Reborn back to 1984

Chapter 8

Zhang Lingen is both a loving father and a strict father. He would rather work hard by himself than send his children to work in the fields. He usually doesn't talk much at home, but it is very useful.Due to his poor family, Zhang Lingen has only studied for two years and does not understand any major principles. However, he is very strict with his children in terms of reading and life. of.

Don't look at Shen Heying yelling all day long, she can't manage the family, and Zhang Lingen is still in charge of important matters.

Zhang Xiuqing glanced at Zhang Xiuhong, and saw the little girl squatting in the shade of the tree, her face was pale, her eyes were red and swollen, like a poor little white rabbit, she didn't have the previous impulsiveness and vigor, she was angry and funny at the moment, and then at the same time A little bit sad: "The laundry accidentally fell into the river just now, it's nothing, don't tell Dad, lest he worry."

Zhang Xiaofeng didn't become suspicious: "Okay, go and change quickly, don't catch a cold!"

"Understood, you go and play, sister is fine, don't worry." The family is not well-off, and can't afford sickness or care, Zhang Xiuqing walked back to the room quickly, took off the wet clothes, wiped them with a dry towel, and changed A suit with fewer patches.Opening the door, she saw Zhang Xiuhong at a glance.The little girl was ashamed all over her face, she didn't dare to look up at her sister, and her voice was as low as a mosquito's: "I'm sorry!"

The sisters had no overnight feud, Zhang Xiuqing knew she had figured it out, and pointed to the wet clothes behind her: "Wash these clothes."

Zhang Xiuhong nodded obediently, picked up her wet clothes, and walked to the river.

"Did you do something wrong, why are you so obedient?" Zhang Xiaofeng took a bowl of cold water and was drinking happily. Seeing this scene, his eyes widened in surprise: "Sister gave you the money, it's because you ate it wrong Medicine?"

Zhang Xiuhong's feet slipped suddenly, she turned her head, and cursed angrily, "You just took the wrong medicine, little Chi, do you feel itchy and want to be beaten?"

As the only boy in the family and the youngest, Zhang Xiaofeng has been spoiled by his parents and two older sisters since he was a child. He was not afraid, but he yelled triumphantly: "If you dare to touch a hair of mine, I will tell my mother that I promise not to hit you!" I'll kill you, just beat you until you can't find southeast, north, south."

Zhang Xiuhong rolled her eyes, showing an expression of strong contempt: "Can you change your trick? What kind of skill is it to sue Mom every time? Let's have a fight and see who is better."

"I'm not going to be fooled by you, Mr. said, good men don't fight women, I don't have the same knowledge as you!"

"It's only a coward who says such things. You have to rely on your parents for everything, and even when you get up in the middle of the night to pee, you have to be accompanied by someone. If you're not a coward, what is it?"

"You're talking nonsense, I didn't..." Zhang Xiaofeng, who already knew what face was, blushed with shame. He wanted to argue, but he lacked confidence. People are here, if you don’t believe me, just wait and see.”

Zhang Xiuhong: "Really? Then I'll wait and see."

Two people you talk, I talk, talk endlessly.Zhang Xiuqing watched them bicker with a smile, convinced that tomorrow would be better.

Bickering Zhang Xiaofeng had never won against his two sisters before, so he quickly changed the subject: "Sister, did you take this bicycle wheel home? Where did you get it? It's so dirty, what did you do with it?"

Zhang Xiuqing didn't make a fool of herself, and told about her trip to the county seat: "...Do you still remember the wheelbarrows of those fellow villagers in the Anti-Japanese War movies? I want to make one for reference. If it is done, Dad won't have to use it anymore. It's time to pick up the burden."

As soon as the words fell, Zhang Xiuhong and Zhang Xiaofeng said in unison: "What? Make a wheelbarrow!"

Zhang Xiuqing nodded, indicating that they heard correctly.

Zhang Xiaofeng immediately screamed excitedly: "Great, sister, how did you think of it? Why didn't I think of it? No, I can't wait until the evening. I'll tell Dad now to make him happy. Wait until Once the cart is done, I can help with the housework..."

After all, Zhang Xiuhong is a few years older, and she is much calmer than her younger brother: "There is no family in our village that has a pushcart, so there is no way to refer to it. My father has never been a carpenter, so he may not be able to do it. If you hire a carpenter, the farming season is busy now. You don’t necessarily get people.”

Zhang Xiuqing didn't expect her younger sister who had never traveled far to say such a thing. She felt relieved to have a young girl in my family. She decided to wait for her father's mood to improve. The father and daughter had a good talk, and let the younger sister continue Reading: "I have already thought about it before buying wheels. I have leftover wood from building a house at home, and it can still be used. I have seen it. It is enough to make a cart; screws and nails need to be bought. This It doesn’t cost much; the carpenter asked Dad to hire it. If he couldn’t hire someone, he would find a way to borrow some tools. We can do it ourselves. I don’t believe it. Our family of five can’t even make a cart. .”

When Zhang Xiaofeng heard this, he immediately changed his mind, rushed into the house, and carried out all the neatly stacked wood by Shen Heying.

Zhang Xiuhong looked at Zhang Xiuqing several times, then shook out the wet clothes and hung them on the rope to dry.

Zhang Xiuqing went to work in the field early this morning, and when she came back, she rushed to the county seat non-stop. The wind, sun, and rain along the way made her hair messed up like a chicken coop, and she could smell the peculiar smell. Feeling that her legs were so sore and limp as if they were not her own, she acted like a big sister and ordered her younger sister and younger brother to work honestly and bluntly.

"Xiuhong, I touched some snails and put them on the river bridge. You go and rub the moss, put it in clean water to raise it, then add a few drops of vegetable oil in it, change the water after a while, and fry it to eat tomorrow. Help me I'm going to boil some hot water, I'm going to wash my hair..."

"Xiaofeng, did you see that row of hibiscus fences? Go and pick some leaves for me, half a pot is enough..."

The hibiscus Zhang Xiuqing mentioned is a very common deciduous shrub with an adult tree height of three to four meters. Many people in southern Jiangsu have planted it. Apart from making fences, it also has another purpose, that is, its leaves can be used to wash hair.

In the early 80s, the living standard in rural areas was generally not high, and many people wished to spend two cents for one penny.In order to save money, they tried their best to wash their hair with these pure natural juices when their hair became greasy. In winter, when the hibiscus flowers withered and their leaves withered, they had no choice but to buy shampoo.However, many old men find it troublesome and wash their hair directly with washing powder. They will never know what shampoo smells like in their entire lives.

Zhang Xiuqing was exhausted today. She closed her eyes and squinted for about 10 minutes. When she opened them, Zhang Xiuhong had kept the snails in clean water as she instructed, and boiled half a pot of hot water.And Zhang Xiaofeng picked half a washbasin of hibiscus leaves, and was squatting on the river bridge to clean the sludge on the wheels.

Zhang Xiuqing thumped his waist, stood up with force, picked up the washbasin, washed the hibiscus leaves with cold water first, and drained the water; then poured warm water at about 5 degrees, and rubbed vigorously; The water becomes sticky, green, and slippery. Take out the leaves that have been squeezed out of the juice and throw them away, add an appropriate amount of boiling water, adjust the water temperature to about [-] degrees, and then start to wash your hair.She bent down, soaked her hair in the basin, kept holding the water with one hand, and rubbed it gently with the other hand. After about [-] minutes of rubbing, she poured out the dirty water and washed it with clean water.

Although washing your hair like this is a bit troublesome, the effect is very good. The washed hair is black and shiny, especially shiny, and it also exudes a natural fragrance. When you touch it with your hands, it is smooth and smooth, and it feels very good. .

Zhang Xiuqing dried her hair, narrowed her eyes in satisfaction, returned to the living room, lay down on the Eight Immortals table, and fell asleep in a while.When she woke up, it was already dusk, every household smoked from the kitchen, and the farmers working in the fields came home one after another. Zhang Xiuqing rubbed her red eyes, went to the well platform to wash her face and mouth with cold water, and then walked into the kitchen. .

Zhang Xiuhong was cooking porridge. Zhang Xiuqing lifted the lid of the pot, and a gust of hot steam rushed to her face. When the steam dissipated, she saw a wooden steamer in the pot with two bowls on it. There are salted eggs stewed, and pickles are stewed in the soup bowl on the right.There is no doubt that this is the side dish of porridge tonight.

There are five people in Zhang's family, but there are only two salted eggs. According to the past practice, the three brothers and sisters each eat half of one, and Zhang's husband and wife eat half of it together.Salted duck eggs can only be eaten during the busy farming season, which is not available on normal days.Under the steaming rack, rice grains are rolling in the water, and you can tell it is thin porridge at a glance.

The hardships of life, the hard work of her parents, and Zhang Xiuhong's previous crying made Zhang Xiuqing's desire to make money more and more intense.She put down the lid of the pot, walked out of the stove house, subconsciously walked to the river, pondered for a long time facing the river, and finally had a vague idea in her heart.

Back in the house, she tore out a page from an old workbook and started drawing.A wheelbarrow is usually composed of four parts: wheels, double shafts, legs, and a carriage. It utilizes the labor-saving principle of two-stage levers and wheel rolling. It has the characteristics of simple structure, flexibility, and labor-saving. There are not many people in the southern countryside, and many people's understanding of it comes from the Anti-Japanese War movies.Knowing this, Zhang Xiuqing decided to draw a picture, and marked the size and attention points.

It wasn't until it was completely dark that Zhang and his wife returned home with exhausted bodies. Zhang Xiaofeng immediately jumped up like a monkey, pulled Zhang Lingen, and bought Zhang Xiuqing a bicycle wheel, planning to use it as a wheelbarrow Things come out.

Shen Heying raised her eyebrows immediately: "Where did you get the money? How much is left? Give it all to me!"

Zhang Xiuqing was not surprised that her mother would ask such a question: "The last time I went to S City to participate in a math competition, I won No. The remaining seven yuan is all spent today. I still have some pocket money on me, a total of seventy-two cents, and I give it all to you." After speaking, he took out the handful of pocket money from his pocket.

(End of this chapter)