The husband's son-in-law

The Zhou family gave birth to a boy, and word spread quickly in Pomegranate Lane.Nothing less than that, the first three of Zhang's family are all daughters, they have always wanted a boy, and now they just got it, which is not a happy event, the neighbors are all thinking, this time the Zhou family expressed his wish, maybe how arrogant he will be It's on.

That's what Aunt Xu thought. The two had been at loggerheads for so long because of the child. Now that Mrs. Zhou gave birth to a boy, she didn't want to show it off in front of her.

Thinking about it this way, after living in the same alley for so many years, Aunt Xu still asked her daughter-in-law to prepare eggs and take them to the Zhang family as a gift to express her congratulations.

Li Zhouzhou also gave it away. I wanted to send some marinated eggs, knowing that Mrs. Zhang likes to eat this, but Aunt Xu heard it and said: "No, women in confinement can't eat too heavy, or they will eat it." It’s not good for a baby to drink after drinking milk.”

It turned out that there were still such scruples.

Li Zhouzhou only gave away ten eggs, a whole alley like this, he couldn't get ahead.

The aunt of the Zhang family greeted the neighbors and brought tea to others. Because Zhou was in confinement, everyone put away their things and said a few auspicious words and left. Because the curtain was lifted back and forth to startle, and the body was cold, I was afraid of giving birth to the confinement person and the child.

"Hey, if confinement is confinement, it will be around the end of the year. It's a happy event."

The man from the Zhang family laughed and said, "Si Niang is full moon, which happens to be the first day of the new year."

"It's still called Si Niang, this is not a big fat boy, it should be Shiro." The visitor joked.

The man from the Zhang family said: "When my daughter-in-law was pregnant, Si Niang didn't make any fuss. She thought it was a girl. When the baby was born, she heard the sound first, and said that Si Niang's voice was high. Later, she realized it was a boy, so she called it that way. Anyway, it was a nickname. "

"Call me Si Niang, the child hasn't grown up yet, so I'll talk about it when the child grows strong and strong." An aunt said with a smile.I thought to myself, the Zhang family really loves their son, because they are afraid that the only boy will not grow up, and he will be suppressed by a girl's nickname.

Everyone talked and laughed, and stopped for a moment before they left.

Today, the days are short and it gets dark early. When Gastrodia elata is dark, when Gu Zhao returns home, there are oil lamps and stove lights for heating in the main room. Now the conditions at home are good, and I bought a charcoal fire. It doesn’t smoke as much as firewood. Soot.

During the meal, Li Zhouzhou told his husband that he went to Mrs. Zhang's house after finishing work today.

"Meet the baby?" Gu Zhao knew that Zhou Zhou liked children.

Li Zhouzhou shook his head and said with bright eyes, "I haven't seen it. There are so many of us. I'm afraid that we won't go in after the cold weather. Besides, it's not easy for me to go. Guess what is the name of Mrs. Zhang's child?"

Li Da knew that she was called Si Niang, and Zhou Zhou had told him about it when he came back from Zhang's house, but now he also knew that the young couple were just chatting, so they just ate food and didn't talk about it.

Gu Zhao cooperated and made several guesses, "Is it Ping An? Or December? Or Shiro?"

"What is December, where did the child call it that?"

"In the future, if our child is born in any month, the nickname will be a few months." Gu Zhao deliberately teased his wife with words, and even joined forces with his father who was bored with eating vegetables, "Dad, what do you think?"

Li Da felt good after hearing it, "It's good to be able to call him that." Anyway, it's enough to be able to hold his grandson, and he doesn't care what he is called.

Li Zhouzhou blushed shamelessly, and finally revealed the answer honestly.

"It's called Si Niang." Xianggong kept teasing him!

Gu Zhao picked food for Zhou Zhou, and said cooperatively: "Aren't you a kid, why did you name it a girl?"

Li Zhouzhou forgot the embarrassment just now, and explained a few words, "My aunt said that calling the child in this way can grow up strong, which may be similar to calling the dog egg and cow egg in the village." Thinking about it this way, if he and the husband have children, It's better to call it the month as my husband said, which sounds better than dog eggs and cow eggs.

Eating and chatting, a new life was born in the alley, not to mention that the family was happy, and there were smiles on the faces of the beaming ten days, even the small courtyard of the Li family had a lot of topics about children.

After cleaning up at night, the young couple lay on a bed and pulled the bed curtains to form a small space for two people. Under the quilt, the hands of the two were intertwined. It was originally Gu Zhaowan's wife's fingers. Slowly it changed.

Anyway, the kang was not heated, and the curtain was full of heat.

The next day Gu Zhao got up early to buy breakfast, he was full of energy, his face was flushed, and he went out with a big belly pot, but Li Zhouzhou didn't get up again and rested for a while.

As soon as it got cold, the two stoves in Li's house were lit for heating. One was placed in the main room, and the other was placed in the shed next to the well. On top of it was a pot that kept heating hot water. hand.

Li Zhouzhou originally thought that spending the money for charcoal fires would cost a lot in winter.

Not to mention Li Da, just washing something, and washing it with warm water, how could he be so delicate.

Faced with the disapproval of the father and son, Gu Zhao solved it with one move. The poor little green tea said, "Zhou Zhou doesn't want to have a baby with me? Washing too much in cold water will cause it to freeze, and it's not easy to have a baby."

Li Zhouzhou was blushing and obedient, he thought of Brother Xing, Brother Xing was soaked in cold water and fell ill and was not easy to conceive.Li Da is even stricter, life is not as difficult as before, Zhou Zhou is better at planning.

People from Qingping Academy's autumn examination came back one after another, among them was Zhu Xiucai and Zhu Li.

This year's autumn exam is in mid-November, and Zhu Xiucai set off in October. It will take at least ten days to drive a mule cart from Ningpingfu County to Wannan Prefecture. Basically, it is a few days early to relax.

The road to Wannan Prefecture was bumpy and unacceptable, and some people still vomited and had diarrhea. It took time to recuperate, and they had to find inns, check the route of the examination room, communicate with the candidates at the same time, etc. Experienced candidates set off one month earlier.

Zhu Xiucai listened to the experience of going there before, so he had plenty of time, so he hired a car with his classmates and took a companion on the way, which was safe and could save some money.

All in all it arrived safely.

The exam lasts for three days, and the release date is seven days.

The chief examiner is the senior academic and political officer who came down from the Chief Secretary. He and several prefects were marking the test papers together. Everyone could not go back for these seven days, so they were locked in the examination house to mark the test papers until the results were announced.

After the results came out, it was natural that the list would be posted outside the Wannan State Examination Institute, which would be the fastest to know the results.Afterwards, according to the place of household registration or registered residential address, the assignment will be conveyed layer by layer from Wannan Prefecture to the prefecture and county where Master Juren is located.

This is the dignity and pomp of Juren.Scholars don't get this kind of treatment.

The latter is passed down layer by layer, so it is naturally too late to know the results.

Therefore, most of the candidates, especially those who come from a long distance, do not leave in a hurry to go back after the test, but stay in Wannan Prefecture for seven more days, and wait for the results to be released. tormented.

Zhu Xiucai just stayed for seven more days to wait for the results to be announced.

pity.

Seeing Zhu Xiucai again, Gu Zhao almost didn't recognize him, but in less than two months, Zhu Xiucai lost a lot of weight. He was obviously wearing a quilted robe, but it was empty, with sunken cheeks and a haggard look.

Gu Zhao knew it might be bad when he saw it. Zhu Xiucai was not happy at all, but his face was sad, so he didn't ask any more questions, but said: "Brother Zhu still needs to take care of his body. The Chinese New Year is coming soon, so go home like this." would be worried."

Zhu Li smiled wryly, and said, "I'm not up to my expectations. I spent a lot of money and didn't pass the exam, which made Brother Gu laugh."

"The exam is like this, with ups and downs. I was criticized before. If I was defeated in one blow and lost my heart for the imperial examination, then I would not be able to stand here and talk to Brother Zhu today." Gu Zhao pulled The man went to the cafeteria, bought hot soup and sent it over, and said, "Brother Zhu still needs to take care of his health. When he is healthy, he will have a long life in the future."

On the way back, Zhu Li couldn't eat, feeling depressed, coupled with the bumpy road, he had no appetite, and he would vomit if he tried to eat some, but now he couldn't eat anything, but Gu Zhaodu bought it and brought it here, so he drank it slowly.

The hot porridge warms the stomach.

"Could it be that brother Zhu is willing to be a scholar because he doesn't want to take the exam in the future because of this time?"

Zhu Li stopped the spoon, "Naturally he is not reconciled." If he is a scholar, then he will see his future at a glance, return to the village to open a private school to teach the children in the village, and the income is meager, which will not improve the family situation at all.

"That's it."

There will be exams in the future, and that ambition cannot be extinguished.

Zhu Li heard the meaning of the words, but still sighed, "It's just that I am ashamed of my parents and wife at home, and tired of them..."

Everyone may understand the truth, but the reality has not improved.

Gu Zhao didn't know what to say, now that a scholar from a poor family would use his whole family's strength to support one person, if he succeeds in the examination, it would be like a carp jumping over the dragon's gate for a farmer to change his family status.But if he didn't succeed, all the money was wasted in the exams again and again, which was a kind of drag. In the village, life became more and more difficult and pitiful.

This is not something that can be changed by one person, or it is not that Gu Zhao has the ability to change the current situation. He is one of them. With Zhu Libi, his family's situation seems to be much better, but it is also because of the daily work of his father and Zhou Zhou. Hard work in exchange for a living.

In feudal dynasties, when white-born poor people wanted to cross the class, it was not just one person who contributed, but the whole family, maybe three or four generations.

If you want to ask whether it is worth it, that is everyone's choice.

Gu Zhao said goodbye to Zhu Xiucai after a few words, and only hoped that Zhu Xiucai would recover as soon as possible.

"Hasn't that Brother Zhu passed the exam?" Zheng Hui asked when he saw Brother Zhao came back.

Gu Zhao hummed, but didn't say much.

Zheng Hui sighed first, and said comfortingly: "This year, Qingping Academy only passed the exam in Class A."

In the entire Ningping County, there are more than 800 to 200 scholars who are in government schools or who are not in government schools, and more than 4000 of them applied for the exam, but only one passed the exam.Looking at the entire Hexi Chief Secretary, there are seven prefectures like Ninh Binh and three prefectures. This year, nearly [-] candidates participated in Qiuwei, and only the top [-] were selected.

Visible difficulty.

The atmosphere in the class became a bit depressed, and even Zheng Hui, who was always big-hearted, sighed, so Gu Zhao patted Zheng Hui on the shoulder, "You continue to sigh, my second brother and I hurry up to study, and learn more while you sigh and hurt your nerves."

roll up!

After that, he sat down and started reading.

Zheng Hui:? ? ? ! ! !

Inexplicably, he also became nervous, still sighing, and hurriedly read the book.

The rest of the class saw that the three of them were full of energy, and they were cheered up. They looked away from the worry just now. Anyway, even if it was the latest autumn, it would be the autumn of the next year, and there is still more than a year left. .

Later, when he was resting and taking a bath, Gu Zhao also invited Zhu Xiucai to come to his house for dinner, and made Zhu Xiucai feel at ease. Zhu Xiucai came, but he was not in a good mood, and sighed from time to time, talking about the experience of this fate.

"...The three of them rented a car and paid a tael and a half back and forth."

For three people, one tael and half back and forth, that is half taels of silver.Li Zhouzhou calculated quickly in his mind and thought it was okay, but Zhu Xiucai went on to say that it belonged to one person.

That's a lot.Li Zhouzhou thought.

"There are also rented inns, Wannan Prefecture is expensive everywhere, and the ones that are close to the examination institute are [-] yuan a room and there is no vacancy. The ones that are a little further away are okay, and the ones are [-] yuan, but people are noisy and can't sleep at night. good."

Li Zhouzhou was surprised when he heard that it was so expensive.

"So if you go, Brother Gu, it's better to start early and rent a yard that is cleaner, although renting a yard is more expensive."

It was the first time for Zhu Li to take the rural examination. He thought he had experience in the provincial examination. He took the examination a few times. He was cold-eyed, and he finally settled down, but he became more nervous as the exam was approaching, and even had diarrhea.

Naturally, it would cost money to see a doctor. This exam cost five taels of silver, but he failed the exam. The five taels of silver was wasted. Zhu Li was naturally depressed. I am sorry to my parents and wife at home. When I woke up, I was ashamed to go back to the New Year to face my family.

Gu Zhao naturally persuaded him to go back and have a look.

Zhu Xiucai has not been back for more than a year because of exam preparation. Last year’s New Year’s Eve, this July’s agricultural holiday, heavy work in the house and fields, exhausting all the family members, if I don’t go back for the New Year this year, it will be a day. If you don't win the exam, you won't go back for a day?

If you don't say anything else, the son at home may not recognize you.

Gu Zhao remembered Zhu Xiucai's friendship for helping him buy books that day, so he comforted Zhu Xiucai a few times and persuaded him softly. Now that Zhu Xiucai vaguely revealed that he would not go back this year, he missed what he said and spoke a little more seriously.

Advise Zhu Xiucai not to continue to be immersed in the emotion of failing the rankings, cheer up early, and continue to study, and if you haven’t gone back for two years, your relatives at home must miss you, so go back and have a look, the child is still young, don’t brother Zhu miss you? ?

In the end, the atmosphere was a little unhappy—mainly because Zhu Xiucai was being slandered, and he was unhappy on the face. After eating, he said that it was late and he wanted to go back to study and left early.

Gu Zhao sent the guest out of the courtyard, sighed inwardly, but still said: "Brother Zhu, what I said just now was not intended to ridicule you, we are both peasants from a poor family, and we should compare our hearts to each other. If I don't come home for two years, husband I'm worried that I won't be able to let go of the business by myself, and Fu Lang also cares about me."

Zhu Li couldn't bear it on the face, hummed indiscriminately, and left in a hurry.

Gu Zhao didn't say anything, and closed the courtyard door.

"Sanggong, Big Brother Zhu looks unhappy."

"I know, but don't say that I can't pass my own test." Gu Zhao held Zhou Zhou's hand and went back to the house together, and said: "The imperial examinations for peasants in the world are generally like this. Parents, elders, wives and brothers wholeheartedly provide for one person. I used to be at home. That's right, not to mention the work in the field, even the work at home, and later we got married, and you wouldn't let me do anything."

Li Zhouzhou nodded, remembering that his memory was far away.

"But Mr. Xiang, you do it every time. If you don't let me do it, you still act like a baby."

Gu Zhao raised his eyebrows with a smile and said, "I'm acting like a baby, don't you love Zhou Zhou? You like me like this."

Li Zhouzhou: ... smiled and admitted.

Xianggong is very obedient when he talks like a baby, as if he needs him very much.He is at ease.

"Brother Zhu used to study hard when he didn't go back, but now his mind is always addicted to failing the exam, and he can't help himself. If he stays in school and doesn't go back, he can't study much. He just escapes from home." Gu Zhaoneng is considerate, but you are a big man. , Didn't the family's worries increase?

So Gu Zhao and Zhu Xiucai are actually not the same, they are not along the same path.

There are many ways of getting along with peasants like Zhu Li. I know that it is not easy for my parents and wives to work hard, but I can’t lift my hands and shoulders. I just study and put all my hopes on high school. Just stand up and enjoy the blessings, now the suffering is suffering, wait a little longer.

And the choice of rigorous letter is rare and special.

"Second Brother Yan concentrated on his studies when he was in school and never wasted his time, but he always cared about his relatives at home. When he returned to farming, he would be able to help the family in a down-to-earth manner. He was filial to his parents, but it was difficult at home." Gu Zhao After finishing speaking, I felt that my behavior was wrong, and it was not good to compare Brother Yan with Zhu Lila.

I won't say much.

Li Zhouzhou had other things on his mind. After listening to Zhu Xiucai's talk about the difficulty of taking the exam, the most intuitive thing was that it cost a lot. He thought that he had made a lot of money and could buy a yard for his husband, but now that he heard it, he was very worried. You can't let Xianggong worry about this, even if you take the exam a few more times, you can't lose weight like Zhu Xiucai.

Li Zhouzhou couldn't sleep at night. Although he didn't turn over and startled, Gu Zhao, who was lying next to him with his arms on his wife's chest, felt it, "Is it cold?"

"..." Li Zhouzhou pretended to be asleep.

Gu Zhao stretched out his hand and scratched his wife's chest.

"I want to kiss~"

Li Zhouzhou opened his eyes and lay on his side looking at his husband.Gu Zhao was amused by his wife, he couldn't help but bowed his head and kissed first, the laces of his underwear were all untied, Li Zhouzhou was itchy and uncomfortable, but he still remained motionless and obediently let his father-in-law kiss him.

"What's the matter?" Gu Zhao thought he still had serious business to do, so he didn't mess around.

Li Zhouzhou: "Master, I want to hire someone. The braised meat is selling well at home now, and many people can't buy it every time they come."

There is only one lo mei in the whole prefecture and county, so the supply is not in short supply.

"It's okay." Gu Zhao felt that Zhou Zhou and his father would be more relaxed by inviting someone over, "But the pot shouldn't be boiled, and the shop has only one big stove leading to the chimney. If you want to build a stove with two stoves, it's fine, but hurry up." New Year's Eve."

Li Zhouzhou had been thinking about this idea for a while, and seeing that Mr. Wang had no objection, he said: "Don't worry, I also want to wait until next year to talk about it, just to recruit people, my brother, even though he has a father, but-- It's not easy to recruit unmarried men, it's better to be like Zhang Ma, the aunt and uncle in the alley are free."

"It's not easy to recruit people from the alley." Gu Zhao heard Zhou Zhou's hesitation, and probably wanted to hang out with him, and said, "Everyone lives in the same alley, and we spent money to hire people to work at home, how much, No matter how much work is done, it is easy to be criticized."

"You and dad have low face, and you can't say anything harsh. It's okay at the beginning. What if it takes a long time? And our family buys and sells money, and what materials to put in when we make it. After a long time, we can always figure it out." Come out, and when the time comes, the whole alley will know exactly what is harvested at home."

"I think so."

I've been in business for a long time, and I've seen troublemakers a few times, now Li Zhouzhou is also careful.

"It's better to be trustworthy and reliable, and not one of your own." Gu Zhao thought of the village, and rejected them one by one. Oda can learn to read, but his body is too weak to do heavy strength.

Gu Zhao didn't take it to heart when Zhou Zhou said that it's not easy to recruit a young female man.

The couple talked for a while, but they still couldn't make a decision in the end, so they were in no hurry, and we would talk about it after the new year.

Soon it will be the end of the new year. If the whole alley is tenants, they will pack up and go back to their hometown two days earlier. Those who bought yards like Xu’s and Zhang’s are not in a hurry. The steamed bun shop will be open until New Year’s Eve.

Aunt Xu said: "In fact, before the new year, business is not easy to do. Every family makes steamed buns for the New Year by themselves, but earning one more is just one."

"Your family's business is good. If it's cold today, you can keep the stewed stew. If you buy too much, you can bring back a rare dish when your relatives come to pay New Year's greetings. Let your relatives taste it."

you do not say.

Li Ji's stewed shop has been selling very fast these two days. If it weren't for the limited amount of marinated water, some people would be eager to buy three or four spoonfuls. Unlimited pork heads, pig ears, and stewed pork ribs are selling so fast, almost as much as Li Dagang mentioned. Bringing the big iron pot over, Li Zhouzhou just beat it, everyone came with big bowls and basins.

Three or four scoops are sold.

Aunt Xu must have been envious when she saw it, so Li Zhouzhou said: "After 28 is sold out, my house will close the shop and go back to the village, unlike Aunt Xu who can sell for two more days."

This is true.Aunt Xu thought about it, although the sales were fast, the quantity was there.

On the afternoon of the 28th, a large pot of brine was sold out, and a closed wooden sign written by Li Dajiang's brother-in-law Gu Zhao was hung on the door of the shop, and it was written that the opening time was the eighth day of the lunar new year.

It is rare to go back to the village once on vacation, so I will stay for a few more days.Besides, you just want to open the shop early, and the pork stall owner took off the butcher's knife on the sixth day of the lunar new year and started business.

"The shop opens on the eighth day of the lunar new year." Li Da was about to return to the village, and he was also very happy, and said to the diners who came to ask when it would open.

After hearing this, the diners couldn't help regretting that they came late today. They won't be able to eat for ten days, but they couldn't hold back the Li family father and son from letting them go back for the New Year. There is a sign that says when it will open.

I was in a hurry and didn't see it.

Someone asked Li Daxie to take the trouble to talk about it, saying that when he came back on the eighth day of the lunar new year, he would buy it at that time. It was not until the last board was closed and locked that the shop really closed.

In the yard, Gu Zhao was cleaning a cauldron.

On the 25th, Gu Zhao had his annual leave from the government school, and Yan Yanxin was leaving that day.Zheng Hui offered to give Yan Jinxin a ride, but Yan Jinxin refused.Gu Zhao knew that the promise of the agricultural holiday was because Zheng Hui was single, and it was indeed a trip along the way. Now that Zheng Hui has a wife and Zhao mother, and the mule cart is small, it is strictly believed that a foreigner is not easy to squeeze together. May sit again.

Brother Yan is such a person.

Gu Zhao said that the mule cart at home was resting during the day and did not pull goods, so he took his second brother to the gate of the city for a ride.It would take more than two hours to walk.Rigorous letter is not troublesome at all, but to decline, Gu Zhao said: "I drive the cart by myself, don't worry, don't bother my father, unless the second brother doesn't believe that I can drive the mule cart."

Yan Jingxin knew it was Gu Zhao's kindness and accepted it.

Zheng Hui also said: "Then I will also take a ride, this is the first time I take Zhaodi's car."

So the three of them, Gu Zhao drove the mule cart as a coachman for a while, and took Yan's second brother out of the city.It was the first time for Zheng Hui to ride on a car without a carriage, and he still felt it was strange. If he had been in the past, he would never have ridden it, and felt that he had lost face, but now he has an open attitude.

Yan Jingxin is a granary student, with four taels of silver a year, top grades, either first or second, and at the end of the year, the school also gave out one tael of silver.If it was before, Yan Jinxin would save his money to buy pens, inks, papers and inkstones, so that he would not have to use the money given by his family for expenses. This year, I don’t know what happened. I spent three hundred cash to buy snack boxes, fruit candies, etc., and brought them back. Also bought a piece of cloth.

Bu accounted for the majority, more than 200 texts.

The cloth was also the most common cloth, with no patterns, but the color was red.These things accounted for more than half of the book cage, and there were naturally fewer books that were rigorous and trustworthy.

When he arrived at the gate of the city, Yan Jingxin said that he didn't need to send any more, and got out of the mule cart with the book cage on his back, and thanked him with hands clasped.Gu Zhao and Zheng Hui jumped out of the car and clasped their hands upright.

"See you next year, brother."

"I'll see Yan Jingxin next year."

In the next few days, Gu Zhao stayed at home to help Zhou Zhou pack his things, and the family's business and livelihood reached 28.The shop is closed today, and all the things back to the village are packed. I didn’t bring the bedding rolls. I didn’t move all the bedding rolls when I moved. I kept some in the village, but they are all bedding rolls that have been used for a long time. They are not as good as the cotton used in prefectures and counties. .

"Don't be afraid, when the kang is heated, it will be warm." Li Da said.

Li Zhouzhou and Gu Zhaoxiao, since their father was going back to the village these two days, they have been speaking with vigor.

There are only two chickens left in the family that have not been killed, and they are all brought back to the village. There are also some bought gifts, such as candy, snack boxes, and fruits.Salt, vinegar, oil and other condiments are all put in a big belly tea mug, so you don't need to buy them when you go back.

I don't bring any food, but my father said there is at home.

29 Early in the morning, there was light snow in the sky, even such a family was happy.Li Da was wearing a rabbit fur hat and coir raincoat, covering his mouth and nose with a cloth and covering half his face tightly, and wearing gloves sewn for him by Zhou Zhou on his hands.

The boards had been washed, and there was that thick curtain on it—it was used every time I sat.Because of the snow, Li Zhouzhou was afraid that his husband would be cold, so he brought a thick quilt for him to cover, a small basket of carbon, and a hand heater, which could add carbon to the stove if it was about to burn out.

Although it was a cold wind blowing, but his heart was full of enthusiasm and joy, the snow fell more and more as he walked, Li Da looked at the heavy snow, his exposed eyelashes were glistening with frost, and he said cheerfully: "It's snowing, The coming year will definitely be a good harvest, and the crops in the fields will be full."

Gu Zhao wrapped him and Zhou Zhou in a quilt, put the heater in Zhou Zhou's arms, and before Zhou Zhou could reply, he whispered, "Zhou Zhou is holding the heater, and I can feel Zhou Zhou's belly when I warm my hands."

Li Zhouzhou looked at his father first, but fortunately his father didn't hear him, and whispered with red ears, "My husband is not serious."

"It's not serious anymore." Gu Zhao looked aggrieved, "Won't Zhou Zhou cover my hands?"

Li Zhouzhou couldn't see Xianggong like this, endured his embarrassment, and held Xianggong's hand under the quilt to stick to his belly.Gu Zhao's heart was warm, and he held Zhou Zhou's hand well.

When we arrived in the village, it was already dark, and the neighbors on the left and right sent hot water and firewood. Afterwards, the house should be burned, and the house should be cleaned up. The oil lamps in the house were lit, and the kangs in the two back rooms were burned. of.

On the second day of Chinese New Year's Eve, the gate of Li's courtyard was left open, and people came and went to chat.

In the past, Li Da was not talkative, but he spent a long time outside, and when he returned to the village during the Chinese New Year, he would be friendly. He would go out to the fields for a walk, and if he met other people, he would stay and chat.

In November, Uncle Li Er, the village chief, was brought to the prefecture and county for a lawsuit. When he came back, the villagers naturally asked him, and the uncle said, "What else can there be? It's about the division of the Li family. There is a business outside, and his parents begged for money, the old man broke up the lawsuit, and I wrote the deed of separation..."

In a few words, I said what should be said, what should not be said is like Gu Xiucai told the old lady Li that the old man's uncle didn't mention it, and on the way back, he told the village chief Li Er that he was not allowed to bring this life into a lawsuit.

The uncle was afraid that Li Er's mouth would not be strict, so he beat him and said, "Now that your relationship with Li Da has eased, don't offend Gu Xiucai by chewing your tongue."

Reiji didn't understand why.

"In my life, Li Da recruited such a brother-in-law for Zhou Zhou. He saw that he would be a promising man in the future, but he was cold-hearted. If he said he would sue the official, he would sue the official. I went because of Li Da's pity." Uncle's age Big, the concept is still the older generation, no matter how bad it is, no grandchildren will sue their grandparents.

The matter was settled, and the uncle thought about it for a few days, and saw that Gu Zhao was doing everything thoughtfully, caring about Li Da and Zhou Zhou, and sighed in his heart that he was completely out of the ordinary, and only said: "From now on, the Li family will be this brother-in-law." Now that the top family is in charge, I see that Gu Xiucai doesn't care about anyone except those close to him."

"If you're not afraid, you can talk more."

Li Er understood half of what he heard, and the rest didn't understand. He saw that Gu Zhao listened to his elder brother very much, took care of him back and forth, and never disliked giving medicine to his elder brother. Why is Gu Zhao the head of the family, a son-in-law.But looking at the seriousness of my uncle, let's forget it, let's not talk about it.

It's not a matter of face for parents to be hit by a board.

The village chief understood what uncle meant. Now that I think about it, what was Gu Zhao's reputation when he first arrived in Xiping Village? What about now?Everyone in the village praises Gu Xiucai and thinks about the goodness of the Li family, so who can say who is not?It was when he read the letter that he told the officer that he wanted them to come, his first thought at that time was: he must go, and make friends with the Li family.

In the past, everyone in Li didn't stand out in the village, why now, there is not Gu Xiucai, if Gu Xiucai turns over and becomes a high-ranking official in the future, now he can flatter and flatter, and he can ask for anything in the future.

Now that the lawsuit is over, the village chief understands after listening to his uncle's words. Gu Xiucai has Li's family in his heart. If he wants Gu Xiucai's help, then it's best to follow the rules. If you go too far, anyone can sue you , but not soft-hearted.

After thinking about it, the village head was strict, and when he went back to others and asked what was going on, he just followed what his uncle said, and only said that the old man broke up the division lawsuit, and didn't mention anything else.

Li Er's answer to the lawsuit was almost the same, but he talked too much about other things—his wife kept asking, wondering if Dafang's family lived in the prefecture, whether they enjoyed the blessings, or whether they just relaxed and did nothing.

"I don't do anything. The yard I live in said last time that it is not as big as the village. I have been there. It's a small one, but there is an extra well. It doesn't cost money to drink water, but it still costs money to defecate. "

"I heard from my elder brother that I'm going to sell it in the water before dawn in the morning..."

How much can you sell for the water?This day is too bitter.After hearing this, Liu Huaxiang was dumbfounded, and when she went back to buy tofu, she learned from the villagers, saying that life in the prefecture and county is not easy, and Gu Xiucai spends a lot of money on studying, so elder brother and Zhou Zhou have to work harder.

It turns out that the courtyard is really small.The big guy grasped the point, and couldn't help but feel sympathy for Li Da and his son. If Gu Xiucai didn't study, the family would have a good life in the village, with the big green brick house, the burning kang, and the 100 taels of silver——oh, now renting a yard and buying paper and pens are too expensive, and it won’t be long before the appointment is finished.

Pitiful.

When the man asked about the lawsuit, Li Da didn't say much, he just said that the family had been separated and he didn't mention it.

In the courtyard of Li's house, aunts, uncles, and second aunts Xing and Geer all came over, some eggs from one house and vegetables from the other, expressing warm care and sympathy for Li Zhouzhou in words.Gu Zhao saw in his eyes that his family was always in a daze, saying that they didn't need to eat what they had at home, and if they couldn't do it, they had to stuff it, so they had to accept it, but fortunately, it was not expensive.

"...Master, why do I feel that everyone looks at us—"

"It's a pitiful life." Gu Zhao answered, and said with a smile: "I don't know why everyone thinks of this, but it doesn't matter, we have a good life, we just know it."

After that, it is New Year's visit to relatives.

Gu Zhao and Zhou Zhou went to Dongping Village, first went to the uncle's house, gave grandma a New Year greeting, and then went to Gu's house.Although there are two uncles, Gu Zhao is not "the water poured out by a married son-in-law". Today's life is not like modern times, and there are many children. If uncles and uncles have to leave during the Chinese New Year, it must be because there is no money for gifts .

Generally speaking, when a daughter who is married abroad goes back for the Chinese New Year, she only needs to go to the official home.

Gu Zhao not only went to his natal family, but also visited grandma, which is regarded as filial piety in the village.

Li Guihua looked at the ceremony first, and saw that there was a jug of wine and a piece of sugar, and a boxy wooden box. Before she opened it, the tiger head opened it first. Seeing that she didn't know what was inside, she asked her mother what it was.

It turned out to be a box of snacks, which is rare and expensive.

In the town, this box of dim sum costs [-] cents, of course Li Guihua is not willing to eat it, the fancy dim sum is not enough to fill the stomach and is not oily, you say that Li Zhouzhou’s gift is not expensive, it is farting and deceiving people, this gift It's heavy, but if it's expensive—

For Li Guihua, it's better to bring two catties of fat.

Hutou didn't care what his mother was thinking, he quickly pinched a piece and put it in his mouth, Li Guihua was stunned that his hand was about to be buckled, and finally the dessert was broken, Hutou licked his fingers, tasted the sweetness and clamored to eat, Li Guihua took it The broken dim sum was divided into four parts, one small piece and one large piece, and the remaining two small pieces, one was given to the eldest son who was watching eagerly, and the other asked Li Zhouzhou: "Do you want to eat it? Have a taste .”

"No mother-in-law."

Before Li Zhouzhou finished speaking, his mother-in-law had already put the rest into her mouth.

"..." also becomes.

Visiting relatives in the Li family is still the same as usual, no different from previous years.Although Li Guihua is still a little stingy and stingy, but it is slightly better than in previous years. Maybe the harvest in the fields last year was good and sold for money. If she had the previous temperament, she would not ask Li Zhouzhou if she wanted to eat the broken snack, although It's kind words.

But it will definitely be kept in the hidden stove, waiting for someone to leave, or give a gift - most likely reluctant, or take it out and exchange meat for sugar with someone else.

This year is fine.

The other end is Yanjia Village.

The snowy road was difficult to walk, Yan Jinxin walked for five days, and it was New Year's Eve when he arrived home.Going back, covered in frost and snow, he unloaded the book cage first, took out the book and put it away.The family was busy, boiling hot water to wash their son, serving hot rice and hot soup to take care of him.

After everything was settled, when it was time to observe the new year in the evening, Yan Jinxin remembered the box of snacks, took it out of the book cage, and put it on the table, "Grandma, parents, Xiaoshu, I bought this from the prefecture and county." dim sum...”

As soon as I opened it, the dim sum was shattered, cracked, and lost its shape.

Yan Jingxin's face darkened and became serious.No one moved in the room, Liu Shu couldn't hold back and said: "Then everything is broken, let's eat it ourselves, we can't give it away."

If it is not broken, the mother will order him to take it back to his mother's house, and he will not be able to eat a bite after taking it back.

Well broken!