CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: THE OLD MAN ARRIVES

Gu Xiaoqing looked at the kitchen, there was definitely no meat, even the minced meat had been taken away, and there was no money in her pocket, only one dollar.

Oh well, that’s enough to buy a pound of meat.

Gu Xiaoqing told her uncle that she was going to pick some greens from the field, then left.

Li Weimin wasn’t a person who could sit still, so he looked around the yard and at the roof eaves.

Then he found some tools and dug some yellow clay from the mound by the road. This village had plenty of this clay, which used to be the material for making earth brick houses.

He made it into clay and added some straw, then Li Weimin climbed onto the roof with a ladder and began patching up the holes under the plastic sheets bit by bit.

These plastic sheets could keep out the rain, but when winter came and the temperature dropped, the plastic sheets would become brittle, and once it snowed, the house would have leaks everywhere.

Gu Xiaoqing went to Butcher Feng’s house to buy a pound of pork belly because the Gu Family had taken care of them in the past two days, so Butcher Feng’s business was doing very well.

Mainly Butcher Feng realized that Gu Ruhai was certainly doing some business.

In the future, they might become long-term customers, so Butcher Feng took extra care of Gu Xiaoqing and the others.

He even gifted two large bones.

Although there wasn’t much meat on them, they made very flavorful soup when stewed.

Gu Xiaoqing said a lot of nice things; after all, if she didn’t appreciate their kindness, it would be unreasonable.

On her way back, she bumped into Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei, who were pushing a cart, "Dad, Mom, Uncle is here, and he brought a bag of grains."

She said this loudly, mainly for those eyeing the meat in her hand from the roadside, letting them know relatives were visiting and brought a big bag of grain; treating them with some meat was appropriate.

Even without grain, one must treat the visiting uncle politely.

Those eyeing the meat from Gu Xiaoqing’s hand weren’t quite as envious anymore.

This family rarely gets to eat meat.

When hosting relatives, it’s different, besides everyone in Gu Family Village knows Li Xuemei’s two brothers from her maiden family are excellent farmers, living well and often supporting their siblings.

Otherwise, life for Gu Ruhai would be much harder.

Li Xuemei was joyful too, seeing the meat in Gu Xiaoqing’s hand, knowing her daughter was hosting her eldest brother, made her feel very comfortable.

After all, her eldest brother always brought plenty of things but often left without eating a bite, still thinking of saving a morsel of food for the children.

This time, the family also got to hold its head up high.

The couple and their three children entered the house.

They saw Li Weimin on the roof.

Gu Ruhai quickly parked the cart by the wall, Li Xuemei and others were enough to unload it.

He climbed up the ladder to lend a hand.

"Elder Brother, let me do it, you rest."

Gu Ruhai wasn’t good at saying nice things, this was his greatest sincerity.

Li Weimin looked up and smiled, which startled Gu Ruhai, feeling a bit flattered, because this was the first time seeing such a kind expression on his usually cold-faced brother-in-law.

"No need, you hand me the clay, I’ve already got the hang of it, working as a pair is faster."

Gu Ruhai agreed, climbed down, filled a basket with clay, then carried and handed it to Li Weimin.

The two worked very well together.

Below, Gu Xiaoqing took the meat to the kitchen, then opened the sack her uncle brought, it was golden cornmeal, she tried lifting it, probably fifty pounds.

This was enough to last the family until the wheat harvest.

Gu Xiaoying came in and asked, "What are we eating?"

Mainly to help, though Gu Xiaoying knew her younger sister was better at cooking, but the things from the cart outside were unloaded, she couldn’t just sit idly while her sister was busy.

"Sis, go pick some vegetables from the field, see what’s fresh, pick more, we should properly host uncle for a meal."

Actually, Gu Xiaoqing knew the field only had a few things, her vegetable patch wasn’t big, only five points, there were only cabbages, radishes, leeks, and such, nothing else.

Gu Xiaoqing mainly thought this was the first time hosting her uncle, they ought to show some sincerity.

Gu Xiaoying agreed and picked up a basket, heading to the field behind.

Gu Xiaoqing scooped the cornmeal into a basin, though wanting to cook white flour buns for her uncle, but since the grains were provided by her uncle’s family, she couldn’t indulge, that wouldn’t be hosting but adding discomfort.

So Gu Xiaoqing planned to make cornmeal buns, blend in a little white flour, making them soft and tasty.

For the vegetables, Gu Xiaoqing considered making braised pork, based on the estimate from the veggies in the garden, sautéed cabbage with chili, scrambled eggs with leeks, and shredded potatoes, just that.

Fortunately, there were big bones, right after coming back, Gu Xiaoqing boiled some water to stew them, add cabbage leaves, and drop in cornmeal lumps, making the best dumpling soup.

This was the best meal Gu Xiaoqing could think of.

Though the family hadn’t truly reached a wealthy level, but this was indeed using everything they had.

While Gu Xiaoqing steamed the cornmeal buns, Gu Xiaoying returned with her basket.

Surprisingly, someone followed her.

It was Mr. Gu.

No one expected this.

Gu Xiaoying shouted, "Dad, Grandpa is here."

Then she bent down into the kitchen, starting to pick and wash the vegetables.

Upon hearing this, Gu Ruhai quickly lowered his head to look, indeed Mr. Gu was standing in the yard, looking up in his direction.

The work on hand was almost finished, the two were just tidying up, they were about to get down, now there was no choice but to go down.

Li Weimin and Gu Ruhai both descended from the roof.

They tidied up the ladder.

Li Weimin, covered in mud, greeted Mr. Gu with a smile, "How’s your health, sir?"

Though Mr. Gu was biased, but as Gu Ruhai’s father and family-in-law, Li Weimin still showed respect.

This couldn’t let anyone criticize them.

Mr. Gu didn’t expect Li Xuemei’s brother, was prepared to merely respond with, "Good, good, how’s his grandpa’s health?"

It was basic courtesy, Mr. Gu asked.

During this while, Li Xuemei already brought a stool and placed it by Mr. Gu’s legs, "Dad, have a seat."

Then she went to fetch water for Gu Ruhai and Li Weimin, both were covered in mud, it was necessary to wash up before seeing people.