Liu Er forced a smile and said to Chrysanthemum, "If you don't, forget it." Are you going home? I'm just going to Meizi's house to talk to you. While glancing at Aoki with resentment, he helped Chrysanthemum lift the bamboo basket.

Chrysanthemum had no choice, so she had to say to Aoki: "Brother, I'm going to my house." You'll be back early in the evening! ”

Aoki stared at Liu'er uneasily—I don't know what she was looking for Chrysanthemum, and replied casually, "Well, I know!" Hurry up and go to dinner! ”

Liu Er and Chrysanthemum walked out of the ancestral hall compound and headed west. Chrysanthemum didn't squeak either, waiting for Liu Er to speak.

Liu Er kept cheering herself up, thinking and thinking, but she couldn't open her mouth. Seeing that she was about to part ways with Chrysanthemum in front of her, she was in a hurry, stood still, and said pleading to Chrysanthemum: "Sister Chrysanthemum, I'...... I...... It's like this......"

She couldn't speak, hesitated for a long time, and finally made up her mind to say to Chrysanthemum: "Sister Chrysanthemum, I like your brother very much." But my mother is a money-loving person, and if she wants to marry me into a big family, I really can't do it! Can you help me bring a letter to your brother? ”

Chrysanthemum watched her silently.

"Sister Chrysanthemum?" Seeing that she didn't speak, Liu Er urged anxiously.

Chrysanthemum sighed and said softly: "Sister Liu'er, you said it yourself just now, your mother is a money-loving person." Our family is poor! ”

Liu Er burst into tears and said, "Can't you tell your brother to think of a way!" ”

Chrysanthemum smiled bitterly: "Where can there be any way?" "Didn't Zhang Huai just go to your house to propose marriage, but he got a gray nose.

Seeing that Chrysanthemum didn't let go, Liu Er took out a cyan purse from his sleeve, handed it to Chrysanthemum and said, "Then can you bring this to your brother, I'...... I made it specifically for him. ”

Chrysanthemum hurriedly took a step back, and said to Liu'er: "Sister Liu'er, this is not good!" If your mother knew, she would have beaten you to death, I don't know, she would definitely fight with my mother. ”

Alas! This girl is so naïve! How did she know that her brother would accept her purse?

Liu Er saw that Chrysanthemum refused to help her at all, and couldn't help crying.

Chrysanthemum sighed and said, "Sister Liu'er, I really can't help you." You're only making things more troublesome. I think it's better for you to start with your mother. It's easier for the family to talk, isn't it? ”

Liu Er covered her face and whimpered: "She doesn't care about me at all, I ...... I can't help it! ”

Isn't that even more impossible? Do you want someone to elope with you? Although Chrysanthemum is very sympathetic in her heart, her own family is also a trouble, what qualifications do you have to manage others?

Liu Er cried for a while, wiped her tears with a handkerchief, and whispered to Chrysanthemum: "Then I'll go first!" After speaking, without waiting for Chrysanthemum to answer, he turned around and trotted away.

Chrysanthemum looked at her back and sighed in her heart, there are difficulties in being beautiful. If she is ugly, her mother will not have those crooked thoughts!

Suddenly, she no longer minded her looks, and really let go. If she is also very beautiful, maybe her father and mother will not be as greedy for money as Liu Erniang, but who knows if there will be other troubles?

She walked home quickly with the basket, and saw Zheng Changhe coming up from the yard, looking at her cautiously with a smile on his face, and asked, "Sent it?" Let's go eat. Your mother's house is here, too! ”

As he was talking, Yang also ran out, took the basket in her hand and stuffed it into Zheng Changhe's hand, pulled his daughter and asked with a smile: "Are there many people in the ancestral hall?" How many days will it take? ”

Chrysanthemum lost her smile - also worried that she would be humiliated outside, her mother was much more sleek than her father, and she would ask questions. But seeing them like this, she only had ironing in her heart!

When she arrived in the yard, she said to her father, "Dad, mother! I'm fine, and I changed an old turtle with someone to come back! They all like to eat the dishes I cook, and I promised to bring more vegetables to them tomorrow, and one of Zhao Dazui brought this old turtle to me - this old turtle is easy to make up; There is also a Li Changxing who said that next time he caught a yellow eel to send me! ”

Chrysanthemum took out the old turtle and showed it to her father.

He said to Zheng Changhe again: "Dad, you killed this old turtle, I will simmer it in a simmering pot later, and I will make sure you still want to eat it after eating!" After thinking about it, he said, "Except for the dirty things in your stomach, don't throw anything else." ”

She was afraid that Zheng Changhe would throw away the shell or something. People here pay attention to eating meat, bones are not sold at a high price, fat meat is more expensive than lean meat, if this principle is treated, this old turtle will have nothing left.

Yang and Zheng Changhe opened their mouths wide, looked at the old turtle, and felt that this girl had really grown up, and she was no longer a human being, and she was so scared that she cried as soon as she looked at her face.

Yang thought again, the girl dared to talk to the people in the village, and exchanged things with the boys, is that ...... She happily imagined what Chrysanthemum would look like when she got married.

Chrysanthemum didn't care about her father's face, she was hungry, and while eating, she destroyed her father to clean up the old turtle.

Sitting on the small bench, the group of little chicks circled around her, and from time to time, Chrysanthemum deliberately dropped some rice grains for them to eat; After snatching it, the chickens raised their heads and stared at the rice bowl in Chrysanthemum's hand expectantly, and her bright yellow eyes and blank appearance caused her to chuckle.

Yang looked at the girl's true appearance and sighed with emotion - how could Chrysanthemum have such a carefree look before? It seems that this accident made her want to open it.

When Zheng Changhe cleaned up the old turtle, he found that there were too many chrysanthemums, and the simmering jar couldn't fit at all. So, only half of it was stewed, and the other half was braised in the evening.

She shook her spirits, took ginger slices and dried chili peppers and boiled them in an oil pot a few times, then poured the old turtle meat down and stir-fried it, put a little sauce on it, added water and simmered it over low heat. When it is almost ready, add the shallots and green garlic sprouts, and it will be out of the pan in a while.

The chrysanthemum didn't wait to be served, and first sandwiched a piece of meat and put it in your mouth, the taste was really delicious! She was strange, this kind of thing is not particularly fishy, it is very easy to burn, why don't the people in the peasant family like to eat it?

When the meal was ready, and the fire was extinguished in the stove, Chrysanthemum put the simmering pot full of turtle meat and mushrooms into the stove, and used the ashes of the burned wood and grass to surround it—and by tomorrow morning it would be a pot of fragrant soup.

At dinner, Chrysanthemum paid attention to the faces of her father and brother, and when she saw that they had eaten this old turtle meat, her eyes lit up, and she finally put her mind at ease.

It seems that the problem is that everyone can't burn it, it's not that the old turtle meat is not delicious!

Zheng Changhe smiled and asked, "Girl, why did you cook this old turtle meat?" I used to pick up a sunbathing turtle by the river, but this time your mother's cooking was not as delicious as the one you cook today! ”

Although Yang also thought that his daughter's cooking was delicious, his own man was so faceless that he was so angry that he knocked him with chopsticks.

Chrysanthemum didn't speak, but ate meat with a smile. She's really greedy, those shrimp and dried fish or something, no matter how well they are cooked, she can't eat them, so she eats some vegetables all day long!

Aoki kept bringing vegetables to his mouth - he had done a lot of work today, and his appetite was exceptionally good.

After eating for a while, Aoki seemed to think of something, and said to Zheng Changhe: "Dad, Ming'er, you can make a few yellow eel baskets!" "He always spoke briefly, and he didn't say why he made it up, but everyone in the family understood.

Chrysanthemum is even more clear, because today he told Li Changxing that he likes to eat yellow eel, and his brother will also catch yellow eel.

She looked at her brother and smiled! I thought it was no wonder that Liu Er liked her brother.

Thinking of this, Liu Er's tearful appearance appeared in front of me again! Do you want to tell my brother about it? Let's tell it, it's better to let Aoki make his own ideas!

Zheng Changhe said happily: "Cheng! Now the fields are not so busy, and the wheat is growing well. I'll make it up tomorrow, what do you want to make up chrysanthemums? ”

Chrysanthemum thought about it, but there was nothing else to pack except for the acorns that were about to be collected, so she replied, "There is nothing to weave." Or make a few more baskets. Also, the sack has to be braided a little more, and it has to be filled with acorns when you go back! ”

Zheng Changhe agreed.

Chrysanthemum said again: "Dad, if you have time, can you and your brother take the time to dig a well?" In the winter of the province, you have to carry water to eat. The well water is warm in winter and cool in summer, and it is also easy to use. We are close to the river, and the mirror lake is not dry all year round, and there must be water underground. You shouldn't be able to dig very deep before the water comes out. ”

Yang immediately agreed: "I wanted to say it a long time ago, but I was always busy forgetting. Hurry up, dig this year! Then get a few people to help you dig it out in one go. ”

Aoki said: "The day after tomorrow!" The ancestral hall will be repaired tomorrow, and it will take a few days to dry before going to school. I'll ask a few people to help dig the day after tomorrow. ”

Zheng Changhe: "Hmm! That's it. Where to dig? ”

Yang asked at the chrysanthemum, "Just on the edge of the kitchen?" In the future, it will be convenient to use water in the kitchen, and it will also be convenient to water the vegetable patch. ”

Chrysanthemum listened and nodded repeatedly.

After eating, Yang washed the dishes, Chrysanthemum fed the pigs, and caught the chicks into the cage. Hurry up, and it'll be dark.

In order to save oil on the lamp, it is time to go to bed as soon as it gets dark. It's a good thing to be able to sleep, but Chrysanthemum especially doesn't like the hard bed! Alas, there is still a struggle!

Seeing that Chrysanthemum entered the room a little bored, Aoki hesitated for a moment and followed in.

Chrysanthemum was bored, and when she saw Aoki coming in, she hurriedly said, "Brother, have you washed it?" Come and sit. I've got something to tell you! ”

Aoki sat down on the edge of the bed and asked, "What's the matter?" ”

In the dark, Chrysanthemum was silent, looking at her brother's figure intently. Alas! What a good boy, but his family is poor!

Aoki seemed to know that she was looking at herself, and took the initiative to ask softly, "What did that Liu'er do with you today?" ”

Seeing that he asked about this first, Chrysanthemum couldn't help but purse her lips and laugh silently, and whispered, "Alas! What can she do with me, it's not for you! ”

Aoki was stunned and looked at his sister in the dark. Although I couldn't see her expression clearly, I waited for her explanation.

Chrysanthemum thought to herself, I'm afraid that because of the trouble at home, my brother has never considered this matter! She whispered: "Brother, Liu'er likes you!" But her mother wanted to marry her into a big family. She wants you to help her. I also embroidered a purse for me to bring to you, but I didn't dare to promise her. ”

Aoki was surprised - Liu Er likes herself?

After being bored for a while, he said: "Let her go, we can't help her - her mother is very difficult!" ”

Chrysanthemum sat closer to him and asked, "Then brother, do you like Liu'er?" ”