Ming Dong led Osmanthus to the most prosperous area of ​​Bingcheng and got off the car. 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 plans 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 also walked around with his classmates in these places before the school started. After the school started, he went to work on the farm in addition to class, not to mention shopping, just School never came out.

Osmanthus looked at the five-storey 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. Well, the sales staff there are very nice, so you don't have to worry about it."

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

Just as Ming Dong wanted to ask Osmanthus to see the ad decoration in the window, he was attracted by the obsession and focus 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.

"Oh, this painting is so magnificent." Several women came in from outside, shouted while standing in front of the painting, and hurried to the counter there. 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 have nothing else to do." Ming Dong's nose was a little red, he glanced at the painting and then at Osmanthus, who was reluctant to move his footsteps, and couldn't help asking: " Do you like to draw?"

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

It was only then that Ming Dong remembered that Osmanthus was originally from a big family, but Ming Dong, who was full of people here, didn't dare to ask more questions, 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.

The crisp autumn days are a good time for weddings. This season, the food has come down, and the cloth and industrial tickets that have been saved for a year are almost enough. Buy what you need to buy, and hang firecrackers to 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 a counter in front of him surrounded by a group of lesbians, saying that it was selling some "gala oil" to wipe his hands. Mingdong couldn't help but glanced at Osmanthus' hand.

In fact, Osmanthus's hands are not ugly. Compared with many girls of the same age, they are even good-looking. The fingers are slender and the skin is not dark, because Osmanthus is soaked in hot water every morning and evening, and it looks 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 Gala oil and left, and quickly walked over: "Comrade, how much is a box of Gala oil?"

Osmanthus became anxious when she heard it, and went up and dragged Mingdong aside: "The money given by the milk has a lot of money, so I can't buy this."

Ming Dong looked at Osmanthus' blushing face and couldn't help but feel warm in his heart: "I know, I want to use the allowance to buy it for you." Osmanthus was taken aback for a while, and his hand slowly slipped down from Ming Dong's sleeve, Ming Dong said. Dong took some money out of his pocket: "Look, I have never bought anything for you in so many years. Well, the school has a subsidy, and I want to buy something for you."

What Ming Dong said was stumbling and dry, but it sounded better to Osmanthus' ears than the sound of nature. She looked at Ming Dong for a while and didn't know what to say. After a long time, she wanted to say thank you, but the tears fell first down.

Osmanthus came to Lao Li's house when she was nine years old. This was the first time Mingdong saw her cry. He raised his hand in a hurry and wiped her face with his sleeves, but the tears were not wiped away. A big red face.

Mingdong looked at Osmanthus and laughed silly twice, scratched his head, and then remembered that he wanted to buy Gala oil. He hurriedly went over and bought a box and put it into Osmanthus's hand: "I have less money, wait for me. Save a few months to buy you a box of vanishing cream."

"No." Osmanthus grinned, "I'll be happy if you say that."

Ming Dong smirked twice after hearing Gui Hua's 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.

Leaving the counter, there is a grocery store next to it. 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 was thinking about this too, and I also bought a jar and a basin. You can soak your feet with a pot of hot water at night, and drink some hot water or something."

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

"It's okay." Ming Dong squeezed her fingertips: "It's not for others to use for fear. Besides, I'll go to school outside, so I don't buy these for you."

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

Mingdong 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."

At a glance, the waiter knew that this was a young man who was about to get married, and immediately brought two large red iron kettles over with a pair of mandarin ducks painted on them, which made him feel festive.

After buying these two things, their hands are full. Mingdong regrets it very much at this time. You must know that you have brought Mingxi with you.

The two went back to school, Mingdong asked Guihua to take a thermos, a jar and a basin, 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?"

He shoved the things in his hand into Mingxi's arms: "Why don't you buy things, milk explained."

When Mingxi heard it, he immediately hugged his arms tightly, carefully put the things in his arms on the bed, and jumped from Mingdong's back to his back, shaking vigorously: "Why don't you bring me when you buy things? Why did you throw me away? Aren't you afraid of losing me?"

"Who else can kidnap you?" Ming Dong threw Ming Xi down at once, looking at Ming Xi's indignant expression, he said calmly: "Didn't you tell me to fall in love with Osmanthus first? , I'm not in love anymore."

"Why can't you take me with you in love!" Mingxi said with grief and indignation: "I just happened to go home and tell the nurse what the two of you were talking about."

Ming Dong was very happy. He sorted out the clothes that were wrinkled by Ming Xi, and sat on the stool panting: "Go home and tell the milk to see if the milk will pump you?"

"It's ok if you don't take me, then why didn't you come back earlier to take me to dinner?" Mingxi was so wronged that Bala was about to cry: "When she came, she gave the money and meal tickets to Sister Osmanthus, and I have it in my pocket. I don't have a dime, so I'll ask the fourth uncle for the money to take the tram back."

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

This time, Mingdong went directly to the downstairs of the girls' third-floor dormitory. He sat downstairs on the cement table tennis case and was fascinated. 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.

Take a look at the looks of the girls in the neighborhood, and then look at Osmanthus, even if Mingdong was a half-sized boy at that time, he knew that Osmanthus was more handsome than ordinary girls. When I was in school, there would always be that naughty stinky boy in the school who would tug at the sweet-scented osmanthus or put a bug in her pencil case to get her attention. At that time, Ming Dong was full of the idea of ​​"dare to bully my daughter-in-law and beat you to death", and directly took Ming Xi to beat up the half-eldest boy who bullied Osmanthus.

Ming Dong couldn't tell when his heart started to change. Before high school, he thought it was logical to marry Osmanthus. Later, in the second and third year of high school, he saw many classmates drop out of school early to get married, so he subconsciously resisted arranged marriages. . It wasn't until he read the forbidden/book that his classmates spread 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 has always thought 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 eyes, 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 that he was broadcast on demand, but in fact, Mingdong himself gave himself a reason to accept this traditional marriage.

When he finally plucked up the courage to drag the sweet-scented osmanthus to run out today, the flying mood at that moment made him understand his previous self-deception.

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 blushed and nodded: "Other Brother Mingdong took him there, and he let me use this one first."

"Yo, I didn't expect classmate Li Mingdong to be very considerate." Li Xianchao smiled at Osmanthus: "You came back late, and there is no hot water now. You go to the water room to wash the tub first, and I will pour you a cup of hot water."

"Thank you, Sister Li Xian." Osmanthus quickly returned after washing the tank, but the table was full of books, so Li Xian asked her to put the tank on the windowsill. 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 all of them looked out: "What's wrong with her?"

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

Mingdong was immersed in his own thoughts, and suddenly saw Osmanthus running out of the dormitory building out of breath, Mingdong hurriedly jumped off the table tennis case and looked at her a little embarrassedly: "I'll just come out and walk. Go, I didn't expect you to come down."

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

Now that he came out, Mingdong took Osmanthus flowers around the school. At this time, the sky was not dark, and the two slowly lined up side by side, but no one spoke first. Mingdong always felt that he had to say something. What broke 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 No. 1 Department Store?" Ming Dong couldn't help asking when he recalled the scene of visiting the No. 1 Department Store in the afternoon.

Seeing that there were only the two of them in the empty playground, Osmanthus said in a low voice, "When my family was relatively good, my mother said that girls must read, read, and learn to have a good temperament, so I just turned five years old. When I was young, I followed the teacher to practice calligraphy and painting, and also learned the piano."

Mingdong recalled when Osmanthus first came to his house: "At that time, I remember that you went to school with us. You could speak well and write better than us. It's a pity that you didn't go to junior high school. In fact, you should have keep going to school."

Osmanthus smiled: "Actually, it's okay to be able 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 happy thing." Osmanthus laughed at herself: "Actually, my mother really likes painting, and she is good at painting. I don't have much insight into painting yet."

"Actually, this is not the first time I have come to Bingcheng." Osmanthus said suddenly: "I came here with my parents once when I was a child. At that time, the biggest store in Bingcheng was Qiulin Department Store, and there was a man in a black dress and hat standing at the door. The old Maozi opens the door for the guests, there are beautiful chandeliers, and you can buy all kinds of delicious sausages, dark chocolate, bagels, and those kinds of pickled cucumbers in glass jars. I ate it for the first time at that time. Black Sea Caviar, I actually don't like the taste, but my dad likes it."

Glancing at Ming Dong very seriously, Gui Hua stopped: "Actually, I know that you have been avoiding our marriage before, but the mother didn't say it, but she also saw it, so I thought about coming to Bingcheng to ask you. See clearly what you think? Actually, I know that my family is not good. I lived a capitalist life when I was a child, which may drag you down. And you have already gone to college now, and I have only finished primary school. I can't compare to you. Brother Mingdong, to be honest, I do like you very much, but I don't want you to marry me because of responsibility." She glanced at Mingdong's silent profile, showing a strong smile: "Let's The family has raised me for ten years, but I can't get you a lifetime of happiness for me."

"I thought I made it very clear." Mingdong suddenly said, "If you don't want to get married, why buy Gala oil for you, or buy a kettle for you? Those things are not cheap, and they also cost industrial tickets."

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." Mingdong scratched the back of his head: "I always want to chase the unreachable love depicted in the book, and when you stop, you realize that love is actually by your side."

"Have you made up your mind?" Osmanthus looked at Ming Dong with a burning look on her face, with a serious look on her face: "You can't go back if you have made up your mind!"

"I don't regret it!" Mingdong straightened his chest: "If you dare to regret it, that stinky boy Mingxi will definitely take you away."

****

Bingcheng sweet-scented sweet-scented sweet-scented osmanthus solved the problem. The family lacked the two labors of Mingxi and sweet-scented sweet-scented sweet-scented sweet-scented osmanthus, but they were busy. I have to make miso, wash the cabbage one by one, and prepare pickled sauerkraut. I am so busy that my feet are hitting the back of my head, and everyone is running fast.

Beicha winter came early, although the harvest was just now, but the weather was getting colder, Zhen Zhen looked at the days that were getting shorter and shorter, and the yard full of food, and couldn't help but feel anxious for her family. 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. Except for the birds flying in the sky, she can also control herself, and the rest of the wind, rain, and the sun are direct. Don't bird yourself.

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

Mingxi and Osmanthus came in from outside, and when they got home and put their things down, they all collapsed on the kang, and Mrs. Li looked at this with a cane, looked at the other, shook her head and sighed: "I'm tired after walking this way. , My family was tired from harvesting crops a while ago, and I called Ming Bei to come and take a look at you, to see how dark it was."

Mingxi rubbed his 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 into them. I have to watch them day and night."

"Okay, I know you're tired." Mrs. Li patted Mingxi's thigh: "Tell your mother for 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. He quickly made it from the kang: "Mom, when I entered the door, the good guy almost didn't scare me, why is there so much food in our family? Don't you have to go hungry next year?"

"Don't starve anymore!" Mrs. Li looked at Mingxi with a smile: "When the spring started this year, your father opened up a few more acres of wasteland, and used the seeds sent by your uncle to plant some fine grains. Thinking of how long it is not bad, this year our family will not be short of rice and white noodles for the Chinese New Year.”

"Really? Are you still planting rice and flour? It's on the mountain?" Mingxi Le had forgotten that he was tired, so he got up and was about to get off the kang and go out to take a look. Mrs. Li grabbed him and hit him with a cigarette bag: "You can rest honestly. Okay, I'll take a look later."

Mingxi said, "You don't know. I went to my brother's school this time to hear what they said. We have paddy fields in just a few of our farms. In the past, the supply for Chinese New Year and festivals was shipped from other provinces. I heard that my brother and his farm also have them, not only in the water, but also on the ground."

"And what about the above-ground varieties?" Mrs. Li almost missed the point, but fortunately, she came back right after her reaction: "Yes, yes, the varieties in our family are cultivated on the ground, and they are not good enough!"

In the kitchen, Wang Sufen took out the white sorghum rice that was collected last time, steamed a large pot, cut a piece of salty wild boar with five flowers and three layers, and stewed a pot of oily beans. Soon the aroma of the white sorghum rice and the stewed beans were very good. The scents are mixed together, and the whole house is fragrant.

Although Zhen Zhen still eats breast milk, she still 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 and chopped off half the bowl of rice with chopsticks. Zhen Zhen, who was looking at it, was stunned, and even forgot to eat the egg custard that Wang Sufen brought to her mouth.

After eating two bowls in a row, Mingxi's stomach was finally settled, and he couldn't help pouring bitter water while putting vegetables in his mouth: "I told you, my brother, he is too immoral."

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

"When I arrived the next day, he threw me on the street, and he didn't see anyone, so he threw me in the dormitory by himself like a big fool. His classmates gloated every day, saying that I was delaying my brother's marriage. "Mingxi rolled up some fresh wild vegetables, dipped it in miso and stuffed it in his mouth, and said angrily: "Why am I delayed, can't I help you with things when you go shopping? Then go to the park and see Can't you take me to see a new movie or something? Mom, let me tell you, my brother and sister Osmanthus watched three movies, and they didn't take me there once."

Zhen Zhen listened to the music on the table and was deeply sympathetic to Mingxi, the disliked light bulb. Mingxi felt much better after complaining. He glanced at Zhen Zhen who was laughing towards him, leaning forward and back together, and slid on the ground. She pinched her face: "Little unconscionable, you laughed at your brother, and brought you good things for nothing!"

Zhen Zhen immediately turned to look at Mrs. Li, Mrs. Li tapped on the table with chopsticks: "What are you bringing?"

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 her a tunic to wear."

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