"The wasteland has been renovated, but the grain seeds and melon seeds that have just been planted are not ready for harvest. We have hired people to work on that hilltop. It is busy farming these days, so we took a break. In a few days
They come again."
"Yes. My mother and uncles are here to help me take care of it, so my daughter can rest assured."
Her mother, two uncles, and maternal grandparents are all long-time farmers, so she doesn't need to worry too much about these things in the fields.
Qiao Mingjin asked her mother a few more questions and then left them.
Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, the whole family got up early and prepared to go to the fields to harvest rice. They had to take off the grains before the sun came out, so that they could be dried in the sun, and they could also be harvested before the sun came up.
Before the rainy season comes, dry the grains and put them in the warehouse.
Before going out, Qiao Mingjin hitched his horse to the family's wheelbarrow and pulled it.
A few days ago, Yun Jin and Ming Qi had pulled back Qiao Mingjin's cow. Today, they added the horse-drawn cart. With the horse and the cow, they could at least speed up.
Qiao Mingjin is much more proficient today than yesterday, she does it well and her speed is much faster.
Wan'er also found a companion at the grain-drying field. Several children gathered together, each holding a branch in his hand, with a few leaves hanging on the branch. They saw the greedy man from a distance.
When chickens, ducks and chickens get closer, branches with rustling leaves will be waved majestically towards them, which can scare the chickens and ducks into running far away.
The little girl enjoyed it endlessly, running back and forth with the chickens and ducks.
A few naughty children also took some sweet potatoes and corn from home and dug a pit beside the grain drying field. They gathered firewood and roasted or simmered it. The children got together and all raised their buttocks to the bottom of the pit.
Blow, the fire suddenly jumped up, some children were unable to hide, and the hair on their foreheads was burned a lot.
The kids were very happy. You pointed at me, and I pointed at you and laughed.
Qiao Mingjin took a few glances and saw that her daughter was having a good time with her new friends. Some of them were cousins from the Yun family, so she felt relieved to let her play there.
It was Lan who mentioned Tiantou for lunch.
Although the field was not far from Qiao's house, no one went back in order to save time. After coming and going, plus spending a while at home, half an acre of rice could be harvested in the field.
When other families in the village were preparing for the autumn harvest, they also ate in the fields at noon.
Mrs. Lan greeted Mother Qiao and Mingyu who were harvesting rice in the field. She also called Father Qiao and others who were threshing rice. The family found a shady place beside the flat grain drying field and prepared to sit down and eat.
Qiao Mingjin took several children down to the field, found a clean puddle and washed her hands and feet before going up the slope.
After working hard for a long time, everyone was tired and hungry. Many people also found a shady place in the grain drying field and sat on the ground to eat. How could they get up when their buttocks were touching the turf?
If you eat it uncleanly, you won’t get sick, right?
Most people only wiped two handfuls on their clothes, then picked up their chopsticks and started eating. They didn't use their hands to grab it, and they still had their chopsticks. They were tired and hungry. When they smelled the rice, they didn't care whether their hands were clean.
Lan's cooking skills are very good.
In Qiao's family, Lan's family usually handles the kitchen work. In Qiao Mingjin's memory, even if there is no smell of oil in the house, this grandmother can also make ordinary vegetables delicious. And the presentation is also very particular, not only delicious
It looks pretty good too.
If Mother Qiao went to get it and there was no oil, the vegetables would be placed on the plate as if they were boiled in water. What they looked like when shoveled with a shovel was what they looked like on the plate. They were lumps and lumps, crowded together, and the color was still there. Not pretty.
Every time Mother Qiao frowned when she saw Father Qiao looking at the dishes, she never dared to muster the courage to go into the kitchen.
Later, when Qiao Mingjin and others were older, Lan taught Qiao Mingjin kitchen skills.
Qiao Mingjin can also make food cooked with no oil and only water taste delicious, and the dishes look like flowers. Later, Qiao Mingjin got married, and it was Mingyu's turn to do the cooking at home. But these days are busy with farming, Lan took over again.
Nowadays, the family is living better than before. With the money given by Qiao Mingjin and Mingheng's support, in order to make up for the excessive wear and tear of Qiao's father when he was young, there is often a smell of oil in the family. In addition, this time the farm work is busy. , Lan’s family would buy a knife of pork belly and stew it for everyone to eat every day.
After the family sat down, Lan opened the lid of the lunch box, and a smell of meat wafted out.
Even Yun Jin, who was sitting nearby, came over with a bowl.
"Grandma Lan, what delicious food are you cooking?"
Mingheng glanced at him sideways: "Cousin, that's a dog's nose?" But he didn't chase him away.
Uncle Yun, who was sitting a few meters away, laughed and said loudly: "Mingheng, your cousin came to your house again with a bowl begging for food. He has been so virtuous since he was a child, so don't take the delicious food for granted. Give him the folder, otherwise he won't be able to find his way home at night."
Yun Jin was squatting and looking into the basket. After hearing this, he twisted his body back and shouted to Uncle Yun: "Dad, are you still my biological father? Could it be that you picked me up from the straw?" ?”
Many families in the grain drying field burst out laughing after hearing this.
One man said: "The best cook in our village is Grandma Qiao. You can smell the aroma of meat from a long way away, but when I look at the food in my bowl, it looks like grass roots." "
Father Qiao was very popular in the village. Hearing this, he said cheerfully: "Brother Yun, if you don't mind, come over and use it together."
"No, no, I'll have a serious meal at your house another day when I have time."
"Then it's settled."
Father Qiao readily agreed. Several families nearby also said they wanted to have dinner at Qiao's house, and Father Qiao happily invited them.
The family shared the delicious food. Yun Jin picked up a piece of braised pork and couldn't wait to stuff it into his mouth. His mouth was full of oil after eating, and he praised it repeatedly. His son Xiao Yunluan was attracted to it.
He ran over with a small bowl in his hands and didn't even respond to his mother's calls from behind.
Wan'er also put the pieces of meat in her bowl into this little cousin's bowl very happily. The two little ones had roasted sweet potatoes together in the morning, and now they were eating the same dish together, and soon they were A deep revolutionary friendship was established.
When my eldest aunt Xie saw the father and son like this, she said from a distance: "Yunjin, this child has been in love with his aunt's family since he was a child. Even when he became a father, he still didn't change his habit and taught my grandson bad things." Let’s go.”
Although the grandfather of the Yun family, Lao Yuntou, lives with his old wife in Xiao'er's house because he has young children, the two sons' homes are only separated by a wall, and they are no different from those who live in separate households. Nowadays, the two sons live together in the busy farming season. Doing work together.
Lao Yuntou was sitting with his son and grandson having a meal at the moment. He also shouted to the Qiao family from a distance: "Mother Jin, you have to stay a few more days this time. When your uncle is done with his work, the two families will come together again." Let’s have a meal here.”
"Hey. Okay." Qiao Mingjin also responded loudly...
It was a very cozy lunch.
Under the blue sky and white clouds, the gentle breeze, and the shade of green grass, in the woods around the grain drying field, a dozen families gathered together to eat. While eating, they chatted for a while, and the children ran around carrying bowls. This family had a good meal.
Meat, that restaurant is very lively with a chopstick dish.
After dinner, some families with lots of fields didn't take much rest. They put down their bowls and got down to the ground again. The Qiao family and the Yun family sat together and chatted.
But we didn't chat for long. When we were about to go to the field to do some work, we saw Xiao Wan'er shouting: "Daddy!" and ran back.
Everyone turned to look and saw Yue Zhongyao walking over from afar.
Qiao Mingjin saw him bending down to pick up his daughter, smiling and touching her forehead with her, holding her daughter in one hand and striding toward everyone.
Why is he here?
"Grandmother, father-in-law and mother-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, uncle, second uncle..."
Father Qiao looked at his son-in-law with a very complicated mood.
At the beginning, I just saw him saving her from danger and carrying her to the hospital to seek medical advice. I felt that this young man was a good character and he seemed to be motivated. I felt relieved to marry my most cherished eldest daughter to him.
.But now. My daughter has been put into such a difficult situation...
Lan gave Yue Zhongyao a fierce look and went back with the empty plates and bowls. She didn't even pay attention to Yue Zhongyao calling her from behind.
Seeing him standing there embarrassed, Mother Qiao quickly stood up and said, "Zhongyao, why are you here? Did the Yamen ask you to take leave?"
Yue Zhongyao hurriedly turned back to Qiao's mother and said: "Go back to my mother-in-law, the magistrate is considerate. Those who have a lot of work in the fields at home will also be given a few days off, and they can go back later. I went back to Xiahe Village in the morning and saw that there are many people in the family.
, I was almost busy with my work, and saw that Jin Niang and Wan'er were not at home. I learned from Sister Xiu that they were here, so I came over. If my mother-in-law had any work to do, just ask me to do it.
"
After saying that, he saw Mingjue and Mingheng also there, so he said, "You two are back too? My brother-in-law is here, so studying is more important."
Mingheng snorted and was about to speak, but Father Qiao glared at him, then he sat back and touched his nose, not daring to say anything again.
Mingjue looked at Yue Zhongyao and said, "I have been studying, and it happens to be loose and loose."
Yue Zhongyao nodded and said: "Exactly, I heard your sister talk about the balance between work and rest. But don't get too tired."
He turned back to say hello to everyone in the Yun family, and said that he would go over to help them when he was done. This made the Yun family's grandmother praise him repeatedly.
The old man felt so happy seeing the three members of his family together now.
They didn't say much, just chatted for a few words, and then they all went to the fields.
Yue Zhongyao also took Ming Qi's sickle, took off his shoes, rolled up his trousers and prepared to go to the fields.
After walking a few steps, he took out a purse from his arms and handed it to Qiao Mingjin: "Mother Jin, please keep it for me. I'm afraid it will fall into the fields later."
Qiao Mingjin hadn't spoken a word since he arrived. Seeing him hand over the purse and everyone watching, she had no choice but to take it.
Yue Zhongyao raised his lips and smiled.
He said to Qiao Mingjin: "Mother Jin, I'm going down then. Don't be too tired when there is any work to do. If you can't do it, just wait for me to come up and do it."
Then he said to his daughter, who was following behind him: "Wan'er, be good, you are playing on the slope, please help me with some work."
The little thing nodded like a chicken pecking at rice: "Yeah. Daddy, I helped look after the millet this morning, and even drove in some chickens to steal!"
"Okay. Wan'er is so good. You stay on the slope with your mother. Dad is going down to help your grandma do the work..."
Qiao Mingjin watched the father and daughter finish talking affectionately, and then watched Yue Zhongyao go down to the field neatly, bend down and cut the rice quickly.
The movements were very skillful and swift, and in a short time Mingyu and Qiao's mother were left far behind.
Qiao Mingjin stood on the slope and watched, not knowing what she was thinking... (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
ps: Dear friends, I will try my best to update in the morning. There should be more updates today.