Siheyuan: Walking the Path of Qin Huairu

The apples and pears in the space were finally ripe. However, Xu Huizhen was not very happy. Why? Because the fruits were too big, obviously different from those sold on the market now. Take the apples for example, the fruits were red and big, with a diameter of more than 8 or 9 centimeters, and tasted sweet, crisp and fragrant. It was a bit like the Red Fuji in the previous life.

If such apples were sold, they would obviously attract a lot of attention. If they attracted the attention of the upper management or fruit tree experts and they wanted to check the origin of the apples, Xu Huizhen would be in trouble.

The same is true for pears. The pears in the space are large, juicy, and sweet and sour. They are much better than the varieties sold on the market.

What to do, can only eat by themselves? Then how much can their family eat? This damn system is deliberately setting a trap for itself!

Although the yield of vegetables in the space is high, it is not obvious from the appearance and can be passed off. These fruits cannot be taken out casually.

After much thought, Xu Huizhen decided to use the seeds in the space to cultivate fruit seedlings and then plant them outside. As long as similar fruits could be grown outside, the apples produced in her space could be sold together with them.

It was just that the process was a bit slow, and it would take at least three years for the fruit seedlings to bear fruit. If that took a long time, wouldn't the fruit in her space be piled up like a mountain? She really couldn't wait.

Another way is to grow seedlings in space. Time flows faster in space, and then transplant them to the land outside when the time comes. This is also a way.

Grafting is also a quick way to get results. Xu Huizhen decided to do both.

So, from that day on, Xu Huizhen's family ate apples every day. Yes, Xu Huizhen decided to start with apples and pears later. There couldn't be so many new varieties at once.

Xu Huizhen always cut the apples into pieces and served them to everyone. After eating them, He Yuzhu asked, "Wife, these apples are delicious. Where did you get them? Do you have any extra? Give me some."

Xu Huizhen had no choice but to say, "I bought this by accident. It's big and delicious, but there aren't many of them. I planned to keep the seeds after eating the fruit and use them to grow seedlings next year. I just don't know if I can grow fruits like this."

When He Yuzhu heard this, he said, "This is a good idea. We can try growing it at our factory's base." The base has been developed in the past two years thanks to the unremitting efforts of the workers of the steel rolling mill. Considering the food shortage in the next few years, he now grows high-yield crops such as corn and sweet potatoes.

After a few years when food is no longer in short supply, it will be easier to manage fruit trees. It will be a good time to start raising seedlings next year, and they will bear fruit in three years.

The two men's ideas are surprisingly consistent.

At Cai Quanwu's home, after dinner, he said to Xu Jianmei: "Jianmei, give me a hundred yuan."

Xu Jianmei was a good housekeeper, and when she heard that so much money was needed, she asked, "What do you want so much money for?"

Cai Quanwu: "Huizhen and Zhuzi told me that the harvest will be bad in the next two years and there may be a shortage of food, so they asked us to store more food. Just keep it to yourself, don't go out and say nonsense."

After dinner, Mr. Li was resting his eyes in a recliner. He had noticed in the past two years that Cai Quanwu and his wife were people who lived a simple life, so he usually didn't care about their affairs and just wanted to have food and drink.

When he heard about the food shortage, he opened his eyes and asked, "There is nothing at all. What's going on? Tell me." He was old and experienced, and he knew that food was the most important thing for people, and that they could not lack food. He was so old, and except eating, he had no other hobbies.

Cai Quanwu told Master Li about the food that fell from the sky in the neighborhood committee. Jianmei also said, "I heard about it too. There are many different opinions. I don't know which one is true and which one is false."

Cai Quanwu: "Since Huizhen said that, she must know the inside story. In any case, it won't hurt to store some food."

Mr. Li pondered for a moment, then stood up and walked into the inner room, took out 200 yuan, put it on the table and said, "Take this money, go out and buy more food and save it, just in case."

Cai Quanwu: "We have money in our hands, we don't need yours."

Master Li: "If I tell you to take it, take it. I don't have many years left to live, and I don't want to go hungry. No matter what it is, as long as it's food that can be stored, buy some. I have a cellar under this room, I can store food."

Cai Quanwu had no choice but to put away the money. In the following days, he kept moving food materials home like an ant moving house. He knew Xu Huizhen had connections, so he bought many things from her.

Looking at the food in the cellar, Mr. Li felt relieved. He knew about the great famine in Henan in 1942. The victims who had no food to eat fled everywhere, sold their children, and even exchanged their own children for food. It was a horrible sight.

One day, Cai Quanwu brought back a basket of big apples. When Master Li saw the apples, his eyes lit up and he asked, "These apples are so good. I've never eaten apples this good before. Where did you get them from?"

Cai Quanwu said: "Huizhen gave it to us for free. She asked us to eat it and keep the seeds. She said she would use it to grow fruit tree seedlings."

Master Li grinned and said, "Is there such a good thing? That's great. Let me have one to try first."

Xu Jianmei said, "The apple is hard and it's hard for you to eat. I'll cut it into small pieces for you. Please wait a moment."

Master Li said with a smile: "Good, good! Jianmei is still thoughtful."

In the courtyard, Yan Jiecheng finally chose to work as an electrician in the steel mill. The work intensity of electricians is not high, and it is much easier than locksmiths and forgers. It is just a little dangerous, but it is okay as long as you pay attention.

At the Jia family, Jia Zhang was upset when she heard that He Yuzhu had helped Yan Jiecheng get the job. She was a person who would either take advantage or suffer a loss, and she cursed, "Shazhu, who was born by his father but not raised by his mother, why didn't he give the job to Huairu? Our family is in such a difficult situation, and you have no sympathy at all."

Qin Huairu had an idea after hearing this. If she could get a job, even if it was a temporary job, her status at home would be much higher, and she wouldn't have to endure the harassment of her mother-in-law every day.

Qin Huairu is now the mother of two children. Xiaodang was born last year. There is one more mouth to feed in the family, but the income has not increased. In addition, Jia Zhangshi is lazy and gluttonous. The living conditions are like an old lady celebrating her birthday, which is getting worse year by year.

Qin Huairu noticed that He Yuzhu usually went home with Xu Huizhen. Occasionally, when He Yuzhu had a dinner party at the factory, He Yuzhu came back late and did not pick up Xu Huizhen and her son, so Xu Huizhen did not come back to spend the night.

Qin Huairu had been keeping an eye on the He family for the past few days, and finally she got her chance. On this day, Jia Dongxu had dinner and went out somewhere.

Qin Huairu saw He Yuzhu going home alone and thought it was a good opportunity. She said to her mother-in-law, "Mom, I'll go to Shazhu's house and see if you can find me a job, even if it's a temporary job. Our family is getting bigger and bigger. How can we make enough money just by relying on Dongxu alone?"

When Jia Zhang heard that she was asked to go find Sha Zhu, she was about to start scolding him, but then she heard about the job search and didn't stop him. It's better to go and ask, and try your luck.