People who eat melon are in 70 - Chapter 4

Hao Juxiang trembled as she reached out and gently stroked her daughter’s dowry wardrobe. Her expression was kind with a hint of sadness: “It’s all because of this old bone that is useless. It can’t protect you, Youtao…”

Seeing the old lady like this, Jiang Youtao held her skinny and rough palm, opened and closed her mouth again and again, unable to say anything to comfort her.

Although the Ying family belonged to Shanghai, most of the people in Pudong at that time were farmers, and the Ying family was also a member who relied on work points to make a living.

When her grandfather Ying Dexing was young, he was a tractor driver of the production team. He had no choice but to agree to the request of the production team leader to teach his son to drive a tractor, but that man had no talent in this area. When operating, the tractor overturned and broke Ying Dexing’s spine, causing paralysis of the lower body.

The other party was still conscientious and classified the car accident as a work-related injury. Not only did the production team pay for compensation, but they also prepared to give another sum of money privately to express their apologies.

At this time, a gentle and old voice came from the house: “Is Jiang Youtao here?”

As soon as the voice fell, with the sound of “wheels and wheels”, a kind-looking old man appeared in the yard in a wooden wheelchair. When he saw Jiang Youtao, his hands moved faster and he turned the rubber-wrapped wooden wheels with great effort.

“Hey, Grandpa, please go slowly. I can’t run.” Jiang Youtao stepped forward quickly and pushed Ying Dexing’s wheelchair towards the house where Hao Juxiang was.

After Ying Dexing had an accident that year, he refused all compensation and only asked that one of the future recruitment quotas in the team be reserved for his children.

In order to get this quota to work in the city, the family lived a tight life in those years.

Ying Dexing learned carpentry in his early years, and picked up this craft again after his lower body could not move. The people in the village felt sorry for his family, so they came to his house to do some carpentry work. The grain team took 80% of the wages, and the remaining 20% belonged to him.

It was with this income that he was able to support his family.

Jiang Youtao admired these people in her heart. Although they were weak, they provided shelter for their families. Just like the director of their orphanage, a small person, but he had sheltered dozens of homeless orphans for many years.

Seeing that the grandparents and grandchildren were chatting harmoniously, Hao Juxiang looked at the sky outside: “Youtao, talk to your grandpa, I’ll go call your uncle, we’ll have dinner in a while.”

The old couple has one son and two daughters. Uncle Ying is ten years younger than Ying Yuexia. He is 25 years old this year. They also have a second sister Ying Caixia who married in a local town.

When Jiang Youtao finished telling the always calm old man about her going to the countryside, a skinny young man carrying a piece of meat walked into the yard.

He walked very slowly, but you could vaguely see that his legs were of different lengths.

Jiang Youtao took the initiative to call someone: “Uncle.”

Ying Chaorong nodded, with a slight arc on the corner of his mouth. He brought the meat to the kitchen, came to Jiang Youtao again, took out a handful of White Rabbit candies and stuffed them into her, then went back to his room.

Jiang Youtao stared at the candy in her hand in a daze. White Rabbit milk candy was a luxury that ordinary people could not afford in this era. By the time of Jiang Youtao, it was already a very common milk candy, but she had not eaten it many times.

The orphanage would only get one or two pieces during festivals or when kind-hearted people came to donate. She got it when she was still young.

The candy in her hand was snatched away before it could even warm up. Later, when she was older, she stuffed the candy into her mouth as soon as she got it.

When she got a job, she could afford imported milk candy, but she no longer had the desire to eat candy.

Until today, her palms are filled with a handful of White Rabbit milk candy, in this era when supplies are even scarcer than when she was a child.

Jiang Youtao tightly grasped the candy, she thought, this candy must be very sweet.

“Your uncle just doesn’t like to talk. He has been going to the town to make cabinets for others these days. I’m afraid this is given to him. Youtao, take it and eat it on the way.” Ying Dexing said to Jiang Youtao: “Push grandpa to your uncle’s room. I have something to say to him.”

Jiang Youtao came to her senses and pushed the wheelchair forward. The resistance was surprisingly large. Even though Ying Dexing was skinny, it was very difficult to push it. Jiang Youtao couldn’t help but look down at the old man’s thin arms and frowned slightly.

Ying Chaorong in the room heard the noise and came out to take over from Jiang Youtao. He entered the room and sat on a chair beside the bed, quietly waiting for Ying Dexing to speak.

As soon as Jiang Youtao entered the room, she was attracted by the various small ornaments with fine workmanship. She did not touch them, but just looked at them curiously.

“Go and call your second sister. Youtao is going to the countryside to join the production team. Let’s have a farewell dinner together.”

Hearing this, Ying Chaorong, who had always been calm, finally looked anxious. He opened his mouth, looked at Jiang Youtao, and then looked at Ying Dexing, “What’s going on? Why is Youtao going?”

Ying Chaorong has been doing carpentry work for others outside for many years. Families with many children must have one child going to the countryside to comply with the current policy. He discussed this with his parents. Their Youtao is the only daughter of Jiang Anguo and Ying Yuexia. Although Jiang Jiabao is Jiang, he is not Jiang Anguo’s child.

Jiang Anguo is indeed a father who is in the example of having a stepmother is like having a stepfather, but they have always believed that he will not be so cruel on major issues!

How long has it been since then, and she, Youtao, are going to go to the countryside?

Ying Dexing knew his son and knew that he was not good at talking. Even if he was anxious, he could not say anything. So he did not reply to him, but only said: “I will talk to you when your second sister arrives. Go.”

Ying Chaorong nodded and went out. After a while, he hurried back and said to Jiang Youtao, “If you like it, take it to play with it. It’s okay.”

Jiang Youtao has no resistance to delicate things, but since they were young, Dean Liu told them that they could only look at things that were not theirs but not touch them. Over the years, they have developed this good habit.

At this moment, with the permission of the owner, Jiang Youtao picked up the small wooden carvings and played with them carefully.

Ying Caixia married to a town called Rongshan in Pudong. It was not far from her mother’s home. It took more than ten minutes to walk there.

When Ying Chaorong came, Ying Caixia was cooking. Seeing her brother suddenly visit, her heart tightened. Regardless of the gloomy faces of her parents-in-law and husband, she pulled Ying Chaorong out.

She lowered her voice: “Little brother, why are you here? Has Dad finished taking his blood pressure medicine? Or is Mom having a headache? Wait a minute…”

Halfway through her words, she found that her brother was staring at her back. Ying Caixia knew that her mother-in-law had followed her without turning back. Ying Chaorong lowered his eyes and retracted his gaze, saying concisely: “Tao is here again. She is going to the countryside tonight. Dad asked you to go back to have a reunion dinner together.”

Ying Caixia’s face suddenly changed, but her mother-in-law, who had been sullen, smiled: “Tsk, city people are not that good either. Your father-in-law spent so much effort to get your sister to eat commercial grain, but after all the twists and turns, your sister’s child still has to go to the countryside to be a farmer… It would have been better to give you the recruitment quota in the first place. Now that you have commercial grain, Xiaozong and Xiaowen will be looked up to by others when they go out, right?”

The brother and sister looked very unhappy. Ying Caixia glared at her mother-in-law fiercely, but did not respond to her. She turned around and told Ying Chaorong: “I know, you go back first. I am too busy now. I will go back to send Youtao in the evening. “

Ying Chaorong glanced at Ying Caixia’s mother-in-law, nodded at her and left. 

After the eldest sister left, the second sister took over most of the responsibilities, and sent things and money home from time to time. For this reason, the second sister did not have a good life in her husband’s house.

As Ying Chaorong walked away, Ying Caixia’s mother-in-law’s face became longer, and she walked into the yard while shouting: “You send food  outside, and you are afraid that you can’t make your husband’s family poor!”

Hearing this, Ying Chaorong quickened his pace to leave. The disadvantage of his long and short legs was more obvious at this time.

When Ying Chaorong returned home, the dishes and rice were ready. Hao Juxiang kept looking behind him. When she was about to ask, she was interrupted calmly by Ying Dexing: “Old woman, let’s eat.”

Hao Juxiang thought about the situation of her second daughter in her husband’s house, sighed secretly, and sat down slowly.

The atmosphere was a bit dull, but the old man greeted Jiang Youtao with a smile: “Youtao, today your grandma made you your favorite braised pork. “

As he said that, Ying Dexing placed a bowl of braised pork with more potatoes and less meat in front of her.

The atmosphere became relaxed. Jiang Youtao looked around, picked up a piece of braised pork with fat and lean meat and handed it to the old lady’s mouth, coaxing with a smile: “It smells delicious, grandma, eat first.”

Hao Juxiang’s expression relaxed a little. She opened her mouth to refuse, but her mouth was stuffed with meat. She couldn’t say anything now.

Jiang Youtao picked up a piece for Ying Dexing and Ying Chaorong one by one, and finally for herself.

“Why are you picking up a piece for us? Eat more. Your uncle brings a lot of food home when he works outside. Your grandpa and I are tired of eating meat. “Hao Juxiang complained but she couldn’t smile.

The father and son beside her nodded in agreement and refused to eat any more meat after eating it once. But people are short of oil and water these days, who would get tired of eating meat?

Hao Juxiang even said: “Youtao, eat it, I made it especially for you, you can’t leave until you finish it! “

Faced with the old lady’s ‘dominance’, Jiang Youtao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Before she could say anything, another spoonful of steamed egg was added to the bowl, and the small bowl was full.

Even so, Hao Juxiang kept picking up dishes for her. Ying Dexing and Ying Chaorong, father and son, buried their heads in eating, picking up green vegetables, pickles, and potato strips, and not touching meat. Jiang Youtao ate a full meal, and her heart became warm and soft.

After lunch, Jiang Youtao lay in the room where Ying Yuexia slept before she got married, with her eyes half closed and half open, listening to the old lady muttering outside, all about bringing her something to the countryside. With this chattering, Jiang Youtao fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, the sun was setting. Before going out for dinner, she put all the pension money she got from the Jiang family under her pillow.

Jiang Youtao didn’t know how to spend this money, and the money from the subsidies for educated youth in the countryside was enough for her expenses. She also put the rice, flour, grain and oil taken from the Jiang family’s kitchen in the closet that was moved into the house at some point. She just checked and found that the Ying family’s grain jar was empty, and it was all coarse grains, not much refined grains.

Although these things in the Jiang family’s kitchen were not refined grains, they were much better than coarse grains.

Dinner was also very rich, with a dish of twice-cooked pork and fried eggs with leeks. After eating this meal, Jiang Youtao was about to leave.

Ying Dexing stayed at home because of his inconvenience in walking. Before leaving, he pushed Jiang Youtao to the door in a wheelchair, patted her hand gently and said to her: “Write home if you have anything, go.”

Ying Dexing’s hands were full of calluses, but surprisingly warm. Jiang Youtao replied: “I know, Grandpa, you go back.”

“Okay.” Ying Dexing agreed, but did not leave.

Jiang Youtao walked forward with her grandmother and uncle, and turned her head inadvertently. Ying Dexing was still sitting there, watching quietly. Seeing her turn around, he waved to her.

Jiang Youtao didn’t know why, but her heart swelled and she felt a little uncomfortable.

On the way to the ferry, Hao Juxiang repeatedly reminded her and told her what to pay attention to after going to the countryside. Jiang Youtao was not annoyed, but listened patiently, nodded, and agreed obediently.

Ying Chaorong followed them silently, carrying the large and small bags of things that his old mother had packed for his niece.

When they arrived at the ferry station, Hao Juxiang never let go of Jiang Youtao’s hand.

“Mom, Youtao, here!”

As the three of them entered the station, a decent and beautiful woman carrying a bag walked quickly to them.

Without any extra greetings, she directly stuffed the bag in her hand to Jiang Youtao and spoke quickly: “There are 50 kilograms of national food coupons, as well as soap, towels, toothbrushes, shampoo, vanishing cream, socks, and some small things for girls.”

At this point, she stopped and approached Jiang Youtao, and said in a very low voice: “There is some money in the socks. After you get on the train, go to the toilet and take it out and hide it close to your body. Do you hear me?”

The Ying family has a rural household registration. Although Ying Caixia married a town household registration, she is not the head of the family. Each of these things requires a ticket and money. Jiang Youtao can imagine how difficult it is to prepare these. She wanted to return them, but Ying Caixia glared at her and pushed her back: “Take them! Your aunt doesn’t need these!”

“I heard that it’s colder in the countryside when you go to work. I’ll save some cotton and cloth coupons and make quilts and clothes for you and send them to you.”

In the original owner’s memory, this aunt was very good to her. 

The original owner began to develop at the age of ten. Li Xiuqin never cared whether she wore small clothes or had her period. On the contrary, Ying Caixia would make two sets of small clothes for her to change every year. When she got older, she added two more menstrual belts in addition to these two small clothes.

Ying Caixia was like a biological mother to the original owner.

Jiang Youtao, who had never felt such an emotion, was at a loss for a moment.

Obviously, this woman was very fierce, but Jiang Youtao, who used to be angry with everyone, couldn’t get angry. She felt helpless and hot in her heart, as if she couldn’t even speak.

There were beads of sweat on Ying Caixia’s forehead. Jiang Youtao couldn’t imagine how she got all these supplies in this afternoon.

“Thank you, aunt.” Jiang Youtao stammered for a long time, and uttered these four words.

Ying Caixia rolled her eyes at her, but her hands were particularly gentle and she brushed the broken hair on her niece’s cheeks behind her ears. Her tone was still fierce: “When you get to the place where you are sent to work in the countryside, remember to write a letter to aunt.”

“Okay.” Jiang Youtao responded obediently, and was pulled by Ying Caixia and Hao Juxiang on each side to get on the ferry that was about to leave. The river breeze was particularly gentle, and the gorgeous clouds were printed in the middle of the water, and were washed away bit by bit by the ferry.

It was already late when they reached the other side of the river. The tram had stopped running. The four of them walked towards the train station. As they were about to leave, the few people who had been chattering just now became more and more silent.

There were many people around them, most of whom were educated youth who were going to the countryside tonight and their parents who came to escort them.

Everyone walked in a hurry, and no one wanted to greet anyone.

After buying a few platform tickets at the train station, the group followed the crowd to the platform. The green train with a red banner was already waiting quietly on the rails. Someone was handing out big red flowers to the educated youth who went to the countryside.

Hao Juxiang carefully pinned the big red flower on Jiang Youtao’s chest.

She finally couldn’t hold back her tears. Ying Caixia’s eyes were red. Ying Chaorong remained silent. Only the hand tightly holding the luggage bag indicated his inner restlessness.

More educated youth who went to the countryside gathered in front of the train. The train began to blow the whistle. The conductor opened the door. The parents who were seeing them off and the educated youth who were leaving cried together. The sobbing sound was endless.

Perhaps the sadness of parting was too strong, or perhaps Jiang Youtao was infected by them, and her eyes were red.

The conductor urged them to get on the train. Ying Chaorong followed Jiang Youtao on the train with his luggage. After putting the luggage away, he took out a very small bag from his trouser pocket and stuffed it into Jiang Youtao’s hand, and touched Jiang Youtao’s hair.

“Take care of yourself.” After saying that, without waiting for Jiang Youtao’s reaction, he hurriedly got off the car.

There was a knock on the window next to the seat. Jiang Youtao turned around and saw Hao Juxiang and Ying Caixia standing outside. Jiang Youtao pushed open the window and said to the mother and daughter with tears in her eyes: “Grandma, aunt, you have to take care of yourselves!”

“Be careful.” It was already late at night, and the ferry at the pier had stopped operating. Hao Juxiang and the others planned to stay overnight at the train station and catch the earliest ferry tomorrow morning.

The mother and daughter nodded with tears in their eyes.

“Grandma, when you go back, open my mother’s dowry wardrobe and see if there are things I put in there.”

When the train slowly started to puff, Jiang Youtao didn’t know if her grandmother heard what she said. She leaned out and waved vigorously.

Looking at the figure of her granddaughter going away, Hao Juxiang couldn’t help crying and fell into her daughter’s arms.

The three figures gradually became farther and smaller with the rapidly receding scenery…