The snow fell heavily, like goose feathers.
When Wang Ying got up in the morning, she saw that the outside was covered with snow, and a thick layer of snow had fallen in the yard.
Xu Shuang used a shovel to shovel all the snow in the yard into one place, building a small pyramid with pointed corners. Then she dug a snow hole in the middle, put the meat and fish hanging in the kitchen into a wooden box, and then put the entire wooden box into the snow hole.
This simple natural refrigerator can be used until the snow melts in spring.
Wang Ying washed her face with a bucket of hot water, and the cold wind woke her up.
"What do you want for breakfast?"
Once I don’t have to work, it seems like my daily routine has been simplified to three things: what to eat in the morning, what to eat at noon, and what to eat in the evening.
Xu Shuang: "Eat hot dry noodles."
A few days ago, the peanuts at home were taken to press oil, and Xu Shuang also pressed some sesame oil. Then, after thinking about it, she kept a bottle of sesame paste and peanut butter for each of them.
Originally, she was planning to save it for hot pot, but when she woke up in the morning and saw snow, Xu Shuang decided to make hot dry noodles.
It’s cold, and if I only eat porridge in the morning, I’ll be hungry in less than half a day.
"Okay, okay, add more sour beans and peanuts."
After kneading the noodles with lye water, they were allowed to rest. While the noodles were resting, Xu Shuang made a winter melon and kelp soup. After the lye water noodles were made, there was a dusting process, which was to take out the half-cooked noodles, add a little sesame oil and stir them repeatedly with chopsticks.
Xu Shuang found a sheltered place under the eaves to pick up the noodles. Under the influence of the cold wind, the noodles became cold in a short while.
The dough was slightly yellowish and each strand was distinct. Xu Shuang took out a portion and put it aside, then prepared a sauce by mixing sesame paste and sesame oil and adding half a spoonful of peanut butter.
The alkaline noodles cooked in the pot are mixed with the sauce, spicy radish, sour beans, peanuts and chopped green onions. A spoonful of the stewed soup on the stove is also added, and the hot noodles must be eaten while they are hot.
The noodles are wrapped in thick sesame paste, and the winter melon and kelp soup is fresh, fragrant and light.
A breakfast that satisfies everyone.
After breakfast, Xu Shuang went out to meet up with the others. This year, they took turns sweeping snow and patrolling. Wang Ying wore the thick cotton shoes made by old lady Xu and walked to find her mother-in-law, preparing to go to the meeting room of the brigade together.
When we walked to the gate of the Youth League Institute, we happened to meet Zhang Ping and Jiang Li coming out, so we decided to go in together.
Old Mrs. Xu had a good impression of Zhang Ping, and the few of them talked as they walked.
Old Lady Xu asked casually, "Why are there only the two of you? Don't they listen to the radio?"
Listening to the radio is the most fashionable thing. Now every household in the brigade is very active. The brigade has issued an order to play the radio for four hours every day, two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.
This way, those patrolling outside and those clearing snow can also take their turn to listen.
Nowadays, apart from gossiping about family matters, people's favorite thing to do is to discuss what they hear on the radio.
After breakfast in the morning, I went to listen to the radio, and then listened to some meeting to convey the spirit of the meeting. In the afternoon, I watched the children's performance arranged by Wu Guihua, and then listened for two hours.
What a beautiful day!
Zhang Ping: "They are busy."
What are you busy with? Of course, you are busy with primary school teachers and university recommendation quotas.
Zhang Ping: "I'm not a good student, so I won't join in the fun. They are all busy studying in their rooms, and they will have their exams a few days after the New Year."
Tian Youfu is very tight-lipped about the recommendation quota, but the primary school teacher can try his best.
Although the requirements for primary school teachers are not high, the members definitely want to learn from the best, so an exam was arranged before the spring. Two teachers were selected in the first batch, one teaching Chinese and the other teaching mathematics.
Zhang Ping knew that she came late and did not have enough qualifications. In addition, her family was well-off, so she might be sent back home in the next two years. So she simply did not get involved.
Old Lady Xu looked at Jiang Li, and Jiang Li said, "I can't do it either."
She went to the countryside early and had forgotten a lot of things from before, so she simply didn't participate.
The two of them gave up, but others didn't.
In the Youth League Institute, Bai Ling slept until she woke up naturally, got up and ate something casually, wanting to find Yu Pengcheng, but Yu Pengcheng was still not awake.
Bai Ling saw several female educated youth sitting together studying, and she felt panicked.
"Have you seen Jiang Zhiqing?"
As soon as she asked the question, one of the female educated youth was about to answer, but another female educated youth pulled her and gave her a look.
“No.”
Bai Ling was very unhappy. She knew that her reputation among the educated youth was not good, but was it really that serious
They clearly knew that Jiang Lei was there but didn't say anything. They were so petty. They were obviously jealous of her for having the means to keep a man.
Bai Ling simply picked up the elementary school textbooks that she had found with great effort and went to the male educated youth's room to find Jiang Lei.
As soon as she left, several female educated youth began to whisper.
"Were you planning to tell her about Jiang Lei's empty house over there?"
"I, I, I forgot..."
"Stupid, don't get involved in Bai Ling and Jiang Lei's affairs from now on."
"Yes, Sister Song, I will definitely not tell you."
"Let's not talk about them. Let's hurry up and review. We'll have the exam in a few days."
"Sister Song, I don't have confidence... Sister Yang Hong is good at Chinese, and Jiang Lei is good at math. Can we really compete with them?"
“We’re definitely not going to pass the exam.”
"Then why do I need to learn? I want to listen to the radio..."
"You still don't believe me when I say you're stupid. Our brigade runs a village primary school. Who knows, people from surrounding brigades may come to study there in the future. We don't have to take exams every time, right? If we do better this time, we can choose candidates next time. Then we'll have a chance. Besides, even if we have to take exams every time in the future, we've learned a lot and will definitely be better than others."
Song Zhiqing clenched his fists: "As long as we learn, the knowledge is ours! Even if we can never become teachers, the knowledge we have learned is our accumulation!"
After hearing what Song Zhiqing said, several female educated youth also became ambitious and started reading seriously with their heads down.
Bai Ling searched the houses of the educated youth institute one by one, and finally found Jiang Lei in the last empty room.
This empty room is the future classroom for students that the brigade has been slowly preparing. The brigade is short of funds, so they only opened a few windows in this room and applied putty. The windows were also installed a few days ago, and they used glass windows luxuriously.
The tables and chairs had to wait until the spring. There was only an old table in the middle of the room, which was originally placed in the conference room. Because the conference room was not used much, it was simply moved here.
Bai Ling leaned over and saw Jiang Lei, who was dressed warmly, sitting at the table, obviously studying.
Bai Ling was a little unhappy because Jiang Lei had promised to give her tutoring.
In Bai Ling's opinion, there was only one position for a math teacher, and since Jiang Lei was going to tutor her, he shouldn't be reading books. Otherwise, she would definitely not be able to compete with Jiang Lei for the position.
Bai Ling felt that Jiang Lei really didn't care about the friendship between old classmates. She had made it clear that it was obvious. If Jiang Lei knew what was good for him, he should give up his place. He should think about how to surpass others in the Youth Institute for Educated Youths. How could he hide from her and study hard
"Jiang Lei, are you reading?"
Bai Ling greeted him dryly as soon as she entered the room, and couldn't wait to get to the point: "Didn't you say before that you would tutor me? I happen to be free today, let's get started."
Bai Ling said this, but in her heart she was thinking about how to change the topic so that Jiang Lei would give up this exam.
Really, as a grown man, shouldn't he work in the fields? Why would he compete with a female educated youth like her for a spot
It's not generous, no wonder I don't like it.
Jiang Lei was working on his homework with his head down. There was no kang in the room, and he was very cold. He was checking his calculations on a piece of straw paper while blowing air into his hands.
Hearing this, he responded: "Don't worry, wait a moment."
Bai Ling was just about to ask him what he was waiting for when someone suddenly came in from outside.
The educated youth Zhang Hong came in, holding a high stool and carrying a pen and paper. She was wearing a thick cotton-padded jacket and even a thick hat on her head.
Obviously he had made an appointment with Jiang Lei in advance and knew what he was here for.
Bai Ling suddenly lost her composure. Zhang Hong was also an educated youth from Beijing, but she came a year earlier than the two of them. They were about the same age, but before that, Bai Ling and Jiang Lei didn't think much of Zhang Hong, because Zhang Hong was usually stingy and occasionally liked to take advantage of others in the educated youth institute.
She was a warm person, but Bai Ling and Jiang Lei both felt that she had brought shame to the people of the capital.
Zhang Hong walked in and handed Jiang Lei a cup of hot water very naturally.
"Jiang Zhiqing, drink some water. Shall we start now?"
Bai Ling's voice was filled with whistles: "Jiang Lei! What do you mean?!"
You said you wanted to give her extra lessons, so how could Zhang Hong be involved
Bai Ling didn't care about her usual appearance and asked anxiously, "Didn't you promise me first?"
Having promised one person, how can you add another one halfway
Jiang Lei: "Oh, Zhang Hong is also from the same hometown as us. I let her come because she wanted to learn. Bai Ling, the three of us are from the same place. I can teach one person or two people. Isn't that right?"
Bullshit!
There are only two teaching positions, and the competition in Chinese is fierce. Jiang Lei is the most promising in mathematics. Now Jiang Lei has brought in Zhang Hong. Isn't this just making things difficult for Chunchun
Bai Ling bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes.
If Zhang Hong wasn't here, she could have a good talk with Jiang Lei and analyze the situation. After all, this idiot probably hasn't figured out the current situation yet. She could trick Jiang Lei into teaching her first, and then on the day of the exam, she could use any means to distract Jiang Lei and tell him not to go. Then her position as a math teacher would be secure.
But since Zhang Hong was around, Bai Ling could only use her previous methods and looked at Jiang Lei with eyes full of grievances.
This trick used to be the most effective. Every time Jiang Lei saw her like this, he would jump up and run to help her seek justice.
But it obviously didn't work this time. Jiang Lei didn't even look at her and started talking to Zhang Hong.
"Where do we start? Which part do you think is your weakest?"
Zhang Hong pointed to the third-grade textbook she had borrowed and said, "Let's start from here. The first two years were all about addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This part will introduce some concepts. I know how to do it, but I just can't explain it."
Jiang Lei: "Okay, let's start from here."
"Jiang Lei..."
Bai Ling's voice took eighteen turns, as if it contained endless friendship and grievances.
Jiang Lei: "Please sit down and listen. I will sort out the contents for you from the beginning."
Bai Ling: …
Seeing that Jiang Lei was about to start speaking, Bai Ling didn't care about anything else and quickly sat down, opened the book and started listening.
She felt aggrieved, but she also knew that this was the only way now. Who told her to get rid of Jiang Lei so easily in order to hook up with Yu Pengcheng
This person is obviously angry with himself.
Bai Ling had no intention of listening to the class. She was so focused on trying to figure out what Jiang Lei meant that she couldn't even sit still.
But Zhang Hong seemed to be against her. While teaching, Zhang Hong also asked questions from time to time.
"Jiang Zhiqing, I don't quite understand this part. Can you explain it again?"
"Okay, here we need to pay attention to the integrity of the entire concept and build a framework with students..."
"You explained it very well. I've made note of it. By the way, this is the woolen tube that my family sent me. Use it to warm your hands. You don't have to raise your hands. I see you're wearing thin clothes. Just explain it directly. You don't need to use paper and pen to demonstrate to me."
"Thank you. Let's continue..."
…
Bai Ling took a look and realized that this wouldn’t work!
She quickly squeezed in and said, "Jiang Zhiqing, I have a pair of rabbit fur gloves. I asked Aunt Xu to make them for me a few days ago. Gloves are warmer than hand sleeves. Wait, I'll get them!"
Bai Ling ran out quickly.
As soon as she left, Zhang Hong and Jiang Lei, who were originally very close to each other, separated instantly.
Zhang Hong watched Bai Ling run away, then she sighed, "What is she trying to achieve? She won't listen, and she insists on staying here."
Jiang Lei snorted coldly: "Of course she will be like this when you come. This is her personality. She can not do the work, but she will never allow other young women to beat her."
Zhang Hong: "What are you going to do? She's not like you said, she wouldn't run away when she saw me."
Jiang Lei: "Then let her come. I've been humble in front of her for so long, isn't it only natural that she comes back now? Help me act well in this drama, and I won't take the math test this time. You are the best math teacher!"
Zhang Hong was shocked: "Is it really that serious? You don't even want to be a math teacher anymore, but you have to make things difficult for her?"
Jiang Lei looked aggrieved: "Why can't I? She cheated me before and took away all the money I brought with me to the countryside. When I asked her for it back, she still made excuses. Why can't I cheat her?"
Jiang Lei originally planned to find Zhang Hong to annoy Bai Ling, and his idea was to make Bai Ling run away as soon as she saw Zhang Hong. For this reason, he even gave all the dates and apples that he was given to Zhang Hong, just to make Zhang Hong play a trick on him.
But now Bai Ling refused to leave, Jiang Lei decided instantly that he would also treat Bai Ling the same way she had treated him before!
Didn't Bai Ling hang on to him? He did the same thing! Bai Ling wanted him to tutor her to get a math teacher position, but he fooled her. He would rather not get the position than let Bai Ling fail!
Zhang Hong was speechless. She felt that Jiang Lei had not changed. He was dumb because he was deceived by Bai Ling before, and he is still dumb even if he is not deceived.
The position of mathematics teacher!
What a great job!
He just says no and then he doesn't want it. What a spendthrift man.
But it was a good deal for herself, so Zhang Hong knew what to do and stopped trying to persuade her.
Bai Ling brought back the rabbit fur gloves, and Jiang Lei was so eager to help her. Bai Ling looked at Zhang Hong proudly, with an expression that said "I am better than you".
Zhang Hong: …
Two big fools!
The days are short in winter, and after Wang Ying followed Old Lady Xu to the conference room several times to listen to the radio, she became a little bored. She stayed at home and fiddled with her own medicine cabinet.
Since the house next door was merged, Xu Shuang hurriedly made a medicine cabinet for her.
It's the kind of medicine cabinet in a pharmacy where the names of the herbs are written on the boxes and you can just pull out a box and get the medicine.
The difference is that this medicine cabinet is smaller, three or four sizes smaller than the one in the pharmacy. There are no medicine names on the drawers, and even the handles are made of wood.
But Wang Ying felt happy when she saw this medicine cabinet. Many of the herbs she made before were scattered around, which looked messy. With this medicine cabinet, she now puts all the herbs she made into it. The joy of storage makes her feel happy.
After rummaging around in the medicine cabinet, Wang Ying sighed again.
There isn't much money left at home.
Just this medicine cabinet cost me ten dollars. After spending all this time, the family's funds have shrunk rapidly, and now there is only fifty dollars in savings.
Wang Ying felt a little stressed about going from rich to poor overnight. Xu Shuang also suggested that he would sell more mountain products at the beginning of next year. When he had enough money, he would buy a job for Wang Ying. Once they moved to the city, his salary should be able to increase further.
By then, the salary and extra income earned by two people will be enough to cover the monthly expenses.
Wang Ying also put the issue of growing medicinal herbs on the agenda and planned to talk to the team leader about it in the spring.
In the first year, she didn't plan to let the team leader grow any expensive medicinal herbs, and decided to start with honeysuckle.
This area of their brigade is particularly suitable for growing honeysuckle. There is a large area of it on the back mountain. As long as they mark out a small area at the foot of the mountain to plant it, they can have a harvest in less than three months.
"Wang Ying? Is she home?"
Wang Ying quickly put away her thoughts and responded.
Several people came in from outside, led by an old acquaintance.
Comrade Old Dog.
Lao Gou is now scared when he sees Wang Ying and her husband, but he has no way to hide today, because he is a wounded man.
Wang Ying didn't dwell on it too much. Old grudges were old grudges, and one couldn't be picky about patients when treating a doctor.
"What's wrong?"
The young man who brought the old dog looked at Wang Ying blankly and his face turned red in an instant.
"He he he he, he said he couldn't see."
How come Dr. Wang Ying is so beautiful? Her skin is as white as if it came out of the snow.
Wang Ying: "You're snow blind, right?"
The old dog swallowed his saliva and said, "I don't know either. I was patrolling at the foot of the mountain and saw what looked like a pheasant on the mountain. I kept staring at it... and then I couldn't see it anymore."
The old dog was almost scared to death, thinking he was blind. He cried and begged the patrolmen to take him to find Wang Ying.
He couldn't come alone, and he didn't dare to come because he was afraid.
Wang Ying was speechless: "Didn't we say this at the meeting this year? Don't stare at the snow all the time. Ultraviolet radiation can easily cause snow blindness. Did you not listen or did you do it on purpose?"
Wang Ying didn't pay attention last year, and although no one suffered from snow blindness, she still prepared for the worst this year and passed the news to Tian Youfu and Wu Guihua, especially emphasizing the need to remind children and patrol officers to avoid snow blindness.
As it turned out, I encountered one within just a few days.
The old dog was being scolded by Wang Ying while crying. The people around him were also a little hesitant. The young man who thought Wang Ying was pretty just now didn't dare to respond.
Doctors usually say this when talking about their profession, and Wang Ying didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
She moved the old dog into the newly built house. In order to make it easier for her to see patients, Xu Shuang separated the house with curtains. Inside were household items, and outside was a rattan bed with a medicine cabinet behind it.
Wang Ying asked the old dog to sit on a stool, took a magnifying glass and began to check. After the check, she said unhappily: "It's okay, it's just ordinary snow blindness, it will be cured in five or six days."
After saying that, he took a small basin and filled it with clean water for the old dog to wash his eyes.
The old dog was still timid: "Doctor, don't you need to give me medicine? Is it okay not to give me medicine? I feel dizzy and I dare not open my eyes. I also have a fever."
Wang Ying: "What medicine? If your condition is serious, I will give you anti-inflammatory medicine, but your condition is not serious, so you don't need anti-inflammatory medicine. Go home and get a black cloth to cover your eyes. When you go out this winter, find a cloth to cover your eyes."
The old dog was hesitant and just didn't want to leave. He was unsure. Although he had heard of people suffering from snow blindness, he was still afraid when it happened to him.
Especially the problems with the eyes, when everything goes black in front of your eyes and you can’t see anything, isn’t that scary
Wang Ying was so annoyed by him that she suggested a folk remedy: "If you are worried, there is a folk remedy. It is to boil and cool milk, or fresh human milk, and drip it into the eyes. It will heal a little faster in a few days."
Wang Ying was just saying it casually, but Lao Gou took it to heart.
The old dog touched his body and found that there was only five cents. Wang Ying didn't care. In total, she only gave a bowl of spiritual spring water, so five cents was fine.
The old dog left with many thanks, and Wang Ying thought the matter was over.
As a result, a few days later I heard a shocking news.
"What did you say!? An old dog looking for human milk?"
Wang Ying looked incredulous. She said that the folk remedy was just because they thought that the old dog would not be able to do it, so they gave up. His illness was not serious, and he didn't even need to wait for five or six days. He might be cured in three days. Plus the effect of the spiritual spring water, it would probably only take two days.
But this guy actually went around looking for human milk?! Isn't he afraid of being arrested for hooliganism
"He couldn't see, right? How did he get out?"
Old Lady Xu: "He asked a guy from the patrol team to find our brigade's widow, Grandma Yu, and tell her... Didn't Grandma Yu bring her daughter over to spend the winter? Her daughter said she gave birth yesterday and she just happened to have milk. You didn't see it, and Grandma Yu almost beat you up."
Wang Ying: …
Old Lady Xu went on to say, "It's strange. Widow Yu also gave birth this morning, and it was premature. These two were born right after each other, but Tian Dazhu didn't even call Xinghua, saying that he delivered the baby at home. This morning he directly spread the word that he gave birth to a girl and a boy. Widow Yu gave birth to a boy."
Wang Ying's focus quickly shifted: "Giving birth together? I remember Widow Yu's due date is still a month away, right?"
Old Lady Xu: "Who said it wasn't? It was calculated to be one month away. They said that something happened yesterday and she fell and gave birth prematurely."
Old Lady Xu: "Didn't you see how arrogant Tian Dazhu was this morning? He told everyone he met that he had a son."
No matter how Wang Ying thought about it, she was surprised that she had a premature birth after falling down? Considering how much Tian Dazhu cared about Widow Yu's pregnancy, would he really let her fall down
There happened to be a boy and a girl...
Wang Ying hid her doubts in her heart, but she was thinking about going to find Qian** later.
Although Qian** did not go to the meeting room in the morning, Mai Miao and Mai Sui did. The two girls' favorite thing recently was to listen to the radio. The nursery rhymes coming from it were very interesting. Mai Sui learned them after listening to them a few times. Her voice was as melodious as a little oriole. She came back and sang to her one-year-old sister.
So when Wang Ying came over, Qian** already knew about it.
Qian** is now making money and his daughter is well-behaved, so he is in a very happy mood.
"Who cares? Now that he has a son, he can't blame anyone else if he fails."
The only thing that annoyed Qian** was that the gossipers were always staring at the wheat seedlings and wheat ears and asking them all nonsense. Today, neither of the two girls went to listen to the radio.
Qian** gritted his teeth and said, "Wang Ying, when spring comes, can you buy me a box?"
Qian** seemed to have thought about it seriously: "It's not because of Tian Dazhu, it's just that Mai Miao and Mai Sui have grown up. I think what you said before is very right. What's wrong with girls? Although these two in my family are girls, they are not worse than other boys. Teacher Cheng praised us Mai Miao for learning quickly and said that we Mai Sui are smart. I will send them to school in the spring, and buy a radio for our family so that they can hear more about the outside world."
Qian**: "I'm tired of being illiterate. If you can read wheat seedlings and wheat ears, then read them! Buy a radio too. By then, you will know more than me and live a better life than me!"
Wang Ying sighed secretly. Qian** said that she didn't care, but she was still angry. Tian Dazhu looked like he was content with having a son, which made Qian**'s efforts in the past few years a joke. Qian** was determined to bring up his daughter.
Cheng Yu happened to be nearby, playing cat's twirl with Mai Miao. Upon hearing this, she joined in and said, "Aunt, I want to buy one too. Can our two families buy it together?"
Cheng Yu was a little embarrassed: "I wanted to listen to Peking Opera."
She is now learning Peking Opera from a teacher, but Cheng Shufen's voice is damaged. She can give instructions but may not be able to demonstrate. Sometimes Cheng Yu is addicted to opera and has no conditions to listen to Peking Opera. There is a radio in the brigade, but it is difficult for her to go because she always feels embarrassed.
Qian** barely hesitated and waved his hand: "Buy whatever you want, come and listen anytime. Mai Miao and Mai Sui are all in school during the day, so just take it and listen."
Cheng Yu said seriously: "That won't work. I have money too. Besides, I don't need the wheat seedlings or wheat ears, but I have to pay for them if I use them."
Qian** wanted to push it again, Cheng Yu said: "Aunt **, just accept it. Otherwise, I will have to spend more money to buy another one separately, which is so inconvenient."
There was no other way as to the money, so in the end they decided to split the bill 50-50, with each family paying half, and they took turns buying the batteries.
Wang Ying: "That's fine, I'll buy it in the spring."
She thought that she had to bargain the price down to 30 yuan this time. This was a second-time customer, so she should give him a good discount, right
A few days later, it was Laba Festival. As soon as Laba Festival started, the members started clamoring for a pig or sheep. This year, we had an extra sheep. If we distributed it earlier, everyone could have a good meat before the New Year.
Tian Youfu simply divided the meat and was done with it. There was a lot of meat to be divided this year, so it would be better to divide it early so that the New Year could be celebrated.
Wang Ying's eyes lit up. How long had she been talking about mutton
"I want lamb ribs and lamb belly. If anyone doesn't want the spine, I'm willing to pay for it!"
Hot pot mutton, lamb ribs, grilled lamb chops, mutton soup, here I come!