Chapter 34

Xu Wen woke up early in the morning, washed up and ran to the kitchen.

I checked the condition of the fried dough sticks and breathed a sigh of relief.

According to the recipe given by the magic mirror, after mixing the ingredients in proportion, you need to put them in the refrigerator for a few hours before frying them into soft and puffy dough sticks.

There was no refrigerator at home, so Xu Wen fetched a bucket full of ice-cold well water and placed it in a cool and ventilated place. He placed the dough in a porcelain bowl, sealed it, and submerged it in the water.

I was particularly unsure and afraid of failure.

Fortunately, it was quite successful. The white and soft dough sticks can be fried directly after a little kneading.

There are two connected stoves in the east room, one large and one small. Xu Wen uses the small stove.

The big stove and pot are also big and consume a lot of oil.

Except that the first few dough sticks were not fried well due to poor control of the heat, the next few dough sticks were pretty good.

When Dongsheng got up, fried dough sticks and millet porridge were already on the table. Xu Wen invited Dongsheng to eat.

"Mom is so awesome! She can make fried dough sticks!" Dongsheng's face was full of admiration.

"That's right! Can I take you to the commune after dinner?"

"good!"

After dinner, Xu Wen rode his bicycle and took Dongsheng to the commune kindergarten to inquire about the child's kindergarten.

The new kindergarten term had just begun, and Dongsheng was fully qualified to go to school.

Led by the principal, Xu Wen and Dongsheng visited the kindergarten.

Xu asked Dongsheng: "Do you like it here? If you come to kindergarten, you don't have to stay at home alone. There are children here to play with you. Besides, when you go to school, I go to school. When you rest, I rest too. You and I are the same!"

Dongsheng nodded repeatedly, very happy: "I do."

There are not only children here, but also slides and seesaws.

The head teacher praised: "No wonder you attach so much importance to children's education. It turns out that you are also a student."

The reason why only the commune had kindergartens but not production teams was because most people did not recognize preschool education and thought it was too expensive to spend RMB 2.5 a month to send their children to school. Only parents in the commune who ate commercial or public food were willing to pay to send their children to kindergarten.

One is to have money and the other is to have someone look after the kids while I go to work.

The childcare fee is one yuan per month, the meal fee is one yuan and a half per month, and the book fee is fifty cents per semester.

Xu Wen paid the registration fee, completed the admission procedures, and took Dongsheng to the north-south street in the commune.

"Dongsheng, do you know what Grandpa and Grandma like?"

The children in my uncle's family are all older, and except for the youngest, they are all married and have their own families. The youngest is a junior high school student, and usually only my uncle and aunt are at home.

Dongsheng shook his head and thought for a while before speaking: "Grandpa seems to like drinking. Every time I go to his house with my father, both uncle and father drink. Grandmother always says that grandpa will drink himself to death sooner or later!"

Xu asked: "..."

Children, you don’t have to listen to everything adults say.

Xu Wen bought two bottles of better white wine, two kilograms of brown and white sugar, a package of peach snacks, and some bulk biscuit snacks.

Seeing that it was already noon, Xu Wen simply took Dongsheng outside to eat something before going home.

After waking up in the afternoon, Xu Wen packed his own luggage and packed Dongsheng's clothes, then drove Dongsheng to his uncle's house.

Dongsheng was obviously unhappy, with his mouth pouting and his head hanging.

For a moment, Xu Wen even had the urge to drop out of school and stay at home with him.

She encouraged herself: Just be patient, endure for another three months, and everything will be fine until she gets admitted to university.

Even if I don't take the college entrance exam, it will be fine next year.

Next year will be a year of upheaval.

Xu Wen was a little worried and asked Dong Sheng again and again: "Did you remember everything I said?

"I'll remember that." Dongsheng said weakly.

“What should I do if I’m hungry or can’t eat the food my grandmother cooked?

"Go to the supply and marketing cooperative to get food."

"Yes! But this is our secret, you can't tell anyone else!" Xu Wen nodded. She had discussed with the supply and marketing cooperative and deposited some money in the cooperative. If Dongsheng came to buy something, she would settle the bill.

The reason I didn't let Dongsheng tell anyone was because I was afraid that his uncle and aunt would think too much.

"What should I do when I miss my mom?"

"Go to the supply and marketing cooperative and call Mom."

"Do you remember the phone number?"

"Remember, it's ..."

Of course Xu Wen didn’t have a phone, but the school communication office did, and she would ask her grandfather for help when she returned.

As for Dongsheng, the supply and marketing cooperative can call him.

My uncle’s name is Lu Jianshe. Maybe because he has always been an official, he is more dignified than other members.

It was the eldest aunt who was more enthusiastic. As soon as Xu Wen and his wife came in, they pulled Dongsheng to eat some fruit.

Xu Wen put the wine and other food he brought on the ground, "Grandpa, Mama, I'm sorry to trouble you."

"Look at you, kid. Why are you being so polite when we're all family? Dongsheng is also my grandson. It's our responsibility to take care of him."

Xu Wen certainly wouldn't take such words seriously, "Grandpa, Mama, I have something else to trouble you with. It's like this, I've enrolled Dongsheng in kindergarten, and I need you to pick him up in the morning and evening. The school will provide meals."

The aunt was startled for a moment and subconsciously looked at the uncle.

Uncle nodded, "Okay."

Xu Wen exchanged a few more pleasantries, then left when he saw that it was running out of time.

Her uncle and aunt saw her out the door.

The uncle said, "You are such a thoughtful kid! Don't worry, Dongsheng won't be wronged again while I am here."

Xu Wen was stunned for a moment and realized that her uncle actually knew about Dongsheng's experience at her uncle's house and that he had made a promise to her.

She thanked them sincerely: "Thank you, Grandpa and Mom."

When Xu Wen walked away, the aunt stopped laughing and curled her lips: "What does your niece-in-law mean? She gave the third brother five dollars and gave us something?"

The uncle glared at her. "You can buy things for free? Not only do you need money, you also need a receipt! The things she brought are no less than five yuan. Don't be as superficial as the third brother. Besides, can't you see what Xu Wen meant?"

"Aren't you just afraid that we'll end up like the third brother's family, spending money but not taking good care of the child?"

"If you know, don't follow the old man. He is embarrassed and doesn't care!"

"What's so shameful about that? What's wrong with giving her a few bucks to help her take care of the kids?"

"This child's surname is Lu, not Xu! Xu Wen is her stepmother and you are her uncle's grandmother! Who is helping whom? You and your siblings are over a hundred years old in total, but you are still not as sensible as a twenty-year-old woman!

Xu asked why we enrolled our children in kindergarten. It is because we want them to take up less of our time so that we can be more busy with household chores.

They bring us food and drinks and let us pick up and drop off the kids in the morning and evening. What else do you want?

I warn you, don't learn to be petty like your younger brother and sister! You should be more careful with your child at home. If you make the child look like he has no parents, people will laugh at us instead of Xu Wen, the stepmother! Your grandparents are worse than your stepmother. If you are criticized by others, I will feel ashamed even if you don't feel ashamed!"

Although my aunt was a little unconvinced, she was used to yielding to my uncle's authority, so she didn't say anything. When she saw him walking out with his hands behind his back, she asked him, "Where are you going?"

"Go find the third brother!"

Xu Wen was in fear for a week and only answered a call from Dongsheng.

But Dongsheng on the phone was quite happy. He said he called because he missed her and told her that he had made a lot of new friends in kindergarten.

Only then did Xu Wen feel slightly relieved.

As soon as school was over on Saturday, Xu Wen couldn't wait to go home.

My uncle is the team leader and doesn't have to work in the fields.

When Xu asked, his uncle was playing chess with Dongsheng.

This time the winter season is very clean.

Dongsheng saw Xu Wen jump up and said, "Mom!"

Xu Wen bent down and picked him up, greeting his uncle: "Grandpa."

"Come?"

"Yes, I just got out of school. So, Master, shall I take Dongsheng home first?"

"Eat before you go!"

"I've been causing you a lot of trouble for the past few days. Dongsheng is very active at this age, so he's more noisy. You and aunt should have a quiet meal and take a rest!" Xu Wen declined, put Dongsheng down, and taught him, "Say goodbye to Grandpa."

Seeing that Xu Wen really wanted to leave, the uncle did not force him to stay and told his aunt, "Take out Dongsheng's clothes."

The aunt was wearing an apron, holding a shovel in one hand and Dongsheng's bag in the other. She gave it to Xu Wen and asked her to stay: "Wenwen, why don't you eat first?"

"Thank you, auntie. We won't eat it." Xu Wen was not stupid enough to take polite words seriously.

After Xu Wen walked away, the aunt sighed: "I have to say, Yuanzheng has a good eye for choosing a daughter-in-law. He rushed over right after returning from school! He treats Dongsheng better than his own family."

The uncle glared at her and said, "He is educated and more tolerant than you! Go and cook! The food is all burnt."

I don’t know if it’s because Dongsheng is in kindergarten or because the uncle beat the younger uncle.

When it was the uncle's and aunt's turn to take care of Dongsheng, they no longer neglected Dongsheng like they did in the first week.

Xu Wen breathed a sigh of relief.

The Xu family was also busy as always. After not seeing each other for a week, Xu Qiushi and Xu Wen had moved forward a full three meters.

They had no livestock, so the two of them borrowed small carts and pushed the soil back from the field one by one.

The real-life version of Yugong moving mountains.

Time flies by as everyone is busy, and in the blink of an eye it is the autumn harvest season.

Autumn harvest is the most important thing for ordinary people, as it concerns the harvest for the whole year. No one in the team is idle and they work overtime every day.

Even Xu Wen will have a half-month long autumn harvest holiday after school this weekend.

But in the 1970s when mechanization was not well developed, most work was done manually, and half a month was not enough.

Without waiting for Xu Wen to take a holiday, each production team had already plunged into the busy autumn harvest, often working until midnight, and the grain warehouse was busy day and night.

Both the Xu family and the Lu family were busy day and night.

Being so busy, you may neglect taking care of your children.

That afternoon, after Xu Wen finished his class, the security guard called him and said, "Dongsheng called you!"

The security guard would message the mother and son at least once a week and was very familiar with them. Sometimes when Xu Wen attended class, he would also chat with Dongsheng.

Xu Wen raised her wrist to look at her watch, wondering why Dongsheng called her at this time.

On weekdays, Dongsheng always makes phone calls at noon.

Xu Wen trotted to the reception room and answered the phone: "Dongsheng?"

Dongsheng cried out weakly: "Mom, I feel so bad!"

"What's wrong with you?"

"My stomach aches and I'm so cold."

"Are you sick? Where's your grandma?"

"Grandma has gone to the sunbathing ground. Mom, I'm so cold."

It is the hottest time of the year now. Although it is a little cool in the morning and evening, it is not cold.

Xu Wen frowned and made a decision: "Dongsheng, give the phone to the waiter first."

When the waiter answered the phone, Xu Wen asked her, "Can you help me check if the child has a fever?"

"Wait a moment." After a while, the waiter said, "He doesn't seem to have a fever, but he looks very listless. I don't know what's wrong."

"Could you please take him to the team's bathroom? I'll be right back! Thank you!"