As night fell, the howling of the wind and snow became louder.
On the dilapidated wooden table is a small pot of bran paste and a piece of cornbread.
"Ah Xing, come and eat."
Mrs. Chen first filled a bowl of thin food, and then left the thickest part for Yang Xing.
"Mom, let's eat together."
Gulu!
Yang Xing sat down, picked up the bran paste and drank it in a big gulp.
The bran paste is not very fine, and it feels like cutting your throat when you swallow it. Yang Xing gradually got used to it. After all, in this world, eating some is good.
People outside the city have no bran to eat. They can only eat grass roots, tree bark, and even Guanyin soil.
Mrs. Chen chewed her food carefully and cherished it very much, "Ah Xing, I can take care of the grocery store. You might as well learn a craft. Your father wanted to learn blacksmithing back then, but it was a pity that he was not accepted by the master because he was too thin. Take a fancy."
"Do you want to learn blacksmithing? I think this skill is quite good."
Compared with ordinary people, learning a craft is the capital to survive in troubled times.
Most of the young people in the county are like this.
But an apprentice is a slave for three years.
It takes three years to learn a craft before you can graduate. Not only will you not get any money during these three years, you will even be treated like a slave.
Just as Yang Xing was about to speak, there was a knock on the door.
"Aunt Chen, Brother Xing!"
The voice sounded like a gentle female voice.
"coming!"
Yang Xing's heart moved, and he was about to get up and open the door, but Chen was one step ahead of him.
The door opened, and there was a girl of fourteen or fifteen years old named Zhao Yuniang. She was not very beautiful, but she was very good-looking. Her skin showed a healthy wheat color, her eyes were very bright and charming, and she was very clean and neat in doing things. .
She and Yang Xing grew up together, and they can be described as true childhood sweethearts.
Before Yang Xing's father disappeared, he planned to go to Zhao's house to propose marriage, but unfortunately things happened unexpectedly.
Yang Xing also likes this gentle and kind childhood sweetheart very much, and she is also a good match for Yang Xing.
When Mrs. Chen saw the person coming, she immediately smiled and said: "Yu Niang, you are here, come in quickly."
"Aunt Chen, Brother Xing."
Zhao Yuniang walked in and said with a smile: "My family made some wild vegetable cakes, and my father asked me to send some. I hope you don't dislike them."
When Mrs. Chen heard this, she smiled from ear to ear, "Why would you dislike it? Have you eaten it? If not..."
Speaking of this, Chen's expression became subtle and awkward.
What we eat at home today is bran paste, which is already very crude and inferior. Do we still need Yuniang to eat the leftovers?
"No, no, no."
Zhao Yuniang waved her hands quickly, "I just came to take a look..."
As she said that, Zhao Yuniang glanced at Yang Xing secretly, and then her face turned slightly red, "If nothing happens, I'll leave first."
When Mrs. Chen saw this, she winked at Yang Xing who was on the side, "Ah Xing, it's getting dark, please send Yu Niang back."
Yang Xing nodded and followed Zhao Yuniang out.
The streets are dilapidated and filled with yellow and gray garbage.
Yang Xing and Zhao Yuniang walked side by side.
Zhao Yuniang said a little aggrievedly: "Brother Xing, why haven't you come to me for a long time? Is it because of my mother?"
Since Yang Xing's father disappeared, Zhao Yuniang's mother's attitude towards the Yang family has become a little colder.
Yang Xing explained: "I'm a little busy during this period. I plan to visit you tomorrow."
Zhao Yuniang laughed when she heard this, and then she looked a little nervous, "You should be more careful when you go out. I heard that another house in Mazi Lane was taken in the middle of the night."
Yang Xing wondered: "It's midnight again? Didn't the gang of thieves just be destroyed?"
"I don't know, maybe it's a new gang. Someone was robbed the day before yesterday. He lost a hand when he resisted."
Zhao Yuniang shook her head, and then sighed: "Brother Xing, you have to be careful outside, and you have to be patient when you meet these people. If someone robs you, just give it to you. As long as I'm here, you won't be hungry." you."
Zhao Yuniang was fourteen or fifteen years old. In addition to helping her family sew and mend clothes, she also helped wash clothes for some wealthy families because of her hard work and quickness.
Yang Xing laughed, "I still need you to support me?"
Zhao Yuniang pouted and said, "What's wrong, Brother Xing, didn't you say that women can hold up half the sky?"
Yang Xing touched Zhao Yuniang's hair and said softly: "Okay, Yuniang can also hold up half the sky."
The two chatted for a while, and Yang Xing also sent Zhao Yuniang to the door of his house.
In a small alley is one of a row of dilapidated small bungalows.
There are also shabby clothes hanging to dry outside the house, with subtle differences in color between men and women.
Yang Xing said: "I'm going back."
Zhao Yuniang bit her lip and whispered: "Brother Xing, I will work hard to save money and give it to you when the time comes. Then you can go to my house to propose marriage."
After saying that, Zhao Yuniang ran quickly towards her home.
Yang Xing was slightly startled, watching the figure gradually disappear from his sight.
Just when he turned around to go back, a sharp voice came from Yu Niang's house.
"Did you give the wild vegetable cake I just made to the boy named Yang?"
"I'm telling you, don't interact with him in the future."
"Mom, I know, I know. Eat it quickly. The wild vegetable cake won't taste good when it's cold."
........
This sharp voice was the voice of Zhao Yuniang's mother, Mrs. Zhang.
Yang Xing shook his head and walked quickly towards his home. There were very few pedestrians on the road.
"Ahem!"
Just as I was approaching the door of my home, I suddenly heard a cough.
Yang Xing looked along and saw that it was Uncle Gao, the fish seller who lived not far from his house.
"Axing, stay away!"
At this moment, Uncle Wangcai pulled Yang Xing and walked away.
After taking dozens of steps back, Uncle Wangcai breathed a sigh of relief and said with an ugly face: "There has been a plague in the city recently. It seems that Lao Gao has been infected. He has been coughing for the past few days. Stay away from him."
"Thank you very much, Uncle Wangcai."
Yang Xing felt a chill in his heart. He had heard earlier that there was a plague outside the city and the city had been sealed off. Unexpectedly, it still spread to the city.
Uncle Wangcai whispered: "Go back quickly, it's not safe at night."
Yang Xing didn't stay long and quickly returned home.
"Axing, you are back."
Under the dim light, Mrs. Chen said: "This wild vegetable cake is a good thing. It tastes best when eaten while it's hot."
Yang Xing sat down and said, "Mom, here are two pieces. You can also take one piece."
Mrs. Chen quickly shook her head and said, "If mother doesn't eat it, you eat it."
Yang Xing picked up a piece of wild vegetable cake and said without any doubt: "Mom, you said I am the head of the family, now I will let you eat it."
"good."
Looking at a piece of wild vegetable cake in the bowl, Chen's eyes sparkled, "I've known since I was a child that you can love others. Your father has never treated me like you do."
Yang Xing smiled and said, "Mom, eat it while it's hot."
Mrs. Chen nodded, carefully took a bite of the wild vegetable pancake, and immediately felt endless aftertaste.
Under the dim light, the mother and son huddled together, as if clinging to each other.
After dinner, Mrs. Chen took out a red purse from the box of clothes and put it in Yang Xing's hand, "Ah Xing, this is my mother's original dowry. It's not a lot, but it's enough for you to learn the craft for three years."
"Mom doesn't want you to argue, I just want you to live in peace and happiness."
Yang Xing felt warm in his heart when he looked at the still warm red purse.
.........
