Chapter 16: Tighten your belt to live
Chapter 16: Tighten your belt to live
Now there was only one stove in the house. All the water boiling, cooking rice, and frying dishes were done there. If there was another coal stove, it will be much more convenient.
However, the coal stove was obviously not so easy to get
What’s more, on top of the coal stove, she also needed coal ball coupons. Only the talented in the city have these, and none in the countryside.
If she wanted to get this, she had to go over and look around the county city.
Besides the stove, was some kind of earthen pot. However, she can take it slowly. She should be able to raise the living conditions after Zhou Qing Bai returns.
Realizing that’s about it, she covered the basket with a cloth. As for what she bought, no one would know.
Now she can pull anything out of the space.
When she also arrived in the village, she took some pork out of the space. As for the fatty meat, she did not take it out, because it would be too eye-catching to take it out and decoct oil. Better wait until the village divided the meat.
There were others like ribs, meat, eggs, etc. In short, she had to make the basket look full. However, all got covered by a cloth, so it was unknown what she bought.
She went early in the morning. But the road was pretty long, so after going to and back, it was already past nine o’clock and nearly ten o’clock.
She didn’t pick up her three sons first. Mother Zhou would certainly take good care of them. She filled up her egg jars with eggs and loaded the barrels with rice and flour again. Then she began to sort the meat.
Two large pieces of pork belly were salted. As for lean meat and the likes, she planned to make meat congee for three children.
They liked the meat congee she cooked a lot and was satisfied eating it. This made her content.
She chopped the ribs by herself. As for the big bones, she will send it to Mother Zhou later on as an expression of sincerity.
After finishing this chore at home, Lin Qing He looked at the time. It was still early and started to go to the vegetable garden in the backyard. After tending it for a while, she heard someone shouting.
She went to open the door and check. It was Zhou Dong, who carried two bundles of dry firewood.
“That fast! I thought you’ll go in two days.” Lin Qing He widened the door and let him bring it in, as she spoke.
“For peeling corn, let my sister and others do it. I’m not needed.” Zhou Dong explained.
He was only needed when it was time to plant winter wheat, and that had not yet begun.
The two bundles of firewood were not small. Two bundles like these cost three dimes. Straight away, Lin Qing He took out three dimes from her pocket and settled the bill. And also said: “We’re still short a lot at home.”
They were short a lot because she used more firewood than the original owner. And at the end of October, Zhou Qing Bai should also come back and he had injuries. She dared not force him to go out get firewood like the original owner did, who wanted to vent her anger.
That’s right, in the novel, the original owner did this. And it was because of this villains’ father gained a long-term illness, which was an endless cycle of pain. When he reached his fifties, his body was even worse.
“Shenzi, rest assured, I can go to the mountains to pick up firewood before the snowfall. After the food distribution and my sister will be able to go with me. We will ship it back with a cart, that way we can transport more.” Zhou Dong promised to her.
Others didn’t like Lin Shenzi. But he and his sister actually have a very good impression of this Shenzi, because the original owner was willing to give work to them.
Having work means they’ll have food to eat.
In winter, they were unable to earn work points for a long time, so they have to live with a tightened belt. It was not easy in the past, but because of helping the original owner and the original owner gave money, he and sisters can only eat twenty-thirty percent full in winter. Otherwise, they would have been at most ten percent full every day, and drink water when hungry. They endured to survive.
“These are eggs that were cooked in the morning. I cooked too many. You take two back to eat.” Lin Qing He entered the house, grabbed two eggs and handed him.
“No need Shenzi. I ate already in the morning before going.” Zhou Dong quickly refused: “Shenzi, I’ll go back first. I can go again in the afternoon, and deliver it to Shenzi in the evening.”
After that, he hurried away.
Lin Qing He paused for a moment but did not say anything. At this time, the eggs were indeed quite expensive. Initially, she just wanted to find an opportunity for Zhou Dong to take a trip with her to the county city with a driving cart. At that time, she can bring back all the basin for foot wash and washbasin. That’s why she gave the eggs, but judging from Zhou Dong’s reaction, it appeared he didn’t dare accept it.
She’ll have to wait for when he goes with her to the county city, then give them siblings some reward.
As for the trip in the afternoon that Zhou Dong mentioned, then it was possible.
From here, the distance to get firewood on the mountain wasn’t close. According to Zhou Dong’s foot pace, it’ll take at least about three hours. To bring two bundles of firewood back at this time, he must have gone out in the morning when it was still dark.
However, she also knew that Zhou Dong was not alone. He went with several 17- or 18-year-olds in the village, so there was nothing to worry about.
At this time, everyone else also prepared firewood for the winter. The firewood collected by Zhou Dong was sold to her. Others in the village sold theirs in the county city. Generally, it got sold out, but Zhou Dong had it a lot easier.
So Zhou Dong can go back to eat now, head out again and can return before dark.
As for the rural people themselves, there was no shortage of firewood. The straw and likes can be distributed a lot, but her family had no share. As long as she prepared it, they can survive the winter.
Lin Qing He understood these matters pretty well, and obviously, Zhou Dong also cherishes such opportunities, as he worked very hard.
Rather than living with a tight belt over the winter, Zhou Dong preferred to find more firewood now.
Lin Qing He felt less guilty for hiring a child. So she ordered … with more and more ease. Exactly the same as the original owner’s way.
Two bundles of firewood were carried into the fire shed in the backyard. This fire shed was built when Zhou Qing Bai came back. It was specifically used to accumulate firewood to avoid rain, snow and get wasted from moisture.
Then she continued to water the vegetable garden, tidied it and picked the cucumbers for lunch.
A plate of fried cucumber and meat was enough for the mother and sons. There were a few eggs leftover from boiling in the congee in the morning. There was still a lot of congee left from the morning. She had deliberately cooked more, so she can reheat and eat.
After taking out two white buns, that should be about it.
As for the evening, Lin Qing He already had an idea. Dumplings for dinner and she will make dough after lunch!
At eleven o’clock, Zhou Da Wa returned. He came back to see if his mother got back. One look and he found she did return.
“Your grandma and others are still peeling corn over at the production team?” Lin Qing He asked.
“En.” Zhou Da Wa nodded, then looked at the stove: “Mother, what good stuff did you buy back today? Is there a big white bun?”
“Yes. Go bring your younger brothers back. But don’t outside know, or you get nothing,” Lin Qing He ordered.
“Can’t talk about meat outside?” Zhou Da Wa couldn’t help say.
But he had been chattering about it with his friends and they envied him a lot.
“It’s fine if you said it before, but don’t talk about it in the future. Understand being low-key?” Lin Qing He said.
“What is low-key?” Zhou Da Wa questioned.
“… If you like to boast, then boast away. Quickly bring your brother back and prepare to eat lunch!” Lin Qing He sent out.
“I will go now!” Zhou Dawa immediately responded.