Chương 10: Chapter 9: Extra Meal
"Sis, let's go."
Having gathered enough wild vegetables, Xu Zhicheng wanted to hurry back; he still had to rush to cook dinner, not knowing whether Dad had returned or not.
Xu Niannian stared at the fish in the river, suddenly remembering that Xu Zhicheng was an excellent swimmer.
"Zhicheng, you can swim, right?" Xu Niannian asked, her eyes shining as she looked at Xu Zhicheng.
Meeting Xu Niannian's sparkling eyes, Xu Zhicheng's face tightened, "A little." What does she want to do?
She wouldn't be thinking about playing in the water, would she?
"Great, can you catch fish?" she asked, pointing at the plump fish swimming in the river.
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhicheng was immediately shocked, "Sis, what are you talking about? This is the collective's property; we can't just catch them willy-nilly."
It was only then that Xu Niannian remembered that before the reform and opening up, these things couldn't be caught or, if caught, had to be handed over to the collective.
But it had been since 1978, two years ago, that the reforms and opening up had started, and now the state was even encouraging individual businesses.
In the past, doing business was labeled as speculation and profiteering, but not anymore. Haven't you heard the collective's loudspeakers blaring slogans every day, encouraging the development of individual businesses in the village?
"Why can't we catch them, now that the policy has changed? Don't you know we can do business now? Listen to your sister, it's fine, go down and catch fish, we'll have an extra dish tonight."
Xu Zhicheng looked at Xu Niannian with suspicion; she wasn't planning on getting revenge on him, was she?
Seeing him unmoved, Xu Niannian deliberately put on a serious face, "So, my words don't matter anymore, huh."
With a fierce glare from her beautiful almond-shaped eyes, which was more effective on Xu Zhicheng than anything else, he reluctantly submitted to the tyranny of Xu Niannian.
As he took off his clothes, he thought to himself, his sister was still the same as ever, always threatening them; if they didn't obey, they'd get beaten up.
He had thought she had changed for the better, but it seemed it was all an illusion, just like a dog can't change its habit of eating poop.
Xu Niannian, of course, knew what Xu Zhicheng was thinking, she could tell by his look.
Xu Niannian wasn't a gentle person; on the contrary, she was quite sharp-tongued.
But she never bullied anyone.
The reason she was only gentle to Xu Duoyu and not as much with Xu Zhicheng and Xu Zhiqiang was because she thought these two were older and could easily become suspicious.
If she changed too much all at once, it would arouse suspicion.
This wasn't an era where most people embraced materialism.
In this era, many still held onto feudal superstitions.
If those two started to think she was possessed by a ghost, that would be troublesome.
So even though she wanted to be nice to these two, her attitude wasn't that gentle.
Except with little brat Xu Duoyu.
Everything must be done gradually, there had to be a process.
As Xu Zhicheng went into the water to catch fish, Xu Niannian and Xu Duoyu watched from the shore.
It must be said, Xu Zhicheng's swimming skills were exceptional, and he was good at catching fish too.
He caught a big, plump fish in no time.
Xu Zhicheng held it, the fish thrashing and flailing with such force that it slapped against Xu Zhicheng's chest with loud slaps.
"Sis, the basket, quick, pass me the basket," Xu Zhicheng called out as he swam to the riverbank.
Xu Niannian didn't dare let Xu Duoyu get close to the river edge for fear he might fall in; she told him to stay aside and quickly brought the basket over to catch the fish.
The fish was almost three or four pounds.
Because fishing in the river had been forbidden for the past few years, and there was no heavy industrial pollution, the river fish were big and plump, and moreover, they weren't wary of humans nearby, which is why Xu Zhicheng was able to catch one so easily.
With fish and water fungus, tonight we finally don't have to eat salty vegetable buns.
After just a few meals of salty vegetable buns, Xu Niannian's mouth was sore, and she had no idea how her family managed to eat salty vegetable buns meal after meal, day after day.
In her basket, not only were there chives, but also fish and water fungus, and on the way back, she had even picked some wild coriander and green onions by the roadside.
Today was truly a great harvest.
Xu Niannian was in a great mood, with a smile on her face. Xu Duoyu was small and couldn't walk halfway, and Xu Zhicheng was carrying the basket, about to pick up Xu Duoyu, but was swatted away by Xu Niannian.
"I'll do it."
This statement shocked Xu Zhicheng, what devilish idea was his sister cooking up now?
Xu Duoyu, scared, clung to Xu Zhicheng's leg, but Xu Niannian didn't care how Xu Zhicheng conspired against her, she picked up Xu Duoyu with a smile, saying, "Duoyu is good, your sister will carry you."
Xu Niannian hadn't bitten Xu Duoyu for two days, and at first, Xu Duoyu was somewhat scared, stiffening his little body while held in Xu Niannian's arms.
After walking a while and seeing that Xu Niannian didn't hit him, Xu Duoyu's courage grew slightly, his small hands hugging Xu Niannian's neck.
Xu Zhicheng followed behind, staring at Xu Niannian strangely all the way.
They encountered many people on the road, and Xu Zhicheng was worried about attracting trouble, so he had hidden the fish among the wild plants, and no one could tell.
Xu Niannian was a famous beauty known throughout the villages; on the road, many young men stared at her intently, as if they wanted to glue their eyeballs to her.
Xu Niannian acted as if she saw none of it, happily laughing with Xu Duoyu.
In the fields, Zhang Family's Auntie nudged Yang Cuihua, who was digging, "Cuihua, Cuihua, isn't that your Niannian over there?"
Yang Cuihua, busy with work and nudged by Auntie Zhang, said impatiently, "What now, second wife, I'm busy hoeing here, trying to get me docked points?"
Auntie Zhang was originally a widow, and now remarried; everyone called her Auntie Zhang, but only Yang Cuihua liked to expose people's shortcomings, always referring to her as the second wife.
Auntie Zhang was immediately irritated, "Tsk, no good deed goes unpunished. I'm reminding you that your Niannian has come out, so she doesn't get harassed by some rogue again."
Being too beautiful is also a sin. Xu Niannian was so beautiful that there were always some restless rogues eyeing her.
Even in these times, when moral conduct was strictly enforced, some still liked to verbally harass beautiful young women.
Of course, verbal harassment these days was already at the level of rogues.
As soon as Yang Cuihua heard this, she threw down her hoe in fright and looked around, indeed seeing her Niannian.
Not only did she see her daughter out and about, but also that Bunny brat Duoyu being held by Niannian.
Being too far away to catch up even if she ran over immediately, Yang Cuihua spat fiercely and planned to discipline that little rascal later for daring to be held by her golden lump.
Auntie Zhang, watching Yang Cuihua's panic, angrily spat and muttered, "Serves the husband right for having a lame leg."
However, she only dared to whisper it. Yang Cuihua was notoriously fierce in the village; no one would dare to provoke her without ending up in a heap of trouble.
Of course, Xu Niannian knew nothing of what had transpired here.
She hadn't even seen her mother in the field, after all, it was too far away.
Once inside the house, Xu Niannian finally put Xu Duoyu down, and Xu Dawei had already come home, boiling water in the kitchen.
Hearing noises, he hurried out to see.
Seeing all three siblings gathered, his son carrying a large basket, his daughter's face red with the signs of being out in the sun, he immediately guessed that his daughter had followed his son to pick wild vegetables.
Xu Dawei disapproved and said to Xu Zhicheng, "Zhicheng, why did you let your sister go with you to pick vegetables? Haven't you seen she still has a wound on her head?"
Xu Zhicheng hung his head, silent. Here it came again; no matter what, as long as he was with his sister, they were the ones at fault.
Xu Niannian, seeing Xu Zhicheng looking downcast, quickly explained, "Dad, it was me who wanted to go with Zhicheng. It's not his fault."
At these words, Xu Zhicheng looked up at Xu Niannian in surprise; he had not expected Xu Niannian to speak up for him.
Xu Dawei naturally wouldn't blame his precious daughter and thus didn't ask further.
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