We started early and arrived at Heather Town at half past eight.
When his wife is not at home, Li Dawei basically makes do in the workplace canteen. It is impossible for him to cook, and the dogs will not eat the food he cooks.
When I rest at home, I either go out to Lao Wang’s house on the street to eat a bowl of noodles, or I eat some cabbage and spring onions from Aunt Wu’s house when I go home in the evening.
Wang Xiaojuan had been away for half a month, and the kitchen at home was almost impossible to see. Li Manjun stood at the door and took a glance and frowned unbearably.
All the pots and pans had been used but hadn't been washed yet. They were piled in the sink, soaking in water, and the sour smell hit their nostrils.
That's fine. They were piled in the sink anyway. The most unbearable thing was the countertop. All kinds of oil stains fell on it and were not cleaned up. They stuck to the countertop very stubbornly. Wang Xiaojuan picked up a slightly less disgusting rag.
I tried to wipe it off, but it couldn't come off.
Wang Xiaojuan was so angry that she scolded her mother immediately. She turned around and wanted to find Li Dawei to scold her. She went to work. Do you think she is angry or not?
"Mom, do you still want to cook? Why don't you just go out and have a meal?" Li Manjun tried weakly.
Wang Xiaojuan's emotions are on the verge of going crazy right now, and she doesn't even dare to speak loudly.
Li Jianjun huddled next to the sofa and stayed far away. He even hesitated to turn on the TV because if he made any noise and aroused his mother's anger, he would die on the streets of Heather Town.
Wang Xiaojuan took a deep breath, and then took another deep breath, then turned around and said to Li Manjun, "You go out to eat after you get home. How much money are you burning?"
"You and your brother went to Ma Street to buy some food and came back. I'll clean up the kitchen and have breakfast before leaving."
Because it was still early, Wang Xiaojuan told Li Manjun to go to Hongxing Village after breakfast at home.
She didn't go to see Old Man Li last time when he was discharged from the hospital. He was busy on a business trip abroad and he was almost recovering, so he had to show up.
Wang Xiaojuan said: "No matter what, he is your biological grandfather who is connected by blood. Even if you don't kiss him, you have to go back to see the old man from time to time."
"This person is getting older, so he has seen less than once. How many times have you seen him this year? Don't always find it troublesome. You have to go when you have to."
Li Manjun had no choice but to nod and agree.
Ma Street is no longer what it was two years ago. All the sheds that were erected have been demolished. A concrete platform has been built on the ground and a real roof has been put on. Each family has a platform, so they are not afraid of wind or rain.
However, the people in the market were still the same as before. Most of them knew Li Manjun. When they saw her sister and brother coming to buy vegetables, they greeted her warmly.
"Manjun is back! Is your mother back too? What kind of food do you want? Two pounds of ribs?" the butcher's wife asked with a smile.
"I'm back." Li Manjun walked up and looked at the meat on the stall. The proprietress took out a piece and threw it in front of her, and said confidently: "Your uncle just brought it up from the countryside this morning and slaughtered it. They are all good. You
Just pick one!”
"Okay, here's one. Auntie, please help me choose one with more meat. My mother will make braised pork ribs." Li Manjun said with a smile.
The proprietress responded with a sigh, picked up the machete, and chopped with a bang. She cut all the ribs into pieces, wrapped them in oil paper, tied a knot with a rope, and handed them to Li Manjun.
Unlike the market in the city, the merchants in the town still use the original packaging method. Plastic bags also cost money, so they think it is not cost-effective.
"Auntie, let's go then. Come to my house for dinner next time when you have time." Li Manjun said politely.
The landlady agreed familiarly, and Li Manjun motioned to Li Jianjun to take the ribs, continue walking to the market, and buy all the vegetables before going home.
When she got home, Wang Xiaojuan had already tidied up the kitchen, took the dishes brought back by her siblings, put on her apron, and started cooking.
The third mother drove back without eating breakfast. She was already hungry. After breakfast at ten o'clock, Li Manjun took Li Jianjun, who didn't want to move, back to his hometown together.
Old man Li was really feeling well. When Li Manjun arrived, the old man was wandering around in the yard.
The uncle and his wife were in the fields, and the old lady went to the neighbor's house to make quilts together. Li Daniu and his wife also took their daughter into the city. Only Li Xiaoniu and his friends were playing under the courtyard dam, and the house felt deserted.
It was rare for Li Manjun to see a look of surprise in Old Man Li's eyes. In the past, when she came here, the old man wouldn't even look at her.
"Jianjun, why are you here!" Old Man Li shouted excitedly.
Li Manjun felt choked in her heart. It turned out that she was being sentimental. The old man was surprised by Li Jianjun behind her.
"Oh, Manjun is here too, come home and sit down." Although there was no surprise in his eyes, Old Man Li did not forget to greet the wealthy man Li Manjun.
Li Manjun put the nutritional supplements he bought on the table in the main room and asked doubtfully: "Where are the family members? Are you the only one? Is your leg feeling better?"
"It's almost time. Your uncle and aunt have gone to the fields, and your grandma is behind, Niu'er! Go call your grandma's house, your eldest sister is back!" Old Man Li shouted angrily to the bottom of the courtyard.
Li Xiaoniu stepped forward and poked his head out. When he saw Li Manjun, his eyes lit up, "Sister, have you brought me something delicious?"
"You just know how to eat. I asked you to ask for milk. Go quickly!" Li Jianjun waved to Li Xiaoniu angrily, "Go quickly!"
Li Xiaoniu was not upset and rushed behind to call his grandma back excitedly.
He turned around and asked Li Manjun for something delicious. Li Manjun smiled helplessly, stretched out his finger to signal Li Xiaoniu not to touch him with the clothes that had been rolled in the mud in the field, and asked Li Jianjun to take out the snacks he had brought and give them to him.
Li Jianjun sneered at him: "You will starve to death and be reincarnated."
Li Manjun wanted to say this, but he didn't dare to say it because Mrs. Li was protecting her. That is to say, if Li Jianjun said it, no other old lady would be able to laugh.
Li Manjun just came to take a look, and then left after completing the task, which made Mrs. Li frown: "Why don't you come back after dinner?"
"I can't drink milk. It's not safe to drive at night. I'm in a hurry to get back. There are a lot of things going on in the company." Li Manjun declined half-truthfully.
The old lady nodded and stopped staying.
Li Xiaoniu also wanted to go to the city with him and let his mother hold her ears and cry all the way home.
"I'm already in junior high school, and I'm still not sensible at all." Li Jianjun complained in the car.
Li Manjun gave him a funny look and said, "I think you are not very sensible even in high school. If you are sensible, you would know how to study hard."
Li Jianjun was speechless for a moment, then said: "Sister, believe me, I have worked really hard."
"oh."
In the mountainous area, Li Manjun concentrated on driving, leaving Li Jianjun to defend himself there, just treating it as a passing breeze.
When they arrived in town, Li Manjun put Li Jianjun on the street and planned to drive back to Rongcheng. Unexpectedly, the phone rang.
"Li Manjun, I'm waiting for you at your old house. Come here quickly."
After saying this, I remembered to ask: "You haven't gone back to Rongcheng yet, right? I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Li Manjun recognized this familiar tone as soon as he heard it, and replied: "Wait, it's coming!"