There weren't many things, probably weighing about ten pounds, but picking them up had left his hands covered in rust. Ye Zhiqiu hurried to wash his hands. He could only roughly wash the stuff, and the rest would have to wait for time to wear off.
After about half an hour, Wang Xiaolan came back with Ye Bailu by her side, and Xiao Hei was running ahead as if leading the way. Behind them was Ye Wubing, who was carrying a wooden bucket and a net bag. He shouted loudly.
"Brother, come and have a look, I caught a lot of shrimp today!
Ye Zhiqiu walked out with a smile, and took a look in the bucket. He had indeed caught quite a few, at least more than one kilogram, which could be dried into more than two ounces of dried shrimps.
He praised: "Not bad, not bad, Lao Er's harvest today is quite good!"
Ye Bailu ran over, pulled Ye Zhiqiu and said, "Brother, I dug up so many vegetables!"
Then the little guy looked up at Ye Zhiqiu as if he was about to praise me. Although he felt it was funny, he also praised her in a very flattering way.
"Little sister, you are really capable. Don't be too proud. Next time, try to dig more wild vegetables with mother."
Ye Bailu nodded seriously, saying that she would dig up lots of wild vegetables next time.
Wild vegetables are actually really hard to find, because everyone's out looking for them. Unemployed women often gather in groups of three or five to pick wild vegetables. Rural residents also pick their own, so the abundance of wild vegetables is simply impossible.
Now is still good, just dig up the right ones, picking the tender shoots and leaves. In a year or two, as long as the wild vegetables are edible, pull them up by the roots and take them home!
Wang Xiaolan dumped the wild vegetables on the ground and began to sort them out. Ye Zhiqiu remembered the scrap metal and said, "Mom, keep all this scrap metal. Don't sell it."
Wang Xiaolan asked in confusion, "Boss, why are you keeping this scrap metal if you don't want to sell it?"
"Mom, do you remember the village meeting where everyone was asked to donate ironware to the commune to make steel? I've heard there's going to be a big steelmaking campaign next month, and every household has to donate ironware to become an activist.
We're not looking for activist status, we just need to keep these scrap metals and turn them in when the time comes. At least we won't be labeled a backward element. Otherwise, it will be very troublesome. Selling them will only make a few bucks, so there's really no need."
As Ye Zhiqiu spoke, Wang Xiaolan recalled this incident. She frowned and muttered, "They confiscated my chickens and ducks when they started the collective movement, and now they're doing the Great Steel Production Movement..."
Ye Zhiqiu quickly said, "Mom, just keep your grumblings to yourself at home. There are some things you can't say outside, or it will cause big trouble for our family!"
Wang Xiaolan stopped muttering and nodded seriously, agreeing not to say anything more. She still knew the importance of the matter.
The family helped to sort the wild vegetables. Wang Xiaolan took a small dustpan and washed one of them.
Most wild vegetables are blanched and served cold, a small portion are blanched and fried in oil, and some are blanched and used to make dumplings.
But it's hard to get Wang Xiaolan to make dumplings when it's not a festival. The family has been drinking corn porridge for so many days, so they have to eat the cornmeal first.
When Ye Zhiqiu first drank this corn porridge, which was actually corn paste, he couldn't get used to it and always felt that the taste was very strange.
After drinking too much, I got used to this diet and seldom steamed wowotou and steamed buns. Because not many people in the countryside can eat dry food all day long, unless someone in the family has to work hard, they will steam wowotou, a kind of food that can satisfy hunger.
But it’s different in the city. Beijing residents generally steam wo wo buns, mainly because they are quick to make and easy to carry.
As for cornmeal, relatively few people make it because it's just water and doesn't satisfy your hunger at all! Only people from rural areas like to make cornmeal.
After collecting the wild vegetables, Ye Bailu started clamoring to learn how to read. Ye Zhiqiu quickly used his authority as the eldest brother to order Ye Wubing to teach her how to read.
Ye Wubing looked depressed. He was dragging his feet and didn't want to go in and teach Ye Bailu how to read. Ye Bailu was still naive, and the questions she asked all day long were a bit overwhelming for him!
Ye Zhiqiu ignored his pleading look and said sternly, "Second brother, hurry up! You don't act like a big brother at all. What's wrong with teaching your little sister to read? She's so eager to learn, and as a big brother, you should be happy to teach her!"
Ye Wubing rolled his eyes and replied unhappily, "Big Brother, you talk so nicely, but why don't you go and teach me how to read in person every time? Every time you get impatient after just a few minutes and just throw me to me..."
Ye Zhiqiu glared at him, and Ye Wubing didn't dare to continue speaking.
"Brother, that's for your own good. I want you to be more patient. You should thank me if I give you a chance! If I don't, I'll beat you up and make you teach her how to read!"
Nice words didn't work, but Ye Wubing was receptive to threats, so he obediently went into the living room.
Looking at the obedient Ye Wubing, Ye Zhiqiu muttered, "You brat really deserves a beating. You actually dared to talk back to me. If I had this much patience, would I need you to tell me? You have no sense at all..."
Wang Xiaolan in the kitchen called out, "Boss, come over here and bring some wild vegetables and eggs to your Aunt Liu's house!"
"Okay, I'll be right there!"
After entering the kitchen, Ye Zhiqiu took the basket that Wang Xiaolan had packed with things. Unexpectedly, in addition to wild vegetables and a dozen eggs, there were also two processed rabbit skins.
Ye Zhiqiu asked curiously, "Mom, do you want me to sell this rabbit skin or give it to Aunt Liu's family?"
Wang Xiaolan, who was lighting a fire to cook corn porridge, replied without even looking up: "What are you selling? Send it to your Aunt Liu's house! Ask her to make a hat for the reinforcements and Xiaofang.
We were talking about this yesterday. Because they didn't save enough money, they didn't even have a warm hat. How cold would it be in the winter? How could they survive without a warm hat?
Wang Xiaolan could give up four dollars, which shows that the relationship between the Ye family and the Qian family is indeed very deep!
Ye Zhiqiu said with a grin, "Alright, since you're such a money-grubber, and you actually took out four dollars, I have to ask you about it."
Wang Xiaolan said with emotion: "Back then, they didn't have any children, but we have you and the second child. They have helped our family a lot!
It's true that Mom loves money, didn't I tell you? This is all the money I saved for you three siblings! Their lives are not easy now, how can Mom just watch and not help them a little? "
"Yes, yes, my mother is the kindest person, a typical sharp tongue but a soft heart! Then I'll send it over. Since I haven't cooked yet, maybe these wild vegetables will come in handy!"
"Go quickly and come back soon. Don't stay there to eat. Your Aunt Liu's family has a much bigger food shortage than ours!"
"No, I'm not that stupid. I'm leaving!"
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