Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Subsequent daily life.
After all this hassle in the morning, there isn't much time left before going to work or school.
Mu Mian hurried as fast as he could, but was still a little late when he sat down in the classroom.
Even so, there are still many children who haven’t come yet.
Those who had already arrived were sitting sparsely, whispering in groups of three or four, just like a group of new chicks released into the chicken coop, calling out to each other.
Xu Lele rushed into the classroom panting, sat down, and pouted, "Sister Mianmian, why didn't you wait for me?"
Mu Mian told the truth, "I thought you left first."
When she came out with her schoolbag, the whistle for class had already sounded three times. She really thought Xu Lele had left long ago.
When I arrived at the classroom, I found that the little girl had not arrived yet.
Mu Mian added: "Next time, next time if you don't come to call me, I will definitely call you."
Her home is closer to both the school and the mountains, so Xu Lele always calls her on the way.
The seven-year-old girl was easy to coax. Xu Lele started chattering about the Shi family again.
Not only her, the whole class was saying that children's chatter is different from adults'. It is more imaginative and illogical.
Mu Mian's stomach ached from trying so hard to hold back his laughter.
The noise died down a little until Shi Xiaozhu came in.
Although she was late, Shi Xiaozhu looked no different from usual and attended the class as usual.
Come to think of it, her family was not close to the second branch, and they even had a grudge against each other. It was impossible for her to be sad, but it was difficult for her to show her happiness.
The class time in the elementary school in the team is very flexible. Because the class time starts late, the school dismissal time is also a little later.
When Mu Mian and Xu Lele were going back together with their schoolbags, they happened to meet her mother, Comrade Liu Shuangcui, who was getting off work, and was surrounded by several familiar aunts.
Mu Mian yelled, "Mom!"
Liu Shuangcui turned her head and saw through everything at a glance, "Are you guys late for school?"
Mu Mian nodded.
Xu Lele looked around and asked, "Aunt, my mother hasn't come back yet?"
As the women's director of the brigade, Liu Guizhi went with the Shi family in the morning when such a big thing happened to the second branch.
There was no use in doing anything. Li Guiyan ran away, and Shi Xinggui seemed to have lost his soul. He probably didn't even know which way the hospital door faced.
Liu Shuangcui shook her head. "No, it will be afternoon by the time your mother comes back."
Xu Lele sighed, "Then my eldest brother will cook for lunch again."
The food her elder brother cooks is terrible and irritating to the throat.
No one cared about a little girl's worries about lunch, and when the Shi family was mentioned, the aunts started talking again.
One of them asked in a questioning tone: "Tell me, who first said that Shi Dabao was not Shi Laoer's child? How did you know? Li Guiyan can't say it herself, right?"
As soon as she finished speaking, someone immediately responded, "Didn't Chunfeng say that first?"
Liu Shuangcui nodded, "I heard it from Chunfeng as well."
Cao Chunfeng said carelessly, "I didn't say it first, wasn't it Hongxia who said it first?"
As soon as she said this, the aunt named Hongxia immediately retorted in a loud voice, "What the hell is that? It's not me! I still listen to you."
Cao Chunfeng had a reason, "My Da Zhuang said that he heard you talking to an old lady. I asked him, but he didn't know who the old lady was, so he recognized you."
Aunt Hongxia shouted, "Bullshit! Your Dazhuang must have heard it wrongly. I only knew about it after hearing you say it. I didn't hear anything about it before."
The aunts looked at each other, somewhat confused about the situation.
Mu Mian raised her little hand in her heart silently. She knew it was Shi Xiaolian No. 1 and Shi Xiaolian No. 2.
She actually has this ability, which is necessary for spreading gossip. She was curious about how Shi Xiaolian spread the news. It seems that she just acted it out for the children first.
Speaking of
, I can imitate her a little.
I learned it!
---
Two days later, the family of three at the center of the topic returned.
The old couple Shi Chuncao were carried back the same way they were carried there. They were completely paralyzed and lay there unable to move. They needed someone to take care of them.
Shi Xinggui's soul did come back, but he exuded a sense of decadence, as if he had given up everything.
It is said that he also reported the case to the police. The police went to the Hongqi Brigade where Li Guiyan's mother's home was, but they said that no one had returned.
As expected, there was no way Li Guiyan would take the child back to her parents' home.
Two days later, the person was still not found, but there was other news that a male comrade had been missing for three days on a small farm next to the Red Flag Brigade and no one knew where he had gone.
After Shi Xinggui thought about it and made his associations, he angrily ran to the small farm and smashed the small, dilapidated house that the man had left.
It's useless except for letting out a sigh of relief.
These days, if someone wants to run away, it's really hard to find them.
By the time the Shi family's affairs gradually faded away, it was already the end of May and it was not cold even if you wore light clothes in the morning.
It was Saturday, and after lunch, the adults still had to go back to work.
Mu Mian had no classes in the afternoon, so she planned to go with her grandmother to collect some firewood and take a walk in the mountains.
An hour later, when the grandfather and grandson were carrying a large bundle of firewood out of the mountain, they happened to pass by the second branch of the Shi family. Then they saw Shi Xinggui not going to work, but standing nearby with his hands on his waist and cursing.
Mu Mian caught an old woman coming back from collecting pig grass and asked, "Grandma Li, what is he doing?"
Aunt Li said with a "tsk". "You don't know. She has been scolding for half an hour. She said that two old hens in the house were stolen."
Zhao Meihua asked, "Was it stolen this morning?"
There were only three people in the team who were responsible for collecting grass and feeding the pigs. They were two old women and Shi Xiaolian's mother Tian Hongjuan. None of them could do heavy work but needed work points.
Although this job pays few work points, it is easy and can be done for a long time.
The other old woman, surnamed Zhao, looked down on Shi Xinggui and said, "She said he was lost this morning. A grown man like him can't even take care of his own home."
Aunt Li looked at Tian Hongjuan and said, "I remember there was one that belonged to Hongjuan. Shi Chuncao took it away. I saw it at that time."
Tian Hongjuan had a sickly look on her face and looked frail. In fact, she couldn't even stand up. When she heard this, she didn't say anything but just responded faintly.
They were all people who had work to do, so after saying a few words, they all left. Some were carrying firewood, and some were feeding pigs.
Of course, it is also because the excitement in the Shi family has lasted too long and there is nothing much to say.
However, Zhao Meihua gave her granddaughter a few more reminders, telling her to lock the door when going out when the adults are not at home, because there are so many people in the team, there are always a few with dirty hands.
Mu Mian thought of her little golden melon seeds and nodded solemnly. She always locked them up!
It was a bit stuffy in the afternoon, so the grandparents and grandchildren ran two or three times and then stopped.
With nothing to do, Mu Mian went to her uncle's house to visit her two twin cousins.
The two sisters were already one month old, and Mu Xinglong didn’t hold a big celebration for the full-month celebration. He just had a meal with his family.
When Mu Mian arrived, the two little guys were throwing tantrums. Xiao Chengzi was standing by the bed, patting one and the other, in a panic. The little boy was sweating all over his forehead.
Seeing Mu Mian coming in, Xiao Chengzi had an expression as if he had seen a savior, "Sister Mian Mian! Please help me hold one, Xiao Maizi keeps crying."
The sisters’ names were also decided when they were one month old. The elder sister was named Mumai and the younger sister was named Mumiao, which together means wheat seedlings, and sounds like they are growing healthily.
Mu Mian no longer mistook his sister for his younger sister. He picked up Xiao Maizi and coaxed her, "Are you home alone? Where's your aunt?"
Little Orange pointed outside and said, "My mom has diarrhea and is going to the toilet."
Mu Mian said "Oh" and rocked Xiao Maizi in his arms, "Are they hungry?"
Little Orange shook his head, "No, Mom said she's fussy about sleeping, so she needs to be held in my arms. I'm a little afraid to hold her in my arms."
Mu Mian understood, that was indeed the case.
The small one is too small, and the big one is not that big either, so they really can’t be held. Babies of this month haven’t fully grown yet, and if they fall, it will be no joke.
She didn't dare to hold the baby at first, so her uncle held him and put him in her arms. After two or three times, she became skilled at it, and now she holds the baby steadily.
Mu Mian also discovered that she was somewhat appealing to babies. Xiao Maizi stopped crying as soon as she held her in her arms. Unfortunately, she couldn't hold two babies in her arms, so Xiao Miaomiao was still crying.
About a minute later, Zheng Xialan came in from outside, shouting, "What an idiot! You can't even go to the toilet peacefully. Xiaomian, don't stand, or you'll get tired in a while. Sit on the kang."
Mu Mian shook his head, "It's okay, little aunt, I'm not tired, Xiaomaizi is very light."
It's small and really light.
And as his facial features grow a little bit, he becomes cuter and cuter, and quite cute with his cuddly look.
Mu Mian looked at the other little one and said, "Do you want to take them out to bask in the sun?"
Zheng Xialan picked up Xiao Miaomiao and walked out, "It's okay to get some sun."
The two sisters Xiao Miemiao are actually not particularly easy to take care of. They are the type of children who wake up as soon as they touch the bed. If you put them in bed right after they fall asleep, they will immediately start whining and you will not let them go until they are soundly asleep.
Mu Mian stayed with her aunt for more than an hour. By the time she put the wheat down, the adults had already finished work.
When Mu Xinglong came back, Mu Wan followed him.
Mu Mian said, "Sister Xiao Wan, why are you here too?"
Mu Wan: "I came to get my enamel pot. I left it at my uncle's house last time."
Mu Xinglong pointed to the wooden rack where pickles were drying and said, "Well, take it away quickly. Next time, try to get yourself into my house. Then I won't give it back to your father."
Mu Wan made a face, "Uncle, you are teasing me again!"
It was getting late, Mu Mian waved his hand, "Uncle, I'm going home~"
Mu Xinglong said, "What are you going back for? Come back after you eat!"
After the conversation ended, he asked again, "Or do you think the food at your uncle's house is not tasty?"
Mu Mian nodded seriously, "Well, the food you and my aunt cook is not as delicious as the food grandma cooks."
Only then did Mu Xinglong wave his hand, "Let's go... let's go quickly."
Mu Wan took a broken jar and walked over to Mu Mian in two or three steps, "My sister is cooking today, so I don't have anything to do. I'm going to go play with grandma for a while."
The two sisters talked along the way. Mu Mian shared interesting stories about the twin sisters with her cousin, saying that the elder sister Xiaomaizi could laugh, but the younger sister Xiaomiaomiao seemed not to be able to laugh yet.
It might be because Mu Wan has a younger brother, or it might be because she is still a real ten-year-old girl and she is not very interested in babies.
She agreed with him for a few sentences and then started mumbling something else while swinging the jar in one hand, "I said the jar was at my uncle's house, so it must not have been lost. My mother scolded me just now."
Mu Mian's pupils spun, "Fourth Aunt may think that if it is lost, it will be a waste of money to buy a new one."
Mu Wan curled her lips and said, "My mom is so stingy. The porcelain on my jar is almost falling off, and the water I drink tastes like rust."
Mu Mian had no way to refute this. Her fourth aunt was indeed such a person. She was really stingy and would not replace something until it was no longer usable.
Maybe in her fourth aunt's opinion, as long as things can be used again after being repaired, they are no different from new ones.
Mu Wan didn't need her cousin to say anything, she just kept mumbling a lot, and at the end, she suddenly looked like she had discovered the truth, and said excitedly: "Xiaomi! You said... I won't be like Shi Dabao, not my parents' biological child, right?"
Mu Mian's brain froze, his thoughts were a little slow to catch up, his mouth opened and closed, only one word came out, "Huh?"
Mu Wan felt that the truth of the matter was this, "Look! My mother didn't even let me go to school before, saying that it would save a dollar and let my sister teach me. I think it's because I'm not her biological child that she didn't let me go."
Mu Mian: “………………”
She didn't think so. Her fourth aunt probably just simply thought that this was feasible and could really save a dollar.
Mu Mian: "Little Sister Wan, you..."
Just as she said this, a loud voice suddenly rang out, almost shouting, "Mu Xiaowan!!!"
Mu Mian was frightened and realized that they had unknowingly arrived outside her yard, and her fourth aunt happened to be at the door of her yard and heard everything Mu Wan said.
Tang Cuixiang's chest rose and fell, and she was obviously very angry.
Not lightly, she picked up a stick and rushed over, "Do you have any conscience, little girl?! When I gave birth to you, I was in pain for a whole day and night, and I almost couldn't get out of bed! You are talking to me like this now."
As soon as Mu Wan saw the stick, he ran away, shouting, "Grandma! Help me, help me! My mom is going to beat me to death! She's going to beat the kid to death!!"
Mu Mian stretched and retracted his arms, wanting to stop the two but not knowing where to start. In the end, he just stood there silently and watched the mother and daughter chase each other.
Liu Shuangcui had a familiar expression on her face. "Don't worry about them. You have milk. The chickens just kept crowing. Go to the backyard and see if they've laid eggs."
Mu Mian: “Oh.”
She went to the backyard and saw that there was indeed an extra egg in the chicken coop, and it was still warm.
The old hen was still clucking. Mu Mian stroked its back and praised it generously, "Great! You are the best among hens! Try to catch another one tomorrow!"
The old hen didn't seem to want to listen and struggled away.
Mu Mian made a "tsk" sound and finally stopped harassing her family's hero.
When Mu Mian put the eggs away and went out, she saw that her fourth aunt and cousin had stopped.
Tang Cuixiang was sitting next to the old lady. She was so angry that she started to cry. She kept wiping her tears. "How did I treat her badly? I treated her the same as I treated Daqing and Xiaoqiu. You said these words to poke my heart."
"I still remember what happened three years ago. Mu Xingwang scolded me at that time, and you scolded me too, mom."
"She's already in school, and I even lit a kerosene lamp to sew a new schoolbag for her overnight. Xiaoqiu still carries the Daqing schoolbag."
Mu Wan probably didn't expect her mother to burst into tears out of anger, and she stood by, feeling a little helpless.
Zhao Meihua rubbed her temples and said, "Stop howling. It's giving me a headache."
As he said this, he waved to his second granddaughter.
Mu Wan took a step forward and said, "Nana~"
Zhao Meihua: "Your mother may have some faults, but..."
Tang Cuixiang was unhappy when she heard this and immediately muttered, "I don't have so many faults."
Zhao Meihua glared at him, "Shut up!"
Tang Cuixiang continued to wipe her eyes awkwardly.
Zhao Meihua continued, "Your mother was right before. Giving birth to you almost cost her her life. You can never say those things again."
Mu Wan had actually heard this many times. The little girl nodded, indicating that she really remembered it.
Zhao Meihua then rants to her second daughter-in-law, "Be more thoughtful in what you do in the future. If you do something unreliable, don't blame the children for being jealous and remembering it. They are grown-up girls now. Do you think they are as forgetful as they were when they were two or three years old?"
Zhao Meihua didn't talk for long. After a while, Tang Cuixiang and her daughter left. As soon as they went out, they ran into Mu Fugui who had just returned from the commune.
Mu Fugui glanced at Tang Cuixiang who was walking away, and asked Liu Shuangcui, "What is the fourth son's wife doing here? I saw that she seemed to be crying. Did mom scold her?"
Liu Shuangcui brought a basin to her husband so that he didn't have to boil water for washing in the hot weather.
"No, Xiao Wan said something inappropriate. Cui Xiang came here to ask about Mom's birthday. She overheard it at the door and got a little angry."
Mu Fugui smiled and said, "That's new. What could make her so angry?"
Liu Shuangcui also laughed, "What else could it be? It's just like that kid Dazhuang a few days ago. Chunfeng scolded him a few times, and he shouted that he must not be her biological child. He was beaten by his father a few times before he behaved himself."
Mu Mian, who was carrying the dishes, leaned over to listen, "Did Da Zhuang say that? I didn't even know that."
She now realized that it was probably inspired by Shi Dabao's experience.
Mu Fugui looked at his daughter and said, "You can't learn these things from others."
Mu Mian's lips curved, "I must be your biological child, we are both equally good-looking!"
Liu Shuangcui smiled at her daughter who was showing off again, "Stop being funny and help your grandma put out the bowls. I'm starving."
---
At the dinner table.
The family of four was having dinner while talking about the old lady's birthday, which would be the next Sunday, her 60th birthday.
According to the custom here, you have to do some celebration when you turn 60.
Zhao Meihua actually didn't want to bother with it, "What are you talking about? You guys really don't mind the hassle."
Mu Fugui said in a carefree tone, "How can you not celebrate my 60th birthday? It's fine if you don't celebrate it on normal days, but if you don't celebrate it on my 60th birthday, then why did you give birth to us? We might as well be set off as firecrackers."
Mu Mian: “Puff~”
I was touched by her father's humor.
Liu Shuangcui continued her husband's words, "Don't worry, Mom. The conditions are like this. We can't do a big job even if we want to. It's just our family, and there are the children, her second aunt and third aunt's families. In the team, I plan to invite Guizhi, Chunfeng, and Aunt Li. I guess there will be only two tables."
As she spoke, Liu Shuangcui started to make her own arrangements. "I'll go talk to Guizhi tomorrow and ask her to keep the big table in her house for me that day."
Then he said to Mu Fugui, "Ask your colleagues there to see if they have any unused quotas this month so you can get some fresh meat."
These days, every household in the city has a limit on how much meat they can buy. If you exceed the limit, you can’t buy it even if you have money and tickets.
Mu Fugui slurped the soup and said, "I know, I can definitely get it."
Mu Mian looked at her mother, then at her father, her little face full of positivity, "What about me? What should I do?"
Liu Shuangcui laughed and looked at her daughter. "I've never seen anyone take on any work on their own. Do whatever you want. There's nothing I can arrange for you."
Mu Mian curled his lips.
Okay, then she will arrange it for herself.
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