Chapter 38
Zhen Zhen turned around and told Meng Hua about this:
"Your sister-in-law is perfect in everything she does. She keeps saying that she wants to give you a good meal before you leave. I'm thinking of eating dumplings. Your sister-in-law makes delicious dumplings. You won't be able to taste the taste of your hometown in Beijing."
No matter how delicious the food outside is, it can’t be as good as the food at home. Otherwise, how can it taste like home?
Meng Hua knew what his mother meant. She was reminding him not to forget his roots.
It is said that the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. After Jiao Huilan got married, she was really nice to him. If there was something delicious at home and he was not at home, she would rather not eat it herself but would save a portion for him.
His mother wanted him to remember the kindness of his sister-in-law. If his sister-in-law is not doing well in the future, he, as her younger uncle, should repay her if he has the ability.
"I will remember all the kindness my sister-in-law has shown me."
Zhen Zhen felt relieved when she saw that he understood immediately and gave him all the school supplies she had prepared.
Meng Hua never thought that his mother had secretly prepared so much. Although his mother seemed strict with him, she loved him no less. Knowing that he was going to the capital to study, she must have been worried about him a lot behind his back. It's really pitiful to see the love of parents all over the world.
After he leaves home to study, I hope you won't lose sleep because of missing him.
It was a big deal for Meng Hua to go abroad to study, and the neighbors also sent him gifts one after another.
Eggs, notebooks, ink, vegetables and everything else were there. Zhang Cuihua ingeniously knitted him a pair of half gloves.
Zhen Zhen proposed an improvement idea, asking her to weave a cover on the back of her hand with wool, and cover her hand when she felt cold, and fasten it with a small button to keep warm.
Zhang Cuihua started to grumble in front of her, saying that you are so picky when it comes to gifts, and that only you, Zhen Guizhi, could do such a thing. But in the end, she took the gloves back to be processed while cursing, and delivered new gloves the next day.
Brother Zhen and his wife also came by bicycle and brought a pen and a box of ink.
Meng Hua: "Thank you, second uncle."
Brother Zhen is an old teacher, and the pens he picked are all the best. Meng Hua dipped the ink and wrote a few words on the paper. It was indeed very smooth, showing the effort put into it.
The second brother Zhen was unhappy, "It's too strange to say thank you when my uncle gives me something."
"We should be grateful. It's not a bad thing to let children learn to be grateful," said Zhen Zhen.
Meng Hua is going to college, and Zhen's second brother is happier than anyone else. He has always hoped that the Zhen family can have a college student. Although Meng Hua's surname is Meng, he is still his nephew. If his nephew is doing well, it will be a honor for his uncle.
Others in the Zhen family were not so happy.
Brother Zhen and Sister-in-law Zhen heard the news early in the morning and told Mrs. Zhen as soon as they got home. Mrs. Zhen was naturally not happy because Meng Hua was her grandson, and a different surname made him an outsider. She would only be truly happy if Zhen Dabao could get into university.
"That little girl doesn't even think about her parents' home when she has something good to offer. If my Dabao wasn't still young, I would have asked her to recommend Dabao."
Although Mrs. Zhen loved her grandson, she knew that he was not cut out for this job.
"If we had known Meng Hua could go to college, we wouldn't have been so fussy with my sister-in-law. I heard that the second brother's family has gone there."
"Why mention that murderous thing? I gave birth to these two people in vain."
However, the Meng family felt very honored. Zhang Qiaohong and Zhou Shufen also sent some practical small gifts. They were not expensive, but the thought was shown.
Mrs. Meng sent a pair of cotton trousers, which were made according to Meng Hua's measurements. She was very clever and skillful. Although the style of the trousers was not fashionable, the trouser legs were not wide and made Meng Hua look slimmer than ordinary cotton trousers. Meng Hua actually accepted them.
Zhen Zhen talked to her about Meng Li again.
Mrs. Meng said, "Thanks to you for helping her, people heard about Zhou Changsheng's behavior and had the hospital's medical certificate, so many people wanted to matchmake for Meng Li. But none of their conditions were good. One had lost his wife, one was a 28-year-old bachelor, and one had a mole on his face. I don't like any of them, let alone Meng Li."
Are you still single at 28? People with moles can also undergo laser surgery in the future, but the conditions are not good in this era. Zhen Zhen shook his head when he heard this.
"No hurry. The first time I was too impatient and got married without understanding the situation clearly. This time I must let Meng Li open her eyes."
Mrs. Meng said that she should have listened to Zhen Zhen and waited a few months before getting married, but it was too late to say that now.
Meng Li came back at the weekend and visited Zhen Zhen specially. She was quite polite and brought a bag of peach cakes for Zhen Zhen.
"Did Jiang Dongping contact you?"
Meng Li blushed and said:
"After we got in touch, we talked about a lot of things. We didn't know until we found out that we both wanted to buy a big house."
Zhen Zhen had not thought that she still had such an ambition. Nowadays, houses are a scarce commodity and are mainly allocated. Many employees of a unit and their families of seven or eight are squeezed into narrow tube-shaped buildings, waiting for the unit to allocate a big house all their lives. But how can a house be so easy to get?
There are quotas for housing allocation, and people with connections always get the first chance. Ordinary people can only wait for the rest. Some families have waited from the time their grandfather got married to the time their grandson got married, but still haven't gotten a big house.
Housing is tight, even men rarely buy houses and get married, let alone girls.
After all, times are different and the concepts of later generations cannot be compared.
"Auntie, I underestimated you. Is it easy to buy a house in the county?"
"It's not easy, but if you have a small house, you can pay a little more and exchange it for a bigger one. You can buy a house through the exchange method."
"That's fine. No matter what time, we Chinese people value houses. By the way, what exactly does Jiang Dongping mean?" Zhen Zhen asked.
Meng Li looked a little unnatural. She was not like this when she married Zhou Changsheng, but she felt her face turn red when facing Jiang Dongping.
"He wanted to go on a blind date with me and talk about dating, but I just got divorced and didn't want to talk."
Zhen Zhen thought that he had really underestimated the people of this era. Although the transportation and horses were slow, they did everything very quickly.
Take childbirth for example. How long has it been since Zhang Qiaohong, the daughter of Meng Dasao, gave birth? A few days ago, I heard that she is already three months pregnant. Meng Dasao's second daughter-in-law Zhou Shufen is also five months pregnant.
There have been quite a lot of births in the village recently. If you count the dates, it’s all the result of the seeds sown during last year’s Cat Winter. So it’s really not a good thing for people to be too idle. These days, there are no mobile phones to play with and few entertainment activities. Isn’t it true that babies will be born as soon as you go to bed?
However, fewer people get pregnant during the summer and autumn harvest periods.
So Meng Li's speed is normal. Good women are sought after by everyone, and many people are staring at her.
"It's indeed too fast. Did he tell me why he thinks highly of you?"
Meng Li nodded, "I asked, and he said his mother was mentally ill, she locked herself up at home all day, she was afraid to talk to anyone, and was often bullied. Auntie, do you think his mother would let the house be occupied if she wasn't weak? He just wanted to find someone strong enough to argue and fight, who could hold up the house when he was away, so that it wouldn't be bullied by people like Zhou's mother!"
What he said was reasonable and there were no major loopholes, but Zhen Zhen still advised Meng Li to be cautious as there would be less chance of making mistakes the second time she got married.
"Let's learn more about this. When choosing a man, it's not about what he says, but what he does."
Meng Li nodded.
After a rain, the weather became cooler. It was not yet time for the autumn harvest, so the village could take a break. After work, Meng Daguo took Meng Eryong and Meng Hua to catch eels.
After the villagers had some free time, many people went out to catch eels and fish. However, Meng Daguo just showed up and asked the second and third brothers to take over while he went off to feed the pigs.
Zhen Zhen pays attention to scientific pig-raising, and the piglets have eaten a lot of good things. They have been fed with bean cake residue all the time, and they also eat a lot of vegetable leftovers. In just two months, they have gained a lot of weight.
I didn’t recognize Zhen Zhen the last time I went there. Is this fat and big-eared guy still the cute little piglet?
Zhen Zhen prepared milk for Sanwa and Erya, and Daya went out with a small bucket.
"Where are you going?"
"Grandma, I'm going to catch some cicada monkeys at the door so I can cook for mom tonight."
The little girl is very capable. She gets up early in the morning to cut pigweed, catch caterpillars and feed the chickens. Although she is young, she can feed the hens until they are shiny and plump.
Daya dug the cicada monkey's hole bigger and put a straw in each hole. It was easier to catch the cicada monkey in the evening.
Cicada monkeys look common, but their eggs need to lay underground for at least three to five years before crawling out, and some need seven or eight years. If you catch too many of them, you won’t be able to keep up, and cicada monkeys are rarely seen in later generations.
Daya caught a small bucket of cicadas in one night. Jiao Huilan soaked the cicadas in water, put all the dirty parts after they spit out into the pot and stir-fried them. After taking them out of the pot, she pinched some salt into the pot.
This thing has much higher protein than meat. The villagers can't get enough food in the summer, so they rely on this to satisfy their hunger.
The children in the village who don't have to work in the fields go out to catch this every day.
Dinner was stir-fried cicada monkey, steamed egg with minced pork, mushrooms and vegetables, and scrambled eggs with cucumber.
The dishes are a combination of meat and vegetables, and the taste is light, so it is not greasy to eat in the hot summer.
Zhen Zhen was very satisfied with today's dishes, as finally she didn't have to eat pork. But Meng Daguo was not so satisfied. After all, cicada monkeys were not meat. After being tired for several days, he would feel powerless if he didn't eat some meat to replenish himself.
The next day, the family made dumplings and prepared to send Meng Hua to the train.
He wanted to go there in advance to make some preparations. Zhen Zhen knew that he was focused on his studies and would definitely want to go there early to see the situation, so she didn't stop him.
"It's better to go there early to find out where the library, cafeteria, conference hall, and classroom are, so you don't get lost after school starts. You can also go to various tourist attractions after studying. Some places may be free with student ID cards, so you can also pay attention to them."
Meng Hua found it strange and put on his new dacron shirt and laughed:
"Mom, why do you make it sound like you've been to college?"
Zhen Zhen raised his eyebrows, "Haven't you eaten pork yet seen a pig run? I'm your mother, and I gave birth to such a smart kid like you. Do you think I'm smart or not?"
Meng Hua also thinks that adults should not be underestimated, because sometimes adults' wisdom is infinite.
Zhen Zhen then said, "I'll give you fifty yuan for living expenses. Put it in your underwear. Pickpockets like young college students like you the most."
Meng Hua doesn't need to worry about this. Although he is young, he is very experienced in dealing with people.
"Fifty is too many."
"Take it. You are not a lavish person, and you are not particular about food and clothing. This money is for you to buy books and materials. You don't have to save money for your mother. Just spend it where it is necessary."
Meng Hua had made several hundred yuan from selling melon seeds recently, so he accepted the money. However, he had been thinking about one thing. His father had many old leaders in Beijing, and when his second brother got married last time, they specially sent gifts.
Should he pay a visit this time when he goes to the capital?
Of course, he did this for his own selfish reasons. He is not stupid and would not use such good resources.
Why bother climbing a mountain when you can get there faster by climbing a ladder?
He was thinking about using the fifty yuan his mother gave him to buy two bottles of Moutai.
Zhen Zhen glanced at him and shook his head. This kid is smart and hesitant, but he still has too little social experience.
"Does he care about these two bottles of Moutai? He has held that position, so what good things have he not seen? You are visiting as your father's son, and a young man wants to buy Moutai? This is too purposeful, and it will only make people think that you are a scheming person and too slick in your work."
Meng Hua was a little unhappy with what his mother said, "Anyway, whatever I say is wrong, so what do you want to bring?"
Zhen Zhen sighed. She thought Cheng Su would reflect on himself after what happened to him. It seemed that his personality hadn't changed at all. He just became better at pretending.
As for the issue of Daguodie's connections, after all, if you don't keep in touch for a long time, the relationship will become unfamiliar. But Daguodie is no longer around, so visiting him at this time cannot be purposeful.
"Listen to your mother, bring the sausages you made at home, and four bottles of honey. When you go to the house, tell the old leader that this honey is good for beauty and it is the best for women to drink."
Meng Hua felt that this thing was not worth showing off.
Zhen Zhen said earnestly, "Meng Hua, when dealing with people in high positions, sincerity is the best weapon. Don't be petty and try to take advantage of them. Even if they help you once or twice because of your father, it won't last long. You are a very capable person. You will have a chance to succeed without taking any crooked paths. Listen to your mother and keep a normal mind."
Meng Hua was hit by this bucket of cold water and realized that he was too impatient.
What my mother said makes sense. I am not a fool. Would I let him take advantage of me?
"I see, mother. I was too impatient. Where did this honey come from?"
Although honey is not expensive, it is also very difficult to buy. The honey purchased from the supply and marketing cooperatives is not pure.
These four bottles were bought secretly from a beekeeper.
The eldest master didn't dare to raise bees openly. He only produced more than ten bottles a year and gave half of it to Zhen Zhen.
Jiao Huilan had already wrapped the dumplings, and Tao Aihong also came out to help. She also asked Meng Hua about his well-being, as if she was afraid that Meng Hua would forget her.
The cabbage and meat dumplings were very fragrant, otherwise Meng Daguo would not have been able to eat three large plates of them.
The main reason is that the food of that time was full of flavor. Oil was oil, pork was pork, and cabbage was cabbage. The same recipe just tasted different in later generations.
Meng Hua also ate a large plate of food and wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
"Thank you, my two sisters-in-law. I will bring you gifts when I come back."
The two sisters-in-law were very happy, but Daya pouted and said, "Uncle, what about me? Will you bring me a gift?"
Meng Hua is so rude. He said that I would forget about you when I went to college, so why would I bring you a gift?
But Daya took it seriously and pouted her lips as if she was about to cry.
Zhen Zhen picked up the chopsticks and knocked on Meng Hua's head. Meng Hua cooperated by screaming and finally coaxed Daya.
Finally, Meng Hua promised to bring a gift for Daya. She became happy and hugged Meng Hua's neck tightly.
Zhen Zhen called the photo studio again and took a family photo.
This is his second family photo. This time there are three more children. It was also taken before Meng Hua went to college, so it has a different meaning.
At Zhen Zhen's request, the photo studio took an individual photo of each of the three children and wrote the date on the photo so that they could look at it later.
Meng Hua's train was in the evening, and Meng Daguo was afraid of missing the train, so he had to take Meng Hua there in the afternoon.
The things were rolled up and tied to the back seat of the bicycle, and people had to walk there.
After Meng Hua left, the time passed quickly. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, Meng Daguo caught a lot of crabs from the fields. Zhen Zhen had mentioned it to him in the summer, so he took it to heart and was filial.
The crabs these days are plump and delicious. There is no pesticide in the fields, so they grow big and have real roe. Zhen Zhen eats until his mouth is full of oil and is really satisfied.
Seeing his mother enjoying her meal, Meng Daguo said happily:
"Mom, I'll get some more from the water tomorrow. I promise you'll enjoy it!"
Zhen Zhen praised: "Daguo is good, filial and sensible, mother has no regrets in death to have a son like you."
Meng Daguo felt very happy, but Meng Eryong became jealous and went to the ditch that night to catch crabs, fish and shrimps.
The three sons are fine, but why are these two fighting again?
However, Zhen Zhen enjoyed the benefits of being the fisherman, so she just watched the fight in silence, smiled and praised Meng Eryong a few times, and continued to be her master at keeping balance.
In the evening, I steamed sixteen crabs, stewed pig trotter meat, and braised river shrimps.
It's not surprising that other people don't like to eat seafood with shells on. They think it's troublesome.
They mainly ate pork knuckle meat, only Zhen Zhen and Daya ate crabs seriously.
Zhen Zhen specially sent a plate of pork knuckle to her parents-in-law. The pork knuckle was cooked to be glutinous but not fatty, and the lean meat was mushy and easily fell off the bone. Old Lady Meng and her father had bad teeth, so they had no difficulty eating it.
The old couple ate with great satisfaction on their faces, thinking that the second sister's daughter was just a great eater. Even if the dish was not that rare, when made by her, it would make people want to swallow their tongue.
Old Mrs. Meng didn’t eat for nothing. The chestnuts on the mountain were gradually ripening, and Old Mrs. Meng went up the mountain and picked a lot of them.
She knew that Zhenzhen was a lazy woman and didn't like to do this kind of work.
He simply brought a large basket for his daughter-in-law, and also took half a basket of persimmons from his own trees and asked Meng Daguo to take them back.
During the autumn harvest period, the villagers were very tired. Daguo was almost tanned into charcoal. Eryong was also very tired. As there were not enough people, Jiao Huilan and Tao Aihong also went to help.
Zhen Zhen is the only one taking care of the children at home.
In the morning, she cooked a pot of pig food to feed the pigs at home. After feeding the pigs, she fed the kids. The two kids opened their mouths and waited for her to feed them. They were very well-behaved and considerate.
That's no different from a piglet.
Zhen Zhen held a bottle and fed one baby after another, and also gave Erya and Sanwa some fruit puree.
In later generations, babies under five months old would not be fed fruit puree, but raising children these days was not done according to the book. Many other babies of a few months old were not full, but her child was the only one who had both milk powder and fruit puree.
Seeing that Sanwa had good digestion, Zhen Zhen continued to feed him in this way.
After feeding her three children, she had nothing to do, so she went to take care of the old sow at home.
The pigs at home are well raised and their weight is increasing rapidly. This year, the Chinese New Year is not until February 11th, so we can raise the pigs a little longer after the Chinese New Year so that they will be fatter when we slaughter them.
Every family in the village raises pigs, but the time they raise pigs varies, and the types of pig feed vary.
Not every family can get their pigs out of the pen during the Chinese New Year.
Although the brigade would distribute grain and pork after the autumn harvest, in the case of Batou Village, there was really nothing left after paying for the husband and wife.
As soon as the villagers heard that the Meng family was going to kill a pig this year, they came to Zhen Zhen in advance to make reservations, asking him to leave some for their families. Some families gave five kilograms, some ten kilograms, and some even wanted some offal.
There's no other way. We have to visit relatives and friends during the New Year, and anything that requires connections has to be done now. Pork is hard currency, and no one will object to it no matter where you take it.
In the village, only the Meng family's pigs can be slaughtered, and the Meng family raises these pigs so well, they are clean and beautiful, fat and strong. The pork must taste delicious.
These days, the pigs slaughtered are divided among the villagers, and occasionally people from other villages come to buy some.
This is also considered skirting the law. Even if the villagers are jealous, they dare not report it openly.
If you report someone, will you sell your pigs when they are slaughtered?
After being reported, no one in the village can buy pork. How can your family still have a good life in the village?
Even Li Decheng's wife came early in the morning to reserve ten pounds of pork and five pounds of offal.
The little sow has grown into an old sow. People are afraid of being famous just as pigs are afraid of getting fat. Once a pig gets fat, it has to be slaughtered. It is said that pigs have high IQs. Zhen Zhen has raised it as a pet for several months and really couldn't bear to kill the pig.
But there is no other way. The farmers are reluctant to eat the food themselves and have to feed it to the pigs. This is their only hope throughout the year. In a sense, this can also be considered the joy of harvest.
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