Siheyuan: There are three little cats at home

Chapter 15 Buy Horseshoe Biscuits for the Three Little Ones

It was dark and cold, and the stars were dimmer than last night.

Xu Qing was walking on the wide avenue with his noodle bag in his hands. Except for the vendors who were sticking to their stalls under the telephone poles and illuminated by the street lights, they didn't see a few passers-by.

The cold wind howled from all directions, stinging my face like a knife.

Even if he finally met a pedestrian, he would lower his head, huddle up, hide his whole body in his cotton-padded jacket, and hurry on his way.

Xu Qing also quickened his pace, walked to the stall that sold horseshoe biscuits, and asked for fifty cents of biscuits.

The vendor is an old man in his 50s, with a stooped figure, cloudy eyes, and a bit of a dull look, but he is in good spirits, and the horseshoe biscuits he makes are particularly crispy.

In the past, every time Xu Qing came out of Ma Jiefang's house, he would always buy a few to eat.

He is also a regular customer and occasionally chats with the old man.

But since I started working in the factory, I haven't been here for half a year.

The old man saw Xu Qing and didn't recognize him at first, but after hearing Xu Qing's voice.

A smile immediately appeared on his wrinkled face, and he said with a smile:
"Drink, it's you, kid. It's been a long time since I've been here, old man. Why are you so busy with your studies lately?"

As the old man said, he quickly helped Xu Qing wrap the biscuits with paper.

Xu Qing handed over the money and said, "I don't want to read it anymore. I'm working in the factory now."

"Ouch, how come you don't think about it anymore?"

The old man asked, but when Xu Qing didn't answer immediately, he hurriedly said: "It's okay if you don't read it anymore. These days, it's important to make money and eat. But I remember, old man, you seem to have read "Famous Hall" right away. It’s a pity not to read this!”

Xu Qing also knew that it was a pity, but there was nothing he could do about it, the three little ones in the family couldn't go hungry.

Even if it is a new choice, Xu Qing will choose not to read.

After all, he is the eldest brother in the family, and as the eldest brother, he must shoulder the burden of the entire family.

Otherwise, the family will be broken up!
After receiving the sesame seed cakes wrapped by the old man, Xu Qing said goodbye, and then walked back to the compound along the empty street.

On the road, he met a man who was buying candied haws on a stick and was closing his stall. Xu Qing took out another [-] cents and bought three bunches, ready to take them back to the three little ones.

Although I don’t have much money, I still have to live my life.

As the eldest brother, he should still feel pain for his younger brothers and sisters.

On the way, Xu Qing used his ability to divide the horseshoe biscuits and then re-wrapped them.

When Xu Qing returned to the house.

The three little ones have finished their homework.

The second brother Xu Aiguo was taking his third brother Xu Fengming and the little girl around the stove, roasting sweet potatoes.

I saw that my eldest brother not only bought water chestnut pancakes, but also candied haws.

The little girl grinned, stood up hurriedly, ran up to Xu Qing with braids, and said coquettishly:
"Brother, I have finished my homework for a while. The second brother took me and the third brother to wait for you at the entrance of the alley for a while, but we didn't see you coming back, so we went back to the house first."

Xu Qing stretched out his hand to ice the little girl's face, and put the horseshoe biscuits on the table. The three little guys immediately gathered around, vying to be the first to eat.

Xu Qing put the three bunches of candied haws aside, letting the three little ones eat after filling their stomachs.

The three little ones were only eating sesame seed cakes, Xu Qing picked up a thermos bottle and poured a teapot of water for each of them.

Then he walked to the stove and checked the sweet potatoes on the stove.

I stretched out my hand and pinched it, feeling that the sweet potato was still half-cooked, so I went outside, took back a large piece of wood lump I picked up earlier, and stuffed it into the stove.

Firewood is always better than briquettes and burns faster.

The little ones sat at the table, happily eating horseshoe biscuits, while Xu Qing roasted sweet potatoes.

The room was indescribably warm.

But at this moment, Xu Damao stepped in.

Seeing Xu Qing roasting sweet potatoes, he tilted his head and signaled that he had something to do.

As soon as Xu Qing walked outside the house, Xu Damao handed the smoke:
"Do you still have the ticket?"

"Gone."

Xu Qing didn't expect Xu Damao to take the initiative to ask himself for a ticket tonight, and he was a little surprised.

But looking at Xu Damao's expression, Xu Qing guessed that Xu Damao had already taken action on the twelve tickets last night.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have come to find him so soon.

Xu Damao winked and said: "Brother, I can tell you that these tickets are in great demand now. If you can still get them, how much do you have? Brother, I will cover them all!"

Xu Qing smoked a cigarette and said with a wry smile:
"Brother Damao, it's not that easy to get tickets. Even if I find someone to draw for you, it won't be that fast."

Xu Damao looked a little disappointed, and took a puff of smoke: "This year, there are really many people asking for tickets. If you can get it, do it quickly. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the two of us will join forces to fight fiercely." You have to make a fortune from it, otherwise, it won’t be certain when spring comes next year.”

Xu Qing also knows that before the end of the year, there will definitely be many people who need tickets.

The problem is, I don’t have a ticket now, even if I have the ability to split it in two, it’s useless.

Xu Damao can do it.

But there was no way for Xu Damao to give himself a ticket first, and then he would divide it into two and give it to Xu Damao.

If you really do this, I'm afraid this matter will be troublesome.

After all, Xu Damao is not a fool, he has a lot of eyes.

If you notice something, I'm afraid it will be more than troublesome in the future!
Xu Qing thought for a while, remembering that Ma Jiefang said that he could get a bicycle ticket, and said:

"Brother Damao, do you want a bicycle ticket?"

"Bicycle tickets?" Xu Damao was stunned for a moment. After pondering for a moment, he said with a smile: "This is not easy to handle. Bicycle tickets are rare. There must be a lot of people who want them, but the Chinese New Year is about to happen. Most of them What people urgently need are food stamps, meat stamps, bicycle tickets, but I have to inquire about it.”

After Xu Damao finished speaking, he looked at Xu Qing in surprise for a moment, and hurriedly asked, "Can you get a bicycle ticket?"

Xu Qing nodded.

"It shouldn't be a big problem, but I can't say for sure."

Xu Qing had to wait for news about Ma Jiefang, so he did not give a definite reply to Xu Damao.

Xu Damao's even more excited expression turned lonely again, he spat out a circle, reached out and patted Xu Qing's shoulder, and whispered:

"Then if you have confidence, tell your brother. When the time comes, I will find a way to help you."

Xu Qing hummed.

Xu Damao saw that Xu Qing had no other tickets on hand, so he didn't talk about it anymore. He rambled for a while, yawned, and walked towards his own room.

Seeing that Xu Damao was gone, Xu Qing also turned around and opened the door and walked in.

It was freezing cold standing in the courtyard in the middle of winter.

Although there was no snow in the past two days, the sun was out for two days.

But the old people in Sijiu City all know that although it is cold when it snows, it is even colder when the snow is clearing, more than twice as cold as when it is snowing.

From a scientific point of view, melting snow does not absorb heat.

As soon as Xu Qing entered the room, he felt the chill on his body, and half of it dissipated immediately.

Walking to the stove, Xu Qing turned over all the sweet potatoes and continued to roast them.

After the three little ones finished eating the water chestnut pancakes, Xu Qing also roasted all the sweet potatoes.

(End of this chapter)