CH 42

The village committee started its annual holiday on the 28th of the lunar month, and Zhao Donglin brought back his past benefits. 10 pounds of pork, 5 pounds of red dates, and 3 pounds of brown sugar.

“Oh, they sent so many expensive foods.”

Not only is it expensive, but it’s also quite rare. In this era, transportation is inconvenient, and large-scale fruit and vegetable planting has not been established. The limited supply of red jujube does not mean that you can buy as much as you want. On the other hand, red jujube replenishes Qi and nourishes people. It’s excellent whether you eat it at home or give it away.

“With another ten kilograms of meat, we can eat it freely this year.”

“Sister-in-law, didn’t you say you wanted to fry meatballs last time? Why don’t we just fry some meatballs and eat them?”

Mei Xiang always remembered Jiahui’s words. She said that if there were more meat for the new year, she could eat fried meatballs. There were lotus roots at home, and they could also be used as lotus root clips. After it was fried, it was crispy outside and crispy inside. The meat’s fragrance overflowed, and Meixiang’s saliva almost flowed out.

Jiahui did not expect her sister-in-law to be like a child. She was always thinking about delicious food. Jiahui smiled and said, “Yes, I will fry if Mom agrees.”

Jiahui kicked the ball to her mother-in-law, and Zhang Qiaoer was hanging the meat on the beam with a bamboo pole, and laughed, “Okay, you’re all grown-ups, but you’re still as greedy as children.” It’s just some meat. You can measure it as you like. You don’t have to worry about making it light. “

The family laughed.

After eating dinner and going back to bed, Zhao Donglin handed an envelope to Jiahui.

“What is this?”

According to the general operation, the envelope should contain cash checks and so on. Jiahui took it and opened it to see that it was real money. There were 20s, there were 10s, and several of them added up to a whole fifty yuan.

She asked suspiciously, “What kind of money is this?”

“The bonus was issued by the village.”

Jiahui gave an enunciation of understanding. 50 yuan is not too much or too little. After all, Zhao Donglin’s salary had been more than sixty yuan. It is equivalent to a 13th month’s salary.

“This is for me? You don’t have to give your bonus money to Mom? “

Zhao Donglin’s eyes widened when he saw his wife. He looked like a soft and cute little animal with a trace of hope and innocence.

Seeing that she is usually quite generous in her dealings, this kind of little money-obsessed look is really rare. Zhao Donglin loved it in his heart.

“Well, it’s for you.”

Happiness comes too suddenly.

“Does Mom know? If you did not say so, mom knows it can be a problem. “

Zhao Donglin smiled and didn’t say anything.

Don’t mention that he has asked his mother; it’s okay even if he doesn’t report it. He gives his monthly salary of 60 yuan. Although his mother gives his wife ten yuan a month, there are still more than 50 left. His mother is not really obsessed with money and won’t seriously care about this bonus.

“She said, you can just put it away. Whatever you want to buy in the future, you don’t have to save. Also, for making clothes, you should do less, especially if you can’t stay up late. “

The money was given by the gold master. The gold master was right in everything he said. She held this “huge sum of money” in her hand. Jiahui nodded repeatedly, and her eyes bent into crescent moons. If her eyes were not big enough, there would be a seam left.

“Then I’ll take it and save it for after the New Year.”

Since crossing over to the seventies, Jia Hui has added a new hobby. She especially liked to save money. Seeing the amount of savings increase a little bit, was particularly fulfilling.

There is almost nothing to spend money on; the basic necessities of life; food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The food was her mother-in-law’s responsibility. She can rip clothes back to make her own clothes, there is no need to buy a house, she can go out on bicycles or walk, the days are simple and full.

In addition to where to spend money, there is no place to spend money. Jiahui is serious about saving money. She was also preparing for the future when they go to school: school tuition, living expenses, books, social fees. No work means no income. When they go out, they have to spend money on their three meals a day.

Jiahui herself will certainly go to university. If Zhao Donglin was willing to take the college entrance examination and accept the new challenge, she was still not clear. If the couple studied at the same time, that meant there was no income, so they naturally had to prepare more money.

She has almost five hundred yuan in savings. Two more years of saving should be able to save up to a thousand. In this era of cheap prices, she heard that some universities have subsidies, so their saved money should be enough.

Couplets were posted on New Year’s Eve. The couplets at home were written by Zhao Donglin himself. When he was a child, he practised calligraphy. He just found a branch to draw on the sand. After entering the army, the army encouraged the soldiers to enrich themselves. Only then did Zhao Donglin seriously learn calligraphy.

A pair of couplets cost a few cents. After the team knew that Zhao Donglin could write with a brush, many people came to ask for couplets on red paper. A piece of red paper can be used to write several pairs, which is much more cost-effective than buying couplets. It’s good to save one point. It’s also good to save a few sweets for children.

The couplets written in rural areas are exquisite. The couplets used in the gate, hall, kitchen and even the pigpen and chicken house are different. For example, the front door can use “Repeatedly in harmony, open the door with blessings” or “Virtuous door set celebration, and welcome auspicious people in the benevolent house,” while the kitchen can say “Celebrate the wedding with sugar and wine, good dishes and good guests” or “The five flavours are carefully adjusted in the hall, and in the hall meets the three relatives.”If someone pastes the couplets on the door or pigsty, it will become a joke.

The glue for the couplets was homemade rice paste. The glutinous rice is sticky, and the glutinous rice was ground into glutinous rice powder and mixed with water to make a paste. The adhesion is comparable to industrial glue, which is more than enough to paste a couplet.

Heidan followed behind Zhao Donglin with the paste, first pasting the front door, then the hall, the room, the kitchen, the chicken pen, and the pigpen, and when the yard was full, the red colour gave a layer of joy and festivity.

Jiahui was busy early in the morning, in addition to preparing for the New Year’s Eve dinner, the village also has a rule that on the first day of the year you can’t use fire, so today you have to prepare several dishes.

The fish is a must, With the meaning of having more than every year, Jiahui was in charge of the kitchen this year, and Meixiang helped her on the side.

Braised fish, meatballs, lotus root clips, braised pork, all cooked in a large iron pot, and then served in bowls, naturally cooled and put in the cupboard.

In the winter months, when the temperature is as low as zero, the whole environment is like a natural refrigerator. She was not afraid of the food going bad.

The happiest part of the New Year is the children, who play like crazy. They have new clothes to wear, meat to eat, and endless peanuts, melon seeds, and candy to eat.

From the time Jiahui started cooking, the children went into the kitchen from time to time to watch and ate a meatball for a while, and a lotus root for a while, so they were full without eating much at lunch.

In the evening, when the sky was slightly dark, when the New Year’s Eve dinner began, in addition to the children, one person poured a cup of rice wine. Zhao Manzhu usually does not speak, but today, as the head of the family, he raised a glass to speak.

“I don’t want to speak either, but your mother insisted that I should speak.”

Zhang Qiaoer smiled and elbowed him. Zhao Manzhu smiled with a simple and honest face.

This year, everyone is doing well. Donglin also returned from the army, and our family has finally been reunited for the past ten years.

Speaking of this, Zhao Manzhu should be telling his truest feelings, so he began to talk without stumbling just now. Zhao Donglin looked down at the wine glass and obviously thought of those hard and fulfilling times in the army.

“I’m quite satisfied with my life now. I don’t have to starve and freeze. I can eat well and the family is together. These are the days I didn’t dare to think about before. Your mother and I always said, Our family’s good days are brought up by Donglin. Without him working in the army, our family’s days would not be so good, so Donghe, you have to toast your brother.”

Zhao Donglin’s eyes were a little wet, as well as Zhao Donghe’s. Even though Zhang Qiaoer and Mei Xiang were lowering their heads to wipe their tears, only Jia Hui and Zheng Yuefen had two little mood swings. The two sisters-in-law looked at each other, and each moved their gazes away, watching Zhao Donghe raise his glass and rise.

“Brother, as a younger brother, I always know your difficulties.” Although I don’t know how to say it, I understand in my heart and always admire and thank you. Really, I’ve been proud of you since I was a child. When others say I’m Zhao Donglin’s younger brother, I’m happy. How powerful is my brother? I studied well when I was young and didn’t fight. When I’m bullied, you go to seek justice for me. “

Speaking of this, Zhao Donghe has choked up, Zhao Donglin patted his brother’s shoulder, sent the wine glass forward, clinked a cup with Zhao Donglin, and they first toasted.

Many words were spoken in silence. He had great feelings for this brother. He may have left home as a child, but he pays more attention to family affection than most.

“All right, let’s eat. If we say more words, the dishes will get cold.”

After Zhang Qiaoer said these, the two brothers sat down, and the New Year’s Eve dinner was officially started.

“En, this fish is delicious, much more delicious than the one I made.”

After tasting a bite of the fish, Zhang Qiaoer couldn’t help but praise Jiahui.

“I like to eat this; it smells good.”

Mei Xiang was talking about the lotus root sandwich.

When the summer comes, we can use eggplant. It’s also very delicious. “

Mei Xiang covered her face and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law, your dishes are so delicious. My face began to fatten. “

“It looks good, just like a red apple.”

“That’s right, it’s good for girls to be fat. Don’t follow your sister-in-law’s example; she’s just too thin, she doesn’t have a few pounds of flesh all over her body.”

Jiahui couldn’t help but plead for herself, “Mom, I didn’t eat less, and I’m just small-boned, but I have a lot of meat on my body.”

Zhao Donglin was drinking with his father and brother, but he listened to what Jiahui said. When he heard her say she had a lot of meat on her body, he glanced at Jiahui and remembered the fragrant skin under his palm at night.

“Brother, are you drunk, that’s why your face is reddened?”

Zhao Donghe shouted in surprise. He thought he wouldn’t be. His brother’s drinking capacity is obviously very good. He claims that he won’t get drunk. It’s just a few cups of yellow rice wine. He won’t get drunk.

“Drink less. We are family members. Just keep your spirit. You have to send new year’s greetings tomorrow. “

Zhang Qiao’er heard the words and immediately opened her mouth to respond. Dong Jiahui also cared to look back, just to meet Zhao Donglin’s eyes with affection. The heart could not help but be stunned; the backbone inexplicably began to chill.

When the meal was halfway through, Zhang Qiaoer went back to the house to get a few red packets, one dollar for each of the three children.

” It’s not a lot of money, but it’s my token of appreciation for you. Do not spend it indiscriminately.

It is said that it is for children. But the final outcome was that it was handed over to adults, and it is a custom to send red envelopes in the new year, just to let them be happy.

In addition to the children’s red envelopes, there were several red paper packets on the table. Zheng Yuefen’s eyes kept looking at them. She knew her mother-in-law might be handing out money, and as expected, Zhang Qiaoer soon spoke up.

“This year, we all worked hard. According to our rules, I should give you some pocket money at the end of the year. Money is the same for everyone. The eldest family, and the second family, will have 30 yuan each. Meixiang was the only one in the family, so she will have 20 yuan. If you have any comments, put them forward now. If you have no comments, let’s share them. “

Two years ago, the team paid cash dividends. After deducting grain, the Zhao family got 268 yuan. It was considered a good harvest year.

Other people were okay with the arrangement. Zheng Yuefen, who usually has the most opinions, has none. If a person is 30, the couple will have 60 yuan. Although this money was not much, it is pure income and can be saved. Besides, today’s is 10 yuan more than last year.

Zheng Yuefen was the first to take a stand, saying, “Mom, I have no problem with it.”

The first time she spoke, everyone looked at her. Jiahui was quite surprised that this sister-in-law did not stand out and shout.

“Well, since all of you are fine with it, so be it. This money that I will give to you guys, I should not ask you how you should spend it, because every penny is not easy to come by. You should save it up. Do not spend it indiscriminately. “

Zhang Qiaoer took out a stack of ten-yuan bills to give everyone a lot of money. First, she gave it to the eldest couple, then to the second couple, and finally to Zhao Meixiang.

As soon as the money arrived in Zhao Donghe’s hands, Zheng Yuefen took the money. Her face was proud as she started counting the money and calculated how much she should save and use.

Zheng Yuefen had to spend money when she went back to her mother’s house. She couldn’t be compared with other sisters in the family. She had to bring enough gifts and give the children a red envelope. It would cost 6.8 yuan, but it doesn’t matter. The adults will also give red envelopes to Shitou. That is, she has only Shitou in her family. Compared with the sisters with several children in their family, she suffered some losses.