Ye Fan knew it well, but still pretended to be surprised after counting: "So many? Dabao, it's enough for you to go to junior high school and high school."
Dabao looked proud: "Am I awesome?"
Ye Fan touched his head: "Awesome. Did you soak your hands in hot water when you got home?"
Yu Wentao said she had a drink, and then asked her what to eat at night.
Ye Fan asked his sister-in-law what she would eat for dinner.
Yang Mengxia didn't expect that since the old man was gone and there was one less pensioner, his living standard would actually go up. She felt that everything she ate was better than what she ate at home, so she said she ate too much at noon and could make something in the evening.
Ye Fan is not very hungry, but Geng Zhiye is, and Geng Huihui, Geng Benben and his two cousins must also be hungry as they grow older. Dabao and Erbao digest quickly and may be hungry. Ye Fan planned to cook more, so he said he would go to the kitchen first.
Geng Zhiqin and Yu Wentao went to help, and Yang Mengxia followed her instinctively. Geng Huihui grabbed her and said, "Auntie, the kitchen is full of things. You have to stand at the door when you go over."
Ye Fan only ate the spareribs she bought for one meal. She divided the remaining spareribs into three parts and said, "This portion will be sent to my mother tomorrow. This portion will be saved for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. This portion will be eaten on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Save it for the next two days.”
Yu Wentao looked at the two ribs that Ye Fan had cut and asked in a low voice: "Are you going to stew the ribs tonight?"
Ye Fan nodded: "Xiao Qin, soak some fungus and day lily in hot water, and cut a few pieces of lotus root. Do you still have eggs at home?"
Yu Wentao opened the cupboard: "There are dozens more."
Ye Fan bought these eggs from people in Yujia Village. When the villagers asked if they had eggs, the villagers said a few more words, and Ye Fan realized that chickens don't like to lay eggs in winter.
Ye Fan cut a few taels of pork belly, cut it into shreds, stir-fried the oil in a pot, and fried eggs with lard - one for each of the six juniors.
Geng Zhiqin whispered: "Sister-in-law, you should fry one too, and then go to the village to buy some after the New Year."
Ye Fan nodded and fried one for everyone in the family. Geng Zhiqin couldn't laugh or cry when he saw this. When the ribs were simmering in the rice cooker and the steamed buns were warm, she guessed that her brother would be back soon, so she started to boil water.
After the water boiled for a while, Geng Zhiye came back. Geng Zhiqin cooked noodles and put some cabbage leaves. When serving the noodles, put the cooled eggs on the bottom, pour the soup on top, put the vegetables on top, and heat it up after a while.
Geng Zhiye's two nephews originally didn't want to come back because the southwest where brother Geng Zhiye lives is warmer than the capital. It takes several days to take a train from there to the capital. Even a sleeper berth can make people sleep silly.
After two big meals of meat, the two brothers were glad to be back with their mother, but it was a pity that their father was not happy.
After the meal, Geng Zhiqin carried a thermos bottle of hot water and used a flashlight to accompany the mother and son to the back with Geng Huihui.
It was only two alleys away and Yang Mengxia couldn't help but praise the house he bought well.
Speaking of the house, Geng Huihui complained: "Originally there was another place in the southeast corner, less than a kilometer away from here. My mother was so kind that she gave it to my brother-in-law."
Geng Leilei couldn't help but ask: "Isn't the second uncle's house four bedrooms? Do you want to buy a house?"
"My house is affordable, but people who are anxious to go abroad don't dare to ask for high prices. They can make money if they buy it. My aunt said that if I put some decent furniture in grandma's house and tidy up the walls, I can sell it for 15,000 yuan," Geng Huihui said. Getting more and more angry, she couldn't help but say that her mother didn't want to buy a house worth 8 or 9 thousand, but instead bought a house east of her school worth 12,000. Finally, she complained that her mother would rather listen to her brothers than her own son.
Yu Wentao saw that Yang Mengxia had no objection to her buying a house. In the afternoon, while Geng Huihui was writing couplets, Yang Mengxia and Yu Wentao chatted about their daily life. Yu Wentao talked nonsense and told her that her second son had bought two houses.
Yang Mengxia thought that the second brother and sister liked the place that was close to the city, but he didn't expect that it was the next best option. Yang Mengxia couldn't resist, so he simply said, "There are many people here, and there must be more than two families going abroad. It won't be too late to buy one when you have money."
How can it be so easy to earn around 10,000 yuan? Geng Huihui cursed, and suddenly her eyes lit up: "Aunt, you and my uncle both work, and you work earlier than my parents. You two have money to buy it."
Yang Mengxia is not as rich as Chu Fenghe. Yang Mengxia's salary was stopped for several years when her mother's family was suppressed. She often sent things to her mother's family. Brother Geng sent something to his uncle. In the past two years, his cousin's children were sent to his place to attend high school, and they were sent back before the college entrance examination. His grades were not comparable to those of Geng Zhiqin, but he finally passed the exam.
This year I don’t have to take care of my relatives, and my father Geng passed away. Brother Geng thought that since he was the eldest son, he should pay the majority of the funeral expenses. The burial expenses given by the above were given to Yu Wentao, but he didn't ask for any of it.
Yang Mengxia said: "We are not here, and we don't have time to clean up after buying it."
Geng Huihui: "I'll help you clean it up. I have to clean up Benben and I's house during the summer vacation. My uncle has seen it and said that if we don't clean it up, the wall will collapse after a few heavy rains."
Yang Mengxia couldn't laugh or cry because of Geng Huihui's tone, as if there was no such store after passing this village, "Don't worry. Isn't there no one selling houses?"
Geng Huihui thought about it carefully: "This is an easy thing to do. Tomorrow morning you can help me write Spring Festival couplets. I will ask my uncle and aunt for help, and they will say that our family can't live in it. Anyway, others don't know that we have an old house. My mother is to the east of my school. Buy two sets.”
Yang Mengxia nodded perfunctorily.
After selling vegetables boldly with Ye Fan, we went to the lakeside of the park the next morning - the uncle and aunt were watching the grandchildren playing on the ice in the lake. Geng Huihui asked the uncle and aunt who was selling houses nearby in a very familiar manner. She half-truthfully said that her uncle's family was coming back, her cousin was getting married in two years, and her grandma's house couldn't be accommodated.
Yang Mengxia speaks softly and softly. The uncles and aunties who watched her write couplets yesterday were very fond of her and asked her to help her.
Geng Huihui grabbed a handful of candies and gave a few to each person.
The candy was still the toffee that Ye Fan bought for several children.
On the day when the goods from Hengshan Island were delivered to the supply and marketing cooperative, temporary workers from Hengshan Island came to deliver fish and shrimps to Ye Fan. Ye Fan accompanied them back to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought some melon seeds and peanut candies for the current year.
The gap between the rich and the poor is not that big these days. After ten years of revolution, there is no distinction between high and low, and people get along harmoniously. Geng Huihui is so polite that her uncle and aunt ask about her when she returns home.
In the afternoon, Ye Fan's family had just finished dinner when an aunt opened the courtyard door and came in: "Less than——"
Ye Fan came out of the house, and the aunt stopped for a moment: "Is Ye Fan at home? I've found out for you. There is a person in the southwest corner who wants to sell his house. His job has been transferred. He will move to Shanghai after the year. Are you going to check it out after the year or tomorrow? Let’s go take a look?”
Ye Fan was stunned: "Me?"
The aunt nodded: "Your family Huihui said that there are too many people to live in. Didn't Huihui tell you?"
Everyone in the room, old and young, looked at Geng Huihui and asked silently: "When did it happen?"
Geng Huihui plans to confess after the New Year, because she did not expect the uncles and aunts to be so enthusiastic, "It's just in the morning. Didn't the aunt agree?"
Everyone turned to Yang Mengxia again - waiting for her explanation.
Yang Mengxia felt like he was riding a tiger and was speechless: "I - I didn't expect it to be so soon. I thought it was going to be summer vacation, so I thought it wouldn't be too late to talk about it then."
Because the couple could not work in the same department, Yang Mengxia was transferred to the school after she married her eldest brother Geng Zhiye. She is now a people's teacher and has winter and summer vacations. When she said she would have summer vacation, everyone believed it, including Geng Huihui.
Geng Huihui whispered: "I didn't expect it to be so soon. I'll go out and remind my aunt."
Geng Zhiye glared at his bold niece and said, "I'm going out!" He greeted her outside, "Auntie, I'm so busy these days that I didn't tell her about this. Thank you for your trouble. Come in for tea?"
"No need." The aunt saw the firecrackers and paper money placed by the door of the main room, "Are you going to visit your father's grave? You go ahead and tell me later. I'm waiting over there."
Geng Zhiye and Ye Fan saw her off to the door. The aunt waved her hand: "No need to send her off. My home is at the entrance of the alley. Come and play at my home another day."
Ye Fan turned to Geng Zhiye and stared at him with an unkind look: "You know?"
Geng Zhiye hugged her: "I know how I dare to hide this from Madam. Looking at my sister-in-law's expression, it looks like Huihui is a little girl who acted in a movie."
"Because I said you will earn it if you buy it?"
Geng Huihui jumped up to the two of them, and the couple were startled. Geng Huihui took a step back, fearing that her uncle would beat her: "Not really. My aunt said that she hopes our family will live together. It happens that Brother Lei and Brother Sen will need a house when they get married, so I can buy it. It won’t stay idle forever.”
Brother Geng was transferred every few years, so Geng Leilei had to repeat a grade because the textbooks he transferred to were different. He was obviously one year older than Geng Huihui, but he didn't take the college entrance examination until next year.
Ye Fan said: "Don't fool me with such excuses. Even if Leilei passes the exam next year, he still has to stay in school for four years. Why is he in such a hurry?"
"Okay." Geng Huihui confessed, "My eldest aunt also wants to buy a house. She has been looking around recently. If I have money, I will buy all the empty houses here!"
Ye Fan sighed: "Why are you fighting with her?"
"Just grudge!" Geng Huihui is not easily impulsive, and because she has had a smooth life with the Geng family over the years, she can't stand her grandma's family getting involved while being dissatisfied with the Geng family.
Geng Huihui knew this was because Chu Fenghe was not considerate, so she asked Huihui to help the Chu family ask who was selling the house when she had nothing to do. Geng Huihui acted like a good daughter, but as soon as her mother returned to work, she forgot about the matter.
Ye Fan: "What did your aunt say?"
"My aunt said she didn't have that much money. I don't believe it. She probably thinks the same as my mother. She doesn't need to buy a house if she has a house at home." Geng Huihui whispered, "Please help me persuade her. Otherwise, my aunt will have to buy that house again." Go.”
Ye Fan said: "Don't listen to the wind or the rain. I haven't seen your aunt in the past few days."
Geng Benben came out: "She came here to ask yesterday when she was not at work on Sunday. Our neighbor said it. Fortunately, we are not at home."
It seems like Geng Benben is also annoyed with his aunt? Of course, Ye Fan would not sacrifice his niece or nephew for outsiders: "You can persuade your aunt, I have no objection to this."
Geng Zhiye reminded his niece: "Your aunt is easy to persuade. Your uncle will have a hard time with it."
Geng Huihuixin said, you don’t know that your uncle often praises your aunt to your aunt for being smart. Your aunt has said this several times in the past two days. Looking back, I will say that it was your aunt’s idea, and your uncle definitely agrees.
"I have to give it a try." Geng Huihui jumped back to the house, "Grandma, I told you to go and have a look."
Ye Fan said angrily: "Your niece is really good at telling lies."
"Your name is useful." Geng Zhiye put his arm around her shoulders, "It's time to set off."
Ye Fan asked Erbao to take out her scarf and hat at the entrance of the courtyard. Dabao picked up the paper money on the ground and came out and asked: "Dad, is it enough for grandpa?"
Geng Zhiye: "There is only so much that is enough."
"That's okay. Let's buy a stack for one dollar. It's hard for grandpa to buy it." Dabao gave the cousin the paper money and went back to his room to get five yuan. "Dad, I'll buy some more."
Yu Wentao couldn't help but say: "I really love your father!"
Dabao nodded: "Brother Benben, Brother Sensen, let's go together."
Geng Sensen felt too cold and didn't want to run around: "You and Benben go."
Dabao pulled him: "Five yuan can buy a lot, we can't finish it. Dad, do you want to buy another plate of firecrackers?"
Geng Zhiye: "No, your father likes peace and quiet. He finds it too noisy if you play too much."
Dabao nodded seriously, as if his father was very reasonable. Seeing this, Yang Mengxia waited for the child to go away and asked, "Dabao, are you serious?"
Speaking of this, Ye Fan wanted to laugh: "We have a little superstition! Seriously." He glanced at Erbao and said, "This is also a little superstition. When Xiaoqin was going to fill in his application, she and Dabao asked Xiaoqin to kneel down. Worship ghosts and gods and ask for blessings from ancestors.”
Erbao didn't realize that he was at fault, and dared to nod and admit, "Mom, did you take the money?"
Ye Fan took a handful of change from his pocket: "You need money to buy your own ticket?"
"That's right." Erbao took half of it and gave half to her brother when he came back.
After getting on the bus, Erbao said grandly: "Auntie, let me give it to you."
Yang Mengxia was stunned.
Ye Fan laughed angrily: "You are so filial!"
Geng Zhiye laughed: "I'll give it to you." He bought his and Ye Fan's tickets.
Yu Wentao bought the remaining tickets.
Yang Mengxia sat down and held Erbao on his lap: "Why is Erbao so good?"
"You are the aunt." Erbao felt that it was a rare time for the aunt to come back and she should fulfill her role as a landlord. "Aunt, do you want to eat popsicles?"
Ye Fan coughed lightly, Erbao covered his mouth and pretended that he had not said it.
When we got off the bus and transferred, there was a shop not far away. Dabao dragged Benben to buy a handful of candied haws, and each of his brothers and sisters bought a bunch of candied haws. Dabao didn't buy it for his parents, so he handed his candied haws to his father's mouth. Geng Zhiye doesn’t like to eat sour food, “eat it by yourself.”
"Mom, you eat one." Dabao handed it over, "The one I chose is definitely not sour."
Ye Fan tasted one and found it was very sour: "Mom will buy you something sweeter later."
Yu Wentao muttered: "It's not as delicious as the one I made myself." When her daughter asked her to try it, Yu Wentao pushed it away with a look of disgust.
Ye Fan's eyes lit up and he turned to Geng Zhiye.
Geng Zhiye helped her pull up the scarf to cover her mouth to prevent the cold wind from catching her. "Let her rest," whispered.
Ye Fan whispered: "I'm not asking her to sell candied haws on a stick. I asked the villagers to raise money to buy a three-bounce fruit. I thought selling vegetables wouldn't make any money, and meat and fish were not often available, so they might not be happy. When I saw the candied haws on a stick, I suddenly I thought it could be planted there, right?”
Geng Zhiye thought carefully about the terrain of Yujiacun: "There are a few hills, so it should be okay. Didn't I say before that there are wild walnuts and chestnuts on the mountains?"
"That's right. You can sell fried chestnuts. The three-bouncer carries iron pots and stones. You can also put firewood in the car." Ye Fan said.
Geng Zhiye: "Then tell her later. Tomorrow she and Xiaoqin will go back to the village to visit the grave, and ask her to give the village a heads up. If the villagers are willing, can you accompany them to the motorcycle factory?"
Ye Fan nodded: "I know, we need to call the director of the supply and marketing cooperative. Without the director's guarantee, even if the village chief says to buy it for collective use, the motorcycle factory may not sell it."
"Mom, don't whisper to Dad, the car is coming." Dabao shouted.
Geng Zhiye pulled Ye Fan into the car.
After another transfer, we got off the bus and walked a short distance to the cemetery. When Yu Wentao arrived at the entrance of the cemetery, he supported the wall and said, "Have a rest for a while."
Geng Zhiqin muttered: "I didn't ask you to get firecrackers and paper money, but you are still so tired."
Yu Wentao felt uncomfortable turning around and didn't want to talk. She took a moment to breathe and said, "Okay."
Dabao and Erbao jumped forward, Geng Leilei asked in a low voice: "Why are they like visiting the park?"
Ye Fan asked: "Is it possible that we just go to the park?" Looking around, "There are so many people."
Geng Leilei subconsciously raised his eyes and looked at the rows of tombstones. He suddenly felt horrified and couldn't help but take two steps towards his mother.
Seeing this, Geng Zhiye took Ye Fan's wrist and shook his head slightly: "Don't scare him."
Ye Fan wanted to laugh but couldn't hold it back. When he saw Dabao and Erbao stopping not far away, he pulled Geng Zhiye and strode over: "What's wrong?"
"Where is grandpa?" Dabao had been here on the day of the burial, but the atmosphere was so solemn that Dabao didn't dare to look around, and the tombstones were almost the same length, so he had no impression at all.
Hearing this, Geng Leilei almost tripped over himself. What does "Where is grandpa" mean? Why is it more scary than what my aunt said?
Yang Mengxia supported him: "Be careful! Such a big man is not as bold as Dabao."
Geng Sensen was behind her, muttering: "Geng Dabao is ignorant and fearless."
Geng Dabao knew that grandpa turned into ashes and put them in a small box, but in his opinion, grandpa was still grandpa no matter what he turned into, so he would not scare him, "Mom doesn't remember it either?"
Ye Fan can't remember clearly. Look at Geng Zhiye, do you still remember?
Geng Zhiye started counting from the first row. Yu Wentao was speechless and wanted to laugh: "I know." He walked two rows up past Dabao and went inside.
Ye Fan couldn't help but said: "Why do I remember it's not here?"
Yu Wentao stopped, a little unsure: "Xiao Qin, is it this way?"
My brother and sister-in-law didn’t have time to visit the grave during the Qingming Festival, so Geng Zhiqin came with her mother, because it took them a while to find it that day. Before leaving, Geng Zhiqin paid special attention: "Go forward, five rows in."
Dabao ran over and said loudly: "What a grandpa."
Suddenly a child spoke in the quiet cemetery. The person squatting in front of the tombstone in the distance was so frightened that he sat on the ground. He raised his head in panic and relaxed when he saw a group of people.
Geng Zhiye heard the sound of someone falling, and when he came over, he scolded his son: "Keep your voice down, don't disturb grandpa's neighbors."
Dabao nodded obediently, "Dad, should you burn paper money first or set off firecrackers first?"
"Wait a minute." Geng Zhiye took out a rag and wiped his father's tombstone clean. Then he organized the paper money with Ye Fan, Geng Zhiqin and Yang Mengxia, lit a pile, and asked his eldest nephew to set off firecrackers.
Dabao looked left and right: "Dad, do you want to give some to grandpa's neighbor?"
Geng Zhiye asked: "Burn paper for them?"
"That's right. Mom said that distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors. Grandpa must be lonely during the New Year alone." Dabao knelt down, picked up a pile of paper, lit it, and placed it in front of the tomb next door. When he saw the person's surname was Chen, he said, "Grandpa Chen, get up and get the money. When I got the money, I bought some delicious food and let’s eat it with my grandpa.” After that, he took a pile and put it in front of the neighbor’s tombstone on the other side.
Erbao followed his brother's lead and took a stack of them and put them in front of the tombstones.
Yang Mengxia looked at the serious expressions of the two of them, as if they were chatting with the uncle and aunt in the park. His scalp suddenly felt numb and goosebumps arose: "Ye Fan, don't let Dabao and Erbao run around."
Geng Leilei glanced at his mother and said deliberately: "I think it's pretty good. There's nothing wrong with being polite."
Dabao nodded: "Yes." Seeing that there were still a lot of paper money that had not been burned, he took a few piles to burn to his neighbors, and then squatted in front of his grandfather's grave: "Grandpa, if you are bored by yourself, celebrate the New Year with everyone, it's so lively Ha." Erbao took out the candy from his pocket: "Grandpa, eat some candy."
Dabao shook his head: "Erbao, grandpa loves to smoke and drink. Dad, have you brought any cigarettes or alcohol?"
Geng's father had given up drinking and smoking for many years due to poor health. Geng Zhiye never thought of bringing alcohol with him. He had a bag of large bags in his pocket, reserved for greeting relatives in Yujia Village, neighbor uncles and factory security guards.
Geng Zhiye took it out and ordered Dabao to hit it. Geng Zhiye didn't give it to him: "Just light it and it won't light." He took a sip and lit it before placing it in front of the tombstone.
Dabao stared at the smoke, "Grandpa, let's make do with it first, and ask my dad to buy it for you next year." As the words fell, the smoke magically turned, and Dabao couldn't help but said, "Dad, grandpa heard it."
Geng Zhiye really wanted to say, it’s not your grandfather, it’s the wind.
Dabao was convinced that his grandfather could hear him, so he took out a candy from his pocket and said, "Grandpa, let's make do with it." It felt like there were several more in his pocket, one for each of his grandfather's neighbors.
Yang Mengxia felt his scalp numb again.
Geng Huihui had melon seeds in her pocket, so she grabbed a handful and put some in front of each grave. Geng Benben had peanuts in his pocket, so he took out a handful and shared them.
Yang Mengxia thought to himself, "Who did you learn this from?"
I learned it from Geng Dabao.
Geng Dabao wiped the stone slab in front of the tomb with a rag and sat down, "Grandpa, do you like to eat candied haws on a stick? I will buy you some candied haws on a stick next year. Tell grandma what else you like to eat in your dream, and ask grandma to prepare it for you."
Yu Wentao's face turned green, and she hurriedly said: "Tell Dabao the same thing. Our Dabao has made a lot of money this year, and he can afford to buy you roast duck and chicken."
Dabao nodded: "It's okay to tell me."
Erbao squatted next to his brother: "It's okay to tell me. Grandpa, you're welcome, we can buy a lot for a few dollars."
Dabao nodded: "Grandpa, you can take the money we burned and buy it yourself."
Yang Mengxia couldn't stand listening: "Fanfan, is it almost done?"
Ye Fan: "We have to wait until the paper money is burned out. There are dead grass everywhere, and sparks can easily catch fire if they float over."
Yang Mengxia could only endure the panic and listen to the two children talking.
After an unknown amount of time, Geng Zhiye said "Okay". Yang Mengxia breathed a long sigh of relief and was the first to turn around and leave. Geng Leilei and Geng Sensen followed their mother - they couldn't stay any longer, it was too pervasive!
Dabao was puzzled and took his mother's hand and asked: "Why are you walking so fast?"
Ye Fan was talking nonsense: "I want to go to the toilet. My two brothers love the beauty and wear thin clothes and feel cold."
Dabao believed it was true and turned around and waved: "Grandpa, let's go. I'll see you again next year."
Before Yang Mengxia could walk far, he almost tripped over when he heard this. Ye Fan wanted to laugh when he saw this, "Dabao, it's windy here, so wear a scarf and don't talk."
Dabao talked for a long time and felt cold, but he didn't dare to show off. Erbao was tired and asked his father to drag him away. Geng Zhiye thought it was troublesome and wanted to hug her, but Erbao shook his head.
Ye Fan let go of Dabao, picked up the second treasure, put it on Geng Zhiye's back, and asked his daughter, "Is this okay?"
Erbao shook his calf and said: "You can carry it or not, because I am not a little baby."
Ye Fan muttered "It's a shame" and took Dabao to chase his sister-in-law and nephew.
Yu Wentao was a few steps behind a few people. Erbao probably couldn't hear her, so she whispered: "You two are stupid and bold."
Geng Zhiqin thought it was good for his nephew and niece to be like this: "Don't you think they are sensible?"
"You're so sensible." Yu Wentao couldn't help complaining: "You actually asked your dad to entrust you with a dream. It's a shame they figured it out."
Geng Zhiqin said: "We have to celebrate the New Year, and my dad also has to celebrate the New Year. I don't have time to see you, so don't worry."
Yu Wentao became more and more uneasy after hearing this, and prayed in her heart, old man, if you are lonely, go to the boss and the second and third sons' biological mothers. Don't come to me.
After leaving the cemetery, Yu Wentao thought of something and asked: "Lao San, when are you going to visit your mother's grave?"
Geng Zhiye's mother died early. At that time, it was not sure that his father would stay in the capital. Several of his uncles made the decision to be buried together with his grandparents. Geng Zhiye said: "We'll talk about it when we go to my uncle's house after the new year." Then he asked: "Sister-in-law, where is eldest brother?"
Brother Geng's biological mother is neither in her hometown nor here. She is buried at the place where she died, in the same cave as some of her comrades, not far from where the eldest brother of the Geng family is now in charge. Yang Mengxia said: "We have been there before coming here."
Dabao couldn't help but said: "I've never been there."
Yang Mengxia didn't want to listen to him for the moment because his words were shocking. "Going to have fun during the summer vacation? The summer there is cool, and the dog days are more than 20 degrees, just like autumn in the capital."
Dabao was surprised and happy, he couldn’t believe there was such a good place: “Mom, mom——”
"Mom is not free, ask my brother to pick you up."
Dabao immediately let go of his mother and went to pester his cousin.
Geng Leilei was afraid of him, so he "surrendered" before Dabao could finish three sentences. Erbao looked over and Geng Leilei immediately said: "Everyone go!"
The days were short and the nights were long, so the family did not miss any time on the road, and it was already dark by the time they got home.
I was very tired after walking around for several hours, so I took a shower and rest after dinner.
Geng Zhiye buried himself in Ye Fan's chest and sighed: "It's finally quiet."
Ye Fan laughed out loud.
Geng Zhiye raised his head and said, "Is that funny?" He opened his mouth to bite her.
Ye Fan blocked his mouth: "Laugh at Dabao and Erbao."
Geng Zhiye turned over and lay down, holding back his laughter and said: "The two brats scared people to death for no reason."
"But they are not afraid." Ye Fan turned sideways to him, "Are you afraid?"
Geng Zhiye had never seen anything like this before, including on the battlefield where he was full of blood. "I'm not afraid. Then who didn't say that my calligraphy can drive away ghosts and suppress evil? My calligraphy can do it, and I personally can definitely do it better."
< br>
There was a cool breeze coming in from Ye Fan's side. Geng Zhiye felt it and turned over to tuck in the quilt: "Don't catch a cold."
"Don't move." Ye Fan held him down. "When you move, it's as if the earth is shaking. I finally understand why my parents are sleeping under the same blanket."
Geng Zhiye leaned closer to her and wrapped the quilt tightly: "Husband and wife have been tired of seeing each other for a long time."
"That's what you said when you arrived at your mother-in-law's house on the second day of the Lunar New Year."
Even if Geng Zhiye had the heart and courage of a leopard, he would not dare to say, "Sleep, sleep."
The next morning, Ye Fan and Geng Zhiqin were cooking and asked Yu Wentao to accompany Yang Mengxia to look at the house. Geng Huihui jumped up and followed him, saying she would make a counteroffer.
Geng Zhiye asked Geng Zhiqin to play Tai Chi with Dabao and Erbao, while he cooked with Ye Fan. When his sister went out, Geng Zhiye whispered: "I suspect Huihui is worried that her sister-in-law will go over there and tell people that she doesn't want to buy it."
Ye Fan: "No. My sister-in-law wants to save face. She really doesn't want to buy it, so she deliberately gives a low price and waits for rejection."
"Do you think it will be sold at the same low price as the house behind?"
Ye Fan shook his head: "I'm going out later and don't plan to come back. This one is going to Shanghai. If you don't mind it, you can rent it out for a while. It doesn't have to be sold."
"Listen to what you say, it's not easy to talk about." Geng Zhiye put the steel pot on the stove, "My family needs steel pots to cook porridge." Normally, a rice cooker is enough.
Ye Fan said: "Eat shredded potatoes and cabbage?"
Geng Zhiye said: "You cut the cabbage, and I'll peel the potatoes."
Ye Fan cut the cabbage and set it aside, and scraped the potatoes together beside Geng Zhiye.
The potatoes were too small to cut, so Ye Fan asked Geng Zhiye to cut them. There was nothing going on today, so Geng Zhiye took his time, chatting with Ye Fan while cutting.
Yu Wentao didn't come back until the vegetables were cooked around eight o'clock.
Ye Fan asked a few young men to serve the dishes. Geng Benben saw slices of meat in the cabbage: "Auntie, do you eat meat in the morning?"
Ye Fan explained that cabbage has a mild taste and is delicious when stir-fried with pork belly. While eating, Ye Fan asked her mother-in-law how the conversation went.
As expected, it's not easy to talk about. The asking price there was 10,000 yuan, and the house was similar to the one Geng Huihui’s aunt bought. Geng Huihui couldn’t help complaining: “It’s cheaper than my aunt.”
Ye Fan asked: "Sister-in-law, are you worried about not having enough money? We still have a few thousand more. You can also borrow Aunt Yu's."
Geng Zhiye's eldest brother is a fastidious man, and Yu Wentao is not worried about whether he will not pay back the money he owes: "You can use mine. I live with Fanfan and the third child, and I usually don't have much money to spend."
Yang Mengxia didn’t want to buy a house, but was too embarrassed to refuse: “I’ll go back and ask Zhihua.”
Geng Huihui blurted out: "How troublesome is it to go back? Send a telegram."
Yang Mengxia's breathing paused for a moment.
Ye Fanxin said, you really have no vision, "You are already twenty-nine today, who has the heart to send you a telegram? We will talk about it after the year. Eat first!"
"That's right." Geng Huihui realized later, "Even if someone goes to work, the postman who delivers telegrams has to go home for the New Year."
After dinner, Ye Fan and Geng Zhiye took Dabao and Erbao to take a bath, Geng Huihui and Geng Benben took Yang Mengxia to the park, and Yu Wentao and Geng Zhiqin returned to the village to visit the grave.
It was cold and freezing, and it was inconvenient to take a car. Yu Wentao didn't want to go again after the New Year, so she brought more things with her. Ye Fan asked her to get a pound of shrimps and a Spanish mackerel, and cut up one or two pounds of pork legs for her.
Yu Wentao wanted to buy some candies and pastries, and keep the fish and meat for herself. Ye Fan said that she had made a lot of money thanks to the help of several uncles, and she regarded fish, shrimp and meat as filial piety to her elders.
Ye Fan said that Yu Wentao was very happy. When she arrived at her eldest brother's house, she said, "I don't know if the shrimp has melted yet," and then asked Geng Zhiqin to take it out quickly.
Geng Zhiqin was worried that the ice on the shrimp would wet the brown sugar, so he took out everything in the basket. When her eldest aunt saw another big hard fish, she couldn't help but said: "A few days ago, we pulled a net to catch fish in the village, and every household got one or two. Didn't you tell me?"
Yu Wentao looked very troubled: "Fanfanfei said that the fish in the sea are different from those raised in the river. I want you to try it too."
Sister-in-law Yu Wentao couldn't help but come to Geng Zhiqin: "No wonder it's so long, it turns out to be a sea fish. How to eat it?"
Geng Zhiqin said that you can cut the fish in half and remove the bones, dig out the fish meat with a spoon, chop it into pieces and make dumplings, or you can fry it and make smoked fish.
The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and every household has to make dumplings. Aunt Geng Zhiqin said: "Let's make dumplings."
While the fish was being thawed in warm water, Ye Fan and Geng Zhiye also took a bath. Her hair was wet, and Ye Fan was worried that the two children would catch cold if they ran out, so she asked them to bask in the sun in the courtyard while she and Geng Zhiye did the laundry.
The countryside is full of dirt, and Ye Fan has a lot of dust on his feet when he walks around, so the shoes he wears these days have to be cleaned.
Dabao saw his mother cleaning his shoes and took out all the shoes he had recently worn: "Mom, thank you for your hard work!"
Ye Fan gave him a shock: "You are cheating people to death with your mouth!"
"I'm not lying!" Dabao returned to sit by the wall.
Seeing that the two children were bored, Geng Zhiye went to the house to get a stack of newspapers - ordered by Ye Fan, "Concerned about the international situation."
Dabao subconsciously took it: "I won't go abroad."
Ye Fan: "To prevent being cheated in the future."
"Then let's take a look." Dabao opened it, "Foreigners are really bad!"
Erbao couldn't help but said: "Mom, the old lady who sold grandma the house doesn't know much better than you and dad."
Ye Fan: "Being older does not mean that you are well-informed. Your grandma is more than twenty years older than me. Do you know as much as I do?"
Erbao shook his head: "Brother, give me one. I know more than grandma."
Dabao gave her one.
The brother and sister went there to learn more, so they did not find the content in the newspaper boring.
An old man passing by Ye Fan's house took a casual glance and saw Dabao and Erbao. He couldn't help but come in and asked: "Are Dabao and Erbao still reading the newspaper?"
The two children didn't hear it.
Ye Fan explained with a smile: "I'm fascinated by it. Are you ready for the new year's goods?"
The uncle nodded: "Okay."
Geng Zhiye wiped his hands and gave him a cigarette. The uncle waved his hand: "I'm older and the doctor won't let me smoke."
Upon hearing this, Geng Zhiye put the cigarette back and went to get a chair from the room. The uncle said "no need", but took the chair and sat down, asking Ye Fan why he didn't sell pork today.
Ye Fan: "All the big pigs in the village have been sold. Didn't your family buy meat?"
The uncle nodded: "I bought it. Has anyone given you trouble these days?"
Ye Fan told the truth: "There are a few. But they don't have enough confidence, so it's no big deal." She didn't mention the day she took action. She just said that the other party was trying to make a big deal, so she blamed it. Finally, she added, "It's not easy for ordinary people to grow something." , in front of the mayor, the mayor’s consciousness is also to speak for the people.”
The uncle asked again: "Does every household in the countryside raise pigs?"
Ye Fan: "Most families raise one or two. Some villagers raise sheep."
Geng Zhiye wondered why the uncle was asking this, but he never mentioned the point, so he took the initiative to ask: "You always want to sell pork?"
The uncle smiled and said: "I'm old and can't do it anymore."
Geng Zhiye became more and more curious. Could it be that they were just chatting and calculating how much money he and Ye Fan had made in the past few days.
Seeing that the washing machine stopped, Geng Zhiye took out the clothes to dry.
The uncle was envious: "It's more convenient to use a washing machine."
Ye Fan: "You have to hand wash even very dirty clothes."
Even though she said this, the uncle was still envious: "It's expensive, isn't it?"
Ye Fan nodded: "My father-in-law bought it when he was still alive. We can't afford it with the little money we earn."
The uncle didn't believe that they only had a little money. The uncle has calculated the price of pork. Ye Fan sells one yuan per kilogram of pork, and eight or nine cents at the vegetable market. She earns more than ten yuan per pig, which is fifty-five cents compared to the villagers. Excluding the car rental fee, she can still earn twenty or thirty yuan a day. .
Working for three days is equivalent to working for someone else for a year, which is a huge profit.
But this was something she couldn't envy. First of all, most people couldn't rent a transport truck. Secondly, if it wasn't for the Chinese New Year, she wouldn't be able to sell ten pigs a day. And most importantly, her family had relatives in the countryside who could get pigs.
These three are indispensable.
The uncle asked: "Will you still sell it after the new year?"
Ye Fan: "Let's sell it a day or two before the Lantern Festival."
Geng Zhiye asked deliberately: "Didn't you ask Fanfan to order meat so early?"
The uncle shook his head and still didn't tell the truth. He sat for a while and then said he would go to the park for a walk.
There are parks in the south and north of Ye Fan's house, and the furthest distance is less than one kilometer. It is normal for the uncle to go to the park, and Ye Fan believes it. Geng Zhiye didn't doubt the uncle's words, but the uncle's question about pork was obviously not just a small talk: "What does this uncle want to do?"
"Dad is so stupid." Dabao didn't know when he put down the newspaper, and he didn't know how much he heard. Geng Zhiye said: "If you are not stupid, can you tell me?"
Dabao: "What are the benefits?"
Geng Zhiye was speechless: "Shall I buy you a handful of small fireworks and leave them for you to set off tomorrow night?"
Dabao immediately said: "I want to sell pork to you and my mother."
Erbao shook his head: "Brother said it wrong, uncle said it can't be done!"
Dabao: “I can’t do it alone, I can do it with my parents.”
(End of chapter)