Gu Dong had to get up early in the morning to rush to work. The weather was cold and there was nothing to do at home.
He tried his best not to wake up the Ai Cao,
So that she could sleep a little longer.
But once he left, he didn't see her for a whole day.
He ate lunch outside, so the Ai Cao would wake up early to cook for him.
"I told you to go back to sleep. Don't worry about me.
I can cook by myself.
I'll leave it in the pot for you after eating. You can get up when you want to. "Gu Dong pressed down on the little person who was trying to climb out of the blanket to put on her clothes.
"It's okay. I can't sleep now. I'll cook with you. After dinner,
I'll come back to sleep after you leave. I'll pack a hot water bag. It'll be more comfortable than now! "The Ai Cao smiled and explained to Gu Dong.
Actually, she had already slept enough.
Otherwise, Gu Dong would wake up so quietly.
She wouldn't wake up immediately.
There was no electricity in the village.
There were only kerosene lamps in the house.
It was not worth it to read at night. It hurt her eyes.
In addition, it got dark early in winter.
Basically, they had dinner before six o'clock in the afternoon. Even if they took the time to clean up the kitchen, wash up, and chat, they would not go to bed past eight o'clock.
Therefore, the time until dawn was really long. Even though the Ai Cao was now 16 years old and in the growing period, she felt that this sleep was long enough.
The dark sky, the moon that had not completely set, and the sound of roosters crowing in the distance from time to time indicated that a new day was about to begin. In the dim courtyard, two thin figures were busy.
"Come in. The warm water will be ready in a few minutes." The Ai Cao was cutting firewood by the courtyard wall. She called out to Gu Dong, who was holding a towel to the water jar to use cold water.
"It's okay. I used to use cold water to wash casually in the winter. I won't get sick. There's really no need to trouble yourself. Look, I haven't been sick these days!" Gu Dong waved the towel, trying to persuade the Ai Cao. Ever since he returned from the hospital, the Ai Cao had begun to nag him to use hot water. However, he found it troublesome. It was not as fast as cold water, and it was not as comfortable as cold water.
"The weather is cold and the water is cold. You can clean it with a scratch or two! Moreover, even if you don't fall sick now, once the cold enters your body and accumulates over a long period of time, you will suffer when you are old! Quick, go into the house and help with the fire! "The Ai Cao yelled at him.
As the two of them got closer, Gu Dong realized that his little wife's temper had grown a lot. However, he had spoiled her, so he couldn't blame anyone. Sometimes, when the Ai Cao yelled at him, he enjoyed it.
"Okay, okay, okay. I'll help you with the fire. We'll use hot water together later!" Gu Dong smiled and went to help the Ai Cao with the firewood.
For breakfast, they had white steamed buns and stir-fried vegetables made by Ai Cao. For rice, they had corn porridge. However, Ai Cao's porridge was very sticky and even added sweet potatoes into it.
After breakfast, Gu Dong looked for other villagers to dig the canal together. Ai Cao cleaned up the kitchen and sat in the courtyard, basking in the sun and reading a book.
In the cold winter, the warm sun seemed short and precious. The Ai Cao enjoyed this leisurely day very much.
It was Gu Dong's first day at work. The Ai Cao did not feel anything. Other than constantly looking at the door at around 4 pm, the Ai Cao did not do anything else.
However, when Gu Dong came back, the Ai Cao unconsciously kept circling around him. It was as if the Ai Cao could not find the words to say to Gu Dong.
Because Gu Dong was doing physical work, the Ai Cao specially made braised pork for dinner. Gu Dong ate very happily and ate more than half a bowl of white rice than usual.
At first, Gu Dong ate a lot when he came back at night. The Ai Cao thought that Gu Dong had not worked for a while and was now tired from the physical work, so he ate a lot. However, after Fu Fang came over, the Ai Cao knew that was not the case.
"I heard from a lot of villagers that although the construction site provided lunch, it was not enough to fill their stomachs. Communal meals are not good to begin with, and they are doing heavy work. I asked Fu Jiu. Although he said that he was not hungry, so many villagers said that it was not enough. I suspect that he was not telling me the truth! "
"Think about it. Although a bowl of braised vegetables and two mixed grain buns for lunch sounds good, and it is more sumptuous than most people's lunch, they are still young. It is normal for them to not be able to last until work ends."
The two of them were about to get married. Fu Fang felt sorry for Fu Jiu, but she only talked to the Ai Cao about this matter. She did not dare to say anything bad about the government once she stepped out of the door.
"Is everyone like this? Is no one responding to the situation? How can they work if they do not eat well? "The Ai Cao thought about how Gu Dong ate when he came back for lunch these few days. She suddenly felt bad.
Gu Dong did not tell her about these things. She guessed that he did not want her to feel bad. Even if he told her, there was no good solution. It would only make her more worried at home.
"When they are working, there are some who are just there to make up the numbers. But the neighbors all know what kind of people they are. After a long time, no one is willing to work with them, and they will leave a bad impression on others."
Because they were about to get married, Fu Jiu's family would ask his cousin to come over and chat with Fu Fang from time to time. Therefore, although Fu Fang didn't have much contact with the villagers, she heard all kinds of gossip in the village, and there were all kinds of miscellaneous things.
"Sigh, it is not easy." The Ai Cao felt sorry for Gu Dong. She was thinking about how to solve this problem. It was definitely not possible to deliver lunch at noon. This was because the food at the construction site was already very good in the eyes of the villagers. Many people were very willing to go to the construction site just for lunch.
"Oh yes, I plan to make a new cotton-padded jacket for Fu Jiu. Originally, these things were prepared by his mother for our wedding. But it is too cold now. I am afraid that Fu Jiu will freeze at the construction site, so I made it for him to wear first. Do you want to see if I can add more clothes for your Gu Dong?" Fu Fang kindly asked the Ai Cao.
"Previously, Gu Dong was injured and hospitalized. At that time, I was afraid that he would not be able to recover well in the winter. So, when I was in the county, I gave him some money to make some clothes for him. But I will ask him when he comes back."
Under Gu Dong's half-new jacket was a new cotton-padded jacket and trousers made this year. However, they were all half-thick. There was still a thick jacket that had not been worn yet. Gu Dong said that it was not the coldest time yet. The thickest jacket could only be worn in the twelfth lunar month when it snowed heavily. But looking at the current situation, the Ai Cao felt that it was better to bring out the thickest jacket in advance.
Gu Dong did not come back until it was dark. At this time, the Ai Cao had already prepared dinner. It was fish soup and steamed noodles. Originally, this dish was usually eaten at noon. But after chatting with Fu Fang in the afternoon, the Ai Cao did not plan to work at Gu Dong's place. During this period of time, the Ai Cao ate porridge at night.
During dinner, the Ai Cao and Gu Dong talked about what happened in the afternoon. Originally, the Ai Cao thought that Gu Dong would say something. But unexpectedly, Gu Dong did not care at all.
"It's okay. The food is okay. At most, I will be a little hungry when I am about to get off work. But it's almost time to get off work. At that time, everyone is lazing around. They don't put in much effort. "
Although the food wasn't as delicious as the food at home, and it cooled down quickly, and it was always so salty that it could kill a person, Gu Dong, who had lived a hard life, felt that this was still bearable.
Even this kind of life was much better than before, so there was nothing to complain about. Moreover, everyone was like this. Compared to many people who worked together with him, his life was really good.
"You have to tell me the truth. Don't starve yourself." The Ai Cao looked serious and was very worried.
"I won't. Don't worry, my wife. I will only have stomach growls when I am about to get off work. As long as I don't delay work, it is not a problem at all. Hehe, to be honest, I, Gu Dong, am really lucky to have married you. If it were someone else, I would definitely suffer when I got off work this winter. You really are our Gu Family's lucky star! "Gu Dong giggled, saying nice things as if they didn't cost anything.
“？？” The Ai Cao did not understand: "You are working at the construction site. I can't help you when you are working hard. How is it a lucky star?"
"Everyone is working. The government will not deduct too much from their meals. Compared to the lives of other families, the food at the construction site is really good. Who would dare to cook a dish with two cornbread in the afternoon? Usually, when they live their lives, even if they are given one, they may not be able to eat it every day. The reason why there are people in the village who do not have enough to eat is because some people are not willing to eat. "
"Not willing to eat?" The Ai Cao's brain seemed to have been electrocuted. She thought of something and looked at Gu Dong in surprise.
"Yes, it is what you think!" Gu Dong nodded and confirmed her thoughts. "There are too many families in the village who do not have enough food. So, some men at the construction site eat one of the cornbread and bring the other home. Some even eat a bowl of food and bring both of them home. That is why some people at the construction site can't hold on and almost have an accident."
The economic situation was not good. No family was rich. A little food could save a life. Gu Dong had experienced a long period of not having enough food to eat. So, he felt that it was normal for the villagers to do such things.
Every person and every family had their own way of living.
Although the two of them had a detailed discussion and the Ai Cao already understood the situation at the construction site, the next day when Gu Dong went to work, she still made him egg pies and asked him to bring them to Gu Dong.
"I know you don't want to attract attention. I mixed some mixed grains into the flour. When you eat it, you should avoid people's eyes. You have just recovered from your injury. You shouldn't be in a hurry to do this kind of physical work. If you don't rest, you will fall sick. "
The Ai Cao was really concerned about Gu Dong. Their family did not lack food now. She still had dozens of mu of land in Zhuangzi that had been confiscated. But she also knew that she could not not let Gu Dong work. Their life in this village had to adapt to the village's rules.
She said that Gu Dong had recovered from his injury. It was a wonderful thing. When the government needed him, he had to work.
The interests of the masses were always greater than personal interests. People should have the spirit of dedication. Even if this spirit was not outstanding, it did not mean that he could not be selfish and make others unhappy.
The cold wind kept blowing. Although Gu Dong said that he was not cold and sometimes even sweated, his hands were exposed. If the wind blew for a long time, his hands would be chapped. So, the Ai Cao decided to make a pair of cotton gloves for Gu Dong.
At first, the Ai Cao did not think of this. Later, she saw Duan Xue gloves. She tried them on and felt that they did not hinder her work. So, she wanted to make a pair for Gu Dong. But the cotton gloves for Duan Xue were sent by a classmate in the city. The Ai Cao went to the supply and demand cooperative in town but could not find them.
Since Gu Dong was not around, she would definitely not go to town alone. She did not want to delay, so she took the gloves back and studied them for a long time. She decided to make the gloves from the rags she did not wear at home. She would stuff cotton inside and decide the thickness. The style could also be changed to make it more convenient for use.
The Ai Cao was not a procrastinator. She stayed at home for five days and finally made a pair of gloves that she was satisfied with.
When Gu Dong came back at night, the Ai Cao mysteriously pulled him into the room and gave him the gloves as if they were treasures.
"Here, try them on. See if they fit and whether they will affect your work." The Ai Cao looked at Gu Dong expectantly.
"Oh, these are gloves? Did you go to the town market with the villagers? " Gu Dong took the gloves and looked at them. The outer layer was a dark green polyester cloth. There was a grayish-black eagle embroidered on the back of the hands. It looked very imposing with its wings spread out. What was even more surprising was that the palms could be lifted up and revealed four barrel-shaped finger guards.
"I have never seen anyone wear gloves like this before. Where did you buy them?"
Gu Dong did not hear any response from the Ai Cao after he asked. He looked up and found his wife looking at him. She was smiling so much that her eyes were narrowed into slits.
"What are you laughing about?" Gu Dong raised his hand and gently knocked on the Ai Cao's head. He said with satisfaction, "It should be made of corduroy. It's very warm!"
"Do you think it will affect your work?" The Ai Cao asked happily.
"I don't think so. I just have to lift up the top layer. Even so, only a small part of the fingers are exposed." The more Gu Dong looked at the gloves, the more he felt that this style was convenient and useful.
"The cotton gloves I've seen are all connected to the surface of the palm. Gloves with ten fingers separated to protect the hand are only made of knitted wool. Where did you get this from? I have never seen them in town or county! "
"It would be strange if you had seen them! It took me five days to make them! "The Ai Cao said proudly.
She had gone to town to buy some, but she did not see Duan Xue gloves. She only saw the knitted wool gloves that Gu Dong had mentioned. However, she felt that knitted wool was not wind-resistant. Gu Dong was outdoors and his windbreaker would be directly blown through. Therefore, she ignored the disdainful look of the salesperson at the supply and demand cooperative and studied the gloves for a long time. When she came back, she combined them with the Duan Xue gloves and created this one.
Although it looked a little out of place, as if it was a combination of other styles, it was warm and practical.
"Ah! You made it yourself! "Gu Dong was shocked by his wife's words and opened his mouth wide.
"What? Do you think I can't make it? "The Ai Cao looked at him from the corner of her eyes. She looked like she would beat him up if he dared to say that.
"No, my wife is the most capable!" Gu Dong liked to see Ai Cao throw a tantrum. He lowered his head and quickly kissed her face. Then, he turned around and ran out while shouting happily: "I found a treasure. I found a treasure!"
Crazy! The Ai Cao blushed and looked at him as he went crazy.
Those who knew that he was talking about Ai Cao's Precious Finger would think that he was talking about the gloves in his hand.
The next day at work, Gu Dong's gloves attracted a lot of attention.
"Wow, Dongzi is wearing gloves!" Zhang Ernao, who was two years older than Gu Dong, said with envy and jealousy when he put his hands into his sleeves to keep warm during work.
"Dongzi, your gloves cost a lot, right?" Niu Er, who was working beside Gu Dong, looked at them carefully. Not only did they keep warm, but they were also convenient. He thought that they must have been bought from the county and must not be cheap.
Gu Dong smiled, but before he could answer, Zhang Wang said bluntly, "You're a man, why are you wearing gloves? If you have the money to buy this thing, why don't you pay off your debt first?"
"That's right, that's right. These things are not practical. If you have the spare money, you can save it up and buy a cotton vest."
Not far away, there were a few more rude comments.
Gu Dong's mouth was slanted, but there was no smile in his eyes. He said carelessly: "My wife was worried that her husband would be cold while working, so she made them herself. I didn't buy them with money. Also, my family's debt is almost paid off by selling firewood. "
Whoosh! Gu Dong's words caused many people to suck in a breath of cold air.
Almost paid off the debt!
Oh my god! In order to repay the Ai family's kindness, he had borrowed 50 RMB from the village. It had only been a month, and he was almost paid off already? Even if he paid off half of the debt, it would still be 25 RMB!
"Dongzi, did you earn this money by selling firewood with Fu Qiang and Fu Jiu?" Uncle Ge San, who was in his forties, asked tentatively.
"Yes, it was that time. When I was hospitalized, I met a friend in the county who had connections. But unfortunately, he collected enough money." No one in the village was rich. Gu Dong had money in his hands, but he felt uncomfortable if he didn't drag it out. Moreover, the news of the three of them selling firewood to earn money spread the next day after they paid off their debts. No one knew whether it was from Fu Jiu or Fu Qiang.
However, they didn't say how much money they earned. The villagers only knew that they made money. Some guessed that it was about 10 RMB, while others guessed that it was about 10 RMB or 20 RMB. However, only a minority guessed that it was more than 20 RMB.
What they didn't expect was that the main character's words would be confirmed today. It was the most impossible guess. The villagers working around them were all from the same village. Although everyone was waving their shovels and hoes, they didn't pay much attention to their work.
It was only a few carts of firewood, and they actually earned more than 20 RMB!
After thinking for a while, all the men started to look at Gu Dong in a different way during lunch time.
"Dongzi, come and eat with us."
"Let's go. Let's eat together."
"Dongzi, do you have enough cornbread? Why don't I share half of it with you?"
"Hmph, the landlord's son. He really doesn't know when to give up!"
… …
Some wanted to get close to Gu Dong, and some looked down on him. However, Gu Dong didn't care. He found a place with many villagers and squatted down to eat cornbread like everyone else.
He had heard a lot of good and bad words in his 18 years of life. There was nothing he couldn't accept.
He knew everyone's attitude towards him now.
Those who wanted to get close to him felt that he was different from before. He had caught a fugitive, and he even praised and learned from the county. When he was in the county hospital, he might have met some big shots.
Just by making friends in the county, he had made a lot of money. If they could get close to him, they might be able to benefit from him in the future.
As for those who were jealous or narrow-minded, they would only talk about it. Now, everything in the village was decided by the brigade leader. Fu Qiang had the final say in this matter. Also, this matter had passed, and no one would cause trouble for the brigade leader.
Sometimes, men didn't rely on themselves to get close to others. They also relied on the women at home. After this day, there were people coming to Ai Cao's house every three days. They wanted to learn how to make gloves from her. Ai Cao was not stingy. As long as they were sincere, she would teach them to anyone. But when they knew about the materials needed and how much effort was needed, fewer and fewer people came over.
In the end, only Changgeng's aunt, Yang Xiaoshu's wife, and a cousin of Fu Fang and Fu Jiu were left.
While teaching others, Ai Cao gathered the materials and made one for Grandpa Gu. When Gu Dong saw it, he was even happier than eating meat at night. That night, he directly sent it to Grandpa Gu.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye. Gu Dong felt a little dizzy when he woke up in the morning, but he didn't pay much attention to it. But when he worked until noon, he knew he was sick.
Catching a cold and having a fever was a small disaster. For men, this wouldn't affect their work. Gu Dong found some herbs and asked Ai Cao to brew it for him. He didn't plan to stop working.
"Don't go to work tomorrow. Let's go to the village clinic and get some medicine." Ai Cao frowned. Her face was full of heartache.
He had been hospitalized for a long time, and it had only been a month. Now he was sick again. She didn't want anything to happen to him.
"It's nothing. It's just a small cold. It should be over in three to five days." Gu Dong didn't care. People usually don't take medicine for a small cold. Most people just resist it and it will be over. If he didn't have a headache, he wouldn't have planned to take medicine.
Seeing the man being stubborn, Ai Cao didn't say anything. She sat at the side and deliberately wiped her tears.
"Hey, okay, okay. Don't cry. I'll listen to you, okay? We don't have to work tomorrow. Let's go to the clinic. "Gu Dong moved over and wanted to coax his wife.
"It's your body. If it's really ruined, I'll just remarry. It's fine if I don't go!" Ai Cao was very stubborn now.
"How dare you! What nonsense are you talking about? " Gu Dong raised his hand and pretended to hit her. In fact, he was just patting her head lightly: "Don't talk nonsense. Do you understand?"
"Hmph!" Ai Cao turned her head and ignored him.
"Hey, I'm going to the clinic. I already said that I'll go to the clinic tomorrow. Can you stop fooling around? But if you really want to go to the clinic, it will be a little troublesome. "Gu Dong looked at Ai Cao and frowned. He pretended to be in a difficult position.
"What kind of trouble?" Ai Cao's attention was attracted.
"You also know that there are 20 people in a village. If I don't go tomorrow, I will definitely find someone to replace me." Several villages worked together, and the number of people working every day was fixed. There was no need to ask for leave. If there was something wrong in the village, the village would find someone to replace me.
Ai Cao immediately frowned when she heard this. This was indeed a problem. The Gu family was the only family in the village. Gu Dong didn't want to be like other people. He had brothers in the family. No matter how bad the family was, he could find a cousin. But Gu Dong only had himself. His grandfather was so old that he definitely couldn't go.
"Then what should we do? Should we ask Fu Jiu's family? Or the other people in the village? Although it's hard work, there should be people who want to go for lunch. "
"Well, there are a lot of people in the village who want to go. But every time, there are only 20 people. Many people can't get a place. You stay at home. I will go to Brother Zhang's family and ask. His family has three children. This year, they have a daughter. They should be very willing to go. "
When Gu Dong was injured, Brother Zhang helped to send him to the hospital. He was a very good person. Gu Dong felt that he could ask him for help.
"Okay, then you go. If there is an accident, you can go to other families and ask." Ai Cao helped Gu Dong take the scarf and gloves.
"Well, okay. You don't have to worry about this."
Brother Zhang's name was Zhang Erzhu. His family was at the back of the village. They lived in three main houses. There was also a kitchen in the courtyard.
When Gu Dong came over, it was already dark. His family's house was dark. There was no light. The children's laughter mixed with the baby's crying. The whole house was very lively in the dark.
When Gu Dong heard the noise, he knew that his family was definitely not asleep.
"Brother Erzhu! Brother Erzhu, are you here? "Gu Dong stood at the half-open door and shouted inside.
"Who is it? Who is it? Who is it? Who is at home? "Zhang Erzhu came out of the house.
"I'm Gu Dong! I have something to ask Brother Erzhu for help. "Although it was dark and his face couldn't be seen, Gu Dong said with a smile.
Zhang Erzhu asked Gu Dong to come in and sit. When the two people walked to the door, the kerosene lamp inside was lit.
In the central room, Zhang Erzhu's wife was holding her sobbing daughter in one hand and holding a matchbox in the other. Seeing the light, the other three children in the west room also ran out.
After Gu Dong greeted Zhang Erzhu, he sat down with Zhang Erzhu and chatted for a bit. They talked about the matter of taking over the work.
Just as Gu Dong expected, as soon as he opened his mouth, Brother Zhang agreed wholeheartedly. Sister Zhang, who was holding the child next to him, was very happy.
It didn't take much persuasion to get it done, but on the way back, Gu Dong didn't feel very happy.
The scene he saw in the Zhang family's house just now made him panic.
What if he and Ai Cao had children in the future and couldn't afford to raise them? Could it be that as long as they didn't starve to death, it would be fine?
The Zhang family had three boys and one girl. The oldest was eight years old and the youngest was less than one year old. Now, this big family relied on Brother Zhang and Sister Zhang to take care of. Although it wasn't to the point of giving the children away or starving to death, each and every one of them looked sallow and emaciated.
As a man, Gu Dong felt that it was his responsibility to provide for the family. He didn't want his and Ai Cao's children to be like this in the future. In the end, all that was left was the word "work".
There was no need to go to work. The next day, the couple didn't wake up early and slept in. They warmed up and drank for a long time before crawling out of bed.
However, even though it was later than usual, it was only nine o 'clock when the two of them had dinner at home and walked to the entrance of the village hospital.
Before the two of them entered, they saw Ai Ershun and a woman in a nurse's uniform standing in the courtyard from afar.
"Why is he here?" Ai Cao frowned. She didn't want to see Ai Ershun.
"Isn't he going to have a wedding soon? Of course, he's looking for someone to discuss it. " Gu Dong pulled Ai Cao's arm and walked to the side of the road. "Let's wait at the intersection. If there's a car, let's go to the county hospital to get the medicine."
When Ai Cao heard Gu Dong's words, she looked up at him and frowned. "You don't want to see him? I don't want to see him either. "
"Yes, I don't want to see his family!" Ai Ershun was about to get married to a nurse here. Who knew if she would add something to the medicine when she prescribed it?
Don't blame Gu Dong for being petty. If he could really get along with Ai Ershun, Gu Dong really didn't think that she would be bewitched or be blinded by love and have any ulterior motives.
Although he didn't dare to forgive her and didn't dare to kill anyone, after all, it was something that had already been spoken of. She could take more or less medicine and add something to it.
Now that he had a wife at home, he might even have a son next year. His life was prosperous. Gu Dong didn't want to casually gamble his body on the possibility of accidents.
Gu Dong went to the county hospital to see the doctor. It was indeed a common cold and there was no big problem. However, Ai Cao still looked for Doctor Fang, who was good to Gu Dong when he was hospitalized. He asked if there was anything that Gu Dong needed to pay attention to this winter. "His wounds have healed.
This time, it's just dizziness caused by typhoid. He'll be fine after taking the medicine on time. However, it could also be that his physical fitness has deteriorated due to his previous injuries, so he's prone to illness. You guys should pay more attention when you go back. Try not to be exposed to the wind and catch a cold. Also, try to protect your waist and abdomen as much as possible to keep it warm.
Don't forget to take care of yourself. "Doctor Fang checked Gu Dong's abdomen and reminded them.
"Doctor Fang, he's sick now and needs to rest. Can you give him a certificate or something?" Ai Cao didn't want Gu Dong to go back to work at the construction site. He didn't want him to suffer even if he recovered.
"Why do you need that? Do you have any use for it? "Doctor Fang raised his head and asked them in confusion.
"Hey, doctor, please give me a certificate. I'm telling the truth, not lying. Please help me." Gu Dong smiled and went up to Doctor Fang to curry favor with him.
Although he didn't feel that there was anything wrong with going to work at the construction site, since his wife was worried, he didn't want to go. His health was indeed more important. He didn't want to have an accident and the day when Ai Cao died prematurely and got married with his child.
Eldest Madam Fang was a good person. When Gu Dong was hospitalized, she took care of them a lot. Ai Cao had a good relationship with him. He briefly explained the situation in the village to him. Sure enough, Doctor Fang straightforwardly gave them a certificate.
They were all from the same village. If Gu Dong didn't go to work, many people would know that he was unfilial. They had to have an excuse to stop others from saying that Gu Dong couldn't bear the hardships and didn't want to work at home.
After returning from the county hospital, Gu Dong's typhoid fever recovered after resting at home for five days. However, he didn't go to the construction site after he recovered. Ai Cao took care of him at home for another two days. He couldn't stay idle and started to work again.
"It's getting colder now. Keep the brazier hot. I'll go up the mountain to get more firewood and store some at home. After that, I'll go to see grandpa." Gu Dong told Ai Cao before he left.
"When you go to grandpa's house, ask him if he wants to move in with us and have dinner with us." Old Master Gu was over 60 years old. Ai Cao didn't feel comfortable leaving him alone in the cold weather.
"I don't think so, but I'll ask him again." Gu Dong had mentioned this before, but his grandpa was very stubborn and refused to come over.
Sure enough, when Gu Dong mentioned this to his grandpa again, his grandpa still waved his hand and looked like he didn't want to talk about it.
"You've helped me repair this thatched cottage a few times. The thickness of the walls is as thick as two people's. Moreover, I'm wearing the new cotton-padded clothes you gave me. I won't catch a cold. Let's eat. Don't get up. Grandpa has someone to eat with him. "
It turned out that in the middle of winter, these lonely old people in the village gathered in groups of three to five because they were bored.
"We usually chat around the brazier at your grandpa Fu Shan's house. A group of old friends occasionally play cards. When we go in the morning, we bring rations. At noon and at night, we have a pot of food. We don't even need to cook the fire ourselves. Our lives are more leisurely than yours. "
"Okay, then don't go. I'll send you some food tonight." Old people were old. It was more interesting to gather with old friends than to go to his house. Knowing that his grandpa had his own life, Gu Dong didn't force him.
"What's there to send? The food you sent is enough for the New Year. You don't have to bring more. Grandpa has enough. "Grandpa Gu waved his hand, indicating that Gu Dong didn't need it.
"Send some more. I went to the city and brought back a lot of food. It's enough for our family to eat until next spring. You should bring more rations when you go out in the morning. Don't save it."
These lonely old people in the village gathered together. They said that they were having fun together because they were bored in winter. In fact, they were taking care of each other. Eating together was also secretly helping those who were really short on food.
The old people were old and had weak immune systems. Every year, some of them froze to death or starved to death. They did this to help each other on the eve of every month.
After Gu Dong went back, he thought about it and directly sent half a bag of corn flour, a bag of sweet potatoes, seven to eight catties of rice, and ten catties of white flour to Grandpa Gu.
Grandpa Gu could eat the fine grain at home. Even if he took it out, it wouldn't be a lot. It wouldn't attract any attention. Of course, corn and sweet potatoes were commonly eaten by people, so it wouldn't attract any attention if he took it out.
In addition, Gu Dong also borrowed the brigade's trolley to transport two big carts of firewood to Third Grandpa Fu's house for the old people's gathering. This was so that the old people could have a warmer winter.
When Gu Dong did this, he didn't have any ulterior motives. However, his actions were still noticed by some people in the village. Not only the old people, but even when the brigade had nothing to do, some people sighed and said that they didn't expect Gu Dong to have such a heart.
In the twelfth lunar month, the weather was getting colder by the day.
"It's so gloomy. I thought it would snow. I didn't expect it to not snow," Ai Cao said regretfully.
Yesterday was the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. It was Ai Ershun's wedding day. Ai Cao thought that it would snow a little. Unfortunately, there was only cold and north wind. There were no snowflakes at all.
"It's not far away. It will snow in the next one or two days." Gu Dong looked at the gloomy and dark sky. He couldn't be sure.
There was no work to be done, and the strong wind was blowing outside. The young couple stayed at home and read books around the brazier. Gu Dong was still reading ghost stories, while Ai Cao was mainly reading high school textbooks.
In between reading, the couple would chat from time to time. Their days were very comfortable.
"Oh right, isn't Fu Jiu getting married on the eighteenth lunar month? There are only ten days left. Yesterday, when I came back to deliver the rice for Grandpa to make Laba Congee, I met Fu Fang. She said that Fu Jiu is still working at the construction site. The wedding is coming soon. Isn't he coming back to prepare? "Ai Cao asked Gu Dong curiously.
"Let's wait for another two days. If we let someone else work for us for too long, we will be laughed at in the village. Moreover, according to the current weather, once the snow gets heavier, the construction work will stop for this year."
The gloomy sky didn't disappoint people. On the night of the Laba Congee, snowflakes floated down. At first, it was small particles, but in the end, it became snowflakes.
The snow fluttered down. It only stopped after two and a half days. The snow on the roadside was above people's knees. In places where the snow was deep, it even reached people's waists.
Moreover, this snow was only the beginning. On Fu Jiu's wedding day, it had intermittently snowed twice. Although it was only light snow and would stop after one or two hours or half a day, it was winter. The snow only accumulated and didn't melt. The whole world was covered in silver.
On the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, it started snowing early in the morning. However, the wedding date was set long ago. It definitely wouldn't be delayed because of a small snowflake.
The falling snow didn't cover up the joyous atmosphere of the people. The Fu Family was full of smiling guests, friends, and neighbors who came to help. Semi-grown children came and went. It was very lively.
Gu Dong helped Fu Jiu to call for help in the courtyard. Ai Cao accompanied Fu Fang to stay in the bridal chamber.
"Hey, I didn't expect you to really get married like this." After the wedding ceremony, only Fu Fang, Ai Cao, Tian Yuanyuan, and Duan Xue were in the room. Duan Xue sighed and said.
"There's nothing bad about it. Fu Jiu is so considerate. I think it was worth it today!"
Fu Fang didn't care about Duan Xue's words on this big day. Moreover, Fu Jiu was really considerate today. Not only did he protect her during the ceremony, but he also prepared a cotton coat for her in advance so that she wouldn't feel cold. Just now, when he entered the room, he secretly asked her if she was cold or hungry. He also asked his cousin to bring her some egg soup in advance. He said that the banquet would start later so that she could eat something.
"I think Fu Jiu's family did a good job. It's much better than when I got married!" Ai Cao said with a smile.
The twelfth lunar month was the time for people to get married. Up until now, Mugwort had experienced a few weddings. Compared to other families, Mugwort felt that Fu Jiu's family had done a very good job today.
"No matter how good it is, it's not as good as …" It's not as good as the city. However, Duan Xue didn't say this out loud. She changed her words and said, "It's good that you like it. It's better to live your life comfortably and happily."
"Yes, isn't marriage for the good of a man? As long as Fu Jiu cares about me, that's enough." In this day and age, there were many men who didn't do anything serious. They only knew how to throw tantrums at home or how to make a living at home. Fu Fang felt that she was lucky to have met Fu Jiu.
What's wrong with living in the countryside? Isn't life in the countryside still a normal life? In the whole country, there are more people living in the countryside than in the city.
"What about you? What are your plans? I heard from Fu Jiu that Fu Qiang has been going on blind dates recently. One of them is a girl from the town. It seems that both families are very satisfied and are planning to let the two young people interact more. "
Fu Fang's words successfully changed the topic. Ai Cao and Tian Yuanyuan both turned to look at Duan Xue.
"No way, the Fu family is so fast?" Tian Yuanyuan was a little surprised. Previously, she had seen how well Fu Qiang treated Duan Xue. He cared for her and even gave her gifts. How long has it been? How could he find a new girlfriend so quickly?
"It's still considered normal. Fu Qiang is one or two years older than Fu Jiu. Moreover, it's the time for blind dates. But I didn't expect him to get along with other girls so quickly. Sigh, what's going on between the two of you? If he really likes you, doing this would be a little … "Fu Fang had always thought that Fu Qiang was a good person. But after this incident, she still felt a little uncomfortable.
But to be honest, she couldn't blame Fu Qiang entirely. Duan Xue really didn't reject Fu Qiang's kindness to her. She didn't agree and didn't even acknowledge their relationship.
"I don't know either. Let's talk about it later." Duan Xue was in a bad mood. She didn't look happy just now.
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