Chapter 52
"Mother, let's go back sooner. Miao Miao and Xiao Guang are with them at home. I am a little worried."
Li responded, carefully taking the twenty taels of silver into her arms, and her heart was still pouting. She jumped fiercely, and touched the place where the silver was put with her hand. Li's heart was settled a little, and she smiled at Xu Cao: "Oh, let's go back quickly, hey, wait a while, I'll go Buy some honey for a few children and go back to relieve the greed." With a huge amount of money in her hand, Li was rare and generous.
Xu Cao naturally hoped that Li would be more generous to the children, so she followed Li to buy things with joy. Li bought some dense fruit, pulled some cloth, and said with a smile : "It's time to make clothes for some children."
After buying things, the two of them went back.
they have been busy delivering wine for a day. When returned to the village, the sun had already set. As soon as Xu Cao walked in, she saw Xiao Xia hurriedly out of the kitchen. Miao Miao sat quietly in the yard watching Xiao Xia. Busy in and out.
Seeing Xu Cao, Miao Miao stood up and rushed towards Xu Cao with a smile, "Mother, you are back, Miao Miao missed you."
Xu Cao handed the secret fruit in her arms to Miao Miao, and smiled: "This is what your grandma bought for you. Take it and eat it quickly."
"Grandma?" Miao Miao held the dense fruit wrapped in oil paper, raised her bright eyes and looked at Xu Cao, "Mother, grandma is really nice. "
Xiao Xia, who was busy in the kitchen, heard the voice and ran out hurriedly, calling for sister-in-law at Xu Cao. Xu Cao smiled and said, "Xiaoxia, are you okay?"
Xiaoxia hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law, after drinking the medicine these few days, I have improved a lot, and I also have strength."
Seeing that her face is not as pale as before. , A little rosy, only then did Xu Cao nod his head. Followed into the kitchen busy preparing dinner.
The brown rice porridge cooked by Xiaoxia, Fugui and Xiaoguang were reclaiming wasteland on the mountain. Xu Cao was afraid that they would not be full when they came back, so they rolled a dozen pancakes with white flour and eggs. While she was busy, she explained to Xiaoxia next to her: "Xiaoxia, these few days Fugui and Xiaoguang are busy opening up wasteland, afraid that they will not have enough to eat, so don't cook porridge at night, steam some steamed buns, and cook some rice. Don’t save the eggs. They are all fried. The cellar also have cured fish and bacon. You can also cook them. You don’t need to save them. Always get some delicious food to make them full. "
Xiaoxia blushed as she looked at the porridge in the pot and the pickles on the table. She has developed this temperament when she can't get enough to eat before, and she always saves herself for fear that she won't have any more food in the future.
Looking at Xu Cao, who was constantly busy, Xiaoxia lowered her head and whispered: "Sister-in-law, I remember."
Xu Cao looked back and saw her embarrassed, and smiled: "Now we are all living together, you and Xiaoguang just call me sister-in-law, so don't be restrained, just tell me if you have any words or needs."
Xiaoxia nodded hurriedly, "Sister-in-law, I know."
Xu Cao turned around and continued to work on pancakes. So Xiaoxia went to the cellar to get some cured fish and bacon back, fry a plate of cured fish, and fry the garlic seedlings that Xiaoxia plucked from the vegetable field followed by the bacon.
When supper was done, Fugui and Xiaoguang came back carrying a shovel and a hoe, their clothes were soaked with sweat. Xu Cao and Xiaoxia saw them, and hurriedly took two buckets of hot water out, "You go back to the house and take a bath before you come out to eat. Hey, at this time, the big guys are busy planting corn. Okay, please ask someone to help open up wasteland. You don’t have to be so tired.”
Fugui grace, took the wooden barrel in Xu Cao’s hand, grinned and said, “By the way, please ask someone to dig a well in the yard to make it easier to drink water. "
Xiao Xia was still a little restrained when she was eating, but Xiao Guang opened his stomach to eat.
The two of them had been busy all day, naturally they were very tired. After dinner, Xiaoguang went back to the room and rested. Xiaoxia helped clean up the kitchen.
It was already dark, and there was no entertainment in the village. Fugui and Xu Cao had a rest early, and Fugui hugged Xu Cao and would whisper, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Through the moonlight shining in from the wooden window, Xu Cao turned to look at the resolute face of the man next to her, only feeling soft in her heart. She stretched out her hand to touch Fugui's face, pursed her lips, and then closed her eyes and leaned against Fugui's arms.
In the past few days, the people in the village were busy planting corn. They heard that Fugui family was going to invite people to open up wasteland. All the people in the village ran over after their farm work.
The village is full of strong laborers, and Xu Cao and Fugui are paid high wages, so naturally there are more people coming. In less than a month, ten acres of wasteland have been opened.
Ten acres of land is enough, that is, the paddy field that Xu Cao is looking for hasn't settled yet. Following Fugui invited people to drill a well in the front yard.
Forget the days, Xiao Guang and Xiao Xia have been here for a month. Xiao Xia usually helps with cooking, brings seedlings, and goes to the mountains to chop some hogweed. Xiaoguang was tired this month. Xu Cao gave him six hundred wen and Xiaoxia fifty ren.
Xiaoguang stared at the six hundred yuan in his hand, raised his head and asked stupidly: "Sister-in-law, didn't you say one hundred yuan when you were busy? Why... why did you give so much?"
Xu Cao smiled: "It was said that you gave me a hundred wen to help me with the farm work, but now it’s a wasteland and it’s tiring. These six hundred wen is the money you deserve. Keep this money, and you’ll be able to build a house in our village in the future. , So you can also have a place to stay."
Xiaoguang laughed stupidly when he heard the words. On the side, Xiaoxia was a little uneasy. She looked at the six hundred yuan in Xiaoguang's hand and said, "Sister-in-law, there are too many. You still care about us eating and drinking. It's too much."
"Where is it?" Xu Cao smiled and said, "Look at how tired Xiaoguang has been in the past month. You can keep the money. If you save enough money in the future, you can go out and build a house. Then you can help me with work, and I will pay you the same."
It's not that Xu Cao never thought about buying the two of them. It's just that when there was such an example in the village, when someone said later that she had made a lot of money and still bought a messenger girl or something. Moreover, she never thought about asking someone to serve her, just wanting to find two people to help. Now with Xiaoguang and Xiaoxia, she doesn't have to be too tired all day long.
Xiaoxia didn't say anything, and asked Xiaoguang to collect the money. When Xu Cao left the room, Xiaoguang handed over all the six hundred yuan to Xiaoxia and said with a smile: "Sister, you accept the money. We can build two of thatched house by ourselves in a while. Then went out to live."
"yes." Xiaoxia also smiled, "We have to thank sister-in-law more."
"Well, sister, I know, I will work hard."
When Xu Cao came out of the room, she went to see the newly drilled well. The water in the well was very clear. Xu Cao hit a bucket of water. It was cold and it tasted very sweet.
It was already June. Xu Cao called out Xiaoguang after hitting a bucket of water. The two took Miao Miao and went to the field. Xiao Xia closed the yard and went to the hills and fields to mow pig grass.
After arriving in the field, the potatoes are almost ripe, clustered together, growing well.
For the ten acres of wasteland that has just been reclaimed, Xu Cao intends to wait until August to plant all potatoes. Now Rudou has been fully planted. Only in their village, it will definitely not be enough. She will plant more and can Make some money.
There are still two months left. Ten mu of land should be properly fertilized. After two months of rest, the yield will be higher.
"Sister-in-law, this is the potato? I heard that a plate of potato shreds in the restaurant in the town is worth a hundred dollars, which is very valuable." Xiaoguang slapped his tongue at the two acres of potatoes.
Xu Cao squatted down and began to pull weeds, smiling: "Things are rare and expensive. After two years, these things will only be food for the poor, and they will never be sold at such a high price."
Xiaoguang helped pull up the grass for the whole afternoon, and Xu Cao gave Xiaoguang how to grow potatoes, what to pay attention to, and how to treat potato disease or long bugs.
"Sister-in-law, you know so much. No wonder your potatoes are growing better than others."
Xu Cao 's grows seedlings earlier than others, and pays more attention to it than others on weekdays. Weeding and watering. All of them are very diligent, and the yield of her two acres of land will definitely be higher than that of others.
The two were busy working in the field, Miao Miao sat aside obediently, not crying or making trouble, picking two wild flowers to play when she was bored. After hoeing the grass for a long time in the field, Xu Cao and Xiaoguang went to the mountain to chop pig grass in the afternoon. Er Ya and San Ya were not at home, Miao Miao threw it to sister Shen .
When Xu Cao went home in the evening, she picked up Miao Miao, and third brother Yang Xiaotong saw Xu Cao, and he was hesitant to speak.
Xu Cao thanked Shen sister in law and greeted the Yang family before they were ready to go back, but was stopped by Xiaotong, "Sister-in-law, has the eldest brother come back?"
"Ah, third brother, your eldest brother is probably coming back soon. , You have something to find him?"
Yang Xiaotong seemed a little embarrassed, took a look at the east house, then looked at Xu Cao, gritted his teeth and said: "Sister-in-law, I'm looking for something with my eldest brother, or I will tell you now or Go back and wait for eldest brother."
Xu Cao led Miao Miao with a smile and said, "Alright, I guessed that he will be back soon."
While speaking, her mother-in-law Chen suddenly sprang out of the room and pointed to Yang Xiaotong and cursed: "You dead child, don't you want a mother if you have a daughter-in-law? If you dare to borrow money from your elder brother today, I must interrupt your legs!"
Yang Xiaotong didn't expect mother Chen to run out. He blushed and said angrily: "Mother!"
"Do you still know that I am your mother?" Chen was anxious, thinking that her favorite son would be instigated by his wife to move out, and her heart fellt hurts, "My son, my mother feels uncomfortable. You said that you have to move out just for the sake of a wife, and you don't want a mother. How can you be worthy of your mother?" She stared a few times.
Xu Cao was not easy to interrupt, so she had to stand aside holding Miao Miao.
Yang Xiaotong was very embarrassed, "Mother, mother, I don't want to, but... But why do you treat Guiha like this? Guiha is still a baby, no matter what, you can't let her fall off the kang and ignore her. "
Xu Cao knows it, no wonder Xiaotong intends to borrow money from Fugui. I am afraid that this mother Chen has done something superb.
As soon as Xiaotong said this, Niu inside the room began to cry, very miserable.
When Chen heard him talking about it, she stammered: "San...er, mother didn't mean it, mother didn't hear the cry of Fugui, otherwise I would definitely check it out."
mother Chen told In defense, the little Guiha in the room suddenly burst into tears for some reason, Xiao Tong ran in in a panic, and hurried out after a while, ignoring the crying Chen again. Xu Cao, who was standing next to him, said: "Sister-in-law, let's go now."
Xu Cao nodded, and the two walked out one after the other.
Xu Cao led Miao Miao and walked ahead, and she couldn't ask anything if Xiao Tong didn't speak.
After a while, Yang Xiaotong behind her sighed and said, "Sister-in-law, let’s tell you, I’m looking for eldest brother to ask you to borrow some money to build a house and go out. I originally thought that my mother and Meier were fine. No matter what happens, but I don’t know how my mother is like this.” He paused before continuing: “Our family was not at home yesterday, and Meier and I went to town because of something. There's Only mother. I left Brother Jun and Guiha at home. Guiha is still young and likes to sleep on weekdays. As long as mother goes in and sees her at intervals, it will be enough. Who knows that my mother didn’t enter our house for a day. When we go back, Guiha were crying in the room almost died out. When I and Meier entered the room, I saw little Guiha lying on the ground, with blood flowing on the forehead, and the face was pale. If... if I and Meier were going back some time later, Guiha... I'm afraid..."
Yang Xiaotong couldn't help it when he was here, bowed his head and wiped his eyes, "Although I know that my mother doesn't like female children, but in what way it is her own granddaughter, how can she be so cruel "
Xu Cao sighed, turned around and comforted: "You don't get angry, third brother. It will be fine if you move out in the future. Is Guiha okay now?"
She didn't know about this, otherwise she would have visited Xiaoguihua a long time ago. . However, even after thinking about it, how could they be willing to talk about such things, otherwise the people in the village would definitely drown mother Chen's with spit stars.
Yang Xiaotong said, "I went to town with Xiaoguiha immediately yesterday. Fortunately, it was all right."
Xu Cao asked, "Dad doesn't know about this?" It's impossible for father Yang to be like this. It's not divided into families.
"Father learned about this incident after coming back last night, so he said he was going to separate the family, but mother made a fuss and wanted to hang herself. Dad went down to the town in a huff, and he hasn't come back yet." Yang Xiaotongdu thought of the misfortune at home. He feel a headache, and don't understand how his mother looks like this.
Xu Cao sighed and stopped talking.
The two returned home, only Xiaoxia and Xiaoguang were there. Xiaoxia was busy cooking in the kitchen. After she went out to say hello to Xiaotong, she continued into the kitchen. Xiaoguang was carrying water into the kitchen. Not long after Fugui came back, the two of them entered the house, and Xu Cao went into the kitchen to help without asking for anything.
Soon, Fugui and Xiaotong came out of the room, Fugui entered the kitchen and confessed that Xiaotong was eating here at night. Xu Cao hurriedly asked Xiao Guang to fetch two pieces of tofu and a few jin of wine. She went to the backyard to pick some vegetables and added two more dishes. Then stew the tofu with cabbage, cut a few pieces of bacon and stew together, it is very fragrant.
The tofu stewed with cabbage and bacon is packed in a small pot and eaten on the stove. The more stewed the tofu, the more fragrant it will be.
Xiaotong's mood improved a lot when the family sat together for dinner. While eating, Niu's holding a little Guiha and found them. Seeing Xu Cao and the others were eating, Niu was a little embarrassed, and stood at the door and called eldest brother and sister-in-law.
"Have you eaten , third sister? If you haven't eaten them, come over and have some." Xu Cao smiled.
Although there was a contradiction between Niu and her, but since Niu gave birth to Guiha, her whole person has changed a lot, and Xu Cao is not embarrassed to think about the awkward things before.
Niu hugged Little Guiha, swallowed her saliva, and smiled: "No need..."
Little Guiha forehead was wrapped in a circle of white cloth, and it seemed that the whole person was shrinking listlessly in Niu's arms. she raised her head and glanced when she smelled the scent of the food, and then she came to her spirits, arched back and forth in Niu's arms with all her strength, and started humming.
"Come and eat." Fugui also said.
Xu Cao moved a small bench over, Niu said thank you in a low voice, and then sat down with the little Guiha.
Xu Cao stuffed little Guiha buns with soft white flour, and handed them a pair of chopsticks to Niu." Eat well."
Niu smiled: "It's been eight and a half months, and She can say a few words."
"Give her some tofu. It's soft. She must love it."
"No, usually. As long as it's time for dinner at home, she's honest, and I have to eat some to be obedient." Speaking of her daughter, Niu's face is full of tenderness.
Seeing such a Niu , Xu Cao felt a little more comfortable.
After dinner, Fugui asked Xu Cao for fifty taels of silver and gave it to Yang Xiaotong.