Peasant woman

Chapter 25

It was only noon now, and all the men in the village were working on the mountain. Cutting down trees and digging roots was physical labor. Most of them brought dry food to eat at noon, and now they were sitting on top of the mountain bag to eat dry food.

Fugui wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked up and saw his daughter-in-law greeting him with something in her arms, hurriedly threw the ax in her hand aside, and walked towards Xu Cao.

The two found a seat and sat down. Xu Cao handed the pancakes in her arms to Fugui, and said with a smile, "The pancakes just out of the pan, I brought them here for you in case you were hungry, hurry up and eat them." .”

"Have you eaten with Miao Miao?"

"Eat it, don't worry about it, eat it quickly."

Only then did Fugui take the pancakes and started to eat them in big mouthfuls. After three or two bites of a large pancake, he took a big sip of the cold boiled water in Xu Cao's hand, and then started to gnaw on the pancakes. He ate three pancakes in a row. Only then slowed down.He worked hard. During half a day in the morning, he cut down six trees and dug up all the roots. The food he ate in the morning had already been consumed.

After eating the five pancakes, Fugui drank the last sip of water from the pot, and then let out a sigh of relief.

Seeing that he was full, Xu Cao took the water bottle in his hand and said with a smile, "Are you tired? If you are tired, don't work so hard."

Fugui grinned, "I'm not tired. The trees on the side of the mountain are taller and stronger than the ones in the mountain. These trees are thin and easy to cut." Did not say.Xu Cao talked with him again, then got up and left.

In the evening all the tree-digging men gathered in the yard of Yang's house to collect wages. Fu Gui and Xu Cao decided to pay wages once a day.

Xu Cao is busy pouring water for everyone. Although he doesn't care about food, he still has to drink water after work, right?

Everyone was paid [-] Wen, and everyone gave it. The eldest uncle Chen Sheng and the third uncle Chen Mao also received [-] Wen. Although they did not do as much as the young people, they did not slack off.The big guy didn't leave in a hurry after taking the wages. He stood in the yard talking and laughing, drinking water, so that he could take a rest.

Now only the eldest cousin Chen Jinkui and the second cousin Chen Jinwu have not been paid.The two were in a hurry, and shouted: "Cousin, the two of us are paid? Could it be that you want to renege on your debt?"

Xu Cao didn't speak, but stood behind and let Fugui handle the matter.

Fugui glanced at the two of them, then at Mrs. Chen standing at the door of the kitchen, and then took out ten Wen from his bosom, and handed each of them five Wen.

The faces of the two were flushed, and they refused to accept the money. They gritted their teeth and said, "Cousin, what do you mean? We worked for you for a day, and you gave us five cents each to send us away?"

"Why do I only give you five cents, don't you understand? Do you want me to speak out in front of everyone?" Fugui was not afraid, staring at the two of them, seeing that they were still unconvinced, Then he said: "Big cousin, second cousin, you are my relatives, if it weren't for your mother's relationship, I wouldn't use you, I asked you to come to work, not to be an uncle! You are kind, During this day, one person cut down a tree, and even the uncle and the third uncle cut down six trees each, how can you do that?"

The two blushed with embarrassment at these words, staring at Fugui.Uncle Chen Sheng couldn't stand it anymore, and scolded: "You two bastards, I asked you to come here to work, two delicious and lazy things, you don't come here tomorrow, it's really embarrassing."

Mrs. Chen refused, and ran over in two or three steps, stood in front of her two nephews and said to Fugui, "Fugui, what's the matter with you? Even if your first cousin and second cousin are slow to work, you can't do it in front of everyone." Is it right to dismantle their platform? Forget it, I won’t argue with you anymore, you give them their wages, and just don’t let them come tomorrow.”

Fugui poked his neck, turned his head and said, "No, if you want to give it, you give it! I won't give it." If he gave it, wouldn't it be to let the big guys know that even if they are lazy, they can get paid?He can't give this money, five cents per person would be fine.

"You..." Mrs. Chen pointed at Fugui, angrily, "You son of a bitch, do you treat me as your mother? Even if I'm not your own mother, I have raised you for more than ten years anyway. Is there anyone as ungrateful as you?" ?” Chen said, and gave Xu Cao a pointed look.

Seeing the commotion, the others were all big men, and they were embarrassed to watch it any longer, and they all left in a hurry after talking to Fu Gui.

Only the Yang family and two uncles and two cousins ​​were left in the whole yard.

The two cousins ​​were very unconvinced, and they meant that they would not leave unless you gave us.

Fugui stuffed ten Wen into Chen's hands, and the rascal said: "I only have ten Wen, the eldest cousin and the second cousin are five Wen each, if you want to give them, you can give it, if you don't give it, forget it, I don't care .” With that, he dragged Xu Cao into the kitchen.

The uncle couldn't stand it any longer, and didn't even have the nerve to take ten cents, so he dragged his two lazy sons out, "You don't think it's embarrassing, but I don't. Hurry up and go back to me!"

Mrs. Chen stared at the ten Wen coins in her hand, thought for a while, went back to the house, took fifty Wen coins, came out to catch up, and stuffed them into the hands of the two brothers, "Jin Kui, Jin Wu, that fool is very stubborn, Auntie is right. I can't help you, you take this money. I think you don't come here tomorrow." Otherwise, she can't always subsidize money to them.

No matter what Chen Sheng said, he refused to let the two children take over the money. It was the fault of the two children. They paid [-] Wen a day, which was more than enough. It was good for them to come and sit there instead of working hard. When you are an uncle, who will not be angry?
After pushing and pushing, it was the sixty Wen that Chen Jinkui snatched away, and he shared thirty Wen with his younger brother.

After they left, Mrs. Chen went back to her room and pointed at Xu Cao and cursed Huai.

Xu Cao and Fu Gui nestled in the kitchen, pretending not to hear the scolding.

Xu Cao was busy cutting vegetables, Fugui was sitting in front of the stove, holding Miaomiao and stuffing firewood into the stove, seeing Xu Cao's smiling face, said: "Daughter-in-law, mother doesn't speak well, you won't be angry, right?"

"Why? Don't worry, it's fine." Xu Cao took out the pink skin hanging in the corner and soaked it in warm water.She has been scolded by her mother since she was a child, and Chen's words are like tickling to her.

When Xu Cao waited until the pork in the pot was almost stewed, she threw the soaked vermicelli and chopped Chinese cabbage into it.Not long after, the whole room was filled with the strong smell of pork stewed vermicelli.Needless to say, Brother Jun was brought over again.

Brother Jun was standing at the door of the kitchen, staring at Fu Gui with some fear, but he didn't dare to ask Xu Cao for food.

The rich and tall man is tall and big, and he looks a little cold when he is not smiling. Brother Jun has been afraid of him since he was a child, and he will avoid wherever there is wealth.Nowadays, what Xu Cao cooks is really delicious.The little guy stood at the door, hesitating whether to come in or not.

Fu Gui also knew that the child was afraid of him since he was a child, so he hugged Miao Miao and started teasing Brother Jun with a serious face, "Boy, who asked you to come here?"

Seeing Fugui's appearance, Brother Jun burst into tears and ran outside.Miao Miao in Ji's arms giggled.

Xu Cao glared at Fugui, hurriedly chased Brother Jun back, carried him into the kitchen, and patted the little guy on the back, "Brother Jun, good boy, Brother Jun doesn't cry, your uncle is scaring you Well, don't be afraid, watch me beat him." He patted Fu Gui while feigning anger.

Only then did Brother Jun stop crying, lying in Xu Cao's arms, secretly looking up at Fugui.

Fu Gui stopped teasing him, and grinned at him, "Brother Jun, I'm teasing you, come on, come and play with Miao Miao, I'll give you pork stewed vermicelli later."

Xu Cao coaxed him for a long time before the child got off the ground and squatted in the corner of the kitchen to play with Miao Miao.

After the pork stewed noodle skin was cooked, Brother Jun waited to eat with Fu Gui and Xu Cao.When Shen came over, she smiled and went back.

While eating, Niu's retching sound suddenly came from outside the yard.

Xu Cao's heart skipped a beat, thinking that Niu might be pregnant.When I woke up in the morning, I saw her drowsy and retching, maybe she was pregnant.At this time, the third brother probably won't mention her matter anymore.

Sure enough, Xiaotong followed out in a panic, patted Niu on the back, and said anxiously: "What's the matter, what's the matter? Why are you throwing up? I see that you have been in a bad mood for the past two days."

Through the kitchen door, Xu Cao saw Niu's shy face, "My husband...I...I seem to be pregnant."

Xiaotong was taken aback, and it took him a long time to come back to his senses, and he took Niu's hand joyfully, "Meizi, is it true? Then I'm going to be a father?"

Chen Shi and Xiao An also ran out. Chen Shi knew that Niu Shi might be pregnant, but she was very happy. Although she didn't like Niu Shi, she was pregnant with her son's child, her grandson, how could she? There are reasons to dislike.

"The third child is pregnant? Let's go and go to the house to rest quickly. Don't get tired. I'll let the doctor come over and take the pulse. If you do, you can rest well in the future and let your second sister-in-law take care of you." Chen Shi is so happy that he can see his teeth but not his eyes.

On the side, Xiao An's face was dark, she pulled her mother, and said in a low voice: "Mother, don't go too far, the third sister-in-law is pregnant, how can I let the second sister-in-law take care of her? Don't be confused!" People who don't know the spectrum are confused about everything.

Chen said angrily: "Why? Or let me take care of you?"

Xiao Tong smiled and said: "Mother, I'll take care of it, don't bother the second sister-in-law."

Chen Shi glared at him and stopped talking.

When Xu Cao heard this, she sighed. She didn't really care if she could divorce Niu Shi, and Niu Shi was pregnant. She was afraid that the second sibling would be in trouble in the end, or she was worried that Niu Shi would have trouble again.

After they finished their dinner, Xu Cao sent Brother Jun back to the room, and boiled water for Fu Gui to wash first. After she and Miao Miao returned to the room after washing, she found that he had fallen asleep, probably because he was tired.

As soon as the quilt was covered for Miaomiao, Fugui woke up, hugged Xu Cao and fell asleep again.

The next day, a doctor was invited, and Niu was indeed pregnant. The whole family was very happy, and the third brother never mentioned the divorce.

Half a month has passed since Fugui's busy work, and the two fields on the top of the hill have been turned over several times inside and out, and the roots of the trees can no longer be seen in the land.

There was a light snowfall a few days ago, and Xu Cao was busy picking up dung and pouring it into the ground these days. After turning the land a few times, Fugui had nothing to do, so he helped Xu Cao pick up dung.If human and animal manure is used as fertilizer in this land, it cannot be mixed with plant ash.So the whole land is made of human and animal manure. Fortunately, most people's fields have already been fertilized at this time, so there is no need to use it anymore. After running around the village for a few days, all the fertilizers for the two acres of land will be done. up.

After two or three days, there was heavy snow fluttering in the sky again.

(End of this chapter)