sjar Chapter 641 Eavesdropping
Chapter 641 Eavesdropping
After lunch, Little Hulu climbed up the Yuling Mountain. He couldn't leave his sister behind, so he had to take her with him. The brother and sister lay under a pine tree on the north slope of the mountain, staring at the road to the north, not knowing whether their father would come back alone or with their elder brother.
Little Gourd was looking forward to his elder brother joining the army. If his elder brother joined the army, he would have a chance too. In two years at most he would grow up.
My parents and grandparents all said that they were smarter than monkeys. If my eldest brother could do it, there was no reason why I couldn't do it.
"Second brother, why haven't you come back yet?"
"Don't worry, it should be here soon. Yaya, do you want big brother and dad to come back together, or do you want dad to come back alone?"
Yaya shook her head, feeling a little conflicted.
"I wanted to have enough food, and I was also worried that something might happen to my brother while he was in the army. I was very scared that night. The sound of the artillery was so loud that it made my ears numb even from such a distance."
"Yaya, I am hoping that my eldest brother will stay. When I reach the age, I will also join the army. We two are young and can still have enough to eat, but my eldest brother, my parents, and my grandparents can only eat half full at each meal. My grandparents are so hungry that they can't even walk far while digging wild vegetables. My mother is so hungry that she has to drink the water used to wash the pot. My father has to work in the fields with an empty stomach. There is really no hope"!
"Didn't we get two bags of food? It's enough to last for many days."
Little Gourd showed a bitter smile on his face. Two bags of grain were only enough to add a little more porridge to each meal. The drought this year was severe. The acres of sweet potatoes on the hillside were half-dead. What would happen after the autumn harvest? They would still be hungry as usual.
"Second brother, daddy is back and eldest brother stayed behind."
Little Gourd straightened up, took a look and began to shake his head.
"That's not our father. Look at his courage. He might be a peddler walking around the streets."
Yaya was a little disappointed. If she didn't come back soon, the sun would set.
"coming".
"Ugh"!
Little Gourd shouted excitedly at first, then let out a long sigh. It was his father and his brother. It seemed there was no hope.
"Yaya, let's go."
"Second brother, look, are daddy and eldest brother carrying a basket?"
"Yes, I picked it up on the road. Don't expect them to buy you delicious food. Our family has no money."
The two men went down the mountain in low spirits and were in no hurry to go back. Little Gourd wanted to ask why their father and elder brother were not accepted. Little Yaya still had some expectations in her heart, hoping that her father and elder brother could bring her some delicious food. After all, it would not be appropriate to come back empty-handed after a long journey.
"Xiao Hulu, Yaya, why are you here?"
"Brother, I'm waiting for you. What are you carrying in the basket?"
"It's delicious. Captain Lengqiang gave it to me. Don't say anything. Let's talk about it when we get home."
Yaya's eyes lit up, and Xiaohulu also felt some hope in his heart.
"Little Gourd, run fast and call your grandparents over."
After listening to his father's arrangements, Xiao Hulu ran to his grandmother's house without saying a word. The two houses were not far apart, with two thatched houses that leaked in the summer and were drafty in the winter. There was a cowshed with no cows in it, but instead some farm tools and baskets. The cart that Xiao Hulu had pushed was also lying across it.
"Grandma, grandma."
"Little monkey, stop shouting and come in to eat."
Grandma was steaming wild vegetable dumplings and put some cornmeal in it. It smelled very good. The cornmeal was ground by my mother and sent to her yesterday. I also helped her push the wheel to grind it.
"Grandma, stop eating. My dad is calling you for something important."
"Cough! Cough cough"!
Grandpa was choked by the smoke, and Little Hulu hurried over to pat him. Grandpa touched Little Hulu's head and lamented that the child was growing too fast. In two years, he wouldn't be able to touch his head anymore.
"What's going on with your father? Is there another opportunity to transport grain and make money?"
"Hey, grandpa and grandma, stop asking questions and let's go"!
The two elders smiled dotingly. Although life was hard, their children were very filial, well-behaved and sensible. This made them happier than letting them eat sumptuous food.
Little Gourd urged his grandparents. He was in a hurry to go back not for the food in the basket, but because he really wanted to know whether his elder brother had succeeded or not. However, the two elders were not moved at all.
Little Hulu could only run one step ahead. Before he reached home, he heard Yaya's exclamation. She seemed very happy, just like when her father bought her some candy at the market a long time ago.
When I entered the door, I saw the family rummaging through the basket. A large pork elbow and a roast chicken were already on the table. Yaya was holding two cans of beef, and her mother was reminding her not to open them.
"Mom, the pork elbow has already gone cold. Add some soup to heat it up. Tear up the roast chicken and we'll eat it together in the evening."
Grandpa and grandma followed Xiao Hulu in and looked at the things on the table in surprise. What a waste of money! Wouldn't it be better to exchange the money for some food? It can last a few more days.
"Grandpa, grandma, I've joined the army. This was given to me by Captain Leng Qiang himself. He said I would bring it back for you and your brothers and sisters to eat."
The two elders were shocked at first, but they relaxed a little when they heard the words "Captain Cold Gun".
"Is that cold-shooting captain the one from the Yimeng guerrillas?"
"Yes, grandpa, it's the Yimeng Guerrillas."
"Okay, okay, just follow others and be more careful."
We had stewed pork elbow for dinner. Even though it was stewed again, the tempting aroma was irresistible. My mother originally wanted to eat only the pork elbow and eat the rest later, but my father said that he wanted to finish it as soon as possible.
The dinner prepared before was corn tortillas and corn vegetable porridge. Now with pork elbows and roast chicken, the tempting corn tortillas are no longer delicious.
At the urging of his father, the family of seven ate up all the pork elbow and roast chicken. His grandparents called it a waste. The pork elbow should be pickled with salt, and just a little bit should be added every time when cooking wild vegetables.
After dinner, father urged Xiao Hulu and Yaya to go to bed, and the five adults lit oil lamps and discussed something.
Yaya couldn't sleep because she was too full, but Xiaohulu was not too full. He spent the whole dinner time observing the expressions of his eldest brother and father, thinking that they must be hiding something from him. Sure enough, after dinner, they sent him and Yaya to bed.
After tossing and turning for more than half an hour, Yaya fell asleep on the small bed. Xiaohulu secretly got up and eavesdropped on the conversation outside through the inner door.
His father and elder brother spoke in low voices, but Xiao Hulu still heard some key words: one hundred dollars, free housing, land to be cultivated as desired, the old man could support himself by growing some vegetables, and working could earn at least ten dollars a month.
My grandfather was somewhat opposed at first, saying that it was hard to leave one's hometown, and even my father couldn't persuade him. However, my brother's words softened my grandfather's heart. Given their family's current situation, he and his brother couldn't even find a wife, so how could they talk about being hard to leave their hometown, let alone carrying on the family line.
Little Gourd slowly returned to bed and complained that his elder brother and father still treated him like a child. He was not stupid, so why should he go out and show off such a good thing? His elder brother came in, covered Yaya with a quilt first, and then, perhaps for fear of waking him up, he quietly took off his shoes and tossed and turned in bed.