19 (forty-nine) years.

Early May.

In the east, the belly of the fish appeared white, the stars faded, and the clouds took off their black clothes to welcome the arrival of the sun.

"The bright moonlight in front of the bed, suspected to be frost on the ground, look up at the bright moon, bow your head and think of your hometown."

A crisp and loud voice came from the thatched house, and Xu Fugui, who had just come back from outside, smiled slightly, and said loudly: "Fengxia, why did you get up so early." ”

There was a sound of rustling footsteps, and Feng Xia, who was dressed in light blue clothes, ran out quickly, stopping and looking up at him, "Dad, you're back." ”

In the next second, Youqing also ran out and looked at him expectantly, "Dad, I want to feed the sheep and graze." ”

Xu Fugui put down the back basket behind him, which was full of pigs and grass.

Youqing immediately took a bundle of pigs and grass and threw it in the sheepfold, and the four lambs in it immediately got up and ate it.

Youqing lay on the edge of the fence and watched this scene with a smile.

Youqing is already more than three years old, and his height has jumped again, a head taller than children of the same age.

"Don't get up so early in the future, sleep more to grow taller." Xu Fugui poured a few sips of cold water and casually instructed.

Walking into the stove room, Jiazhen and Liu Cuiping were busy working on the stove, with smiles on the corners of their mouths, talking and laughing.

Xu Fugui snorted, "What did you get this morning?" ”

Liu Cuiping said happily: "Brother Fugui, eat pumpkin stewed rice this morning." ”

"No wonder it smells so good."

The life of their Xu family is getting better and better, mainly because Jiazhen teaches the children in the village to read, and the people in the village will send things over every once in a while.

In addition, the southern army was constantly defeated, and there was no time to take care of them as ordinary people, and the collection of grain and taxes was relatively small, so life was much better.

Because of this, their family can have a good meal every three or five days, especially Youqing and Fengxia, who have an egg to eat every morning.

Xu Fugui glanced at Liu Cuiping's big belly, "Cuiping, you better rest more." ”

Liu Cuiping shook her head indifferently, "I'm in good health, it's not in the way." ”

Xu Fugui touched Lai Shun, who was smoking a dry cigarette on the side, "How long does it take for Cuiping to have a baby?" ”

Lai Shun remembered it very clearly, and replied with a smile: "It's soon, it depends on this month." ”

A strong smell of Chinese medicine came, and Jiazhen walked into Xu's mother's house with the boiled medicinal soup, and Xu Fugui also followed.

"Mother, I've taken the medicine." Jiazhen said softly.

In the house, Xu's mother was lying on the bed, looking haggard, with gray hair, looking drooping and old, and there was no aura in her eyes.

A year ago, Xu's mother suddenly fell ill, not only did she lose her strength, but also often dizzy, so she invited Lang Zhong to see, Lang Zhong shook his head and prescribed a pair of traditional Chinese medicine, so that Xu's mother insisted on drinking it every day, maybe she could live longer.

Seeing them coming, Mother Xu barely showed a smile on her face, "Where to put it, I'll drink it later, Jiazhen, you can see if the size is suitable." ”

Jiazhen took the brand-new mille-feuille cloth shoes and couldn't help but say: "Mother, Lang Zhong said, let you rest well, you can't work." ”

Mother Xu said silently: "I'm just working, passing the time in bed." ”

After speaking, he glanced at the medicinal soup on the table, and asked in a low voice, "Fugui, Jiazhen, I want to discuss something with you." ”

Xu Fugui peeled the white egg and put it next to the medicinal soup, "Mother, you say, we will promise you everything." ”

"I don't want to drink pills anymore."

Xu Fugui and Jiazhen glanced at each other, the smiles on their faces did not change, and they asked in unison, "Why?" ”

Mother Xu replied: "It's too bitter. ”

Jiazhen persuaded: "The medicine is bitter, mother, you know this truth, let Fugui buy some rock candy by the way later, and you will have a piece of the medicinal wine in it after drinking." ”

Mother Xu hurriedly shook her head, "Don't buy, don't buy, alas"

She turned her head, tears sliding down her face, "It's my mother's uselessness, it's dragging you down, my mother's life is like this, I can live one day at a time, and it's like that with or without medicine." ”

Xu Fugui sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed her thin hand, "Mother, these Chinese medicines are very cheap, what are you worried about." ”

Mother Xu stared at him directly, "Fugui, you can't fool me, although my mother is old, she is not confused, I know exactly how many silver dollars these important things will cost." ”

"Squeak"

The wooden door opened, and Xu's father was on crutches and holding a pottery bowl in the other hand, "Mother, drink this bowl of water." ”

Jiazhen said to Xu's mother: "Mother, you see that your father picks dew for you to drink every morning, this disease will get better sooner or later." ”

Xu's father didn't know where he heard that dew was a good thing to cure the elderly, so he went to collect dew on crutches every morning.

Mother Xu complained: "You are also a lot old, what are you tossing around, I don't drink." ”

Father Xu was not angry, and sat on the edge of the bed, "Damn, you have to drink, you have to get better quickly, even if you are willing to give up me, is it possible that you are still willing to be willing to Fengxia and Youqing?" ”

"I don't want to die so early, I still want to watch Feng Xia and Youqing grow up and get married."

Listening to the crisp sound of reading outside, Mother Xu couldn't help but smile, picked up the bowl of dew, drank it in small sips, and finished the medicinal soup with a frown.

Jiazhen picked up the egg, "Mother, eat the egg quickly to get rid of the bitterness." ”

Mother Xu took it and didn't eat, "I'll eat later." ”

Jiazhen said helplessly: "Don't keep it for Fengxia Youqing, they have their own eggs to eat." ”

Coming out of the house, Jiazhen said, "Fugui, there is not much Chinese medicine for my mother." ”

Xu Fugui nodded, "I know, I'll go to the county seat later." ”

"You remember to buy a pound of rock candy and come back."

"Okay."

Subsequently, Jiazhen asked Liu Cuiping if she had anything to buy in Laishun, and they said no.

"Dad, are you going into the city?" Feng Xia raised her head and asked.

Xu Fugui nodded, squatted down and asked in a low voice, "Is there anything Feng Xia wants?" ”

Feng Xia's eyes rolled, "I don't want anything." ”

"Dad, I want to eat pancakes and buns." Youqing shouted.

Xu Fugui nodded, "Okay, buy baked cakes and buns for Youqing, Feng Xia doesn't want anything." ”

Feng Xia was anxious for a moment, "I want to eat mung bean cake." ”

"Okay, good, dad will buy it for you."

Liu Cuiping shoveled a large bowl full of pumpkin stewed rice, especially Xu Fugui and Lai Shun, the two of them used the two largest bowls, which are usually used to hold soup.

Liu Cuiping knew that he had eaten a lot, so she deliberately shoveled more.

The pumpkin rice is very flavorful, and the aroma of the pumpkin seeps into the rice, and the rice exudes a golden sheen with a hint of sweetness.

Squatting on the threshold, Xu Fugui enjoyed the sunrise while munching on pumpkin stewed rice.

After eating, the children in the village came to the yard one after another, and Fengxia Youqing immediately laughed and played with them.

Xu Fugui changed into a white long-sleeved coat, put on a straw hat, put on straw sandals, and before leaving, Jiazhen took three silver dollars from the wooden box and gave it to her.

(End of chapter)