As soon as they left, Yang Liufang was toasted by Wang Shan's father and several leaders. They all saw Wang Shan's wedding furniture and came to ask Yang Liufang to make furniture. The drunken Yang Liufang drank three cups and two cups, and he no longer knew what was going on. After being drunk, all business was handled by Village Chief Shitou, who was both the village leader and the foreman who led people to work in Yang Liufang's wood workshop.
When Yang Liufang woke up, it was already noon on the 29th of the Lunar New Year. Because today is New Year's Eve, the workers had already paid for their holidays two days ago. Only the village chief Shitou was afraid that something would happen to him and stayed with him here. Yang Liufang had a headache that felt like it was exploding. He got up and drank two bowls of water. He looked at the alarm clock on the radio and saw that it was already 12:30. The village chief Shitou, who had just finished polishing the furniture, heard the noise and walked in.
"Brother, are you feeling better?"
"Yeah." Yang Liufang rubbed his twitching temples with both hands.
"You're too weak to drink! You need to practice!"
"I can't practice, Brother Shitou! I'll get drunk after drinking. Hahaha..."
"I received three sets of modular furniture yesterday and ordered them all. I'll ask you to measure them after Powu (the fifth day of the Lunar New Year). I don't dare to discuss the price. You can communicate with them then."
"Thank you for your hard work, Brother Shitou."
"I'm going to get us some food. You can come back as soon as you're done. My sister-in-law and Ga'wa are probably waiting impatiently at home."
"Your sister-in-law also said that she would like to invite you to my house to celebrate the New Year. Wang Shan and the others also said that they would like to invite you."
"Forget it, you all have a good reunion with your family. I can do it myself. Let's start work on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Don't delay Zhao and everyone from carrying the furniture. By the way, when you leave, take some meat and vegetables back to celebrate the New Year."
"I've made a lot of money following you these past few months, and your sister-in-law has prepared all the supplies. The people in the village are also grateful to you, and they are less anxious during the New Year. Well, everyone pooled their money and bought you two bottles of good wine."
"Oh, it's not easy for you, and you spend so much money. Besides, making money is hard earned by everyone!"
"It's a little thought of me. Just accept it and practice your drinking ability during the Spring Festival."
"Brother Shitou, don't mention it. I don't dare to drink anymore."
After Yang Liufang washed his hands, he washed the rice and chatted with Brother Shitou. He didn't wash up until the rice was stuffed.
When cooking, he cut off an extra piece of meat and packed a bundle of celery and other things, preparing for Village Chief Shitou to take it back for the New Year. After the two finished eating, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon, and Yang Liufang urged the village chief Shitou to go back quickly.
After the village head Shitou left, Yang Liufang boiled a pot of water for himself, brought a bucket of cold water and mixed it with him. He took a bath carefully, put on clean clothes, turned on the radio, and prepared to welcome the new year cleanly. arrival.
As soon as he finished cleaning up, he heard someone knocking on the door. Yang Liufang quickly went over to open the door. He saw that the cook was holding a rice bag packed with a white towel and hurriedly welcomed him in.
"Oh, boss, I won't go in. I made New Year's Eve dumplings at home. I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to make them by yourself, so I brought a box for you. Come in and eat them while they're hot. You'll be busy when you get back."
"Thank you, Auntie, and happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year to you too, boss!"
After seeing his aunt off, Yang Liufang went back to eat dumplings. When he was halfway through eating, someone knocked on the door. It turned out to be Village Chief Zhao.
"Xiao Yang, have you eaten all this?"
"Yes, village chief, my aunt gave me dumplings."
"Put it away first, and go with E to the E family to celebrate the New Year. Your sister Yinhua is getting married, and E and your aunt are the only ones left in the E family. They are all ready."
Living here and being taken care of by Village Chief Zhao, Yang Liufang could not refuse, so he took the wine that the Village Chief Shitou and the workers had pooled their money to buy for him, and followed the Village Chief to his house to celebrate the New Year with the two old people.
Li Tongfu arrived in Hangzhou at 5:30 pm on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month after a long journey of two days and two nights by train. He bought a long-distance ticket back to Yueqing at a high price at Wulinmen Long-distance Station. After a bumpy night, he arrived in Yueqing the next morning and changed trains back to the town. I didn’t pay much attention in the city, but when I returned to Yangshi Town, I discovered that it exudes a strong New Year atmosphere. Every household has hung up lanterns. The business of the street storefronts in the town is still booming, and the excitement is as lively as the wholesalers in Xizhou City. The market is comparable. Seeing that he was carrying a big bag, a motorcycle driver came up on a motorcycle.
"Boss, hello Nihe, have you made a fortune and gone home? Where are you going?"
"Liunan Village. Are you leaving?"
"Let's go, 10 yuan."
"So expensive."
“It’s Chinese New Year, and I wish you good fortune!”
"Okay, let's go!" Li Tongfu sat up. The motorcycle carried Li Tongfu and two large bags and headed straight to Liunan Village. Li Tongfu lived in the village for more than ten days. He was familiar with the road and gave directions from behind. The motorcycle drove all the way to the door of Yang Liufang's house. After paying the money and picking up the bag, through the courtyard gate I saw bacon, dried ducks and various fish hanging on a rope in the courtyard and under the eaves. He thought that the old couple must have thought that he was returning with his son Yang Liufang, so many preparations were made.
He shouted to the yard through the door: "Godfather, godmother, I'm back."
When the old couple heard the shouting, they hurried out to greet them.
"Oh, I hope you are back!"
"Hey, where's Al Fang?"
"Godmother, godfather, business is busy in Al Fang's factory. One of the leaders' sons is getting married the day after tomorrow, and the furniture is made in his factory, and another one is getting married on the eighth day of the first lunar month. He wants to lead the workers to make furniture this year. I can’t come back to spend the New Year with my two elders.”
"Factory? What factory?"
"You old man, let your son come in first." Yang's mother quickly opened the door, and Yang's father also hurriedly took a bag, put it on, and followed into the yard.
"Godfather, godmother, Al Fang has grown up now. He started to help a village leader's son make furniture. Because of his good skills, he took on a lot of single jobs. He was too busy and hired five or six more people. I am following him now. He's doing it."
"Sit down and drink some water, Ah Fu. You must be hungry along the way. Go and get food for the child."
"Oh, I want to hear it too! Son, come to the kitchen, godmother will cook for you, and you tell godmother about Alfang." I heard that Yang Liufang opened a factory and expanded it. This good news offset the old man's concern for his son. Miss you, who doesn’t hope that his or her son will succeed outside?
"Okay, godmother! I'll light the fire."
"No need for you, just sit next to me, drink water, and tell me about you and Al Fang. Old man, come and light the fire, and get a stool for your son."
In the kitchen, a family of three turned on the coal stove and earthen stove, and while cooking, they listened to Ah Fu telling stories about him and Ah Fang in Xizhou. Li Tongfu added more fuel and vinegar, and talked about the important points. The adoptive mother was so frightened that she forgot to turn the pot, and half of the yellow croaker was burnt. The old couple laughed sincerely when talking about the fun they had in Xizhou and the career they achieved step by step. At that moment, the aroma of food and laughter filled the courtyard of Yangliu Fang's family.
"Isn't it colder in Xizhou than here in Wenzhou?"
"Godmother, it's much colder. You don't know that every time I go out to sell goods, I wear the sheepskin jacket that someone gave to A Fang, and I have to wrap myself in a military coat. Every time I come back, my hands and feet are numb from the cold!"
"My son, how many quilts do you need to cover yourself before you can sleep?"
"Dad, it won't be cold when we get back to the room. We use charcoal to make a big kang in the room. When it's hot, they have to work shirtless. We all burn our backs when we sleep at night. Al Fang said it's like cupping."
"Oh, that's okay."
"Then how do so many of you eat?"
"Mom and Dad, we didn't expect it at first. Only when people came did we realize that one pot of steamed rice was not enough. The auntie who was invited to cook cooked noodles for everyone on the first day, but I was not at home. Noodles, godmother, It’s a kind of noodles from the northwest that are topping with vegetables and soup. As a result, Yang Liufang took the workers to eat it, which made their arms so tired and swollen that they almost quit working.”
"Oh, this silly son. If only he was half as sensible as you." Mother Yang said with a doting smile.
"Godmother, later on we ate big pots of vegetables and rice, and never had soy noodles again."
"Would that be delicious?"
"It's cold, so this stew is pretty good."
The family of three chatted and quickly prepared garlic fish skin, dry-roasted duck, braised pork ribs, braised hairtail fish, Wenzhou fish ball soup, four dishes and one soup, mainly meat and fish-based coastal specialties. It's much more delicious than the big pot dishes in Xizhou Carpenter's Yard. People who travel far away, no matter how far they go, will always retain the stomach of home.
