Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Sometimes you really can’t laugh at others…
Many female comrades came to Qingzhuanyuan, and they took the initiative to help the cook with the cleaning and preparation.
When they came, some brought their own bowls and chopsticks, some carried table boards, and some brought vegetables grown in their own private plots.
Qingmei stayed in the house for a while, and seeing so many people helping to prepare the celebration banquet, she pulled Gu Qingzhou out.
The cherry tree at home didn't bear fruit this year, but the yellow duck pears, oranges and apples were all ripe.
The woman from the supply and marketing cooperative came over once and asked if she wanted the cooperative to sell her fruit. Qingmei had chosen good fruit trees, all expensive varieties, and had hired someone to take care of them twice, so she didn't want to sell them.
Even though we have a large family, we don't need to eat fruit all day. Even the kid next door, who used to love fruit, can't even eat one a day now.
There were at least one or two hundred kilograms of fruit on a tree. Qingmei called Gu Qingzhou, and brought Xiaogang and other friends to pick some ripe fruits together, and went to the kitchen to cut them into fruit plates for everyone to taste.
She couldn't give away all the remaining fruit. She and her sisters planned to boil yellow duck pears into autumn pear paste, can peaches and oranges, and dry apples on the rooftop. They would wait for the lantern persimmons to arrive at the end of the year, then make dried persimmon cakes and hang them around the house. That way, the whole family wouldn't have to worry about lack of fruit during the winter.
After Gu Qingzhou knew her plan, he suggested that Qingmei dig a cellar at home.
Store apples, sweet potatoes, and potatoes in it and they won't spoil all winter. You can also put any leftover preserved meat in there.
Qingmei asked Xiaoyan carefully. Xiaoyan was imprisoned in Zhou Wu's cellar before, so she asked him not to let the psychological trauma come back.
Xiaoyan, on the other hand, thought it was no problem. She stood under the tree, holding the basket, her smile as bright as a blooming flower. "If you want to dig, then dig now. It will be difficult to dig when the weather gets cold and the ground freezes."
Last year, Qingmei had a deep understanding of how difficult it is to dig the soil in winter.
Since Xiaoyan didn't mind, she and Gu Qingzhou hit it off and started digging after they finished their work.
Qingmei carried some fruit to the kitchen shed to feed the chefs. When she saw the chef, she said with surprise, "We meet again."
The cook, a burly fellow, smiled kindly at Qingmei and said, "I heard you're getting married. Congratulations, sister. Leave today's celebration banquet to me. I'll make sure it's a grand affair for you."
Qingmei placed the fruits on the table next to her and said, "Don't work too hard. Eat these fruits when you're tired. If you can't finish them, you can take them back home. If you don't have enough, you can pick more from the trees."
The cook exclaimed, "Ouch!" He was a connoisseur of good things. Seeing that all the fruits were good, he said gratefully, "Thank you, sir. These are more than enough."
Qingmei spoke to them with a smile on her face, then turned around to help the aunts who were washing vegetables.
Aunt Wu and Aunt Cai, who lived nearby, didn't usually interact with Qingmei, mainly because they had no connection. But today they brought some people over to help, and Qingmei was very grateful.
Seeing Qingmei rolling up her sleeves, the girls didn't let her get wet and told her to go play somewhere else.
Qingmei scratched her head and was kicked out of the cook's shed.
"Little thief, congratulations on your first-class merit. It's rare to be able to achieve first-class merit while still alive, haha. You're blessed with a good life, well done!"
Uncle Guo came over with the family of three from the opposite door and said with a smile: "Look, this is the mulberry wine they sent you. Quickly pour me a bowl to satisfy my craving."
Qingmei took a bowl from the table behind her and asked the elder brother and his wife next door, "Shall we get a bowl for Uncle Guo?"
The brother next door is called Xu Lixing, and his wife is called Wang Yingjie. They are both in their thirties. Hearing Qingmei speak, Xu Lixing opened the lid of the wine jar and said, "Give Uncle Donkey a bowl of wine first to satisfy his craving. We'll let him drink it after he eats. This wine is highly fermented, so he needs something to eat to wash it down."
Qingmei laughed out loud when she heard this: "Hello, Uncle Donkey. Is your old friend home alone?"
Uncle Guo was about to hit her on the top of her head with his pipe, but Qingmei covered her head with her hands and smiled, not afraid of the beating at all.
"They didn't give you a gift for nothing. They want their child to write an essay about your deeds. You can tell the child about it later."
Qingmei was very familiar with this: "No big deal, just sit down first. There's some fruit to eat first."
Zhao Wuhe and Secretary Wang went to the market and bought ten pounds of pork and ten chickens. Captain Jin was really generous and insisted on having a grand celebration banquet.
Zhao Wuhe returned to the Qingzhuan Courtyard and asked someone to bring two cases of soda from the supply and marketing cooperative. The children in the yard were so happy that they went crazy.
"Have you noticed? There are so many female comrades here today." Zhao Wuhe said, "Look, several of them have come to the table, with wine glasses in front of them. They want to drink with you."
Under the leadership of Captain Jin, Donghe Village wasn't particularly patriarchal. However, some deeply ingrained beliefs persisted. A small minority still held onto the oppressive belief that women couldn't sit at the table.
Anyway, you won’t see that at Qingmei’s celebration party today. All the protagonists are lesbians. Everyone is proud of Qingmei being a woman and proud of their female identity.
In the main hall of the blue-brick house, Qingmei's "First Class Individual Merit" and "Second Class Collective Merit" awards were hung high. There were also the thermos, washbasin, and movie projector Zhao Xiaoxing had been rewarded with. No matter how capable the men were, could they be as impressive as this?
In addition, the red flag of "Lei Feng Village" was also hung in the main hall. All of these were earned by Qingmei and Zhao Xiaoxing.
The celebration banquet was almost ready, and Qingmei was surrounded and sat on the main seat.
She never dreamed that she could sit in the main seat at the village banquet. She felt very good.
Captain Jin spoke first, then Qingmei spoke, and after Qingmei spoke, Zhao Xiaoxing spoke.
"I said, 'If you can't come back, I will jump from here to accompany you!'" Zhao Xiaoxing said, patting her chest. Everyone exclaimed "Wow" and gave her warm applause.
Qingmei pursed her lips and smiled secretly. She believed Zhao Xiaoxing could do it. If Zhao Xiaoxing hadn't been guarding the rope, she would have been really worried.
After Zhao Xiaoxing finished speaking, everyone raised their glasses to toast Qingmei. Many of the female comrades ran over to Qingmei and talked to her with their glasses raised.
We are not stupid, and everyone can see that Zhao Xiaoxing has achieved what she has today.
"Can you please give us female comrades some pointers?"
"Yes, sister, you are extraordinary now, and we female comrades can also be proud. We don't seek first-class merit or second-class merit, but we hope to be no worse than the men at home. Please teach us."
In the crowd were Da Ma Hua and Xiao Ma Hua. They were also envied by others, having recently earned some extra money making clothes for others.
Qingmei used to be a poor little widow living in a dilapidated house, but now everyone sees her as a blessed hero striving for success, beating up hooligans, saving fellow villagers, driving a tractor, and raising little sisters.
The bulletin boards were filled with articles about her, and everyone was envious and wanted to be part of her.
Qingmei held the wine glass, thought for a moment and said, "If I must say something, I would like to leave you with a message: knowledge changes destiny, so don't forget to learn."
After waiting for these words for a long time, the women looked at each other in bewilderment. Studying? How could they have the time to study?
Big Mahua said to Little Mahua, "Let's ask her later if she has any new styles of suits. Isn't that also a form of learning?"
Xiao Mahua said thoughtfully, "I think Comrade Qingmei might not be talking about this. She wants us to study."
Seeing everyone urging Qingmei to drink the wine, they also picked up their glasses and drank.
When they returned to the table, Mahua saw Xiaohua looking lost in thought and said, "Didn't you see the educated youth comrades over there writing down Qingmei's words? They were probably just propaganda clichés. Can knowledge be more practical than unity? Can it give you food and drink? People can't even go to school anymore, so what's the point of knowledge?"
Xiao Mahua didn't argue with her about this, but thought about it in her mind.
Qingmei asked Xiaoyan and Zhao Xiaoxing to sell the pattern to them so that Xiaoyan could have more time to study. She would rather not earn any money than study.
Zhao Xiaoxing used to be illiterate. Last time, Xiao Mahua saw her coming out of night school, sitting on the playground, flipping through a dictionary with a look of hard work on her face.
"Forget it, you can make the clothes if you want. I won't do it." After thinking it over, Little Mahua said to Big Mahua, "I'll finish the rest of the work and start studying."
"I think you've been blinded by the benefits of being a hero, and you think you can be one too. You're giving away the benefits that are right in your hands. When you stop making clothes, I'll go it alone. Don't ask me for a share of the money you make."
Xiao Mahua said: "Don't worry, I am responsible for my own choices."
......
Qingmei took a few sips of the mulberry wine, which left a hot and spicy taste in her throat. Later, no matter who offered a toast, she would drink soda with them.
Gu Qingzhou sat on the side, and no one dared to ask her to drink. Even if Gu Qingzhou was not there, no one would force her given her current condition.
Since Qingmei refused to drink, Zhao Xiaoxing became everyone's target.
The men didn't do it, so the aunts and daughters-in-law took over, coaxing Zhao Xiaoxing to the point that she almost didn't know which way was which. She heard all the good words she would hear in her life today.
Zhao Xiaoxing finally sat down, and Qingmei gave her a piece of braised pork: "If you don't eat it now, it will be gone."
Thanks to being the main table, everyone was reserved. Looking at the other tables, adults and children had grease all over their mouths.
Zhao Xiaoxing put the food in her mouth, turned around and gave the chef a thumbs up: "Chef, it's delicious!"
The cook called out cheerfully, "Is there some soup left for you to soak your rice in?"
Zhao Xiaoxing loves this. The braised pork soup has a rich aroma of meat fat. When mixed with rice, she can eat three bowls in one go!
She stood up to serve the meal, but was stopped halfway when someone called her, "Xing'er, Xing'er!"
"mother?"
Zhao Xiaoxing saw her biological mother and half-brother, who were sitting outside drinking, coming over and looking at her timidly.
No matter how big the blue brick courtyard is, it cannot accommodate the people from the village who come to drink.
There were also some wine tables outside the wall, and those who had no relatives or friends and rarely interacted with each other all sat outside.
Some people felt at ease and ate and drank as they pleased without worrying about being seen by Captain Jin.
Some people feel uncomfortable because the closeness of the relationship is obvious at a glance, which makes others laugh at them.
Among those who were afraid of being laughed at were Zhao Xiaoxing's mother and stepfather. According to the rules, they should have been seated at the front tables, but they were placed at the back.
People coming and going in the yard all toasted Zhao Xiaoxing. After waiting for a long time, Zhao Xiaoxing's mother finally came in when she had time.
Her stepfather didn't come in at all, so he asked her mother to go.
"Congratulations! I knew you were a promising person."
Her mother still looked thin and hunched, and the oil on her brother's mouth, whom she had dragged over by force, had not yet been wiped clean.
The first time he entered the blue brick courtyard, he saw the ripe fruit trees all around and his mouth was watering with greed. He insisted on shaking off his mother's hand and picking some to eat.
He didn't know that the care of the fruit trees in the Qingzhuan Courtyard had been contracted out to Xiaogang and his family next door. They were responsible for watering and catching insects on a daily basis, and no one was allowed to steal the fruit.
As soon as he walked under the tree, he was surrounded by a group of children: "There are some on the table, you are not allowed to pick them yourself!"
The younger brother was older than them, and after being scolded by them, he ran back with his face red and ears embarrassed, hiding behind his mother and crying.
Zhao Xiaoxing looked at him with a look of helplessness and curled her lips: "Stop talking nonsense. I'll just pick two apples and leave. Why are you crying?"
Seeing that she was about to leave, her mother called her back, "His elder sister, wait a minute."
Zhao Xiaoxing hated being called that the most. She didn't know her brother was that domineering at home.
"What? I'm busy."
Her mother saw Zhao Xiaoxing's new clothes without any patches. Although the back of the collar looked a little strange, as if there were two human eyeballs sewn on it, the fabric was good.
The collar of his Dacron shirt peeked out, and the buttons of his fashionable autumn jacket were all expensive, large-grained prints. His trousers were made of fine cotton, with a glimpse of his red socks, and he wore newly bought Liberation shoes.
Her mother looked at her son's shoes, which had been patched up again and again after the glue on them came off. The shoes were so worn out that their big toes could not be repaired anymore and were so worn out that they could even be scratched on the ground.
"If you have something to say, say it quickly. I'm still busy." Zhao Xiaoxing saw her looking at her, took a step back in annoyance, and straightened the hem of her clothes again.
"Our family—"
"Hey, don't do that to our family. A daughter who is married off is like spilled water. You told me that on my wedding day."
Her mother swallowed hard, pulled her brother hard, and growled, "Don't cry, or you'll go home alone!"
After saying that, her mother said to Zhao Xiaoxing with a forgiving smile, "You've become quite successful now, even becoming a tractor driver. I didn't want to ask you for help, but now that I think about our family's difficulties, I'd like to borrow some money to buy some seeds."
Seeing Zhao Xiaoxing remained silent, her mother continued, "We've opened up a few plots of land for our own use. We'd like to grow some fruits and vegetables. It would be even better if we could buy some chickens to lay eggs... You should have gotten a bonus, right? Driving the tractor is quite lucrative, so you didn't spend it recklessly, did you? Some people just have a problem with money and spend whatever they have. Don't be like that."
"How I spend my money is none of your business. Please don't worry about my pockets. I'm old, so I don't care if I'm cold or not."
Zhao Xiaoxing thought her mother was really here to congratulate her. Hearing this, she snorted coldly and said, "I'll just tell you two words: no money."
Her mother's face flushed red, and she clutched the hem of her clothes, acting pitiful. "Who, who is thinking about your pocket? No matter what you are like, aren't we still family? I'd rather ask someone else than you. You are my own daughter. I won't borrow much from you, just ten yuan. You can earn it in three to five days."
There were two tables set up at the entrance of the blue brick courtyard, and everyone was eating and drinking while watching the excitement.
The villagers were very sensitive about the matter of borrowing money and secretly watched Zhao Xiaoxing and her mother.
"Listen carefully, I still say that I don't have money to lend, so go find someone else."
Zhao Xiaoxing knew too well that the money would never be returned, and now that she knew she was her own daughter, what had she done before? Back then, even if she had given herself fifty cents to buy a few pounds of old rice, she wouldn't have been so heartless and ungrateful.
She took two steps and saw her mother was still there. She thought for a moment and said, "Wait, I'll give you something."
Her mother suddenly perked up and stretched her neck to watch Zhao Xiaoxing walk inside.
The younger brother was crying and making a fuss behind him. His mother took out a piece of braised pork from her pocket, stuffed it into his mouth and said, "You little bastard, you only know how to eat meat. I'll buy you a chicken and let you eat eggs every day."
After a while, Zhao Xiaoxing came over with half a bag and threw it on the ground.
The younger brother ran over first, squatted on the ground and emptied the bag directly. Before his mother could stop him, half a bag of sweet potatoes rolled out.
Her mother thought she was giving her something good, but when she saw it was a sweet potato, her face darkened again: "Who are you kidding me?"
Zhao Xiaoxing sneered and said, "Every time I'm starving, don't you always give me sweet potatoes? Since your family is struggling right now, I'll give you half a bag for free. Take it quickly, so the kids don't pick it up and roast it later."
Her mother angrily said, "After all, you are my flesh and blood. Now that you are prosperous, do you no longer care about family affection? My fellow villagers, look at this: what is the use of giving birth to a daughter?"
The people sitting at the nearby tables all frowned, feeling that Zhao Xiaoxing's handling of the situation was too cold. Even giving her a dollar and a half was better than having her mother fuss.
When Zhao Xiaoxing saw everyone's expressions, she decided not to pay a penny.
She sneered and said, "She and that guy took Li Xianjin's money and ignored him, saying he abused me and nearly beat me to death. I went home for help but had no one to turn to and was kicked out several times. I was so hungry I was dizzy and they hid the food and made me eat raw sweet potatoes. They could do such a thing, and yet they still ask me if I don't care about family affection? If I could choose to jump out of the cracks in the stone, I would not recognize her as my mother!"
The aunts and uncles at the table who were still trying to mediate looked at each other in confusion.
No wonder Zhao Xiaoxing is like this, it turns out there is cause and effect.
They decided not to get involved in such family matters.
Qingmei was sitting inside. She saw something happening at Zhao Xiaoxing's place from afar, so she stood up and walked over there.
Qingmei felt sad when she heard Zhao Xiaoxing say this.
She had seen the hard times Zhao Xiaoxing had gone through in the past, and now she was able to enjoy the benefits so easily. It was really a bargain for them.
This hole must never be opened. Once it is opened, it will happen twice, three times, and countless times.
Now I'm buying chickens, but what about building a house later? What about getting sick? What about finding a wife for my younger brother?
Zhao Xiaoxing's mother thought that Qingmei could come and help her. After all, in rural areas, the elders' words are always reasonable.
She put on a pitiful air of being experienced and choked up as she said to Qingmei, "Look, she sent me, a mother, away like a beggar. You kept such a person and helped her. She is so heartless and ungrateful."
"Are you trying to destroy the sisterhood between her and me? I'm telling you, Auntie, you have no right to dictate what happens between her and me."
Qingmei took Zhao Xiaoxing's arm and said, outwardly supporting her, "A beggar can't give you so many sweet potatoes. If you want to take them, take them. If not, let the children roast them and eat them. You've gotten what you asked for."
Zhao Xiaoxing's mother was panting in anger.
Qingmei's words carried weight in the village now, so naturally no one would object once she expressed her opinion. Especially in an occasion like today, if anyone said no, wouldn't that be a slap in everyone's face?
The fields have just been harvested, and everyone's home is overflowing with sweet potatoes and potatoes. How can I take someone else's sweet potatoes?
I had originally wanted to take advantage of the crowd to get some benefits for my son, but now I lost face and didn't get the money.
At this time, a young daughter-in-law said: "This old man is too pitiful."
Zhao Xiaoxing said angrily, "She's pitiful? Then you should pity her. What's the point of just saying it?"
The other party was speechless after being confronted.
Seeing that she couldn't get anything out of Zhao Xiaoxing, her mother dragged her son away angrily. Before leaving, she grabbed a handful of peanuts from the table.
The stepfather, who was watching coldly from a distance, also drank the last bit of wine in the glass and followed behind.
Zhao Xiaoxing watched her mother pulling her brother's hand away and let out a deep sigh.
There were many parents at the two tables next to them. Qingmei was afraid they would spread bad things about Zhao Xiaoxing, so she said to them with a smile, "It's not that she doesn't care, but now is not the time. There's still a male laborer at home. Her father is not her biological father, and her brother is not her biological brother. She can't rely on Zhao Xiaoxing for support for the whole family now, right? When her mother gets old, Xing'er will naturally provide living expenses."
This advice was quite effective. Even those who disagreed with Zhao Xiaoxing's cold attitude nodded slightly. "That's right. Only when you're old can you really take care of them. To be honest, I really can't handle a situation like this."
"Comrade Zhao Xiaoxing is truly kindhearted. Even though her mother treated her like that, she still has to support her in her old age."
"Look at what kind of character that kid has been brought up with. His mother will be worried in the future. It's unacceptable to favor boys over girls. And she's a lesbian herself, so her mind is too biased."
"She has a daughter like Zhao Xiaoxing, so she should be happy even in her dreams. Why is she still putting on such an attitude?"
"Her stepfather is a hands-off boss. If Comrade Zhao Xiaoxing were to take charge now, she would definitely become attached to him in the future, and the whole family would stop working. It's better to not take care of it now!"
......
Zhao Xiaoxing followed Qingmei inside, muttering, "Who cares about her? I'm the Monkey King—"
"Leftovers are shameful. You haven't finished the soup and rice in your bowl." Qingmei pulled her to sit down.
Zhao Xiaoxing was dissatisfied: "Why did you agree to take care of her?"
Qingmei knew that the law later stipulated that children had an obligation to support their parents, so even in this situation, she couldn't ignore it. Judging by her mother's attitude, she was sure to make some money later. After the reforms, with the development of information technology, being required by law was better than having to speak out on her own, which would give her a better reputation.
Especially if Zhao Xiaoxing wants to leave the countryside and go to school or work in the future, she is afraid of being threatened. If her mother loses her dignity, the impact will be too great.
Besides, that will be a matter of 20 or 30 years later. You should flatter yourself first and keep a good reputation, which means you are in the right. Then you won't be afraid of people using it to make trouble for you in the future.
"What are you afraid of? She still has a son."
Qingmei told Zhao Xiaoxing about her thoughts, and then said, "Other people normally give three yuan a month, and you only need to give one and a half yuan. You spend one and a half yuan to buy a good reputation and peace of mind, and then ask her son and daughter-in-law to serve her in the future, and that's it."
Zhao Xiaoxing thought for a while while holding the bowl and said, "One dollar and fifty cents is one dollar and fifty cents. It's considered as paying her back for the milk."
Qingmei sighed and patted her shoulder: "It's okay, our good days have just begun. Don't worry about the future yourself."
Zhao Xiaoxing thought it made sense and nodded, saying, "Okay, I know it's right to listen to you."
Qingmei smiled helplessly and shook her head.
"The performance team is here! The performance team is here!"
Xiao Gang was a smart kid. He ran back to the Qingzhuan Courtyard with a group of children and said excitedly, "It's time for a performance!"
Mrs. Fang pulled him aside, wiped the corner of his lips and said, "We need to let the actors eat first before we can perform."
Xiaogang shouted into the kitchen shed again: "Eat, eat! Uncle, give me some food!"
The cook called out from the shed, "The dishes are all hot. Clear one table and we can start! Hurry up and clear the table."
"I'll do it, I'll do it!"
"I want to help, too."
Xiao Gang happily cleaned the table with his friends and rushed to help the adults.
For the children, this was more exciting than Chinese New Year. Not only could they watch plays today, but they could also watch movies. Plus, they got to eat fruit and meat!
Several children hurriedly put the dishes on the table. Xiaogang held a pair of chopsticks and placed them on the bowls in pairs.
After putting it in, I felt like something was missing; it turned out there was no fruit.
He took his friends and used a net bag to pick out beautiful yellow duck pears and big apples and put them on the table.
Gu Qingzhou spent the entire celebration banquet by his side, content to be the green leaf that sets off the red flowers. He silently served Qingmei dishes, poured wine, and picked fish bones, wholeheartedly coaxing his young wife.
I hope she will remember our old friendship because we slept together and I touched her abdominal muscles, pectoral muscles and other muscles so many times.
If he knew that Chen Lili had pursued him and he didn't tell him immediately, he wouldn't have taken the axe at the door and chopped him.
When Qingmei heard that actor Chen was really coming, she stood up suddenly and excitedly wanted to call her grandmother to tell her that actor Chen was going to play her.
Grandma and Xiaoyan ate at the kang table in the house. She was old and thought it was too noisy outside.
Just as Qingmei was about to enter the house, Gu Qingzhou grabbed her wrist and said, "There's something I want to tell you."
Qingmei patted his head and said, "Be obedient. I have something serious to talk about. We'll talk about it tonight."
Gu Qingzhou grabbed her wrist and refused to let go: "It will be too late if you don't tell me now."
Qingmei was helpless and sat down. Without waiting for Gu Qingzhou to speak, she suddenly said, "Could it be that actor Chen wasn't the one who tore up the little note last time? Look at her, she's willing to perform in the countryside for everyone, proving that she's a kind and friendly person. How could she reject a fan who loves her like that?"
Gu Qingzhou sighed and said sadly: "You may not know her very well."
Qingmei said, "I really don't know as much as grandma does. In the past, your mom would always accompany grandma to the shows, and I would just play at home."
If you are a fan lately, you definitely won’t know as much as the old fans.
She did not show her inner excitement and restrained herself a little. After all, any fan would grow wings and fly if they knew their idol was going to play her.
Gu Qingzhou said: "I'll go inside with you and talk."
Qingmei said, "Is there anything that can't be said here?"
Zhao Xiaoxing was slurping her bowl beside her, and she took the time to say, "That's right, I don't care anymore."
Gu Qingzhou thought, you don’t care, but I do.
Otherwise, after today, your sister will become a widow again.
He pulled Qingmei into the house without saying a word.
A minibus packed with people and props just happened to be parked at the entrance of the Qingzhuan Courtyard. It looked dusty and full of sadness.
Chen Lili came down with an expressionless face. When he looked up, he saw Gu Qingzhou holding Qingmei's hand and walking into the house: "..."
Are you trying to put pressure on me as soon as you come?
"Stop grinding your teeth, the food is over there." Zhao Hongwei was now full of resentment. After saying this, he didn't wait and walked straight in.
Qin Shanshan got out of the car and stood at the gate of the blue brick courtyard. She heard a colleague exclaim in surprise: "What a magnificent courtyard! Is this the home of that hero? Seeing that hero is living such a happy life, I'm so happy for her, haha."
Chen Lili glanced over and said, "What a joke."
The other party choked: "Hey, are you crazy? How can you talk to a senior like that?"
Chen Lili walked inside without looking back.
Zhao Hongwei got out of the car and stood at the gate of the courtyard. He sniffed carefully and smacked his lips. "Finally, I can have a hot meal today. It smells so good. There must be some meat dishes."
Qingmei was pulled by Gu Qingzhou to an empty hut. Gu Qingzhou leaned against the wall and kissed her little mouth that smelled of wine.
Before Qingmei could make a move, Gu Qingzhou stuffed her little hand into the hem of her clothes.
"...It's still early, let's talk about it later." Qingmei became reserved and wanted to pull her hand back: "You're too proactive."
Gu Qingzhou whispered, "The situation is urgent. If we don't take the initiative, we'll be doomed."
Qingmei sensed something was wrong and squinted her eyes as she asked, "Why do you look like you've been caught? Have you done something to let me down?"
Gu Qingzhou said truthfully: "I didn't, but I was busy recently. There was something I thought was a trivial matter, so I didn't have time to tell you."
Qingmei glanced out the window and saw that the performance team had already sat down and prepared to eat.
It was only right for her to go over and say hello.
Seeing that she was still distracted, Gu Qingzhou simply said, "I know that actor Chen."
Qingmei's eyes lit up: "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Grandma wants an autograph! I was afraid she would be dissatisfied with me so I didn't give her an autograph and asked Xiaoyan to go over."
Gu Qingzhou said: "Maybe I really have something against you."
Qingmei wondered: "Why?"
Gu Qingzhou said: "She pursued me for a while."
"I've chased you before?" Qingmei was stunned. If she hadn't been pressed against the wall, she would have retreated quickly. "You're hiding well enough, aren't you? How long is a while?"
Gu Qingzhou lowered his head.
Qingmei said, "Go ahead and tell me."
Gu Qingzhou said: "I am not calculating again."
Qingmei: "..."
Gu Qingzhou said: "One year, two years, three years... probably about five, six, or seven years."
Qingmei: "...So...the last time she came?"
Gu Qingzhou said: "Maybe you want to see your rival in love. But I tell you, I have no interest in her at all. I have rejected her countless times. You are not a rival in love at all."
Qingmei uttered "Oh" and looked up and down at Gu Qingzhou, unable to help but saying, "You're so lucky."
Gu Qingzhou laughed and said, "Don't you have anything else to say?"
Qingmei said, "I'm very happy."
Gu Qingzhou said: "Ah?"
Qingmei said, "After all, in my eyes, actress Chen is already very good. She is also willing to tour and perform in the countryside. She is a good actor who cares about the people."
Gu Qingzhou looked at her deeply, pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed and said, "You may have a deep misunderstanding. Give me ten minutes, don't say anything, I will tell you the whole story."
Qingmei said: "...Okay."
Gu Qingzhou said: "This story starts from when we first got together."
Qingmei said, "Okay."
Gu Qingzhou said: "She heard our conversation..."
Qingmei was shocked: "Good guy!"
Gu Qingzhou continued, "She knows you're from Donghe Village, and she came to see what kind of monster you are."
Qingmei grinned: "Oh, that's reasonable!"
Gu Qingzhou continued, "Her father personally reported it to the director of the theater..."
Qingmei was excited: "Wow, what next?"
Gu Qingzhou added, "The punishment could have been lighter, but your thank-you letter ended up in the hands of the dean..."
Qingmei understood: "Hey, no wonder."
Gu Qingzhou couldn't help but pinch her lips and said, "Don't be a supporting role. Anyway, this is how it is. I haven't had much contact with her. You...you are quite disappointed, right? I should have told you earlier. I'm sorry."
"Hey, this isn't really any of your business. You can't control your charm, can you?"
Gu Qingzhou didn't dare to show off, and said like a young wife: "Actually, I don't want to either."
Qingmei patted his shoulder solemnly: "Were you very nervous just now?"
Gu Qingzhou nodded: "I was scared to death."
Qingmei laughed: "I won't blame you for the mistakes just because others like you. If our relationship is destroyed, it will make others happy."
Gu Qingzhou took Qingmei's hand, pecked the back of her hand and said, "My husband is wise."
Qingmei pondered for a moment and said, "No wonder fans want to stay away from their idols' private lives. It's a wise saying."
"Yeah..." Gu Qingzhou looked at the expression and thought that was the end of it.
Qingmei stood up and walked to the door. Suddenly, she pointed at him and said, "This is the end of the matter. I won't say anything to you. But I'm telling you, I'm a germaphobe. If anyone touches anything I've touched again, I won't want it anymore."
Gu Qingzhou knew that Qingmei's words were meant for him. He grabbed her little hand, bit her index finger gently, and then held it to his chest and said, "If you can't even trust me, who else can you trust?"
Qingmei opened the door and sneered: "I believe in the Party."
Gu Qingzhou: "..."
That’s true.
Qingmei walked out and looked at Chen Lili with something strange in her eyes.
Just then, Chen Lili looked at her, and their eyes met, sparks flying.
Qingmei thought, it’s over, I can only ask Xiaoyan to help me get grandma’s signature.
I don’t know how she feels about letting her play herself.
Anyway, Qingmei's mood is also very complicated at the moment.
Just imagine, if you were actor Chen, you would be so frustrated that you would want to vomit blood, right?
After all, he is a child from a cadre family. He can endure humiliation and is well-mannered.
Captain Jin drank a few glasses of mulberry wine at the table and his face turned red.
She called Qingmei and said, "Let's go over and toast to the actors. I saw you weren't here, so I asked the chef to add a meat dish to their table and say it was from you. How about that? Let me give you some face."
Qingmei said with a stiff face, "It's such an honor." Didn't he think she was provoking him?
When actor Chen just got off the car, his eyes were still numb, but now actor Chen has awakened. When he looks at her, his eyes are glowing green, and he wants to eat her alive.
Qingmei didn't feel like she was wronging anyone by being with Gu Qingzhou, and she had a hard time explaining what happened to Chen Lili. As long as she had a clear conscience, that was all that mattered.
She took the cup and went to toast, but after two steps, she felt something was wrong and returned to the table to have Captain Jin accompany her to toast...
Even though she had a clear conscience, she was still a little timid.
Gu Qingzhou watched from a distance and found it inexplicably funny. What was going on?
Qingmei walked over to the table, and Chen Lili stood up with everyone else. The team leader was so excited to see the real person that he shook her hand and asked for photos.
I heard that the tour leader borrowed the theater's only camera for this prototype performance. They should use this opportunity to promote the touring team. Just because I'm a poor student sent down doesn't mean the touring team doesn't work hard, right?
They traveled back and forth on the country roads all day, not being home for ten days or half a month. The delicate skin and tender flesh that had been cultivated in the theater had now lost more than ten pounds and become darker.
It can be said that they lived in the open air and suffered a lot.
We have this opportunity to promote them, and it would be a good thing if they could be replaced as soon as possible.
Qingmei was pushed to the middle, Chen Lili played her, and the two leaned against each other.
Hearing the "one, two, three" coming from behind the camera, the two of them forced out hypocritical smiles at the same time.
Click.
Both of them looked depressed at the same time.
"Shake hands and take a picture again." The captain, holding a camera, was really tactless. He directed Qingmei and Chen Lili, saying, "Show more enthusiasm and excitement."
Chen Lili smiled, turned around and looked at Qingmei and rolled his eyes.
Yo, rolling your eyes like the ancestor who rolled his eyes?
Qingmei's eyes widened at that time, and she held her hand with her little hand and squeezed it hard.
"ah."
Chen Lili almost couldn't breathe. He cried out "ouch" and tried to shake off Qingmei's little hand with a ferocious expression, but he couldn't.
There's that feeling of powerlessness and constraint again.
It was caught on camera again.
Qingmei squeezed her hand hard, turned around and smiled happily at the camera, showing eight small white teeth: "Eggplant!"
Chen Lili had a suicidal expression on her face: "...You are sick." She knew that Qingmei must have known that she was interested in Gu Qingzhou and had been trying to make trouble for her!
Qingmei whispered to Chen Lili, "I won't offend anyone unless they offend me. As long as you're thinking about my husband, you can take care of yourself."
What Gu Qingzhou said was one thing, and what he saw was another.
Qingmei prides herself on being petty and can't stand it. If she's polite, she'll just pretend to be nice and deal with it, but if she rolls her eyes in front of him, then she's done for.
"Your hands are all purple! You're too ruthless." Chen Lili muttered behind Qingmei, "Are you retaliating?"
The noisy crowd suddenly quieted down, and everyone saw that Chen Lili's hands were indeed purple.
Qingmei turned away with an innocent look and said, "People who often twist steering wheels are usually very strong. I'm sorry. But if I weren't very strong, I wouldn't be able to drive that heavy truck, and I wouldn't be able to save over a hundred people."
The captain also said: "Yes, yes, you are a city dweller who has never worked in the fields. How can you be as strong as Comrade Qingmei?"
Seeing this, everyone said, "Comrade Chen, you are too delicate after all."
Seeing that someone was lingering here, Gu Qingzhou walked over and stood silently behind Qingmei and greeted Chen Lili: "Hello."
Chen Lili gritted his teeth and nodded.
He's really capable. We've known each other for almost ten years, and he took the initiative to say hello just to support his wife.
She doesn't have to be someone's mistress.
She just wanted to see what the other person was like. Now that they were married, she couldn't do anything about it, except cry a few times.
After Qingmei and Gu Qingzhou left, Xiaoyan, who had received the task, ran over and said, "Comrade Chen, my grandmother likes you very much. Can you sign an autograph?"
Chen Lili took the paper and pen with red eyes, looked at the old lady with a kind smile a few steps away, and quickly signed his name.
Xiaoyan successfully completed the task, ran back and helped her grandmother go into the house.
But the old lady was very excited. Actor Chen was going to play her granddaughter. She was beaming and wanted to get close to him.
Qingmei supported her from behind, and she and Gu Qingzhou, one on each side, kidnapped the old lady back.
Grandma asked, "Hey, what are you doing? I want to talk to her."
really!
Qingmei immediately said, "You should take a rest for a while. We're going to watch the performance later and I'm worried you won't be energetic enough."
Grandma thought about it and agreed, so she climbed up the kang, swept it with a small broom, spread the mattress on it and said, "Then take a nap."
Qingmei said from the bottom of her heart, "That's great."
Grandma’s idol aura for actor Chen is much brighter than her childhood sweetheart’s. Zhao Wuhe took her grandmother to watch many dramas performed by actor Chen, because she couldn’t let the old lady be upset.
Gu Qingzhou wanted to accompany Qingmei back to the wine table, but Qingmei leaned against the door and hushed him.
Grandma tiptoed downstairs and was putting on her shoes.
Qingmei suddenly appeared with her hands on her hips, scaring the old lady.
Qingmei: "You're not listening, are you?"
"Ouch," Grandma muttered, "a psychotic doorman."
Has the old lady learned to curse?
Qingmei was shocked and turned to look at Gu Qingzhou.
Gu Qingzhou couldn't smile anymore, so he pulled Qingmei and said, "I'll look after grandma, you go over and have one last drink."
Qingmei was burping as she walked, she was angry.
By five in the afternoon, the celebration party at Qingzhuanyuan had ended, and with everyone's help, the outside was almost cleaned up.
After the banquet, the comrades who helped moved their own dishes, tables and chairs back home. Qingmei stood in the yard and watched how clean it was, and couldn't help but sigh at the power of cooperation.
The drama will still be performed at Donghe Primary School.
Compared to the last confusing performance, this time there are lighting photography and temporary scenes.
Chen Lili portrayed Qingmei's determination to survive the flood to its fullest. Seeing her struggling through the flood, many people's hearts sank.
Zhao Xiaoxing stood resolutely behind Qingmei and watched her leaving, and Qin Shanshan's performance was also tear-jerking.
Everyone had heard a lot of publicity and reports, but none of them had the urgency and realism of the scene before their eyes. Even Gu Qingzhou was holding Qingmei's hand tightly in the audience, not letting go for a moment.
When the drama ended at 7:30, no one left.
The first movie in Donghe Village is about to start.
The busy farming season is over, and everyone has some time to relax and have some fun. They don’t want to go back to bed too early.
Zhao Xiaoxing did not go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy snacks this time. After watching the drama, many villagers stuffed the delicious food they brought with them into her hands.
She held a lot in her hands, Qingmei had even more, and the children also picked small wild flowers from outside and made bouquets for her.
The film played was "The Message," which promotes the power of women. Chairman Mao praised her for her "great life and glorious death." Her heroic deeds have been widely praised.
Qingmei watched the movie without any distractions, and then she and Gu Qingzhou went to the supply and marketing cooperative hand in hand in the dark.
The day after tomorrow Qingmei will go to the army with Gu Qingzhou, and she wants to bring two pounds of fish fillets with her to eat.
She and Gu Qingzhou entered the supply and marketing cooperative. There were still ten minutes before the end of the working day, and the older sister inside was already a little impatient. When she saw Qingmei and Gu Qingzhou, her face relaxed and she nodded at the counter next to her.
Only then did Qingmei notice Chen Qiaoxiang and Huang Wenbi standing at the counter next to her.
Ever since Huang Wenbi broke his arm, he's rarely been seen in public. It's said he and Chen Qiaoxiang weren't on good terms, but now, seeing them discussing a piece of brown sugar, they seem to be on good terms.
Seeing Qingmei looking over there, the saleswoman said loudly, "We've already told you two that when it comes to pure brown sugar, it has to be Jiujigong Old Brown Sugar. It's a well-known and trustworthy brand, made from pure sugarcane juice. You're wasting your time comparing it all just to save a few cents. Eating bulk sugar isn't good for the baby either."
The saleswoman in front said Qingmei didn't care, what Chen Qiaoxiang ate had nothing to do with her.
After hearing that it was not good for the baby in her belly, Qingmei suddenly looked at Gu Qingzhou. Gu Qingzhou also looked at her.
Gu Qingzhou pondered for a moment, then politely asked the saleswoman, "Do you have any milk powder left?"
Chen Qiaoxiang, who was standing next to him, heard it and glanced sideways.
She no longer had any thoughts about Gu Qingzhou. Only after experiencing hardship did she realize that money was the most important thing.
However, seeing Gu Qingzhou standing intimately next to Qingmei, she felt depressed.
Seeing Gu Qingzhou asking to buy milk powder for Qingmei again, Chen Qiaoxiang nudged Huang Wenbi with her elbow and said, "The baby in my belly also wants to drink milk powder."
Huang Wenbi clanged his sleeves, turned around and saw Qingmei, sneered and said, "You're so greedy! You wanted brown sugar water, I bought you brown sugar water, and now you want milk powder? I'm telling you, all the money you're spending now is Second Uncle's money, and it will all be deducted from that fee later."
"How can that be?" Chen Qiaoxiang was still thinking that the money would allow her to escape from the Huang family.
Huang Wenbi took a shovel and shoveled a spoonful of loose brown sugar onto the oil paper. Seeing that Chen Qiaoxiang was not happy, he hesitated for a moment and shoveled another half spoonful in.
Chen Qiaoxiang was so angry that she raised her voice and said, "My second uncle is from the provincial capital. Once I have a child, we won't have to stay in the countryside anymore. No matter what merits you have, you won't be registered under the same household registration as me."
Qingmei heard it clearly from the side, looked at Gu Qingzhou, and the two of them tacitly pretended not to hear.
Are you kidding? The baby in Chen Qiaoxiang's belly is so precious. What if she can't give birth and the law of nature comes back to haunt her?
Qingmei winked at Gu Qingzhou while holding the milk powder can, and Gu Qingzhou took out the money to pay the bill.
Seeing that Qingmei didn't dare to speak in front of her, Chen Qiaoxiang sneered and said, "I thought she was such a powerful character, but it turns out she can only pretend to be decent in front of men."
Huang Wenbi frowned and said, "Stop talking and go back to soak your feet and go to sleep. Mom is boiling water at home."
Chen Qiaoxiang walked to the counter with her chest held high and the saleswoman paid for her.
After weighing the brown sugar, the elder sister said sarcastically: "Wow, you bought this brown sugar at a good price. Others buy a can of milk powder for eight yuan, but your bag of brown sugar is only eighty cents. Tsk tsk, if you want to know how to live, you have to be the one."
Qingmei just walked to the door. Afraid of angering Chen Qiaoxiang, she shamelessly said to her, "Pregnant? Congratulations. Do you need anything? I'll buy it for you."
Chen Qiaoxiang said, "Why are you showing off to me?"
Qingmei choked and Gu Qingzhou gently patted her back.
Chen Qiaoxiang glanced at her sideways: "Are they familiar with you?"
Qingmei admitted her mistake softly, "It's not familiar... I was just being pretentious."
"You're sick." Chen Qiaoxiang rolled her eyes at her and was supported by Huang Wenbi to walk outside.
Qingmei closed her eyes and resisted the urge to beat Chen Qiaoxiang to death.
A mother's status depends on her son, so she met him.
Gu Qingzhou couldn't help but smile and said, "You actually endured it. You've grown up and matured."
Qingmei couldn't help herself this time and punched his abdominal muscles: "Hurry up and leave."
Qingmei pulled Gu Qingzhou to overtake them and rushed forward quickly.
Chen Qiaoxiang angrily said, "You're crazy! Why didn't you bump into me?"
Qingmei thought to herself, wait until you give birth and see how I'll deal with you.
When she and Gu Qingzhou walked to the small path at the corner, Gu Qingzhou pretended to be careless and "dropped" the milk powder can on the side of the road.
Chen Qiaoxiang, aware of her pregnancy, walked slowly, while the one-armed Huang Wenbi supported her like a little eunuch.
As they walked, they saw a lost jar on the ground in the moonlight.
Chen Qiaoxiang immediately quickened her pace and condescended to pick it up herself and take a look: "Isn't this the milk powder can she just bought? How did it fall here? Haha, she deserves it."
Huang Wenbi hesitated and said, "Just throw it aside. Who knows, he might come back to look for it."
Chen Qiaoxiang refused to do so. She stuffed the milk powder can into her clothes, raised her chin proudly and said, "She's a fool, but I'm not. The old lady is boiling water, so when you get home, make me a cup and I'll enjoy it."
After they left the corner, Gu Qingzhou released his hand that was covering Qingmei and put his arms around her waist.
Qingmei kicked her legs angrily and said, "She scolded me again?! She scolded me twice!"
Gu Qingzhou laughed and said, "Your Excellency is very generous. If we look at it from a long-term perspective, it will benefit us. Don't be angry."
Qingmei snorted twice, turned around and walked home stubbornly.
Gu Qingzhou followed behind and said: "Why are you in such a hurry? Slow down."
Qingmei returned home and went straight to the warehouse to rummage through the drawers.
Seeing her like this, Zhao Xiaoxing sipped her milk and said, "What are you looking for?"
Qingmei almost buried herself in the box and said without looking up, "Chen Qiaoxiang is pregnant! I'll find her some medicine to keep her pregnant!"
Zhao Xiaoxing looked around and said in surprise, "What? You're going to drug her?!"
Gu Qingzhou: "......"
This one is really better than the other.
The next morning, Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan helped Qingmei pack her clothes for the army.
Qingmei and Gu Qingzhou sneaked to the county's first and only hospital.
They found an obstetrician and gynecologist to ask about daily methods of maintaining the fetus.
This person was Hua'er's second cousin's eldest cousin's aunt, and she actually knew Qingmei. She saw Qingmei greet the doctor who was taking over the shift and took them to the empty ward to talk.
"As for dietary restrictions, you can't eat anything too cold. You can't eat the rice paddy crabs from your village, and you can't eat river clams and snails. You can't eat them casually for fear of parasites. You can't eat anything particularly spicy or irritating either."
Qingmei was concentrating on writing it down in a small notebook. As she wrote, she felt suffocated because she actually had to help Chen Qiaoxiang protect the fetus.
She was so angry that she couldn't help but slap herself on the face.
doctor:"......"
Gu Qingzhou calmly held Qingmei's hand, took the notebook and said, "What can I eat more of?"
The doctor coughed and said, "Eggs, meat, fruit... vitamins and minerals, you know? Eating more of these is good for both the pregnant woman and the fetus."
Gu Qingzhou wrote it down in his notebook and asked a few more questions. Qingmei sat beside him with a pout.
After going out, they went straight to the county supply and marketing center and bought beef jerky, eggs, bone sticks, milk biscuits and other things.
There were a lot of people in the supply and marketing center today. Qingmei's hair was disheveled due to the crowding and she was pushed around by the aunties.
When paying the bill, Qingmei couldn't help but slap herself again.
Gu Qingzhou pulled her to a deserted place and taught his wife a lesson: "Don't hit me again. You can hit me next time."
Qingmei said "Oh" and followed him home angrily with her things in her hands.
Back to Donghe Village, these things cannot appear for no reason.
I remember Chen Qiaoxiang mentioned that she had an uncle in the city, so she simply wrote a note, addressed it to him, and asked someone in the village to take it to her.
In the evening, Qingmei, Zhao Xiaoxing and Xiaoyan went to night school.
It was also a coincidence that Chen Qiaoxiang, who had not been to school for eight hundred years, appeared chewing beef jerky and distributed one to everyone around her. Zhao Xiaoxing had one, but she refused to give one to Qingmei.
Qingmei bared her little white teeth and said, "Is it delicious?"
Chen Qiaoxiang deliberately envied her, chewing noisily. "My second uncle in the provincial capital gave it to me. It's super expensive. I heard that Inner Mongolian beef like this is sold by the pound. He felt sorry for me and bought me two pounds. It must have cost at least ten yuan. You've never tasted it, have you?"
Qingmei said with a wry smile, "I've never eaten it before."
Chen Qiaoxiang waved the beef jerky under her nose and said, "I know you haven't eaten it, so I won't give it to you."
Qingmei rolled up her sleeves and said, "Have you ever tasted the fist from Qingzhuanyuan? I'll give it to you for free."
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