Xiao Ju Niang's daily life is slowly becoming regular. And one day on the mountain I met the peach blossom mother and daughter who were also digging wild vegetables, judging from the fact that the two mother and daughter were about to stop and catch their breath after walking two steps, and at the same time the hands of digging wild vegetables were shaking and shaking, they were too hungry for too long and too much, and they had entered a state of weakness.

In fact, this is not only the case of the peach blossom mother and daughter, but the people who are all over the mountains looking for something to eat are almost all in the same situation. Only Xiao Ju Niang looks healthy.

Especially Zhuang Zhuang, because she has grown meat, and she has been hiding in the mountains for so long, she has not basked in the sun, she looks white and tender, every time she goes up the mountain, Xiao Ju can feel a lot of ill-intentioned staring at her and Zhuang Zhuang's eyes. Let Xiaoju always have a feeling of fright! That look as if she and Zhuang Zhuang were each other's food.

After Xiao Ju and Xiao Ju Niang said this, Xiao Ju Niang's face turned white at that time, and she pulled Xiao Ju and Zhuang Zhuang tightly in her arms with some gaffes! Seeing that her mother listened to her words, she was so abnormal, Xiaoju was not a real seven-year-old girl, thinking of modern times when she looked at this history, there were records of cannibalism, and when she thought about it for a while, she naturally understood why her mother was panicking!

Zhuang Zhuang didn't know what was going on, he was a little uncomfortable being hugged by his mother, and he thought that his mother's madness was committed again, and he called in a crying voice: "Mother, what's wrong with you?" Strong and afraid! ”

Xiao Ju Niang was woken up by Zhuang Zhuang's crying, let go of the two sisters and brothers, and said with a stern face: "Xiao Ju, Zhuang Zhuang, you listen to me!" In the future, you must follow your mother at any time, and you are not allowed to run around alone! Do you hear that? ”

Xiao Ju saw her mother's frightened look, and she didn't want to be eaten, so she nodded vigorously: "Mother, don't worry!" I will take my brother with me and never leave your side for a single step! "Zhuang Zhuang was sold because of Sister A once, and the other time was the experience of almost being sold, and he was extremely insecure in his heart.

Xiao Ju Niang felt that she was too dangerous for a woman to go up the mountain with two children every day. But her family has always had little contact with the people in the village, and the people in her mother-in-law's family are all Tai Chi, thinking twice, one evening after dinner, she took Xiaoju and Zhuang Zhuang to the two former neighbors Hu Tianjia and Taohua's house.

Because the men of these two families were arrested by the Japanese, there were only old and weak women left in the house, and if everyone could go up to the mountains together to find food, those who had bad intentions would also be afraid.

Hu Tianniang and grandparents and Peach Blossom Niang and grandma listened to Xiao Ju Niang's request to find food together, although they didn't think so, they were all villagers, could it be that someone really dared to do something with a conscience? But seeing Xiao Ju Niang's worried expression, coupled with the fact that Xiao Ju Niang had been crazy for a while, she was afraid of stimulating her, but she didn't object to her.

And for Hu Tian, Peach Blossom and Zhuang Zhuang, it is a very happy thing to be able to go up the mountain to dig wild vegetables together every day, at this time these three little heads are getting together, chattering about where there are many wild vegetables on the mountain, where have seen hares and pheasants, but unfortunately they run fast and can't catch them.

Only Xiaoju, a pseudo-child, sat quietly beside his mother, listening to the three adults gathered in the peach blossom house talking about the hateful Japanese soldiers and pseudo-soldiers, and a little excited about this season's wheat, looking at the momentum, there should be a bumper harvest! As long as everyone struggles again, even if this disaster year is over, they will be able to eat mush again.

Xiao Ju only then knew that the prophet was very painful! Especially this kind of knowing that there will be a catastrophe, there is no way to prevent it or say it, so that people can prevent and reduce the disaster, and at the same time listen to the hopeful jokes of the people around them!

At this time, Xiao Ju looked at the people of the Hu Tianjia and the Peach Blossom family talking about the wheat in the wheat field that had placed all the expectations on everyone, and the brilliance in her eyes felt the pain of the prophet.

Xiao Ju's family is better, her family has neither field nor tenant land to plant, all Xiao Ju Niang thinks about is that the harvest is good, everyone's life is better, and she is looking for a job to find some. But Hu Tian and Taohua's family have tenants of more than ten acres of land to plant, and in the first two years of drought, they have already taken all the old money from their families to pay rent, and at the same time borrowed a lot of debts! This year's first season of wheat seeds was still borrowed from the owner Gao Li, not to mention that now the male laborers in the family have been arrested by the Japanese soldiers, and if they are not successful, the consequences will be really unimaginable.

When she first came through, Xiao Ju was still a little puzzled, since she didn't have a field, why didn't she plant like two neighbors, but now she was very happy, her father and mother had a little craft, and she could support her family without farming and working around. has been in this era for so long, and the deepest impression on Xiaoju is that the fields are getting poorer and poorer.

Because of the drought last year and the year before that, the harvest was greatly reduced, and on the surface the government made a very nice decision to reduce taxes, but in fact, the puppet army and the Japanese army in Huaxian County did not care about the lives of the people at all, and only extorted taxes in kind in every possible way.

The puppet government departments in Huaxian County demanded that the peasants pay more grain than they actually produced in their fields, and there was no tolerance at all. Xiaoju remembers that when she went to her grandfather's house last year, she encountered the scene where the chief went to urge the payment of taxes in kind.

Xiao Ju still remembers that her grandfather's family reluctantly agreed to hand over the last bit of food in the family. It's not that there are no villagers who resist, it's that those who resist all die miserably. How could an unarmed peasant fight the Japanese army and the puppet army with guns in hand?

Later, Xiao Ju Niang went to the county seat, and then I heard the fifth uncle who went to Huaxian County to find a job said that several uncles and aunts wanted to sell their fields for food in order to survive, but my grandfather disagreed, so they broke up! I wonder how my grandfather's family is doing now? Did you get through? And Tian was sold? Is the home also divided?

Zhuang Zhuang played with Hu Tian and Peach Blossom for a while, and his stomach began to growl, originally because his stomach was a little unnatural, but later he found that Hu Tian and Peach Blossom's stomach screamed louder than him, and remembered what Sister A said about belly singing, and couldn't help but raise his head and shout at Xiao Ju: "Sister, our stomach is singing!" I want to go home! ”

Xiao Ju who was distracted and Xiao Ju Niang who was chatting with people were attracted by Zhuang Zhuang's words, Xiao Ju Niang's heart now, a pair of children's affairs is the most important, I heard Zhuang Zhuang call home, and Hu Tianma and Peach Blossom Mom said: "Tomorrow we will wait at the intersection of the back mountain!" Everyone, early! I can find more to eat! ”

"Xiao Ju Niang, why do you have to wait so far away, the three of us live so close, just shout at each other when we go out?" Hu Tianniang asked a little puzzled.

Xiao Juniang listened to Hu Tianniang's words, the smile on her face became a little weak, and she didn't give an explanation for a long time. After all, she's not a person who likes to talk about people! And, of course, there is the issue of face. Being kicked out of his house by his in-laws' family and occupying his own house, although this kind of thing is not his own fault, he still feels ashamed!

Peach Blossom Niang knows a little, because she has to pass by Xiaoju and her house every day when she takes her daughter up the mountain to dig wild vegetables, and sees Xiaoju's three aunts and four aunts arguing in front of the door, and the sound of Xiaoju's grandparents scolding from the open door of the hall.

She always felt a little strange, but after all, it was someone else's family matter, so she didn't want to ask too much. At this time, after listening to Hu Tianniang's words, he asked: "Xiao Juniang, why do all the people in your mother-in-law's family live in your house?" Your house is so big, can you live there? Why don't you come to my house and squeeze it? ”

"No need! Our mother dug a small cave not far from the back mountain, and the residence was quite comfortable! Xiao Ju Niang said the reason while refusing.

Hu Tianniang is a person who doesn't hide things in her heart, and when she heard Xiao Ju Niang's words, she burst out: "Xiao Ju Niang, your family won't be occupied by those people in your mother-in-law's family, right?" I've heard before that those people in your mother-in-law's family are not easy to get along with! ”

Xiao Ju Niang was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to answer, Xiao Ju looked at her mother's demeanor, and said a little coquettishly: "Mother, I'm also a little hungry!" Still a little sleepy! ”

Xiao Juniang's attention was immediately attracted by her daughter's hunger and sleepiness, and she didn't bother with how to answer Hu Tianniang's words anymore, and hurriedly said: "Tonight is eating wild vegetables, don't worry about it!" I'll take Xiaoju and Zhuang Zhuang first! Tomorrow remember to wait early at the small intersection in the back mountain! A little as if he was running away, he hugged Zhuang Zhuang and pulled Xiaoju away.

After Xiao Ju Niang left, Hu Tianniang and Peach Blossom Niang talked about the best relatives of Xiao Ju's family again, and they also sighed and separated.