Li Juanmei always greets people with a warm smile and a sweet, friendly voice. Who wouldn't praise her?
Ever since hearing her daughter and mother-in-law's plans, Ke's mother has been eagerly anticipating them.
She had given birth to five strong, tall, and handsome young men, but hadn't yet managed to marry one of them off. Having heard too many sour remarks from others, she couldn't wait to marry five good daughters-in-law in one go, to show everyone!
Ke's mother made scallion pancakes with fermented dough, steamed spicy wild boar sausage slices, added two steamed salted duck eggs, and served tomatoes and eggs, stir-fried green beans with meat, and smoked rabbit with mushrooms in an aluminum box!
Another bowl of oatmeal milk porridge, which I learned to make from my daughter.
Ke Meiyu lingered by the stove, and as soon as a meal was cooked, she started eating it.
Watching her daughter eat so earnestly, her cheeks puffed out, Ke's mother's eyes were full of smiles.
Ke's mother picked out a pretty and fresh little bundle and neatly packed the food. She also put in a box of sunflower seeds, peanuts, chestnuts, and hazelnuts that the family had specially roasted for Ke Meiyu, and stuffed in two bunches of wild grapes.
She called over her eldest son, and Mrs. Ke carefully looked him up and down.
He was tall and imposing, usually quiet, and liked to put on a serious face. With his sharp features, he looked rather fierce.
Mrs. Ke frowned. "Go inside and change your clothes."
Ke Yuan looked down in confusion. "Mom, my clothes are fine. There are no holes or patches. I just changed them in town this morning!"
"You know how much dust your clothes get covered in on the way to the city?"
"And look at your clothes, they're all wrinkled. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at for giving something to a young girl like this? She'll probably pretend she doesn't know you."
Ke Yuan's face darkened. "Mother, how can you insult someone like that?"
“If anyone in the village could own a set of clothes like this, they'd be lucky. Why are you complaining about being poor?”
Ke Meiyu, holding a bowl of rice, asked, "Mom, my older brother doesn't listen to you. Can I have his scallion pancake?"
Ke Yuan glared at her. "Are you even my sister? Why are you eyeing my food?"
I don't know how this girl's stomach and intestines are so big. They have to handle so much food every day, but she hasn't gained any extra weight.
"I'll change, okay?" He reluctantly went inside and changed his clothes.
Mrs. Ke had already filled the car with things: freshly cooked food, uncooked salted duck eggs, various pickles, dried meat, dried fruit, and so on.
Even though Ke Yuanda was wide-eyed and had no idea when his family had become so close to the Li family, he didn't dare to ask. Those two tigresses, one big and one small, could devour him.
He picked up his bike and was about to leave.
Madam Ke grabbed him and carefully instructed him, "When you get there, smile at everyone you meet. Don't have a stern face, or the young girls will be scared. We're going to deliver something, not to make enemies."
"Don't speak to people in a loud and aggressive manner; speak softly and introduce yourself properly."
Ke Yuanda nodded in agreement.
After that, Ke's mother was still not satisfied and made him retell the story again, and even made the two of them rehearse it.
"Mother, if we don't hurry, the food you made will get cold," Ke Meiyu interrupted quickly, afraid that her older brother would notice something.
Ke Yuanda breathed a sigh of relief and darted away like a rabbit, pushing his cart.
"Sigh, he's over twenty years old, how come he still hasn't grown up a bit? He doesn't even know if the young girl likes him," Mrs. Ke said, pondering, "Xiaoyuer, what do you think, should I go with her to take a look?"
"Mother, just wait at home. Let nature take its course," Ke Meiyu said, shaking her head repeatedly. "My brother was a late bloomer, and you've waited all these years. What's a year or two more?"
Mrs. Ke thought about it and agreed. She could only nod helplessly, and she was somewhat absent-minded in everything she did, peeking out from time to time.
After traveling back and forth between the commune and the town all morning, Ke Yuanda arrived at Qianzhuang at only 11:30 a.m.
The sales clerks at the supply and marketing cooperative were looking forward to their meals and had already started packing up to take turns eating.
They were officially employed sales clerks with various benefits and subsidies. Because there were few of them, there was no canteen, and they all went directly to the state-run restaurant to get their meals using their meal tickets.
The standard meal consists of one meat dish, one vegetable dish, rice, and soup. Although the two units have a good relationship, the head chef prepares different dishes every day.
But since it wasn't home-cooked food, Li Juanmei found it easy to get tired of it.
At this point, she began to envy her colleagues who lived close to home or who could cook for themselves.
"Xiao Li, still eating at the state-run restaurant? Why don't you come home with me?" the older woman asked as usual. The city girl was extravagant and not very good at cooking; once, when the state-run restaurant was closed, she invited him to her home for dinner.
It was just a regular dish, but the girl gave me a pound and a half of meat coupons!
From then on, the older woman started thinking about inviting people to her home for dinner again.
However, Li Juanmei didn't like to trouble people, and shook her head with a smile: "No need, Sister Yang, I don't eat much, I can just have a simple meal. There are still some left over from the food my mother brought me last time."
Indeed, the girl's family visits at least once a week, always bringing large bags and small packages, which they envy quite a bit.
Who can blame her when her father is the director of the supply and marketing cooperative, her mother is the head of the finance team, and her brother is a clerk in the purchasing department? They have a lot of connections, so the girl is guaranteed to be transferred back to the city in the future.
"Is Comrade Li Juanmei here?" At that moment, a tall young man walked in through the gate, and the supply and marketing cooperative dimmed slightly.
The man was strong and energetic, and when he stood straight in the middle, the already small supply and marketing cooperative seemed a bit cramped.
"I am, comrade, what can I do for you?" When Li Juanmei saw the man, her heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself that this man was like a mountain and looked fierce. Could it be that the man surnamed Geng had come to cause trouble?
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