When we cook together in the front yard, we use grain that can be eaten in small or large quantities. Everyone takes out as much grain as they can eat, and the same goes for eating.
Occasionally, there will be too much food, but there will never be too much rice.
The aunt suddenly wanted to eat, and everyone looked at each other in shock, almost falling to their waists due to her sudden turn.
Miao Yulan wiped her tears and said tremblingly: "Mom, wait a minute, I will do it for you right now..."
"What are you doing? Isn't that right?" Taking advantage of Wen Lan and Yu Xiangqin's confusion, the aunt took the opportunity to break away from their hands and sit down at the dining table.
"No... that's everyone's..." Miao Yulan wanted to explain, but after thinking about it, she decided to forget it, "Then I'll give you my share."
The aunt said "Huh" and then glared at Miao Yulan: "You are living a good life. Your father and I don't dare to eat three meals, but you are very full after eating without skipping a meal!"
Miao Yulan lowered her head, her chin almost touching her collarbone.
Her face was extremely red, and she didn't know whether it was because she was beaten or because she was ashamed.
She didn't dare to look at anyone, her eyes were empty and lifeless.
The rice was already served, and Miao Yulan gave her mother her bowl of cornstarch and a steamed bun, and stood aside.
"Why is this all? Are you going to starve me to death?" The aunt frowned, holding the bowl and drinking most of the cornstarch in one gulp.
Wang Shumei patted the back of Lin Nianhe's hand, walked forward and sat down in her seat.
She took a bite of the wowotou and then said, "What are you all doing standing here? You have to eat, and you have to work in the afternoon."
After saying that, she glanced at the aunt and said, "We cook as much as we can. Your daughter has no food and gets less, so why not just share less? She didn't know you were coming in advance. Isn’t it normal that I didn’t bring you food?”
While Wang Shumei was talking, she had already swallowed half of the cornbread.
The others finally came to their senses and sat down to eat.
"Yes, aunt, Yulan only eats this little food in one meal. Do you think you will starve to death? That's right. If you eat such a small amount of food, you will starve to death." Wang Xue held up two nests. Wo Tou, he ate one and hid the other, "Didn't you see, your daughter is so thin that she almost looks like no one."
Yu Xiangqin came back waving her hands, rolling her eyes and humming: "After the autumn harvest last year, didn't Magnolia send most of the grain back to her family? That means she has to go to the fields now. In winter, she only eats one meal a day and drinks cold water when she is hungry. .”
The aunt chose to pretend not to hear what they said. She muttered and cursed while eating. She was speaking in her hometown dialect. They could only understand it half-understood. They could only feel from the tone that the calmness now was just because they had food. Wait a minute. Son, there is no need to make any fuss yet.
Wen Lan sat next to Wang Shumei, looking at this and that, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say.
She finally chose silence, planning to wait until Lin Nianhe finished speaking before speaking, or waiting for the aunt to take action again, then she could pretend that her hands were shaking and throw the chopsticks out to slap her.
Wen Lan made up her mind and waited for Lin Nianhe to speak while pondering the angle and strength of swinging the chopsticks.
Lin Nianhe didn't say anything. She was slowly moving towards the backyard in a way that would least attract anyone's attention.
She really didn't want to be noticed by her aunt. After all, the scene between the two of them was not very good. If she made her curse again, Lin Nianhe was afraid that he would throw out an electric baton and force her to shut up.
Lin Nianhe had just moved behind the east wall when a head suddenly poked his head in at the courtyard door.
Wang Xixi came in carrying a small bamboo basket. Without seeing Lin Nianhe, she smiled and said to Wang Shumei and Wen Lan, "Hello, I'm looking for Nianhe. Is she here?"
"Huh? Didn't Hezi just..."
"She's in the backyard, just go over there!"
Wang Shumei pulled Wen Lan and interrupted her.
She just caught sight of Lin Nianhe moving back. She must have seen Wang Xixi, right?
Wang Shumei felt that Wang Xixi came at the right time to save them from climbing over the wall again.
"Okay." Wang Xixi nodded with a smile and walked towards the backyard carrying the bamboo basket.
She just walked around the east wall and saw Lin Nianhe desperately waving his hand at her to signal her to stop talking.
Wang Xixi's steps only paused for a moment, then walked around the east wall as if nothing happened and disappeared from everyone's sight.
Lin Nianhe dragged Wang Xixi to the backyard. She stopped when they were far away.
Wang Xixi didn't know what was going on yet, so she handed the bamboo basket to Lin Nianhe: "Nianhe, my second sister and I went up the mountain to pick some cherries. You can try them. They should be the last ones this year. They are very sweet."
"Thanks."
Lin Nianhe didn't want to refuse. After taking it, he whispered to Wang Xixi: "Daxi, go home quickly and tell Aunt Wang for us - just say that Miao Yulan's mother is here, Aunt Wang can understand."
"ah?"
Wang Xixi frowned and then remembered that there seemed to be an aunt in the front yard just now.
She immediately fell down and whispered: "My mother went to the commune before dinner. She called the brigade headquarters as if there was something urgent. My mother left without even eating... Oh yes, Li My uncle also went together."
Lin Nianhe: "..."
Could it be that Principal Wu couldn't hold back his excitement and went to the commune to talk to the leaders about building a school?
Calculating time, this is really possible.
Lin Nianhe was a little confused.
She seems to be very good at cheating herself recently.
Aunt Wang was not there, and neither was the captain's uncle. Lin Nianhe was a little confused and didn't know who to look for for a while.
Apart from these two, there was also Accountant Zhao in the Shili Brigade who was eloquent, but Lin Nianhe had never seen him before and didn't know him at all.
Wang Xixi tugged on Lin Nianhe's sleeve and whispered, "How about I go to find Aunt Li?"
Her cheeks were red, and she was obviously a little shy about going to find her future mother-in-law.
Lin Nianhe licked his lips and thought to himself that if it was just a simple fight, it would be fine to go to Aunt Li, but for this kind of thing...
Just as Lin Nianhe was hesitating, there was already a commotion in the front yard again.
Auntie is full of food and drink, and feels energetic again.
Before others could react, she had already moved the small bench she was sitting on and rushed towards Miao Yulan who was standing behind her.
The hard wooden stool was placed on Miao Yulan's back by her.
This was so fast and sudden that the educated youths who were eating their meals did not react at all. When they turned around, Miao Yulan had already staggered and fell to the ground.
"You damn girl, how dare you lie to me! Tell me! What's going on with your letter? What do you think you're going to do if you don't pay even a dime for your brother's marriage?"
"If it weren't for your brother, would I want you? You wolf bastard who doesn't know how to repay kindness..."
As she spoke, she hit her without any mercy, as if the person she was hitting was not her own daughter.
Miao Yulan curled up into a ball and covered her head and face with her arms. Her posture was so skillful that it made people feel distressed.
In the backyard, Lin Nianhe didn't have time to think too much. He pushed Wang Xixi and said, "Anyone, please call someone first. Uncle Accountant or whichever elder can come best."
Wang Xixi responded, sprinted towards the back wall, stepped on the dignity of the courtyard wall and climbed out.
Lin Nianhe listened to the miserable howl in the front yard, and some of the darkest memories flashed through his mind.
Those curses and howls made her feel dazed for a moment, and she felt like she was back in the apocalypse again.
With violence filling his eyes, Lin Nianhe picked up the kitchen knife and walked to the front yard.
