Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Daily Life in October.
There are many people like them sending people off at the train station.
When the train was about to leave, the people who were seeing us off were not allowed to get close to the platform.
Mu Zhuo's seat was close to the window, and after the car started slowly, he stuck his head out to look outside.
Mu Mian and the other two followed and ran a few steps, and soon they could no longer see each other.
Liu Shuangcui had not said much in front of Mu Zhuo before, but now she couldn't help but say to her daughter and daughter-in-law, "I don't know when he will be back after he leaves?"
Mu Mian held her mother with one hand and her sister-in-law with the other. "It's okay. Uncle Xu said that the brigade will be laying wires next year. Maybe they will call the phone when the time comes. When you miss your brother in the future, just call him. It's very convenient!"
Liu Shuangcui: "It's convenient for us, but it's not convenient for your brother."
Mu Mian: "Then let's send more photos!"
Nie Sihui: "You can take a photo every year during festivals."
Mu Mian smiled and said, "Yes! Take a lot of pictures. Send him a stack of letters when you send them."
Liu Shuangcui laughed, "Another stack, how much does that cost?"
Mu Mian: "Money is earned to be spent, if it's gone, earn it again!"
The three of them talked as they walked, chatting about this and that, all of which revolved around Mu Zhuo, and the sadness of separation would not fade away for a while.
When they walked out of the train station, Mu Mian looked at his watch. It was already four o'clock.
If you go to catch the bus at this time, you can only get to the county but not back to the commune.
They had not planned to go back that day, and they came out with a letter of introduction, so they could stay in a guesthouse at night.
As they walked toward the bus stop, Liu Shuangcui looked toward her daughter and daughter-in-law and asked, "Do you want to live in the provincial capital or in the county?"
Nie Sihui: "Look at Xiaomian's."
Mu Mian thought for a moment and said, "Let's go back tomorrow. Since we're here, let's buy something before we leave."
Before Liu Shuangcui asked what to buy, Mu Mian followed up with another sentence, "Go to the department store and see if there is any of the fine cotton cloth that grandma grabbed last time. You can buy some and give it to Sister Lingxiu as a full-moon gift."
Last week, Second Aunt Mu gave birth to her eldest grandson and officially became a grandmother.
Including the old lady, four generations live together, which is a happy event.
Liu Shuangcui was used to her daughter sometimes thinking things through more carefully than she did, so she said, "Okay, let's go take a look."
Mu Mian: "Did you bring your ticket?"
Nie Sihui replied, "I brought them. I have three five-foot ones."
Mu Mian: "Then I can buy more than ten feet."
Liu Shuangcui: "Let's go take a look first."
The bus came and Mu Mian handed over the ticket money for three people. There were many people getting on the bus and it was crowded. As soon as Mu Mian got on the bus, she protected her small cross-body bag. She had encountered thieves twice in just over a month, so she had to be careful.
There is no surveillance these days, so sometimes things are lost and can never be found again.
The journey today was quite smooth. Mu Mian's accident-prone constitution did not show up. The bus stopped and started along the way and before we knew it, we drove into the city.
The train station is quite remote, and it takes some time to get to the department store from there.
Fortunately, the department store closes late, so we don’t have to leave work so early.
After about an hour, the three got off the car. Mu Mian walked in front and headed straight for the department store.
Liu Shuangcui pulled Nie Sihui and trotted for two steps, then shouted to Mu Mian, "Why are you in such a hurry? Walk slower."
Mu Mian turned his head and waited, "Oh, I forgot, it shouldn't be as crowded today as last time."
It was indeed not crowded. Today was not a holiday, and there were more than half as many people as the last time they came.
The place is big to begin with, and with fewer people it seems a little empty.
Mu Mian went straight to the cloth counter, and as soon as she got closer, she saw the cloth that her grandmother had grabbed last time.
Mu Mian turned around with a look of surprise, and called out to Liu Shuangcui and Nie Sihui who were following closely behind him, "Yes!"
The salesperson caught Mu Mian's gaze accurately and asked, "You want this fine cotton fabric?"
Mu Mian nodded, "Yeah, how much is left?"
This cloth is hard to buy, and the commune's supply and marketing cooperatives often can't get it themselves.
The clothes that the old lady bought last time have been used up, so I made two small clothes for each of the ladies in the family. They fit closely to the skin without hurting it and are really comfortable.
The salesperson smiled and said, "You guys are lucky. The goods just arrived at noon, and these are all we have left. There are about twenty feet of them."
Mu Mian still had a look of surprise on his face, "There are still quite a few."
The saleswoman said, "If you come an hour later, it will definitely be gone."
Mu Mian believed this. Wasn’t there a crazy rush to buy things when he came here last Sunday?
Mu Mian turned around and asked Liu Shuangcui, "Mom, how many do we want?"
Liu Shuangcui thought for a moment and said, "Let's take all of them. I should have two more tickets here."
The ticket Liu Shuangcui brought out was three feet long.
They said they wanted all of them, but the tickets that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had combined were not enough, so in the end they had two feet left and could not take them.
They had just walked less than two meters away when an old lady bought all the remaining pieces. Mu Mian vaguely heard her mutter something like "Why is there only so little left?" It was obvious that the cloth was really in great demand.
Mu Mian was holding the cloth, feeling a little happy. "Sister-in-law, do you want to buy anything else?"
Nie Sihui looked around and asked, "How about seeing if there is any wool?"
Mu Mian: "Okay, I'll buy some more books, and then we'll go to the guesthouse."
Liu Shuangcui: "You lost your notebook again?"
Mu Mian nodded, "That's right, it's used up very quickly."
As she spoke, Mu Mian suddenly remembered that she had not received a reply to the paintings she had sent out last time.
Last time, she sent her paintings not only to the Shanghai Pictorial Publishing House, but also to other publishing houses, a total of three publishers, which she carefully selected because she felt they were most suitable for her own style of painting.
It has been more than a month, and I haven't received a single reply. Shanghai is far away, but the other two cities are quite close.
As the saying goes, sometimes things can't stand being talked about.
Mu Mian was still talking to his mother and sister-in-law about the publishing house not replying, but he suddenly received the news at noon the next day.
---
After staying in the provincial capital for one night, Mu Mian and the others did not stay long in the morning. After simply tidying up early in the morning, they took the bus home.
By the time we arrived at the commune, it was around ten in the morning, almost eleven.
Halfway through the journey, Mu Mian met the postman Xiao Zhang. He was riding a bicycle with bags hanging on both sides of the back seat. It was obvious that he was going to deliver mail again.
He was riding his bicycle very fast. After passing by, Xiao Zhang suddenly pressed the brake.
He parked the car a few meters behind Mu Mian and the other two, and shouted loudly in their direction, "Little Mu girl, there's a letter for you!"
Mu Mian turned around when he heard the voice, with a look of surprise on his face, "Where did you send it from?"
Xiao Zhang bent down and rummaged through his bag. "I really didn't notice this. There are two envelopes. Take a look yourself. I was just planning to take them to the slaughterhouse to give to your father. It's a good coincidence that I didn't have to make another trip."
In the time it took to say these two sentences, Xiao Zhang had already found the letter.
Mu Mian took it and said, "Sorry for bothering Uncle Zhang!"
Xiao Zhang waved his hand and said, "You're welcome, you're welcome."
After saying that, he rode away in a hurry on his bicycle, leaving only his back to the three people.
Mu Mian lowered his head and glanced twice.
One letter was from Shanghai, and the other was from Pingtan.
Pingtan is relatively close to them, but the publishing house is smaller than that in Shanghai, so they didn’t expect that they would come together.
Nie Sihui came over and smiled, "I told you it would definitely pass."
Liu Shuangcui was curious, "Have they all passed?"
Mu Mian pulled the two of them to the side of the road and said, "I don't know. Let me take a look."
The three of them put their heads together.
To Pingtan City, Mu Mian only sent three, and all of them were approved.
But the amount of money given was little, only two dollars per note. Apart from the reply letter, the rest was a remittance slip for six dollars.
Mu Mian sent a lot of letters to Shanghai, but not all of them were accepted. In addition to a remittance slip of 18 yuan and a reply letter, there was also a rejection letter.
It was written on the reply letter that some of them were three yuan each.
Mu Mian glanced at the reply. Someone passed by and Mu Mian put the letter away. After the person left, he whispered, "It's not a small amount. It adds up to twenty-four dollars!"
Liu Shuangcui had seen her daughter earn more than 100 yuan for a comic book, so she was quite calm at the moment, "Why don't you pick it up on the way?"
Mu Mian thought about it, then handed the remittance slip to Liu Shuangcui, "Mom, you go ahead. My sister-in-law and I will go to the grain station to check and buy some flour to take home. We will split up into two groups."
I have money again!
Of course I have to buy something good to reward myself!
Liu Shuangcui: “………………”
Her daughter can indeed earn money, but she can also spend it. Before she even takes out the money from one end, she's already thinking about spending it from another.
Liu Shuangcui didn't say anything, "Okay then, I'll come find you guys after I get it."
Mu Mian nodded.
The commune’s grain station was not big. Fine grain was a rare commodity in those days and was quite expensive. It was impossible for city dwellers to eat it every other day.
There was no flour left at home, so Mu Mian bought some more. He originally wanted to buy some rice, but it was sold out. Only a little glutinous rice was left, and Mu Mian took it all.
I came out to see Mu Zhuo off, and finally returned home with lots of harvest.
---
Three days later, Mu Zhuo sent a telegram saying that he had arrived safely.
With his departure, the house became less lively as it lost a loudmouth who loved to chatter.
But soon no one cared about these anymore.
September passed quietly, and then another National Day came. Mu Mian was another year older.
Officially turning thirteen!
I didn’t go to the state-owned restaurant this year, so the old lady made me a bowl of noodles.
Pure white noodles with two poached eggs on top made the little birthday boy’s belly so round.
But she only has two pounds of flesh in the front, and her hind legs will soon be tired.
It’s like this every year. Not long after November 11, the horn of autumn harvest will be sounded. This is the most important thing in the year.
Mu Mian has been a major laborer since he was eight or nine years old, and he is rooted in the rice fields at this time every year.
The benches that people used to stand on have now been removed.
---
October 12th is a good day.
Before daybreak, some families had already lit up their houses, and the entire brigade seemed to be busy.
The familiar whistle sounded just as everyone finished breakfast.
Mu Mian wore a straw hat and followed her father and her fourth uncle and younger uncle to the rice fields fully armed. Liu Shuangcui and Nie Sihui, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, also went to harvest rice with sickles as they did in previous years.
On the first day of autumn harvest, everyone was full of energy.
These days, there is nothing more joyful than watching the grain being harvested.
But on the other hand, it is really tiring. I have to work two or three hours longer than usual, and I really work from dawn to dusk.
Every one of the villagers walked home at night with heavier steps than when they left home in the morning.
Mu Mian was young and strong. Apart from a little sunburn on her face, everything else was fine. She even had the leisure to play with Eleven for a while.
The old lady had already prepared the meal and urged, "Go wash up quickly, and then we can eat."
Mu Mian sat still, took the branch out of Eleven's mouth, and threw it out of the yard, "Sister-in-law Pan is still using it."
Following the path of the branch, Eleven rushed out again with a whoosh.
Mu Fugui looked at the dog and clicked his tongue twice. "Look at its endless energy. It should be pulled to the fields to harvest some rice."
Mu Mian imagined the funny scene and laughed out loud, "Hahaha, then we'll probably be in the newspapers again."
Is it okay for a dog to hit the rice?
Not far away, Nie Sihui wrung the towel and said, "I'm done, Xiao Mian, come and wash yourself."
Eleven came back with a branch in his mouth.
Mu Mian took it and threw it out, then walked towards Nie Sihui.
She had just walked over when she saw Nie Sihui next to her holding a basin and preparing to pour the dirty water into the vegetable garden, but she staggered twice as she stood up.
Mu Mian quickly helped him up, "Are you tired?"
Nie Sihui stood firm and said, "It's okay, I just got a little excited."
The aunt and sister-in-law talked casually and didn't care.
As a result, when it was time to eat, Nie Sihui took a bite of salted fish and vomited it out.
The old lady and Liu Shuangcui both stopped eating and looked at Nie Sihui. Before they could say anything, Comrade Mu Fugui beside them picked up a piece and smelled it, saying in a carefree tone, "It's not bad."
Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law: “………………”
No one paid any attention to Comrade Mu Fugui.
The old lady said directly, "Let's go to Lao Li's place."
We have to check it out to find out whether he has heatstroke or is sick.
Mu Mian got up and went into the house to get a flashlight, "I'll go with my sister-in-law!"
The old lady said: "What do you know, little girl? I'll go, you eat your meal, you're not crying with hunger just now."
Mu Mian handed over the flashlight, then picked up his own bowl, quickly ate some food, and followed the two of them.
Zhao Meihua didn't say anything and let her granddaughter, who always wanted to get involved in everything, follow her.
After the three of them walked out of the courtyard gate, the old lady asked Nie Sihui in a low voice, "When did you do that last time?"
Nie Sihui just realized it and counted on her fingers, "It seems like I haven't had my period for twenty days."
Zhao Meihua was shocked. "Girl, why didn't you tell me after so long?!"
Nie Sihui spoke truthfully, muttering, "I just remembered it, too. It wasn't very accurate before."
Mu Mian ate while walking, and this did not affect her at all. "It's been so long, she must be pregnant."
Zhao Meihua deeply felt that these little kids in her family were troublesome. "You better be careful, don't let the thorns get stuck in your throat."
Mu Mian: “It can’t be stuck!”
She didn't even catch any fish, so where did the bone come from?
Uncle Li's house is some distance away from Mu Mian's house. When they got there, Mu Mian had already finished his meal.
She walked to the front and knocked on the door, "Uncle Li, Grandpa Li, please open the door."
The next second, Uncle Li's voice rang out in the yard, "Here they come."
He opened the courtyard door with a kerosene lamp in his hand, and as soon as he came out, he saw Mu Mian holding an empty bowl. Old Li was confused, "Mian girl, what are you doing? Are you begging for food in my house?"
Zhao Meihua clicked her tongue and said, "What are you talking about? Show it to my Sihui."
Old Li made way for her and said, "Come in, what's wrong with little Nie? Are you tired and having a heat stroke?"
Zhao Meihua didn't say anything, "Let me see it first."
Old Li asked Nie Sihui to sit on a bench, then he kept his fingers on Nie Sihui's wrist for a long time, smacking his lips from time to time.
Mu Mian stood nearby and looked left and right.
She realized that Grandpa Li’s medical skills were really not that good.
Zhao Meihua was a little anxious, "Have you figured out what's going on?"
Old Li thought for two seconds and said, "It seems to me that I am pregnant."
Mu Mian added, "How similar are they?"
Old Li: "90%, I estimate that the period is still early, and the pulse will definitely be clear in half a month. Just don't get tired during this period."
When she came out of Lao Li's house, Nie Sihui was still a little dazed. She stroked her belly with her hand.
"Really?"
Is she going to be a mother now?
Zhao Meihua was able to remain calm. "After the autumn harvest, go to the commune hospital for a checkup. Don't go to the fields during this period. You have to be especially careful in the first three months."
Mu Mian took Nie Sihui's arm and said, "Hey, I'm going to be an aunt!"
After returning home, Zhao Meihua repeated what Lao Li had said.
Mu Fugui, who had already reacted, laughed out loud, "Haha, great! Little Nie, take a rest."
Liu Shuangcui asked with concern: "How do you feel now?"
Nie Sihui smiled and said, "I'm fine, just a little hungry."
Mu Mian pulled Nie Sihui to sit on the bench and said, "Eat if you're hungry. I'm also very hungry. That little bit just now is enough to fill my stomach."
Liu Shuangcui laughed out loud, "You had to follow me."
Mu Mian chuckled, "Of course I have to be there for my nephews and nieces!"
Mu Fugui: "It's a pity that the boss is not here. I'll give him a call after the autumn harvest is over."
Mu Mian laughed and said, "I'm sure Big Brother will be shocked then."
Speaking of which, her brother and sister-in-law are really efficient. They completed the triple jump in just over two months.
I found a partner, got married, and had a child.
This speed is really fast.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com