novelaction Chapter 151 Entering the City
Chapter 151 Entering the City
Zhou Guo and Zhou Dacang were driving a horse-drawn carriage and an ox-drawn cart respectively. Just as they were on the road, Qian from next door arrived.
Several people drove the cart towards the village.
When we arrived at the village, we saw familiar people waiting by the roadside. Some of them were riding ox carts, while others, like the Qian family, came empty-handed. Each family had at most two people.
When we reached the entrance of the village, all the families were there.
Everyone exchanged pleasantries as they got on the bus.
"How is your house? You haven't seen our house. Tsk, that house is really, if you don't know, you would think it's a rat's house. Living in it feels drafty everywhere, and the roof is crooked. I'm really worried that I'll be buried while I sleep."
"Come on, be content. At least your house has a roof. We don't even have one. We can see the sky when we sleep on that stone bed. Speaking of this stone bed, it's really so. I feel sore all over my body after sleeping on it for a night. Why don't people in the north have beds? Don't they feel any pain when they sleep on it?"
Zhou Guo heard her mother complaining about the kang again. She had already been complaining about it with Aunt Qian next door, and now she couldn't help but start complaining again when she saw people around.
"I said no. When I entered the house, I was wondering what the platform was for, but someone said it was a bed. Whose bed is made of bricks? Won't you get arthritis if you sleep on cold bricks in winter? I think we should build a bed and find some boards."
This statement was unanimously agreed by everyone. They all complained that this bed was not meant for human sleeping. How could there be such a bed? It's not like there is no wood in the north. Aren't there wood everywhere on the mountains?
Zhou Guo was driving the carriage. Hearing this, he could not help but explain, "Aunts, this is called a kang, a fire kang. The winter in the north is much colder than in the south. When the time comes, you can light a fire under the kang, and the whole kang will be warm. You won't feel cold when you sleep on it. It's warmer than a bed."
When this was said, everyone was even more surprised. "Are you burning a fire down there? How can you sleep when it's so hot?"
"Yeah, won't I be roasted? No, no, no, I can't sleep in this thing, it's like sleeping in a pot."
No matter what Zhou Guo said, no one believed him and went to find a bed.
She nodded and stopped persuading. To be honest, if she could sleep on a bed, she would like to sleep on it. The kang is not suitable for her.
The group arrived at the county town, chatting in a lively manner, and lined up in their cars to enter the city gate.
Zhou Guo looked at the shabby streets with sparse crowds of people. The gate of Lu County was built so tall and solid, but he didn't expect it to be like this inside. It didn't look like a county town at all.
"This county town is a bit deserted, not at all like our county, which is so bustling. Every year after the autumn harvest, people's shoes are squeezed out."
"There are not many people here. Let's go in and see if there is anything we want to buy. We'll go back after we've made our purchase. The children are waiting for us at home." Qian was a little worried about her two children at home, so she had no mood to see if the county town was good or not.
The street was small, so Zhou Guo asked everyone in the car to get off, and he walked behind, leading the horse. It is better to lead the horse in the city.
They got out of the car, and people from the four cars behind them got out as well.
In order not to dirty other people's shop entrances, they parked several cars on the side of the road not far away, left two people to guard them, and walked in as a group.
Zhou Guo’s goal was very clear. There was still food left at home. When they separated, the family received more than 600 kilograms of food, which was enough for them to eat for a while.
The most important thing now is to make bedding and clothes. We have no more bedding left from home, and our clothes are all tattered. It is still a bit cold in the mornings and evenings, so we can’t wear these thin clothes anymore. We also need to prepare shoes.
What she was looking for was a cloth shop. She walked forward for most of the street before she gradually saw the shops on both sides of the street.
Restaurants, teahouses, groceries, inns, snack shops... "Hey, Yongkang Cloth Shop, Mom, there's a cloth shop here, shall we go in and take a look?"
Li and others looked at the cloth shop, which had a tall and grand facade and was decorated brightly and golden inside. Then they looked at their own clothes, which were tattered and dirty, like beggars. They seemed to be able to smell a stench and felt a little scared.
Zhou Guo was about to say something when a waiter came out from inside. When he saw them, he immediately turned unhappy and said, "Go away, beggars, where did you come from? Don't block the door of the store and dirty my floor. Go beg somewhere else." He waved his hands in disgust, as if they were some kind of plague gods that should be avoided.
Zhou Guo raised her eyelids and gave him a cold look. Without saying a word, she took her mother's hand and left.
The young man was shocked by her look and felt his heart tighten. He was relieved when the person left. He touched the sweat on his head and muttered to himself, "Damn, where did this little bastard come from? His eyes are like those of a wolf. It's really weird."
Not far away is another cloth shop, Xingde Shop.
After what happened just now, Li and others felt even more embarrassed to go in. Their outfits were really inappropriate, so they were too timid to go in.
Zhou Guo advised, "Mom, aunts, don't be afraid, we are not beggars, we are going to spend money to buy things. It is said that those who give money to others are the biggest ones, and they have to call us grandpa!
Moreover, we have survived all the difficulties along the way. We walked here from the south on our own. We have seen a lot of the world. The people sitting inside may have been to the next county the farthest in their lives. We are much better than them. Don't be afraid. Hold your head high and let's go in."
Everyone thought of the thrilling scenes on the road and the life-and-death experiences they had experienced several times, and suddenly they were filled with infinite courage.
"You're right, it's just a cloth shop. Come on, let's go in." Li puffed out her chest, and the many women behind her also raised their heads.
Zhou Guo nodded with satisfaction, walked in front, and was about to go in.
Just as I raised my foot and hadn't stepped in, I ran into a woman head-on.
When the woman saw them, she stepped back suddenly and almost fell.
"Where did you come from, beggar? You are blind! You dare to offend our lady. If you offend our lady, you will suffer the consequences!"
Zhou Guo looked up and was almost blinded.
The woman in front of me was about thirty or forty years old. She was dressed in gold, with gold hairpins all over her head. She wore a big gold bracelet on each hand, and six of her ten fingers had gold rings. She exuded the aura of wealth from head to toe.
She was stunned for a moment, as she had never seen anyone wear gold like this.
"What are you looking at, you blind little beggar, go away." The maid next to him reached out her hand to push him.
Zhou Guo's eyes turned cold and his aura changed.
Li behind her hurriedly pulled her back and held her in her arms. She was not worried about her own daughter, but about the two people opposite. Ever since her brother was lost, this child has been like a panic whenever she encounters danger.