Year 1979: Eating meat with my wife and children

"Hey little mosquito, where are you? Come out and let me swat you!"

Li Xiaozhu got a big mosquito bite yesterday, and it was still itchy all night when she went to bed.

She still holds a grudge. After lunch, she started wandering around the house, glancing around furtively and muttering to herself as she searched for mosquitoes, wanting to take revenge.

Xiaohai.

When Li Xiaobo arrived at the door, Li Xiaohai immediately ran outside.

"Xiaobo, wait a minute, I'll go back to my room to get the glass marbles."

"Need not."

Li Xiaobo stepped forward to stop them, saying, "The sun is too strong outside, let's not rush to play."

Li Xiaohai asked, puzzled, "Then why?"

"I'll teach you to memorize the Chinese Pinyin."

Seeing Li Xiaobo's smiling face, Li Xiaohai tried to shake off the arm that was around him.

"Xiaohai, you accepted two glass marbles from us, so at least keep your word, right?"

Li Xiaohai tried to negotiate, "How about I give it back to you?"

"Fine, give me back the four."

When Li Xiaobo reached out his hand, Li Xiaohai immediately flew into a rage!

"Why?"

"Two of them are for you, and the other two are punishment for breaking your promise. Will you carry them or not? If not, go get me four glass marbles."

"I'll carry you!"

Li Xiaohai was reluctant to give them away. He could barely accept two, but four would feel like tearing his flesh out.

"Let's go to the door."

Li Xiaobo picked up two small stools and sat down under the eaves with Li Xiaohai.

He reached into his pocket, took out a folded piece of paper, unfolded it, and handed it between the two of them.

"This is the pinyin system for Chinese characters. Let's start with the first one. I'll read it once, and you can repeat after me: 波泼摸佛."

"Pouring glass to touch the Buddha."

"Detner".

"Detner".

The two little brothers were studying outside the door, while inside, Mr. and Mrs. Li listened to their great-grandchildren talking, and the old couple were very satisfied.

Learning is a good thing, so they didn't interfere with Li Xiaohai's studies because Li Xiaobo threatened and bribed him from the moment he arrived.

"Great-Grandma, what is my brother doing?"

Li Xiaozhu stopped wandering around and became very curious about what her two older brothers were doing.

"Your brother is playing. Do you want to join in? If you do, go ahead."

After being fooled by Grandma Li, Li Xiaozhu happily ran over and stood behind her two older brothers.

Li Xiaohai himself didn't want to learn, but when he saw Li Xiaozhu coming over, he didn't say a word, secretly hoping that his sister would come and cause trouble.

Li Xiaobo thought that he would have to teach her sooner or later, so it wouldn't be a bad thing for his sister to come over and listen in advance to get familiar with the material.

The two brothers, each with their own agendas, ignored Li Xiaozhu standing behind them, one teaching and the other learning.

Li Xiangdong and Zhou Yuqin washed the dishes in the water room and came to the yard to see the three children studying at the door of the main house. The couple exchanged a smile, took the dishes to the kitchen, and went back to the house for a nap.

"You should go back inside and rest. I'll stay here and watch over them."

Old Li sat at the octagonal table, holding a newspaper.

Grandma Li got up, leaning on her cane, and went back into the house. "Remember to let them have a glass of cooled boiled water."

Lunch break is spent amidst the sounds of cicadas chirping and children studying.

Li Xiaobo's mouth was dry. "Xiaohai, can you recite your birth mother's name now? Recite it for me."

"it is good."

After being reminded once, Li Xiaohai finished reciting his birth mother's name and breathed a sigh of relief when Li Xiaobo spoke again: "Where are the vowels?"

"will not."

"Recite as many as you can. I'll start, and you can recite the rest. Ah, oh goose, eh, woo fish."

"Ah-oh-goo, eh-woo-yu, ai-wei-wei, ou-you, yeah...yeah..."

Li Xiaohai is stuck here and can't recite the rest.

Seeing this, Li Xiaozhu chimed in, "Ye Ye'er, An En Yin Wen, Ang An Ying Weng, support time... the marriage is destined."

"That's right!"

Li Xiaobo was greatly surprised. He didn't expect that Li Xiaozhu, who was just there to make up the numbers and whom he hadn't taught diligently, would actually be able to recite the rest of the text.

"Xiao Qi, I'll start, Bo Po Mo Fo."

"Popo Mofo, Detner..."

Li Xiaozhu carried it on his back, and Li Xiaobo listened.

When Li Xiaozhu recited all the names of her birth mothers without missing a single one, Li Xiaobo stood up excitedly!

"You're so smart!"

Li Xiaobo wanted to rub Li Xiaozhu's head vigorously, but he was afraid that if he was too abrupt, Li Xiaozhu would forget about him again. In the end, he could only excitedly spin around in place.

Li Xiaozhu was overjoyed by the praise, and with her hands on her hips and head held high, she exclaimed, "Of course I'm smart! I'm the smartest!"

Li Xiaohai, who was standing to the side, was also dumbfounded. "How did you remember that?"

Li Xiaozhu remained smug, "I don't know, I already remembered it. It's because my brother is stupid."

"Hmph, you think you're so smart?"

Feeling outdone by his younger sister, who was two years younger than him, Li Xiaohai turned and left.

"Li Xiaobo, what are you shouting about?"

Li Xiangdong stood at the door of the east wing.

Knowing that he shouldn't disturb others' sleep during lunch break, Li Xiaobo kept his voice down while teaching.

He was so excited that he forgot himself and shouted Li Xiangdong out loud.

"Third Uncle, Third Uncle, come quick!"

Li Xiaobo's excitement hadn't subsided yet.

Li Xiangdong rubbed his face. "You're so happy because you found money? We can talk later. I'm going to wash my face."

"Third Uncle, let's wash her later. My sister can recite the pinyin now. She can recite the birth mother and the vowels."

Li Xiaobo was afraid that if too much time passed, Li Xiaozhu might forget one or two more, so he wanted to get the money as soon as possible.

Li Xiangdong, who had already started walking towards the water room, paused in surprise and asked, "Really?"

"Really? I'm very smart."

If Li Xiaozhu continues to act so smugly, she won't have to worry about developing cervical spondylosis in the future.

"Come on, recite it for me."

Li Xiangdong didn't even wash his face before quickly walking over and sitting down on a small stool.

"Pouring glass to touch the Buddha."

Li Xiaobo started, and Li Xiaozhu began reciting, "Bo Po Mo Fo..."

After the birth mother finished carrying it, it was Li Xiangdong's turn to start, "Ah, oh goose."

"Oh goose, oh fish..."

The vowels were still all correct. Li Xiaozhu stepped forward and asked, "Dad, am I good?"

"Great!"

Li Xiangdong laughed, picked up his daughter, and gave her a big kiss. "How are you so amazing?"

"I don't know either."

Li Xiaozhu wiped her face, and Li Xiangdong, seeing this, wanted to kiss her again.

"Third Uncle, Third Uncle."

Li Xiaobo couldn't wait any longer and gestured as if counting money.

"Give."

Li Xiangdong kept his word, reaching into his pocket and picking out a single cent from a stack of money.

"Has Li Xiaohai learned it yet?"

"No."

"Then remember to give me five cents back."

"Let's not look for him anymore, Uncle San? I promise I'll teach Li Xiaohai."

"also."

Li Xiangdong had no objections, and his gaze swept around the courtyard. "Where's Li Xiaohai?"

"He went back inside. His younger sister had already learned it, but he hadn't, so he was too embarrassed to go back inside."

Li Xiaobo happily pointed into the main room, carefully folded the money twice, and stuffed it into his pocket.

Li Xiangdong put his daughter down, got up and went into the main room. He saw Li Xiaohai squatting on the ground, pushing a toy car around idly.

Old Man Li listened to the whole thing from inside the house and knew what was going on. When he saw Li Xiangdong enter the house, he smiled and nodded at Li Xiaohai, who was in a bad mood.

Li Xiangdong walked over to Li Xiaohai and squatted down opposite him. "What's wrong? Your sister can recite it before you, are you upset?"

Li Xiaohai shook his head. "No."

Li Xiangdong pressed further, "What are we doing without you?"

"My sister is too smug; I need some peace and quiet."

P.S.: Here's the third update! Please urge me to update more and support me with your love!