Siheyuan: There are three little cats at home

Chapter 302 Start work on the third day of the Lunar New Year

On the evening of the New Year's Eve, the compound is bustling with activity. From every household, the whole family sits around the table and eats the New Year's Eve dinner.

Yes, all are deposited in the joy of the new year.

Although on the surface, the Spring Festival is gone, in fact, how can it be cancelled?

Even though the changing situation is severe, the Chinese New Year customs that have been passed down for thousands of years can be erased from everyone's hearts with a single sentence or a piece of paper.

At this moment in Xu Qing's room, Xu Qing, his daughter-in-law Jing Hong, his second brother Aiguo, and the little girl sat around on the heated kang and got together.

Today is Chinese New Year, the New Year's Eve dinner tonight is indescribably sumptuous.

A small stir-fried pork dish, a plate of spicy and sour cabbage, a plate of mapo tofu, a plate of spicy and sour shredded potatoes, as well as fried bean sprouts and a plate of mu shu pork (scrambled eggs with tomatoes).

However, the tomatoes are replaced with the tomato sauce cooked by the little girl.

After all, these days, where can I buy fresh tomatoes in winter? If I can eat them in winter, I can only cook them in advance and store them.

In addition, there are three cold dishes prepared by Ma Jinghong, one is a gathering of talents, one is stir-fried radish skin, and one is cold bean sprouts.

There are only a few vegetables in winter, so you can only cook and eat them in different ways.

In addition, Xu Qing also stewed pork, vermicelli, radish, cabbage, potatoes, bean sprouts, tofu, etc. in a large pot of stew.

As for chickens, ducks and fish, apart from the old hen that Aiguo took back from his classmate's house a few days ago and ate it on the same day, the family also bought one each this year, and now they are all brought to the kang in the front room.

The family could not afford to eat in the past. At that time, Xu Qing's salary was low and his three younger brothers and sisters were also in school. The expenses were high. It was considered good to eat pork twice a month. As for chicken, duck and fish, naturally he did not dare to buy it.

But now, the situation is different.

Xu Qing has been steadily promoted in the factory, from the seventh-level clerk at the beginning to the current first-level clerk.

Salaries and benefits are naturally rising.

As for Aiguo, Fengming and the little girl, after these few years, the three of them successfully completed high school and were able to earn money. Of course, the family's situation has become better.

Furthermore, Xu Qing and Jing Hong got married again, and the old man didn't help much anymore, but throughout the year, Ma Jiefang would still bring some rice noodles and oil to Xu Qing's house every few months.

Grandparents in the countryside would also ask people to bring things into the city from time to time.

Moreover, Xu Qing also has the ability to 'split into two'.

In the past, in addition to distributing various tickets and daily necessities, he also had to help distribute school utensils and other things for his younger siblings to go to school.

Since the youngest sister Xiaoya graduated from high school, Xu Qing's ability has hardly been used in that area.

Therefore, the situation at home is getting better and better.

In addition to these, there were melon seeds, peanuts, apples, oranges, walnuts, fruit candies and toffee on the kang. There were also two cans, one with yellow peaches and the other with oranges.

Oranges are not available in the north. This kind of southern specialty fruit will become more expensive when it arrives in Forty-Nine City.

When ordinary people see the price, they can only hold back and dare not buy it.

Of course, the price is expensive, but people with a little more money will still buy some after the Chinese New Year.

However, Xu Qing directly bought four catties of fresh oranges this year.

There is no shortage of money now, and the space for spending money at home is relatively smaller than in previous years. There is no need to live a tight life.

It is worth mentioning that after the birth of the son, a "four-legged gold swallowing beast" was added to the family, and the expenses in the future will definitely not be small.

But that will be after next year. Although Xu Qing doesn't have much money currently, he still has a few hundred yuan.

Moreover, he and Jinghong both work, and their salaries will be enough to cope with the situation in the future.

It’s the New Year today, I’m happy.

Xu Qing took out the white wine, sat on the kang, and drank with his second brother Aiguo, Ma Jinghong and the little girl who were holding their son, and the sister-in-law drank chicken soup.

There is no TV in the house, but there is a radio. Xu Qing bought one a few years ago. At this time, Master Hou's cross talk was playing on the radio.

A section of the name of the dish sounds very good.

Master Hou's crosstalk was also heard from Xu Damao's house in the backyard.

Xu Damao held a cigarette in his left hand and peeled an orange in his right hand. He ate and smoked while listening to cross talk, and then picked up the wine cup and asked Qin Jingru to have a drink with him, not to mention how nourishing it was.

Qin Jingru has been busy all afternoon today, cooking a large table of New Year's Eve dinner. Although she and Xu Damao are the only ones, which of these two will treat her badly?
Xu Damao has been used to spending money lavishly since he was a child. He can eat whatever is delicious and drink whatever is delicious. It is impossible for Xu Damao to live like the third master.

But Xu Damao can enjoy himself, and he can also make money. When he was not married and was still working as a projectionist, he worked as a second-hand businessman outside, and he lived the most chic life in the courtyard.

Later, when I got married, I didn’t say anything about tightening my belt, not even for a day.

Although the wife was changed from Lou Xiao'e to Qin Jingru, Xu Damao became the deputy director. Regardless of whether he had real power or not, he had all the benefits he deserved in terms of salary and benefits.

Besides, the former Xu Damao was just a small projectionist.

The salary is not high, and the treatment is average.

But things are different now. Since he fell in love with Director Li, Xu Damao suddenly transformed into a deputy director and became an official as he wished.

In the factory, except for Director Li, the head of the 'G committee', Xu Damao hardly ever curry favor with anyone. He doesn't pay attention to the former leaders and cadres at all now.

Not to mention flattering them, it would be nice if Xu Damao didn't come back to them to ask for some favors.

It's just that Xu Damao's rise to power was accompanied by Liu Haizhong's resignation.

The second uncle, an official fan, has been thinking about it in his heart for decades. Finally, under the appreciation of Director Li, he worked as an official in the factory for a period of time, but he hadn't shown his strength in a vigorous way. It didn't take long for Xu Damao to replace him.

At this time, at the second uncle's house, the second uncle did not drink with his two sons. He drank alone with a wine cup.

The two sons made him very upset today, if it wasn't for the New Year's Eve, he might have to take advantage of the alcohol to clean up.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu didn't take the initiative to drink with Liu Haizhong. They knew that their father looked down on them, so they didn't rush to find discomfort.

In the backyard at this time, there was only the deaf old lady with the light on, and there was no movement at all, because she had been carried to the middle courtyard by Sha Zhu to celebrate the New Year.

Several families in the central courtyard are celebrating the New Year together this year.

The elder brother Yi Zhonghai and the elder mother have no children.

Shazhu's parents are away, he and his sister Yushui are the only ones in his room.

As for the Jia family, after Jia Dongxu passed away, only Qin Huairu's orphans, widowed mother and Jia Zhang family were left.

So these people got together.

In fact, Shazhu and Yuyu wanted to celebrate the New Year with Xu Qing's family this year.

Both families’ parents are away and they are close on weekdays, so it’s appropriate to spend the New Year together.

But yesterday, after Yi Zhonghai heard Silly Zhu’s idea, he dissuaded him: “Zhuzi, Xu Qing and Jing Hongke are married and have children. They celebrate the New Year with their younger brothers and sisters. What’s wrong with you bringing the rain over there? ?

You listen to me, it's better for the three of us in the middle court to join forces than you to go to Xu Qing's house. "

Silly Zhu thought for a while and then gave up the idea.

As for the front yard, the family of the third master Yan Bugui lived there. Naturally, their family sat in the house of the third master and third mother to celebrate the New Year.

At midnight, the sound of firecrackers to welcome the new year came from the courtyard.

The crackling sound resounded throughout the cold and silent night.

In the backyard, after Xu Qing and Aiguo set off firecrackers in the yard, they hurried back to the house and helped Jinghong and the little girl make dumplings together.

Bo Nian didn't sleep tonight, so all night, the three Xu Qing brothers and sisters and Jing Hong sat on the kang and chatted while making dumplings.

While wrapping coins in the dumplings, the little girl thought of something, hurriedly put down the dumplings she just wrapped in her hand, smiled and lay down in front of Xiao Hongzhi with watery eyes, stretched out her hand and took out the prepared dumplings. New year's money, stuffed into the little quilt that wraps the little guy.

"My aunt gave you lucky money, so you have to keep it."

After the little girl finished speaking with a smile, she lightly touched the little guy's face with her right hand dipped in flour.

Seeing this, Xu Aiguo hurriedly stuffed the lucky money prepared for his little nephew into his little quilt.

Xu Qing and Jing Hong looked at each other, smiled and said nothing.

…………

Early the next morning, New Year's Day.

When Si Zhu was sending the deaf old lady back to the backyard from the central courtyard, he dropped by Xu Qing's house and gave Xiao Hongzhi new year's money.

And Xu Damao lived in the backyard, so naturally he gave it earlier.

The two of them have always had a good relationship with Xu Qing. Xu Qing and Jinghong have a child. They are uncles, so how can they not express anything.

It's just that as soon as the first day of the first month passes, the factory accepts holidays in the third year of junior high school.

So on the morning of the second day of the second lunar month, Xu Qing packed up cigarettes and wine, and took his wife Jinghong, who was holding his son, to his father-in-law's house to pay New Year's greetings while the weather was fine.

When Ma Guohua saw Xu Qinghe and his daughter arriving with their grandson, he smiled instantly. He reached out to take the little guy from Jinghong's arms, held him in his arms with a look of love on his face, and gave him his lucky money directly to a big unity card.

Ma Jiefang's eyes widened when he saw it, "Dad, you never gave me so much New Year's money when I was a kid."

Ma Guohua hugged Xiao Hongzhi, turned to look at his son Ma Jiefang and said:

"If your boy and Yuemei give birth to a grandson for me and your mother this year, I will give so much when I arrive."

Ma Jiefang chewed the fruit candy in his mouth and said, "Then you and my mother will tell you that my wife will give you a fat grandson by the end of this year!"

Wu Yuemei's face turned red when Ma Jiefang said this, and she rolled her eyes at Ma Jiefang angrily.

At noon, Xu Qing and his wife had lunch at his father-in-law's house.

At around three o'clock in the afternoon, before the weather turned cold, Xu Qing and Jing Hong set off for their compound and hurried back.

The next morning, Xu Qing got up and made a simple breakfast in the kitchen of his house. After eating with his second brother Aiguo and the little girl, the three brothers and sisters went out to the courtyard together.

The Red Star Steel Rolling Mill started work today, but the state-owned store where the little girl works has never been on holiday since the first day of the first lunar month. The little girl has been going to and from get off work every day for the past three days, and only in the afternoon can she come back from get off work early .

In the courtyard, everyone else working in the factory, whether it was Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao, the second uncle in the backyard, Yi Zhonghai, Shazhu, Qin Huairu, the first uncle in the middle courtyard, or Yan Jiecheng in the front yard, all were at this time. They walked out of their respective rooms and headed out of the compound one after another.

At the entrance of the alley, after Xu Qing and Aiguo separated from his younger sister Xiaoya, they rode their bicycles in the direction of the rolling mill.

Ten minutes later, Xu Qing entered the factory with patriotism, and at this time, many people had already arrived in the factory.

However, in addition to the joy of celebrating the New Year, everyone's faces also contained complaints.

It's only the third day of the Lunar New Year and the factory is starting to work. Who would be happy?

However, there is nothing wrong with being unwilling. If anyone does not come, he will be treated as absent from work, so whoever dares not come.

These days, people living in the city rely on the wages they earn from work. If they are recorded as absent from work and their wages are deducted for a few days, how can their families survive?
However, the situation caused by the changing weather has both good and bad. The bad thing is that the factory started working early this year, but the good thing is that it is easy to go to work.

Anyway, since the change of weather, the production intensity in the factory has not been as good as before, and production is no longer the first task in the factory.

Especially after the "G Committee" was established in the factory, the workload in one month is now less than that in one week before.

Whether you are a workshop worker or a cadre like Xu Qing, every day is easy.

It was the 'G Committee' group of people in the factory, led by Director Li, who were having fun.

What's more, the cafeteria in the factory has hardly been free.

Because no matter how much you do or how little you do, you have to eat.

Shazhu, his apprentices Ma Hua and Fatty, as well as Liu Lan and others in the back kitchen, had to do what they had to do for lunch.

After Xu Qing parked his bicycle at the parking spot in the factory, he didn't go directly to his own office, but went to the third workshop of the fitter department with his second brother Aiguo.

Today is the first day of work, and the bell has not yet been rung, so Xu Qing went to the third workshop and walked around.

Who let the third workshop be the first place he stayed when he entered the factory.

Xu Qing has more feelings for this place than anywhere else.

At this time, Er Mazi was squatting at the door of the workshop with a cigarette in his mouth, grinning and chatting with Wang Dequan, Zhou Pingtai and others.

Seeing Xu Qinghe Aiguo coming, Er Mazi smiled and said:
"Qingzi, Patriotic, Happy Chinese New Year!"

"happy New Year!"

Xu Qing responded, reached out and took out the peony cigarettes he carried, and spread them around Er Mazi, Zhou Pingtai and others.

Er Mazi took the cigarette, put it behind his ear, and said to Xu Qing:
"Qingzi, I heard from your master, Lao Zhang, that your daughter-in-law, Jing Hong, gave birth to a son for you years ago?"

"Yeah!" Xu Qing said happily, "That's it."

Wang Dequan lay on Er Mazi's back, and said to Xu Qing:

"Qingzi, after a while, your son will be full moon, we have to drink your son a glass of full moon wine."

"no problem!"

Xu Qing smiled and said, "When the time comes, you all remember to come to my house."

Er Mazi gritted his teeth and said, "That's for sure! Anyway, I will definitely be there."

Wang Dequan raised his hand and patted Er Mazi on the head, "You boy, you go, why don't we go?"

"Who knows?" Er Mazi smoked a cigarette, turned his head to look at Wang Dequan, and said quietly:

"Brother Dequan, aren't you afraid that if you get too drunk by then, my sister-in-law will take care of you when you get home and won't let you get on the bed?"

"Er Mazi, you bastard, are you itchy?" Wang Dequan glared at Er Mazi, "You kid will spoil the fun if you don't open or lift any pot!"

Er Mazi immediately winked at Xu Qing and said, "Qingzi, did you see that brother Dequan is afraid of his wife, he is not safe."

Wang Dequan was exposed by the pockmark. His face showed displeasure. He reached out to take off his right shoe and was about to slap the pockmark on his right foot. This instantly made everyone laugh.

A gust of wind blows, with laughter, spread farther and farther in the factory
(End of this chapter)