Sixty years with spring

Chapter VIII

Little Traders (1)

When Che Hongxuan returned home from the city, his mother was tending to the old sows with her cubs, and except for the two stoves in the south, the north side of the outhouse had become the world of old sows. He was sick to the smell of straw on the floor and the smell of pigsties in the house.

Che Laosan saw his brother coming back in the house, and ran out while shouting "brother".

Che Hongxuan handed a few fried cakes bought in the city to his younger brother.

"What is this? It's so fragrant, like fried meatballs for the New Year. Che Laosan sniffed it and said.

"It's a fried cake, it's a bean paste filling, it's delicious. Go into the back room and eat, it's too much to bury here. ”

Che Laosan ran into the house with fried cakes to eat.

Che Hongxuan thought that he had driven the old sow to graze, and the old sow should be very familiar with him and would not be frightened. But on the contrary, when he approached, the old sow suddenly raised her head with a "hum", her eyes were red and she looked at him viciously, and her big mouth "let's da" protested to him one by one.

Che Hongxuan scolded angrily: "Ungrateful bastard, don't know me? ”

The mother said, "Don't go to the front, the old sow is like crazy when she gives birth, except for who I see bites whom." ”

Che Hongxuan was not afraid, and stood there and told his mother: "I found that uncle, and he agreed, telling me that nothing will happen." ”

The mother was obviously very happy, and complimented, "Okay child, you have finally grown up." The children of poor families are in charge of the family early, and you will be the pillar of our family in the future. ”

Che Hongxuan took out the money he had received and handed it to his mother and said, "The money hasn't been spent." ”

"Put it in your hands, there is no wine, go to the winery tomorrow to get ten catties of wine for your father, it is estimated that he will be back soon."

"Okay mom." Che Hongxuan thought about it and said, "Mom, I found that rice bran in the city is very expensive, and I want to buy a bicycle to sell rice bran and make a lot of money." ”

"No! Have you forgotten how your mom told you? Your main focus is on studying, and you can help the family with some housework in your free time. ”

"Dad said he would take me to the four major episodes and let me do business."

"I have the final say in this kind of thing, there are five things in the world, and the hardest and lowest are the traders. Haven't you heard, no treachery, no business. You remember, there is a golden house in the book, and there is Yan Ruyu in the book, if you are uneducated, you will be blind in the future, what can a blind man do? Mom once told you the story of chiseling the wall and stealing the light and piercing the cone of the head cantilever beam, don't forget. Now that every household is electrified, the night is like daytime, how good are the conditions? Be sure to study hard and you may be able to stand out if you have any opportunities in the future. ”

"What if you can learn and buy and sell at the same time?"

"That's impossible, you can't use one mind at the same time. Not yet, when you're older. "Mom said very firmly that it could not be changed.

Che Hongxuan is still a thief, and the next day is just in time for the big set, he carries the wine barrel to the market to see the rice bran market.

Since the vicinity of Meng Village is still dominated by large fields, and the main crops are sorghum, corn and soybeans, there are not many people who sell rice bran.

If it weren't for the fact that in the past two years, the transformation of large fields into paddy fields would have been carried out at all. However, in the past two years, the paddy fields have been advancing very fast, especially in the nearby villages and towns, and almost all of them are being changed. In order to speed up the improvement of paddy fields, the state has built many canals and dams.

Che Hongxuan asked the price of rice bran from house to house, and it was about five cents, and after doing the math, if he could carry sixty catties at a time, how could he earn four or five yuan.

But how can we get things to the city? There's nothing to do, and if you can't afford a bike, you can't buy it, so you have to supply it with a ticket. I can't say what year or month it is only once, and those with heads and faces have gone through the back door, and the ordinary people can't even see their shadows. Besides, it's impossible for the family to buy themselves a bicycle for this matter, which is wishful thinking.

He also heard that at present, there are four major items to prepare for marriage (watches, bicycles, radios and wall clocks), and the most difficult thing to buy is bicycles, which cost money to buy coupons.

Che Hongxuan left the rice bran sellers and went to the shop that sold old bicycles.

There are a lot of worn-out bicycles, most of which are missing arms and legs, and even if there are a few that can be ridden, they can only be used.

Bicycles are the only fast travel tools in rural areas, and the ones that are easy to use are not sold, and almost all of them are sold to car repairers for disassembly.

After wandering around for a while, Che Hongxuan said "hi" lonely, and there was nothing he could do, so he went to the winery in the north of the village to drink.

The smell of sake lees wafted everywhere around the winery, and Che Hongxuan felt that it smelled good. Because he had been here many times, the old man who guarded the door already knew him, and he went in after saying hello.

There is no one in the liquor office, and the door is locked.

Che Hongxuan looked around, and saw no one else except for a carriage opposite, so he went back to the gate to ask.

The old man pointed to the carriage and said, "No, the custodian is leaving the warehouse, and he will go to the city tomorrow to deliver wine, and by the way, he will bring coal back." ”

"Can I go to him?"

"Honestly, don't mess around, I'm here to watch you, go ahead."

"Okay, thank you grandpa!"

His eyes lit up, he walked over quickly, came to the cart and asked the driver, "Uncle, will this car enter the city tomorrow?" ”

"Get out of the way, get out of the way!" The owner of the car was tying the wicker wine baskets with ropes, and he didn't even look at him, and bombarded him impatiently.

"Uncle, can I follow you into the city?"

"The second uncle of the emperor is not easy to make! Pull aside, whose children are going! ”

Che Hongxuan still said patiently with a smiling face: "Uncle, I just came back from the city yesterday, that place is really good, there is a bathhouse, all bare, all bare, it is comfortable to wash." ”

"Go, in plain words, then you still need to say, don't you have money?"

"It's not particularly expensive, there is a restaurant next to the bathhouse, the fried cakes are delicious, and the loin flowers are fragrant!"

"Who are you a child of your family, who can afford to be so particular about enjoyment since you were a child?" After speaking, the owner of the car drove away with a shout.

There's no way, this car owner is an elm pimple head, the soup doesn't enter, and he can't communicate.

Che Hongxuan saw a stream of heat coming out of the factory gate next to the warehouse, and he walked in curiously.

It turned out that the workers were raising the cellar shirtless, some with a spade to throw the lees out of the cellar, and some with carts pushing the lees to the steamer. There is a faucet under the white steamer, and at this time it is dripping wine.

Che Hongxuan thought to himself that this was really a wonderful thing, these sorghum bran and rice husks could actually be steamed into wine.

The custodian aunt who sells liquor is here, and she has seen him and waved to him to let him out.

Che Hongxuan once heard his father say that the new Erguotou is the best, although it is not necessarily the Erguotou now, but the fresh wine must be delicious. He pretended to think that his aunt was calling him, and walked straight over.

The aunt smiled angrily and asked, "Are you drinking again?" ”

"Yes, Auntie."

"Don't let you in here, you get out quickly."

"Auntie, can you get me a fresh barrel of wine?"

"No, no, you go out quickly and wait for me outside."

"Pick it up, my dad said it tasted good."

The aunt waved her hand and said, "Hurry up and get out, the factory director will criticize me when he sees it." ”

Che Hongxuan had no choice but to come out.

After a while, the aunt came out with two workers pushing the two wine baskets and pushed the wine into the warehouse, and the aunt took out a large set of keys and locked the warehouse door.

Che Hongxuan saw that at this time, there was no longer heat coming out of the factory, indicating that the soju had ended, and he asked, "Auntie, can I go into the city with the car that delivered the wine?" ”

The aunt said unhappily: "You child, why did you come from so many things? ”

Che Hongxuan had no choice but to drink, walked to the gate, and asked the old man who was watching the gate: "Grandpa, why don't I know the one who drove the car, it's not from our village, right?" ”

The old man smiled and said, "How many people can you know at such a young age?" We are such a big village, even I can't guarantee that I know everything. ”

"Oh, grandpa, which squad is he?"

"West, Team Five."

"Thank you, grandpa."

Che Hongxuan's heart lit up, he knew that his sister had several classmates in the fifth team, and he might be able to find a relationship when his sister came back. He knew very well that as long as he could transport the rice bran to the city to make money, it would not be a problem.

A few days later, Dad really came back, it seems that the years are difficult, Dad has lost a lot of weight, as if he has grown old all of a sudden.

Che Hongxuan noticed that when his father came back, his mother's eyes were full of tears. However, the tears did not fall after all.

The next day, the Wang family's parents also returned, which was really happy. However, because the comprehensive factory has been suspended, the couple no longer go to work, and their lives are struggling, thanks to the meticulous care of the car family.

After the National Day, my sister finally came back after the big tandem, and I didn't bring anything else, just a half-traveled bag that had been dried and hard, and I couldn't gnaw even if my teeth were good. Only the old wolf at home can barely gnaw on it, and sometimes he chokes and coughs a few times, spewing out a puff of white smoke.

My sister said that these steamed buns are all distributed for free, and I usually try to eat as little as possible, and save them to take home. She also said that they went to Tiananmen Square, Shanghai, Nanjing and Xi'an, and traveled most of China, and did not spend money anywhere.

Mom smiled happily and said, "That's a tour of the mountains and rivers, what kind of big alliance is it?" Besides, what kind of big alliance are we going to the big city in this wilderness and countryside? It's also worth it to open your eyes, and after a while, there won't be such a good opportunity. ”

My sister said, "Yes, it's crowded, and you can't even get into the toilet on the train, it's all people." There was no place for the hotels and restaurants everywhere, and we stayed at the university for several days. ”

Mom said, "Okay, just come back, take a good rest, don't worry about your mother to death!" ”

"It's fine." My sister took out the money to sort it out, and her mother gave her twenty yuan before leaving, and she spent less than ten yuan, and she gave the rest of the money to her mother.

My mother put away the money and said, "You girl's family can't go out and run around anymore." It's all up to your brother this time. ”

"What's going on?" My sister asked in surprise.

Mom explained it to her briefly.

My sister couldn't help but be a little afraid.

Mom said, "You didn't expect the backyard to catch fire when you ran all over the world, and people were in trouble, so it was better to stay at home." ”

Mom went to work. She was reluctant to throw away all the steamed buns, so she smashed the steamed buns that had not yet grown green hair with a hammer, and then added cornmeal to make a flatbread, not to mention that it was still delicious.

When his mother wasn't paying attention, Che Hongxuan asked his sister: "Sister, can you ask your fifth team of classmates who is driving the car to the winery?" ”

"What are you going to do?"

"My classmate wants to bring something to the city and pay for the freight."

"Okay, I'll ask someday."

A few days later, my sister told Che Hongxuan: "I told you, the surname of the driver is Gao, and he will go to the winery to load the car the morning after tomorrow, and let you send your things to the bridge along the river before nine o'clock to wait for him there." You have to be careful of secrecy, you can't let the team and the winery know, and it's not allowed to pull private feet. ”

"Okay sister."

"He has to go back at four o'clock in the evening, and he will wait where you get off the bus, and if you don't come by then, he won't wait for you, do you know?"

"Clear, promise it's okay."

"Don't be late, once it's late, it's going to be troublesome, don't you rush your mother to death?!"

"Don't worry, sister, we'll wait for him an hour in advance."

"That boss Gao happens to be my fellow neighbor, people don't want money, just don't be naughty."

"Okay sister, don't worry."

"You have to bring the money and food stamps, in case you don't come back, you can eat and stay in the hotel, and the next day you find a long-distance bus station and take the bus back."

"It's okay, Aunt Gu Mingyuan's house is there."

My sister nodded convincingly.

Che Hongxuan calculated, rice bran costs five cents a catty, and he has eleven yuan in his hand, so he can buy a hundred catties and have a piece left to make coiling.

At night, Che Hongxuan secretly put the copper rod at home in his backpack and brought a few pieces of bud rice flour flatbread.

The next morning, Che Hongxuan went to the market to contact a rice bran seller, threw down the deposit, and asked the family to pack 100 catties of rice bran into three sacks at half past eight tomorrow morning and deliver it to Qiaotou on time.

Everything went according to plan.

For buying a hundred catties of rice bran, Che Hongxuan also felt a little stunned, after all, it was ten yuan, and if something went wrong, there was no way to explain it.

This time, Che Hongxuan lied to his mother for the first time, saying that he accompanied Gu Mingyuan to send rice bran to his aunt's house.

Because of the last incident, Mom didn't care.

Before eight o'clock in the morning, he came to the bridge of the Xiaohun River and waited for everything to happen slowly.

The rice bran arrived on time, and he happily paid and waited at the bridge.

Just after nine o'clock, the owner of the carriage drove the carriage to the bridge, shaking a long whip.

"Pilot!" The uncle who was driving the car stopped the car and smiled when he saw Che Hongxuan: "Little rabbit cub, it turned out to be you, I didn't agree if I knew it was you!" ”

Che Hongxuan immediately laughed and said, "Hello Uncle Gao, it seems that our two fathers are fateful!" ”

"Young man, you can speak well, you can walk around, you have the courage to go into the city alone at a young age, it's not ordinary, you can't be wrong when you grow up!"

"I've been to the city, didn't I tell you that day, the city is good, there are tall buildings, and there are smooth asphalt roads, it won't get muddy on rainy days, and walking shoes won't be buried."

"But you don't know, the children in the city are very naughty and love to fight, so you can hide."

"It's okay, I'm not afraid of them!"

"Okay, the lad has courage!"

Uncle Gao came down to help load the car, and when he saw so much rice bran, he asked puzzledly: "Why do you bring so much, does your aunt's family run a chicken farm?" ”

Che Hongxuan smiled and said: "He still has neighbors in his family and comrades in the class, so he wants more." My uncle-in-law said, please go down to the restaurant in the evening, and invite you to drink. ”

"Where in the city are you?"

"The small market north of the City Hall Square."

"Well, I'm going to deliver a case of wine to the store there, too."

"I'll be there waiting for you to eat before four o'clock in the evening."

"I know the place, no problem. I'll put it on for you, and then you sit honestly in the back and don't get out of the car. ”

"Uncle Gao, I'll help you catch the car, you can rest for a while."

"You? It's not a small amount of courage! ”

"I understand, oh oh inside, oh leap outside."

"You'd better stay, these two horses won't listen to you."

"It's okay, I've played in the big carriage in the squad."

"No, it's on the road, it's not a joke."

There was no way, Che Hongxuan had no choice but to sit honestly next to Uncle Gao and watch how he managed the two big horses.

At this time, the blue sky is thousands of miles, the sun is in the sky, the breeze is gusting, the rice fragrance is fragrant, and it is a good harvest scene.

Che Hongxuan sat beside Uncle Gao and hummed a small tune.

Just after eleven o'clock, the car arrived at the small market, and Uncle Gao helped unload the car.

After Uncle Gao left, Che Hongxuan carried the three sacks to the selling position one by one, took them out, and began to sell.

Soon an old woman came, picked up the rice bran and twisted it with her hands, took it to the bottom of her nose and smelled it, nodded and said: "This is good rice bran, it has a fragrance, it is pressed out by the mill, and there is a lot of rice." ”

Che Hongxuan understood that the rice body she was talking about was the broken rice in the rice bran.

As the first buyer, the old man bought five catties. In this way, one after another, one after another, more than two hours later, all the 100 catties of rice bran were sold.

There are still those who haven't bought it, and when I ask him when he will come again, he excitedly tells people that he will come next week and will never break his promise.

It sold so smoothly that he wondered if he was selling cheaply. He walked back and forth in the market, but he didn't find anyone selling rice bran.

Che Hongxuan saw a dry tobacco seller, and he knew that Uncle Gao, who was driving the car, smoked dry tobacco. In order to firmly grasp this road into the city, he spent a dollar and bought several bundles of dry tobacco to give to Uncle Gao.

You must know that this dollar is almost Uncle Gao's salary for a day.

Che Hongxuan came to the small restaurant and told the hotel aunt that he would eat here in the evening. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, he counted the money, and earned a net dime and two cents per catty, that is, twelve yuan, which was equivalent to the salary of a large laborer for more than ten days.

Che Hongxuan was determined to invite Uncle Gao to dinner and drink, although it might cost more than a dollar, but he thought it was worth it, if this road was cut off, he would not be able to continue the business, and he would not be able to fulfill his promise to return next week.

At three o'clock, Che Hongxuan picked up Uncle Gao on the road, and Lehehe handed him the dry tobacco and said: "This is the dry tobacco given to you by your uncle, and it was made up by the people who bought rice bran, and everyone hopes that you will help more in the future." ”

Uncle Gao was surprised, he hadn't thought about it at all. He looked at the dry tobacco, smelled it again, and said with relief: "Good smoke, good smoke, this should be from Jiaohe, Jilin, I haven't smoked it yet, it's so fragrant!" How can I buy such a valuable gift, I can't afford it! ”

"This is everyone's heart, what uncle likes in the future, I'll let them buy it if it's a little other."

"Okay, okay, that's interesting enough!"

When the two came to the small restaurant, Uncle Gao took off the horse trough hanging behind the car, added fodder, took out a bucket and fed the horse, and then went into the house to eat.

Che Hongxuan asked for a loincloth flower, a fried hairtail fish, a bowl of vegetarian stewed soup, a plate of fried cakes, and a pot of wine.

The fragrance on the table made the hungry uncle want to gobble it up immediately, but he still asked suspiciously, "What about your uncle?" ”

"He had something to do in his class, so he left after ordering."

"It's so polite, I'm so embarrassed!"

Che Hongxuan handed him a pair of chopsticks and brought him hot wine.

Uncle Gao asked happily, "Little child, do you dare to come twice?" ”

"Mom won't let me drink."

"It's a filial child!"

On the way home, Uncle Gao drank two glasses of wine, was tired and sleepy, and fell asleep in the carriage.

Che Hongxuan has to do it now, he swayed majestically with a big whip, and happily drove the big carriage home in the sunset.

The old horse knows the way, and Che Hongxuan hardly needs to issue too many orders, let alone put the whip on the horse. The two horses were able to accurately avoid pedestrians and vehicles and find every fork in the road home.