Affection for Sidaogou during the Famine

"Hey, it's the same for all of us. We all live on food coupons, and the supply is fixed. The higher-ranking ones get a few more pounds, and the lower-ranking ones get a few less pounds. We are police officers, and we don't have as much supply as the workers. We all have families to support, so how can there be enough food?

We are the ones who have to support a large family with elderly parents and young children. The children in the family are at the age of being full of food, and their stomachs are like bottomless pits, they can eat more than adults, and no matter how much food is available, they can't be full.

Fortunately, your aunt also has a job, and the salary of two people is enough to support the family.

Some of my colleagues have families with few people earning wages but many children to feed, and they really can’t get enough to eat just by relying on the rationed food on the food card.”

Han Zhaozhao nodded. "Well, every family is in a similar situation. Fortunately, spring is here. If things don't work out, we can go to the countryside to dig up some wild vegetables to fill our stomachs. At least we won't starve."

Most families in this era are in similar situations. They don’t have enough to eat, but they are not hungry either. At least they are better off than people in rural areas.

Both of them were quick and nimble, and soon they had finished picking a branch of elm seeds. Section Chief Bai then started the engine and drove the three-wheeled vehicle back to the city with Han Zhaozhao in tow.

On the way back, I met many people, who seemed to be visiting the graves. In the past, the Qingming Festival was also a time for young people in the city who had money and time to go outing and have fun in the suburbs, and groups of college students would also go on spring outings.

This year, a very strange phenomenon occurred. There were almost no people sightseeing. People were not idle after visiting the graves. They carried baskets and cloth bags and ran to the roadside, hillsides, and fields to dig some wild vegetables to bring home.

Young people and children are even worse. It would be fine if the elm trees growing wildly in the corners were not discovered, but once they were discovered, a lot of people would gather under and on each tree, chattering and calling their friends. Those who didn't know would think they had found some treasure and would start to grab it.

Section Chief Bai looked around and said: "Oh! I was thinking of going home and asking my children to pick elm seeds again. Looking at this situation, all the elm trees around here will be plucked bare tomorrow."

After entering the city, Han Zhaozhao felt that Section Chief Bai's aura seemed to have changed. He held his head high and chest out, with a serious look on his face. Was this professional intimidation or professional pride?

However, wearing a police uniform and riding a three-wheeled vehicle on the main road in the city is indeed quite cool, comparable to driving a Mercedes-Benz into a small county town in later generations.

When passing an intersection, Han Zhaozhao quickly called for the car to stop. She wanted to get off and go straight home.

"Come with me to the police station to play for a while. When we get there, I'll find a cloth bag and give you some elm seeds."

He wanted to collect some cloth coupons for his child, but he felt uncomfortable when he saw that the child was wearing gray clothes that were not bright at all.

"No, you can keep it for yourself. I know where there are elm trees. If you want to eat them, just go pick them yourself.

The chickens at home haven't been fed yet, I have to go home! I'll come to see you next time when I'm free, uncle, bye!" After getting off the car, Han Zhaozhao threw a cloth bag in the sidecar to Section Chief Bai and ran away.

"Hey, girl, run slower!" While Section Chief Bai was lowering his head, Han Zhaozhao had already turned into the narrow alley, "Girl, you left something behind!"

"That's left for you!" Han Zhaozhao shouted without even turning his head, and disappeared in a flash.

"This kid, the gaps in his hands are really big!" Section Chief Bai said something that didn't make sense, and then he looked down and saw the big cloth bag left in the sidecar. Many housewives like to carry things with them when they go shopping, and they can hold a lot!

Section Chief Bai touched it and found it was soft, it was a steamed bun!

Touch again, there are bananas, oranges and apples.

When I opened it, I saw six snacks inside.

Except for the cigarettes and alcohol, which were all used up, the rest was in the cloth bag.

This girl, no wonder she asked him if he minded eating the sacrifice just now? It turned out that she was waiting for him here!

Section Chief Bai smiled and rode back to the office. With so many good things, he had to share them with the director and others.

He just happened to grab a few cloth coupons and shoe coupons from them. It seemed that the little girl's shoes should be changed. He was sharp-eyed and had noticed that there was a hole in the little girl's shoes where her toes were.

"Uncle Zheng, good stuff, take it!" As soon as he entered the gate, he stopped the tricycle first, and while no one was paying attention, he took out a piece of dessert and a steamed bun from his cloth bag and stuffed them into the window of the message room.

"Oh, white flour buns! And two pieces of peach cakes, where did they come from?"

When Mr. Zheng saw the steamed buns, he was shocked. Is this made of Fuqiang flour? How can it still smell so good even when it’s cold?

"It's a gift from someone else, so put it away quickly and don't let anyone know. Otherwise, if those guys find out, there won't be anything left!"

"I know, I'm not stupid!"

Mr. Zheng hurriedly grabbed a piece of newspaper from the side, wrapped it up in a few seconds, bent down and locked it in the cabinet.

He put the keys in his pocket, patted his head with a smile, and prepared to take them home for his wife after get off work.

His wife's teeth are not as good as his, so it is difficult for her to chew a biscuit. He feels anxious for her just watching her.

Now that's good, she can have something to replenish her body today. This year, the grain in the grain store is mixed with a lot of straw. Not only is it unpalatable, it is also difficult to digest. His wife is suffering a lot with him.

Section Chief Bai returned to his office and hid the cloth bag. There were not many good things, so he had to think carefully about who to give them to first.

At least someone has to have a ticket, and everyone can chip in. He can't pay for it all by himself, right? He has a big family, and he really can't afford it.

Han Zhaozhao went home carrying the basket on his back, feeling very happy. Well, it was another day of doing good deeds!

When I got home, Xiaoliang and his mother had already finished get off work.

Xiaoliang's mother was mixing mud in the yard. Xiaoliang was standing beside her with his eyes shining, holding a stick, eager to try and get involved.

"Aunt Shufen, what are you doing?"

"Is Zhao Zhao back? The weather is getting warmer. It's too hot to cook in the house, and it's a waste of coal briquettes. I'm going to turn off the coal stove.

I thought about making a mud stove and putting it in the corner to cook. On the way to and from get off work, I would pick up some firewood and use it to boil water and cook. I could save the coal briquettes for winter."

"Oh, this is a serious matter! Aunt Shufen, if you don't just want to paste the stove, do you also need to build a shed in the corner?

If it rains, the stove will collapse!"

"It's okay, I'll make something small that can be moved. If the weather is bad, I'll move it inside. If that doesn't work, I can find something to cover it.

When we moved in, I told your grandma that we couldn't build anything in the yard. It would be great if we could leave a corner for me to put a small clay stove!"

Han Zhaozhao felt relieved. Not bad, not bad. The rental agreement was not signed in vain. The other party was quite conscientious. But she just had to remember this. Her family couldn't be too harsh on others.

She also didn't want her own nice yard to be messed up by others, like the shantytowns on the Third Ring Road, which would affect the living experience!

The tenants were conscious, so Han Zhaozhao also became generous. He went to the warehouse and dug out a ceramic basin with half of the bottom missing. He handed it to Xiaoliang's mother and said, "Aunt Shufen, this basin is for you. Put some mud on it so it can be shaped!"

Xiaoliang's mother laughed immediately. This thing is not easy to find. Most people who have broken ones will spend a few cents to ask a baker to bake them before using them, as long as they are not broken into pieces.

"This thing is good, it's perfect for the mud stove. But don't you keep it for baking?"

"I picked this up outside. I couldn't find the bottom half, so I wanted to keep it as a flower pot. Feel free to use it! In addition, you can't add a small kitchen, but you can put a few sticks in the corner and support a few wooden boards and straw to keep out the wind and rain."

Han Zhaozhao took out a steamed bun and a banana from his backpack and said, "Brother Xiaoliang, I'll give them to you!"