Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Grandma, I'm coming."

"You are really my eldest granddaughter. Why are you here at this time?"

Grandma Xu quickly wiped her hands and took the things from Xu Di's hand.

"I was filling in for someone else for a month and just finished yesterday. I came here today to give you and grandpa a New Year gift."

"Second sister, is there anything for me?"

Little cousin Xu Jun came over and hugged Xu Di's arm and acted coquettishly.

"Yes, all of them."

Xu Di took out the firecrackers he bought for his cousins ​​and said, "Two firecrackers per person, and don't throw them on the pile of firewood."

Xu Di reminded that every New Year, when children set off firecrackers, it is most likely that the firewood pile will be set on fire.

"I know, cousin. The captain says it every day on the loudspeaker. Grandpa has also said it."

Xu Jun took the firecrackers and shared them with his brothers. Xu Di gave two pieces of silk for hair ties to his cousin Xu Jia. He also took out grandfather's hat, second uncle's liberation shoes, grandmother's and second aunt's headscarves.

"Oh, you spendthrift kid, why did you buy so much? You must have spent all the money you earned."

Grandma patted Xu Di with pity, but she was reluctant to use any force, as if she was patting away dust.

"No, this is not the first time we make money. We all get a share. Let's have fun."

Xu Di has the memories of his original body, and his grandparents and his second uncle's family really dote on him.

"Okay, don't waste money anymore. My granddaughter has grown up and can get married. Save it for your dowry."

Grandma Xu touched Xu Di's head. In a blink of an eye, the child had reached the age to get married.

"Grandma, I'm still young."

"What do you mean young? You'll be eighteen this Chinese New Year. When your grandma was your age, your dad would have been running around everywhere."

This is really a catchphrase of the older generation. In his previous life, Xu Di always heard the older generation say this.

"Okay, you're not too young anymore. I'll find one after I graduate."

Xu Di is not opposed to getting married. If she finds the right person, she will get married, have children, live an ordinary life, and strive to live a long life.

"Where did you guys get the firecrackers?"

In the yard, Grandpa Xu and Uncle Xu came back and saw a few boys taking apart firecrackers without even worrying about their cold hands.

"Grandpa, my second sister bought it for me."

Xu Jun didn't even raise his head. He was the slowest to dismantle the box.

"Xu Di is here?"

"Uncle, I'm here too."

Xu Jun stood up and let his grandfather and second uncle see him.

"Your brother was in front of you, but your second uncle didn't see it."

Xu Jun was not angry. He squatted down and helped to dismantle the firecrackers. His second sister said that she would buy him two more when she got home.

"Xu Di, Uncle will kill a chicken for you later."

"Uncle, don't kill him. I have to rush back soon. My parents, my eldest brother and his wife haven't had their day off yet, and we haven't prepared anything for the New Year at home."

Xu Di really didn’t know that there was no seven-day Spring Festival holiday in the 1970s.

"I've been working overtime this year, and I was thinking about coming back for the New Year."

"I can't come back. We all have work to do. Xu Jun and I are the only ones who are free."

Xu Di was anxious to go back because there were so many things to do at home.

"Xu Di, are you going back today?"

Aunt Xu came in carrying a large basin of tofu. She went to make tofu.

"Second Aunt, this is freshly made tofu! I'll go back after I finish eating the tofu. My mom and the others don't rest before the New Year, and I'm the mainstay of the family."

Xu Di looked at the steaming tofu and thought of tofu mixed with green onions, tofu mixed with soybean paste... Tofu tastes good no matter how you eat it, especially when it's freshly made.

"Then hurry up, Second Aunt will bring you a bowl of sauce. There is also a pot of sprouting green onions next to the kitchen stove. Eat it while it's hot."

Aunt Xu put down the tofu bowl and went to get the onions and sauce.

"Your second aunt made a lot of tofu yesterday and froze it outside. I want to give it to you. Your second uncle is learning accounting skills and has not had time to pour it out."

Grandpa Xu is the accountant of the brigade, and he is now training Uncle Xu to take over.

"My second uncle has finished elementary school after all, and he is considered educated among his peers. Second uncle, I'm coming down and I'll bring you some books so you can study on your own."

"Come on, can I understand?"

Uncle Xu is self-aware. He didn't learn much when he was in school.

To say that he has graduated from primary school means that he has successfully achieved literacy and can recognize and write commonly used characters. He learned how to use an abacus from his father, otherwise, accounting would have nothing to do with him.

"Look, how could you give up so easily? It's a lifelong learning process. I will definitely bring the book next time. Grandpa, you supervise my second uncle."

"Xu Di, don't worry, Second Aunt will supervise him. Eat quickly, the onions and sauce will get cold soon.

Xu Jun, do you want to eat tofu mixed with green onions? ”

Aunt Xu opened the door again and shouted towards the yard. After a while, they all came in.

“Delicious, really delicious!”

You little brat, you’re going to bankrupt me!

Xu Yong, Xu Qiang, Xu Jun, and Xu Jun lined up in a row, each with a bowl of tofu, which they finished in a few bites.

Xu Di also ate a big bowl and it was time to get ready to go home as he would miss the bus soon.

When I came, I carried a lot of bags, and when I left, I also carried a lot of bags, all of which were dried vegetables that my grandmother and my second aunt had dried themselves, as well as half a bucket, a cleaned chicken, a fish, frozen tofu...

"Grandpa, grandma, we'll come over after the New Year when my parents have a rest."

"Second sister, come quickly."

"I know. I'll take you to the city to play for a few days then."

Uncle Xu and Xu Yong helped carry the things to the intersection to wait for the bus, otherwise, they wouldn't be able to carry them. He will call his elder brother later and ask Xu Li to pick them up at the station.

Xu Di and Xu Jun got in the car and waved goodbye to her second uncle.

Same car, same road, bumpy ride back.

When they arrived at the place, Xu Di was not in a hurry. She waited until everyone had gone down, and then she moved down little by little.

"Xu Di, Xu Jun?"

"Hey, here I am, brother."

Xu Di's eyes lit up, and the movers came.

"You two are really not in a hurry. I was shocked when I waited for a long time and didn't see you two coming down."

It's rare that Brother Xu said so many words in one breath. It's not easy.

"Brother, this is the terminal. I can't squeeze in with these things!"

"You're right, let's go, I have to go back to work soon."

Brother Xu took the heavy things and asked Xu Di to take the light things. Xu Jun walked in front with empty hands.

The three siblings entered the family compound, carrying large and small bags, which attracted a lot of attention.

"Xu Di, are you back from your grandma's house?"

"Yes, my parents didn't have a holiday, so I went back to give some things to my grandparents, and they brought these back to me."

"Oh, it's good to have relatives in the countryside. We never lack vegetables for the whole year."

"that is."

…

The aunties and grandmas in the family compound all agreed and had the same opinion, forgetting about the complaints from the people who had come from their hometown before.

Brother Xu was in a hurry to go to work, so he left his things at home and left quickly. After Xu Di entered the house, he took a breath and quickly packed up.

If something needs to be frozen, put it in a basket outside the window. It will be a natural refrigerator in winter.

The wooden basket was made by Xu's father himself. It has a hinged lid and a lock nose so it can be locked after putting things in it.

Put the other dried vegetables in the kitchen cabinet, sweep the floor, and you're done.

In the evening, when Xu's mother came home from get off work, she was grateful to know that her hometown had brought her a lot of food.

On New Year's Eve, Xu's mother only rested in the afternoon and hurried back to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

Father Xu and Brother Xu haven't gotten off work yet. There's no rest in the factory workshop, and they work in three shifts.

After Xu's mother finished cooking, the others came back one after another.

The whole family sits together and celebrates the New Year together.

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