My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 189 Old Classmates

In any case, the little yellow dog was exactly what Wang Cunye wanted. He was worried that it would get cold, so he put it in his basket and covered it with an old cotton-padded coat he had prepared in advance to keep it warm.

However, this little yellow dog is indeed very active, a bit too lively, and several times it kicked its hind legs to stand up and climb out.

Seeing this, Wang Cunye had no choice but to take it out and hold it in his arms. However, even when he held it, it was not very well-behaved. It would either turn its eyes and stare back and forth at the people walking around, or lie in Wang Cunye's arms, wagging its tail at Heiwa and Xiaojin, whimpering softly, and struggling to get down and play with the two dogs.

"If we raise this up, it'll definitely be a restless little thing..."

Wang Cunye smiled and said, "The more I look, the more satisfied I become."

He then excitedly ran to the stalls of two acquaintances and weighed the little yellow dog; it weighed a little over four pounds.

"The seller probably didn't lie to me. This is probably a little tiger-headed yellow dog. Otherwise, a puppy that's only a month old wouldn't be this heavy."

He said to Chen Ling.

"Yes, that's true. A one-month-old puppy weighing about four pounds is considered a large breed, and it should be a tiger-headed yellow."

Chen Ling agreed.

"Lingzi, the bell seller has set up his stall. Let's go check it out."

As the father and son were talking, the second brother-in-law pulled Chen Ling to the stall in front to pick out bells.

He bought it for his family's packhorse.

Bells hung on packhorses can ward off wolves.

The local packhorses are ponies. They are small and strong, thirst-resistant, hardworking, adaptable, and good at walking on mountain roads. They can easily traverse mountains and rivers and are the main force for carrying loads in the local mountainous areas.

Despite its many advantages, this type of miniature horse is extremely afraid of wolves; its legs go weak and it can't walk when it encounters one.

Therefore, packhorses are equipped with bells. When wolves hear the sound of the bells from afar, they know someone is following them and will not come over in most cases.

Wolves are cautious by nature. Unless they are starving and unable to find food in the dead of winter, they will not risk attacking people or invading villages.

It was almost 10 a.m., and the town was becoming increasingly crowded. As far as the eye could see, there were people everywhere, bustling and noisy, and even the bridge in the distance could not be seen.

After Wang Qingzhong had chosen the bells, Chen Ling thought for a moment and also selected two, intending to hang them on the little white ox during the New Year to add some festive cheer.

After buying the bells, the three of them hurried back to the herbal medicine shop.

Just then, Wang Susu and her friends had just sold the medicinal herbs and were picking out cloth at a cloth stall not far from the herb shop.

After they selected the fabric, the woman at the stall measured the size with a wooden ruler, cut a slit at the measured position, and with a strong tug, the entire piece of fabric was torn off neatly with a "rip".

Two kinds of floral fabric, two kinds of blue fabric and black fabric, and I tore off five or six pieces in total.

"Mother, shall we buy some cloth to make a cotton-padded coat?"

When Chen Ling and the others approached, Wang Qingzhong leaned over and asked.

"Yes, the medicinal herbs have sold for money. Let's make two new cotton-padded coats for the children."

Gao Xiulan smiled.

"Oh, this year you can make them for Zhenzhen and Tongtong, Dongdong doesn't need them..."

Wang Qingzhong chuckled and said, "His grandma said she was making it for him the other day, so you can relax a bit this year."

"Why didn't you say so earlier? I've already bought the cloth."

Gao Xiulan complained somewhat.

Babies grow quickly, so when making cotton-padded clothes, they are often made as big as possible so that the clothes can be worn for two or three winters.

When they grow taller and can no longer wear the coat, they will take it off and reattach a section so they can continue to wear it.

Therefore, a lot of fabric was used, and since it was for making clothes for a small baby, the quality of the fabric wouldn't be too bad. In addition, there was cotton, which made it a considerable expense.

"Huh? Xinping didn't tell you?"

Wang Qingzhong was stunned for a moment, looked around, but couldn't find his wife.

Not only was Guo Xinping absent, but Wang Zhenzhen and the other two were also missing. Upon closer inspection, Chen Ling's cow was also not nearby.

"Zhenzhen and the others were going to the school to feed the cows water, and Second Sister-in-law was afraid they would run off, so she went with them."

Wang Susu explained from the side.

"Huh? That's it..."

Wang Qingzhong scratched his head and laughed, "It's alright, Mom. We can use the extra fabric to make more for Dongdong next year. My Dongdong doesn't mind using old fabric."

“Keep the new fabric for Tongtong. The old fabric was used for my sister-in-law the year before last. We can’t let Tongtong keep wearing old clothes.”

"Alright, how could I not know?"

Gao Xiulan glared at her second son, annoyed: "Do you need to say that?"

Watching from the side, Chen Ling couldn't help but laugh and said, "Big brother and second brother have such a good relationship."

"Hehe, those two, when they're on good terms they can be as close as one person, but when they're at odds they won't speak to each other for half a year."

"How old are you? You're like a baby."

At this moment, Wang Cunye said with a smirk from behind.

"Hey? Dad, you picked out a puppy?"

Wang Susu's eyes lit up, and she quickly walked over, picked up the little yellow dog, and started playing with it.

She has always loved dogs.

Seeing this, Gao Xiulan also came over: "Isn't this similar to our old big yellow dog?"

"What do you mean 'more or less'? This is Tiger Head Yellow."

Wang Cunye said unhappily.

"So what if it's a tiger-headed yellow dog? It's still a dog, isn't it? Why do you have to rush to buy one? You think you're so high and mighty..."

Gao Xiulan retorted.

These past two days, Chen Ling has gotten used to his father-in-law and mother-in-law bickering from time to time.

After Wang Susu had finally finished playing with the little yellow dog, she pulled her to a nearby stall to pick out a headscarf.

Wang Susu has cut her hair short now, and today she even wore a pink and white headband when she went out. She looks young and pretty. If you didn't know, you would think she was an unmarried young woman.

"You're not suited to this bright red headscarf; it's too flashy."

Seeing Wang Susu walk up to the stall and head straight for the big red headscarf, Chen Ling helplessly reminded her.

Wang Susu, true to her name, is best suited to wearing solid-colored clothes.

Given her fair complexion, bright red would make her look older.

"You're saying that again. Except for the year we got married, I've never worn a red headscarf."

Wang Susu complained, taking off her red headscarf, putting it on her head, tying it gently, and turning around to ask, "How is it? Does it really not look good?"

Chen Ling immediately smiled and reached out to help her tidy her hair.

“It looks good. My wife looks good no matter what. If you like it, we’ll buy it.”

It has to be said that good-looking people can pull off any outfit.

Like Wang Susu, the red headscarf, although not as flattering as the light-colored headscarf, did not make her look bad. With her pretty bangs, fair and rosy cheeks, and bright, sparkling eyes, how could she look bad?
"She's dressed like a new bride, haha..."

Chen Ling looked left and right, scrutinized the scene for a while, and then suddenly blurted out a sentence.

"Screw you."

Wang Susu glared at him shyly, then turned around and asked about the price.

Chen Ling also walked up to the stall and looked around: "Let's buy a red scarf and a red hat too..."

Actually, Wang Susu would look better in a bright red knitted cotton hat and scarf; at least it would look better than a scarf and wouldn't make her look older.

"I have enough headscarves, you can choose the rest..."

The young wife was already quite content with just a red headscarf, and upon hearing this, she smiled and said to him.

"Why are you picking out anything for me? Just buy a pair of scarves and hats, and we can wear them together."

Chen Ling smiled.

"That's okay too."

Wang Susu looked up at him, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

"You two take your time looking around. We're going to the school to find Zhenzhen. That crazy girl has been up to something again and hasn't come back for ages. Let's go check on her..."

Gao Xiulan said something to them, walked a little further, and then turned back to remind them, "It's the elementary school in the east of the town, not your brother's. If you don't want to walk around anymore, just come find us, it's very close."

"I know mother."

After Gao Xiulan and the other two left, Chen Ling took his wife to two Miao women's stalls to pick out jewelry.

I bought a silver necklace and a pair of silver earrings.

"Huh? There are people taking pictures up ahead?"

Wang Susu suddenly pointed to the corner ahead.

There was a photography stall set up right next to the wall, with a small purplish-black tent. The tent looked a bit worn and had many patches on it.

"Come on, let's go take a look."

This was the first time Chen Ling had ever encountered someone taking photos at a market.

In the county town and Changle Township, these events only take place during temple fairs, not on regular market days. This is because temple fairs are almost always around festivals, and people often meet with relatives and friends, which is a time of celebration and taking photos. On ordinary days, there's not much business at the market; people don't have the spare money.

The two walked up to the photo booth.

What greets the eye is a series of colorful canvases, some with blue skies and white clouds, and lush flowers and grass; others with azure seas, sandy beaches, and coconut trees.

Or perhaps the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Monument to the People's Heroes...

They are colorful and vibrant, and are used entirely as backgrounds for photographs.

Next to it were also photos of samples taken in the past, displayed for people to see.

An elderly woman with an orange headscarf sat leaning against a donkey cart, tending her photography stall. Seeing Chen Ling and his companion approach, she smiled and said, "Want to take photos? If so, choose a canvas first. There are people taking photos inside the tent; you'll have to wait a little while..."

"Um, how much does it cost to take a photo now?"

Chen Ling reached out and touched the canvas, then asked.

"Five yuan a set, ten photos a set, we'll give you a discount if you take more."

The old lady got up and showed them a few more nice sample photos: "Look, these are so good! Young people should take more photos. You two are good-looking, so the photos will definitely look even better than these."

"We're planning to take some family photos, but this tent is too small. Could you please find another place to take them?"

Chen Ling looked at the photo the old lady had given him, and it was indeed quite good, so he asked again.

"Yes, it's possible. My niece's house is right behind the stall. It's a pretty big and bright place. It's just for your family to take pictures..."

The old lady looked troubled as she spoke.

With a large family, they earn less.

And it's troublesome too.

For the same price, single or double photos are more convenient and quicker to take.

These rural photographers typically only get business during engagements, weddings, holidays, birthdays, or the end of the year.

If you want to take a photo, you can make an appointment with someone in advance, or go to their door and ask them to take a photo. The photographer will come to the village on a bicycle with a camera to take photos for you.

Most of these people make a living by farming.

You can't make a lot of money just by taking photos.

Chen Ling knew what the old lady was thinking, so he said, "Let's take a few more pictures later."

"That's fine."

The old lady's expression immediately softened.

So Chen Ling and his companion went to Fenglei Town Elementary School to call for help.

Afterwards, I went to the town's middle school to see if Wang Qingwen had finished his meeting.

After waiting for about twenty more minutes, Wang Qingwen and his wife finally came out.

It was almost noon, the sun was shining warmly, the streets were getting more and more lively, the vendors were shouting more and more enthusiastically, and the aroma of hot food and meat wafted out.

Their whole family, including the elderly, adults, and children, enthusiastically headed towards the photo booth amidst the crowded throng.

"The last time your dad and I took a picture was when Zhenzhen was a month old. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Zhenzhen is already ten years old."

In front of the photo booth, Gao Xiulan sighed with a smile.

"Yes, it's been ten years. I saw the photos you took the other day, Susu, and I was thinking that our family should take some good photos together during the Chinese New Year. I didn't expect to run into a photographer like this."

Wang Cunye also said happily, "Perfect timing, it's rare to have you all here, let's take a lot of pictures today."

The photographer was a short, stout old man wearing a black liberation cap with a camera slung around his neck. When he heard them say they wanted to take more pictures, he immediately became very enthusiastic, leading them into a house behind the stall, and then standing on a stool to hang up the canvas.

Tiananmen Square, the Monument to the People's Heroes, airplanes and ships...

After the canvases were hung up...

Their whole family first walked to the canvas in front of Tiananmen.

Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan, an elderly couple, sat side by side on the two stools in front.

Wang Zhenzhen and her two nephews stood on either side of them.

Chen Ling and his companion, along with Wang Qingwen's family, stood behind them.

"Get ready, smile."

The old man shouted, and with a click, he took the picture.

He glanced at it, frowned, and said, "This one won't do. The two boys in front, look ahead and stop looking at the puppy. Don't be grinning like that. You should pick up the dog, or put it aside for now. The kids keep fidgeting..."

"Okay, okay, I'll pick you up."

Wang Cunye picked up the little yellow dog and glared at his two grandsons.

In this day and age, the style of taking photos is still quite formal, and people are quite traditional. They believe that if you're going to laugh, you should laugh properly and happily, and you shouldn't cause any trouble.

"Everyone is fine, otherwise they won't let us wear the little red uniforms or carry guns when we take the picture later."

Gao Xiulan knew how to deal with them.

Upon hearing this, the two grandsons immediately became extremely well-behaved.

"Okay, ready? Smile..."

The old man spoke again.

With a "click".

"Great, this one's pretty good. Brother and sister-in-law, why don't you two take a picture together..."

"it is good."

Should we change the set?

"If you won't change it, then we want Tiananmen Square."

So next, after Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan finished taking their photos, they took photos with their daughter and son-in-law Chen Ling and Wang Susu. After that, adults and children took photos in twos and threes, changing various backgrounds.

Blackie, Little Gold, Little White Cow, and Little Yellow Dog were all included.

The two little boys also got to wear little military uniforms and carry guns, their little faces serious, looking quite the part, finally getting their fill of fun.

Even after the shoot, they were still immersed in it, standing tall and straight like two little soldiers, and they didn't make a fuss on the way.

The adults were all beaming with joy, especially Wang Cunye and Gao Xiulan. The elderly couple grinned from ear to ear, feeling overjoyed and excited, as happy as if it were New Year's Day.

The daughter and son-in-law came back, and the whole family went around to the market in a lively atmosphere. They even took a picture together. Even the New Year couldn't be more festive.

In his excitement, Wang Qingwen waved his hand and said, "Let's go out for lunch at a restaurant."

He also said to Chen Ling, "We didn't let you have a proper meal the day you arrived, so you didn't get to try our local specialties. You'd better try them today."

Without further ado, we headed straight for the eight major pavilions at the pier.

Inside the restaurant, most of the people were manual laborers carrying grain and goods, and some were students from the town's middle school. When they saw Wang Qingwen come in, they hurriedly lowered their heads and hid.

It's obvious they knew it was market day on Saturday and didn't go home on time, so they stayed to have fun. They even ordered wine on the table.

Wang Qingwen pretended not to see it. Since there were many people in his family, he turned around and went out to find a large restaurant with private rooms upstairs.

"Eh?"

"You are...Wang Susu?"

They went upstairs, and before they even entered their room, a woman who was passing by suddenly stopped, turned around, and asked with surprise and uncertainty.

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Susu was immediately taken aback and stopped to look over.

A woman, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing a black headband and a white woolen scarf, and dressed in a red plaid cotton coat, smiled at her in surprise.

"Niu Xiaoling?!"

Wang Susu was also stunned, her beautiful eyes widening, before she excitedly stepped forward to chat with him.

"It's been so many years! You're here for an event too?"

"Yes, I came here with someone..."

The woman named Niu Xiaoling was also very happy. She held Wang Susu's hand and said, "By the way, you know this person too. She's Xiang Yuhua from our class. She's getting engaged and is too embarrassed to meet her boyfriend alone, so she dragged me along."

"Oh, Xiang Yuhua is here too?"

Wang Susu immediately burst into laughter.

She was pleasantly surprised and happy to run into two old classmates at the same time.

"Yes, those two just sat down inside. Come on, I'll take you to meet them."

As she spoke, Niu Xiaoling became increasingly excited and eagerly pulled Wang Susu inside.

"Mom, A-Ling, you go in first, I'm going to see my classmates."

Wang Susu quickly turned around and greeted them.

Niu Xiaoling only realized what she meant when she heard her words. She was so happy that she didn't even talk to Wang Susu's family behind her before she quickly stepped forward.

After a brief chat with the elders, her gaze fell on Chen Ling.

"Susu, is this your husband?"

At the request of readers, a character card for Wang Zhenzhen has been added. Those who like it can give it a thumbs up.
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(End of this chapter)