Chapter 146: 1960s
I also have a few food coupons.
There is nothing else to buy.
Liu Yinyin bought five pounds of noodles as she was told. Noodles are durable, so she bought a few more pounds and kept them for later consumption.
It just so happens that Gu Yanyan can eat noodles now.
By now, most of the tickets I have in my hand have been used up.
There was nothing else to buy, so the two of them went home with a lot of bags.
When they arrived at Liujia Village, Gu Cheng went back to put his things away.
Liu Yinyin brought some things to Liu's house to visit Yanyan.
"Why are you sending so many things again?" Jiang Cuihua asked angrily.
Just a few days after sending gifts for the festival, the daughter of the family went to send gifts to her parents' home again. Jiang Cuihua was afraid that her son-in-law would have some thoughts in his mind.
On weekdays, Liu Yinyin is like this too, bringing this and that to the family from time to time, either food or daily necessities.
They are all quite expensive things.
As time went by, she became worried that Gu Cheng would have feelings for her daughter.
Liu Yinyin said indifferently: "You have helped me take care of the children a lot, these things are just my little token of my appreciation."
She couldn't let Jiang Cuihua take care of the children for nothing. If she did, several sisters-in-law at home would be dissatisfied.
She would send them something from time to time, and they would stop talking.
Moreover, Liu Yinyin had said before that she wanted to ask Jiang Cuihua to help her take care of the children, and she would pay her salary.
But the situation did not allow it, so she could only ask Jiang Cuihua or Liu Ersao to help her look after the child when she was busy.
They refused to accept the money, so we had to send them some supplies from time to time.
Liu Yinyin took out the things in her bag and said, "These two pairs of shoes, one for you and dad, two boxes of cakes and White Rabbit candies for the nephews and nieces. There are also two kilograms of noodles and four kilograms of rapeseed oil, for you and dad to nourish your body."
It’s the New Year, and I made my nephews and nieces happy.
Two kilograms of noodles were just smuggled out of the system by Liu Yinyin.
Jiang Cuihua thought about it and couldn't help asking her, "Have you discussed this with your son-in-law?"
In her opinion, everything the young lady ate and used was spent on Gu Cheng's money, so she should ask Gu Cheng for his opinion on these matters.
Liu Yinyin comforted her, "Mom, don't worry about it. He won't have any objections. You often help us take care of the children, mend shoes, and make clothes. You deserve these things...
If you really feel sorry for me, please help me take care of Yanyan next year."
In the early spring of next year, Liu Yinyin will go to the mountains to dig wild vegetables.
"If you need anything, I will help you take care of the child. You don't have to give me anything." Jiang Cuihua didn't think it was a big deal to just take care of a child.
The daughter-in-law's in-laws are unreliable, so as a grandmother, it is her responsibility to help take care of the child.
Other families in the village do the same and do not require any reward.
Liu Yinyin said she was nice, but she didn't think so in her heart. The Liu family treated her well and she had a system. It was totally fine to help her parents' family.
Besides, as a child, it is natural for her to respect her parents.
When she was about to leave, Jiang Cuihua gave her a small half of the chicken.
Today is Chinese New Year, and there is an old hen at home that doesn’t lay eggs, so we just kill it and eat it.
Liu Yinyin carried the chicken and took Gu Yanyan home.
At home, Gu Cheng is taking care of the rabbit.
Not only did they eat hot pot today, the two also agreed to kill a rabbit and roast the rabbit meat.
While Gu Cheng was taking care of the rabbit, Liu Yinyin went to pack up other things.
Jiang Cuihua happened to send some chicken, so I chopped the chicken into pieces and stewed it into soup, which could be used as hot pot soup base later.
Liu Yinyin prepared a table full of hot pot side dishes.
Vegetarian dishes include pork balls, shrimps, lamb balls, egg dumplings, fish balls, and canned beef.
Vegetarian dishes include potato chips, radish slices, bean sprouts, tofu, kelp and sweet potato vermicelli.
Since there were only two of them dining, Liu Yinyin didn't prepare too much, and the portion of each dish was small.
Liu Yinyin also prepared the hot pot base. Since both of them can eat spicy food, she prepared a spicy flavor.
Gu Yanyan couldn't eat hot pot, so Liu Yinyin cooked him a bowl of vegetable and fish porridge.
Liu Yinyin had previously exchanged a small pot from Aunt Zhou and placed it on the earthen stove, which was just right for cooking hot pot.
It was cold, and there was a clay stove in the kitchen with a hot pot cooking on it. The steam was rising, and people inside didn't feel cold at all.
In the pot, the red soup was boiling, emitting an alluring aroma.
Liu Yinyin took out a fresh shrimp and peeled it...
Maybe it was because she hadn't eaten hot pot for a long time, Liu Yinyin's taste buds seemed to be awakened, and she thought it was fresh, fragrant, spicy and delicious.
It's a rare occasion that I eat until I'm 80% full.
It was winter and Liu Yinyin was sweating all over.
The remaining dishes were all eaten by Gu Cheng.
After cleaning the kitchen, Liu Yinyin took a bath before going to bed.
The last day of 1959 passed, and 1960 arrived.
The year 1960 was destined to be an eventful one.
After the Chinese New Year, until the start of spring ploughing, not only did it not snow, it didn't even rain.
The village encountered a problem before they even started sowing seeds: the soil in the fields was dry and hard.
If the seeds are sown directly, they probably won't even sprout.
Therefore, before sowing seeds, the villagers have to fetch water to water the fields.
For a while, everyone in the village was filled with resentment.
"God is so blind. There was drought last year and this year it's like this again. He's leaving no way for us to survive!"
Jiang Cuihua was so worried that her hair turned white.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the weather is really abnormal.
It hadn't rained, so we had to rely on carrying water from the river.
The water in the river is not inexhaustible. It’s only spring now, but most of the water in the river has dried up.
The water level not only in the river but also in the well has dropped a lot.
If we continue like this, how can we make it to the autumn harvest?
Liu Yinyin only knew that there would be disasters this year, but she had no idea about the specific circumstances.
It looks like there will be drought again this year, and it will happen for two years in a row.
This year's situation...will definitely be worse than last year's.
Liu Yinyin has given up hope for the harvest this year.
Thinking of something, Liu Yinyin asked Jiang Cuihua: "Mom, is the third sister-in-law at home?"
Huang Xiaoyue hasn't come to see her these few days. Liu Yinyin had asked her to help with something before, but she doesn't know what happened to it.
Jiang Cuihua looked a little sad: "She went to Shuangxi Village early this morning."
Since getting married, Huang Xiaoyue has been going back to her parents' home every now and then, although she only returns to Shuangxi Village when there is something going on.
But if it happens too often, the villagers will inevitably start gossiping when they see it.
Therefore, Jiang Cuihua was a little dissatisfied in her heart.
Liu Yinyin heard that her tone was not right, paused, and said bluntly: "Third sister-in-law must have something to do when she went back. Before, I asked her to help me exchange some sweet potato seedlings in Shuangxi Village, and I don't know if she has done it."
She didn't want any rift between Jiang Cuihua and Huang Xiaoyue.
During this time, Huang Xiaoyue really helped her many times, and the two sisters-in-law now get along like real sisters.