Reborn in a small village in the 1990s

Chapter 253

Zhao Tingxu had originally agreed that each of the three brothers would pay nine hundred yuan, which meant Zhao Tiesheng should also have paid nine hundred yuan.

But the eldest brother, Zhao Tiebao, said his wife didn't allow it...

The third brother, Zhao Tiegang, said he didn't...

It's one thing that they didn't pay. Actually, there was still more than two thousand left, but in the end, nothing was done about it.

Zhao Da'e remembers it very clearly; it happened on the first few days of the first lunar month this spring. In the end, Zhao Tingxu only had a little over four hundred left, which he returned to Cheng Jinxiang.

Forty thousand yuan went out, and four hundred or so came back...

Zhao Da'e laughed: That's just how interesting our family is.

The following is a bit of a digression, mainly about the fact that Zhao Chunni still hasn't paid back the money.

Based on Zhao Da'e's understanding of Zhao Chunni, the remaining seven thousand yuan should have been repaid. However, Wang Guixiang denied spending it.

Wang Guixiang is no saint; she not only betrayed her son, but also her daughter.

In Wang Guixiang's eyes, there are only two children—Zhao Chunqin and Zhao Tiegang.

Everyone else seemed to be someone who wasn't born to Wang Guixiang, someone she could easily swindle.

Zhao Da'e knew that Zhao Chunni was an honest and simple person. If Wang Guixiang had spent the money, Zhao Chunni would have to take the blame and admit that she hadn't paid it back. But since she had actually paid it back, she couldn't possibly pay it back a second time…

So the money was simply lost.

After Zhao Chunni and her husband bought a tractor, they also started working in the fields. They started hauling bricks and sand. When no one was around, Zhao Chunni had to stay home to take care of her child, her eldest son... So Zhao Tiesheng and Zhao Tiegang, the two brothers, actually helped out quite a bit by hauling sand.

They make money hauling bricks and sand, but these two are just helpers.

This logic is particularly interesting, but it is indeed a very real thing.

The relationships within the Zhao family are so complicated that even Zhao Da'e is completely bewildered.

Even if Zhao Tiesheng's family preferred not to farm, they would still obediently go and load bricks for Zhao Chunni's son-in-law.

As you know, Zhao Da'e always understood that Zhao Tiegang also went.

But Zhao Tiegang was always drinking wherever he went...

Zhao Tiegang isn't just idle at home; he doesn't work anywhere!

At this time, the two brothers from the Zhao family often came to Zhao Chunni's house to help with chores. They didn't do their own chores, but they still helped Zhao Chunni with her chores.

In the words of old man Zhao Tingxu: If your maternal family doesn't help your eldest sister, she won't be able to stand up straight.

Zhao Chunni also has two daughters, one is already fifteen or sixteen years old, about the same age as Zhou Chunwen, and the other is thirteen or fourteen years old.

Zhao Chunni's eldest son is disabled, so it is reasonable and legal for her to have two more daughters.

The eldest child is named Zhang Yuyan, and the second child is named Zhang Yumei. In particular, the second child, Zhang Yumei, has excellent academic performance and is a rising star in the Zhang family.

From the west side of the market, walk past several stalls selling odds and ends like straw ropes, flower baskets, sieves, brooms, combs, hoes, and shovels, and continue west, passing a chicken farm.

This chicken farm used to belong to the government, but it closed down a long time ago and there's no one there anymore, though the yard is quite large.

Then there's an alley; turn north, and you'll basically arrive.

There are two houses next to each other on the street. The one on the east side belongs to Zhang Ruiqing, the second son of the Zhang family, and the one on the west side belongs to Zhao Chunni.

This wasn't Zhao Da'e's first time here, so he knew the way well.

Her most vivid memory of visiting her aunt's house wasn't the food and drinks, but rather being bitten several times by Zhao Chunni's black dog...

hiss……

That good-for-nothing dog... it really bites. And not just once, but several times.

In his previous life, after Zhao Da'e's mother fell ill, the family's livelihood was basically maintained by Zhao Da'e for a short period of time. Zhao Da'e had also visited Zhao Chunni's house before, originally intending to borrow some money, but seeing that they had just built a new house, had a sick son, and two daughters in school, he was too embarrassed to ask.

Zhao Da'e was too embarrassed to open her mouth, but Zhao Chunni's dog certainly dared to.

With a snap, it bit off Zhao Da'e's leg.

At that moment, Zhao Chunni looked at the dog and then said: "This dog doesn't bite, Da'e, you can go without worry."

As a result, Zhao the goose got bitten...

Afterwards, he went inside and quickly applied cold water to the affected area, then used some buckwheat hulls to ward off the heat. When Zhao Da'e came out again, he saw that the black dog had been tied up.

Zhao Da'e thought everything was fine this time, so he prepared to go outside from the yard, but the dog broke free of its leash and...

It bit Zhao the goose again.

After that, I applied cold water to the affected area and continued using the remaining buckwheat hulls.

After lunch, Zhao Da'e needed to use the restroom. He also asked Zhao Chunni to watch the dog, which was still leashed...

The dog was tied to the tractor steering wheel with a rope, and Zhao Da'e thought this time everything would go smoothly.

When the dog saw Zhao Da'e, it was like seeing a sworn enemy; it was filled with intense hatred. It even pulled off the steering wheel of the tractor and chased after Zhao Da'e, trying to bite him. Zhao Da'e was so scared that he scrambled up the wall, but the dog still managed to get him down...

Zhao the goose got bitten again.

I was bitten three times in one day.

Zhao Da'e sometimes thinks: Damn it, I applied the buckwheat husks too early... If I had waited until after I had bitten them three times, it would have been much easier.

If you ask whether Zhao Da'e was afraid of rabies, he definitely was. But at that time, Zhao Da'e didn't know if there was a rabies vaccine, and since he didn't die from rabies in the end, he didn't have too much of a psychological burden.

Besides, poverty can cure all ills...

If you get bitten by a dog, you need a rabies vaccine, but what if you get scratched by a cat? Bitten by a pig? Pecked by a chicken? Gored by a cow...?

Living in the countryside, you'll encounter countless situations like this. Anyway, these days, people usually just apply buckwheat husks or something.

Believe it or not, applying buckwheat husks is said to cure all diseases.

I didn't believe it, I had no money, and there were no vaccines. I was just lucky to survive.

The real world is different from the world in books. In the world of books, the protagonists are more powerful than gods. In the real world, it is already extremely difficult to survive and live well.

Before reaching the door, Zhao Da'e looked around (similar to looking around for something, but not just looking), and finally spotted a locust tree stick leaning against the wall in the front yard.

Zhao Da'e swiftly climbed over the wall and grabbed the locust tree branch.

It's about 1.2 to 1.3 meters long, probably someone else used it to make a pickaxe handle, so it's quite straight.

In this era, no one sells ready-made pickaxe or shovel handles; farmers find any smooth stick they can use.

In most cases, black locust trees are used around Kashi County.

I don't know the scientific name of the black locust tree. Anyway, it's a type of locust tree that blooms in spring with white flowers that are very sweet and edible.

The black locust tree is different from the locust tree depicted in many literary works. It's covered in thorns and grows rapidly with sufficient rain, causing considerable annoyance. Its greatest advantages are twofold: firstly, the young black locust trees are exceptionally straight, remaining straight for three to five meters, unlike the crooked and sprawling poplar trees. Therefore, they are well-suited for making wooden handles for shovels and hoes. Secondly, the wood has a vertical cut, meaning it's difficult to break, especially when wet, which is an advantage over elm. Thus, in those days, black locust branches were mostly used as handles for shovels and hoes by farmers.

When Zhao Tingxu saw Zhao Da'e climbing the wall and grabbing a stick, he frowned and asked, "What's Da'e doing?"

"Get ready to chop that black dog up in a bit!" Zhao Da'e gritted his teeth in anger.

They had no grudges in their past lives, yet the black dog bit Zhao Da'e three times in one day. This time, Zhao Da'e was going to give that black dog three whacks first.

Zhao Tingxu was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Your aunt's dog doesn't bite."

Zhao Da'e laughed: I don't believe it!

They said the same thing when I was bitten last time!

Seeing that Zhao Dage didn't speak, Zhao Tingxu didn't say much either, only instructing him to follow him in a while, assuring him that everything would be fine.

When they arrived at Zhao Chunni's house, Zhao Tingxu was about to open the door halfway to go inside.

Zhao Chunni's home is similar to a traditional northern courtyard house, square in shape, with the house at the back, an east wing, a west vegetable garden, a red brick gatehouse, and two black iron gates.

Zhao Tingxu went in, but Zhao Da'e didn't dare to go in. Instead, he called out, "Auntie, my grandpa is here."

Before the people inside the house came out, a black dog darted out from the side.

The black dog went straight for Zhao Tingxu. Since Zhao Da'e hadn't entered the yard and was still outside, Zhao Tingxu became the black dog's only direct target, and it opened its mouth to bite him.

Zhao Tingxu was stunned for a moment, then cursed, "You've gone too far..."

Then he kicked it out.

Zhao Tingxu was no child after all, and he was quite strong. He kicked the black dog, and the dog was in pain. However, instead of running away, it jumped up and tried to bite Zhao Tingxu's neck. In a panic, Zhao Tingxu reached out and grabbed the dog's neck.

The man and the dog remained frozen in place.

Then the black dog tilted its head and bit Zhao Tingxu's arm.

Zhao Tingxu was sweating profusely from the pain, but his hands were still tightly gripping the black dog's neck.

Zhao Da'e smiled bitterly to himself: What did I say? I told you this damn dog bites people, but Zhao Tingxu didn't believe me, so what could I do?

And this black dog clearly looks down on people!

The reason Zhao Da'e was bitten before was probably because the black dog, seeing two people, would bully the smaller one...

So, last time it was Zhao Da'e who got bitten. This time, Zhao Da'e didn't go in, so Zhao Tingxu got bitten instead.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Chunni and Zhang Ruifeng quickly ran out.

Zhao Da'e pinched his nose, cautiously opened half the door and went in, then smacked the black dog on the head with a stick.

Ow...

Fearing he might miss, Zhao Da'e swung the stick a second time, aiming directly at the black dog's body.

The black dog yelped, released Zhao Tingxu's arm, and tried to run away.

Zhao Da'e chased after it and chopped the black dog on the head with a stick.

The black dog lay down on the ground, convulsing in pain.

Holding the stick, Zhao Da'e looked at the blood flowing from Zhao Tingxu's hand and asked, "Grandpa, what did I tell you? I told you this dog bites people, but you didn't believe me."

Zhao Tingxu, his face dark, snatched the stick from Zhao Da'e's hand and whacked the black dog on the head several times: "Are you blind?! You even bite me! You've gone too far!"

After hitting the dog, Zhao Tingxu scolded Zhao Chunni, "Why did you raise a dog that bites people? You still keep this piece of junk? Are you keeping it to bite people?"

Zhao Chunni lowered her head and dared not speak.

In the Zhao family, it wasn't just the brothers who were afraid of Zhao Tingxu; even the daughters were afraid of him. Zhao Tingxu had a terrible temper and a style reminiscent of an old-fashioned patriarch.

Zhao Tingxu's style is usually quite "unfriendly" to his children. He beats and scolds his son Zhao Tingxu, but is slightly more lenient with his daughter. However, today he was bitten by a black dog and immediately got angry.

“Now you’re guarding the house, and you’re using a tiny dog. This huge dog bit me. If I hadn’t been walking in front, and the dog had bitten the goose and disfigured it, what would have happened? Wouldn’t people hate you for life?” Zhao Tingxu continued.

"Get this damn dog far, far away. The farther the better. What a piece of trash it is, it's even learned to bite people now."

At this moment, Zhao Chunni's second daughter, Zhang Yumei, also came out and hid to the side, whispering, "Grandpa, you should wash up first. This dog bit you, so you need to disinfect it and stuff."

Zhang Yumei is in junior high school. She is a little thin, but has a delicate appearance.

Hearing her say that, Zhao Tingxu felt a little embarrassed to keep a straight face, so he said, "Chunni, tell your son-in-law to throw the dog away."

Zhao Chunni quickly agreed, and Zhang Ruifeng dragged the barely alive dog out the door.

Zhao Da'e greeted his aunt and uncle as a form of acknowledgment.

"Cousin, long time no see."

Zhang Yumei chuckled. She had a small mole on the corner of her mouth, which made her look especially cute when she smiled: "The goose has gotten fat, let your cousin give it a hug."

Zhang Yumei then came over and picked up Zhao Da'e.

How old is the goose?

"Six years old, almost seven."

“You’ve gotten fairer, plumper, and prettier. Your face was only this big when you were little. Last year when I saw you, you were so thin. You must have been eating a lot of good food lately,” Zhang Yumei asked.

"I can't say I eat a lot of good food, but I'm easy to feed," Zhao Da'e chuckled.

"Do you miss your cousin?"

"I miss her, I miss my cousin the most."

"You have such a sweet tongue." Zhang Yumei carried Zhao Da'e into the house, ran to the back cupboard, found a large bag of soft candies, and then gave them to Zhao Da'e: "Here, have some candy."

Zhao Chunni led Zhao Tingxu into the house.

Zhao Tingxu sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), still fuming, and continued nagging, "Chunni, you should get a smaller dog in the future. This big one is unmanageable. If it bites a stranger, won't you have to pay compensation?"

Zhao Chunni nodded: "Dad, you go wash up."

Zhao Chunni went out and got a washbasin and a bar of soap, which she handed to Zhao Tingxu.

Zhao Tingxu waved his hand: "I won't die."

"Wash it."

Zhang Yumei chimed in, "Grandpa, you should wash it. Otherwise, the dog might have bacteria, and if you wash it, you might get rabies or something."

Zhao Tingxu snorted coldly, but still washed it.

After washing for a while, Zhao Chunni brought some buckwheat hulls and buckwheat flour from the back room, mixed them with water, and applied them to Zhao Tingxu's face.

Also, I crushed the mugwort and added it in.

Zhao Tingxu laughed: "Chunni, you've prepared everything. Are you just hoping I'll come and get bitten by the dogs?"

Zhao Chunni smiled and said, "Dad, what are you talking about? I prepared this for Yuzhuang."