I am in the courtyard, animals are just vegetables!

After delivering the meat, Cao Dongfang returned home, washed his hands and prepared to eat. It took about three minutes. Grandma Wang's house and Cao's family lived diagonally opposite each other, while Widow Chen's house and Grandma Wang's were neighbors and closer to the central courtyard.

They're all in the front yard, just a few steps away.

Cao Dongfang, who delivered food to these two families, had no objection. One was the relatives of a military martyr, and the other was a real orphan and a widow. Both had registered permanent residence in the city of 58. Everything would be fine in five years. That was only .

As the children grow up, the real difficult times have arrived, and it would be better to have a city hukou.

By 59, the truly poor were...

Rural household registration!

No ration!

After returning home and washing my hands, I watched Cao Jiajia wash her hands and then bring out fried eggs and egg soup. In addition to eggs, the soup also contained some chopped green onions, filling a large bowl. It was enough for three people, so I put two eggs in.

The day before yesterday, Cao Dongfang earned 16 eggs while loading a bicycle. In the past two days, Cao's mother has used two eggs a day to make soup and fried three large eggs, a total of ten eggs in two days, plus the six that were given away.

Now there are no eggs left, but fortunately we had more than a dozen eggs at home, so we can eat them for a few days before having to buy more eggs.

When it comes to food, Cao's mother is really never stingy. She always makes good food to nourish Cao Dongfang and Cao Jiajia.

Cao Dongfang decided that he would buy the ingredients himself from now on!

Cao's mother no longer has to get up at five o'clock to queue up to buy things, pick up Cao Jiajia when she comes back, and then take Cao Jiajia to work at half past seven.

There are many advantages to buying groceries by yourself. It saves time and effort. There is a system in place, so why bother your mother? It’s okay in summer, but not suitable in winter.

If you have money, there is nothing you can’t buy in the system.

Cao Dongfang took out a large plate, took out five big buns from his schoolbag and placed them on the table. As for the steamed buns and corn bread, take them to the supply and marketing cooperative to eat at noon!

Who would want to eat steamed buns and corn bread when there are steamed buns!

......

Soon, Cao's mother brought out a plate of fried zucchini and meat, put it on the table and said, "Let's eat."

Each of the three people got a big steamed bun. As for white flour steamed buns, they were not as delicious as the big steamed buns. Cao Jiajia, like Cao Dongfang, also liked to eat big steamed buns very much.

But Cao Jiajia was too young and could only eat half of the big meat bun, leaving the other half for Cao Dongfang. Cao's mother ate two meat buns for one meal.

Because there is a lot of meat and soup.

The filling of the buns is very fragrant and makes people want to eat more. People nowadays still eat too little meat. Even Cao Dongfang wanted to eat meat after just 20 days of traveling here, let alone Cao's mother and Cao Jiajia.

In the future, I will find ways to make more money, not only to recharge the system, but also to let my family have more meat. No matter how scarce the supplies are, I will not let my family suffer.

Cao Dongfang thought.

"Dongfang, what should we do with the chicken? I don't have a day off tomorrow, and it will be a bit late to cook the chicken after get off work." asked Cao's mother.

"I will be at home tomorrow and cook chicken stewed with mushrooms. We have mushrooms at home, so I asked Butcher Zhang how to make them. I will learn to cook when I grow up, at least I will be able to cook hard dishes.

“That’s fine, just don’t make it inedible. It’s okay if it tastes a little bad.” Cao’s mother said with a smile.

"Cooking is a piece of cake. I'm very good at it. You can come back and enjoy it when it's done." Cao Dongfang deliberately boasted.

"Okay, Jiajia and I will eat the chicken and mushroom stew you made after get off work... Make more and send some to Grandma Wang and your sister Chen's family!

Alas, my husband and son died, and my child is still young, so life is not easy for them. "Mother Cao said with some sadness.

"clear!"

The Chen family received a pension from the government and Brother Zhao’s unit, a total of 900 yuan. It sounds like a lot, but it’s really not much!

Widow Chen has no job and her child is too young. The job the government has offered her is to work in a garment factory, which will take another six years.

He can only do so after his younger son goes to school. Widow Chen wants to wait until her younger son is five years old before going to work so as not to live off the savings. She spends 900 yuan a month on the 25 yuan pension, which will be spent in three years.

(The current pension is generally ten months' salary of the deceased. If the deceased has made meritorious contributions, he or she can be rewarded more, and the boss can also give more.)

Widow Chen was pretty lucky. The government subsidized her two children 10 yuan a month until they were 18 years old, and the street also found her some odd jobs!

Widow Chen had no job before, and her family earned about 14 yuan a month, an average of less than 5 yuan per person.

Grandma Wang’s family is the most miserable. She has three children who receive a 15 yuan subsidy, with each child receiving five yuan until they are 18 years old!

Grandma Wang also does odd jobs on the street, earning only 17 or 8 yuan in total, which means less than 5 yuan per person per month on average. There are both old and young people in her family.

Two of the three children are in school, and one is about to go to school. There are more places to spend money.

When Cao Dongfang's father was alive, Cao Dashan was the one doing all the heavy work in her family. You can't let a 60-year-old lady and a 7 or 8-year-old child carry coal and store cabbage.

The advantage her family has is that they have 25 kilograms more grain than other families, half of which is fine grain and half is coarse grain. This is given to Grandma Wang by the state, and the money for Grandma Wang's medical treatment is borne by the street.

Grandma Wang is also lucky. In another seven years, 7 kilograms of food a month will be worth a lot of money. The premise is that the country will continue to provide so much food for Grandma Wang.

Whether there is enough to eat if there is less is another matter.

......

After dinner, the three of them started eating bananas.

Suddenly I heard a commotion in the middle courtyard and I didn't know what was going on.

Cao Dongfang and his mother looked at each other and thought at the same time, could it be that He Daqing is really gone?

"Mom, I'll go check. You and Jiajia can't get in." Cao Dongfang asked.

"No, after Jiajia finishes eating this banana, I will take her for a walk outside the yard." said Cao's mother.

"Okay, I'll go take a look." Cao Dongfang quickly finished the banana in his hand and walked out of his house.

When Cao Dongfang arrived at the central courtyard, he saw Yi Zhonghai talking to Sha Zhu at the door of He's house. He Yushui was sitting on the steps in front of her house, holding her head on her knees and crying, which could be seen from her shaking shoulders.

"He Daqing didn't treat his relatives, but ran away with a widow named Bai. If the master hadn't told me, I really wouldn't have known."

"Shazhu is back, He Daqing notified Shazhu's master."

"He Daqing also notified Master Sha Zhu, and I don't know how much money he left for Sha Zhu and Yu Shui."

"He Daqing was robbed of more than 4000 yuan, and he still had some money left for Sha Zhu and Yu Shui."

"I left some money first, and then someone robbed me of it. It's normal to leave some money for Shazhu and Yushui. Otherwise, how can Yushui survive with so little money?"

"Humph, He Daqing is not a good guy. He abandoned his son and daughter and ran away for a widow. He should be beaten to death if caught."

Shit, is this what Jia Zhang said? It really makes sense, but it always feels weird when it comes from Jia Zhang's mouth.

It feels very inconsistent!

Not only Cao Dongfang, but also other people in the compound who heard Jia Zhang say this, looked at Jia Zhang in surprise.

A bit confused!

"What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong about He Daqing?" Jia Zhang said with her hands on her hips.

"Aunt Jia is right. This is how it should be. Aunt Jia is kind and righteous." said a man in a hoarse voice.

It’s our handsome horse-faced guy Xu Damao.

Because of Jia Zhang's loud voice, Yi Zhonghai, who was talking to Sha Zhu, stopped talking and looked over.

Jia Zhang was affirmed and flattered by Xu Damao, so she became even more arrogant and scolded He Daqing.

"He Daqing, that fellow, looks dead every day. He has been with the widow for several years.

Before Jia Zhang could finish her words, her son Jia Dongxu covered her mouth.

But I dare not let my mother talk too much, otherwise she might say something unpleasant. Besides, He Daqing has already run away. If I scold him again, will he hear me?

It would only make Shazhu and Yushui hate her, which would be of no benefit and not worth it. If she said something she shouldn't have said, that would be fun...

Jia Zhang was still not satisfied and was struggling to say a few more words.

"Mom, it has nothing to do with us. Just watch the fun and don't say too much. 'Trouble comes from the mouth.'" Jia Dongxu whispered in Jia Zhang's ear.

When Jia Zhang heard this, she was stunned for a moment, nodded vigorously, and told Jia Dongxu that she understood.

After seeing this, Jia Dongxu released his hand that was covering Jia Zhang's mouth.

Jia Zhangshi calmed down. But someone else didn't want Sha Zhu to have a good life.

Xu Damao!

"Shazhu, your father He Daqing ran off with a very attractive widow. I heard that he went to help the widow raise her children. He no longer wanted you and your sister. He also took away your family savings, leaving little money for you and your sister.

Do you have food to eat? Call me Uncle Mao and I will give you some food. We all live in the compound and I am kind-hearted. "Xu Damao said sarcastically.

Cao Dongfang took a rough look and thought that Sha Zhu had just returned and He Yushui might not have eaten yet. Yi Zhonghai was telling Sha Zhu that He Daqing had run away, not caring whether Sha Zhu and He Yushui had eaten or not.

Are you in a good mood?

He Daqing had no money to escape. If he wanted to leave, he must have money, otherwise he couldn't even afford to take the train.

Well... I can only borrow money. Who can I borrow from? There are only three families in this courtyard: the deaf old lady, Yi Zhonghai's family, and my own family.

Because He Daqing has an average relationship with the people in the compound.