is very nutritious.

Some was also distributed to Captain Bao and Zhou Cuiling's family.

On the morning of the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, two more groups of guests came to the Meng family in Linshui Village. The first group was five people from Liuzhuang, Naliang Commune, who came in an ox cart. Ma Liuzi and Wang Ergou represented other friends to visit Meng Jinniu. Meng Changshou brought Meng Jinshan, and a man named Meng Jinlin also came.

Meng Jinlin behaved more politely than Meng Jinbao, Meng Jingui and Meng Jingang, but his inquiring look as he surveyed the entire courtyard and his behavior of pushing open the doors of other rooms to look in when no one was paying attention were unpleasant.

But since they were guests, they would only stay for a day at most, so Meng Tao didn't say anything and entertained them all.

Meng Jinniu was very happy to see his friends Ma Liuzi and Wang Ergou. He was also able to deal calmly with Meng Changshou and his two cousins. Seeing the obvious changes in Jinniu, they couldn't help being surprised. They were also stunned to see that Jinniu was actually sitting on a leather chair with wheels, so he could move freely just by moving his hands.

Meng Jinshan was surprised and amused, pushing Meng Jinniu around. Meng Changshou and Meng Jinlin had complicated expressions, while Ma Liuzi and Wang Ergou sighed that Jinniu was having a good life and were happy for him.

Around noon, the second group of people arrived. It was Zhang Fu from the county town. He brought his father and his brother. They took the bus to the commune and then rented a ox cart to go into the village.

Zhang Fu complained to Meng Tao and Meng Jinniu: He was exhausted on the way! He originally wanted to come alone, but his father insisted on coming with him, saying that he wanted to come and see his fellow patient Meng Jinniu. Then Zhang's mother said that no one was looking after Zhang's brother at home, so he should take him along!

Mr. Zhang's left leg was broken, and he was using crutches to prevent him from slipping on the snow, so Zhang Fude had to carry him on his back in and out of the car. He also had to take care of his naughty seven-year-old brother, yelling and screaming all the way. Everyone looked at him like he was a lunatic, and he felt like crying.

Meng Tao saw Zhang Di, who had never stopped since he entered the yard, chasing chickens and dogs, and bumped into a persimmon tree. She looked up and saw two red fruits on the top of the tree. She immediately wanted to climb up the tree to pick them... She understood Zhang Fu and expressed deep sympathy.

Fortunately, there was Meng Jinshan, so we asked him to come out and accompany Zhang Di. As long as they didn't fall or get hurt, it didn't matter how they played.

The house is now lively again. Captain Bao is needed to help entertain the guests, and Aunt Yu and Aunt Yang are needed to help with the cooking. Zhou Cuiling can't be found because she has Zhang Guoqing and doesn't have enough time for a relationship.

After lunch, after sitting for a while, the guests from the county town were ready to go back. They had to take the afternoon bus back to the city and go to the commune to wait for the bus.

The people from Liang Commune brought their own ox cart, so it didn’t matter if they left later.

Aunt Zhang asked Zhang Fu to bring a cloth bag containing two kilograms of Fuqiang noodles, two bags of cakes, two kilograms of sugar, and two pairs of quilt covers and bed sheets. They were sewn by the clothing factory, and the factory employees had a quota to buy them at the factory price. The dark blue one was given to Jinniu, and the pink floral one was given to Meng Tao.

Meng Tao's return gift was three pounds of mutton, two pounds of pork, and some dried mushrooms, fungus, and day lily, about three or four pounds.

Zhang Fu took advantage of the fact that no one was around and mysteriously took out a ball of newspaper from his backpack, handed it to Meng Tao and said, "This is for you. Open it carefully and don't drop it!"

Meng Tao carefully opened it and found it was a small porcelain piece that was exquisite and round. After looking through it, she realized it was a hand warmer - a fine porcelain hand warmer used by ladies in ancient times! Meng Tao pointed to a small square seal on the bottom of the hand warmer and asked Zhang Fu to look at it. "It was made in the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, which is hundreds of years ago. This is an old item. It is very valuable if you take it to a big city, such as Beijing. Will you give it to me?"

Zhang Fu said, "Don't you like this kind of stuff? I went to my aunt's house a few days ago. Her relative runs a scrapyard. I searched for a day and found some silver dollars, two large blue and white bowls, and this little thing. My mother wanted the blue and white bowl, she said it was great for soup, so I'm giving this little thing to you."

Zhang Fuchu snorted and said nonchalantly: "I will never be poor in my life!"

Meng Tao smiled and pointed at the hand warmer in her hand: "Then I'll pay for it?"

"You look down on me, don't you? Then I'll smash it."

"Then I'll accept it with pleasure. Thank you."

"That's good enough. When I find something nice, I'll give it to you as a gift."

"In the future, I will have to pay for it, otherwise you can smash it and don't send it to me."

"Okay."

After talking for a while, Zhang Fu said goodbye to Zhang's father and Zhang's brother and left. This time they were taken to the commune by the ox cart from Linshui Village.

Meng Jinniu became a close friend of Zhang's father regardless of their age difference, and urged him to come and visit again when he had time. Zhang's father nodded repeatedly and said that he saw the river outside the village and liked it very much. He would come and fish when his leg was better and the weather was warmer.

After the Zhang family left, Ma Liuzi told Meng Changshou that he was afraid it would snow again later, so why not go back? Meng Changshou said he was not in a hurry, he still had to go to the mountain to have a look. He learned from Captain Bao that Meng Shengli's old friend had come. Meng Changshou complained that Meng Tao was ignorant, and that no one went to Naliang Commune to inform him of such a big event. He should have been accompanied by his elder brother to Meng Shengli's grave.

Meng Tao didn't argue with him. She just let it go. Why waste her breath?

Meng Changshou took Meng Jinlin and Meng Jinshan to the mountain, while Meng Tao chatted with Jinniu, Ma Liuzi and Wang Ergou.

When Meng Changshou and his grandson came back, it was around 4pm. They cooked dinner early and finished eating. As expected, it was getting dark, and it was snowing again. Meng Jinlin said, "How about that, Ma Liu and Er Gou, you guys go back first. If Jinshan wants to go back, he can follow. It's too cold today. Grandpa should stay for two more days."

Ma Liuzi asked: "Then why don't you reply?"

"Ah, I have something else to do."

"What is it?"

Meng Jinlin coughed and said, "Jinniu's legs and feet are not good, and Taohua is not convenient to take care of him. My grandfather asked me to stay here with Jinniu."

Meng Tao looked at Meng Jinlin and said, "I didn't see you when Jinniu was injured. He was in the hospital for more than 20 days and you didn't show up. Now he is discharged and is doing well at home. There are young men from the village to accompany him at night, so you are not needed."

Meng Jinniu echoed from the side: "Jinlin, go ahead, I don't need you to accompany me."

Meng Jinlin turned to Meng Changshou and said, "Master, look..."

Meng Changshou: "Taohua, Jinlin needs to study and take a job exam in the county next spring. It's too noisy with too many people at home. There are fewer people here, so it's quiet. Let him live here for a month or two. It's the New Year, and it will be warmer with more people."

Meng Tao: "I've said it before, the Meng family of Liangliu Village has occupied my grandfather's share of the ancestral house for so many years, and my grandfather doesn't care anymore. None of you can live in the courtyard house here, not to mention Meng Jinlin, you can't either!"

Meng Changshou: "How come you don't know etiquette? If my brother were still alive, what would you have to do with him?"

"Why didn't you come when my grandfather was alive? Now I'm the head of the family, and I have the final say."

Meng Tao said, "Go back quickly. I won't take you in even if the snow and wind are strong."

Meng Changshou was so angry that he just stared blankly.

Ma Liuzi and Wang Ergou advised: "Since you have come all the way here, you might as well go back all the way. Otherwise, there will be no oxcart to take you to the village in the next two days. The ground will be covered with snow and it will be icy cold. What if you get frozen to death?"

Meng Changshou still had some dignity. He had not originally planned to stay, he just wanted to speak on Meng Jinlin's behalf.

Meng Jinlin had no choice but to follow him. Meng Tao saw the cloth bag he was carrying, and there was indeed a book shape in it, but that was none of her business. You can't keep someone you don't know or like.

(End of this chapter)