1979: Reopening Wenhao Road from the Village

The slaughtering of the pig for the New Year lasted until the afternoon, and the two large pots of vegetables and steamed buns were eaten clean.

This is half a pig and a sheep; it has to be said that people really love eating meat these days.

Decades later, let alone slaughtering pigs for the New Year, even when holding a banquet, most of the cold dishes would be eaten up, and more than half of the chicken, duck, fish and meat would still be left over.

This year, more pigs were slaughtered, so every family got a share, unlike in previous years when they were lucky to get some lard and offal.

Moreover, they not only get a share of pork, but also some mutton.

"Uncle Wang, could you give me some pig's tail?"

Chen Weidong smiled at Wang Jianshui and said that he had noticed Chen Xiaosui drooling a little these past few days and wanted to treat it.

"There's only half left, you can have it all."

Wang Jianshui not only gave Chen Weidong half a pig's tail, but also specially cut him some extra lamb kidneys and pig's trotters.

"Cover it up, and remember to stew it for your wife when you get back."

Pig's trotters – "Number one for promoting lactation".

The villagers firmly believe that "drinking pig's trotter soup helps with lactation." During the first week after childbirth, the mother-in-law always leaves the front trotters for her daughter-in-law, without adding soy sauce, just two pieces of ginger, and stews them until the meat falls off the bone, so that the new mother can eat them hot, soup and tendons together.

As for lamb kidneys, they are believed to warm the kidneys, invigorate yang, and restore vitality. Starting from the seventh day after childbirth, postpartum women are advised to eat half a kidney every other day, as the village believes it can "slim the waist and relieve pain."

"Thank you, Uncle Wang."

Chen Weidong thanked Wang Jianshui, saying that regardless of whether it would be useful or not, at least it was the other party's good intention.

Thanks to their time together, his relationship with Wang Jianshui has improved, which is why he dared to ask. In the past, even if he had asked, the other party might not have been able to give it to him.

Whether in the countryside or the city, this has always been the case in interpersonal relationships.

Chen Weidong covered himself with a cloth and went straight home.

"Sui Sui, look what this is?"

Chen Weidong took a pig's tail out of the bowl and waved it in front of Chen Xiaosui.

"Give me some food."

Chen Xiaosui's eyes lit up, and she reached out. She had no resistance to delicious food. Although she had already eaten a lot of pork stew, she was still captivated by the aroma of the pig's tail.

"Here, it's all yours."

Chen Weidong put the pig's tail in a bowl and handed it to Chen Xiaosui, who immediately picked it up with her hand and took a bite.

"They even have pig tails now?"

Su Man said with some surprise, "You know, in previous years the pig tails would disappear as soon as they came out of the pot."

"Luckily, there was half left. Uncle Wang gave it all to me. It's perfect for quenching Sui Sui's drooling. Doesn't it smell delicious?"

"fragrant!"

Chen Xiaohui nodded, her mouth greasy from eating.

Chen Weidong put the pig's trotters back into the pot, added some water and salt, and simmered them over low heat.

"What are you cooking this time?"

Su Man asked with some curiosity.

"Stewed pig's trotters, to help you recover."

"Pah! I bet it's for your precious son!"

Su Man had, of course, heard that pig's trotters could promote lactation. Her face flushed slightly, and she glared at Chen Weidong with annoyance.

"How could that be? Our son was an accident, but you are my true love. Look, I even specially ordered lamb kidneys for you. Didn't you feel some back pain a few days ago? These can help relieve back pain."

"What are you saying? Sui Sui is still watching."

Su Man's face was flushed, but her heart was filled with sweet joy.

Hey~

Chen Weidong smiled, it seemed that his specialty had not deteriorated.

……

The next day, Chen Weidong and He Yan had just finished cleaning the horse pen when they saw Wang Jianshui waving at them.

"Wei Dong, come here for a moment."

"What's wrong, Uncle Wang?"

Chen Weidong quickened his pace and came to Wang Jianshui's side.

"I received your letter; Secretary Yang asked me to inform you."

"Then I'll go take a look."

Chen Weidong handed the shovel to He Yan, wondering to himself, "Could it be a reply from the magazine?"

That shouldn't be the case. This speed is too fast. With the current traffic conditions, it's not even certain that mail will reach Yanjing.

According to his estimate, he would not receive a notification from the October magazine until after the new year at the earliest.

Upon arriving at the brigade, I saw a young man in his early twenties, wearing a dark green uniform and a peaked cap, sorting through letters. Behind him was a green Forever brand "28" bicycle, with a green canvas bag printed with the words "People's Posts and Telecommunications" hanging from the back seat, containing letters and newspapers.

This was the uniform of the postal system at the time; it was brightly colored and easily recognizable.

Forever brand bicycles are known for their durability, load-bearing capacity, and ease of maintenance. They have been selected by the postal system as "dedicated mail delivery vehicles" for a long time, and models such as the 51 and 13 have been released as postal versions with green double racks.

Some people also use Phoenix brand bicycles, but they need to have an electroplated frame. Among them, the "Lifeng" model with a full chain guard is the most famous. It is easy to ride, looks beautiful, and is often painted in postal green with double racks.

In addition, bicycles of brands such as Flying Pigeon, Golden Lion, Baishan, and Red Flag can also be found in the postal system.

"Hello comrade, this is Chen Weidong. They said there's mail for me?"

"Chen Weidong~"

The mailman began rummaging through the green canvas bag.

"This is yours."

"Thank you, would you like to come in and have some water?"

Seeing the postman's hands were red from the cold, Chen Weidong extended an invitation.

Don't be fooled by the fact that being a postman is a secure job; they work hard every day, rain or shine, especially those who go to rural areas.

"Thank you, comrade. I brought my own water. I still have to go to two more brigades later, so I won't go in today."

The postman smiled and politely declined, quickly sorted through the letters, waved goodbye to Chen Weidong, and rode away on his bicycle.

When Chen Weidong got home, he took out the letter and opened it. It was from his parents. In addition to the letter, there was also a remittance notice for 100 yuan. He estimated that it would take them one or two years to save up this amount of money.

"Whose letter?"

"From home."

"You replied so quickly? What did you say?"

Su Man patted Chen Xiaoan on the back while asking in surprise.

"The letter we sent hasn't arrived yet. It asked if the baby has been born, if we have enough food, and told me to take good care of you and keep you warm. They even mailed us a hundred dollars."

Chen Weidong handed the letter and remittance notice to Su Man, feeling somewhat sentimental. In his previous life, his parents had longed to see Su Man, their daughter-in-law, but unfortunately, they never got to see her when he returned.

"Why did you transfer so much money? It's almost Chinese New Year, and our parents in the city need the money even more. Weidong, why don't you return the money tomorrow?"

Su Man exclaimed in surprise, knowing that one hundred yuan was no small sum; it was enough for her to earn a year's salary.

"Since your parents have already sent the money, there must still be some at home. Besides, it would cost a lot of money to process the money back and forth, so it's better not to return it."

I'll withdraw the money tomorrow and use it to pay back He Yan and Fu Xiao. It's almost Chinese New Year, and they'll definitely need the money.

He's short of money right now; he doesn't even have the money to buy some nutritional supplements for Su Man and her son. As for his parents, he can pay them back once his manuscript is finished.

"Alright then, remember to write back to your parents tomorrow to let them know."

"I see."

……