National Tide 1980

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, the two small north rooms of Kang Shude and Ning Weimin were more lively than a teahouse.

After Ning Weimin walked into the house, he first met Kang Shude respectfully and solemnly.

Then he went back to the hut and put on his old cotton coat, cotton trousers, and big cotton nest.

After that, they returned to the old man's house and had a tea party.

You know, it took half a year for the three neighbors to see Ning Weimin, and everyone wanted to stay a little longer.

Moreover, there is no pig slaughtering to see in the capital during the Chinese New Year, so it is boring every day.

Even out of curiosity about a foreign country, everyone would inevitably surround Ning Weimin and ask about his latest news in Japan.

This is human nature.

Ning Weimin naturally understands this and can understand it.

He took out a soft seven-star and some Japanese candy to entertain the big guys.

Then he sat down with peace of mind, holding a teacup, picked up some interesting things, and told everyone about what he saw and heard in Japan.

For example, in the first two days, on the morning when he and Axia reunited, they just made a small joke because they were not familiar with Japanese customs.

What's going on?

On the day of the love affair, Ning Weimin was waiting for the bus at the bus station in Tokyo. When he was going to work at the company, because he was bored and didn't have breakfast, he began to miss and look forward to the breakfast in the capital.

What are the freshly fried fried ghosts with soy milk, the crispy baked sesame seeds with stir-fried liver, pancakes with fruit, sesame cakes with meat, bean curd, old tofu, bean soup, offal soup...

As a result, the more he thought about it, the more he became greedy. He moved his index finger and wanted to eat.

What he didn't even expect was that he would come up with whatever he thought of. When he turned around, he found that the small stall next to him actually sold fried soybeans.

Although it cannot be compared with the good stuff made in China using five-spice pepper and salt.

But the bags of fried soybeans look clean and attractive, browned and crispy.

Ning Weimin went to buy a pack, and then Shi Shiran took out a few and ate them. It tasted really good.

But when "Gah Bang Ga Bang" was happy, he suddenly looked up and saw the little Japanese girl selling fried soybeans staring at him with his mouth open, as if a trumpet flower had grown on his face.

Looking around, the Japanese passengers waiting for the bus also had some weird expressions.

How weird?

To describe it, it would be "respect ghosts and gods and stay away from them".

Ning Weimin thought at the time that he was violating the public custom of not eating outside in Japanese society, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

He just thinks that the Japanese are a bit too busy, and they are not even allowed to eat in public.

Okay, then let’s just put away the soybeans and stop eating them.

But he never expected that he would come to his company, make a cup of tea in the tea room, and eat some soybeans.

When the employees in the company saw him, they all stared at him, and collectively scanned him with their eyes.

At this time, Ning Weimin realized something was wrong.

After further questioning, someone finally told him what was going on.

It turns out that this Japanese fried soybean has a lot of legend, and it is actually related to Japanese monsters.

In fact, this fried soybean is not a snack, but a magical weapon used in Japan to "fight ghosts".

Japanese folk custom believes that monsters and monsters are everywhere, and may invade people's homes from time to time and commit various misdeeds.

In order to avoid being hurt by these guys who mingle with the crowd, Japan calls the day before the spring equinox of our lunar calendar "Setsubun" as a festival dedicated to fighting ghosts and exorcising evil spirits.

Every day on this day, someone in the family would put on a hideous mask and dress up as a monster and walk in through the door.

Then the whole family would hit their faces with the fried soybeans, shouting, "福は~~内,鬼は~~外 (luck comes to the house, monsters go out)". Through this ritual, all kinds of ghosts and ghosts were driven out. .

It sounds like the Chinese setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve.

This ritual is performed by every household in Japan and is rarely ignored.

It was probably because other people were chasing ghosts out of their homes, and if I didn't, then the monsters wandering around the streets would just come to my door.

Of course, fried soybeans are not unavoidable.

But first of all, they only eat the remaining "ammunition" after defeating the ghosts.

Secondly, it is said that the amount of food eaten is also taboo and must be calculated according to age.

Ten pills for ten years old, twenty pills for twenty years old, and so on.

As for people like Ning Weimin, who opens the package on the spot after buying it and eats it in large chunks like peanuts, it is really rare.

Therefore, foreigners are foreigners, and it is the same for Chinese people when they go to Japan.

This is the same feeling as in Beijing, when we see foreigners who have just learned how to use tachyon to eat, inserting tachyon directly into rice.

Needless to say, such jokes are of course fun, and they are almost the same as listening to cross talk.

Including Kang Shude, all the neighbors in No. 2 Courtyard, young and old, without exception, listened attentively and in high spirits.

Especially when Ning Weimin finished speaking, the audience burst into laughter. It was definitely the best effect of a tea party.

As a result, time flew by after hearing this.

Because Ning Weimin is extremely patient in telling everyone about the lives of ordinary people in Japan, and he mainly focuses on some issues that everyone is concerned about - what is the real modern life like, and how rich are the Japanese people?

Of course, there must be things people like and things they don’t like about what he said.

For example, bus seats in Japan are self-heating, and the prices of electronic products and cars are much cheaper than in China.

There are also tall buildings, abundant nightlife and entertainment, and subways extending in all directions, covering almost every corner of the city. Of course, everyone is envious of it.

Especially in Tokyo, I heard that many people don’t want slightly broken furniture and appliances and throw them away like garbage.

Everyone regards Japan as a paradise of extreme wealth.

Even though I said I have never been there, I really didn’t know that little Japan has become so wealthy.

But when Ning Weimin talked about the many restrictions on garbage disposal in Japan, as well as the prices of things in stores and the high consumption levels, everyone bared their teeth.

Especially everyone has heard that the price of drinking soy milk and eating fried dough sticks in the morning in Japan can almost eat a pig in the capital.

And the amount of soy milk is pitifully small, unlike the soy milk in our capital which is a big bowl full.

The bowls in which the Japanese drink soy milk are smaller than the teacups in which Liu Zhen drinks tea, and the fried dough sticks are as thin as tachyons.

Everyone who heard this was filled with emotion and unanimously concluded that Japan is definitely not a good place.

Unexpectedly, in Tokyo, people eat like eating tickets. Even if Zhu Bajie goes there, he will starve to death.

But in turn, everyone understands better why Ning Weimin insists on going to Tokyo to open a restaurant.

In a place where a bowl of noodles can be sold for thirty or forty yuan, what business can make more money than this?

This is almost like stealing money.

In this way, everyone smoked, ate, drank, and chatted, completely forgetting the time.

In addition, Ning Weimin also brought gifts to every household.

A complete set of Japanese currency is given to children as a way to make money, tobacco, alcohol, sugar and tea are given to the elderly, and electronic watches, calculators, and small tape recorders are given to young people, all distributed one by one.

And the neighbors also had their own gifts in return.

In short, with all the lively back and forth, no one paid attention, and it was already dark.

As a result, the New Year's Eve dinner for everyone in No. 2 House that night had to be postponed by an hour or two.

Because everyone was busy chatting happily, they forgot about the New Year's Eve dinner, and many tasks haven't been done yet.

Of course, the ones who were most surprised were Luo Guangsheng and his wife, Li Xiuzhi, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Bian family, and the newly married Bian Jianjun.

You know, they rushed back to celebrate the New Year as soon as they got off work today, but when they got home, they all found that no one was there.

Then I heard the movement in the courtyard, and then I realized that Ning Weimin was back, and he came to find them one by one.

So the young people took over the duties of the older people. These people met Ning Weimin, and there was a lot of excitement and pleasantries.

Let's put it this way, this afternoon, Ning Weimin's mouth was not idle, as if he had hosted two New Year's Eve parties.

It wasn't until seven o'clock in the evening that "News Network" started broadcasting, and the neighbors dispersed one by one. Even Luo Guangliang and Xiao Tao took their gifts and went back to their homes for the New Year's Eve dinner.

Ning Weimin and Kang Shude were finally able to talk about their own affairs without being disturbed.

But it is very interesting to say that it is precisely because Ning Weimin has never been in the capital.

This time, he could clearly notice that the relationship between Bian Jiangong's new wife and Aunt Bian's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had changed a lot.

The two of them are actually on good terms now, and "Mu Guiying" seems to be quite favored.

It was far different from what everyone was generally worried about before he went abroad. They were afraid that after "Mu Guiying" came over, Bian's aunt would dislike him, and Bian would be criticized for his meritorious service.

He was inevitably curious and puzzled. He couldn't understand what was going on between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Why did the relationship become so harmonious all of a sudden?

After asking about the whole story, I learned another interesting story about the Bian family from the old man.

For this reason, he had to admit that living in this way was also a skill, and he couldn't help but look at Aunt Bian, his new wife, with admiration.

What the hell happened?

According to Kang Shude, after Bian Jiangong and Mu Yueying got married on National Day last year, at the beginning, it was exactly what everyone thought.

The aunt here doesn't like this new daughter-in-law at all. She just thinks she's pretty. She's just like the paper man in the painting, and she's always in the cold.

Every weekend, the Jiangong couple here come to No. 2 Courtyard to see their parents. They don't look good to Aunt Bian, and there is no use trying to flatter them. They always have to go back to their hometown to do some housework.

The grievances of the young couple made the neighbors look down upon them, and they often put in good words for the young couple behind their backs and made excuses for Aunt Bian.

It's no use. Aunt Bian has a knot in her heart. She always feels that this daughter-in-law has failed in marriage.

Let alone raising a disabled mother, the key point is that "Mu Guiying" herself is no different.

One of the mother and daughter is disabled, the other is careless. They have to make contributions while living their daily lives. It would be strange for a mother like her to feel happy.

But thankfully that's not the case.

After winter came, one Sunday, a self-employed person who bought goods from a street sewing club gave the Bian family a pig's head brought back from the countryside in order to thank Aunt Bian for her help in giving her some cool goods.

It turned out that it was this pig head that changed Aunt Bian's mind and made her no longer have any prejudice against this new daughter-in-law.

You know, there are still big differences between urban and rural people, from daily life to food, clothing, housing and transportation.

Although it is easy for rural people to change their ways when they enter the city, on the other hand, many things that are considered normal in the countryside will also be difficult for urban people.

Take this pig's head for example, placed in a basket, it's a big, meaty and dirty pig's head weighing twenty pounds.

Not many people in the city know how to clean up and do it.

From ancient times to the present, people in the capital have been eating this stuff off the shelf.

In the past, it was all "smoked fish sellers" from the countryside who came to the city with a small red box on their backs to sell cooked pork head meat. Nowadays, you can just buy it in grocery stores. Who has ever done this?

If you really want to find out, you have to ask someone who is older, someone who has moved from the countryside to the city, or a professional chef.

It's a coincidence that the Bian family, Luo family and Mi family are all urban poor.

The housewives of the three families can stew elbows, roast yellow croaker, and make croquettes.

But no one has played with the pig's head, and they haven't come up with an accurate idea after putting it together.

Daughters-in-law? It’s even more hopeless. The old house bird can’t do it, but the little house bird can do it?

But let's not say anything, nothing can trouble those who are willing to do it. On this day, Mu Yueying should be the one to shine.

She had been worried about the elderly at home for a long time that day, and she actually enthusiastically recommended herself.

"Mom, if it doesn't work, can you let me try?"

"You? You can do it?" Aunt Bian didn't believe it at all.

"No one knows it anyway, so just let me try. It doesn't matter if I don't know it. There is a mouth under the nose. At worst, I'll ask someone else? You just rest and don't worry about it..."

"Drink, don't let me take care of it. That's fine. Okay, then I'll leave this thing to you. Once it's cooked, everyone can eat it."

Aunt Bian was also a little angry at that time.

I thought to myself, but I don't believe it. If we can't do something, you can do it.

ask? Who to ask?

No one in this courtyard knows how to do it, so if you ask any more questions, you can only go to the streets to search.

Not to mention, this "Mu Guiying" had the intention of taking to the streets.

I saw her carrying a cutting board and knife in one hand, and a basket with a big pig's head in the other hand, and walked out of the door proudly.

It really seemed like Mu Guiying was going to break through the Tianmen Formation.

Aunt Bian was surprised by this.

It must be said that it is not easy for anyone to eat meat at this time.

She felt a little distressed that such a big pig's head would make it impossible for her daughter-in-law to mess around with, so she couldn't help but follow him out quietly.

According to the folk customs in Beijing's alleys, it is common for wives to choose beans and wash vegetables at the street door.

Firstly, working outside does not affect the hygiene at home, and secondly, you can also look at the scenery on the street.

People on the street look at me, and I look at people on the street.

Ordinary people in the capital are still so romantic.

But I saw "Mu Guiying" put a eucalyptus board at the door and put the big pig's head on it.

Then he picked up the kitchen knife and started chopping the pig's head randomly.

At that time, Aunt Bian, who looked at her later, almost fainted.

I said to myself, the wife here is really just a Hu Tu car, she is simply a random star of mourning!

Anyone who knows how to cook knows how to cook a pig's head like this? !

Also, didn’t you say you wanted to go to the street and ask others? Why don't you ask?

I feel sorry for the things at home, and want to go out and stop them, but because I just said that I don’t care...

I am hesitating and tangled in the courtyard.

At this time, an elderly lady carrying a vegetable basket walked up to the alley. When she saw "Mu Guiying" performing a machete in a heroic manner, she spoke to her.

"Oh, my dear girl, what are you doing? How could a pig head do this?!"

This old lady has white hair and half of her mouth is missing. She must be seventy years old, and Aunt Bian doesn't recognize her.

She glanced over and saw that he looked slightly familiar.

In my mind, it seems to be in an alley east of Meishi Street. I like to go here every day when I go to the vegetable market.

"Mu Guiying" immediately put down the knife, wiped her hands on her apron, smiled and said politely, "Grandma, don't I understand?"

The old lady put down the vegetable basket, picked up the pig's head and looked at it, and then said, "You can't mess around if you don't understand. Wouldn't it be chopped into pieces? What a pity that you ruined such a good thing like this."

"Mu Guiying" answered naturally.

"That's right. I'm actually worried here... So what do you think I should do with this thing?"

"How to do it? First, heat it up quickly, burn off the hairs, then cut open the chin, here, here, here, cut off the inedible dirty things, then blanch it in a big pot to remove the fishy smell. Prepare some seasonings, green onions, ginger, aniseed..."

Just as he was talking, someone answered again. "Old sister, if you ask me to just blanch it, you can boil it with some white wine and pour it over when you put it in the pot. It will taste better."

Another lady carrying a bag of potatoes came over and said.

Aunt Bian still didn't recognize this person.

But she knew clearly that the two old ladies probably knew each other and lived on the same street.

"Yes, our hometown used to put wine in when making pig's head. Also, don't rush to add salt, stew it thoroughly first before adding in the flavor."

Another voice joins in the fun.

This sound is familiar.

It's... Heizi's mother in Courtyard No. 3. Aunt Bian couldn't help but slap her in the face.

Hey, why did you forget Heizi's mother? Her family used to be a pig butcher in Baoding. If I had known earlier, I would have just asked her if she would go.

"By the way, when our family used to cook this, we had to put at least two heads of garlic. Does my daughter have any at home? Why don't you get a few heads from me first? I know your mother-in-law, and you are the new daughter-in-law of the Bian family. Don't Be polite to me..."

Heizi’s mother was quite enthusiastic and took the initiative to give garlic.

"Auntie, what do you think is the appropriate amount of salt for such a big pig's head?"

Yes, Aunt Bian was completely relieved when her daughter-in-law asked such a question.

After that, there were a few old ladies gathering together.

It didn't take long for a lot of people to gather around.

Except for a few experts, everyone expressed their opinions on the pig head and exchanged cooking experiences.

Others are here to learn and gain knowledge.

In the end, the smiling "Mu Guiying" was put aside and ignored.

No way, who told us that the people in the capital not only like to join in the fun but are also warm-hearted?

And that night, the family finished eating the delicious big pig head.

Aunt Bian finally figured it out. This new daughter-in-law may be a bit frivolous on the outside, but she is showy on the inside.

When people go out on the street, it's not that they don't ask questions, but they use a smart method similar to fishing to find out what they want to know.

With this kind of intelligence and energy, I won’t be too confused when encountering problems in my life from now on, which can make people feel more at ease.

So he called his son over and quietly handed him five hundred yuan.

"Mom didn't buy anything for you when you got married. This little money is just a little bit of mom's kindness. You can buy your wife a gold plate or a small gold watch later. Just listen to her."

In this way, Aunt Bian's knot was resolved, and the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the Bian family became better.