Pu Cao frowned, turned her head and made an excuse first, and asked Uncle Li to go back to Chunni's courtyard, then she looked at Zhang Gui and said coldly, "Yes, this is your brother's house, but I redeemed it from the pawnshop, and I have the final say in this family!" Not to mention tearing down a few doors and windows for use, even if a fire burns you, you can't stop it! ”

"You, you..." Zhang Gui was so angry that he trembled like chaff, and he couldn't wait to rush forward and bite the grass to death.

Pu Cao is thin and small, and she has no chance of winning against Zhang Gui'er's half of the size, but her eyes are round, and her momentum is not lost at all, and the chill in her eyes even forced Zhang Guier to bow her head unconsciously.

Chunni stood aside at a loss, for fear that they would fight together, so she stepped forward and pulled Pucao's arm and persuaded in a low voice, "You can't explain a few words to your brother, you are a sister-in-law, how can you quarrel with your uncle?" ”

Pu Cao snorted coldly and retracted his gaze, stretched out his hand to pat the dust on his body, and said mockingly, "You ask him if he treated me as a sister-in-law, he is not as sensible as Shanzi and Taohua, and I am a laborer who makes money for him to study in his eyes." ”

Zhang Gui'er was revealed, slightly weak-hearted, and the anger on her face gradually calmed down, but her mouth was still tightly closed, refusing to defend or accept it.

Chunni hurriedly took the opportunity to persuade and said, "Brother Gui, your sister-in-law dismantled the doors and windows to build a greenhouse to grow vegetables, and when the time comes, she can only send you to study after earning money, and you have to understand that it is not easy for her to do these things..."

I don't know if Zhang Gui'er listened to Chunni's words, or if she had another idea, she was silent for a long time with a gloomy face, and finally threw her sleeves back to the back garden.

Chunni breathed a sigh of relief, and then worried about Pu Cao, "You must grow this dish, not to mention that you owe Fang Gongzi the twenty taels of deposit to be repaid, even your brother can't explain it here." If he insists on driving you out, no one can persuade you, after all, this courtyard is surnamed Zhang. ”

Pu Cao didn't want Chunni to worry about her, patted her on the back and smiled, "I know it in my heart, you can rest assured, I'm not the one who likes to suffer." After speaking, he pointed to the six windows that had been removed, and said, "These are estimated to be enough, if they are not enough, they will be unloaded tomorrow." Help me make the new window first. ”

Saying this, it was the second day, the sun had just climbed to the top of the east mountain, and the frost in the mountains had not yet melted, Uncle Kong Wu, Uncle Li Jiu, and Dong Si came to help, naturally they didn't enter the courtyard of the Zhang family and went straight to Liu's house in order to avoid suspicion.

Liu Housheng had just gotten a pair of crutches and was practicing walking in the house, and when he saw them coming, he thanked them again, which led them to Zhangjia's back garden.

There are already thousands of dry adobe plots there, and even the homestead has almost been dug with soil because of the debilitating. Dong Si and the three of them are all quick with their hands and feet, and Zhang Guier helps to work as a small worker, but the wall is half a person high in more than an hour.

Pu Cao and Chunni were busy in the stove together, the pork belly was cut into slices, boiled together with the broken bone sticks, and cut the cabbage and potatoes, so they carried the kettle to the back garden to deliver water, and also helped Liu Housheng weave the grass curtain.

There is a pond three miles outside the village, and there are large reeds growing on the edge of the pond. After the autumn harvest, the reeds are cut back when they are half dry and woven into a thick straw curtain, which is an excellent thing to keep warm in winter.

Every year, almost every family in the village has to weave some barns to cover buds, or thicken the livestock pen, Pucao has insufficient money in his hand, and he does not dare to be extravagant enough to make quilts to keep the greenhouse warm, so he can only retreat to the second choice of thick straw curtains.

Liu Housheng injured his leg, but there was no obstacle in his hands, and he couldn't be idle when he saw that others were helping, so he took the initiative to take the job. Pucao and Chunni didn't agree before, for fear that he would be tired, but then he saw that he was busy with some work, and he had eaten a lot of food and his face was better, so he didn't stop him.

Everyone was busy while gossiping, and Peach Blossom and Shanzi were also very sensible to help carry the adobe, and from time to time they fell on their heels, rubbing like a little mud monkey, which made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere was very lively and happy.

This busy day has come to the top of the head, although the sun at the end of autumn is no longer hot, but everyone is doing the work with great effort, and every head is covered with a thin layer of sweat.

Pu Cao asked everyone to stop and rest, and then went back to the front yard with Chunni, and threw the cabbage and potato strips and tofu into the bone broth to stew, and the pot was covered with a curtain made of sorghum straw, steamed dozens of hollow nests, boiled on a high fire and simmered slowly, and when everyone came back to wash their hands and the food was served.

Third Uncle Li, father and son were also invited, and together with Kong Wu, they were accompanied by Zhang Gui'er to eat and drink.

The peasant family helps each other when they have something to do, and when it comes to dinner, it is mostly a bowl of vegetable soup and a few cakes, and it is enough to eat. After all, no one is rich, and if you don't pick and choose other people's etiquette, it is naturally simple when it is your turn.

Therefore, when Kong Wu and the others looked at the large pottery bowl in front of them, full of large slices of pork belly, tender tofu, cabbage slices and potato strips, all of which were soaked in milky white soup, coupled with the yellow nest head like a golden mountain on the side, they couldn't help but swallow saliva and laughed, "It's so rich, it's just a cushion for the stomach, just eat enough." ”

Pu Cao was sending chopsticks in, and when he heard this, he was about to smile and respond, but Zhang Gui'er over there took the first answer, "Uncles should naturally be treated well for helping our family, coarse tea and light rice are not respectful, uncles don't dislike it." ”

Kong Wu and the others felt comfortable when they heard this, so they opened their mouths and praised, "Your brother is so polite, he will definitely have a future in the future, and the Zhang family's glorious lintel is very promising." ”

Zhang Gui'er's face was slightly red when she was praised, but her chin was still raised high, she glanced at the grass by the door, and said, "Sister-in-law, let's set up chopsticks, my uncles are hungry all morning." Such a tone and demeanor are completely in the style of the head of the family.

Pu Cao raised her eyebrows, stepped forward and divided the chopsticks with a smile, but she didn't say much, turned around and beckoned Chunni to take Shanzi and Peach Blossom to eat in the stove.

After the two children were full and went out to play, Chunni couldn't help but complain in a low voice, "This noble brother, I actually aroused you in front of the elders, didn't I say..."

Pu Cao looked like she was eating vegetables and drinking soup as usual, and after listening to her, she said, "This courtyard is indeed surnamed Zhang, and there is nothing wrong with him being the master of the house." However, he was a little stupid when he jumped out at this time, after all, now the Zhang family has nothing else but this courtyard. If he blindly pretends to be well-behaved and sensible, and finally turns his face when I knock down the family business, then I will really suffer a big loss. ”

Chunni sighed, "My mother often said that either your own flesh can't stick to yourself." You, there's no one in this house. ”

Pu Cao drank the soup in the dry bowl, shook his head and smiled, "Don't overturn a boatload of people with a rod, Peach Blossom and Shanzi are good children, it's Zhang Gui'er... To be honest, my nature is not bad, but I haven't disciplined it well since I was a child. Forget it, let's take it one step at a time. ”

Chunni was still not at ease, but there was nothing she could do, so she had to say, "You, there will be a headache in the future." ”

Pu Cao was not so pessimistic, and said with a smile, "What are you worried about for me, I don't like to be a stepping stone for others, even if there is a day when someone wants to kick me away, I won't do it to kill people and set fire, but it's still easy to break his two toes." ”

Chunni's face was full of disbelief, and she muttered while picking up the dishes and chopsticks to wash them, "Obviously softer than anyone else, and he always says viciousness..."

Pu Cao turned her head to look at the two little figures playing at the gate, and she was helpless in her heart, she couldn't give up the hard-won place because of a person who might become hostile, not to mention, there were these two caring and sensible children who trusted her wholeheartedly.

There is no perfect thing in the world, we must always look to the good places, as for the unbeautiful... In a word, prepare with both hands...

The days were getting shorter and shorter at the end of autumn, and everyone had eaten lunch but rested for a bag of cigarettes, and then hurried to continue their busywork, and finally finished building the greenhouse wall before the sun set.

Uncle Kong and the others circled around twice, and they all felt that this trapezoidal house without a roof was very strange. Pucao explained a few words, but they didn't understand it very well, so they simply didn't ask.

Pu Cao used to be a submissive bag in the eyes of the villagers, and she couldn't be too suspicious if she wanted to change this image, so she was very cautious in her words and deeds in front of people, and this time it was a good opportunity to ask someone to help with the work, and she was naturally more attentive.

The dishes prepared for dinner are more sumptuous than lunch, the roast chicken bought back from the old store in the city is torn up a large plate, the cabbage is fried with fungus, the shredded potatoes are fried with shredded meat, the minced meat is fried with tofu, and of course, the leading role is still the jar of bud valley wine.

There are few men in the world who don't like wine, especially Cuiluan City, which is located in the extreme north, where the summer is short, the winter is long and bitter cold, and everyone likes to drink two sips. The bud valley wine is strong and mellow, and it is hot and spicy from throat to stomach after drinking a sip, which is especially popular.

Fifth Uncle Kong hurriedly approached when he saw the wine jar, and he didn't open the mud seal, but only sniffed at the mouth of the jar and his eyes lit up, and said with a smile, "This bud valley wine is definitely more than three years old, and the taste is really strong." ”

The other people also had a tired look on their faces and became smiling.

Zhang Gui'er also wanted to pour wine, but Pu Cao first uncovered the mud seal on the wine jar, and said with a smile while filling the wine bowl for everyone, "Brother Gui'er is still too young to drink wine, so I will give a bowl to all the uncles and brothers first." Thanks to everyone's help today, no matter whether this vegetable can be grown in the future or not, the uncles helped today, and the grass was in mind. ”

The northerners have a bold temperament, and they don't like to procrastinate, twist and pinch, and the grass is so refreshing to toast, and everyone not only does not feel rude, but appreciates it very much.

When she drank the liquor in the bowl in one gulp, everyone applauded.

Pu Cao didn't stay much, and retreated with a few polite words, leaving everyone to praise while eating, Uncle Kong said, "Pu Cao, this girl used to look soft, but I didn't expect to live a life now, and she really looks good." ”

Liu Housheng was annoyed that he couldn't drink because his leg injury had not healed, and when he heard this, he said, "A few days ago, when I went to the city to see the injury, it was all the silver money of the Pucao girl, and Chunni and I said that there is no place in the world where the Pucao girl is so kind and righteous, and the affairs of the Zhang family will be the business of our Liu family in the future. ”