Unknowingly, the two of them walked to the river beach at the east end of the village. Unknowingly, the river beach became a battlefield for the two of them, and the two of them helped each other like comrades-in-arms.

The promise Zhang Guoquan mentioned was to provide free electricity to the villagers. As for the period of free electricity, it was decided by Yang Lei, which could be three months or half a year. The cost during the period would be shared equally among the benefits obtained from selling river sand.

Yang Lei pondered for a moment and said: "Well, this is good. Every villager has received actual benefits, but this money is not a small expense."

If all these people were to use it for free for the first half of a year, the amount of electricity generated would be huge, and electricity would cost a lot of money.

Zhang Guoquan saw his hesitation: "I don't want to let the child catch the wolf, but you don't have to be too anxious. Even when the village is connected to electricity, the fresh energy is only for two days. After those two days, the fresh energy will not be taken seriously.

"

Yang Lei nodded: "That's right. No one will keep the lights on during the day. If they keep them on at night, he won't be able to sleep either."

Yang Lei smiled after finishing speaking. This is the only way now.

Suddenly, he remembered something and asked, "What did you say to Yonggui just now that made him agree to mine river sand?"

Zhang Guoquan smiled and replied: "It's okay, because I know what he prefers in his heart. I just gave him more strength."

"I say, no one will spend your whole life with you, not your father-in-law, not your mother-in-law. They will grow old in the future, and even your son will get married in the future, or fly away, and they will not stay with you for the rest of your life. The only one who can stay with you is

The only thing you have in your life is your wife."

Yang Lei breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, it seems that your words have touched his heart."

On the river in the distance, there were a few skating children playing. It was such a cold day, but they didn't know how cold it was, and they had a great time.

And the reed marsh has long lost its former vitality. It is broken, folded, and twisted in the water, and it is also frozen.

We can only wait until next spring, when this crop field and this river beach will be full of life again.

When he returned to the yard, Zhang Guoquan quickly walked into the house and closed the door.

It's so damn cold here.

It was much warmer after entering the house, and Bai Ge was sitting there cutting something.

Zhang Guoquan came closer, lay down behind her, and stretched his head to look.

"Hey, red paper for the New Year." Bai Ge turned his head and held up the cut red paper.

"Isn't it still a month before the Chinese New Year? How can we prepare so soon?" Zhang Guoquan lay on her shoulder and looked closely at the white pigeon.

Bai Ge blinked his eyes: "Well, I know. You know that my legs and feet are not convenient. Make preparations early so that you don't have to worry when the time comes."

Zhang Guoquan nodded, stood up, moved a small bench, sat in front of Bai Ge, and started cutting with her.

Suddenly, Bai Ge asked: "Guoquan, can you write couplets?"

Zhang Guoquan kept moving his hands and quickly cut out a square.

"I can write it, but I can't write it well. How about I find someone who can write well in the village calligraphy and write a couple of them."

Bai Ge held the scissors in one hand and the cut long red paper in the other. She thought for a moment and said: "I want you to write. This is our family's first New Year. It's okay if you can't write well. I like to read."

That’s it.”

Zhang Guoquan raised his head and glanced at Bai Ge. The posture holding the scissors made people feel funny.

"Okay, okay, then I will show my shame when the time comes. Oh, by the way, Bai Ge, can you write?"

Bai Ge shook his head: "I don't know much. I haven't been to school since I was a child. I only learned it secretly in my mind when I watched my eldest sister study. When my eldest sister goes to school, I will practice what my eldest sister has learned by myself in bed.

"

"Sister, won't you teach me?" Zhang Guoquan put the cut red paper on the table.

"I teach sometimes, but I was still young at that time. My eldest sister would run out to play while teaching me. In fact, I know she thinks I am stupid and is impatient with me. How much patience can a child have?"

Now Bai Ge has become calm when talking about the past, and is no longer as sensitive and timid as before.

"The eldest sister later dropped out of school early, so I also dropped out of school." Bai Ge smiled softly.

"It's the same. My family is also poor, so I stopped going to elementary school. But I studied hard at that time and learned a lot of words. I couldn't help it, my family was really poor."

Bai Ge still laughed softly upon hearing this.

The two opened their hearts and told each other about their childhood past, as if they were back in their childhood.

Outside was the howling north wind, making a whining sound.

Although the room was not particularly warm, having such a room to protect against the cold wind was enough for the two of them.

Sometimes Zhang Guoquan speaks softly, and Baige smiles softly.

Sometimes it was Bai Ge who was talking, and Zhang Guoquan would listen attentively and ask questions from time to time.

The whole afternoon just flowed quietly in light conversation.

At night, the whole village was pitch black, and the cold wind seemed to have not blown enough during the day. At night, it blew harder and harder. From time to time in the dark night, you could still hear the cold wind coming from the branches in the distance.

A crisp "click" sound.

Before dawn, the thick branches that were broken off were carried back home and used as firewood.

In the light of the kerosene lamp, Zhang Guoquan bent down and opened the quilt, took the bean straw handed over by the white pigeon, and then spread the bean straw at the bottom.

Bean straw is relatively hard, so it is most suitable to spread it at the bottom. A layer of wheat straw is spread on top of the bean straw, and this layer will be softer.

Wheat straw cannot be used entirely. Although it is soft overall, it is easy to collapse. Sleeping on such soft wheat straw can also cause back pain, so it is necessary to put a thick layer of bean straw on the bottom.

With the solid bean straw as the basic support, it becomes much stronger.

Zhang Guoquan laid out the original bedding again, spread out the thick quilt, and covered it with a military coat.

The whole bed seemed much higher. Zhang Guoquan sat on it, rocked it up and down twice, and said to Bai Ge: "Well, it's very flexible, and it must be a lot warmer."

He carried Bai Ge to the bed, where she usually slept against the wall.

The house has been in use for a long time, and dirt is always falling off the walls. Zhang Guoquan braided some wheat straws and nailed them to the place where the white pigeon sleeps, so that the dirt is not always stained on his body.

It's late at night and people are quiet.

Under the quilt, the two of them were close together. It was still cold at first, but after a while, the whole quilt was warm, as if it was being heated by a fire.

Bai Ge said: "The mattress you made is too thick, so I won't be able to freeze now."

Zhang Guoquan held the white pigeon in his arms: "This year's Chinese New Year, let's go back to my parents' house to spend the New Year's Eve and come back on the first day of the new year."

Bai Ge just nodded. At this moment, the cold wind was howling outside and the sky was freezing, but the quilt in the house was warm. All of this was given by the man who held her in his arms.

You don't know how much she enjoyed this moment. Even though she was so sleepy that she couldn't open her eyes, she listened to the howling wind outside but refused to fall asleep for a long time.

She enjoyed this moment so much that the whole room was shrouded in darkness. Listening to Zhang Guoquan's snoring, she leaned tightly against his chest. How could his body be so hot? It was like a big stove.

She just didn't want to sleep. She used to like the dark night because only in the dark night, she could let her thoughts wander aimlessly. In the dark night, she could no longer worry about other people's cold looks and ridicule, and she didn't have to worry about her family's faces.

Now, she still likes the dark night.

The north wind that had been howling all night finally stopped. Bai Ge didn't know when it stopped. Anyway, she had been sleeping very lightly that night. As long as Zhang Guoquan made some slight movements, turning over or raising his arms, she would wake up.

Then he drifted off to sleep.

When I couldn't sleep at all, it was still dark, and I looked out the window. It was still dark outside, but there was no sound of wind.

The whole earth seemed quiet, not a sound could be heard. Zhang Guoquan was still sleeping, and she just lay on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

It was so quiet that when Zhang Guoquan woke up, he found the white pigeon sleeping deeply on his chest.

He didn't have the heart to disturb him. After a long while, when Bai Ge turned over, Zhang Guoquan got up, tucked Bai Ge in with the quilt, and opened the door.

Found out it was snowing.

No wonder it's so quiet, it's overwhelming, everything you can see is covered with a thick layer of white snow, shining brightly into your eyes.

There is a thick layer of dirt everywhere on dirt roads, in river ditches, in crop fields, and on top of dirt houses.
Chapter completed!