1983 Small Island, Starting From a Large Farmer

Chapter 4 Father and Son (seeking investment in pursuing reading)

 At about half past seven, it became completely dark.

At this time, two figures appeared in the courtyard of the stone house, carrying two baskets full of oysters.

 After seeing the figures of the two people clearly.

Li Duoyu was stunned on the spot, especially the middle-aged man who already had a lot of white hair. An unspeakable emotion was brewing uncontrollably.

　In his last life, his father had worked hard for most of his life. He was the one who loved him the most and was the one who worried the most.

 Before leaving, I was still asking my eldest brother: How is Duoyu living in the island country?

 As a result, Li Duoyu was afraid of being deported, so in the end he was unable to come back to see him off.

 Thinking about it, it’s quite unfilial.

Seeing the second elder carrying such heavy oysters, Li Duoyu quickly stepped forward and helped pour the oysters out of the basket.

The warm reunion scene was interrupted by the sharp voice of the second sister-in-law Zhu Xiuhua before it lasted for a while.

 “Li Yaoguo, can’t you make a difference?”

“As for your village accountant’s job, you only have to work for half an hour a day. Look at how diligent and smart my uncle is. A trip to the sea can cover his salary for one or two years.”

Seeing that the second oldest son, Li Yaoguo, was being scolded by his daughter-in-law again.

The two elders also had helpless faces. The reason why they came back so late was because they didn’t want to hear the daughter-in-law’s nonsense.

Looking at the cowardly second son, Lao Li was furious. What he regretted most in his life so far was that he failed to stop the second son's marriage.

 Hearing the second sister-in-law's rage there, Li Duoyu also had a headache. Why are you so angry with me?

 After the two elders arrived home, Aniang went directly to the kitchen to light a fire to cook, while Lao Li took out the tobacco he had brought with him and wrapped a hand-rolled cigarette in cigarette paper.

 After taking a few puffs.

Looking at Li Duoyu who was still grinning stupidly, he asked casually: "Have you had dinner?"

“Eat it.” Li Duoyu chuckled.

“You didn’t know how to leave some for us after you ate it. There was a big ship coming today, why didn’t you go out?”

 “Maybe we won’t sell the goods in the future.”

Unexpectedly, as soon as Li Duoyu finished speaking, his second sister-in-law rushed out of the room and looked at him in surprise:

“Duoyu, you really don’t want to sell anything, right?”

 Looking at the shocked and nervous expression of the second sister-in-law, Li Duoyu was really a little confused.

 “I’m not leaving.”

 Li Duoyu replied clearly.

The second sister-in-law became anxious after receiving the exact answer:

“Duoyu, you can’t do this. Once you’ve made money, you won’t care about your second brother.”

"When we separated, I gave Xiaoying the dressing table to her. When we built this stone house when you were still young, your second brother helped to build it. Logically speaking, the stone house you live in now Half of this apartment belongs to your second brother."

Li Duoyu now understood why the second sister-in-law started lecturing her as soon as her parents came back. It turned out that the words were spoken to him on purpose.

The purpose was to let him take the second brother to "smuggle goods", but when he heard that he didn't want to do this anymore, he immediately jumped on his feet and rushed out.

 In the past life, if the second sister-in-law was so messy, Li Duoyu would definitely fight back.

 But Li Duoyu, who is actually in his fifties or sixties, knows better than to reason with such a woman and should use all his strength.

 But just when he was about to start spraying, Lao Li, who was smoking a hand-rolled cigarette, took the lead and got angry:

 “That’s enough, you can’t talk properly and you have to make trouble every time.”

 See Lao Li and teach her.

Zhu Xiuhua, who was jumping, pointed the gun at him.

"Dad, you can't be so partial. Do you think I don't know that when we separated, although you didn't give the fourth child any money, you secretly gave a lot to Xiaoying. Did we say anything? The fourth child can now The money you make may be based on the money you gave me in the first place.”

“That’s the bride price I gave Xiaoying, don’t you also have it?”

“Xiaoying’s parents have been gone for a long time, and she was raised by our family since she was a child. If there is any need for a betrothal gift, this money was clearly given to the fourth child on purpose by you.”

 Zhou Xiaoying, who was preparing lessons, was confused by her second sister-in-law. After hearing something related to herself, she silently put down her pen.

Lao Li was so angry with his daughter-in-law that he coughed.

In the kitchen, Mother Li, who was holding a cooking shovel, really wanted to rush out and teach her daughter-in-law a lesson.

This time, Li Duoyu couldn't bear it anymore and said that anyone could do it. Even her sensible wife said that she slapped the table on the spot and said:

“Since the calculation is so clear, okay, let’s calculate it piece by piece, and you should spit out the eldest brother’s share first.”

Li Duoyu suddenly became angry, which startled Zhu Xiuhua, but she saw nearby neighbors coming out to watch the show.

Instead of restraining himself, Zhu Xiuhua shouted at the top of his lungs: "Let's judge." Seeing his wife being embarrassed there, his second brother Li Yaoguo, who was usually very timid, quickly dragged her back: "Don't embarrass me anymore, give it to me now. go home."

Li Yaoguo even hit her several times when he pulled her.

 “If you weren’t useless, I wouldn’t need to be so embarrassed.”

While cursing, Zhu Xiuhua started crying aggrievedly, as if everyone had united to bully her.

 After a farce is over.

 All the neighbors who were watching also dispersed. Lao Li smoked the remaining cigarette in one gulp, his face full of exhaustion.

The more children there are, the more troubles there will be.

 There was a quarrel before the family was separated, but it would still be quarrel after the family was separated.

 Fortunately, the fourth child didn't go crazy tonight, otherwise it would have been another restless night.

 Lao Li glanced at Li Duoyu:

"Your mother went to the sea today and caught some small seafood and sea melon seeds. If you have nothing to do tonight, would you like to have a drink together?"

 “Then I’ll get the wine.”

Li Duoyu said with a smile.

 Lao Li nodded: "Get a better one, don't you know?"

　　"Received, I promise to treat Comrade Li well."

Li Duoyu went home and dug out a bottle of Red Star Maotai from the kitchen.

Although Maotai at this time costs 8 yuan a bottle, it is much more difficult to get than in the previous life. You cannot buy it with money, you must buy it with a ticket.

 Some time ago, when Li Duoyu was out shopping for Yuan Datou, there happened to be a calculator that a city man wanted to import. Li Duoyu directly sold him the one he carried with him in exchange for two Maotai tickets.

 One bottle had been drank by him and Agui a long time ago, and the one at home was the last one.

Seeing Li Duoyu take out Maotai, Lao Li couldn't help grunting twice. Although he had never seen it before, he often heard its advertisements on the radio.

 Maotai is not only the wine used for state banquets, but also the favorite liquor of great men. I never thought that after working hard for most of my life, I would finally be able to drink this kind of wine with my son.

Lao Li shouted to his wife who was busy in the kitchen:

“Huiying, stir-fry the sea melon seeds until fragrant and add more oil. I want to have a good drink with the fourth child today.”

 After unscrewing the bottle cap.

 The aroma of Moutai instantly filled the whole house. Lao Li took a few strong sniffs and said, "Sure enough, good wine is fragrant."

Li Duoyu also thinks this Maotai is very fragrant, but he is really ashamed to say that in his previous life, except for the bottle of Maotai he drank with Agui, he never drank it again.

 While waiting for the food to be served, the father and son had already drank most of the Moutai. They drank one cup each, and after a few drinks, their eyes were all red, as if they were both people with stories to tell.

 Half a pound of white wine.

 Lao Li burped.

“It’s not profitable to be a fisherman now. If you don’t sell the goods, what are you going to do in the future?”

 After drinking, Li Duoyu, whose cheeks turned red, thought for a while and replied, “Maybe I’ll do some kelp farming first.”

Hearing that kelp was to be raised, Lao Li was stunned for a moment: "It's not that this thing doesn't make money. In the past few years, people on our island also raised kelp, but in the end they all died in the sea, and they lost a lot of money."

“Daddy, there is a breakthrough in breeding technology.”

 Lao Li really didn't believe it: "I think it's still unreliable. If you really want to engage in farming, I will leave the acres of oysters at home to you."

“Forget it, if you really give me those acres of oysters, my second sister-in-law must not fight with me.”

 Li Duoyu cleaned up the sea melon seeds in the basin, and then shouted to his mother in the kitchen: "I'm going to find my uncle in a while. Do you have anything to bring to him?"

My mother is a very conservative woman. Once the men in the family drink, she will usually not sit at the same table. Instead, she will eat by herself with a bowl in hand.

 Chen Huiying in the kitchen, after hearing this, thought for a while and replied: "We don't have anything good to give him at home. If he wants it, just bring him some dried fish, dried oysters, and dried cuttlefish."

 “I got it, mother.”

 When Lao Li saw that Li Duoyu went to meet his brother-in-law and knew how to bring some souvenirs, he was immediately relieved and became less angry with his daughter-in-law.

Li Duoyu, this child, seems to have grown up overnight. He is no longer the child that people worry about. It is this afro that makes people look very uncomfortable.

“By the way, before you go to see your brother-in-law, you should shave your hair first, otherwise you won’t even be able to get in the door of the institute.”

　　"Received, I'm going to shave my head tomorrow."

  Save this poor newcomer, I hope you have mercy on me.

 (End of this chapter)