Siheyuan: There are three little cats at home

Chapter 444 What about my sister?
After a busy day, Xu Qing, his younger siblings, his daughter-in-law Jinghong, his younger sister-in-law Aiqian, Xiujuan, and his brother-in-law Liu Jianjun returned to the compound.

The nanny Aunt Feng and Xu Qing's grandparents packed the dinner from the kitchen to the front room.

Xu Hongzhi also helped.

He doesn't have to go to school on weekends, and he didn't follow Xu Qing and Jing Hong to the grain station today.

He is not very tall and is in the middle of the pack among children of his age.

When there are few people at the grain station, Xu Qing will take them there, but today there is a lottery.

In the morning, Xu Qing and Jinghong asked him to stay at home to finish his homework and accompany his grandparents to take care of Qiaoxin and Hongfu.

There isn't much that Hongzhi can do at home right now. He can make fires, but he has a nanny, Aunt Feng, so there's no need for him.

But he was still squatting in front of the kitchen stove from five o'clock in the afternoon until just now.

Xu Hongzhi is ten years old. In rural areas, children of this age carry hoes to help the family work in the fields and do housework.

That is to say, there is no land for farming in the city, and the household chores at home are handled by adults and elderly people. There are not many things that need to be done by children.

As a result, people of Xu Hongzhi's age who live in the city have more leisure time than children in rural areas.

However, Xu Hongzhi is also sensible. Xu Qing and Jing Hong have been disciplined since childhood.

Grandpa asked him to sit in front of the kitchen stove and light the fire. He was naughty, but he obeyed and did not refuse.

The two old men saw their three grandsons and granddaughters, as well as their granddaughter-in-law and grandson-in-law, all back.

While saying hello, he poured hot water into the washbasin and said:
"You have been tired for a long day and must be starving. Take a shower and eat quickly."

With the help of Aunt Feng, grandma steamed a large pot of meat rolls, which were fragrant, soft and fragrant.

This is her specialty.

For rural areas, there are only a handful of days a year when you can eat meat rolls.

It's different in the city.

There is more meat supply in cities than in rural areas.

After the pigs and sheep in the countryside are raised, most of them are sent to the city by the communes and become meat on the tables of city people.

Xu Qing's family is now having a better life, the grain station is doing a booming business, and the situation in the compound is ahead of other families.

Moreover, the younger brothers and sisters have started families one after another, and they all earn their own money.

As the eldest brother, Xu Qing no longer has to worry about them.

Naturally, eating meat is not as difficult as it was ten years ago.

His grandparents stayed in the city, and he asked Aunt Feng to buy meat and go home every now and then.

After Aiguo and Aiqian moved back from the independent house they rented before, they ate with their elder brother and sister-in-law.

As for their food stamps, meat stamps, etc., they were all given to sister-in-law Jinghong.

Aunt Feng, the nanny, usually buys groceries and stuff, and Jinghong gives them to her.

Xu Fengming and Tang Xiujuan still live outside and only return to the compound on weekends every week.

At this time, Feng Ming didn't even take off his scarf. As soon as he entered the house and saw the big meat rolls steamed by his grandma, his hands were not washed and the gloves on his hands were not taken off. He couldn't wait to grab a meat roll and took a big bite.

While chewing, he said:

"Grandma, your steamed meat rolls are still so delicious!"

The old man saw that his grandson liked to eat, and his wrinkled face showed happiness.

I couldn't bear to blame, so I just said softly:

"We'll eat later, and wash our hands with your wife first."

Xu Fengming pinched the meat rolls, sat on the hot kang, looked at his grandma and grinned:
"There's no rush. My eldest brother and the others will wash it first, and Xiujuan and I will wash it later."

At this time, Aiguo and Aiqian took their sister Xiaoya and brother-in-law Jianjun back to their house to wash their hands.

The main house where Xu Qing lives has only two washbasins.

Eight people came back together, and two wash basins were not enough.

Ai Guo and Ai Qian have been living in the house that their eldest brother, Feng Ming and his sister built together in the backyard for the past few years.

Aunt Feng, the nanny, helped clean up the house every day and watched over the hot water and other things, so she divided them into two groups and washed them on both sides.

After Xu Xiaoya got married, she and Liu Jianjun returned to the compound once a month.

After washing our faces in the second brother's patriotic house, we went to the main house where the eldest brother lived to have dinner with the second brother and his sister-in-law.

There is no room for a large family to sit at the table. There are many stools in the room, but the Eight Immortals table made of pear wood cannot accommodate more than ten people.

Xu Qiaoxin and Xu Hongfu are still young, and Jinghong and Aiqian still have to take care of them.

It's winter again, and it's not as comfortable as sitting on a hot kang to eat.

Therefore, the whole family sat around the hot kang and had dinner.

Aunt Feng, the nanny, always eats with Xu Qing.

Xu Qing told her not to see anyone outside.

These days, no city people or rural people call each other that way.

When you enter a city, you become a city dweller.

Xu Hongzhi also always called Aunt Feng grandma.

Xu Fengming only found out today that his eldest brother bought a motorcycle. He asked while eating:

"Brother, the last time you borrowed the industrial voucher, it turned out that you were buying a motorcycle. If I had known better, I would have asked Xiujuan to get one for you from abroad."

Xu Qing held his chopsticks and picked up the shredded potatoes on the dish in front of him and said: "It's okay, the domestic ones are good. The Jialing CJ50 I bought is going to the National Day this year. There is a military parade. You haven't seen anyone coming to buy food today." , everyone stared at them."

Xu Fengming finished the meat roll in his hand and asked Xiujuan to pass him another one while saying:

"Brother, you can do it if you like. Anyway, our family is the first one in our compound. I guess the three of them are very envious of Brother Damao's reconciliation with Brother Cheng and Brother Yuzhu."

Xu Xiaoya sat next to her sister-in-law Jinghong and echoed with a smile:
"Isn't that right? Yesterday, eldest brother said that the night before yesterday, brother Xie Cheng and brother Yu Zhu rode their bicycles and went to the grain station to see it. They couldn't wait for eldest brother to come back."

Xu Fengming nodded, swallowed the meat roll in his mouth, took a sip from the enamel teapot, and smiled.

"That's right. Brother Jie Cheng is just like the third uncle. When he sees someone's good things, he will be curious about them, but he can't wait."

After Xu Fengming finished speaking, he reached out and took the big meat roll Xiujuan handed her, took a big bite, and muttered to his eldest brother Xu Qing:

"Brother, isn't Brother Damao in our backyard busy with his small business? Last month, he boasted to me that he made a lot of money. He hasn't thought about getting a motorcycle recently?"

Xu Qing shook his head and said: "Xu Damao these days, I heard Qin Jingru and Qin Huairu complain about playing mahjong every day. I'm afraid all the money he earned has been wasted. What can he buy?

In addition, motorcycles require industrial coupons or motorcycle tickets, which Xu Damao may not be able to obtain given his current situation. "

Xu Fengming responded: "That's true. Brother Damao is used to spending money lavishly. Even if he has money, he can't buy it if he doesn't have a ticket."

Xu Aiguo didn't say anything. He ate his meal and listened to the conversation between his eldest brother and his third brother.

Liu Jianjun was silent and sat cross-legged on the kang next to Xiaoya, chewing the meat rolls in his mouth silently.

Xu Fengming turned his head and touched it with his arm, "Brother-in-law, you and Xiaoya are getting married, why don't you buy a motorcycle?"

When Liu Jianjun heard Feng Ming ask himself, he quickly straightened his waist, stopped using the chopsticks to pick up vegetables, quickly swallowed the meat rolls in his mouth, and said:

"Third brother, my work has a motorcycle. If I usually go out to do errands, I can ride it. There is no need to buy one."

Xu Fengming raised his eyebrows, looked at Liu Jianjun, looked at him and said:
"Your work unit has one and you can ride it, but what about my sister? Are you willing to let her ride a bicycle every day in the middle of winter?"

Liu Jianjun was speechless. He was stunned for a moment and looked at his wife Xiaoya for help.It's not that he doesn't want to buy it, but he and Xiaoya have just been married for a few months, and they don't have much savings, not to mention money is tight.

It was not too difficult for him to pool the money to buy a motorcycle with his parents, relatives and friends.

But after borrowing it, he and Xiaoya had to pay it back together.

And money is not a big issue.

The big problem is that to have money, you need to have tickets or hundreds of industrial coupons.

This is not easy.

Even though industrial coupons are just certificates for buying industrial products, in the years of planned economy, nothing was impossible.

Although it was reopened, the domestic economy did not improve immediately.

Large and expensive items still need to be purchased with a ticket.

Although the unit Liu Jianjun works in is under the control of the army, he can only get a few industrial coupons every month, the same as those who work in the factory.

Xu Xiaoya resigned from the piano factory again and worked at the grain station of her elder brother Xu Qing, but could not get industrial coupons every month.

Liu Jianjun alone cannot save many tickets in a year.

Moreover, in the army compound where he lives, everyone who meets him who doesn't want to buy big things is short of industrial coupons.

It was difficult for Liu Jianjun to borrow it from anyone.

He could only look at his wife Xiaoya and ask her to help him out.

Xu Xiaoya glanced at her third brother with a faint look in her eyes, and pouted:
"Third brother, what are you doing? My eldest brother bought a motorcycle, and I didn't say I wanted it too."

When Xu Fengming heard his sister say this, he flattened his lips, rolled his eyes at Xu Xiaoya, and hummed:
"Oh, that's incredible, Comrade Xu Xiaoya, you just got married and now you are going to Jianjun. Third brother, I have really loved you all these years in vain!"

In fact, Xu Fengming wanted Liu Jianjun to buy a motorcycle, mainly for his sister.

The bicycle Xiaoya rides was given to him and Xiujuan as a dowry.

Liu Jianjun's family didn't buy it, so how could Xu Fengming be happy?

I would like to take this opportunity to ask Liu Jianjun what he thinks?
Do you really have your sister in your heart?

However, his sister Xiaoya helped Liu Jianjun complain about him.

Xu Fengming called his eldest brother Xu Qing and his second brother patriotic, pretending to be sad:
"Eldest brother, second brother, you have seen that as soon as our little sister got married, she forgot all about the three of us who were her brothers."

Xu Qing knew that his third brother was teasing Menzi with his sister and brother-in-law, so he smiled and said nothing.

Grandpa and grandma, one looking at their grandson-in-law and the other looking at their little grandson, didn't say anything.

Xu Xiaoya rolled her eyes at Xu Fengming and said to her third sister-in-law Xiujuan:

"Sister-in-law Xiujuan, please take care of my third brother."

Tang Xiujuan married Xu Fengming earlier than Xiaoya. How could she not know that what her man just said was a joke.

But when the sister-in-law spoke, Tang Xiujuan glared at Xu Fengming with her beautiful eyes.

Xu Fengming said with a downcast face: "Hey, you are all awesome, I can't afford to offend you, I have to eat."

Xu Xiaoya hummed and said: "Third brother, please stop pretending to be sad. I don't know you yet, but you must be secretly happy in your heart."

Xu Fengming couldn't pretend anymore, he laughed, looked at Xu Xiaoya with his mouth flat and said:

"It's boring. I think Jianjun is thinking about buying you a motorcycle tomorrow. Now, don't think about riding a motorcycle to and from get off work."

Xu Xiaoya dismissed it, "I don't want it. Riding a bicycle is just fine."

As she said this, her heart felt warm. She understood that the third brother was thinking of her.

In fact, she rides the women's bicycle that Feng Ming and Xiujuan bought for her every day and has always taken good care of it.

If it's a little dirty, wipe it clean with a handkerchief.

Liu Jianjun said like a military order at this moment:
"Eldest brother, second brother, third brother, don't worry, as long as I get the motorcycle ticket from our work, I will buy a motorcycle for Xiaoya right away."

Xu Qing, Ai Guo and Feng Ming watched their late brother-in-law found the army together. The three brothers smiled, but no one answered.

Finally, it was Xu Qing, the eldest brother, who said to his brother-in-law:
"Jianjun, Feng Ming just said it casually, you don't need to take it too seriously."

Liu Jianjun has an upright temperament. Hearing his uncle say this, he said, "Oh," and then said:
"Brother, Xiaoya is in my house. I will definitely not let her suffer any injustice. Third brother just said that I should buy Xiaoya a motorcycle. I will definitely find a way to buy it for her in the next two years."

Xu Fengming saw his brother-in-law speaking seriously and said:

"Well, Jianjun, if you're worried about not being able to get a ticket, leave it to me. I'll ask Xiujuan to get one from abroad. This will save you from having to look for people everywhere for a motorcycle ticket in your workplace, but I'm afraid you won't be able to get one this year. If you don’t come back, there should be no problem next year.”

Liu Jianjun suddenly remembered that when he was just having dinner, his third uncle had mentioned that his family could get motorcycles from abroad, and he said with a happy face:

"Third brother, I'll collect the money to buy the motorcycle in a few days and send it to your home."

Just as Xu Fengming was about to agree, Xu Qing stopped him and said:

"Feng Ming, Xiaoya and Jianjun just got married. Let them sum it up first and talk about it later."

As soon as Xu Qing spoke, Feng Ming said to Liu Jianjun:

"Brother-in-law, eldest brother has spoken, let's not mention this matter."

Xu Aiguo, who had been silent, said:
"Brother is right. Jianjun, you and Xiaoya, please live a good life first. It won't be too late to buy a motorcycle later. It's not something you need urgently, so there's no need to buy it right away."

When Liu Jianjun heard his eldest uncle and second uncle said this, he stopped insisting.

On the stove set up in the house, the briquettes burned very red and vigorously, and the kettle placed on it made a whistle-like sound.

At this moment, Xu Xiaoya was asking her third sister-in-law, Xiujuan, if she had any physical discomfort after pregnancy.

Jinghong, Aiqian, and grandma also asked Xiujuan.

Aunt Feng was the nanny, so she couldn't get in the conversation and couldn't ask questions, so she stopped using her chopsticks, slipped down from the kang, picked up the kettle, and poured the boiled hot water into the kettle.

The rest was added to everyone's tea jars.

It took Xu Hongzhi a long time to eat a meat roll, and his belly was already full.

He got off the kang and put on his shoes. He took the kettle from Aunt Feng's hand and asked Aunt Feng to continue eating while he went to the kitchen to scoop out cold water.

When Aunt Feng saw this, she didn't dare. Everyone in the host's house was watching. She was a nanny and earned money every month, so she didn't dare to call Hongzhi around.

Xu Qingze said: "Aunt Feng, let him do it. Before going to bed later, you have to give him a bath. It's just right for him to boil two or three pots of hot water himself."

After hearing this, Aunt Feng handed the kettle to Hongzhi and warned: "Be careful of the scalding!"

Xu Hongzhi nodded, took it carefully, turned around and ran towards the kitchen.

After a while, Xu Hongzhi carried a full pot and put it on the stove. Then he took out the newly bought little book for him by his third uncle Feng Ming, and read it with relish.

In Xu Qing's house, a large family was eating lively.

Outside, the night was dark and the cold wind was howling.

It was so dark that there was no light at all, and the other families in the backyard had already had dinner.

They are all cats in their own houses.

It was cold, and no one went to hang out in the courtyard after eating enough at night.

There was no one in the back courtyard, and the same was true in the middle courtyard.

But in the front yard, Yan Jiecheng and his two brothers came back.

He was arguing with the third uncle and the third aunt with red faces.

(End of this chapter)