Zhang Hongmei gradually got used to her routine life. She would go to the post office every Saturday.
A month passed just like that. Zhang Hongmei wanted to go back to Liujiatun for a visit, so on Saturday she went to the post office to pick up the newspaper, took the twenty jin of brown sugar she had bought in batches, and boarded the bus back.
After getting off the bus in the village, it took another hour to walk back to Liujiatun.
Instead of going home, he took the brown sugar and went directly to the old lady's house.
"Grandma, I'm back!"
"Why are you back again, you silly girl?"
"It's heartbreaking to hear, they don't even miss me."
"Stop acting up, what are you carrying?"
"Brown sugar, I sold the meat for sixty yuan. I bought twenty jin this month, and I'll buy more in batches later."
There's also milk powder, sent by Zhang Shouyi. I don't like drinking it, so I brought it back for you to drink slowly.
Drinking milk is good for the elderly; it helps with calcium intake. Even though they can't grow taller anymore, it can prevent calcium deficiency.
What is calcium?
"It's something that can harden bones."
"Then you should drink more!"
"Do I need supplements? Look how fast I'm growing, like a seedling that's been fertilized. I don't need any. You're getting older, and if you accidentally fall, you're more likely to break your bones. Listen to me, it's best to drink a bowl every day."
The dairy goats in our village have started producing milk; that's the better milk to drink.
"The milk from the dairy goats in the village is all given to the children. This year, thirteen new babies were born in our village, five girls and eight boys. If it weren't for the goat milk, I don't think they would have been able to raise them."
"I didn't hear about it when I came back last time."
“You never have a moment to spare, who would have a chance to talk to you? Your oldest child is almost a year old.”
"But that's a good thing. Our village is getting more people and is slowly becoming a big village."
"Alright, put your things down and go back now. I'll have your aunt take the candy to the cafeteria later."
"By the way, you've sold all the meat, do you have anything left to eat? There's some left over from what you gave me; take it home and eat it slowly tomorrow."
“I don’t want it, I don’t like it. I’ll stew the rest of the catties and give them to my Third Uncle and Brother Jianguo.”
"Cough! Let's go back."
The old lady felt terrible; her own son hadn't even come home for the New Year, and he was treated worse than a girl from another family.
When Zhang Hongmei returned home, she saw that the vegetables in the yard were growing well, and she knew that Li Cuihua always came over to tidy them up.
When he realized that the water tank in his ring was empty, he locked the door and went up the mountain.
There was no one in the mountains at this time. Zhang Hongmei came to the pond and saw that the water level had dropped by two meters. It was true, the sorghum had just been planted and didn't need to be watered yet.
We didn't bring fishing nets this time, and besides, we didn't have a boat, so we couldn't cast them. We filled all five large water tanks before heading down the mountain.
Now that she eats two meals a day, Zhang Hongmei has missed dinner.
As soon as he entered the house, Liu Jingze's mother brought out a bowl of sweet potato noodles and wheat noodles.
"I saw you hadn't eaten, so I made noodles for you and your great-grandmother. Eat up."
"Okay, Auntie. I'll wash my hands and eat right away." Zhang Hongmei took the bowl and poured the food into her own bowl.
"I'm going back now, you should eat quickly too."
Zhang Hongmei locked the door and entered the space carrying a bowl.
After taking a shower, I took out a jar of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce, scooped out a spoonful and put it on the noodles, then took out a sausage. Dinner was ready.
The next morning, Zhang Hongmei went for another stroll on the mountain. Now there were only some wild vegetables left by the pond, but she wanted to eat vegetable buns filled with wild vegetables and chives.
The wild vegetables were too old, so I had to give up on them.
On the way down the mountain, I encountered Dashan. "Hongmei, you're back? Why didn't I see you last night?"
"I didn't go to eat. Brother Dashan, are you going to check on the traps?"
"Yes, I come here every day, but there's never any prey."
The two went back to check the traps in the radish patch they had previously encountered, but found nothing.
"Hongmei, you have to go back to the city today, right?"
"Yes, I went straight back to the city after I came down the mountain."
"Shall I take you there by carriage?"
"No need, let the old ox rest. I can walk there myself."
"It's alright, the village chief is going to a meeting in the township, I'm going to the township to buy salt."
"That saves us trouble. Isn't salt hard to buy these days?"
"It's not that they're hard to buy, they're all limited editions, and we can't sell too many at once."
"Brother Dashan, I'm going to my great-grandmother's house, and then I'll come to the brigade to find you."
Zhang Hongmei ran all the way to the old lady's house. "Grandma, is there a shortage of salt in the village?"
"Yes, the supply is too small. It's alright now, enough for daily meals, but it will be troublesome to pickle vegetables after autumn."
“I’ll bring back a thousand catties in a few days. Is that enough? If not, I’ll ask them for two thousand catties.”
"Two thousand catties would be best, I'll give you the money. Changhe's family, bring me two thousand yuan."
Zhang Hongmei did not refuse, but thinking that she could get three thousand catties for two thousand yuan, and that the stuff wouldn't spoil, it could be kept in a cool warehouse for several years without any problem.
"Grandma, should we ask my third uncle to bring it back?"
"Go find him; no one in the village is going out anymore."
"Alright! If they already have some grain, do we still need to bring some back?"
"Go ahead and do it. I still have three thousand here. Take it all and use whatever you can. Even if we're careful with our food, we're almost out of supplies."
"Understood, I'll take care of it when I get back."
Zhang Hongmei returned home feeling depressed. After tidying up briefly, she carried a small bag of sweet potato flour and a small bag of sweet potato residue from the large vat in the storeroom, weighing about 40 to 50 pounds in total. She also cut a large bundle of chives. Then she went to Li Cuihua's house.
"Auntie, you should eat the vegetables in the yard, otherwise it'll be a waste. I won't be coming back next month."
"I'll dry the ones that can be dried, and I'll take the rest to the cafeteria. Don't worry, they won't be wasted."
Seeing Zhang Hongmei carrying the bag, Da Shan quickly took it from her, saying, "I offered to give it to you, but you didn't want it. How are you going to carry all this stuff to the village?"
"I won't be back next month, so bring more food with me."
“Hongmei is here, so let’s go.” Wang Hongxi also brought his dear daughter, Wang Xiaorui.
The girl saw Zhang Hongmei turn her head away without saying a word. Her proud expression was like that of a rooster.
“Hongmei, let’s save the brown sugar you brought back for the Mid-Autumn Festival. At least it will taste good.”
"Hehe, I still have ten catties of sugar coupons. I'll buy them when I have a spare moment, so I can at least have some sweetness on my lips."
"What a good girl. Don't take it personally with your sister Xiaorui. You two sisters have a good time."
Zhang Hongmei smiled but didn't say anything. Wang Xiaorui also remained silent; her father was there, otherwise she would have already backed down. She still remembered how she missed getting on the bus last time. That bitch Yingzi was bragging about it everywhere; it was infuriating.
Wang Hongxi was at a loss. His youngest daughter was so spoiled that she didn't know how to get along with others. He was worried about her. He said, "Zhang Hongmei is a person who will be very successful in the future. Instead of building a good relationship with her now, you're offending her. Isn't that stupid?"
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