Return to 1983 Hunting Xing'an Mountains

Chapter 407: Like two sisters watching me flattering them
Then, the group left Lao Meng's house and walked two houses east to Lao Ma's house.

During the short journey, Meng Ziyan and Sun Lianfang chatted like real sisters, laughing and covering their mouths.

The noise they made in their chatter was so low that to others it sounded like the chirping of sparrows and their sentences were inaudible.

The situation inside the courtyard could be seen through the half-person-high fence. Guan Lei pushed open the wooden gate, stepped over the threshold and entered the courtyard. Xu Ning, Wang Hu and others entered one after another, looking around at the furnishings of the courtyard, as well as the doors, windows and roof of the main house.

There were two stone mills under the fence on the left side of the yard, and a medium-sized millstone in the shed. The shed must have been used to raise donkeys. There was a lot of straw piled on the ground, and the lower room was filled with sundries such as round logs, square logs, wooden boards, farm tools, etc., but there was a musty smell. Xu Ning asked Wang Hu to open all the windows to ventilate the room and get rid of the smell.

Although this house was built not long ago, the wood inside is very old. Some of the wood can even grow wood ear and other fungi, which means it is rotten in the Northeast dialect.

Entering the main house, the layout is the same as that of Old Xu's house. The outer room is right after the door, and there are two rooms on the east and west.

Xu Ning, Wang Hu and Guan Lei focused on observing the doors and windows and found no cracks or gaps, but the doors and windows these days were not well sealed and there was definitely some air leakage. They solved the air leakage problem by covering them with plastic sheets before winter.

"This room is quite clean. It seems there is nothing to clean up." Sun Lianfang said.

Meng Ziyan said: "Find a rag to wipe the cabinets and the kang mat, and also the stove and the big pot in the outer room. I just saw that the big pot is rusty."

Guan Lei grinned and said, "Sister-in-law still has a keen eye."

Wang Hu replied: "Of course, my sister-in-law is a person who lives a normal life."

"No way..." Meng Ziyan felt a little embarrassed by the praise.

Xu Ning said, "Okay, wipe it if necessary, rub it if necessary, clean it up quickly, and you can live here when Hua comes."

"okay!"

Meng Ziyan found a rag and turned around to ask in confusion: "Xiaohua is coming over? When?"

"When Shitou takes Lianfang back to Wanye, it will be a good opportunity for Xiaohua to take her over. Then the three of you will have someone to keep you company."

Meng Ziyan said happily: "Oh, that's too high! I'm almost bored to death at home, and you don't even come to see me."

Xu Ning put his arm around her shoulders, ignoring the looks from the others, and said, "How can I have the time to spare? Why are you picking on me?"

Meng Ziyan's face blushed because this was the first time Xu Ning hugged her in public. Although Wang Hu, Guan Lei and others were not outsiders, for the conservative her, it was enough to make her blush.

She muttered softly, "How dare I argue..."

On the side, Sun Lianfang saw this and said to Guan Lei, "Look at how loving my brother and sister-in-law are, and you have never hugged me."

Guan Lei frowned and said, "Don't mess around! My brother is here, and he's missing something!"

"Aiya you... I'm not like you, taking your kindness for granted!"

Sun Liansheng smiled when he saw this. His younger sister was just like that. She was always willing to take the initiative in doing things and was never stage-frightened.

In fact, she and Meng Ziyan should be the same kind of people. Both are willing to give up everything for love and are the kind of people who dare to love and hate. But Xu Ning feels that Sun Lianfang dares to love and hate, but Meng Ziyan is a little bit lacking. She is the kind of person who is determined to hit her head against the wall and will not turn back even if she hits her head and bleeds.

Sun Lianfang turned her head and saw Meng Ziyan coming over, and said, "Hey, sister-in-law, after Xiaohua comes, let's go up the mountain to pick mushrooms, okay? When the time comes, give my brother a 56-and-a-half. Don't be afraid if you encounter a black bear, I can kill it with one shot!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Liansheng quickly turned around and advised: "Lianfang, don't do anything rash. Hei Xiazi is not a joke."

Sun Lianfang pouted and said, "It's okay, big brother, how many black bears have I killed?"

"How did you kill Hei Xiazi? Don't you have any idea? Didn't you shoot Hei Xiazi after Third Uncle shot him so hard that he couldn't move?"

Sun Liansheng really had no other choice. He had to stop Sun Lianfang's strange ideas because he was afraid that something might happen to Meng Ziyan and Xiaohua if they followed Sun Lianfang up the mountain. If something really happened, who would be held responsible?

"Hahaha..." Xu Ning, Wang Hu and Guan Lei laughed when they heard this.

Sun Lianfang was so angry that her cheeks were puffed up. She rushed to Sun Liansheng and slapped him on the back. Then she pinched his waist and said, "Brother! How could you expose my past like this? Can I still be a human being in the future?"

"Hahaha, isn't this the truth? Okay, big brother is mainly worried that you will do something stupid. This is not our Sandaohe..."

Guan Lei said: "Brother is right, don't do anything stupid, if you really meet a black bear, you will regret it too late."

Hearing this, Sun Lianfang was silent at first, and then bared her teeth and said, "What are you afraid of? I have you here."

"Don't flatter me. I won't let you go into the mountains alone. I've only been into the mountains a few times..."

In the outer room, Xu Ning and Wang Hu lit the two stoves, poured some water into the rusty pot, and then went into the house.

"I want to go to the mountains someday. Let's go together. It will be safer if we have more people."

Sun Lianfang clapped her hands and said, "Look! It's still my brother!"

"Stop flattering..."

Sun Lianfang gave Guan Lei a displeased look, then pulled Meng Ziyan to continue talking nonsense.

Xu Ning and Wang Hu rubbed the rusty pot with stones, while Sun Liansheng used a broom with a wooden stick to sweep down the spider webs and black dust from the roof and corners, and tested whether the light bulbs were working...

After cleaning Guan Lei's new home for more than an hour, everyone went out to take a look at the backyard. The backyard was smaller than that of Old Xu's house, but it was also more than two mu. There were two piles of firewood against the eaves. The toilet was located in the northwest corner, a bit far from the main house.

"This toilet needs to be fixed up. It'd be best if we re-enclose it with wooden boards. Otherwise, people outside can see our butts."

"Haha, that's not great! Let's fix it tomorrow."

After that, the group walked out of Guan Lei's new home. Guan Lei looked back at the house when he left, and couldn't help but smile. This was his home, and he must be happy in his heart.

After arriving at Old Meng's house, Liu Fenfang made tea for them. After entering the house, everyone sat on the edge of the kang and chatted with Meng Quezi and Liu Fenfang.

It was basically Liu Fenfang, Sun Lianfang, Sun Liansheng and Guan Lei who were chatting, while Xu Ning was sitting at the end of the kang and chatting with Meng Quezi about building a house.

"After we lay the foundation, we have to fix the doors and windows. When will we go get the lumber?"

Xu Ning said, "I'm thinking of going back in five or six days. Uncle Meng, do we need to build a shed first?"

Meng Quezi took a sip of tea and said, "We definitely have to build a shed. The rainy season is coming soon. We can't work without a shed. And you have to cover the wood with plastic sheeting or tarpaulin. If it gets soaked, the furniture will crack after it's built."

"Okay, then we'll build the shed once the wood is brought back."

Meng Quezi nodded: "It doesn't need to be too big, as long as it can be stretched. When you finish laying the foundation and are about to build the house, I will call them over... In fact, I can handle the doors and windows by myself."

"Come on, forget it. I'll tire you out again! Uncle Meng, it's okay to hire two more people. I'll pay them as much as they deserve. Don't think about saving money for me. How can I let people work for nothing?"

"You saved a lot of bricks, tiles, steel bars and cement, right?"

"Well, our two families saved about 1,400 to 1,500 yuan on cement, bricks, tiles and steel bars alone."

Meng Quezi smiled and said, "You found the right person, otherwise you wouldn't be able to save so much. Okay, wait for me to tell them and ask them to bring two apprentices over. There will be five or six of us working on it. I estimate that we can finish making the doors, windows and furniture in about half a month!"

Xu Ning was surprised: "So fast?"

If they were to cut the materials and chisel the mortise and tenon joints manually, even with five or six people working on it, it would still take nearly a month, because the two families would need eight sets of doors and windows each, plus floor cabinets, dressing tables, wardrobes, piano cabinets, square tables, benches, etc., at least fifteen sets!

Meng Quezi took a puff of his cigarette and said, "My second apprentice bought an electric planer. With an electric planer, it will definitely be faster to cut materials. If three masters can't finish the work in half a month with two or three apprentices, then they are just slacking off."

“How much did you spend on the electric planer?”

"It seems to be more than 2,000 yuan. Anyway, it's quite expensive. I heard it was shipped from Shandong. I wanted to buy one last year, but I couldn't bear to spend the money."

"Buy one! Uncle Meng, an electric planer can make work faster, saving time and effort. In the future, I can also use the Galaxy if I have an electric planer. So, when I have time, I will go to the street to ask. If the street doesn't have one, I will go to the city and buy one!" "Okay, then go ahead and ask."

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard the three women on the kang burst into warm applause, followed by bursts of laughter.

Sun Lianfang and Liu Fenfang laughed so hard that they fell backwards. Meng Ziyan blushed and lowered her head, waving her hands hurriedly: "Oh, stop talking, your face is getting red!"

"Hahaha, sister-in-law, why are you blushing? Isn't this human nature? Besides, my aunt is waiting to hold her grandson. How long do you have to wait for Yinhe?"

Sun Lianfang said shamelessly.

Liu Fenfang said: "Not at all! Cigarettes, we have to hurry up after the wedding."

"Oh, stop talking!" Meng Ziyan waved her hands quickly.

At this moment, Wang Hu, Guan Lei and Sun Liansheng went to the toilet, otherwise the three of them would not dare to talk about this topic.

Xu Ning turned around and looked at the three of them, smiling and saying, "What are you talking about? You seem quite happy."

"Brother, Auntie told you to hurry up after you get married!"

Guan Lei just walked into the room, and was startled when he heard the words. He turned his head and said, "What are you holding on to? Stop being so fierce! How dare you say anything?"

"So what? There's nothing to be afraid of when it comes to my family." Sun Lianfang said with his neck stiff.

Liu Fenfang smiled and said, "It's okay. We are family, so there's nothing we can't talk about."

Sun Liansheng explained: "Aunt, my little sister has been spoiled by my family. Don't do the same as her when she says something wrong."

"Oh, I really miss Lianfang. Nothing happened. This is just a place for you gentlemen to hang out. If you didn't hang out, we would be happier chatting than this!"

Xu Ning smiled and said, "Aunt, let's talk some other day when we have time. It's almost ten o'clock now, and I have to go back to help fetch water."

Liu Fenfang stood up and said, "Are we leaving now? Look, the three of us haven't talked enough."

"Come back in a few days..."

Xu Ning walked out while talking. When he and Sun Liansheng went out, Sun Lianfang and Meng Ziyan were still chattering behind them. The two sisters kept chatting and seemed to get along well.

It was not until Liu Fenfang, Meng Quezi and Meng Yinhe sent everyone to the gate of the courtyard that Sun Lianfang separated from Meng Ziyan, went into the crowd, took Guan Lei's arm, and turned around enthusiastically to wave goodbye to Liu Fenfang and the other three.

"Lianfang, come over here if you have nothing to do!"

"Oh, I know, Auntie!"

Sun Liansheng had never thought that his younger sister would be so popular outside, because in his heart, Sun Lianfang was a troublemaker. Although she had been loved by the elders since she was a child, as a brother of the same generation, he felt helpless. It was not that he was upset, but that all the love was given to her, so he was inevitably jealous when he was a child. But he was relieved when he grew up, because Sun Liansheng knew that he had two older sisters who died young...

Being popular at home is the result of the elders' doting, but being popular outside depends on your own ability.

Guan Lei asked: "You and Auntie had a good chat. You've walked quite a long way, but I still want you to stay."

"Of course I will! With my flattery skills, no one can catch up with me, except Feng'er!"

"Hahaha..." Everyone looked at each other and laughed.

Sun Liansheng said: "I think your trick will work on your uncle."

"Hey, it works for middle-aged and elderly people. Brother, learn from me. You will be able to use it in the future."

"What can I learn from you? Stop talking nonsense."

Wang Hu turned around and said, "Sister Fang, do you know why Feng'er is better than you?"

"Why?" Sun Lianfang asked humbly.

"Because Feng'er was taught by my second brother! When it comes to flattery, you still have to rely on my second brother!"

"Hahaha……"

Xu Ning said with a dark face: "What do you mean I taught you? Feng'er is talented. I taught you so many times, did you learn it?"

"Yes, yes, brother, I don't have any talent."

Guan Lei waved his hand and said, "Come on, brother, Huzi is a quick learner, otherwise why would he hold hands with my little sister when he sees her?"

"Oh my god, Hu Zi could do such a thing?" Sun Liansheng was stunned.

"That's not good."

On the way, Guan Lei, Wang Hu and Xu Ning talked about the first meeting between Wang Hu and Guan Hua. Although there were many jokes, the process was quite relaxed and happy. When the story was told, it was like a crosstalk, which made everyone laugh.

Old Xu’s house, in the courtyard.

Liu Lizhen, Han Fengjiao, Wang Shujuan and Yang Shuhua were pouring the sauce starter into the jar when Xu Ning and others came back just in time. They picked up the water pole and carried five loads of water. Then Liu Lizhen asked Xu Ning to open the bag of coarse salt and use the gourd ladle to scoop the coarse salt into the jar.

There is a ratio for making sauce: 1 pound of soybeans to 2 pounds of water and 5 ounces of salt. If you want it salty, you can add more salt, but not too much, as it will easily ferment and not take shape.

"This sauce rake was newly made by my elder brother." Xu Ning picked up a sauce rake made of a stick and a wooden board.

"Yeah, I got three new ones. The previous ones are all ruined."

After raking, Liu Lizhen covered the jar with a white cloth and tied it tightly with a rubber band, and threw the sauce rake into the jar, propping up the white cloth to make a small tent...

"Mom, what are we having for lunch?"

Liu Lizhen replied indifferently: "Didn't you say yesterday that we should prepare something ready-made?"

"Rolling noodles? That's fine too. Add some mushroom and minced meat sauce."

Liu Lizhen scolded: "You look like noodles to me!"

Han Fengjiao said, "I have made buns stuffed with elm yellow mushroom and roe deer. Your uncle is mixing the stuffing in the room."

"Haha, I know, Second Aunt, I just want to tease my mom."

Liu Lizhen was quite happy in her heart, but she said, "Why do I need you to tease me? Why are you so annoying?"

Sun Lianfang said with a smile: "Auntie, the buns you make are so delicious, right? Oh, I am particularly proud of the buns stuffed with elm yellow mushrooms!"

"Really? Then Auntie will give you some more..."

Xu Ning added, "Lianfang, stop praising me blindly. You may get steamed buns and dumplings stuffed with elm yellow mushrooms the next two days. If you really make your aunt mad, I'll bake you some elm yellow mushroom pies in the morning!"

"Ah?" Sun Lianfang was a little dumbfounded.

The others all grinned silently.

Liu Lizhen raised her fist and slapped him twice, "Is that what you said? You are talking nonsense! I was thinking of making yellow mushroom pie tonight."

"Hahaha……"

(End of this chapter)