Reborn in a small village in the 1990s

As for whether his aunt and uncle were eager to help haul bricks, Zhao Da'e had no idea.

But this is their own aunt, so whether she likes it or not, they have to do the work.

Even if it costs money and labor, it's no big deal.

If we're all family, and you can't even help with something this small, then there's no point in doing it.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

Zhao Da'e had already eaten her fill, and after that, she ran to the yard to see the ducks her aunt raised.

Zhao Da'e counted them; there were more than a dozen ducks in total. However, Zhao Da'e couldn't tell how many were male and how many were female. But they were all very fat.

Zhao Da'e was very excited. If he could catch these ducks and bring them home, they could lay duck eggs when it got warmer in the spring, and then they could eat them.

Because of a chicken plague outbreak near Dongtaizi Village, there are no more ducks in the area, so even getting an egg is quite a challenge now. It would be much better to raise a few ducks back home.

After Zhang Yumei finished eating, she came out and saw Zhao Da'e looking at the ducks. She said, "Da'e, my mom said she was going to give my grandpa a few ducks to make old duck soup. See which duck you like, and I'll go catch it and pack it for you later."

Zhao Da'e chuckled: I've already got my eye on them...

If possible, Zhao would want all the geese. Why not take advantage of a freebie?

Moreover, my aunt's family's living conditions are still much better than those in our hometown. They even have tractors...

In contrast, the Zhao family had absolutely nothing. Moreover, even in Dongtaizi Village, there wasn't a single motorcycle. Compared to that, Zhao Chunni's family's living conditions were truly exceptional.

Anyway, they're much wealthier than my family, so asking my aunt for a few ducks isn't unreasonable, is it?

Anyway, Zhao Chunni has already said she'll give them, it's just a matter of how many.

After staring at them for a while, Zhao Da'e discovered that Zhao Chunni had a total of 17 ducks. Seven or eight of them were quite fat.

However, it is clear that asking for seven or eight is a bit excessive.

Zhao Da'e thought four or five ducks should be enough. So he asked Zhang Yumei, "Sister, do you know how many ducks you need..."

Zhao Da'e pointed to several particularly fat ducks in the duck pen and asked, "Which of those ducks is the female?"

Zhang Yumei was taken aback: "A goose won't do. The female ducks are kept to lay eggs. If we're going to kill one, we should kill the male."

Zhao Da'e frowned: "Why kill?"

Zhang Yumei: "My mom said she was going to make soup for my grandpa, since the dog bit him and it's good for his health."

Zhao Da'e, however, thought differently. What did Zhao Tingxu need to improve?

It's just that the dog bit me.

It wasn't a dog with rabies that bit me, and besides, I ate buckwheat dumplings and applied buckwheat husks to the wound, so I should be fine. As for taking any supplements, there's no need.

As the saying goes, "Since ancient times, who has ever escaped death?"

Zhao Tingxu won't die, why bother with supplements? Such a good duck should be kept to lay eggs.

Of course, the eggs should be laid in one's own home.

There are hardly any chickens, ducks, or geese left in Dongtaizi Village, and they're short of ducks. Zhao Da'e plans to take a few back to keep for them to lay eggs and eat himself.

That's why Zhao Da'e wanted a female.

If you bring back a few males, kill and eat them, they'll be gone in one meal.

Zhao Da'e knows the difference between a full stomach at every meal and a truly satisfying one. Those few eccentric characters in his family would love to take a male goose home to enjoy with their drinks.

This is absolutely not possible.

If Zhao Tingxu and Zhao Tiegang use it as a snack while drinking, they won't have any duck eggs to eat afterward.

"I still want a female duck. Everyone says that female ducks are more nutritious. Cousin, do you remember that when people are sick, they usually kill an old hen to make soup to nourish their bodies? I feel that killing a female duck to nourish my grandfather would be better."

Faced with Zhao Da'e's rambling, Zhang Yumei frowned and said, "Then... let's ask my grandfather."

Zhang Yumei was unsure and felt it would be better to ask Zhao Tingxu about it.

Although Zhang Yumei was also reluctant to leave the mother ducks at home to lay eggs, Zhao Chunni had already agreed, so there was no room for her to go back on her word. She just hoped that fewer mother ducks would be taken away so that she could cook a few duck eggs to eat on her way to school in the morning.

Moreover, these duck eggs, when pickled into salted duck eggs, are especially delicious.

It has a slightly grainy texture and tastes especially delicious. At lunchtime, one salted duck egg is enough to eat with rice.

In Kashi County, duck eggs later became a pillar industry. This demonstrates that the unique soil, water quality, and climate of the area provide unparalleled advantages for duck growth.

Zhang Yumei went inside to ask her mother, Zhao Chunni. She was a little embarrassed to speak loudly, so she called Zhao Chunni aside and asked in a low voice, "Mom, the goose just said it wants some female ducks, but we're keeping the female ducks for laying eggs. But it just wants females. What do you think we should do?"

Zhao Chunni was taken aback: "Then just give her a few females. We have plenty at home, enough for her."

Zhao Chunni sighed as she spoke, "Your second uncle and your eldest uncle have helped our family a lot with the work. Spring planting and autumn harvest, these past two years, it's all been your second uncle and his family who have done it. Although it's not a lot of land, it's still work. If you need a few ducks, just give the goose whatever kind of ducks it likes."

Zhang Yumei nodded, but then asked, "What about my grandfather? It wouldn't be good if he wanted to go home and make soup. I think the goose is planning to take it home and let the ducks lay eggs. It wouldn't be good if my grandfather disagreed."

Zhao Chunni nodded and said, "I'll just tell your grandpa. He's not short of meat, it's no big deal."

Zhang Yumei nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Zhao Chunni went over and spoke to Zhao Tingxu, and sure enough, Zhao Tingxu didn't refuse. He was currently praising Zhao Da'e to the skies, so naturally he would agree to Zhao Da'e's small request.

Zhao Da'e naturally found out as well, and just stood in the yard watching the ducks.

Since there's nothing much to do anyway, just looking at things makes me feel that life is not bad, with a touch of everyday life.

After a while, Zhao Tingxu finished his wine and dumplings, rested for a bit, and then got up to go home.

Zhao Chunni and Zhang Yumei caught four ducks in total, put them into a urea bag, and then had Zhao Tingxu carry it home.

When they got home, Zhao Da'e carried the duck directly to her aunt's house. She was too afraid to leave the duck at Old Zhao's house, as it might get lost if she wasn't careful.

When they arrived at her aunt's house, Zhou Chunwen was outside wiping windows.

Zhao Da'e glanced at her, clearly sensing something was amiss: "Sister, didn't you clean the windows a few days ago? Why are you cleaning them again? Are you addicted to cleaning windows?"

Today, Zhou Chunwen wore a fluffy white, black, and red striped cotton-padded jacket and light green trousers, which made her look somewhat bulky. She frowned, glanced back at Zhao Da'e, and rolled her eyes: "You're the one addicted to cleaning windows. I'm just doing this out of necessity. It's your aunt's fault..."

"Cough cough..." Zhao Da'e coughed softly twice.

Zhou Chunwen then said in a low voice, "Your aunt seems to be making trouble out of nothing. She said, 'Oh dear, this glass is so dirty, it needs to be cleaned.' I also told her, 'Didn't we clean it a few days ago?' Guess what your aunt said?"

"What did you say?"

Zhou Chunwen snorted coldly: "Your aunt said: You ate yesterday, why are you eating today too?"

Zhao Da'e nodded with sympathy: "Then you can continue cleaning the windows."

To be honest, Zhao Da'e sometimes thinks Zhou Chunwen might be a good fit. She can cook, do housework, and even knows a few words.

Diligent as a dog...

She sleeps later than the chickens and gets up earlier than the dogs... If she didn't do any work for a day, she might get fat, right?

You should do more work and get some exercise. Don't become a chubby girl later. Chubby girls don't have an easy time finding husbands.

"Big Goose, are you secretly mocking me?" Zhou Chunwen suddenly turned around and asked with a frown.

Zhao Da'e spread his hands, and with a thud, several ducks fell out, quacking in the yard.

"Big sister, can you stop picking fights for no reason? How could I possibly mock you? Besides, would I mock you in my heart? I could just say it out loud."

Zhou Chunwen patted his forehead thoughtfully: "That makes sense."

"That's absolutely right. I just think that you're beautiful, kind-hearted, and capable. Who would want to marry you? They'd be lucky to have you!"

Zhou Chunwen shook her head: "Give up your fantasies. This girl isn't getting married unless he's extremely rich..."

“Why bother with Wu Laoliu from the village being rich…” Zhao Da’e said, pursing his lips.

"You've got to be kidding me," Zhou Chunwen said angrily. "That good-for-nothing Wu Laoliu is a petty thief and a good-for-nothing. Besides, Wu Laoliu is a cripple. You want me to marry a cripple?"

Zhao Da'e retorted, "Old Wu just has one long leg and one short leg. Don't discriminate against disabled people, okay? He's not particularly lame."

Indeed, Wu Laoliu wasn't very lame, just average. He had contracted a viral infection when he was a child, which damaged his lower leg, causing him to walk with a limp, but it wasn't very serious.

"Tch." Zhou Chunwen was too lazy to pay attention to Zhao Dage: "That kind of worthless thing, your eldest sister wouldn't like it, at most your second sister would."

Zhou Chunhong, who was helping to wipe the windows downstairs, was stunned for a moment: "No, no, no, no... no, why... why should I be the one to choose?"

Zhou Chunwen laughed: "Why do you think that is fair? You two are both disabled, one is lame and the other stutters. It's not bad if you help each other out."

Of course, Zhou Chunhong is still young and far from being of marriageable age.

Zhou Chunwen didn't answer Zhou Chunhong's question, but instead asked, "Big Goose, do you always steal ducks?"

“It’s at my aunt’s house.” Zhao Da’e then recounted his visit to his aunt Zhao Chunni’s house that morning.

Zhou Chunwen couldn't help but clap his hands and cheer: "Well done. Relatives are just for swindling... Da'e, next time you go, take their tractor with you, and I'll call you Big Sister from now on."

"I can't accept that. You'd better hurry up and clean the windows." Zhao Da'e was too lazy to argue with Zhou Chunwen. He herded the ducks into the old chicken coop, finished his task, and then went inside.

Zhao Da'e went inside and exclaimed: "Wow, it's completely different! What's going on?"

The house was so clean it looked like a dog had licked it; it was outrageously spotless. Even Zhao Da'e felt a little uncomfortable with how clean it was. After resting for a while, Zhao Da'e poured some hot water from the thermos to warm himself up, and then pretended to come out with a rag to help.

Work is not something one person can do alone.

You can't just watch Zhou Chunwen clean the windows while you lie down and sleep...

Although Zhao Da'e really wanted to do that, it was obvious that it wasn't time to go to sleep yet.

Zhao Da'e came out with a rag, and Zhou Chunwen asked with a smile, "Tsk tsk tsk, Da'e, did the sun rise in the west today? Why are you volunteering to do chores?"

"I'm afraid you'll get tired. I love you so much."

"I do not believe."

While helping to wipe the glass, Zhao Da'e flattered her, saying, "Big sister, you've wiped this glass cleaner than my dog ​​licked it. Putting everything else aside, I won't be used to staying here tonight. I've never lived in a house with such clean glass in my entire life."

"Pah. Stop being so glib..." Zhou Chunwen muttered, "You've never seen such a diligent older sister. Your older sister is both scholarly and martial. I can do all sorts of work. Cleaning a few windows is nothing to brag about."

Actually, Zhao Da'e used to sleep very well, and Zhou Chunwen always kept the house and surrounding area very tidy.

However, the blankets were tidied up even better today, which made Zhao Da'e a little uncomfortable: "Big sister, I was out for half a day and you even washed the blanket covers? Are you crazy? In the middle of winter, the blankets aren't cold without blanket covers."

"Just start more fires, we have plenty of firewood at home anyway."

"We can't afford it," Zhao Da'e said. "Only your family has a lot of firewood. Look at my family's firewood, it'll only last for ten or eight days. There are branches in the backyard, but they're too lazy to gather them. I reckon in a few days when Zhang Cuilan comes home, she'll find the whole house smelling like pig feed..."

Zhao Tiegang, of course, only drank and didn't bother to clean the house. The room he lived in had a truly pungent smell.

It's hard to describe; it smelled absolutely awful.

Zhang Cuilan is going back to her husband's family home; she'll probably be suffocated by the fumes the next day.

"Now that you mention it, I remember. We should ventilate the room; that would improve the air quality," Zhou Chunwen said.

"It's cold with the window open," Zhao Da'e frowned.

“It’s not like you’re the one who’s cold. Just open the window for a while and then close it. Do you think it’s going to stay open all the time? Wouldn’t a few people freeze to death?” Zhou Chunwen said. “I’m telling you, just open the window for a little while, and once the smell in the room is gone, then open it again, isn’t that enough?”

"Isn't it still cold?" Zhao Da'e said unhappily. "I'm not my third uncle, who drinks all day and builds a house that looks like a pigsty. There's no need to turn on the ventilation in our house, otherwise it will be too cold at night, and we'll catch a cold."

“It’s not that bad,” Zhou Chunwen said. “My family has plenty of firewood. If we don’t have any, my dad can just go up the mountain to get some. By the way, I heard they killed a wolf last night, and the rest probably ran away. We won’t be afraid to go up the mountain anymore. These past few days, I’ve been so scared that I haven’t dared to go out or go up the mountain. I’ve been staying at home all day, and I’m getting all moldy.”