Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Torn Cotton Pants

Not only the peppers have to be harvested, but also the cabbages that have grown too big have to be picked back.

All the baskets and backpacks in the house that could hold things were used up. It took two carts to pull all the peppers, and a dozen large cabbages filled a whole cart.

We went back and forth a few times like this, stealing the show along the way, with a 100% return rate.

When he returned to the family building, he attracted quite a few onlookers.

Neighbors on the third floor who had never interacted with each other before also became familiar with each other through these dishes. Someone even exchanged a cabbage for a taro he had just harvested.

"What are you going to do with all these peppers?"

There was no place in the backyard to dry the peppers, so Wang Nian could only string all the peppers together and hang them by the firewood shed in the backyard.

Seeing her busying around, Sun Xiumei quickly put down the wool in her hands and came to help.

"Carry some to sell in the small square tomorrow morning." The needle with black thread passed through the chili stem, and Wang Nian pointed to the basket next to him: "You can also take some back to eat. Doesn't Xiao Luo like spicy food?"

"You have to take some peppers and a cabbage. My land hasn't been divided yet." Sun Xiumei said bluntly.

They had just gotten married, and the Housing Department said that there was only wasteland available, and they could either reclaim it themselves or wait in line.

Sun Xiumei and her husband have to go to work, but their biological mother Qi Xiu'e is free, but it is better to ask outsiders for help than to ask her.

The two could only wait in line, not knowing when it would be their turn.

"It's such a shame to leave your backyard idle, you can plant some green onions, ginger, garlic or something like that!"

Wang Nian now wishes his yard could be twice as big so that he could grow some loofah, green beans, etc. It's a pity that Sun Xiumei's backyard is only used for drying clothes.

"There are three people in our family. Luo Shunli is busy with research and development every day. He has no time to care about what to eat and wear. You know my mother..."

Wang Nian understood and nodded.

Luo Shunli is an avid mechanical engineering enthusiast and often comes to Shi Xiangming to borrow books or ask questions.

The closer the two families became, the more Wang Nian realized that one should not judge a person by appearance alone.

Luo Shunli, who looks like a good guy and is loyal to others, is actually a henpecked man at home and does whatever Sun Xiumei says.

Wang Nian later thought that this must be the case, otherwise why would he agree to live with his mother-in-law.

As for Qi Xiu'e, she no longer went out. She simply stayed at home all day, listening to operas and doing nothing.

The weeds in the backyard are taller than a person, but I probably wouldn't even give them a second glance.

"I'll come to your house to help loosen the soil after I finish selling vegetables tomorrow, and then you can plant vegetables." Wang Nian said, and Liu Chaoxian also said that he would go to help if he had nothing to do tomorrow.

If there are three people, it can be done in half an hour on flat ground.

"Where have these two guys been? Why are they so shameless?"

Threading peppers is not a technical job, and several people can even chat while doing it. Liu Chaoxian looked up at the embankment and immediately laughed.

Zhang Liye and Shi Shuwen's faces were covered in mud, looking like two little cats.

Shi Wan and Wu Zhenzhen were not much better off. The four of them worked together to drag something forward, stopping to wipe their sweat after every few steps.

“…”

"Where have you been?" Wang Nian stood up in shock when he saw that Shi Shuwen was wearing only woolen trousers under his cotton jacket.

Although the weather has gotten a little warmer, we can't go out and freeze. Otherwise, all the medicinal food we stew every day will be wasted!

I took a few quick steps towards the dam and realized when I got closer that not only Shi Shuwen was not wearing cotton pants, but Zhang Liye was not wearing any either.

"Where are your pants?" He moved his gaze towards the few people, and his anger was instantly dissipated by the emotion, so there was no point in him scolding them.

A few people used their pants as a rope, picked up a rice bag from somewhere, and pulled a bag full of bamboo shoots.

A few days ago, when I was passing by the bamboo forest on my way home, Wang Nian said he wanted to eat bamboo shoots, and the children must have remembered it.

"Auntie Wang Nian, these bamboo shoots are enough to last us at least half a month. If not, we can go dig more." Zhang Liye patted his chest proudly, and two clear snots flowed down his nose as he spoke.

"Go back and put on your pants." Wang Nian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He pulled Shi Wan out from behind Shi Shuwen and said, "Go back and wash your faces and change your clothes."

"Auntie, are these bamboo shoots delicious?" Shi Wan asked, innocently showing her muddy hands: "It's hard to dig them, so we use stones to dig them."

Wu Zhenzhen glanced at Wang Nian shyly, and put her hands behind her back, not daring to take them out.

Wang Nian rescued the two boys' pants and, of course, did not let down their kindness, so he picked up the bag of bamboo shoots.

Winter bamboo shoots are indeed difficult to dig because most of them are buried underground and need to be pried out little by little with a hoe.

It must have been a lot of hard work for the kids to dig so much with their bare hands.

How could Wang Nian blame them? He quickly poured hot water for them to wash their faces and hands, and asked Liu Chaoxian to light a fire and boil some ginger soup.

"If you dare to take your brothers and sisters outside the factory again, I will skin you alive."

Liu Chaoxian was not as soft-hearted as Wang Nian. He grabbed Zhang Liye and slapped him hard on the buttocks.

This kind of winter bamboo shoots can only be found at the western foot of the mountain. You have to walk more than ten minutes along the mountain road from the factory to see them. Liu Chaoxian took Zhang Liye there once last year.

"Next time you are not allowed to leave the factory without an adult."

After hearing what Liu Chaoxian said, Wang Nian also felt that he should talk to Shi Shuwen about the seriousness of the matter, but he still couldn't bring himself to beat the child.

Zhang Liye gritted his teeth in pain, but he just kept his face up and refused to cry.

Shi Wan sobbed out of worry, but the boy still found time to turn around and comfort her: "Don't cry, sister. My mother's spanking is just itching. It doesn't hurt at all."

Liu Chaoxian was angry and wanted to laugh, so he increased the force of the next slap. There was a loud slap and Zhang Liye cried out in pain.

"Next time if you sneak out of the factory again, I will beat you too." Wang Nian raised his palm and threatened without any intimidation: "Otherwise, I will wait until Dad gets home from get off work and then I will deal with you."

The second half of the sentence was so powerful that Shi Shuwen's eyes widened unconsciously, and then he nodded aggrievedly.

Shi Xiangming's style of educating children is also that of a cultured person, which is to present facts and reason, and then review where the mistakes are and how to correct them.

But for children, criticism is much more painful than a few slaps in the face... after all, they still have to use their brains to figure out what went wrong.

"Criticize the mistakes first, and praise the good ones." Wang Nian gently helped Shi Shuwen straighten the collar of his sweater, and smiled slowly: "I will exchange a piece of bacon with Aunt Liu later, and we will stir-fry the bacon with winter bamboo shoots tonight."

"Why change it? I'll just take it. I'll go to your house for dinner tonight." Zhang Liye interrupted, holding his butt. ..."

"You kid..."

Sometimes Liu Chaoxian really was at a loss as to what to do with his own son. As he thought about it, he laughed helplessly.

"If you don't take the bacon, auntie won't give you a meal." Wang Nian smiled.

"It's embarrassing to always eat for free. I have to show some appreciation." Zhang Liye scratched his head shyly.

“Haha——” Wang Nian laughed.

At this time, Sun Xiumei led Wu Zhenzhen, who had just washed her face, to the door. She raised the collar of her cotton coat with some embarrassment and said, "I'm thinking of wiping the child's cotton coat with a towel. You see..."

There was a big hole in the collar, revealing the black cotton wool inside, which Sun Xiumei couldn't rub open with her hands.

"No wonder the child's face and hands are red every day. How can he be warm wearing this kind of cotton?" Wang Nian also rubbed his hands.

Not only is the cotton wool hard to rub apart, but you can even smell a faint moldy odor.

Wang Nian looked towards door number 3 on the first floor. No one knew where Duan Hehua had gone today, and the door had been closed since morning.

"I'll give her a cotton jacket from Shi Wan. How can she wear such a tattered cotton coat?"

The cotton coat must have been caught by bamboo while digging bamboo shoots. The thin fabric would have been torn by a slight rub. Logically, Wang Nian should be held responsible.

"I'll leave the job of stringing the peppers to you two. After that, I'll give you some fried egg rice for lunch."

When Zhang Liye heard that there was egg rice to eat, he ignored his burning butt and sat down quickly, asking Shi Shuwen to hurry up.

Liu Chaoxian: “…”

"You are a donkey, you can grind the millstone just by hanging a radish."

"Zhenzhen, you and your aunt come into the house." Wang Nian wiped his hands with a wet towel and waved for Wu Zhenzhen to go in.

"Auntie, you just need to sew it for me with a needle. There's no need to change into new clothes." Wu Zhenzhen shyly refused and was about to take off her cotton padded jacket.

Wang Nian simply put his arm around her shoulders and led her into the house.

"The cotton jacket was damaged when I was helping auntie dig bamboo shoots. Auntie will compensate you with an old cotton jacket." Wang Nian smiled.

"Auntie, there's really no need." Wu Zhenzhen stepped back stubbornly, her face full of determination.

At this time, the age difference between Wu Zhenzhen and Shi Wan can be seen. The latter is obviously more naive mentally.

Seeing that Wu Zhenzhen was still refusing, Shi Wan leaned closer in confusion: "Sister Zhenzhen, don't you like the cotton shirt I've worn?"

"No." Wu Zhenzhen pursed her lips, her hands still grasping the torn part of her cotton shirt. After a long while, she stammered, "My mother will scold me..."

"Will I scold you or give the cotton shirt to your brother?"

Duan Hehua usually treated this daughter as if she didn't exist, so how could she be scolded for tearing her cotton-padded jacket? Instead, she would say that because she couldn't wear it.

Wu Zhenzhen lowered her head and stopped arguing.

"Don't worry, auntie has a way." Wang Nian's eyes flashed, and she let Wu Zhenzhen follow her into her room.

"Don't be afraid, Sister Zhenzhen. If Aunt Hehua steals your cotton-padded jacket, just run to my house and we will protect you." Shi Wan comforted her in a baby voice.

Wu Zhenzhen was very nervous, but also felt indescribably excited.

As far as I can remember, she never wore nice clothes. Or maybe she did...it's been too long so I don't have much impression.

As far as she can remember, her clothes were all hand-me-downs her mother got from neighbors. She would only alter them if they didn't fit her, and most of the time she just wore them as is.

Carefully glancing at Wang Nian who was rummaging through clothes in the closet, Wu Zhenzhen blinked hard to hold back her tears.

Soon, Wang Nian took out a floral cotton jacket from the closet, and her bright eyes were quite eye-catching.

The cotton jacket that Wang Nian's aunt sewed for him when he turned eighteen was worn only once and then became the bottom of his closet.

The base is orange with light yellow and pink flowers on it.

After washing, the color faded a little, but it also softened the color and was not as flashy as when I first wore it.

"Auntie, I'll change it now. If there's any left, I'll change the cotton in your cotton pants."

Wu Zhenzhen snorted, but finally couldn't hold back her tears, which rolled down in big drops.

Wang Nian had already walked out with the cotton-padded jacket, and she raised her hand to wipe her eyes. It was as if a warm breeze blew past, taking away all her worries and sadness, leaving only full of expectations.

To adapt an adult's cotton shirt for a five-year-old child is like making a new one.

You need to unwrap it first and then take out the cotton to make it elastic and soft. After the clothing pattern is made, sew it together piece by piece so that the cotton will not leak when you wear it later.

Wang Nian first took out all the cotton, and Liu Chaoxian took the cotton to the tailor shop in the factory to ask the master to help re-stretch it.

The men from the three families were all working overtime in the factory. At noon, Sun Xiumei cooked some noodles for everyone to have a meal together.

Wang Nian concentrated on taking apart the cotton quilt.

"Come here, let me measure your sleeves."

Although my clothing-making skills are not as good as those of professional tailors, it is more than enough to make a cotton shirt for a child.

Measure the size and cut the old fabric to the appropriate size.

Tick, tick, tick—

As soon as the sewing machine started to sound, Wang Nian never looked up at the room again.

Liu Chaoxian sent the children away.

"Wang Nianxin is really nice."

"If you have a bad heart..." Sun Xiumei said angrily towards the corridor: "How could you raise two children so well?"

"That's right! No one can say anything bad about it." Liu Chaoxian agreed and sat down again: "Let's finish stringing the peppers and then help pick the pea tips. Do we really count on those kids?"

Sun Xiumei turned around, but the children were nowhere to be seen; they had already run away...

"Did Brother Zhang tell you about what happened in the factory?"

"What is it?"

Sun Xiumei paused, and guessed that Zhang Guiqiang had not mentioned it to Liu Chaoxian yet, so she hesitated whether she should ask him to propose it.

"Go ahead and say it." Liu Chaoxian was impatient and immediately urged her after two seconds of silence: "What is our relationship? What else are you afraid to say?"

Since Sun Xiumei asked this, it must have something to do with Zhang Guiqiang.

"I heard that the factory is going to set up a research and development team. Brother Shi will be the team leader, and all engineers and technicians can apply to join." Sun Xiumei thought about it and said it.

"R&D team?"

"I can't tell you exactly what I do."

Sun Xiumei had heard some fragments of information from Luo Shunli. She had felt uneasy when she heard that she was going to be transferred to another position, so she wanted to ask Wang Nianxiao if he knew the details.

If I am transferred from a technical position to a clerical position, my salary will definitely be reduced by one level. How can this be possible!

"My husband Zhang didn't say a word." Liu Chaoxian frowned, but this made her even more worried.

No one knows who the boss is. Zhang Guiqiang is a taciturn person and never talks about things in the factory at home.

In life, he could let Liu Chaoxian make decisions on anything, but once he said something about work, the decision had already been made.

"Your words make me even more panicked." Sun Xiumei looked towards her door anxiously. Luo Shunli hadn't come back yet...

"I guess Wang Nian definitely doesn't know the inside story, otherwise he would have reminded us this morning."

Liu Chaoxian thought that after spending almost half a year together, she had a good understanding of Wang Nian. If it was really a bad thing, she would have warned them long ago.

and……

"You've led me astray!" Liu Chaoxian slapped her thigh fiercely. The needle tip brushed past her finger and she was so scared that she quickly put the needle away: "Comrade Shi is the team leader. It can't be a bad thing!"

Who is Shi Xiangming? He is the "treasure" of Factory 431

"It's definitely right to follow along!" Liu Chaoxian affirmed.

"That's what Smooth said." Sun Xiumei lowered her head and continued to thread the peppers. She still felt a little uneasy in her heart: "I'll ask again tonight, otherwise I'll always feel uneasy..."

"Just ask Wang Nian. Don't ask Chief Engineer Shi."

Sun Xiumei didn't understand, and Liu Chaoxian raised his eyebrows mysteriously: "Chief Engineer Shi looks easy to talk to, but he is actually not very humane at all."

"Regarding Zhou Tong's matter... Chief Engineer Shi has gone off work! Technician Luo has also gone off work!"

The topic came to an abrupt end. Liu Chaoxian loudly greeted Shi Xiangming who walked out of the bamboo forest, followed by Luo Shunli and Zhang Guiqiang.

"Where did you get all that chili?"

There are already more than twenty strings of peppers hanging on the awning, and two baskets of peppers piled at the entrance of the stairs. Add to that the peppers being strung in the corridor... it's really a sea of ​​peppers.

"Aren't you working overtime today? Why are you here so early?"

"I came back after the meeting because I had nothing else to do."

While Liu Chaoxian and his wife were talking, Shi Xiangming had already pushed the car into the utility room and walked past the pile of chili peppers carrying a briefcase.

The tapping sounds in the room never stopped.

Shi Xiangming looked out the window and saw Wang Nian lying in front of the sewing machine, stepping on the pedal and turning the cloth deftly with her hands.

He pushed the door open, silently hung the briefcase behind the door, then quietly went into the house and took off his watch.

The sewing machine stopped.

"You're back!" Wang Nian didn't even raise his head. He straightened his collar with his hands and continued to operate the sewing machine.

A few minutes later, the scissors gently cut the thread, and Wang Nian flattened the cotton shirt on the desk with satisfaction to admire it.

"Who is this cotton shirt made for?" Shi Xiangming asked.

"Zhenzhen."

It was just the last step, sewing the buttons on, and the job would be done, but Wang Nian suddenly sat back in front of the sewing machine.

After lowering her head and writing a few words on the collar, she started operating the sewing machine again.

Shi Xiangming just shook his head and smiled, then opened the door to the backyard and walked out.

In front of the 43rd family building.

Four figures of different heights were happily running home from the supply and marketing cooperative. Just before they were about to turn into the bamboo forest, Shi Shuwen suddenly stopped them.

"Zhenzhen, your mother."

Not far away, three people were walking towards the bamboo forest.

Feng Liang was holding Feng Lianshan in one hand and holding a string of candied haws in the other. Duan Hehua was walking on the other side with a bag of pastries in her hand.

The family of three chatted and laughed, looking very happy.

Wu Zhenzhen had no expression on her face. She said "hmm" softly and turned around quickly: "Let's go."

"Let's go." Zhang Liye took the lead and the four of them quickly entered the bamboo forest.

The ding ding candy gradually melted, and her mouth felt sweet. Wu Zhenzhen felt that life was not so bitter now, and she no longer had to hide and cry secretly.

The four of them went deep into the bamboo forest, which was their secret base.

There is a small octagonal pavilion in the woods. In the middle of the pavilion there is a stone table and four stone benches.

The four of them sat on each side, and Shi Shuwen took out the candies he had just bought from his pocket and spread them out on the table.

"We each eat one more piece, and we can take the rest back." Shi Shuwen divided the Ding Ding candies into two piles with his index finger and pointed at the smaller pile: "Brother Liye, you choose first."

"I'm the eldest brother, so I let my sister choose first." Zhang Liye was very loyal and pointed at Shi Wan.

Shi Wan shook her head and smiled innocently: "Sister Zhenzhen chooses first, and I'll be second."

Wu Zhenzhen was unwilling to choose first, because the last one would only get some crumbs, so she remembered that it was Shi Shuwen who paid for the candy, so she simply took the biggest piece and put it aside: "You paid, so you can eat more."

Zhang Liye agreed: "Shuwen eats the most. I will save the New Year's money and treat you guys to soda when school starts."

"Soda isn't as delicious as grapefruit water." Shi Wan said immediately.

"Then eat the fruit leather, it's delicious."

"Are dried kiwis delicious?" Shi Wan had never eaten fruit leather.

Zhang Liye: “…”

In fact, he had never eaten it, but had seen it in the supply and marketing cooperative.

While the two of them were having a heated discussion about the fruit leather, Shi Shuwen quietly divided the sugar and wrapped up the rest and put it back in his pocket.

Wu Zhenzhen picked up her candy and put it into her mouth without hesitation.

"Brother Shuwen, have you ever tried salt and pepper sesame cakes?"

"I have. My father brought some back from the county last month. I just feel thirsty after eating too much." Shi Shuwen took small sips of the candy and ate it very carefully.

"So...what's the best pastry you've ever eaten?"

Shi Shuwen said the name without even thinking, almost at the same time as Shi Wan beside him.

"Chestnut cake."

However, Shi Wan added after the chestnut cake: "The chestnut cake made by my aunt is delicious."

"Why do you call Wang Nian Auntie? Isn't she your mother?" Wu Zhenzhen was surprised.

“…”

Shi Shuwen stopped licking the candy, and Shi Wan also tilted her head, as if she wanted to say something but ultimately didn't say it.

Zhang Liye, however, was careless and answered loudly for Shi Shuwen without any thought: "Because Aunt Wang Nian is not the mother of Shi Shuwen and Shi Wan's sister?"

Wu Zhenzhen widened her eyes in surprise.

"Aunt Wang Nian and my father just got married this year. We are not her biological children," Shi Shuwen replied.

"Auntie Wang Nian is so kind to you!" Wu Zhenzhen suddenly became a little excited. She saw the vague figures of Duan Hehua and others through the bamboo forest, and she was a little envious for a moment: "She is better than my own mother."

"I really want to change my mother. My mother always spanks me, but Aunt Wang Nian doesn't, and her cooking is delicious." Zhang Liye also felt envious.

Shi Wan licked the candy with a smile, feeling very happy in her heart.

Shi Shuwen nodded silently.

"Then you keep calling me aunt, Auntie Wang Nian must be sad." Wu Zhenzhen suddenly said, "My mother insisted that I call Feng Lianshan dad. Feng Liang used to call me auntie, and she even cried secretly."

Wu Zhenzhen always called Feng Lianshan by his name in private, and only called him "Dad" in front of Duan Hehua.

Duan Hehua said that only by calling mom and dad are they a family, and aunt and uncle are just outsiders, so Wu Zhenzhen insisted on calling them by their names in private.

She didn't consider Feng Lianshan and Feng Liang as a family, and now she is no longer even her biological mother.

Wu Zhenzhen's words completely shocked Shi Shuwen and his sister. Shi Wan opened her mouth and asked in panic, "Will Aunt Wang Nian be very sad?"

Zhang Liye clicked his tongue twice heartlessly, and then blurted out everything his parents had said in private.

"You must be sad! My mom said Auntie Wang Nian is so good to you, but you still only think about your own mom."

Clearly, these were just two casual remarks from Liu Chaoxian, but in Zhang Liye's mouth, it became as if everyone else was feeling sorry for Wang Nian.

"We didn't think about our biological mother!" Shi Shuwen explained hurriedly.

Shi Wan pouted in grievance: "They all said that my mother was a bad person and was taken away before I was born."

"Then you haven't met your biological mother?" Zhang Liye asked.

Shi Shuwen thought for a moment before saying, "I don't have any impression. I just remember that my mother didn't seem to like me."

"Same as my mother." Wu Zhenzhen was surprised.

"Then you should call Aunt Wang Nian mom. She is so good to you... You must not disappoint her." Zhang Liye went back to the topic.

“…”

"But I don't know how to say it out loud." Shi Shuwen was very troubled.

"I have an idea. How about you guys..."

In the small pavilion, four heads were close together, discussing something in a murmuring voice.