The Happy Life of Xu Damao in Siheyuan

The parents of the Qin family were smiling from ear to ear. According to the rules, their family would handle the leftovers of this table of chicken, duck, and fish. They didn’t see any meat all year round, so this was a blessing!

Qin Jingru's brothers and sisters heard the news and came, swallowing their saliva after smelling the smell, and praised Qin Jingru.

"Okay, Xiao Wu, if you can invite people to your home, you have the ability!"

"Now our family has meat to eat!"

"Mom, I haven't drank for half a year, I'm so greedy! Can you give me a glass of the leftover wine..."

Qin Jingru was so praised by her brothers and sisters that she seemed to have become the center of attention.

The last person who enjoyed this treatment was Qin Huairu, the only cousin of the Qin family who married into the city.

She was as proud as a hen that had just laid an egg and said, "That's right! My brother Xu takes care of me!"

Qin's mother, who was also a great aunt, secretly pulled Qin Jingru outside the house and asked quietly: "What is your relationship with Comrade Xu? Why does he take such good care of us?"

"Brother Xu is my cousin's neighbor. I met him last time I went to the city. We met at the gate of the commune. He just took care of us."

Qin's mother asked curiously: "Is it the neighbor who still takes care of us like this? Then I have to thank your cousin. It's a pity. She is such a good person, she must have been married long ago."

"Actually... I asked, they just got divorced." Qin Jingru said shyly.

"It's so shameless to get divorced under such good conditions! Then what do you say..." Qin's mother looked at Qin Jingru with hints in her eyes.

Qin Jingru blushed and felt a little inferior: "I'm just a country girl, and my family's conditions are so good. Do you think they can like me? Although Brother Xu said he would take me to the city to eat Quanjude roast duck after the new year, but I'm a little unsure.

…”

"Quanjude, let's eat roast duck!" Mother Qin secretly exclaimed.

I heard from the commune secretary that this Quanjude Roast Duck is a special dish for entertaining foreign guests, and it only costs a few yuan to eat it!

To spend such a large sum of money must be because he has a good impression of his daughter. Maybe Qin Jingru can become the second daughter of the Qin family to marry in the city!

"Go, why not go?!"

Mother Qin was a little excited and said decisively.

"That's it. You don't have to work in the fields starting tomorrow. You have to work seven minutes a day and you can't even afford the food. Mom will make you new clothes and give you money for the train ticket after the new year. You can go to the city and enjoy the benefits with him."

"real?!"

Qin Jingru was overjoyed. Not only could she wear new clothes, go to the city to eat, drink and have fun, she didn't have to work in the fields.

Being an official is not as comfortable as this!

According to the established itinerary, Xu Damao spent the first half of the first half of the month running around the communes around the capital to show movies. The professional screening technology and unique narration made all the communes give thumbs up with satisfaction.

Please come back to the countryside after the new year.

After half a month, Xu Damao felt like he had gained a few kilograms with all kinds of delicious food and drinks. He set off on his return journey with the warm farewell of the villagers at the last stop.

His 28 Forever bicycle alone was packed with agricultural products, from onions, ginger, garlic, to game mushrooms, with a fat old hen hanging on each side of the handlebar.

For the first time, Xu Damao felt the enthusiasm of a simple farmer. In these days, people's hearts are still very simple. Xu Damao's bicycle creaked loudly, and the seat was tied with two rings of dried vermicelli, making it impossible to ride.

Even though he repeatedly refused to ask for more, the enthusiastic villagers still put ten kilograms of stick noodles on his fragile 28-year-old shoulder. Xu Damao did not dare to stay any longer, for fear that the villagers who chased him out would continue to give gifts.

By coincidence, when passing by the entrance of Hongxing Commune, I happened to see Qin Jingru squatting aside with two braids. After seeing Xu Damao, she happily trotted over.

"Jingru, are you...waiting for me?"

"Hmm, I heard from the village next door that you just returned to the city today to celebrate the New Year, and you were waiting here early in the morning." Qin Jingru's face turned red from the cold, and she took out a pack of skinned peanuts from her pocket. It looked like there were five of them.

Six pounds.

"My mother asked me to bring this here. She said everyone in the city eats this."

"Thank you aunt for me."

Xu Damao thought for a while, then took out ten yuan and twenty catties of food stamps from his trouser pocket and handed them to Qin Jingru.

"Brother Xu, I can't have these." Qin Jingru waved her hands quickly, "Besides, how can these peanuts be worth so much money?"

"Is there a misunderstanding? I tasted the good grain wine you brewed last time and I plan to buy some. How about this, help me pick up ten pounds and you can bring it with me when you come to the city after the new year." Xu Damao said.

There are no food stamps issued to rural households, and they all produce and sell themselves. Therefore, some farmers use their home-brewed red potato wine to go to the city to exchange for food stamps, commonly known as eight cents + 2 pounds of food stamps = 1 pound of red potato wine.

.

This pure grain wine is really good. After getting drunk, you won’t have a headache the next day.

It will be difficult for future generations to buy such pure grain wine, so buy more and try it.

"That's it! Thank you, Brother Xu, for taking care of my family." Qin Jingru happily accepted the money. After selling the food and wine at home, she could eat an extra meal of dumplings during the Chinese New Year. "Then you gave me too much. Ten pounds of red potato wine only costs eight yuan."

.”

"How can I let you work in vain? These two yuan will be considered as your hard work!" Xu Damao said with a smile, "Besides, you have to pay for the fare when you come to the city. How can I, the host, let you pay for it yourself?"

"What's more, you haven't tried the soda at the gate of the city. It's only 15 cents a bottle. I treat you like a brother."

When Qin Jingru heard this, she was immediately happy. She just earned two yuan in vain!

It is equivalent to a fat chicken and one and a half pounds of eggs, which can be said to be a huge sum of money for her.

She envied the sodas at the city gate every time she went into the city to see people drinking them. She heard that the orange flavored ones were the best, so she had to try the sodas this time!

Qin Jingru happily accepted the money and tickets: "Okay, Brother Xu, I will send it to you when I enter the city after the new year!"

"Then it's settled, write me a letter before you come, and I'll pick you up then!"

After waving goodbye, Qin Jingru ran home all the way, nervously covering her trouser pockets for fear that the money would fall out, which looked quite funny.

Xu Damao struggled to get back on his bicycle and rode to the city gate in one breath without feeling tired.

When he returned to the entrance of the alley, he happened to see Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui carrying paste and preparing to paste couplets on the courtyard gate.

"The first uncle and the third uncle are busy posting couplets!"

"Da Mao is back from showing movies in the countryside! Oh, you have gained a lot..."

Before Yi Zhonghai could say anything, the third uncle Yan Bugui's eyes widened. When he saw Xu Damao's fully loaded bicycle, he almost jumped out of the car and took the initiative to greet him warmly.

Xu Damao understood and took out a bunch of wild mountain mushrooms from the handlebar pocket and said, "Please accept some wild mushrooms, gentlemen."

The third uncle accepted it with a smile. For a calculating man like him, no matter what the account was, he would be happy for a long time.

The old man was not so shameless, so he smiled and declined.

Xu Damao didn't care, and said politely: "You two uncles are busy first. I have to go back to the factory to order some things. I will put down my things and leave. When I have time, I will visit you two uncles at their home."

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand and said: "Da Mao, don't be so polite, we are all from the same hospital."

Xu Damao said: "I'm not being polite. The comrades from the commune were too enthusiastic this time and gave me some more seasonings such as ginger, garlic, and pepper. I thought that I couldn't eat so much by myself. During the Chinese New Year, you two would be at home."

When making dumplings, adding more seasonings will make them taste better!"

seasoning!

This thing is not easy to make. At most, every household just makes some green onion and salt. There is no spare money to buy seasonings. And more importantly, the supply of this thing is too small and the price is not low.

Even in Shazhu Canteen, seasonings such as Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon are only used when the factory director is treating guests.

"Okay, okay, easy to say, then I'll be waiting for you!"

Yan Bugui's mouth was filled with joy, and he nodded like a chicken eating rice.

Yi Zhonghai was speechless. Originally, he wanted to refuse, but Xu Damao gave him too much!

Xu Damao said again: "Master, the deaf old lady is old and her sense of taste has deteriorated. She usually says that her food is tasteless. This year, you can make dumplings at home and add some seasonings so that she can have a good meal."

Now the uncle was too embarrassed to refuse, and said gratefully: "Da Mao, you are interested!"

"Okay, then I'll leave first!"

"Okay, okay, you work first!"

Yan Bugui smiled and helped Xu Damao carry the rear wheel across the threshold.

When he thought about the benefits of chatting with him, the third uncle was very excited and said with emotion: "You said that this projectionist is really a job. No wonder Xu Damao said before that he could earn half a month's salary by going to the countryside! This is not the case.

Bragging!"

Yi Zhonghai's focus was not on this, and he sighed: "Da Mao has changed, he is much more mature than before!"

"It's true, you are much more prudent in what you say and do. More importantly, you are open-minded and respectful to your elders!" The third uncle accepted the benefit, which was an impressive compliment.

Yi Zhonghai smiled and said: "Third uncle, let's go around and see who hasn't written a couplet yet. Thank you for your hard work."

"It's not hard, it's not hard, just give me some polish!"