Lin Yiyi: "There's a quarrel next door because Grandma Wang's youngest son was fired. Didn't you say before that temporary workers in many units were fired?"

Xiao Yu was helpless: "Just listen to other people's affairs, but don't interfere."

Lin Yiyi: "I know the number. By the way, do you want to take one of these watermelons to the countryside?"

Xiao Yu: "It's up to you." He said nonchalantly, "If you like them, keep them all. If you don't like them, just take one away." Anyway, she has a bicycle, so it's very convenient.

Lin Yiyi felt sweet when she heard this: "Then I won't take it." There was only one watermelon, and there were many people in the countryside. If everyone had one slice, it wouldn't taste good.

Xiao Yu: "Well, I'm going to work."

Lin Yiyi: "Wait a minute, eat two pieces before you leave." As she said that, she took the watermelon out of the water again. When she cut it with a knife, the watermelon made a crisp sound, and it tasted good just by listening to the sound.

Xiao Yu came out with two slices of watermelon. Before he left the community, he saw Lin Dajun and his brothers coming back. When they saw Xiao Yu, their eyes lit up: "Brother-in-law."

Xiao-Woo: "Go home and eat watermelon."

Lin Dajun: “Hey.” Then he picked up Lin Wudi, and the three brothers ran away.

Lin Dajun ran too fast. When he was almost at the door of his house, he bumped into Wang Xiaolei who was leaving Wang's house. Wang Xiaolei pulled him back and said, "Watch the road when you walk."

Lin Dajun: "Thank you, brother."

Then he hurried into the yard and asked, "Sister, where's the watermelon?"

Lin Yiyi: "...How did you know there was watermelon?"

Lin Sijun: "We ran into my brother-in-law, and he said he had watermelons at home."

Lin Yiyi pointed to the dining table and said, "Let's go eat."

the next day

Lin Yiyi got up early in the morning and cooked green bean soup in the pot. She took the washed clothes to the front yard to dry them. Grandma Wang came over: "Yiyi..."

Lin Yiyi: "Grandma Wang, are you looking for me to buy groceries?"

Grandma Wang shook her head, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself, but she still gritted her teeth and said, "Yiyi, didn't you have a job before? It was a reward from your commune, and then you let your father-in-law take over." Lin Yiyi had mentioned this matter when she was chatting with Grandma Wang. Mainly, Grandma Wang asked her what reward the commune had given her, so she brought it up. Mainly, it was not a secret. Everyone in their commune knew about it, so she had nothing to hide.

Lin Yiyi nodded: "Yes, what's wrong?"

Grandma Wang said, "Look, this job...how about you sell it to me?"

Lin Yiyi was stunned: "That's definitely not allowed. I've already taken over my father-in-law's job, and this job will be given to the army in the future, not for sale. Are you doing this... for Uncle Wang? You guys were arguing a lot yesterday, I heard it all."

Grandma Wang sighed, "That's right. Now Dalei has to give one-third of his monthly salary to Xiaolei. Dalei's wife disagrees and has been making a fuss since yesterday. After all, Dalei got this job by exchanging my old man's job for more money. He was lucky. A worker was injured in the steel plant, so his job was taken by his girlfriend. He only has one daughter, but she likes the job in the textile plant, so we asked someone to introduce him to Xiaolei, and he changed his job. Our family also subsidized him a little money.

I was thinking, we found a job for Dalei back then, and now we have the responsibility to prepare a job for Xiaolei, but...but our family doesn't have this way, so I came to ask you, your job...I was overthinking it, your job is indeed not easy to sell. "

Lin Yiyi: "Grandma Wang, Uncle Wang is the director of the steel plant. It shouldn't be difficult for him to use his connections to introduce a formal job to Uncle Wang, right? Even if it's in another company." Grandma Wang said that their family didn't have this connection, but Lin Yiyi didn't believe it. The director of the steel plant didn't have this connection? She thought, maybe Wang Dalei was unwilling to use his connections.

Grandma Wang shook her head.

Speaking of which, the age difference between the two sons of the Wang family is quite large. Uncle Wang is in his thirties this year, while Uncle Wang is only in his twenties. The age difference between the brothers is large, and when it comes to inheriting the family property, the older brother often takes advantage.

Uncle Wang's monthly salary is more than 40 yuan, and one-third of it is more than 10 yuan. Although Uncle Wang and his wife are unemployed, they are registered in the county and have commercial grain every month, so they don't have to worry about food.

Grandma Wang sighed and left.

Lin Yiyi still remembers how glorious Grandma Wang was when she first moved in. Her two sons and two daughters-in-law were all workers, and all Grandma Wang did every day was gossip. But what about now?

Since Uncle Wang and his wife were fired, Grandma Wang rarely went out to gossip. Moreover, Lin Yiyi often saw Uncle Wang and his wife coming to ask for money. From time to time, they would bring the child over and leave it here for Grandma Wang to take care of. Grandma Wang had no choice but to take care of the child.

In the blink of an eye, it was September.

September was a busy month for the Lin family. In addition to the three brothers going to school, the fifth brother Lin was also going to the nursery. At that time, the nursery had several names, such as the child-rearing class, the red-raising class, etc.

Lin Yiyi didn't have to think about sending Lin Wudi to the nursery, because she was going to junior high school, and there was no one to take care of Lin Wudi at home, so he had to go to the nursery. In the morning, when Lin Yiyi went to school, she sent Lin Wudi to the nursery. At noon, when Lin Yiyi went home to cook, she took Lin Wudi out. In the afternoon, when Lin Yiyi went to school, she sent Lin Wudi to the nursery again. These days were still very fulfilling.

The nurseries here are all for children of workers, including those from steel factories, public security departments, and textile factories. The nursery is right next to the vocational college. It only takes Lin Yiyi 15 minutes to walk there. It is very close.

On the first day Lin Wudi went to the nursery, he carried the small Liberation Bag prepared by Lin Yiyi, wore a Liberation Cap, and dark green pants and shirt, all made by an old tailor. He looked like a little soldier in the People's Liberation Army.

So when Lin Wudi arrived at the nursery, he attracted the attention of many children, and everyone envied him. There were several children in the nursery that Lin Wudi knew, who lived with them in the same vocational school and had played cloth balls with them. With these familiar little friends, Lin Wudi's nursery life was very good.

Not only Lin Wudi, but also Lin Dajun, Lin Sanjun, and Lin Sijun, they also wore new clothes and carried Liberation bags to go to school. Except for the Liberation caps, all other equipment was the same as Lin Wudi.

In the blink of an eye, it was the end of 1962.

Because it was winter vacation, the younger brothers of the Lin family came to live in the county, so Lin Yiyi did not send the fifth brother Lin to the nursery. This morning, the family sat in the yard to bask in the sun, and Xiao Bin came: "Second sister-in-law." Xiao Bin was panting, his face was a little pale, and his eyes were red.

Lin Yiyi hurriedly asked: "What's wrong with you? Come and have a glass of water."

Xiao Bin said, "Second sister-in-law, I don't want to drink any more water. My wife is in the hospital, and the doctor said... the doctor said she is having a difficult birth."

Although Lin Yiyi was a little surprised, she was not too surprised. Coming from the future, she had read all kinds of news about difficult births, but she knew that difficult births were not a big deal in the future, but it was different in this era.

Xiao Bin and Liang Shi didn't want a child at first. It was only because they were now growing vegetables and the food crisis had eased that they decided to have a child. But they didn't expect...

Lin Yiyi said: "Let's go, I'll go to the hospital with you."

Xiao Bin: "My mother is in the hospital and she doesn't have enough money. Let me borrow some from you."

Lin Yiyi: "Well, I've got the money, let's go... Dajun, you take good care of the brothers."

Lin Dajun: “Hey.”

Lin Yiyi followed Xiao Bin to the hospital quickly and saw Qin Xiangju and Qi Bobo at the door of the operating room. On the way, Lin Yiyi had already understood the situation. Liang was originally going to give birth at home, and the midwife had already said that she went into labor before dawn in the morning. The midwife was the first to deliver the baby, but the baby was not delivered. The midwife said that they had to go to the hospital. Then everyone took the bullock cart in the team to the hospital. The doctor said that the baby had been in the pregnant woman's belly for too long and might be dangerous.

Qin Xiangju and Qi Bocai came together. Qin Xiangju also brought money, but it was not enough, so Qin Xiangju stayed in the hospital. Xiao Bin walked quickly and came to Lin Yiyi to borrow money.

As soon as Lin Yiyi arrived, she asked, "Mom, how is Sister Liang?"

Qin Xiangju shook her head: "I don't know either."

Xiao Bin squatted, holding his head with his hands, feeling very uneasy.

After a while, the operation was over and the doctor came out. Xiao Bin was the first to rush over: "Doctor, how is my wife?"

The doctor said: "The pregnant woman is fine, but the baby is relatively weak and suffered in the pregnant woman's belly. He must be taken good care of in the future, otherwise..." But these days, taking good care of a child is a real difficulty.

Lin Yiyi: "Thank you, doctor. Please tell me what we should pay attention to."

The doctor said, "No problem, go and handle the formalities."

Qin Xiangju: "I'll go, I'll go."

Lin Yiyi gave the hundred yuan she brought to Qin Xiangju.

The nurse pushed Liang out. Although Liang was not in good spirits, she was still awake. Xiao Bin saw Liang and hurried over to hold her hand.

Liang smiled at him weakly and said, "It's a son. We have a son now."

Xiao Bin was shocked, and then tears came down. He had just forgotten to ask whether it was a son or a girl. Now, he had a son.

Lin Yiyi shook her head. He was only 20 years old, but he had become a father.

Lin Yiyi turned to ask Qi Spinach: "Sister-in-law, you haven't had breakfast yet, right?"

Over the past year, the relationship between Lin Yiyi and Qi Bocai has become much more reconciled. At least every time they go back to the countryside, Qi Bocai will take the initiative to greet her and tell her about things in the village. At the beginning, Lin Yiyi was not used to it, but since Qi Bocai took the initiative, she got used to it after doing it many times.

Qi Bocai said, "I haven't eaten yet. How can I have time to eat now?"

Lin Yiyi: "Then please take care of it. I'll go buy you some food."

Qi Bocai: "Okay, OK." Qi Bocai now doesn't let her children go to the elders to beg for money, because her mother taught her a lot of truths, and she also understood some of them. The more she made trouble, the less the elders liked her. So Qi Bocai learned her lesson. After all, Xiao Daqiang had saved a lot of money during the years he worked for the Lin Army. Just for this money, she couldn't make trouble.

If Lin Yiyi knew what she was thinking, she would say, "I wish I had thought of it this way earlier."

Lin Yiyi didn't have a ticket with her. There was no food to buy in the state-owned hotel at that time, so she went home. When she went to the hospital again, there were several hot meat buns and steamed buns in the room, all bought from the system mall. She didn't know whether pregnant women could eat it, but she prepared it anyway. Besides, how could pregnant women in this era be picky about food?

When we arrived at the hospital, everyone was in the ward, and everyone looked very serious.

Seeing Lin Yiyi coming in, Xiao Bin asked, "Second sister-in-law, can my second brother get some milk powder?"

Lin Yiyi: "What's wrong? Sister Liang doesn't have enough milk?"

Xiao Bin said, "Well, the doctor said that the child must be raised carefully and must have enough milk powder. In the future... in the future, he will have to eat milk powder all the time."

Lin Yiyi said, "That's not necessary. Babies can eat rice noodles after 4 months. Although rice noodles are not as nutritious as milk powder, there is no problem after the baby is 4 months old, and rice noodles are more affordable. Breast milk is still the most nutritious, so let Sister Liang take care of her body. And if pregnant women have no milk, they can try to increase the frequency of breastfeeding. But it is best to use food therapy, such as eggs, beans, and fish."

The reason why Lin Yiyi knew all this was because there were several mothers in the company who talked about this every day, and she knew it after hearing it so many times.

Qin Xiangju: "We have eggs at home, but where can we find fish now?"

Lin Yiyi: "Then eat eggs." As for milk powder, she heard from her colleagues that babies need to drink a can of milk powder a week, and it's the 900-gram kind. She doesn't know the details. Even if there is a discount, two cans of milk powder a month is fine. Nowadays, milk powder is about 450 grams a can. Xiao Bin can't afford two cans a month. In the supply and marketing cooperatives and department stores, a can of milk powder costs about 5 yuan. Not to mention the tickets, it costs 10 yuan a month. How can Xiao Bin have 10 yuan a month? If it's on the black market, it's even more expensive.

Qin Xiangju: "The eggs are fine, I'll bring them to her later. What about the milk powder?"

Lin Yiyi said: "The third brother, go ask Brother Wang and find out the price of milk powder."

Xiao Bin: "Yes, yes, Brother Wang, I will go find Brother Wang now."

Lin Yiyi: "Bring some money." She gave him a hundred yuan.

Xiao Bin took the money and said, "Thank you, Second Sister-in-law."

Lin Yiyi said again: "Mom, you guys stay here to look after Sister Liang, I will go back, I will bring you lunch at noon."

Qin Xiangju: "Okay."

On the way back, Lin Yiyi was thinking, there are no fish outside these days, so she can't take out her fish, so she can only lay a few eggs for Liang, and the weak child is eating the blood of his parents. However, his parents also feel sorry for the child.

When Xiao Yu came back for lunch, he saw only the children at home, not Lin Yiyi: "Where is your sister?"

Lin Dajun: "Brother Xiao Bin's wife has given birth. The baby is a little weak, so my sister went to bring some food to her."

Xiao Yu didn't say anything more. Usually, women in the family would do favors in this matter, and men would not pay much attention to it.

Lin Yiyi brought three dishes: poached eggs, soybean pork ribs soup, and garlic-mashed chicken and greens. There were also some other vegetables at home, some of which were sent by the Xiao family and some by the captain's family. Of course, Lin Yiyi would occasionally send a few ounces of meat to the captain's family, so there was give and take.

Although the lunch that Lin Yiyi brought only had three dishes, it was enough for Liang Shi, Xiao Bin, Qi Spinach and Qin Xiangju, especially the soybean and pork ribs soup, which came in a large portion. Beans can increase lactation, and although Lin Yiyi didn't know if it would work, she decided to give it a try.

Moreover, this dish has eggs and meat, which makes the women who are giving birth nearby envious, and they can't help but praise Lin Yiyi as their sister-in-law.

After lunch, Qin Xiangju said, "Yiyi, mother will go back and tell her family that I need you to take care of the third daughter-in-law."

Lin Yiyi said: "Don't worry, mother."

Then, Qin Xiangju and Qi Bocai left.

Xiao Bin said to Lin Yiyi a little embarrassedly: "Second sister-in-law, can we talk outside?"

Lin Yiyi said: "Okay."

The two of them walked out of the ward one after the other, not going anywhere, just standing at the door in case Liang needed someone to take care of her.

Xiao Bin said, "Second sister-in-law, you gave my wife one hundred when she gave birth, and you also gave me one hundred when I went to buy milk powder just now, a total of two hundred. Can I wait until the end of next year to pay you back? Even if I pay you back at the end of next year, I can't pay you back all at once. I get money from work points at the end of the year, so I can only pay you back slowly, a few tens at a time." At this point, Xiao Bin explained anxiously, "In fact, the chicken cabbage can be exchanged for some money at Brother Wang's place, but I plan to exchange the chicken cabbage for eggs for my wife and milk powder for the child, so... so you and the second brother have to wait." He knew that the second house was not short of money, so he shamelessly proposed it. But he had no choice, because his wife and child were always more important.

Lin Yiyi said: "It's okay, you can pay 20 yuan a year and pay it off in ten years, what do you think?"

Xiao Bin hurriedly said, "Thank you, second sister-in-law." In fact, he still had money left over from the birth of the child, and some money left over for buying milk powder, but he was hiding it to be prepared. "A can of milk powder at Brother Wang's place costs 15 yuan, and I just bought two cans. Brother Wang also only has two cans of milk powder. He said that milk powder is hard to get. After I finish these two cans, I don't know if he has any more." Xiao Bin sighed.

Xiao Bin is only 20 years old this year. His back, which was not very straight to begin with, has become more bent because of his child's physical condition. No matter how young a father is, he is worthy of the title of father. For the sake of his child, he will find a way to straighten it up.

Lin Yiyi looked at him and thought for a moment: "I can ask for milk powder for you. Some people in the vocational college seem to have it. A can of milk powder is 10 yuan. Do you want it?"

Xiao Bin's eyes lit up: "Really? Of course you want it, I'll give you the money first."

Lin Yiyi said, "No, you can pay me after I get the milk powder. But the milk powder is in bags, not cans, but it's better than what you bought from Brother Wang." Lin Yiyi planned to buy a 450-gram package of milk powder from the system mall. It was packaged in two layers, with the brand printed on the outer bag and a silver bag without the brand printed on the inner bag, so that people couldn't tell. For Xiao Bin, 10 yuan a bag was cheaper than 15 yuan, and he could breathe a sigh of relief. For Lin Yiyi, she was willing to help because Xiao Bin was a good person. Of course, she didn't make the 10 yuan, but no matter how cheap it was, it was not appropriate. It was a little more expensive than the supply and marketing cooperative and a little cheaper than the black market. This price was moderate.

Xiao Bin: "Okay, thank you, second sister-in-law."

Lin Yiyi smiled and said, "Then I'll leave. I'll bring you food in the evening. Don't be polite. You are Brother Yu's younger brother. My bringing you food is nothing."

Xiao Bin: "Then I won't be polite."

Liang stayed in the hospital for three days before being discharged. Lin Yiyi prepared all three meals a day for her, and she didn't bother. On the day of her discharge, Xiao Bin quietly gave her two hundred yuan. Lin Yiyi was very surprised: "You have money now?"

Xiao Bin said: "We borrowed it from mother. Mother said they are still here, so there is no reason for us to borrow money from second brother. If they really have no money, we can borrow money from second brother."

Lin Yiyi didn't say anything more and took the money. Qin Xiangju didn't have any money, this money was Xiao Daqiang's salary this year, only about 200 yuan, and she gave it all to Xiao Bin. After all, the daughter-in-law gave birth to a child, which was the Xiao family's business. If there was any responsibility, it was the responsibility of their elders. Unless they were incompetent, there was no reason to let the second house bear it. Qin Xiangju was still very clear about these things.

Xiao Bin added: "Mother said that if anyone asks, the second sister-in-law should say that she borrowed the money from you, so as to avoid a commotion from the eldest sister-in-law."

Lin Yiyi: “Okay.”

However, Qin Xiangju gave the money to Xiao Bin. If anything happened to them in the future and they needed money, they would ask their sons to contribute. If the first and third wives had no money, they would ask the second wife for money.

But putting all this aside, if parents need money, their children should give it to them. Besides, since she married into the Xiao family, the elders of the Xiao family have been really good to her.

According to the current year, there is no full-month banquet, but Xiao Bin's son's full-month celebration, Lin Yiyi, as an aunt, wants to go to see it. And the Chinese New Year is just a few days away, so she simply went back to the countryside early, and Xiao Yu has not had a holiday yet.

The day Lin Yiyi went there was January 30, 1962, which was December 25, 1961 in the lunar calendar. She had not yet received her February benefits, so she did not bring anything else but two cans of milk powder and a piece of cloth.

Lin Yiyi returned to the countryside, and Lin Dajun and his family also returned to the Lin family. Every time Lin Dajun and his family returned to the Lin family, they would receive warm greetings in the village.

"Army, are you back?"

"The captain's son-in-law is back."

"Dajun, what delicious food did you bring back?"

“…”

Many people are asking questions like these.

Lin Dajun and his friends have gotten used to it, but they won't say it because their sister said that even if they eat meat, they have to tell others that it is vegetables.

Lin Dajun was carrying a backpack containing New Year gifts prepared by his sister for them. This time, Lin Wudi did not go back with them.

"Dajun." Suddenly, a surprised voice came. Lin Zhen had just come down from the mountain with a basket containing a few bamboo shoots. Food was not so tight this year, so wild vegetables and bamboo shoots were not tight on the mountain. Everyone could pick and dig them. Lin Zhen was digging bamboo shoots on the mountain, and she chose to go in the afternoon, as it was warm in the winter. She didn't dig many, only four or five, enough for one meal. Unexpectedly, when she was going down the mountain, she saw Dajun and his team coming back.