Chen's mother was talking to Chen's father in his hometown, and Han Guobin was also talking to his wife in the city.
Chen Rou smiled when she heard this and said, "Don't you think my parents are old and like to nag and annoy us?"
"Why are you complaining? It was mom who took care of the four of us during our confinement. Just for this, I should be grateful to her for the rest of my life. And dad, do you know what he told me back then?" Han Guobin said with a smile.
"Did Dad come to see you privately?" Chen Rou raised her eyebrows and looked at him.
"Well, he told me your name, and he said that your name brings good fortune, and you will be a good help to your husband and children. If you marry me, your livestock will prosper." Han Guobin said with a smile.
"Ahem." Chen Rou coughed dryly: "Does that disappoint you?"
"Why are you disappointed? I should also be grateful to my father for his life." Han Guobin hugged her and said, "Wife, let's live a good life like this."
"Yeah, a good life." Chen Rou's heart softened as she leaned against the man's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
Once upon a time, had she ever thought that she would live a life like this?
She went through thick and thin, and never dared to think that she would have a husband or children, because she was insecure about her own future.
Besides, I’ve seen too many things in the apocalypse. How can it be so easy to find a reliable man?
She has seen men who were fine one second but could push their pregnant wife out to save their lives the next.
What hope does she have in men?
But she didn't expect that by chance, she would end up with such a life.
There is no doubt that she loves this man, her children, and her family even more.
The couple slept in each other's arms, with happiness on their faces.
The business of the steamed bun shop has now stabilized, but because Han Guobin is at home, Chen Rou still comes here quite early.
She arrived at the bun shop at six o'clock.
Han Guoli and Aunt He also opened the shop on time. Chen Rou helped move the chairs outside for the customers to sit and eat, and then started to cook porridge.
After cooking, she asked Han Guoli to deliver the buns to the two families, and Chen Rou took Aunt He to start selling buns.
Everyone in this area knows that Aunt He is helping out at Chen Rou's Steamed Bun Shop, and it's really busy here now.
Because they not only sell buns, but also eggs, fruits, vegetables and other things every now and then, especially live chickens, which are very rare.
Because of this steamed bun shop, everyone's living standards have been greatly improved.
Yesterday, Han Guobin brought back some goods and sold them for 77% of the total. The live chickens were even divided among different dealers.
The things are very fresh and not expensive. They can choose whatever they want after it is brought over. Although it is a bit expensive, they don’t need to pay a ticket, which greatly promotes consumption.
City dwellers have salaries, and the salary level has increased by 40% in the past few years, so they are not that short of money. What they really lack are various tickets, which are rare.
So even though we have only just started reform and opening up, in fact everyone has a lot of money in their pockets.
The goods sold at this bun shop do not require tickets, so it is naturally popular.
However, housing conditions are still very tight, because there are very few houses for sale. Han Guobin was lucky to be able to buy this.
Han Guoli and Zhang Jiang are currently living in a rented courtyard, and it is not easy to find a house that can be rented with money.
Han Guoli came back from delivering breakfast and said to Chen Rou, "I saw Hanghang reciting English. I wanted to ask Haohao to live with him so that he can learn from his brother."
"Haohao is indeed a bit cheerful and should be more restrained," said Chen Rou.
"It's not that I'm having fun. I play all night long during the holidays without feeling tired. If I could use this energy on studying, I would feel relieved." Han Guoli said.
"Do you want me to teach you a method?" Chen Rou said with a smile, "Hanghang in front was not willing to learn at all."
"What method?" Han Guoli couldn't help but ask.
Chen Rou told her about her reward method, and Han Guoli said, "This will easily make him dependent."
"What kind of dependence is this? If you improve his grades, he will have face in the class. Then you can tell him that he has earned this face by studying hard. It's up to him whether he wants the face or not." Chen Rou said.
"He will definitely be angry with me." Han Guoli said.
"Why is he angry? Don't bother him whether he wants to save face or not. Don't give him anything. He can't stand that kind of temper. Wait until he comes to discuss with you in a nice tone, then look at Ying Nuo and make him understand that he is studying for himself, not for you as a mother. Besides, he is so old now and should be sensible. If he doesn't study hard, how will he find a job in the future? Will he rely on you and Third Uncle for the rest of his life?" Chen Rou said.
"Isn't this how Hanghang's sister-in-law taught him?" Han Guoli said.
"That was the case at the beginning. He didn't like studying and said that studying was worse than earning work points by pulling grass for pigs," said Chen Rou.
Later, the eldest child found the sense of honor of being among the top students in the class. That feeling of being popular in the class is unquestionable. Which child would not hold on to it once he has experienced it?
At first, he did it for a pair of Liberation shoes, but later on, when no one was watching him anymore, he just did what he wanted.
Especially after coming to the county town, he tried extra hard for fear that his classmates would look down on him and say he was a transfer student from the countryside.
Of course, Chen Rou, as his mother, also gave him face.
On the day he reported to school, his shoes were brushed very clean so that they looked new. His clothes were also patchless and he had a schoolbag slung around his waist.
This outfit also gave the little boy enough confidence, allowing him to quickly find his self-confidence in the school in the city.
He had already surpassed many students in the class in the last final exam, and he had also set a goal for the next semester. He wanted to be among the top three students in his grade.
With the eldest brother setting a good example, the second brother has also become eager to fight. He doesn't want to lose to his eldest brother, so he will naturally work hard.
Chen Rou will give them enough space to grow, and as long as they don't go astray, she won't interfere with their growth.
All she would do is to provide them with the best environment and the most solid support to the best of her ability, so that they would not need to be timid in the process of growing up and could face life confidently at any time.
When they are tired and look behind them, they can see their home, which is their safest and most solid haven.
Their home will give them the greatest spiritual and mental support.
Maybe someone would say that her educational concept is not good, but she is just that kind of person. Everyone is different and cannot be lumped together.
For example, Chen Rou said she had talked to her nephew Zhang Haohao, but whether Han Guoli listened or not was up to Han Guoli herself.
As for what Han Guoli said about sending Zhang Haohao to live at her home, Chen Rou actually had no objection. But this was not a question of whether to live there or not, it was a question of learning attitude and education.
His biological parents are here, why send him home to study with his cousin? Does this mean that she should take care of it?
How is this possible.
However, Chen Rou did not take it to heart. This was an idea that most mothers who wanted their children to be successful would have, but she had the right to refuse.
At around nine o'clock, when the bun shop was about to close, Brother Chen San came over with a chicken cage with four chickens stuffed in it.
Chen Rou was surprised and asked, "Didn't Guobin go to the countryside to harvest yesterday? How come you still have four chickens, Third Brother?"
"Guobin is not a fair person. I lost a lot of money because of his truck yesterday." Brother Chen said.
Chen Rou smiled when she heard this: "Then he went back to his hometown to collect eggs, and he even made room for an empty truck to come back, so that you, the third brother, could collect them."
Brother Chen San didn't really see anything strange, he just said casually, "These are the chickens I collected from other villages, they are all old hens."
"Third brother, do you want to try selling it yourself?" Chen Rou asked.
"No, I'll just give it to you." Brother Chen San shook his head and refused.
"What are you doing?" Chen Rou asked puzzledly, "No one in the city is arresting them now, it's all legal now."
"I'm borrowing Guobin's bicycle, so I have to give you some of the profits. I'll need this bicycle later, so you have to lend it to me for a longer time." Brother Chen San said.
Chen Rou laughed: "Just borrow it, why do you have to calculate this?"
"I won't bother. It's convenient that you have a shop here. I can just sell it to you directly." Brother Chen San said.
Chen Rou didn't say anything else. She accepted all four chickens and paid her third brother.
"Okay then, I'll go back first." said Brother Chen San.
"Why are you in such a hurry to go back? Go home and drink some water. I have to close the stall too." Chen Rou asked Aunt He to ask who wanted a chicken, and then she told her third brother.
"It's going to be hot soon, so let's stop drinking and go home." Brother Chen waved his hand.
Brother Chen San rode his bike for a short while, less than half an hour later, several chickens were sold. Chen Rou then closed the shop and went home.
It is indeed hot now, even in the hottest days of summer. I was sweating all over when I walked home from the bun shop.
When I got home, I saw Han Zhou and his sister eating ice cream, with the little one watching them eagerly, and getting a treat from time to time.
But he was obviously very unhappy. When he saw his mother coming back, he immediately walked over, hugged his mother's legs and called her "Mom" vaguely, then pointed at his brother and sister's faces angrily.
This is a complaint.
"Old Four, you didn't pay for it, so it's good enough that I gave you a few bites. Do you want to keep it all for yourself?" Han Zhou said to him.
"Brother, how much pocket money do we have left? How many times is it enough for us to have ice cream?" Han Cheng asked.
"I have two cents left. It's the New Year's money my grandparents gave me last year. It's enough for two meals, and the rest I can use for popsicles." Han Zhou calculated and said.
Even though he has no education, he already knows how to do accounting. The abacus his father bought for him was not bought for nothing. He likes to do calculations whenever he has nothing to do, including everything, such as the combined ages of his family members, his parents, his eldest brother and the fourth brother.
He could figure it out with his little round abacus.
What they were eating was cream ice cream, which was much more expensive than ordinary popsicles. One cream ice cream cost a cent, while one red bean popsicle was only four cents, and an ordinary popsicle was only two cents.
But these two siblings are both bold in eating and spending. They don’t like anything else but ice cream!
Han Cheng had no objection, and the brother and sister shared the ice cream and ate it all. When the little one saw that there was only a stick left, he immediately burst into tears.
Even when his eldest brother came back, the little fourth brother's eyes were still filled with tears.
This boy knew who loved him at home. When he saw his eldest brother coming back, he motioned for his eldest brother to go to the kitchen, and then pointed to the sticks that his second brother and third sister had eaten in the firewood and showed them to his eldest brother.
Han Hang understood immediately and asked the fourth child, "Did your second brother and third sister eat ice cream and didn't they share it with you?"
"Eat!" Little Four shouted.
"What do you mean you didn't share it with the fourth brother? My sister and I shared two bites with him, and he almost took a big bite!" said Han Zhou outside.
"My brother is still young. He can't eat too much, otherwise he will have diarrhea." Han Cheng nodded.
This was true. Han Hang carried Little Lao Si into the house and took out the box of pocket money from his cabinet.
Each of them, brothers and sisters, has a box specifically for storing their pocket money.
"Open it." Han Hang handed the box to his second brother.
Han Zhou immediately helped his elder brother open the box, and immediately exclaimed "Wow".
Han Cheng was the same: "Brother, how come you have so much money?"
There were coins neatly arranged in the box, including quite a few dimes and a few cents, but the amount was not small!
"There is a total of 37 cents here. Are you envious?" Han Hang raised his eyebrows.
Needless to say, this is a lot of money!
Even Han Zhou couldn't help but feel envious.
"I won't give it to you even if I envy you." Han Hang closed the box and said calmly.
"Are you deliberately coveting us?" Han Zhou glared.
He thought his elder brother took out the money box to give them money!
Han Hang held the fourth child in his arms without saying anything.
"Do you think my sister and I want your money?" Han Zhou said unconvinced.
"Yes, I don't want it!" Han Cheng nodded.
"From now on, if you want to eat ice cream, avoid Lao Si. You know he can't eat it, but you still eat it in front of him?" Han Hang said, taking away the box, and the man gave them two cents and said, "This is for you. From now on, you are not allowed to eat it in front of Lao Si. I will buy him more when he can eat it."
"Really give it to us?" Han Zhou asked in surprise.
"Yes." Han Hang nodded, handed him the small key, and said, "Close the money box and put it back and lock it."
Han Zhou put it back, locked it, and returned the key to him.
"Do you want big brother's money?" Han Cheng asked. She just said she didn't want it.
"Chengzi, we can't go against money. It's better to give it away than to waste it." Han Zhou immediately advised his sister.
"Then you keep it, second brother." Han Cheng gave the money to her second brother.
Han Zhou went to put away the boxes that contained the brother and sister.
Han Guobin watched all the children's movements and whispered to his wife in the kitchen, "Why do I feel like they are divided into two factions?"
"I just realized it." Chen Rou said with a smile while frying pig intestines, "They have been divided into factions since they were young."
The eldest loves the fourth, the second loves the third, but Chen Rou is not too worried. With the two of them around, how can things get chaotic?
"Did Old Sheep send this pig intestine?" Chen Rou asked.
"Well, when you come to the city, just send it to me." Han Guobin nodded.
"Then why didn't you stay for dinner?" Chen Rou said.
"He is busy and doesn't have much free time." Han Guobin said.
The old sheep brought the pig intestine, sat for a while and then left to look for his friend, the fourth one.
However, Han Guobin has not yet told his wife about his partnership with Lao Yang to open a pig farm, because they don’t know the situation yet and there is no need to tell his wife. It will be the same when they make money and take the money back.
Chen Rou didn't say anything.
At noon, the family had fried pig intestines with pickles, fried eggs with cucumbers, and egg drop soup, which were eaten with millet rice. It was really delicious.
After eating, Chen Rou and Han Guobin asked the children to clean up and went into the house to prepare for a nap. They woke up early in the morning and could not bear not taking a nap at noon.
"It's time to go to work tomorrow, so take some rest." Chen Rou said.
"Wife, you must have been tired. Let me massage your legs." Han Guobin said.
Chen Rou rolled her eyes at him but didn't hesitate to turn over and lie on her stomach, letting him rub her calves.
After a while, Han Cheng came in with her brother. Seeing their father massaging their mother's legs, the two siblings came over to help.
After playing for a while, the brother and sister went to bed.
"Let the eldest and the second oldest take a nap too, especially the second oldest. He always wants to run out for a stroll at noon." Chen Rou yawned.
Han Guobin nodded, went out to lock the door, and then came back to sleep.
Han Guobin didn't rest at home for long. He started working the next day. After working for seven consecutive days, their fleet was requisitioned again.
This has become a common practice.
Chen Rou already had experience, so she brought him a bag filled with a set of spare clothes and some warm clothes for winter.
Then he sent the rough guy out the door.
When Han Guobin went back to the village to collect the goods, Chen Rou didn't feel anything. But after this long journey, Chen Rou felt that something was missing at home.
Chen Rou knew very well that it was because she missed this rough guy that she went out.
He is like a stabilizing force. Even if he is just a decoration at home, as long as he is at home, the feeling is different.
Of course Chen Rou could judge that she was the only one who had this feeling, and none of the other children had it.
Just do what you need to do and don't be affected by their father not being at home.
If you really want to say that there is an influence, then it does exist. When their dad is at home, he will take them to the park on weekends when he is not working, and they will fly kites, which is what they like.
There is no such treatment now.
In the September issue, the second brother, Han Zhou, officially went to school with his eldest brother.
Chen Rou treated him well and sent him over dressed up smartly. Seeing that he was in good spirits after coming back from school, Chen Rou was no longer worried.
The weather was not so hot after school started. About ten days later, Brother Chen San delivered eggs and other supplies. Chen Rou asked him if he had time to continue delivering supplies as they would have to harvest in autumn.
"Of course there is. I harvested them early and sent them here and back around ten o'clock, so I can still participate in the autumn harvest." Brother Chen San said.
Chen Rou didn't say anything, but when he went back, Chen Rou stuffed a piece of mutton into his mouth. The mutton was not small, weighing several pounds.
"It's too much, too much. You should keep it for Hanghang and the others to replenish their bodies." Brother Chen San said hurriedly.
"We still have some at home. Take them back, third brother. Tell parents to take it easy. They are not young anymore. Don't work as hard as before." Chen Rou said.
"I know." Brother Chen nodded and said, "Does it really exist at home? Then I'll take it back."
"Yeah." Chen Rou nodded.
Brother Chen San wrapped the big piece of mutton in oil paper and took it back.
Chen Rou began to gather these supplies. While no one was around, she collected a pound of eggs and put them in the space. At this time, there were already quite a few eggs in the space.
There were not only eggs, but also other supplies, which she collected bit by bit after her life at home became better.
However, Chen Rou had no intention of touching these supplies.
The family's conditions have improved now, but the space is still there, so she just saves some supplies for later use. You can say she is foolish or that she is worrying in vain, but as long as the space is there, she wants to save some supplies, even if she may not need them again.
But with these supplies, she felt at ease.
The author has something to say: PS: Sometimes I don’t have time to code it into a big chapter, so I publish it separately, but the total of two chapters is about 10,000 words, not less than three chapters.
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