Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 10 010 The Past Follows the Wind

The water fee is not expensive, tap water costs 9 cents per ton, well water costs 6 cents per ton, and the price of household water is a little higher than this (referring to using pipes to introduce tap water into the courtyard or building).

The iron windlass used this piece of tap water that was not connected to the household. Uncle Zhu counted the water meter every month, and then divided the water fee evenly according to the total population of each household. The average cost to each person was about four or five cents per month, regularly. Collected door to door.

The water station shuts off water at night, and there are many people using the water, so people often line up to receive water. Therefore, the Tang family has always picked up water and stored it in the water tank when there are few people, and then scoops it out to water the vegetables after the sun goes down.

While Tang Zhitong was carrying water, Tang's mother cut five taels of meat back and stewed a pot of cabbage.

Tang Zhitong knows that Chinese cabbage likes meat, and a spoonful of meat oil or a piece of fat is more in line with the soul of Chinese cabbage. However, one pound is 16 taels, and five taels is just over 150g.The pork in the afternoon was all leftovers picked by others, and there was only a little bit of fat in the small lump of meat.

Although there is very little meat, it is already a rare delicacy for the Tang family. In the past, apart from the Chinese New Year, it was only a bit meaty when Tang's father came home from the coal mine after work.

The grey-haired mother, who is less than forty years old, and the two thin sisters have no one to pick up the meat, and they are all left to Tang Zhitong by default. Sometimes the family's concern is not necessarily reflected in words...

Tang Zhitong divided the few shredded pork and oil residue in the dish. The younger sister Tang Fengzhi stuffed the meat into her mouth and narrowed her eyes with a look of enjoyment. The eldest sister Tang Fengzhen took the meat and glanced at Tang's mother, then gave her brother a look. With a smile, she took a bite of the bun, then a small bite of meat, then a bite of steamed bun, then a small mouthful of meat, chewing quickly; Tang Mu Zhang Guifang's eyes were a little wet, so she turned her head and wiped them secretly.

After dinner, the heat was still lingering. In order to save electricity bills, the family sat at the vent inside the gate to enjoy the cool air.

"Liu Zhicheng's mother came to borrow money a while ago, saying that she wanted to buy meat for her grandson, but I didn't lend it to her. Two days ago, your uncle came to our house to borrow money to marry your eldest cousin." Mother Tang shook her head. Holding a cattail fan, chatting with Tang Zhitong about home affairs.

Children can learn to speak, and some words are not suitable for children to listen to. Tang Zhitong looked at the little sister poking her head and asked the older sister next to her: "Fengzhen, take Fengzhi out to play, keep an eye on it, don't knock, and come back early."

Tang Zhitong waited for his two sisters to go out, then said to Tang's mother: "Liu Zhicheng's mother is a bastard, don't pay attention to her. Uncle, have you borrowed it?"

"No, I gave you two yuan, which is considered as joining the family in advance. This money is reserved for you to marry a wife. No one will borrow it." Tang Mu shook her head, and there was no sadness or joy in the shadow. "I will follow you in this life." That’s what the old Zhang family is like.”

"Actually, I think it's good for you to feel comfortable and don't worry about the past." Tang Zhitong advised after careful consideration.

"How could you not care? At that time, the Zhang family still had some food left over, and they had not yet sold their sons and daughters. They just felt that their daughter would be an outsider sooner or later, and if she raised them every day longer, she would lose a day. It would be more cost-effective to exchange for some food as soon as possible. Even if it turned out to be useless later. Even though I didn’t have enough food to eat, I didn’t send your uncle to Mentougou. I’m lucky, my mother-in-law and the man don’t abuse me, and it’s also thanks to your grandma that I ordered a lot of pumpkins here, otherwise I might not have been able to survive.” Tang Mu said with emotion.

There are many coal mines in Mentougou, and the risk of going underground is high. There is a local saying: If you have a porridge at home, don't go to Mentougou.Unless absolutely necessary, no one goes to the coal mines to find food.

"My grandma cares too much about the past. She always says that she has damaged her moral character and will harm her children. She takes that matter too seriously and can't let it go. As time goes by, she loses her temper. I don't want you to do the same. Like this." Tang Zhitong was talking about the old lady placing pumpkins at the grave. She felt that the pumpkin grew in front of the grave, sucked the blood and flesh of the deceased, and was eaten by her family. It never got over the hurdle in her heart, so when the old lady was still alive , every year during the Hanshi, Zhongyuan and Hanyi festivals, paper will be burned to the lonely ghosts of that year.

"Your grandma is in a hurry. It has been more than thirty years since I heard from your uncle and sister-in-law. Now you are the only one with your father. He also contracted tuberculosis a few years ago. When she is in a hurry... ugh." Mother Tang sighed and wiped her eyes. , solemnly told his son: "Most of the credit for our family being what it is today is your grandma. Your grandma never forgot about your uncle and sister-in-law before she died. When you have the opportunity in the future, you must do your best to help your grandma look for them." Well, I will remember it." Tang Zhitong nodded in agreement. The original owner was the closest to the old lady, so he always kept the old lady's wish in his heart, hoping to wait until he had the opportunity to help the old lady fulfill her wish.

Tang Zhitong had heard her mother talk about it many times. The old lady fled to Sijiu City. She first washed and washed people, and later became a servant because of her good cooking skills.Because I had been hungry and knew that the world was unstable, I saved some food like ants moving.

After the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, the price of food increased every day. The old lady took the opportunity to exchange the food for her son's wife and a house.But things are unpredictable and hard times are still to come.

Next, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, ending the war for the United States. The Japanese supply lines to Southeast Asia were cut off, and the Japanese intensified their efforts to plunder energy and agricultural products in the occupied areas. There was also military control of coal mines, preventing miners from going home.Because of this, Tang Zhitong is several years older than his eldest sister Tang Fengzhen.

According to Tang's father, life and death were unpredictable in those years, and many miners died under the oppression and abuse of the Japanese.

In those years, the food supply in the city became increasingly tight day by day.

In those years, in order to survive, wild vegetables and leaves in spring and summer became good ingredients for people to eat.In desperation, the old lady went to the mass grave in the middle of the night to secretly bury pumpkin seeds. All it took was a rain or a ladle of water to turn a pumpkin seedling...

In those years, not only the Tang family ate the pumpkins from the mass graves, but also the neighbors nearby.

According to the old lady, there were recruitments in [-] cities in those years. The Japanese promised to provide them with enough food and sent hungry people to the Northeast and Inner Mongolia to mine. It was said that there were millions of people...

In those years, human life was like a piece of grass...

Even if there is no hatred between the country and the family, Tang Zhitong will still feel that the little boy and the fat man are the light of righteousness, even the potatoes in Siberia are shining!
The mother and son chatted for a while, talking about trivial things about the neighborhood. Tang Zhitong listened happily, and finally told Tang's mother not to touch the scrap metal she brought home, emphasizing that it would be of great use if she kept it for a few months.

Before going to bed, Tang Zhitong watered the vegetables in the yard.Since Tang Zhitong can remember, the yard has been lush most of the time, with eggplants, peppers, loofahs, cucumbers, beans, pumpkins, green onions, and another crop of cabbage around the beginning of autumn, which saves the family a lot of vegetable money every year.

Tang Zhitong plans to plow the ground in the yard again in the spring of next year and bury some of the collected plant ash. He hopes to have more harvest next year and to protect his own space.

Although the Tang family had a courtyard, it only had three rooms. The old lady said that the owner had built half of the house at that time. After the Japanese invaded, they just made do with it. Finally, seeing that the situation in the city was not good, they left the city to visit relatives.

The three rooms are separated by simple door panels. After Tang's father passed away, Tang Zhitong lived in one room by himself.Although it is hot during the day, the heat island effect is not obvious, and it is cool at night, so I can sleep very comfortably.

　Please recommend me. The data is so ugly. I cry to death.
　　


(End of this chapter)