Yoshida Mii

Chapter 196
In October, the leaves on the trees have almost fallen, and when you wake up in the morning, you can still see a layer of white frost on the withered grass in the yard, and you can breathe out a white mist.

Dongbao's family bought more than 1000 catties of coal generously this year, and the brazier was fired early, and the fire was always burning in the stove to warm the water in the large iron pot to ensure hot water at any time.

This is also helpless, Mrs. Li and the others have to get up before dawn to grind beans and order tofu. With such cold water, Mrs. Li and the others must not be able to bear it.

No matter in the previous life or in this life, Dongbao is afraid of the cold. As soon as he entered October, Dongbao put on a small jacket and huddled in the house to warm up. Zhang Xiuyu's body is much better, and she still wears the same clothes as in autumn , when working, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing two tender lotus-like arms, not too cold at all, which made Dongbao envious.

"Ouch!" Mrs. Li smiled and tapped Dong Bao's forehead, "Why did I give birth to such a delicate girl like you? Fortunately, our house is burning charcoal now. If it's still the same as before, let's see how you spend the winter!"

Dong Bao chuckled, and continued to hunker down to warm up to the fire. Thinking of the winters she had spent in the Song family, she just felt unbearable looking back. Fortunately, it wasn't the suffering she experienced, otherwise it would be unbearable. In winter, I get up early to feed pigs and chickens, and help Mrs. Li cook and wash clothes.

In fact, if Dongbao is still covered with the tattered quilt brought from the Song family when the family separated, Dongbao would rather get up early to move around, so as to keep him warmer. The quilt really doesn't keep warm at all.

"Hurry up and help in the shop!" Shi Li urged Dong Bao, "I have to go and deliver Xiaoxu and lunch to Mr. Yan, your aunt and sister Xiuyu are too busy!"

Dong Bao nodded quickly, "Got it!" It's not that Li Shi thinks that Li Hongqin and Zhang Xiuyu are too busy, but that she thinks it's not good for the master's family to steal time here by letting the helpers do the work.

Mrs. Li hurriedly filled the rice, put it in a food box, and took Xiao Xu to the town office. Originally, it was Liang Zi or Dong Bao who sent Xiao Xu to his father's place, but today it was Liang Zi's turn to patrol. On the street, Dongbao thought it was cold and was unwilling to go out, so it was Li's turn.

When Mrs. Li arrived, Mr. Yan was writing something in the room. A familiar servant saw Mrs. Li and Xiao Xu, and hurried into the room to call Mrs. Yan.

"Thank you!" Lord Yan hurried out to take the suitcase from Mrs. Li.

"Hey, hey, you're welcome!" Mrs. Li quickly lowered her head and replied, "Then I'll go first."

Xiao Xu had eaten early, and was lying in front of Mr. Yan's desk, fumbling here and there, while Mr. Yan opened the food box, brought out the dishes, and first took a bite of the pancake. As expected, there was a fried Golden Savory Eggs.

Since the establishment of Baoji Shop, the two of Mr. Yan's family have breakfast and lunch in Baoji's shop. Mr. Yan takes Xiaoxu to eat breakfast, and the people in Baoji's shop deliver lunch.Master Yan didn't eat Dong Bao's food for nothing, and insisted on paying [-] yuan a month for food, while Li Shi and Dong Bao insisted on not accepting it.

Because Master Yan is sympathetic to their orphans and widowed mothers, the tax charged for opening a store is [-]% less than that of other stores, not to mention the usual care for them from other parties, which is really not worth the money.

But Mr. Yan insisted on giving it. After discussing it with Dong Bao, Mrs. Li agreed to only accept a symbolic three hundred dollars a month.

Looking at the fried egg in the pancake, Lord Yan bent his lips and smiled, thinking of Li Shi's beautiful and kind face, he felt that this woman was too polite, he insisted on giving money, so she tried to make him and Xiao Xu eats better, but not too much, so that people don't think she is flattering him.

At the time of the twelfth lunar month, Mr. Yan went to the county to report on his work, and he bought a lot of things. Among them were a few pieces of fabric, brightly colored, which were obviously used to make clothes for women, but there was a piece of muslin cloth with dark blue moiré in it , but the fabric of men's clothes.

On the day of Dongbao's birthday on the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Mrs. Yan sent all the fabrics to Mrs. Li, saying that they were for making new clothes for the two girls, Dongbao and Xiuyu. When Mrs. Li took the fabrics, she saw The piece of blue cloth among the several pieces of cloth looked up at Mr. Yan in surprise, but Mr. Yan didn't seem to see Mrs. Li's gaze, so Mrs. Li lowered his head and accepted the fabric Mrs. Yan sent.

When the lunar new year passed on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, Mrs. Li asked Xiao Xu to bring back two brand new cotton robes, one small one belonged to Xiao Xu, and the other was a large cotton robe, which was obviously the size of an adult man.

When Mr. Yan took the padded robe, there was a faint smile on the corners of his eyes and brows, and he tried it on, and it still fit.However, when he led Xiaoxu to Baoji shop in a good mood, he found that Li Shi and Dongbao were not there.

"Why are you here at this time?" Li Hongqin greeted warmly, "Lunch is not ready yet, you have to wait a bit."

Master Yan pulled Xiao Xu to sit down, and asked casually, "Why don't you see Dong Bao and her mother?"

Li Hongqin smiled, and said: "Today is Xiaonian, and it is also the anniversary of Dongbao's father's death. Dongbao's mother took Dongbao burnt paper to add to the grave."

Mr. Yan suddenly felt that a basin of ice water was poured down from his head, extinguishing all his enthusiasm and hope. However, he already had a serious and serious face. Although he was embarrassed in his heart at the moment, his face showed If he didn't come out, he hurried away with Xiao Xu after dinner.

Since the weather started to turn cold, Dongbao hasn’t been back to Tagouji. The sky was gloomy on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and there was a heavy fog when they woke up in the morning. They set off from the town after a while in the morning. , By the time we arrived at Tagouji, the fog had gradually dissipated, and the branches on the roadside were bare, and occasionally one or two scattered dead leaves fell from the branches.

Because today is the anniversary of Song Xiucai's death, Li's offerings are much richer than usual. In addition to the necessary yellow paper for joss sticks, there is also a fish and two pieces of lightly cooked pork belly. A pair of chopsticks was placed in front of Song Xiucai's grave.

"Today is the New Year's Eve." Mrs. Li burned a piece of paper and said to the stone tablet in front of the grave, "I brought my daughter to see you. A while ago, Dong Bao's grandma insisted on adopting me. I didn't answer. Whether you blame me or hate me for this matter, I will not answer. If you are afraid that no one will burn paper to add to your grave in the future, don't worry, as long as I, Li Hongzhen, live for a day, I will not miss you In your eyes, the members of your old Song family are all precious masters, but in my eyes, my daughter is the most precious. Sigh, let’s not talk about it, let’s do it, I have a good time with my daughter , you are also doing well underground, and you will have a good pregnancy early."

Mrs. Li squatted on the ground to finish burning the paper, and after the smoke had cleared, she pulled out a few small pieces of fish and meat and scattered them on Song Xiucai's grave.According to Dongbao’s memory, there is such a custom in the Tagouji area. It’s rare for farmers to eat meat once. It’s impossible to put the whole fish and meat on the grave, and let the wild dogs drag it away and ruin it. , You only need to grab a little meat and sprinkle it on the grave, even if it is eaten by the dead relatives, but the fish and meat still have to be taken home and eaten by yourself.

However, Mrs. Li didn't put away the fish and meat, and got up with Dong Bao. From a distance, she saw Mrs. Huang walking towards this side with a basket on her shoulders. Mrs. Li said to Dong Bao, "Let's go."

"Then this fish..." Dong Bao looked at Li Shi hesitantly.

Mrs. Li gestured in the direction of Mrs. Huang, "Leave it to your milk, she will take care of it, and it will be our annual gift."

Dong Bao smiled, nodded and said, "I'll just listen to you." As the Chinese New Year approaches, the prices of fish and meat are soaring all the way, and Mrs. Huang is not a person with backbone, so don't worry that she won't accept the free things.

Mrs. Huang also saw Mrs. Li and Mrs. Dongbao in front of Song Xiucai's grave, and she stopped immediately, squinting her eyes and pouted her mouth. She didn't go forward until Mrs. Li took Dongbao from another road. , after seeing the fish and meat placed in front of the grave, he immediately ran over with distress, stared at the backs of Li's mother and daughter fiercely, saw that no one was around, put the fish and meat with him and brought them over In his basket, he cursed viciously to himself: "Look, your wife is rich now! She has a lot of money! You don't pay attention to big fish and big meat, but you can waste it! Just look at us helplessly!" Not enough to eat, a widow without a family, will also be thrown into a mass grave in the future!"

As soon as Mrs. Li returned, she was dragged aside by Li Hongqin to speak.

"Why are you back now?" Li Hongqin asked dissatisfied, "Master Yan came early at noon and asked where you were. I said you went to burn paper for the scholar. Although he didn't say anything, I think, Immediately you will be unhappy."

Mrs. Li lowered her head, wiped her hands repeatedly with a handkerchief, remembering the two sets of clothes she gave away, and didn't know whether it was right or wrong to make up her own mind.She lived in the same room with Dongbao and slept in the same bed. It was impossible for her to make padded robes for the Yan family and his son for Dongbao, but the girl pretended not to see anything, which made her feel even more guilty.In addition, I just went to visit Song Xiucai's grave today. This incident seemed to remind her of her identity, and her inferiority complex was even heavier. After a long time, Li said: "Don't talk nonsense, what is happy or not, what do you think in your heart?" We don't know, people come here to eat, if something bad is spread, Dong Bao and I will be ashamed to face people."

"You can't say that." Li Hongqin sighed, "Master Yan is really good, and you are not bad..."

Mrs. Li hurriedly interrupted Li Hongqin, her face flushed with embarrassment. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted it. She just felt that she should not make clothes for Lord Yan on her own. Dare Xiao want to climb up to him?

"Sister, don't talk about it! I... I took Dongbao with me, I don't have to worry about food and drink, I..." Li Shi said with red eyes.

Seeing her like this, Li Hongqin didn't dare to mention this matter anymore.

(End of this chapter)