Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

Xu Bei got the two keys and felt that the five yuan he spent that month was really worth it.

After seeing off his cousin Song, he wanted to invite Song Guodong to have a meal at a state-run restaurant.

However, he was rejected.

"Da Bei, your grandma and her family have come all this way, they must be waiting for you to eat at home. We brothers can eat together anytime, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Also, I'm in a hurry to get back and deliver those dozen or so stools while there's still time.

Xu Bei didn't hesitate any longer and said decisively, "Okay, then let's all go home first, and find some time later to have a good drink together."

The two quickly locked the door and then rode away together.

It wasn't even 6 p.m. yet, but it was already completely dark.

Especially now that the lunar calendar has entered the twelfth month, and in a few days it will be the seventh and eighth days of the twelfth lunar month when the chin will freeze off. Without the sunshine, it will get even colder.

The biting north wind, like a drunken man, rampaged through the icy, snowy world, howling and howling.

The wind still carried fine snowflakes, which rustled against my face and body.

If anyone dares to breathe out of their mouth without wearing a scarf outdoors, the cold wind will rush in through their throat, making their lungs ache.

Xu Bei, fully armed except for his eyes, rode against the wind, his breath forming a layer of frost on his scarf and hat.

However, since I was born and raised here, my body is already used to the cold, and it hasn't reached the coldest time of minus forty degrees Celsius, so I can still bear it.

When I rode to the area of ​​bungalows where my family lived, I saw rows of chimneys belching smoke and some children dressed in bulky clothes running wildly in the alley.

Occasionally, an adult would come out of their house and call them home for dinner, and some children would stomp the snow off their feet and run home in a flash.

Xu Bei watched this scene with a smile as he rode his bicycle.

This is a scene that's hard to see after moving upstairs.

When Xu Bei pushed the cart into the yard, he saw that his father's bicycle was gone again, and he knew that his father had gone to work the night shift.

Hearing the noise, Zhao Fengying quickly opened the door and came out.

"Son, you're back. Have you eaten?"

While propping up the car ladder, Xu Bei casually asked, "No, we haven't eaten. Have you finished eating?"

Zhao Fengying immediately replied, "I've finished eating. I left some dumplings for you in the pot. Your aunt has an upset stomach and can't eat anything greasy."

Xu Bei felt that after such a long and tiring journey, there was a high probability that eating some sauerkraut dumplings would give him an upset stomach.

Just like the other day when I ate pork dumplings with pork ribs and roe deer meat, I didn't find it surprising at all.

He suppressed a laugh and asked, "What about my grandma?"

Zhao Fengying didn't think too much about it, assuming it was just a grandson's concern for his grandmother. She said truthfully, "Your grandma has been on the train for so long and it's not convenient for her. Now she's saying it's good to make a fuss. It's a good way to relax and not feel so stifled."

The mother and son quickly entered the house one after the other.

In the east room.

The old lady sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and puffed on her cigarette.

Xu Dahong rubbed her stomach with one hand and held an enamel mug in the other.

Xu Juan sat at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed), leaning against the kang qin (a type of kang music instrument) and fiddling with the radio tuning.

Upon seeing Xu Bei enter the house, the mother and daughter's eyes lit up with anticipation and excitement, showing much more excitement than their younger sister, Xu Juan.

"Xiao Bei is back. Did he ask your boss?"

"Yes, what did they say? Did they agree?"

Xu Bei casually pulled off his hat and gloves, and said innocently, "I didn't go to my boss's place. My buddy came to find me to do something else."

The old lady and Xu Dahong were extremely disappointed, but even though they were angry, they had to suppress their anger because they needed Xu Bei's help. They had to speak politely.

"We thought you'd been gone for a long time."

"Yes... Xiao Bei, Grandma said you should hurry up and ask your aunt tomorrow."

Xu Bei twitched the corner of his mouth and readily agreed, "Sure, I'll ask my boss tomorrow."

But in her heart, she thought to herself that he, the "boss," would definitely not let them have their way.

"Okay, then thank you in advance, Auntie." Xu Dahong quickly coaxed her, "Once Auntie earns money, she definitely won't treat you unfairly."

Just then, Zhao Fengying's urging voice came from the kitchen.

"Son, quickly put the kang table on."

"Okay."

Xu Bei responded and then ignored the mother and daughter, instead moving the kang table that was standing near the cabinet onto the kang.

Xu Juan immediately slid down to put on her shoes, and then helped carry the plates and bowls.

Xu Bei first went to the wrought iron washstand in the outer room, washed his hands with soap and dried them before returning to the east room.

On the kang table, her mother and sister had already placed a lot of food.

There were sizzling dumplings with pickled cabbage, cornmeal porridge, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and homemade pickled cucumbers and chive blossoms.

Dumplings are also delicious if you just dip them in the pot for a bit.

Take another sip of cornmeal porridge; the combination of dry and wet textures is quite nice.

Seeing Xu Bei eating dumplings with gusto, Xu Dahong was incredibly envious and deeply regretted that she had been greedy at lunch and had eaten two large plates by herself.

The old lady also secretly swallowed.

But if you have diarrhea, you can't eat even if you want to, and you can only worry helplessly.

Xu Bei didn't care that the old lady and Xu Dahong were staring at him, and focused on eating as if nothing was wrong.

The mother and daughter, however, soon clutched their stomachs, whether in real or feigned pain, and ran outside to use the restroom with their metal flashlights.

Once only Xu Bei and the other two were left in the room, it became much easier to talk.

Zhao Fengying couldn't help but complain, "At noon, your grandma and aunt ate like they were starving ghosts. I wanted to advise them to eat less since their stomachs hadn't adjusted yet after getting off the bus, but I was too embarrassed to say it. Otherwise, your dad would have complained and thought he wasn't letting his mom and sister have enough to eat."

Xu Bei swallowed the dumpling in his mouth and said with a smile, "Mom, you're right not to say anything. Some good intentions are unnecessary. Anyway, whoever suffers, suffers."

Zhao Fengying nodded in agreement and said, "That's true. Only those who are suffering know how bad it is. I think tonight will be quite a struggle."

"Will you and Xiaojuan be able to sleep well then?" Xu Bei immediately suggested, "Why don't you both sleep in my room?"

Xu Juan was immediately tempted, but remained silent and looked at her mother instead.

Zhao Fengying thought for a moment, "That works too. This way they can put the covered buckets in the east room, and they won't have to run to the toilet outside in the middle of the night. Anyway, they're mother and daughter, so neither of them should complain about the other."

Meanwhile, outside, where the cold wind was howling, the old lady and Xu Dahong were also squatting on the toilet, whispering to each other.

"Mom, I don't think your grandson is genuinely trying to help me. If my eldest brother's fifth or sixth son knew that my aunt also wanted to do this good job, he would definitely work even harder without waiting for the next day..."

"Actually, I've noticed it too. This kid's become like a completely different person, unpredictable. And Old Pig's got a strong back; I don't think even your second brother can control him!"

Xu Dahong became even more anxious. "Mom, what if I can't do this job?"

The old lady said calmly, "What else can we do? Don't worry, with me here, I'll definitely make sure you get the job."