Xu Ning took the watermelon he had soaked in the morning out of the water jar, put it on the table and cut it open, revealing the red flesh.
The table was also stained with bright red juice. The cooled watermelon was even sweeter and was a great fruit to cool off in the summer.
The three of them sat at the table and ate several pieces each before stopping. Xu An said, "Sister, this watermelon is really sweet. Let's save the seeds and plant a few more next year."
They planted five watermelon trees this year and produced 17 large watermelons.
Grandpa Qi said that there were also more than a dozen of them in the cowshed, so Xu Ning did not send them there. The three siblings would eat one every day after work.
There were a lot of pumpkins. Xu Ning cut the first ripe ones into slices and dried them into pumpkin slices. He let the later ripe ones grow on the vines when it was cooler and picked them up so that they could be eaten in winter.
The autumn harvest is coming soon. After the harvest, Xu An will go to school. These days, he goes to the mountains every day to chop wood and pick wild vegetables.
When he saw something edible, he would take it home, fearing that his sister would not be able to take care of him alone when he went to school.
Xu Ning also followed him. It is a good thing for a boy to be responsible and take care of his family.
She was going to the city today to mail some letters and use some tickets that were about to expire.
I went to the city to mail the letter, bought some things at the supply and marketing cooperative, and then rode my bike to the entrance of the machinery factory.
Seeing that it was almost time to get off work, I parked my bike nearby.
As the factory gate opened, people came out one after another. Xu Ning saw a familiar figure and moved his bicycle forward.
The figure's eyes lit up when he saw her, and he immediately trotted towards her, "Sister, you're here? I've been waiting for you for many days."
The female comrade who called Xu Ning "sister" was named Liu Xiu'e. She was the young wife to whom Xu Ning first sold bed sheets and quilt covers at the machinery factory.
Some time ago, Xu Ning came to the machinery factory twice again, and she bought another military water bottle from Xu Ning.
Xu Ning asked, "Sister Liu, you're off work, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Liu Xiu'e pulled her aside and walked a few steps, and asked, "Sister, do you still have the bed sheets and quilt covers you sold me last time? I want to buy two more sets.
Xiao Zhao, the accountant in our factory, is getting married, and she asked me to buy two sets for her.
A few days ago, Xiao Zhao, the accountant from her factory, came to her house and saw the stuff on her bed. He asked Zhao Xiu'e where she bought it.
Xu Ning said to her, "Sister Liu, I took two sets of bed sheets and quilt covers, but I prepared them for my relative. I am here waiting for her today."
"Sister, your relative shouldn't be in a hurry to get it, can you talk to your relative and sell it to me first?
My family is getting married soon, so I want to give them two nice beds as a dowry so that my in-laws will look up to me."
Xu Ning pretended to think for a moment and said, "Sister, we have dealt with each other several times, and you are also a warm-hearted person. You can use these two beds first. I will find a way to help my relative in a few days."
Liu Xiu'e held her hand gratefully and said, "Sister, thank you very much. Let's go to my house and I will give you the money."
Arriving at Liu Xiu'e's house, she closed the door and Xu Ning took out two sets of bed sheets and quilt covers from his backpack and gave them to her.
When Liu Xiu'e handed her the money, she saw a military green object bulging in her backpack and asked, "Girl, what is this? It looks like a military coat."
"It's a military coat, which my friend brought from the south. I plan to ask my relatives if they want it."
Liu Xiu'e asked Xu Ning excitedly, "Sister, why don't you sell it to me? Don't ask your relatives. It's not certain whether they will accept it by then. It also saves you the trouble of running back and forth."
"Sister Liu is right. I've sold you all the sheets and quilt covers. I can't tell him about this military coat. If you want it, give me 50 yuan."
Liu Xiu'e gave her another 50 yuan.
It was already past two in the afternoon when Xu Ning returned home. Xu An and Xu Mo were not at home.
Their backpacks were gone, and there were vegetables and steamed buns left for her on the kitchen table. Xu Ning ate them hastily and also went up the mountain with the backpack on his back.
On the way, I met Chen Xiangdong, Ge Hongbin, and Sun Hao who were also preparing to go up the mountain. They chatted with each other as they walked up the mountain.
Chen Xiangdong asked Xu Ning, "Xu Zhiqing, the vegetables in this field are about to be harvested. What are you going to plant next season?"
The three of them thought Xu Ning was good at managing life, so they wanted to learn from him. They planned to plant whatever Xu Ning planted.
Xu Ning smiled and said, "What else can we plant? Only cabbage and radish, and some green onions.
When the time comes, pickle the cabbage and dry the radish to eat in the winter.
It is different here from the south. There are too few green vegetables in winter, but there are many wild vegetables in the mountains now.
Dig it up, wash it, and dry it into dried vegetables. In winter, soak it in water and make dumplings. It's also very good.
Last winter we ate cabbage, radishes and dried wild vegetables alternately. ”
Sun Hao said, "We also plan to dry more wild vegetables this year and save them for winter.
Last year, I didn’t go up the mountain to pick wild vegetables, and there weren’t many vegetables in my own plot.
"Every day we eat corn paste and sorghum cakes, and we can't even see a vegetable leaf. I'm really fed up with it."
After reaching the mountain, the group separated. Xu Ning walked in the direction Xu An often went.
Not far away, I saw Xu An putting the wild vegetables he had dug into the basket, and Xu Mo was also digging with a small shovel.
Xu Ning walked over and patted Xu Mo's little butt.
Xu Mo turned around and saw that it was Xu Ning. He said happily, "Sister, you're back. Have you eaten the meal that my second brother and I left for you?"
"Let's eat! Xiao An's cooking is getting better and better. It's better than what I cook."
Xu Ning said to the two of them with a smile. Xu An felt embarrassed by his praise and his face turned red, but his eyes were shining.
Xu Ning took out the biscuits from the backpack and asked the two to sit under the shade of a tree to rest and eat some biscuits while she continued digging.
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