Chapter 126
Another day and night of train travel, the train arrived safely in Yunyunshui County in the early morning of the eleventh day of the lunar year. It
was a little after six in the morning, and it was dark outside. It was a foggy day with no sight of one's fingers. Thanks to the deputy director Gu who called Big Head Brother, Xu Xiangqian borrowed a jeep from his old comrade to pick up people early in the morning. It was really cold, and Lin Yao quickly protected the two children and got into the car. It was not until they got on the car that they felt warm.
In the Gu family's courtyard, Zhang Cuilan and Gu Mancang were busy yesterday. They cleaned the house and dried the bedding in the yard. The windows were clean and bright. Even the sisters-in-law had boiled water in the kettle and filled it up, waiting for the children to come home.
The youngest was not at home, so Zhang Cuilan and her husband spent the New Year happily and leisurely. On
New Year's Eve, the couple ate dumplings and drank mutton soup. At night, they turned on the radio and fell asleep listening to the humming opera. On the first day of the Lunar
New Year, the daughter-in-law and her son-in-law brought their grandchildren to pay
New Year's greetings. After sending the children away, Gu Mancang, wearing a bulging cotton jacket and carrying a teacup, went to the entrance of the alley to play chess with the old guys, killing everyone. Zhang Cuilan made an appointment with Xu's mother, who was also idle. The two old ladies were addicted to watching movies. During the New Year, the county cinema had movies one after another, from 8 am to 6 pm, with seven or eight movies every day. A movie ticket cost 1.5 cents, and the two old ladies watched one movie a day, and only 1.5 yuan in ten days.
Zhang Cuilan discussed with Xu's mother and watched one movie in the morning and one in the afternoon every day. When they were thirsty, they drank brown sugar water sold outside, and when they were hungry, they went home to eat the meals cooked by the old man. Those days were so comfortable.
As soon as Lin Yao got home, she found a pile of neatly stacked movie tickets in the living room.
Nowadays, movie tickets are square in size, with the theater name and the number printed in lead letters, and a blue seal on them, which looks quite simple.
Lin Yao was puzzled and took it to ask Zhang Cuilan.
The old lady was hugging Yuanyuan and kissing her.
"Ah, Yaoyao, what did you say?"
Gu Mancang came over with a teacup and answered for the old woman.
"Your mother left these movie tickets after watching a movie. She said she kept them as souvenirs."
Gu Mancang didn't quite understand why his old woman kept movie tickets as souvenirs.
What's so good about keeping movie tickets?
They can't be sold for money and can't appreciate in value. They're really not as good as his old man's colorful stamps. Just wait and see, they'll be able to sell for a lot of money in the future.
However, Gu Mancang didn't dare to say these words out loud, otherwise the old woman's rolling pin would hit him.
He touched his butt, recalled the few times he was hit by the rolling pin during the Chinese New Year, and smiled awkwardly.
Lin Yao raised the movie ticket in his hand and looked at Gu Shian. Seeing his old father like this, the couple were happy.
Well, they were worried that the old couple would be lonely and bored at home during the Chinese New Year, but now they are relieved to see that they are not at home and the two old people are living a wonderful life.
Yuanyuan was busy sticking to grandpa and grandma, while Gu Doudou led Dahei and Erhei to have fun in the yard.
Gu Chunmei took a break from her busy schedule and stayed at home for a while. As soon as she entered the house, she stared at Lin Yao.
"Haha, after a trip to Nan'an County, your face is round and you have double chins."
Lin Yao was indeed lazy during those days in Nan'an County. She immediately took a mirror and looked up and down. In fact... it was not that bad.
Gu Chunmei laughed out loud with joy.
Before she could even sit down, Gu Doudou, who was in a mess outside, rushed into the house like a whirlwind, drank a jar of boiled water, and hurriedly dragged Dahei to find his good brother Hutou.
Erhei, on his four limbs, exposed his belly, and acted like a drama queen. He first acted coquettishly with Lin Yao and asked for a touch. After Lin Yao touched him, Gu Chunmei touched him, and after Gu Chunmei touched him, Deputy Director Gu touched him.
If Zhang Cui hadn't called Gu Shi'an to make dumplings, this guy would still be pestering her.
Gu Chunmei hadn't been at her parents' house for half an hour when Xu Xiangqian came to her two or three times, the thickest one. He even stood outside the wall and howled.
"Chunmei, are you going to have breakfast at home?"
Oh, it's so sticky.
Lin Yao smiled but said nothing. Gu Chunmei's face turned red, and she left the house in anger and grabbed Big Head Brother's ear to punish him.
Deputy Director Gu with sesame filling lifted the kitchen curtain and asked in a pretentious manner.
"Chunmei is not at home to eat dumplings?"
Eat a hammer!
Gu Chunmei glared at her eldest brother, and when she saw Lin Yao hiding in the house and laughing, she nodded at the couple with her hand and took Big Head Brother home.
According to the old tradition in Yunshui County, the New Year is celebrated from the first to the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, and the New Year is not considered over until after the Lantern Festival.
The first meal for the old Gu family when they return home is still dumplings.
There are no outsiders at home. Gu Mancang hasn't had a drink with his son for a long time. He took out the rice wine brewed by himself and ate the steaming big dumplings. The father and son drank a few cups.
Zhang Cuilan brought vinegar and chili oil. In the cold weather, the dumplings were dipped in garlic chili oil and served with a bowl of hot dumpling soup. One bite warmed you from head to toe.
Zhang Cuilan looked at Yuanyuan and Doudou who had returned home with love as they feasted on the food. Hutou came to play at the old Gu's house. He swallowed his saliva when he smelled the fragrance, but he was sensible and didn't say anything.
Unexpectedly, Aunt Lin also brought a bowl of dumplings and asked him to eat together.
The tiger heads tasted delicious.
Zhang Cuilan said that there was a pot of stewed pork elbow in the kitchen, a delicacy left over from the Chinese New Year, waiting for the children to come home and eat.
The stewed pork elbow from the old Gu family, with a thick red sauce, was so delicious right out of the pot that it was so fragrant that it could make your tongue fall off.
After the children finished eating, they helped to clean up the dishes.
Zhang Cuilan went to see her treasures, salted cowpeas, spicy radish strips, and salted duck eggs that were pickled before the New Year.
These salted duck eggs were pickled by the old lady and she wanted to send them to Dongzi and Lin Yi in Xinjiang.
The old son had been away from home for several years, and as parents, they naturally missed him.
Lin Yao carefully opened the jar, revealing dozens of pickled salted duck eggs.
"Mom, they're pickled."
"Well, I exchanged these with the villagers. I don't know if you can eat salted duck eggs in Xinjiang. Give them to Dongzi and Lin Yi."
The old mother was worried that her son didn't have enough food and clothes, so she prepared cotton shirts, cotton pants, gloves and hats for him, and packed them out in a pile.
"Yaoyao, is it troublesome to take so many things and mail them?"
"No trouble, Mom, I can send as many as I want!"
Lin Yao helped her mother-in-law, and Zhang Cuilan smiled particularly happily.
On the thirteenth day of the lunar year, the county post office opened. Lin Yao and Gu Shian packed duck eggs and other things and sent them to faraway Xinjiang.
Spring had come and the weather was getting warmer. The vegetables in the fields had not grown yet, and the vegetables that the Gu family had stored for last winter were almost eaten up.
Uncle Zhang drove a donkey cart and brought two baskets of radishes and cabbages.
Zhang Cuilan asked her eldest brother to stay at home for dinner, and Uncle Zhang didn't look very happy.
Gu Shian asked a question, and Uncle Zhang sighed and said that the higher-ups had sent down a few □□, which was what the common people called "stinky old nine."
Stinky old nine was different from the educated youth. The educated youth went to the countryside with honor, but everyone despised the stinky old nine. Among
the few sent-down stinking ninths, there was actually an old comrade of Zhang Dajiu who had killed the Japanese before.
How could Zhang Dajiu not feel heavy in his heart when his old comrade became a stinking ninth? Zhang Dajiu and Zhang Erjiu dared to guarantee the integrity and character of their old comrade with their heads. But it was not up to Zhang Dajiu and his friends to clear their name after they became stinking ninths. They could only help their old comrade as much as possible without the villagers knowing. The stinking ninth lived in the cowshed, and Zhang Dajiu and his friends built a wooden shed with discarded wood and thatch. Under the shed, a stove was made of yellow mud, and a hole was drilled in the wall to put a wooden board, on which bowls, chopsticks, and salt pots were placed to serve as a cupboard for the old comrade. When cooking, they used dead branches, leaves and dead grass picked up from outside as the cooking oil. Although the kitchen was simple, it was kept clean and tidy. Every time the Zhang family steamed steamed buns, they would wrap them in a clean cloth. No one would deliver them to the old comrade-in-arms at night. Apart from other things, they could always provide the old man with a full meal. Uncle Zhang was filled with emotion. Before he left, he was still muttering, "Why has the world become like this?" * After 1967, the situation outside was still serious. Scenes of young GMs shouting slogans and escorting leaders to march everywhere could be seen everywhere. In 1972, Yunshui County suffered a severe drought, and the people waited for relief food for a long time. In October of the same year, Yunshui County, a disaster-stricken area, received a batch of anonymously donated disaster relief grains, which included both coarse grains and fine grains. The people in the county relied on this batch of disaster relief grains to survive until the next year's grain harvest. For this, the people in the county were grateful. When talking about the "beneficiaries" who donated the grains, everyone's eyes were filled with tears and they gave thumbs up to praise them. Some people even wanted to erect a monument for the benefactors. In response, Lin Yao and Deputy Director Gu said that they appreciated the kindness, but they didn't want to erect a monument. The couple didn't want to burn incense and worship for others every day at such a young age. They couldn't bear it, they really couldn't bear it. In the autumn of 1973, Gu Shidong, who had been away from home for several years, returned home to visit his family. After several years of military service, Gu Shidong's personality has become much more stable. He truly loves the army. After returning home , this guy let himself go again, running around with Doudou Yuanyuan every day. This year, the situation has improved, and the big market in the countryside has opened. Gu Shidong, who is eager to go, led his brother and sister to follow Uncle Zhang to the market. In these days, the stalls in the countryside usually sell corn flour, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc. that they grind themselves. Old farmers also carry their own mountain products, corrugated pots, bamboo baskets and shoulder poles, etc. Anyway, most of them are practical things for farmers. Today, the careful Yuanyuan saw people selling flower ropes and small roasted goods at the local market in the countryside. In the past, you would never see these at the market. It has been several months since the inspection team went to the countryside, and everyone is ready to make money. Especially for families with young men and young girls, parents want to make some money quickly, save some cloth coupons and industrial coupons for their children to buy when they get married, so that they can have more hard goods to show off. The group strolled around the market. Uncle Zhang carried a large basket with eggs and duck eggs from his family, followed by Doudou and Yuanyuan. The three uncles and nephews found a good place, and Doudou squatted on the open space like an old hen laying eggs, shouting, "There are people here." Several farmers who were also looking for a place to sell things behind them said: "......" "This kid is quite smart." One of the middle-aged men carrying a snakeskin bag of soybeans wanted to bully the younger one and chase Doudou away, but when he saw the tall and straight Gu Shidong, Uncle Zhang, who looked like a gangster, and Yuanyuan, the little hot pepper, he ran away after saying a few words. Doudou snorted and called Uncle Zhang over. "Uncle, here!" Uncle Zhang waved his hands, took off the basket on his back, and placed the eggs and duck eggs in a good place, picking out the good-looking ones and putting them in the front. There were more people at the market at this time, and Uncle Zhang often came to the market. He was very skilled at selling things. As soon as the eggs were put on the market, customers came. To sell things at home, Yuanyuan and Doudou were enough, and with the addition of Gu Shidong, the three of them shouted louder and louder. "Fresh duck eggs, cheap and fresh." "Farmer's eggs, great for confinement." "Don't miss them if you pass by." With such loud calls for sale, plus the good size of Zhang's eggs and duck eggs, many villagers came up to buy them. Soon, the 60 eggs and 20 duck eggs they carried were all sold out. The villagers who didn't get any were quite disappointed. "Oh, I came a little late, how come they are sold out?" "That's right, good things can't be kept." I also asked Uncle Zhang, "Brother, do you have any duck eggs at home? My daughter is hungry. She doesn't like other things. She just wants to eat salted duck eggs. There are not many people raising ducks in our country. Will you come next time?" Uncle Zhang smiled and said, "Come on, come again in the next four or five episodes, and come earlier then." The aunt nodded repeatedly, "Okay, I remember." After the things at home were sold, the group felt much more relaxed. The most important thing next is, of course, eating and shopping. Shopping is the business of adults, Yuanyuan and Doudou are only responsible for opening their mouths to eat. There are many vendors selling small snacks at Siwuji, including old farmers selling homemade taro slices, fried melon seeds and candied haws. The local markets in the countryside are different from the supply and marketing cooperatives in the city. Supply and marketing cooperatives require money and tickets, and some things cannot be bought without tickets. At Siwuji, you can get either money or tickets, but of course, rural people don’t have tickets, so you just have to pay money.
For the kids, as long as they had three or five cents in their pockets, they could have a string of candied haws, a small bag of roasted melon seeds, five or six small sugar balls...
During this time, an interesting thing happened. There was a little kid at the stall next door who pestered his father to buy him a string of maltose for three cents. The maltose in the countryside was made at home and put in a clean basin. Whoever came to buy it could pick out a small piece with a small wooden stick, pull it and lick it to taste its sweetness.
The little kid was so happy holding the maltose and was showing it off to his friends. Unexpectedly, there were so many people at the market that his maltose got stuck on the back of an old man. The old man walked out in front for a long time before the kid realized what was happening. He cried out and chased after him.
"My candy, my candy..."
This incident made the people at the market laugh.
In any case, the brother and sister squatted in front of their favorite stalls and could not move.
Gu Shidong came over to urge them, and the kids said, "Let's take one more look, just one more look."
The brother and sister were all very cute, and the key point was that when they looked at Gu Shidong, their big grape eyes blinked and sparkled. As an uncle, he didn't keep his guard and took out money to buy a meal for the kids.
When the kids cheered and jumped with the candied haws and other delicious food they bought, they jumped to find Uncle Zhang's family, and then they realized that they had been fooled by the kids.
Hehe, uncle is really generous, let's eat after we are full before going home!
Seeing the brother and sister grinning, Gu Shidong didn't know what to say. These two little ones really took after their parents, with a lot of tricks...
Tsk, what's the point of having children? It's just
money.
Gu Shidong shook his head and sighed. He never thought that at this moment, a matchmaker would come to his door to propose marriage to him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
