Pastoral Valley Fragrance

Chapter 8 The Second Uncle

On the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, there are decals for making cakes and steamed buns.

These flowers refer to spring couplets and window decorations. Gu Yu watched An Jinxuan step on the stool early on, and Jing Zhe looked at the bottom, and pasted the couplets. Always here, the Family of Jishan has more than enough celebrations, Jingzhe, your handwriting is really good."

Gu Yu, who was watching the excitement, was stunned. Isn't this Jinxuan a kid from the village? How could he recognize these words? Besides, the meaning he read just now is definitely not as simple as a few words he learned secretly.

Xiaoman was pasting a window grille with a crane offering auspiciousness, seeing Gu Yu in a daze, shouted: "Gu Yu, come and help me see if this position is correct."

After pasting the flowers, the rest was made into cakes and steamed buns. There is no habit of steaming buns in this place. The big families can get some wheat back, but there is no one who knows how to do it.Ordinary people in Taozhuang make rice cakes for Chinese New Year. The rice is ground into pulp, added with sugar, and then steamed.

Wang's body is pregnant with a child, she is a bit stupid, and she is chopping carrots with a knife.For a while, she had to look after the baby in her belly, and bent over to chop it, so she had to lean her body sideways, and her posture looked very strange.

Jing Zhe hurriedly ran over and took the knife from Mrs. Wang, "Mother, I heard the old man said that you can't see these knives if you are physically ill. Let me come and you go and rest."

Mrs. Wang stood up, looking at Jing Zhe's eyes full of relief, "There are so many taboos, but I'm really stupid, come on, chop it up a bit."

Gu Yu Xiaoman also came over, and An Jinxuan watched them from a distance.

Gu Yu was a little curious, "Mother, didn't you mean to make rice cakes, why did you chop radishes?"

Mrs. Wang smiled wryly, rubbed her stomach and said, "I really want to make rice cakes, but the sugar is getting more and more expensive, so I thought I still have some dim sum at home, so you can eat that for Chinese New Year. Let's make some radish cakes." , it can satisfy hunger and can be eaten as a meal.”

Gu Yu saw that Niang's expression was a little depressed, which was a kind of cramped life, she hurriedly smiled sweetly: "What's so delicious about rice cakes, sweet and greasy, or this radish cake is delicious, not to say that eating radish in winter and summer Eat ginger, maybe you can live longer if you eat it!"

Finally, Mrs. Wang was amused by Gu Yu, "You girl, you started to talk one by one, you have to take care of everything."

The three mothers were gossiping while watching Jingzhe chop the radishes, Xiaoman gathered the chopped radishes and put them in the wooden basin.Seeing that it was almost done, he got up and said, "Mother, is it time to start a fire? I'll go right away. When Dad grinds the rice at Uncle Chen's house, it will come back just in time."

Suddenly, Xiaoman stopped, and called out in a low voice: "Second Uncle—" There was a grievance in the voice.

Gu Yu was stunned for a moment, then turned around to see a red-faced man in his 30s in the courtyard. His facial features looked very similar to his father's. It seemed that he was his second uncle, Li Dejiang, but his face was more resolute and slightly longer, with thick eyebrows, big eyes and a high nose. , and walking with a gust of wind, he looks like a refreshing person.

With this in mind, Li Dejiang came to them, and said loudly: "Xiao Man, where is your father? Why don't you let someone tell me about such a big matter, your father is also true, and he would not go to my place if he went to the town. Now that I’m back for the New Year, I’ve heard that, how do you know that your grandma followed your aunt to do such things!”

The tone was full of injustice, and Li Dejiang saw Wang's belly bulging standing aside while speaking, and felt awkward for a while, as if it was his fault that Gu Yu and the others were kicked out, Jing Zhe, who was chopping carrots on the ground, happened to be this At that time, he stood up and called out, "Second Uncle."

Li Dejiang went over and patted his head, "Jing Zhe is so big, why are you chopping this up?"

Xiao Man said: "Mother said sugar is too expensive, just make radish cake, it can satisfy your cravings and can be eaten as a meal."

Xiaoman's tone was very aggrieved, it was completely different from the previous two days, Gu Yu thought about it for a while, and understood the reason. Before being kicked out, no one in the family was against them, so he had to carry it by himself. .Once the second uncle came back, it was different. Xiaoman was like a wronged child. At this moment, he finally found someone to uphold justice, and tears were about to flow out.

Hearing this, Li Dejiang sighed, and said: "You wait." Before the words fell, the person had already walked a few meters away.

Mrs. Wang blamed Xiaoman a little, "Xiaoman, what are you talking about to your second uncle?"

Xiao Man turned his head to one side, and said after a while: "Second Uncle is a sincere person, unlike Uncle who is only afraid of Eldest Aunt. Father has also said that this family is still in the hands of Second Uncle."

Li Dequan came back cheerfully with a wooden bucket of rice milk, and seeing them stare blankly, "Don't you want to cook radishes? Why are you all here?"

Gu Yu ran over to meet Li Dequan, "Father, the second uncle came just now."

Just as he was talking, Li Dejiang appeared in the yard again, carrying something in his hand, and stuffed it into Xiaoman's hand when he came over: "Xiaoman, this is given by the second uncle, you keep it for the New Year."

Li Dequan hurriedly declined: "Second brother, we have all the things for the New Year ready."

Li Dejiang turned around and said angrily: "Is there still my second brother? You have been a gourd with your mouth cut off since you were a child. You hide everything in your stomach. Now it's all right. If the family says they will separate, they will separate." , Xiaoman, don't listen to your father, these are all given by the second uncle, take them back."

Xiaoman actually took those things into the house.

The whole family sat down, Li Dequan told Li Dejiang the general story, Li Dejiang was silent for a while, "You said why can't you bear those two words, this family has asked you to help, now that I'm back, it doesn't make sense to stop here There's nowhere."

Li Dequan smiled, "Brother, you have seen this too. The house is very crowded. I originally thought that even if the family is not separated, I should find a place to live outside. It is good to live with the second uncle. You I also know how my uncle is, and since he is so close to home, he can just say hello for anything."

Li Dejiang smiled a little at this time, "Okay, it will be difficult to go back after moving out. Do you have any difficulties? Just tell the second brother if there is anything missing. I see that this family is so old that even the rice cakes are reluctant to steam. gone."

Gu Yu was agitated by the side, tears almost fell down, she finally understood Xiaoman's behavior now, it's been so many days since they came home, the Li family first thought that they brought money back to curry favor, then hurriedly separated as if they were afraid of being involved, In addition to the grandma and aunt, no one has ever asked them how they are doing outside, whether it is difficult or not, and what is missing after settling down!
Li Dejiang rubbed his hands together, "Second Brother, I'm thinking about letting Jing Zhe go to school for a while, and Gu Yu's illness earlier threw a lot of money into the medicine jar, so it's still a matter of time."

Li Dejiang sighed, "That's a good idea. After all, I have seen the world outside. I think Jing Zhe is also a student. It's just that the parents don't know what they heard. They thought you had money. I will let you know later. They come to see what life is like for you."

While talking, Xiaoman suddenly yelled in the room.

Gu Yu ran in and took a look, and was also dumbfounded. It turned out that among the things that the second uncle gave, besides a few packs of snacks, there was actually a pack of bacon and a small pot of lard. These are precious things, no wonder Xiao Man would call out sound.

Don't let Li Dequan say it now, Xiaoman hurried out of the main room holding the oil, "Second Uncle, we have kept the snacks, let's take the oil and bacon back, they will always be useful during the Chinese New Year."

Li Dejiang shook his head, "I brought it back over there. There is a big family over there, maybe the sister-in-law will hide it while cooking. It's better for you to eat and worry less."

Just as he was talking, Mrs. Wang came out, and she was also very sorry, but seeing Li Dejiang's sincerity and unambiguous posture, he had to give up.Go to the room and take out some window grilles, "Second brother, we don't have anything here, it's a joy to have this window grilles attached, most of them are at home, take these back, it's our wish."

Li Dequan took it, looked at it one by one, and was full of praise. He was very fascinated by the window grilles of a child offering peaches, and his expression was a little lonely.

Gu Yu blinked, and instantly understood that the second uncle had been married for many years and had no children.

Jing Zhe said on the side: "Second Uncle, is there a pair at home?"

Only then did Li Dejiang come back to his senses.

Gu Yu went on to say, "Second uncle, come and see, come and see, the handwriting written by elder brother is better than that written by the gentleman who writes for others on the street. Ask elder brother to write couplets for you and stick them on the door!"

Gu Yu's crisp tone made Li Dejiang laugh, "Dequan, no wonder you don't worry about living here. I think there are a group of women here, they are really exciting. This word is really handsome, dark and powerful. It's shocking, even when you turn around. The second uncle writes two pairs of stickers!"

(End of this chapter)