Return to 1983 Hunting Xing'an Mountains

Chapter 508: Don’t be polite when accepting red envelopes. Just for fun
A red sun hung on the top of a mountain in the west, its rays dyed the clouds red, and the colorful clouds were extremely magnificent.

The old woman was collecting the leftovers in the outer room and putting them into large basins. For example, no one took the leftovers from the beam-raising banquet today home, because the villagers who came to eat did not bring gifts. Only weddings and funerals with gifts would use small basins to serve some dishes...

After Zhang Guifang, Chang Juan, Chang Lihong, Zhao Yue'e and others finished washing the dishes, they separated the dishes from the chopsticks. These dishes and chopsticks were brought from the homes of Liu Daming, Li Fuqiang, Du Shoucai and others. They had to take them with them when they left, otherwise there would be no dishes and chopsticks to use tomorrow morning.

The floors of each room and the courtyard were swept clean by Da Laba and Li Feng. There was basically no debris, mainly broken bones and wine bottles. There were no napkins in those days. To put it bluntly, the toilet paper used was newspaper or corn leaves.

The sun lost its red glow and the sky gradually darkened.

It was already past 7 o'clock. Nowadays the sunrise is earlier and the sunset is later, so it only gets dark around 7:.

Chai, Sun, Wu, Du Shoucai, Lao Hu, Chang Danian, Xu Laonian and other members of the elderly group gathered in the east room, drinking tea and chatting. These people who have experienced the vicissitudes of life have a characteristic when chatting. Not only do they have loud voices, but they are also willing to act out situations. When they get excited, they even blow their beards, glare and slam the table. If you have never come into contact with this group of people, you will definitely think they are angry. In fact, they are just chatting with emotions.

The children of these people tell stories and chat, and sometimes they unconsciously imitate their parents. This is teaching by example, but some people know how to restrain themselves when they grow up...

In the west room were Xu Ning, Xu Long, Xiao Du, Wang Yuanjun, Chai Baotong, Lian Jun and others. They were much more relaxed chatting together. Even though Xu Feng was chattering on the kang, no one thought it was noisy. After it got completely dark, young ladies with partners like Meng Ziyan and Sun Lianfang came in. They sat next to their partners and listened to everyone bragging and talking.

However, ever since they came in, the old men have been much more restrained in their chattering, unlike Xu Laonian, who are all experienced people and dare to talk about anything in front of the old women.

Xu Ning asked Chai Baotong whether he had succeeded in learning how to make gold and silver jewelry. Chai Baotong immediately reported the current progress. His father contacted a gold shop in the city, but the owner of the shop recommended that Chai Baotong go to the province for systematic study because the provincial capital not only had goldsmiths, but also gold and silver carving masters.

That’s right, many of today’s gold and silver jewellery are carved rather than pressed out by machines. In later generations, making gold jewellery is divided into three steps: melting the gold, pressing it into shape and polishing it.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ning suggested that he should go to the provincial capital. Don't think it's too far. He is not too old now, and it would be just right for him to go out and explore the world for a few years. Chai Shao also had the same idea. Although Chai Baotong is the eldest grandson of the Chai family, he can't be held in his hand forever. He still has to let him go out and see the world.

But the provincial capital wouldn't recruit apprentices until August or September, so Chai Shao thought of letting him go to Mudanjiang first to learn the procedures.

At this time, Zhang Guifang lifted the door curtain and called out, "Brother, my aunt is calling you."

Xu Ning got up and went to the outer room, and Liu Lizhen pointed to the large basin on the stove and said, "Distribute these vegetables among the families."

"Send it tonight?"

"Then what are you thinking about? What are you going to eat if you wait until tomorrow morning to deliver it?"

"Okay." Xu Ning went into the room and called Wang Hu and Li Fuqiang, then said, "Brother Du, Brother He...you guys sit down, I'll go and serve some food."

"Yeah..." Everyone nodded in response.

Da La Ba, Li Feng, Li Ye, Hu Zhiyong, Hu Zhibin and others stood up at the same time and said, "Then we will go back first."

"Why are you in such a hurry? Just sit here for a while." Xu Ning said.

Liu Lizhen said, "Just go back. Guoxing and the others are exhausted after a whole day. They can rest when they get home."

At this moment, Zhang Guifang, Chang Lihong and others all picked up small aluminum basins, which are generally called small bowls, just right for holding the leftover stews from the banquet. Liu Lizhen also packed an extra lunch box of fish, smoked chicken and spare ribs for them, because there were not many of these three left, so the three dishes would just fill one lunch box.

Da Laba and others went to the east room first to say hello. Upon hearing that, Lao Hu and Lao Deng also moved their butts and insisted on going home with Xu Laonian no matter what. Because the children of Lao Hu and Li Ye were sent to the neighbor's house, Lao Xu's family originally said to take the children over, but Lao Hu and Lao Deng stopped them. With so many people in the room, they couldn't quarrel, so they had to give up.

Xu Ning, Li Fuqiang, Wang Hu, and Guan Lei carried four large aluminum basins and put them into the rear compartment of Chai Bing's Dongfeng car, while Hu Zhibin and others drove Yan He's Yellow River car. They would leave together tomorrow to make room for the entrance of Old Xu's courtyard, otherwise the street would be almost blocked.

The two cars left, and Hu Zhibin and others returned to Taiping, while Xu Ning first sent Aunt Yu, Zhao Yue'e, Chang Lihong, Chang Juan and others home, and then went to deliver food to Lao Zhao, Lao Yan and others...

The foresters did not leave. They were all chatting at Old Wang's house. When Xu Ning came back, the four large aluminum basins were empty. However, Liu Lizhen and Han Fengjiao had already prepared stews for the foresters. As there were no containers, they put the stews into cans. Old Xu's family had saved more than 40 cans for more than a year, and they got just two cans each.

Before they left, Liu Lizhen handed the cans to them. Lao Zhang was surprised and said, "Oh my god, sister-in-law, why are you so old? Just enough for one meal."

"That's it! Go back and slow down."

"Hey, we'll come back tomorrow after we build the wall."

At this time, Xu Laonian came out and said, "Zhang'er, you all stay home for a day tomorrow. There's no rush to build the courtyard wall."

"Can you do it, brother?"

"Why not? The secretary and the director have spoken, why are you still being polite?"

"Hahaha, that's fine! Let's stay at home and take a rest for a day tomorrow."

The forest farm worker carried two cans of food and vegetables out and got on the car to leave. Xu Laonian turned around and said, "Our house can't accommodate so many people. You figure out how to sleep."

Xu Ning frowned and said, "We have to sleep separately, otherwise there won't be enough room."

"Let Shuhua, Lan'er, and Jinyu come and live with your sister-in-law and Feng'er. The east wing is just big enough for everyone to sleep in..."

Liu Fenfang stood at the door of the wing room and said, "The west room of my house is also available. Hey, why don't we let Jinbao and his two disciples live in the west room? There will be two empty rooms in Leizi's house. Let Erning and the others live there."

"also……"

At this time, Guo Xingmin and Zhang Deyu walked out the door and said, "It's getting late, we have to go back."

"No, you can stay here!" Xu Laonian stopped him.

"I have to go back to the forest farm. It's time to pack up and prepare for the handover."

Zhang Deyu looked at Xu Ning and said, "Erning, take advantage of the few days you have to go to the forest farm and sign the contract."

"Hey, I'll go the day after tomorrow."

Xu Laonian nodded and said, "Let Dalong drive you there. He just happened to be going to the forest farm to get some gas."

Guo Xingmin and Zhang Deyu looked at each other, and tacitly took out red envelopes from their pockets and stuffed them into Xu Laonian's pocket, saying, "You didn't bring anything before you came. You didn't even put out an accountant on this happy day. We really had no choice but to wait until now..."

"No...Guo'er, Uncle Zhang, what are you doing? I just invited you to come over for dinner. If anyone is doing the accounting, they have to give gifts. We haven't even thought about giving gifts, so don't do it..."

Zhang Deyu said with a smile: "This is not a gift, this is a red envelope for you, just accept it, don't make me angry."

Guo Xingmin said: "Brother, I don't have much money... that's what I mean."

Liu Lizhen said: "His uncle, you really can't accept it. Guoxing's wife and many other people gave him red envelopes, but I didn't accept them. I just wanted to have fun. We are very grateful that so many people came to help us build the house."

"Oh, don't hesitate, just accept it. How can others compare with me? To put it bluntly, I will be an old man when I retire. This red envelope is not for others, but for Erning! His work warms my heart, so hurry up, is it necessary to quarrel over such a small matter?"

"It's not that great, just take it!"

Xu Laonian glanced at his wife and said, "Zhen, take it..."

Liu Lizhen was stunned, because in the morning, the big-mouthed wives Zhang Guifang, Zhao Yue'e, Chang Lihong, Chang Juan and others all stuffed red envelopes into her pockets, but Liu Lizhen and Han Fengjiao refused to accept them, and they argued for five or six minutes. Xu Ning smiled and said, "Mom, my uncle Zhang and uncle Guo have already taken them out, so let's not be polite. Come, let me see how much is stuffed inside..."

"Get out of here!" Xu Laonian cursed angrily.

Guo Xingmin and Zhang Deyu laughed loudly, handed the red envelopes to Liu Lizhen and Han Fengjiao, and called Xu Long: "Dalong, let's go, take us back to the forest farm."

"Hey, that's good."

After they left, Liu Lizhen whispered, "Won't this put Third Brother and his friends in a difficult position?"

"What's the point of sitting there? Those who can stay in our house are all respectable people. Do you think they are not prepared?" Xu Laonian said.

"Wu Guifang and Yue'e and the others..."

Xu Ning said, "Mom, my brother and Brother Feng's families are not well-off. Besides, the others are from our village, so it's not nice to accept red envelopes."

"Well, originally your uncle and I didn't think of writing a gift account. We don't have that many tables, and writing a gift account would be too shabby."

As soon as they entered the room, they saw Yang Yusheng, Chai Liangyu, Sun Jishan and others holding red envelopes and looking up with smiles. Chai Liangyu said with a smile: "Take them quickly, don't tear them apart."

Yang Yusheng said, "We have prepared it a long time ago. Come and take it. Wait for us to come over and put it in your arms."

Liu Lizhen, Han Fengjiao and the others did not move. Seeing this, Xu Ning ran up to them with a smile, took the red envelopes from them one by one, and said, "Thank you, uncles!"

"Don't just thank me, big brother has this too!"

Chai Shao, Chai Feng, Chai Bing, Yang Liguo, and Sun Liansheng each stuffed a red envelope into his hand. Xu Ning smiled and said, "Thank you, brothers!"

Xu Laonian gritted his teeth and said angrily: "You little jerk, why don't you be polite to me?"

"Hahaha..." Everyone looked up and laughed.

Not all of these red envelopes were given to the Xu family. For example, Yang Yusheng, Wu Zhouquan, Wu Haiquan, and Hailong each received double the amount. However, the Sun family and the Chai family only gave one portion to the Xu family and none to the Wang family, because they had no relatives with the Wang family and came to Qing'an just for Xu Ning and Guan Lei.

Of course, Wang Erli certainly couldn't argue, because that was the fact. For example, Chai Liangyu didn't know him, and Sun Jishan came for Yang Yusheng... These layers of relationships had nothing to do with Wang Erli.

Everyone chatted in the house until after nine o'clock, and Xu Ning and Xu Long took Lian Sheng, Xiao Du, Yan He, Wang Yuanjun and others to Guan Lei's house. Before leaving, Xu Long handed the red envelope he received to Wang Shujuan, and she and Liu Lizhen handed it over in the courtyard.

"Did Xiao Du and Xiao He give it to you? Then you should keep it for yourself. You will have to go with them when they do things in the future."

Wang Shujuan said: "This is a bit too much, 50 each for them..."

"so much?"

Liu Lizhen was shocked. You know, there was 10 yuan in the red envelopes of Yang Yusheng and others, as if it had been planned beforehand. Why were the two of them so unsociable?

"What did Dalong say?"

"He just said he would take it and make arrangements for the future."

"Ah, then just keep it. Now, go to bed."

The night was dim and the room was a little hot because too many people were sleeping on the kang, so we had to open the windows a little.

The next day, at 5:30 in the morning, Li Fuqiang, Wang Hu, and Guan Lei came in with two bottles of soy milk and tofu pudding, while Yang Shuhua, Wang Shujuan, Liu Lizhen, and others were making large dumplings stuffed with beef...

After everyone got up and gathered at Old Xu's house, the steamed dumplings in the pot were ready.

After breakfast, Yang Yusheng and Sun Jishan prepared to leave as they had to patrol other forest farms. Then Xu Long drove the car, Sun Liansheng sat in the passenger seat, and the four of them left.

Then Xiao Du, Yan He, Wang Yuanjun and Hu Zhibin drove away in the Yellow River truck.

Chai Liangyu, Sun Jiwei, Wang Minfu, Wu Zhouquan and others were not in a hurry to leave. They went into the house to drink some tea and did not leave until half past nine.

At this moment, only Old Xu, Sun Lianfang, Meng Ziyan, and Guan Hua were left in the room...

Originally Sun Jiwei wanted Sun Lianfang to go home with him, but Sun Lianfang refused on the grounds that she had to repair the house. In fact, she just didn't want to go home, and she couldn't bear to leave Guan Lei...

Xu Ning lay comfortably at the end of the kang, with his head facing the edge and his feet against the windowsill. Meng Ziyan sat in front of his head, gently pressing his head with her hands.

"What are you doing? You little brat!" Xu Laonian was furious when he walked into the room and saw this scene.

Meng Ziyan quickly withdrew her hand and lowered her head with a red face. Xu Ning turned his head and said calmly: "My head hurts, massage it for me, what's wrong?"

"What the hell is going on? What do you think is going on?"

Liu Lizhen came into the room and said, "Why are you shouting? Can't you speak properly?"

"This kid is letting the cigarettes press on his head! How can I talk to him nicely? Why is this kid so annoying? I have to..."

Liu Lizhen pulled him and said, "Come on, just stop it. They can do whatever they want. Why are you so nosy?"

Liu Fenfang walked into the room, took a look, and said with a smile: "Brother, this is nothing. Erning has been through a lot these days. Just press it for a while."

When Xu Laonian heard the two old ladies talking about him, he pouted and said, "You really can spoil him! I don't care anymore..."

After that, he turned around and walked out. Liu Lizhen asked, "Where are you going?"

"Let's go and take a look at Lao Meng's place, Erli! Let's go!" The two brothers met outside the door and went to Lao Meng's house together.

Seeing this, Xu Ning turned around and said, "Continue."

As soon as Meng Ziyan raised her hand, Liu Lizhen rushed over with a broom, scaring Xu Ning so much that he quickly hid under the kang.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Don't show off so much! Yan, come with me to your second aunt's house to pick cotton..."

Meng Ziyan stood up and glanced at Xu Ning, "Why are you looking at me? Go quickly."

Then, she and Liu Lizhen left the house. Liu Fenfang and Wu Qiuxia followed behind them. They heard Liu Lizhen say, "Yan Na, don't indulge him in the future. You have to scold him when you need to! That's how gentlemen are. The more you indulge him, the more he will go too far. Do you understand?"

"Oh..." Meng Ziyan responded softly.

(End of this chapter)