The snow outside the house fell all night.

The exhaled air turned into white mist because of the cold.

Xu Qing shook the snowflakes on his shoulders.

While reaching out to close the door, I did not forget to remind my younger brother and sister not to oversleep and be late for school.

Then he turned around and rubbed his hands, put them in the sleeves of the cotton jacket, and walked out of the front yard gate.

It was already past six o'clock in the morning, but it was still dark.

The weather was very cold, and the broken water jar placed in the yard had already been frozen.

It will be 1962 when the New Year is turned.

Xu Qing knew that the most difficult days were about to end.

The natural disaster that lasted for three years will eventually come to an end.

Fortunately, he just caught up with the tail of the three-year difficult period.

Not too much of affliction, either.

Xu Qing has been in this courtyard world for half a year.

At first I was a little unacceptable, but gradually, I adapted.

After all, I have traveled through time, and I am afraid it is impossible to go back.

Xu Qing will be a young man this year after the Spring Festival, and will be able to participate in the formal work assessment at Hongxing Steel Rolling Factory.

Nowadays, although he is an apprentice, he can earn 27.5 yuan a month at least, and his family's life can barely be maintained.

Both of their parents died in a factory accident on duty in the first half of the year, leaving behind two younger brothers and a younger sister.

The original body had no choice but to drop out of school, let the younger brothers and sisters study, and go to the factory to replace their parents' quota to work.

Now, this matter has fallen on Xu Qing.

Xu Qing also took the responsibility without hesitation.

After all, he is the boss at home!

Many things, from now on, will be needed to fight against them!

Because he lived in the backyard, Xu Qing, Xu Damao, the deaf old lady, and bangs, the four families became neighbors.

At this moment, the yard was quiet, and the other three houses were pitch black, obviously not yet ready.

However, the life of the three families is better than that of Xu Qing, so there is naturally no need to get up early.

Xu Damao and Liu Haizhong both worked in the factory for many years, and they are still formal workers, and their salary is much higher than Xu Qing, the apprentice.

As for the deaf old lady, although she has no children and does not work, she lives a comfortable life with the help of everyone in the yard.

After all, I am a very old person, and walking cannot be separated from crutches. It is obviously unrealistic to let her work.

After leaving the backyard, Xu Qing walked into the middle yard.

At this time, the lights in the Jia family's house were on in the middle courtyard.

Qin Huairu also got up early.

There is no way. Last year, her man Jia Dongxu was paralyzed and he still lies on the kang and cannot move.

Qin Huairu had no choice but to replace Jia Dongxu like Xu Qing and work at the Hongxing Rolling Factory.

Based on his original memory, Xu Qing knew that Qin Huairu had always complained about this.

After all, the reason why Qin Huairu came from the countryside and married Jia Dongxu was to enjoy a happy life.

But Jia Dongxu was paralyzed, and her good life was over.

Without a man at home, Qin Huairu doesn’t go to work, how can the family live? Who will support her?

Could it be that it’s up to her mother-in-law Jia Zhang to shake coal balls?

These days, although people living in the city rely on coal balls to make fires and keep warm.

Shaking coal balls can really make some money.

However, Qin Huairu gave birth to a son, two daughters, Jia Zhang and the paralyzed Jia Dongxu.

The family of six is ​​more people than Xu Qing’s house. The little money Jia Zhang earns to shake coal balls is not enough to get stuck between the teeth.

Moreover, Jia Zhang, who has a sarcastic personality, is not a person who can go to work. Therefore, the Jia family can only go out to Qinhuairu to go to the factory.

Qin Huairu is currently an apprentice, just like Xu Qing, not because she is not old enough.

Instead, Qin Huairu learned things slowly and knew fewer characters, so she has been an apprentice after more than a year.

At this time, Qin Huairu also pushed open the door and walked out of the house with her hands and feet shrinking.

Seeing Xu Qing, a hint of joy appeared in his eyes.

It was late in winter when it was dawn, Qin Huairu, a woman, went to the factory in the dark, and she couldn't help but feel scared.

On weekdays, they waited for Sha Zhu to wait for her in the yard, and the two of them got together.

But last night, the factory leaders invited someone to dinner.

As a chef, Sha Zhu never came back.

At this time, Qin Huairu, after seeing Xu Qing, hurriedly ran two steps and followed Xu Qing toward the courtyard.

The snow is still falling.

As soon as Xu Qing walked out of the courtyard, a layer of his head had fallen.

Qin Huairu reached out to pat Xu Qing for a while, and then started chatting with Xu Qing.

"Xu Qing, how much did you pay last month?"

"Twenty-seven five."

"Oh, just like me."

Xu Qing didn't say anything, and walked slowly along the alley.

Qin Huairu continued:

"Xu Qing, do you... have your salary still? Can you lend me some money first? When I get my salary next month, I will pay you back immediately."

Xu Qing turned his head and looked at Qin Huairu.

He shook his head and said, "Sister Qin, you borrowed me one dollar last month, but you haven't paid it back yet."

Last month, the bar terrier was naughty and skated in the river and broke her leg.

Qin Huairu borrowed all the people in the courtyard one by one.

Xu Qing had just paid his salary, and it was hard to say he had no money, so he had to borrow one yuan.

As a result, it's almost two months.

However, Qin Huairu never mentioned this matter.

No one in the Jia family mentioned this.

It seems that they have never borrowed money from Xu Qing.

At this time, Qin Huairu lowered her head embarrassedly and didn't say anything for a while.

However, Xu Qing took the initiative to speak:

"Sister Qin, you lend me the dollar, but it's time to pay it back. The Chinese New Year will be next month."

"My younger brother and sister didn't buy new clothes last year. I want to buy them a good outfit for the Chinese New Year this year."

Xu Qing is telling the truth.

During these years, there were already financial difficulties and shortages of materials. In addition, during the past three years, the family had suffered accidents and encountered natural disasters that were rare in a century.

It's even worse.

Xu Qing's monthly salary is almost no extra money except for spending enough money for his younger brothers and sisters to go to school and eat.

At this time, it was a forced choice to ask Qin Huairu to pay back the money.

Although the Jia family is not having a good life.

But Xu Qing could not let his younger brother and sister go hungry and wear patched clothes for the New Year.

Xu Qing has a kind heart, but a kind heart is a kind heart.

It's time to ask for money, but it's still necessary.

Last night, Xu Qing knew that the Jia family was eating meat secretly in the house.

At this moment, Qin Huairu's head hung lower, and she walked silently in the alley, stepping on the snow.

It was not until I walked to the entrance of the alley that I put it in my words:

"Tomorrow, I'll find a way to return it to you first."
To be continued...