farmhouse ditty

Chapter 126 The coming year will be a good year
Xiu Niang was startled when she heard the sound, she looked back and forth, but there was no one in the front or back of the house.

"Hey, sister, here, look up."

Now Xiu Niang followed the sound and saw that there was a man on the wall of the next courtyard, looking at her with a smile.

She sighed, "Sister-in-law Six, you... why are you riding a ladder to listen to the wall?"

Mrs. Liu grinned, and said, she took the plate at hand to her, grabbed a handful of dried shrimps on the plate and shook it for Xiu Niang to look at.

"Hey girl, I didn't listen to the wall, I'm here to get... this, ouch, who knows, I saw something pretty good."

Earlier, her relatives brought some dried shrimps, and Liu spread them on the courtyard wall between the two houses to dry. Now that she was going to make dumplings, she thought about adding some to the meat stuffing so that it would be fresher, so Just got it home.

But who knew that the ladder was erected. As soon as she climbed up, she saw Chu Ge and Xiu Niang. Play comfortably.

Xiu Niang pursed her lips, and cast a glance at Liu Shi, "Then Sister-in-law Six, you can watch from above, I can make dumplings by myself."

"Hey, don't, don't, girl, wait for me..."

Liu smiled and waved her hand, and got off the ladder with the tray in her hand. She muttered about it in her yard for a while, and when she came, she brought the four maids with her.

Earlier, Xiuniang asked Mrs. Liu to make dumplings together, thinking in her heart that she would call all four maids to work together, so that for a dozen people, six hands would make dumplings together, and it would be done in a short while.

Xiuniang and Liu chatted a few words with a smile, filled some water for the four girls to wash their hands, and the two adults were busy kneading the dough and rolling the skin.

Mrs. Liu pulled out a large ball of the wake-up noodles, sprinkled flour on the chopping board, and kneaded vigorously without sticking hands. Expand the circle outwards, knead the noodles into thin strips, and cut them with a knife. It is estimated that it should be as big as a teacup.

Xiu Niang took those small doughs and flattened them one by one. Then she used the rolling pin to roll the dough while rolling the dough.

After Mrs. Liu was done, she started to help roll the dough. Da Ya stood beside her, looking at her and wanted to try it. Mrs. Liu looked at her, handed her the rolling pin, and talked to teach her how to move it.

"Big girl, you put the rolling pin on the table, press the top with one hand and roll (turn) it back and forth... grab the dough with the other hand, just like Xiu Niang's sister-in-law... hey, right, then roll the rolling pin while rolling Skin..."

Xiuniang looked at Mrs. Liu teaching her to roll the dough with a smile, and looked at the mother and daughter, she unconsciously raised the corners of her mouth, and thought to herself, if she and Chu Ge have a baby in the future, the boy Let Chu Ge teach the ones, and she will teach the girls by herself, and she will be like the sixth sister-in-law, hand in hand...

Uh, Xiu Niang was taken aback for a moment, she shook her head, thinking about it.

Mrs. Liu talked about asking Da Ya to roll out the skins, and called Er Ya and the others to come and make them, "Da Ya, remember, roll out the dumpling skin so that the middle is thicker and the sides are thinner, or the dumplings will be cooked in a while." It was revealed."

The big girl opened her eyes and moved seriously, and the obedient child responded, "Got it, mother."

Mrs. Liu turned her head with a smile, but seeing Xiu Niang shaking her head with a mask in her hand, her little face was still flushing, she asked, "Sister, what's wrong with you?"

Xiu Niang was taken aback when she heard that, she had nothing to say for a while, she just looked at the dumplings, and said casually, "No, it's nothing, Sixth Sister-in-law, I didn't think we would eat dumplings too."

In fact, what Xiuniang subconsciously said was that when she traveled here, she didn't know that everyone made dumplings to eat together during the Chinese New Year, but Mrs. Liu listened to it.

She blinked and looked at Xiuniang, "What's wrong, sister, don't you all eat dumplings in Chenjiacun?"

Xiuniang shook her head in a daze, she didn't know what to say, so she pushed the dough in her hand to Mrs Liu, turned around and went back to the stove to fetch a few bamboo castors, and put the wrapped dumplings on the On the top, it is good that it is not easy to stick to the bottom.

Mrs. Liu looked at Xiuniang a little strangely, but she didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms and legs nimbly, and suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, by the way, girl, you lent me that washboard a while ago, and the sixth son went to town yesterday, and I asked him to find and buy one, but he walked half the street and couldn't find it. A dealer who buys and sells washboards? Did Chugo find and buy yours in the town?"

Xiuniang sprinkled flour on the bamboo grate, and when she heard what Mrs. Liu said, she remembered this. She hurriedly said, "Oh, sister-in-law Liu, what you said, this, that washing board is Chu Ge's in town. I bought it, but I heard him say earlier that the dealer is not a local, but a passing peddler."

Mrs. Liu nodded, "Oh, no wonder, oh, I saw that your board is so easy to use, and I just wanted to buy one."

Xiu Niang raised her eyebrows, thinking to herself, don't worry, it will be there in a while.

She turned her head and looked at Mrs. Liu, "Sister-in-law Liu, do you really think that board is good?"

Mrs. Liu said, "No, it doesn't take much effort to wash clothes with that board, just rub it a few times, and you don't need to rotate your arms to slap wooden sticks, which is good."

Xiu Niang turned her head and said again, "Sister-in-law Six, that washing board is not cheap."

Mrs. Liu smiled, "Hey, it's just a wooden board, how expensive can it be... how much is that board?"

Xiuniang thought about trying Liu's reaction first, and she said, "Well, let me think about it, I heard Chu Ge say it... oh, it's almost a tael of silver."

After hearing this, Mrs. Liu pursed her lips in thought, "Hey, come on, as long as it's easy to use, you don't know how many clothes I have to wash in a day because there are many adults in my family. If I don't wash it for a day, then tomorrow I have to squat by the river for half an hour, oops, my waist is about to break."

She said and looked at Xiu Niang, smiling meaningfully, "Hey, sister, I said Chu really loves you, it's just a washing board, I bought it for you for a tael of silver... Eh, this Isn’t it Xiang’er, why are you here?”

Xiu Niang followed Liu's words and looked out the door, only to see Xiao Xiang'er standing there with a basket, blinking at herself with big black and white eyes.

Xiao Xiang'er moved her legs and walked to the courtyard, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law."

Xiu Niang was taken aback, she asked Chu Ge to call Shen Shi and the others to come over for a meal of dumplings, but it's too early to come here now, "Xiao Xiang'er, why are you here, are you alone?"

Xiao Xiang'er wore two braids, shook her head, opened her small mouth just as she was about to talk, when Chu Ge and Chu An appeared at the door.

Chu An called Xiu Niang and Liu Shi, "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law six."

Chu Ge asked Chu An to wait outside, and walked to the water tank in front of the kitchen with his burden, poured the water he picked into it, and then said to Xiu Niang to go out again, "Xiu Niang , you can count out a few dumplings in a while, and let Xiao Xianger take them back, and I will go with An to collect firewood first."

Both of Xiuniang's hands were covered with flour, she supported her hands, looked at Chu Ge and responded, "Oh, I see."

Xiao Xianger looked at Xiuniang and said, "Sister-in-law, I'm thirsty."

Xiuniang and Mrs. Liu looked at each other and smiled, Xiao Xiang'er hadn't changed at all, she had been born for half a month after leaving the house, Xiuniang wiped her hands on the apron, waved her hand to let Xiao Xiang'er come over .

The sisters-in-law and the two of them walked to the main room. This room was previously given to Father Chu and Chu Fu. Now that they have moved away, Xiu Niang has re-arranged it. Only two wooden cabinets and a few tables are placed. Chairs, some scattered gadgets stand on the edge of the wall, looking much better.

Xiu Niang walked to the square wooden table, there was a clay pot, Xiu Niang boiled some water and poured it into it every day, this pot was thick, so the water was still lukewarm after a long time, so that Chu Ge could finish his busy work When you are thirsty, you can drink it by raising your hand.

She poured a bowl of water for Xiao Xiang'er, turned around thinking about it, scooped half a spoonful of sugar into a jar on the cabinet, and then smiled at Xiao Xiang'er, "Xiang'er, come and sit down and drink .”

Xiao Xiang'er is small, so Xiu Niang put her on a high stool and leaned forward, drinking from a bowl in her two small hands.

Xiu Niang sat on the side, looked at Xiao Xiang'er with her head propped up, she smiled and said, "Xiang'er, how about living with Mom and Dad?"

Xiao Xiang'er took a big sip, with water in her mouth, puffed cheeks, her round face was distressed, she bent her eyes and nodded her head when she heard Xiu Niang's question.

Xiu Niang pursed her lips, a little jealous, hey, that's right, why is she still her own mother, although there are beatings and scolding, but they are still inseparable, or as the old saying goes, mother and daughter are inseparable Heart, it is not easy to break.

She sighed a little, glanced outside, and thoughtfully said to Xiao Xiang'er, "Xiang'er, your brother went home just now, did you say anything?" In other words, Chu Ge went to Shen's and the others That one, did something happen? She seemed a little annoyed when she saw Chugo's expression was wrong when he came back.

After drinking the water, Xiao Xiang'er took a breath, put down the pottery bowl and pouted, "Brother, brother didn't say anything, that's what sister-in-law was talking about..."

It turned out that Chu Ge had said earlier that he would let Father Chu and Chu Fu come to eat dumplings at home together at night, but Wen refused, saying that it was difficult for him to walk around now that the month was coming, and that he wanted Chu Ge to eat dumplings together at home. The guy even brought it over and made food with them.

Father Chu and Mrs. Shen saw that the old lady was about to give birth, and wanted to follow her, so they chatted with Chu Ge according to what she said.

But thanks to Chu Ge's stubbornness, he directly asked Xiao Xiang'er and Chu An to come over, saying that he would bring some dumplings back, and let Shen and the others cook and eat them by themselves, while he and himself would eat dumplings at home during the Chinese New Year.

When Xiu Niang heard this, she didn't feel angry, but felt that she was doing well, because just now she had been thinking about celebrating the New Year with Chu Ge alone, and this would be a 'wish come true'.

Looks like this year is going to be a good year...

(End of this chapter)