Chapter 175
"Candied haws, sweet and crisp."
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Chen Ling rushed to the county primary school, waiting for Wang Zhenzhen to finish school.
Opposite the school, there are sellers of candied haws and snacks, as well as vendors selling large stickers, foreign pictures and other small toys on wooden shelves, arranged in a row along the wall.
Even before it was time to get out of school, they were already shouting.
How can this student still have the attention to listen to the class? His mind has already flown outside.
Waiting until 5:10, the school bell rang.
One by one, they picked up their schoolbags and ran towards the school gate.
The stall was immediately surrounded.
Wang Zhenzhen, who is in the third grade, left the school two minutes late.
At this time, I was carrying a flowery schoolbag and walking with a few little girls while laughing and talking.
Seeing Chen Ling waiting outside, he waved to his classmates, ran over in a bound, and quickly climbed into the back seat.
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, there is a temple fair in the city the day after tomorrow. I want to go to a classmate's house to play, okay?"
"Huh? The temple fair the day after tomorrow?"
Chen Ling was stunned After a moment, he counted the days with his fingers: "That's right, the day after tomorrow is September 21st. It goes by so fast."
Lingyun holds three temple fairs every year.
It is the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the fifth day of May, and the twenty-first day of September, respectively. It is always lively.
"Will your school give you a holiday for the temple fair?"
"Of course we will. For the temple fair, the principal and teachers will also have people from their homes."
"Okay."
"Then do you let me go to my classmate's house to play?"
"You can go if you want. But when you come over, remember to bring something to Aunt Hongyu's house and your elder sister Qiumei's house. Me and If your sister can't leave, they can look after you..."
Chen Ling instructed.
Everyone was present at the temple fair, it was a mess, and usually no one was abducted.
When a little kid comes to attend the temple fair, he still has to ask an adult to keep an eye on him so that he can feel at ease.
"You still want to spend the day in the village, so can't you come?"
Wang Zhenzhen asked.
"Yes, the old man who is missing is the fourth grandma of our Chen family. Your sister and I have both brought mourning mourners and cannot visit relatives these days."
Chen Ling said Then, when he saw Liu Nier and the others boarding Wang Lihui's donkey cart, he walked over and asked them to take Wang Zhenzhen with them when they came to attend the temple fair the day after tomorrow.
Liu Nier’s aunt is from the county town.
Every year on the 16th of the first lunar month and the 21st of the ninth lunar month, there are two temple fairs. I don’t have much farm work to do, so I come to the county town to visit relatives.
"Don't worry, Uncle Fugui, I will be with my little aunt when the time comes."
"Me too. Except for my grandfather and my grandma, basically everyone from my family will come..."
"That's right, a lot of people are coming to our village. My aunt will be watched by someone. Don't worry, uncle."
"Okay, remember to follow the adults and don't run around."
After giving instructions again, Chen Ling glanced at the things in the hands of the little kids and couldn't help but smile: "Good guy, you are rich. Each of you has a big foreign picture."
"What? You lost the ones I gave you last time? Why buy new ones?”
When we were building a house, we found half a box of these things that Chen Ling had saved when he was in school. Yes, it was all divided among them.
“No.”
Liu Nier immediately shook her head, “Not only did we not lose, we also beat the boss by a pack.”
"Hahaha, you kid, just be stubborn. How can you buy it after winning? I don't think I won a pack of the boss, but I got a pack of the boss."
Wang Lihui dumped him He shook the donkey's whip and said with a smile.
"Oh, Third Uncle, you guessed it right..."
As soon as he heard this, Pig Boy's eyes lit up, he patted the car board and shouted: "During class , Liu Nier took advantage of the teacher's absence to film foreign cartoons with others behind the classroom, and won a lot. Before she could be happy, the teacher caught them, made them stand for two classes, and slapped their hands. It’s swollen and has a big bulge.”
“The teacher was so angry that he even searched out all the foreign cartoons in our class and took them away.”
"Well, it can hold a sack. There are so many people. It would be great if they were all given to me."
"You guys, why are you talking about this to the outside world..."
Liu Ni The boy's face suddenly turned red: "Isn't this all compensated to you?"
"You're the one who compensated me, my third uncle bought it for me."
Zhuwa was immediately unconvinced. : "You also asked the teacher to take away what Uncle Fugui gave us. Uncle Fugui had been saving it for many years, and he couldn't bear to throw it away, so you lost it all."
The little kids started arguing with each other.
Chen Ling and Wang Lihui did not dissuade them. They watched happily and found it quite interesting.
“There are still two days until the temple fair, so there are more and more people selling things.”
“Isn’t it? Just like when we were children, the vendors are very bad. , just put the things out early to make people greedy. Otherwise, how can you arouse the little kid's mind and save money to buy it on the day of the temple fair? "
Wang Lihui said with a smile.
The two chatted and laughed along the way, and met many villagers on the road.
"Brother Donkey, you are just standing there looking at the Western scene. Hurry up and go home!"
"Ha, you guys pick up the baby, I came over to play some cotton. ”
Soon, we went up the mountain road. The donkey cart was slower, so Chen Ling was allowed to take the first step.
After all, Chen Ling has to go to Fourth Grandma’s house when she goes back.
Dinner is relatively early in the village, so I went back slowly and couldn't catch up with the meal.
And there are many things to do after dinner.
As for Wang Lihui and others who are not close to each other, they don't need to be tied there every day like the old Chen family. They can just pay a funeral and follow the ceremony.
……
“Back?”
When she got home, Wang Susu took her sister's schoolbag into her hands and asked the little girl to wash her hands.
Then he did not forget to remind: "There is a big pot of leftover food in the kitchen from noon. I have just heated it up. You can take it out and eat it yourself. I will go with your brother-in-law."
"Well, sister, have you fed the sheep?"
"You haven't fed them yet. If you want, go and feed them. It's getting dark soon. Eat your meal and close the door. I'll be back in a moment."
“I know, Heiwa and Xiaojin are here, I’m not afraid.”
After that, the young couple went out to have dinner with the fourth grandma.
"The speaker maker came very quickly."
"Of course, it won't work soon. You have to get there early. They arrived not long after you left home in the morning."
Chen Before Ling and the two arrived, they heard the sound of blowing and beating, and then there were the sounds of cannons, which rushed into the sky and exploded. This was someone coming to pay their respects.
Sure enough, when I walked to the door, a middle-aged man with red eyes walked out, stopped at the door and took out two pieces of money as a gift.
There was an Eight Immortals table at the entrance of the courtyard. There was a small book made of white paper on it, and a bottle of ink beside it. Wang Laishun took the money, put it neatly in the box, pressed it neatly, and then wrote his name and gift with his reading glasses. After writing down the amount of money, point it out to the man. If there is nothing wrong, that's it.
The man came out and met Chen Ling.
After being stunned for a moment, he nodded, pushed into the car and left.
This is Fourth Grandma’s eldest nephew, whom I met this morning.
"Fugui, you are here just in time. It is getting dark and no one comes to the door. You can lead the trumpet maker to let people eat first."
As soon as he entered the courtyard and before he fully entered the courtyard, Chen Sangui assigned him a job.
“Okay, shall we go to Uncle Yongsheng’s house or Uncle Yonggang’s house?”
“Yongsheng, your fourth grandma was not there when it was Yongsheng’s turn to take charge of it. From now on, she will go there. Leader of the Yongsheng family."
"Okay, I understand."
After Chen Ling agreed, he went to call the trumpet maker, packed up his things, and headed to Chen Yongsheng's house.
There are six trumpet makers, old and young, all men, who are responsible for the suona, cymbals, sheng, gongs, snare drums and clappers respectively. The division of labor is clear and everyone has the same responsibility.
After a day of playing and playing, their faces also showed signs of fatigue.
After dinner, we will stay at Chen Yongsheng’s house to rest.
They are not from the same village, they are a team that has come together. They will stay here after they are invited, and will not leave until the last day when Fourth Grandma is buried.
The size of the trumpet maker team these days is not large.
There are generally fewer people, making it easier to manage.
In a few years, starting from 1998, rural youth will go out to work in large numbers.
The old man left behind is not strong enough.
I can’t get things done.
Just get up and have a one-stop funeral package.
Compared with then, it is much easier to manage now.
Tonight, the trumpet makers are prepared with meatball soup and steamed buns with meat and vegetable dishes.
Slightly better than big pot rice.
After Chen Ling ate with them, he gradually learned something about it.
For example, what does Wang Susu mean when he says that this job must be done early.
In the trumpet-making profession, one has to come over on the morning of the first day of work and play the suona "blow straight".
Blowing straight means blowing a straight sound. The straight sound is to make people wear red and eliminate evil spirits.
It is said that when a person dies, there is an evil spirit. The evil spirit is a kind of falling "qi". When it sees "green" or "red", the evil spirit quietly escapes by itself and does not attach itself to the person. This pair of Everyone who does nothing is a kind of protection.
So when the "Zhi" is played, the head of the family still has to prepare red cloth and reward money. Once the "Zhi" sound is played, the family begins to follow the ancient customs.
“So that’s the straight tone, I know.”
The straight tone is a deep, rough tone that buzzes and vibrates, giving people a sense of depression. Chen Ling was deeply impressed by this when his father passed away.
This is a tune that can amplify people's inner sadness and is extremely contagious.
"I'm going over there. You guys should have a rest early. If you need anything, come and call. There are always people there at night."
"I know. We'll go to bed after we've eaten and drank enough. You go Get busy."
The young trumpet maker smiled and nodded, sending Chen Ling out. It gets dark early in the mountains in autumn and winter.
It started to get dark as soon as six o'clock passed, and it was already pitch black.
Having finished their meal here in the old house, Chen Ze and others set off cannons outside the door. This was to notify people to come and gather quickly, and they were going to put on mourning and press paper outside the village.
They are much more tired than Chen Ling staying at home today.
But young boys are just doing odd jobs in situations like this.
No one can escape.
"Shui Wa, Shui Wa, the painter has not been found. I will follow you to another village tomorrow and ask."
"I understand."
The painter It's a coffin painter, so it's not easy to find.
Like a papermaker, this kind of work requires craftsmanship, and not many people can do it.
There are papermakers in their village, but they can't find any painters.
There are many people who send souls. This is the most common. It is found in every village, including several in Chenwangzhuang.
Mainly are old bachelors and old widowers.
"Fugui, I have already looked forward to the day of burial today. You and Dazhi will go to the tomb at three o'clock tomorrow night."
"Okay."
"Baoliang, I will follow your brothers Guoxing and Guowang to make a monument tomorrow."
"Baocang, you guys will stay with me tonight."
"..."< br>
After returning from pressing the paper, Chen Sangui began to assign tasks again.
Since the Fourth Grandma left after midnight that night and could not be buried until the third day, the coffin lasted for five days.
It takes a long time, and there are many things going on inside and outside, so you need to arrange them in advance to avoid chaos.
The next morning, nothing happened at Chen Ling’s house.
The couple didn't eat there either. They walked around and then went home to cook for themselves.
After breakfast, I drove the bullock cart to the fields with my wife to collect vegetables.
Before frosting.
In just ten days, the vegetable field looked different every day.
Chinese cabbage is like an inflated rubber ball, flying straight up. Some vegetables weigh three to five kilograms.
After a few days of frost, the vegetables stopped growing and the taste became good enough.
It's time to take the vegetables home.
After being weathered, the cabbage does not look very delicate and pretty.
The thick, dark green leaves are wrinkled, the bright yellow cabbage heart, and the outermost leaves are curled, yellow and scorched, with rough texture and some small insect-bitten holes.
But this kind of Chinese cabbage is the most delicious when eaten.
One tree is close to the other, and the clusters are hugging each other.
What shines slightly in the sun is the dewdrops that have not dissipated.
As the two of them walked into the vegetable field, they slowly shook down and fell into the soil.
Started to collect vegetables.
Put the cabbage down one by one, remove the roots and yellow leaves, and stack them on the bullock cart.
It doesn’t have to be too full, just about right.
Take the carts home and put them in the vegetable cellar for storage.
Of course, there is a lot of cabbage this year, so there is no need to save it all.
The rest should also be marinated in two large tanks of vegetables.
It is a tradition to pickle vegetables to prevent spring famine. Every family in the village will pickle vegetables at this time, and many families can eat it until next summer.
But there is no rush to pickle the cabbage that has just been recovered from the field.
Let it dry for two or three days before pickling it. It will taste better.
So the two of them put the cabbages into the cellar and dried them in the sun.
Then I rested for a while...
I took out the remaining goat milk and prepared to make yogurt.
I can’t finish the goat milk produced at home every day.
It would also be good to make some yogurt, or simply make some cheese and other desserts.
Not only does it last a little longer, it also changes the taste.
Just a few days ago, when Liang Hongyu's family came here, they brought some yogurt.
It is the kind of old-fashioned yogurt in a big-bellied porcelain bottle, sealed with wax and covered with a yellow rubber band. The amount is extremely generous.
With these yogurts as a starter, there is no need to buy any starter culture.
After the goat milk is cooked, stir it and add some. It’s very simple.
Otherwise it is not easy to find yogurt starter locally.
Chen Ling originally bought some rice wine.
I want to use rice wine as an introduction.
But it tastes like alcohol when made like this.
My wife and sister-in-law are not very willing to drink it.
Just be prepared to make some for yourself.
Boil the squeezed goat milk and let it sit until slightly hot.
Take this time to scald the cans containing milk with boiling water to sterilize them.
Due to the large temperature changes in the mountains during the day in autumn and winter.
In order to maintain the temperature to ensure fermentation, heat the stove and boil water in the pot.
Wait for the goat milk to cool down, add yogurt and rice wine, stir thoroughly, seal everything, put it on the stove, and ferment at this temperature.
You can drink it almost in the evening.
After everything is done.
Chen Ling took the large basin of water in the yard and poured it outside.
The water in the pot on the stove can be added or removed in between, as long as the temperature is sufficient.
It just so happens that my daughter-in-law has to do laundry today, so she won’t waste it.
"Didi."
As soon as Chen Ling poured out the water and was about to go herd the sheep, a pickup truck drove over with its horn honking.
Looked at the license plate number.
Chen Ling smiled, placed the big basin at the door, and walked forward.
It was Zhao Dahai who came, not only himself this time, but also with his mother-in-law and daughter.
"I found out last month that my sister-in-law had a baby, and I had to come over a long time ago. My sister urged me, and Jusheng also called me to urge me. I almost memorized your hometown phone number."
"Who knew that there were a lot of bullshit, one after another, that would make it difficult for me to live or die..."
Zhao Dahai sighed with a sad face.
"Haha, you are busy with your work. Come back when you are done."
Chen Ling smiled and said to the woman holding the child next to her: "This is my first time here, sister-in-law. Please leave quickly." I’m standing outside. Come home quickly.”
Zhao Dahai's daughter-in-law is a petite woman less than 1.6 meters tall, with a slim and slender figure. She is holding a baby girl that is about the same size as a big head. Both mother and daughter are very shy. They are carrying gifts and saying hello to Chen Ling with a slightly blushing face. Then he followed him into the house.
"This is Brother Dahai's sister-in-law, come on, come on, come in and sit in the house."
Wang Susu took off the sheets and quilt covers in the house and took them out to wash, when she saw Chen Ling led the people into the courtyard, put down the things in his hands, and hurriedly greeted them.
After entering the room to chat for a while and getting to know each other, Zhao Dahai couldn't sit still.
"You and your siblings should stay at home, Fugui and I will go out for a walk."
Zhao Dahai said something to his wife, then pulled Chen Ling outside, walked to the car, winked and smiled: "Let me show you something nice."
What else did Chen Ling think he had brought? , and as a result, the car door was opened and a dog came out.
It is a thin, grass-grey dog with a delicate leather sheath hanging around its neck.
Looking at Zhao Dahai, then at Chen Ling, he put his ears back and slowly waggled his tail.
“Good guy, you brought the dog with you.”
Chen Ling looked back and forth, "Let him go and let him poop and pee first. Look at his legs shaking, he's been holding it in all the way."
"Oh, yes, yes. "
Zhao Dahai hurriedly took the dog to the side. After a while, he came back and said to Chen Ling: "Where is your dog? Why don't you see it? Come on, let's go practice some legs together."
This fat man has been shouting for a long time to bring the dog over to chase the mountain, but he never got the chance.
"I'm sleeping in the kennel. I haven't let them run around much in the past two days."
With that said, he called out the two dogs.
Seeing two dogs running out, Zhao Dahai yelled before the dogs brought by Zhao Dahai were well, "Oh my mother, Hei Wa, what's wrong with you?" "
I saw that the originally satin-like black and shiny hair on Heiwa's body looked as if it had been chewed by the dog. It was pitted and bald in patches. It was very miserable.
But Hei Wa didn't care. He was still the same as before, with his chest raised and his head raised, walking like a dragon and a tiger, looking majestic and high-spirited.
At this time, he raised his tail and stepped forward to sniff the butt of the thin dog next to Zhao Dahai.
As a result, the thin dog was so frightened that it crawled on the ground with a grunt, carefully turned its belly, and stretched out its tongue to lick Heiwa with a look full of flattery.
As a result, Xiao Jin was so angry that he roared with fur. The thin dog was immediately frightened and was at a loss. Look at this, then look at that, it’s so innocent.
"What can we do? I'm just getting beaten."
Chen Ling kicked Hei Wa, called them over, and said with a smile.
"Get beaten? No way, I heard from Ju Sheng that Hei Wa has become so fierce that he dares to fight a wolf head-on and kills a wolf with one bite."
Zhao Dahai's face was full of disbelief: "Besides, there is Xiao Jinli, who dares to mess with them."
"Why not? The rabbit bites people when it is anxious. I will take you to have a look." ”
(End of this chapter)