The sky is dark and cold, and the stars are dimmer than last night.

Xu Qing walked on the broad street with a bag of noodles in his hand. Except for the vendors who were keeping their stalls under the telephone poles and lit by street lights, he didn't see many pedestrians.

The cold wind howled from all directions, stabbing my face like a knife and stinging.

Even if he finally encounters a pedestrian, he lowers his head, shrinks his body, hides his whole body in his cotton-padded jacket, and hurries on his way.

Xu Qing also quickened his pace, walked to the stall that sold horseshoe biscuits, and ordered a piece of sesame cake.

The vendor is an old man in his fifties, with a stooped figure, cloudy eyes, and a bit of a dull look, but he is in good spirits, and the horseshoe biscuits he makes are also particularly crispy.

In the past, every time Xu Qing came out of Ma Jiefang's house, he would always buy a few to eat.

He is also a regular customer and occasionally chats with the old man.

However, since I started working in the factory, I haven’t been here for half a year.

The old man saw Xu Qing and didn't recognize him at first, but after hearing Xu Qing's voice.

A smile immediately appeared on his wrinkled face, and he said with a smile:

"Drink, it's you, kid. It's been a long time since I've been here, old man. Why are you so busy with your studies lately?"

As the old man spoke, he quickly helped Xu Qing wrap the sesame cakes with paper.

Xu Qing handed over the money and said: "I don't want to read anymore, I'm working in the factory now."

"Ouch, why don't you think about it all this time?"

The old man asked, but when Xu Qing didn't answer immediately, he hurriedly said: "It's okay if you don't read it anymore. These days, it's important to make money and eat. But old man, I remember that you seem to have read "Famous Hall" right away.

It’s a shame not to think about it!”

Xu Qing also knew that it was a pity, but there was nothing he could do about it. The three little ones in the family could not go hungry.

Even if he had to choose again, Xu Qing would choose not to read it.

After all, he is the eldest brother in the family, and as the eldest brother, he must shoulder the burden of the entire family.

Otherwise, the family will be broken up!

After taking the sesame seed cakes wrapped by the old man, Xu Qing said goodbye and continued back toward the compound along the deserted street.

On the road, he met a candied haws seller who was closing his stall. Xu Qing took out another 15 cents and bought three skewers, ready to take them back to the three little ones.

Although I don’t have much money, I still have to live my life.

As the eldest brother, I still have to love my younger siblings as much as I should.

When Xu Qing returned to the house.

The three little ones have finished their homework.

The second brother Xu Aiguo is taking his third brother Xu Fengming and the little girl around the stove, roasting sweet potatoes.

I saw that my eldest brother not only bought water chestnut pancakes, but also candied haws.

The little girl grinned, stood up quickly, swung her braid and ran to Xu Qing, saying coquettishly:

"Brother, I have finished my homework for a while. The second brother took me and the third brother to wait for you at the entrance of the alley for a while, but we didn't see you coming back, so we went back to the house first."

Xu Qing stretched out his hand to ice the little girl's face, and put the horseshoe biscuits on the table. The three little guys immediately gathered around, vying to be the first to eat.

Xu Qing put three bunches of candied haws on the side and let the three little ones fill their stomachs before eating.

The three little ones were eating sesame cakes, and Xu Qing picked up a thermos and poured a teacup of water for each of them.

Then he walked to the stove and checked the sweet potatoes on the stove.

I stretched out my hand and pinched it, feeling that the sweet potato was still half-cooked. I walked outside the house, took back a large piece of wood that I had picked up earlier, and stuffed it into the stove.

Firewood always burns better than briquettes and burns faster.

The little ones sat at the table, happily eating water chestnut pancakes, while Xu Qing roasted sweet potatoes.

The room is indescribably warm.

But at this moment, Xu Damao stepped in.

Seeing Xu Qing roasting sweet potatoes, he tilted his head and signaled that he had something to do.

As soon as Xu Qing walked outside the house, Xu Damao handed him the flue:

"Do you still have the tickets?"

"No more."

Xu Qing didn't expect that Xu Damao would take the initiative to ask for a ticket from him tonight, and he was a little surprised.

But looking at Xu Damao's expression, Xu Qing guessed that it was probably the twelve tickets last night, and Xu Damao had already taken action.

Otherwise, he would not come to me so quickly.

Xu Damao winked and said: "Brother, I can tell you that these tickets are in great demand now. If you can still get them, I will cover them all for you, brother!"

Xu Qing smoked a cigarette and said with a wry smile:

"Brother Damao, it's not that easy to get tickets. Even if I find someone to draw for you, it won't be that fast."

Xu Damao looked a little disappointed and took a puff of smoke: "This year, there are really many people asking for votes. If you can get it, do it quickly. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the two of us will join forces and do something very ruthless.

You have to make a fortune from it, otherwise, it won’t be guaranteed until spring next year.”

Xu Qing also knows that there will definitely be many people who need tickets before the end of the year.

The problem is, I don’t have a ticket now, even if I have the ability to split it into two, it’s useless.

Xu Damao can do it.

But he couldn't let Xu Damao give him the vote first, and then split it into two and gave it to Xu Damao.

If you really do this, I'm afraid this matter will be troublesome.

After all, Xu Damao is not a fool, he is very thoughtful.

If I notice something, I'm afraid it will be more than just trouble!

Xu Qing thought about it in his mind, and remembered that Ma Jiefang said he could get bicycle tickets, so he said:

"Brother Damao, do you want a bicycle ticket?"

"Bicycle tickets?" Xu Damao was stunned for a moment, and after pondering for a moment, he said with a smile: "This is not easy to handle. Bicycle tickets are very rare. There must be a lot of people who want them, but the Chinese New Year is about to happen, and most of them

What people urgently need are food stamps, meat stamps, bicycle tickets...but I have to ask about it."

After Xu Damao finished speaking, he looked at Xu Qing in surprise and asked quickly: "Can you get a bicycle ticket?"

Xu Qing nodded.

"It shouldn't be a big problem, but I can't say for sure."

Xu Qing had to wait for news about Ma Jiefang, so he did not give a definite reply to Xu Damao.

Xu Damao's even more excited expression turned lonely again, he spat out a circle, reached out and patted Xu Qing's shoulder, and whispered:

"Then you have confidence. Tell your brother. When the time comes, I will find a way to help you."

Xu Qing hummed.

Xu Damao saw that Xu Qing had no other tickets on hand, so he didn't talk about it anymore. He rambled for a while, yawned, and walked towards his own room.

When Xu Qing saw Xu Damao leaving, he turned around and opened the door and walked in.

In the middle of winter, it’s freezing cold standing in the courtyard.

Although there hasn't been any snow in the past two days, the sun has been shining for two days.

But the old people in Sijiucheng all know that although it is cold when it snows, it is even colder when it is clearing away the snow, which is more than twice as cold as a snowy day.

From a scientific point of view, when snow melts, it does not absorb heat.

As soon as Xu Qing entered the room, he felt the chill in his body, and half of it dissipated immediately.

Walking to the stove, Xu Qing turned over all the sweet potatoes and continued to roast them.
Chapter completed!