Kyoto, 1959.
Yue Wenxuan walked into the courtyard and several women were washing clothes around the faucet. He took the initiative to say, "Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao, they are washing clothes again today."
Several women raised their heads at the sound, and a handsome boy with a height of 1.8 meters and military uniform came into sight.
Aunt Wang first responded, "Oh, isn't this Wenxuan? I haven't come back for several years, so don't hurry to leave this time?"
"I haven't come back for 4 years, and I won't leave this time. I have changed my job. Since then, I can see you every day." Yue Wenxuan said with a laugh.
"Why did you change your job? You were Ying when you were 20 years old. You have grown up. It's a pity to come back." Aunt Wang was surprised when she heard the news suddenly.
"A few years ago, when I played with Laomi, I was injured in the brain, and I haven't been able to be sharp. I passed out several times a while ago. We can't make trouble for the department and team, but can only change careers."
"This is really a good future for the army. It's a pity. But it's also good to come back. Take good care of your injuries. You are Yingchang in the department and the team, and you are dry and hard to come back. There is no difference anywhere." Aunt Zhao looked regretful.
Yue Yunxuan changed the subject and asked, "Aunt, today is Sunday, is my father at home?"
"At home, I have a rest today."
"Then you are busy. I won't talk to you anymore." Yue Wenxuan said hello and continued to walk to the courtyard.
On the way, he met several old neighbors, and Yue Wenxuan greeted them one by one warmly.
By the time he got to his house, his father Yue Bingjiang, his stepmother Fang Dahong and his younger brother Yue Wenhua had greeted him.
"Xuanzi, why didn't you call ahead of time, so that I could go to the station to meet you. You are in poor health, so don't be tired."
Yue Bingjiang, looking excited, stepped forward and wanted to follow his son's bags.
But 16 year old Yue Wenhua moved faster than he did. He took the luggage in his second brother's hand first and said, "I'll take it. I'll take it. My second brother is not in good health. I'll do all the hard work at home in the future."
Yue Wenxuan rubbed his little brother's head twice and said to his father, "Dad, I'm brain injured, not physically ill, and carrying this baggage will not make me tired."
Having arrived home, Yue Wenxuan was not humble and let his younger brother and father take over the luggage in their hands.
Fang Dahong chimed in: "You should take good care of yourself if you are injured in the brain, but you can't be tired. Hurry into the house. There is no tea at home, but there is still some brown sugar. I'll make you a bowl of brown sugar water to drink."
"As a strong young man, I don't need to drink any brown sugar water. I don't have much. I'd better keep it." Yue Wenxuan said coldly.
He wore it this morning and was lying on the sleeper of the train when he woke up. Fortunately, he received all the memories of the original owner and did not feel dark at once.
Yue Wenxuan's family is very complicated. Fang Dahong, the stepmother, has a very bad relationship with her four children, and has turned against her many years ago.
If Fang Dahong had not given birth to her little son Yue Wenhua, she would have been expelled from her home by virtue of what she had done.
After so many years away from home, Yue Wenxuan returned only four years ago, that is, five or five years ago, and stayed at home for a total of two days.
After returning last time, considering the family atmosphere, his relationship with Fang Dahong was slightly relaxed, and he would say a few words when necessary to avoid the embarrassment of the scene, but that was all.
Fang Dahong was as enthusiastic as ever, and did not care about Yue Wenxuan's cold attitude. She generously made a bowl of thick brown sugar water and brought it to him.
"Take advantage of the hot air to drink quickly. It's autumn now, and the weather is getting colder and colder. Drink some brown sugar water to avoid catching cold." Fang Dahong stood aside and said caring words.
Yue Wenxuan just glanced at her and ignored her. He said to his father, "Today is a rest day. Why are Yuxiu and Xiaoyue missing?"
"Unfortunately, Yuxiu is on a business trip and will not be back until a few days later; Xiaoyue will practice this week and will not go home."
Yue Bingjiang is most concerned about his son's future work. "Has your work unit been implemented after your job transfer? This is a major event, so we must hurry up."
"It has been implemented. The personnel office of Dongfang Machinery Factory, arranged by the Chief Executive Officer, has 17 administrative levels. Kyoto is a six category area, and the salary is 99 per month. Report before the end of the month," replied Yue Wenxuan.
"The salary is a little poor. If you didn't change jobs, your monthly salary is 135, plus 15% of the military age allowance, you can get 155 yuan a month, which is a gap of 56 yuan a month. No wonder you don't want to change jobs, and the salary gap is unacceptable, regardless of the future."
Yue Bingjiang felt sorry for his son. His son has made great achievements in the war and was sent to the military academy. He has made great achievements and has been educated. He is also under the care of the chief officer. His future is bright. He is about to be promoted to vice officer. However, he has a physical problem and must change his job. It is hard to say the future of this transition.
Yue Bingjiang felt a little regretful after saying these words. Isn't that a stab at his son's heart?
Hurry to add: "Of course, there are also benefits of job transfer, at least not safety.
When you change your job, our family will be reunited. After you left for more than ten years, our father and I will be reunited for no more than two days. We will see you at any time in the future, and we won't have to worry any more. It's good. "
After the two brothers talked for a while, Yue Bingjiang said to his younger son, "Wenhua, go out and ask who has cucumbers. We can exchange two for sweet potatoes. We can get on the horse dumplings and get off the horse noodles. Today, your second brother just came back, and we will make fried noodles."
Yue Wenhua jumped three feet high and said, "That's great! It's been half a year since I have eaten fried noodles for a long time, right? I'm so greedy."
Yue Wenxuan also swallowed involuntarily. At the thought of the taste of fried soy sauce noodles, his hunger became stronger, so that his stomach was burning with pain.
He felt that his stomach would be digested by his own gastric juice if he did not eat something quickly.
Of course, this is just an illusion.
But this feeling of hunger is really unbearable!
A person who has been in a state of hunger for a long time, how strong the body's hunger for food is, he now has an unforgettable experience.
He could not understand how the predecessor was willing to stick to today, and he did not think it was bitter, but just regarded starvation as a trivial matter.
The ration of grain for soldiers is 45 jin, which is not too much, but it is barely enough.
But the predecessor received a letter of help from his comrade in arms two months ago. One of his inpatients saved 20 kg of food stamps every month and donated it to his comrade in arms.
He was hungry for a long time and didn't care about it, but his successor really couldn't stand it.
Yue Wenxuan felt extremely bitter at the thought that such a difficult day would continue for a long time.
Yue Wenhua is dry and thin, and his hunger for food is no worse than Yue Wenxuan's. He turns to his father, looks expectantly and asks, "Can I have a full bowl today?"
"Yes!" Yue Bingjiang promised happily
Yue Wenhua felt that his father looked down on himself and was not happy. "Dad, I'm not a child anymore. How can I compete with my second brother for food and drink? My second brother just came back, and he can't eat a full meal. Can I eat two bowls of food?"
"The white noodles made from big white noodles are full, but two bowls of them are not enough. That's no good. What kind of people dare to make such noodles? The second brother can only eat one bowl and a half bowls, and you can eat half a bowl more. You are growing up, so you need to eat more."
Yue Wenxuan is still very clear about his appetite. Of course, two bowls of noodles are not enough. Let alone two bowls, even if they are doubled, they will certainly not be enough.
But in this year, when there is no enough food to eat, everyone has a ration, and everyone has to eat according to the ration. If you eat more this time, you have to eat less next.
After four years away from home, today is his first meal after he came back. How can his father do his best to prepare this meal so that he can have a full meal.
Fang Dahong just came in to get something and interrupted: "Wenxuan, you don't need to save Wenhua to eat. A large bowl of white noodles is enough for him. Today's fried sauce is not young or old, and the meat is full.
Your father has been preparing since you wrote last month and learned that you are going to change jobs and go home. The white noodles of last month are still there, and the meat of the second half of the month is also there. They are all made into bacon. Your father said that he would eat them today and not stay any more.
It's rare for you to come back. Have a drink with your father in the evening. Your father is ready to serve four dishes.
Your father has two sausages. I'll make a steamed sausages for you. There are also scrambled eggs and hot pepper scrambled meat. They are all hard dishes.
Your father also changed 8 liang of peanuts from his friend, and I'll make you another saltwater peanut. "
Yue Wenxuan was very moved. He looked at his father and said, "Dad, our family has no time left. Is it too extravagant to eat half a month's pork ration at one time?"
"Where is the luxury? The ration of three people for half a month is only six liang meat. Today, when we make fried noodles with soy sauce, we also need to make a fried meat with green pepper. This meat is barely enough.
I was looking for a chicken for you, but last week Lao Yuan's daughter-in-law gave birth to a baby and didn't nurse. Please come to me, I can only give him the chicken. He exchanged two sausages. Although they are not as nutritious as chicken, they can give you a bite of meat anyway. "
Yue Bingjiang spent a lot of time to get a good meal for his son, but now the supply is too tight. He can only do so if he does his best.
"Dad, is the supply so tight now? Why is the pork ration for three people for half a month so low?" Yue Wenxuan asked.
Yue Bingjiang sighed.
When the supply is sufficient, a meat ticket can buy three or two pieces of meat. Last month, a meat ticket only gave two or two pieces of meat.
There are three people in our family. In the second half of the month, we have three meat tickets and bought six liang of meat in total, all of which have been made into bacon, waiting for you to eat at home.
The meat tickets for the first half of this month have been issued for a long time, but there has been no supply of pork. Two liang meat for one ticket is enough, and we don't know whether it will be further reduced. "
Yue Wenxuan only learned a little from the literature or movies and TV plays, but now he knows how hard this day is.
But this is just the beginning, and the future will only become more and more difficult.
