Zhao Hanzhang glanced at Geng Rong and smiled slightly. If even people like Geng Rong who were literate, capable, and thoughtful were on her side, would ordinary people still have doubts?
Zhao Hanzhang looked at the smoke from each house and knocked on the door of each house.
The man who was cooking in the kitchen ran out and opened the door. When he saw Zhao Hanzhang, he was a little excited and a little timid, "Why is the girl here?"
Are you going to take back the house and drive him away?
Zhao Hanzhang said: "I came over to see how you are living here. Are you still used to it?"
The man breathed a sigh of relief and immediately replied: "I'm used to it, I'm used to it, I'm especially used to it."
"How many people live here?"
"Five, one for each room," the man said with a flattering smile, "We have all taken good care of the house, there is no mess."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and went to the kitchen. The person who was lighting the fire in the kitchen was stunned and knelt on the ground in a squatting position, "Meet the girl."
Zhao Hanzhang stepped forward and helped the man up, "No need to be polite."
She glanced into the cauldron and asked, "Why are there only you two and where are the other three?"
The two men hurriedly replied: "They went to fetch water and firewood."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded appreciatively, "The division of labor is clear. If you can live together like a family, your life will be easier."
She stared at the cauldron and asked, "What do you do for food?"
The two replied honestly: "Beans and rice."
Zhao Hanzhang saw that they had no intention of keeping her to eat, so he could only shamelessly say, "I haven't eaten dinner yet. Do you mind if I stay and eat some later?"
A look of embarrassment suddenly appeared on both of their faces. One of them hesitated for a moment and then said, "That girl has to wait a little longer."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "I can wait."
He immediately went into the house and soon came out with two bowls of white flour.
Zhao Hanzhang saw it and stretched out his hand to stop him, "Didn't you say you want to eat beans and rice? Why did you bring out white noodles?"
"Beans and rice are for people like us. Girls are so delicate, how can they eat such coarse food?"
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said: "I'm not that delicate, I will eat whatever you eat."
The other party resolutely refused, "No, a distinguished guest is coming. If we serve him beans and rice, we won't be able to hang out in this area from tomorrow on."
Zhao Hanzhang: "It's not that serious. I'm just here to taste the beans and rice you eat every day."
They obviously didn't expect that there would be people who would eat beans and rice instead of eating the good white flour and white rice.
But Zhao Hanzhang insisted that they could only take the white noodles back.
Zhao Hanzhang squatted in front of the stove and watched the fire with them. He also chatted about their recent lives and plans for the future, "Have you finished collecting the land allocated to you by the Yamen?"
"After harvesting, 60% of all the grain will be handed over, and the remaining 40% is ours." One person said, "The beans have been dried and taken home, and the rice is still drying."
Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Is it enough to eat until next May?"
"You should be able to save some money on food. The Yamen said that there is also a work-for-relief program. We plan to tidy up the land and go to the Yamen to get work. The white flour and rice we earn can be used to exchange for wheat and beans. We can get more Come out a lot."
Zhao Hanzhang: "Then you don't eat any refined grains at all and eat all coarse grains?"
The man smiled nonchalantly and said: "It's good now. We didn't even have whole grains before. Now we not only have a house to live in, but also a full stomach. It's enough."
While talking, the other three people came back carrying water and firewood.
The county government only allows them to stay in this house temporarily, and there is no rent. One person can live in one room. It is certainly good if they are a family, but they can also live together if they are not a family.
Of course, if they can't get there, they can ask Li Zheng to come forward and they can build another stove and make their own way.
These five people had known each other since they were in the slums, so they simply lived together and took turns cooking, fetching water and firewood every day, which was quite manageable.
The amount of rice to be steamed every day is fixed. Zhao Hanzhang brought so many people here, and the beans and rice were not enough at once.
So the five of them didn't do anything. Instead, they took out bowls and chopsticks and served everyone a large bowl, thinking that they would eat it first with Zhao Hanzhang and the others.
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at the beans that were boiled and squeezed together, thanked him hurriedly, took only one bowl, and then shared some with Professor Fu and Geng Rong.
The three of them shared a bowl of bean rice. Not to mention, it smelled quite fragrant at first glance, but it was not delicious, had no flavor, and had a beany smell.
Fu Tinghan took a bite and looked at Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang also felt that it was not delicious, but she still resisted and finished eating. She asked: "Are you just going to eat beans and rice, not vegetables?"
The five people saw that Zhao Hanzhang did not dislike it and laughed happily, "There is no food."
Zhao Hanzhang: "I still need to grow some vegetables. Do you have a vegetable plot? If not, can I share some with you?"
The five people's eyes suddenly lit up, "Is it okay?"
"Okay," Zhao Hanzhang thought for a while and asked Fu Tinghan, "I remember that there are many abandoned fields not far from the western suburbs of the city. It is certain that there is no owner there, right?"
Fu Tinghan nodded, "If it has been abandoned for more than five years, it can be considered ownerless."
Zhao Hanzhang said to them: "You go to the west of the city. One house can have two vegetable plots, and it will be yours."
Five people: ...the west of the city is also too far away, and they even went to the suburbs.
The five of them felt that it was nothing if they had no food to eat.
Geng Rong thought for a while and said: "Girl, there is some wasteland not far from here, just behind a few rows of houses, but the land there is very fragmented and the soil quality is not good."
Zhao Hanzhang glanced at the five people, waved to them and said, "Then you go pick a piece of land and dig it out. If the soil is not good, go out and dig the soil and fill it back up."
After Zhao Hanzhang finished eating, he saw that Fu Tinghan still had a lot left, so he reached out to take it, poured the beans and rice into his own bowl and ate it for him.
"You still have to eat some vegetables, otherwise people will get sick easily."
Fu Tinghan's face turned red and he quickly took the bowl back, "I'll do it myself."
Zhao Hanzhang held his hand and said, "I'm hungry, give me something to eat."
When the five people saw this, they immediately stood up and said enthusiastically: "There are more here, there are more here."
Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were shocked and waved their hands quickly, "No, no, this is enough, you can eat."
Geng Rong lowered his head and tried hard to swallow the beans and rice stuck in his neck. Tears were about to come out. It was really unpalatable.
He glanced at Zhao Hanzhang and saw that she had eaten all the beans and rice in Fu Tinghan's bowl. He was filled with admiration. He had underestimated her.
Zhao Hanzhang exhaled, put down the bowl, and asked: "What else do you eat besides beans and rice?"
"Wheat rice and steamed buns."
Zhao Hanzhang asked, "White-flour steamed buns?"
The five of them laughed and said, "We can't afford all-white bread. It's steamed buns mixed with bran. Although they are gray and black, they are also very delicious, even better than wheat rice."
Zhao Hanzhang touched his belly and finally decided to try it out.
So she took Fu Tinghan to say goodbye and left, looking for the next restaurant. As soon as they opened the door, she asked them whether they were eating wheat rice or steamed buns tonight.
When I found out it was wheat rice or steamed buns, I went inside.
In this alley, most people eat bean rice, and only a small number of people eat wheat rice and steamed buns.