"Wow, it smells so good!" Yang Ruoqing couldn't help but take a deep breath and said while busy with what she was doing.
Wang Cuilian under the stove also smiled.
"Meat, of course it tastes good!" the woman said.
Yang Ruoqing said: "Seeing these baskets of meatballs and meatloaf reminds me of my childhood."
"At that time, in Lao Yang's house, the family hadn't been separated yet. Every year on the 28th or 9th day of the twelfth lunar month, my mother and the others would be busy in the kitchen like this."
"We kids just stood by the pot and watched my mother and grandma putting the fat meat in the pot to squeeze the oil."
"At that time, the conditions of Lao Yang's family were not good. During the Chinese New Year, the meatballs and meatloaf could not exceed three kilograms of pork at most."
"We kids were so greedy that our mouths watered. We usually go to bed after dinner, but those two nights we couldn't bear to sleep. We kept waiting in the kitchen."
"I'm just looking forward to having one or two meatballs to try in the end. However, the portions are small, my grandma is very strict with me, and my mother is a timid and honest person."
"If you're so exhausted, secretly put a piece of oil in my mouth, it will be amazing, hehehe..."
Speaking of the past, Yang Ruoqing couldn't help but laugh again.
Wang Cuilian also said: "That's right, life was difficult for everyone at that time. Unlike now, life is easy for everyone..."
Yang Ruoqing shook her head: "The ten fingers stretched out have different lengths. In fact, we are the only ones in our village who are having a good life now."
There are several houses in the old Yang family, the old Luo family, the old Sun family, Chang Geng Daniu Baozhu and other families in the transportation team.
Compared with Changping Village, which has 80 or 90 households, only 30% of the households have improved their lives.
Most of the people who don't want to change, and who still cling to the meager land and live a life as before, are still doing what they have to do before.
"Yes, it is indeed like this." Wang Cuilian also agreed with Yang Ruoqing's words.
"Qing'er, your mother has always been so honest and responsible, so everyone in the village trusts her and is willing to be good to her." Wang Cuilian continued.
"Whether it's a field or a vegetable garden, everyone feels relieved when they hear that they are with your mother and the others." Wang Cuilian said.
Regarding what Wang Cuilian said, Yang Ruoqing nodded repeatedly.
"It's true," she said.
"People in the village don't like to be next to my fourth aunt's vegetable garden. Why? It's because she has dirty hands and feet."
"I always like to pick vegetables from the vegetable garden next door. It's not cost-effective to put all my personality into it just for one or two cucumbers or a handful of cowpeas." She said.
When the Liu family was mentioned, Wang Cuilian couldn't help but laugh.
"Your fourth aunt is also a weirdo, but people in our village now know who their personality is and are used to it," she said.
Yang Ruoqing nodded, smiled and continued to stir the things in the wok.
Wang Cuilian was tending the firewood in the stove below, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law cooperated very well.
After frying the meatballs and patties, there is still a large pot of meat bones to be braised.
Anyway, in this twelfth lunar month, I am busy with these things. The kitchen door is closed to keep out the north wind and cold.
In the kitchen, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were very busy.
"By the way, Qing'er, I'm telling you a little gossip about your Aunt Daye and cousin Zhou Xia. Do you want to listen?" Wang Cuilian suddenly asked.
Yang Ruoqing was startled for a moment and said, "It's boring right now anyway. Auntie, tell me about it. Just take it as a joke."
Wang Cuilian said: "Your uncle told me in private before. He didn't dare to tell you here because he knew you were annoying them."
"What?" Yang Ruoqing raised her eyebrows, "Isn't it possible that uncle..."
Wang Cuilian quickly shook her head: "No, no, no, your uncle has learned his lesson now and has clearly seen the bad intentions of the mother and daughter. He has no intention of talking to her anymore."
"It's just some things about the mother and daughter. Zhou Wang and Xiaohuan told your uncle in private today, and your uncle told me when he came back to talk to me."
Yang Ruoqing said 'Oh' and said: "Aunt, what are you talking about? Then come and listen to it!"
Wang Cuilian stood up, walked to the window and took a look outside.
Seeing her look like this, Yang Ruoqing felt a little want to laugh.
"Who is coming to our backyard in the middle of the night? It's up to you, aunt!" she said again.
Wang Cuilian nodded, sat back at the door of the stove, and started talking.
"After the Zhou family was separated and Zhou Wang and Xiao Huan left home and lived in a shack at the entrance of the village, mother and daughter Da'e and Zhou Xia suddenly kept a low profile."
"There was a time when your Aunt Da'e walked around the village and always boasted about how rich, powerful and powerful her family was to everyone she met."
"Since the family division, your Aunt Dae has been like Zhou Xia, staying at home."
"I heard that the courtyard gates and house doors are closed in broad daylight. When I go to the grocery store at the entrance of the village to buy oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar, I usually send the coachman to buy it."
"The mother and daughter suddenly stopped talking. Da'e stopped going to the shack to see Zhou Wang and the others. She only came out to wash her clothes every two or three days. She stopped showing off to others and talked very little."
"Everyone says that mother and daughter were suddenly hit because of the separation of Zhou Wang and his family." Wang Cuilian said.
Yang Ruoqing pouted, "They don't know how to do it. They must have their own reasons."
Wang Cuilian said: "Yes, you really made it right."
"Zhou Wang told your uncle privately that the reason why mother and daughter are hiding is probably related to Zhou Xia's belly."
"Ah?" Yang Ruoqing was surprised and suddenly thought of many things.
"Auntie, is it possible that the baby in Zhou Xia's belly was not aborted at all?" Yang Ruoqing asked.
Zhou Xia herself definitely wanted to get rid of it. In her opinion, it was just a piece of extra meat.
With that piece of meat, she couldn't marry Qi Xingyun.
Otherwise, she would not have gone on a hunger strike and strangled her stomach to have an abortion.
When she was sent to Yihechun, it was because she had an abortion too hastily and improperly, almost costing her own life.
The old doctor and shopkeeper of Yihechun said that in Zhou Xia's situation, if she really aborted the child, her own life would be in danger.
Even if she barely saves her life, it will be almost impossible to conceive a baby in the future.
so……
Zhou Xia probably had no choice but to continue with Renchen.
And he was worried that the matter would be exposed, so he simply stayed at home and minimized contact with the outside world. Even Luo Daye did not dare to be arrogant anymore.
The mother and daughter carefully kept this secret.
"Auntie, are you really right by what I said again?" Yang Ruoqing asked next.
Wang Cuilian looked a little weird and said: "There is no definite answer to this matter now, but Zhou Wang also guessed this. In all likelihood, Zhou Xia is hiding and planning to have a child."
