Chapter 107 Chapter 107 The family of three went shopping...

The family of three went shopping, bought cakes and went home.

When they got home, they saw Meng's mother preparing to make wontons.

In the afternoon, Meng's mother peeled the remaining pound of shrimp, chopped some pork stuffing, and soaked a handful of dried mushrooms. She put all the ingredients together to make the stuffing, added seasonings, and the three-fresh stuffing was ready.

Xia Junshan saw Meng's mother kneading dough at the dining table and said with a smile, "Yes, you want to knead dough? Let me do it." Then he rolled up his sleeves and went to wash his hands.

Mother Meng smiled and said, "Mix some flour to make wonton wrappers. You take a rest and I'll do it."

Meng Yufei said, "Mom, just let Junshan come. He is good at kneading dough."

After washing her hands, Xia Qinqin ran to Meng Mu's side and said with her head tilted up, "Yes, the noodles my father makes are delicious."

Mother Meng was surprised and said, "Wow, Junshan can also make noodles."

Xia Junshan came over and took the dough bowl with a smile: "The squad leader of the army's kitchen squad was from the north, and the noodles he made were especially delicious, so I went over to ask for advice. Kneading the dough is the first step in making noodles."

Mother Meng said happily: "Well, let's try Junshan's cooking today."

Xia Junshan said with a smile: "The best part of these wontons is the filling. Mom has already prepared the filling, and I just help."

Meng Yufei placed the clothes she bought on the sofa and the cream cake she brought back on the coffee table. She then walked over to the dining table, looked down at the filling in the soup bowl, and said, "Shrimp, meat, and mushrooms. This filling is so delicious."

Mother Meng said: "These dried mushrooms were sent by my former colleague from Northeast China. They are very fresh. I will soak some and stir-fry some Chinese cabbage tomorrow." - Meng Yufei likes this dish very much.

Meng Yufei smiled, rolled up her sleeves and said, "Mom, please teach me how to make wontons. I'll make shrimp wontons when I get back. The shrimps there are very good and they don't require a ticket."

"Don't want a ticket?" Meng's mother was surprised.

"Yes, not only do fish and shrimps not require tickets, but fruits don't require tickets either, and there are many varieties, and the prices are cheap."

Mother Meng said, "Look, the food there is okay, but I'm worried that you won't be able to eat well there, especially Qinqin, who is in the growth period. She can't be hungry, otherwise she won't grow taller."

When Xia Qinqin heard that she was being talked about, she hurriedly pulled the corner of Meng Mu's clothes, patted her belly and said, "Grandma, I eat very well every day." She turned around and said in a brisk voice, "Look, I've grown taller."

Mother Meng looked at the little girl in front of her, her face was full of smiles, and she nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, our Qinqin has grown taller and more beautiful."

Xia Qinqin heard the compliment and said happily: "Grandma, I also learned to dance and won a prize. I will dance for you to see."

Although Meng Yufei had already written to her mother about this, she was still surprised: "Really? That's great! Our Qinqin is amazing."

Xia Qinqin danced happily beside them. After learning dance for half a year, she danced very well. After the dance, her mother and grandmother gave her warm applause.

"Grandma, where are grandpa and my uncle? They have never seen me dance." Xia Qinqin asked after looking around the living room.

Mother Meng smiled and said, "Grandpa went downstairs to play chess with Grandpa Zou. He will be back soon. My uncle is sleeping in the room."

"Ah, my little uncle is still sleeping now." Xia Qinqin covered her mouth and laughed: "My little uncle is the king of sleep."

Meng Yufei said: "Qinqin, it is impolite to give elders nicknames. You can't say that, uncle, do you know?"

"Oh, I see." Xia Qinqin blinked her big eyes and nodded.

Meng Yufei slowed down her voice and said, "My uncle worked all night last night. He was very tired. He also went to the station to pick us up in the morning. He didn't have time to sleep. Let's not disturb him, okay?"

"Yeah." Xia Qinqin lowered her voice and said, "I'll wait for my uncle to wake up before playing with him."

Mother Meng touched her head lovingly and said softly, "Qinqin is the most caring and sensible child."

Xia Qinqin squinted her eyes happily, enjoying her grandmother's touch.

…

In a city in Shaanxi Province, on a loess plateau, two men and women in military uniforms were looking at the production team in front of them. Their attire seemed a bit out of place here.

"Is this the place?" the woman asked.

The man nodded: "This is it, let's go."

After saying this, a man and a woman walked towards the village.

The man's eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Meng Yufei's. He was Meng Yufei's elder brother who was stationed in the southwest border - Meng Bowei. The woman was Meng's eldest sister-in-law - Du Manqing.

In fact, they had already had their holiday a few days ago, but they did not go home immediately. Instead, they came here to see a child, the child of a comrade who had sacrificed his life to save Meng Bowei a few years ago.

When they arrived at the production team, the couple immediately attracted everyone's attention. Everyone looked at them curiously, wondering whether they were relatives or leaders sent by higher-ups to inspect.

Meng Bowei came here once a few years ago and found his comrade's home according to the route in his memory, but after knocking on the door, a strange middle-aged man opened it.

"Who are you looking for?" the middle-aged man asked.

Meng Bowei asked uncertainly: "Excuse me, is this Guo Dayong's home?"

"Guo Dayong died many years ago." The man blurted out with disdain in his tone.

Meng Bowei frowned and asked, "Is his daughter, Guo Shuini, here?"

The man looked at the couple in front of him and asked, "Why are you looking for him?"

Meng Bowei said: "I am Guo Dayong's comrade-in-arms. I came to see his mother and daughter."

Suddenly, a sharp voice came from the yard: "Shui Ni, you are so stupid. You use so much water to wash clothes. It's killing me! I will beat you to death, you little bitch!"

The couple looked into the house and saw a woman hitting the girl squatting on the ground with a wooden stick, swearing at her while hitting her.

Meng Bowei pushed away the man standing at the gate and went over to take the stick from the woman's hand.

The man followed in and accused: "You...what are you doing? Soldiers are supposed to beat people up!"

Meng Bowei said coldly: "It is illegal to abuse the orphans of martyrs. You can just wait to go to jail."

The man stared at her and said, "What abuse? I am her uncle. Her parents are all dead. She is a worthless person who no one wants. I am the only one who is kind enough to give her food."

Du Manqing went over and helped the girl up from the ground. She looked about six or seven years old, with her head lowered timidly. She was wearing a patched singlet in the cold weather, and the shoes she was wearing were not only thin cloth shoes, but also had several holes in them.

The child's face and hands were covered with chapped cuts, which was heartbreaking to see.

Du Manqing half-knelt in front of the girl and asked softly, "Are you Guo Shuini?"

The girl looked at the gentle smile of the woman in front of her, nodded, and whispered, "Yes, yes."

"We are your father's comrades-in-arms. Sorry that we only come to see you now. Are you willing to leave here with your aunt?" Du Manqing asked seriously, looking into his eyes.

The girl was stunned, a little bit unbelieving, "You, you are really... my father's comrades-in-arms?"

"Yes, your father's name is Guo Dayong, your name is Guo Shuini, and you are eight years old this year, right?" Du Manqing said softly.

Tears flowed unconsciously from the girl's eyes, and she choked up and said, "Yes, my...my father's name is...Guo, Guo Dayong, and my...my name is, Guo Shuini."

Du Manqing gently held the girl in her arms and comforted her, "I will take care of you in the future and won't let anyone bully you anymore."

The middle-aged man yelled, "I'm telling you, she's our Guo family's daughter, don't even think about taking her away."

Du Manqing didn't even glance at the man, and directly dragged the girl out of the yard without looking back. The middle-aged man reached out to stop her, but was grabbed by the person next to him. Then he felt a pain in his wrist, his eyes turned away, and he was thrown heavily to the ground.

"Ah! Dad, what's wrong with you?"

A woman's scream was heard. It was the woman who had just hit someone with a stick. She had been huddled aside without saying a word after being tackled. Now she was screaming in fear.

Meng Zhongwei and Du Manqing went directly to the commune, found the secretary and the president, and called the county's armed forces department, asking them to send someone to discuss Guo Shuini's problem.

After Guo Dayong died, Meng Zhongwei came here once. At that time, Guo Shuini's grandmother and mother were still alive. The three of them managed to make a living in the countryside with the help of Guo Dayong's martyr's money.

Meng Zhongwei would send some money every year, so logically speaking, their lives should not be bad.

But three years ago, Guo Shuini's mother remarried and moved to another place. Then in the winter of the following year, Guo Shuini's grandmother slipped and fell into the lake. She died not long after being rescued.

Now Guo Shuini was the only child left. After some discussion, the team members sent her to be raised by her cousin, the middle-aged man mentioned earlier.

Therefore, her father's pension and her family's house were all handed over to this uncle.

Meng Zhongwei listened to the explanation of the brigade secretary, but he obviously did not completely believe it. He called Guo Shuini aside and only asked her two questions.

One was whether her mother was willing to remarry, and Guo Shuini nodded.

The second was whether she was willing to leave here with them. Guo Shuini hesitated for a moment and nodded.

Meng Zhongwei said to the brigade secretary and Guo Shuini's uncle, "I don't care who Guo Dayong's pension was given to, and I don't care who got the money I sent. I just want to take Guo Shuini away today. Write a certificate and let us adopt the child."

The middle-aged man still refused to accept it. He said that the pension could be received until Guo Shuini was 18 years old, and she could even get a betrothal gift when she grew up. It was such a huge amount of money!

The brigade secretary stopped him immediately and nodded with a smile: "You are Dayong's comrades-in-arms. It will definitely be better for you to adopt Shui Ni than to let her stay in the countryside."

The middle-aged man looked grim. The brigade secretary gave him a warning look, but he didn't dare to say anything else.

In this way, Meng Zhongwei quickly completed the adoption procedures. In those days, the requirements for adoption procedures were not so strict. With the certification materials from the brigade, the stamp of the commune, and someone from the county public security bureau, the adoption procedures were quickly completed.

Du Manqing held the girl's hand, which was covered with frostbite, and said softly, "Shui Ni, you will be our child from now on and live with us."

Guo Shuini only felt the soft and warm touch in the palm of her hand. Looking at the gentle face in front of her, she finally smiled and nodded vigorously.

The couple took the girl away from the loess plateau, boarded a train to Haishi, and headed for a new life.