1986: Old Stories in Northeast China

"Tiezhu, what else do you have to do today?"

The next morning, He Jianguo came over after breakfast.

"Uncle Jianguo, I need to get some straw. Do you know the price?" Chen Tiezhu asked curiously.

"This stuff is rotten and cheap, and it's thrown away a lot. It's sold by the carload." He Jianguo said.

"I bought a carload a few days ago for 20 yuan. It was delivered to our house. It's enough for my mules and horses. Do you use a lot? Otherwise, come to my house to get some?"

"I use a lot. Uncle Jianguo, how many pounds can a carload carry?" Chen Tiezhu asked with a frown.

"It should be at least 800 pounds. There are also large and small carts. Mules and horses pull more, so it's a large cart, and donkeys pull less, so it's a small cart. There's a difference of five yuan per carload." He Jianguo said patiently.

I also know that although Chen Tiezhu is good at cooking, he can hardly understand these things.

"Uncle Jianguo, I guess I need to get two big carts. I need to chop the straw into small pieces to grow mushrooms, so that I can sell them in town?" Chen Tiezhu thought for a while and asked.

"We need to find both big and small carts. Anyway, I have nothing to do today, so I'll go to town with you to have a look." He Jianguo said.

"That's great. My dear girl, put on your clothes, and let's go for a walk in town." Chen Tiezhu said.

"Yes."

Doudou responded happily, and then took care of it herself.

"Doudou is really good, she can even put on her clothes by herself. But it seems that growing mushrooms is really troublesome?" He Jianguo asked.

"That's right, you have to lend me your guillotine, and you have to chop the straw into small pieces." Chen Tiezhu said with a wry smile.

"Then you have to find someone to work with, otherwise how can you deliver the straw? See if you need anything else, I'll hook up the cart, the town is not far away." He Jianguo said.

"Okay, let's go to your house. We also need to buy some rice bran, bran and so on. We plan to catch a half-grown pig, raise it for two months, and kill it for meat during the New Year." Chen Tiezhu said.

"We also need to get some soybeans, so that we can make some oil and sauce. If there is a chance, we can get some chickens, ducks and geese. My family needs some living things."

"Dad, can we take Goushengzi with us?" Doudou asked after he had put on his clothes.

"Take it with you, there is a big carriage to ride today." Chen Tiezhu waved his hand.

"Goushengzi, I'll take you to ride the big carriage." Doudou shouted excitedly.

"Woof..."

Goushengzi barked and ran out with his calves. When he ran to the gate, he turned around and waited for them.

Although its body is still very thin, its mental state has improved a lot.

When he came to He Jianguo's house, Doudou's eyes widened as he watched him lead the horse to the cart.

"Whew, wow..."

The weather outside was a bit cold, and the chestnut horse snorted after being led out.

"Dad, why is the horse's face so long?" Doudou asked curiously.

"Because it's a big horse, its face has to be so long. Uncle Jianguo, what's its temper like?" Chen Tiezhu asked.

"It's very honest, Doudou, you can touch its face." He Jianguo said with a smile.

"Yeah."

The little guy responded happily, came to the chestnut horse, stretched out his little hand and touched its face.

Very happy, the horse's face is really long, it takes a long time to touch it from top to bottom.

"Dad, when will our family raise a big horse?" Doudou asked after touching it again.

"We can't raise big animals at home, and we don't know how to take care of them. If you like them, just go to Grandpa Jianguo's house to play with them when you have nothing to do." Chen Tiezhu said helplessly.

He still has some confidence in raising pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, etc. But he really can't handle raising such big animals.

In fact, let alone their family, even in the entire Erdaoling Village, families with horses and mules are all well-off.

Those who are slightly inferior basically raise donkeys.

It's not so easy to raise big animals, and a big animal is not cheap. Now the big animals of each family are basically bought after the production team was disbanded.

Otherwise, how can we say that the Zhang family is a wealthy family? They even have such a good motorcycle, and their economic strength is the most perfect proof.

"Doudou, stand aside, Grandpa Jianguo has to harness the motorcycle." He Jianguo said.

Little Doudou nodded obediently and stood aside.

He Jianguo held the reins with one hand and patted the horse's neck with the other, shouting "adjust, adjust, adjust..."

Under his command, the chestnut horse moved its body little by little, and finally aligned itself with the frame.

"Slightly, slightly, slightly..."

He Jianguo shouted again.

The chestnut horse took small steps and slowly retreated into the frame.

Put on the harness, put on the saddle, hang the straps, and tighten the belly strap, and the job is done.

"Grandpa Jianguo,You are really amazing. The big red horse listens to you and lets you do whatever you want. "

Doudou, who was standing next to him, widened his eyes.

"Doudou, do you like this? Grandpa Jianguo will take you to drive the cart later." He Jianguo smiled happily.

"Yes, Doudou will drive the cart."

The little guy's eyes sparkled.

Chen Tiezhu didn't even need to call him. Doudou carried Goushengzi up first. Then he climbed onto the big cart with his little arms and body.

"Aunt, you don't need to bring lunch to Uncle Jianguo at noon. Let's go to my house to eat." Chen Tiezhu said to He Jianguo's wife Li Guijie, who came out with a headscarf.

"Go to your house to eat? This guy goes there every day. Why does he spend so much money? You just got some money." Li Guijie said hurriedly.

"Uncle Jianguo has helped me a lot. I am almost helpless in our village. Only Uncle Jianguo can treat me like a human being. "Chen Tiezhu said with a smile.

"Aunt, the sticky buns you make are delicious. I can't eat enough. When you make more, bring me a few more. Put them in the stove and they smell good."

"Yeah, they smell good."

Doudou also nodded his head to give his approval.

"Silly boy, this is not a precious thing. I will make dough today and make it tomorrow." Li Guijie said with a smile.

"Okay, let's go. We will go to Fugui's house to improve our lives at noon." He Jianguo said happily, and then looked at Doudou, "Doudou, sit in grandpa's arms, grandpa will take you to drive the cart."

"Yeah, drive the cart."

Doudou responded happily and came over on the board.

"Take Doudou with you, and drive slowly when driving the cart. "Li Guijie instructed.

"Pa"

"Go"

He Jianguo waved his hand, flicked a beautiful whip, shouted, and the red horse walked forward.

"Grandpa Jianguo, why are you hitting it? It's so obedient?" Doudou frowned.

"Hahaha, the driver who beats animals is not a good driver." He Jianguo laughed.

"Grandpa Jianguo whipped the whip from above to make a noise, so it knew it was time to set off. After a while, when we got out of the gate, Doudou shouted "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh", and it knew to turn left. "

Doudou's little face suddenly became nervous, with big eyes wide open, staring at the gate.

Even when Goushengzi came over, she stretched out her little hand and pushed him to the back without even looking at him.

"Huhuhuhuhuhuhu..."

Seeing that they were out of the gate and on the road, Doudou also shouted nervously.

"Grandpa Jianguo, why doesn't it walk on the road?"

Looking at the big red horse that stopped, Doudou's little face was full of sorrow.

"It's Grandpa's fault. This 'huhu' can't be shouted too fast or too slow." He Jianguo said with a smile.

"If you shout too fast, it will think it's time to stop. If you shout too slowly, it won't know if it's a joke. Doudou just needs to shout a little slower this time."

"Huhu, huhu, huhu"

Doudou shouted three times in a row, and the big red horse really turned its head, turned left, and ran towards the town.

"Dad, Dad, Doudou can drive a car. "Doudou said with a smile.

"Doudou is really good, then play with Grandpa Jianguo and drive the cart." Chen Tiezhu praised.

"Yes, Doudou drives the cart."

After the little guy finished speaking, he took the whip from He Jianguo's hand.

It was so fun to see the little guy holding the long whip.