Chapter 375： And meritorious service

Chapter 375 Another meritorious service

After finishing the meal in a hurry, Si Ningning went over to check the condition of the duck down. As Huo Lang said, it was wet and nothing could be seen from the surface, but the smell was not as pungent as yesterday.

Yes, the fishy smell is still there, but it’s not as exaggerated as yesterday.

It should be that the proportion of lime powder added is wrong.

Looking back, this ratio needs to be calculated again.

Having made up his mind, Si Ningning shook his head and glanced around the backyard, finally landing on the snakeskin bag that was dried yesterday evening.

She took the snakeskin bag, rolled it up and opened it, and then reached out to fish out the duck down in the basin.

Piece the duck down together, press out as much excess water as possible, and then put it into a snakeskin bag. Si Ningning didn't stop until almost all the duck down in the basin was scooped out.

Si Ningning asked Huo Lang for a thin hemp rope and casually tied the mouth of the snakeskin bag. Si Ningning gave the dripping sack to Huo Lang and said, "Find a sunny and ventilated place to hang it and wait for it to dry before looking at it." "

"good."

Holang carried the snakeskin bag to the front yard.

The small courtyard is surrounded by bamboo forests. Only the front and back yards get a little sunshine, and compared to the back yards, the front yards naturally get more sunshine.

Holang adjusted the bamboo tripod that supported the clothes drying pole, moved it to a place where the sun was brighter, took off the clothes drying pole and put the snakeskin bag through it, and then put the clothes drying pole back on the tripod.

There is a large, bulging and dripping bag hanging in the middle of the drying pole, which is yellow and skinny. It looks strange at first glance.

At present, there is no equipment for drying and drying duck down, so we can only use this stupid method.

Si Ningning put her palms across her eyes and at the same level as her eyebrows. She stood at the door of the main room and took a look. When Huo Lang entered the room, she followed him in. "I just took a look at the rabbit skin and found that the color was a lot whiter?" "

“Yes, the skin will be softer after soaking for another two days, and then it will be ready to be put on the shelves.”

“On the shelves?” Si Ningning said “Huh?”

She should have glanced at the process of making leather somewhere before, so she had a rough idea, but this "putting it on the shelves" really made her confused.

Horang had already planned the support. Now he took it out and showed it to Si Ningning. It was a rectangular wooden frame.

Huo Lang turned into a hobby teacher and slowly guided Cheese Ning Ning, "The soaked leather is tough, like rabbit skin. It's not that big when it's spread out flat, but after it's stretched out, it's The area must be expanded by at least two-thirds of the original size.”

Hong Lang was talking and demonstrating, and Si Ningning soon understood that it was similar to the way a silkworm farmer washes the cocoons and stretches out the stripped and washed silk.

The silk is stretched and dried before proceeding to the next step of spinning into thread.

The same goes for rabbit skin. Only when it is completely expanded can it reach the stage of cutting and making clothes. The skin at this stage can also be called leather.

Think about it, if the toughness of the leather is not developed, how big will a piece of semi-finished rabbit skin be? If you want to make a suit of clothes, you have to use dozens or twenty pieces of leather?

Si Ningning took out his notebook and continued to add to the page he wrote last night.

While she was writing, Holang was bending aside to look at it.

Si Ningning’s handwriting is beautiful and neat, with separate wavy lines under the key parts, making it very clear and distinct at a glance.

 Huo Lang read in silence for a while, until Si Ningning finished writing, he said in a slightly hoarse voice: "I went to town a while ago and heard that there is an opening for places at the Workers', Peasants and Soldiers' University. Do you want to go?"

Although he asked the question, when Si Ningning muttered a confused "hmm" and looked up, he reached out and touched Si Ningning's white cheeks and said:

“Although you have brought a lot of changes to the third team, I always feel that your talent is a disadvantage here.”

Si Ningning didn’t think that she was unwilling to give in to her talents, but Huo Lang was one of her own, so she didn’t treat him politely. After thinking about Huo Lang’s “University of Workers, Peasants and Soldiers” for a moment, she asked:

"Isn't it difficult to get this quota? Do you have it? Is the school far away?"

If it’s not far away, Si Ningning thinks we can consider it.

After all, times are advancing, and she must get a solid diploma, otherwise she will be eliminated by society sooner or later.

Huo Lang was depressed for a moment, but returned to his usual appearance just for a moment. He smiled at Si Ningning tenderly and affectionately, "If you want to go, I can get it. Even if the school is not close, of course it's not too far... you If you go, I can visit you later.”

Huo Lang talked to himself for a long time. Si Ningning clearly noticed that he was strange, raised his head and glanced at him, and then gave him a blank look:

"How far is it? And I just asked, and I didn't say I was going. What do you think you are doing? It's like I have to go."

Holang was stunned, rubbed a handful of broken hair on his forehead, and asked in shock: "You, don't you want to go?"

If Zhiqing from another team heard the news, he would have to fight for a spot. Why would things be different when he came back to her, no matter what?

Si Ningning shrugged calmly: "Hmm, I don't have anything special in mind."

"Why?" Huo Lang asked, and at the same time told Si Ningning what was going on in his heart, wanting to hear her opinions.

Si Ningning said "hmm" and fell into thinking, and replied after a while: "Whether it is for local children or for educated youth, reading is very important, but what you need to understand is that in the current situation, some People are desperate to get a spot, and their focus is on getting out of here, not on studying.”

"As for me, I am an educated youth, but I have a certain thirst for literature and knowledge. I will not use this quota as a medium to get out of here, and..." Si Ningning glanced at Huo Lang, hummed and said with a smile: "I'm leaving, what will you do?"

Hearing this, Huo Lang was actually happy in his heart, but he also thought that Si Ningning was so good. If he stopped here because of him, he would feel uncomfortable just thinking about it.

"I just subconsciously felt that if you go to the Workers', Peasants and Soldiers' University, the nearest school is in Han City. It's not far or close. Even if I have a car, I can't see you all the time. I feel It’s somehow broken.”

Huo Lang sighed slightly and expressed his feelings frankly. Before he could add anything else, Si Ningning asked:

“Do you know why?”

Huo Lang shook his head, and the next second there was a sudden "thud" on his forehead, and Si Ningning knocked on it.

Huo Lang withdrew his hand and touched his forehead in confusion, and saw Si Ningning opening her eyes wide and shouting with a clever look:

“Because you’re in love!”

Si Ningning wanted to run away after knocking, but Huo Lang had already grabbed her wrist and caught her, "I'm serious, you're causing trouble, aren't you?"

He reached out to Si Ningning's waist with his big hand and scratched it a few times. Si Ningning's hilarious voice begging for mercy suddenly came from the hall: "No, hahahahahaha, no, no!" "Okay, okay, it's mine, My fault, stop scratching, stop scratching!"

 Si Ningning finally sat down on the edge of the bamboo bed under the shade of a tree in the backyard, and Huo Lang poured her some cool scented tea.

Si Ningning held the bamboo cup, squinted her eyes while swinging her legs, and drank tea with a muffled smile.

The days are really carefree and free!

It always reminded her inexplicably of the time when she was very young and still at her grandma's house...

how to say?

I can only say that the feeling of being cared for and loved by others is really good...

Si Ningning thought about it and couldn't help but laugh again.

Horang put his hands behind his back and sat in a half-reclined position next to Si Ningning. Listening to her increasingly clear and crisp laughter, he couldn't help but turn his head in the end, "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." The bamboo cup covered half of Si Ningning's face. She suppressed her smile, but her eyes that looked like a newborn deer winked at Huo Lang mischievously.

Thinking of the topic just now, Si Ningning knew that if she didn't explain it clearly, Huo Lang would definitely have a knot in her heart. She thought about it for a while, then suddenly put down the bamboo cup and said seriously:

"If it were me, I wouldn't want to be a stumbling block to hinder your progress, so I understand your thinking. But Holang, even if studying is important, then the Workers', Peasants and Soldiers' University is not necessarily the only way out."

"The lion is dormant. I always feel that we will not always be like this. One day schools, shops and everything will be restarted."

Si Ningning took a sip of tea and looked at Huo Lang with a soft expression, "I said I have no clear idea about the Workers', Peasants and Soldiers University because I am willing to wait for that day to come, I want to witness the arrival of that day, and I believe , that day won’t be too far away.”

Most of 1973 has passed, and the college entrance examination will be restarted in 1977, which will take less than four years.

After restarting the college entrance examination, the next stage is to liberate the economy. When the world culture develops rapidly, she must be prepared in advance. As for the past few years...

Si Ningning still wants to stay afloat for a few more years. Now she just needs to do small things every day to enrich her life.

Huo Lang couldn't refute Si Ningning's words. He was silent and sighed euphemistically: "It's all a matter of temporary disappearance. You haven't thought about it. What if I have to wait for five or ten years?"

Si Ningning laughed and shook his head, "I give myself five years. Even if I can't wait, I will only be twenty-five years old in five years. I can still find other ways out. Oh, Huo Lang, believe me, I can definitely wait. !”

"good good good good."

Holang sighed helplessly.

Si Ningning has the advantage of memory. She knows she can wait, and after getting Huo Lang's response, she also planned Huo Lang's future:

"When the time comes, you will take the college entrance examination with me, do you hear me? After we get our diplomas, we will first take a month to visit the places we want to visit. When that month passes, we will each do our own thing. It’s your job, it’s your job, you should take care of your family.”

"Okay, I'll listen to you. But the most urgent thing is, I still think I should marry you home first."

Si Ningning blushed a little, and used the excuse of drinking water to hide her blush. She calmed down and glared at Huo Lang with an angry expression on purpose, "Then you still don't want to put more oil in? Where's the cabinet? How's it going?"

"The prototype is ready, but it still needs to be polished before assembly. Once it's assembled, we can just paint it again." Speaking of this, Huo Lang asked Si Ningning again, "Do you have any favorite colors?" ? I’ll go back to the county to see if I can buy it.”

"Don't look back. When are you going to go? Why don't you take me with you? I'll decide what I like. And last time I said I would bring a kitten to Academician Liang. I'm busy these days. There was a cat litter over at the warehouse and I didn’t even go to see it.”

Holang asked tentatively: "Okay, I'll take you with me. You usually have to go to class, so why don't you wait until all those children go home next weekend?"

Si Ningning nodded, "Yeah!"

She was crazy in front of Huo Lang, saying that wind was wind and rain was rain. She just mentioned that there was a cat in the warehouse, but she didn't go to look at it. Now she couldn't sit still.

After drinking the scented tea in one gulp, Si Ningning put the bamboo cup into Huo Lang's hand, picked up her small bag on the bamboo bed and put it on her body. She patted Huo Lang's shoulder with her hand, like a prince giving a reward to his ministers. Generally speaking:

“Comrade Holang, the important task of making leather is in your hands! I have other things to do, so I’ll leave today!”

After saying that, before Huo Lang could say anything to persuade him to stay, he had already jumped out of the backyard.

A gentle wind blew through the bamboo forest, and the shadows of the trees swayed back and forth, silently hiding the helplessness and doting in Huo Lang's eyes.

Hourang played with Si Ningning's cup for a while. After a while, he got up and washed the cup by the well and returned it to the main room. He rummaged around in the room and found a few pieces of old sandpaper that he had used before.

After a while of folding and tidying up, Huo Lang sat in the yard with a cupboard door fixed between his legs. He held the small pieces of sandpaper in his big hands and slowly polished the cupboard door.

It’s a little strenuous, but it’s better than nothing.

Hourang is busy here, while Si Ningning has arrived at the production team warehouse on the other side.

She was dressed cleanly and had a bag on her body. As soon as she stepped into the yard, Zhao Hongfa knew what she was doing.

"Hey Si Zhiqing, you're just here to see the cat cubs, right?" Zhao Hongfa pointed the way with a smile, "It's in the room where the rice bran is kept, probably behind the door. There have been many people coming to the warehouse in the past two days. The big cat is running around with the kitten in its mouth!"

“Thank you, uncle, I’ll go take a look!”

“Go, go, hahaha.”

Si Ningning went into the house to take a look. There was a nest made of straw handles behind the door. Looking at the straw in the middle, it was pressed into a smooth semicircle. She knew that a cat must have rested here before, but it was not here now. .

Si Ningning searched in the house, and finally heard the kittens meowing behind the rice bran bag, and found their traces.

There are more than a dozen packages of rice bran bags in the warehouse. They are all brought back from the threshing room of the brigade in all seasons. At present, except for the outermost bag, which is open, the other rice bran bags are all bulging behind one another.

Those kittens were very nimble and crawled in and out of the gaps underneath.

Si Ningning couldn’t catch them, so she could only squat down to look at them from an angle.

(End of this chapter)