Affection for Sidaogou during the Famine

He picked up a large bundle of branches by himself, which was already tied up and was as thick as an adult's waist. When I got closer, I saw that there were only a few dry branches, and most of them were fresh elm branches, acacia branches and cypress branches.

The cypress branches were bare, with all the leaves removed, so they were lighter, and the acacia branches, which were covered with sharp thorns, were tied to the center of the firewood, so they couldn't prick anyone. You see, children's abilities should not be underestimated!

"Brother Min, you are amazing! You picked up so many, you must have picked them from the tree!"

Niu Xiaomin nodded proudly, "You can't just rely on picking up firewood. This small forest is swept many times a day, how can there be so much dry firewood to pick up.

We have to chop branches. This bundle of firewood was made by the three of us. We were in a hurry to go out today and forgot to bring a machete. Otherwise, we wouldn't have to collect leaves. Each of us carries a bundle of branches home. There are more to burn!"

Han Zhaozhao waved his hands quickly, "Fresh branches are too heavy. I can't carry such a large bundle. I'd better just collect leaves and pick up some dry firewood!"

"That's right! Zhao Zhao, you hold the sack and I'll help you load it. It's getting late, we have to go home!"

With the help of Niu Xiaomin, the torn sack was stuffed tightly with hands and feet. Han Zhaozhao had not yet finished filling the four piles of leaves, so he tied a bunch of vines to the mouth of the sack.

Han Zhaozhao picked up the sack and weighed it. It was about 30 kilograms, not too heavy. She should be able to carry it home.

The rest of Han Zhaozhao was packed by Niu Xiaolian and her sister. The three siblings brought a basket and two sacks.

One basket and one sack are already full. The other sack is soft and fluffy, and can be filled with more if you step on it firmly!

Sisters Li Cui and Li Yan also broke off a bundle of branches, but most of them were poplar branches, and they also cut a bundle of yellow broom.

Xue Xing picked up whatever she could find, broke off some poplar branches and borrowed a sickle from Li Cui's house, cut some yellow broom, and finally managed to gather enough firewood.

Han Zhaozhao was amazed at what he saw. These four older kids were really hardworking. Each bundle of firewood weighed at least forty or fifty kilograms.

Among them, Niu Xiaomin's bundle was the heaviest. The branches were thick and fresh, weighing at least sixty or seventy kilograms.

Xue Ying barely grabbed a sack of leaves. Seeing that others had picked up more firewood than her, she felt jealous and wanted to borrow Han Zhaozhao's rake to collect some more leaves.

Niu Xiaomin stopped her by shouting, "Xiying, do you have any idea? Half a sack is just enough for you to carry. Can you carry it if it is full?

Okay, are you ready? Let’s go home!”

Niu Xiaomin's four older children passed the firewood to each other's shoulders and carried it in front of their heads as they walked.

Xiaolian walked at the end, carrying a basket with Han Zhaozhao's rake, like herding ducks, and watched Han Zhaozhao, Niu Xiaoyun and Xue Ying who were carrying sacks and walking in the middle of the team.

The longer Han Zhaozhao walked, the more she felt that the way home was much longer than the way here. When she first picked up the sack, she felt it was quite easy.

Although a sack of leaves is incredibly large, it is not too heavy to carry. Even if you press it down firmly, it weighs no more than 20 kilograms.

But after walking three or four miles without stopping, she felt the sack on her back getting heavier and heavier. Not only was it heavy, but it also refused to move and kept sliding down.

Her hands were sore from holding the sack, and she didn't hear Niu Xiaoyun and Xue Ying who were following behind her shouting to stop and rest, so she had no choice but to grit her teeth and keep moving forward.

His arms were sore from lifting the weights, and Han Zhaozhao walked quickly with his head down, following the road back to the city. He didn't have the courage to look up, for fear that he would see the buildings next to him and realize that he was still far away from home, which would make him lose all his energy.

Han Zhaozhao was walking with his head down when he felt a lightness on his shoulder. He looked up and smiled from the bottom of his heart.

"Brother Min, are you here to greet us?"

"If I don't welcome you, when will your short legs get home?"

"You can go replace Sister Xiaolian. Her basket has branches that are heavier than mine."

"She is older than you! Why worry about it? Just follow her!" Niu Xiaomin is still a proud and arrogant boy!

He turned around, picked up the sack and ran away.

Han Zhaozhao took a breather and waited for Niu Xiaolian and her sister to catch up. Now that she had recovered some strength, she had the leisure to observe her friends.

Niu Xiaoyun walked slowly and calmly with her head down, carrying the sack on her shoulder. It was obvious that she had something in mind.

Xi Ying followed very closely with half a sack of leaves on her back, and didn't look like she was falling behind at all. It seemed that everyone underestimated her.

Niu Xiaolian was walking at the end and seemed tired. She lowered her head and changed shoulders from time to time, watching the three children in front of her not falling behind. This made Han Zhaozhao understand what neighborhood solidarity is.

Han Zhaozhao took the sack from Niu Xiaoyun, and when Niu Xiaolian came over, the three of them changed their way of cooperation.

Han Zhaozhao and Niu Xiaoyun carried the baskets with rake poles, while Niu Xiaolian carried the sacks. She would also help Xue Ying carry the sacks from time to time.

When people carry a lot of weight, their feet walk very fast and it feels like the way home is much shorter than the way there.

The four of them chatted and laughed as they carried the baby on their backs and went back to the city. When they got home, Niu Xiaomin was already waiting for her at the door of Han Zhaozhao's house.

Seeing them come back, he said, "Zhao Zhao, take it home by yourself. I'm going home to do my homework." and ran away.

He lifted the sack through the gate and dragged it into the backyard. He scattered the leaves evenly into the spinach field. He shook the sack and scattered the leaves that had sneaked into the space into the garlic field. Only then did Han Zhaozhao return to the main room.

As soon as she entered the room, she grabbed the big teapot on the eight-immortals table and gulped down a glass of boiled water from the spout. She was so thirsty that she drank half of the pot of water in one breath and filled her stomach in no time.

She wiped her mouth and looked at the clock. It was almost five o'clock. In another hour at most, her grandma would be off work.

She wondered if it was too early to cook dinner now. She poured the boiling water from the thermos into the large teapot to cool it down, and prepared to light the fire to boil water in the pot first.

Her grandma also needs to drink water after get off work, and the two thermos bottles at home are empty, so she has to fill them up.

While I was washing the pot, Niu Xiaoyun came to bring a rake, "Zhao Zhao, do you want to cook?"

Niu Xiaoyun put the rake back to Han Zhaozhao's warehouse as if she knew the place, and followed her into the kitchen.

"Let me help you light the fire!" She sat on the small stool in front of the stove with a familiar look. "Did your grandma ask you to cook?" Niu Xiaoyun asked. She knew Han Zhaozhao's family situation. Grandma Han loved her granddaughter the most and usually was reluctant to let her cook.

Han Zhaozhao: "My grandma said she would cook dinner when she came back. There was no water in the thermos at home, so I boiled some water to fill it."

Han Zhaozhao added three scoops of cold water into the big pot and covered it with a lid.

"I lit the fire!" Niu Xiaoyun took out a box of matches from the brick hole of the stove, struck a fire to light the hay and stuffed it into the kang, then stuffed two more handfuls of firewood in, and started pulling the bellows with a "click-click" sound.

He carefully put the matchbox back into the brick hole, "Zhao Zhao, who in your family is injured? Is it serious?"

"How do you know someone in my family was injured? Who told you?" Han Zhaozhao was a little surprised.

"Isn't it obvious? Half of the leather is missing from your matchbox!"

Are you Detective Conan? Han Zhaozhao thought. Her hand was cut that day, and her grandmother was worried that it would get inflamed, so she tore off some match skin to apply on it.

This most ordinary action actually became an obvious clue to solve the case. In this era, everyone, whether adults or children, is smart and sharp-eyed. It seems that she needs to be more careful in the future and not underestimate anyone!

PS: Thank you for your support, old and new book friends. Happy Labor Day! To show my appreciation, I will add another chapter today!

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