Struggle Life in the 1970s

The green pickup truck made a "boom" sound, and a cloud of black smoke came out from the rear of the car. Then the tires turned, leading a group of people who had not returned home for a long time back home.

The four people on the ox cart watched the vehicle go away, and the people on the cart smiled and waved. Chu Ye's last gaze rested on Mu Jiajun, who was wearing black clothes and looked back at this moment, his eyes still full of smiles.

Her heart was pounding and she quickly lowered her head, her fingers turning white as she pinched the scarf. When she could no longer hear the roar of the car, the ox cart she was riding in began to sway towards the town.

There are more pedestrians walking in the town than usual. There are many stalls on both sides of the road. There are also people riding bicycles with bamboo baskets tied behind them to sell things. There are constant shouting along the way. In the crowded crowd, many are adults bringing their children to buy New Year's goods.

People had busy and happy smiles on their faces. The entrances of the supply and marketing cooperative and the department store were crowded with people. Chu Ye and the other three looked at each other and quickly squeezed into the crowd.

What a joke! If you don’t hurry up and squeeze in, the goods will be sold out and you will have to go home empty-handed.

After a while, the four men squeezed out of the crowd sweating profusely, and the food coupons in their hands were exchanged for the necessary ingredients. Chu's father was also holding two kilograms of pork in his hand, and happily said that he would eat meat dumplings at home during the New Year.

Chu Guangyao exclaimed with joy. Chu Ye glanced at what was in Brother Jianwen's hands. The ingredients were similar to those in his family, but there was an extra bag of dried fish. He must have bought it for Sister Nianci.

After loading all the things into the car, the four of them rushed to the Grain Bureau. Jianwen and Guangyao sat obediently in the car to guard the things, while Chu's father and Chu Ye went in with the documents and household registration in their hands.

Not long after, the two came out. Today's trip was not in vain as they completed all the procedures required to change their household registration.

Originally, Chu's father still had some reservations about changing his household registration. Although he knew that this matter had more benefits than benefits, and that Chu Ye would get more benefits when she found a partner or got married in the future, and her in-laws would look up to her more, he still felt a little uncomfortable.

However, this feeling disappeared under the praise of the staff inside. The person who issued the grain and oil certificate for them knew that Chu Ye changed her household registration after being admitted to the school, and he immediately said good things to her, and even praised Chu's father for raising his daughter well, and said that she would enjoy a happy life in the future.

So when the two came out of the door, Chu's father couldn't hide the smile on his face. He generously went to the supply and marketing cooperative again, took out the cloth coupons and tore off a piece of blue plaid cloth. After coming out, he handed it to Chu Ye and said that when they got home, he would let Chu's mother use this cloth to make a new jacket for her.

Chu Ye naturally took it with a smile.

In the days before New Year's Eve, heavy snow fell from the sky. The children played in the snow and enjoyed the happy winter vacation, while the adults were busy preparing food for the New Year and clothes for their families.

Chu's mother spent two or three nights cutting the blue plaid fabric according to the cotton-padded jacket that Chu Ye was wearing, sewing up the seams, and then taking out the cotton from her previous clothes, mixing it with this year's new cotton, stuffing it into the clothes, and sewing up the opening. It became a new piece of clothing.

There was still some cloth left, and Chu's mother started to get busy again, planning to make another pair of cotton trousers for Chu Guangyao.

Chu Ye was reluctant to wear this cotton jacket, so she carefully folded it and placed it in a wooden box at the end of the bed, intending to keep it until New Year's Day.

In the past few days, the stoves in every household in the village have hardly stopped working, with people steaming buns, frying cakes, and making meat-stuffed dough. Some households do not have enough tools at home, so they will help each other, creating a lively scene.

After lunch today, Chu's mother cooked a small bowl of paste, and Chu's father took out a few pairs of couplets and called Chu Guangyao to paste festive red on the door frames of the courtyard gate, the main hall and the side rooms of the house.

After Chu's mother cleared the table, she started to knead the dough busily again. At the same time, she asked Chu Ye to wash the radish, cut it into pieces and blanch it in water. After that, she took it out, drained it and chop it. After this step was completed, she started to cut onions and ginger. She was not idle either. After kneading the dough, she put it aside and started to chop the meat filling in a hurry.

After all the preparations were ready, the two began to make dumplings. Chu Ye picked up a palm-sized piece of white dough and scooped a spoonful of the prepared stuffing. Then he gently applied force with his fingers on both sides, and a plump dumpling was ready.

"Hey, your cooking skills have improved compared to last year. This dumpling looks good." Chu's mother loosened her grip, and a round dumpling appeared in her palm. She placed the dumpling next to Chu Ye's. The two dumplings looked quite similar, white and plump like a gold ingot.

"The dumplings you made during the Chinese New Year last year were not so good-looking. The stuffing came out when they were put into the pot to cook. This year you made quite good ones," said Chu's mother with a look of praise.

After hearing this, Chu Ye remained silent. Her hands kept moving, but her thoughts drifted to the past.

Children from rural areas learn to do farm work and help out at home from an early age, not to mention that girls also have to do housework. Sewing, cooking and cooking are basic skills.

Besides, Chu Ye has three older sisters, and she is a girl, no longer a rare treasure in the family, so she has learned these housework since she was a child. Although the sisters can share the housework before they get married, Chu's mother teaches them equally. After all, in Chu's mother's view, girls will get married in the future, so they must learn these things, and they cannot learn them after getting married, otherwise they will be laughed at by their in-laws.

But there was one thing that Chu Ye just couldn't do well, and that was making dumplings. She could make them every Chinese New Year, but the dumplings she made were never satisfactory. Either there was not enough filling and they looked deflated, or the filling came out after being cooked.

It was obviously all taught by Chu's mother, but she never got the knack in this area until she got married in her previous life. Faced with difficult parents-in-law, she worked hard to please them and finally acquired the skills she has today.

However, when she looked down and saw that three rows of dumplings had already been arranged, she thought to herself that it was unnecessary to sacrifice herself for the sake of others. It was a pity that she was stupid and foolish in her previous life and ended up being bullied. Such a thing would never happen again in this life.

As I was thinking about this, a burst of firecrackers came from someone's house not far away. They have a custom here that on New Year's Eve when someone is preparing to eat, they will set off a string of firecrackers. It is equivalent to telling the Kitchen God that the meal is ready, and he should come to my house for dinner quickly. It also means to seek good luck.

Chu Ye quickened his pace. His mother was already adding firewood to boil water. After a while, seeing that the dumplings were almost done and the water had boiled, Chu's mother quickly put the dumplings into the pot.

The plump white dumplings sank as soon as they entered the water. Chu's mother used a spoon to stir the bottom of the pot from front to back, and then picked up the lid beside her and covered it.

Chu Ye went to the yard to wash his hands. Outside, there were noises coming one after another. People lit firecrackers in their own yards, and then the family hid aside with their hands covering their ears, waiting for a burst of crackling sounds, and then went into the house with laughter to welcome the last meal of the year. At this time, firecrackers were also hung in the yard of Aunt Wang next door. Brother Jianwen approached with a box of matches. Chu Ye and Sister Nianci looked at each other across the wall. The other raised her hands to cover her ears, and when she turned her head to look over here, she smiled with a hint of the love of a new mother. Chu Ye laughed with her unconsciously, and then the sound of firecrackers rang out next door.

At home, Chu's mother was shouting in the main hall that the dumplings were cooked and asked them to come and eat.

At this time, Chu's father also hung up firecrackers in the yard. Chu Guangyao grabbed the job of setting off firecrackers, lit a match, approached carefully, and then ran back quickly. Immediately, there was a deafening sound behind him. Then the three of them went back to the house and had a delicious meal of meat dumplings to comfort themselves for the hard work of the past year.

After dinner, Chu Guangyao ran out of the house, saying that he wanted to play with his friends by picking up firecrackers. Usually, after each family has finished setting off firecrackers, there will always be some duds that have not been ignited. Some children will wait until others have finished setting off firecrackers before picking them up, collecting them and then lighting them, or breaking the firecrackers in half, pouring out the powder inside and lighting them, and then you will see a flash of white light like fireworks. This is also a recreational activity for children in the village.

Before Chu Guangyao left, he was afraid that Chu Ye would be bored at home, so he called her to go play with him, but was rejected by Chu Ye.

The night of New Year's Eve passed quietly as everyone stayed up all night. The next morning, thin snowflakes fell from the sky and there was a layer of silver frost on the ground, which was in line with the saying "Auspicious snow means a good harvest."

Chu Ye put on her new cotton-padded jacket, and after some hesitation, she put on the red scarf given by Mu Jiajun. She and Chu Guangyao greeted their parents together. As elders, their parents also smiled and gave them lucky money.

The first day of the Lunar New Year was a day off, and the second day, according to their local custom, was the day for married daughters to return to their parents' home to visit their relatives. Sure enough, after the family had dinner, the three sisters came to visit one after another.

The eldest sister Chu Xiang and the second sister Chu Lan both came back with their husbands. The eldest sister did not bring her children home, and the second sister brought her eldest son Wang Qingqing back to visit.

The third sister Chu Hua was happy with her daughter who had learned to walk. The third brother-in-law did not come back this time. He said that the factory where her father worked was short of people to look after it during the New Year. The original workers all wanted to reunite with their families during the New Year. The third brother-in-law was originally going to take over his father's job after the New Year, but he took on this job in advance to leave a good impression in front of his superiors.

She said this with some complacency. Her two sisters and brother-in-law were silent after hearing this. Chu Ye didn't care about these, but she noticed sharply that Chu Hua didn't look well, so she asked her if anything bad had happened to her recently.

Hearing this, everyone's eyes gathered again. The joy in Chu Hua's eyes faded. She put her hand on her belly and denied it, "It's a good thing. I'm pregnant again. It's just that it's the New Year recently, and there are too many things to do at home. I'm tired because I can't handle it."

Chu Ye listened to it without commenting, and turned around to tease Gao Xing. The last time he met Gao Xing was half a year ago, when she couldn't speak clearly, but now she can clearly say "Auntie", and with her pink and white little face, she looks very cute.

On this side, Chu Hua saw that no one responded to her question, so she turned around and asked Chu Ye how his life was at school. Chu Ye didn't even raise his head and replied, "Very good."

"I have never been able to concentrate on studying since I was young, unlike you, who have good grades and have been admitted to a teachers' college. You will also have a job after graduation." There was a subtle envy in Chu Hua's tone, which made Chu Ye feel uncomfortable. She looked up with surprise, because the last time they met, Chu Hua was still persuading her to get married.

"Little sister, studying is important, but you have to pay more attention to your lifelong event, or your brother-in-law can keep an eye on you in the village and arrange for you to meet when the conditions are similar." The eldest brother-in-law spoke at this time. Chu Ye rolled her eyes secretly, but thinking that it was New Year's Day and her sisters and brothers-in-law would leave soon, she did not retort.

To be honest, she was much older than her eldest and second sisters, and she was about the same age as her third sister, so she had been closer to her third sister since she was a child. When she was just in elementary school, her two sisters got married and only came back two or three times a year, so there was no deep relationship between them.

"How good a job can you introduce to her? When she graduates, she will have a stable job given by the government. What kind of job can she find?" Although Chu Ye remained silent, Chu Hua became unhappy.

Although she felt that women had to get married and even if they had studied a lot they still had to return to their families and have children, it did not mean that her sister could be matched up so casually.

What does "seek a man in the village who is similar in conditions and meet him?" Her sister was admitted to the Teachers College through her own efforts. She has a bright future. What man can't match her? How can it be arranged so casually as her elder brother-in-law said?

"Third sister! How do you talk to your brother-in-law like that?" The eldest sister was unhappy and warned her.

Chu Hua rolled her eyes, and her mother came out to smooth things over. The scene fell into silence for a while. Chu Hua didn't want to stay with them, so she picked up Gao Xing and pulled Chu Ye, and said to Chu Guangyao, "Let's go to your room and take out your toys for your niece to play with."

After saying that, he walked towards the side room.

When they arrived at the side room, Chu Guangyao took out the toys as expected, then he hugged Gaoxing to the bed, pulled the quilt around her, and the two of them started playing.

Listening to the happy laughter, Chu Hua's original irritability dissipated. Chu Ye spoke at this time, "Third sister, you are pregnant, which is a good thing, but why do I see that you are in a bad mood?"

Hearing this, Chu Hua looked back deeply. The girl in front of her was wearing a red scarf, which made her skin look even whiter. She had a black ponytail hanging down to her waist. Her eyes, those black grape-like eyes, no longer had the innocence and liveliness of her childhood, but were calm as if she saw through everything.

She thought of the scene just now. No one noticed that she was in a bad condition, but Chu Ye noticed it and asked her with concern, which made her feel warm in her heart.

Chu Hua gradually realized that in the two years since she got married, Chu Ye had grown rapidly in places she couldn't see. The girl who used to follow her around and sweetly called her sister had also quietly grown into a big tree with her own opinions.

She knew that she could confide some of her unspeakable pain to him, so she said, "Your brother-in-law will go to work in town after the Chinese New Year. By then, it will be just me and my parents-in-law at home. They have been staring at my belly, hoping that I will have a boy this time."

"But I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll give birth to another girl and I won't be able to explain to my family."

(End of this chapter)