Free Days in Siheyuan

Chapter 40 Firewood
The family arrived at the photo studio in less than 20 minutes. After pushing the door and entering, Zhang Yu carefully observed the photo studio of this era.

Compared with later generations, the photo studio looks a little dark and old, but it is still relatively clean, and the things are arranged more neatly.

There was only one old and one young inside. The old man was standing by the counter and was pulling out his abacus, while the young man was wiping the counter with a rag. When he saw them coming in, the old man got up quickly and said, "Come in, what are you going to do?" Photos?"

"We want to take a family portrait." When going out to do errands, it is natural for the two parents to speak.

The old man had a good temper. Seeing that they were here to take the family portrait, he even asked the young man to find chairs for them.

Sister-in-law and uncle sat on chairs, and their children stood behind them. After the seats were arranged, the old man got busy, while the young people were also helping each other and learning.

"Come on, look at the camera, keep your eyes open, and don't blink," the old man instructed.

"Smile, that's right, that's it, hold on." With a click, the photo was taken.

"How many sheets do you want to wash?" the old man asked.

"Three, please wash three for us." Zhang Guifang replied hastily.

In addition to the family portrait, they also took a single photo.

Before leaving, Zhang Yu also asked the old man when he could get the photos, and the old man replied that he would come back to get the developed photos in a week.

Then, according to the method when they came, the family rode back on [-] bars.

It's just that as soon as Zhao Xiaoping came out of the photo studio, she ran into her classmates, so she didn't go back with them. Instead, she planned to go shopping with her classmates and buy some things.

After coming to this era, I realized that because there is no chaos, many markets are still open at this time.

Zhang Yu finally didn't have to sit on the big bar in front of the bicycle this time, but sat in the back seat of his uncle's car, and the second and third brothers didn't have to take turns to run, so they went back faster.

Because my sister-in-law is used to sleeping on the kang, she just slept on the bed for a while when the house was just renovated.

But sleeping on the left and sleeping on the right, I just feel that the sleep is not very comfortable. After sleeping for a few days, I can't help it.

At that time, summer had just passed, and as soon as it was not so hot, my sister-in-law hurriedly found a craftsman and moved the bed out.

Then I built a large heated kang with three sides against the wall in the house. Fortunately, my sister-in-law's room had brick walls. If the wooden walls were built in the back, there would be no way to make a heated kang.In addition, a hearth was built at the entrance.

Since having a large pot, the family has saved a lot of coal.

Although they used to be able to burn stoves, coal was also rationed at this time, and each family was issued a coal book, which was used to call for coal on a monthly basis, and the coal shop sent people to the home or pulled it back with a trolley.

The coal used by most people is briquettes shaken out by hand, and the use of briquettes has only been promoted this year.

The purchase of honeycomb coal is also a rationed supply every month, and if there is too much, it will not be sold: 120 yuan per household in summer, doubled to 240 yuan in winter.

But the family has to cook and boil water. Fortunately, Zhang Yu has an independent account and can also receive a supply, otherwise it is really not enough.

In summer, two or three briquettes a day is enough, but in winter, if you need heating, you have to burn a kang, and the stove has to be turned on all the time, so even if you go to work during the day and only burn at night, it is not enough.

With a stove, you don't need to use a stove for cooking, so you can save a lot of coal.

With the kang and the stove, it is natural to burn firewood. We usually buy materials for the fire, but isn’t it the Chinese New Year soon? The children are on vacation and resting. I plan to buy more wood for storage during this time. Get up and use steamed buns or something.

When the Chinese New Year is approaching, temples and bazaars are open everywhere, because the past two years have not been chaotic, and most of the bazaars are still operating normally.

Although this year's Daji was not as prosperous as in previous years due to hunger, it was not bad.

On the day of the market, the family went to the market with two borrowed floor carts, intending to buy more firewood, and take it back together while they were all at home, so as to save them from having to run out to buy firewood from time to time. '

From a distance, I saw firewood sellers coming. They used a bamboo pole with two pointed ends, and tied two large bundles of firewood with ropes at both ends.

Some of the brave ones yelled loudly: "Sell firewood, sell firewood."

Zhao Wenzhuo and Zhang Guifang also saw acquaintances, and Zhao Wenzhuo shouted loudly from a long distance: "Brother Fuquan, here, here, we are here."

Seeing them, Zhang Fuquan picked up firewood and the crowd squeezed out, "Brother Zhao, long time no see."

"It's been a long time. How are you doing? Is the child okay?" The two exchanged pleasantries.

"It's still the same. I've seen a doctor, but I haven't seen any improvement." Zhang Fuquan and Zhang Guifang are distant relatives. His son was born prematurely like Zhang Yu, but he is not as lucky as Zhang Yu, and his health is not good until now.

Some time ago, I got a little cold and started to cough. It has been more than half a month, and it has not improved. Instead, the cough has become more and more severe, and I am coughing up blood.The money at home is almost spent, and I have borrowed a lot from relatives and friends.

Although he has a job, he can't stop spending so much, so he plans to start selling firewood again during his break, so that he can earn a little more.

"Brother Fuquan, who are you?" Looking at the two loads of firewood carried by Zhang Fuquan, Zhang Guifang asked suspiciously. She remembered that Brother Fuquan had a job and his family conditions were not bad, so why did he come to sell firewood?

"Isn't it because the child is in poor health? I have been to the hospital several times in the past half a month, and the doctor said that I need to use more expensive medicine. After using it a few times, my hands are not so spacious. It is not just that I am off work today, and the When I caught up with Daji, I cut some to subsidize the family." Zhang Fuquan said with a sad face.

Knowing that he was in trouble, Zhao Wenzhuo took out 20 yuan from his pocket and handed it to him, "Brother Fuquan, I am in a hurry to go out today, and I don't have much money with me. You can use these first."

"Brother Zhao, I, I..." Zhang Fuquan didn't know what to say for a while, but thinking about his son's illness, he could only accept it with the cheeky face. With this money, he could take his son to the hospital twice more up.

Before leaving, he desperately wanted to put two loads of firewood on the floor cart, and he refused to charge for the wood any more.

After he left, Zhang Guifang and Zhao Wenzhuo were still discussing that since they knew that his son was sick again, why should they spare some time to see him these two days?

(End of this chapter)