The weather after the beginning of winter was different from previous years, and because there was no rain for seven consecutive months, the wet and cold winter became dry and cold. Many locals can't stand it. On the contrary, Qinglian didn't feel anything, one was her cotton clothes, and when she was dismantling and washing, she added another layer of cotton, which was thick and very warm. The second is that I was born in the dry and cold north, and I can still adapt to such a climate. Moreover, after coming to Ran'er's house, although the food is not good, it is better than before, at least I can eat enough. Not to mention that the body has grown taller, it has also gained a little fat, and it is relatively more resistant to cold.

Ran'er noticed that Qinglian was not very cold, and she was also relieved. Ran'er is not afraid of anything else, just afraid that she and Qinglian will get sick. It's not just for money, it's because I'm frightened by my mother's death. One night, Ran'er and Qinglian lay on the hot kang and taught Qinglian to memorize the "Thousand Character Text" for a while. Before going to bed, he said to Qinglian:

When my mother was there, I often urged Ran'er to run and exercise in the morning. After my mother left, my sister put it down, and now we have nothing to do, from tomorrow, get up and run first. After coming back, I washed and ate, and taught Lian'er to read and write after the meal. All right? ”

"Okay."

For Ran'er's words, except for wanting to buy food for Qinglian alone and make new clothes, Qinglian has always been obedient.

Qinglian's habit of getting up early since she was a child has been maintained. Not to mention that Ran'er woke up, it was often Qinglian who woke up Ran'er. On cold mornings in winter, children are especially greedy for warm quilts, but these traces are not visible on Qinglian's body.

In the morning, the two of them got up and got dressed, jogged along the dirt road on the bank of the creek until they reached the edge of Xia Village, and after sweating slightly, they walked back slowly. The next step is washing, cooking, eating, writing, reading and reading. Life is very regular.

On the eighth day of the lunar month, it was Yangzhuangji, and on the evening of the seventh day of the lunar month, Ran'er discussed with Qinglian.

"Lian'er, do you want to eat dumplings in your hometown for the New Year?"

"Yes, when my grandparents are here, I go to my grandfather's house on the day of the New Year, and many people sit together to make dumplings, which is very lively."

"Are the dumplings delicious?"

"I don't remember."

"Why don't we make dumplings this year?"

"Okay. It's just that white flour should be used to make dumplings. ”

"Tomorrow we will catch an old hen and sell it at the market, and then we will buy white flour and pork. When it is time for the New Year, dumplings with cabbage and pork stuffing are eaten. My mother once wrapped it for my sister once or twice, and it was delicious. ”

"Sister, you don't have much money at home, right?"

"Well, the money from the sale of sour bamboo shoots bought rice. For more than half a year, the money for selling eggs is less than 500 copper coins, saving some flowers, and I can hold on until the fresh bamboo shoots come down. ”

Early in the morning of the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the sisters came back from a run, caught an old hen, tied her feet and wings with rope, and put it in a basket. Then after a brief breakfast, we walked towards Yangzhuang. On the way, Ran'er taught Qinglian to recite the sentences in "Thousand Character Text". When she was about to arrive in Yangzhuang, Ran Er suddenly remembered that in the summer, Chunshui said that she was going to take the exam. I came to the wine shop many times to deliver eggs, but I never saw the spring water, so I forgot to ask how the test was.

So, after the two came to Yangzhuang, they went directly to Zhouji Wine Shop. Inside, Chunshui and Shopkeeper Zhou are there. The father and son greeted Sister Ran'er very affectionately, and after a few words of greeting, Ran'er asked Chunshui:

"Brother Chunshui hasn't seen him since the last time he sent pens and books. Last time, I said I was going to end up, I don't know if Brother Chunshui has passed the test? ”

"Hehe, let Ran'er miss it. It's just that I passed the Tongsheng exam, but I didn't pass the college exam. ”

"Oh, that's right. Can I take the exam again after the New Year? ”

"The college exam is held once every two years, and it will be next year, and it will be re-examined the year after next."

"Next time I take the test, my big brother will definitely be able to pass."

Qinglian interjected crisply, and Chunshui father and son both nodded with a smile and said:

"Then borrow Qinglian's auspicious words."

Although Qinglian said the same thing last time, who doesn't want to listen to more good words?

"Is Ran'er carrying an old hen to sell?"

"Yes, the four chickens in the family are old, and they are laying fewer and fewer eggs, so I want to sell them, buy some meat and white noodles, and make dumplings to eat during the Chinese New Year. After the beginning of spring, then pick up the eggs and hatch a nest of chicks to feed. ”

"Ran'er is really capable, can you hatch chicks?"

"I've seen my mother hatch before."

"Don't bother so much, every year at the beginning of spring, there are people who come to sell chicks. You live in a remote area, you may not have seen it. I'll help you keep an eye on it then, and when you see it, I'll help you buy it, and when you're in the market, just come and get it. ”

"Ran'er, thank you, Uncle Zhou."

The sisters talked to Chunshui father and son at the Zhouji Wine Shop, and then went to the market to sell the old hen. This year's old hen is very easy to sell, Ran'er and Qinglian stood on the market with a basket for a while, and then they were bought by a man in his forties for 90 yuan. He said that he would buy it back and stew soup for his frail mother.

Ran Er also inquired about the price of rice by the way, and now it has risen to one hang, two hundred wen and one stone. It was almost three times the price when Ran Er bought it, which is 13 yuan a catty.

Next, Ran'er can spend ninety dollars. I bought three catties of white flour, fifteen yuan per catty, which is more expensive than rice. The remaining 45 yuan bought one and a half catties of pork, and considering that the lard at home was almost gone, he used the copper money brought from home to buy ten catties of standard oil meat. The two sisters just played all the way back.

When the two of them came to Xia Village, they heard the barking of a dog, which seemed to come from the courtyard, and it was also like the barking of rhubarb. Ran Er took Qinglian and walked a few steps, turned the foot of the mountain, and saw a person standing in front of the small courtyard. Rhubarb was in the fence door, barking at the people outside the door. When he was about to get to the front, the man turned his head, and then he recognized that it was Uncle Shun of Grandpa Li's family, and hurriedly drank the rhubarb.

"Why is Uncle Shun here?"

"Did the two sisters go to the market? No wonder I called for a long time and no one answered. ”

"Yes, Uncle Shun, early in the morning, Ran'er and her sister went to the market."

"I made Laba porridge at home, and my father asked me to send some to Ran'er and Qinglian."

As he spoke, he raised the blue in his hand. Ran'er hurriedly opened the fence door and invited Li Shun to come in, until he came to the house, Li Shun took out a porcelain basin from the basket, handed it to Ran'er and said:

"Find two bowls and pour them out, I have to go home and work."

"What else do you have to do in this winter?"

"Where is it like you two sisters, there is a lot of work at home. To get out of the pigsty, the fat has to be transported to the field before the year after the year, and the cattle have to be fed grass and water every day. ”

While talking to Li Shun, Ran'er neatly poured Laba porridge into two bowls. brought ten eggs and wanted to put them in the basket in Li Shun's hand, but Li Shun stopped them. didn't wait for the two sisters to send it, walked out of the courtyard quickly, and turned to Ran'er and said:

"Dad asked me to tell Sùran'er and Qinglian, and I'll go to the house to play if I'm fine."

Ran Er, who chased out, hurriedly agreed.