Siheyuan: There are three little cats at home

Chapter 471 Erniu wants to go abroad

When Er Mazi welcomed the man into the grain station with a smile, asked for stick noodles, and turned around to pick up the bucket, Xu Qing said:
"Brother Mazi, ask Sister Wang and Lihua to come, and we brothers will go to the warehouse."

Er Mazi turned to look at Xu Qing, handed Shengdou to Hui Lihua who came up to him, raised his hand to pick up the sheepskin hat placed on the counter, looked outside, put it down again, wrapped the scarf around it and said:

"Qingzi, let's go."

After Xu Qing gave instructions to San Huzi's wife and Hui Lihua, he took Er Mazi out of the grain station, got on his motorcycle and left the city, heading towards the warehouse.

It's only the eighth day of the first lunar month, and in this cold spring time, it's still cold.

But it's no longer unbearable.

The weather was the coldest after [-] years ago, and it didn't get any colder anymore.

The beginning of spring had arrived long before the New Year. Xu Qing was riding a motorcycle in the still desolate suburbs, although his face was red and painful from the wind.

But it feels much better than it did a year ago.

Today he only wore a black leather jacket, not even a military coat. It was enough to show that the weather had warmed up a lot in the first half of spring.

Er Mazi sat in the back, holding the cakes Xu Qing bought for San Huzi's mother, and kept chattering all the way. Xu Qing did not ride the motorcycle very fast, and was not in a hurry. The two of them chatted and looked towards each other. Past the warehouse.

Er Mazi held the cigarette in his right hand and held the net bag in his left hand. The smoke he puffed out was left behind, and he was in great spirits.

"Qingzi, it's the New Year, and the warehouse is processing grain. Do you plan to start work today?"

Xu Qing held the handle of the motorcycle with both hands and said: "No, let's go take a look today. We won't talk about it until the fifteenth day before we start work."

Er Mazi said oh and asked again:
"Shall we go to the countryside to collect grain in the first half of the year?"

"Collect it, Brother Mazi, but you are going alone. After the warehouse starts working, we can process the grain. I don't have time."

Er Mazi raised his right hand holding the cigarette and scratched his head, "Qingzi, you won't let me collect grain alone from now on."

Xu Qingle said: "Brother Mazi, you have this plan. My wife and Xiaoya are at the grain station. Sister Wang and the others are keeping an eye on us. You go to the countryside to collect grain, and I'll watch in the warehouse hiring people to process it. You can't always rely on the state to transport grain." , it saves trouble to sell for the country, but we can’t make much money, so we still have to collect the grain ourselves, process it ourselves, and sell it ourselves.”

Hearing this, Er Mazi thought for a while and hummed:

"That's true. The state sets the price of grain very tightly. There is not much profit per pound. It would be great if we could set the price ourselves."

Xu Qing did not look back, looked forward, smiled and said nothing.

Grain prices are the basis of all prices and the core of the planned economy.

How can the state let individuals decide?

Domestic prices have not risen much in recent years because food prices have not moved.

Even in later generations, food prices were still strictly controlled by the state.

At this moment, the warmth of the sun gradually thaws the whole world, and the dazzling sunlight shines on the body, making it warm and comfortable.

Xu Qing and Er Mazi leisurely walked on the road for more than half an hour before they met San Huzi's mother.

"Xiaoqing, you are here."

Sanhuzi's mother was feeding several dogs that had grown fat after a winter. When she saw Xu Qing pushing a motorcycle into the yard, she hurriedly threw half of the steamed bun in her hand on the ground and smiled. Go to the courtyard door.

Xu Qing let Er Mazi push the motorcycle, handed the net bag to San Huzi's mother and said:

"Auntie, happy New Year. Here are some things Er Mazi and I bought for you."

"Oh, you two always take things when you come here. How can I ask for it so much?"

"Aunt, it's okay, just keep it."

Sanhuzi's mother looked embarrassed and hurriedly asked Xu Qing and Ermazi to enter the house quickly.

Sitting in the room, Xu Qing put the net bag that Sanhuzi's mother had refused to put away directly on the kang, and then said:

"Auntie, is everything going well at home during the Chinese New Year?"

Sanhuzi's mother picked up the thermos and poured hot water into it, and at the same time took out the sugar, scooped a spoonful into each of the two teapots, brought it to Xu Qing and Ermazi, and said with a smile on her face:

"Okay, everything is okay. Thanks to the country and your blessing, our family can eat everything during the Chinese New Year this year. My aunt knew that you and Er Mazi would be coming these days, so she specially left two kilograms of pork for waiting. My aunt will make dumplings for you to eat."

Hearing this, Xu Qing smiled and said: "Auntie, we are here to see you today. We will go to the warehouse for a walk and then leave. Don't be busy with your work."

Sanhuzi's mother quickly said: "That's not possible. My aunt has been looking forward to your coming over for the past two days. At noon today, you two have to eat dumplings before leaving."

Seeing this, Xu Qing had no choice but to go to the warehouse with Er Mazi. Seeing that there was no problem in the warehouse, he returned to the house where San Huzi's mother lived.

It wasn't until noon that I ate the pork-filled dumplings made by Sanhuzi's mother before leaving.

Back in the city, Er Mazi was still burping.

In the grain station, Sanhuzi’s wife asked:
"Er Mazi, what did you and our shopkeeper have to eat for lunch? Look how strong you are!"

Er Mazi grinned and said, "Sister Wang, Qingzi and I ate the pork dumplings specially made for us by my aunt at your house, but we can't hold on any longer."

Sanhuzi's wife heard her mother-in-law making dumplings for the shopkeeper and Ermazi to eat, with a smile on her face and joy in her heart.

On the day the grain station closed last year, she and Meijuan followed Xu Shangdong to Laishun and had a delicious meal, and received a red envelope from Xu Qing.

I never knew how to be grateful. Today, my mother-in-law made meat dumplings for me. Instead of feeling that the reception was too good, I felt that it was too little.

One of the old hens in the yard that was not killed during the New Year should also be slaughtered.

She was born in a rural area. She used to work in the fields with the commune for more than half a year day and night, and she could not earn as much as she did at the grain station in a month.

A few days ago, I went back to my parents' house and told the people in the village. The whole village, including the village chief, was jealous of her. Sitting at her house, they all clamored for her help in introducing their children to work at the grain station.

However, she is just a working person, how dare she agree casually.

At just five o'clock in the afternoon, Xu Qing asked everyone to go home from get off work.

It's not even the first lunar month, it's not even the fifteenth, so there's no need to wait until dark.

Xu Xiaoya did not follow the others but accompanied her elder brother. After closing the grain station, she put on her hat and scarf and pushed the bicycle along the path:

"Brother, I'm going back, see you tomorrow!"

Xu Qing looked at his sister who was married to someone else, smiled and nodded: "See you tomorrow!"

But after finishing speaking, I remembered the phone call that Li Guohua made home last night. I took out the key to the grain station from my trouser pocket, handed it to my sister and said:
"Xiaoya, eldest brother's high school classmates Li Guohua and Erniu are coming to our house tomorrow. Your sister-in-law will come over tomorrow. She may be a little late. You have the key."

Xu Xiaoya hummed and said with a smile on her pretty face: "Okay, big brother, I will open the door early tomorrow morning."

Xu Qing looked at his sister, stretched out his hand to straighten her scarf, and said:
"Go back quickly. It's getting cold. Be careful on the road."

Xu Xiaoya put the keys away and pushed the bicycle: "Brother, please slow down on the road. I'm leaving."

After watching his sister leave, Xu Qingcai started his motorcycle and headed back toward the compound along the street.

Although there are still many people on the street at this time, most of them are small vendors. There are not many pedestrians, and those on tricycles are still working everywhere.

In front of the small shoe repair stall, apart from a pile of shoes that needed to be repaired, there was only an elderly man standing waiting.Xu Qing passed by, and the group of smokers who had parked their tricycles together stared at the motorcycles with their eyes wide open.

But Xu Qing was gone in the blink of an eye.

At noon the next day, the nanny Aunt Feng had just returned to the compound from the countryside, and Li Guohua came riding on his bicycle and two oxen.

"Qingzi, have a great New Year."

Li Guohua pushed his bicycle and stopped in front of Xu Qing, grinned and continued:

"Er Niu has become more capable this year. The leader of his unit plans to take him abroad in a few days."

Xu Qing looked at Er Niu.

Erniu laughed stupidly: "Hey, Qingzi, don't listen to Guohua's nonsense. I majored in English in college and my old boss doesn't know how. I'm going to work as a translator."

Xu Qing asked Li Guohua and Erniu to park their bicycles at the door of the house, and while letting them enter the house, he said:

"What's wrong with the translator? It's a good thing that I can go abroad with you."

Li Guohua responded: "Qingzi is right, Erniu, when you come back from abroad in a few days, don't forget to bring some good things to me and Qingzi."

Erniu grinned, nodded and said, "No problem."

While they were joking, the three of them entered the house. When Li Guohua and Erniu saw Xu Qing's grandparents, they quickly said hello to Xu Qing's grandparents, took out their cigarettes and handed them to Xu Qing's grandfather.

The old man took the cigarette and saw his eldest grandson's classmate coming home, so he motioned to his wife to get some tea.

Xu Qing stopped grandma and said:
"It's okay, I'll come, you and my grandpa can rest on the kang."

Two little guys, Xu Qiaoxin and Xu Hongfu, were sitting in front of their great-grandfather and great-aunt, tossing the civet cat Xiao Hui.

Xu Hongzhi was lying on the edge of the kang doing his homework, but at this moment he had the eraser on his pencil stuck in the corner of his mouth. He twisted around and looked at Li Guohua and Erniu. He didn't want to do his homework at all, and he immediately said:
"Happy New Year to uncle Guohua, happy New Year to uncle Erniu. I'll help my dad make tea for you."

After saying that, he put down his pencil and ran into the kitchen.

After a while, Xu Hongzhi brought out two enamel tea jars and placed them on the table.

Li Guohua and Er Niu each took out their money and gave Xu Hongzhi a brand new two yuan, and then gave Xu Qiaoxin and Xu Hongfu a new two yuan each.

Xu Hongzhi took his sister and cousin Hongfu and thanked them in unison:
"Thank you Uncle Guohua, thank you Uncle Erniu."

Xu Qing smiled and asked his son to continue doing his homework. He accompanied Li Guohua and Er Niu to smoke and chat.

In fact, Li Guohua and Er Niu had nothing to do. They just wanted to come over to Xu Qing's place to take a walk during the Chinese New Year.

Because Jing Hong rode the motorcycle to the grain station, Li Guohua and Er Niu didn't see it.

However, the radar watch Xu Qing was wearing did not escape the fate of being taken off for a look.

"Qingzi, this is so precious, it's not easy to buy."

Li Guohua held it in his hand and said while looking at it carefully with Er Niu.

"I asked someone to buy it in the south. It's not cheap." Xu Qing smoked a cigarette. "Er Niu, you go abroad in a few days. There are many of these things abroad. They are not new models. In fact, they don't cost much. You can buy them for a few yuan." bring back."

Erniu heard the sound and took the radar watch from Li Guohua's hand, touched it and said:
"I'll go out and take a look first. If it's too expensive, I won't buy it."

Li Guohua put his right hand on the table and said: "Er Niu, this radar watch is made abroad. Once you go abroad, foreign gadgets are everywhere. This radar watch may be all over the streets. How can it be expensive? Didn't Qingzi say that? , don’t buy new ones, just pick out a few that were popular abroad a few years ago and bring them back.”

Erniu said "oh" and thought it was feasible.

Just at this moment, after the nanny Aunt Feng had tidied up the house where she lived, she came in from outside the house with a cloth bag, took out the peanuts, apples, and walnuts inside, put a pile on the kang, and gave them to Xu Qing and the others. He grabbed four handfuls on the table and said with a smile:
"Try all of you."

Li Guohua and Erniu thanked them, grabbed the peanuts, peeled them open and ate them.

Aunt Feng put the cloth bag on the kang. Within two minutes, she rolled up her sleeves, washed her hands and went into the kitchen to make lunch quickly.

She had stayed at Xu Qing's house for a long time, and she knew that the people who came and went with her master's family were all respectable, and she could not neglect them.

It's noon again, so how can we not make lunch quickly?

As for the Xu Qing family, most of the people who come and go are indeed cadres.

Xu Qing used to be the director of the fifth factory, and all the people he came into contact with were officials.

Even if it is not the case now, Ai Guo still does not want to succeed him in running the Fifth Factory.

Xu Fengming works as a director in a hardware factory.

The three brothers have all gone to school, and most of their classmates are working in various units.

Even those who don't get along well still have the title of cadre.

Like Erniu and Li Guohua, they were just inconspicuous students when they were in school more than ten years ago.

But things are different now.

Not only are they cadres, their status is quite low.

Erniu was promoted slowly in the workplace, but Li Guohua was promoted only once every two or three years.

Now he is considered the second in command of the unit.

During the meal when Aunt Feng brought the food to the front room.

Li Guohua said: "Qingzi, at the end of last year, I went to inspect Liu Toad's factory. When Liu Toad saw me, he almost died of joy."

Erniu held the steamed bun and said, "Guohua, how is Liu Toad doing in his factory?"

Li Guohua swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth and said: "Okay, I went to their factory and chatted with him for a few words. It seems that he became the section chief of the technical department. That kid didn't deal with our brothers in the past, and I was too lazy. Take care of it.”

Erniu nodded in response and said, "No, it was Liu Toad who caused Jiefang to fail to finish his senior year of high school. Otherwise, Jiefang could have gone to college with us that year."

Xu Qing smiled and was speechless as he listened to Erniu and Li Guohua's words.

He didn't have much impression of Liu Toad. After eating, when seeing Li Guohu and Er Niu off, he pushed his bicycle out of the compound together and headed towards Dongdan's own grain station.

Within a week, Xu Qing received a call home from Li Guohua in the evening, saying that Er Niu would be leaving the country tomorrow and if there was anything special he needed help with.

Xu Qing thought about it and felt that there was nothing he needed. Then he thought about it, his younger brother and sister Tang Xiujuan worked at the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, so even if he wanted anything, he could just tell Xiujuan, there was no need to bother his old classmate.

After all, Erniu was on a business trip with his boss, so he had to do business first. It would be difficult for him to bring something big back from abroad, so he said:
"Guohua, tell Erniu that I don't have anything special to buy, so let him work hard."

"That's it, I've given up."

Immediately afterwards, Xu Qing heard a beep from the receiver, and then put the receiver back on the phone.

In the next ten days or so, Xu Qing heard no more news from Erniu.

Until the end of the first month, on a weekend morning, he was in a suburban warehouse, busy letting workers process grain, when he suddenly saw a small jeep slowly approaching from a distance.

When the car stopped at the door of the warehouse and the people in the car got out, Xu Qing recognized Li Guohua and Erniu who had returned to China.

(End of this chapter)