MTL - Accidentally born in the ’60s-Chapter 23

Ming Dong led Osmanthus to the most prosperous area of ​​Bingcheng and got off the bus. According to the words of the experienced Meng Weishan, shopping in department stores is the best way to increase feelings. Mingdong has only seen the beautiful depiction of love in the book, but he has no idea how to talk about it. Since Meng Weishan is in free love and married, he is naturally experienced in this field. According to his introduction, Mingdong is going to take Osmanthus for a walk. A department store.

In fact, don't look at Mingdong as if he is familiar with the road on Bingcheng Street. In fact, he went around these places with his classmates before the school started. After the school started, he went to the farm to work in addition to class. Live, not to mention shopping, that is, school has never been out.

Osmanthus looked at the five-story No. 1 department store in front of her, and couldn't help but hesitate, Ming Dong whispered to her: "It's okay, I didn't dare to go in when I first came to Bingcheng, It was my classmate who dragged me in, the sales staff there are very good, so you don't have to worry about it."

Osmanthus looked at Ming Dong and nodded, followed behind Ming Dong and just entered the gate, and saw a huge gouache painting of the sea and sailboats placed in the lobby on the first floor inside. Osmanthus was stunned after only one glance, the whole person was immersed in the painting, and the painting was in his eyes and mind.

As soon as Ming Dong wanted to ask Osmanthus to see the ad decoration in the window, he was attracted by the obsession and concentration in Osmanthus' eyes. His outstretched hand slowly fell, and he looked back at the painting. It did look shocking and beautiful, but he couldn't understand why Osmanthus couldn't move after just one glance.

Osmanthus was awakened by her loud voice, and only then did she realize that she had been standing for a long time, and suddenly smiled at Ming Dong with a little embarrassment: "I'm fascinated by it, is it a waste of time?"

"There's nothing to waste time, just go shopping and nothing else." Ming Dong's nose was a little red, he glanced at the painting and then at Osmanthus, who was reluctant to move his footsteps, I couldn't help but ask: "Do you like painting?"

"En." Osmanthus was a little shy: "I studied with the teacher for a few years when I was a child."

Ming Dong remembered that Osmanthus was originally from a big family, but Ming Dong, who was full of people here, did not dare to ask more, and the two walked in along the flow of people. The goods in this first department store are dazzling, cheap like needles and thread thimbles, and expensive like watches and bicycles. It's a pity that the money that Mrs. Li gave was to buy things for marriage. Mingdong just went to school for a few months, and the allowance he saved was not much. Except for buying things for marriage, the rest can only be seen.

Firecrackers can get married. If you usually have a free day in the winter to hold a wedding in the countryside, but at that time, it was easy to not go out when it was freezing cold, and most of the time, you would go out for a stroll when it was not so cold. . Osmanthus saw that the couples of young people in front and behind were all coming out to buy things for marriage, and her earlobes could not help turning a little red.

Mingdong didn't pay attention to this, he looked at the front counter surrounded by a group of lesbians, saying that it was selling some "gala oil" to wipe hands, Mingdong couldn't help but glanced at Osmanthus hand.

Actually, sweet-scented osmanthus hands are not ugly, compared to many girls of the same age, they are even good-looking, the fingers are slender and the skin is not dark, because every morning and evening, sweet-scented osmanthus hands are soaked in hot water , looks quite delicate. It's just that the daily washing and washing at home is basically done by sweet-scented osmanthus, so it is inevitable that there are some thin calluses on the fingertips for a long time.

Ming Dong waited for the group of lesbians to issue tickets to buy the Gala oil and left, and quickly walked over: "Comrade, how much is a box of Gala oil?"

Osmanthus became anxious as soon as she heard it, she went up and dragged Ming Dong aside: "The money given by the milk is counted, so I can't buy this."

Ming Dong looked at Osmanthus blushing and couldn't help but feel warm: "I know, I want to buy it for you with the allowance." Osmanthus was stunned for a while, and slowly moved her hand from Mingdong His sleeve slipped down, and Ming Dong took out some money from his pocket: "Look, I've never bought you anything for so many years. Well, the school has a subsidy, and I want to buy something for you."

Ming Dong's words were stumbling and dry, but these words sounded better to Osmanthus' ears than the sounds of nature. She looked at Ming Dong for a while and didn't know what to say, but after a long time she wanted to say thank you , but the tears fell first as soon as he opened his mouth.

When Osmanthus came to Lao Li's house at the age of nine, it was the first time Mingdong saw her cry. He hurriedly raised his hand and wiped her face with his sleeve, but the tears were not wiped away. The rough sleeves gave Osmanthus a red face.

Ming Dong looked at Osmanthus and laughed silly twice, scratched his head, then remembered that he wanted to buy Gala oil, and hurriedly went over to issue a ticket to buy a box, and stuffed it into Osmanthus's hand: "I don't have much money, wait for me to save up a few more months to buy you a box of vanishing cream."

"No." Osmanthus grinned: "I'll be happy if you say this."

Ming Dong smirked when he heard Osmanthus' words, not knowing what to say. Don't look at Ming Dong who usually talks about his knowledge at school, very smooth, but today with Osmanthus, he is clumsy.

Leave the counter, next to the grocery store. Osmanthus saw the red iron kettle at a glance, she tugged at Mingdong, pointed to the kettle with a blushing face, and said, "I want you to buy that."

Ming Dong glanced at it, and was a little embarrassed: "I also thought about this, and bought the tank and basin by the way, you can also soak your feet by making a pot of hot water at night, and drink something hot. water or something."

Osmanthus shook her head: "I have to use a new one for marriage, how can I use it myself first, it's not good."

"It's fine." Ming Dong squeezed her fingertips: "It's not for others to use, besides, I'm going to school outside, so I don't buy it all for you. ."

Osmanthus has never been hypocritical, she nodded: "That's okay, I'll clean it up before I go home, so I won't let people see it."

Ming Dong couldn't help but be amused by Osmanthus' straightforwardness, he waved to the waiter: "Buy two kettles and two jars."

"Three!" Osmanthus hurriedly corrected: "I have to buy three, and there is one for Zhen Zhen."

Ming Dong quickly added: "Take another small enamel jar."

The waiter took a look and knew that this was a young man who was about to get married. He immediately brought two large red iron kettles over with a pair of mandarin ducks painted on them, and he looked festive.

I just bought these two things, and their hands are full. Mingdong regrets it very much at this time. You must know that you have brought Mingxi with you, and this full of things is too long. something happened.

The two went back to school, Mingdong asked Osmanthus to take a thermos, a jar and a pot, and he took the rest back to the boys' dormitory. As soon as he entered the room, Mingxi jumped up from the bed and jumped in front of Mingdong a few steps: "Why did you leave me, where have you been?"

Put the things in her hand into Mingxi's arms: "I don't buy anything, I'll tell you."

Why don't you take me with you! Why did you throw me away? Aren't you afraid I'll lose it?"

"Who else can abduct you?" Ming Dong threw Ming Xi down at once, looking at Ming Xi's indignant expression, with a calm face: "Didn't you tell me I said that I want to fall in love with Osmanthus first, but I'm not in love anymore."

"You can't take me with you when you're in love!" Mingxi looked sad and angry: "I just happened to go home and tell my mother what the two of you were talking about."

Ming Dong was very happy, he sorted out the clothes that were wrinkled by Mingxi, and sat on the stool panting: "You go home and tell the milk to see if the milk is pumping you?"

I gave it to Sister Osmanthus, I don't have a dime in my pocket, so I'll ask the fourth uncle for the money to take the tram back."

Ming Dong laughed when he heard it, and Mingxi stretched his legs to kick him in anger. Ming Dong took out a steamed bun from a cloth bag and threw it into Mingxi's arms, and he ran out in a hurry. .

This run Mingdong went directly to the downstairs of the girls' third-floor dormitory, he sat downstairs on the cement table tennis case, and remembered the bits and pieces of getting along with Osmanthus over the years. In fact, Mingdong and Osmanthus have been together for ten years. When Osmanthus was brought back, he knew that the beautiful little girl who was brought back by the milk would grow up to be his daughter-in-law.

Look at the looks of the girls in the neighborhood, and then look at the sweet-scented osmanthus. Even a half-sized boy at that time knew that the sweet-scented osmanthus was more handsome than the average girl. When I was in school, there would always be that naughty stinky boy in the school who would tug at the sweet-scented osmanthus and put a bug in her pencil case to get her attention. At that time, Mingdong was full of the idea of ​​"dare to bully my wife and beat you to death", so he took Mingxi to beat the half-eldest boy who bullied Osmanthus over and over again, and Osmanthus finished elementary school safely.

Ming Dong couldn't tell when his heart began to change. Before high school, he thought it was logical to marry Osmanthus. Later, in the second and third years of high school, he saw many classmates drop out of school early to get married , and subconsciously resisted arranged marriages. It wasn't until he read the banned books that his classmates circulated privately that Li Mingdong realized that in Western countries, marriage is the first love, which is the same as the pursuit of freedom of marriage by young people.

Mingdong always thinks that he is a new youth and should pursue free love and free marriage. He longs for the picturesque romantic love depicted in the book, and he does not want to go into marriage so plainly . So he avoided Osmanthus' straightforward gaze, but when he left home, thinking of Osmanthus' disappointed eyes, he felt empty in his heart, as if something was missing.

Mingxi's words were broadcast on demand. In fact, Mingdong gave himself a reason to accept this traditional marriage. But today, I finally gathered up the courage to trot along with Osmanthus, and at that moment, the soaring mood made Mingdong understand his self-deception before. It turns out that love is not as far away as the book says.

In the girls' dormitory, Li Xian put down the book in her hand and watched Osmanthus holding the enamel jar she brought back and couldn't put it down, she smiled softly: "This is for marriage?"

Osmanthus nodded with a blushing face: "The other Ming Dong brothers took him to his side, and he let me use this one first."

"Yo, I didn't expect Li Mingdong to be very considerate." Li Xianchao smiled at Osmanthus: "You came back late, there is no hot water now. You go to the water room to wash the tank first, I Pour you a glass."

"Thank you, Sister Li Xian." Osmanthus quickly came back after washing the tank, but the table was full of books, Li Xian asked her to put the tank on the windowsill, and when the hot water was slowly flowing into the tank, Osmanthus turned around suddenly and ran out of the bedroom.

Several classmates who were reading were startled by her, and they all looked out: "What's wrong with her?"

Li Xian pointed out the window with a smile: "Li Mingdong is sitting downstairs."

Panting Osmanthus: "I just came out for a walk, I didn't expect you to come down."

Osmanthus grinned: "It's okay, I also want to walk around."

Since they came out, Ming Dong took osmanthus flowers around the school. The sky was not dark at this time. , Mingdong always felt that he had to say something to break the silence, but his mind was blank at this time, and he didn't know what to say.

"Do you like the painting in the First Department Store?" Ming Dong couldn't help asking when he remembered the scene of visiting the First Department Store in the afternoon.

Looking at the empty playground, there were only the two of them, and Osmanthus whispered, "When my family was fairly well-off, my mother said that girls must read and read and learn more. Temperament, so when I was just five years old, I started practicing calligraphy and painting with my teacher, and also learned the piano."

Ming Dong recalled when Xia Guihua first came to his house: "At that time, I remembered that you went to school with us, and you knew what the teacher taught and wrote better words than us, but it's a pity that you didn't In junior high school, in fact, you should have continued to go to school at that time.”

Osmanthus smiled and said, "Actually, it's okay to live a stable life. I don't think so much about the rest."

"Then have you always liked painting?" Ming Dong couldn't help but ask one more question.

"I like it! I think painting is a joyful thing." Osmanthus laughed at herself: "Actually, my mother really likes painting, and she is good at painting. After all, my years of study are short, and I don’t have much insight into painting.”

"Actually, this is not the first time I have come to Bingcheng." Osmanthus suddenly said: "I came here once with my parents when I was a child. At that time, the biggest department store in Bingcheng was Qiulin Department Store. An old Maozi in a black dress and hat opens the door to the guests, with a beautiful chandelier, and you can buy all kinds of delicious sausages, dark chocolate, bagels, and the kind of pickled cucumbers in glass jars. It was the first time I ate Black Sea caviar, and I actually didn't like the taste, but my dad did."

Thinking of coming to Bingcheng to find you and ask clearly what you think? Actually, I know that my family is not good, and I lived a capitalist life when I was a child, which may drag you down. And you have gone to college now, and I I just finished primary school, and I can’t compare to you in terms of academics. Brother Mingdong, to be honest, I really like you, but I don’t want you to marry me because of responsibility.” She glanced at Mingdong’s silent profile, With a strong smile: "Our family has raised me for ten years, and we can't get you a lifetime of happiness for me."

"I thought I made it very clear." Ming Dong suddenly said: "If you don't want to get married, why buy Gala oil for you, why buy a kettle, those things are not cheap, Industrial tickets are also charged."

Osmanthus bit her lip, revealing a hint of shyness: "Actually, today I feel that you are very close to me, but I'm afraid I think too much."

"You didn't think too much, I figured it out." Ming Dong scratched the back of his head: "I always want to chase the unreachable love depicted in the book, only to find out when you stop. In fact, love is on your side."

Osmanthus was blushed by Li Mingdong's blunt words, but she still raised her head and looked at Mingdong with burning eyes, with a serious face: "Have you thought about it? You can't go back if you think about it!"

"I don't regret it!" Ming Dong puffed out his chest: "If you regret it again, that stinky boy in Mingxi will surely take you away, so I won't do it."

****

In addition to being sent to change soybean oil, soybeans have to be made into soybean paste, and the cabbage has to be washed and prepared for pickled sauerkraut. The busy people are almost hitting the back of their heads, and they are all running fast.

Beicha winter came early, although the harvest was just now, but the weather was getting colder, Zhen Zhen looked at the shorter and shorter days, and the yard full of grain, couldn't help but Some are worried about their family members. She secretly tried a few times to see if she could get more sunny weather, but it seems that her powers are related to the earth. In addition to the birds flying in the sky, she can also be controlled by herself, and the rest of the wind, rain, and the sun Don't bird yourself.

Zhen Zhen still put her mind on her own ability, trying to control the food on the ground to squeeze out the excess water, and then absorb it from the earth. It's just that the food was drying under the eyes all day long, and Zhen Zhen didn't dare to go too far. It wasn't until Mingxi and Osmanthus returned from Bingcheng half a month later that the food at home was basically finished.

Mingxi and Osmanthus came in from the outside, and when they got home and put down their things, they all collapsed on the kang, and Mrs. Li leaned on crutches to look at this, look at that, and shook her head and sighed: " I’m tired after walking this short distance, my family was tired when we harvested the crops a while ago, I’ll call Ming Bei to take a look at you and see how dark it is.”

Mingxi rubbed her waist: "The main reason is that there are too many things, and they take up space. On the train, I am afraid that people will walk along and bump them. I have to watch it day and night."

"Okay, I know you're tired." Mrs. Li patted Mingxi's thigh: "Tell your mother to eat steamed sorghum rice at noon."

Speaking of sorghum rice, Mingxi's eyes lit up, and he didn't care about the pain in his back and he quickly got up from the kang: "Honey, the good guy almost didn't scare me when I entered the door. Why do we have so much food in our family? Do we not have to go hungry next year?"

"Don't starve!" Mrs. Li looked at Mingxi with a smile: "When the spring started this year, your father opened a few more acres of wasteland, and used the seeds sent by your uncle to plant some fine grains. , I didn't expect to support myself, but I didn't expect that it would not be too long, and this year, our family will not be short of rice and noodles for the Chinese New Year."

"Really? Are you still planting rice and flour? Just on the mountain?" He took a cigarette bag: "You can take a break honestly, and look back later."

Mingxi said: "You don't know, I went to my brother's school this time to listen to them and found out that there are only a few farms in our province that have paddy fields. It was shipped from other provinces. But I heard that my brother and his farm also have them, not only in the water, but also on the ground. "

"And what about growing rice on the ground?" Mrs. Li almost missed it, but fortunately, she came back right away: "Yes, yes, the variety in our family is grown on the ground, and it grows It's not bad!"

In the kitchen, Wang Sufen took out the white sorghum rice she had collected last time and steamed a large pot, cut a piece of salted wild pork with three layers of five flowers, and simmered a pot of oily bean sprouts. The aroma of white sorghum rice mixed with the aroma of stewed beans fills the house with fragrance.

Although Zhen Zhen still eats breast milk now, she also eats a lot. She buys the milk powder she supplies and drinks two meals a day, and she eats two mouthfuls of home-made meals from time to time. In other words, the dishes made by the old Li family were all mushy, so Zhen Zhen could also bite.

The fragrant white sorghum rice was steamed in a pot, Mingxi put it into the bowl with chopsticks and chopped off half the bowl of rice, looking at the opposite Zhen Zhen was stunned, even Wang Sufen brought it to his mouth I forgot to eat the egg custard.

Eating two bowls in a row, Mingxi's stomach finally has a bottom, and while putting vegetables in his mouth, he can't help pouring bitter water: "I told you, my brother, he is too immoral. "

Mr. Li subconsciously glanced at Osmanthus, only to see a smile in her eyes, and then she looked at Mingxi again and asked, "Why is your brother wicked?"

"The second day I arrived, he threw me on the street, and he was nowhere to be seen, so he threw me in the dormitory by himself like a big fool, and his classmates gloated every day , said I was delaying my brother to get a partner." Mingxi rolled up some fresh wild vegetables, dipped it in miso, and said angrily: "Why did I delay, I can't help you with this shopping or something? Do you want to take something? Then go to the park to watch a movie or something, can't you take me to see a fresh one? Milk, let me tell you, my brother and sister Osmanthus watched three movies, and they didn't take me once."

Zhen Zhen was giggling happily on the table, she felt deep sympathy for Mingxi, a disliked light bulb, Mingxi felt much happier when she complained, he glanced at himself and smiled She leaned forward and back together, and pinched her face: "Little conscience, you laugh at your brother, I brought you something good for nothing!"

Zhen Zhen immediately turned her head to look at Mrs. Li, Mrs. Li tapped on the table with chopsticks: "What fun did you bring?"

Mingxi climbed down from the kang as appointed, opened the bag and took out a piece of cotton rags: "My fourth uncle gave it to Zhen Zhen, and said he would make a gown for her."

Zhen Zhen was instantly happy: "I can finally wear a new dress."

At that time, my uncle, like Ming Dong, went to university, gained more knowledge, and hoped that he could choose a marriage by himself, so he wrote a letter home to regret his marriage. Then my aunt, who was still a child bride at the time, saw the letter that my uncle wrote back and asked me to kill me if I wanted money. I didn't know much about what happened after I arrived in Harbin, but my uncle was happy. Followed back and got married, and later gave birth to two sons and two daughters~~~