Chapter 194 193. We are all family
So Miao Fulang took the purse.
This purse is dark blue and has a calf embroidered on it. Xiaobao embroidered it last year and gave it to Lei Dashan.
Xiaobao is doing very well in the embroidery class. One of the classes teaches them how to embroider sachets. If they are embroidered on a larger scale, they can be made into purses, jade pendant bags, fan bags, etc.
Xiaobao embroidered one for his father, Zhang Daqiang's father also embroidered one, and there was also one for Xiao Shengjiang - although Xiao Shengjiang's "ginger" pattern purse was filled with candies and biscuits, so it should be a snack bag.
Xiaobao thought about it and simply embroidered purses for everyone he liked, including Daddy Lei Li, Daddy Zhou Yi, Grandma Ye'er, Grandpa Dashan, Sister Jingsheng, and his little friends Tao Ge'er, Sister Hua'er, and Xiaomu.
Lei Li’s grandfather and his family also each had one.
This took Xiaobao a lot of time and energy. He drew the patterns, chose the colors, and selected the silk threads and fabrics. It took him almost two months to finish making so many purses.
Lei Li used it immediately after receiving it. It was a night-blue purse embroidered with golden fireflies, which matched his daily clothes and was just enough to hold some small change.
But seeing the lifelike fireflies, Lei Li raised his eyebrows, glanced at Zhou Yi mischievously, and then smiled softly and asked Xiao Bao,
"Why did you embroider fireflies for Daddy Li and a big tiger for Daddy Yi?"
"because……"
Xiaobao smiled shyly, his eyes sparkling. "Because Uncle Yi said Uncle Li likes fireflies. He said Uncle Li liked to catch fireflies and make lanterns when he was a child. Xiaobao likes to catch fireflies and make lanterns too!"
When talking about the same hobby, Xiaobao's eyes brightened and his smile became cuter. "Daddy Li also has some headbands embroidered with fireflies."
"That was embroidered by your father Yi."
Lei Li glanced at Zhou Yi again and said teasingly, "But the embroidery isn't as exquisite as Xiao Bao's. It's so vivid, it looks like they caught a firefly and put it in it."
"Father Yi's embroidery is also very beautiful."
Xiaobao was a little shy and praised Zhou Yi's craftsmanship earnestly. He added, "Dad Yi embroidered a big tiger because he is very tall and strong, just like a tiger."
"Dad said that tigers are so big and majestic that other animals get scared and run away when they see them. Tigers are the king of beasts!"
But the tiger embroidered by Xiaobao was furry and cute, not majestic at all. Instead, it looked like a fat and harmless big cat.
Lei Li thought at the time that this embroidery was quite suitable for Zhou Yi, a big furry cat.
Later, Meng Luo brought Mei and Qing back to Sanlihe Village. Xiao Bao became familiar with Uncle Meng and Uncle Mei, and gave them purses she had embroidered herself, one with a rice bag pattern and the other with a plum blossom pattern.
As the year was coming to an end, Mengluo finally got his parents' approval, and he took Mei and Qing back to Zhongchuan by boat in high spirits.
Otherwise, when going to Grandpa Lei Li's house this time, Meng Luo would definitely bring Mei and Qing to eat and drink. He likes lively occasions and also likes banquets.
My grandpa's family knew that Lei Li and the others were coming, so they started preparing early in the morning.
I bought a pig, two big fish, killed two domestic chickens and two ducks, and lit fires in two large iron pots. I used one pot to heat the braised pork belly and the other pot to boil water for blanching the chickens and ducks.
The radishes were grown in our own fields. They were very sweet after being hit by frost and were stewed with pork ribs. The cabbage was stored in the cellar before winter, and there were also dried bamboo shoots, dried vegetables and dried mushrooms.
——These dried mushrooms were given to me by Mr. Miao when I went to Sanlihe Village before.
Now that they saw Miao Fulang and his family had also arrived, and knew that Liu Ye'er and Lei Dashan had adopted Miao Fulang as their sworn brother, my grandfather's family was a little surprised but also reasonable, and warmly invited them into the house.
Grandma was still laughing and said, "In this way, our family will have two grandsons, one is Li Ge'er and the other is Miao Ge'er. If Xiaobao marries Sheng Jiang in the future, won't it be like entering the right door from the left door of our house?"
"——We're all family now."
This made everyone laugh.
Everyone knows that Little Ginger is very attached to Xiaobao. He loves to smile at Xiaobao and even got his name on the paper ball chosen by Xiaobao twice. So everyone likes to make jokes about Xiaobao and Little Ginger.
The little ginger boy is a smart kid.
He didn't know what it meant to get married or not, but when he heard his name was put together with Brother Xiaobao's and everyone laughed, it must be a good thing!
The little fellow puffed out his chest proudly, looking very high-spirited, and said in a baby voice, "We're a family. Sheng Jiang and Brother Xiao Bao are a family!"
"Ha ha ha ha……"
The adults laughed again.
Xiaobao was shy and blushed a little when he was laughed at. He touched Xiaoshengjiang's head and thought that marriage was a big deal and he had to think about it carefully when he grew up.
But little Ginger felt someone touching his head. When he looked up, he saw that it was his favorite brother Xiaobao. He threw himself into Xiaobao's arms, smiling widely.
"Brother~"
It made Xiaobao feel soft-hearted.
Xiaobao thought, Sheng Jiang is so young and doesn’t understand anything, I’ll talk to Sheng Jiang later.
The two children were so affectionate, and the adults were also very happy to see it. They talked while rolling up their sleeves to help, either lighting the fire, picking vegetables, plucking the chickens and ducks, or kneading dough to make bread.
Zhou Yi also built a mud house for baking bread at his grandfather's house.
This bread is a bit expensive in the county town, but it is suitable as a gift to give people face, and it can also be eaten as a dessert to satisfy children's cravings.
"Xiaobao and Shengjiang, come and have some snacks. Lunch will be a while away, don't get too hungry."
Grandma smiled kindly and brought snacks to Xiaobao and Xiaoshengjiang. Seeing that Xiaoshengjiang was wearing a small purse, she filled his purse with dried meat candies.
Then she smiled and said, "Sister Huaer took Xiaomu out for some fun early in the morning and she doesn't want to go home for a while. Do Xiaobao and Shengjiang want to go out and play?"
"think!"
Little Ginger was holding a pastry, his dark eyes shining like obsidian.
"Grandma Zeng is taking Sheng Jiang and Xiao Bao out to play?"
Grandma laughed cheerfully and said, "There are a lot of kids outside throwing firecrackers. Don't scare our little Jiang and Xiaobao. Let's go find your sister Huaer and brother Xiaomu."
"Okay, okay!"
Little Jiang was at the age when he was lively and active. When he heard what his grandmother said, he took his grandmother's hand and his brother Xiaobao's hand and went out to visit the village with his grandmother.
Xiaobao had no objection.
Although he is quiet, he is also a child and wants to go out and play. He doesn't want to stay at home. The adults at home are busy and there is no work for him to do.
Little Jiang asked curiously, "What are firecrackers? Can Jiang and Brother Xiaobao play with them?"
"Ginger isn't enough."
Grandma said, "Ginger is too small. It needs to grow a little bigger so that Xiaobao can play with it. Let's see if there is a peddler and buy some firecrackers to set off."
Then he said to Xiaobao, "Be careful when playing with firecrackers, or you might hurt yourself."
"I know."
Xiaobao paused, his face flushed slightly, and he called out, "Grandma Zeng."
"Why!"
Grandma's eyes were smiling into slits. When she met the peddler coming to the village, she bought a lot of firecrackers of various colors. When she heard that there were also fireworks for sale, she bought some too.
The fireworks were ordered in advance at the peddler's house. The peddler collected the deposit and would deliver the fireworks to my grandmother's house in the afternoon and collect the final payment at that time.
These fireworks are not cheap.
In the past, my grandmother would never buy it. She was used to being frugal and didn’t like luxury, especially such disposable consumables. It would be more cost-effective to buy cloth and make two sets of clothes for the children.
But I’m happy this year.
She has a grandson and a great-grandson now, so the New Year should be festive and lively.
—
There are more people this year than ever before.
However, my grandfather had already made preparations. Two days ago, he asked Lei Li's uncle to buy another set of tables and chairs, which was enough for eleven adults and four children to sit.
Several children were restless while eating.
Especially Sister Huaer, knowing that grandma bought a lot of firecrackers, she couldn't sit still and wanted to eat her fill in one bite so that she could play with those new firecrackers.
She made Xiaobao and Xiaomu want to play. Little Jiang just liked to join in the fun, but he was young, so even if he wanted to play, his brothers and sisters wouldn't let him.
"If you light a firecracker and throw it into a bamboo tube, it will explode and turn into flowers. You can also throw it into a pond to make a splash, or into cow dung..."
Sister Huaer paused and realized that frying cow dung seemed not a good idea. Her brothers all had new clothes, and if they got dirty, her father would definitely twist her ears.
I changed my words and said, "You can also throw it into the dirt bag and make it explode... This will also stain your clothes."
Sister Huaer thought about it and suddenly realized that few of the things she liked to play with would not dirty her clothes, and as far as safety was concerned... few of them were safe either.
Sister Huaer was silent.
Sister Huaer shed tears.
Sister Huaer has a new idea!
"Let's not play with firecrackers. Let's go play skipping rope after dinner! Xiaobao, do you know how to skip rope?"
"meeting……"
Xiaobao nodded, then hesitated a little, "But I'm not a good dancer..."
"So what?"
Sister Huaer patted her chest and said, "I'll take you! I'm really good at skipping rope. No one in the village can jump better than me! Xiaomu, come and skip rope with us!"
Xiaomu nodded.
Little Ginger saw that no one was calling him, and immediately raised his hand and said anxiously, "Ginger, go too! Ginger, you want to jump rope too!"
"All right."
Sister Huaer thought about it and nodded, "Ginger, you should go too. If you don't know how to dance, Sister Huaer will take you. That way there will be four of us! It will be fun if we invite a few more people!"
"We can also play hopscotch, play clay balls, play slingshots... so much more!"
Lei Li listened to the little ones talking, smiled, and deliberately interrupted, "Cousin uncle wants to play too. Sister Huaer, will you take him with you?"
"ah?"
Sister Huaer was a little surprised that there were no adults playing with them!
Those who are a little older than them, those who are eleven or twelve, thirteen or fourteen, think they are little brats and don’t want to play with them. Or they are busy doing housework and learning embroidery so that they can get married and have no time to play.
She was about to nod, but then became confused again, "But uncle, you are so tall. We are not as tall as you, so how can we jump rope together?"
"But my cousin really wants to play..."
"That……"
Sister Huaer looked at Xiaomu, Xiaomu blinked and looked at Xiaobao.
Xiaobao was a little confused, then realized they were asking for his opinion. He hesitated and said, "How about we play hide-and-seek? That way, Daddy Li can play too."
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