Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Surprise news.
Mu Mian made two or three trips and returned all the things.
The big table in the yard was moved away and returned to its former spaciousness.
Liu Shuangcui was stringing dried fish through a bamboo sieve. Mu Mian took a look and asked, "Are they already dried?"
Why does she look like it's not completely dry?
These were the small fish that she and her mother had caught before. Apart from the two big ones that she gave to her aunt and cousin, they had eaten quite a few of them today, leaving only these dried small fish.
Liu Shuangcui: "It's not completely dry yet. I'll hang it up on the beam and let it air dry for a while. I just heard some rustling in the woodshed. I think mice have come in again. I'm afraid they'll get bit if I put it outside to dry."
Mu Mian: "Do you need a ladder? I'll go get it."
Liu Shuangcui smiled, "You really can't sit still. Aren't you tired from running so many times? Go and rest with your grandma. Your dad has already gone to the backyard to move things."
Mu Mian didn't say anything else.
After the excitement, not only did the atmosphere become a little cold, but the food at home also declined a lot.
It was impossible for families in the city to eat meat every other day these days. Mu Mian had been eating plain soup for half a month and felt that his face had become a little thinner.
Besides the fact that the food was really light, it was also because the weather in June was getting hotter day by day and everyone's appetite was not very good.
Since it rained heavily for two days, it hasn’t rained much in the past half month, and the sky isn’t even cloudy.
The sun was shining brightly every day, hanging in the sky from morning to dusk, with hardly any clouds to be seen.
Sunny days also have their advantages. The sun rises early and sets late, which is convenient for people like Mu Fugui who go to the commune every day.
He was still talking about the bicycle, but he still couldn't buy it and couldn't get a bicycle ticket.
On Mu Mian's side, it has become popular among her children to catch cicada monkeys and roast them to eat, which more or less contains some meat.
Mu Mian did run up the mountain as well, but she couldn't eat anything. She couldn't eat any insects that entered her mouth.
You can grab it, but you can't put it in your mouth. It gives you goose bumps just by watching others eat it.
Occasionally, he would catch a few in the mountains and give them to Xiao Chengzi and Lele. More often, Mu Mian picked up mountain products that could be sold.
The main point is to accumulate little by little.
The total weight of the dried honeysuckle is already four or five taels. Comrade Liu Shuangcui said that after these things are sold, she can keep the money for herself.
Of course, Mu Mian also knew that he couldn't make much money just by doing this.
If everyone really wanted to make money, wouldn't they have become rich over the years?
Mu Mian did have some other ideas, but many things have to be done slowly and step by step. You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry.
Even though her parents often say that she is smart and clever, they actually still treat her as a child.
She wanted to get some periodicals or picture books to read and refer to, but there was only a small bookstore in the commune, and picture books were rare, and those that existed had been bought by others.
The last time she went to call her eldest brother, Mu Mian went with her father and didn't see what she wanted.
Mu Mian actually wanted to go to the county. The county was big and had a lot of things, so she would definitely find what she wanted there.
But it's easy to tell that she can't go alone. She has to at least wait until her father or mother is free to take her there.
I'm not free during this period, so I can only wait.
That afternoon, Mu Mian and Xu Lele ran into the mountains again. Compared to home, the hillside was really much cooler.
The two of them didn't do anything but wander around, picking up some dead branches to take home and use for cooking.
After walking and stopping for a while, the two sat under a tree and picked up the wild flowers nearby to make wreaths.
It's colorful and looks pretty good when worn on the head.
Xu Lele shook her head and said conceitedly, "Isn't it beautiful?"
Mu Mian nodded and praised sincerely, "Yeah, it looks good!"
At this carefree age, you will look good no matter what.
Xu Lele chuckled, "Make one for my mom, too."
Mu Mian was also working on the second one. They were only halfway through when they suddenly heard a few boys shouting in the distance.
Mu Mian looked in that direction, but was blocked by the trees and couldn't see anything. He wondered, "Are they going to turn that slope into a slide again?"
She remembered that this was where they played last time.
Xu Lele's eyes lit up, "I want to play too, let's go and take a look!"
Before Mu Mian could refuse, she was pulled up by Xu Lele. Looking at Xu Lele running in front of her excitedly, Mu Mian couldn't help but remind her, "If you come back covered in mud, be careful or your mother will beat you."
She knew that many of those mud monkeys were beaten last time.
Play today and continue playing tomorrow.
You play yours, I play mine, and the main thing is to be the one who doesn't listen and is tough.
Xu Lele was also a tough girl, she didn't care about the beating at all, "My mom's spanking didn't hurt at all."
The two of them talked as they ran, and when they got not far away, they saw that the boys were not playing on the slide on the slope at all.
Seven or eight people were running around, some took off their clothes and waved them, some were holding large branches and hitting while running.
Before Mu Mian could figure out what was going on, two or three boys ran towards them, and the one in the front was Da Zhuang.
He covered his head and ran away screaming, "Sister Xiaomian! Don't come over here, run, run! There's a wasp!!"
Almost the moment he spoke, Mu Mian saw it and even heard a buzzing sound.
The two little girls widened their eyes and turned and ran away at the same time.
Mu Mian's legs were moving very fast. This sting was no joke. It would hurt and be swollen for at least a week.
It turns out that not every event can be joined.
In a panic, Xu Lele ran downstairs, while Mu Mian went around a big tree and turned left.
Without needing to tell her what happened, she could guess what had just happened. It must be a group of boys who got together to poke a hornet's nest. If they were not poked, the hornets would not easily fly out and sting people.
Every year people get stung, and the next year there will still be people who poke them. Some do it out of sheer curiosity, while others want to see if there is any honey inside.
No matter which one it is, few people can escape unscathed. Even an adult might get stung if he or she wraps his or her head with clothes.
After running for a distance, Mu Mian stopped panting and turned his head to look. There was no one behind him. He didn't know where everyone ran, and the hornet didn't seem to be chasing him.
Mu Mian breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, when she was about to take a detour down the mountain to go home, she didn't know where she stepped when she took a step, and she slipped violently.
Mu Mian slid into the small ditch beside him and fell on his butt with a thud.
Mu Mian: π_π
It hurts so much! ! !
Mu Mian groaned, tears streaming down her face due to the pain. She sat on the ground, raised one side of her butt and rubbed it.
Which mountain is she climbing today? !
You should stay at home and chat with the old hen. Maybe if the hen is happy, she will lay a few more eggs.
Or let her read two more newspapers in front of her grandmother to prove that she is recognizing more and more words.
After rubbing one side, the other side didn't hurt much anymore. After making sure that he didn't hurt his coccyx, Mu Mian grabbed a handful of wild grass roots and prepared to get up.
He subconsciously put his other hand on the ground, preparing to exert force at the same time, but the moment he put it down, Mu Mian found that the palm of his hand seemed to touch something.
Mu Mian pulled aside the haystack and looked at it in confusion. The next second, she felt a small bag of something she didn't know what it was, which was as big as her palm.
Mu Mian initially thought he had picked up a piece of rags, but when he turned it over he found that it was a handkerchief wrapped in something.
The handkerchief was already a little dirty, covered with dirt.
Mu Mian lifted it up and found a layer of oil paper inside, and another layer of oil paper inside the oil paper, just like a Russian nesting doll, wrapped layer upon layer.
The innermost layer looked very familiar to Mu Mian; it was the cover of the exercise book they usually used.
Of course this is not the point, the point is......
The words "Shi Dabao" were written crookedly on the cover.
Combined with the touch in the palm of his hand, Mu Mian made a bold guess.
Sure enough, after opening the layer that wrapped the exercise book, what came into view were some large folded solidarity letters.
Mu Mian: “!!!!”
Speculations were speculations, but when Mu Mian actually saw the pictures of great unity, he was still shocked.
So, these should probably be...
When Li Guiyan took Shi Dabao away, what money did Shi Dabao steal from Old Lady Shi? !
Mu Mian counted them, ten yuan each, there were ten in total, exactly one hundred yuan.
Plus this layer
It was layered and wrapped so tightly. It must have been hidden in a corner by Old Lady Shi, and she told her eldest grandson without warning.
Mu Mian sat on the ground without moving, staring at the sudden huge sum of one hundred yuan in his hand, his heart torn.
One hundred yuan is really a lot of money. She dared to say that in their brigade, there must be many families whose savings are less than one hundred yuan.
But think about Shi Xiaolian, her mother and her two daughters, and Shi Xingfu who has passed away.
How could Shi Chuncao, an old country lady, have the ability to earn money? This money should be the compensation for Shi Xingfu.
In fact, Shi Xingfu had a pretty good relationship with her father. One reason was that they both had jobs in the commune, and the other was that Shi Xingfu was a good person.
Compared with his brother, Shi Xinggui is not even a little bit inferior.
Shi Xinggui is the kind of person who would go to other people's homes to chat, and if he saw peanuts drying in their yard, he would just grab a handful and take away.
In contrast, Shi Xingfu is the kind of person who not only does not take any, but also goes to other people's homes with a handful of peanuts and hands them to the children, saying that they want some snacks.
It's very pleasant to get along with such a person, but unfortunately Shi Xingfu, a good man, did not live long.
Mu Mian was still staring at the pictures of great unity when she suddenly heard some noise behind her. She turned around and saw that it was Aunt Li who often visited her house.
Mu Mian calmly put the handkerchief into his trouser pocket. Aunt Li was also surprised to see him. "Mian girl, what are you doing sitting here? Did you fall asleep by accident?"
Children often play halfway up the mountain and then find a big rock to sleep on. The adults are used to it.
Especially when you feel sleepy at noon and in the afternoon, it is easy to find children on the big rocks halfway up the mountain.
Mu Mian touched the ground with his hands and climbed up, smiling, "No, I just fell here."
This ditch is blocked by grass, and it's really easy to slip if you don't see it.
I guess Shi Dabao fell here in the middle of the night while running, otherwise how could the things fall out?
Only then did Aunt Li see the mud marks on the back of the man's buttocks. "Ouch, you didn't fall hard, did you? Move your buttocks and twist your waist. If it doesn't hurt, then it's probably okay. You kids are tough, so a fall shouldn't be a big problem."
Mu Mian moved his legs. "Well, I'm fine. Grandma Li, didn't you go to pick pig grass today?"
Aunt Li bent down and picked up a big stick. "I've finished harvesting firewood. I came here to pick up some firewood when I have nothing to do."
Mu Mian raised her little face and said, "You are busy, I am going home!"
Aunt Li smiled and waved her hand, "Go back, go back. You kids are just full of energy, running all over the hill every day."
After saying goodbye to Aunt Li, Mu Mian did not go home. She touched her trouser pocket.
If what she picked up today was ownerless, she would definitely keep it without hesitation.
This is one hundred dollars! One hundred dollars, one hundred dollars! !
In the end, his conscience prevailed and Mu Mian walked towards Shi Xiaolian's house.
It is impossible to return it to Mrs. Shi, as it was not her money in the first place.
Speaking of which, this old lady is reaping what she sowed.
Shi Xinggui is not a filial person. He inherited old lady Shi's stinginess and selfishness tenfold.
In the past, with Li Guiyan working for him, and the various things and money that Old Lady Shi got from Shi Xingfu, he was able to live a decent life.
Now all of these are gone, and the work points he earns from work are not enough for him to eat alone.
Mu Mian also occasionally heard that Shi Xinggui usually just fed his parents some porridge, and would not clean up after their pee or poop for ten days or half a month.
None of Shi Chuncao's married daughters ever came back to visit.
Shi Xinggui had wanted Tian Hongjuan to take care of him, but how could that be possible?
The first and second wives had separated long ago, and the old lady had been making a lot of trouble since Shi Xingfu's death. She even said bluntly that the mother and daughter were not members of the Shi family and could not occupy their homestead.
So the mother and her two daughters could only apply for a new place to live together in a corner of the brigade.
After all the trouble the old lady has gone through, she is now left alone and no one knows what she is doing.
Mu Mian came down from halfway up the mountain and didn't see Xu Lele and the others along the way.
I don’t know if I was stung? But I think it shouldn't be a big problem.
About ten minutes later, Mu Mian stood at the door of Shi Xiaolian's house. There was no one in the yard, so she leaned her head out and looked around.
Before she could shout, Tian Hongjuan's voice rang out. She must be busy in the kitchen and saw someone from the window. "Xiaomi, is there something wrong?"
Mu Mian: "Aunt, I'm looking for Shi Xiaolian."
Tian Hongjuan seemed quite happy. "She is at home. Come in and sit for a while. Auntie will call her for you."
As she said that, she came out of the kitchen and called towards the bedroom, "Xiao Lian, Xiao Lian, Mian girl is here to play with you, don't stay in the room alone."
Within three seconds, Shi Xiaolian came out with a confused expression on her face.
She really didn't know why Mu Mian came to play with her.
Tian Hongjuan had no idea about the little quarrel between the two little girls, she was really happy.
I don’t know what’s wrong with my little girl. She used to run outside every day, and sometimes she wouldn’t be seen for most of the day.
Now he stays in the house every day, and I don’t know what he is busy with. How can the little kid not go out and run? Only by running more can he grow up well.
Tian Hongjuan smiled and said, "Go and have fun, but don't go too far. Remember to come back before dark."
Shi Xiaolian followed Mu Mian out for some unknown reason, but as soon as they walked out of the yard and outside the courtyard wall, they stopped.
Shi Xiaolian was confused, so she asked directly, "What do you want from me?"
Mu Mian looked around. There was no shelter near Shi Xiaolian's house, so it was not a good place to talk.
Mu Mian raised his foot and walked ahead, "Let's talk somewhere else."
Shi Xiaolian hesitated for a moment, then followed with a suspicious look on her face.
When he reached a haystack at the foot of the mountain, Mu Mian looked around and saw no one around.
She took out the hundred yuan from her pocket and said, "I found it in the mountains, so it belongs to you. I'll return it to its original owner."
Shi Xiaolian took it doubtfully. After seeing what it was, the puzzled expression on her face instantly became much more complicated, showing shock and surprise.
After a while, she opened and closed her mouth and said, "Thank you. My family really needs this money."
In fact, her father's compensation was more than three hundred, but five hundred.
The leaders of the factory also knew what kind of person the old woman was. In order to take care of the mother and daughter, they told others that the amount was only three hundred yuan.
Even so, her family didn't have enough money.
Her mother was in poor health and could not get tired all year round. She also had to take medicine. The work points her sister earned as a teacher did not bring her much food.
Her family has been living beyond its means in the past two years.
She also wanted her sister to go to high school. Although she might not be able to find a job after graduation, her sister was able to afford it. However, because she was still young and her mother was in poor health, her sister had to give up.
Looking at Mu Mian, who was half a head taller than her, Shi Xiaolian said thank you again with true emotion.
As for what the old woman said before, that this was the pension money her father should give them, that was pure bullshit.
The money her father gave her was enough, so much that when her father died, there was nothing left in the family savings.
Mu Mian waved his hand and told the truth, "If I hadn't seen those words from Shi Dabao, I would have left it alone."
The mission was accomplished, and there was nothing for Mu Mian to do, so she prepared to leave.
She had just taken half a step when Shi Xiaolian called her back.
Mu Mian turned his head in confusion. Shi Xiaolian seemed to be organizing her words. She paused for a moment before saying, "Well, last month, I overheard two uncles talking..."
"They said they dug up ginseng under a big pine tree not far from the southwest corner of the small pond."
"Where one grows, there might be a second one. You can go and have a look when you have time."
Mu Mian's eyes immediately widened, "!!!!"
What? ?
Ginseng? ! !
Can ginseng grow halfway up a mountain? ! She thought they all grew in the mountains!
Now the person with a shocked and complicated expression became Mu Mian.
I said it was last month, but actually it should be the previous life.
The fact that Shi Xiaolian could say this meant that the ginseng had not been found yet, and the second one was just a cover-up.
Mu Mian asked in a complicated tone: "Didn't you go look for it?"
Shi Xiaolian was choked. "I went there and searched for two months."
I didn't see a single hair.
She knew about this because in her previous life, everyone in the team knew about it. The one who dug up the ginseng was Uncle Yang, who lived not far from their home.
Well, Uncle Yang dug what he found. He came back and showed off a lot. He shouted out where he dug it and even said it was under a big pine tree.
Later he boasted that he had changed 150
But within a week, the money was stolen.
Now that I think about it, it was most likely done by her uncle's family.
During the time she was back, besides taking care of her sister's affairs, she was also busy looking for ginseng.
My legs became thinner after running, but I didn’t see any trace of ginseng.
It was said to be under a big pine tree, but there were so many big pine trees on the mountain, who knew which one it was.
She has given up looking for it. Maybe she is not destined to be rich.
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