Mother. Du Mei stepped into the steamy kitchen.

Xu's was preparing to eat with the three Du Ying sisters, steaming soft and glutinous rice cakes with glutinous rice flour harvested during the New Year, wrapping zongzi with dried zongzi leaves from last year, and a large pot of braised beef jerky, and more than ten hard-boiled eggs.

After three days of the county test, the family members of the students could not deliver food, and they needed to make their own food, so Xu tried to bring cooked rice and meat to Lin Dai, and only needed to steam it on the charcoal stove at that time, which saved time and kept out hunger.

"Meizi is back, take a look, are these enough?" Xu straightened up and turned his head to look at her.

"That's enough, Lin Dai only went for three days, and he didn't go to Beijing to take the exam." Du Mei looked at the steaming rice cake in the plaque and said with a smile.

In the evening, after eating, Du Mei put the pen, ink, paper, inkstone, and eating charcoal one by one.

"I'm ready for these, let's leave early tomorrow, remember to bring books, bedding and clothes." Du Mei turned her head to look at Lin Dai, who was standing beside her and watching her do things.

"My mother said, after eating zongzi and cakes, you will definitely be able to go to high school!" Du Gui said with a grin as he propped up the table.

"Auntie is just trying to be auspicious, don't worry too much, how to take the test, and how to take the test." Xu Shi washed the dishes on the stove and turned around and said.

"Sister Meizi, your family is too good to us, I will definitely live up to your expectations!" Lin Dai blushed and said solemnly.

"My mother is right, let's try it tomorrow first, if you get in, you will naturally be happy, if you can't pass the test, don't worry, the master said that you are smart and willing to work hard, you will definitely be able to become a great tool." Du Mei said to Lin Dai with a pleasant face.

Lin Dai looked at Du Mei, his eyes were red, but he didn't speak, only nodded deeply.

Because Ming'er wanted to hurry early, Du Mei asked Lin Dai to go back early to rest, and as soon as he left, the patriarch Du Huaibing hurriedly came with a horse lantern. Du Mei let him sit in the hall and made him a cup of tea.

"Meizi, what you said before has really become a hot potato now." Du Huaibing sat on the chair and sighed.

"Is something happening in the village? I just came back from the restaurant, and I was busy preparing for the exam tomorrow. Du Mei sat down on the other side of the table and asked.

"Well, I haven't taken care of the things in Shangyi School these days. Every day, they raise ducks to fight for territory, especially your aunt and your aunt, yesterday for this, they had a fight at the mouth of the fish. Du Huaibing took a sip of the teacup, and then said, "This heavy snow is late, although the pests in the field are frozen to death, but also the green wheat seedlings and rape are frozen a lot, your family is better, the duck manure on the roots is protected, other people's fields are more or less bad, seeing that the spring grain is going to be reduced, they all think about the loss of the embankment and make up for the outside of the embankment, hoping that the ducks can be subsidized." ”

"Actually, there is nothing wrong with thinking so, now that the weather is about to be warmer, the villagers naturally want to put the ducks in the water earlier, so that they can save some food. But if the ducks are left to their own nature and stocked everywhere, we will have no clean water to drink, and adults and children will have to get sick and suffer. Du Mei wrinkled his eyebrows.

"That's what I said, but they didn't listen to it at all, and compared to you last year, you occupied the mouth of the fish and raised ducks, and said that nothing happened!" Du Huaibing took out his cigarette pouch angrily, lit the flame on the oil lamp, and took a hard breath.

"I only raised more than 100 ducks last year, this year, I am going to send them all to the villa to raise, the total number of ducks in the village must be more than 500, how can it be compared with me last year, if they are willing to put the ducks together in one place, stocking in the mouth of the fish, it will be better." After listening to Du Huaibing's words, Du Mei was not angry and said frankly.

"They just want to put it alone, they don't want to merge together, for fear that the ducks will be mixed up and suffer, I haven't let go of my mouth for a few days, they will talk to me every day, if you have time, you can also come to reason with them, maybe they will listen to you." Du Huaibing has no problem, they are all his clansmen, and they all want to live a good life, and the palms and backs of his hands are full of meat, so he is not too harsh.

"That's it, I'll send Lin Dai and them to the county seat first, and when I come back, I'll go to your house to take a look." Du Mei thought for a moment and said.

"Hey, the children's affairs are important, you pay attention to them first." Du Huaibing bit the cigarette holder and nodded.

On the second day, when Mao Shi, Du Mei took Lin Dai and picked up Du Chun, Aunt Zhang saw that Du Mei was following, so she didn't go, only asked her to take care of her own son, the Yixue Hall was lit with dim lights, and there was a short boy standing on the side of the road with the waste manuscript and Sanjin.

"Meizi, I'll take your carriage to see Du Jie." Sanjin said while carrying a food box.

"Oh." Du Mei gave way to make room for her carriage, which had been very spacious, but the three students were full of all kinds of things, and the five of them could only sit in the middle of them.

The horse lamp on the frame swayed, and the stone hurried by the faint light, but fortunately, the sky was getting brighter and brighter, and when I arrived in Qinghe County, the sun rose, shining warmly, and there was the breath of early spring.

The examination shed of the county examination is not far from South Street, because of the opening of the examination today, you can see people with examination baskets and bedding everywhere on the road, from teenagers to middle-aged, all of them are solemn and hurried.

Pity the hearts of the parents in the world, when Du Mei got off the carriage, he saw Lin Yong and You and his wife looking around.

"Let's go meet your parents." Du Mei pulled Lin Dai and asked him to look in their direction.

"Oh, I'm ...... I'll wait...... Wait a minute! Lin Dai was very excited and rushed away.

The sun was a little harsh, and Du Mei squinted at the people coming and going, and after three days, some of the group would come out on top and change their fate.

Sanjin went to the front to find Du Jie, the father and son met quickly, he handed the food box to Du Jie, but Du Jie didn't want it, the two pushed for a while, and finally reluctantly took it, Sanjin also tended to follow Du Jie to talk, but Du Jie looked impatient and ignored him.

There were voices all around, and Du Mei couldn't hear what their father and son were saying, and he didn't want to pay attention to it, so he turned his gaze away.

In the examination booth not far away, Shen Zhanghua was talking with a thin middle-aged man in an official uniform, the corner of his eyes swept over, Du Mei was slightly blessed, it was a salute, seeing this, a light flashed in his eyes.

"Meizi, tell us what to say, Lin Dai said, you have prepared everything for him." You Shi held his son with one hand and wiped the corners of his eyes with the other.

"Since he is studying in Yixue, I will prepare for him, isn't it right, now Lin Dai is back in the examination room, let's be happy and encourage him more." Dumer took You's hand and said with a smile.

"Well, I'm happy, Dad, you help carry the quilt, let's go to the front and line up." You Shi snorted a little embarrassedly, raised the corners of his mouth, and said.

Ordering, verifying their identities, and checking the items they brought, Lin Dai, Du Chun and the short Qian Xiaobao all successfully got the number plate of the examination shed and went in alone with all the belongings.

You Shi kept watching Lin Dai turn around and disappear before retracting his gaze.

"I have something to do today, I'm going back to the village soon, you guys are here just right, there is nothing to do in the villa at this time, you might as well go to the back hall of the restaurant to stay for a few days, although you can't see anyone, it's good to come and see every day." Du Mei saw that You Shi felt sorry for his son, so he spoke.

"This ...... It's so troublesome. Lin Yong said with some uneasiness.

"It's not troublesome, anyway, only Lin Ying lives alone, if she accompanies her at night, she should be happy." Du Mei said with a smile.

"That's good, we don't live in vain, when it's time to eat, we can help with it." You Shi couldn't wait to stop, she secretly pulled down Lin Yong's sleeve.

"Okay then." Lin Yong looked at You Shi's pleading gaze and softened.

"Auntie, there are no customers in the restaurant this time, you go and settle down first, and come back later." Du Mei looked at them and smiled, since ancient times, heroes have been sad about beauty, You was born beautiful and virtuous, Lin Yong depends on her in everything.

Seeing that Lin Yong and his wife were gone, Du Mei also planned to go back, but the county Cheng came over and asked her to talk.

"You're the one who killed locusts with ducks?" The tall, lanky middle-aged man looked at Du Mei with an inquiring expression.

"Du Mei, this is Lord Zhuang Dongzhuang of Ningzhou Zhizhou." Shen Zhanghua introduced her.

"Zhuang Zhizhou is good." Du Mei bowed.

"Who are you sending to take the test?" Zhuang Dong's gaze swept unscrupulously over Du Mei's face.

"It's a child of the village Yixue." Du Mei was very disgusted by him, so he lowered his head and said.

"Yixue, did you do it? I heard that the most popular restaurant in the county is also opened by you? Zhuang Dong suddenly stepped forward, and the breath of his words almost sprayed on Du Mei's face.

"In the evening, I asked Master Zhuang to come over and taste it, and it tasted really good." Shen Zhanghua took a step forward and blocked in front of Du Mei, who quietly stepped back.

"Okay, good, it's rare for me to come to invigilate the exam, and Du Ruren will also come to accompany me." Zhuang Dong smiled, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and he bit the word invigilator hard, which was a wordless prompt.

"My restaurant is just some vulgar country dishes, appreciated by everyone, and has a little reputation, you two go, just eat and drink well, it is a piece of my heart. There is still something to do in my village, so I will take the first step and I will not accompany you. Du Mei frowned, she couldn't bear Zhuang Dong's lustful and greedy face, so she had to leave.

"What a tough girl, it's a little interesting!" Zhuang Dong touched his beardless chin, looked at Du Mei who was gone, and said meaningfully.

As soon as Du Mei entered Dujiagou, she saw many people around the threshing floor, mostly women and half-grown children, and she was afraid that there would be a fight, so she hurriedly stopped the stone.

“…… This is a medicinal seed that does not cost money, you take it back and plant it, and in June and July, they will come to harvest it, the price is high, and there is no delay in planting autumn grain, which is very cost-effective. Du Mei came from far and near, and heard Du Zhu in the big house holding a cloth bag in his hand, standing in the crowd and talking loudly.

"Then I want a little." A boy lifted up his clothes and carried them around.

"Give it to me first!"

"Don't miss me!"

……

The onlookers were moved by Du Zhu's words, and they all rushed to ask him for seeds.

"Queue, queue!" Seeing this scene, Du Zhu was very proud, he reached out and grabbed a handful of tiny black seeds from the cloth bag and put them in the boy's pocket.

"Du Zhu, who gave this to you?!" Du Mei approached, saw the seed at a glance, his eyes were dark, and he burst into a shout.