Peasant Girl Bookseller

Chapter 2 Half a bowl of mush
It is said that Mai Xiang came out with a basin of dirty trousers. She thought she was washing clothes in the water tank at home, but after hearing what Zhao Shi and Qian Shi said, she felt that something was wrong.

When Mai Xiang was hesitating, fortunately Ye Dafu came over at this time, took a pole to fetch water, and said to Mai Xiang: "Daddy, let's go with Daddy."

Mai Xiang breathed a sigh of relief, took a basin and was about to go out with Ye Dafu, when Zhao yelled, "Why don't you bring a stick?"

Mai Xiang has never seen a mallet before, and she hasn't seen anyone wash clothes in the past three days, but this wooden basin is used for washing feet in her own room, so she brought it here.

Mrs. Zhao became angry when she saw Mai Xiang's death, and immediately cursed: "I have nothing to say if I ask you to stand up, but if I ask you to do something, you will show me face. You give my old lady a good word, what are you? Where are you uncomfortable, you say it, you cry all day long, who will you show it to? Who will have the good temper to see you cry all day long?"

At this moment, Jiufeng came out of the room, looked at Mai Xiang, and asked, "Sister-in-law, isn't she a little burnt out? Do you want to invite the wife next door to come over and take a look?"

Jiufeng and Mai Xiang are the same age, and they are pretty close. This Mai Xiang has already felt it, because Jiufeng visited her yesterday and secretly gave her a piece of snack, which was probably saved from her mouth.

When Mrs. Qian heard this, she hurriedly persuaded her: "Sister-in-law, according to me, Da Ya has been ill for a few days and has not been able to take care of her. Not to mention the child, even if we adults have been ill for a long time, we are also physically weak and feel uncomfortable. , I don’t know where to put my hands and feet, I just need to rest for two more days, how can I ask for a master?”

Mrs. Qian obviously didn't want Mrs. Zhao to spend money. Mrs. Zhao didn't know what she meant. Even if Mrs. Qian didn't say anything, Mrs. Zhao wouldn't open her mouth again. The money is given to Wufu to get married.

For this reason, Mrs. Zhao sighed, "Who doesn't know this truth, but with the current state of the house, I can't do my best. If I don't point at her, who will I point at?"

At this time, Mai Huang came out with a mallet and a small wooden box, and said to Mrs. Zhao, "Mother, I will accompany eldest sister to wash."

"Hey, I'm still the smart girl." Mrs. Zhao finally had a smile on her face.

Mai Xiang was holding a wooden basin and followed behind Ye Dafu, Mai Huang was holding a mallet, bouncing and walking side by side with Ye Dafu, joking with Ye Dafu from time to time.

Mai Xiang could tell that Mai Huang's personality was more cheerful and pleasing. At a young age, he was very good at winking, and was more precocious. But having said that, the children here are more precocious, and the children of the poor are the first to take charge of their families.

Ye Dafu filled the bucket with water, brought up another bucket of water for Mai Xiang, and said, "Wash slowly, Dad will come back later, the well is slippery, Dad will help you fetch water."

After Ye Dafu left, Mai Xiang poured water into the basin. She didn't know how to wash at all, so she said to Mai Huang, "Erya, Elder Sister still has some headaches. Come and wash." Mai Xiang still put her hand on her forehead , I can still pretend to be sick.

"Understood, big sister. Big sister, I won't quarrel with you, I will listen to you whatever you say in the future, as long as you don't get sick again, your disease, I..." At this point, Mai Huang's eye circles are a little bit Red, probably still scared, afraid that Mai Xiang would really leave like this.

The survival rate of children in ancient rural areas was relatively low, and almost every family had children who were too young to raise them. Therefore, Mai Huang met several children who said that they would be gone, not to mention the playmates in the village, but the youngest son of Sanfu’s family. When I was three years old, I said no, it was gone. This was a year ago, how long has it been?
"Big sister knows, and she will let you go in the future." Mai Xiang guessed that the two must have quarreled a lot in the past, because Mai Huang's personality is more sharp and sharp.

Mai Huang laughed when he heard this, picked out some soap locusts from the small wooden box, applied a layer on the trousers, rubbed a few obviously dirty places, and then beat them with a mallet.

Seeing this, Mai Xiang rubbed the other dirty pants, then went to the well, and brought up a small bucket of water with a pulley, which Mai Xiang had just learned from watching Ye Dafu fetch water.

It took the two sisters about half an hour before they returned home with their clothes. At this time, no one in the family got up.

The winter in the north is cold, icy and snowy, and it is a big first month, so people who are not on duty generally get up late. In this case, breakfast can be eaten later. Of course, correspondingly, dinner can be postponed, so as not to At night, before going to bed, I was so hungry that I panicked.Because Mai Xiang discovered that people here only eat two meals a day.

"Mai Xiang, light a fire for mother." As soon as Mai Xiang put her trousers on the rope, Mrs. Zhao called out from the door of the kitchen.

Mai Xiang handed the wooden basin to Mai Huang, and reluctantly entered the kitchen. Seeing that there were no outsiders around, Mrs. Zhao hurriedly took half a bowl of dried mush, and said, "Drink it quickly, don't let people see you."

As soon as Mai Xiang took it, before she had time to put it in her mouth, Qian's second son, Mai Li, rushed in.

"Ma'am, I want it too." Mai Li looked at the bowl in Mai Xiang's hand and bit her finger. He was only four years old, and the boy was very active. How could two bowls of glutinous rice be enough to eat every day?
"It's not time for breakfast yet. Your eldest sister is still sick and has been out for a long time. The aunt is afraid that she will faint from hunger, so she asked her to make up for it first." Mrs. Zhao was caught in a current situation. Fearing that the child would yell, he held back his temper and explained a few words.

"Ma'am, I'm also fainted from hunger." Mai Li refused to do it.

Seeing this, Mai Xiang put down the bowl and said, "I won't eat it either, we won't eat it either."

After Mai Xiang finished speaking, she went out first, and went back to her room, where Mai Huang was helping Mai Qing and Mai Lu to dress.Ye Dafu was weaving straw sandals with straw on the kang in the back room. Mai Xiang saw that there were quite a few pairs piled up on the kang, and he probably planned to sell them.

Mai Xiang was thinking about selling these straw sandals, because she also wanted to make some money. Of course, she didn't want to supplement the family, but wanted to leave the house.

When Mai Huang and Mai Huang were washing clothes just now, Mai Xiang had already made it clear that the family had no hope of separating, because the main source of income for the family was Ye Dafu hunting and selling prey to subsidize the family. Only when Jiufeng leaves the cabinet can he consider separating the family.

When Mai Xiang heard this, it was too far away.Not to mention farm work, she can't even do ordinary housework well. If she stays in this house for a long time, she will definitely be exposed.

She hasn't figured out how she should go in the future, but no matter what, she must have some money on hand, otherwise, she will be unable to take a single step.

"Father, these straw sandals..." As soon as Mai Xiang started speaking, she heard a quarrel outside, it was Zhao Shi and Qian Shi who were arguing, so you don't need to concentrate, Zhao's voice was sent to Mai Xiang's ears.

"Who said I stole it? Which eye of yours saw me steal it? Ah, you can believe a child's words. That's because I saw the big girl sick and listless. I didn't have a good job, and I didn't have money to buy medicine. I was afraid of the child. I got dizzy from hunger, so I dried half a bowl of mush first. She is the meat that fell out of my stomach, you don’t feel bad, and you don’t want me to feel bad?” Zhao yelled while crying.

"Sister-in-law, what you said is wrong. Who doesn't feel sorry for the child who gave birth? You have children alone? The few in our family are not the meat that fell out of my stomach? When the time comes, I will follow your example. , and give your own children a partial eclipse, would you like it? There is only a little food in the family, and everyone will be like this tomorrow, is there a rule in this family?" Although Qian's words were soft, but every sentence Blocked Zhao.

Just as Mai Xiang was about to go out, Ye Dafu stopped her, and he shook his head.

(End of this chapter)