Crossing the Unknown Country

Adults should discuss these matters, and they, as children, should not care about them. Su He and her brother planned to try to make glass, so they carried back some river sand from the river to make glass. They washed the soil from the river sand, dried it, and then baked it in a casserole over charcoal fire, adding white lime and alkaline noodles, but they failed several times. Su He was still unclear about the specific formula and could only experiment when she had time. Su He found that this was not as easy as she had imagined, and she failed for the first time in ancient times. Su He felt that she had a long way to go, and the window paper of her windows was not bright enough, and it seemed that glass could not be made for a while. Solar energy could only make a stove, and nothing else could be made.

Su He simply came up with a simple method, brushing oil directly on the paper, leaving a white edge to stick to the window frame. Anyway, there are no flies in winter, so let's make do with it for now! At least there is no need to change the paper when it snows.

Su He's father went to the town a few days ago and sent the big iron pot to the silversmith, and brought back the smaller iron pot. In a few days, he will ask his uncle to bring it back and it can be used. Su He thinks that it is good news that this can be done, and it is also a consolation for the failure of the glass.

Uncle Su He finally brought it back to them, and the pot was bright. At noon when the sun was at its brightest, Su He set up the solar pot and gathered the light. There seemed to be a bright light under the iron pot, and soon the water in the iron pot boiled. Su He quickly put the noodles in, and the noodles were cooked quickly. Such a good stove surprised Su He's parents and grandmother. Even if there was no firewood, it would not delay cooking. As long as there was sunshine, they could cook.

This time it was a complete success. Su He's family had boiled noodles for lunch today. This stove can be used to boil water, cook vegetables and cook in the future. My family can save a lot of firewood, and my brothers will not have to chop firewood so much in the future. The time saved can be used to study more and do what I want to do.

The New Year came quietly. Uncle Su He bought red paper from the city. Su He and his sister wrote couplets together and helped write couplets for the villagers. Because everyone came to Grandpa Su He with red paper to write couplets. In the past, buying couplets was very expensive. Grandpa Su He said that he would help everyone write couplets this year. Every household in the village came with red paper. The five brothers and sisters moved the table to the yard and helped write together.

Anyway, he never ran out of ink, as he made his own, so he didn't run out of most of it. Every time he delivered something to the library, Boss Zhao would give him some damaged ink blocks, and Su He would put them together with his own and make new ink blocks.

This was so good that some relatives from nearby villages came to ask them to write couplets. They felt embarrassed to ask them to write for free, so they brought a bundle of firewood or two eggs. Grandpa Su He declined politely, saying that it was the New Year's Day and he could bring some joy to others, so how could he accept things? In the end, Su He's father and uncle helped to write for everyone.

The good reputation of the Su He family really spread. This family was not only literate, but also very kind. Later, whenever they went to town or met many people on the road, they would greet them. Many of the Su He family members were unfamiliar to them, but they were recognized by others.

Su He's family bought a large string of firecrackers this time, ready to celebrate the New Year. The table at home was cleaned and candies and snacks were placed on it. On New Year's Eve, they went to grandma's house together and performed the ancestor worship ceremony. This time, a big pig's head was served, as well as various snacks and candies. When Su He bought it, he always bought two copies, and they were the same. Every time the uncle bought delicious food from the town, he would also bring their family's. Especially Su He's grandmother, as long as she made delicious food, she would definitely send them a copy. In this way, although the two families did not eat together, they would always think of each other when they had good things.

On the night of the 30th, we all had a reunion dinner at grandma's house. Grandpa sighed that this year's New Year was really good. Look at how rich the dishes on the table are, mostly meat and vegetables, and the vegetables are also fresh. Unlike in the past, there were only one or two meat dishes, and they didn't dare to steam too many steamed buns, for fear that there would not be enough food to last until the beginning of spring. Good days are finally here. Grandpa Su He only had a few meals like this when he was a child. Later, the family became worse and worse, and it was good to have a full meal.

I am old and finally blessed with grandchildren. I live in this small house and have a good life. I sleep soundly every day. I just hope that the good days in the future will be long and the family will live together in peace and happiness.