Siheyuan: A Cook in the 60s

My name is Qin Huairu.

I grew up in the village.

She is no different from other girls in the village.

Start working when you can.

My father and mother are neither good nor bad. Whenever there is food at home, they always give me a bite to eat so that I don't starve to death.

At that time, the girls gathered together and talked about their future.

Everyone wants to marry into a wealthy and good family so that they can live a good life.

It's funny to say.

At that time, the most prosperous life I could imagine was to have enough food every day after work. I had two meals a day, and at least one of them was sweet potatoes.

Eating too many sweet potatoes is really uncomfortable, as if something is stuck in your chest and you can neither go up nor down.

When did I realize I was different?

Probably when I was 13.4 or years old.

There is a new literacy class in the village.

The village chief said that everyone must go to school, at least to learn how to read and write, only by learning how to read and write can we better build the country.

After I arrived at school, I found that many boys often looked at me secretly.

Girls from the same village also say that I am pretty.

The female teacher was the most educated. She said that my eyes were very beautiful, with a kind of "a smile that makes one look charming".

I didn't know what that meant, but I understood one thing, maybe I could marry into a good family.

That’s what I thought at the time.

What's the point of looking good or not? It doesn't matter. Being able to eat enough is the best. Because of this, I quietly raised my standards a little. It would be best if I could eat meat once a month.

I remember that at that time, when I thought of this "bold" idea of ​​mine, I couldn't help laughing out loud even though I was lying on the kang.

Eating meat once a month is really an unattainable dream.

Things always develop in an inexplicable direction.

As I grew older, my parents gradually started to look for a husband for me.

That afternoon, I was picking up fecal stones on the road. My mother said that we should take as much as we could take home, but it was difficult to get them. Many people in the village took them home and secretly used them in their own yards.

My mother came to me in a hurry and told me that she had arranged a marriage for me in the city.

When I heard this, my first impression was fear.

Yes, afraid.

Marrying in the city sounds like a good thing. But most of the people who come to the countryside to marry are not good people...

The most important thing is that once I go to the city, there will be no one left at my mother's house.

Although my family members are not very nice to me, my two brothers can still help me a little when I have problems. Even if they don’t help me, others won’t make things difficult for me because I have two brothers.

But this requires going to the city.

My mother noticed that I was absent-minded. She also understood what I was worried about. She patted me on the shoulder and told me that he was a serious worker, only two years older than me.

This makes me feel relieved.

I don't really have any feelings about getting married, I just want to live a good life. Going to the city is naturally a good thing, I am afraid but also looking forward to it.

What is it like in the city? Am I eating commercial grain?

Amid the lively sounds of firecrackers, I successfully married into the city.

As soon as I entered the house, Jia Zhang was anxious to set rules for me. She told me that from now on, she had the final say in this family. I had to do whatever she told me to do, and I couldn't do anything she didn't let me do.

That's a very impolite thing to say.

But at that time, I thought it was pretty good.

In the village, there are many mothers-in-law who bully their daughters-in-law. Isn't it normal to show off your power when you come home?

Maybe it was because I was good-looking, I was popular in the courtyard, and Jia Dongxu was also happy to have a child with me. But Jia Zhang was a little dissatisfied, saying that I was like a foxy woman, and after coming to the courtyard, I attracted bees and butterflies.

I feel wronged too.

However, the food in the city is indeed delicious.

The Jia family was considered a wealthy family and could occasionally eat meat.

I originally thought that my life would probably continue like this, serving the Jia family and raising the children. When the children grow up, I will take care of the grandchildren. This is how everyone lives. It's pretty good.

But who knows...

Something happened to Jia Dongxu!

he died!

Now thinking about myself at that time, I was completely dumbfounded.

It’s not because of Jia Dongxu’s death, but because of three words - what to do?

Yes, what to do?

I am the only breadwinner in the family. Without him, what will happen to the family? How will I survive? How will the children be supported?

Going back to the countryside?

But where in the countryside is there land for us to grow crops?

My mood is a mess.

That night, Jia Zhang talked to me about this matter.

This time, she no longer bossed me around like she did before, but talked to me seriously.

She told me how to ask for compensation.

He also told me that I should take this opportunity to move my household registration to the city, otherwise I would starve to death.

Finally, she told me that life as a widow is not easy and if I want to live a good life, I have to be fierce. From now on, I will be the pillar of the family. She asked me to go to work in the factory after I give birth to the child.

Hurry up and get your work grade raised, otherwise, the whole family will starve to death.

Her words made me feel dizzy...

Originally, I only needed to work hard at home, raise children, and cook. Now, all the family affairs are on my shoulders. What should I do? I don't know. I became drowsy and a little anxious.

Fortunately, the people in the yard were pretty nice, most of them were from the steel rolling mill. An old man even assured me that once I got in, he would be able to help me get familiar with everything and support a family, and there wouldn't be any big problems.

At this point, I felt a little more at ease.

At least, not surviving.

The compensation from the factory arrived, and Sophora japonica was born. Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction.

Not long after I gave birth, Jia Zhang called me into the factory.

The factory is huge, bigger than any other place I know. Actually, I've never been to this place before.

The old man was very serious and told me about getting work uniforms, the canteen, and some things I should pay attention to in daily life. He spoke seriously and I remembered it carefully. My memory has always been good.

But, when he taught me how to do the work.

I really don't understand how to do it...

Every time he asked me if I understood, I didn't dare say much. I could only answer vaguely and try them one by one.

The days go by one after another.

I became a worker, but I did not feel the joy of being a worker.

I seem to be eating the food in the city, but the pressure from all around me is suffocating me. What should I do?