Chapter 142. Mother said a bad word
During the Laba Festival, Lin Qing He got up early in the morning and cooked a big pot of fragrant Laba congee.
Although it was only slightly sweet, the Laba congee made by Lin Qing He had a unique taste, very delicious.
In the previous year, Father Zhou and Mother Zhou didn't come over here, so they just sent some scoop over and each person got two bowls at most.
However, due to the lack of oil content, this era's people's appetite for each meal was really big. Despite the old couple's age, they can be compared to fifteen and sixteen-and-a-half years old when they have the intent to.
So how can two bowls be enough? At most, they'll be half full.
But this year was different. The old couple came here to eat three meals a day, so they naturally open up their stomach when having Laba congee.
"Last night, the snow was heavy. Father, Mother, did you sleep warmly?" Lin Qing He asked while drinking Laba congee.
Last night, Da Wa and Er Wa were both called by Lin Qing He to sleep in their room. The whole family on one Kang and slept very soundly.
Despite Da Wa and Er Wa being big boys, they were still delighted to come over to this side to sleep.
"Warm. That big quilt is soft and warm." Mother Zhou said with a smile.
Father Zhou also nodded.
Not only was the quilt warm, but also the new sweater knitted by his wife was very cozy.
Lin Qing He didn't say anything and had them drink more Laba congee.
Da Wa, the young lad asked: "Mother, will our family make bacon this year?"
"What? You still remember?" Lin Qing He looked at him in surprise.
She didn't make bacon last year, she did it the year before.
"I remember too." Er Wa took over.
San Wa asked, "What is bacon? Is it delicious?" He was still young at that time, so he must have not remembered.
"It's delicious. Steamed and fried pickles, there's no better meat than this." Da Wa said.
"Mother, I haven't eaten it yet!" San Wa immediately turned to his mother.
"What haven't eaten it before? You don't know how much you have eaten. It's just that you have eaten and didn't remember it." Lin Qing He replied.
"Then grandfather and grandmother must have never eaten it." San Wa said.
Father Zhou was silent. When he used to work for the landlord, the chef saw that he was young and given him a piece of bacon. Even til now, the old man still remembered that taste. He can really swallow his tongue.
Mother Zhou didn't know of it either, because Lin Qing He didn't make much, so she didn't send it over.
Then there was worry about being called extravagance and wasteful, so Lin Qing He didn't give it.
"Just say it if you want to eat it. Don't get your grandparents involved." Lin Qing He replied.
"Mother, make it. Make it" San Wa saw the tough way didn't work and started the soft method.
"I'll ask if there is any meat later. If there is, there will be bacon during the New Year. If not, we can only wait for our pork." Lin Qing He stated.
This year, the two pigs in her family have not been killed yet. They will be slaughtered around the middle of lunar December. There was still time to make bacon at that time.
After eating Laba congee, Lin Qing He headed out on the bike.
Zhou Qing Bai was going to tag along. Lin Qing He didn't let him. It wasn't a big deal. What's more, it could be warmer when cycling a bicycle in this weather. When sitting, it would be freezing to death.
As for her wanting to buy meat to make bacon, Mother Zhou didn't say anything now.
What's more, she was so old and still didn't know what bacon tastes like.
Lin Qing He came over to Sister Mei and talked about the need for loin. This time a lot was requested, so Lin Qing He gave Sister Mei three food coupons from their area.
One food coupon was four jins worth, and three were twelve jins.
"I can't assure you about the quantity, but you can come over at this time tomorrow." Sister Mei said.
With these three food coupons, Sister Mei can get on moving.
Moreover, Lin Qing He's price for meat gave Sister Mei a profit margin, so Sister Mei would naturally do it.
It wasn't that Lin Qing He doesn't have a meat coupon, on the contrary, she did.
However, there was no need to give the meat coupon to Sister Mei. With this meat coupon, she can go to a meat stall to use when Sister Mei have no meat and her family have the need to.
One thing she disliked was that she had to wait in line to buy at the meat stall, and at the end of the day, it was just 100g or so of meat.
Therefore, Lin Qing He would generally not buy them at meat stalls. These meat tickets were almost like solid currency. She can exchange them for money whenever she goes to the city.
After coming out of Sister Mei's place, Lin Qing He cycled home.
Halfway back, she encountered an old lady carrying a basket of eggs and was heading to the commune. She must be selling eggs.
"Ma'am, want to exchange the eggs?" Lin Qing He said casually.
"I'm going to exchange for some brown sugar." The old lady looked at her and said.
"What a coincidence. I just bought some brown sugar here. Maybe it's the last one from the supply and demand cooperative. Auntie, do you want to exchange it with me? I'm not in a hurry to use it. I can give it to you first." Lin Qing He smiled.
She now had a habit to bring a basket with her when she goes out. She scooped out a pack of brown sugar after taking the basket out.
This brown sugar bag was opened before. Lin Qing He bought it in the city and kept it as a spare, thinking that it might be used someday?
Sure enough, this came in handy.
Naturally, the brown sugar was from Lin Qing He's space. At the start, Lin Qing He had brought 20 jins and now there were only four or five jins left. What was taken out was about one jin.
Still, having this jin of brown sugar was pretty good. At this time, brown sugar was really rare.
Especially when the old lady's daughter-in-law gave birth last night and must eat brown sugar to supplement!
However, the old lady was obviously was at the losing end for exchanging a basket of eggs for this jin of brown sugar. Lin Qing He didn’t stoop so low that she'll take advantage of the little old lady, so she divided out two-thirds of the eggs and returned the remaining one-third to this old lady.
"Ma'am, like this, it's a fair exchange, right?" Lin Qing He asked.
"Right, it's fair." The old lady was very reluctant at first, but when seeing Lin Qing He returning almost a pound, she nodded with a grin.
Lin Qing He nodded and cycled home.
One jin of brown sugar can be exchanged for almost three jins of eggs. Naturally, Lin Qing He didn't suffer a loss.
The consumption of eggs at home was now really big. Especially since there weren't many eggs left in her space. It was about to be completely consumed after this winter.
Wait until next year's spring, she'll enter the city and stock up well.
Three jins of eggs that were taken home became five jins. If Mother Zhou was there, she might ask.
But only Zhou Qing Bai and her three sons were left and they didn't have the interest to ask.
She had the final say in everything in the family. She made the decisions, so what was there to ask.
"Mother, can you make bacon?" San Wa was concerned about this.
"Unconscionable brat. Your mother, I went out on in this freezing weather and I don't see you caring about me on my return. You only think about your bacon. Well, you can eat ass." Lin Qing He responded.
Not only did San Wa, the young lad not get angry, but also grinned: "Mother, you said a bad word."
"Father and son are debt collectors." Lin Qing He patted his bum once. She rolled her eyes at the innocent Zhou Qing Bai and went into the room to store away the eggs.
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