"Oh, it's so fierce to see Brother Man. From now on, we will be fellow villagers in the same village. We also want to take a look when we hear about this happy event and pass by. It's good to see each other when we meet in the future, isn't it?"
"That's right, what are you doing hiding, shouting out for everyone to see."
Qin Xiaoman stood at the door, he didn't care what these people said in front of his face: "It's not a monkey juggling, what's there to see, it's not that there are no men to watch at home, so why go to other people's houses to see others, don't be afraid Uncle angry."
The faces of the few women who came to watch the scene collapsed when they heard the words. They always knew that Qin Xiaoman's words were harsh, and they really didn't show any face to others: "Look at this man who hides people tightly, he really wants to get married. It's different."
Qin Xiaoman said: "Of course it's different after getting married."
The woman holding the onion asked: "What a cripple? Why did you fall in love with the cripple? It wasn't my aunt who said you, the old man in the neighboring village was always looking for someone with sound limbs. Your condition is better than the one in the neighboring village. "
Qin Xiaoman said: "It's lame or not, it's just that the foot is injured, it depends on the doctor to treat it."
"You still need to hire a doctor to treat him! You have to spend money if your muscles and bones are broken! Isn't this pure and innocent?"
Qin Xiaoman listened impatiently to these words, and pouted his waist and said, "It's worth a few bucks just to see an injury or illness. Wouldn't it be better for my aunt to prepare a dowry of thousands of dollars for her daughter's brother?"
"Hey! You brother."
Qin Xiaoman didn't bother to break up with these women, and said directly: "It's so cold, my aunt's house hasn't eaten yet, I'm going home to cook, and I won't let my aunts delay making breakfast."
Seeing that the man was about to leave, the woman hurriedly asked again: "Then when will we do things?"
Qin Xiaoman said: "When you do things, you must ask your aunt."
Seeing that Qin Xiaoman was like a hen guarding its cubs, the women knew that they would not see anyone today, and after saying a few sour words, they parted ways without interest.
Qin Xiaoman watched a few people leave and stood at the door for a while, with a strong look on Matsushita's face.
He sighed, the village woman is a good thing, I am used to hearing these words, and I can push back regardless of people's comfort, but I don't know that Du Heng, who is used to the life of a young master, can't bear these gossips .
His second aunt is really active, and half the people in the village know what happened yesterday.
"I'm back!"
As soon as Qin Xiaoman entered the yard, he saw Du Heng standing at the door of the kitchen, and seemed to have heard his voice and was waiting there for him.
He walked over quickly, took off the bamboo hat and hung it on the wall: "You got up so early?"
Du Heng nodded.
"Is it the voices of people outside that are bothering you?"
"No, I didn't come here until I got up. I was thinking about whether to say hello, and you came back."
Qin Xiaoman got into the kitchen: "Don't pay attention to them in the future, it's just a fault of being idle."
"good."
When Qin Xiaoman heard Du Heng's answer, he couldn't help but glance at him. He has a domineering temperament, no matter when talking to his family members or fellow villagers, he always pushes back and forth. Few people agree to follow what he said.
He rolled his eyes, thinking that this person is really obedient.
"I went to Dr. Cui's house this morning, but he was invited to see a doctor yesterday, and he won't come back until two days later. I can only take you there to see your feet later."
Du Heng glanced at his feet when he heard the words: "It's okay, it's not too bad for two days, and I don't feel much pain if I don't feel cold."
"Then let's eat."
Qin Xiaoman steamed four sweet potatoes. Everyone is used to eating this during the season when sweet potatoes are available. Sweet potatoes are full and cheap, much more affordable than rice. The rice for a year has to be taxed and sold for money, and the rest is for yourself I don't eat much, and if it's uneven, it's not enough.
He scooped up the sweet potato with an egg in it.
The breakfast was simple, and the two of them ate a wide stool under the stove, and it was still warm.
Qin Xiaoman came out with a plate of pickles and ate them with sweet potatoes. He smashed the eggshells, and while peeling the eggshells, he confessed: "I'm going to go up the mountain later, and I guess I won't be back until the afternoon. I cooked it yesterday." There is still a bowl of rice left, I will warm it in the pot for you, and you can eat it by yourself at noon."
"What are you doing up the mountain, chopping firewood?"
"I can't cut firewood this day, and the bamboo forest on the public mountain is growing winter bamboo shoots. I'll try my luck." Qin Xiaoman said: "The takeaway will also visit the private mountain to see if anyone is digging bamboo shoots on the mountain at home. firewood."
Du Heng nodded: "Okay, then I'll go with you."
"What are you going to do!"
"Of course it's to help with work."
Qin Xiaoman said: "How long has it been since you climbed up the mountain? If the road is slippery in rainy days, it will be even more troublesome if you fall twice."
Du Heng frowned: "Then what am I doing?"
"Just stay at home."
"Then what are you doing at home?"
"There's nothing you can do. In such a cold day, put charcoal fire into the brazier and you go into the house and sleep. It will be noon soon. Then get up and have a meal, and then go back to the house to lie down. I will soon Come back and make dinner."
After saying that, Qin Xiaoman handed over the peeled egg: "Eat it."
Du Heng looked at Qin Xiaoman's seriousness, and he didn't seem to be joking with him anymore, and soon he came to his senses: "You mean I don't do anything, just eat soft food at home?"
"What's wrong with eating soft rice? I won't let you starve to death!"
Du Heng was greatly shocked. He never thought that one day the life that so many people yearn for in this new era would fall on him.
When Qin Xiaoman saw that he didn't speak or pick up his eggs, he thought it was because his pride was hurt and got angry.
He put away his fierce look, and said in a more relaxed tone: "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, no one will know about it. Eat it quickly, the eggs should be cold."
Du Heng looked at the young man who was several years younger than him with a complicated expression, his eyes were burning and he was coaxing him earnestly, and he covered his face with his hands.
What a shame!
"Then, if you're really bored, just sweep the yard, is that okay?"
At the beginning, Qin Xiaoman also wanted a capable director to come back, but now he has accepted the frail Du Heng, thinking that he used to be a young master who could read and write, and the villagers respected scholars more. Naturally, he didn't think about the rough and tiring work he did.
For some reason, it made him unhappy.
"good."
Du Heng put down his hand and responded, Qin Xiaoman quickly passed the egg over: "Eat."
"You have to go up the mountain to do work later, you can eat."
"I cooked it specially for you. You are too thin. You will look better if you take care of your body earlier."
Du Heng raised his eyebrows slightly, took the eggs, and split them in half: "Half for each person."
Qin Xiaoman looked at the hand with well-defined bones and well-proportioned fingers, and did not refuse the half-egg handed over, and was even cheerful, as if Du Heng had specially boiled the egg for him.
After breakfast, Qin Xiaoman took out two roasted sweet potatoes from the stove, and left Du Heng to eat at noon, then he went out wearing a coir raincoat and straw hat, carrying a small basket on his back and carrying a hoe.
Du Heng was looking at the muddy path outside in front of the fence in the yard. Qin Xiaoman stepped down into a mud pit and headed towards the top of the mountain in the cold wind and light rain. Soon his thin figure disappeared into the fog.
He is only sixteen years old this year, and his brothers are generally shorter than men. Qin Xiaoman is taller among his peers, but standing in front of Du Heng, he only reaches a little above his shoulders.
Seeing the young Qin Xiaoman shouldering the burden of life alone already felt very bitter, but now he has to support him as a big idler, not because of self-esteem, but because he feels like a big burden on the already Difficult people shoulders.
Du Heng's heart was in a mess, how could he eat soft food under such circumstances! How can I eat it! He picked up the broom and cleaned the already clean yard, thinking about how to live his life in the future.
In any case, you can't hold a dead body at home.
Turning around inside and outside the house, he wanted to find some work to do.
He didn't feel embarrassed to go into Qin Xiaoman's room. The rest of the rooms were very clean and tidy. There were no pots and pans in the kitchen to wash, and there were neatly stacked logs beside the courtyard wall. He didn't even have to chop firewood.
Finally, he found a small shed in front of the stove, and the chickens inside were crowing violently. Du Heng went to feed the chickens with the leftover sweet potato rind and a little bran.
Then he went to the livestock pen and saw a pig about 100 catties locked in the pen licking the trough that was about to be eaten clean. When he saw someone coming in, he yelled at Du Heng.
Du Heng has dealt with these animals a lot. Although he has never actually operated the feeding, but seeing a lot of them is no different from doing it himself.
Domestic pigs are generally fed three meals, but now the conditions are limited, they should choose to feed two meals.
Qin Xiaoman should have been fed once when he woke up very early in the morning, and at intervals, he would be fed the second meal later in the afternoon.
Du Heng brought in a basin of water to fill up the pig bucket, went back to the kitchen and took the big wooden basin, and brought in the bundles of sweet potatoes and vines in the back basket to chop up... At least he found something Here we go.
In the afternoon, after eating, Du Heng lit a fire to cook the pig food. He watched the rainy sky outside, whether it was dark or not, and couldn't tell the hour.
"Brother Man, open the door!"
Du Heng heard voices going out from the kitchen, and the rain outside had stopped.
"Uncle."
Qin Xiong looked at Du Heng who came to see the door, and subconsciously frowned: "Brother Man is not at home?"
"Go up the mountain."
Qin Xiongwu went into the courtyard and walked to the kitchen, thinking of admonishing Du Heng that you are hiding at home and living the same life as women and husbands, only seeing the pig food being cooked.
His eyebrows twitched: "Brother Man just left?"
Du Heng held up a stool for Qin Xiong to sit on: "I went out after breakfast, does uncle have anything to do with him?"
Qin Xiong heard that Qin Xiaoman had gone out a long time ago, and saw that the fire was burning in the stove, he immediately frowned, but he didn't say anything clearly.
He handed a piece of meat in his hand to Du Heng: "I asked him to come to get the meat but he didn't come."
Du Heng took a large piece of pork with ribs, both fat and thin. It weighed about four to five catties, and it was still a good piece of meat, which was enough to show Qin Xiong's care for Qin Xiaoman: "Thank you, Uncle."
Qin Xiong originally came to Qin Xiaoman today to talk about Du Heng.
He went to the house of Xiaoman's cousin, who was the chief bookkeeper in the county government, to see if he could have someone to inquire about Qiuyang County.
It was also lucky that the county magistrate of this county brought a copy of the information registered in the county government of Qiuyang County to help the refugees settle in Luoxia County, and found Du Heng's during the process.
It was no different from what Du Heng said, and Qin Xiong accepted this person even more: "What's your name, uncle? It sounds strange. From now on, you can call me Second Uncle Qin like my peers in the village."
"Yes, Second Uncle."
Qin Xiong looked back at Du Heng when he heard the words: This kid can really climb up the pole.