The snow-covered Liuguan County looks as if it is covered in silver, and all you can see is a vast expanse of white snow.
Deng Yunping, wrapped in a thick cotton-padded jacket, walked out of the bus station. The cold wind blew on her face, and she shivered all over. She subconsciously shrank her neck, but found that a few pieces of white snow floated into her neck, which was very cold.
"Yun Ping, where is your home? How do we get there?" A tall man next to her, carrying a big bag in one hand and another on his back, came out looking a bit confused.
Deng Yunping covered her nose, which was red from the cold wind, and smiled helplessly at him, "We can only try our luck."
Although my brothers are all in the county, they only have bicycles. The snow on the road is so thick that it is impossible to ride a bicycle. So it is better to hurry up while it is getting dark.
The man nodded without any dissatisfaction, "Okay!"
It was really unlucky for these two. It took them more than three hours to get home, and they didn't even see a carriage on the way.
When she arrived at Wangjia Village, it was cold and everyone was staying at home. Deng Yunping walked from the beginning to the end of the village but still didn't meet a single villager.
When she got home, Qian Shulan was roasting sweet potatoes and Xiao Min was drawing while breathing out air.
Qian Shulan also didn't expect that Xiao Min would have a talent for painting, especially Chinese painting.
Last night, her teacher gave her homework for the week. She was learning how to draw this plate of newly sprouted garlic sprouts.
The reason why she didn't paint flowers was because it was a petty capitalist sentiment and was absolutely not allowed. So she could only use garlic sprouts to make up the number.
Xiao Min was painting very seriously, and she didn't notice Qian Shulan looking up at her several times. It was very touching to see her working so attentively.
Just as she was throwing the roasted sweet potatoes into the wicker basket, someone knocked on the gate and then she heard that familiar voice.
Qian Shulan didn't even bother to add another sweet potato to the coal stove rack. She jumped up from the stool and rushed out.
"Yunping! Why did you come back so late? Are you frozen? Come in quickly." Qian Shulan was very excited and asked questions one after another.
Deng Yunping was pulled by her mother into the main room. She didn't bother to greet the man behind her. She put her arm around her mother's waist and walked towards the front room.
Gu Jiabei felt a little jealous, but still followed him in.
When she arrived at the main room, Qian Shulan discovered that a strange man had entered the room.
Deng Yunping was a little embarrassed. "Mom, this is the person I mentioned to you in the letter. My boyfriend is Gu Jiabei. He is two years older than me."
Gu Jiabei straightened his chest and nodded towards Qian Shulan, "Aunt, I am Yunping's boyfriend, I am 33 years old this year. Because I have been serving in the army and only retired four years ago, I have delayed my lifelong event." As he spoke, he took off the package from his back and took out the things he brought from it.
Gu Jiabei was a little embarrassed, "I don't know what the standards are for proposing marriage here, so I followed our standards."
Qian Shulan glanced at what he took out and twitched her lips: military blankets, military water bottles, green military uniforms, and a bicycle ticket.
Qian Shulan knew what was going on and asked him to sit down. "Are you hungry? Why don't you eat first?"
After hearing this, Gu Jiabei blushed instantly, feeling very embarrassed. He seemed to be a little too impatient!
Qian Shulan gave the roasted sweet potatoes to Deng Yunping and asked the two to share them first, while she went to the kitchen.
Deng Yunping wanted to stand up to help, but Qian Shulan pushed her back to her seat. "You two must be exhausted from the journey in this awful weather. I'll just make a bowl of noodles. It'll be ready in no time!"
Having said this, he hurried out of the main room.
Deng Yunping found it really good to see that her mother was still energetic.
"Auntie is really strong." She is obviously the same age as her mother, but she looks ten years younger than her. Her gait doesn't seem old at all.
Deng Yunping felt quite proud.
She walked towards Xiao Min, who was facing them but didn't say a word. What on earth was this child doing? She didn't make any noise when they came in.
She approached Xiao Min and when she got behind her she discovered that she was actually drawing a pot of garlic sprouts about two or three meters away from her.
Even though she doesn't understand painting, she can tell that Xiao Min's painting is good and lifelike.
"How amazing!" Deng Yunping couldn't help but exclaimed repeatedly.
Xiao Min was completely awakened by the sound, and the brush slid along, actually adding a black dot on the picture. It was really abrupt to suddenly add this dot to a complete painting!
Deng Yunping was startled and a little ashamed. "I'm sorry, I was too excited. I didn't expect that your painting skills have improved so much after not seeing you for so long."
Xiao Min waved her hand and said, "It's okay, aunt." Then she added a line of words next to it. This made Deng Yunping excited again, and her handwriting became better and better.
After Xiao Min finished writing, she pulled Deng Yunping's arm and said coquettishly, "Aunt, why did you come back just now? If you don't come back soon, my grandma will go to look for you in the spring!"
Deng Yunping pinched her chubby little face and explained with a smile, "I'm staying in Linjiang Province to find a job!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Qian Shulan came in with a bowl of noodles, "Come over and eat some noodles!"
She put the bowl of noodles on the table and wanted to turn around to get another bowl. Gu Jiabei hurriedly stood up and said, "Auntie, I'll get it myself!" After that, he strode out.
Qian Shulan said to Xiao Min, "Go to the brigade warehouse and call your uncle over. I think he's still busy!"
Xiao Min immediately agreed, went back to the house, fully armed, put on a hat and scarf, put on rubber shoes, and went out of the yard.
Qian Shulan was very satisfied with herself dressing up like a silkworm pupa. She subconsciously looked at Deng Yunping's feet and noticed that her shoes were wet. She must have stepped on the snow when she walked here.
Qian Shulan didn't bother to chat with her and went back to the house to find new shoes and clothes for the two of them.
"This is the new pair of shoes I made for you. Put them on quickly!" Qian Shulan said to Gu Jiabei again, "I made these shoes based on my estimated size, size 44. I don't know if they are too big. If they are too big, I will make them for you again."
Gu Jiabei was quite touched. He had been away from home for more than ten years as a soldier, and his relationship with his family had become distant. His mother was busy taking care of her grandson and had no time to make shoes for him.
He put on his newly made cotton shoes, which made him feel so warm that he felt alive. "These cotton shoes are really thick."
"I stuffed it with a pound of cotton. It's cold here. I need to stuff more." Qian Shulan explained with a smile.
"Mom, I haven't seen you for a few years. Your craftsmanship is getting better and better. There is even some fluffy stuff inside. Is this leather?" Deng Yunping felt a little surprised after changing her shoes.
"A few days ago, the team leader of Changshan Village came to order the chicks for next year and gave me a piece of rabbit skin. I put it in your shoes." Qian Shulan carefully looked at the shoes on her feet and nodded with satisfaction, "It seems that they are not made bigger. This is the first time I added leather inside, so the upper is made a circle larger than usual."
Deng Yunping was very happy and started to act coquettishly, pulling her mother.
Qian Shulan smiled and urged them, "Hurry up and eat! The noodles will be clumping soon."
The two of them didn't care about their shoes and sat down at the table to eat quickly.
Although this is a very ordinary noodle, it is topped with half of braised pork and a small half of blanched green vegetables.
It was the first time for Gu Jiabei to eat such fresh vegetables in the middle of winter, and he was extremely surprised.
After dinner, Deng Xingming also came back with Xiao Min.
After the reintroduction, Qian Shulan began to ask about their future plans.
"Mom, I have completed the employment procedures at the plastics factory in the provincial capital." Deng Yunping said with a smile.
Qian Shulan was a little surprised. "Didn't they say that the factory is no longer hiring?"
Deng Yunping waved her hand and said, "The state also assigns jobs to university graduates."
Qian Shulan turned her head to look at Gu Jiabei, "Can you go to the provincial capital to work with her?" It's easy for something to go wrong if you live apart, so it's better to be together.
Gu Jiabei agreed straightforwardly, "As long as Auntie agrees to let Yunping marry me, I will arrange a job for her in the provincial capital."
Qian Shulan nodded slightly and did not give him an answer.
Deng Yunping leaned on her mother's arm and said, "Mom, my salary is 58 yuan a month."
Qian Shulan was quite happy, "Not bad! This much money is enough for you to spend."
"Mom, it's all thanks to you that I am where I am today." Although she worked very hard in school, if her mother hadn't secured this place for her, she wouldn't have the good life she has today.
"Don't forget to study in the future. Maybe you will have the opportunity to take the postgraduate entrance examination!" Qian Shulan reminded her worriedly.
Deng Yunping agreed with a smile, and then started to act coquettishly at the end, "Mom, I miss you so much!"
Qian Shulan was quite happy. She patted her back and said with a smile, "You are still acting like a spoiled child at such an old age. Aren't you ashamed?" At last, she looked at Gu Jiabei and said, "Yun Ping has been spoiled by me. I was very anxious when I learned that she was going to get married. I was always worried that you two would have conflicts."
Gu Jiabei quickly expressed his opinion, "Aunt, don't worry, I will definitely treat Yunping well. She is a good girl."
Qian Shulan was satisfied and nodded, a little embarrassed, "If you can't hold on in the future, be sure to tell me and I will bring her back."
Gu Jiabei was shocked. What does this mean
Qian Shulan looked at him and said righteously, "Although reputation is important, I care more about whether Yun Ping suffers. If you hurt her and make her sad, I will definitely bring her back."
Gu Jiabei hurriedly expressed his opinion, "Don't worry, auntie, I will definitely cherish Yunping."
Qian Shulan smiled slightly, "Of course I believe you, otherwise I wouldn't marry my precious daughter to you. It's just that as a parent, I always worry that she will be wronged. Yun Ping is not a talkative person. I hope you can understand my feelings."
Gu Jiabei didn't dare to have any opinions, but just pondered in his heart. He had been in the army for more than ten years, and his parents only worried about his life and death, and didn't care about anything else. He wanted to work in the provincial capital, and they let him do whatever he wanted, and they really didn't worry like Yunping's mother. Thinking that Yunping's mother was a widow and had been separated from her daughter for many years, it was understandable.
He smiled and replied, "Aunt, I understand!"
Deng Xingming had been watching them talk quietly since he greeted him.
Gu Jiabei thought he was an introvert. But he suddenly asked, "Where do you live in the county?"
Gu Jiabei was slightly stunned when he heard his question. "We plan to buy a house in the county town. We both just started working, and it may take five or six years to get a house. It's not worth it. It's better to buy it ourselves."
Deng Xingming nodded and asked, "Who paid for it?"
This question was sharp. Gu Jiabei was a little nervous, "We jointly issued it."
Ha! The good impression Deng Xingming had just accumulated disappeared in an instant. It turned out that he was just a gigolo.
His expression changed so quickly that Gu Jiabei noticed it immediately and quickly explained, "A few years ago, my father was seriously ill and my family really couldn't afford any money, so I had to use all my savings to save his life. The money I'm taking out now was paid back to me by my parents and brothers."
Deng Xingming's expression looked a little better. According to this, the people in their family were not that bad.
Gu Jiabei added, "I know I took advantage of Yun Ping, but I will definitely put her first in the future."
"What comes first? Your mother and Yunping are arguing, and you stand on Yunping's side?" Deng Xingming raised his eyebrows and asked this difficult question with bad intentions, which has no standard answer for thousands of years.
Gu Jiabei was obviously stunned for a moment, and then said, "They don't live together, so there shouldn't be any conflicts, right?"
"Okay!" Deng Xingming also felt that he was boring, and he finally felt better after hearing this answer. Then he asked, "After you get married, how much money do you give to your parents every month?"
Qian Shulan covered her face and decided to pretend to be invisible. How could the child ask this question in front of her
Gu Jiabei glanced at Yun Ping and said with a smile, "My idea is to give her 10 yuan a month. But I don't know what Yun Ping means yet."
Deng Yunping smiled slightly, "Okay, I agree."