The train driver in the courtyard

Chapter 436: Little New Year, busy work, eating sugar melons, new tasks
The Spring Festival, a festival full of joy and expectations, is also a busy time.

People rushed back to their hometowns from all directions to reunite with their families. However, behind this joy is inseparable from the busyness of a group of people.

In the days that followed, Li Aiguo's 131 crew, in addition to normal driving, also had to take on the task of driving a tanker truck.

I drove for more than ten consecutive days without taking a half-day break.

In the end, the director of the passenger transport workshop saw that the comrades all had dark circles under their eyes and were afraid of accidents while driving, so he applied for a half-day rest period for them.

Li Aiguo jumped down from the driver's building, got on his bicycle and went home.

Rest is one thing, but the most important thing is to drive continuously, eat and live in the driver's building, and the clothes on my body can shake off two pounds of soot.

Chen Xueru was about to go to work. When she saw the rough man coming back, she took half a day off and squatted in the kitchen to boil hot water.

It was already severe winter.

The northwest wind was howling outside, and the bathroom window was covered with all kinds of ice flowers, including diamond-shaped, aquatic, pine needle-shaped, and mist-shaped.
Li Aiguo rounded his lips, brought them up and exhaled a few breaths of hot breath, melting a small hole, and then stretched out his hand to wipe it away.

"Harm, they are all neighbors. Besides, there was a flood in our compound a while ago. If it weren't for you, my house would have been flooded." Liu Haizhong rubbed his hands and said with embarrassment.

Chen Fangxuan had several incidents this year, so the two of them came back specially.

After humming a little tune and taking a bubble bath, Li Aiguo was finally able to live a married life for once.

In autumn, soft and waxy sweet potatoes are dried into dried sweet potatoes.

Looking at the pile of dried sweet potatoes in the basket, Li Aiguo knew that Liu Haizhong had made a big investment this time.

After some tossing, Li Aiguo asked: "The Chinese New Year is coming soon, do we have to prepare some gifts for your father?"

Li Aiguo especially likes to eat.

It’s just that there is no sweet potato cellar in the city. Moreover, the number of sweet potatoes is too small, and there is no way to dry the sweet potatoes. In winter, there will be nothing to eat.

"Patriot, are you at home?"

Anyone who buys sweet potatoes will definitely buy a big pot of sweet potatoes.

In the past few days, Liu Haizhong has been paying attention to Li Aiguo.

This meal was really hot and satisfying.

His interest was interrupted, Li Aiguo angrily got up from the bed, put on his clothes, and opened the door.

"Then I will favor you."

Seeing Li Aiguo staring at him coldly, Liu Haizhong could only tell the story.

"There's no need to go out of your way to buy it. The street office will probably distribute the rice and noodles. I'll carry it to him then."

Well, there is nothing more pleasing to the father-in-law than the gifts distributed by the work unit. From this point of view, there is no difference between the capital and the green onion province.

Each family can only buy 50 to 60 kilograms of sweet potatoes, and the sales time is very short, only three to five days.

"Second uncle, are you okay?"

"It's nothing. No, your second aunt went back to her hometown yesterday and brought back some dried sweet potatoes."

Chewing hot and sweet sweet potatoes and cabbage in your mouth and drinking a few mouthfuls of noodles and porridge.

After having enough fun, I closed the curtain.

"That's great. Come on."

But he didn’t say much.

Liu Haizhong suddenly became anxious, no longer caring about being reserved, and smiled awkwardly: "Ai Guo, I do have a small matter that I want your help with."

Chen Xingyi works in Baoding and is almost like a son-in-law. In the past few years, he spent the Spring Festival at his father-in-law's house.

As the saying goes, a reunion is better than a wedding.

Dried sweet potatoes taste particularly chewy and taste similar to dried mangoes from later generations.

Seeing that Li Aiguo was back, he couldn't wait to find the door.

Sweet potatoes are considered a special coarse grain in these years and are supplied according to the number of people.

Chen Xueru worked hard for a while. At this time, her hair was sticky to her scalp and her chest was still heaving. She said breathlessly: "I just have to trouble you to help buy two tickets. Xing Yi and his wife are coming back this year to celebrate the New Year."

Li Aiguo took the basket, which contained seven or eight kilograms of dried sweet potatoes, and said with a smile: "Second uncle, what do you want?"

Li Aiguo reached out and touched it. Just as he was about to explore the new world, there was a knock on the door outside.

By the way, the sweet potato of this era is not much different from that of later generations. It is the [Jingcheng 553] variety, which was bred by the former North China Agricultural Science Institute in 1950 from the open-pollinated hybrids of Shengli No. .

Chen Xueru took a bite out of the rough man's face.

Seeing Li Aiguo turning around, he was about to enter the house.

Seeing Liu Haizhong turn into a simple and honest person, Li Aiguo found it difficult to adapt for a while.

Li Aiguo pondered for a moment and said: "Let me tell Driver Hu that he is traveling on the Beijing-Hankou Line and often travels to and from Baoding. When the time comes, let Line B go directly to Driver Hu."

On the other hand, commune members in the countryside regard sweet potatoes as their staple food.

"Even if I buy a ticket, I can't get it to Baoding."

I originally planned to ask the village chief of Weizhuang to do some, but I never had time.

"Isn't it the Chinese New Year soon? My Liu Guangqi and his wife are in Baoding."

"Help to buy the bus ticket? It's all from the neighbors. It's a small thing. But second uncle, have you forgotten something?"

Li Aiguo stretched out his hand, rubbed his thumb and index finger gently, and made a universal gesture understood by the whole world.

"Didn't I give you sweet potatoes?" Liu Haizhong's eyes widened.

"You told me, this is a gift! Can it be used to pay for the ticket?"

"Hey, you kid, you really don't understand the world."

Liu Haizhong saw more and more people surrounding him, so he decided to fulfill his responsibility as the second uncle and teach Li Aiguo some ways to behave in the world.

He pointed to the sweet potato basket and said: "As a favor, I give you sweet potatoes and you give me bus tickets. Both of our families benefit, and our relationship will be better in the future."

Xu Damao had been staring at Liu Haizhong for a long time. Hearing this, he said in a strange tone: "Second uncle, your basket of sweet potatoes is only worth one yuan at most, and my train ticket is three or four yuan. Taking advantage of your family is considered a favor. ?”

"Xu Damao, what do you know, you little brat? Haven't you ever heard that courtesy is less important than kindness?" Liu Haizhong's eyes widened.

After training Xu Damao, he turned to look at Li Aiguo: "Aiguo, what's the money?"

"wait."

Li Aiguo turned around and entered the room.

After a while, when I came out, I had a green radish in my hand.

"Here."

The carrot was handed to Liu Haizhong.

"What?" Liu Haizhong was confused.

"This is a gift for your family. Our two families are even."

"No, I just gave you a basket of sweet potatoes, weighing more than ten kilograms!" Liu Haizhong was anxious.

Before Li Aiguo could say anything, Xu Damao's voice came from the crowd again: "Second uncle, you just said that etiquette is less important than intention. The radish that someone loves his country is worth tens of thousands of gold."

"." Hearing this, Liu Haizhong rolled his eyes and almost fainted.

"Second uncle has gone too far this time. He wants to exchange sweet potatoes for tickets. What do you think?"

"It's not like I want to take advantage."

"Tsk, tsk, this is the steward in our compound."

The crowd's comments were like a knife piercing the second uncle's chest, and they were mixed together randomly.

He felt that the weather suddenly became cold.

Public opinion cannot be violated. Liu Haizhong took a deep breath, pretended to be suddenly enlightened, took out the money from his pocket, and handed it over.

"Ah, yes, yes, I forgot to give you the ticket money."

"I'll have someone send him the ticket."

Li Aiguo looked calm, took the ticket money, counted it once, and carried the basket into the house.

I saw the door of the house closed.

Liu Haizhong was stunned for a moment, and then went home angrily.

As soon as he sat down, he started muttering:
"It still costs money to buy a train ticket. Li Aiguo is too stingy. He thinks I don't know. Their train drivers all have quotas for carrying passengers, so they don't have to spend any money at all."

"Old Liu, train tickets are in short supply now. I'm lucky if I can buy one smoothly." The second aunt advised him.

Liu Haizhong said: "This matter has nothing to do with money. The key is that Li Aiguo doesn't give me face! Face, you know?"

He recently treated Li Aiguo to a drink and gave him sweet potatoes. He felt that Li Aiguo should give him this honor no matter what.

"Old Liu, you are right. That boy Li Aiguo is nothing. How could he offend you?"

At this time, Yi Zhonghai entered the room and asked Liu Haizhong about the situation just now.

When he heard that Li Aiguo had asked for the ticket money and wanted to give Liu Guangqi a regular ticket, Yi Zhonghai's face darkened.

"It seems that Li Aiguo is going to buy tickets through formal channels. This time I can't control him again."

Hearing this, Liu Haizhong's eyes widened.

"Lao Yi, I dare you to urge me to ask Li Aiguo for a ticket just to set up a trap for others!"

Only then did Yi Zhonghai realize that he had made a mistake and quickly defended: "Old Liu, it's for our own good. Li Aiguo is nothing. If you leave him in the compound, sooner or later we will be dealt with by him."

Yi Zhonghai explained carefully.

But at this moment, Liu Haizhong realized that he was being used as a gun, and his heart was filled with anger, and he refused to listen to the explanation at all.

He pushed Yi Zhonghai out of the house and said coldly: "Old Yi, if anything happens in the future, don't hold me back."

Snapped!
Liu Hai imitated Li Aiguo and closed the door.

Feeling the vibration from the door frame, he felt particularly relieved.

He turned and shouted into the room: "Liu Guangfu, do you want to buy firecrackers?"

"Dad, are you really going to buy me a gun?" Liu Guangfu rushed out, his little face filled with excitement.

The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and the children in the courtyard have begun to play with firecrackers, and Liu Guangfu is also very greedy.

Liu Haizhong picked up the copper buckle belt and pointed to the corner: "I'm in a good mood today, two belts and a small steel cannon."

Liu Guangfu: "."

The second aunt gnawed on the radish, nodded and said: "Hey, old man, don't tell me, patriotic radish is quite crispy." Liu Haizhong: "."

Liu Guangfu looked at Liu Haizhong: "."

Second aunt: "."

radish:"."

Yi Zhonghai stood outside the door, feeling a gust of cold wind blowing, and couldn't help but shiver.

This time, I failed to catch Li Aiguo's handle, and instead created a gap with Liu Haizhong. It was like stealing the chicken but losing the rice.

Ouch, my heart hurts.

Yi Zhonghai staggered back home.

He needs to take medicine immediately.

February 1957, 2, the 4rd day of the twelfth lunar month.

The folk song says: "Old lady, don't be upset, it's the New Year after Laba Festival. How many days do you drink Laba porridge? It's twenty-three." The twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month is also called "Little New Year".

After the Little New Year, it is equivalent to the official New Year.

Since ancient times, throughout history, there have been only a few days when people can truly have enough to eat.

Therefore, people have good expectations and hope to have enough to eat. On this day, they worship the Kitchen God and pray for blessings.

But now the customs have changed and the old rules are no longer adhered to. The locomotive depot issued two movie tickets to allow employees to take their families to watch a movie to celebrate the New Year.

Not long ago, the Harbin Railway Bureau supported more than 30 train drivers from the Beijing Bureau.

Li Aiguo's 131 driver group can only take a day off on Xiaonian.

After going to the education room to collect the movie tickets, Li Aiguo got on his bicycle and returned to the courtyard.

As soon as I entered the yard, I was startled by the "pop" of firecrackers.

It's not dark yet, but the children of Zhang Gangzhu's family, Liu Guangfu and a few other children have already started playing "small steel cannon" and "two kicks".

A group of boys fired off cannons and ran away laughing.

Liu Guangtian wiped his nose and followed them with "Old Man Flower" and "Rat Shit".

"Little Steel Cannon" and "Er Kick" are firecrackers.

"Old Man Flower" and "Rat Shit" are a kind of fireworks in this era.

Well, it also has another name, called "thorn flower".

"Old Man Flower" is larger and looks like a colorful clay figurine shaped like an old man. There is a hole on the top of the head for lighting, which is very similar to the fireworks of later generations.

When lighting it, you usually place the "Old Man Flower" on the ground in the middle of the yard, and then use incense to aim at the lead above its head.

After a while, the fireworks in "Old Man Flower"'s belly shot straight upward.

It's just a child, how can he follow the instructions to set off fireworks honestly if there is such a thing?

"Look, I'll show you what a mortar is!"

Liu Guangfu picked up the "Old Man's Flower" and placed it horizontally in his hand, lit the fuse, and aimed at Zhang Tiedan: "Tiedan, are you going to surrender or not?"

Sigh. Smoke came out of the head of "Old Man Flower", and Zhang Tiedan was so frightened that he almost cried.

At this moment, a protective leather shoe came from the side and hit Liu Guangfu's wrist with the tip of the shoe.

"Old Flower" got out of her hand and fell to the ground, falling in the corner.

Whoosh whoosh. Bright sparks poured out of the tube, like a particle bullet, hitting the wall.

The fireworks of this era were also very real and powerful, and they actually left several holes in the bricks.

It is conceivable that if this thing is shot into a person, even if it cannot make a hole, it will inevitably be burned.

The group of children, including Liu Guangfu, were shocked.

Li Aiguo said with a straight face: "Set off fireworks is a festive thing, don't mess with it."

The children were relieved to see that Li Aiguo didn't get angry.

"Brother Patriot, I don't dare anymore." Liu Guangfu quickly wiped his nose and said.

He knew that if Liu Haizhong found out about this, he would definitely be beaten.

In order to buy small steel cannons and tattoos, Liu Guangfu was beaten with several belts. If he was beaten again, he would suffer a loss.

How can a child not be naughty? Just be careful.

In later generations, there was a fireworks display called "Howling Wolf", which was pointed and very powerful. It caused serious consequences because of irregular discharge.

I hope the child recovers soon.
After Li Aiguo told the children to pay attention to safety, he turned and returned home.

At this time, Chen Xueru had returned.

He Yuyu, Liu Lan and Liang Ladi were busy making "tanggu" with Aunt Liu in the kitchen.

As the old saying goes, "Children, don't be greedy. After Laba Festival, it's New Year. How many days do you drink Laba porridge? Twenty-three. Twenty-three, sticky melons; twenty-four, clean the house."

According to past superstitions, on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the Kitchen God would go to heaven to report on his duties, and at the same time report on the good and evil deeds of his family during the year.

Therefore, on this day, people want to see off Lord Zao.

The farewell ceremony was to use sugar melons to offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God, and seal the mouth of the Kitchen God with the sugar melons so that he could not tell the truth.

Ahem, the common people are infinitely wise.

The so-called sugar melon.

In fact, they are candies made from corn, sweet potatoes, and barley, and are very popular among adults and children.

They are also sold in supply and marketing cooperatives, and they cost one pound per pound.

Aunt Liu is a crafty and delicate person who is good at making candied melons, so every year the residents of the compound ask Aunt Liu to make some.

Liu Lan and Liang Ladi probably had this idea in mind before they gathered in Li Ai's country.

"You're back, my aunt has already made a batch, and our family is waiting for you to offer sacrifices to the stove." When Chen Xueru saw Li Aiguo coming back, she quickly pulled him into the kitchen.

Afraid of Li Aiguo's reluctance, he explained in a low voice: "This is an old rule."

Li Aiguo is not that kind of pedantic person, but worshiping the stove does not affect his atheist belief.

Besides, offering sacrifices to the stove can only be done by men.

If there is no man in the house, the man next door has to be hired to take his place.

This is something that Li Aiguo cannot allow.

The Li family's sacrifice to the stove is extremely simple.

Instead of inviting the gods, the sugar melons are roasted on the stove door and smeared on the stove door, which means that the Stove Lord invites you to eat sweets.

Then serve a bowl of lotus seed eight-treasure rice steamed with glutinous rice, and that's it.

After doing this, Li Aiguo picked up a hanging firecracker and came to the courtyard.

Zhang Tiedan was squatting at the door playing. When he saw it, he rushed over and said, "Uncle Patriot, can I help you set off the cannons?"

"Here you go!"

Zhang Tiedan took the firecracker without hanging it on a stick. He held one end of the firecracker in one hand and lit it with incense in the other.

Crackling, the air is filled with joyful atmosphere.

A group of people were making Tanggua at home, and Li Aiguo returned to the house and prepared to continue Ganshu.

The time came to noon unknowingly, and Li Aiguo had just put down his book.

Yan Jiecheng ran over in a hurry.

"Brother Patriot, the maintenance department has informed you that you are on a mission."

Aunt Liu happened to bring out a plate of candied melons. When she heard this, she became a little unhappy.

"Ai Guo has been busy for half a month. I finally went home to rest for a day. Today is the Chinese New Year, so I have to do another mission!"

Aunt Liu had completely forgotten about it. At this time, Liu Tianquan and Liu Diquan were busy in the Gobi Desert.

"Mom, if you have a patriotic mission, let him go. I will accompany you to celebrate the New Year tonight." Chen Xueru hurriedly came to the rescue.

He Yuyu also nodded: "Yes, Brother Patriot is doing business."

Aunt Liu is either confused or just a little angry.

After some persuasion, he said: "The emperor still needs hungry soldiers. Patriot, you eat the sugar melon before you go."

Looking at Aunt Liu who looked like a child, Li Aiguo couldn't laugh or cry. He could only pick up his chopsticks and eat up a plate of sugar melons.

But when he arrived at the locomotive depot dispatch room and found that Duan Chang Xing was also there, Li Aiguo suddenly felt that this mission was unusual.

Duan Chang Xing called Li Aiguo, Liu Qingquan and Lao Zheng into the office. After closing the door, he said: "The specific situation is in the task dispatch book. You can only open the file bag when you get to the driver's building."

Taking the sealed file bag, Li Aiguo nodded heavily: "Commander Duan, don't worry, we guarantee the mission."

The stuffy tank train has been inspected and is parked at the station.

After boarding the driver's building, Liu Qingquan asked curiously: "Driver Li, please open the file bag quickly."

stab
Tear off the sealing paper with the red stamp, open the bag, and take out the dispatch form.

Under the dim light, the printed words are delicate and charming.

[The 131st driver team is hereby assigned to drive the secret code train No. 2610 to the No. military supply station to transport a group of personnel to a base in the south. 】

The detailed address of the military supply station is below.

Liu Qingquan was confused: "Transportation personnel? Who are they? Do you need a tank truck with twelve wagons?"

"Soldiers."

Li Aiguo suppressed his excitement and uttered one word.

The train left the depot puffing black smoke.

Li Aiguo was grateful for Aunt Liu's foresight.

Because of the urgent task, Lao Zheng and Liu Qingquan had not eaten yet.

Duan Chang Xing could only ask the canteen to pack a large bag of white flour steamed buns and give them to them as dry food on the road.

In the driver's building, looking at the two people eating steamed buns, Li Aiguo smiled and pulled the whistle.

Woo woo woo.

Eat like crazy Eat like crazy
(End of this chapter)