Yellow mud adobe thatched house.

Sharpen knives under the eaves in April.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

After grinding the front side, then grind the back side.

There was a cough in the east wing, and then a woman's inquiry, "April, what are you doing?" ”

The voice is weak and tired.

April got up, stretched out his thumb and tried the blade, "The rice tank is empty, I'll think of a way." ”

The woman said, "I still have a hairpin here, you can take it ......."

"That hairpin is going to be left for you to buy medicine. I'm gone, remember to come out and move, don't lie down all day. ”

"Sister, I'll go with you too." A little boy of seven or eight years old, but he looked like he was five or six years old, and he looked up at April.

He is the fifth child in the family.

April reached out and wiped the stains on his face, "I'm tired." ”

"I'm not afraid of getting tired! I can help! Xiao Wu puffed out his chest, like a little man.

The fourth okra stood timidly at the kitchen door, "Sister, I want to go out with you too." ”

The old four okra and the little five are a pair of dragon and phoenix fetuses.

The children of poor families are in charge of the family at an early age, and at a young age, they lose their qualifications for willfulness and begin to take on responsibilities within their capabilities.

Looking at the two younger siblings who are not very old but are extraordinarily sensible, April agreed.

"Put on your back the basket, take the sickle, and go out with me."

"In April, you go out with your little four and five to be careful. If it really doesn't work, come back, and we'll find a way. ”

Yuan Li supported his body and walked out of the east wing room slowly. His face was sallow and sallow, and he looked like he had been malnourished for a long time. Maybe she hadn't seen the sun for a long time, and she was a little afraid.

This family, a family of four, is actually all looking like they have not been fed and clothed for a long time, and they are malnourished.

What's even more terrifying is that this family has no strong labor.

The only male is Yuan Manchu, who is only seven or eight years old.

All the burdens were on April, who was a little older.

April looked back at Yuan Li, who was leaning against the door frame, "It's better to come out and bask in the sun than to lie in bed every day." ”

Yuan Li gasped and said weakly: "Let's think of a way ...... again"

"I'll figure it out, you don't have to worry about it." April interrupted Yuan's nagging.

She slung the basket on her back and tightened the belt of her trousers. She was so hungry that her stomach was already hungry and she was walking around so much that she was worried that her pants would fall off.

A little weak, I poured myself another scoop of water, filled it with water, and temporarily resisted the hunger.

She asked Okra and Manho, "Are you alright?" ”

"That's it!" The twins agreed in unison.

"Okay, let's go."

The three siblings stepped out of the courtyard door and walked all the way into the distance.

The farther and farther I went, the home was blocked by a small hill, and I had long been left behind.

Okra caught up with April, "Sister, where are we going?" ”

"Go hunt pigweed."

"Hit the pigweed? But there are no pigs at home. The uncle's family has two pigs, and they have to eat a lot of food every day. "Okra doesn't understand, she's curious, and her desire to learn is strong.

April touched her head, "Just keep up." I'm sure I'll be able to eat tonight. ”

"Really? Is there any brown rice? Brown rice with pickles, I was able to eat a big bowl. As she spoke, Okra became hungry and began to drool.

Man Hoard, who caught up, heard the brown rice with pickles, and was also hungry, his stomach growled, and he couldn't stand it.

He casually pulled a weed from the side of the road, and sucked the juice from the weed's pole hard, sweet, but even more hungry.

April looked at a pair of siblings and told them, "Today we don't eat brown rice, we eat white flour steamed buns." ”

"White and white steamed buns." Okra was stunned, and her saliva flowed even harder. April had to wipe the corners of her mouth for her.

"Can we really eat white flour steamed buns?" Okra grabbed the corners of April's clothes, for fear of being one step behind.

"Want to eat?"

"Hmm!" Okra and Man Hoard nodded in unison, and said in unison: "I want to eat!" In fact, the rough noodles and steamed buns are also delicious, with pickles, ah......"

The two little ones were addicted to the imagination of pickles and rice, or pickles and steamed buns, and their stomachs became hungrier and hungrier, but their mood improved. The third sister told them that they had something to eat tonight, and they would definitely have to eat.

The words of the third sister can never be wrong.

It's just, it's so far away!

I have left the village and continue to walk.

We didn't stop until we reached the foot of a remote mountain.

April put down the basket, rolled up the trouser legs, and the only pair of straw sandals was neatly placed on the field.

She was barefoot and looked back at the two guys, "Playing pigweed, at least a hundred catties, do you have confidence?" ”

"Sister, who are we going to shoot pigweed?" Man Ho asked.

"For Hu Yuanwai's family, their family has dozens of pigs, and there is not enough pigweed to eat every day."

"Ah, it turned out to be for the rich man Hu's family." Okra looked surprised.

April laughed and pinched the faces of the two little guys, "In the future, no matter if there is anyone outside, you must call Hu Yuanwai." It's not nice to call Hu the rich man, that's what I call it in private. Hu Yuanwai is a stingy person, beware of being listened to by him and making him unhappy. Moreover, we need to be polite when we expect the Hu family to eat in the future. ”

Okra nodded heavily.

Man Ho also said: "I listen to my sister." ”

"Get to work!"

At the sound of April's order, the two little ones buried their heads in the work.

The sun is getting higher and the sweat is raining down.

When you are tired, you sit down to rest for a while, and when you are thirsty, you directly hold the stream water in your hands and pour it into your mouth. Wipe the sweat off your forehead and continue to beat the hogweed.

The place chosen in April is very remote, few people come, and no one will compete with them for pigweed.

One hundred catties, three back baskets, filled in a blink of an eye.

In April, I squatted down and tried the weight of the back basket, which was about fifty or sixty pounds.

She asked the two little ones, "Can you carry it?" Forget it, I'll memorize it a little more. ”

"You can carry it, you can carry it." Okra shouted loudly, carrying the basket on her back and desperately trying to stand up, but she didn't want to make a mistake.

April hurriedly picked up the okra, "It's too heavy, don't be strong." ”

Loosen the rope from the basket and transfer more pigweed to your own basket.

She gritted her teeth and tried it, afraid that she would have to weigh seventy pounds. Fortunately, it is still within her endurance, so as not to crush her.

Okra and Manhoard each carried the remaining dozens of catties.

The three sisters and brothers walked along the winding mountain road, step by step.

April gritted her teeth and held on, her shoulder sore from the rope. You don't have to look to know that both shoulders are broken and bleeding.

She looked ahead, as long as she went up the hill in front of her, the road after that was easy to walk, all smooth roads.

Grit your teeth and keep up the good work.

Climb up on all fours, she really crawls. Climb up the hill, put the back basket down directly, and gasp for air. The clothes were already soaked with sweat.

After taking two breaths, he hurried to help the two little ones.

The three siblings all went up the hill and lay on the ground to rest for breath.

In the distance are fields, full of crops.

The fields were cleanly kept, and there were no weeds left.

When the wind blew, the clothes were sticky to the body, sticky, full of sweat stains, and it was very uncomfortable.

"Keep it up, it'll be there soon."

"Sister, can we really eat white-flour steamed buns?"

"Absolutely!"

Man Ho smiled contentedly.

Okra said: "One white-flour steamed bun can be exchanged for four rough steamed buns, and the rough steamed buns are still full." ”

April smiled lightly and said to the two guys: "There are white flour steamed buns and rough flour steamed buns, so it's full!" ”

……

The Hu family is located in Shanghe Village and is a well-known wealthy man within a radius of dozens of miles. The Hu family not only raised dozens of pigs, but also thousands of sheep and dozens of cows.

The daily need for green fodder is a big number.

April took his younger brothers and sisters to the warehouse of the Hu family manor, put down the back basket, and stepped forward to ask: "More than 100 catties of fresh grass, what is the price?" ”

The steward Liu Daxi is not yet 20 years old this year, and three generations of his family have been working on errands in the Hu family. He studied private school with the young master of the main family for two years, and now he is a small steward at a young age.

He glanced at the three sisters and brothers of the Yuan family, and then walked out of the public house slowly, "I'll see, well, it's really fresh." You're not from Shanghe Village, where did you come from? ”

"We are from Yuanhe Village."

Yuan April was neither humble nor arrogant and followed behind Liu Daxi, "Fresh grass and tender." ”

"From Yuanhe Village, far enough."

Liu Daxi did a cursory inspection, and instructed the long-term worker to weigh and count the money, "One hundred and seventeen catties, count you four big money, plus a rough steamed bun." ”

Yuan April immediately said: "I only need two big money, and the other is converted into five rough steamed buns, plus two white flour steamed buns." ”

"You're pretty good at bargaining." Liu Daxi glanced at Yuan April, thin, with yellow hair, looking like he had been hungry for a long time.

is an inconspicuous country girl, with a pair of black and bright eyes, and she is particularly charming.

Look at her conversation, she doesn't look like a country girl who has never seen the world, she is generous, her words are clear, and her purpose is clear.

Liu Daxi didn't embarrass her, "Two big money, plus three rough steamed buns and one white steamed bun." Don't bargain anymore, otherwise, you will carry back the more than 100 catties by yourself. ”

"Thank you Steward Liu!"