The boss laughed awkwardly, "I, I just heard it from others!"
"Pear wood is indeed rare at this time. I want all the pear wood hairpins on your stall." Zhong Yuxiu didn't take it seriously, but just pouted; her eyes searched back and forth on the stall, and she also found a sandalwood hairpin and bought it as well.
Three hairpins made of pear wood and one hairpin made of sandalwood, a total of four hairpins, which cost six dollars.
Six yuan is quite expensive in today's society. In the early 1980s, one cent could buy two pieces of malt sugar and three small loose candies; six yuan is a month's living expenses for an ordinary family.
After strolling around, they found nothing that caught their eye. Just as they were about to go back, Zhong Yuxiu glanced at a small stall on the edge of the field, her eyes lighting up, and she pulled Yan Rushan over.
"These are mountain products for sale, including Hericium erinaceus, which are still fresh. Let's buy some and make soup. What's in the basin below?" Behind the stall owner was a large wooden basin, two feet wide and high.
The stall owner smiled and said, "Those are fish my family caught from the river this morning. If you want to buy some, you can come in and take a look."
Yan Rushan grabbed her and motioned her to stand still. He walked around the stall and came to the wooden basin. There were several fresh big fish in it, each weighing no less than five pounds. An old turtle was faintly visible at the bottom of the water.
"How much do you want to sell this old turtle for?"
"This old turtle is at least ten years old, so it's quite old. It's very nourishing when stewed in soup. If you really want it, I won't ask for a high price. Take it for thirteen yuan." The stall owner stared at him and said, "I'm not asking for a high price. This price is very reasonable."
"Yes." He took out the money readily.
Seeing they hadn't brought anything to eat, the stall owner gave them a basket to hold the old turtle. He also bought two fish and packed them in with the old turtle. Actually, Zhong Yuxiu hadn't vomited much in the past four months, but it was just a habit she'd developed in the previous few months that she couldn't break. She also had a certain psychological scar on her about meat. Who wouldn't vomit after eating it, and even be unable to smell it, after so many times?
Sometimes when she sees meat, she has a conditioned reflex of wanting to vomit. You can't blame her.
The hairpin was given to Yan Rushan, the fish and the old turtle were carried by Tian Shangguo, and the group returned home.
After arriving home, Haonan and Tian Shangguo cleaned up the fish and wanted to take the old turtle out as well. Yan Rushan stopped them and said, "Keep the old turtle in the basin. I'll go pick up some stones and put them in later. I'll give it to Yuxiu after she finishes her confinement."
"Okay, then we won't kill the old turtle. But what will it eat? What about us?" Haonan was worried.
Yan Rushan said, "Feed it with green vegetables and raw meat. They want to eat both."
"Okay then."
Haonan went to find an abandoned wooden basin, washed it clean and filled half of it with water. When he put the old turtle in, the water immediately filled up to half of the basin, which showed how big the old turtle was.
The fish was cleaned, the head and tail were stewed into soup, and the part with fewer bones in the middle was made into pickled fish; the unique aroma of pickled fish wafted out, and Zhong Yuxiu's mouth was watering. She looked up and saw Yan Rushan coming back with a stone, so she said.
"Brother Yan, ask Grandpa to come over for dinner. Xiao Hai is gone, and it's lonely for him to be home alone."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Yan Rushan put the stones into the wooden basin where the old turtle was kept, and took the bag of stones out.
Zhong Yuxiu walked to the wooden basin containing the old turtle. The water level rose a little more as she learned to read. "Comrade Hao."
"Yes, Comrade Zhong, what do you want to talk to me about?" Haonan walked out of the utility room and asked.
"There is too much water in the basin. You don't need so much water to raise a turtle. It's enough to soak its shell. With the basin being half full of water, the old turtle will crawl out." The old turtle is very good at crawling and it may crawl out and run away if you are not careful.
Haonan asked, "Can the old turtle escape by turning over the basin?"
"You haven't seen one?" Zhong Yuxiu glanced at him. "Old turtles crawl quite fast and can flip over, so be careful. I bought them for a dozen yuan after all, it would be a shame if they ran away."
"Okay, I'll scoop some water out."
After Yuxiu mentioned this, Haonan hurriedly scooped out half of the water and said, "Comrade Zhong, come and see if this is okay?"
"It's OK." There was a thin layer of pebbles on the ground, and the old turtle was crawling on the pebbles, with the water just covering the old turtle's shell. "It would be nice if there was a fish tank."
When the old turtle is put into the fish tank, it can't escape.
"Fish tank? The kind of ceramic fish tank sold outside?" Haonan asked with a puzzled look on his face.
Zhong Yuxiu shook her head. "It's not that kind. It's a transparent fish tank. Fish and turtles are kept together. That kind of fish tank is high, so the turtles can't get out. They can live together with the fish. It also serves as a viewing point when placed at home."
So, sometimes she still misses the good things from different eras.
Haonan shook his head. He had never seen this thing before. It had only been open for two or three years, so it was really not something they could see.
Yan Rushan helped Old Man Yan over. Zhong Yuxiu put aside the matter of the fish tank and greeted him with a smile, "Grandpa, you're finally here. Goudan has prepared the pickled fish. Please try it later to see if you like it. If you like it, Goudan will make it for you tomorrow."
"I've eaten pickled fish before. Many years ago, before our old squad leader died, pickled fish was his favorite. He was from S Province, and he was very good at making authentic pickled cabbage. It was the best to eat with rice." As Grandpa Yan spoke, his eyes dimmed. His former comrades had either died or left, and he had no idea who was still alive.
Zhong Yuxiu smiled sweetly and spoke in a cheerful tone, only to see the old man's sadness, "Then the pickled cabbage we make at home may not be that authentic."
"Province S's pickled cabbage is a specialty. Dashan is doing business, right? I can use my connections to get some back."
"I'll find a way." Grandpa had spoken, so he must have wanted to eat. He usually didn't ask for much when he didn't have food or drink; now that Grandpa wanted to eat, he had to find a way to get some. "Wash your hands first, and dinner will be served soon."
Old Master Yan suppressed his nostalgia and nodded with a smile, "Hey, Yuxiu, sit down. I'll go wash my hands. Dashan, help Yuxiu to the dining room and sit down first."
"Got it." Yan Rushan let go of his grandfather's hand, then led Yuxiu into the dining room, pulled out a chair for her, and settled her down. "Yuxiu, I'll go serve the food."
Zhong Yuxiu nodded, Yan Rushan went back to the kitchen, and came out with the dishes after a while; Haonan and Tian Shangguo brought the dishes to the table one after another. Before the dishes were finished, Old Man Yan came over and sat down at the upper seat as usual.
On weekdays, when there are no elders around, no one sits in the top seat.
"Yuxiu, have you been okay these past two days?" When he had some free time, Grandpa Yan started chatting with her, as he had a genuine interest in his grandson's wife.
Zhong Yuxiu nodded with a smile, "Grandpa, don't worry. I'm in good health. I can eat meat now, and my health will only get better."
"That's right! Food is the most important thing for people. Eat well, sleep well, and exercise well, and you'll be less likely to get sick." Old Master Yan nodded in agreement. "When do you plan to go for the next prenatal checkup?"
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