I live in Dayu Changsheng

Chapter 20, Willow Leaf

In the afternoon, the bright golden sun enveloped the earth, and the huge willow tree in the willow alley stood upright, dividing the sun into light and shadows like broken gold, which shone in the breeze.

Uncle Fuquan was sitting on the threshold, weaving bamboo baskets; Mrs. Caigen was slightly inside, holding the soles of her shoes; Erdan was sent to take a nap by Mrs. Caigen under the pretext of 'laying on the bed and saving energy'.

"Song Dashan was executed at noon, and Sister Caihua went to collect the corpse. The straw mat was rolled up and buried outside the city... There are not many families in Liushu Hutong..."

"My old neighbor for so many years, he just left like this. Who would have thought? Brother Rui of the Fang family is also cruel. I saw that Song Dashan was sentenced to be executed, and he was probably behind his back..."

Mrs. Cai Gen babbled: "However, Brother Fang Jiarui is indeed promising, a high-ranking martial artist! We can't climb high!"

Uncle Fuquan, who was just listening quietly like a gourd, suddenly said: "Then you still offended him last night?"

Snapped!Snapped!
Mrs. Cai Gen fanned her mouth, her face full of remorse: "Master, I regret it when you mentioned this! Last night, I was quick to say it, and I followed suit... However, I was jealous of the Fang family's life. Well, it's true too..."

"Hey, if I knew Brother Rui was a high-grade martial artist, I wouldn't dare to say anything!"

"You are..."

Uncle Fuquan shook his head: "The Fang family borrowed food from our family. It's a kindness. Our family has to remember...At that time last night, no matter whether the Fang family was right or wrong, you shouldn't have spoken to Song Dashan..."

This kind of behavior, if you really want to say it, already has the meaning of repaying kindness and revenge.

"That's why I regret it... But, the Fang family won't hold grudges, right? There are so many people!"

The more Mrs. Cai Gen spoke, the more confident she became, and muttered: "Even if our family borrowed food from the Fang family and spoke for Song Dashan, there are still two or three families... Brother Fang Jiarui would not come to us, and he would not ..."

was talking.

At this time, Fang Rui's voice suddenly came from outside the door: "Uncle Fuquan! Sister Caihua!"

He was right.

——The two families are not related. Uncle Fuquan's "uncle" just represents the other party and his father's peers; while Mrs. Caihua's "sister-in-law" can be called a married woman who is not too old in this era. 'Sister-in-law' also looks young to the other party, that's what everyone calls it.

As for the cauliflower aunt of Song Dashan's family?

That's because: Aunt Caihua is almost ten years older than Aunt Caigen, so she is called 'Auntie'.

"Well, Brother Rui, here you come? Sit down, I'll pour you some water." Mrs. Cai Gen's face stiffened, and she forced out a smile.

Obviously a little guilty.

Just now he was still swearing: Fang Rui won't come, but just after he finished speaking, Fang Rui really came, maybe it was to settle accounts for what happened last night!
In a sense, Fang Rui came here for this reason.

Like other neighbors, who were nodding acquaintances at first, he didn't care about moral kidnapping last night.

But the two or three families who borrowed food were different.

It was impossible for Fang Rui to allow the incident of "pick up the bowl to eat, put down the bowl and scold your mother" to happen on his own head.

"Sister-in-law Cai Gen, life is not easy for my family, maybe I have paid back the two catties of wheat bran I borrowed the day before yesterday?" Fang Rui didn't hesitate, and directly expressed his intentions.

Mrs. Cai Gen was full of embarrassment, but she still said: "That...Brother Rui...can you give me some time?"

The Fang family is having a hard time?
She absolutely did not believe this.

Who doesn't know that the situation of the Fang family belongs to the best group in Liushu Hutong.

In fact, the Fang family did not lack food.

By saying this, Fang Rui was trying to clear up the fact that Mrs. Cai Gen helped Song Dashan to kidnap Fang's family morally last night, all in the name of 'difficult life', but to save the last bit of face for the other party.

Sister-in-law Cai Gen naturally understood, but she had already eaten some of the borrowed wheat bran, and she couldn't make up two catties...

Even if you can make up for it with other things, it will definitely be uncomfortable. If you don’t talk about anything else, just ask: How will I live the next day?Is the whole family hungry?

'This is completely shameless! '

Fang Rui's face turned cold.

Yes, the other party may have difficulties, but what does it matter to him?

Today, the Caigensister's family has to give or not to the food that Fang's family borrowed.

'Since you are shameless, then you don't need to give face, just tear it up! '

Fang Rui's eyes flashed, and he was about to speak.

"Brother Rui,"

At this time, Uncle Fuquan suddenly said: "What happened last night is because my family didn't do it properly... Damn, there is still more than a catty of wheat bran left? Bring it... Also, I have been weaving baskets for the past two days The two big coins sold with the money, also brought together..."

"The head of the house..." Mrs. Cai Gen hesitated to speak.

"go with!"

Uncle Fuquan's tone became a little more serious, there was no doubt about it.

After all, she was the head of the family. Although Mrs. Cai Gen was in pain and reluctant to give up, she still went and took the remaining chaff and two big money.

There was still more than a catty of wheat bran, and it took less than two or three taels. Without this amount of wheat bran, it was far from enough to compensate two big money.

But recently, food prices have skyrocketed, changing every day, coupled with the psychology of compensating for wrongdoing, it is within a reasonable range.

'Uncle Fuquan is quite reasonable. '

Fang Rui accepted it calmly, without any embarrassment.

thank?

No need, this is just taking back what I borrowed from my family.

"Okay, Uncle Fuquan, Sister-in-law Caihua, then you are busy, so I will leave first."

Fang Rui didn't say anything more, got up with his things, and left directly.

The two families are not on the same side, and they have been separated since then. Bridges return to bridges, and roads return to roads, which is good for everyone.

After Fang Rui left.

Mrs. Cai Gen couldn't hold back any longer, wiped her tears, and sobbed, "Master, how will our family live in the days to come? It's all my fault... It's all my fault..."

At this moment, the remorse in her heart was biting her heart like a poisonous snake, causing her to blame herself and suffer.

——Because of her quick talk, she said something she shouldn't have said, and the Fang family asked for the food they borrowed directly. As a result, the family of three had to go hungry together.

It's fine if it's just her, but there's her husband and children, you know: Erdan is just a seven or eight-year-old child!

They all have to pay for her own mistakes.

Blame the Fang family?
It also makes no sense.

She just wanted to return what belonged to her... Really, it was her family who first let her down.

Outside the door, under the big sun, the heat is steaming, and the sounds of cicadas and insects are mixed together, making people upset.

Uncle Fuquan was weaving a bamboo basket in his hands, and he was silent for a long time before he sighed deeply: "Oh, let's take it as... a lesson!"

……

Fang Rui didn't forget about the other two, and went to ask for the loaned food one after another.

The two families were very sensible, even if they ate some, they would make up for it with other things of equal value, or wild vegetables, or hempseed oil.

Having visited Caigensao's three homes, Fang Rui has more: five catties of wheat bran, one catty of wild vegetables, half catty of hempseed oil, and two big coins.

For other families, these things are life-saving supplies, but for the other family, they are nothing.

Fang Rui asked for it back, but he just didn't want to feed the white-eyed wolf. At the same time, he wanted to make a complete cut with these people.

He didn't bring these things back, he turned around and went to Uncle Zaohuai's house.

A few days ago, Fang Xue borrowed food from six neighbors in total, not much, it was all wheat bran, and each family only had one or two catties.

Last night, for Mrs. Caigen, three of them sat on their buttocks and spoke for Song Dashan; two were silent; only one spoke on the side of Fang's.

The only family here is Uncle Zaohuai's family—although their voices were drowned out by everyone's 'persuasion' and it didn't help, Fang Rui still remembered it.

The grudge is clear.

Among the six families, those who participated in the moral kidnapping and dragging the sidelines will ask for the borrowed food back; those who are silent will not deal with it, keep it as it is, and wait for it to be returned by themselves; those who speak for the Fang family...

He must repay this kindness.

……

"Father, mother, when will our food be ready?" Ah Huai ran over.

"Hurry up, little brat, what's the hurry?" Mrs. Xianglin's voice came from the kitchen.

"Oh, I'm going to drink water again!"

Gudong!Gudong!
Ah Huai drank a large earthenware bowl of water and hiccupped.

But drinking only water did not fill his stomach. After a while, his stomach growled again, and he came back swallowing.

"Mother, are you ready?" Ah Huai asked again.

"It's done! It's done!" Mrs. Xianglin finally said.

She put out the 'rice'.

It was turquoise soup, with leaves suspended in it—yes, this is not porridge made from sorghum noodles and wheat bran, but boiled willow leaves with a little coarse salt.

Uncle Zaohuai was the head of the family, with the most in the bowl; then Ahhuai; and finally Sister Xianglin herself, with only a few.

"Eat!" Mrs. Xianglin shared the chopsticks.

Snoring!
Ah Huai sat down, not surprised by the boiled willow leaves in the bowl, even, with some anticipation, took a sip eagerly, the soup came into his mouth with a piece of willow leaves.

In fact, willow leaves are best eaten when they are young; when they are old, they are bitter and hard, making it hard to swallow.

The willow leaves in Uncle Zaohuai's house are like this.

It is very bitter in the mouth, but Ah Huai knows that as long as he continues to chew slowly, he will find...it is getting more and more bitter!

There is no most bitter, only more bitter.

The taste was bitter in the stomach, in the heart, in the bones, so bitter that the tears mixed with the snot came out together.

"Cough! Cough!"

Ah Huai coughed and wiped her face, but she still couldn't stop swallowing.

Because: Although this boiled willow leaf soup is bitter and hard, it can also fill the stomach. It tastes better than being hungry!
——Hunger can really drive people crazy. Only those who have experienced that kind of taste will know it. Compared with that kind of hard work, eating this boiled willow leaf is nothing.

"Uncle Zaohuai? Sister Xianglin?"

At this time, a voice sounded from outside, it was Fang Rui.

Uncle Zaohuai's family subconsciously covered the mouth of the bowl - after all, it is not good-looking and decent.

But Fang Rui came too fast, so he couldn't cover it up, and Fang Rui still saw it.

Fang Rui saw what was in the family's bowls, he was silent for a moment, and took out the things he brought: five catties of wheat bran, one catty of wild vegetables, half catty of hempseed oil, and two big coins.

Ah Huai looked at these things, swallowed her saliva suddenly, and dared not speak; Mrs. Xianglin glanced at Uncle Zaohuai, but dared not say anything, and waited for Uncle Zaohuai to make a decision.

"Brother Rui, a few days ago, my family borrowed two catties of grain, and I haven't returned it yet..."

In fact, the 'pie' in front of him is too big, so Uncle Zaohuai dare not accept it, or even borrow it.

"I know."

Fang Rui understood the other party's uneasiness, so he explained directly: "...Your family is the only one who speaks for my family... There is no rush for these things. You can return them when the times are better."

He didn't say it.

But having said that, can the value of these materials be the same in peacetime and catastrophe?

This favor...is too great.

Uncle Zaohuai still didn't dare to accept it, he waved his hands and said, "It's just my duty, besides, it's useless..."

Fang Rui smiled, and didn't bother about this anymore, he just put the thing down forcefully: "Uncle Zaohuai, you can bear it, but Mrs. Xianglin and Ah Huai? Put it away!"

Uncle Zaohuai was silent.

Fang's family was not the only one affected by the defeat of the first wave of bandit suppressing officers. In his family, the elder brother above Ah Huai also disappeared.

Therefore, Ah Huai is the only seedling left in his family. If something happens again due to starvation, it will be a disaster. If he dies, he will have no face to see his ancestors.

"it is good."

Uncle Zaohuai finally agreed.

He is not a good talker either, he only said this one word, and the others... all in his heart.

"If you can't make it through, you can borrow it again..." Fang Rui said.

As long as you have a conscience, not a white-eyed wolf, and borrow some food, it's really nothing to the other family.

The current situation of the Fang family is different from before.

If it is said that in the past, Fang's family ate better and gave a little food to other people's families, they had to worry about the jealousy of their neighbors;

Then, after Fang Rui exposed the high-grade warriors, it would be completely impossible.

It doesn't matter if you don't say that your own food is better, even if you borrow ten catties or twenty catties of grain, or even spread the word about going to the black market.

That is to say, the disclosure of the finished drug business may cause some minor troubles.

After Fang Rui left.

"This time, we owe the Fang family a big favor. We must remember it, and keep it in our hearts."

Uncle Zaohuai gave serious instructions, and after Mrs. Xianglin and Ahuai nodded seriously, he said, "Put it away!"

"Wow, I finally don't have to eat boiled willow leaves."

Ah Huai let out a cheer: "Mother, shall we make wheat bran pancakes tonight?"

Snapped!
A slap on his forehead.

Mrs. Xianglin pinched her waist and spat: "Little bastard, if you are not in charge, you don't know that oil and salt are expensive, and you still have wheat bran cakes? Why don't you go to heaven?"

After seeing Ah Huai shrugging her head and looking disappointed, she paused, and finally couldn't bear to say: "Eat wheat bran paste! Wheat bran paste requires less food, this is good enough..."

"Wow, thank you, mother!" Ah Huai's expression changed, and she became happy again in an instant.

In the air, filled with a happy atmosphere.

……

(End of this chapter)