Quick Transmigration: The Cannon Fodder's Comeback in the Era Tales-Chapter 66: The Poor Little One Killed by Her Uncle 22
Liu Tiezhu limped home carrying twenty pounds of meat.
Ever since he broke his leg, it had left behind a lingering condition, causing unbearable pain whenever it rained. He couldn’t do heavy work anymore and had become useless.
Out of familial ties, Liu Tielin arranged for him to work with cattle, earning eight work points a day. Although it wasn’t as much as other men who earned ten, for a cripple like him, getting eight points was quite good.
Many in the village envied his job.
The cattle work was easy, with guaranteed work points every day, even during the New Year. If it weren’t for his older cousin being the team leader, someone would have stepped forward long ago to snatch his job.
Liu Tiezhu returned home and handed the meat to Ge Cuilan, "Cut off three pounds for New Year’s, and salt the rest to eat slowly come spring."
"Master of the house, we don’t have enough salt."
Ge Cuilan stared at the meat, swallowing hard.
She hadn’t eaten meat for so long. Previously, when there was money, buying meat didn’t require ration tickets; she would go to the county occasionally and buy some to satisfy her cravings.
Since they ran out of money, and buying meat required ration tickets, she seldom ate meat, only indulging in chicken during New Year.
"Oh, Master, life is getting harder. We used to be able to raise more chickens, sell the eggs to exchange for some salt. Now we aren’t allowed to raise more than three chickens, which lay one or two eggs a day, just enough to nourish Hongjun and Yu Zhu... Master, I heard that the department sends Yuan Chun five yuan every month. Before the New Year, Yuan Chun went to the county with her elder sister-in-laws and bought back lots of things. Now that it’s almost New Year, she hasn’t brought anything to visit you, her direct uncle."
Ever since a ghost had choked her throat, preventing her from speaking, Ge Cuilan dared not think of taking advantage of Yuan Chun anymore. She couldn’t risk speaking ill of her, branding her a worthless girl.
She worried that her father-in-law’s ghost was still around and might overhear.
The terror of being choked by a ghost was something she never wanted to experience again.
Liu Tiezhu glared at her, "What nonsense are you talking about? Yuan Chun is just a child, her life is hard enough. How can I shamelessly want her to visit me?"
He tensely looked around, found nothing unusual, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He warned his wife again, "Stop picking on Yuan Chun. She’s just a child, what could she understand? Besides, as her uncle, I haven’t been able to help her much, nor do I have the guts to ask her for anything."
"Alright, hurry up and salt the meat. If we don’t have enough salt, go borrow some from our elder cousin’s house."
After saying this, Liu Tiezhu went into the room.
Ge Cuilan didn’t dare say more and took the bundle of meat to the kitchen.
On the 26th day of the twelfth month, the old village chief organized the villagers to dig holes in the river and catch fish.
In previous years, during the twelfth month, each household would dig holes in the river to fish, each digging their own hole, catching their own fish, and eating what they caught. Ever since the commune’s production team was established, the fish in the river became communal property, and individuals were not allowed to fish.
The team organized to catch fish, but a portion had to be handed over, with another portion shared among the villagers.
The village chief gathered dozens of skilled villagers for two days and nights of fishing, catching over a thousand fish. Every household in the village got two fish, and the remaining two hundred, along with five big fat pigs from the pigsty, were handed over to the commune.
On the thirtieth, Yuan Chun got up early to prepare New Year’s feast.
Braised pork intestines, braised pig ears, fried crispy pork, fried meatballs, fried tiger skin eggs...
The aroma.
Such rich aroma.
The nose was on the verge of exploding with the scent.
Cheng Fang, behind the earth stove, while feeding the fire, couldn’t help but swallow with hunger. Despite his usual composure, he couldn’t resist frequently stretching his neck to peek into the pot.
