Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 372 Chapter 371
"Euclidean, we can't ask for anything more from you. We still have the flour you left last time. Now that the year is bad, I'll leave some beans for you to make soybean paste. You can take the rest back when you leave. Send some bean sprouts to add to the family dish." When she heard that the soybeans brought by Tang Zhitong were for her and Tang Ting's families, the aunt refused directly and refused to take them.

"Auntie, I'm sorry to hear you say that. We are a family. According to this calculation, do I have to discount the things you and my sister-in-law brought to me?" Tang Zhitong waved his hands one after another, naturally refusing to bring any more. Go back.

For a while, you were going back and forth, and it was so lively.

"Okay, we brought the eucalyptus seeds all the way, so just keep them. It just so happens that our family didn't buy the beans for making miso this year, so we can't stop eating them next year, right?" Tang Wenbang stood aside and advised him first. My own wife.

"Just this time. Don't bring it here again in the future. Your aunt is right. The years are not good. You should stay here for a while longer. Don't worry about us. We are near the mountains and the water. As long as you are diligent, you won't starve." After talking about his wife, Tang Wenbang spoke to comfort Tang Zhitong.

"Okay, I'll note it down." Tang Zhitong agreed happily. As for whether he will follow it later, that is a matter for the future. Let's get over the current situation first.

Next, Tang Zhitong humbly asked the aunt for advice on how to make miso.

Tang Zhitong only knew the name of miso, but he didn’t know how to process it.

The aunt explained the process to Tang Zhitong in detail.

Making doenjang requires choosing a date. It is usually processed in the first month of the Northeast. The general steps are to soak the beans first, then ripen them, then smash them into mud and smash them into pieces, followed by a long period of drying, fermentation, and growth. Mao, finally wait until the eighth or eighteenth day of the fourth lunar month, cut into pieces and pound into the vat.

"I want to try it." Tang Zhitong took off his coat, put it on the pile of firewood next to him, took the ax from his uncle's hand, swung it over his head, and then swung it down violently, causing the firewood to split into two halves.

"Zhezi is the dialect here, and it refers to large pieces of firewood that can be chopped. Whether pine, birch, or linden, they are all collectively called zhezi." Tang Wenbang explained to his nephew based on his own understanding.

"I've done it, but it's rare to get such thick firewood." Although there is a supply of firewood in Sijiu City, most of it is thin branches and thin wood that has been chopped and used to start fires. It is quite rare to see such large firewood.

"It's not a bad situation, but it's convenient for the forest farm. You're really upright." Tang Zhitong glanced at the zhe in front of him and praised it.

After Tang Wenbang took his nephew home, he did not return to the office. Instead, he chopped wood at home. Tang Zhitong stepped forward and planned to help.

After learning how to make miso, Tang Zhitong had nothing to do. As a half-hearted cook, he wanted to help with the cooking, but his aunt kicked him out.

"What do you want for money? They are everywhere. The forest farm wishes someone would go to the work area and collect all the plows." Tang Wenbang exhaled a puff of smoke and said as usual.

"That's not cheap. According to this calculation, the pile in front of you costs more than a hundred yuan." Tang Wenbang joked with Tang Zhitong happily.

"Want to try?" Tang Wenbang saw his nephew's eagerness to try, stopped the ax in his hand, and asked with a smile.

"It's not bad. It looks pretty. Have you done this before?" Tang Wenbang wiped his sweat, lit a cigarette, and squatted aside to watch Tang Zhitong work.

As a junior, it is not appropriate to be idle.

Soybeans were a rare commodity at this time. Not only could Tang Wenbang not buy them, but if Tang Zhitong hadn't stocked them up in advance, they might not have been available in Sijiu City.

If you were to make soybean paste in Sijiucheng and smashed ten pounds of soybeans into it, there would be no fermentation environment, and it would most likely become sour and smelly. Even if Zhang Guifang didn't beat Tang Zhitong, she would have to blame him for at least three months for degrading things. .

Tang Zhitong plans to return to Sijiucheng with the sauce base in the coming year. He will take out a piece and process it in the vat first. If he can complete the last step of processing at home, if not, he will send it back to Anton for processing. Anyway, the aunt just said that the dried sauce base is durable. Leave it alone for a year and it will be fine.

"Oh, how much does a pound of zong cost?" Tang Zhitong chatted with his uncle while chopping.

"What is zhezi? Is it the name of a tree?" Tang Zhitong put the fallen firewood upright again, then raised his ax and split it into two, pointing to the firewood on the ground and asked.

"That's a good relationship. I chopped the matches at home for three cents a pound." Tang Zhitong kicked the chopped coffin aside and then held it upright again.

"This is a forest area, and the most indispensable thing is wood. Before every winter, every household will pull, split, and stack pongs." Tang Wenbang told his nephew about the customs of the forest farm here.

Tang Zhitong listened carefully to the last step, how to cover the jar, how much water to add, how much salt to add, how to stir the jar every day, how to froth, etc.

When Tang Zhitong inquired about this, he didn't mean to go back to Sijiu City and process it himself. The reason why specialties from various places are so authentic is closely related to the climate and other factors of the place of origin.

Take doenjang as an example. The same date and the same process may not necessarily produce the taste of Northeastern China because the climate is different.

"The Northeast is very particular about this. Before it snows, whose houses are neatly numbered and have a large number of zhezi, they will be called a living family. They have a son or a daughter-in-law at home." Tang Wenbang said quite proudly.

"Is this what the eldest brother's wife said?" Tang Zhitong chatted with his uncle while chopping.

"That's not so good! In the entire forest farm, our zithers are all the most beautiful, and the ones we have saved are the most, and they can be burned until next autumn." Talking about this, Tang Wenbang became more energetic, and his words were quite proud. .

"Oh! Burn for a year? How many plows will be chopped? Are these enough?" Tang Zhitong asked, pointing to the firewood pile in front of him that was beginning to take shape.

"Where are we now? We have to continue pulling down from the mountain. It's early." Tang Wenbang shook his head.

"Then when I come back from the mountain, I will help you pull the bamboo pole." Tang Zhitong waved his ax and arranged his schedule for the next few days.

"It only takes one experience. Can it really make you want to fuck me?" Tang Wenbang finished smoking, stood up, stomped it out, and reached out to ask Tang Zhitong for an axe.

"It's okay, uncle, just rest and I'll do it." Tang Wenbang came over, but Tang Zhitong didn't dare to chop, for fear that he wouldn't be able to hit the uncle.

"Let me do it. You, with your thin skin and tender flesh, are not suitable for this." Tang Wenbang took the ax from Tang Zhitong's hand without any explanation and continued to chop.

This time, Tang Zhitong was on the sidelines. He was not angry when his uncle told him that he was making fine skin and tender meat. Since he went to the Escort Department, he spent less time outside in the wind and sun, and his skin was naturally whiter than when he showed up before. At this point, Yes, classmate Xiao Wang really likes it.

As the two men chatted, it got dark.

Tang Zhitong helped Tang Wenbang pile up the chopped coffins and smoked a cigarette outside the house, waiting for Tangshan Iron and Steel to start work.

Tang Zhitong looked up at the sky. There was no air pollution here, and the sky was full of stars. The stars looked particularly bright. Although you can see stars at night in Sijiu City, they are not as bright as here. If this continues for a few decades, I am afraid that you will only be able to enjoy this kind of night view by going to the plateau, right?
Tang Gang came back with his wife Jin Yumei. Before he could exchange greetings, Tang Wenbang sent him to Tang Ting's house and asked him to call Tang Ting's family over for dinner.

After a while, Tang Gang came back first, washed his hands and rubbed his face, and then came out to chat with Tang Zhitong.

"Euclidean, it's unfortunate that you came when the commune organized manpower to sweep away all the pine nuts and hazelnuts nearby. We forest farm workers have to go into the old forest if we want to take care of them." Tang Gang said to his cousin with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone. complained.

"Then let's go to the old forest. I'll be here for seven or eight days. Brother, can you delay going to work?" Tang Zhitong said to Tang Gang as he let go of the smoke.

"It won't matter if we delay it for a few days, so let's leave tomorrow?" As time goes by, more and more information about the outside situation has reached Tang Gang's ears, and the supply of employees in the forest area has also been reduced a lot. Gang didn't directly ask Tang Zhitong why he had to go into the mountains to collect pine nuts. It was just for one bite.

"I'm available at any time." Tang Zhitong nodded and agreed.

"Okay, I'll take care of it later." Tang Gang acted straightforwardly and without any hesitation.

"What about that, brother, I didn't bring anyone with me this time. Is it okay if we go into the mountains like this?" Tang Zhitong asked specifically, thinking about the various animals in the old forest that Tang Gang mentioned last time.

"You have to bring it with you. I have one at home, and I will bring one to the team tomorrow." Tang Gang replied without thinking.

"Okay, I'll bother you, big brother." It was about his own safety, so Tang Zhitong was not polite this time.

"We are all one family, you're welcome." Tang Gang happily patted his cousin on the shoulder.

While the two brothers were talking, Tang Ting hurriedly walked in. Under the dim light, Tang Zhitong could see that she had washed her hands and face, but her head was not clean. She must have come here after cleaning up at home. Her uncle Su Xiao was about the same. She looked like a girl, followed by her little cousin Su Huimin, who was carrying a bottle of wine in her hand.

When an aunt and nephew meet, they exchange greetings. Mainly, Tang Ting is asking questions and Tang Zhitong is answering.

"We'll talk later, it's time to eat." Seeing that his wife was asking endless questions, Su Xiao reminded him from the side. He had a good impression of Tang Zhitong. He was very good at things and etiquette, and he was very good at educating his own children. I am even more attentive and send all kinds of information here.

"Okay, let's eat first." Tang Ting listened happily, holding her nephew's hand and walking inside.

As soon as she arrived at the house, the aunt sold Tang Zhitong cleanly, and told Tang Ting all the things Tang Zhitong had brought.

"You kid, can't live anymore? Take him back when you leave. The situation here is not difficult enough to require your help." Tang Ting's tone was stern, with reproach in her words.

Facing Tang Ting's reproach, Tang Zhitong felt warm in his heart. Only close relatives would say such things at such a time.

"Sister-in-law, I must have brought something here because I have plenty, so don't worry. Besides, my uncle has agreed to stay." Tang Zhitong glanced at the dining table, his expression unchanged, and he responded to Tang Ting with a smile.

"You naughty kid, you still use your uncle to oppress me, you're a loser." Tang Ting gently poked her nephew's forehead, her tone of voice was much less reproachful. At this moment, she was already making plans in her mind. When her nephew came home, It’s time to give something to yourself.

"Tingting, Yuzi, let's eat first and chat while eating." The aunt urged.

"Okay. Uncle, there aren't many people here today. Let's all sit down and eat together." Tang Zhitong took the initiative to seek Tang Wenbang's opinion.

When productivity was underdeveloped, men were strong laborers and had high family status, so many times the men drank and ate while the women did not attend the table. This situation did not change until society became richer.

"Okay, let's eat together." Tang Wang, Tang Rong, and Su Nianbin were not at home. There were only eight people present, and they were all family members. Tang Wenbang moved the Kang table back and agreed.

The food on the table was much more frugal than last time, with stewed winter melon, stir-fried pumpkin, Feilong soup, a large plate of green onions, and a bowl of soybean paste.

Although Tang Wenbang and Tang Ting kept emphasizing that there was no shortage of food here, Tang Zhitong didn't believe it at all when he saw the food in front of him.

The green onions are grown at home, and Tang Zhitong saw them outside the yard when he entered.

Tang Zhitong estimated that winter melons and pumpkins were similar to those at home, and were used for the winter, but he came here and cooked them to entertain himself.

Last time it was rabbit and eggs, but this time it was much vegetarian. In addition, Tang Wenbang said he had bought soybeans. After Tang Zhitong thought about it for a while, the answer came out.

"I fried the pickles myself, and everyone said they were delicious. Let's try them." Tang Zhitong saw through the donkey dung eggs without saying anything, and took out the fried pickles from the bag. This one is very oily, so it can be considered as a side dish.

The men were drinking and chatting, while the women left after eating, leaving space for the men. Besides, everyone smoked, making it a mess.

There was less food and not much wine.

Naturally, Tang Zhitong would not think that he had been neglected, and the child's behavior would not lie. Su Huimin kept eating pickles. Everything showed that the supply of materials here was reduced, not only was there a shortage of oil and water, but also embarrassment followed.

Everyone advised Tang Zhitong to drink more, but Tang Zhitong refused because he had to go up the mountain tomorrow. Liquor comes with high calories. 63-degree liquor has more energy than steamed buns. You can save a little.

The kerosene lamp was placed in the corner of the kang table, making the person's shadow long and wide. The candlelight of the wick swayed left and right due to the influence of the wind, and the person's shadow also swayed, making Tang Zhitong a little dizzy.

"Euclidean, how big of a board do you want?" Su Xiao asked when Tang Zhitong mentioned untying the board during the dinner.

"As long as it works, there is no limit on the size. I'm not afraid of your jokes. The unit didn't give me much money this time. It's a hundred and ten yuan for a dozen." Tang Zhitong stated his needs in the name of the unit.

Before leaving, classmate Xiao Wang gave Tang Zhitong 200 yuan, plus another 100 yuan from Ye Zhijuan. These were all used to buy dry goods such as pine nuts or corn. Tang Zhitong certainly couldn't use all of it to buy wooden boards, so he could only go to Less to say.

"Are you attracted to Zhezi?" Tang Wenbang asked after thinking about it.

"Zezi?" Tang Zhitong was stunned for a moment, then his eyebrows rose with joy, "Hey, uncle, don't tell me, this zhezi is quite suitable!"

"I'll go up the mountain to pick something big for you in the next two days. I'll bring it down and let your uncle find someone to help. Just pay the electricity bill." Tang Wenbang made the decision for Su Xiao.

(End of this chapter)