Chapter 9
That night, Lin Yao thought about many things until his eyelids started fighting, and then he fell asleep with a small pillow.
In the middle of the night, there was a thunder, and rain began to fall outside, hitting the bamboo leaves in the yard and rustling.
Fortunately, Lin Yao was used to closing the big window of the wing before going to bed, leaving only a small wooden window for ventilation. The cool breeze blew through the hall, making the whole room cool.
Lin Yao slept well all night wrapped in a small quilt.
Gu Chunmei in the south wing also slept well, but Dongzi was a bit miserable. The small side room he lived in, although the area was a bit narrow, had a good orientation and good lighting. It had a wooden bed, a desk, chairs, and a wardrobe.
In the hot summer, Zhang Cuilan hung a mosquito net in her son's room early, and placed a large cattail leaf fan on the wooden bed, so that Dongzi could fan himself in the mosquito net before going to bed to drive away the mosquitoes, so that he could sleep well.
Who knew that Dongzi was a lazy bone, not only did he not like to wash his feet before going to bed, but he also did not chase away mosquitoes. As soon as it got dark, he would lie on the bed and fall asleep. Normally,
it was okay. Zhang Cuilan knew about her son's bad behavior, and when she had free time, she would help fan the mosquito net to prevent the bastard from getting a face full of mosquito bites and being unable to show up.
These days, she is busy. She fetches water to flush the pigsty at the pig farm during the day. In the afternoon, she goes home. A big canteen is going to be opened on the street. All the women in the compound have to help clean up. If they don't go, they are considered to be passive and do not support the people's commune system.
Well, with such a big hat on them, who dares not go?
Lin Yao will also have to help tomorrow.
When Zhang Cuilan is busy, she can't take care of the things in her son's house.
Yunshui County is humid during the rainy season. The big compound is full of green plants and flowers. If you walk outside, you will be bitten by the flower-winged black mosquito and get a big lump.
It happened to rain last night. The window in the east room was not closed, and the mosquito net was blown in by the wind and rain. Well, the mosquitoes that were everywhere kept buzzing in the room all night.
Dongzi was the only child who was pampered by mosquitoes in the room. They kept buzzing all night.
The next day, before dawn, the little brat came to knock on his parents' door crying.
The pig farm starts work at 7:30. Zhang Cuilan gets up at 6:30, washes, cooks, and goes out in a row. She has developed a biological clock over the years.
It was foggy and dark outside. The raindrops hit the tiles. Zhang Cuilan was snoring and sleeping soundly.
Outside the door, the old man was howling like a fox and a wolf, knocking on the door. Zhang Cuilan, who was awakened by the noise, got up in a rage, put on her clothes, put on her cloth shoes, and got out of bed with a murderous look on her face.
You little bastard, you haven't been on the roof for three days, why are you making a fuss so early in the morning, are you looking for a beating!
Zhang Cuilan rushed to the door, unbolted the bolt, and slammed the door open. She was about to curse, "You son of a bitch, making a fuss..."
As soon as the words came to her mouth, she looked outside and couldn't help but take a breath of cold air. Oh my God, where did this idiot come from?
*
Lin Yao slept very soundly this time. When she got up from the bed, the rain outside had stopped, the sun was shining brightly, and the cicadas on the sycamore tree outside the window were particularly cheerful.
The large courtyard was very cool after the rain, with a unique scent of grass.
Lin Yao had just woken up and was still groggy. She slowly got dressed, went to the yard to wash her face and brush her teeth, carefully applied vanishing cream, and walked around the yard.
The large courtyard was quiet. Aunt Cuilan and Uncle Mancang were not at home. They must have gone to work early in the morning.
Dongzi was not in his room either.
Lin Yao found it a little strange. Dongzi was a lazy bug on weekdays. He would sleep until noon before getting out of bed. Why was he so diligent today?
She was wondering when the wooden door of the south room opened. Gu Chunmei, holding a basin of water, yawned as she crossed the threshold.
"Sister, aren't you going to work today?"
Gu Chunmei went to the water tank in her slippers to scoop water.
Lin Yao went over to help her, using a gourd ladle to scoop up two scoops of well water.
"It's a day off today, no work."
Gu Chunmei rolled up her sleeves and said as she washed her face with water.
There are no weekends off these days, and workers in the county only have one day off a week. For example, Gu Chunmei, a salesperson working in the supply and marketing cooperative, usually takes turns to go to work.
Lin Yao said "Oh", turned around and said, "No wonder, my uncle and aunt are not at home, and Dongzi disappeared early in the morning."
The brat ran to the street on time.
Gu Chunmei was brushing her teeth, and when she heard this, she laughed, "Yao, so you didn't know?"
Lin Yao blinked, didn't know what?
Gu Chunmei was amused when she saw her like this. She brushed her teeth quickly, wiped her mouth with a clean towel, and began to describe to Lin Yao with her hands and feet. She got up in the morning to drink water and saw her brother's face was full of mosquito bites.
"This guy was bitten by mosquitoes, and his mouth was swollen like a sausage. The lazy boy didn't close the window when he went to bed. The mosquitoes in the big yard are very powerful. A bite is painful and itchy. This kid made him cry. What? What did he do? What else can he do? He made a fuss early in the morning and made the whole family unable to sleep well. He went to the health hospital. I guess he is crying and getting an IV drip in the hospital now."
Lin Yao: "............"
What a bad kid.
Gu Chunmei and her brother would always quarrel with each other, and Gu would make Dongzi cry in anger.
But after all, he was her own brother, and although she was happy about his misfortune, she was still worried in her heart.
After breakfast, the two sisters planned to go to the health center to see Dongzi.
On the way, Zhang Cuilan hurried home. When Lin Yao asked, Dongzi was indeed in the health center for an IV drip. The poor kid was bitten by a poisonous mosquito, and not only his mouth was swollen, but also his hands and feet. The doctor in the health center gave him an anti-allergic IV drip, and prescribed ointment and cooling oil, which would heal quickly when applied to the body.
The health center only had ointment, not cooling oil, so Zhang Cuilan went home to get money to buy Wan Lao Hu from the supply and marketing cooperative.
There is no such thing as floral water these days. The Yunshui County Supply and Marketing Cooperative only sells Tiger brand cooling oil. Tiger brand cooling oil is an old brand passed down from the Republic of China. The brand founder's surname is Wan, so the common people call it "Wan Lao Hu Oil".
Wan Lao Hu Oil is formulated with peppermint, cloves, and camphor oil. It can dispel wind and soothe pain, reduce inflammation and relieve itching. If the children in the compound have rashes or are bitten by mosquitoes, they can use this to touch them. The effect is super good.
Zhang Cuilan took the money and rushed to the street with her bag.
Lin Yao patted her head. Wan Lao Hu brand cooling oil, there is a cabinet in her space supermarket. She made an excuse that there was an unused can of cooling oil in the house and went back to the house.
When she came back, she had a small can of cooling oil in her hand.
Zhang Cuilan clapped her hands happily. Now it was good. She didn't have to go to the street to buy it.
Wan Lao Hu You was only sold at her sister's supply and marketing cooperative in the county. It took more than half an hour to go from the big compound to the old street.
It was not a big deal, but it was mainly her son who suffered!
Zhang Cuilan praised Lin Yao a few words, jumped on her bicycle and went out again.
Before leaving, Zhang Cuilan said distressedly, "Yaoyao has been suffering from the summer heat recently. Look at her face. She has become thinner. When we come back in the evening, I will make her an egg pancake with pig fat to nourish her body."
Gu Chunmei beside her also nodded, "Yes, Yaoyao has really lost weight. Mom, one egg pancake is not enough. We need more."
Hey, she and Yaoyao, her parents will each have one, and they will be very happy.
Zhang Cuilan rolled her eyes at her and ignored the lady.
After the two sisters finished breakfast, they cleaned up the house, locked the house, hung their military green small bags, and took the bus to the health center.
In the 1950s, the country's gasoline supply was tight, and the buses in major cities were converted into gas buses, with a black gas bag on top of the bus.
Yunshui County only had one bus, and the space inside the bus was cramped. During rush hour, the bus was packed with people.
There were few passengers at this time, so Lin Yao bought a bus ticket, which cost two cents. She found two seats by the window, and she and Gu Chunmei sat down one after the other, opened the window, and felt the breeze and bask in the sun. It was not too hard to endure.
The bus swayed on the road for half an hour before arriving at the street where the county health hospital was located.
The county health hospital is right next to the highway, a four-story red brick building. It is said to have been built before the liberation. The white gatehouse, the walls painted with big red slogans, the pungent smell of disinfectant, and the crowd wearing gray-blue clothes are all unique marks of this era.
The infusion room is on the second floor. When Lin Yao and her friends went there, the infusion room was crowded. Gu Shidong was sitting in the corridor with an IV drip.
The bad boy got an injection and applied medicine, and he was much more energetic. When he saw Lin Yao, he shouted, "Sister-in-law, you came to see me."
Lin Yao went over and took a look, and was stunned. Why did the kid's mouth become so swollen?
Gu Chunmei said unhappily, "You little brat, didn't you see your sister?"
Gu Shidong snorted, "Who told you to make fun of me?"
Well, they are holding a grudge.
Seeing that the siblings were about to quarrel again, Lin Yao quickly took out the white sugar glutinous rice cakes bought on the road to satisfy Gu Shidong's craving.
White sugar glutinous rice cakes are one of the specialties of Yunshui County. They are sold in state-owned hotels and supply and marketing cooperatives on the road. The beaten glutinous rice cakes are wrapped with white sugar, red beans and mung beans. When you eat them hot, they are soft and sweet.
Gu Shidong likes to eat them very much. His eyes are smiling into a slit, and he wants to stretch out his paws to eat them when he is excited.
Gu Chunmei patted him, "Are your paws dirty? Wash your hands before eating!"
He was already sick, and he didn't wash his hands before eating. He was asking for a beating.
Gu Shidong cried aggrievedly, "I'm on an IV drip, how can I wash my hands?"
He was hungry, women are really troublesome!
Lin Yao brought a piece of brown paper wrapped in snacks to the bad boy and let him eat it.
It was time for dinner. People were coming and going in the health hospital. Most people were shy and embarrassed to eat in the corridor.
Gu Shidong was not an ordinary person. The bad boy was thick-skinned. He grabbed the glutinous rice cake and ate it mouthful by mouthful, just like a squirrel chewing a watermelon, very comfortable.
He ate it with relish, and even the doctor who passed by stopped to take a look.
The bastard was so familiar that he greeted the doctor.
Gu Chunmei covered her face, not wanting to admit that this was her biological brother.
The brat had finished eating the glutinous rice cake, but his stomach was still not full. He looked at her with his stomach in his arms without anyone telling him.
Lin Yao's heart softened, and she turned to discuss with Gu Chunmei, "Sister, let's get Dongzi another bowl of noodles."
Gu Shidong continued to look at her eagerly.
Gu Chunmei took a deep breath, and went to the cafeteria to get noodles for her brother.
The food in the cafeteria of the health center is good, and the chef's cooking is authentic. Even a bowl of noodles is divided into vegetarian and vegetarian. The vegetarian noodles only have bean sprouts, which cost 7 cents a bowl plus □□ tickets.
The noodles were much richer, with shredded pork, bean sprouts, small green vegetables and poached eggs. They looked delicious and greasy, but the price was also expensive, costing 1.2 yuan for a bowl, and 300 yuan of meat coupons and □□ coupons.
The old Gu family only had half a pound of meat coupons in a month.
Gu Chunmei clenched the meat coupons in her hand, and finally ordered a portion of noodles.
Then a large bowl of noodles was placed in front of her.
Even Lin Yao was stunned. Gu Shidong was about to cry after eating half of it. He really wanted to put down his chopsticks and stop eating, but he didn't dare.
——The second sister was staring at him from the side.
If he dared not to eat, the second sister would definitely punish him.
In the end, Gu Mancang rescued his youngest son and ate the rest of the noodles.
No matter what time it is, food is extremely precious to the old man Gu Mancang. He is reluctant to waste even a grain of food. He drank all the remaining soup noodles, including the soup and water.
After eating the noodles, Uncle Mancang returned to the steel mill.
Gu Chunmei's wedding date is approaching, and she finally took a vacation. In the afternoon, she went with Big Head Brother to prepare wedding supplies and have a sweet date.
At noon, Zhang Cuilan came to visit her old son and picked up Lin Yao. The mother and son went back to the big compound together. In the
afternoon, we still need help on the street.
Lin Yao left half a pound of peach cakes and two picture books for the boy, and filled the green kettle brought from home with boiled water. With food and drink and books in hand, Gu Shidong was not lonely at all.
Zhang Cuilan turned around and saw that Gou Zizi was still hanging on the bottle of IV drip, grinning.
In the big compound, Director Ge of the commune and the members had been busy for several days, and the commune canteen was about to open.
The canteen was in the courtyard of the street office. It was an old courtyard house, originally a house where capitalists lived, with carved beams and painted rafters, and all the furniture made of gold-threaded nanmu, which was much more magnificent than the big compound.
The kitchen of the commune canteen was also an old kitchen. It was spacious and the stoves were newly built with bricks. On one stove was a large steamer for steaming steamed buns, and on another stove was a newly made iron pot for cooking. There was also a small stove with a large sand pot on it, which was used to stew meat and make soup. There was a long table against the wall, with firewood, rice, oil, salt, knives, spoons, and cutting boards. There was also enough firewood, piled high.
Everything was ready, only the east wind was missing.
Director Ge began to mobilize the members again, and every household sent rice and flour to the canteen.
This was also a regulation from above. Every household did not cook, but ate in the canteen.
The rice and flour from the common people's homes were sent to the canteen. Each family sent 10 kilograms of rice or 5 kilograms of flour. If there was no white rice or flour at home, sorghum rice, corn flour, or sweet potato flour would do.
The second production team where the big compound was located had more than a hundred people, and they ate three meals a day in the canteen. The rice and flour that the members brought in were not enough to fill their stomachs, and the rest was supplemented by the state.
In this way, the national policy was also acceptable.
In these days, there were many people in the family, and the young children would eat their parents poorly.
Director Ge said that everyone in the canteen could eat as much as they wanted, and not only were they full but they also ate well, so the members could rest assured.
Some smart women calculated in their minds that if every household sent 10 kilograms of rice to the canteen every month, they would not have to worry about the rest of the food and drink. Apart from other things, a family of three would consume more than 20 kilograms of white rice a month, and this was on coarse grains. It was hard to say how much more there was, as some had big appetites, and there were families with seven or eight or even ten people. If they were not full, they could only fill their stomachs with water.
Everyone calculated the bills, smiled, and went to the canteen in groups of three or five, carrying rice bags.
The commune accountant was busy with the account book in one hand and the abacus in the other, sweating profusely.
However, there were also those who were reluctant to send food, such as Wang Shengcai's family in the front yard. Wang Shengcai's wife and the old lady of the Wang family kept complaining about how poor their family was and how bad their life was. They had no rice, flour, cornmeal or sorghum rice. They asked the commune accountant, "Can we use wheat bran to replace food?"
The commune accountant was so angry that he laughed.
You two are joking here. Wheat bran is for feeding pigs and chickens. You are giving it to people to eat. I would like to ask if you can eat the steamed buns made of wheat bran at home?
If you two can eat it, our commune canteen can use wheat bran to replace food.
The members around laughed.
The old lady of the Wang family could only go home to get food, swearing.
Wang Shengcai's wife rolled her eyes and turned back to knock on the door of Gu's house.
Zhang Cuilan went to the commune canteen to deliver food, and now Lin Yao was alone at home taking a nap.
Once she woke up, she could not be woken up by thunder outside.
Wang Shengcai's wife knocked on the doors of Gu's private rooms one by one, and her hands were sore from knocking, but no one came out to answer her.
Wang Shengcai's wife shook her sore arms and went home disappointed.
Damn it, she originally wanted to "borrow" a few pounds of food from Gu's house, but this family was so cunning that they just refused to open the door for her, causing her to make a wasted trip!
The canteens in the city were booming, and the communes in the countryside were even more lively.
Linjiazhuang... No, it should be called the Dongfanghong Production Team now.
The canteen of the Dongfanghong production team was also in full swing. The production team leader led people to build a stove under the wooden roof, cooking soup and rice.
Just like Yunshui County, the production team leader held up an iron horn and shouted in the village, asking members to deliver food to the canteen.
Lin Daguo and his wife saw that there was a bargain, and they ran faster than anyone else with their food bags. Anyway,
the Lin family ate mixed noodles and rice porridge two days out of three.
The village canteen ate white flour steamed buns and braised pork!
The couple hurried to show off in front of the team leader.
Lin Hongna didn't bother to show it. She ignored the mess in the neighbor's yard and went straight to the kitchen to make a pot of brown sugar water and gulped it down.
She put down the enamel pot in her hand, but her eyes were fixed on the empty noodle pot at home, as if thinking about something.
If she remembered correctly, Gu Shian was demobilized at this time in her previous life.
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