Ye Zhiqiu lit a cigarette, held it happily in his mouth, put his hands together in his sleeves, and walked back slowly.
When he returned to the door with his head lowered, a figure was looking out the door. Seeing Ye Zhiqiu, she called out in uncertainty, "Brother?"
Ye Zhiqiu raised his head and saw a chubby girl who was about 1.3 meters tall.
He grinned and said, "What's wrong, little sister? I haven't seen you for more than two years. Don't you recognize me?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Ye Bailu burst into tears and rushed over to hug Ye Zhiqiu.
This made Ye Zhiqiu a little bit amused and helpless. This girl is already nine years old, why is she still so crybaby?
"Brother... I miss you so much..."
"Okay, okay, dear, isn't big brother back? You should be happy, why are you crying? Oh, it's not time to go home yet, right? Why are you back so early?"
Ye Bailu cried and replied, "Change... change the time... We're at four o'clock, and my second brother doesn't get out of school until half past four... Grandpa said he was going to make dumplings for you when you came back, and I thought he was lying..."
Ye Zhiqiu picked her up. Wow, this girl has eaten a lot in the past two years. She must be at least 50 pounds heavier. It's not like he used to hold her.
Perhaps he heard the noise, Ye Wubing, who was helping to knead dough in the living room, rushed out with his hands covered in flour, wanting to hug Ye Zhiqiu.
"Get out of here, second brother! Your hands are covered in flour, don't get any on me!"
Ye Wubing slammed on the brakes and was a little at a loss for a moment.
"Brother, you are such a spoiler at this reunion moment! The flour fell off with a single pat. It's really like I wanted to turn my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon only shines on the ditch..."
"If you keep talking nonsense, we'll kick you into the ditch..."
Ye Wubing had recovered, and had grown to about 1.65 meters tall. The only thing that hadn't changed was his eyes, which moved with remarkable speed and shrewdness.
"Hey, let's go back to the house! I'm kneading the dough. Grandpa got some pork and eggs from somewhere. We're going to make dumplings with leeks and eggs, and pork and cabbage stuffing tonight."
Speaking of eggs, Ye Zhiqiu looked at the chicken coop that had disappeared without a trace and asked curiously, "We don't have chickens anymore? Where's Xiao Hei? I'm wondering why it's so strange. Why can't I see Xiao Hei?"
Ye Bailu finally stopped crying at this time. She said sadly, "Grandpa said that since my eldest brother is not at home, we can't raise our chickens and Aunt Liu's rabbits anymore.
I don’t know who stole Xiao Hei last year. Mom said someone must have been so hungry that they killed Xiao Hei and ate him…”
Ye Wubing closed the door, otherwise the heat in the room would escape.
Wang Fugui explained, "Grandson, since you're not here, we don't have a buyer, so we can't raise anything at home. But the food ration has been reduced, so we can't afford to keep chickens and dogs."
Ye Zhiqiu listened to the three people, each of them talking about the changes in the past two years.
In the first half of last year, our family was still growing vegetables, but the vegetables were also included in the unified purchase and sale!
Moreover, there is no daily purchase limit for vegetables. Each person is not allowed to buy more than three or two taels of vegetables a day. Now you have to bring a notebook with you when you go shopping for vegetables, otherwise you won’t be able to buy any vegetables.
The rations were reduced. Ye Bailu, who was under ten years old, only had a ration of 22 kilograms. Ye Wubing and Wang Xiaolan, who were over ten years old, had a ration of 25 kilograms, and Ye Tianya and Wang Fugui had a ration of 28 kilograms.
But of all that food, only 30% was refined grain, and the remaining 70% was coarse grain. Without meat and eggs to supplement their nutrition, everyone in the family looked unhappy.
Ye Wubing has become much more sensible and works skillfully without anyone telling him to do anything.
Ye Bailu kept holding Ye Zhiqiu's hand, as if her elder brother would run away if she let go.
"Okay, girl, big brother has to go mix the stuffing. Don't worry, big brother has been demobilized this time and will be at home from now on."
"Well, big brother, you go and chop the stuffing. I can make dumplings too. Let's make dumplings together later."
Ye Zhiqiu was getting up to chop stuffing when the door was pushed open. Ye Zhiqiu turned around and saw that it was Ye Tianya and Wang Xiaolan who came back together.
The three of them looked at each other and were all stunned for a moment.
The next second, Wang Xiaolan screamed, rushed over and hugged Ye Zhiqiu, and she couldn't help crying!
"Big brother, my dear son, you are finally back. I missed you so much..."
Ye Tianya was also very excited, but his son was held by his wife, so he was a little at a loss and walked back and forth beside the two of them.
Ye Zhiqiu quickly comforted her, "Okay, okay, there's nothing to cry about. I'm back, shouldn't you be happy?
Oh, and Dad, don't just stand there, go chop the stuffing! Grandpa brought back some pork and eggs and said he'd make dumplings tonight."
Ye Tianya nodded excitedly and said, "Okay, Dad will go chop the stuffing and make dumplings for you, my son..."
Adults are generally more capable of controlling their emotions. Wang Xiaolan quickly stopped crying and pulled Ye Zhiqiu aside to ask about it. After learning that they needed to abide by confidentiality regulations and not disclose military affairs to outsiders, she went to prepare the egg and leek filling.
Ye Zhiqiu was forced to sit down again and was not allowed to make any move.
But he was really tired. Two days and three nights on the train couldn't have been easy! He couldn't sleep well, and his butt hurt from sitting. It was really exhausting!
Although the family was busy, they never stopped talking and kept asking various questions.
Ye Zhiqiu could only tell them what he could, and his family also reported their own situation.
For example, Ye Tianya, now deputy director of a workshop at the deputy section level, proudly said, "Son, your dad is now a cadre. I don't know how it happened, but I was selected as a model worker, and then I joined the party and was promoted!"
Ye Zhiqiu curled his lips. What the hell? Li Youguo said that they helped to make it.
It’s a pity that he can’t tell this now, otherwise he would like to see if this cheap dad can still be so proud!
Seeing that Ye Zhiqiu was unmoved, Ye Tianya said depressedly: "Son, what's wrong with you?"
Ye Zhiqiu asked in confusion: "What's wrong? What could have happened to me?"
"Dad is a cadre, aren't you excited at all? Our family is considered a cadre family after all..."
It turns out he just wanted to show off!
Ye Zhiqiu sighed and said, "We still have grandpa at home. Even though he's retired, it's not his turn. What's the matter with you, the deputy section chief?"
Wang Fugui smiled and said, "Grandson, don't take me with you. Grandpa has retired, but he has nothing!"
Ye Tianya nodded and said, "Yes, your grandfather has retired, but now I am the only cadre in our family, right? You don't look happy at all..."
Ye Zhiqiu lit a cigarette and sighed, "Dad, this is a long story. I made some small contributions, so I became a cadre after I was demobilized!
By the way, I’m not a deputy section chief, I’m a regular section chief…”
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