In winter, the scenery in the mountains is depressed, and the glow of the sunset shines through the branches of the trees to a corner of the houses in the mountain village, and the smoke curls around, surrounded by endless rolling mountains, which is really isolated from the world.

After returning home, Mo Xiaohe was really idle, unlike in Sweet Water Village, where a meal was about to steam a big pot of steamed buns, the couple did not have a specific time to eat, they were leisurely, and they felt hungry before they started cooking.

Gu Zheng went down the mountain, vegetables and household were all purchased, and there was nothing to do, Mo Xiaohe commanded his husband to knead the dough and make small biscuits with her, perhaps because the seasoning is not as rich as modern varieties, and it always tastes worse, in order to make the biscuits more crispy and delicious, she made improvements, replaced the sugar with natural honey, and crushed the peanuts and almonds, and kneaded them in the dough, so that the baked nut biscuits are very popular with Gu Zheng.

As soon as Mo Xiaohe saw that she was pondering the way out of the door, she immediately felt a sense of accomplishment, she made biscuits for two days in a row, and later found that the biscuits were dipped in a layer of crushed nuts, which looked better and the taste remained the same.

There are not many relatives in the town, if cousin Li Xiu marries into the Lin family, the Lin family is a family, except for her grandparents, only Mo Daya, she didn't wear it for a long time, she caught up with the people in the clan to move the clan, she was busy and busy, and she really didn't have any friends.

In this regard, Mo Xiaohe does not feel regretful, the predecessor was originally arrogant, no one can look down on her, in case she really has too many friends, she has undergone such a big change, it is easy to be seen, and to make friends, you must have the same three views, like-minded interests, no can not be reluctant.

"Husband, what are you busy with?"

Mo Xiaohe stewed rock sugar white fungus soup in the stove room, inside the house and outside the house, it was completely two temperatures, she went to the study room to clean in the morning, put in a basin of water, just took a look, it had formed ice flowers on it, and in the inner room, she only needed to wear a lining.

"Make a few small boxes for snacks."

Gu Zheng sat on the small bench and clapped his hands, "Didn't you say that you can't get the biscuits for the New Year?" I thought, it's better to have a nice box. ”

There is so much wood in the mountains that it can't be used up, and there is no need to spend silver, just a little work left and right. When visiting relatives and friends during the Chinese New Year, it looks better to pack things in gift boxes. In the dim sum shop, ordinary pastries are wrapped in oiled paper, a few cents a piece, a dozen cents can buy a pack, if placed in a delicate box, the price has doubled several times.

"The dim sum box we saw in Otsu Kyoto is called Eight Treasures Box, do you remember?"

Mo Xiaohe likes to eat dim sum, and there are many rewards in the palace, and even her future sister-in-law Zhang Xianxian often sends them to the door, which can be regarded as pleasing her, the future sister-in-law. Gu Zhengti's eight-treasure box, she has an impression.

A large round gift box, open the lid, there are eight small grids inside, you can hold different cakes, after the cakes are eaten, the exquisite box can be left, it is also good to hold dried fruits, the price of the eight treasures box depends on the carving and wood on the lid.

"That's a good dare, in the remaining box, decorate something else, make up enough eight, give gifts with face, and also reflect our intentions."

Mo Xiaohe clapped his hands and expressed his support, there are still red dates and raisins at home, which may be used to make cookies, and when the time comes, change a few styles and fill the eight-treasure box. It's a pity that the materials are not ambiguous to make, and the cost is too high to be sold in the town for silver, and ordinary people can't afford to consume it.

"What would you like to carve into the box?"

Gu Zheng seems to be omnipotent, he doesn't know where to turn out a big box, inside is a carving tool, Mo Xiaohe circled around in a novel way, went to the study to draw sketches, carved the gift boxes of his cousin and cousin into cartoon patterns, and gave them to the elders in the family, all peony flowers, indicating wealth.

The husband and wife are on the mountain, and their lives are full, Mo Xiaohe really doesn't want to go down the mountain at all, but she also knows that when she comes back for two or three days, she has to go down to say hello, otherwise, I'm afraid that Aunt Zhang will be too careful.

In order to go down the mountain, Mo Xiaohe got up early in the morning, put on a thickened floral cotton jacket, and put on a rabbit fur cape on the outside. After getting up early, Gu Zheng sealed the stove and caught three big fish in the backyard pool, and the two slowly went down the mountain.

It was still early, the two of them held hands, looked around at the surrounding scenery, the ground was covered with a thin layer of snowflakes, under the snow, faintly revealing a touch of green, there was always that hardy plant, in the cold climate, still exuding vitality.

There is still a distance from the bottom of the mountain to the town, Gu Zheng drove the family's carriage, with charcoal basins and hot water inside, and the mats were all down, warm and soft and comfortable.

Aunt Zhang estimated that it was time for the couple to go down the mountain, opened the courtyard gate before dawn, stopped at the door and looked, seeing that the New Year was coming, they had also been here for half a year, and the days passed so fast.

"Old woman, what are you looking at?"

Uncle Zhang lit the fire in the stove room and poked his head out, "It's cold, you come in first, it's the New Year, don't have a problem with your legs and feet, you can't sleep in the middle of the night, hum, delay our New Year." ”

"Dead old man, don't curse me!"

Aunt Zhang turned around and gave Uncle Zhang a roll of the eyes, the old husband and wife have been dependent on each other for so many years, and they care about each other very much, but the old man of her family never speaks well, and it sounds awkward.

Just married him in the early years, the two quarreled a lot because of the way they spoke, and then slowly got used to it, and after a long time, they could understand each other's difficulties.

"Are Gu Xiaozi and Xiaohe coming back today?"

Two days ago, the house has been cleaned, the front and back yards, the windows are bright and clean, the first two days on the window of the Korean paper broken a hole, the old couple division of labor, pasted the window paper, all the bedding dismantled and washed, and when the sun is right, it is hung in the yard to dry.

"I think it's about the same."

Aunt Zhang looked at the door for a while, didn't wait for anyone, but saw the neighbor's old couple carrying rice bags to the direction of the grain store, she sighed, "The price of grain has risen too fast, it has only been less than a month, the price has tripled, and the shop supplies hundreds of catties every day, and it is late, and you can't buy it with money." ”

Thanks to Li He noticed something was wrong some time ago, he and Li Xiu lined up in two or three shops, bought some, plus the rest of the original family, and it would not be a problem to eat until March or April next year. By then, the new rice will be almost ripe, and the price may come down.

"There are still plum vegetables at home, I remember that there is a small bag, and the little lotus girl is thinking about the plum vegetables and pork cakes!"

Uncle Zhang thinks about it more than Aunt Zhang, and he is not afraid of rising food prices, there is always a bottom line, will the parents and officials watch them ordinary people starve to death? It's not a famine year, so it's not too outrageous.

"If you don't say it, I know."

The old couple mixed a few words, until the sun rose, Mo Xiaohe and Gu Zheng came back, the two came out of Mojia Village, happened to pass by the grain store, she went to inquire about the price, and finally only bought two catties of mung beans, thinking of making a mung bean cake to eat.

"Uncle Zhang, Aunt Zhang, we're back!"

Mo Xiaohe shouted at the door, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang hurriedly responded in the upper room, the two elders fought for the first to come out, pushed and shoved at the door, and finally Aunt Zhang relied on her physical advantage to squeeze Uncle Zhang aside, and when she saw her, she was very relieved, "Xiaohe, you're tall." ”

Mo Xiaohe is just sixteen, still in the growth and development period, I haven't seen her for a few months, she has pumped a little higher, it used to go to Gu Zheng's chest, and now it is just a little under his shoulders, the husband and wife are side by side, they just look like a match, the most cute height difference.

"After I went out, I felt that nothing was as good as home."

After speaking, Mo Xiaohe was silent for a while, and felt something, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang are far away from their homeland, will they miss the small village that they have lived in for decades? Although the conditions here are good, I'm afraid there is always a bit of a plot where the homeland is difficult to leave, right?

"That is, there are a lot of things prepared at home, I was really afraid that you wouldn't come back for the New Year."

Aunt Zhang was in joy, and she didn't think much about it, she stepped forward and took the things in Gu Zheng's hand, asked him to wash his hands, and went to the house to roast the fire.

"Xiaohe, you hurry into the house, the old man baked sweet potatoes, this will be almost good."

Aunt Zhang gave hot water to the husband and wife, and urged them to rest, "I went to the market a few days ago, and I saw someone from Dayue selling something, so I bought it. ”

It stands to reason that sweet potatoes are cheap, they can't be sold at a price, and the people of Dayue don't know who to listen to, I heard that the people of Dawu regard this thing as a treasure, he is hot-headed, and drives the ox cart, from Dayue to Dawu, tossed for half a month, and found that he can't sell a penny or a pound, and he wants to cry without tears.

It's also good when he rushes, to celebrate the New Year, the price of food suddenly rises, ten pounds of brown rice, many people eat at once, can't afford to eat, sweet potatoes suddenly become a hot commodity, Dayue's sweet potatoes are all red hearts, after baking, sweet, soft and glutinous, Zhang Bo's mouth is not very good, and he has a soft spot for sweet potatoes in his hometown.

"It smells so good!"

Mo Xiaohe entered the house and sat next to the stove, Uncle Zhang smiled and took out a big sweet potato from the stove and handed it to Mo Xiaohe, "Just out of the oven, it's a little hot, after you peel it, be careful not to burn your mouth." ”

"I smell the scent outside the house, and it's going to be drooling."

There is not much to eat in the morning, she is busy on the road, Mo Xiaohe is already hungry, she eats sweet potatoes, with tea to lower the fire, with relish, the biggest pursuit of foodies is to eat delicious, which can make her forget her troubles in an instant and no longer worry about the future, Gu Zheng was on the side, seeing the lady like a little squirrel, the ice in her eyes slowly melted, no matter whether the two countries were going to war or not, he had to find a piece of pure land and take her to live a peaceful life together.

In winter, it got dark early, and after the husband and wife finished eating, they walked together to go to the blacksmith shop in Li He. In only two or three months, the blacksmith shop doubled in size, opened the door face next to it, merged the two into one, and replaced the plaque hanging on it.

The guy at the door was seeing off the guests, he was a fresh face, and when he heard that the two were looking for Li He, he paused, "The shopkeeper is not here, he went out to eat and drink, and he hasn't returned yet." ”

Seeing that it was getting dark, the shop had not yet closed, and the lights were faintly visible inside, I heard that Li He, under the recommendation of his future brother-in-law Lin Xiucai, took over the business of the yamen and made a lot of money, which seems to be the case.

"Xiaohe, brother-in-law, why are you here?"

The two just wanted to leave, but when they saw Li He carrying an oiled paper bag in his hand, humming a little song and walking to the door, business was booming, he returned to the village, who didn't praise him? Those who looked down on people at the beginning were afraid that their intestines would be repentant.

Before Niang Wen's told him a kiss, the other party disliked him as an apprentice of iron, a poor acid craftsman, refused to marry and endure hardships, and specially ran to the town to warn him not to be a toad and want to eat swan meat, that is, the village girl who was above the top, passed by the town yesterday to apologize to him, and euphemistically said that he wanted to get married, but he didn't even care about his face.

"The toad wants to eat swan meat."

What did the man say at the beginning, he returned it word for word, and when he saw her pale face, he immediately felt refreshed, and even with a good mood today, he just went to the yamen to find Lin Xiucai and invited him to eat in the restaurant.

"Of course I'm looking for you."

Mo Xiaohe pointed to the guy who was born in his eyes and asked Li He, "Cousin, you are really low-key, I thought you were just making two small dollars, who knew that you would earn another façade!" ”

The blacksmith shop is not manpowered, and new people have been recruited, and the business seems to be better than before, with people coming and going, and business is continuous.

"Speaking of which, I really didn't buy it next door, it was Lin Xiucai who wanted to partner with me."

Speaking of this future brother-in-law, Li He admired it so much, he used to think that the eyes of scholars were above the top, so he had no good impression of that group, but Lin Xiucai was different, he actually knew business, not only introduced the business of the yamen, but also instructed him, sure enough, the income of the blacksmith shop was better every day.

This book was first published by Lewen, please do not reprint!