Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Dabao thought that his sister was better: "Sister, don't put it on my face, put it on my clothes." He turned his head and glanced at grandma. My clothes are dirty, let's see who mom will be angry with.

Yu Wentao sat down and squinted her eyes comfortably in the sea breeze: "Sister Tao, you are going abroad, right?"

Tao Chunlan looked towards the southeast: "No. That sea area now belongs to Baldy."

"You said the baldies are gone, why doesn't the little baldie come back?"

Tao Chunlan: "Who knows. Maybe he hasn't given up yet."

Dabao was very anxious when he saw that his grandma and grandma ignored him and said, "Grandma, my clothes are dirty."

Tao Chunlan said without hesitation: "Grandma will wash it if it's dirty."

Is Dabao afraid of getting his clothes dirty and getting beaten? Dabao is not afraid: "But I don't want grandma to suffer."

Tao Chunlan wanted to laugh: "Grandma doesn't feel tired when washing Dabao's clothes. Grandma is happy that she can still wash Dabao's clothes."

The sky was clear and blue, and Dabao only felt that it was dark. He let his sister pile sand on him: "Grandma, you have changed."

Tao Chunlan has changed.

Since Dabao learned to walk, he couldn't stay in the house. He had to change clothes after playing outside for a while. Tao Chunlan was so angry that she locked him up at home. Dabao complained to Ye Fan and said that his grandma was mean. Ye Fan advised his mother to just watch Dabao and make sure he didn't eat dirt, and let him play as he pleased. It is human nature to love playing, and adults can't help it, so don't make things difficult for Dabao.

Tao Chunlan agreed to Ye Fan's request at first. When Ye Fan went to work, she still kept Dabao under her nose. When Ye Fan had a second child, Tao Chunlan could not take care of him alone and had to let go.

Two years have passed, and Dabao hasn't grown up. Tao Chunlan still thinks her daughter is too easy-going, and that young people are not as careful as she is in raising children, but she no longer pretends to obey.

Tao Chunlan glanced at Erbao, didn't put the sand in her mouth, and didn't care who she piled the sand on.

It is true that sand is not dirty, and clothes are easy to wash in summer, just rub them casually.

But Erbao was tired. She squatted down, stood up, squatted down, and worked hard for a long time but still couldn't bury her brother: "Grandma, you come."

Yu Wentao went over: "What?"

Erbao grabbed the sand and pushed it onto his brother: "Grandma, help me pile it up."

Dabao rolled his eyes and said, "Grandma, do you want to play with sand?"

Yu Wentao: "Do you think I'm a fool?"

Dabao: "Erbao, do you want to play in the water? Ask grandma to take you there."

Erbao just wanted to take a rest, so he patted the sand off his hands and said, "Grandma, hold me!"

Yu Wentao took off her shoes and carried Erbao towards the sea. Dabao saw this and stood up to follow her. Tao Chunlan immediately took off her shoes and chased after her grandson. Dabao's feet touched the water and his little arm was grabbed by his grandmother. Dabao was so angry that he jumped up and down: "Not even at the edge?"

Tao Chunlan: "If your dad were here, I wouldn't care if you went swimming in the sea."

Dabao was not as strong as his grandmother, so he could not struggle anymore and stopped making things difficult for himself: "My dad will be on vacation in a few days, ask him to bring me here. You and grandma, don't even think about coming."

Tao Chunlan nodded, wondering why she had never heard Fanfan say that.

During lunch, Tao Chunlan asked Geng Zhiye when he would take his vacation.

Geng Zhiye: "I will take a vacation when Deputy Commander Niu comes back. The political commissar and the chief of staff cannot control those people."

Yu Wentao was surprised: "I always thought that the soldiers sent here to guard the island had no identity or background."

Tao Chunlan was speechless.

Ye Fan: "Don't talk nonsense. Those who have no background and are afraid of being demobilized dare not confront the leader, but the leader likes this. Some people here are not afraid of loneliness on the island and actively ask to come. Some are randomly selected. There are also some troublemakers. The troublemakers are brave and have strong skills. I don't want them to be demobilized. I'm annoyed just by looking at them, so I just send them away." Speaking of this, he couldn't help laughing, "Captain Geng also fits the description, right?"

Geng Zhiye broke off a piece of crab to block her mouth: "How can I be the leader if I am a troublemaker?"

Ye Fan: "If you are not a troublemaker, how dare the commander give you a troublemaker in the battalion?"

Yu Wentao was speechless: "One - so many?"

Geng Zhiye shook his head: "Don't listen to her. There is no such thing as a troublemaker. Nowadays, no one wants their children to go to the countryside to suffer, so they send them to the army. Some people just can't stand it and come here." He peeled off the crab's gills, intestines, heart and stomach, and gave the crab meat to Dabao, "Out of sight, out of mind."

Yu Wentao asked, "Old Third, you're not here because the chief is annoying you, right?"

Seeing that her mother-in-law really believed it, Ye Fan quickly told the truth: "There is no tiger in the mountain, he is the tyrant. He doesn't need to write a report every two or three days when he comes here. If he must write a report, the chief can't call him over and scold him even if his handwriting is so sloppy. Right?"

Geng Zhiye broke off another crab and said, "Those who understand me are annoying. Eat it."

Yu Wentao: "Peel one for me too."

Geng Zhiye moved the plate of crabs directly in front of her.

Yu Wentao was so angry that she almost fumed.

Tao Chunlan still didn't have the courage to pickle the crabs when cooking, so she steamed all the crabs she bought in the morning. She picked up a crab and thought of Liu Qing. "Zhi Ye, are you really that simple?"

Geng Zhiye: "The political commissar's shooting skills are good, but his physical strength is not good. Some people are not convinced."

Tao Chunlan asked: "Ordinary soldiers definitely wouldn't dare to do that, but battalion commanders, right?"

Yu Wentao asked curiously, "There's a girl named Liu Qing who came to say hello to us two days ago. What does her husband do?"

Ye Fan heard Miao Miao say that Liu Qing had been to her house. Ye Fan looked up when she heard the word "Liu Qing", looked at her mother and then at her mother-in-law. They were definitely not asking casually. But when did the two of them have such a tacit understanding, one starting and the other getting straight to the point.

Geng Zhiye didn't know that after Tian Xiaofeng left, Liu Qing wanted to get along well with Ye Fan, and told Ye Fan through Liu Guihua that Tian Xiaofeng had reported her. He also didn't know that Liu Qing wanted to watch the fun when she heard that Ye Fan's mother-in-law and mother were coming, and wanted to watch the fun up close by fetching water, and then stir up trouble when she had the chance. Liu Qing may not know that many people can see that she is two-faced, including Liao Miaomiao, who is in her teens.

No matter what happened, Ye Fan didn't mention it to Geng Zhiye, because he didn't want him to see Captain Gao embarrassed.

Geng Zhiye peeled a shrimp and stuffed it into Erbao's mouth with a normal expression: "A battalion commander."

Yu Wentao blurted out: "A thorn in the flesh?"

Geng Zhiye shook his head, "He really isn't one of them." He peeled another shrimp and stuffed it into Dabao's mouth. "Fanfan just said that they were randomly selected. His battalion is one of them. If he hadn't gotten here and couldn't get past Captain Niu, he would definitely be the deputy commander."

Yu Wentao was surprised: "Not bad?"

Geng Zhiye wanted to laugh: "At that time, the possibility of him serving in the army was very high. He knew it. He was not afraid of sacrifice. He was promoted to battalion commander in the army. He must be good. As for what he is like at home, who knows. Except for his wife and children."

Yu Wentao was very curious: "Much older than you?"

Geng Zhiye shook his head: "He is one year older than me. He joined the army in 1957 or 1958, I can't remember. Anyway, his military service is longer than mine."

Yu Wentao: "Then how——"

Tao Chunlan interrupted: "I feel his wife is not worthy of him. She looks and speaks in a very ordinary way."

Geng Zhiye was very surprised: "When did you become so vulgar?"

We were talking about Liu Qing, why did you bring her up? Tao Chunlan said unhappily, "Don't you judge people by their appearance?"

Geng Zhiye nodded. He always judged people by appearance. He went on a blind date with Ye Fan because he heard that the eldest daughter of the Ye family was tall and beautiful, and he thought it would be a good idea to meet her. But he only judged people by appearance at the first meeting. Geng Zhiye couldn't help but say, "You don't know her."

Tao Chunlan didn't want to understand her, she just wanted to know if Liu Qing was bored and was causing trouble for Ye Fan. From what Geng Zhiye said, he and Captain Gao had no conflicts. Liu Qing didn't know Ye Fan before, so why would she be so jealous of Ye Fan? Was it really because the island was too idle?

Tao Chunlan couldn't figure it out so she asked, "Do you understand?"

Geng Zhiye was puzzled: "Why should I know what she is doing? Stop, let's eat first. Dabao and Erbao are upset because of the cold food."

Tao Chunlan subconsciously looked at Dabao, who was smacking shrimp in his mouth, looking at them with wide eyes, waiting to hear what they were saying. Tao Chunlan wanted to scold him but also wanted to laugh: "What are you looking at?"

Dabao felt sorry: "Why don't you continue?"

Ye Fan peeled a shrimp and stuffed it into his mouth: "Should I hit you?"

Dabao suddenly stopped talking nonsense.

Ye Fan: "Don't tell anyone outside what my grandma said, what my dad said, or what my grandma said about someone else."

Dabao nodded: "It's so embarrassing to say bad things about people behind their backs and let others know about it." He pointed at his little face and looked at his grandmother and great-grandmother. It's you two!
Yu Wentao hit him on the head.

Dabao was prepared for his grandmother's move, so he tilted his head and dodged easily. Yu Wentao's hand almost fell on the table. Ye Fan was startled and couldn't help frowning: "Aren't you hungry?"

Everyone, young and old, subconsciously picked up their chopsticks and started eating.

Geng Zhiye wanted to laugh when he saw this. Ye Fan glared at him, and Geng Zhiye lowered his head, picked up another crab, picked out the crab legs and stuffed them into his daughter's mouth.

Erbao swallowed it and shook his head: "Dad, I'm full."

Geng Zhiye threw the crab on the table and took his daughter out to wash her hands and face.

After Ye Fan finished his meal, Er Bao had already fallen asleep on the bench. Ye Fan picked Er Bao up and asked, "Aunt Yu, where did you go to play this morning?"

Yu Wentao: "At the beach. At first, Erbao played with the sand, then went into the water with me, and then he picked up shells without stopping. Are you tired?"

Ye Fan nodded and handed Erbao to her: "You should get some sleep too. Mom, you and Dabao should go too. We'll clean up."

Geng Zhiye came in from outside with a broom and a rag: "You guys go ahead."

When they came back from the beach, Dabao was tired, so Tao Chunlan held him for a while. The little fat boy didn't become a big fat boy in a year here, but he was taller and heavier than before. Tao Chunlan was so tired that her arms were sore, and she rested for a long time after returning home before she recovered.

When Ye Fan mentioned taking a rest, Tao Chunlan thought about lying down on the bed, but then she felt like she hadn't rested enough before dinner: "Dabao, are you sleepy?"

Dabao felt sleepy after eating, so he went back to the room with grandma to sleep.

When the two elderly people and two children woke up and saw Ye Fan was still at home, they couldn't help but ask her why she didn't go to work.

Ye Fan: "Su Yuanhang was tired after running around for a few days, so he went to the office to rest for a while. He knew you were coming, so he will be in charge of the team tomorrow. It's a good time for us to go out to sea with the fishing boat. Mom, are you not dizzy?"

Tao Chunlan: "Is it far?"

Ye Fan: "Not sure. But it should be fine for the fishing boat to stop and go."

Yu Wentao said first: "We will go out to sea tomorrow."

Ye Fan: "Go out to sea in the morning and go up the mountain in the afternoon. Actually, there's nothing much on the mountain at this time of year."

Yu Wentao asked: "No fruit or anything?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "Some time ago, there were cherries planted by local people, as well as wild loquats and wild bayberries. There are also wild oranges on the mountain, but they are not ripe yet." He suddenly thought of a place, but it was far away and he would be too late to go there this afternoon.

The next day at noon, Geng Zhiye went home to eat and rode his three-wheeled motorcycle back. Tao Chunlan asked Ye Fan where he was going in the afternoon. Ye Fan asked her where she wanted to go. Tao Chunlan didn't get seasick in the morning because the fishing boat stopped for a long time to cast and collect the nets, and there was no strong wind or waves, so it didn't shake much. But the fishy smell was strong, and she was not used to it and couldn't stand it. She said she didn't want to go anywhere, so she stayed to look after the house.

Ye Fan couldn't bear to leave her mother alone at home, so he said he wanted to rest for a while.

In the afternoon, Ye Fan did not teach Dabao the second grade knowledge, fearing that he would learn to not pay attention during the teacher's class and affect others. Ye Fan found a few books by Geng Zhiye and read them to Dabao. Erbao saw that his mother only had eyes for his brother, so he climbed onto her lap, didn't understand, didn't play with his grandma, and slept in her mother's arms.

Yu Wentao asked Tao Chunlan to go out for some fresh air.

When they got to the door, they ran into Zhuang Qiuyue, who asked them if they wanted to go under the tree to enjoy the cool air. They didn't know where to go for the time being, so they went home to get a bench and went to the intersection under the lush osmanthus tree to listen to people chatting.

Instead of chatting about family matters, Zhuang Qiuyue and other military wives were more curious about the affairs of the Geng and Ye families. Zhuang Qiuyue asked the two whether their families were busy and whether they could stay for a few more days.

Tao Chunlan: "My family is not busy, but hers is. Brother Zhiye is taking a break recently, so he can stay at home to look after the children. She will be busy in a few days, so she has to go home to cook for the children."

Yu Wentao was also worried that Geng Zhiye's second brother and second sister-in-law would be busy and live in the company, and her old man would take the two children out to eat. Yu Wentao was not worried about the money, but worried that the old man's blood pressure would soar and he would have to go to the hospital because of the braised pork every day.

Yu Wentao said she would go back when her eldest and second children started school.

Zhuang Qiuyue: "Is Erbao also going to school this year?"

Tao Chunlan: "He can go to kindergarten. Fanfan said he can try it out for two days first. If Erbao doesn't want to, he can go directly to elementary school after two years."

Zhuang Qiuyue asked: "Then will you go back with me?"

Tao Chunlan dared to ride alone, but she was so tired that she fell asleep and didn't know anything. Yu Wentao was more energetic than her. She would wake up and take a look when the car stopped at three or four o'clock: "We're together."

It is so rare for a wrong child to be taken away that Zhuang Qiuyue wanted to ask if Chen Xiaohui said anything when she came to Ye Fan's house. But she is not like Tian Xiaofeng who thinks she can judge others by her moral high ground.

Zhuang Qiuyue asked: "Is there someone to pick you up?"

Tao Chunlan: "There are buses."

Zhuang Qiuyue couldn't beat around the bush any further: "That's not bad."

Yu Wentao looked at her with a half-smile and changed the subject, asking if there was anything fun on the island.

Zhuang Qiuyue and Yu Wentao were separated by Tao Chunlan. She didn't see that Yu Wentao could see that she was also a layman and couldn't help gossiping, so she answered directly: "There is nothing on this island. There is a Guanyin Temple on the island over there, and it is said to be the Guanyin Taoist Temple. You can take a boat from here. But I think it's better not to go."

The military wife on the other side of Zhuang Qiuyue couldn't help asking: "What's wrong?" Tao Chunlan: "Now is not a good time."

Zhuang Qiuyue nodded: "There is a revolution outside, let's worship Guanyin, it will have a bad influence if people know about it."

Yu Wentao wanted to go and pray for a good marriage and a good job for Xiaoqin, but she was so scared when she heard this that she quickly swallowed her words back. She had to rely on Ye Fan for Xiaoqin's matter.

The next morning, Ye Fan stuffed some food into Erbao's small bag, asked Dabao to carry the water bottle, and she took the elderly and children to the Lotus Brigade.

Ye Fan told Su Yuanhang that she was going to the Lotus Brigade, and since it was the weekend and Su Yuanhang didn't have to go to work, he waited for her at the intersection early. Ye Fan didn't want to meet the commune secretary, so she didn't go to Su Yuanhang's house. After Su Yuanhang got in the car, she went straight to the lotus pond.

This lotus root field covers hundreds of acres. Yu Wentao has never seen so many lotus flowers and lotus leaves in her entire life, so she couldn't help but exclaim "so many" when she saw them.

Dabao patted his mother's shoulder and said, "Mom, stop the car. It's time to stop the car."

Ye Fan ignored him, but slowed down and pulled over. Dabao immediately reached out: "Mom, pick me up."

Ye Fan carried him down, and Dabao immediately ran towards the lotus root. When he got close, he found that there was water inside, and it was as high as he was above the ground. Dabao wanted to go down by himself, but he was afraid of breaking his legs, so he could only jump on the spot: "Mom, can you hurry up?"

Ye Fan: "Steady!"

Dabao opened his mouth and said, "I'm six years old! Children are not stable!"

Su Yuanhang couldn't help laughing.

Dabao was embarrassed immediately, but he didn't think he was wrong: "That's right! Uncle said that children are not little old men."

Tao Chunlan: "When did your uncle say that?"

"During the Chinese New Year." Dabao looked at her, "Have you forgotten? Grandma, you are old."

Tao Chunlan wanted to beat him, and Dabao immediately hid behind Su Yuanhang.

Yu Wentao must not miss the excitement of the Ye family: "What did your uncle say? Tell me."

That’s not what Ye Jin said. What did Dabao say?

On the afternoon of the first day of the first lunar month, the kids in the alley wanted to go ice skating. Dabao had never played before and was curious so he asked his uncle to take him. Ye Jin was upset about his brother-in-law and was about to go out to relax. After thinking for a few seconds, he asked Dabao to go back to the house to get a scarf and a hat.

Tao Chunlan was afraid that Dabao was too naughty and difficult for Ye Fan to take care of, so she asked him to stay at home and criticized Ye Jin for not being steady enough. Ye Jin said that if his nephew stayed in the house every day, he would become an old man sooner or later.

Dabao shook his head: "My uncle said so. Ask my uncle. Mom, how do we get down?"

Ye Fan: "No, just look over here."

Dabao couldn't accept it: "What are you looking at?"

Ye Fan: "The lotus root hasn't grown yet, why are you going down there?"

Dabao was stumped by the question: "I-I want big leaves, Erbao wants flowers. Erbao, do you want some?"

Erbao shook his head decisively: "I want big leaves."

Although the purpose is different, the result is good. Dabao stared at his mother and said, "You heard it, didn't you?"

Su Yuanhang took out the sickles that he had hidden in the bushes when he brought the children to play with in the morning, and asked Dabao for a few.

Dabao still looked at his mother, waiting for her to give in.

Ye Fan: "Two per person?"

Dabao jumped over happily and hugged her waist: "Mom, did you name me Dabao because I am your treasure?"

Ye Fan asked: "Where is Erbao?"

Erbao hugged his mother's neck and said, "I am my mother's baby." He kicked his brother and said, "You are not."

Dabao grabbed his sister's foot and asked, "Are you still kicking?"

Ye Fan pulled Dabao's hand away and put Erbao on the ground: "Do you want Big Leaf?"

The brother and sister glared at each other, snorted, one followed grandma and the other followed grandma, neither of them wanted their mother.

Su Yuanhang wanted to laugh again: "Does Erbao want two too?"

Tao Chunlan was worried: "Will cutting it off affect the growth of the lotus root?"

Su Yuanhang shook his head: "No. If I don't cut it, it will turn yellow next month."

Three words came to Ye Fan's mind - lotus leaf tea. Nowadays, people can't even eat enough, so it's impossible to drink tea. The more you drink, the more empty your stomach becomes. But she can tell Su Yuanhang. Even if people on the island look down on the money from selling lotus leaves in the future, she won't lose anything by telling him.

Ye Fan asked Su Yuanhang if he knew how to dry fresh lotus flowers.

Su Yuanhang: "Like roasting dried squid?"

Ye Fan: "That's why I'm asking you because I don't know."

Tao Chunlan: "Why do you want to work with lotus leaves?"

Yu Wentao was curious: "Can it also repel mosquitoes?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "Lotus leaf tea can relieve fatigue. But drinking too much will moisten the intestines and remove fat. Some Chinese medicine stores sell it. But we have so many lotus leaves, why bother going to a Chinese medicine store."

Su Yuanhang: "I've eaten lotus leaf wrapped rice, and I've heard that lotus leaf wrapped meat, wrapped in mud and baked is also delicious. I didn't expect that it can also be used to make tea."

Ye Fan: "No pesticides were used, right?"

Su Yuanhang: "No one is willing to spend this money. I'll cut a few more and then ask who knows how to do it."

He only says a few, but actually cuts a lot.

Yu Wentao took a handful of lotus leaves, Tao Chunlan took a handful of fallen lotus pods, and Ye Fan took a handful of flowers. Dabao and Erbao thought a large lotus leaf on their heads was very beautiful, and when they met the children from the Lotus Brigade, they asked them if it looked good.

Tao Chunlan gave a lotus pod to a local child, who subconsciously dodged it. Tao Chunlan asked with a smile: "Are you sorry?"

Su Yuanhang explained that the brigade grew lotus roots every year and the children were tired of eating them.

Ye Fan thought of something else: "Where's the lotus root powder?"

Su Yuanhang nodded: "There is also lotus root powder. If we can't finish it and it goes bad, we make it into lotus root powder. Every household will share some to eat during the lean period." Suddenly I understood why he asked this question, "Accountant Ye, are you talking about lotus root powder--"

Ye Fan shook his head: "We are not used to lotus root powder and we don't know how to eat it. If we want to sell lotus root powder at a high price, we have to pack it in boxes and bags. Our factory has no money to buy machines and can only sell the lotus roots to others. It is better to sell it to the agricultural and sideline products purchasing station than to the factory. However, if there are too many outsiders, we can ask the brigade to print a batch of packaging paper and wrap it up and give it to the vegetable market, and let the vegetable market sell it."

Su Yuanhang: "Who comes here except to visit relatives?"

Ye Fan: "Visiting relatives is fine. My mom and Aunt Yu must bring some island specialties back this time."

Yu Wentao and Tao Chunlan nodded together.

All the relatives and neighbors knew that they were going to Jiangnan, and thanks to Ye Fan's trade in goods to the capital, everyone also knew that there were many good things on the island. If they returned empty-handed, they would definitely be teased and ridiculed.

Su Yuanhang suddenly had an idea: "Then I'll go back and tell my dad - forget about my dad, he'll say, you're not that capable, why are you looking for me. I'll find the captain and ask him to get some dry goods that can be shipped by train and put them in the vegetable market, and put up a sign at the entrance of the vegetable market, and there will definitely be military wives who will buy them and send them back home."

Ye Fan: "Then we will go back first."

Su Yuanhang wanted to find the captain to ask who knew how to dry lotus leaves, so he didn't get on the three-wheeled vehicle. Ye Fan and his friends went home, and Su Yuanhang went to the captain's house instead.

The team leader asked if he should discuss this with Secretary Su. Su Yuanhang said no, but he had to tell the other team leaders. Otherwise, if you sell it for one yuan, I will reduce it to fifty cents, and several teams will have to use hoes and sickles.

There were wild boars in the mountains, and some brigades were equipped with guns. If he got angry and used his gun, he would be guilty of a serious crime.

When Ye Fan got home, he picked two lotus leaves, washed them, and cooked lotus leaf porridge in the evening.

Yu Wentao helped her press the water: "Can this be used to make rice dumplings?"

Ye Fan: "Didn't you eat zongzi on Dragon Boat Festival?"

Yu Wentao shook her head, "I didn't buy glutinous rice." Thinking of what happened that day, she wanted to laugh, "My brother gave me a bundle of reed leaves. He said one bunch for Uncle Dabao, one for your mother, and one for Aunt Xiaoqin, your aunt and your uncle's family, so I didn't have to buy more. In the end, I didn't even think about buying glutinous rice." She stared at the living room in case Tao Chunlan suddenly came out, "Your mother doesn't know how to make glutinous rice, but she says she can. Who made them in your family before?"

Ye Fan subconsciously wanted to say her mother: "It seems like my sister-in-law. Chen Xiaohui won't do it either?"

Yu Wentao was too lazy to pay attention to Chen Xiaohui, so she didn't ask Tao Chunlan if she knew how to cook. "Who knows? Do you have any glutinous rice? Let's make some and try."

Ye Fan felt that the lotus leaves were too thin and would become mushy when cooked. He promised her that he would buy glutinous rice and red dates in the afternoon, soak the glutinous rice before going to bed at night, and ask her mother-in-law to make zongzi the next morning and then steam them on the sieve.

Yu Wentao made some snacks with brown sugar for Dabao and Erbao. The brother and sister ate them happily and asked grandma if they could stay.

The island is quiet, the seafood is abundant, and the air is moist. Yu Wentao likes it here, but she is more worried about her family.
At the end of August, when Deputy Head Niu came back and Geng Zhiye was on vacation, he bought two bags of local specialties for the two elders. Ye Fan said that the lotus seeds were not ripe yet, so he asked Su Duofu to bring them two bags when the lotus seeds were harvested.

When Geng Zhiye bought the ticket, he calculated the date and found that the day they arrived in the capital was a weekend.

The two arrived in the capital in the afternoon. Geng Zhiqin received the telegram in the morning and asked Chen Xiaohui to go with her to the station to pick them up.

Geng Zhiqin was shocked when she took her mother's big bag: "How many things are there?"

Yu Wentao: "It's a lot. Your sister-in-law packed it. I saw your third brother carrying it easily so I thought it wasn't much."

When he got home and opened the bag, Geng Zhiqin finally realized why it was so heavy. It was full of real things. Geng Zhiqin was worried: "How long will it take to finish it?"

Yu Wentao: "Your sister-in-law said that there won't be much left after the relatives divide it up."

Geng Zhiqin thought of her uncle and aunt. To confirm this, Geng Zhiqin took out all the things, and sure enough, there were no dried abalone, dried fish maw, or those more expensive things. The things in the bag were all suitable for helping relatives.

Ye Fan didn't buy abalone or fish maw for her mother, but her bag was lighter than Yu Wentao's because she put a lot of seaweed and dried shrimps, but only a handful of kelp. Chen Xiaohui was very happy that it was convenient to cook with dried seaweed.

Dabao and Erbao are not happy.

Yu Wentao and Tao Chunlan left early that day, and Dabao and Erbao woke up when they reached the other side. The siblings opened their eyes and saw each other, and they were startled, slid out of bed and called for grandma and grandma.

There was only their mother at home. The brother and sister held Ye Fan's hands and cried loudly. Liao Miaomiao, who was so scared that she wanted to go to the public toilet, came over first and asked what happened.

Ye Fan said helplessly: "My mother and mother-in-law have gone back. It's not like we won't see each other anymore."

The brother and sister seemed not to hear her and continued crying in her arms.

Liao Miaomiao gave Ye Fan a helpless look and went to the bathroom.

Ye Fan: "If you cry again, I won't go back during the winter break."

The crying stopped suddenly.

Ye Fan put the two children on the chairs: "Geng Dabao, Geng Erbao, did you forget that you two have to go to school today?"

Dabao hurried downstairs and ran out. Erbao followed without knowing why. Dabao pressed water to wash his face, and she also took water to wash her face. Ye Fan went over with a towel: "Wipe first." She took a basin and filled it with half a basin of water, and washed the two children again. After entering the house and applying Meijiajing, Ye Fan asked them to go out and play while she cooked.

Dabao: "Mom doesn't practice Tai Chi anymore?"

Ye Fan shook his head: "I need to do the laundry. I'll search your dad's laundry when he comes back in the afternoon. If you want to practice, practice with your sister in the room."

Dabao felt that the room was stuffy and was afraid that people would notice that he had been crying, so he practiced with his sister in the yard. Dabao was very serious, while Erbao was just making random gestures. Ye Fan did not ask his son to learn Russian, and Dabao did not ask his sister to perform standard movements.

Liao Miaomiao came back from the bathroom and saw the brother and sister practicing "cutting watermelon", so she told her father about it when she got home.

Political Commissar Liao wanted to praise Dabao and Erbao for being well behaved and being able to play by themselves. When he saw Miaomiao practicing, Political Commissar Liao ran out, stood on tiptoe and saw Dabao still practicing in the yard, and went back to the house to scold his daughter: "That's Tai Chi. Cutting watermelon? You are not as good as Dabao."

Zhuang Qiuyue asked: "Does Dabao know Tai Chi?"

Political Commissar Liao: "The Ye family is not short of resources, so nothing will be strange about their children. They will be good seedlings in the future."

Zhuang Qiuyue shook her head: "I have been chatting with Dabao's grandmother and grandmother these days, and they said they don't want Dabao to join the army. But they also said that Dabao likes it. He can just go to any class in the future. I didn't expect the Geng and Ye families to raise their children this way."

Liao Miaomiao envied: "Isn't this good?"

Political Commissar Liao: "Dabao and Erbao's parents both work, and their grandparents all have pensions. Dabao and Erbao have money to spend even if they don't do anything. Can you do it?"

Liao Miaomiao laughed: "I haven't told you that you don't earn as much as Uncle Geng and your mother doesn't have a job, and you're still laughing at me? You and my mother are more capable than Uncle Geng and Aunt Ye, so I can do it too!"

Political Commissar Liao was speechless and yelled at her angrily: "What a bunch of crooked ideas!"

"You should reflect on yourself." After saying that, Liao Miaomiao ran out and went to the next door to learn Tai Chi with Dabao.

Dabao pointed at himself and looked at the older sister who was much taller than him: "Would you like to learn from me?"

(End of this chapter)