Affection for Sidaogou during the Famine

"Come on, wash them in the puddle, and then you can grill them and eat them later."

The boys all followed them to wash loaches, while Niu Xiaolian and her sister went to the shore to collect firewood.

Uncle Niu also took action, looking around for flat thin stone slabs to prepare roasting loaches.

Han Zhaozhao moved faster than them. He climbed up the river bank, reached inside the tricycle's bucket, and pulled out a piece of iron plate.

Haha, she was foresighted and had prepared the tools for the picnic in advance.

With the salt and five-spice powder provided by Han Zhaozhao, the cooking skills provided by Aunt Niu and Aunt Qian, and the firewood and wild onions found by the Niu Xiaolian and her sister, they enjoyed their lunch very much.

Only Han Zhaozhao didn't eat much. She knew she was too picky. When she thought about the loach that was just covered in mud and was about to be eaten after just being rinsed in the puddle, she felt psychologically nauseous.

Other people don’t have the same problem as her. Loach is also meat!

The supply is so small now that each person can barely afford two taels of meat a month. Adults and children alike are all as greedy as wolves.

I caught a bucket of loaches, and after removing the water, I would be lucky if there were at least ten kilograms in total.

Even so, the women were reluctant to do it all, and left half in front of the pitiful eyes of the children.

There were fifteen people in total today, and each person only got four or five small loaches on average.

Seeing Niu Xiaojun and Niu Xiaomin happily chewing the delicious food with their mouths wide open, Han Zhaozhao turned away. Looking back, the two aunties and Qi Mudan were eating cautiously, as if they were eating some delicious food.

Even Grandpa Guan and Grandpa Niu seemed to be eating them with great cherishment. Han Zhaozhao was a little confused. Was there any difference between the loaches of this era and those of later generations? Were they really so delicious?

She seemed to remember that if loach was not cooked well, it would have a muddy smell. Was she wrong?

"Sister, you eat too little. Here, try this one of mine. It's the fattest and most delicious!"

Han Zhaozhao took a small bite and almost vomited.

"What's wrong, sis? What's wrong?"

Han Zhaozhao looked around at the worried eyes around her and didn't dare to say that it was too bad to swallow, otherwise she would be alienating herself from everyone!

In the afternoon, everyone started to work hard again until they had turned over the nearly one-kilometer-long riverbed.

Not only did we dig up four buckets of shellfish, but we also found two basins of loaches of different sizes. Ha, today's harvest was quite a lot!

They didn't think the fish were small and they caught all the loaches and clams nearby in one net with great ferocity.

Han Zhaozhao was still worried that the loaches and clams would become extinct, but Grandpa Guan said, "Look at the weather. If it doesn't rain for another three to five days, not to mention the loaches, even the clams will probably die!"

Yes, on this day, the temperature was like summer, and the clams and loaches would hide under the mud, but they would only be able to survive.

I’m afraid they won’t be able to wait for this rain!

It was not until it was getting dark that they caught the last bus and returned to Shuijing Hutong.

When they got home, it was dinner time and they perfectly avoided everyone's sight.

The tricycle went straight to the Han family's house, and the families went back to their own homes first. Everyone was starving and was eager to fill their stomachs.

After dinner, everyone gathered at Han's house again. Once the door was closed, everyone started to work together, some pressing the water, some washing the shellfish, and some boiling the shellfish.

Children have the easiest job, their nimble little hands dry the shellfish meat on reed baskets.

After drying, each family can store them separately.

The next day, those who went to school went to school, those who went to work went to work, and the neighbors resumed their usual lives.

After breakfast, Han Zhaozhao was just about to arrange studies for the two children when Grandpa Guan came.

"Zhao Zhao, shall we go dig clams again today?"

"I don't want to go. I still have to watch them study today!" Han Zhaozhao pointed at the elementary school kid whose eyes lit up when he heard the message "go out".

“Whenever you are not able to study, come back in the evening and give them extra practice.

The clams in the river won’t wait for anyone. If you don’t dig them out for a few days, they will all die!

Zhao Zhao, that's meat, it would be a shame to waste it!"

Old Master Guan couldn't help but smacking his lips. Hmm, yesterday's roasted loach tasted pretty good too. After eating the meat, he felt more energetic today.

Get meat, must get meat!

Han Zhaozhao was in a dilemma. She had a plan for her own studies, and her two children's learning progress had also been planned. Was it worth disrupting their plans just for the one with stuttering?

"Hey, studying is more important for you, so I'll go by myself!"

"Zhao Zhao, I want to dig clams, too. I want to eat meat with my mom!"

Han Zhaozhao looked at Xiaoliang's bright eyes and made a decision to move the study time to the evening. During the day, he would take Xiaoliang out to hunt for food in the wild more often.

Her family has no shortage of food, but Xiaoliang’s family does!

Living in the same courtyard, one family is hungry, while the other is well fed. The gap is too big. Over time, even the best relationship will easily go wrong.

"Let's go, everyone. Xiaoliang, go pack up the stuff and load the car. Wuni, go fill the kettle with water. I'll pack the food. We'll leave in ten minutes."

Grandpa Guan smiled and went home to pack the things he needed to take.

This time, there were only four of them, so they didn't need to take the bus and could just ride their bikes.

"Lao Guan, what are you doing with these kids?"

Under a big tree at the entrance of the alley, several old ladies doing needlework greeted the old man.

"Let's go to the river and see if there are any fish?"

Mr. Guan is a very cunning man and would never let anyone know about the clam digging.

"Grandma Wang, Grandma Li, have you eaten yet?"

Han Zhaozhao greeted.

"I've eaten, have you guys eaten? Zhaozhao, are you going fishing with Lao Guantou again? Don't mess with him. There are no fish in the river. He hasn't even seen a fish in this period of time."

"That's right, listen to me, it's better to follow the two girls from the Xue family to dig wild vegetables!"

"Go ahead and sew your patch. Don't be afraid of pricking your hand. Zhaozhao, let's go. These old women just can't stand seeing others doing well.

Today, we must catch a big fish, hehe, and then we can eat them and make them hungry to death."

Hee hee, a few children laughed secretly. Han Zhaozhao: Old child, old child, it is just as expected!

The tricycle finally came into Xiaoliang's hands. He got on the bike and pedaled very fast.

Fortunately, the car built by Uncle Niu and his co-workers is of high quality, otherwise, Han Zhaozhao would be afraid that the car would fall apart.

"Slow down! Xiaoliang, ride slower! Wu Ni is going to vomit!"

In the city, the roads were smooth and the tricycle sped like the wind, Wu Ni was still laughing. Outside the city, the roads were bumpy and the tricycle bed was tossed around, Wu Ni couldn't even speak.

His face was sallow, his eyes were red, and he looked like he was about to vomit.

"Squeak...Ga!" A sharp brake sound was heard, and Wu Ni really vomited while lying on the side of the car.

"What's wrong with Wu Ni? Why did you vomit? Eh? Did you eat eggs this morning?"

Xiaoliang stared at the vomit on the ground and asked in surprise.

Han Zhaozhao didn't know what to say. What kind of child is this?

Everything was normal during this period, she even forgot about it, what a fool!