After dinner, Lin Yiyi was carrying a wash basin and was about to wash clothes. Xiao Yu took the basin and said, "Let's go. You are not feeling well. I will take it."
Qi Bocai looked at it and snorted. She finally realized that the second brother's wife was more powerful than the third brother's family. She got angry when she thought of her saying that her voice sounded like her deceased mother. Isn't it unlucky to sound like a dead person?
Liang was very happy when she saw Qi Bocai's uncertain face. You know, she had just married into the Xiao family in the first half of the year, just after the Chinese New Year. The weather was still very cold at that time. Qi Bocai used the excuse that he was too busy to take care of the children, so he asked her to help wash some clothes, saying that he would go over to help as soon as he coaxed the children. What happened? When she finished washing the clothes for the eldest room, Qi Bocai did not come. How could Liang not know that she had been fooled by Qi Bocai? But there was no way. She was a newcomer who had been exchanged for 50 kilograms of grain. How could she be tough with Qi Bocai, who had given birth to a grandson? Qi Bocai was also the eldest sister-in-law.
Liang originally thought that this young second sister-in-law would definitely not be able to do it, after all, she was too young to compete with Qi Spinach, but she was wrong. Although the second sister-in-law was young, her grandmother and mother-in-law would help her because she married the most capable man in the Xiao family. The life of this woman depends on whether her man is successful. Moreover, this young second sister-in-law herself is also capable. She makes money with her pen and is a cultured person, unlike people like them. Therefore, the elders in the family, such as grandmother and mother-in-law, will also look up to her.
Liang carried her clothes and followed Lin Yiyi and Xiao Yu.
Datang Production Brigade has more water than other brigades. They have a large reservoir here. A reservoir means there is a water source. So as early as the drought in 1959, several wells were dug around the reservoir. Therefore, Datang Production Brigade is not short of water. Downstream of the reservoir is where everyone washes clothes. The water flows down from the reservoir. Of course, the mountain water comes not only from the reservoir, but also from the mountains.
In this era, people don’t use soap to wash clothes. Using soap to take a bath is a luxury, let alone washing clothes?
But summer clothes are mostly sweat-stained, not dirty.
When they reached the stream where they were washing clothes, Xiao Yu said, "You sit over there, I'll wash them."
Lin Yiyi said, "No, I'll wash it." This is a woman's territory, how could she let a man wash it? Although she didn't think it was a big deal, she had to follow the local customs.
Xiao Yu: "Listen, do you want your illness to get worse?"
Lin Yiyi pulled him aside and whispered, "I can wash the clothes. Doctor Lin didn't say no. I just don't want to wash them for my sister-in-law, so I said that."
Xiao Yu: “…” Even so, it’s nothing for a grown man like him to help his wife wash clothes.
Lin Yiyi: "Aren't you going to make a bamboo basket for me? You want to go find some bamboo."
Xiao-Woo: "Are you really okay?"
Lin Yiyi: "It's okay, just listen."
Xiao Yu: "..." Just now, he asked her to be obedient, but now she gave him the words. However, he nodded, "Well, I'll go then."
Lin Yiyi waved at him.
As soon as Xiao Yu left, Liang came to Lin Yiyi with clothes in her hand: "Sister-in-law, why did my second brother leave? Did he forget something?"
Other women nearby said, "Oh, is this the military officer's wife of the Xiao family?" Xiao Yu was the only soldier in the entire Datang Production Brigade, or in other words, the only college student, so Xiao Yu was very famous in the brigade, and even in the commune. When Xiao Yu came with Lin Yiyi just now, everyone was very curious. Seeing that they were somewhat intimate, they knew about their relationship. However, when Xiao Yu was there, they were not easy to speak up. Now that Xiao Yu was gone, they had the opportunity.
Xiao Yu got married yesterday, and everyone in the team knew about it. But under the current circumstances, even the slightly respectable families would not come to the Xiao family, because they would beg for food. Even the unrespectable families would not go to the Xiao family, because they would choose the right one based on the situation. If the family was powerful, they would not go. The Xiao family was undoubtedly powerful. From Grandma Xiao to Qin Xiangju, they were all well-known in the team. With Xiao Yu, even the second-rate people would not dare to provoke them.
"Is this a military officer's wife? She looks very young, maybe under 18?"
"She is indeed petite. How could a military officer have the heart to eat such a small girl?"
"Look at what you said. Of course, the meat becomes more tender and delicious as it gets older. For us, it's all old and outdated."
"That's right. The old ones are dried and not as delicious as the tender ones."
Lin Yiyi: "..." This dirty joke that came out of nowhere was quite interesting. However, she smiled at everyone and said, "Hello, aunties and sisters-in-law, I am Xiao Yu's daughter-in-law from the Xiao family. I am only 15 years old this year. Because my parents passed away some time ago, my mother-in-law was worried that I was too young to take care of myself, so she asked Brother Yu to marry me in the funeral. Brother Yu and I got married yesterday. Originally, we were all neighbors, and we should have invited everyone to the wedding, but the current year is not good. When the year is better and our conditions are better, we will invite everyone to have a drink."
As for the future, it was just empty talk, and everyone knew it. But no one minded, mainly because the little girl was polite and spoke nicely. When she introduced herself, she also praised her mother-in-law, so everyone had a good impression of Lin Yiyi.
"The little girl is really sensible, she's only 15 years old. Xiangju must be a good person to let her daughter-in-law marry into the family at this time."
"That's right. Everyone knows that food is scarce. If there is one more person, there will be less food for the family."
Liang washed clothes silently, thinking that the second sister-in-law could also speak.
Lin Yiyi smiled at Liang: "Sister Liang, I'm going to the county town later. Do you have anything you want me to bring you?"
Liang said hurriedly: "No, no, no... How can you call me sister?"
Lin Yiyi said: "It's okay. You can call me sister-in-law according to the Xiao family, and I will call you sister according to our age. There will be no conflict."
Liang: "Okay, I'll listen to you." There was indeed no conflict. After all, there was no blood relationship, so it was not that particular. "Sister-in-law, second brother is not here, and you are not in good health. Why don't I help you wash?" There was also a hint of flattery in her words.
Lin Yiyi said, "No, I can do it. Look, there are only lesbians here, and I feel embarrassed to ask Brother Yu to stay and help, lest people spread bad words about him."
Liang: "That's right. These women are quick to speak and say anything." After thinking for a while, Liang said, "Second sister-in-law should be careful of the eldest sister-in-law. You have offended her today and she will definitely bear a grudge against you."
Lin Yiyi's eyes widened in surprise, and she asked innocently, "How did I lose face for my sister-in-law?"
Liang looked at her, not knowing whether this second sister-in-law really didn't understand or was just pretending not to understand. But she thought about it again, she should really not understand, after all, when she was her age, she also didn't know anything. She felt that she thought too badly of people. So Liang said, "It's about this time of washing clothes..." She talked about her own experience, "When I first married into the Xiao family, I washed her clothes for a whole month. Although not every day, but every few days. It was cold at that time, and the clothes of the two families added up were not small." Every few days is the same as every time, because in winter people don't take a bath every day, but once every few days, or four or five times a month, so for a whole month, Qi Bocai didn't wash clothes.
Later, she learned to be smart. She either did the laundry at night or before Qi Bocai got up. Although she avoided her, she still made a lot of gossips about her. But so what? It wouldn't hurt to say something unpleasant.
Lin Yiyi listened and didn't find it strange at all. When they had dinner and discussed the marriage that day, she knew that Qi Bocai was a top-notch person. However, her top-notch person was not comparable to those described in novels. She was not experienced enough. Lin Yiyi had read so many novels, from high school to entering society. What kind of top-notch person had she not seen in novels? There was a kind of person who would win every time no matter what top-notch person he faced. That was the fragile white lotus.
In this world, there is nothing perfect that cannot be solved by a white lotus.
As the two talked, Lin Yiyi had already washed Xiao Yu's... underwear. Xiao Yu was tall, 185 cm tall, and not skinny, so he was well-built. Looking at the underwear, Lin Yiyi couldn't help but have wild thoughts, such as the size, the durability... She thought about it all, and when she wanted to play with it, her face turned red, but the clothes were washed.
When Liang saw this, she was shocked: "Second sister-in-law, are you sick? Let me help you." Thinking of how Lin Yiyi said she was not feeling well during the meal, and now seeing her red face, Liang really thought she was sick. Now she was more convinced that she was really not feeling well and was not deliberately picking on Qi Spinach.
Lin Yiyi certainly didn't explain. She said, "Maybe it's a little hot. Sister Liang, can you help me squeeze out some water?"
Liang: "Okay."
After squeezing out the water, Liang said, "Second sister-in-law, let me carry it. I'm strong."
Lin Yiyi: "This...this is not necessary, I can carry it." There were only four or five pieces of clothes in the beginning, and summer clothes were thin and light. Of course, she could carry everything except Xiao Yu's.
Liang: "Then call me if you can't carry it anymore."
Lin Yiyi: "Hey, thank you Sister Liang."
Halfway through their journey, they ran into Xiao Yu, who was carrying a few bamboos down the mountain. Although it was not allowed to cut down trees on a large scale in this era, and it required approval from the captain, it was allowed to cut a few small bamboos to make a backpack.
Liang: "Second brother."
Xiao Yu nodded and automatically took the barrel from Lin Yiyi: "I'll carry it."
Lin Yiyi: "No, I can carry it. I had a hard time wringing the clothes just now, and Sister Liang helped me."
Liang said quickly, "It's nothing. After all, my second sister-in-law is still young, so she doesn't have much strength. But I see that my second sister-in-law's face is a little red, maybe she is tired."
Xiao Yu was a little nervous after hearing this: "Are you feeling unwell?" The young wife was too weak. "When we go to the county town today, we will stop by the hospital to check your health."
Lin Yiyi: "Okay." She would not refuse to have her body checked and then treated. However, "Don't worry, I'm not feeling uncomfortable. It may be caused by the sun."
Xiao Yu hummed, and then seemed to think of something: "What did you call the third brother just now?"
Lin Yiyi said, "Sister. After all, I am still young, and it is not appropriate to call her by her name or the name of the Third Brother, so I call her according to our ages. She still calls me Second Sister-in-law, is that okay?"
Xiao Yu said, "Okay." It's really not a big problem.
After returning home, Lin Yiyi went to dry her clothes. Xiao Daqiang saw Xiao Yu coming back with bamboo and couldn't help asking, "What are you doing?"
Xiao Yu: "Make a bamboo basket for your clothes and put it in our room."
Xiao Daqiang didn't ask anything.
Qi Bocai heard this and thought Lin Yiyi was meddling. She certainly didn't think it was Xiao Yu who wanted it.
After Lin Yiyi had finished drying her clothes, she said to Qin Xiangju, "Mom, I'm going to the county town today. Brother Yu will take me there. I need to send out the manuscript I wrote a few days ago and also collect the previous royalties. Is there anything you want me to bring?" She was explaining things so that Qin Xiangju wouldn't think that she was always going to the county town.
Qin Xiangju didn't understand why they wanted to go to the county town at first. In her mind, going to the county town meant spending money. She thought Lin Yiyi was young and playful, but when she heard her say she was going to send in her manuscripts and collect her royalties, she had nothing to say. She also said, "Mom doesn't have anything to bring. Be careful on your way."
Lin Yiyi said: "Oh, okay."
Qin Xiangju watched her son and daughter-in-law ride away on their bicycles, with a smile on her face. She said to Grandma Xiao, "It's good to study. Our Xiaoyuer is a student, and Yiyi is also a student, so it's better to study."
Grandma Xiao: "That's right, so I say this grandson's wife is a good choice."
…
Lin Yiyi and Xiao Yu went to the post office first, mailed the manuscript, and then took out a remittance slip for 8 yuan. After leaving the post office, Lin Yiyi said, "Brother Yu, I want to go to the department store to buy two inner clothes." This was her third time to the county town. The first time was to buy wedding clothes with Xiao Yu. At that time, she had no money and was not very familiar with Xiao Yu. Of course, she was embarrassed to ask Xiao Yu to spend money to buy her underwear. The second time was to buy paper, pens, and ink, and to send a letter to the Zhang family. Although she had 46 yuan on her, she was not sure about the future and she didn't know what the result of the manuscript would be, so she didn't dare to spend more money.
This is the third time. With the money from the manuscript, she dares to buy some things. Of course, even if there is no manuscript money, she is Xiao Yu's wife now, so she can buy some things with his money without any worries.
Xiao Yu: “Yeah.” He had no objection to his young wife buying things.
The two of them came to the department store and went straight to the place where they bought bra wraps. Xiao Yu: "I'll wait for you over there." It was a bit awkward for him to go over there as a gay man, and there were other lesbians there.
Lin Yiyi: “Yeah.”
Xiao Yu reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a roll of money and a few bills: "You can buy whatever you want."
Lin Yiyi didn't know how much money there was, but it looked like a lot. Her smile suddenly brightened: "Yeah." Whether a man has money or not is one thing, but whether he is willing to spend money on a woman is another. A man who is willing to spend money on a woman is a good man.
Lin Yiyi chose two white bras, not bras. First of all, it is not appropriate to wear bras in the countryside. Secondly, in 1966, bras, which were introduced from the Soviet Union, would be banned. The bras she chose were also half-bra styles. The clothes were suspenders, that is, there were two bras made in front of the chest, and the style was slightly loose.
Then, Lin Yiyi picked out another sweatshirt. Daya originally only had one sweatshirt, and now she bought another one, so she would have two pieces to change into pajamas.
After buying it, Lin Yiyi went to find Xiao Yu: "Brother Yu."
Xiao Yu: "Okay?" He took the clothes from her hand. There were no bags for buying clothes at this time, so he had to pack them by himself. But he blushed a little when he took it. This was his wife's bra lining. Oh, Xiao Yu knew this kind of clothes. After all, he went to college in a big city. Although it was a military school and very strict, as long as he was not a nerd, he would still understand what he should know.
However, when thinking of his young wife's flat breasts, Xiao Yu wanted to laugh again.
Lin Yiyi suspected that she had seen it wrong. Just now, she saw a flash of smile in Xiao Yu's eyes. When she wanted to look more carefully, the smile was gone. Lin Yiyi: "Brother Yu, what are you laughing at?"
Xiao-Woo: "I didn't laugh."
Lin Yiyi: “Really?” Could it be that I saw it wrong?
Xiao-Woo: "No." Can he admit what he just thought? Absolutely not.
Lin Yiyi was not too entangled: "Brother Yu, I just made eight yuan, the first time I made money, I want to buy something for grandma and mom, what do you think I should buy?"
Xiao-Woo: "You buy it if you like."
Lin Yiyi thought for a while: "Originally, I wanted to buy a piece of clothing for grandma and mom respectively, but eight yuan is not enough. It would not show sincerity if I use your money to buy them. It would be better to buy some candies and let grandma and mom keep them for themselves. The milk in the candies can nourish the body." She just looked at the ticket Xiao Yu gave her. There was a candy ticket in the ticket, so she could buy candies. She just didn't know if they were available.
Xiao-Woo: "Okay."
Whether it is fruit candy or milk candy, they are all hot items in this era. Ordinary people can only eat a few during the Chinese New Year, but they are only a few. The price of fruit candy is one yuan per pound, and the price of milk candy is two yuan per pound. Because the production of White Rabbit Milk Candy is limited, the amount distributed to other counties has always been very small, not to mention now, it is even less.
However, in this period, even if people have money, they are worried about buying expensive food on the black market. Who would buy these sweet snacks? You know, now food in the black market is five to ten yuan per pound.
Lin Yiyi only had half a pound of candy tickets in her hand, so she bought half a pound of White Rabbit candy. Fortunately, no one was willing to buy snacks now, so she still had candy. Half a pound of candy had 70 pieces, and she spent one yuan, which was very cheap. After buying the candy, Lin Yiyi pestered Xiao Yu and asked, "Brother, do you know the black market?"
Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes: "Why are you asking this?"
Lin Yiyi said: "I'm curious. I heard that many people can't buy food on the market now, so they go to the black market to buy it."
Xiao Yu said, "Don't listen to these things. They have nothing to do with us. As a little girl, don't even think about going to the black market." After thinking for a while, Xiao Yu added, "If you want anything, you can tell me."
Lin Yiyi shook her head: "I have everything I need and I don't want anything. But I want to get a haircut now."
Xiao Yu paused: "Cut your hair?" Looking at her somewhat dull hair, it would be a pity to cut it because it was quite long.
Lin Yiyi said, "It's a bit hot now, and long hair is uncomfortable. And you see, the ends of my hair are split. I want to cut it short and let it grow again..." After a pause, she said, "I grew it for you, Brother Yu."
This... Xiao Yu's ears turned red. His young wife was so good at talking.
It took an hour for Lin Yiyi to finish her haircut. The hairstyle was a popular student hairstyle, with bangs and a little longer hair, reaching the shoulders, making her look like a good girl. Lin Yiyi felt that this hairstyle was more suitable for her. A 15-year-old girl with a pure appearance, this hairstyle was very popular with the old man.
"How is Brother Yu?" Lin Yiyi asked, blinking playfully.
Xiao Yu was slightly stunned. Perhaps it was because of her new hairstyle, Lin Yiyi no longer looked rustic like Daya when they first met. Her bangs were straight up to her eyebrows, revealing her lively eyes. The Lin family members all had double eyelids, and their eyelashes were very long and very beautiful. She had a baby face the size of a palm, with a girl's youthfulness. Her skin was very white, as white as egg white.
This image seemed to have struck Xiao Yu's heart, or it was a refreshing look that surprised Xiao Yu. "It looks good."
Lin Yiyi smiled. She took out the hair tie she had just bought and tied up half of her hair, which is commonly known as a princess hairstyle. She then braided the hair into a short braid and tied it up with another hair tie. From behind, her originally monotonous figure became different. Anyone who saw her would focus on her hair for a few seconds. "How about this?" Lin Yiyi asked.
When her hair is down, she looks very cute, but after tying her hair into a princess bun and braiding it, she looks more pretty. Her small ears and slightly thick earlobes show that she is a blessed little girl.
Xiao Yu hummed, put his fist against his lips, and said again, "It looks good." Damn, his heart was beating too fast, thump-thump, and it felt like it was going to jump out of his body.
It was already noon when the two of them returned, and it was only eleven o'clock when they got back to the Xiao family. The Xiao family was all at home, both men and women were twisting straw ropes. Seeing them coming, Qin Xiangju spoke first: "You're back, how come you're back so soon?" Then, she was stunned, "Yi Yi, you..."
Lin Yiyi said shyly, "Mom, I cut my hair. My hair is too long and I waste too much soap when washing it." She would never admit that she cut her hair because her hair was too yellow.
Qin Xiangju pulled Lin Yiyi to look at it again: "It looks good. This haircut is really nice. Mom, what do you think?"